The Gypsy Caravan 2023

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Holiday Hutches and a Five Minute Centerpiece

In case you haven't notice by now, I put Christmas everywhere. (Cue the music!)


Even "up!"

 

Poke your head into the china cabinet -- it's there. 


I've been having such fun incorporating all my vintage Christmas postcards and tucking them in everywhere!


Peek inside the hutch -- you can't see much with the doors closed!


But open? One of mom's Royal Doulton ladies -- she's especially decked for the holidays!


My cousin Patty gave me this Santa long ago. He just "fits!"


The gray, silver and crystal seem like a perfect match here!


I've been keeping my word of the year close at hand. It hasn't always been an easy word to hold close this year.


And yes, another postcard!


I wanted an easy-to-manage Christmas centerpiece to leave on the dining room table -- but that was easy to move when I wanted to wrap gifts or use the table. So, I shopped the house.


The tray is a perfect solution -- it's easy to lift and move and it has a nice edge to keep things contained. I'd had this Santa (which I think might have started out as an ornament, though he stands with great balance. He wasn't going elsewhere -- so he joined the scene.


The putz house is quite a big one, found long ago at an antique market. I added cotton batting for snow, a few sparkles and pine cones and more of my bottlebrush trees. The back of the house wasn't as cute, so I added a few trees to brighten it up! I tucked in a couple of battery candles and it was good to go!


Pulling this together took all of five minutes. 


And here's a tip you may already know -- if you want colorful brush trees, just buy a packet of the green ones (you can usually get a packet with mixed sizes from very tall to very small at craft stores). Dip them in bleach till the dye wears off and they'll be a straw or white color. 

 

Then you can add your own color either by dip-dying them or hand painting in very watered down acrylics or watercolor. (I used watered down acrylic for mine. Then you can easily glue in faux pearls or other decorations. 


You can mount the smaller ones on spools or decorate the bases to add a little glitz.


It's coming together! 
Sharing with:   Share Your Style   /    Pink Saturday   /   Love Your Creativity  /   All About Home   /   Tuesday Turn About  

59 comments:

  1. Oh my, you certainly take this decorating business seriously! Do you have Christmas toilet paper as I have seen by others? Have a great day, hugs, Valerie

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  2. Neat idea with the centerpiece, and great tip for the colouring of the trees.

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  3. You have the best dressed holiday every time! The vintage postcards are so sweet!

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  4. I love your Christmas decor! Now all you need is a big party to enjoy all if it.

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  5. You always have such fabulous details in your decorating Jeanie. I've never seen a feather tree, and your decorations around your light are amazing. Mine look pretty blah compared to those. And like you, I love bottlebrush trees. I like how they are retro back to my childhood. Thanks for sharing these. Its a festive post. Have you finished? Hope your week is going well. Hugs-Erika

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  6. I love all of you vintage Christmas postcards! What a great idea to place your table centerpiece on a tray.

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  7. Loving your postcards and messages here and there.
    (Of course I would love that, I do it too!)
    You decorate how I think . . . tell a story in “each corner.”
    Like seeing Christmas come alive in Jeanie’s corner of the world!
    Happy Merry Season Jeanie . . . 🎄🌲🎄

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  8. Very Christmasy, Jeanie! 😊❤️

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  9. Good job, Christmas Elf! I would like to shop at your house!

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  10. My knowledge of Christmas and its decorations is quite limited, but I'm a good learner. I learn a lot from your posts, and I greatly enjoy it.

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  11. I just love the Santa in the snowshoes! It's all so cheery, Jeanie! I like to decorate in different rooms and spots, too. -Jenn

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  12. I love the vintage post cards. I wish you would do a post dedicated to them. and the decorations are stunning.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  13. And I am so glad you share your Christmas with us Jeanie. Everything looks delightful! Merry Christmas and A Very Happy New Year!

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  14. Love your bottle brush ideas. And that house that looks like gingerbread but probably isn't.

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  15. Jeanie, I love it all. So very festive and full of love. I had read about changing the color of the little trees but didn't exactly understand how to go about it, but your description is very clear and I hope I can experiment with some. I love the ones like that but they are so expensive. I am still mad about the gingerbread houses and found (I think and hope) a better way to do them so have ordered some paint and glue and will try. Seeing all your pretties reminds me that I totally forgot to put out my vintage post cards. I have a problem with the dining table centerpiece too as the kids are coming for Christmas dinner, so I did mine on the wood riser and will be easy to remove. See, we are sisters from a different mother! Merry Christmas, my friend. Hope you and Rick and family have a wonderful one..xxoJudy

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  16. What a festive atmosphere we can breath in your cozy home, thank you for sharing such a wonder, Dearie!
    Wishing you a most blessed and brightest Christmas ever
    Much love
    Dany

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  17. Great idea for altering the bottle brush trees. Your house looks ready for the season!

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  18. It's really looking like Christmas at your place, dear. You always go all out. I have really scaled down, but I see you haven't. Such fun Santas and such great decorations tucked in here and there.

    I couldn't find my bottle brush trees this year, so I went a couple of places looking for them. Neither place carried them this year. I am SO bummed. Sure love yours. I bleached a couple of mine one year, but I'm a bit more traditional and like either white or green trees. Yours look so beautiful when you dyed them. Happy holidays, dear.

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  19. Love all the Christmas decorations, very nice and creative. I like the scrabble inclusion with "hope" which is something the world could use a lot of. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Have a wonderful holiday season.

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  20. You are definitely a Christmas elf;)

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  21. Jeanie, I just went to my friend's out and stayed over night, and she has Christmas decor everywhere! Although I just put a few favorites out, I loved seeing and looking around at all her stuff. She has many vintage items like you do. I LOVE the Royal Doulton lady that belonged to your Mom. Those figurines are my favorite. And she's perfectly red for Christmastime. I like how you added the vintage cards and put them here and there. The display you have on your tray is delightful, and I like that tray and the unique and wide edges. The white Santa is charming also. Those bottle brush trees always make everyone smile. They are sweet. Great job decorating, Jeanie, and I enjoyed seeing it all!

    ~Sheri

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  22. It all looks so lovely and Christmassy, I love it :)

    Keep enjoying the season.

    All the best Jan

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  23. I love all of your pretty Christmas decor, Jeanie! The music is beautiful and quite enjoyable as I toured your home. The movable piece on your table is great and oh so charming. I'm with you, Christmas all around surely will give us hope! A good word, my friend!

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  24. Using the tray as a vessel for your display is a great idea! I also say the more Christmas, the better and yours looks mighty festive indeed! Janice

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  25. Your decorations are a real treat to see!

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  26. Your post reminded me I have very old Christmas cards probably from the 30s - 40's that I keep forgetting to display! I just went and got them out, thank you! And the centerpiece, I've wondered how to decorate my coffee table in a way that is easy to remove... this post has given me so many ideas! Thank you!

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  27. You really do go all out for the decor. It makes everything nice and cosy for you, guests and blog visitors.

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  28. I really love all the Old World Santa's and decor you have. My late sister was so much into that, and she had a huge collection--where it went, that's family for ya. 🤦🏼‍♀️

    Everything in your cozy home is festive and I can tell you took time with each and every piece. Collections from a lifetime are the best!

    Happy Holidays, Jeannie

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  29. Love the "up"! And the lady in red with the wonderful hat!
    Yes, we all need hope!
    I do believe Santa will pay you a visit for this - have cookies and milk ready, right?

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  30. Hello Jeanie,

    Your home looks so festive and pretty. Beautiful decorations.
    The bottlebrush trees are so cute! Take care, enjoy your day!

    Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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  31. You do do them up well!
    My hubby went crazy, and he's never liked Christmas until he met me in 2001!

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  32. Can always count on you for joie de vivre:)I see Rita:)

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  33. It's very clever how you tucked your vintage postcards in wherever you could.

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  34. You are a woman after my own heart with your decorating the entire house. When my grandchildren visit, they especially enjoy seeing what Christmas decorations I have put in the bathrooms and bedrooms. Of course, I've been collecting Christmas decor for years, so I have a lot to go around. Since I get a wee bit grumpy when I have to put it all away after the New Year, I save my snowman collection and put those out then. Thank you for all of your sharing through your blog. That is a gift that you give to so many. Merry Christmas!

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  35. I remember making a Christmas/Winter scene on a tray with my grandmother as a child. She also used a mirror as a pond. She had a couple of little skater figures for that. They were my favorites.

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  36. Looks so very festive! Love those vintage postcards and Santa. Merry Christmas!! I plan to bake this weekend and spread a bit of Christmas cheer next week.

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  37. You did some serious business in decorating. I'm almost tempted to repeat Valerie's question about the Christmas themed toilet paper... How long did it take to get all of it up? And how long will it take to take it down again? I have to admit, except for the lights outside the house, our home lacks any Christmas decoration - and I do have some beautiful hand crafted items from Germany. But I am not in the spirit at all. Maybe next year...

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  38. Your home is looking very welcoming and festive. I like the bottle brush trees.

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  39. Your home is so festive and cozy. I'm ready to curl up and enjoy it with a book.

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  40. The chandelier looks sparkly and pretty.

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  41. I see you have paperwhites growing. I love the bottlebrush trees - they fit so well with your vignettes.

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  42. Jeanie, I love all of your vintage postcards and they look great wherever you place them. Decorating high and low allows the eyes to see Christmas everywhere, and that is a fun and festive approach. I know the time and effort involved with your decorating and I appreciate that you share it where we can enjoy! I love it all!

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  43. Your home looks cozy and festive.
    I love vintage postcards. They remind me of the postcards I have that belonged to my great-grandma ♥

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  44. Hi Jeanie! I love your Royal Doulton lady, she's perfect for this holiday season. I love that you decorate everywhere!! ♥

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  45. I do see, like me, that you love Christmas. Looks wonderful. I don't even have half of your decorations. I always think of how much labour goes into putting it all back in their boxes in January. Enjoy and wonderful Christmas.

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  46. How wonderful to be surrounded by all of those things that bring you joy! I also love making centerpieces in trays. Everything looks so festive, Jeanie! Enjoy it!

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  47. Hello, Jeanie. I love your decorating - everything is so festive. Your vintage postcards are the best. They are so different from things of today. Much prettier, I think. Your centerpiece is perfect and will be easy for you to handle in the tray.
    Christmas is about here and I am now doing a little baking. The fruitcakes went into the oven about an hour ago. I still have just a bit of decorating to finish and I hope to take a few photos to share.
    Happy holiday days, Jeanie!

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  48. How cool are those little trees?!
    I love how your big heart splashes Christmas all over:)
    It's a beautiful thing how you let yourself paint with
    generous sweeps and spatters! I love a woman who celebrates
    wholehearted!
    Thanks for sharing the joy,
    Jennifer
    (also, your word for the year in scrabble letters - brilliant idea!)

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  49. Looking good! I'm loving the vintage Christmas postcards :)

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  50. I love the centerpiece and how easy it will be to take it off the table if need be! It’s nice to have a great collection of items to ‘shop’ from! Our house is looking like Christmas, too, and the pile or presents is growing under the tree and will likely really grow tonight as I get Phil will bring the gifts from Joan home with him tonight. And oscar is coming home for the week since Joan will spend a couple of nights here over Christmas!

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  51. You know I love the postcards, but also love, love bottle brush trees. What struck me was the light fixture wrapped in glorious glitter. So fun.

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  52. Jeanie, I love how you decorate, especially for Christmas. You have so many special pieces, like the Royal Dalton lady. I also love how you tuck your vintage cards here and there. I have a few and love to do that so I am borrowing some of your ideas. I see we share a love of bottle brush trees too. Mine are everywhere, especially the kitchen. Wishing you and Rick all the wonder of Christmas.........Lovely post.

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  53. You have been Christmas busy Jeanie! So many wonderful treasures! Merry Merry!
    Jenna

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  54. I enjoyed your decorations. I especially love your vintage cards. Great tip about changing the color of the bottle brush trees.
    I hope your Christmas is especially nice, Jeanie.

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  55. I always love peeking at other people's shelves. LOVE those adorable baby bottle brush trees! I'm sharing them at the All About Home Link Party this evening. Thanks so much for coming by and joining in!

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