Happy Christmas Eve Eve! (and a few more pics!)

Well the big day is almost here!...I'm always sad to see this most festive season end...I think the thing I love most is the music...and Christmas music just isn't the same even the day after, why is that? LOL...Christmas in my house is very different from most...basically, I am the only one in my very small family who celebrates...hubs and I do not exchange gifts, I gave up on getting him to do it several years ago...I have always gotten our boys things for Christmas but I'm afraid they seem to be following in their dad's footsteps...I haven't even been able to get them to watch the movie "A Christmas Carol" with me anymore...we always used to do that every Christmas Eve when they were little...I have always baked pumpkin bread on Christmas Eve so that we can enjoy it on Christmas morning but it is pretty much just another day in our house...when the boys were little it was so much fun watching them open their gifts...but now the things they want don't really fit under the tree like car parts and such, LOL...so even though there are no gifts to be opened and no festivities to speak of, I still enjoy the holiday season very very much!...of course the decorating is so much fun and this year I can't seem to stop! LOL...I have been wanting an Arnett's Santa for quite some time and this year I was fortunate enough to acquire two!...one I put by my Pottery Barn tree with the brown paper packages tied up with string :)
...these Santas are so nice, I can see why everyone loves them so much!...this one I put in my antique dry sink along with some jars I purchased from Kelly at Small Town Primitives, and a decorated crock, cutting board, and tin from Elaine at Cats Paw Primitives on ebay:...and my new tin sconces have arrived!...hubs installed them for me:
...what do you think of them?...I'm offering the candlelight version of them on my website
...I also wanted to show you a little pinkeep/cupboard pillow I just finished up for myself...made from a pattern by Wendy at Pineberry Lane...I stitched it onto a piece of army blanket:
...also, last time I posted pictures, I forgot to show you this that I made earlier this year...I started it before last Christmas but did not have time to finish it until after the first of this year...it's from a Thy Needle and Thread pattern:
...and I'm saving the best for last!...just look at this fabulous painting, I think this might be the most special gift I've ever received!...it's a Colonial gentleman painted by my sweet friend Pat of Olde Bittersweet Farm...she painted it just for me and it was such a surprise to receive this treasure in the mail!...thank you again my friend!...I shall treasure this for the rest of my days!!
...ok that is going to do it this time around...next post will be my kitchen pics for real this time! LOL...Merry Christmas to all!!