Christmas Dining Room

The sun is shining bright here today so I thought I would share some photos of my dining room all decorated for Christmas. Our farmhouse is very simple and very rustic and that is the way that I like my decorating to be also. I recently found some really great and inexpensive items that I just couldn't wait to use this Christmas.

This galvanized bucket that I bought for $2 is one of them. The tree is a hand me down and the homespun fabric was less than $3 at the thrift store.

This long box is a $2 estate sale find, it was built to be a tool box but with some pine boughs and mason jars holding candles inside of it it becomes the perfect centerpiece.

I love decorating but I also love the challenge of not spending very much and still achieving the look you want.

Almost everything on these shelves is from the flea market, the thrift store or an estate sale, except the fly screens (I just bought those at Moon River Chattel in Brooklyn, go there if you can!).

                        I was very excited to find the tiny cipres tree at Big Lots for $4.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you have a wonderful day!

Simple and Rustic Christmas

      Some more rustic Christmas inspiration....because it is the season of giving!

Have a great day!

Christmas Mantel

I love changing my mantel with every holiday and I thought I would go with a "These Are a Few of My Favorite Things" theme this Christmas.

Old mirrors, old windows, ironstone, tiny silver cups, and ephemera are a few of my favorite things. The chippy white window I bought for $15 makes for the perfect back drop for my ironstone. I love old mirrors and try to put one everywhere I possibly can and then of course my mantel is never complete without some sort of emphemera.

I bought this darling little Pulmonic Syrup advertising card for $1 this past weekend. I love everything about it.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!

Rustic Touches

Well I had a very busy and fun weekend with my family, lots of laughing, shopping and eating out! I definitely need to watch my spending and my waist line for a couple of days! I did buy some really great things though, which I will show over the week. 

I am trying to decorate this year by using everyday objects that I fill with some sort of natural element. I just got this awesome rusty milk can from Blue Moon Collectibles on Etsy. An ironstone tureen is the perfect thing to hold some pinecones, I love pinecones and we have no shortage of them here.

                    I picked up some great rustic kitchen items this past weekend.....

                         because even your baking equipment should be beautiful right?

Also, thank you so much for all of the positive and super sweet comments, they truly make my day! For some reason my computer will not let me reply or leave comments on my own blog or anyone elses:( I always have something that isn't working, it's just the way my life goes! Hope you have a great day!

Farmhouse Christmas

Between the painting of rooms, listing of items on Etsy, shipping items, and being a good mom I have been trying to get my house decorated for Christmas. This year I am trying to go for a more subtle and rustic look. I was thrilled to find this sled at the thrift store last month, I have been looking for an antique sled for awhile now. I love that it is black, shocking I know:)

The lantern and the cobbler stand were both $1 flea market finds. The little  picture above the sled is a framed pencil drawing of a house that is remarkedly similar to ours, it even has the giant weeping willow out front like we do.

These small antique pearl colored ornmanents are festive but subtle and look pretty in a little shabby bowl. My mom and sister are coming to visit tomorrow so that we can all go shopping at Romantique Boutique in Erie. I have been going on about it so much that they are both dying to go. I can't wait to see what the boutique looks like for Christmas, I always leave there so inspired. Isn't that the best feeling?! 

One Man's Garbage

 Well I brought some pretty exciting things back with me from Brooklyn! On Thanksgiving day I carried the recycling down to the basement of my in-laws apartment building and saw this chandelier in the garbage! Can you believe that?! I was beyond ecstatic!

       Isn't it beautiful?

I finally bought my very own block of french soap at the amazing shop Moon River Chattel in Williamsburg Brooklyn. They have amazing things! I pretty much want everything in the store.

                          And I have begun my Christmas decorating!

                     More to come!

White Cupboard

This is the amazing cupboard that I just got at Romantique Boutique in Erie PA. It is funny because I had been asking my husband to build me a cupboard just like this for our dining room. I didn't think that I would be able to find an old one that would fit in this little corner but turns out I did! This awesome cupboard is a perfect fit and is exactly what I envisioned in this space. I wanted something tall and skinny with doors so that I could put all of my entertaining dishes together. Plus this wall is right off our kitchen so it is easy to grab the dishes should I need them in there.

They all fit in there perfectly along with my linens, my hotel silver and some old crocks. I have been trying to buy furniture with its original white paint (along with the rest of the world I know) because painting an old piece white doesn't ever have the same effect. This wonderful cupboard has its original white paint and has a great "vintage" look. Oh I could go on for hours....I have a cupboard obsession clearly.

I love the look of open shelving, but we have lots of that in our dining room already. I don't like rooms to look too busy so this cupboard helps to balance the room and give it a beautiful simplicity.