Still tweaking...

Are you the sort who does all your Christmas decorating in one day or weekend and then put away the boxes and go on your Merry way?....or do you tweak, and tweak and then tweak some more? I fall into the last group. I'm finally finished though....I think. Actually, I think that never ending decorating started when my kids were little. I learned that I could put out all the decorations and they were fine, but once the tree went up...they could hardly contain their excitement. We learned to wait until the Saturday before Christmas to put up the tree, even if Christmas was on Sunday!


I found this cute little light up Christmas tree lot at Kohl's a couple of weeks ago -- I was thinking I could put it in a cloche, but none of mine are quite big enough. Right now it's with my village, but it's not the right scale or time period -- it will find a different spot next year....and I'll be on the hunt for a bigger cloche.



My friend Jane found me the cutest gift! I love this little metal box all tole painted for Christmas. Isn't it just darling?



This is the top -- to give you a little perspective.



And the backside. I have no idea what it's actually for (perhaps you know)...but I found the right use for it....



...it's a perfect little mistletoe holder!



I tied it to the end of my swagged banister. Do you see a little guy watching from the steps beneath the swags?


That would be Clapton -- wondering when "Santa Paws" is coming to fill his stocking with treats.



And this poor little guy is all worn out from following me up the stairs and down as I bring more decorations down and take the boxes back up.



I love to add a few ornaments each year to my trees. This was an angel I found at Marshall's for my dining room tree.



Some of you know I got a VW bug this year and my husband found this ornament for me -- so cute! This is the same color as mine (except mine is a convertible. I had to add that, since it's the only convertible I've ever had! LOVE it!)




This is my fourth year White House Christmas ornament front and back. I hope to go back and get some from earlier than 2007. I know that this is a bit blurred -- but I love the patriotic band. It shows the United States Marine Band performing on the snow covered North Drive at the Army Navy Reception at the White House in 1900 as the guests arrive in their carriages. The reverse side shows the band playing patriotic airs for President and Mrs. McKinley and their guests in the East Room.



These are a couple of little candy ornaments that I found this year and used them in my "Nutcracker and Sweets" tablescape last week.



This is a little antique chair that came from the children's Sunday school department from my Grandmother's church. Years ago they sold them to raise money for new tables and chairs and she gave this to our son for Christmas that year.


This was my father-in-law's sled from his childhood. So sweet.



This was my husband's sled from his childhood. How fun to have them both for decorating! The child size skates were purchased this summer at an antique store.


This wreath with apples and pinecones came from Garden Ridge years ago. I was going to do more decorating outside this year, but we got an early snow and I never got around to it.



So that's about it, other than a little garden flag.



Now one more thing....about this gingerbread house I posted about on Tabletop Tuesday....I need to make a confession...I honestly didn't mean to mis-lead you but....




...I didn't make it. In fact, I've had it about 5 or 6 years. It is a Buyer's Choice piece. I suppose it came out about the same time they made their gingerbread caroler's series. I love you for thinking that I made it though. It does fool people, even in person!

The weatherman's saying we'll get 6-8 inches of snow here on Christmas day. I think I can count the White Christmas's we've had in my lifetime around here on one hand. How about you? Will you have a white Christmas too? Whatever the weather is in your little corner of blogland...I'm wishing you the Christmas of your sugar plum dreams!

See ya!

Update -- My husband says he thinks the little tin box is a tobacco box. And I went on eBay to check on the gingerbread house and see what they had -- it is from 2005 and Holy Cow! They're asking almost $200 for it! I didn't pay that for mine....I was working at Hallmark and got a good discount, so I'm thinking I got mine for @ $50.