Thursday, December 12, 2013

'tis the season blog tour - i'm up!

If you've been following Jemma's 'Tis the Season Blog Tour and visiting
the lineup of wonderful blogger's homes each day, then you will know that
my home is one of the tours for day four. So, welcome to Comfy House!
 Wipe that snow off your feet and come on in before you freeze!


I hope the fire warms you up a bit while you look around my living room. I went
with themes of red and gold and natural items for this room...



 

After our son, Philip passed away in September 2009, we lost our desire to
 put up a Christmas tree anymore. Our other son, Tim agreed with us. And
now that Tim is away at university and it's just Brian and I in the house, we
especially don't feel the need (or want) of a big Christmas tree. We found
a small tabletop tree and decorate it with some of the boy's ornaments that
we gave them every year as they were growing up. I still buy an ornament
for Tim every year. Someday, when he has his own home and a family, I
hope that he will especially treasure his collection of ornaments. And perhaps
he'll want Phil's ornaments, too. 



Let me show you into the kitchen where I used touches of red and white...




Coffee...would you like a cup?


 Or, perhaps you prefer hot cocoa. I have a batch of homemade mix. The Bailey's 
makes it even better. ;-) Maybe you'd rather have a cup of tea and that's fine, too.
 I have a motley assortment.


 I've been baking Christmas goodies so please have a cookie or a slice
of cranberry cake with carmelized pecan topping to go with your cuppa.







 The living room and kitchen are the two rooms where I did the most decorating.
But come on down the hallway and I'll show you the little bits I did in other rooms.


 The hallway bathroom shelves got just a few touches - a silver angel,
a bottle brush tree, and a glass jar filled with colorful ornaments that
match the towel and artwork on the opposite bathroom wall.


 I don't decorate our bedroom for Christmas, so I simply added a candle
and a vintage sleigh filled with blue ornaments on top of the secretary desk.


Across the hallway in my office, I decorated the top of the dresser with my
snowmen collection. The red chair with the quilt? That's my blogging chair. 
This room is still a work-in-progress. Next on my list is hanging some curtains.


 Aren't these the cutest nesting dolls? I found them at Goodwill a few months ago.



 I had to add a couple of Christmas kitties to the collection on top of my bookcase...


 while a corner wall shelf welcomes a hand-carved angel, three vintage mice,
and the classic Beanie Baby Christmas bear.


Thank you so much for visiting my home - I hope you enjoyed the tour!
Please be sure to visit the other homes on the tour this week.


 Monday, December 9th

Tuesday, December 10th
Poppy of Poppy View 

Wednesday, December 11th
Sherry, Jess, and Nel of Red Rose Alley 

Thursday, December 12th
Melanie (yours truly) of Comfy House

Friday, December 13th

Saturday, December 14th
Dewena of Across the Way


Linking up this home Christmas blog tour two years later at Cozy Little House Holiday Link Up Party.

44 comments:

  1. Hi Melanie,

    Such a warm and inviting Christmas atmosphere in your lovely home this season. All the rooms are decked out so sweetly, but I think I'll stay in your beautiful kitchen a while, after all, that's where the goodies and coffee are!;-D They look absolutely scrumptious and festive! Your office is another space I'd feel very at home in and I'm sure that you spend hours in there talking to all of us and visiting your favourite blogs. Well, I've enjoyed my own visit to your cozy home today and I'd better be on my way as I have another stop to make on our Tis the Season Blog Tour, over at Brenda's Cozy Little House!

    Merry Christmas to you!

    xo
    Poppy
    PS: Love your welcome mat!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thank you for all your very kind compliments - I really appreciate it! Glad you enjoyed the tour.

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  2. Hello Melanie, I enjoyed my tour of your lovely home from the joy doormat to your office with its red blogging chair and the snowmen and nesting dolls in there--and of course the kitties! I felt as if I were thumbing through a Cottage Living magazine as everything seemed to be arranged just perfectly and sparingly with the photographs of the great old skyscrapers over the fire burning on the hearth and sunlight captured so crisply by your camera.

    I felt as if I did enjoy sharing a random moment with you, as your poster reminded us to, and I made a note of a cookbook in your kitchen that I want to look up--A Tale of 12 Kitchens.

    Melanie, I can't imagine how hard holidays must be for your family since losing your son, and yet you are honoring his memory by centering your life on the things that really matter to you and your family.


    Thank you for inviting us into your home,
    Dewena

    ReplyDelete
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    1. You are right, Dewena, the holidays are hard, but we do our best to move on while keeping Phil in our hearts. It doesn't seem possible that this is our 5th Christmas without him, but somehow we keep on going. You are so sweet to say it felt like you were thumbing through a Cottage Living magazine - what a great compliment! I love cookbooks and still have quite a few that I haven't even read/looked through yet. A Tale of 12 Kitchens is very interesting...it tells stories of and includes recipes from different cultures.

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  3. Hey Melanie:

    Your home is lovely and I love how you have spread around the holidays decorations in your rooms. I am so very sorry that your son, Philip, is no longer with you. My fathers name was Philip. There is nothing more difficult than the loss of a child. My mother lost two children, a daughter 4 years old, and a son in his early 20's who died in a car accident in front of our house - it was beyond difficult for everyone and it changed everyone, especially my mother and father, I was 14 years old, it changed me too. It takes whatever time it takes for each individual to move on... I envy that office space you have, I just have a desk in a corner, but I am grateful for my space. Those nesting dolls are so adorable. Your cranberry cake looks delicious - I must have the recipe! Thanks so much for sharing your home at Christmas.

    Patty at Home and Lifestyle Design

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    1. Your father had a great name! Thank you for sharing the story of your mother. It's bad enough losing one child; I can't imagine losing two. And I can only imagine how your brother's death affected you, too...my youngest son, Tim still has very difficult days from losing his brother. My office space used to be Phil's bedroom. I have a memory shelf of photos and some of his personal items in this room. The link to the cranberry cake recipe is on my post from December 4th. :-)

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  4. Melanie,
    You certainly have set a lovely tone for welcoming us into your delightful and charming home. Each room is magical and sweet with treasured finds and keepsakes displayed in the most tender and decorative ways. Bead board and blue paint are perfect accents for your decorating and yes I love those nesting dolls! You always have had such an eye for the most wonderful finds! I can smell the treats from your kitchen and I would like some of the cranberry cake-please. Melanie, as you know the loss of my sister changed our family, and all of the Holidays have been challenging. It would have served our family well to put in place new traditions to honor Sandra, just as your have done to remember Philip.

    Thank you again for joining in Tis The Season, it is always a joy to visit you-

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,
    xx-
    Jemma


    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thank you for your beautiful, comforting thoughts, Jemma. I'm sure the holidays are still difficult for you with the loss of your sister.

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  5. Melanie,
    Your home looks so festive and I love the touches of red everywhere! The cookies and cranberry cake are visions of yum!! So sorry about the death of your son. This time of year is challenging when we have lost a close family member and I can't even imagine the loss of a child. Please know you will be in my thoughts and prayers this holiday season. My mother didn't want to put up a tree for several years after my father died. You have to do what's best for you and your husband. I love that you have kept your sons' ornaments and still display them on your table top tree. Thanks so much for inviting us into your home!

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    1. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, Melinda - so kind of you. Thank you also for visiting my home on this blog tour and for your sweet compliments.

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  6. I don't think I've ever seen the entirety of your kitchen before! I wish it was my kitchen. I've always wanted an eat-in kitchen. Makes it so cozy. Love your homey fire and the photos(?) above it of the tall buildings. Your little tree is just perfect. I always like it when a home is decorated in little bits and bobs around the house, as you have done. I didn't make it to the bedroom, office or kitchen. You've got a wonderful spot to sit and blog. And love that you can put your feet up on the wicker. (Wicker always looks wonderful paired with other types of furniture in my book.) And you've been a busy baker too! I especially wanted to tall you that I love that you put some plants in with Christmas touches. Are you and I the only ones with house plants in Blog Land?
    Brenda

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    1. I think I've posted pictures of my entire kitchen before, but it's been a long time. I like having an eat-in kitchen, but the downside is that we don't have a separate dining room. It's fine for just Brian and I...and it was also just fine when the boys were growing up and it was the four of us, but when we have company, there's no room to put anyone! I love my blogging spot. This room (was Phil's room) is so light and sunny. Very peaceful. I hope we're not the only ones with house plants in Blogland! I actually didn't put them in with the Christmas decor...they are in their normal spots and I did the Christmas decor around them! I have about 8 more plants in Tim's old room on a table. We're still in the middle of re-doing that room and in true Melanie and Brian fashion, it's going very slowly. ;-)

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  7. A comfy Christmas at Comfy House.

    You have been busy baking. I am holding off until next week because I would just eat what we bake.

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    1. I have to be busy baking as it's all going to be Christmas presents - not for us! So I don't have to worry about too much temptation. Though I have been sneaking a M&M cookie here and there from the freezer. ;-)

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  8. Your home always looks peaceful and soothing to me. I love your Matryoshka dolls and how you displayed them. Doesn't that ornery Monkey bother them? :)
    The bottom half of my tree is empty yet again this year, and only the decorations I can put up high are safe from the 2 year-old Destroyer who is Silas, so I've been having fun with the holiday decorating blog tours. Thanks for welcoming us to your house!

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    Replies
    1. Tammy--I, too, was wondering if Monkey was busy with the tree!

      Andrea in Calif.

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    2. Believe it or not, Monkey has settled down a lot from his wild, bad boy days! He still likes to chew on certain plants and plastic, but he doesn't knock things down anymore.

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  9. Melanie,
    First of all, I'm so sorry to hear about your son. Son's are so special and are truly wonderful people. I loved browsing through all the rooms in your home. Everything is so cozy and festive for Christmas. I love all the RED in your kitchen, and that cranberry cake with caramelized pecan looks amazing! Jess is the baker in the family, and I will have to tell her about it. Where did you get those cute cups with the faces - I love them? The blue little nesting dolls are so sweet. I've seen those dolls around a lot lately.

    Thank you for the peek into your home, and your blog name suits you, as it is a "comfy house," indeed.

    ~Sheri at Red Rose Alley

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    1. Thank you for your condolences regarding Phil and for your compliments on my decorating. Tell Jess to try the cranberry cake - the recipe link is on my December 4th post. I think you all will love it! The cups with the faces are actually Bailey's Irish Creme mugs. I've seen them on eBay, but found mine at Goodwill! I think they're so cute.

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  10. Yay, I've been so excited for your turn in the tour! Your home looks beautiful. I love the way you've decorated for Christmas. Everything looks very cozy and inviting. Your baking looks so good! Yum. I love your matryoskhas too. I wanted to tell you that my husband took on his late brother's ornaments, just as you hope Tim will do. We're very happy to have them. I understand why you choose not to have a Christmas tree. I'm glad that you've found other ways to decorate and celebrate. Thank you for sharing your beautiful home.

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    1. You are so sweet, Jennifer...thanks for all the great compliments! I think that's wonderful that your husband has his brother's ornaments. I'm sure they're one of his greatest treasures. Thank you so much for coming over and touring my home - I wish it wasn't virtual and could have you all over in "real life"! :-)

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  11. You have a beautiful home and the Christmas decorating is just right. I too no longer put up a tree after my daughter, Juli Anne, passed away in 2005. But, I get into the spirit in other ways just as you have. Much peace and love to you. . .

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    1. Thank you so much for saying I have a beautiful home. I am so sorry to hear that you have also lost a child...like they say, a "club" no parent should ever have to be in. My heart goes out to you.

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  12. My heart goes out to you and your family for the loss of your son, Melanie. When our girls married, I got all the ornaments we bought them each year and gave them each their collection for their own family tree. Your kitchen looks lovely with your blue walls and red and white accents. And your baked goods look delicious! Your home is warm and cozy decorated for Christmas. Thanks for sharing it with us today!

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    1. Thank you so much for your condolences, Vickie. And thanks for the lovely comments on my home.

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  13. Melanie, I love your blue nesting dolls! So pretty and festive. I'm so sorry about the loss of your dear son. I hope your and your family have a peaceful Christmas! Thank you for sharing your lovely home on the Christmas tour. Merry Christmas! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

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    1. Thank you, Kathryn - I really appreciate you coming by and leaving a kind comment.

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  14. Love your home tour, Melanie!! Merry Christmas to all!

    Your friend in Calif.

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  15. A lovely home tour...those nesting dolls made me smile. I have one little nesting doll that a customer from the Ukraine sent to me years ago and for some reason the children just love it.

    Your baked goodies look oh-so-delicious, too!

    I love that quilt on your blogging chair :)

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    1. I always loved nesting dolls when I was a child, too. I found them fascinating how they all fit into each other. I have a set of cat ones, too. ;-) The quilt on my blogging chair belonged to a very dear, elderly friend of ours. He slept under it as a child. He gave that quilt and another one to my mom and my mom let me have this one.

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  16. I really enjoyed the tour of your cheery, festive home, Melanie!! I don't think I've ever seen so much of it in one post...you really have some beautiful pieces of furniture and unique decorative ideas. And how pretty everything looks jazzed up for Christmas! Your tree is just perfect, I think it's sweet that you have it decorated with the boys ornaments. A tree is definitely about memories and I'm sure those are good ones. I love your snowman collection. We have something in common!! (lol!!).

    Thanks for sharing your Christmas with us...lots of inspiration and good feelings here! :)

    XO,
    Jane

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    1. Oh, thank you so much, Jane! I'm glad you enjoyed seeing my house and that you like my furniture and decorations. Merry Christmas - and happy anniversary! :-)

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  17. oh melanie!
    look at that pristine kitchen where the delicious accidental soup happened! LOLOL!!! i loved that post.
    and your home is lovely and inviting ~ can smell those gorgeous cookies and loaf of delight from here!
    my first thought in coming on this tour is HOW CLEAN and glowing your hardwood floors are! WOW.
    the blonde wood gives warmth to your christmas reds. i know you don't like winter and the cold but your home has
    that same nordic spareness quality that is just so beautiful. simple and inviting.
    and dear heart . . .
    to lose a child is the worst that can happen to a mother. and you have been through that. and it is something to see yourself talking yourself back to the present. giving yourself the strength to wash dishes and live your life. my heart goes out to you.
    but you have tim. and you're forever "mom" and the 'tradition of the ornaments' is such a beautiful one!
    merry christmas melanie. thank you for inviting us into your home!

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    1. The funny thing about these hardwood floors is that I really don't do anything to them except vacuum or use a Swiffer floor duster. They're Bruce hardwood floors and we've had the kitchen floor for at least 9-10 years and the other flooring for about 7. It really holds up well! Thank you so much for your beautiful compliments and your thoughts about losing my son. I hope you come back to visit my blog on a regular basis!

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  18. Dear Mel, Your home is lovely with so many warm and personal touches. I love how you brought a little Christmas to each room. The pop of red in the kitchen to the bit of sparkle in the bath. Little trees are the way to go. Mine has shrunk as the years pass, so I put a small one on the mantle and on the buffet. Christmas can be interpreted in so many ways, and for each individual family. I think your home is especially beautiful, with the thought behind each item and vignette.

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    1. You are so sweet, my wonderful friend. Your kindness is evident from the words you express to your wonderful hugs.

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  19. Hi Melanie, I haven't visited any of the other homes but I really enjoyed your tour. The red pieces really pop and look so cheerful even though I know this season is hard.
    I'm glad you did a tour. We've known each other for 10 or more years, and even though we have not actually seen each other, it is really nice to see you home. It is almost like a real visit.

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed my tour, Rhonda. I wish the visit were indeed a real one - I'd love to meet you! :-)

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  20. Hello Melanie! I am finally able to stop in for a little visit again. Life was so busy with my quilt group's annual Christmas dinner last week. A very warm and fun evening! Now I can breath a little and get ready to run off and enjoy a quiet Christmas week at Cranberry Cottage. Well...first I have an entire week of fun days to spend with different friends all this week. :)

    Your home looks very festive and I see there are yummy cookies and cakes to enjoy with our cup of tea.

    Is Tim coming home for Christmas?

    Have a wonderful holiday!

    Hugs from Holland ~
    Heidi

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    1. Glad to see you visiting again, Heidi! Yes, Tim will be home for Christmas. He'll be home either late Saturday night or sometime on Sunday. :-)

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  21. If I didn't know you better, I'd *swear* that you actually like Christmas...

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  22. We lost our beloved daughter 15 years ago---so I know losing Phil was the most heart-wrenching, life-changing thing! Oh, time softens the blow to a dull ache along with precious memories---but life has changed forever.. Your home is so beautiful---I loved the tour. It's a charming un-cluttered home, which I wish mine was.

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Thank you for taking the time to leave a kind comment - I read and appreciate each one!