My Christmas Cottage



All week I've been looking at my favorite blogs and drooling over the Christmas decorations pictured on their pages. Mystical mantels, festive foyers and tantalizing tabletops. And Christmas trees? Well, let's just say I'm all agog at how many beautiful looks can be created, with no two tannenbaums looking alike.

Since my own holiday ornamentation can't hold a Christmas candle to what I've been seeing, I've been reticent to blog about my personal decorating. (I mean, talk about understated.) But then the parental side of my brain took over and chastised my inner child for apologizing, reminded me that I live in a 640 sq ft cottage with limited space for storing holiday decorations, and that maybe -- just maybe -- there are readers of this blog who would appreciate knowing how I get around space challenges and stay within my limited budget when decorating for the holidays. And who knows, they might come away at the end of this post feeling pretty darn good about their own decorating abilities after seeing my attempt at decking the halls (she wrote with tongue firmly planted in cheek). And I love to make people feel good. :)

In case you're wondering, that is our cottage in the above photo. Those white specks are falling snow.



Here's a close up of the front door. Pretty simple. A string of white lights and a wreath. Oh, but that's no ordinary wreath. It's a $2 thrift store wreath. 




Here's what it looked like when I bought it; trimmed with apples, berries and twisted willow. For two bucks, how could I resist? 



Of course I had to remove the tacky plastic bow and leaves because they're. . .uh, you know. . .tacky.




This is my back door wreath; also a $2 thrift store find sans pine cones. I wired those onto the wreath. They came from our yard -- cost $0.




This is what I call my green and silver corner of the living room. Except for the pretty angel (a gift from one of our children last Christmas) and the bayberry candles (found on clearance and smelling oh-so-good) all of the decorative items were found in a local thrift shop, with no single item costing more than $1. I just love it when I look around my every day cottage and find things I can use in new ways for a special occasion or holiday. It's kind of a game for me.


I love the shabby chicness of this planter 



and the little tray. 

To me they're the perfect "finds". And zero storage problems. After Christmas I'll change out the candles to red for Valentine's Day, and put the angel and green candles in my under-the-bed storage container. Although the angel could stay up all year, I like to change things up a bit. And it will feel special to get reacquainted with her next December.



My hubby surprised me with this poinsettia in the charming woven planter several weeks ago. It sits atop the steamer trunk my Belgian grandfather brought with him to America in the late 1800's. 



With all the downsizing I've done over the past five years, this trunk is the one possession I won't let go. I've had it all of my adult life. It's traveled with me from the midwest to the west coast, back to the midwest and now to the Colorado Rockies. Wherever I've landed it has proved a worthy companion. Right now it's a great place to keep carry-on luggage. (There's a lot of room inside. And in a small cottage dual purpose furniture is the only way to go.)



Would you believe this is our Christmas tree? No, really. This. Is. IT. It's not just a little extra table top tree to dress up the corner of the chest. It's the only Christmas tree we own. It's not that I don't like real Christmas trees, or even faux trees. It goes back to that 640-sq-ft-cottage-with-limited-storage thing. Where would I stow the tree and ornaments? Besides, this cute little tree is handmade, it's cottagey, and it only cost $2 at the thrift store. (No, I don't have an obsession with $2 items. It's just a coincidence that all the pre-owned Christmas goodies I bought recently were $2.) I've got just the right storage spot all carved out for it. 



I may not have a mantel to decorate for Christmas, but I do have a charming red gas stove in the corner of our living room.





My geranium has joined in the Christmas festivities, too, by producing beautiful red blooms amid her greenery. She's such a show off.

So there you have it. That's my Christmas decorating in its entirety. Nothing fancy. Nothing to "wow" anyone, or make the Christmas Cottage Tour, but it's home and it's warm, and Dennis and I are incredibly blessed to have a roof over our heads when there are so many people who don't. 

Oh, do you remember I told you in my last post that our neighbor's cottage is lit up like Santa's village?

I took a photo last night through our cottage window to show you. Isn't it pretty? That's the back of her cottage at dusk. There's more prettiness on the front. Ignore those funny checks in the photo created by the window's screen and look at that adorable snow-covered cottage with the magnificent mountains in the background. This is the view from our living room. 

Did I say we're blessed?

Hoping you're feeling blessed, too.


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26 comments

  1. I love everything! I am especially proud of your geranium for "showing off". I get such pleasure when finding a bargain - but you win the prize! I will be counting you and Dennis among my blessings this Christmas. Have a wonderful Rocky Mountain Christmas. God bless and keep you both. Renee

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    1. Thank you, Renee. We are certainly blessed by having your friendship. God bless you, and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

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  2. I loved seeing your cottage for Christmas. That red stove and the geraniums will make it seem like Christmas all through the winter. There are going to be a lot of people envying yours when they think about what faces them after Christmas.

    Want to know why I put you on my blog roll and kept waiting for you to post again? That beautiful header. Heavenly to sit there!

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    1. Thank you for visiting and leaving such sweet comments. I'm off to check out your blog now. Merry Christmas!

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  3. You are blessed living in a little cottage in Estes Park, and it is a COZY space and I love COZY. I scale back every year. Hope you have a lovely holiday.

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  4. Nancy,I think your little cottage is a delight,and it is so refreshing to here someone say they are blessed to just have a roof over their head. It's nice to be thankful for what we have. Merry Christmas xx

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    1. Thank you for visiting Jeanetteann, and leaving such sweet and encouraging comments. Hope you have a blessed and special Christmas.

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  5. You have done a great work really. A lots of efforts behind this.

    log beds

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  6. SO,SO pretty! I love your green door, and red stove especially! Merry Christmas!!

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  7. Oh Nancy, your cottage is lovely!
    I especially like your blue/green door and red stove.
    And that view...Wow!!!
    Completely charming. :)

    Kimberly

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    1. Thank you for the nice comments, Kim. So appreciated.

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  8. I love the simpleness and your joy over those decorations. It is not the decoration, it is who we are that is impostant. Everything is beautiful when one is beautiful inside, like you. In my eyes, your decoration touches hearts. Merry Christmas!

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  9. Hi Nancy, First of all, your cottage is gorgeous. I love the decorations no matter what the cost! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, I'm so glad you enjoyed my story. Happy Holidays to you and yours. Loy

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    1. Thank you, Loy. Hope you have a great Christmas and that the new year brings much happiness.

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  10. Your place looks so adorable, and I love how thrifty you are!

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    1. Thank you, Lisa. I have to say, again, how much I enjoyed your post on Roanoke Museum's Fantasyland.

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  11. Nancy, I love your cottage and the way you've decorated it. I'll be moving to a small cottage in the near future, so it will be interesting what I'll have to cull. I'm sure I'll adapt and change my way of living. I love a challenge.
    Have a wonderful New Year. Sue

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    1. Thank you, Sue, for stopping by and leaving such a nice comment. You're a dear.

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  12. Your place is lovley and I love the wreath and all the deco's. Outside is pretty.

    Soon will be Happy New year . Another week for us.

    I retired to the country living and it was the best move hubby and did.

    Gods country for sure.

    I adapted too it fine.


    God bless!

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    1. Thanks for visiting. I appreciate your nice comments and am glad to know you are happy in your retirement. Not everyone can say that. May God bless you and keep you.

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  13. Your cottage is so charming, Nancy, and I love all your decorations! Plus, that trunk is WONDERFUL, especially since it is a family piece.

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    1. Thank you, Marie. Nice to see your photo here. Hope the New Year brings loads of blessings for you.

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Your comments bring me joy! Thanks for stopping by.