Belated Bounty: We Still Need A Little Christmas 2019

Since Thanksgiving was so late this year – November 28th! – my Christmas decorating time was greatly shortened, but still provided opportunities to display some new items for the season.

I debated for months whether I should make the transformation from a real tree to a fake one for my living room. In the end, contemplating the work of dragging a live messy tree up three flights of stairs into my dry apartment lost out to an easy-to-assemble, real-looking artificial tree purchased from an online retailer that offers free shipping.

My brand new 6.5 ft. artificial "frosted pine" tree.
The velvety patchwork star tree skirt is also brand new.

It looks quite real, doesn't it?

It took awhile to decide on height, shape, color, and type of tree. I wanted a flocked tree, but not one that looked completely white, so I chose this "frosted pine" with just the ends of the branches dusted with white. It also came with no lights, so the cost was much lower – perfect for me because I use different types of lights every year.

Here's what it looks like with all C6 bubble lights. One great advantage to a fake tree is that the branches won't sag, which suits these lights perfectly because they're delicate, and a bit heavy. The branches can be bent in any direction to make decorating easier.

Here it is completely decorated with my vintage ornaments, and tinsel.

The topper is a Reliance Krystal Star from the 1930s,
which I've had for awhile but never used.

The vintage plastic pink chandelier ornament is new this year.
I already have one in silver that was on our tree every year growing up.

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Moving down the hallway, my fantasy tree is in its usual spot, but this year I placed a light-up angel on either side to make the scene brighter. Usually I place these angels on top of my kitchen cabinets, but wanted to try something different.

In the hallway corner, I have my vintage plastic Santa, which was originally at my grandparents' house taped to their windowsill (hence, the chipped paint). This year, I found these two electric candles (maybe 1940s?) with beautiful Bakelite bases during one of my Connecticut antiquing trips. I think they frame Santa rather nicely.

My pixie elves are happy as ever gathered in my home office. The cookie jar is new this year from the July Brimfield Antiques Show.

Apparently the elf on the left is not happy with his Christmas gifts.
Or, maybe he doesn't like sitting next to the disco pixie elves?

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Aside from the pixie elf cookie jar, I think the year's coolest vintage find was this United wall clock. I payed about $32 for it, and I've also seen it offered online for over $100. It's classic mid-century style with a metal maple leaf design in brass. What takes it over the top are the two light sconces attached, so it's a clock, wall sculpture, and light, all in one piece!

This piece now takes pride of place as part of a mid-century corner in my bedroom, with my two butterfly artworks.

Last year I purchased the vintage aluminum Christmas tree, which I placed this year atop my new vintage-style console.

This is the entire corner. Groovy, isn't it?

The vintage 45 records are new this year, along with the women's scarf, which I used as a tree skirt.

This is one of four vintage Christmas records I acquired this year, perched in front of my console. I especially like the graphics, and I do play them on my record player...

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Here are a couple of new Christmas gifts I received from friends...

My new serene Santa holding a tree is perched inside my kitchen wall sconce.

My new holiday pillow centered among my other bed pillows.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL...

& To All A Fingers-Crossed 2020!

Skeletons Out of The Closet: Halloween 2019

Well, I missed out on posting this in October, but the biggest Halloween celebration for me happened post-Halloween on November 2nd in Provincetown. This was my second annual visit, thanks to my awesome friend who co-owns a house there.

If you've never been part of a parade before, Halloween in Provincetown is a must, and you can wear any type of costume, wave just about any flag, and few people will look twice. Well, actually, they might look at you a lot, and take your picture, too.

The town is brimming with characters... and character. The fun and excitement are definitely contagious. Fortunately, the Weather Goddesses had mercy on our costumes this year. It didn't rain. No wind. All fun. (Cool temperatures, though).

Let those skeletons out of the closet...

In addition to every type of costume you can imagine, houses and businesses were decorated with many clever Halloween details, including an abundance of skeletons.

Guess he chopped up more than just the grass.

He even mows (and glows) at night.

At this same house...

"I'm dying to relax."

Let's go shopping...

The antiques here are really really OLD.

Dudes, wanna dance?

Is my make-up running? Is my hair dreadful?

Some of the waiters in this town have been serving for a long time...

And, they'll serve just about anyone...

Don't look now but there are zombies everywhere...

And a few nightmares before Christmas...

Hmmph! Let those sharks just try and find me here.

Let the parade commence...

Since you're dying to know, my costume this year was a fairly specific 1980s mashup of the punk band Plasmatics and the movie Liquid Sky.

Add feather boa for warmth...

 

More pattern, please...

These boots were made for stompin'...

I pretty-painted my face. Unfortunately, last year's cheap CVS makeup kit didn't have any green, purple or pink left, so I had to go with blue, red, and silver instead...

Checkmates...

My friend wore a most unusual "Abominable Snow Woman" costume...

HBO was in town filming people in their costumes, possibly for a promo, for a show called Mrs. Fletcher. Naturally, me and the Abominable Snow Woman wanted a piece of the action...

My absolute fave pic from the whole weekend.

Here are a few of my favorite costumed paraders, spotted throughout the night doing various naughty-scary things...

Two creepy clowns - RUN!

Hail to the bloody Pig People.

Swine Before Swine.

This unicorn was actually smoking a cigarette,
which made me think he wasn't for real.

Tippi Hedren's crazy great aunt?

All those skeletons I saw were dead, but these "bushes" were very much alive.

I did see someone with a shrunken head a la the film Beetlejuice, as well as this shrunken Pilgrim Monument in someone's yard the next day...

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Back at home, I did some Halloween decorating, as I do every year. This time I put up a third black tree, this one on top of my new bedroom console.

 

Other new items this year include this light-up mini village, the Missoni candle, the light-up "A Happy Halloween" box, and the spider web runner.

For the kitchen, I added a black spider web tablecloth layered over my vintage harvest tablecloth.

Until next time, I wish you all...