Mockingbird Hill Cottage

I have become obsessed with these adorable creatures. I see them everywhere on Scandinavian blogs. In my usual fashion, I had to know what they were. After googling, writing emails and visiting websites, I discovered they are Nisse or Pixies and that this particular design is from a Danish company named Maileg. Thanks to my Danish friend, Dorthe, for helping me out on this one! Until I find a way to order a larger-sized pixie, I ordered the little ornament from Garnet Hill. Half off. Much to my surprise, they overnighted the package and it arrived yesterday.

I love him.

He will be displayed year round.

Who says toys are just for kids?

Today will be filled with baking, helping Heidi out in her shop for a few hours, reading a script and wrapping Don’s presents while he is at work. Yes, he has to work tonight. He’s feeling much better, by the way.

I found a ‘new’ vintage ornament at Heidi’s yesterday.

Beautiful, isn’t it? But there’s something even more special painted on its side.

A bluebird. Such sweetness.

I have a quick question. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or on Christmas morning? What’s your family tradition?

I’ll be back with my official Merry Christmas tomorrow morning.

I’m feeling a bit more peppy today. It was a rainy day yesterday and Don’s day off, so we turned on all the Christmas lights as soon as we got up and proceeded to do only those things we wanted to do – my prescription for a restful day. Some popcorn and Ball of Fire with Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper on TCM was the perfect way to end the day. Have you ever seen Ball of Fire? It’s a wonderfully wacky comedy directed by Howard Hawks. You will love it.

Today, some dog (who shall remain nameless but is white in color) gets a trip to the dog wash for a bath. The other one needs a bath, too, but his back and hips have been particularly troublesome lately, so I’m not going to put him through all that.

As I sit in my blogging chair which faces the Christmas tree, I thought I’d share a few favorite ornaments with you. This one is old and the perfect shade of pink.

What makes these especially beautiful to me is the way the colors have faded and softened over time.

The acorns are only a few years old. I bought them at Heidi’s shop.

My bottle brush ornaments. What would I do without them? I found them at Heidi’s shop, as well. If you ever get to this neck of the woods, Heidi has a Christmas room full of fabulous ornaments, many of them vintage. She is known for her collection of vintage ornaments – and the Christmas room is open year round.

We moved out here in 2001. After driving a truck full of our worldly goods across the country, we arrived on the doorstep of our rented cottage, which was very small. We had already arranged to store many of our boxes and some furniture because there simply wasn’t enough room in the cottage for them. I had painstakingly organized the packing of the truck so that everything we needed for the house was unloaded first, leaving all the things to go to storage in the back of the truck. After we unloaded, everything else went on to the storage facility, which was rather far away.

Christmas came around. I looked for all our ornaments. Couldn’t find them. I tore the cottage apart. Nothing. Dang it. We had mistakenly sent those boxes to storage! No time to drive there and even if we had the time, the facility was huge and our stuff wasn’t easily accessible.

Off to the local drugstore we went. We bought a lot of generic colored balls and lights. No beautiful silver glass tree topper – that was in one of the boxes. We found this little tin angel and figured she’d do until we were finally reunited with our decorations. But every Christmas since, she has won out. We just love her. Sometimes you find the perfect decoration and don’t even know it!

This is the last ornament we put on the tree every year, in honor of our beloved dog, Winston, who died too young. He was with us for 8 years. I miss him every day.

I hope you’re finding some pockets of quiet time this holiday season.