A Christmas tour of my home

BooMama is once again hosting a Christmas tour of homes, and because I had so much fun posting some favorite glimpses last year (and peeking at **yours**), I decided to share a few cherished treasures not included last time.

I've had this tray longer than I've had my children; it's been a part of Christmas for close to 20 years!  I love Lisi Martin's artwork.  It's exquisite and whimsical and rivals Mary Engelbreit for my affections.  Tray now dented and dirty, I look forward to looking at Apple Girl's freckled cheeks and winsome expression every year.  And I love those boots!

Two of my babies made these handprint wreathes in kindergarten; I so wish I had had the foresight to realize that "one day" I'd wish I had made one for my third child who didn't have this same teacher.  Today is "one day" (every Christmas is).

When my sister introduced me to Mark Roberts fairies, I thought she had a little pixie dust on the brain.  Since then, these fellas have grown on me; they seem to have found the perfect spots to hang out :).  (Bounce around Mark's website...I just discovered it, and his story made me like these curious little creatures all the more!

 

My baby sissy-in-love gave this to me a few weeks ago; amazing timing given my favorite pastor (hey Joe!) recently preached on this passage in 1 Thessalonians.  It's finally becoming clear how you can "be joyful always", even in the midst of difficult circumstance.  I love this little surcie so much, I'm thinking about leaving it up year round.

Through the years, we've collected quite a few Christmas books; we leave them out in our den, and it's always a thrill when I see my teens and tweens rifling through the basket to find their favorite...again.

Call me a mother--you can have your fancy porcelain or Fontanini or Willow Tree sets--this nativity set made by my youngest swells my heart every time I unpack it; all that's left of the angel is his heart-shaped wings, propped up behind Mary and Joseph.  Maybe that's why they're all grinning.

These are my three most special ornaments, hand-beaded by my mother (who died when I was nine).  They're well-worn, but I see them as Velveteen Rabbits--loved almost to pieces.

We always get a live tree, and this year's might be our fattest ever!  This is the only shot I've taken, and you're seeing just over half of it.  My eye is immediately drawn to the hand-made ornaments.  While I think they're pretty, themed trees aren't for me--there are "pieces" of friends and family all over our tree, and when I hang each ornament, it's like a little visit from someone I love :).

Thanks for visiting and I do hope you'll subscribe in a reader (or via email) to make it easy to meet again (let me know in comments if you do and one reader will win a little treat from me).  Be sure to visit BooMama for a ton of other Christmas tours...it is the most wonderful time of year after all ;).

{{Revised}}  Wow...there's a WHOLE LOTTA Christmas partyin' going on!  Check out these other great sites & link ~