A Cozy Bedroom

We have been switching things up here at the bungalow. But before we get into that, I thought it would be nice to take a tour of how Mandy's bedroom looked before!

She has a completely different style then mine. A very cozy and warm bedroom.

 Mandy loves her animals, so horses and dogs are plentiful! She had an understate Western/cowboy theme. Warm reds, blues and browns with a pop of rustic wood!

Mandy has been collecting vintage horse pictures for years! I love the collected English gallery wall look. Gallery walls are always a work in progress!

 Isn't the vintage puppy plant adorable? He always makes me smile!

 It is a little hard to see in this picture, but the lower half of the windows have grain sack curtains for privacy during the day. Our houses are so close to each other in this neighborhood that anyone walking up the neighbor's driveway has a bird's eye view into the bedroom!

Yes, that is our pup Kerri over the dresser. It is an art print I made from a picture (aren't computers amazing!)

So there is Mandy's cozy comfortable room BEFORE we switched things up! Stay tuned for the switch!

If you want to see how Mandy's room has changed, here it is in 2014 and in 2013.

Valentine's Flowers and Snow

Today the sun is shinning out of a blue sky, the air is soft and balmy and the snow is dripping! Spring are you around the corner??

Mandy and I took these pictures on Monday when we were out for the afternoon walk. Snow piles everywhere! It felt like all we did last weekend was shovel snow. The total count was over a foot. It has been a few years since we have had this much snow piled up at once.

Kerri and her favorite winter activity, Digging! She loves to dig and dig and then shove her whole face in the hole. We call it snow snorgeling. (Yes, even Kerri has an extensive winter wardrobe!)

But let's not talk about snow, let's talk about

flowers!

 Mandy went to our favorite garden center today. We always plan a trip in February. Spring fever usually sets in by then and we are longing for the sight of something green and growing! She sent me a few photos. Aren't they lovely!!

I just want to gather them all up and bury my face in them!

Of course, Mandy brought home a few plants including a pink ruffled cyclamen!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Aren't these the cutest things ever! 

Clear and Cold

Hello Friends! Here we are in a new year. Have things fallen back in the normal pattern? All the Christmas decorations cleared away? Here too. We are mostly just trying to stay cozy and warm and not leave the house unless absolutely necessary. January isn't usually a bad month, sometimes we have a lot of snow, sometimes it is just cold. Either way there isn't much motivation (or reason) to go outside. So we all turn to cozy indoor activities. (Above is the view from my bedroom window, ice and all!)

Of course, the knitting needles are very busy this time of year. I finished off a new hat (Rikke Hat), a crochet cowl (Pearl Stitch Cowl) and am now working on a sweater for myself. Kerri is modeling a new sweater (Four Cable Dog Sweater) Mandy knit for a class at our local knitting shop. 

After all the "warm fuzzy" Christmas movies in December, I am always ready for a change of pace. Mandy and I have started re-watching the Lord Peter Whimsy mysteries. 

The same goes for reading. After the cozy lightweight romances of Betty Neels for most of November and December I am ready for a change. Last week I dug out our beloved copies of the Mrs. Polifax books and started on the first one; The Unexpected Mrs. Polifax. It was so fun to read it again! 

January in my mind always means clear cold sunny days and cozy nights. And dirty salty floors.... everywhere dirty salty footprints! The floors aren't even dry before another pair of feet track across it! Ahh well, January doesn't last forever.......

What about you? What do you do watch or read to stay cozy in January?

Shiny Brites on Display

I have two more Shiny Brite ideas for you today. The simplest is to just pile a bunch of ornaments in a bowl or vase and enjoy!

When I spotted this hobnail bowl at an estate sale this fall, I knew it would be perfect filled with Shiny Brites!

Here is a sneak peak at some of the new living room decorating. I haven't forgotten about it! It has just been a slower than anticipated process. I keep reminding myself it isn't a race! Anyway here is a peek at the shelves. Much cleaner and brighter!

One of our vintage nativity sets is on the top shelf. I love the sweetness of their expressions! It has been a few years since we have gotten it out. I love how well they shoe up against the white.

And on the third shelf, my cardboard houses. They aren't that fragile and can withstand a bit of poking and prodding by a little niece's fingers. 

But I think this has been my favorite this year! It was a bit of a splurge, but well worth it!

I first saw one of these ornament trees at an antique shop (displaying Shiny Brites, naturally!). It was love at first sight and I was crushed to discover a not-for-sale tag on it! Well, I rushed home and started googling, sure there was another out there for me.

Eventually I found it at Crate and Barrel! Not somewhere I usually shop or would have thought to look. And right now they are on sale HERE! There are several sizes and colors, so be sure to look around. (Maybe I need another one?!?) 

We have been enjoying the ornament tree in the middle of the dining room table. But I thought pictures would be nice on the buffet. 

So those all my ideas on how to display Shiny Brites! Do you have a favorite? Or do you have an idea on how to display them? (I am always looking for more ideas!)

Shiny Brite Windows

 One of my Christmas crafts this year was making a Shiny Brite wreath. I was drooling over them on Pintrest this fall and finally decided I need to make one!

It was rather simple process. I wrapped an already owned wreath form in silver tinsel, wired the ornaments on and sat little elf on it. Done! Since I used one of my favorite wreaths (it is still wrapped in burlap ribbon under the tinsel), I secured the tinsel with straight pins and used thin wire to attach the Shiny Brites. It will also make storage easy as the ornaments can go back into their special boxes and the wreath can go in it's own tub.

 This elf is actually a new Hobby Lobby find. But doesn't he look perfectly vintage?

 How could I not have bells? I don't think these are as old as the Shiny Brites, but they have survived since childhood and are always an essential decoration.

 For those of you who have been here for previous Christmases, you will remember the second year in the little bungalow I hung ornaments in the two piano windows. They have been a favorite decoration each year!

I always find the piano windows especially fun to decorate! What is your favorite decoration or spot to decorate?

Shiny Brites on the Tree

Of course the traditional way to display Shiny Brite ornaments is on a Christmas tree. And we have plenty on our tree! When the tree looks sufficiently decorated, we stop putting them up and every year, we still have ornaments in the box. We haven't been able to find a big enough tree to hold them all yet! 

 I love how many shapes and sizes vintage glass ornaments in come it! This one is a bit more space age looking. Probably the late 1950s.

 This is one of my favorites. We have several identical ones. I was very excited to be able to capture the sparkle on it! During WWII, the materials to make the ornaments shiny was not available, so they make clear ones with plenty of glitter!

The tinsel garland is new this year from Hobby Lobby. It has a very vintage "tin-foil" look to it. Of course it has to become part of my Christmas decoration collection!

 I love flowers on this little side table. This year I was planning on putting something else there, but it just didn't look right. So the poinsettias went back, paired with a vintage Elf on the Shelf.

 We have a small collection sprinkled around of these little elves. They all have such sweet faces.

 More Shiny Brite pictures! I can't help myself! I also posted a short history two years ago HERE.

It is always essential to listen to Christmas carols while decorating the tree. This year a new favorite is the Louvin Brothers. I am not usually much of a country music fan, but after a busy day they were soothing to listen to while hanging ornaments. Hope you enjoy them too!

Shiny Brite Season

 Did anyone see November? I caught a small glimpse of Thanksgiving as it whizzed by. And now here it is: December!

 We are decking the halls with Shiny Brites this year at the little bungalow! There are so many ornaments in our collection that we never put them all on the tree. So I have been working on creative ways to display more of them. Hopefully, tonight we will be getting our Christmas tree and I can take some pictures to share! It always feels like Christmas once the tree is up. We are also suppose to get a bit of snow, so that will add to the cozy feel.