Out and About ~ It's Christmas!

Hi! How is everyone? Excited? Exhausted? Bored to tears? I've been having a very fun Christmas. Besides spending time at home with family and friends and Mo, there's been some excellent girly outings to share with you.
First--and sadly the last [of this year] Flea was on Sunday. It was big and bustling and packed with junk and folks enjoying the sunny crisp day.

I always get a kick out of the washing machine guys. Do these things even work?

And Santa was there! Selling granny's garage crapola, just like a regular guy.

Also my pet peeve--I got there early but even as I entered the market a dealer was frantically repacking her pastel mercury glass Shiny Brite ornaments and she whisked them away before I could grab even one or two of the very lovely selection.
Of the items I was bemoaning not buying last visit, only the pretty sweater--pickle green, red, cream, mustard--hand knit fair isle sweater was still there. I wanted to felt it and use it for Christmas cushions and other crafty things. BUT it was quite small and no bargain at 20.oo firm. I also loved this enormous 12 gallon pickle crock, speaking of pickles. It was taller than my knee, really big and cool. But I couldn't imagine how I'd get it to my car, so ---no.

Earlier in the week, my friend L and I made our annual Christmas trip to the pretty flower nursery, over the bridge on the mainland.

It's not tres chic---or all white---but it's gaudy and glittery and fun and we love it.

Ideas for decorating in and out.

Lots of lovely real trees. I hope they all find a good home.

We loved these herb topiary trees, great gift idea. They smelled delicious, especially the rosemary.

Many beautifully decorated trees.

And their specialty, fairy houses, was all tiny gingerbread homes for the gnomes and elves.

The shop is located in a bustling harbor village, so it specializes in beachy and nautical [aka ''coastal''] Christmas decor.

 I picked up a few little stocking stuffers that I can't show off right now.

So pretty! We then stopped at Trader Joe's so I could buy a selection of unusual cheeses for my Christmas Day afternoon antipasto platter. And peppermint ice cream.

On Friday my good friend B drove down from upstate for a thrifting day and dinner. We made it to the thrift shop without getting lost! Yay! Sadly prices there are outrageous, and discouraging. A beautiful modern, machine quilted throw in whole-cloth taupe reversing to cream cotton, scalloped edges, was 49.99! But what caught my eye was this grouping of cashmere sweaters.At one time I was collecting these sweaters and cutting them into squares about paperback book sized to make into a colorful cozy cashmere throw someday. This batch had great unusual colors.  Orange! You never see orange cashmere....But they were 8.99 each! And if I got 10 of them it added up to more than $100.oo with tax. No way! Across the street at the big Marshall's there were gorgeous cashmere throws from Ralph Lauren and--Tahari?--for less. In chic neutral colors, no difficult knitty sewing involved. I was a little sad though. And went home with nothing.

We had delicious Thai food, right across from my bigger town's main square [where the farmers market usually is]. The lights were so festive and fun. We made up for our disappointing thrifting day by shopping in the surf shops there on the main drag. I got myself a very cool "Surf Wax" soy candle. I love shopping local, especially in the surf shops,lol.

There's an outdoor skating rink here under the glittery trees.

B thought I was nutty but she patiently drove us home by a circuitous route so I could look at all the outdoor Christmas lights on the houses. Christmas lights weren't part of her childhood in Queens but they were a big deal at my house. I love how happy and hopeful they look in the dark winter nights.

Here's Mo too, lighting up, in his special reflective sweater. Thank you again, Mel!

love 

lizzy

gone to the beach....

Happy Winter Solstice, Happy Yule. Winter begins now but the days are getting longer. Something to savor. And don't forget to admire the rare Christmas Day full moon.

Mo killed the Christmas Tree watering can.
And ate it.

PS Speaking of decorations, have you seen this idea? Mercury glass pine cones, painted with Krylon's "Looking Glass" spray paint. [try Amazon, Home Depot prob won't have it] I must make these, to fill my big wooden bowl in January. So cool.  They also tell how to bleach pine cones, for that chic white Christmas look.
http://goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com/2013/11/give-pine-cones-whole-new-look-for.html