All the dogs have gone home and it’s just Rick, Telly, Faye, and me at home tonight. With my nerves on edge until the cantata is over tomorrow night, I find it impossible to concentrate on sewing anything. My head is aching and honestly I think maybe I’ll just go to bed and read.
Here are Christmas pictures from Karla Thompson.
Old age caught up with the Etherington Christmas this year and we accepted the inevitable and bought an artificial tree. Rick has to help me put a live tree in the stand and he hates it. He also has two artificial knees so can’t get down to work on it and he’s gone so I have to wait for him to get home to help me, etc, etc. I decided to pick my battles and this wasn’t one of them so we shopped for a tree. I set it up myself, put the lights on and this year decorated with just hydrangeas and pampas grass. When all was said and done, I loved it! Next year I’m going to collect more natural stuff to hang on the tree.
The cats have decided it’s a playground and this is what one side looks like now. Two branches are bent and possibly broken and they play/fight by the hour underneath on the quilt.
See 2 black cats under there? Honestly, now what do I do?
Oh Mary, The new faux tree looked just beautiful decorated with the Pampas Grass and dried Hydrangeas. Did you find a bird nest to add?
Next year I will keep all nests for my Christmas tree – if it survives this first year! By the way, I don’t think the orioles came back last summer
Thanks for posting all the photos of Christmas decorations. I’m really enjoying them. By the way, there used to be an antique store here in Merced run by the Etheringtons. Any relation?
No, I’m afraid not – Rick has very few Etherington relatives.
I love your tree! About the cats, when I was a girl we had lots of cats. My mother put balloons in the tree the night before we decorated . the cats would climb the tree, pop the balloon and not go near it again. She then left balloons way inside the tree and they reflected the tree lights and lit up the inside of the tree, very pretty. Merry Christmas to you and all your menagerie including your hubby.
The tree is beautiful…. magazine worthy….. what to do about two black cats, get the spray bottle out and “teach” them the tree is off limits…..
Your tree is beautiful! And your decision to choose your battle makes sense especially at this time of the year. To get the wonderful smell, I put a few fresh tree branches in a large vase. The best of both worlds! Merry Christmas!
Your tree is beautiful. I love how we all have different taste in our decorations. Picking battles is good for all of us.. Especially this time of year. As for the cats under the tree, maybe get a water bottle and spray them and say “no”??? There again pick your battles!!! Lol
Tie a few moth balls in netting or fabric andplace in bottom branches..cats hate the smell…don’t use so many that you are repelled..this trick also works in well houses and stored RV’s
And airplanes stored in the hangar for winter. Keeps the mice out of fuselage!
I highly recommend spraying gold paint on sweetgum balls! They look like pointy little Christmas stars on the tree and can be reused from year to year.
Mary,
I love the idea with pompas grass and hydrangeas! On my large tree with lights, when I set it up, the day after Thanksgiving I would go down to the river and pull grapevine out of the trees and wrap it on my tree. Then I would place these large pinecones through out the tree. For the topper I made a star out of cinnamon sticks. I called it my simple and Nature tree. Will have to hunt for some pompas next year đŸ™‚
I have enjoyed seeing all the decorated homes; thank you for posting. Your new tree is beautiful; I am sure it will survive the cats. They are just being cats–playing and sleeping around/in/under the Christmas tree.
Oh Mary, I love your natural tree:) My dad grew Christmas trees as a hobby in Western NY so we still have a real tree, but I’m sure we’ll eventually buy an artificial. They are so real looking now, it’s ok:)
I have a spray bottle of Indoor No for cats. I spray a little on a scarp of fabric and put it where Squeak (Millie’s twin) is not supposed to go. You have to refresh every few days, but I have lots of scraps!! My mom always swore by the moth balls outside so that would work, too.
When our kitties wanted to play with us while we were trying to sleep, we put Vicks vapor rub on. They left us alone then.
My kitty loves Vicks, tries to bite my feet! Love the hydrangea, I harvested about 75 blooms and debated using them but now I am inspired! Thanks for all the sharing, running behind in the decor department but sure am getting good ideas!
Karla, love your home! The log cabin with the candle in the center is beautiful. Is there a pattern for it. flanne0901@comcast.net. And Mary, your tree is beautiful. I don’t have any suggestions for you on the kitties since I’ve never owned any. I love the way you “live” with your quilts — not afraid to display them and put them to good purpose, like the tree skirt.
Thank you for all the pictures or everybody’s Christmas decorating. I love to see all their ideas. Your artificial tree looks great. The pampas grass is fabulous along with the hydrangea. Mary, you can buy them with the lights built in and it really saves a lot of time and makes it so much easier to decorate the tree. We don’t have very much space so I got a small pre-lit artificial tree. I don’t even put decorations on as it is quite pretty with just the simple lights. That makes it so quick and easy to put up and take down. When I worked I was too busy to put up a tree and even busier when it was time to take it down. The middle of February was when it came down.
We have used an artificial tree for years and this year we got out the easiest one to put up because, well, we are getting along in years also! Your tree is beautiful. I may try a more natural looking tree next year complete with a kitty underneath. Merry Christmas and may your cantata go well.
So there’s two cats sitting at the bar drinks in hand, the one cat says to the other” So they bring this tree into the house hang shiny dangly things on it then freak out if I try and play with it……this is why I drink.” Thought this was funny couldn’t figure out how to share the original…
Ruth – pretty funny and so true!
I love your tree. We’ve had an artificial one for several years and it’s nice because I’m not allergic to it! As to the cat problem, cats just love trees – real or artificial – so the water spray bottle sounds like a good idea. My sister does that to teach her cats to stay away from her Christmas tree and it has worked well.
All you can do is love them and appreciate how much joy the tree has brought them.
The tree is beautiful- I may need to steal the ideas for next year. I love the items Karla has in her home
Karla’s pictures are wonderful, as were all those earlier. I like the natural parts of yours also. Thanks to everybody for sharing. Keep it up. I think: Cats Rule!!!!
I just love to see your pictures and to read your blog. Keep up the good work. Merry Christmas. I hope the new year brings you many blessings.
Good job, Karla. You know I love your style, old friend.
Hi Mary. I love your tree, the Pampas grass looks like little fluffy clouds. I also love the kitty decorations, after all that’s why we have them.
Many years ago. I had two baby kittens and they discovered one of my two trees. They had so much fun climbing up and down and batting at the glass ornaments, which of course would fall and break. They brought a lot of smiles and I just had to let them be kittens,
Felicia – I can tell a real cat lover – you let them have their fun and just be kittens. No spray bottle for you!