Tinsel and Kitsch

My goal since Thanksgiving has been to convert this:

into this:

It's the back room of the thrift store, which we've closed temporarily, in order to set it up as a Christmas shop. SO much fun. It's a big work in progress, and I'll take more pictures in a few days when it's done.

It is so fun to go through the heap of donations that we've stored all year, getting rid of the junk (60% or so!) and finding all kinds of neat stuff.

On that waterfall front dresser we're putting just vintage ornaments, and we have about six china cabinets that will display themes - angels, snowmen, Santas, etc.

One large hutch and desk will feature baskets of individual ornaments, by color and theme - so far we have gold, silver, wooden, angels, musical instruments, icicles, and others.

It can't be seen in the picture, but the linens are on (and in) a big old trunk. It needs to be neatened up a little, but it will make a great display for them.

One of the Victory Home men, Eddie, has been setting up trees and has about 30 to go - he's probably already sick to death of that job, but it's gotta be done, and there's no way I'm doing it - if a task can't be done in 5 minutes, I can't focus on it!

Fortunately, setting up the Christmas room is a big bunch of small tasks, so I'm okay with that.

We're going to light it up, too - there may be only three outlets, but there's already a network of power strips and extension chords that would make a fire inspector cringe. It'll be great.

So, if you're local, mark your calendars (doors open Thursday) and get on over here to buy up the red tinsel tree, the piggy ornament, the golfing Santa, the red sequin reindeer...


And for those of you who aren't local, I guess you'll have to settle for Walmart's measly pickings.