My Dining Room Holiday Decorating

I have two of the three corners in my tiny ten foot by ten foot dining room decorated for the holidays. So let me explain what you're seeing. As this corner, above, has special meaning to me.

Here's a peek inside.

First of all, there are two handkerchiefs draped across a white platter on the back. Those belonged to a dear friend who died four years ago. I was given a trunk that held her linens. And these were among them.

Sometimes I get some of the handkerchiefs out and decorate with them. I set up my iron and ironing board. And lovingly iron out the wrinkles. And I think about our good times together. And about the day I laid in her hospice bed in her living room, holding her until she took her last breath. So they are precious to me.

Some of you may remember "The Trellis Tree" from last year. It is just an old trellis I found in the antique mall. But it too took on special meaning. You can read about that here

and here.

This year I put it in much the same location, but turned it around and put it behind this birdhouse I recently acquired.

And then there's this funny little concoction of bare branch and terra cotta pot. First of all, that isn't simply a branch setting in a pot of rocks. It is hot-glued into a series of three different pots for stability!

Now the branch itself may completely fall apart before Christmas. But the part inside those pots "ain't a-going anywhere!"

The little Santa you see is one I found many years ago at a garage sale. It had special meaning because of its age. And because my husband is Polish.

The embroidered piece it all sits on I found at a local antique mall for a dollar. A dollar, folks. Some poor woman sat and embroidered this so beautifully and someone sold it for one hundred pennies. Sad. I felt guilty even purchasing it.

I don't have as many "children" on the trellis tree as last year. Because I have other plans for them, yet to be unveiled.

What I have added are crocheted pieces I've purchased from some of you bloggers from your Etsy shops. The blue one was a gift from Claudia of Mockingbird Hill Cottage. She and I have become great "phone friends."

And then there's a potholder sent to me from a dear blogging friend. She just lost her husband, so the holidays will be tough for her. She sent me this potholder awhile back just because she thought it looked "like me."

And the unique feather duster is there because my husband took a liking to it in an antique store. And I chose to show case it there!

The birds are here because you all know how much I love nature and my gardens.

The Santas inside are all ones we've picked up over the years, made by Jim Shore. I love them because they all have "patchwork quilts" painted into them somewhere. And you all know of my fondness for quilts. (Although now that I think about it, the poor Santas look like they're in jail!)

I love to decorate with special memories assigned to my vignettes. This little corner has so many recollections of both sad and happy memories!

Now you know full well that some poor soul is going to walk into my house and see this corner and think: my word, has this woman lost her mind?

Without knowing of the symbolism involved, it looks rather "strange," doesn't it?

I can see why you'd question my sanity.

But everything you see is special to me in some way.

And that's the true meaning of holidays, isn't it?

This corner took so much explaining that I will show the opposite corner later.