A St. Augustine Christmas...

I found some old pictures of our getaway in St. Augustine and thought I'd share them with you. I only have a few, but we have spent Christmas there on numerous occasions which is fun. There are a million lights in town which are close to impossible to capture, and it has such a great feel. Here's a picture of the daughter of one of my dearest friends and the daughter's husband-to-be (the ones for whom we just gave the party). This was taken when they visited us there a few years back. Ah, young love...



This was taken out in front of the Casa Monica and the Lightner with the lights outlining the building. You can't see the shrubs, but they are covered, too, and it's just a fairy land. For several months, the city has what is called "Nights of Lights," and people come from all over the place to see it. It's really very lovely. One year, we marched in a Christmas Eve processional with costumed re-enactors from the Plaza to the Fort, singing period carols while carrying candles. It was truly amazing. St. Augustine is small, but it has such a giant heart! :-)

Here's a shot of a basket of shells I've collected. There's one beach where you can go after storms and get great shells, but some of these I bought at this really fun tourist shop that sells all sorts of shells and kitsch. I love it! It's like something from my childhood...



A shot peeking into the dining room with a tree decorated in ornaments from the Dollar Tree. I found these little strands of mittens and Santa heads, and there were five to a strand which figures to twenty cents each. I took them apart and made ornaments out of them. Then I added a few jiggling Santas for a dollar each and did a pretty cute tree. Next, I made little flags from red and white striped paper, painted Ho! Ho! Ho! on them, and strung the trees with those hung from white string. It was such a fun tree. I used it at an open house we had, and everyone enjoyed it so much! Santa did, too, and even left a sack of goodies in that chair for us! ;-)



Hall with the quilt that was removed to "stage" in more neutral colors...



The garland up the staircase. I had hand-painted those stripes under the chair rail, copying a darling house in Nantucket, but I changed it to a neutral palette a year ago. Mr. Magpie and I had fun making the paper chain to intertwine with the garland. Had I known the Nester then, I would have beefed up the size of my garland! ;-)



A final close-up of the garland. I always try to add something nautical to the mix just for fun. In this case, it was starfish. I've also used buoys before which are festive, too!



Can't find the rest of the pictures, but that gives you an idea of what our Victorian looked like a few years back all dressed up for Christmas. She's a fun girl, she is, and a girl for all seasons and for dreaming when we escape. The best part, she only allows reading. No TV! We had cable, but we decided that we never watched so we got rid of the set. It is WONDERFUL! Just like it was in the 1890's. She has very simple, but very intelligent taste. ;-) There's just too much to do and see in St. Augustine, too much natural beauty to sit inside, glued to the boob tube. ;-)

AND if all goes as planned (please keep the sale and our potential buyers in your prayers), someone else will be enjoying this gem next Christmas! :-)



Quintessentially,

Mrs. Magpie (Sheila) :-)

P.S. If you really want to see something cute, look over on my sidebar at the two new pictures I got tonight of peeps. Their grandmother mailed them to me for my blog... these are portraits of my little friends Caroline and Logan. I think the artist did a marveloue job! Thanks, Janet! You know how I love them and you! :-)