A Christmas Thought

With Christmas in the wings...only a few short days away...and a new year right behind it...I always start my end of the year inventory. I go through the litany of things I wanted to accomplish and was able to, projects started and abandoned, efforts to better the lives of my family and friends. Just how did I fill those three hundred and sixty five precious days?

When I sit and think...as we all do...I sometimes feel woefully lacking in accomplishments. But then I remember. I remember when I was young my father built me a playhouse in our backyard. That little house was the jewel of the neighborhood. It was my space...all mine...rain or shine...summer, winter, spring and fall. I decorated, cleaned glass windows and swept wooden floors, welcomed my friends inside. My friends and I played school under it's shingled roof.

These days when I sit thinking, it often occurs to me that my life has come full circle. I'm once again in my little house...decorating, cleaning windows and floors, and welcoming friends. I've had my teaching career, as well. My childhood dream has followed me all these years. And, as I sit and gaze out these very windows, I feel blessed...and content.  

Of course, I've added a couple of occupants to this little house. My hard working...long running...husband. And our beautiful Annie, who makes us smile every day. My accomplishments...I've kept them fed and in clean clothes these many years and...hopefully...happy... happy in our little house.

 I hope in the coming days you all will be spending time with those you love and hold dear...making memories and enjoying the day. 

Merry Christmas from our house to yours! 

Enjoy the day!

The Family Mugwump

Bits of Christmas 2017

Hello, friends...here are this year's Bits of Christmas....just some random shots around the House of Mugwump. Through the years, I've amassed a sweet little collection of red children's socks and mittens. Along with greens and my favorite pepper berries, these simple items add color and whimsy to our Christmas.

I hope you enjoy these Bits of Christmas at our house.

...a new German Belsnickle

...socks and Shooner Redware

...an early tartan seed pouch...and socks

...tiny red wool mittens

New this year is this early German cow pull toy with his folk art painted base. 

...socks and strawberries

I added an antique Santa to my early German feather tree...the fellow at the top...he's a clip-on.

...more socks

...another pair

I've had this wonderful early tin cookie cutter for a few years and decided he would be perfect in this old red carrier.

He is a handsome fellow...and has quite a presence about him.

I have been gathering early spun cotton ornaments for a few years and now have enough for this old feather tree. This tree is in our sunroom where we spend most of our time. It is the first time I've ever put a tree up in this room. When we are in this room we can see the real tree in the living room and Annie's Owl Tree in the family room...and now this sweet small tree, too.

...early spun cotton and cotton batting ornaments.

 

Many years ago I had photos of Annie turned into these stand ups. They enlarged the photo and backed it with hard plastic so it could be put in the stand. They made great gifts! This is Annie on Christmas morning when she was two and a half. She had just started walking and she would walk a little and then sit down and give you this very look..."I did it!"...so pleased with herself...even her hands are happy!

...and those little red long johns are still a part of Christmas at our house.

Hope you enjoyed these Bits of Christmas. I've tried to keep it simple these past few years...some greens, socks and mittens sprinkled in with redware and a couple of small trees...and, 

of course...

Annie's Owl Tree

Merry Christmas!

Enjoy the day,

Robyn

Amelia Island....brrrrrr

Good Morning...brrrrr...baby it's cold outside! 

Still having issues with my camera. We were in Amelia Island last week and my pics from the trip are not to my liking. They are fuzzy and I don't know why.

It was very cold in Amelia Island...cold for Florida. It was rainy and windy so we stayed in the hotel and visited with friends, read books and drank tea by the fireplace. 

On Saturday, before heading home, we went to the Dickens Stroll in Fernandina Beach which is on the island and just below Georgia. It was in the low forties and rainy so we bundled up and joined the fun.

Fernandina Beach is a wonderful little town that began as a vacation destination for northerners in the late 1880's. There are many Victorian mansions that have been restored and are beautiful...especially at Christmas. The downtown is full of old brick buildings that are now funky, fun stores. It is very similar to Franklin, Tennessee or Thomasville, Georgia...quaint and full of new merchants and eateries.

The entire town was decked out for a Dickens Christmas. I didn't take a lot of pics...too busy trying to stay warm and enjoying the sites. There was a dog parade that featured many dogs in various costumes...lots of dogs in their pj's.

The bookstore where I took these pictures was wonderful. The trees and skirts were made entirely of pages from books.

They were wonderful...true works of art. The sales ladies were in Victorian dress, as were many other shopkeepers and of course, strolling carolers.

It was a fun way to spend the morning...but the raw, damp cold...and the rain was wicked. I have so many layers on in this picture...two turtlenecks, a big puffy down vest under the heavy sweater jacket, a wool scarf and gloves. I look a bit "stuffed". When it's cold in Florida it is a damp cold that penetrates your bones! Annie was bundled up and toasty warm. Mr. MW, he has on shorts...and no jacket...he grew up in Connecticut, what can I say?

I'll try to get some Bits of Christmas pics today. I'm trying, Marly...I really am. Our board trip in December always throws me off schedule! See you later in week.

Enjoy the day,

Robyn

p.s. Annie delivered her gifts to her friends on the Board of Governors last week. This year she gave them a photo of herself with each of them...the photos were magnets I made through Shutterfly. The name tags for each gift were retro flashcards with the name of each recipient. We also tucked a chocolate Santa into each bag. Annie loves sharing Christmas!

My dollies...

 I am happy to tell you my old Canon camera received some TLC on Saturday and it is up and running. We visited Best Buy with the intention of purchasing a new camera. I had tossed the broken one in my purse before we left the house so I could do some comparison shopping. As luck would have it, the fellow that was our salesman was actually a rep from Canon. Long story short...he fiddled around and got my camera working. He spent a lot of time getting it working and I all but offered to adopt him when he was finished. I was so happy! I really like my little point and shoot and did not want to have to buy a new one. It was a good day!

So...I have been taking a few pics around the house. Lately, I have been drawn to antique doll cradles. I now have three that I consider to be pieces of folk art.

This one is painted grey with black painted squiggles. It is signed on the inside in a lovely early script. It dates to the 1800's. I am using this gem under the tree...filled with early toys and books.

The large bear is early with a hump on his back and elongated arms...a real sweetie. The fox has little fur left but is still charming. The old Christmas books are part of a collection I started many years ago. The black and white dog I purchased from the wonderful folk artist Anne Childs. The dolls...both of these little dolls are from my family and each has a story.
                         
                                                                       

The large doll is even older than I am! My grandmother was the president of The Washington Women's Club when I was very young. It was a service club...much like the Junior League is today. The ladies had this older doll that they dressed and raffled off for charity. My grandfather...Pop Pop...won the doll and supposedly said he knew right where that doll was going...to me. Her clothes have been replaced by me with a more time appropriate dress and shoes. Her pretty face has cracked with age and I had her restrung years ago when her original bands dry rotted. I keep her...Pop Pop's Doll...as I have always called her...on the counter in my laundry room. I see her every day.

The smaller doll belonged to my great uncle. Before he married my great aunt, he had a wife and young daughter that died in an epidemic in the early 1900's. The doll had belonged to his daughter. He was much older than my aunt so he was like a grandfather to me. The doll sat on the back of their sofa and I admired her every year when we would visit them on our annual trip to Florida. Many years later, after they were both gone, the doll went to my mother and my mother gave her to me. Uncle Mason's Doll is wearing an early red dress that is not original to her....but looks smashing on her for the holidays! She is wearing her original red leather shoes.

Two little dolls from my childhood...one gifted to me by my cherished grandfather...one of my most favorite people. The other...passed down through family...by a beloved uncle. Two little dolls, from different sides of my family, full of memories of loved ones gone...but never forgotten. Two little dolls under the Christmas tree.

                  ******************************************************************

Time is slipping away and I have much to do...as I'm sure you all do, as well. Why does December fly by at break neck speed? The tree may or may not get decorated...I vote for the latter. I like just the lights and so far a certain daughter has not objected.  I told MR. MW last year that I wasn't going to put up a tree this year...fatigue talking. I relented and we brought home a much smaller tree...in the end I just could not go without a real tree...the German in me, no doubt. Annie's Owl Tree is up and decorated...and two feather trees are done. I'll be back with Bits of Christmas....sometime.

                                                             Enjoy the day,
                                                                   Robyn