A Winter Wonderland Visitor

We woke up this morning to a very windy and snowy day. The weather folk had been reporting blizzard conditions coming our way. They were expecting it yesterday, but the snow didn't really get going until the wee hours of the morning. Can you believe that just yesterday it was raining and most of our snow had washed away?

Front porch view

                                                       View from the back porch.


Despite the wind and snow, we still had two visitors who were braving the blizzard to snack on some corn:

Here's one of them. Olive and I sat in her chair by the window (yes, Olive has her own special viewing chair) and watched Big Fat and Little Fat take turns getting some corn. This is Big Fat; I call him that because he's the bigger of the two plump squirrels that have been visiting our feeder. Little Fat was in a nearby tree carrying around what looked like a large hard roll. He seemed to have difficulty deciding where to stash his hard roll treasure when he would make his sorties to the feeder.

I couldn't capture the elusive Little Fat on camera (despite being weighed down by a hard roll that was nearly his own size) because he was too quick for me, but I took a picture of my bird house instead, looking forlorn and empty. When the snow really comes down,and if isn't windy, the bird house will be wearing a towering cap of snow.

Thanks for visiting!

Show & Tell Friday: Paperwhites in Bloom

This year was the first time I decided to try growing paperwhites. I bought one of those kits that come with the pot. I'd always wanted to try it and I'm so glad that I did. They are blooming right now and smell very lovely.

Some of the stalks were starting to bend, so I tied a little bit of nubby twine around them.

I've since learned that these will grow in just about anything, that you don't even need dirt! I'm not sure how long the blooms will last; when I planted them I didn't think they would grow and bloom as fast as they have! I wanted them to be ready for our party on the 18th, but that's a week away and I don't know if they will last that long. I'm sure all you smarter people in blogland out there might know??

I also remembered that I had bought a vintage table runner last spring that I thought would look pretty on the sideboard at Christmas time, but wouldn't you know it, I had forgotten about it until just the other day when I was putting away linens and I spotted it with the place mats. I must have been momentarily high from my vintage-linen-gluttony-spending-spree last spring and put it in the wrong place.

I think the red roses are very festive, even if not exactly 'Christmas-y'.

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday

Deck the Halls: Virtual Christmas Home Tour

Welcome back! I've finished the holiday decorating at Le Bean Paon Victorien; thanks for stopping by to take a virtual home tour with me.
I'll be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for the Deck the Halls Party and also A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday!

We'll start by walking up to the front doors of Le Beau Paon.......

I made this Christmas wreath our first Christmas in the house, in 2006.

When you walk into the front entry hall, right away you are greeted by my theme tree, which this year is white with birds and snowflakes.

Here's a picture after I put up the garland that goes on the staircase banister. This artificial garland I also made the first year in the house. I chose gold and cream colors, to compliment the white woodwork and the mustard yellow walls.

I have lights in this garland. It all looks so pretty lit up.

Naturally, there's Olive playing on the stairs. She likes to poke her toys through the openings and watch them fall to the floor. Sometimes she waits until I'm right underneath the stairs and I get bombarded with a catnip mouse.

To the left of the staircase is fireplace number 1. I used natural greenery embellished with pine cones, faux greenery and berries.

In keeping with the natural organic feel, a gold woven reindeer basket holds glittered grapevine balls and pine cones. The gold glitter and the gold bead garland add just enough bling to satify my need for sparkle!

To the right of the front doors in the hall is the piano

If we continue straight ahead, we will enter into the dining room.

Even our ugly light fixture looks pretty with some holly, red ribbon and a red beaded garland.

The sideboard is also dressed for Christmas.

As we leave the dining room, we move into the family room.

Christmas pillows add a touch of holiday cheer.

A vintage nussknacker sits on the mantel of fireplace number 2.

This white nutcracker riding a white horse was a recent purchase this year.

On either side of the fireplace box is a Santa.

And a ski sweater-wearing Snowman. Both of these were gifts.

I usually put my poinsettia fairy on the mantel too. He is a Dept. 56 Krinkle figure by artist Patience Brewster. If you're not familair with her unique and whimsical ornaments and figures, click HERE to see more of them. I like them because they are so unique and crazy looking.

A kissing ball in the doorway between the family room and kitchen.

Next we will walk through the doorway into the formal parlour.

To the left is fireplace number 3 and our stockings hung "by the chimney with care".

Our deer stocking hangers were purchased at Pier 1 Imports.

Above the French doors that lead back to the hallway is more fresh greenery...

Martha's portrait is decked out as well.

An angel doll wearing a Venice lace trimmed dress sits on the harmonium

The antique secretary gets glittery snowy pine cones.

And on "center stage" in the parlour is our big tree, the Victorian tree.

I've been slowly collecting ornaments for my Victorian tree over a period of 15 years. Many of them were gifts, including my angel topper which my mother bought me in Chicago  many years ago.

These three vintage ornaments were given to me by my late grandmother before she died in 1991.

I added a bow with long trailing tails this year; it's the same green paisley ribbon I used on the fresh garlands. Tip: to make nice curly tails on your wired ribbon bows, wrap the tails around a broom handle.

I also have a Krinkle poinsettia fairy ornament on my tree.

There are two other Krinkle ornaments on my tree; this green Victorian boot,

And this tin Christmas Tree Man.

Here are a few pictures of some of my ornaments; you will notice there are plenty of peacocks, birds and even shoes.

The bride and groom ornaments were a gift from my mother-in-law in 2007, the year we got married.

I also tuck some antique cabinet cards from my collection into the branches of the tree.

Now that night has fallen, let's look at all the lights!

The tree reflected in the huge mirror above the parlour fireplace.

Thanks for joining me on my tour! (P.S. I did fix the lights around the door which I noticed later were sort of hanging off the left side!)