I’m sitting here looking at the calendar and find it hard to believe that November just swept by like a cold wind and turned the corner.
The leaves are fast falling from the trees and laying a carpet of autumnal color across the yard.
But the sun is shining and that makes a lot of things bearable, doesn’t it?
Starting to get the Christmas stuff out. I’m not going to attempt the Christmas tree this year. I don’t want to do the lifting to get to it out of the shed. So this year it will be decorating in little pockets around the house.
The dogs are in their usual spot at the office window while I type, watching for any movement worth barking about. Abi, ever the diva, turns when she knows I’ve got the camera out.
Charlie here is all business.
Here is a vignette I’ve been working on in my bedroom, where I’ve been making lots of changes. I took the pic with the western rays of sun coming through the window in late afternoon. I will show it again when I’m finished.
Are you going whole hog with Christmas decor this year, or scaling it back?
Definitely scaling back. I don’t have the energy or the want to this year. If it weren’t for the kids I probably wouldn’t even bother with a tree at all.
Going to do the full thing, but I don’t “overdo” it, either. Getting the tree out today… not rushing!
I haven’t gotten my tree/trees out yet but I still feel like I’ve done enough.. I put some of my Jim Shore snowmen out and some battery operated candles~~~~love them with the timers. Have some faux greenery here and there and some pine cones that I got from Texas through Ebay.. They are beautiful. My reindeer with lights will go outside this weekend~~~and a wreath on the door.
If I lived here~~~just me, I don’t think I’d do as much as I do now.
I do love to see garland with lights~~~~I guess I’m still a kid at heart.
I love the pictures of Charlie and Abi.. I know they love that window seat.
Your bedroom looks like it is very festive.
I hope your Christmas will be Merry and Bright with lots of memorable, happy moments.. It’ll be January before we know it.
Hugs, Charlotte
I love that quilt. I made one just like it in old feedsack fabrics. Hope you are doing well! The dogs look so cute!
Cheery wave!
Bev
B~,,
hardly anything at all..
we are in a rental,
most items were sold or donated prior to leaving Denver..
so whatever we choose to do will be minimal..
will celebrate with Florida family..another first !
love and hugs!
Loui♥
The quilt is a perfect background – I love anything with blanket-stitching on it, and those flowers just say 1930s to me. I’m trying to scale back; but I know that in the end, it will be full blown! Sally
I’m scaling back my decorations this year. It’s been a rough year and I just need something simpler this year. A small tree and a few vignettes here and there will make me very happy! I’m going to enjoy December and not stress! So I say! LOL
hugs, Linda
Brenda,I am trying to scale back but it it not working. The decorating has begun and will not end till Christmas day. I love it all and this year feel well enough to do it all again.
I started in the doll room.New window and all had to have something.I love little trees some in every room.j
Just have a few things appearing daily, so far no tree. I’m stealing away up the coast for a few days in December, and my 3 legged wild kitty makes me think I don’t want to put the tree up til I get back. I can’t wait to see what you do.
Scaling back is a wonderful thing, and I have been doing that for a long while now. Little pockets of Christmas decor sounds like a wonderful idea. Love the sneak peak of the bedroom vignette. xo
Compared to 10 years ago I have scaled back a lot. The family room is 90% done and theres a tiny tree and reindeer display on the bar. That may be all I do this year. I like the twinkle on the tree out here but just dont have the energy to do the whole house and then have to face taking it all done- packing it away and taking 22 large storage containers back to the storage building. fewer and fewer of them come up to the house every year so it may be past time to go through them all this spring and start donating.
I LOVE you fur kids and the Fiestaware cup and saucer!!!!! I am cutting way back on Christmas decor this year, as I think I have my place sold. I don’t know where I want to go yet, so many decesions. I can go anywhere I want…I just need a celerical job…and a house with a yard for Miss Bella!!!!
We had a fire in the kitchen of our 110 year old farmhouse a few weeks ago, so the insurance cleaner is here now washing down our kitchen. Puts a damper on decorating. But I’m going pretty much whole hog after she’s done.. but I pace myself. The tree is up, but not decorated, I have a little tree on my dining table… more to come. I love the sparkling lights of this holiday.
((hugs)), Teresa
Our leaves have been down for quite some time now
Again, loving the Fiestaware! Your pups are too cute for words! 
-Denise
Brenda, I love the quilt with the sunlight streaming upon it! We are decorating pretty much like we always do—quite a bit! Both of our children and grandchildren come and spend a few days in our home over the holidays–so we try to make it festive. It’s a lot of work but we love Christmas! ♥
I’ve definitely scaled back. Even have some of my decorations packed up and ready to donate. Don’t you love the way the sun comes in the windows this time of year?
So glad you’re not planning any heavy lifting. Your small vignettes are always so pretty. I love the shadows across the wall.
Hello Brenda,
Abi and Charlie are adorable little companions. They look so content there standing their post at the window.
Did you make the colorful posy quilt, Brenda? It’s gorgeous and bursting with colorful charm. Don’t quilts make the best backdrop for vignettes and seasonal arrangments? I always always know that when I visit your blog I will be inspired.
I, too, am scaling back this Christmas with my decorating. This year my energies are divided with preparing to fly down to San Diego for the birth of my newest grandchild.
Have a warm and cozy day, my friend,
Carolynn
It’s really funny, Brenda. I gave away a TON of stuff to my kids. I had really planned on scaling back this year and thought I would go simple. However, our oldest son came home to stay with us for a while. We have not had Christmas with him in several years…so….he helped me haul everything out and we are bedazzled from top to bottom….lol I will be posting pictures this week.
I also wanted to do it because this might be our last year in this house and I thought I wanted to see her “dressed” up pretty one more time- xo Diana
I’m so glad you’ll have bits of Christmas in your house, Brenda! You bring coziness to your home any time of the year, though! I just think there is something about having a twinkle around, even if it’s just Christmas lights in a bowl! haha. Yes, I am going all out this year with the new house, and because we were on the road sooo much last December I couldn’t really enjoy my Christmas decor.
Blessings,
Leslie
We’re a bit scaled back…just what we want but not everything out this year. Enjoy your week, my friend.
Hi Brenda..I LOVE the quilt in your bedroom…its just beautiful!! I love old quilts and vintage Christmas decorations…I look for them in every Flea Mkt I go in and have found some old vintage Christmas bulbs this season so I made me 3 big Christmas Wreaths out of them…last year I made 8 wreaths and gave them as gifts…everyone loved them!! I love anything you decorate because you just have the knack of knowing right where to put everything!! Love your two precious doggies too!!!
Love ya! Carol
I am scaling back too. i will put out one of my thin 4 foot lighted trees and put vintage ornaments on it. i have christmas vintage collection out all year anyway. I like going to the thrift stores at this time of the year because that is when you find vintage. I have found a lefton serving tray,lefton ashtray, small bottle brush trees, Mr and Mrs santa clause, an angle so I have added them to my collection. I have a wire tree,silver from HL that I put vintage ornaments on too. I have 2 glass tree toppers from Germany I may put out somewhere too. they are hard to find. I have made some angels and other things too. love it when you show your babies for us too- and glad you are scaling back and taking care of you too.
Your dogs are beautiful! And yes, sun really helps.
I want to scale back a bit myself. I may take a few pointers from you and do little vignettes and pockets around the house, too. I love all your special touches.
Hugs,
Patti
Where did you get those canisters in the first pic, they are adorable. I am doing my normal decorating, still have kids in the house.
First I just have to say that your sweet pup has the best face! OMG so camera friendly. I lost my girl last month and it’s been so so hard without her.
Yes, we are cutting back also. Did so last year as well. No lights outside. Just a wreath – maybe I’ll work on the entrance, maybe not. Two trees, both without ornaments. Only lights and I love the simplicity and there won’t be all that WORK to pack everything up. We are doing bits and pieces in two bedrooms, entry and mantel. That’s enough. No kids at home and we won’t be here for Christmas so it’s all good.
Well, first…I like your red rooster from the other post
Next, your picture of Abi just cracked me up. She is so darn cute!
I can’t really go ‘whole hog’ because of small space here in my little bungalow but I am scaling back THUS far in that as far as my dining room goes, I am using it for sewing stuff right now and it’s cluttered a bit, so there are some things that I’ve not brought down to decorate it with.
Then, my grandson is 3 this year…there are things that should not be in his reach, lol…these kids have killed thanksgiving pilgrims, antique ice skaters, a caroler…so this year I am keeping things high up and / or not there at all, lol…..Truthfully this year I almost can’t wait to be done with it ( put it away ) almost as soon as I put it up….weird, huh?
I am scaling way back this year, because I’m having shoulder surgery on Dec. 5. It would be hard to do my regular decorating and cookie baking, never mind our annual open house with my arm in a sling!
I just do SNOWMEN…they are the men I my life…hope to start next week…they stay out til March…I loved your term “little pockets”…think I could catch on to that.
We’ve finally started getting cooler temps…worthy of a fire in the morning. The leaves have begun to lay down a carpet here too. I was so happy to see the display of color this year. A very nice change.
Your pups are so sweet. They love you so much–you can tell, by their reactions to what you do and your routines.:)
Love the light coming in the window–
I think we may scale back this year on decor. No reason…just simpler days.
Pat
I’m scaling back even more than last year. After a couple of years without a job, I have one I really enjoy and I just don’t have the time or energy. I haven’t unpacked the few boxes of things that I really wanted to keep if I lost my house (my brother offered his storage for a few boxes). But the spirit is here.
The quilt is so pretty, Brenda, and your little vignette is very sweet. Definitely not scaling back here, have gone all out.
I’ve been scaling back for the last couple of years…and I’m loving my less is more decorating style.
~Cindy
I purged a lot of worn out decorations last year so I should have less going on this year. I can’t help it but I feel sad if one little ornament or snowman doesn’t come out! They all hold such great memories! Love that quilt and can’t wait to see what you are doing with your bedroom!
XO,
Jane
Hi Brenda, Abi is such a doll! I’m already done decorating for Christmas and although I didn’t scale back much I have used more natural materials such as moss to decorate. Love this time of year!
I did less this year too, but don’t feel like it looks any less festive. It sure will lessen my load of anxiety when it’s time to put it all away later on too! I think when you live in a small house, less is more anyway. I like small vignettes too. There shouldn’t be any rules to how you do things.
I agree about the rules — everyone should do what makes them happy, be it more or less, and what fits in with your lifestyle.
I am a pretty scaled-back decorator. We live in a small house which doesn’t lend itself well to big displays. I will change out the fall display of brown pottery on the mantle for some green glassware and pink and maroon pottery. We will have a very small tree with some old Shiny Brite ornaments. There will be electric candles in the windows, a grapevine wreath with dried flowers on the door, and I’ll decorate the pole lamp with a big bow. The decorations that actually get the most comments are the tiny trees decorated with buttons that I put in the bathrooms! I usually don’t put up the tree until two weeks before Christmas, and take it down around Jan. 6. But I will start on the other little touches this weekend.
Charlie Ross and Abi are looking so well and happy. I will start out scaling back and put out just one more thing until almost everything is out. My youngest has two young ones who stay with me a lot due to his work and school schedule, so you know Grandmommy will not say no to any decorating they wish to do. We are making paw print ornaments next week to give as gifts and hang on the tree. It will grow from there. As always, your pics are inspiring. Thank you.
WHERE did you get your canisters and mugs? Are they a recent purchase? I would love to have them for my kitchen. Also love your quilt. My hubby just had a stroke so we will definitely be cutting back on Christmas decorations this year but I’m sure we will find something to remind us of the season.
I’m in a quandry. I think I will probably do some things and not do others. We are having Christmas the day AFTER Christmas and plan to spend it in St. Augustine.
XO,
Sheila
Scaling back to the point of nothhing. I just lost my job, which has put a damper on my festive spirit, and since I live with the lady I care for, I will soon be losing my place of residence as well. Since I will be culling and packing, I also don’t really have the time/inclination to decorate this year.