Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Holiday Gift Ideas!

Pinned Image




Don't forget!
Tomorrow is the first ever
Favorites on the First
Linky Party 
at the Polohouse.

Dark Amber & Ginger Lily Cologne



Post on your favorite holiday
gift ideas and link it to
the party here tomorrow!

See you then.
:)
Alison


Twelve Brownie Box

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Bling is not my thing..... usually!





 If you have spent any time here
at the Polohouse....
you will agree, 
bling is not my thing.








Not that I don't love it for other people
and other homes and other situations,
but come on ... I live in a barn!

I'm just pri-tee laid back and casual.
No crystal or sparkly objects...
they don't really belong here.

I am more of a jeans, pearls,
 and preppy plaid kind of a girl.



BUT..... then there IS
my little addiction to Putz.

I
love
it!

 Glittery and sparkly vintage sweetness
collides with architectural cardboardiness ---
my new word. Just made it up.
:)


Create Your Own Putz Glitter House Village / Onaments that Light Up / Handmade from Vintage Christmas Cards
Buy these fabulous new ones made from recycled Christmas cards here






Vintage Putz House Church Christmas Mica Extra Large Music and Light Japan
Buy this church



It's all about PUTZ.
You know it, 
but maybe 
you didn't "know" it!

So what IS Putz?


Wikipedia says:
Christmas village (or putz) is a decorative, miniature-scale village 
often set up during the Christmas season. These villages are rooted in 
the elaborate Christmas traditions of the Pennsylvania Dutch
Mass-produced cardboard Christmas villages 
became popular in the United States during the early and mid-20th century.
In the 1920's,  dime stores and catalogs sold small 
cardboard Christmas houses. In 1928, the houses were then 
decorated with "snow" made of mica, translucent windows, and lights. 
There are various types of Putz houses from the US, 
Japan, Germany, Italy and other countries
  In early-colonial American Moravian homes, 
the construction of a nativity scene, or putz, 
at the base of a Christmas tree was very common holiday activity. 
The term was derived from the German verb putzen
which means "to clean" or "to decorate." 
These nativity scenes soon became very elaborate, 
and often included sawdust or fine dirt spread to represent roads 
leading to the manger; stones and fresh moss to represent grottos or caves; 
and sticks and branches to represent miniature trees. 
These details were in addition to the carved wooden figures
 that represented the Holy Family, animals, shepherds, 
and other traditional nativity figures.




Vintage Christmas Wooly Sheep Putz Stick Legs x 3
Buy these little Putz lambs here

If you remember... my roots are in Pennsylvania
and I grew up seeing these little houses and churches
but it wasn't until I started selling antiques for a living
that I really got the bug to collect them.
Aren't they the sweetest?













(I am busy trying to get my house decorated for the holidays
and will show you my collection of these little cuties once they are in place.
I started this blog last February and missed the whole experience of seeing
all of your holiday decor last year! Let me tell you.... I am beyond excited to
see how all of you decorate your homes and cabins and cottages and castles!!! )









So tell me,


do you collect vintage


Putz mica pieces too?













Thursday, November 24, 2011

Wall Sconces

Wall Sconces for living room Candle Wall Sconces Lighting Wall sconces for living room add more pleasant atmosphere in living room
 
A pair of French 40's forged iron wall sconces
Vintage beauties from 1stdibs.com




worldclasslighting.com
Visualcomfort.com



Set Of 8 French Bagues Sconces
Antique sconces from 1stdibs.com


Visualcomfort.com



worldclasslighting.com

visualcomfort.com



Have been looking for
 some sconces for my client 
and there are so many to choose from.


Antiqued Mirrored X Sconce for Wire
shopcandleabra.com

Pair of Neoclassical Ormolu Sconces
More antiques from 1stdibs.com

Relic Pointed Quatrifoil Mirror Sconce
shopcandleabra.com

We will need some casual ones 
and some formal ones as well.
 Take a peek at some of 
the options that are out there,
both new and old. 


Elinore Wall Sconce Set
aidangrayhome.com

Which ones would you prefer?

Remember.... the style of the home is French!



A pair of French bagues style sconces
Vintage French sconces from 1stdibs.com

Fleurette Floral Applique Wall Sconce
aidangrayhome.com
visualcomfort.com


Lots of pretty options, 
wouldn't you agree?

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

A Thankful Thanksgiving

Country life is the best life
 


ideas for fall decorating
Will you be home for the holiday?



This year we are staying put 
and won't be traveling to see family
in far away states, unfortunately.
It will just be the four of us, nice and quiet.

I am so thankful this year 
for so many things.

But oddly enough, 
we are trying something different this year.



We are not having 
the traditional Thanksgiving feast 
with the turkey, stuffing, potatoes, 
cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie 
that most of you will be sharing.


Say WHAT?



Nope. 
We decided to make this year's meal 
a themed one....
and since none of us are 
particularly fond of turkey.
We are having a 
"Thankful Thanksgiving".

By that, I mean that I have agreed 
to make (or buy) something
that each of us would LOVE to eat, 
a dish that we love,
our ultimate favorites --- 
food we are most 
"thankful" 
for!



So here is our Thankful Menu:

Lasagna 
(completely homemade from an local Italian Deli in town)
 Mac and Cheese
Stuffed Green Peppers w/Mashed Potatoes
Pesto and Goat Cheese Pasta Shells
Chopped Salad
and Texas Hot Cocoa Cake

I know some of you 
are probably 
gasping right about now!

We will have lots of leftovers 
and everyone is extremely happy about this plan, 
and I am very, very thankful about that! 



 Re-purposed nightstand..awesome!
So I will be busy at my not-so-easy bake oven all day today preparing things!
(Cute little nightstand turned child's stove from Pinterest. :)


Hope this finds you 
enjoying your holiday preparations today,
and may your Thanksgiving feast 
be a most enjoyable one tomorrow.

 
I am thankful that you are my friend
and that you came by today.

Warm wishes to you and yours~
Alison


P.S. Is there anything on your menu
that is not a traditional Thanksgiving dish?









Sunday, November 20, 2011

Tom, The Inspirational!





Earlier this week,
I was a little bit hard on 
Old Tom Turkey.

I said he wasn't one of
the "most attractive" animals 
on this planet.



Sorry Tom!
Please don't pout.


So to make it up to you ....
I wanted to share 
how your feathered image has
inspired others 
(via Pinterest) 
to make
these great treats and decorations
for the holiday upon us.

Check these out:

Turkey!

Pinned Image

Candy Turkey
 
Pinned Image
 


Chocolate Turkey table favors for Thanksgiving
 Chocolate turkeys? My new favorite version!

Cute Turkey candy pops
 


Turkey pops, what a fun school party treat!
 



Turkey
 

Turkey Candy Corn Thanksgiving Cupcakes


Turkey Lollipops
CAKE POPS...Thanksgiving Turkey Pops...



turkey
Gobble gobble!



turkey
 


Pinned Image
Here's one way to get your little ones to eat healthy!




And now.... 
some shopping links 
for those of you who mentioned 
you might like to add a
 vintage transferware turkey platter 
like mine
to your entertaining serving pieces.

Here are just a few 
of the many available out there online!



Huge Transferware Turkey Platter - Made in Japan
Buy this old guy HERE



Vintage Thanksgiving Turkey Transferware Platter
Buy this! Link Here


Homer Laughlin Eggshell Georgian Turkey Platter (SALE)
Or buy this one HERE

Vintage Ironstone Turkey Platter, American Tradition King Tom
Or this one HERE!


Have fun getting ready for 
the great American feast 
on Thursday.

Are you hosting?