What I Love About My Holiday Home: Sparkle & Cheer

Welcome to our Home for the Holidays......what do I love about my Holiday home this time of year? Well, with the lights and tree and sparkle, just about everything. Karla, at Karla's Cottage, is hosting a party all about our Holiday homes, so be sure to go on over and check out all the girls who will be showing off their Christmas finery. A small tabletop tree in the kitchen is so cheery & makes me happy to look at it with it's lime green ornaments & green/white toile ribbon.
One of my favorite ornaments, flying Santa hangs out on the diningroom sideboard keeping watch over the pinecones and walnuts. A little gold & silver really adds to the festive touch this time of year. A silver yardsale candlabra comes in handy this time of year as a prop for ornaments.
Another favorite ornament, a tiny mirrored treasure chest holds all things bright & beautiful and adds a festive touch to the silver tray adorned with moss, pinecones and dried hydrangeas. Acorns & pinecones were fun to collect this year & I've had fun with the gold/silver spray paint & glitter. There's just something so festive about acorns in a pretty glass bowl. A friend from CA sent me those rose pinecones. We don't have anything like that here in the South. I just love them! Personalized stockings hung by the chimney with care...and a little sparkle doesn't hurt! This was a Ballards Outlet find in Atlanta about 3 years ago. They had a whole bin of rejected stockings & were selling them for $5.00. I found one with my hubby's name & got one that was mostly empty of thread for me & found a place to personalize it here in town.
The Christmas tree in all it's glory...all lit up when I walk in the door at night. Gold & burgandy have been favorites of mine for many years now & seems to work really well in my house, so I've stuck with the tried and true for me.
Shiny, pretty ornaments speak to me..... Fresh greens be-ribboned and festooned with a reindeer and star adorns the stairpost in the foyer.
Baby Jesus and the nativity scene is at rest in the livingroom bringing a calm spirit to this home. A sparkly reindeer, shiny Christmas balls & jeweled rope add a bit of cheer to a side table.
Lime green moss keeps the birds company this Season, along with some walnuts & glowing green balls.
Santa keeps watch over all in the livingroom right next to the ribboned vintage boxes.

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I'll share a recipe I posted a few weeks ago from my Pampered Chef party. Go back & look if you want to see pics of it. This is a wonderful candy that is SO easy to make and is very festive looking with the white chocolate & cranberries:

Festive Cranberry Crunch Bark
1 package (20 oz.) vanilla or chocolate flavored almond bark, coarsely chopped (found mine at

Walmart..chunky cubes of almond bark)
3/4 cup almonds
3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
2 cups crisp rice cereal
Place rectangle stone into freezer at least 1 hour. Lay down parchment paper. Place almond bark into bowl & put in microwave 2-3 minutes until melted, stirring occasionally. Coarsely chop nuts with food chopper, place in microwave for 2-3 minutes until golden brown, stirring after each 30 seconds. Add cranberries, stir until combined. Stir rice cereal and 1/2 the nut mixture into melted bark. Pour bark mixture onto parchment, spreading evenly. Immediately sprinkle with remaining nut mixture; press lightly onto surface of bark. Remove baking stone from freezer, slide parchment paper on top. Let stand 7-10 minutes until bark is set. Bring edges of parchment paper up over bark & break into pieces. Eat & Enjoy!!

Thank you SO much for stopping by this Christmas Season. I wish you peace, joy, health and happy times with friends and family this December. May the peace of our Lord Jesus fill your hearts this Christmas and into the New Year.