band was undergoing a long battle with cancer .
She needed an outlet for the stress and worry , so she started making decorative deer by wrapping deer forms with strings of gold beads , attaching them with hot glue . It was a tedious process .
“ Those were some trying times ,” Johnston remembered . “ It was just something to keep my mind and my hands busy . That is probably the beginning on my decorating .”
In 2006 , Johnston married her second husband , James Johnston , and moved to Clinton . He died following complications from open heart surgery in 2010 , and she moved home to be closer to her children and grandchildren .
Johnston likes to have her Christmas trimmings on full display before Thanksgiving . To help kick off her decorating , her family comes over for dinner and to help bring down all of the boxes from the attic .
“ About the end of October , I will cook a big pot of vegetable soup and cornbread and we have a ‘ box down night ,’” she said . “ If you cook , they will come . It is sort of a tradition with us . “ All of my children and grandchildren come and after we visit and get through eating , they help me get the boxes down and I stack them in the garage and work out of each box .”
Her great-grandchildren are amazed at all of different ornaments and
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