Holiday

[ciao_bella]

@goldensrbest   The wreath was purchased last year at none other than Walmart for $9.99.  I wasn't in there looking for wreaths but ran across it while I was there.  I figured I probably couldn't make it for that price, and I like switching out decor after a year or two, so the price was right!  

---

@goldensrbest wrote:

Where did you buy the wreath?

---

---

[ciao_bella]

@Witchy Woman   thank you for the lovely compliment about the fireplace.  When I was in my early 20s, I had been looking through a magazine, (might have been Better Homes & Gardens) and saw few pages dedicated to different fireplaces.  I saw this one fireplace and couldn't get it out of my mind, so I tore the picture from the magazine and put it in my dresser drawer. 

Many years later, when I was almost 40 years old and my husband and I had enough money to build a house with a decent downpayment.   The plans called for an optional fireplace, and so we were trying to decide if we had the extra money to put one in.  I told my husband before I met him and was in my 20s, I had torn a picture of the most beautiful fireplace I had ever seen and put it away.  I told him I did that because someday, I would like to have that fireplace.  He asked me if I still had the picture.  After almost 20s years, I said I didn't think I had it because I hadn't come across it.  So, one day I decided to go through the old dresser and there it was..the fireplace picture I had torn out about 20 years prior.  I showed him and he said...we're building it in this house..and so we did!   The room is 20x16 and that fireplace covers the entire width of the 16' wall.  Just a note about the mantel.  We went to an old mill where they had cut trees, and my husband was a master carpenter.  We walked all though the mill amongst the cut trees until he found a perfect piece of a piece of tree that he made into the mantel.  It's hard to see in the picture but the natural knots and curves of the tree are left on the wood.  He sanded it but kept all the natural elements and just stained it to the color you see.   I loved it all those years ago and still have the same love for it today.   

[ladycos]

Looks like you have a good start on your fall decorating. I love your fireplace and your door. You got a great find on that wreath for 9.99

[Jinlei]

All the decorations are beautiful!  I love fall, too.

[Witchy Woman]

@ciao_bella 

What a wonderful story!

I'm so glad you got the house and fireplace of your dreams.  Me too!

DH is a builder and had considered building himself a rambler style house, but had never gotten around to it.

Years later, when we met, we decided to build.  In our travels, we ran across brick Victorian style homes and that's what I wanted (a far cry from a rambler).  I was around 40 when we started and it took us 4 years as we were both working full time.

Since he is an expert bricklayer, the entire house is brick and he built 3 lovely fireplaces.  Dining, living and master bedroom.  To have a builder do them would have cost a fortune, but, he didn't hesitate to put them in since he did the work himself.

They are beauties, but, over the years, we've not used them all that much.  So much work and mess hauling wood into the bedroom.  Didn't think of that when we were young.

We do burn the one in the living room now that I'm retired and can be home to get it going and keep in going.

The dining room still has gas logs that we've considered removing.

Trouble is, he's always doing work for someone else! 

He said he thought your fireplace was beautiful, and that the dark mortar really set it off nicely.

Having your dream home and decorating it with things you love is one of the greates joys on earth.  I can tell you love your home as much as I love mine.

[Witchy Woman]

@PamfromCT 

Well, I used to.

Truth be told, that sterling has not been out of the storage box for years.

In the past, I had big Halloween birthday parties (for myself) and Christmas parties.

Have  not done any entertaining in years for a variety of reasons, but it was fun while it lasted.

I'm not sure what I will ever do with that fancy stuff.  I keep saying I'm going to use it for every day, then I forget about it.

It was my taste way back when, but....not sure I would buy it again.  

However, even though I no longer entertain, I love looking at beautiful china, flatware and crystal!  

Such a joy!

[SHOPR]

@ciao_bella 

and @SandySparkles 

Very pretty - everything! 

[PamfromCT]

@Witchy Woman, I don’t formally entertain myself anymore.  The family entertaining we do is quite casual, and our children do the holidays.  And sometimes we all just go out to eat.

I still love all the pretty china, silverware, and crystal.  We are still in our family home, and this old lady calls her DR her “trophy room.”  Like you, I have many happy memories.

[SandySparkles]

Thank you😊

~~~All we need is LOVE💖

[Tennesseegal]

@ciao_bella 

@SandySparkles 

Very pretty and festive!