These are a few of my favorite things!

Once upon a time I had a fabulous collection of vintage bulbs, all acquired for next to nothing at yard sales.  Found sadly in dusty boxes with the cellophane missing, usually with a mix match of newer bulbs.  One day a very bad cat decided they were so pretty that he would like a much better look and climbed the tree.  On Christmas morning no less!  Shards of broken pretties scattered on all the presents.  The sound was pure sadness.  And then the vacuum. 

 I have been much more cautious with what is left of my collection ever since!  I've come up with this much safer way to display and enjoy them.  The small pale pink bulbs at the top of the pink ladies are clustered together with silver leaves and are very delicate.  There used to be pale blue, green and silver too.  I've seen a few like them at antique stores, but the prices for old bulbs are crazy now... 

In my little condo cottage I don't have room to display all my holiday decor or we wouldn't be able to walk!  I have a few golden globes from my grandparents' house that I scooped up before they were donated.  They are about 6 inches and look handblown.  I never saw them on display there - my memories at my grandparents' house was a huge silver tree with blue bulbs.  The gold ones are packed away this season.  And so is my pink ceramic tree, a fabulous yard sale find!  I love that someone in the 1960-70's broke tradition and did a pink tree with pastel bulbs instead of the basic green!  Someone was very shabby chic before there was a name for it.  

I have a vintage silver tree too - also packed away.  I love that each branch goes back into its kraft paper sleeve.  For now this one will do, the girls have the mate to this small silver tree in their bedroom.  I like the scale of it.  And I L-O-V-E that I finally painted this trunk a pale white-washed blue.  It was my first real antique purchase back in 1992 and I paid top dollar at an antique store in Winchester.  Ouch - they saw this Yankee coming!  I haven't loved it since I left VA in '94 because it was just too country for my French Provincial, Shabby Chic style.  Now, I love it again.  The porcelain bisque items - also acquired in the 90s - during the Party Light candle party phase.  So happy that I ran out of space for 3-wick candles and bought something that endured!  Off to do some pierogi making and sewing... 'Tis the season!  Merry Christmas to all!  Thanks for stopping here!