Being a copy cat is one of my favorite things. I owe this idea to Melissa at The Inspired Room. Now her decor is inspiring! This little branch gets a work out around here, though. Until yesterday, I'd never tied it to anything. I'll probably fiddle with this some more in a few days.
The bowl is one that was given to John's parents on the occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary around 1958. I'm happy to include it in our decorations this year.
I used my vintage German Christmas bulbs. When can we call something vintage anyway? (These are over 40 years old. Maybe they are just old.) The little bells in the first photo are also German.
I love your decorative touches!
ReplyDeleteI love using my silver at Christmas! That bowl is a treasure! I like the ornaments hanging from your branch too! I still want to do the branch over my kitchen window and hang ornaments or cookie cutters from it! You've inspired me!
ReplyDeleteDeanna
So, so pretty Vee.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Mysewwhatblog
Love, love, love!
ReplyDeleteI love your copy cat branch! Although I am not sure that Melissa didn't copy the hanging branch from you! (Am I correct in remembering that she featured your branch over your kitchen window one year?) It's a great idea...wherever it originated. I also love the vintage ornaments. Our family had some little bells like that...not sure whatever happened to them. (Now I'm wondering whether I am vintage or just old!) :D
ReplyDeleteI don't mind a rainy day, and I have never lost my luggage...but Christmas lights can make me NUTS!
LOVE the way your branch looks no matter where you got the idea....soo pretty. And I also LOVE vintagey ornaments...I didn't have tangled lights...the tree is pre-lit....but we always have tangled beads that we wrap around it when we are done. It's always good for at least a harsh word or two....maybe three, lol Enjoy your day Vee!
ReplyDeleteI don't want to scare you, but our tree is prelit, too. John is hard at work even as I type this. It's a second pot of coffee day! it could become a coffee cake morning, if this keeps up!
DeleteThat is absolutely awesome! I have to admit I've copied a time or two ;) Last years tree was like that, no lights in the middle, this year I put so many lights on the tree I hope to eliminate that problem, the only thing is there are so many lights we can have all the lights off in the house and have the tree lights on and we can easily read a book it's so bright ;) Maybe I should be worried about starting a fire too (lol)
ReplyDeleteIt's all beautiful, Vee! My heart is filling with Christmas spirit as I begin to bring down my Christmas ornaments and table top tree and put out my mother's Christmas plates.......Trying to not get too carried away!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful vignette, Vee! It looks like a picture in a magazine,
ReplyDeleteSorry about your lights, you know I feel your pain. We finally gave up & added new strings of lights.
Smiles,
Carol
Really? We are fast coming to that! Two pots of coffee, strawberry muffins, and three hours later. So much for that light tester!
DeleteI love how you've used Melissa's idea with the branch! Now maybe I should get my act together and get some decorating done.
ReplyDeleteIsn't there a saying that goes something like. . .imitation is the greatest form of flattery? Still, we each add our own bit of creativity which makes it ours. I always love the way you create interest around your home.
ReplyDeleteCopycat or not...this is a beautiful setting. Very inspirational, XOXO
ReplyDeleteLooks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI like the branch and I may copy that idea myself! I think we all copy or get ideas from others and make them our own. As for what age something has to be to be called vintage, I've heard some say over 50 years and others say over 40 years. It depends on who you ask. :)
ReplyDeleteWow that top photo, Vee is amazing! And I like what you did there and with all your other decor. Looks lovely to me. Now what are you going to do about the dead lights in the middle of the tree. That has happened to me, and each year I wonder just how long these are going to last. We did have a tree fall over one year. Another year it dried up so fast it was dangerous to go near for the prickles so we un decorated it, went out to a tree lot on Christmas Eve and picked up a fresh one that happened to be our most beautiful ever. Of course the kids were here to help with that fiasco.
ReplyDeleteI love how your decorations very pretty and your header is wonderful ! Fantastic photos of it all to ! Thanks for sharing ! Have a great week !
ReplyDeleteWow....lots of beautiful touches! Last year (and years previously) one part of the lights went out on my tree...2 days before Christmas...I was so upset! Of course it also had to be right on the front of the tree :( By the way, I love that apron with the cardinals...beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI like everything about your branch display. The natural elements mixed with the shiny elements and the vintage elements. All lit up with a string of functioning lights. Three cheers for that.
ReplyDeleteApparently Brett and I have also been hanging out with you and John and Carol. He's already been to Lowe's 3 times for replacement strands for the pre-lit tree. Last time I said buy an extra strand. At the rate we're going it will be needed.
I just love your copy cat look Vee. It's so pretty. We have Murray's parents 25th anniversary silver rose bowl complete with the wire top to poke the roses through. I usually use it for my vintage balls but didn't this year. I like the drifts of snow with the lacey doilies. There's nothing more annoying than lights that go out in the middle of the tree or on the tree period when all the ornaments are on it. You'd hear me screaming and crying all the way there I'm sure. Didn't you hear me that Saturday when we put the tree up? Ugh! Did I mention that I like your new header? I remember your upside down snowman. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the way you've tucked little doilies between books and here and there. What a sweet touch. You've really made your house festive and pretty! Sweet hugs!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty !
ReplyDeleteIt all looks beautiful Great job!
ReplyDeleteI love the branch idea. I saw that on her blog too, but I can't think of a place to hang one in my house! I have that same mercury glass tree and I think somewhere we have some bells like yours that came from Earl's grandparents. Very pretty indeed:>)
ReplyDeleteThat's a great copy, Vee. I love the light you captured. When I was a child we had bells like yours on our Christmas tree. I took a couple of them to Ecuador, but they have all broken over the years. Love the silver bowl, too. It's looking lovely around your place.
ReplyDeleteWho made the upside-down snowman? Cute.
ReplyDeleteYour holiday vignettes looks so nice.
ReplyDeleteHow blessed you are to have family Christmas heirlooms.
My maiden name was Smeltser-very German, so I especially like John's bulbs!
Oh, I LOVE it Vee!!! That looks great!!!
ReplyDeleteLooking very pretty and a lot like Christmas around your house.
ReplyDeleteLove the quote!!
Oh Vee, I love, love LOVE it!! So pretty and vintage :) Also, I just oooed and ahhhed at your pretty lace doilies. Enjoy the rest of your week! Hugs to you
ReplyDeleteLooking very nice Vee, and copying someone is a nice way to compliment them.
ReplyDeleteJudith
I have a similar bowl, Vee, awarded to my late father-in-law for the excellence of his cream! (he was a dairyman) I may copy you!
ReplyDeleteOh, dear....an empty jar !! :)
ReplyDeleteCopy Catting is my favorite thing to do....I just copied a wreath and am thrilled to death with it.:)
For most of my life, I have stressed out working with my tree lights. This year, in our new home and a new chapter in life, I decided NOT to get freaked out if my lights didn't work. The first strand I pulled out was half lit and half OUT....into the trash instantly. From then on, it was all uphill and no burned out strands, so far.
I am a happy camper...:)
You are a GOOD copy cat, Vee. I am a copier, too-well,not the Xerox kind! They say that copying someone is the sincerest form of flattery-unless they are picking their nose, of course!
ReplyDeleteI HATE it when lights don't work. I had to put ALL NEW lights on my PRE-LIT tree this year because NONE of them worked!!!! UGH- xo Diana
I could identify with the tangled tree lights just today. :) Lost luggage happened in August. Rainy days come often. I think I'm learning to go with the flow. On good days. :)
ReplyDeleteI love copy-catting myself...so give your decor a 'thumbs up'! Love the bowl.
Your decorationsn are looking beautiful Vee! I hear you about the Christmas lights and love your quote at the end - so true!!! I copy cat all the time and rarely come up with an idea all on my own - I think I'll copy you on some of these ideas too. Enjoy you coffee and all the accompanying treats!
ReplyDeleteAH..yes..the lights..we had a prelit tree for many yrs..never again..they do burn out, they also get tangled and short out. This yr, we went with a real tree from the Tractor Supply Store. Love your ornament/branch idea! I might have to copy cat that. Blessings
ReplyDeleteSorry about the lights.
ReplyDeleteOn our "freeze your face off" walk this morning I saw some red berries that made me think of you.
I hope you have a nice weekend.
Your ornaments look so pretty hanging from the branch. Great idea! I like the ornaments in your apothecary jar too.
ReplyDeleteThat's a really cute way to use the window frame! Very festive! I actually have to go to Big Lots tomorrow to buy some ornaments for my lanterns. Last year I downsized quite a few of my Christmas decorations and of course what I wanted to use and what I needed I no longer have! :)
ReplyDeleteYour Christmas vignette is charming Vee - so clever to use a little branch from a tree!
ReplyDelete