Hello sweet friends. I hope your week is going well. Are you decking the halls or have you finished? I am keeping it more low key and simple this year. I don’t know if it is age (probably), but it seems that it takes me twice the time to complete a project.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
Galatians 4:4-5
Yesterday, the thermometer rose to 52 and the wind settled. It was a sunny day, so I took advantage of the weather and photographed the Sunshine Cottage porch dressed for Christmas.
Having French doors requires two wreaths, which weren’t easy to come by this year. I found these on Amazon and they fit nicely with my Renaissance Man’s fresh pine garland!
If you have been a long time reader of Everyday Living, you will certainly recognize the five feet tall nutcrackers!
We can’t remember what year they were purchased, but let’s just say they have some age on them. You might remember we found them at Walmart. They have made an appearance every Christmas since we brought them home.
The rusty garden bench replaced the glider for the colder months. A plaid throw and a cute pillow I found at TJ Maxx are adding a bit of holiday cheer!
Several of you commented on the rustic planter when it was stacked with pumpkins. I found it last year at an arts and crafts show. Leyland cypress and holly berries have survived for a couple of weeks without any water. I will probably replace the greenery once before Christmas.
EM was so excited when she saw the nutcrackers on the Sunshine Cottage porch!
The pine garland smells heavenly. RM does a beautiful job on our exterior doors every Christmas.
If you look closely you might see this nutcracker has sustained some injuries this season!
Imagine our surprise when we returned from our little getaway to NC and saw this! My heart sank, I knew it was too late to search out new nutcrackers. My RM to the rescue.
From their very first Christmas at our house, they adorned the kitchen porch. I shared them my first year of blogging in 2014. They stayed there until 2017 when I moved them to our front porch. I didn’t enjoy them there because I couldn’t see them.
So…Christmas 2018 they moved inside for the first time and they liked it so well they returned in 2019.
We will bid farewell to these nutcrackers after Christmas…maybe. As you can see they’ve been with us a long time and served us well in a lot of different spaces. So, will folks that have a hard time parting with a burned out a light bulb be able to place them in retirement? We shall see.
Congratulations to Bonnie M, our Monday Morning Blooms winner of the Arte Italica Natale Tray and Crown Linen Designs festive runner and set of napkins. Thank you to all who entered.
Thank you for visiting and for your gracious comments. Wishing you a joy-filled day!
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
Hi Pam, beautiful post as usual. Hope you and yours are all doing well.
Love Cath
Always so good to hear from you, Cath. I hope you and your are well! Much love…
Oh Pam… your front porch is just magical. I enjoy the extra Christmas touches that makes it feel so inviting.
I don’t know how you are going to part with the Nutcrackers… good luck sweet friend.
Sending you lots of hugs!
Happy Thursday!
Thanks for the hugs, Nancy. Hopefully, the broken one can be repaired. Happy Friday!
Pam, Your sunshine cottage is decorated beautifully for Christmas with your garland, swags and Nutcrackers standing sentry. I love the sweet pillow and door mat too! So sorry to see one broken but hope the repairs can be made or camouflaged. I remember how magical the were by your beautiful tree. Happy Thursday ♥
Thank you Mary, hopefully the broken one can be properly repaired. Happy Friday!
I couldn’t bear tossing out the nutcrackers, even in disrepair! Ponder on it….you may just want to touch up the repair with matching paint, and the other one is still good.
I honestly am thrilled for Bonnie winning the giveaway. She will use them beautifully, I’m sure!
Rita, hubby can’t decide what to do. He fixed the one that took a tumble just enough to get by for this season. It probably will require a professional.
Congrats to Bonnie!! Oh what a shock to arrive home to see the nutcracker take a spill. I love those two and maybe you will find another place for them to shine. LOVE your Sunshine cottage Christmas porch. It’s truly beautiful Pam. Have a great day and stay warm!
Thank you Shirley. This was to be the year of the Christmas decor purge. So far I have purged very little…too many memories attached.
Pam, I am totally in shock to read I won the MMB giveaway! I feel incredibly blessed!!! The beautiful items in the giveaway are such fine quality. I am so happy!
Thank y’all so much!
Love your post this morning. I am sorry about the Nutcracker but please keep them. Little dents and scratches add character. Your cottage looks so festive and fun.
Have a wonderful day!
Thank you Bonnie. I will be looking forward to seeing how you use the tray and linens!
Pam, your cottage looks so beautiful. You did find the perfect greenery for your French doors and the Nutcrackers look wonderful. Keep them. I especially loved the sweet little pillow and throw…all so festive. I am so happy Bonnie Morgan won the giveaway. Can’t wait to see how she may use them. She is so talented. Praying God’s blessings on you and your family.
Thank you Dianne. I have enjoyed decorating the cottage. There is always more I want to do, but I run out of time and energy!
The wind has been BRUTAL this season, hasn’t it? Sorry to see yet another casualty in its wake. Glad your husband was able to get ol’ Mr. Nutcracker off the injured reserve list and back on the playing field in short order, though. You’ve really gotten your money’s worth from those wooden fellas. Maybe keep them around a while longer and have them suddenly pop up in unexpected places like the Elf on a Shelf?🤣🤣🤣
Your porch is beautifully decorated! It’s beginning to look a LOT like Christmas! Have a happy and safe weekend!
Alycia, I have missed you in blog land. Thank you so much for your visit and your always fun comments. Wishing you a beautiful Christmas season!
Loving the sunshine cottage Christmas! Looks magical Pam. Happy Thursday. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Thanks so much Cindy! Hugs back at you.
Be still my heart. The sunshine cottage has been blessed with EM Liking the nutcrackers there. Surely you won’t discard them. The cottage is the perfect place for them to welcome the children as they play. Perfection is not the gold, right? Now I can’t wait to see what you did inside the cottage to welcome Christmas. Maybe a place for baby Jesus?
Thank you Alice. No perfection is never the goal. He is at a delicate stage right now, when he has to be moved, I fear he will break apart. He needs some expert help.
Love the Sunshine Cottage Christmas porch decorations Pam! The nutcrackers flanking the doors makes the porch look so festive. Hopefully they can be salvaged as they’re so colorful. We have the same affliction of having difficulty parting with things we like. We’ve repurposed many things to keep them out of the dumpster. The wreaths and lanterns complete the look. The rustic planter is a favorite. The bench with the throw and new pillow is cute and inviting. I wonder if EM will claim the pillow? It’s adorable! Enjoy your day! Clara❤️
Thank you Clara. 2020 was to be the year I purged Christmas decor, so far I have purged very little. Happy Friday ♥️
Poor broken nutcracker man …
😉
Yes, he is broken…
Love your Sunshine Cottage porch decorated for Christmas.
Thank you Nancy!
Love your front porch, Pam. And I vote to keep the nutcrackers as well. You would probably miss them.
Congratulations to Bonnie for winning the giveaway. I know she will enjoy and create magical beauty with them.
Happy December to you and your family.
Thank you Sandra. Happy December!
I’m so happy Bonnie won! I know she will set a gorgeous table with those lovely items. Pam, Sunshine Cottage looks absolutely beautiful adorned for Christmas! You made me laugh this morning talking about how difficult it is to get rid of worn Christmas decor. I’ve been trying so hard to do that this year, but it is so difficult. A memory will come flooding back, and I just can’t part with the item. So, I understand what you are saying about those adorable nutcrackers. Happy Thursday, sweet friend! Enjoy your weekend!
Thank you Shannon. This was to be my year of purging Christmas decor. So far, I have purged very little. Have a love weekend!
Your cottage porch is beautiful! I love everything about it.
Thanks so much Penny!
There is always a place for the nutcrackers, even if you have to give them a special protective treatment and keep them outside! They’re so wonderful. And besides, EM loves them! I can see why — they’re perfect “greeters” at your darling cottage!
Thank you Jeanie. Hopefully RM can do lasting repairs!
When I saw your nutcracker picture in my FB feed this morning I got a huge grin on my face. Because I just posted some pictures and comments about nutcrackers yesterday. I love them! So of course I think you should keep yours. Just paint some stitches on him and make it part of his “story.” Maybe it happened while he was defending the cottage? The children may love him even more now! I’m sure that Marie and Clara would! 😉
Thank you Rebecca. Hopefully, hubby can do repairs that will last. He is glued together and will need much work. Maybe he was defending the cottage 🥰
It ought to be good for a children’s story to amuse your grands.
Yes, it should!
You and RM did such a fantastic job of decorating Sunshine Cottage. I love every bit of it. I’m sort of downsizing my Christmas decor collection, so understand you pondering retiring the nutcrackers, but would definitely have a hard time doing so. They are SO wonderful. BIG, but wonderful.
I am pondering downsizing my Christmas decor. I have collected so much through the years, but I do want to save so much for the granddaughters.
Your cottage is beautiful!! I love shopping for home goods at TJ Maxx. They have the best deals.
Thank you Michelle!
Pam your decorations are beautiful. So happy that the Nutcracker is okay. Love anything Nutcracker.
Have a Merry Christmas.
Marion,Marilyn and Joan
Thanks so much Marion, Marilyn, and Joan. Wishing you wonderful Christmas Season!
Delightful, as always Pam!
Bless you sweet friend ♥
Jennifer
Thank you sweet friend!
Your nutcrackers are well loved and look great on the porch of your Sunshine Cottage, and how sweet that EM was excited! So sorry about the damage, hopefully RM can work more magic and they can still be part of your holiday decor…{check Grandin Road after Christmas, or maybe even now, for sales on stuff like this} The wreaths and greenery look wonderful, so Christmasy! Congrats to Bonnie, she will treasure the linens!
Jenna
Jenna, RM will need to do a lot of work, it did a get by for us to use them this year. Take care, Jenna!
Sunshine Cottage porch is decorated pretty. Love that greenery RM does for you. Don’t discard the Nutcrackers…maybe put a wood rod inside and pour concrete in bottom for weight and then repair. I call this upcycle!
Good ideas, thank you Nancy. Happy Friday!
The Sunshine Cottage looks magical in her Christmas finery! I have always loved your nutcrackers…what a tumble he took. Was it a gust of wind? They are part of the family, you surely will keep them!! Congratulations to Bonnie also!
Thank you Roxanne. He took a terrible fall and we think it was a gust of wind. Yes, they are family! Happy Friday my friend!
Love your decor! I would not be able to bear throwing out the Nutcrackers! Whatever it takes to fix them is worth it and I am sure RM can do the job! They have been part of your family for awhile now and want to be part of the next generation! None of us are perfect! Lol.
Comment lost in cyberspace ????
Oh no!
You have to be loving getting your cottage ready for the holidays. I can’t wait to see all the opportunity it provides for you to show your creativity.
Linda, it has been fun to be a child again in the Sunshine Cottage!
How magical your Sunshine Cottage is…Great decoration! Congratulations to Bonnie!
Thank you Maristella. Wishing you a wonderful week!
Well, I’m happy to see that I’m not the only one that doesn’t want you to part with the Nutcrackers. I love the story about perhaps it had a mishap defending the cottage. I’m sure RM can fix him in a creative way and then perhaps they could guard the cottage from the inside in the years to come.
I am thinking the nutcracker is going to need professional attention! Thank you Karen!
Wow! Your repair job on the nutcracker is amazing! I would never have known if you hadn’t mentioned it. It must have taken a lot of careful work to get it looking so great again. Your beautiful cottage porch is just beautiful. So inviting and warm! God bless you this Christmas season!
Thank you Cheryl. Wishing you a blessed week and Christmas season!
I loved learning more about your nutcrackers. They are so special and have endured so much. I would absolutely love to find some like this. They are so festive!
Thanks so much Kim, the nutcrackers have a history!
Such a fun porch tour. Can’t wait to share you on Wednesdays Charming Homes & Gardens Link Party.
Thank you Rachel, so much fun!
I can’t wait to feature you at Charming Homes and Gardens this week Pam.