Better Homes And Gardens Diy Patchwork Tree

Hi Friends, I've been getting started decorating for Christmas this last week, so my house has been a total mixup. You too? Boxes and tubs filled with fun, once a year items to unwrap and enjoy. I like to change things up a bit each year, but some things are just "traditional". I use red Tartan plaid only once a year, so at Christmas I welcome all my collection and let it saturate my house.

I started decorating in the Hearth Room, and one place I've finished (well temporarily, always subject to tweaking) is in the cookbook cupboard. It's a fun place to let the Tartan plaid show off. I found this old cupboard (minus the doors) when I needed something for booth displays many years ago. My husband spiffed it up a bit, but it's still a rough piece. Don't they say white paint covers a multitude of sins? Moving here, I had room to use it for display in here, close to the kitchen. A perfect little spot to decorate with a "kitchen-y" theme throughout the seasons.

I guess you all have realized by now, (since there's nary a post on cooking or recipes, here.) That I'm not a culinary expert. I enjoy cooking and have my reliable list, but my husband has very simple tastes and isn't into anything much besides certain veggies, rice and meat. Forget sauces, heavily spiced concoctions, or condiments. We both have dietary restrictions; me gluten, him sugar and salt. We're a little boring, so not too many up-to-date recipe books. If I need something now I just Google it. I share all this info because that explains my lack of new interesting recipe books, leaving me with ones I bought in the 90's to have for my girls, when they were starting to cook.

So back to the fun plaid Christmas decor. I buy just a few new pieces each season, and I found this fun little Christmas tree display at Michaels. I've seen it online on several sites, all on sale.

My big scrolly chalkboard stays up here no matter the season. For Christmas one year I bought these wooden monograms for family members, and I love the contrast of white on the black chalkboard. Faux tiny trees and little houses gather together on top.

I have a few pieces of red swirl antique spatterware,

so it's mingling with the vintage red plaid.

The Walker's Shortbread truck tin was a gift from our older daughter after a visit to the UK. She's the one that had hooked me on British shortbread and McVittie's cookies. I put together the little "Christmas kitsch" plaid lunchbox several years ago.

The two houses on the middle shelf are cookie jars, and the Le Creuset piece is a favorite, even to display. The color is Meringue, which came out a few years ago. Vintage cookie cutters are in one of the very old vintage spatterware bowls.

The "patchwork quilt" vintage notebook was for magazine recipe

clippings and recipe cards from the late 70's.

Do you remember doing that?

I didn't get good pics of the glitter putz houses,but they are really old and very ornate. One is purple-y/brown and the other pink and green. Kind of an odd color scheme, and didn't really match the plaid, but I still wanted to have them out on display.