Hello my sweet friends! Happy Christmas Week! Yes, it's only one week until Christmas day! It's been very cold here (California cold as we'll call it) and it even got down to 26 degrees last night! Too bad we didn't have any precipitation – we might have had snow! The cold weather makes it feel like Winter and Christmas to me, and I love it. The hubs has been lighting fires in the fireplace for Buddy to enjoy (LOL) and me too. I'm sort of nesting at this point and heaping on the blankets on the couch. Went to the awesome Christmas concert at church last weekend and it really put me in the mood to remember the reason for the season. Something about a full orchestra with a full choir in tuxedos, accompanied by the giant pipe organ… Man, that's wonderful stuff. Makes me tear up just thinking about it. It's time to get out of my "head space" about Christmas and get into my "heart space" about it. Time to put away all the Christmas crafty items and wrap the last presents…and be PRESENT in the season. The hubs and I have been making an effort to get out and enjoy the beauty of the season, and decorations and shopping and take it all in. Because he has accrued so much vacation time at his work he's been taking Fridays off, and we've been exploring and hanging out together. Yay!
This past Friday we went to one of our favorite quaint little towns in the California Foothills – Sutter Creek, CA. It's only about 20 miles from where we live, but it feels a world away. An adorable Main Street, a white steepled church, antique stores….It's so nice. During the week it's very quiet there. We spent the better part of the day walking around and talking to the shop owners, and then stopped in Placerville and Folsom on the way home. Lovely lovely day! I thought I would share a photo essay with you about our day. A little break from crafting! The light on Friday was perfection and it made for a great photo shoot day! Hope you enjoy this look at a little piece of my part of the world. I'll list all the places we went at the bottom of my post!
We ate lunch here at the Hotel Sutter (this is where we usually eat – it has the best hamburgers!) It was all decked out for Christmas with beautiful big star lights and a gorgeous tree in the lobby.
A view looking down the sidewalk on Main Street.
One of my favorite stores – The Antique Gardener. Aimee the shop owner is a delightful person and her eye for design is AMAZING! I was having a creative explosion inside my head in here! Sometimes I get so overwhelmed by beauty and ideas and sights!
Who doesn't want a sparkly silver deer wearing a fur muff??? How fun is that? This was spotted at the Unique Boutique!
The bartender at the Hotel Sutter shaking up some drinks! Yum!
This little vignette at the Antique Gardener about killed me! How pretty and creative and wonderful!!!
Very cool decoration spotted at Water Street Antiques. I think I need to create some version of this….help me remember!!
There is a brand new store on Main Street called Tigby Hill Antiques. I met the owner, Mary, and we had a nice conversation and I felt a very strong artistic connection to her right away. I hope I get to hang out with her some more. She just moved here and set up her wonderful shop a month ago. I spotted this wreath hanging on the wall and asked "did you make this" and she said "yes" and I knew I had to have it. It's made entirely of antique ornaments! It's very special to me already. One of a kind for sure. It's the only thing I bought on Friday. LOVE.
These were spotted at one of my all time fav shops called Tomorrow's Heirlooms. I have several pieces from this shop. I have a beautiful old paper church covered in glitter, ornaments and beautiful garlands all from this store. It's a treat to stop in here every time.
Even though it was freezing cold, there is still this one last tree holding on to Autumn! I've never seen the creek this full in all my years coming here! (we had a big rain storm on Thursday).
It was dark by the time we got over to Placerville. We were hoping for some more holiday spirit, but it wasn't as decorated as it usually is….We love to go to the amazing old timey Hardware Store. SO much to look at in there!
Our last stop of the day was the cool ice rink in Old Town Folsom. This is just a couple miles from our house and a good place to end the day. There is fun music blasting from the speakers, and a giant Christmas tree right in the center of the rink. Every once in a while they blast out some snow. It's super festive and everyone is having a good time. Also, no cell phones allowed! Isn't that nice?!
Thanks for coming along on our trip! I hope I have put you in the Christmas spirit too! What are your Christmas traditions where you live?? Where do you like to go?? Please share! Have a wonderful week everyone! Not sure if I'll be back here before Christmas. Love to you all! XOXO
SUTTER CREEK CALIFORNIA WEBSITE
Comments
15 responses to “Happy Christmas Week my friends!”
It is always a pleasure to see you and your pics!
Josie at Tomorrows Heirlooms
Thank you for sharing your fun day with us, looks like such an amazing day, I would LOVE it!!! Merry Christmas Wanda!!
What a wonderful journey Wanda ..such sweet and amazing places you visited!!
LOVED it!!
Thanks for sharing!!
Wanda, you just kill me…you come up with the most interesting things…thanks for sharing this. Wish we lived closer…I’d love to visit the area. God bless and you have a blessed Christmas. Hugs, Syl xxxooo
Great photos Wanda. Christmas is the best season of all. Your getting lots of rain. Here in Florida things are bone dry. I looked forward to the poinsettias here and they are wilted and looking starved for water. Merry Christmas my friend.
Thanks for the trip Wanda. Just beautiful pictures! We go to our daughter/SIL’s (40 mins. away) to watch our young grandsons open presents then we drive, another 40 mins. the other way to visit our son/DIL. We take turns each year on hosting Christmas dinner. My DIL is an only child (and her Mom has no other family) so she is having us all for C. dinner this year.
Merry Christmas Wanda to you & your husband!
Your pictures and commentary …..so refreshing!!! Thank you for sharing!!!! Sutter Creek is such a darling city…..and you make it come alive by writing about it in your blog!!! Merry Christmas!!!
Every time you post pictures from one of your day trips (which are always gorgeous!), I think I should recommend a place for you to visit–Quarryhill Botanical Garden in Sonoma. They specialize in plants from Asia. My daughter is the nursery manager there–say hi to Samantha if you go! Have a wonderful Christmas, we are looking forward to spending it with most of my family in SoCal.
What a great and festive day. Thank you for sharing it. Yes, Sutter Creek is such a fun place to visit!
Merry Christmas to you, Mark and Buddy! And make it a super 2017…
Love the photos. This cold weather puts me in the Christmas spirit, too. One year I’d love to visit the Christmas markets in Germany and Austria.
Wow! What beautiful pictures…. You definitely captured the beauty of the town! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow! XOXO
Beautiful photos! Merry Christmas and a very healthy and happy New Year to you and yours Wanda!
I’m wishing for a return visit your way one day, Wanda!! I can’t believe we missed Surter’s Creek in 2014!!! Thanks for sharing … your photography skills are outstanding!! Merry Christmas!!!
:). Michele
My gosh, it is truly like you stepped into another era. Thanks for taking me on your trip with you. I got to see just enough of the sights to feel pleased.
Hubby and I walked around the neighborhood this evening to look at Christmas lights. There were just enough houses decorated to make our walk worthwhile.
We used to live next to this monstrosity called Winterhaven–a neighborhood known for its over the to Christmas decorations so much so that police presence and traffic diversions are required. It used to be fun and quaint, with hayrides, cider and carolers but it has gotten so commercialized over the years and the visitors always leave so much trash in the neighborhood. We’ll remember the good times and be happy we’ve moved away now.
Gorgeous photo essay!! I love seeing pictures from your day trips. I’m from Seattle and every time I see your pics, I think to myself how I’ve got to get down to that part of California.