Gifts of White

Today I want to share with you some very special gifts. But first, I can finally share my "big news" and the reason I haven't been getting around the blogosphere nearly as much as I'd like.

They say that life is a circle, and it does appear that it has come full circle for me. After more than twenty-five years away, I'm returning to my hometown of Kingsport, Tennessee! It's so funny; the place I couldn't wait to get away from so many years ago is now where I want to be more than anywhere else in the world. And due to a delightfully unexpected chain of events, I'm moving back VERY soon. So all of the time which hasn't been consumed with working has been filled with packing and preparations. A very interesting twist is that Liz, my best friend here in Maine, decided to move south at the same time! She will be moving to Savannah, Georgia to be close to her daughter and grandchildren. Her beautiful home has gone up on the market and she will actively pursue selling it when she returns from an extended visit with her family in Georgia after the holidays.

So...we decided to have our own private Christmas celebration last Saturday. The items I'm sharing today were her Christmas gifts to me. I opened the large gift bag first, and my breath was swept away when I discovered these gorgeous white feather Christmas trees!

Then I began opening the smaller presents and to my delight, discovered this precious little vintage Santa, complete with his reindeer! Liz knows how much I love decorating for Christmas, and she couldn't have chosen gifts that were more perfect for me! Of course, with the move, I won't be able to decorate for the holidays this year. I'm planning to leave Maine on December 13, and should be arriving in Kingsport either the 14th or 15th. December 16th will be a free day to spend with my friends there, as the moving truck will not arrive until the 17th, at which time I'll be busy unloading and trying to get somewhat settled into my new house before starting work on the 20th.

These wonderful candleholders were another Christmas gift from Liz, and while perfect for the holidays, these will be displayed year round.

I'm looking forward to lots of new adventures! I'm moving into a house sight-unseen, and eagerly anticipating the challenges of decorating it.

The darling white birdhouse was yet another gift from Liz. I'll be finding a place of honor for it in my new home. Isn't it funny how life works sometimes? In planning my move, I thought about how much I would miss Liz, and now she's planning to move to the south so we'll be able to visit on occassion! I just can't get over how beautifully God lays His plans sometimes! Along with my two best friends in Tennessee, Debbie and Barbara, Liz and I are already planning our trek down the "World's Longest Yard Sale" next summer!

I'm anxiously and eagerly awaiting the decorating adventures that lie ahead with my move. It will be very interesting to see the house for the first time. At first I wanted pictures, but Debbie's camera was on the fritz when she went to look at the house for me, so I've decided to keep it a surprize and see what I can do on the fly.

In addition to putting my home together, I already have several friends who want design help, so I'm going to have LOTS to blog about! Please forgive me if I don't make it around to your blogs much in the immediate future. I truly enjoy reading and being inspired by them, but right now, I must attend to the business at hand.

I'm happily anticipating having lots to share and lots to see in 2011. But for now, packing boxes await...

Until next time,
Sheilla

I'm linking up with "White Wednesday" at Faded Charm. Come on over and check things out at Kathleen's fantastic blog!

Favorite Whites

First of all, I'd like to apologize to all of my blogging friends for not "making my rounds", as regularly as I normally try to, and to my readers for not posting last week. I've got something big in the works. I wish I could share the news with you right now, but for the time being, I've got to keep a lid on it. Look for an announcement in the next week or so. Since I've been unable to work around the house, I thought I'd share some of my favorite white things with you to celebrate another White Wednesday.

This is part of the vignette that I arranged on the shelf of the recycled dresser mirror that I posted about a short time back.



It's quite simple....just an apothecary jar filled with seashells, a small architectural fragment and a little milk glass sugar bowl that has lost its lid.

This is my take on an "artsy" shot of a sconce that I revamped some time ago. It was one of those gold 3-armed syrocco pieces that I spray painted white and then sanded a little of the paint off to reveal some underlying gold. I added some crystals to it for good measure and did a similar treatment on a mirror to hang above it.


This is part of what is probably my favorite vignette in the house...one that sits atop an old piano. This little cherub is watching over a small bouquet of white roses.


This rose is part of an arrangement in a large crystal vase...also on top of the piano.


Don't ask me why I included this...It's just a piece of moulding on an Art Deco style dresser that I painted white, but I like it, so here it is...


Here's another of my cherubs. This one is an inexpensive garden statue, but I rather like the perch I created for her. It consists of an old rusty standing ashtray that I found in a freebie pile and topped with a small round vintage vanity mirror.


And finally, a crusty old urn filled with spools of white thread.


And a close-up of the thread. Isn't it funny how some of the simplest things can be quite beautiful?

Again, my apologies for leaving you with a "quickie" today. I think you'll understand when I share my news in the very near future.

Until next time,
Sheilla

I'll be linking up with "White Wednesday" at Faded Charm. Come on over and check things out at Kathleen's fantastic blog!