GORGEOUS! ENCHANTED VILLAGE! A WONDERLAND! Can you tell I love it?? Everything is wonderful. And of course I can't get enough of your dog paintings. Thank you for posting and adding color to a dreary day.

Yes! More eye candy from Jim, these photos are great, I hardly know where to begin. I love the Ralph Lauren type throw over your couch.. that would look great in my den too ;)...I many need to "borrow that"! Love your santa stacking plates too, the variety of santas is wonderful!

And as I have said before, I love all your art, all of which should come home with me too! And we won't even talk about your ceramic dogs...I am crying here! I am so glad that you posted these pics of your home, it continues the holiday enjoyment for me!

again Jim - absolutely stunning - I am drawing so many ideas from all your vignettes - your decorating is so inspirational - love it..TFS.........

Lynne

Jim, Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful home and extraordinary decorations. I badly needed to have some beauty in Life today, things have been a bit rough last few days. I can now just lose myself in your Wonderland.

hugs, Karen

Oh my what a 'Christmas Haven' !
I think you outdid yourself this year Jim.
If you ever get tired of your Santa Collection ... I'd be glad to offer them a 'New Home'...hehehe
Your Confectionary display by your window is
amazing, and that china cabinet 'All Decked Out' is just spectacular.. I could go on and on...Your home is so beautiful and just a delight for the senses~
I think you really got into the spirit of it this year, and
I enjoyed it all.

jane

Like all of the others have said, it all looks so lush and beautiful. Love all the cloche, glass jars, etc. The "snowflakes" hanging near the deer head really caught my eye--so pretty and sparkly. And the greenery and ornaments around that one hutch are just beautiful. I've just never thought to combine more than two colors of ornaments, but those are spectacular. So glad this year was better for you and you were able to get into the spirit and enjoy doing your decorating. Luvs

Wow, I'm exhausted from just looking. You have so many wonderful decorations and I sure enjoy looking. TFS Absolutely agree with everyone elses comments. How long does it take you to put all of your decorations up?

Punk

WOW again, you just wow us with your extraordinary decorating talents!

The entire area looks like a Christmas Wonderland that would wow any child or adult that entered the room!

Thanks so much for sharing, it truly is EYE CANDY!

Your talent is amazing. Love it all. How did you create all of those lifts for your Santas?

Jim,

I always gasp when I see your beautiful pictures, but this year I could only sit with my mouth hanging open not believing what I was seeing!! I don't know how, but you kicked it up another notch. (I didn't even know there was a higher notch where your decorating is concerned!)

There are so many different elements used in your decorating that it is mind boggling! The pinecones, cherubs, fruit, ice crystals, moss, flowers, butterflies, animals, topiaries, lights, candles, greenery, angels, and on and on it goes!

Your deer and Christmas tree area is enchanting. I could sit and stare at that for hours!

And I've never seen such a magnificent collection of wonderful Santas in my entire life!

Our Target birds even found a place of honor with Santa!!

All of your animal paintings go so well with your decorations - or is it that your decorations go so well with your animal paintings? LOL Either way, I'm in Heaven!

2 questions:

1) When did you start decorating?
2) Where in the world do you store all of this awesome stuff the rest of the year?

I'm in agreement with Luvs. Thank goodness this year is better for you and we got the pleasure of enjoying your creations. We've missed you terribly!

Welcome Home!

Betty

Amazing holiday decorating. You've not missed a spot. If I remember correctly you have a cat or two? How do you deal with that or are they used to the decs?

I too am interested in how long it takes you to decorate, do you have help, and when do you put it all away? I would be so overwhelmed at the prospect of putting it away. Getting it out and decorated is my favorite, but putting things away after the holidays, not so much!

Thanks for a peek into your lovely home.

Happy Holidays!

Wow Jim, your home truly is a Christmas wonderland. I love your cherub candleholders.

Wow Wow Wow !!!!!!!!!!!
I am so glad you found your Christmas spirit again Jim, your home and decor are absolutely astounding .It is peaceful and joyous cute and elegant and the lighting just sets it all off perfectly . Please continue to post . Kareen

Ditto on all the comments above. That is my kind of decor and decorating. One of my favorite sayings is "Too much of a good thing ist WONDERFUL!). Love it, love it, love it.
Syble

The best stuff is all at your house I am SURE of it! I haven't seen anything like what you own around. WOW, and you have it ALL and it is all so beautiful!
I love the way you lovingly arranged everything! You are Mr. Christmas!

Your home seems made for Christmas decorations, Jim. You've done a lovely job with them, too. BTW, thanks again for the heads up on Eddie's blog. I really enjoy him. I'm hoping that HGTV gives him his own show soon.
Lynn

Thank you all for the very gracious & complimentary replies.

dreamgoddess -- I couldn't believe it when I got those cherubs for a total of $48.20 from Horchow...orig price was $188. + add'l ship $17.00 + ship + tax.
I got them for 30% off clearance($66.00) and completely free ship.

bettyd_z7_va & work_in_progress_08--I didn't start until about a week before Christmas because I was down with some bug--I wasn't sure if I would do the big tree or not,
and then I got a burst of energy & creativity.
I have 4 cats--one is eight months old, so I wanted things on the tree that wouldn't break if it went over or was attacked. ;-)
Basically the tree is full of faux flowers.

Normally when I do that Victorian look I also use my collection of white china birds too, but I didn't want to risk it--I would also use delicate ornaments as well.

I don't buy much new, so I try and re-purpose or re-work what I have. Even though it the same old stuff--it becomes fresh again.
Judith....I've had that throw for yrs and just decided to use it on the back of the sofa, normally it's on a chair.
Truth is, I wish I had "layered" a bit more like getting bows on my Staff dog collection

I store it all in a full attic with full staircase access, so that makes things easier when moving bins up and down, what slows me down is arthritis in hands and knees.

I will take it all down over a period of time and don't rush it, otherwise it would be too overwhelming. Again, I don't want to stress my joints.

I just noticed--the two cakes are actually 3-wick candles and I forgot to take off their wrappers.

Jim

Jim, thank you for the laugh on those two "cakes". I thought they were REAL. Would you please tell us about that Santa Stack in the 3rd photo from bottom? Its fascinating me how you did that.

I've long meant to tell you how refreshing it is to see someone who has the kind of home you do AND fills it with kitties too. I think most serious collectors would be prone to heart attacks at the thought of a cat or more strolling thru their treasures. LOL. (I have moments myself with the Orange Tornado, and my home is a far cry anything special.) The way you live, and love, is most heartwarming and beautiful.

hugs, Karen

Karen--You can get the "candle cakes" from the Valerie Parr Hill collection at QVC.
I decided to go with the whimsy and even had the serving pieces next to each.

My DR wall is mirrored with mirror tiles and so I can have shelves in front of them, there's standards that shelf brackets/supports fit into.
Since I have a collection of wall shelves I'm not using. I decided to see if I could adapt them to work on the standards--and I did, with picture wire and some makeshift hangers attached to the standards to hang them on.
Since there really wouldn't be any weight with a Santa sitting on them, I wasn't worried about that--though I think they would be strong enough for other things if I use some tack wax just in case.

Tks for the kind words--I have my moments with the cats and I do my fair share of correcting their behavior about keeping them off of things--the things that are too precious or $$$$ go into the china cabinet for protection.

Jim

Here's how I wired the shelves.

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Jim aren't you clever!!!

Exactly my thoughts....very clever! Thank you for telling me about things. I'd never have figured it out. LOL. I was thinking you'd somehow made a stack of something like pillar candleholders glued together, like the 'totems' the garden junkers make on my other Forum.

I also got a laugh from the first picture with the kitty climbing over the arm of the chair. They seem to find ways to sneak in photos don't they? LOL.
And yes, I'm sure you've had plenty of "moments" with them too among your beautiful things. My orange tornado has me resorting to spraying a lot of things with Pine Sol on it or around it, of all things. He hates the smell, and luckily I love it. Such a total brat. Teenagers!

hugs, Karen

Thanks for posting Jim...your pictures as usual are stunning. I have enjoyed them so much even if I am coming late to the party! In this last set, I love your helper patiently waiting on the chair arm :^)

Jim...I was admiring your 'candle cakes'...
I love how you've displayed them.
A couple of years ago, I purchased Valerie's candle cakes from QVC, while I was staying at my condo in FL.
I forgot that I had them there.
Last year while selling off and cleaning out my condo, I discovered them. I had no room in my car (filled to the max)to bring them home.
Regrettably I had to dontate them. (brand new)
When I saw yours...I wondered if they were from the Valerie's Collection.
I love her things..and try to watch whenever she's on.'
Do you have other things from her Collectrions?

jane

Slinkey--Tks
I like Valerie's collection too and her quality look for a reasonable $$-- but I have more than enough of what I'm not using to add more at this time.
The candle cakes were gifts from my sister--actually, they're part of an yr long auto-ship of a 4 season scent collection(candle cake, jar candle, diffuser and sachet)of which I've received fall and winter.

I would recommend it highly for yourself or a gift.

The only other things I have from Valerie were gifts too, they're battery operated LED crystal garland that I've used in my apothecary jars, and on some mini-trees.

Jim

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I hear ya Jim, on having more than enough..
I've gotten kind of 'dangerous' when I've felt overwhelmed with 'stuff'.
Did some serous clean outs...then, down the line, I regretted what I got rid of.
I guess that just leaves me with a great excuse to buy more.
My candle cakes came from the same seasonal 'Auto-Ship' plan.
I agree, they are wonderful.
Thanks for the info on them. I'll probably be looking into ordering them again.

Over the years, I've purchased many of her things
as gifts.
I agree, the price is right
and everyone seems to enjoy her them, including
me.
Can you tell I'm a big fan...lol

Thanks again.

jane