§ More Magic of the Season...

I don't know how I got two posts published today, but I did! There is another new one that follows this!

Our Elfen Wreath

I now have 17 Christmas themed gnomes. Bud bought me a new one this year...

I didn't take much time this year to bring out all my hundreds of Santas in my collection. But, I did a few! And, the newspaper headline would read: "Anni Bought But ONE in 2021"
Of course, without hesitation, I ALWAYS bring out my oldest. It was a gift from Bud on our FIRST Christmas -this one is the one that started my collection of 50 years plus!

Oldest - - - - - - - - - -- -Newest

§ Whimsical...

§ ...In the Lane, Snow is Glistenin'

I am now on a quest for finding and getting for the next Christmas season, a small chair to have for those guests who drop by [Christmas from Heaven] from Christmases past. Like I saw at Ann's blog the other day. I really don't know where to begin looking, but I will find one, by hook or by crook. It's such an awesome, soul soothing idea. And we've all lost family members through the years, it's just a new concept for me that had blown me away. Check out Ann's post, read the poem that goes with the chair, and you'll understand my search. I hope Ann doesn't mind but I wanted to make sure I had a copy of the poetry, so I snatched it up and will save it here...

Christmas in heaven
what do they do?
They come down to earth
to spend it with you.
So save them a seat
just one empty chair
You may not see them
but they will be there

Seriously, click on the link I provided to see her empty chair...it humbles me!! I'm sure it will do the same for you.

In the meantime, I am hoping to share the last of my holiday stuff I have set out this year. I may go through my folders and find more, but I do believe this is it...

Top left to right in series: One of a few fiber optic Santas and a laser etched Santa in a glass block
Bottom left to right in series: My Santa toothpick holder and a Santa throw pillow.  [The "Believe" at the beginning, Bud carved & chiseled it with his jigsaw and chisel then, I painted it several years ago]

Last but not least, we must have a little bit of snow for the holiday...Not Frosty, but Jackie Frost!

§ Jim Shore Holidays...

Most of his pieces average about 8 to 12 inches in height. If you happen to have some of his work, and they're now discontinued...if you want a particular piece I suggest you take a 2nd mortgage on your house [exaggeration of course, just kidding]! You see, the older they get, the more they're worth... people that sell them know they can rip you off! LOL In fact, the yearly new items are costly. But, Santas are my passion. I couldn't not have a Santa collection without a Jim Shore Santa. Trust me tho, if I want to keep food on the table and a sound marriage, I had to stop buying them. Here are a few Holiday Figurines I have. They are never packed away, they are out on showcase year 'round. [I also have the Jim Shore minis of Wizard of OZ characters...and the large wicked witch plus an angel and a bride. Oh and my favorite piece. It too is a mini! So, sit a spell, and peruse my Jim Shore collection for the Christmas season.

Blue Quilt
2004


Silent Night
2013


'Tis the Season for Loving Hearts
2006



Delivering Winter Wishes
2006


Frosty Santa
2008

_ _ _

...and then my favorite Christmas piece. It has nothing to do with Santa at all. It is a character from Dickens' Christmas Carol. SCROOGE!! But, it's more than just a figurine. It's actually TWO in one. It's two-sided. One side is Scrooge the miser. The other side is Scrooge after his dealing with the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future!! Small in size but big in character[s]! I can hold the piece in the palm of my hand...

§ Old Santa...an Old World Santa!

Conversing back and forth with Sue from photowannabe, she was telling me in comments that one of her Santas is 57 years old!  That she and her hubby bought it the first year they were married.  I said to her:  "I'll show you mine if you show me yours"!! Well, to make a long story short, Bud bought me an old world Santa way back in 1968!  Our first year of marriage...our first Christmas.  I really don't know what you call the finish, but it's like papier mache, but instead of paper, it's more like a light weight canvas.  It's really good at collecting dust [which reminds me of Karen's comment:  see below]...I use a paint brush to clean it when I bring it out.  And bring it out each year, I do!! It's tradition, and the beginning of my having a whole slew of Santas from the last five decades. I buy 'em, Bud may, even my sister has sent me some to add.  But this one is special. And not yet 57 but mighty close.  This year he's 52!!!

My first Santa

Oh, and Karen from Life is Good, you mentioned in your comment a few days back that I have a lot of collections.  Yes, I do.  Cobalt glass, ruby glass, china cardinals, Santas, troll dolls, witches, and now elves and gnomes.  But the one I collect most is DUST!!  [and fat cells]

§ A Favorite...

Sometimes my choice is more about the details. This one in particular has been one of my favorites over the years of collecting. I like the idea of a "Coat of Many Colors" which during my Catechism days of learning the bible, I read, and it stuck in my memory:

Genesis 37:3 reads:
"Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors."
Even tho the colors were probably weaved in rows back then in ancient Israel, this one Santa coat has many colors that reminded me the instant I saw it on the store's shelf.

The coat not only has beautiful, seasonal colors, but the detailing and decorative additions sold me...
Yes, it's all about the details:

§ It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas...

Once again this year, we decided to not put up the large 7 foot Christmas tree and decorate it since our kitty is still too curious and can be destructive. We brought out the artificial fiber optic tree. It's only 4 feet tall, small, and easy-peasy to put up...just set it in its base and plug it in!! It morphs into shades of green, red, blue, yellow, white, and purple. Pretty, but just not traditional [which I'd prefer]. On the plus side, no danger of CATastrophes, and then again, hours spent with decorating a 'real', life-sized tree or tearing down the very same after the holiday is over. (See note below)*

For now, I share these....

Top left to bottom

The small Santa Quilt I made last year and the Santa afghan that is several years old that was crocheted by me...now, it has become a bit 'sacred' to us.  This was our late Tahoe [cat]'s FAVORITE snoozing blanket.  No one could use it, 'cause she was on it the minute I unpacked it for Christmas, and left only to eat and use litter box...then, back on it  - day and night!!  I also purchased another quilt panel and quilt batting.  It's of the nativity.  I just never got around to buying other patch work quilt blocks [because of the covid 19 scare and shopping restrictions] to frame it...besides, I couldn't make up my mind even browsing the internet.  So, the panel sits, waiting for me to work on it.  Maybe soon.  Of course it will not be finished until 2021.  That's okay.

The last two are 'new' and 'old'.  The new [on the left] is a small Santa Fairy.  It just had to come home to sit at my table.  So far he's perched on the couch in the living room.  I'm sure he'll be moved eventually.  And last, on the right, is a piece we've had in our home for the holidays since Tucson, AZ.  It's large [about 3 feet in length] with a metal sleigh and Santa - his bag is filled with toys of mini-size.  [oh, and on the snowy ledge behind the sleigh...a gnome.  More of those comin' up too.]

*I'm working on convincing myself to put up the big tree! I miss it.

§ Everywhere You Go...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around Hootin' Anni's place!!!

...and by the week's end, there is a cold front moving into our area....predicted lows will be in the 30 degree range with rain. Ummmmm, maybe spitting snow? With those temps, snow is possible. Just a pipe dream probably. It DID snow here on Christmas Eve 2004....We'll see.

§ Autumn in South Texas

I just posted about this at Stacey's Blog 

Fall weather has arrived. For a few days the air was filled with moisture -mostly fog, a light mist to light rain fell on our lawn, but it's drying up now and the sun is to show itself later this afternoon...which will make the nighttime temps drop into the 40s. Now in South Texas forty-fifty degrees on the thermometer and the humidity factored in, trust me ---that feels like a blustery,  wintry day in Colorado without the snow. I'll take THIS kinda cold any day...no snow, no ice and above freezing where the lawn may be covered with wet...it's still green and the flowers thrive!! For the time being.

I ventured out of the house; the air felt wonderful after the long hot summer we experienced this past season. The back yard colorful again after being parched for so many weeks of extreme heat. From the hibiscus, to the roses and Druanta...color everywhere. The only plants that go dormant in my neck of the woods is the pomegranate tree, the pecan tree and the crepe myrtle. Taking my cellphone out of my pocket I snapped a few images before I went back in:

Don Juan Climbing Rose


Don Juan Rose and Orange double petal Hibiscus


San Diego Bougainvillea and Hybrid Variegated Hibiscus



My Peruvian Lily


TEXAS STATE BIRD -Northern Mockingbird on a Fence...with its brunch



Yellow Ixora and Orange Ixora


Blue Plumbago and Purple Duranta


* * * *


To help get in the Spirit of Christmas I began setting out a few Santas from my collection and decorated our tree...


I drew the pattern for this, Bud cut it out of wood with his jigsaw, and I painted it.

"Believe in what you feel inside 
And give your dreams the wings to fly
You have everything you need
If you just believe!!!"

Song:  "Believe"
by Josh Groban

I wanted to get a new tree topper this year. I saw a really cute 'snowman' hat topper on Kirkland's site online the other day, but according to the page it was no longer available. Bud wanted to go to the bookstore, so I walked over to Kirkland's to see if they had them in the store.  They did!  I texted a photo of the hat to Irene, and she wanted one too. I will ship it to her in a day or two. I'm glad I did look at our local store....

It's cute. There must be some magic in that old 'felt' hat I found....