The Heart of My Christmas Home - The Kitchen

Gifts that come from the heart often come from the heart

of the home, the kitchen.

Welcome to my holiday kitchen.  I have a lot of fun decorating

and cooking in the kitchen at this time of year.   The counters

always seem to be filled with projects.

(Of course I cleaned them off just for you!)

Did you know there was a blue hour in the morning

too?  I didn't know that. Look at that blue sky out

the window.  The blue hour was at 7:30 am this

morning as I was taking pictures.  This is from

above, looking through all of the beautiful ornaments

that hang from the ceiling over the chandeliers.

You can see the blue hour again through these

small windows that flank the hood.

I love to ornament my ceiling over the island.

I started hanging ornaments over the island

years and years ago after I noticed that stores

at Christmastime were hanging ornaments on

ribbons from their ceilings.  It really adds and

is so easy to do.

(So many have asked - I just use thumb tacks, often

finding last year's hold to put them in!)

The center of the island always has some arrangement

on it.  This year it is purple and gold.

It always has an abundance of candlelight too.

A tall pedestal that I bought in Seattle years ago

is filled with multi-hued purple ornaments.

The island is a way to highlight

 individual ornaments

and trinkets such as the Mickey shaped gold

ornament that was picked up at Disney World

when my daughter danced in the Christmas parade.

More ornaments and candles grace this side.

I love this bejeweled purple mermaid lady

who would get lost on a tree.  I bought

her at a little boutique at one of our favorite

special restaurants, La Caille.  The boutique

has since closed.

A scattering of more, a golden sleigh and a

cream and gold saxophone.

I played the saxophone in the marching band

in high school, I actually started in 5th grade,

 so I had to purchase that one years ago.

I love the crown votive holder.

The pizza oven is lit to create holiday atmosphere

for a

breakfast with neighbors

this morning.  Even the

 fireplace gets a few decorative touches.

Nutcrackers, elves, chocolate cookbooks.

Leonard our head chef elf overseeing the kitchen

from atop the pizza oven cabinet.

Another fun decorative spot for the holidays

is the baking cupboard.

This holds an assortment of some of my most

cherished Christmas treasures that span my

life.

These little elf brothers add such charm.

Another saxophone, this one in crystal that I found

at TJ Maxx this year, a crown jeweled bottle,

a white angel that a friend sent me, a snowflake

cookie cutter...

A treasured mini jeweled stocking, a silk acorn

ornament, a family photo with Santa,

My parents tree topper, glass trees that we

purchased early in marriage, a silver nutcracker...

This beautiful woolen unicorn that we purchased

back in 1984 in Florida when BYU went to a bowl

game there (in the 80's)...

The cups my sister in law bought me early

in our marriage, the tower of Santa, Mrs. Claus

and Elf platters.  This really holds lots of fun

treasures and works great as a buffet or

drink station too.

Between the table and pizza oven these two

elves perch on refurbished red and toille

chairs that I redid.

The small table is filled with holiday photos.

Even the pantry door gets a little bedazzled!

My firsts Christmas blogging has been such a joy.  I want

all who enter my home during this time of year to be

lifted and filled with wonder.  It is such a delight to open

up your home and share, to open up your kitchen and

make gifts, even to open up your kitchen and teach.

Yesterday I had 5 women here learning how to make

Joni's toffee.

  We all said what a fun evening it would be

to have friends over and do a cooking night. 

My kitchen is always bustling with family and friends

and especially little people.  My grandson who is 18 months,

the little elf covered in chocolate if you read my post on

dipping chocolates,

 thinks my pantry is his personal snack center.

I know all of you spend lots of time in your kitchens

creating memories in the heart of your home this time

of year.  May the wonder of the season have

a great place in your kitchen too.

I will be posting this with

Seasonal Sundays, Metamorphosis Monday

Tabletop Tuesday

Its a Wonderful Life, Boring to Better