Santa obsessed ~

To say I am Santa obsessed is definitely an understatement.  Here are more of my Santas (but not nearly all of them!).

Vintage Santas in the downstairs bath.

How funny.  I have two different Santas that say Yugoslavia 1910, but according to Google, Yugoslavia first came into existence as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes on December 1, 1918.  It officially adopted the name Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929.

Living room bucket bench.

I show this every year.  The Russian St. Nicholas my mom made.  I absolutely love him.

My "Chris" tree.  Everything but the tree is from my friend Chris.

A Marketplace find.

Salt glaze Santas.

My favorite blow mold Santa.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Dirty Santa x2 ~

Friend Sue from Vernon Junction knows I love vintage blow mold Santas.  This summer she gifted me with this Santa that must be 3' tall.  He was dirty . . . filthy dirty.  All summer I planned to bathe him outside when the weather was warm but the road to hell is paved with good intentions 😁  The other day I carried him up to the shower.  He was much dirtier than he looks.

Here he is after a good scrubbing.

And finally outside!  His eyes need a touch up . . . maybe next year.

Thanks Sue!!!  I love friends who "understand" me.

Now for Dirty Santa part 2.  There are a bunch of hookers who have been hooking together for years.  Some us go back 12-13 years.  This month we had a white elephant gift exchange and played Dirty Santa.  It doesn't happen often, but I ended up with the same bag of goodies that I got in the first round.  These vintage items were found at a garage sale of an "older lady".  (And I was told she had many more!)  I will just show you the boxes of two of the items (the third was unboxed and is very X-rated).  Use your imagination.  We were all laughing hysterically as I opened them.  Wind up Willy still works!

Hooker friends are THE BEST!

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Purging ~ Yet Still Purchasing

After cleaning out the kitchen and bathroom for my renovations, I purged LOTS of stuff.  To friends, a neighbor and several trips to the thrift store.  Today I took three bags of clothes to a local church that has a monthly "almost free" clothing sale.  I am not a fashionista and generally wear the same clothes all the time.  Give me a pair of jeans and a turtleneck and I am a happy camper.  I had so many clothes I hated to get rid of, but I hadn't worn them in years so probably wouldn't start now.  

My downfall, however, is an antique store.  There is an antique mall a half hour from me going out of business and most items are 50% off.  Yesterday I made my second trip there and came home with these goodies.  I am a sucker for holiday decorations!

When I met Sue of Vernon Junction at the junk journaling class on Saturday, she gave me an early Christmas gift.  What a fun blow mold Santa, stamped Empire 1968.  Thank you, Sue.  You know me well 💕

Speaking of holiday decorations, here is a fun, simple thing to make.  Seriously, it takes just a minute.  Whenever I see an old oil can for a few bucks, I pick it up.  This is the first time I have done anything with one . . . and have no idea where all the others are 😁  Thread a wire in to the hole in the spout, loop the end and voila . . . a primitive ornament hanger.  Since this can is a little bigger, it could use an ornament that is bigger, but I was not about to rummage through Christmas boxes.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

December 23 ~

Christmas falls on the same date each and every year.  You would think by now I would not be surprised when it arrives.  I am more ready this year than ever, but still gobsmacked by the thought it is almost here.  I even got the silver polished while watching A Christmas Story last night.  (There was one year I was polishing it on Christmas Day but it was important to me that we use it!)

Here are more of my decorations.  Pretty much the same as I have posted in years past, but if you are anything like me, you won't remember 😁

Isn't this the cutest snowman light?  I bought him at the same antique shop where I got my carpenter box.  He was a real deal for only $8 and it included the light cord.  Heck, the last time I bought a light cord I think I paid $7!

More snowpeeps (as Robin called them).

Salt glaze Santas.

Salt glaze Santas and my multiplying collection of hard plastic choir boys.

My two favorite blowmold Santas.

He really is not pink!

I got these cards in the mail on the same day.  One from Florida and one from Alabama.  What fun.

For quite a few years I have thought about getting a new Christmas tree.  Every year when it came down from the attic  I held my breath until I saw all the lights come on.  This year was no exception ~ until last Saturday when the top of the tree went dark during the Christmas party.  Then yesterday the mid-section went dark.  I'm sure I said a bad word or two.  I think the tree is telling me something.

Molly went to have her stitches removed today.  The incision on the side had healed.  The one on her back not so much.  The vet said that there is more "pull" in that area.  She removed two of the three stitches then added three staples to keep it closed.  Darn!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊

Lauren

Not Immune ~

Even the downstairs bath is not immune from Christmas decorations.  Sweet little cross stitch done by friend Rhonda is under the tree.

Santa was gifted to me by my sister many years ago.  He's perfect as a tree topper.

Little hypertufa snowman (snowthey?).

Antique cupboard over the commode.

A couple blow mold Santas.  My littlest . . . 

. . . and biggest.

Still no word from the vet on Molly's pathology report.  She is doing well and has no ill effects from the surgery or dental.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Antique Sterling Silver ~

When I got married  in 1976, my mom asked me if I'd like to have sterling silver flatware.  My sister had sterling flatware that my mom would add pieces to on a regular basis.  It really was kind of ironic since my mom didn't even have matching flatware.  My answer was an emphatic "NO!".  A number of years later, probably in the late 80's, I decided that I indeed would like it, but my choice was to purchase mismatched pieces at antique shows and shops.  Most of my pieces are antique.  I'm sure some are just vintage.  My favorite pieces are ones with initials, names and/or dates.  

The pieces are so ornate.

The backs are as pretty as the fronts.

Though one of the plainer forks, this one is special.  It says Anna and is dated March 17, 1901.  My favorite aunt's name was Anne and she was born March 19, 1901.  So close.

Teaspoons are just as pretty.

Dated '07 on the front.

And Xmas on the back.

Though only silverplate, I had to buy this spoon.  My father, brother and son are all William.

A few more random pictures from around the house.

No matter the light, any pictures I take of these two blow mold Santas turn out pinkish.

This hard plastic Santa light is only 7" tall.

Thanks so much for stopping by
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren