Happy Valentines Day from My Blog to Yours.

This is a repeat from last year, but Sissy and I still stand by what we say. Happy Valentines Day to each and every one of you out there. I wish I could give each of you some flowers and candy, but, Sissy's beautiful picture is the best I can do. We have snow and ice covered everything here in Missouri, but the sun is shining and tomorrow is promised to be a nice day. I hope all your dreams come true. I sure wish mine would. Richard from My Old Historic House.

What's New?

    I have made a few changes around, My Old Historic House. I have gotten a few new things and wanted to share them with you all. Sometimes I wonder when, enough is enough? I have often said there can never be too much stuff in a room, but now, I am starting to question that theory.I have been an antique collector for a very long time and an antique collector never seems to stop collecting. I have had to put a damper on it as of late because there never seems to be enough money in the budget for it. The golden years are not always what they are cracked up to be. I have a very expensive house to keep up. There is always something wrong with it, being 168 years old, adds to that. The utility bills are not cheap and it never is really comfortable. Cold in winter and warm in summer. I am not really complaining, as I love the old place and am so grateful to have it. I might not mind in a few more years, to turn it over to some body else's charge. But I digress and get back to my story.

Old blue paint, small child's sled.

   I got a couple of new things for Christmas. I come from a very large family. I have five  brothers and one sister. My Parents and Grandparents are all gone.  All my siblings are married and have children, grandchildren and great's. I could go on for ever. The thing is, we can not possibly give all of us presents. We used to draw names, but a few years back we stopped that. So very few presents are given or gotten by me. I am OK with that as it makes the holidays so much less stressful. I do have a favorite Niece. We are very close. She helps me with the house and I help her with hers. We have an old tradition where we go shopping on Christmas Eve, I buy her something she wants and she buys me something I want. We don't really consider them Christmas presents, more or less, just presents. We went shopping this year and then I spent the next two nights with her and her husband in there 1829 farm house. I picked out and old blue painted sled for my gift and she picked out a set of canisters with blue windmills on them. We were both pleased as punch. My problem was where to put it? I did not want to just use it at Christmas. It took some moving about, but I have found an OK spot for now. One of my

I love, love,love this pottery.

Color looks pretty with this lamp

What kind of animal is this? Love the colors here in the library.

dealers, here at the antique mall, surprised me with 2 gifts. I was over whelmed and very surprised. I love old brown Bennington pottery . She has seen my collection many times when she comes to the house. She brought me the most divine pitcher and bowl sets. I usually keep the brown in the laundry room, but wanted this to be more special, so I placed it in the library beside a brown lamp. The same sweet lady also gave me a deer head. Well I am not sure it is a deer? I have a deer head already in the library. Wanting the library to look a little more manly, I had a desire for more heads. She had this one, left over from a divorce, so now it has a spot of honor. I used to collect antique hand made quilts. I had many. Sometime long ago I sold them off. I love them and long for them when I see them at shops and auctions. I bought two the other day.

My new quilts, perfect colors for my kitchen.

 They should be inventory for the shop, but for now, they are spending some time in my kitchen.I had this wonderful old birdcage on the outside porch. The weather was starting to take it tole on it. I thought I should bring it inside before it was destroyed. To me the only place for it was the kitchen. After much debate it ended up there on the wall above the door. Even though it covers a transom, the light can still come in. The jury is still out as to where it might end up.

Don't you think this wonderful old bird cage is too good to leave out side to rot?

One other thing that is new, is a small basket. One could say, really, how would you tell? You see I have so many. This one is so special and so very rare. It is small and made to hold a plate. It would have been designed and used to carry food some where. Like to the field for a worker or to a church carry in dinner. I have never seen another, only in books. I was so thrilled to find it for $5.50 at a thrift shop. Treasures do not have to cost a lot, be of great importance. They just have to make me happy. Getting new things always has done that. I love to shop and collect. It is in your blood and I am not sure there is a cure. The only one I seem to find that half way works is, no money.

This is my hand made, rare, plate basket.

  I threw in a picture of a collection of drinking goblets. I got these this summer from a dear friend. They had belonged to his mother. She was a collector like me. I found a spot for them in the kitchen. Poor kitchen it is becoming a catch all. I did a post of them at the time, but in case you missed it, here they are. Also new in the kitchen is a couple of old, old things. A man and women brought a box full of old goodies in to sell me one day. I bought them and because I loved them so much, kept a few for

Hand made old, old, tin lantern.

Tea for Two.

Popcorn popper and Ms. Sissy

myself. The small iron tea kettle is divine. The old pop corn popper would have been used in a fireplace. And the hand made lantern is so cute. They all ended up on the kitchen fireplace.
  I am going to close for now. Probably have rumbled on to long . I don't think people really read the blogs, just look at the pictures. So I am going to throw in a joke and see if  it gets mentioned. "MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB,THE DOCTOR JUST ABOUT DIED."

   Happy New Year everyone. Be safe, be warm and be happy. Come by anytime for a real tour. I will always leave the lights on and Sissy dog will meet you at the door with a jump and a kiss.

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

Even at 64 there is still a little KID in me.

I need to work on the tree skirt, a T towel is not the best for the job. Maybe a quilt?

  Last night as I ate in the kitchen, with a fire in the fireplace, I got to thinking it would be nice to have a tree in there with me and Sissy. Before you know it, up to the attic, 2 boxes found, marked feather tree ornaments and I just unpacked them  and got started. It is a  6 foot feather tree also from the attic. Every year I long for a real tree, but every year there seems to be too many reasons not to. So, this will have to do. I had fun re-discovering ornaments from years past. There is corn on the cob, chickens, sheep,  fish and ducks, all very good for a Kitchen Christmas Tree.Sorry no lights, just the twinkle and glow from the overhead chandelier as it's light hits the ornaments and makes them all a glitter. I guess even at 64, we all still have a little child in us somewhere. I'm glad I put it up, will enjoy it through the season. It's when I am taking it down and packing all away, I will remember why I don't do a tree theses days. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Come visit me and Sissy Dog anytime. I will always leave a light on and she will always greet you with a kiss. Happy New year too!

I have enough Christmas ornaments to decorate the  White House. I have been collecting them since I was 12. I have not bought any in a few years, but who knows when that might change. In the mean time it is sure good to know they are in the attic when you want them.

First Snow of the Season!

Another Successful Event at The 1845 Historic Elgin/Cottrell House Museum

  Last night I had the second Holiday Event at, My Old Historic House. It was for a group of 10 lovely ladies having there Christmas Party. They are members of a ladies investment group. They had dinner, opened presents and  of course took a tour. The evening menu was: Salad with apples,dried cranberries, walnuts and sweet Italian Dressing. Baked chicken breast on rice with a cheese sauce. Bundled green beans wrapped in bacon and mashed, spiced, sweet potatoes in orange rind baskets. For desert there was Chocolate rum cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Here are a few pictures. Enjoy. Come any time. Sissy and I will be glad to throw you a beautiful party. Have a wonderful Christmas.

A little bit of Christmas.

Everybody's world is different. That is why we have black and white, plain and fancy and big and small. Time was when I was many, many years younger, that I did enjoy going all out to decorate for Christmas. I still think about it, every year, as this time rolls around. Being 65 , where that is not really old by today's standards, it does often make one stop and think."Do I really want to go to all the work? And somebody has to take all that down." Sometimes we do it for ourselves and other times we do it because we feel we have to. I get all excited every year around October. I tell my self that I am doing Christmas this year. I get out paper and pencil and start making plans, drawing sketches, jotting down ideals and the mind seems to run a wild. I somehow seem to come to my senses when I realize most of these ideals cost money. I am not cheap, have always been one who never worried about such details, as the cost of things. Some how, in these golden years, I have to worry about such. It seems that even simple ideals can end up costing more money that you can  spare.

Fresh cut greenery and winter berries fill all the garden urns.

Bundled fresh cut English Ivy  with bright red bows,hang from doors and sconces.

Don't get me wrong. this blog is not a pity party about my finances, but I am sure a lot of you out there have the same concerns over money and making it last these days. I always  think about having Christmas House tours at this time. That's a really good reason to spend time, energy and money decorating. I have tried this ideal in the past and it never seems to pay off. The weather here in Missouri can be quite harsh in December. One never knows if we will have snow or ice. Some how, it seems, that when I plan any event, the weather tries to put a damper on it. You know, I live in Clarksville,Mo. It is in the middle of the country and a good 70 miles from no where. My friends and neighbors are wonderful folks. They are very nice and always there when you need them.. Most of them are hard working class people and when they have time off from work, they need to do there shopping, decorating and other activities. They never seem to have a extra minute to take a house tour. The people that I might attract, from other parts of the world, never know if they can make it or not, because of the weather.

Piles of colorful fruit.

Bright shining silver.

Some of my battery operated candles, I sold out this year for safety.

   Being single, having no children, I do have my Sissy Dog, it is hard to think about going to all the trouble to decorate and do Christmas just for us two. I know some people said I should do I should do it just for me, but me, is tired and doesn't always want to work that hard. I do have a need to have some Christmas at my house. Just a little bit. I somehow in my older age seem to fall back on the simple things from my childhood memories. Fresh cut greenery, bright red ribbons, white snow, frosted windows and the smell of cookies straight out of the oven. I wonder if young people of today are even aware of such things. It sure is a different world we all live in today. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for that, but I long for the simple things from my childhood.
    I am having a bus tour this Saturday and a small dinner party for a group of 10 ladies next week. Of course I wanted the house to look a little like Christmas. And making the table pretty is always a big priority when having a dinner party.
   A few weeks back, when I first got into the Christmas mood, I made a little mini of , My Old Historic House. I dreamed of a gingerbread house like the ones at the white house. But a paper house is what I ended up with. I think it will be something I can put out for the rest of my life. I posted about this a few weeks back. Since then, because of your comments, I have added a Sissy dog to the yard. You were right, was not complete with out her. The plastic Santa in the door way is an ornament from my childhood. Who would believe I have held onto him all these years and it means a lot to me to get him out year after year,

The cut glass vases and pitches, sparkle like ice, winter berries represent winter, Christmas ornaments and votive candle complete the centerpiece.

A pair of sterling silver pheasants peak out among the crystal and winter berries

I thought the winter berry stems were the perfect thing to fill the vases.

Bundles of fresh cut ivy adorn a pair of Victorian sconces in the dining room.

Imagine all the votive candle will be lit for the dinner party.

A Santa from my childhood, sets in a kitchen chair.

   I went on a day trip to this lodge resort, where I work part time. They have lots of pine and cedar trees. Permission from the manger was granter, in case you are wondering.. I filled the back of the car with the smells of Christmas. I filled all the iron garden urns to where they were running over. Winter berries I found in a patch along the road made the urns even look more festive.
  I love bundling fresh cut English Ivy and tie them with bows and hang around instead of the wreath. So simple, yet so wonderful. The ivy holds up really well all season. I love candles  and again I posted about my candle invention this year. I sold myself out a little and opted for battery operated ones. Mainly  because they are safer.I do use a lot of votive  ( real) candle, however. This year for my dining room table I have opted to do something very different. Looking in the dish cupboard I noticed all the sparkling cut glass. It was a cold day and the sparkle of the glass reminded me of the ice crystals that  often form on the windows of the house. So I pulled it all out and made a gathering down the center of my my table. I always try and use my sterling silver pheasants some where on the dining table. They seemed to be right at home among the sparkling crystal. I added some simple colored glass ornaments
and to fill all the crystal vases and pitches I chose, simple winter berries, that I gathered along the side of the road. To me, the  vases looked like ice and the winter berries looked like winter. The birds were among them in the field and the ornaments added a little more sparkle and a little more Christmas. I used cut glass goblets, of various sizes, to hold the votive candles. I can just dream of how it will all sparkle when they are finally lit. I put a little water in each glass, this keeps the melted candle from sticking to the glass. adds to a much easier and faster clean up.

A long Time Christmas tradition, the dogs getting there winter hats and scarfs out.

Mr. Red Spots says, where's mine?

Fresh cut holly poked here and there.

  Of course it has become a tradition that my Staffordshire dogs in the kitchen all get dressed up for  Christmas and stay that way most of the winter.
   I hope you can get a little inspired by my simple Christmas decorations. It just goes to show, that one does not have to spend big amounts and works months to have a festive holiday. Please come by any time for a real tour. The lights are always on, the door is always open and Sissy will for sure. meet you with a jump and a kiss.

New this year, the Christmas  House.

Complete with a little Sissy Dog

The real Sissy Dog all snuggled in her basket, beside the kitchen fireplace.