async='async' data-ad-client='ca-pub-1704385665578974' src='https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js'/> December 2018 - Welch House 1900

For Auld Lang Syne

For auld lang syne...

I love this song. I don't quite remember when I exactly first heard it, but somehow it feels as though I've always known it.


I must have first heard it as a chid of course, probably from watching "It's A Wonderful Life". I can still see George Bailey standing teary eyed in his living room, in front of so many family and friends who had been touched by his life, as they serenade him with "for auld lang syne".


When I decided to create a New Years mantel I wanted to incorporate "For Auld Lang Syne" into it.
I ended up writing it on my chalkboard and displaying it on my mantel.


I also used glittery garland and tons of candles. I just received this set of vintage brass candlestick holders for Christmas and I think they look magical all lit up for New Years.


 Delicate white roses are a must on the mantel and I sprinkled some jingle bells throughout the garland.


I love the promise that the new year brings, but also feel the sadness of seeing the old year pass away.


When I was a child I always felt sad the first few minutes of the new year when everyone is cheering, toasting and hugging. It somehow felt like I had lost a dear friend.


As an adult I don't feel that way too much anymore. I always hope for a better year than the last.


At Welch house we like to ring in the New Year with goblets full of sparkling apple cider.


We usually eat around the dining room table with candles lit and the chandelier turned down low.


There are no rules on New Years Eve, we may even eat our dessert first. I love to watch my little boy sip his sparkling cider from the antique goblets.


He thinks its so special to eat by candlelight and sip fizzy cider at the fancy dining room table.



After dinner there will be laughter, board games (candy land) and card games ( five year old level) featuring Paw Patrol characters.


I hope our little boy remembers these simple New Years Eves together and looks back on them with happiness.




I want to wish you all a blessed and safe New Year. I pray 2019 will be a wonderful year. I can't wait to see what is in store for Welch House in 2019.

-Larissa

Christmas Eve Magic

This will probably be my last post before Christmas. I can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve. As a child Christmas Eve was my most favorite day of the year, even more so than Christmas.


 It was a day filled with anticipation and Christmas magic. Our house even seemed to feel different on Christmas Eve.


 The lights on the tree appeared to be brighter, the house smelled of Christmas baking, and then there was the special excitement of knowing that Santa would soon be arriving.


I can remember trying so hard to fall asleep...my heart pounding fast with excitement for Christmas Day. I would usually wake up in the middle of night to sneak out of my bed and peer down the hallway into the living room just to see if Santa had already been there.


The house just felt magical when I saw the newly delivered Santa gifts under the tree and the stockings filled with candy.


The room felt enchanting to me because I knew that Santa had just been there.


Sometimes I would just sit quietly on the floor just soaking in the Christmas feeling.


I tried to capture that special Christmas magic with my night time photography this year. This is the first time I've ever photographed my home at night, and I'm pleasantly surprised with the results.


Even as an adult I will still sneak downstairs on Christmas Eve sometimes, and I must say the Christmas magic still exists.


I want to wish you all a very magical Holiday season and a blessed New Year.



-Larissa

European Christmas Mantel

Over the Summer I found the most incredible European cast stone mantel on Craigslist. My husband and I drove three hours one way to rescue it out of an old mansion in Kansas City, Missouri that was being modernized.

I have dreamed of decorating it for Christmas these past several months.


The mantel now graces our living room and truly is a statement piece. I decided to dress it simply with a faux cedar garland and simple pink bows.


The Deer statues were once black and I redid them in gold. I think they look beautiful in the candlelight.


 The ironstone water pitcher is filled with pink roses that have dried but still retain their beauty.


The mantel features two beautiful maidens on each side and the craftsmanship is truly amazing. I never tire of gazing at it's beauty.



Candlelight, scattered books and ornaments decorate the marble stone slab in front of the mantel.


Our  living room tree this year is an Old World European style tree that I purchased from Wayfair. I absolutely love it, and honestly, would love another one.


It is decorated with beloved pink ornaments from a dear friend and pink tulle pom pom garlands from Hobby Lobby.

This year I decorated the window seat. The trio of beautiful beveled glass windows each wear a simple wreath adorned with a pink bow.


I love the sweet pink velvet pillow that reads "Let's get cozy".


The presents are wrapped in vibrant pink wrapping from The Dollar Tree and tied with pink tulle. A single jingle bell is added for a touch or Christmas.


This side of the living room is newly painted with gorgeous white walls. The paint color is "Simply White" by Benjamin Moore.


I love the new look!


I wanted to share a sweet picture of our cat Jeffrey enjoying the candlelight. This will be his first Christmas.


Thank you for visiting today! Only one week until Christmas!

-Larissa

A Simple Marie Antoinette Christmas

Hello and welcome back to Welch House! Can you believe there is only nine more days until Christmas? Time is moving by so quickly, I thought I would do a quick post of the dining room decorated for Christmas.


I had such a hard time decorating this room for Christmas this year. I wanted a Marie Antoinette themed Christmas and it took several tries to finally get the glamorous Old World look I was going for.



I wanted elegant, but not over the top Christmas decorations. I started off by trimming our real tree with simple pink satin ribbons, a pearl garland, along with crystal ornaments as well as pink ornaments.



Beautiful fresh Christmas garland lends a festive touch to the mantel as well to the DIY Trumeau Mirror that I created over the summer. Simple pink satin bows compliment the garland nicely.


I wanted the table to be fit for a Queen. I started with a tulle lace netting as the table cloth. A pink runner with music sheets on top create a unique setting. I knew I must add feathers somewhere in this tablescape and they looked perfectly in the golden goblets along with fresh flowers.



Of course we must have cake if Marie were to dine here. A cupcake at each place setting is the perfect treat.


Every single item on this Marie Antoinette themed table was thrifted for very little money. I love the crystal goblets, especially the one holding the cupcakes. They have a beautiful crest emblem engraved on them. I was told by the woman I purchased them from, that they were her Mother in law's and close to 100 years old. I truly love them.



As well as cupcakes, I also had a beautiful chocolate cake on the buffet complete with fresh roses ands a crown on top.


I hope if Marie were here today, she would approve of the tablescape that I created in her honor.



Thank you so much for visiting my simple budget friendly Marie Antionette inspired dining room. I hope you enjoyed it!



I would love to have you visit again!

-larissa 

Musical Christmas

Hello Friends! I'm so very excited and honored to be joining this beautiful Musical Christmas blog hop with so many talented ladies! This is my very first blog hop and I'm so excited! If you are just coming over from Emily Le.Cultivateur I would like to welcome you! Wasn't Emily's French style home gorgeous? Many many thanks to my dear friend Amber Follow The Yellow Brick Home  for hosting and inviting me to join!

Today we will be in the back parlor of my home Welch House. This is where our "Jenkins piano" resides.


This piano is very special to me and a favorite piece to decorate for the Holidays. I actually found this piano in the basement of my church!


 There were actually two pianos for sale and my sister and I both wanted the same piano, but it wasn't this one. I decide to go take a second look at this particular one and when I opened up the top I was in for a surprise!! When I opened the top and peered inside, printed in beautiful gold lettering it said "Jenkins & Sons". I was sold! Jenkins is our last name so I knew it must come home with us. I've had it about eight years now.


It has gorgeous pillars on it that actually look similar to the pillars on the front of our home! I just painted this piano earlier in the spring. It used to be all brown and it was very hard to see the beautiful details. I painted it with Paris Grey chalk paint by Annie Sloan and added gold gilding to bring out the details.


This year I really wanted to stay on a budget with my Christmas decor. I remembered that I had a huge box full of vintage music paper that I had found at a garage sale a couple of years ago. I love vintage music sheets and decided to make a runner for the Piano from them.


I loved the way it turned out. It looks beautiful draping down the side of the piano.


I also adorned the piano with some faux cedar garland and pink satin ribbons tied into a simple bow.


I decided to scattered some beloved antique ornaments as well as new ornaments all over the piano for a touch of whimsy.


The worn keys with the vintage ornaments are a beautiful sight in my eyes.


As always when I decorate I must have a bit of candlelight somewhere. I choose this trio of faux mercury glass votive holders to mix in with my ornaments and it turned out magical.


The giant chandelier looks stunning hanging just in front of the Jenkins piano.

I love how the  candlelight reflects across its prisms.


I hope you enjoyed seeing how I incorporate music into my Christmas decor. I truly love my Jenkins Piano and look forward to decorating it for each season.


Thank you for stopping by!! I hope you had a wonderful time, and please visit again soon!!

-Larissa