Christmas at my House

Denver had a dusting of snow last night.  The snow was the perfect final touch to my big wreath.

Another Mexican themed Christmas tree.

Colorful baskets, papier mache dolls, silver heart-shaped milagros and ceramic pots from the Friday market in Patzcuaro.

A tin mermaid (serina)

and a tin church from Oaxaca.

I wrapped many of my gifts in some beautiful paper with the Swedish Dala horse on it.  The Dala horse or Dalecarlian horse is a traditional carved, painted wooden horse statuette originating in the Swedish province of Dalarna.   I made the tags myself.

Here is Saint Lucia.  It's story of a young girl bringing light in the midst of darkness to the people of Sweden,  no doubt held great meaning for people who, in the midst of a North Sea December, were longing for the relief of warmth and light.  Celebrated on December 13, the longest night of the year, coinciding with Winter Solstice.

Matte red, shiny silver and pearl colored balls adorn the garland above the fireplace.

This box was painted by an artist in San Miguel de Allende, Renato Rivera.  It had been sitting in my basement for some time and my husband suggested that I incorporate it into my Christmas decorations. 

 So I did.  It is sitting on my kitchen counter and it is part of my snowman display.

Aniline painted angels that I bought in Oaxaca years ago.

Christmas Eve morning down at the Denver Art Museum. Warm in my wool poncho from San Miguel, Len and I enjoyed the "Her Paris" exhibition showcasing women artists in the age of Impressionism.  More on the later.
Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas in Denver with a touch of Mexico

Hoping you all had a Merry Christmas!  This year I decided I would use all my Mexican decorations to adorn the tree.  And what a colorful tree it turned out to be.  There is a story behind each decoration and fond memories on what market in Mexico I found these treasures.

Years ago I had been up at the Tuesday in San Miguel de Allende with my brother, Carter.  There was a man selling these colorful little baskets that he had about 20 strung together like a stringer of fish.  I could not resist and ended up buying about three strands of the baskets with the intention that some year I would decorate my Christmas tree with them.  Well, I finally did.

  The fabric Mexican couple is one of my market finds.

Paper maiche dolls, munecas, from Celaya.

For years I have been collecting little ceramic pots and plates at the Friday market in Patzcuaro in the state of Michoacan.  I used to decorate twig wreaths with these pots along with other treasures that I found in the various markets around Mexico.

A hombre with his straw hat and serape.

A ceramic hand-painted pinata that I bought in Guanajuato at Gorky Gonzales's studio.  You can also find them at my friends beautiful shop, Camino Silvestre, in San Miguel along with other ceramic pieces by Gorky.

Heart shaped milagros on the tree.  I had originally bought several of these in the San Miguel market, just below the open food market, to use as decorations on bundles of heart shaped shortbread cookies that I gave to friends on Valentine's Day.

On my last Oaxaca tour, I bought several tin churches to use as decorations on the Christmas presents.  Having a Mexican theme, everyone had to relinquish theirs after they opened their gifts and hang it on the tree.  Next trip I will have to pick up a few more.

Of course I had to have several tin mermaids on the tree.  Len, my husband, nicknamed my ladies water aerobic group at the Denver Athletic Club, the Mermaids.  And that is what were are referred to!

A hand-painted ceramic cross from Dolores Hidalgo, a town 25 minutes from San Miguel, known for its Talavera pottery.

 My mom had bought these black ceramic angel candle holders in San Miguel.  They are all playing different instruments.  They originally came from a small town south of Oaxaca City, San Bartola de Coyotepec.

I'm a day late in getting this out there.  I was to busy cooking and enjoying Christmas Eve and day with Len and my parents.  I hope everyone had a great Christmas and best wishes for a happy New year.

A little Christmas Nostalgia

It has been a busy month and I was inspired by my friend (and Carter's very good friend), Paul Markow on how he posted some of his old family Holiday cards on his Facebook page that his father, also a great photographer like Paul, had created.  So I thought I would include a few of the ones that my Dad created when Carter and I were young.

The year was 1953 and this was the first house my parents built.  It was outside of Minneapolis in a deeply wooded area called Timberglade  built around a large pond.
A very cool, contemporary house with cork flooring.

 

 Carter was 3 and I had not entered the picture yet.

 Year 1954, I was a little over six months old.  I still have the frame to this butterfly chair along with another one on my patio.

 1954.

 1955. 

 Skipping ahead to 1959.  It was a busy year.

I don't think Carter was in Cub Scouts very long, he got in a fight with the cub scout leader's son.  Pretty funny or at least Carter thought so.  Don't you just love my little spit curls.  This house was in Long Lake, outside of Minneapolis that had a lot of acreage that butted up to a big forest with streams that Carter and I would explore endlessly.

In 1962, we moved from Minneapolis to Scottsdale and the adventure began.  Riding more horses, camping and hiking in the desert.

 1966, I was 12 and Carter was 16, both of us going to Phoenix Country Day School.

One of my best years was 1967 when I got the best horse, a Quarter horse that was small but one of the fastest horses that I had ever rode.  She and I were inseparable.   

If Carter were here today, I could just hear him say, "Hey Rob, thanks for posting those dorky pictures of me."

Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas full of precious memories, new and old.

Christmas Greetings From My house to Yours

Decorating for Christmas is such fun and I love it.  A big wreath going to my backyard.  But where is the snow?

My wreath on the front door with poinsettias, red berries, blue plaid and silver ribbon, silver balls and boughs.

 We have had this Fraser Fir tree for three weeks now and it is still so fresh.

For years I have been collecting the House of Hattan ornaments.  Unfortunately they have been discontinued for years.

I love the "maid a milking".

I love blue with my Christmas theme.

These black ceramic angles playing an assortment of instruments came from San Bartola Coyotepic which is south of Oaxaca City, Mexico.

The bar is ready, especially with my favorite Spanish wine, Aalto!

Garland around the fireplace mantle with an assortment of birds and bird houses.

The kitchen counter has my Santa collection along with some tiny twig rain deer that were made in a small town that I go through from the airport in Leon, Mexico to my home in San Miguel de Allende.  The twig rain deer line both sides of the road in this town, some are over six feet tall. Now that would be a little difficult to get on the plane.

Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas!  
And Feliz Navidad to all my friends in Mexico and Spain!

Feliz Navidad!

Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas! 

Wishing everyone

a wonderful

holiday!

Robin

A bright Christmas in Denver

I did manage to get some photos the other night when we were out.  The D&F Tower in downtown Denver was beautifully lit up.

Color!

A little taste of downtown Denver.

This is a house over on Holly between 10th and 13th on the east side of the road that always has the best display of lights.  And every year it is not the same.

The Christmas soldier in front of their home.

But I think the diplay that tops the list this year is the outhouse these homeowners decorated for Christmas. Don't you just love it?

Merry Christmas!!