Hanging Memories on the Christmas Tree

I mentioned in a recent post that our family has not been home for Christmas since 2003.

It was wonderful to have our small family ( just 4 of us ) together skiing in Lake Tahoe, Mammoth or Santa Fe.

Last year we went to Kauai and flew home on Christmas night.

With no small children, family vacations make for great Christmas memories, but I didn't realize how much I love Christmas until I began decorating this year.

Even though we were going away, I always decorated a little, but for 10 years, there was no Christmas tree and the ornaments sat forgotten in the attic.

 As I gathered ornaments together for the tree, I realized that they were not just ornaments, but memories.

If I was going to start fresh with tree ornaments, I would go out and buy more of these glass balls I recently purchased at the Restoration Hardware outlet.

Or, more metal pieces like this wonderful star I found at a cute boutique on Main Street.

While decorating the tree yesterday, I was glad that KC was in the kitchen baking and Steve was putting up the lights because tears came to my eyes frequently.

My ornaments are old and out of fashion, but they bring to mind so many Christmases and people who are no longer in our lives.

For several years I was into little wooden ornaments - the clown and boat are handmade and purchased by my father at a neighborhood Christmas boutique.

We are a family of tennis players so my mother had one of her friends make me the tennis racket themed ornaments.

I made many cloth ornaments in the 80s - the wreath evoked sweet memories because it was made by a very special friend who was not known for being creative.

I made the stocking on the left in a pottery class 35 years ago and the stained glass stocking was a gift from a student (who is no longer living ) in my very first pre-school class.

I bought this ornament on a 3 generational family vacation to visit relatives in Norway.

My college roommate and her family came to visit for Christmas one year and brought these "cook" ornaments (our last name is Cook).

For years I collected rocking horses (one of the collections I gave away when we downsized) and my mother always found rocking horses for the tree.

I remember buying these cat ornaments when we had our cats Eddie and Sadie because they reflected each cat's personality.

After decorating the tree, I realized that as beautiful as the glass balls and metal star are, they hold no memories for me or my family.

They might be old and outdated, but I am loving looking at all the memories hanging on our Christmas tree.

I have some free time today so I might just head to my creative space (the garage) and create some more memories of Christmas 2013 to hang on the tree.

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Join me at these parties

Must Love Junk  - Creating Christmas 

Knick of Time - Vintage Inspiration Party

Our Home Away From Home - Tuesdays At Our Home

Elizabeth and Co. - Be Inspired

Cozy Little House - Tweak It Tuesday

Kathe With An E - You're Gonna Love It

I See Sea Shells

Someone commented on a blog the other day that seashell decor was over done -  she preferred to see beach houses that weren't decorated with shells.

I live in a beach house.

I decorate with shells.

Maybe it is cliched, but we live in a beach house for a reason - we love the beach and EVERY shell in our house has a special meaning.

The glass jar full of shells and the orange conch shell were my 30th wedding anniversary present - not the normal gift, but special to me.

Seven months before our anniversary, Steve was invited on a surf trip to the Maldives - literally half way around the world from home.  

He excitedly made all the plans, paid his deposit, arranged for one month off from work (before he was a full time artist) and as the time grew closer we realized that he would be gone for our anniversary.

He asked what I wanted him to bring me as a gift and I asked for shells.

The glass jar sits on a shelf in our bathroom filled with beautiful sand from the Maldives and shells he found on different islands.

The large conch shell was a trade- a fisherman wanted Steve's binoculars and Steve said he would make the trade for a beautiful shell.

These shells might not look like much - at present they are sitting in a drawer - but they come out for display periodically.

We found the large sand dollars on the left while driving on the beach in Costa Rica.

All the tiny shells in the middle were collected by KC and me on the beach in Kjerringoy, Norway at the home where my grandmother was born.

The sand dollars on the right, the snail shell and the larger shell were gathered over time on our morning beach walks.

The shells on display on a bedroom shelf also have meaning.

Steve found the large snail shell in front of the orange conch shell while walking back up the beach from a long surf session -  if I ever move it, he notices right away and asks where it is.

The large starfish and the conch shell were purchased (I didn't want to risk our special shells) as table decor for a  family party and they serve as a reminder of that special day.

A shelf in the bathroom holds more special memories.

The container of sea glass is a 15 year accumulation of morning walks on the beach - every piece is from our beach.

The piece of coral is another favorite find of Steve's.



It might look like a lot of shells, but it is just 3 spots -

the garden . . .  bathroom shelves . . . bedroom shelves.

To some it is cliched, but to us, it is simply memories on display.

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Find me at these great parties

Cedar Hill Ranch - The Scoop

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Tuesday's Treasurers

Coastal Charm - Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Cozy Little House - Tweak It Tuesday

A Stroll Thru Life - Inspire Me Tuesday

Our Home Away From Home - Tuesdays At Our Home

He Paints Memories

Life with an artist has its ups (a home filled with beautiful art) and downs (empty walls when he has shows going on at 3 different locations) and it also brings joy.

Now that I am no longer working, I am more of a participant in Steve Cook Studio and a recent experience made me realize something about his art.

Steve's art evokes memories for people - and he feels pretty good when someone walks away happy.

Last week a family from out of town called and wanted to come by the studio (our home) to look at paintings.

They purchased "Memorial Day" for their home in Fresno and as the wife took care of the payment, the husband shared with me why he had chosen the particular painting.

He grew up in Ventura and wanted a painting of his home town and the painting of the Ventura Pier evoked wonderful memories.

 Every 4th of July they would drive over from Fresno and take his mother, now deceased, to the pier to watch the fireworks.

When they look at the painting they think of his mother.

"Wedding Tree" was a commission by a young woman who wanted to give her brother and his new bride a special wedding present.

She asked Steve to paint the site of their wedding - Firestone Vineyard in Los Olivos.

"Pasture Buddies" was inspired by a drive through the roads of Los Olivos on a winery tour.

The painting was hanging on the wall in our dining room when a group of LA art patrons came for a tour of Steve's studio.

One of the women saw it and said she had to buy it because her father had been a Texas rancher and the painting reminded her of him.

Steve painted "Avalon" in the winter, posted it on facebook and within 2 hours it was sold.

Anne, who bought the painting, was born on Catalina Island and loves having a reminder of the island where she grew up.

I love to experience the reaction of someone seeing their painting for the first time.

"Coco on the Beach" was a recent commission for a neighbor's 40th birthday. 

We happened to be at the house when Michelle came home from a business trip and saw her birthday present hanging on the wall.

"Zephyr" was commissioned by friends who had lost their dog and wanted a memory of him.

When Heather saw the painting, she burst into tears - good tears - and Steve shed a few himself.

When they left, Steve commented that Heather's reaction was one of the most satisfying experiences of his art career.

"Silver Strand Afternoon" was recently purchased by another artist.

She has been looking at the painting for several years convinced that the person in the painting is her.

It might be, it might not be, but she doesn't care - it evokes special memories.

"Uncle's Fishes" is not the typical subject matter for Steve, but our friends Tom and Leslie commissioned the painting as a gift for Tom's uncle to commemorate a good day of fishing.

"Jennifer's House" was commissioned by a friend who realizes that she will not stay in the house forever and wants a memory of the home where she raised her children.

Two Tree Hill is a Ventura landmark and is the most frequent request from both people who live in town and those who have moved away and want a memory.

"June Lake 1958" was commissioned by neighbors who met, married and now have a mountain house in June Lake.

They came across an old postcard and asked Steve if he could paint the scene.

Steve contacted the photographer listed on the postcard for permission and not only did he agree, he sent Steve a large copy of the photo.

"Walderston" is a painting of the village where we lived for our first year in Jamaica and it will NEVER be sold (in my lifetime) despite the offers that have been made.

And we will hold onto "La Casita" - our house on the Caribbean Sea in Port Maria, Jamaica and our home when JP was born.

 "The Descendants" is another painting that will never be sold.

Steve took the photo as he walked behind KC, JP and me on the beach at Hanalei Bay last Christmas.

And now, that wonderful vacation memory hangs over our bed.

There are several very special "memory" paintings in our home that were not created by Steve.

In May, the staff of DATA threw a surprise retirement party for me.

I was already in tears after listening to the entire mariachi band play Las Golondrias ( a song for transitions in life), which they learned just for me, when they presented me with a gift.

The staff had commissioned my dear friend Wendy Lefkowitz, to paint a watercolor of the school where I taught for 24 years.

 The memory hangs in our hallway.

This little corner of the living room is a tribute to Steve's mentors.

An original John Comer painting was my gift to Steve on his 60th birthday.

The painting is of Refugio Beach which is a favorite camping spot for our family, but also the site of the workshop where Steve studied with John Comer.

This Ken Auster painting was a study Ken did at a workshop in Taos, New Mexico.

Steve purchased the painting at the end of the workshop as a reminder of the great time we had at Donner Ranch.

Steve is working on a new painting.

On a bike ride on the pier Steve snapped a photo of a father and son fishing.

Imagine the memories that this painting would evoke for both the little boy and the father.

Perhaps when he shows the painting, many different fathers or sons will think it is them and memories will flood back of a father/son day of fishing.

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I am joining in at

Lavender Garden Cottage - Cottage Style Party

Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays

The Dedicated House - Make It Pretty Monday