...because there is a little country living in all of us



Friday, December 14, 2012

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!


I love the Christmas season!  It is in all reality the most wonderful time of the year!  December has been a flurry of tree decorating, Christmas cookie frosting, present wrapping, and cozy nights spent tucked under blankets with hot chocolate!  I am finished decking the halls, so let's take a little tour, shall we?  Settle in and kick your feet up, because like last year's Christmas home tour, it's a loooong one!










A simple cedar sprig and scraps of antique grain sack from a previous project adorn a French bistro chair.










Grain sack stocking ornaments made by Maria at Dreamy Whites hanging on a wire store display atop a stack of vintage breadboards create the perfect table top tree.
















A vintage wire apple picker gets a holiday makeover stuffed with greenery and Shiny Brite ornaments.  It rests on a stack of antique French linen sheets on a chair in the living room.




I love to stick fresh greenery here and there to add a festive touch!  Cedar works wonderfully indoors because it lasts throughout the season.














Give last year's Christmas tree new life by spray-painting it white and stringing with lights!










































Vintage sleigh bells fill a mottled ironstone bowl on the kitchen island.










I love implementing vintage pieces, such as this old grain scoop.  It makes a great holiday table centerpiece displaying antique bottle brush trees resting on a French wooden dough board. 




















Even the bath gets a touch of decor with faux greenery and berries.  Tiny mercury glass balls rest in my lavender topiary pot that is wrapped in vintage German "Kaffee" and "Salz" sacks.
















You might remember my Advent calendar from last year.  This year, I propped it on a vintage wooden cubby in our entry room.  The "countdown" ornaments store perfectly in each of the holes until ready to be hung!


















Well, I shall end the tour here!  I very much hope that you enjoyed yourself and that I didn't take too much of your holiday time!  It is precious!  I wasn't sure how often I would be able to post between now and Christmas so there is lots to hold you over until then!




Despite the whirlwind these last few weeks have been, I am trying to slow down and enjoy every moment, because these truly are the special times.  Let's remember the real Reason sent to us in a tiny manger on Christmas day.  And for that, we can all have a very merry Christmas!


"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6


"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
II Corinthians 5:21


Thank-you very much for your visit and taking my Christmas 2012 home tour!



Merry Christmas!



Maria ~Rusty Hinge






I'm joining these parties:










countdown to winter 500























Thursday, November 22, 2012

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

I know it's only Thanksgiving, but it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!  I wanted to post sooner, but I have been a busy-little-bee transforming our home.  Out went the orange pumpkins and gourds piled high in my wheelbarrow and in came in red and green plastic totes from the garage filled with vintage ornaments, glass bead garlands and holiday baubles.  Let the festivities begin!  












I try to decorate a little differently from year to year to keep it fresh and new.  If you missed my Christmas home tour from last year, *Click Here* to take a walk through.  Because this week is filled with busy family and Thanksgiving fun, I am now only giving a peek at my holiday decor this year, but the full home Christmas tour is coming soon, I promise!   












...AND you will find some of my Christmas decor featured in the new Winter 2012 Homebound Edition!  For the first time ever you can view this wonderful FREE e-zine right here at rusty hinge!  





Jam packed and filled with so much wonderful holiday cheer and amazing talent, you are going to want to spend some time and not miss a single detail, so kick your feet up this afternoon with a cozy blanket and a hot cup of coffee and take a well-deserved moment!  It is such an honor to be included among contributors such as:


Sonia Crouse- Creating Vintage Charm
Heather Kowalski- Pretty Petals
Maria Marcusse- Rusty Hinge
Loretta Ellenson- A Finn in the Kitchen
Lynda Naranjo – LyndaNaranjo.com

This Winter 2012 Homebound Edition is also available in print!  To order it and have it mailed right to your doorstep, simply *Click Here*.




On another note, I want to introduce my newest sponsor, Simone from Fleaing France!  As I mentioned in my previous post, I love, love her Brocante and always find wonderfully unique antiques to take home!  If you are looking for authentic treasures straight from France, Simone has what you want and she ships worldwide as well!  Here is just a very tiny sampling of some French treasures in stock at her Brocante...




To see much, much more, take a little visit yourself, but hurry these one-of-a-kind picks won't last long and when they're gone, they're gone!  (I am tempted to snap up that cheese pot in the middle photo to add to my collection! :)  If you are interested in becoming a sponsor here at rusty hinge, feel free to send me an email at mgmarcusse@gmail.com for details.




Please come back again soon for the full Christmas home tour!  But before I go, I want to thank Chas for inviting me as a guest on her lovely blog, A Woman's Haven.  Thank-you again, Chas, it was such a pleasure!



 I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving day!




Maria ~Rusty Hinge





PS.  Does anyone have an extra copy of Vintage by Nina Christmas?  I am looking to buy a copy, but can't seem to find one anywhere.  If so,  please inbox me at mgmarcusse@gmail.com.  Thank-you!



I'm joining these parties: