Friday, December 12, 2014

christmas in the kitchen

 Hello, friends and happy Friday! I thought I'd show you the simple touches of Christmas
that I've put in my kitchen this year...


The red glasses on this shelf were a gift from a friend who moved out of state
this past spring. They belonged to her grandmother. Aren't they beautiful? The Santa
mugs are ones collected throughout the years. 


 This grid ~ an old cooling rack ~ hangs on the wall above my stove. It's a perfect
way to hang measuring spoons and other small cooking utensils, but I changed it
up a bit for Christmas. I've had that little print for years. It was thrifted and is one of
my favorites. It says, "Gather 'round the table...all join hands in love."


 All that's missing from my winter beverage station is hot chocolate. I'll be making my
own mix this weekend. A homemade mix is so much better than the store-bought stuff
which is full of so many chemicals, hydrogenated oils, and corn syrup. And yes, that's a 
bottle of Bailey's in the back, for those who wish to add some to their coffee or hot 
chocolate. I've had that bottle for years...goes to show how much we use it! I'm normally
 not a fan of flavored coffee, but Trader Joe's Winter Blend is the only one I love and
 look forward to every winter. It's a medium dark roast lightly spiced with red and
 green peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon.


 The china cabinet...


mostly filled with cookbooks, but a few Christmas touches, too.




 Everything on the shelves next to the china cabinet are thrifted items I've
found over the years (except for the little air plant). The cups on the metal
shelves on the right are Bailey's cups! I think they're so cool and unique.
They were a Goodwill find from years ago.



The top of my fridge has a plate rack with my Debbie Mumm Snowman Portraits
plates, a cooking snowman, and a Christmas crock dated 1981 from Marshall Fields.
I found that at Goodwill several years ago, too. Man, I miss that store. I actually worked
there when I was a teenager. I loved shopping there, especially with my grandma. Such
a classy store with high quality merchandise and excellent customer service. And who
remembers their Frango mints? I certainly do! My dad loved them, too. I remember one
Christmas where I wrapped up a box of these mints and put them under the tree for my
dad. Our little Pekingese dog smelled them through the wrapping paper and tore into
the box and ate them! Yes, he got very sick but at least he had good taste. 


Thanks for visiting me in my kitchen. What are you up to this weekend...Christmas
decorating, shopping, or baking? Or, are you done with all that? 


30 comments:

  1. I love your Christmas touches in the kitchen. I only decorated one little shelf because the kitchen is Steve's realm. I don't decorate our bedrooms either. My family likes it minimal.

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    1. You know the kitchen is my domain! I don't decorate the master bedroom except for a Christmas throw pillow and some Christmas candles on top of the secretary desk.

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  2. I love all of your Christmas touches!!! They are so pretty, your whole room is!! That idea of the old cooling rack as a place to hang things is incredible!! If only I had a space for one!! Everything is beautiful! xx

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    1. Thank you for such nice compliments, Amy. You're so sweet!

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  3. I think your kitchen looks charming, AND I absolutely love those bailey cups, they are the cutest thing I've seen in a while! I liked how you used the cooling rack,a creative idea. Good going girl!

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    1. Thanks so much, Cathy. Can't remember where I saw the cooling rack idea...probably another blog or Pinterest.

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  4. Hi Melanie,

    Such festive fun in your Christmas kitchen! The winter beverage station is where I'd be! Your collection of Santa mugs is TOO cute!

    Happy weekend!

    Poppy

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    1. I just made the hot cocoa mix tonight so I can't wait to try a mug full tomorrow. I think I'll have to add a shot of Baileys and whipped cream on top. ;-)

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  5. It looks to me you've decorated with love. Everything has a story that is special to you and I can see why. Isn't that what makes this season what it is, memories that remind us of Christmas with those we love ? The beverage station is a wonderful idea ! ( especially love the blue & white ~ my favorite color combo ! )

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  6. Very pretty, my darling...you know how far your mom has gotten with decorating. Ha ha ha...so far, I have taken a tablecloth out of the drawer and its still folded on the dining room table amongst the TG decorations!! :-)

    Hoping to get the table done this week and to do something with the jar and crocheted cover that Penny did for me. Other than that...nothing!! :-)

    xoxox

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    1. C'mon, mom, you can do it! At least get a pretty Christmas tablecloth on the table! Do you still have all those pretty vintage Christmas dishes?

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  7. I like all your pretty little touches in the kitchen : )

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  8. The vintage red glasses gifted to you are beautiful! You kitchen is looking so festive, Melanie! I've got several sets of Bailey's cups and I just love those faces on them!

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    1. So do I - I think they're so cute! Thanks for the compliment on my kitchen.

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  9. Very nicely done. I've only put a garland in my kitchen window, but you are such an inspiration. Maybe I could get out a couple clear glass pitches and fill them with ornaments, I have more stored in the well house that I didn't use :) Thanks for the great ideas. Your home looks wonderful:)

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    1. You could always decorate the garland...bows, burlap, vintage cards, ornaments. Thank you for saying my home looks wonderful; so kind of you, Connie.

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  10. You have the perfect touch of Christmas in your kitchen...my favorite style is where we have bits and pieces joining what we have already and you've done that. My favorites are your Santa mugs...they look so very vintage!! And I love your cabinet and all the treasure inside. Beautiful!

    Jane xxx

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  11. Such a lovely, festive post. I really like all of your Christmas decorations and I think the cooling rack is a very clever idea for displaying things! I've never seen that before but it's really cute. I chuckled about the Bailey's; we've been working on the same bottle for probably five years. It's not even real Bailey's, it's some cheaper brand they had at the liquor store. We're such party animals. :)

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    1. Oh yeah, us too. Ha! Brian doesn't even like Bailey's. So it's only been me or friends that happen to come over that have touched the Bailey's. Good thing it has a long shelf life!

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  12. I really love your kitchen and all the little Christmas touches make it all the more welcoming.

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    1. Thanks, Magali - glad you like my kitchen! You know how much I like yours. :-)

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  13. It's so happy and festive around your place. I can't believe how quickly December is passing!

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    1. I love the cheery, festive look at Christmas-time...January makes everything look so "blah" when all of the Christmas decor is taken down, doesn't it?

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  14. Your kitchen looks beautiful! And the Santa mugs are so cute!

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  15. Your kitchen looks so festive and cozy and a fun place to sit and have a cup of tea. You have the best Goodwill finds!
    Merry Christmas, Melanie!
    Mary Alice

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