Our Cottage Christmas

It is hard to believe Christmas is here once again.
This year I just set up our small tree and our nativity.

I usually do more and we have a large tree as well,
but we are in the middle of doing some remodeling
and this is what I felt like doing this year.

The tree is decorated with mostly hand made ornaments
from a swap I was involved in for several years
and some I've made along with ones made by DH's mother,
plus a few antiques.
Lots of loving memories go through my mind as I decorate the tree.

The Nativity scene started with the little 'mud' figurines that DH and I got
when we were living in Spain our second married Christmas.
We got the Holy Family, the three wisemen and a donkey and a cow.
The angels and all the others have been added over the years.
DH made the creche some years ago.
I lay fresh rosemary sprigs in it before I set it up.
In the two silver salt and pepper shakers
is frankincense in one and myrrh in the other.



May you all have a lovely Christmas and a wonderful 2009.

FlowerLady

Here is another Christmas posting on my website 'O Holy Night'

A different Christmas tree

This is a little tree I did up last year
when inspired in the forum 'Cottage Gardens',
to come up with some decorations made with things from nature.

The 'tree' is from a palm tree,
and when it's on the palm tree it flowers,
which become fruit with nuts inside.
After the nuts fall off,
these things dry on the tree,
then fall off.
I had thought of doing a tree with these for years
but had never done it.

The decorations are bits and pieces of shells
gathered from the beach,
except for the starfish
which were bought at a local shell shop.

There are blue glitter stars glued to each branch tip of the tree.
The shell ornies are hung with gold thread.

It was a fun project.
Maybe it will inspire some of you to see what you can do
with bits of nature from your surroundings
for Christmas decorations.

You can click on each picture to see a larger view.

FlowerLady