The Holiday Hutch

The best thing about having a Welsh dresser or hutch is the endless styling opportunities.

I like to change ours seasonally, Christmas being my favorite time to create a holiday vignette.

Think of it as "vertical tablescaping" or "hutchscaping!"

For instance, three years ago, I used red transferware and paperwhites for my Christmas hutch vignette.

Last year, I relied on mercury glass, white flowers and pinecones for a subtle holiday look.

This year, I brought in some tartan, red majolica and a transfereware platter depicting a a snow scene.  Paperwhites again say Christmas to me.

I never have a plan, I just start playing with dishes.  This is what hutchscaping is all about.  

The red majolica plates that I found while thrifting this year are the background for little roe deer antlers on one shelf.

 

The tartan plates frame it all.

I found the tartan metal flower pots at Orchard Supply Hardware!

The platter is Johnson Brothers, from the Historic America series, "Home for Thanksgiving."

Along the sides of the hutch, behind the doors, I used Johnson Brother's Friendly Village plates with red majolica chargers behind them.

These are classic Christmas plates, and I have yet to set a Christmas dinner table with them.

The Holiday Hutch

2012

Armchair Traveling To Edinburgh, Scotland

If I could just be a mouse in our daughter's pocket!

She and her husband are celebrating their one year anniversary in Edinburgh, Scotland today.

She sent a few photos my way to torture me!

Lovely street signs...

...Castle on a hill

...tartan, tartan, tartan!

She knew I would love a photo of a tartan factory.

Talk about torture!  Oh, I wish I was there!

I can't think of a more romantic anniversary, can you?

Dogs Love Christmas!

I'm convinced that dogs love Christmas too.

I know Dexter did.  

He loved being in the middle of it all, especially when we unwrapped our gifts!

Of course, he had a tartan vest that he wore proudly when we went Christmas shopping.

Yes, Christmas makes me think of Dexter...

Country Home

I've found myself wishing for a puppy under the tree lately!
Thank goodness, Pinterest has a plethora of Christmas dog photos to satisfy my urge to rush out and get a dog!
Just look how happy this dog looks with his red bow?

Flickr

My all time favorite!
He looks so proud and handsome in his hand-made scarf.

Dog Bless You

The three wise dogs!
Sorry, I can't help myself!

Why do I torture myself with these darling Christmas dogs?

Grand Rapids Press

Look how much the dogs love Santa!
Who knows, maybe Santa will surprise me!

 It's a good thing I've got Bear for the holidays while his mom and dad spend Christmas in Wales.
He doesn't mind wearing a tartan collar either!


I'm convinced dogs love Christmas, don't you?

Traditional Home

Missing my "best friend" this holiday season...

The 2012 Christmas Tree(s)

 The 2012 Christmas Tree!

 After days of searching for the Christmas lights, I finally remembered that we threw them all away last year when we took down the tree!  Really?  We did?

They say how a person deals with tangled Christmas tree lights tells a lot about them.

Don't judge!

So, off I went to OSH for lights.

Not only were they all 30% off, but practically everything was, including these little red lanterns.

I bought five to tuck in to the tree.  Battery operated votives keep the house from burning down!

This year, I used the same burlap ribbon that I used on the outside garland to circle the tree.

Not as many ornaments as previous years, just my precious Santa collection...


... and a few chosen ornaments, like this new tartan star from JoAnn's Fabrics.

And this old one that I "love!"

This is the first year I decorated the whole tree by myself.

Usually Mr. A puts the lights on, but I couldn't wait another week for his schedule to clear up!

It is definitely a man's job, and I did a crummy job.

But made up for it with the decorations?

 The family room got a little tree which I decorated with family photo ornaments.

 I started this tradition over five years ago.

 As I was hanging the ornaments, I realized that they need updating.

We have grandchildren now and two sons-in-law!

 With all our photos imprisoned on the computer, it isn't easy to get hard copies.

That will be a project before Christmas Day.

 Costco used to carry these ornaments years ago, and I'm sorry they discontinued them.

Photo ornaments are hard to find!

It feels good to get the trees decorated.

I'm not sure they are worthy of entering them in Tartanscot's contest though!

What Took So Long?

We finally got a tree!

Mr. A and I, along with our youngest, finally went to Steve's Christmas Trees yesterday and bought a  tree!

I want a small tree.

Mr. A and Alex want a big tree...

In the meantime, I'm picking up as many branches as my arms can hold to scatter around the house and use in arrangements.

Alex found the perfect one!

I can't remember ever waiting this long to get a tree!

December 9th?  Really?

I wonder how long it will sit in the house naked?

Are any of you having a hard time getting ready for the holidays too?

The Everyday Holiday Centerpiece

 A reader of vignette design asked me what do I usually put on the dining room table for every day during the holidays:

"I have a question.... what do you put on your dining table and/or kitchen table during Xmas? I don't mean "tablescaping" for a party/dinner, but what sits on your dining table that says "Xmas" all the other days? I am in a dilemma! Have gotten rid of some old Xmas decor so right now my dining table has nothing Christmas-y. I've been looking through Pinterest for ideas, but mainly see tablescapes for dinners..... Thoughts?" ~Sheila

As you can see, there aren't any Christmas themed decorations here. 

The red paisley tablecloth merely hints at Christmas.

Poinsettias, the no-brainer, hard working Christmas flower that lasts all season, is my choice for the faux wicker container.

Eventually, I'll add some fir and magnolia branches to the table as Christmas approaches.

 In our breakfast area, I grouped different containers that hold herbs, succulents, narcissus and fruits for an eclectic, organic look on a vintage grain sack table runner.

The three tiered wooden stand was a recent purchase from OKL.

Oh, I'm going to have fun with this throughout the year!

An everyday holiday centerpiece doesn't have to be floral.

I used pinecone candles on top of a cake stand for a centerpiece a few Christmases ago.

When it came time to "tablescape," I just added mercury glass votives and some leaves from the garden.

And last, but not least, my friend created a lovely table with red roses.

She floated cranberries and green apples inside the vases for a lovely effect.

Adding fir branches all the way down the table with votive candles interspersed completes the look.

The grocery store is a great place to gather your centerpiece materials.

Think roses, seasonal greens and potted poinsettias from the floral department.

Fill in with apples, cranberries or oranges from the produce department.

Use natural greens gathered from outside like pinecones or fir branches for a runner.

And remember, the Christmas tree lot has lots of branches on the ground--for free!