Where the Living Happens

Our family room (much like our kitchen) is a long narrow room. Our house used to be a one story cottage until someone added a second story in the 80's. This is not all that uncommon in the Village. The downside is that a good amount of our family room was used to make a stairway. The good news is that we can get to our upstairs. This created what we like to think of as a cozy room because when you live in a house built in 1900 (and 1987) sometimes words like cozy, vintage and character are what keep you sane. Especially as you write out checks to repairmen.

We have no fancy foyer (fo-yay) here. Instead we have an antique dresser that holds our bills, hats, gloves and scarves and a wall rack for your coat and bag. Or mine. It's ok with me. It turns out I don't miss my old two story grand foyer, with the window I couldn't reach to clean.

It turns out I like my cozy little painted, slightly crooked stairs that I used to sit on in the morning with Emma and sing You Are My Sunshine before school. You know, before she outgrew such nonsense. Sigh. Maybe the cats will let me sing to them.

I'm already feeling sad about taking this garland down and I can pretty much guarantee it's going to immediately be hung up in the studio where all holidays are celebrated simultaneously.

This year instead of the family trip to Lowes to pick a tree, we went the day after Thanksgiving to a local tree farm and cut down our own. Apparently not all of us were on board with this idea, or realized that it was supposed to be a fun family event so approximately 1/3 of our party was kind of grouchy. Not naming any names but I'm pretty sure when I force him (or her, but definitely him) to go back next year he (or she,but definitely he) will have a much better attitude, especially since this is the most perfect tree we've ever had. Sometimes real life doesn't live up to the perfect image in our heads. Welcome to the holidays.

We spend so much time in this spot as a family reading, writing, crafting, movie watching, napping and snuggling. There is often a fight for the corner. I think you can understand why. Usually the Big Guy wins.

All this color makes me so happy. How did I ever live in a house that wasn't this colorful? Sometimes I look at pictures of our last house and I feel absolutely no connection to it. Decorate for you and who cares what anyone else thinks!

This pillow is from  five thirty home here in the Village. It is one of my favorite stores in all the land and just happens to be about a 4 minute walk from my house and also just happens to employ my girl, Maddie. Erica has the best stuff and I don't just mean Maddie.

My Christmas decorations just make me happy. There are a lot of different things going on around here. French. Vintage. Handmade. Cottage. I've never loved the way my home looks at the holidays more.

I can't believe how quickly this season is passing. Is it just me or is that something I spend entirely too much time saying since I became old-ish? There are a lot of memories to be made around here these next several days and I'm looking forward to them all. I will be back with a holiday tour of the studio soon. It seems like I got my blogging mojo back about the same time I got my creative mojo back. One more thing, among many, that I'm thankful for this holiday season.