EAB Designs

My Vintage Christmas Carol Book

  

My mom (Birchie Faye Allard) received this Christmas Carol book in 1943 from her sister Harriet's sons - Douglas, David and Edwin.  She was 9 years old at the time.  Since I was little, my mom would place the book out on our table each Christmas.  I loved the beautiful illustrations and music and would sit by the tree and sing page after page of Christmas carols.  My mom has a beautiful voice and if I didn't know the tune of the song, I would ask her to sing it for me.  Years later, after my own daughters were born, my mom passed down this special book to me in 1995.  It's one of my most treasured possessions.  Below is a picture of the inscription page with my Aunt Harriet's entry and my mom's entry.  I plan one year to write my own inscription when I pass it down to one of my daughters.

Our '69 Volkswagen Crew Cab

Today we bundled up and drove to our favorite nursery in our '69 Volkswagen Crew Cab.  My husband bought this car while we lived in California.  We moved it to Virginia, enjoyed it for a couple of years and then the engine went. Over a period of many years, whenever time allowed, he worked on restoring it to its original factory condition.  We just recently got it back on the road and today was our first family outing in the bus.

 

Our girls love it!

Christmas Greens

   

We are fortunate to have a property filled with large boxwoods, and several varieties of holly bushes.  During the holidays, I am able to cut fresh greens and place them all around the house.  I especially love fresh boxwood and its aroma.  I tuck it into my antique urns and nestle in some of my favorite ornaments.  The above ornaments, which were made from vintage light reflectors and rhinestone rings, were purchased last year from Joy of The Hope Jar.  I love the combination of the mercury glass, sparkle and fresh greens.

Cherished Ornaments

 

All of our ornaments hold such special memories.  There's one that always hangs at the very top of our tree, the "Julie and Eddie" needlepoint heart.  I made this for my husband twenty six years ago when we first started dating.  My, how time flies!

Counting Down to Christmas

 

I made this advent calendar for my girls a number of years ago.  I purchased red, green and white baby socks on clearance.  To make the white socks look a little more festive, I sewed plaid bows to the top.  Metal rimmed tags, from the office supply store, were then stamped with numbers.   Sew the tag to the sock and your advent calendar is ready to hang!  I use tiny wooden clothespins to hang each sock from a boxwood garland, which is placed on the banister right outside my girls' rooms.  Each morning when they wake up, they are so excited to peek into the sock to see what's inside.  It's a lot of fun, and sometimes challenging, to come up with inexpensive little surprises that will fit in each sock.  However, the most challenging part for me is remembering to fill the sock the night before.  (Reminds me of when I forgot to put my little one's tooth fairy money under her pillow one night and I awoke to the disappointing words of, "Mommy, she didn't come."  Hoping I'm not the only Mom who has gone to bed and forgot!)

 

Visit to Oatlands Plantation

A friend and I visited Oatlands Plantation today in Leesburg.  From its beginnings as a 19th century wheat plantation, to a 20th century country estate, Oatlands today is a co-stewardship of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  During the Christmas season, the house is decorated with Christmas greens and trees.  This year the decorations were inspired from a journal kept by the residents in 1850.  Sadly, photography was not allowed in the house so I can't share how lovely it was.  But the gardens were just as spectacular.  If not for the bitter cold today, I could have remained in the gardens all day.  We visited at a perfect time and had the garden all to ourselves.  I felt like I was in a Jane Austen novel.  I'm looking forward to returning in the spring and summer to see the gardens then. Thought I'd share some of the pictures from our visit.  If you want to learn more about Oatlands you can visit their web-site at www.oatlands.org.

 

 

 

 

 

There were several of these toparies on the estate.  They were made from osage oranges, magnolia leaves and tree greens.  I think I may be inspired to recreate this in my urns at home.

 

   

Do I look like I was freezing?  I was - but the visit was definitely worth it!