Yuppers~ we are all doing it ~ the Holiday Hustle! Would we have it any other way? Possibly No! But it can be easier this year. As a member of Make Mine Pink I have joined in "The 12 days of Christmas Shop Hop", "The Ultimate Gift Basket" and each week I join the "Make Mine Pink's Friday~Shopping with a Twist~ Event" ~ just to make finding a very special gift easier for you.
To add to the fun I have decided to give away not 1, not 2, but 3 -$25 Gift certificates to three lucky customers on my newsletter list~ so run right over and sign up. While you are at my site~ take a moment to check out the pillows. They truly are gifts from our past ready for today's gift giving.
Best wishes and Happy Holidays from C'est Chouette Home to your Home.
Every Christmas, everyone from great-grandparents to the newest addition to the family, gather around the Christmas tree. We’re filled with anticipation of the upcoming celebration and gratitude for loved ones to share it with. The boxes of favorite ornaments are brought out from their safe storage and passed around, inspiring memories of many a Christmas. Some of the ornaments have been handed down from mother to daughter for generations, we reminisce about the memories they hold. Others are new, bringing a new excitement about the memories we’ll make this year. Soon the tree is shining with glitter, beads, ribbons, lace and memories.
As we set up our Christmas villages with the old-fashioned houses and bottle brush trees, the children peer closely at the scene and imagine what is happening behind those tiny closed doors. The sprinkle of glittering snow on the village rooftops and pathways reminds us of the snow we hope to have for this Christmas.
A quick look around and you’ll see Christmas wreaths and garlands of greenery, gracing our doorways and doors. Each welcoming family and friends inside with holiday ornaments and twinkling lights Stockings are hung from the mantle, seemingly empty but overflowing with hopes and wishes for Christmas morning. As we sit by the crackling fire, sipping tea and hot cocoa from vintage holiday mugs, a feeling of nostalgia fills us with contentment.
We fondly remember unwrapping treasures from our childhood. A precious doll with curling hair and eyes that closed when you tucked her into a bed made just for her. A charm bracelet that made you feel all grown up whenever you wore it. A hand knit sweater that felt like a hug from your mother when you put it on. These treasures are etched in our memories.
MMP Shop Hops are a type of contest where you try to find as many “You Found It” images (as shown here) as you can. Each of our participating boutiques has hidden an image on its website that says, “You Found It!” on the tag. Click that image to return to Make Mine Pink and get credit for finding it. The more images you find, the better your chances of winning great prizes. See the prize list below to see what you can win!
Gorgeous Holiday Pillow 
Bethany Lowe Christmas Putz Houses
Hydrangea Rose Garland 
"Angel on Wing" Musical Waterball 
Christmas Tree Stitchery
Pink Christmas Tree 
Set of "Girly" Ornaments 
Santa's Helper Holiday Tussie Mussie
Pink Candy Cane Ornaments 
Christmas Bake Shop Box 
When our family gathers for the holidays, Grandma’s dishes always come out of the china cabinet. From favorite serving dishes that held many a turkey, to silverware passed down through generations. Crisp, starched tablecloths, reminiscent of many holidays past, grace the family dining table. These simple pieces are as much a part of the annual celebration as is the family gathered around the table. Each of us thankful for those memories and for each other.
They try on Grandma’s cameo necklace and the hand crocheted shawl she keeps on her boudoir chair. They and imagine they are elegant ladies, from 
what they imagine to be Grandma’s past. It’s always such fun to explore the treasures and keepsakes, looking for something new since their last adventure.
Talk turns to plans for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Always hoping for a handmade Christmas, they share their favorite sewing and decorating plans. A holiday-themed quilt that must be finished in time, a Christmas stocking for a baby’s first Christmas and maybe even a stylish sweater knit from a teenager’s favorite colors. They reminisce over past holiday traditions and plan which new ones to start this year, jotting down suggestions and writing lists of memory-making ideas for the family this year. They may even draw names for gift giving.
When I think of the comforts of home, I picture a favorite sweater, soft and worn with time. Sitting by the fire, wrapped in a quilt that my mother made so many years ago bring back so many memories of home. Looking around, there are framed photographs on the wall, some of people I see every day, and others of friends of loved ones that once touched my life , yet are no longer with us. The memories woven remain alive and woven into our lives. The antique clock that my great-grandmother cherished, chimes the hour in the next room, and the crackling of the fire seems in tune, counting the minutes.
The comforts of home reach out from the past and wind their way into those of the present. Our homes, stamped with our own distinct style, with just a touch of nostalgia mixed in. Grandmother’s teacup, now finely glazed with age, sitting on the shelf alongside a favorite new set of coffee mugs. A vintage lamp standing tall, surrounded by candlelight. Among the faded family photographs hangs a framed print that makes you smile just because. A treasured worn sweater lies in a dresser drawer beside a brand new knit cardigan. On the sofa beside me, the colors of a new quilting project are bright compared to the quilt my mother made.
