Still Woods Farmhouse

Whew..where did the time go?  My boys came home for Christmas and all thoughts of this blog flew out the window!  So before December turns into January, I wanted to share a little of Christmas at Still Woods Farmhouse. We will start with the reading/music room.  I love this room!  I have truly enjoyed having my morning coffee here each morning, while the house is still asleep.  It is beautiful at night.  My superb...mediocre...okay, terrible photo skills do not do it justice!  My husband set all of this up...it's his baby!  The tree in the corner has only two types of ornaments: my mother's hand painted ornaments and glass hearts.  Mom paints ornaments for her Sunday School class each year and she always makes sure her girls get one.  Lucky me! They are so pretty!! I decided to do the dining room in a winter wonderland theme this year.  Lots of white, snow covered greenery, and a little sparkle from silver/white ornaments make this room a great place for any meal.  I have

Decorating the Christmas table is not only for the big day, but for the entire month of December.  There are informal gatherings with friends and family, a big country breakfast, soup night, and even take out pizza on those nights when you are running to and fro.  Do you need a few fresh ideas?  Put your feet up, relax, and take a look at these wonderful table settings! Let's start with a few tartan plaid ideas.  Christmas=Tartan Plaid in my book! Peonies and Orange Blossoms brings you this lovely display.  I just love plaid! Confessions of a Plate Addict (love that name) has the plaid going on too! Pinterest has tons of ideas.  This one is really cute!  Such a great way to incorporate a Christmas Village into the design.   Plum Creek Place offers this village inspired tablescape.   Let's turn our attention to simple red and white themes.  It is quite cold here today.  I have the items to put together this type of tablescape for tonight's chili supper. 

Each Christmas, I put on a cute apron, turn on the Christmas music and head to the kitchen to begin whipping up batches of cookies.  It's in my genes!  I come from a long line of bakers.  As small children, my sister and I would eagerly await the packages of goodies from our grandmothers.   One made all kinds of cookies and pies, while the other made delicious candy and cakes.  I take after my paternal grandmother, the cookie baker! My mother is also a Christmas cookie baker.  She has a long list and makes everyone's favorites.  At one time, she made over 13 variety of cookies just at Christmas.  Everyone loves her homemade goodness! Tonight I am sharing with you my youngest son's favorite cookie.  They are called Chocolate Cream Cheese Swirls! Sounds great, don't they? These are a delicious, quick drop cookies.  Let's get cooking! The Starting Line-Up : 1 cup of granulated sugar 1 cup of packed brown sugar 1 cup of softened butter 6 ounces of softened crea

Welcome to my first ever Christmas Open House!  I will be sharing little snippets of our home as well as some of our family's favorite cookie recipes during the next two weeks.  I love to decorate all areas of the house, but have the most fun with the outdoor decor. The theme for my front and back porches is Farmhouse Chic...natural elements, tartan plaid, grapevine wreaths, and simple treasures. I am limiting this post to two of my favorite outside areas.  The weather has been beautiful here lately and there is no better place to enjoy a mug of hot cocoa than in a rocking chair with a view of the woods beyond.  Perched between two rockers is a bench with a red coke bottle container and a white enamel bucket trimmed with a tartan bow. The bucket fits my live fir tree perfectly!  Propped on the bench is my treasured Speedaway sled from my childhood in Maine. My dad was in the military and this sled has been to many duty stations, including Hawaii!  A pair of skates hang ready for

We love vintage and retro finds.  At Christmas, these items bring a touch of nostalgia to our homes.  Today I am sharing with you some of my vintage ornaments and decor.  Last year, I purchased a silver tree to remind me of the tree I had when I was little.  It's the perfect place to hold my vintage ornaments.  All I need now is a mini color wheel!  Remember those?  I have a few items which I've had since my first Christmas (1960). With a dad in the military and travels to many ports of call, I am surprised these delicate ornaments survived. Also on the tree are a few vintage Christmas cookie cutters. Let's take a peak at my treasures.  Be warned, these were all done with my trusty phone! This is my favorite ornament.  The moon, stars, and Saturn always caught my attention as a child and still does. Here is another one from my first Christmas tree.  I imagine it came from the same set as the astronomical one.  The colors are beautiful and the glitter adds a nice spa

It's been a glorious day here at Still Woods Farmhouse.  The last of the pumpkin pies are in the oven and smell wonderful. A pot of beef stew is bubbling away on the stove for dinner.  A large pan of cornbread for cornbread dressing is heading in the oven next.  I can't wait to cut a square hot from the oven, slather it with butter and drizzle on a little molasses. What a treat! I wanted to share with you a few vintage Thanksgiving greetings and magazine covers.  Maybe while you are waiting for your pies to come out of the oven, you can relax with a cup of tea or coffee and  enjoy these images from yesteryear. I know this mamma is happy to have her sailor home for Thanksgiving! Please say it isn't so!  I confess...I did love these Banquet dinners when I was little.  Whenever we had them, they seemed like such a treat.   A simmering-talking pot! This adorable girl is eyeing the turkey! I am curious about the article by Demaree Bees listed at the bottom of the