I found the perfect manger!

Last month I showed you these sweet little white nativity figurines that I found while out shopping.


I liked them so much that I bought one for myself ...


...and one for my Christmas giveaway.


So how lucky was I when I spotted this vintage manger for $3.50 at Goodwill in Boston a couple of weeks ago! I couldn't remember exactly how big the nativity figurines were, but it looked like it might be a good size for them.


It's better than good - it's almost as though they were custom made for each other! As a finishing touch I set a mini ornament in the manger's loft - the Christmas star.


I placed the manger on a small table in front of the family room windowseat.


As it turns out, the table is also the perfect size for the manger.

I love it when all the pieces of a puzzle fit together so easily because sometimes in our little house, and in life in general, that's not always the case!

And over the past 24 hours we got socked with a good amount of snow here in the northeast. I'll try to share photos soon - freshly fallen snow is so beautiful (even to me, who is longing for spring!)

Donna

Windows, now and then....

Bedroom winter....


Bedroom autumn....


Living Room winter...

Living Room autumn....

Dining Room winter....

Dining Room Autumn...

Family Room patio door winter....

Family Room patio door autumn...

Windowseat winter...

Windowseat autumn...

Family Room winter...

Family Room autumn...

Stay warm, everyone!!

Donna

My Enchanted Window...

The lovely Cielo at The House in the Roses has organized an "Enchanted Window" party for today, September 8th... You must visit her blog to see all the spectacular photos of 'enchanted windows' that she has posted! Thank you, Cielo! This was so much fun!

I've actually posted about this window before, but I thought I'd share it again as it is one of my favorites...


When we had a family room put on the back of our split level "cottage" back in 1989, a window seat was a must! An old white bedspread that my mom used in the 60's is wrapped around the large pillow that serves as the seat, and a collection of chenille pillows rest against the sides and back of the seat. I've always thought windowseats were so cozy and inviting, perhaps because of this windowseat...



... where, as a 7 year old, I would sit and watch the world go by. My sister and I were fortunate to revisit our childhood apartment a few years ago when, on a whim, we drove past the old place while driving my daughter back to college in Boston. As luck (fate) would have it, the apartment was vacant with a "For Rent" sign out front... The owner of the house graciously allowed us to go in and reminisce, which is when I took this photo... It may be 49 years later, but in my mind's eye, my sister and I are carefree children again... my mother is still with us, and is setting dinner on the formal dining table she loved, which was centered in this very room. Dad is once again a young man and will be pulling into the driveway any minute... and I, with legs curled up under me and my chin resting on the windowsill, am once again that daydreaming 7 year old... It is most definitely an enchanted window... Donna