Preholiday Planning

Seasonal Sunday hosts   a wonderful blog that inspires   wonderful seasonal ideas for around the home.This week,   we are asked to share   our ideas for  our holiday  decorating.

I am , also,   sharing on

 Tabletop Tuesday

 and  and  Teacup Tuesday 

....
 and here

at  Artful Affirmations !

This morning I brewed a cup of Winter Spice  and  am sitting here at the dining table enjoying  the ambiance of the wee  bit of decorating  I have  here so far assembled.... I love using my  red transfer wear in my  winter vignettes.....I started collecting   the red  just a couple of years ago....I love just adding in  different  patterns as I find them... but  I always choose  from the English  design instead of the  Eastern.... since I live in an English Tudor home...Today   I chose a Spode Botanical cup  for my morning tea!

I  particularly love  it  against the    Stewart plaid of the  cloth.... this   cloth is the   staple   cloth I use   throughout the holidays  and have   used it for  over  30 years....   a bought a  bolt of the  stuff  back in the  70's   when I was   actively involved in the Scottish Society when I made a few  items of clothing with it...  I had  several yards left over....   I was  able to make   3  large  cloths   from the leftovers....   It   is such  great   weight and weave....  It will never  wear out....  and  launders like a dream with  absolutely no ironing.....

I  am so  excited about some of my new finds  for my holiday spruce up....    I  found this   wreath  at   the consignment shop....   It  appeared  brand new and   is the perfect size  to offset my  cloche  which  I am housing  my   favorite   furry  friend....

I   have a   limited   bunny collection,    but this one    seems to reside   closest  to my heart 

My  black   place mats with  holly  stitched  so  dramatically around  are  so striking  in the morning   sun!

 I have  gotten a few lit garlands and    items   going   ....  but   no tree  yet!

But  another   terrific  find last week at  a  lovely Primitive  Shop   nearby   are  these  fabulous  stems of greenery  that  so happily replaced the old ones...

I  do  love this  wall hanging  container for  seasonal  decorating...Since I  am   trying to achieve  an olde world    setting  I like to  employ  stems of  a natural   "woodsy" variety....   nothing  too  affected or   over the top...   something the lady of the manor may  have   picked on her morning  walk...

Obviously the mantel is far  from   finished....   just  experimenting really....   the mantel  usually  changes  several times   before I am completely happy with it...  one thing is for sure I need more pre-lit stems!!!

And so  for this week  I am definitely in  the  planning and  accumulating stages  of  Christmas  redo-ing!!!!  And   fun  for me... it is my favorite part!!!! 

I