Howard House Christmas Gingerbread Kitchen Tour

Welcome to the Howard House Christmas Kitchen Tour.  I don't show you my appliances because most of the Christmas action takes place in the eat in dining area.  I hope you enjoy the little turn around my kitchen.

 I have been collecting gingerbread men since I was married in 1982.  In that time I have amassed quite the collection of gingerbread men due to purchases, gifts, and even making my own.

 You wouldn't believe how very difficult they were to find back when I started.  They weren't as popular then.

 I always seem to be a bit ahead of the crowd in my tastes.  Most of my collections started way before they were ever popular.  That I why I began making my own Gingerbread items.

 Gingerbread are popular now and so I have lots of beautiful wonderful choices at the store.  That has allowed me to prune out the ones that I don't care for so much and add some really pretty ones.

 Of course there are some pieces that I wouldn't give up for anything because they are sentimental...Some have been given to me by dear friends, family, or have a particular memory attached to them.

 I have a tree on which I hang many of my gingerbread ornaments and I also hang many on greenery in my kitchen windows.

 This little snoopy ornament came as a freebie from Whitman's candy.  I have 3 or 4 of them and they are a favorite of mine.  They are just so cute!

 Some of my framed pictures of gingerbread began their life as a calendar, in a book, or as a card.  That is a little secret of mine.  I like to frame things from all kinds of sources.  The picture above was a Christmas card.  There were gingerbread on the plate near the bottom left of the card.

 I think gingerbread are very photogenic, don't you?  These gingerbread people are standing by another  part of my collections...glitter houses.  I have glitter houses all through my house.

 Another great source for gingerbread men  has been Goodwill, estate sales and garage sales.

 Of course my Mary Engelbreit style cottage kitchen wouldn't be nearly so cool without my Mary Engelbreit collection.  I of course have most of her books, and several of her pictures framed along with other items.  All my Christmas Mary Engelbreit get stored away after Christmas is over along with all my Christmas dishes and glasses.  That makes it oh so much fun during the Christmas season next year when I get them out again.

 No surface is safe in the Howard House from being decorated.  Here is a peek above my refrigerator.

 I even decorate my vintage chalkboard!  This came from a dumpster dive.  Yep! I went in!  Our church from Rotan, Texas had thrown out all the chalkboards from the Sunday School classes when they installed dry erase boards.  (This was way before chalkboards were popular too).  I along with several other women dove right into that dumpster and claimed every single chalkboard and even some vintage wooden collection boxes for offerings.  These are both very cherished items for me and my husband because of the memories attached to them.  For once my husband approved my dumpster diving activities.

 Here is a peek at my Mary Engelbreit inspired Cherry Table along with my kitchen shelves and Christmas tree.  You can even see a bit of the window garland next to the tree.

Here is a peek at the top of Grandma's Hoosier cabinet which holds a place of honor in my kitchen.  It is one of my very favorite things and probably one of the most shabby things I have because of it's chipping paint and worn edges...all original true blue patina.

  Here is a look at the lower parts of Grandma's Hoosier.  Many of the baking items and spice containers were all from family sources...most from my Grandma on the other side of our family.  I think it makes it even more special that I have items here from both my grandmothers...both women whom I loved very much.

If you are short a couple of candles then a couple of gingerbread will do...at least in this case they do.

 I know it looks a bit cluttered to some but that is just how I like it.  I can see the beauty of spaces without clutter but I prefer to live with just a bit of clutter.  It just makes me happy!

 The two candy looking Christmas trees were found at sales after Christmas like many of my purchased items.  The snowmen between the trees came from Goodwill...the picture began life as a calendar page.

 Here is the Gingerbread tree that starts life looking like a pine lodge kind of rustic tree but before I am finished with it there are gingerbread from top to bottom, inside and outside...gingerbread everywhere.

 Just in case you wanted to see it closeup...here is a picture to give you that view...and yes the glitter words are Mary Engelbreit...found them in the dollar bins at Michael's one year.

 Of course candy shaped ornaments fit right along with the gingerbread...at least I think they do.

 This year I had glittered candy canes and a lime green glittered poinsettia as a tree topper.  A gingerbread to dance among the candy canes and it is finished!

 On the shelves above our kitchen desk is where I placed my old vintage farmhouse pantry jars filled with vintage glass ornaments.  This is a great way to display and still protect your old vintage ornaments.

 On the counter near my sink is this little candy land gingerbread house along with some of my Christmas trays.  I hope you enjoyed my little tour.  I will try to get time to post a few pics from the rest of my house this week but no promises...it is Christmas and so I never know how my time is going to go.  I hope you are having an awesome Christmas season and Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish friends