Winter Magic: My Christmas Mantle

If you've been reading, you know by now that decorating my mantle with the coming of each season is something I absolutely LOVE to do, and I daydreamed and really looked forward to bringing life to the mantle for Christmas.

I think one reason decorating the mantle is so special to me, is that this is Preston and my very first house together. We've lived both in our parents houses and in an apartment, but this year, we share the sweetest little cottage. And decorating our very first house for Christmas??? Even more joy. So putting mantle and Christmas together in the same sentence, you have one very very happy me.

Another reason I love decorating the mantle, is that to me, it is like a special altar in our home (and the only place our cat Spoofer cannot get to) and I love having a special altar to the seasons. It is a warm, wonderful ritual to decorate it. This precious earth is so special to me, and it is one way in which I can honor the cycles of the earth, and honor each season and the way it touches my own human cycles, and honor the changes that take place in and all around me with each new season.

I put a lot of love into this mantle design and really dreamed it up over a couple months time, looking high and low in shops and online for the perfect elements to compliment it. So sharing it with you has been a much anticipated thing. Of course I only wish you could see it in person, and see how it sparkles in the low light of the evening, because its even better than the pictures can express. But here they are, my very special Christmas Mantle...

Ta-dahhhh! Ok...now let me show you some close-ups...

A sweet sparkly winter bird (yes, I definitely have a bird obsession)

A little snowflake candle...

Little trimmed trees on each end...

Silver branch garland that I bought to decorate for my holiday trunk show, but ended up getting some more when I realized it was the missing element in my Christmas mantle...

The beginning of a winter vignette I've started to the side of the fireplace...I've already changed it a little since this photo...

A precious tiny decoration my sister Annie got for me when she was living in France...

Spoofer wishing she could knock everything down... ok...maybe she's just daydreaming, waiting for spring to arrive so she can eat grass in the yard...

The star atop our little tree...

And put it all together.....

Christmas Magic!

I wish for you a holiday season filled with warmth, love, and all the things that make you happy! Thank you for reading my blog and allowing me to share with you the joys of my life.

Love,

Abbey

My Fall Trunk Show...

It was a while ago now, but I wanted to share with you some photos of my first trunk show of the fall.

It was a beautiful weekend, and I opened up my home both Saturday and Sunday to debut my Fall Collection for 2010.

I showcased lots of lovely new hair accessories: headbands, hairclips, and bobbies, a few new pairs of earrings, and some left over goodies from my spring collection.

I wish to truly thank each of you who came for supporting me and my business. It really means a lot to me, and I am so grateful to share my goodies with wonderful people like you. And thank you also to those of you who continue to spread the word about Love's Garden. This work is so dear to my heart. I really appreciate you.

These Green Leaf Headbands were one of my very favorite pieces in my collection, and I may just have to make some more for the spring...

Yummy snacks: Vegan Pumpkin Muffins, Peanut Butter Cookies (got the recipe from my aunt Tine, then made it vegan,) and...

Hot spiced cider...mmmm....

Some of my fall decorations ...

And there's nothing better on a chilly fall night then to curl up in front of the fireplace. We've really been enjoying it a lot lately!!