My Swarovski Crystal Tree

This year, my 18th annual star/snowflake will go on my Swarovski tree.

Once it starts to snow, I am ready to put it up on the mantle!

I am continuing my mother's collection which she began in 1996 (Swarovski designed the very first in 1991).  All of the odd years are STARS and the even years are SNOWFLAKES.  

I purchased the tree from Pier 1 a few years ago:

I also added mercury glass lights so it will twinkle at night!

Each year the ornament is dated:

And I have some favorites...

…especially this one:

These photos do not do it justice and it is so difficult to get a good photo in the window over the mantle:

But I was able to catch the "blue hour":

Do you have a favorite holiday decoration that you look forward to pulling out each year?

What I accomplished last week….

I have had a busy week.

I painted 6 checked switch plates, 6 checked ornaments, decorated my dining room Christmas tree (which still in the basement), cleaned out 2 closets and made these:

Sleigh with arrangement of greens and poinsettias:

Door decoration in copper and red:

 I painted and old table black and adhered a vintage tray on top:

I made "mini" bird's nest spoons:

I made 2 burlap banners for a friend's daughter's wedding, they will be carried by the bride's son, one down the aisle and the other on the way out of the church:

and I even found time to make 75 cake pops!

and so it's a new week….thank goodness!

Ugghhh - The first snowfall in CNY

All I can say is UUGGGHHHHH!

About 5 more months of this :-(

Silver Ladle

I made the cutest holiday decoration with an old silver ladle:

I glued a bird's nest in the bowl of the ladle with some greens and pinecones - so simple and sweet!

I brought it to the gift shop and it sold the next day!

This Was a First!

One of my good customers, Vicki from Kentucky, sent me this MacKenzie-Childs blue creamer and asked me to paint it in checks:

My first thought was "WHAT?", paint a real M-C to look like a real M-C?

I am always up for a challenge!

So, I disassembled it and primed the outside….

…and I pulled out my checked creamer for inspiration, and here they are:

Not too bad, huh?

I kept the inside in its original state, so she can use it as a vase for fresh flowers:

I have a few pieces of old yellow and blue enamelware - I just might do the same to my pieces!!