Let's Start at the Beginning

I'm back to show you my living room, the first room you see as you enter the house through the front door.

I was in a very traditional country mood this year.  I'm not quite done with the tree--I'd like to add some large white jingle bell ornaments and I haven't been able to find what I wanted locally so I ordered a couple off the internet.  Hubby also purchased some white blown glass ornaments to be added--when I've unwrapped the present they're in.  But that's another story.

We have a couple of gold mercury glass ornaments for our tree that I often use, but I felt they were too "dressy" for this year's tree.  Hubby suggested we hang one of our favorites in front of the entryway mirror, so that's what we did.

I don't normally have drapes at the window--just a blind--but I wanted to make the room cozier for the holidays so I put some up.  I made these several years ago.  I was able to run an extension cord through the casing for the drapes to light the wreath hanging in the window.

Another closer view of the mantle.

As you come in the front door, straight ahead is a wall where I hang large, seasonal quilts, and this is the one I have up this year--the pattern is Christmas List (you can search my blog for more info on the pattern; I know I've posted it in the past).

I mentioned yesterday that I thought the blue and white transferware with red and white Christmas accents went better with the decorations in the livingroom.  The two rooms aren't completely open to one another, but you can see parts of each room from the other, and the brighter peppermint and candy cane decorations--and definitely the even brighter turquoise, purple, red, and light green decorations I've also used in the past--just seemed to be too much of a contrast from one room to the next.  I'll show you where I've used some brighter decorations on another visit.  Thanks for stopping by!

*    *    *    *    *

P.S.:  The pattern is by Donna Yackey of the Country Loft quilt shop.  Here's a link to the ordering information:

http://www.cloft.com/MainStore/PatternsNKits/Patterns/PatternsHollyHock.html