Becolorful

I'm Slipping - Our Valentine Dinner

We have celebrated Valentine's Day with the same group of friends for the past five or six years. Usually we go to a restaurant but this year we decided to change it up and we all ate here at our home. Everyone contributed something so it was kind of a classed up potluck. :D  I pat myself on the back for having great friends that also know how to cook.

( It didn't hurt that one of our guests is a chef and owns a restaurant)

As for me, I had known about this dinner for about a week but how did it get to be February 14th so fast?

You know I have never claimed to be anything like a cook but I have usually taken some pride in setting the table. For some reason though, this time, I found myself totally unprepared.

Earlier in the month I had added a few Valentine vibed decorations throughout the house and I even had something for the dining room. It never occurred to me to buy something for the table because I didn't think we would be eating at home.

( I hate having the router there on that table but with these old plaster walls it seems like the only place that we can get a good wireless signal. Note to self, find something to disguise it.)

Anyway, the morning of our dinner I discovered that I didn't have any napkins to go with my red table cloth. I also didn't have a plan for the centerpiece. Well, that isn't entirely true. I had this garden like angel made out of stone that I have been planning to paint for maybe two years now. I thought he resembled a Cupid and that I could have him holding a heart or a valentine wrapped box of chocolates or something and he would look very "Cupidesque". I remembered him the morning of our little soiree but I thought he might still smell of spray paint by dinner.   I had to move on to plan B but, damn, he sure looked good in my head.

With only hours to go before our guests arrived, I headed out on a search for red napkins,  fun napkin rings and some sort of centerpiece. I was hoping to find  vibrant pink napkins because I was going for a pink and red palate. I  somehow have a knack, though, for always wanting the odd thing that nobody else wants and as a result the thing that none of the stores stock. I finally settled for a red napkin that blended well with my red table cloth and I found these cheerful napkin rings that leaned a little bit pink at Pier 1. They aren't really Valentine themed but they will be easy to use again and will work well with other colors too.

 

 

I figured the easiest thing that I could do for the centerpiece would be a collection of crystal candlesticks in varying heights but after multiple stops at department and discount stores and still coming up empty handed I had to move on to a plan C.

I was running out of time and I still needed to stop by the store for some champagne. It was there that I spied these pretty tulip plants so I bought two of them. I wasn't sure what I would do with them but, hey, they were on sale, I would make them work somewhere.

I put one on the buffet and created a little vignette.

But what to do about a centerpiece?

I had this plate holder and big glass bowl that I thought I might use. I could float flowers or candles in it.

 

 

Unfortuately the bowl was too shallow to float enough to make much of statement.

Where am I now? Plan D???

Well I decided to take some Valentine ribbon I had on hand, wrap the plate stand with ribbon to create a basket effect and I nested my second pot of $10.00 tulips in the middle and called it done.

 

 

I was cutting it close. I still had to change clothes, clean some veggies, and make the easiest appetizer ever.

Because I had bought the champagne just an hour or so before I was worried about getting it chilled so, of course, I threw it in the freezer for 45 minutes.

I knew I might get distracted and forget it so I set the kitchen timer to remind me to take it out.

The timer apparently went off while I was setting the table. I stopped what I was doing to go move it to the refrigerator.

What I didn't show you is that with all the effort, not to mention the gasoline, that I spent pulling this table together I completely forgot to set out spoons! Guess that is what I was doing when the timer went off.

 

 

Seriously? No spoons? How did I not see that? Yes, I'm slipping.

I remembered to light  candles throughout the house, set up an "In the Mood for Love" playlist, and even made room in the frig for party trays. The only thing I forgot were spoons... kind of a basic.

Funny thing is, my guests never mentioned it. Not one of them.

I think this may be the reason why...

Last night.

This morning. Yes, they are all empty.

My friends weren't just being kind. I don't think any of them noticed.

:D

Hope yours was a Happy Valentine's Day.

xoxo,

p

 

BeColorful Holiday Home Tour Part 2

 

Welcome to the BeColorful Holiday Home Tour Part 2.

Just like Part 1 I am linking this post to the Room by Room Holiday Home Tour over at

Cottage and Vine

If you are like me and like to study and be inspired by beautiful holiday design you will want to stop by her party and view all the fabulous festive flair featured there.

Yesterday  when I linked up the first part of the BeColorful Holiday House Tour I showcased our foyer, living room, dining room and kitchen.

Tonight I am sharing our family room and the adjoining breezeway.

We replaced the tree in the breezeway this year with a white tree and although I love it a fair share of the ornaments from the past didn't show up as well. This tree is also thicker than our previous tree so we are looking a bit under dressed this year. I know it sounds crazy but I am already looking ahead towards next year and what I want to add to this tree next time around. I am calling the tree done for now but next December I will be adding a fabric garland and a bevy of new ornaments I hope to buy on the 26th. 

:0

This though, is the 2011 version starting with our family room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By day

and by night.

 

Coco ushers you into our breezeway. 

 

While Puck plays a Christmas Carol

 

 

The tree is a New Year's Tree complete with martini glasses and shakers, bottles of wine and miscellaneous libations to host in 2012.

:0

Next year, along with the tulle garland, I would like to add some party hats.

 

I don't know which is better looking at it from inside the house 

or from the street.

 

Thank you so much for stopping by. We all love sharing our efforts here and I am so grateful that you took the time to look at mine. I hope you will consider sharing yours at Cottage and Vine and on this week's Motivated Monday.

From our home to yours...Merry Christmas,

P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BeColorful Holiday Home Tour Part 1

Welcome to the BeColorful Holiday Home Tour.

Every month Rene at Cottage and Vine hosts a Room by Room link party and this month she is featuring holiday home tours. I hope you will stop by her blog too because I am sure there will be some divine design and decor ideas there to inspire all of us.

We started updating a few of the rooms on our first floor this year and as a result some of the holiday flair from years past just isn't working as well as it used to. I have edited some pieces out and added a few new ones  but in general this has been a rebuilding year for me. For the most part I'm just making due with what I already had but also making some mental notes of what I need to look for to get ready for this time next year. A home is forever evolving, even at Christmas time. I enjoy moving things around to change things up and some of it came together wonderfully but there are some holes, some things are out of proportion but hey, it will just make next year's post look that much better.

:0

I am so glad you are here. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy.

 

The Foyer

 

 

 

 

 

The Living Room

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Dining Room

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Kitchen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you can stop back tomorrow to see the 

BeColorful Holiday Tour Part 2; the family room, the sun porch and my office.

From our home to yours

Merry Christmas,

P

 

To link up to the BeColorful Motivated Monday post click here.

 

 

Decorating Your Chandelier for Christmas

Decorating our chandeliers for the holidays is nothing new but maybe the WAY we are embellishing them is.

As a new bride I thought I was the queen of style by putting mini candle rings on each arm of our dining room chandy. Actually, my mom had been doing this for years. So really, my holiday flair wasn't even that original. Over the years I added bigger candle rings, then ribbon and garland. Ribbon and garland was my go to method of dressing up the kitchen chandelier for a decade. This year I decided to change it up a bit.

I looked around the internet for some inspiration and I discovered some tried and true methods and a few new ideas too.

I thought this was stunning. I had never thought of decorating our chrystal chandeliers and actually this idea still frightens me a little. Ours are still naked.

This, though, looks like a more doable option.

via examiner.com

Elegantly fun. The mix of traditional and the unexpected always thrills me.

Vintage-Modern

 

If my fixture was white this would be an interesting update.

 

Changing out the shades is an easy way to change it up for the holidays. I especially liked these glam bright green beauties.

Then again, these black and white shades are great all year long but the addition of greenery and those red ornaments dropping down from the underside make it simply perfect.

 

 

Adding these paper hearts could have a modern or old fashioned flavor depending on the shapes and colors you chose.

Some of the chandeliers I discovered were absolutely gorgeous if I only had more time and fewer things around the house that I wanted to embellish.

What a statement this is.

I'd need a floral design crew.

I like how this homeowner took the garland right up the stem of the chandelier.

Very pretty.

Realistically, I needed something a little less time consuming. It hit me when I was a Phelan's last week. They had a light fixture decorated with packages. I loved it. With just the right touch of casual whimsy I knew it would work perfectly in our kitchen.

 

There are those tried and true things we do every year not only to be cost effective but for the whole time management issue too. Every year, though, I  like to look at a few things with new eyes. For me,  it was the time to rethink the kitchen chandy. A new design idea that is both easy and economical, definitely my style.

xoxo,

P

Hollywood Regency Does Halloween

Halloween Glam and The Rest of the Story 

I'll put it out there and say I have never been big on Halloween decorations.

Maybe because so much of it is just so...morbid.

Blood, bats and death aren't things I like to be reminded of.

 I'd prefer to just decorate for Fall because Fall flair is warm and inviting and can be put out a bit earlier and stay up longer than Halloween bling.

So I had basically decided I was going to skip over the ghoulish stuff this year.

  Then I went to Pier 1 and saw a few things that inspired and ultimately caused  me to rethink my earlier buzz kill decision.

 

Lately I have been pulling together a Hollywood Regency meets mid-century vibe in our home.

Typical cutesy or garish Halloween accents were not going to fit into my vision -  for the most part I would have to create my own.

I started with the piano.

I already had the sheet music so all I needed was a mask.

Enter Target. They had several styles of white masks that are meant to be decorated. I just needed it to be white. It was a full mask so I cut it and shaped it up a bit and voila -

a Phantom of the Opera vignette.

Now I need a silver candelabra.

:)

A couple of years ago I introduced you to Carlotta.

She was this great mask that I had found at Pier 1.

I used her as Halloween door candy.

This year I decided to change it up a bit.

I thought about adding her to an antique oil portrait I have in the dining room but I didn't know how to attach her without damaging the painting.

So I did the next best thing.

I had an old frame that I wasn't using so I removed the cardboard backing and spray painted it silver. I reattached the backing to the frame and added a hook in the middle of the backing to hang Carlotta from.

If I didn't have plaster walls I would have just hung her inside an empty frame. Making nail holes in plaster though always seems to be a "whole thing" for me. The cardboard idea was easier.

 

 

 

I also took an old orange faux pumpkin and hit it with a coat of glossy black spray paint and set it up on a small cut glass vase so it would reflect in the top of the chest.

 
For several years I have wrapped my statue of Puck in a lighted garland of autumn leaves.

This year I did the same thing but after the Pier 1 pit stop I retreated from my "buy nothing new" mantra. They just had some amazing glitz. So I folded and bought this great vintage looking veiled hat that gives my statue that fabulous glam touch.

You never know. Maybe I will get invited to a party.

I will be a blingin' witch.

:)

I added another glam nod in the foyer.

This is my edited take on Halloween.

Just a simple black mask on a stack of white books.

Sometimes that is all you need.

In the kitchen I decided to fore-go the usual garland of faux Fall leaves and opted instead for a garland of green and amber beads that I typically wind through a centerpiece on the dining room table.

Cheers to mixing things up.

So as long as I was at it, I decided to pull out the rest of my Halloween stuff.

After going through what I had I have decided to get rid of a lot of it.

One tub for Halloween. That is my goal.

Most of the older pieces have a more humorous and whimsical vibe but I knew I could use them in the more casual rooms of the house. I would just use them in new or different ways.

 

- A runner folded over and tucked under the base of the clock. 

 

A pair of crows hanging around the bird cage.

I had to do two because of an old nursery rhyme that says,

"One is for sorrow. Two is for mirth"

I am highly superstitious.

:)

 

I always like to bring out my toast to Oz pieces. This time I popped a bit of color under them with some pink and orange striped placemats.

 

This look is just an old witch's hat,

shoes that I found at a consignment shop

 

and a snow globe from Hobby Lobby.

Instead of a photo, I inserted what I think of as the perfect Halloween quote.

The haunted house was relocated from its usual roost in the foyer to a window ledge here in the family room.

My no named witch made another appearance

 

and this side table took on a bit of Halloween spirit too.

 
So I hope it will all fit in one big tub.

^?^

Whatever, I need to call it done and move on.

I only have five weeks until The Traveling Door.

OMG. So not ready.

TaTa...

xoxo,

P

linking up my Halloween Nod here:

 

 

Motivated Monday October 3 - Flaunt Your Fall Flair

Welcome to the Flaunt Your Fall Flair Motivated Monday Linky Party.

Before we get started, though, I wanted to share with you these fun features from last week just in case you missed them.

From the oh-so-informative post from Carol Anne over at

Use the Good Dishes

that gives us the total 411 in this two part series of everything you never knew but should know about sheets. Whether you are just new to this whole setting up house thing or you have been doing it for decades, I guarantee you will learn something new here.

Want to learn how to make your own personalized ribbon for gifts?

Be sure and check out Carrie's post at

Project Possessed

 

 

If you have a printer the options are limitless.

 

There were several submissions featuring window treatments.

Sandi, over at 

Making It Homey

showed us her bedroom update with some embedded links to some of her other up dos in this space.

I love that she brought in a bit of color here.

Ashley from

Domestic Imperfection

also did a drapery update and you know I am a sucker for chevron.

How great is this look?

 

Switching it up a bit, I was amazed by all the thought and colorful creativity that went into this absolutely darling birthday party for a gorgeous little guy named Luke. Looking for colorful and fresh party and party decor ideas? Be sure and stop by to see all the fun with Christa at

Life With Luke

Then the post that just wowed me from the get go  was this great costume creation

idea with a detailed and easy to follow tutorial submitted by

Twin Dragonfly Designs

Seriously? This just made me laugh out loud.

If you own a smart phone or ipad you know all about

Angry Birds.

My husband plays this game like it is his job.

:)

This creative mom didn't stop here though.

Oh no, look at the whole line up.

This just cracked me up.

I remember how I would lay awake at night thinking up Halloween costumes for our kids. I thought it was so much cooler to make them than cop out and buy something from WalMart or Target. I would pat myself on the back and tell myself what a stellar mom I was. Then, it happened, just like it did with the birthday cakes, my kids BEGGED me for a costume from the store and not something I whipped up in my head late at night. So sad. Oh well, it was easier. 

Anyway, loved this. Loved them all.

Thanks to everyone that linked up last week.

This week I thought we would show off our fall flair here at Motivated Monday.

Motivated Monday April 17th and Welcome Spring

 

 

 

Welcome Spring and another Motivated Monday

I can't believe that April is already half way over.

Just today did I finally start pulling out some of my spring decor.

The snow covered berries weren't cutting it anymore ...

even in Iowa.

It is so fun to change up the looks of our rooms for the different seasons but Spring is probably my favorite.

It is where I can layer all of the florals and bright colors that I obviously embrace.

I feel like the house comes alive after its winter hibernation.

I'm not finished but here are just a few of the tweaks I made to our home today

to welcome Spring.

This breezeway or sun porch is an easy place to let the Spring flair fly.

 

I leave these lamps out all year but I especially like them this time of year.

 

 

 

Our family room is also easy to flamboyantly dress for Spring.

 

Sometimes it is as easy as changing out the throws and pillows.

 

 

 

 

I also like changing up my statue of Puck in this room with the holidays and seasons.

Some day I will have to post about that. :)

Sorry for the blurry photo.

I'm not sure what happened here.

I'm also hoping he doesn't look like a Playboy Bunny.

:)

That was not the look I was going for.

 

I have been so busy getting ready for The Traveling Door Market that is coming up in a couple of weeks that I need to keep my decorating change up simple this time.

An Easter topiary complete with a bonnet was an easy way to welcome Spring in the dining room.

 

Seasonal change ups, they're a fun way to express your creativity.

Feel free to Link up whatever you are proud of or motivated by today but if you have done some Spring shake ups at your place too, well, I'd love to see them.

 

 

 

Christmas Home Tour 2010

I was pretty stoked when I read the Rene at Cottage and Vine would be hosting a Holiday Home tour. I love Christmas, homes, and Christmas home decor so what could be better than that?

I have been taking pictures for various posts here at BeColorful so there are some images that you may have seen before but also some new ones.

I will try to let the images speak for themselves with as little commentary as possible because I know that with Christmas less than a week away, none of us have time to read. 

"Just show me the images", I get it. :0

So here we go.

Merry Christmas to you from the Linden House.

Welcome. Please come on in.

The foyer.

 

 

The library and the reader tree.

 

 

The living room which is in the throws of a redo and we are just making do in here for  this season.

 

 

 

The dining room.

 

 

Family Room.

 

 

The Breezeway.

 

 

The Kitchen

 

Thanks for taking the time to stop in.

I always appreciate your visits.

I hope you will also have time to view some of the other 2010 Christmas Home Tours at Cottage and Vine.

                            

 

See you over there.

XOXO,

P

Christmas Style at Mom's Place

Welcome to my mom's home –

This three foot Santa is the first thing to greet you when you enter through the front door at my mom's place.

She bought him probably ten years or so ago in the Amana Colonies.

She had three of these exquisite bearded guys but when my dad became ill  she eventually decided to downsize to a condo and opted to only keep the smallest one of the three.

His friendly face has welcomed me for so many years now that he feels like one of the family.

 

My mom has a wonderful sense of style.

I love it when we decorate together but I am unfortunately always offering up an unsolicited opinion. Consequently, I'm afraid I have eroded her design confidence.

She really doesn't need my direction. She does a wonderful job all by herself.

Yes, my mom really has it going on. :)

We have made it a tradition to decorate her place together and we have so much fun doing it.

This year we spent two days pulling everything together.

Maybe not steady decorating. Hehe.

We did stop for a couple shopping diversions, dinner and martinis.

The first day though, I didn't get home until 2 in the morning!

My mom has quite a bit of party in her. :0

The other night  I thought I would go over to her place and take some pictures of our efforts for a new Spaces to Inspire installment here at BeColorful.

My mom had a party to go to that night but I went ahead and had fun taking photos of some of my favorite decorations and things that are just so representative of her style.

 

I would describe her look as traditionally elegant. 

I love her Nativity.

 

It is made of alabaster and the detailing is amazing.

In the past we have elevated some of the figures and placed twinkle lights and a gauzy fabric underneath them but this year we kept it simple.

The figurines are so beautiful. They don't need an embellished setting.

They can definitely stand out on their own.

 

I love the look and color of the alabaster.

These pieces are timeless and would look as stunning in an ultra contemporary home as they do here.

The simplicity of her holiday decor ends there though.

Simple is not a word I would use to describe my mom.

My mom loves anything that sparkles or shimmers. 

She apparently passed that trait down to me and to her granddaughter too. :)

If it reflects light, we all love it.

Look at the bling she pulled together for her coffee table.

 

You may recognize the mirrored trees. They were from Target this season.

There is a bit more  of this  tree theme glitz on the server.

Moving into the den, she showcases her pared down collection of Byers Choice Carolers. 

 

The room has one long wall of bookcases that make it easy to stage caroler vignettes,

including this one of A Christmas Carol.

Mom has also had these Christmas geese for a number of years and I always love unpacking them.

 

 

I always enjoy their casual elegance.

 

She put her mirror tricks to work in this space too.

 

 

This is my favorite room and I love these two chairs.

 

I am gaga for anything black and white.

Mom also has an affinity for faux dogs. Too bad she can't have a real one in the condo.

She only has the two but this one, named Chablis, is especially noteworthy.

Chablis doesn't shed, drool, or need to be taken outside. :0

 

Let me show you her dining room.

She added a few new items here this year.

 

The wreath on the table with the scattered "diamonds"

 

and the matching garland that we draped in the chandelier came from Brucemore.

 

 

This glittering circle of branches came from the same museum store.

They have gorgeous things.

 

We placed the branches in front of a wall of mirrors.

The effect is spectacular but it makes for a difficult photo.

 

Initially we weren't sure where to display these sparkling twigs but then opted for this arrangement.

We bought an inexpensive wreath at Michael's, draped some lights on it and then nestled the branches in the center.

What is the whole thing sitting in?

Well, actually, that is a baptismal font from the old church.

My brother was baptized in this font so I love it that my mom has this piece in her home.

I always think that those unconventional items, especially if they have a history, are what make a room and a home more interesting.

Christmas can even be found in Mom's bedroom.

From the red amaryllis wreath hanging on the mirrored bedroom door

to the red walls, sparkling disco ornaments and white Christmas tree, this room is quintessentially Carol.

She has a remote on the tree so she can climb into bed and admire the tree before falling asleep.

When she's ready she can turn the tree off and never get up. Love that.

Not only is she beautiful and creative but a smart one too.

 

Mom, I had so much fun pulling this year's holiday look together with you.

It's a lot of work for both of us but you make it fun.

So how should we deck out your place for Valentines? :)

xoxo,

P

 

 

A Little Christmas in the Kitchen

Welcome to our kitchen.

I realized I have featured our colorful family room and dining room on Becolorful several times and I have done numerous posts about my living room decisions but I have never shared a post of our kitchen.

 

Our home is almost 100 years old but the kitchen has only looked like this for the past five or six years.

It took six months to complete.

That, though,  is a whole other post when I have more time and daytime lighting.

When we took on this project I wanted to have a look in keeping with the age of the house so I stuck with the white cupboards and dark countertops.

I have never regretted it and I would do it all over again.

The beauty of white kitchen is it is so easy to change out with the seasons.

 

I have kept the decor simple and minimal in here.

It's a matter of taste but to me a de-cluttered kitchen looks clean.

So I added just a few holiday touches.

Some have been with us for years -

like these Norwegian candles in the windows.

They are a nod to my heritage and a look that just feels like home to me.

 

They have these little halos that clip on over the bulbs that make them glow like that.

( Can I just say I love how this photo turned out. I'm not that good. Sometimes things just accidentally work out)

 

I bought these candelabras years ago at Vanberia in Decorah, Iowa but it something they carry every year.

Garland is always an easy touch to make the chandelier feel festive.

 

This year I just added two long and narrow tin candle holders to the table but I'm thinking maybe it is too minimalist and that I could use a splash of color here.

 

I think I like last years look a little bit better.

 

I put  six trees  up in the house this year.

Some of them are smaller like this one in the kitchen window.

 

It is just a little tree from Target that I stuck in a clay pot I had painted to match the poinsettia embellished cosmo glasses. :)

 

The tree is decorated with Sticks ornaments.

If you are unfamiliar with Sticks, it was started by an artist from Des Moines. She began her career by  painting Nativities and has grown her business into a thriving corporation that sells one -of -a -kind pieces all over the world.

You can see and read more about Sticks here.

Their ornaments are pretty pricey. A full size tree would break me so this smaller version is a good way to incorporate one of my favorite styles into our Christmas look.

 

 

So you know I picked up the kitchen before I took these photos, right?

Well I had to show this though.

It is tucked over in the corner by the toaster.

Why put it away?

It was looking pretty tempting.

:)

I just love how Sam's gets us in the holiday spirit.

The vodka plus the cranberry juice was cheaper than the vodka alone!

Gotta love that. :)

 

If you haven't linked up your holiday decor to Motivated Monday I hope you will take the time to share some of your festive flair.

I can always use some new inspiration.

Click here to link up and then scroll down to the end of the post.

Let your festive flag fly!

        XOXO,

     P

There are so many great Holiday decorating parties out there this week but I will be linking up with these:

 

 

 

 

The Memory Tree and A Holiday Motivated Monday Link Party

 

Ah Christmas.

I love it all.

The glitz.

The lights.

Have you met me?

My given and middle names are Sparkle and Glitter.

Plus there are just so many great decorating options and fun themes out there.

I just couldn't stop with one tree.

So I have several.

The family room tree, though, is my favorite and not because of how it looks but for the stories it holds.

I do think it is fun to look at though too.

 I never worked to have any real theme to this tree.

My daughter calls it "The Tree That Threw Up Christmas."

Just about anything goes here.

Well, not really. 

The kid ornaments are not here.

They are boxed up and under the kid's beds.

Most of them are just too cutesy and a few are downright tacky.

There I said it.

Don't hate me.

Applaud me for having the courage to say I can love my kids but not want their crap on this tree.

Well, I do have this one though.

 

Look at that sweet face.

Looks can be deceiving.

I hide this little angel made at church on the back side of the tree.

Still, it is one that never fails to make me smile.

I think it gave me hope. :)

There were some dark days when I wondered if either he or I would make it.

This is the kid that decided to make a movie of the inside of the microwave.

He thought the image from the camera going round and round would be pretty cool.

So he put the video camera in there and then turned the microwave on so the turntable would rotate.

It probably would have made an interesting video if either the camera or the oven had survived.  

They didn't.

True story.

So that is what I mean when I say this is the tree where memories come to roost.

Most of them are less violent. :)

 

The handmade bell was from a past neighbor that I have lost touch with.

We were both into needlepoint and cross stitch.

Wow that seems like a lifetime ago.

I miss her.

This one was also given to me by a friend years ago.

We have been friends for thirty years so I have several from her.

Love you Lynnie.

 

I got this trendy ornament from a new friend last year.

Thanks Kathy. Love you too. You just so get me and my passion for Peace symbols. :)

 

 

This red bell was my very first Radko ornament.

I bought it in 2001 at a Tuesday Morning.

I didn't even know what Radko was back then.

I do now and these were a real steal.

 

We were supposed to go to New York City that fall but after 9-11 we rescheduled our trip.

We went in 2002 and I bought this Radko of Times Square to commemorate our time there and to celebrate the resilience of our country.

 

I love the vintage look of this silver tree ornament from Galena.

Some how I just never tire of this tree or its glitz.

It stays fresh because I inevitably break a few ornaments every year and I add or receive a few new ones.

I have always put up the tree by myself.

I don't know how that happened.

I think I like it that way.

I may have control issues.

There are so many ornaments now though and so many stories.

Because I always decorate the tree by myself I am the only one that knows the history behind each bauble.

Just so you know what a geek I really am, I will let you know that I keep these ornaments in individual boxes and then write on the box where they came from and what year I got them.

I know. Really? Who does that?

Me. :)

It's easier and less painful than making my kids listen to the story behind each one.

 They have their own ugly ass ornaments under the beds. Remember?

 

 

I will be keeping this Linky party up all week so bring it on.

Show me your holiday glitz and glitter.

xoxo,

P

In the meantime I am also sharing this post here:

Beribboned Tree Toppers

 

I am part of a group of five women artisans that call ourselves The Traveling Door.

We put on an event twice a year.

We don't have a permanent venue so we painted and embellished an old door and we use it as our logo and our signage for our events.

We each work in different mediums and I usually show my painted furniture and altered or functional art pieces.

This time the sale was scheduled for November so I thought a few holiday items like these tree toppers would be a fun addition.

 

 

I saw something similar to this last year but then I couldn't find it again so I had to just go with my own version.

I purchased several tree toppers from the Hob Lob and then took them to the next level.

I embellished them with lots of ribbon streamers and topped them with stars, flowers, or globes.

 

 

I had fun adding some bling to the ribbons in the form of bells, balls, and Christmas lights.

 

 

I tried using a fabric glue to adhere the ribbons but in the end resorted to a hot glue gun.

I would then finish off the inside of the topper with another piece of ribbon.

This size topper is pretty on a full size tree but if you live in an apartment or if space is an issue, they look fantastic on a table top version. The ribbons come to the bottom branches of a smaller tree and it is all the decor they need.

Simple. 

Love that.

I do have a lot of ribbon left over. 

I am not a detail person and never took the time to do the math.

Even if I had, I suck at numbers so I  probably still would not have gotten that part right.

I'll use a lot of the overstock for gift wrapping but some I may incorporate into some mobiles I'm thinking of doing for the spring sale.

Thanks Courtney for that idea. :)

I'm already dreaming about decorating for Christmas.

How about you?

I will be hosting a Motivated Monday Deck the Halls party here at   be colorful on Monday the 6th of December so take some pictures of your holiday decor and share them here.

I will be linking up today's post here:

 

Pillow of the Week #4 Valentine Decor

Valentine decor doesn't have to be limited to just reds and pinks. These whimsical heart shaped pillows could make your heart skip a beat all year long. One, two or all three and you can find them here.

If you are dressing you home for love this week then you might also want to check out this clever idea for your front door that I saw on Garden Web.

 

They just took two melamine plates from Target and some ribbon and a hanger. What I like about a decoration like this is that it doesn't take up a lot of storage room when Valentines is over. Next year you could reuse it the same way or place the plates on window ledges or book shelves for a splash of holiday fun.

I didn't hang my altered art door candy on the front door. It found a home on an interior door but I did tweak the winter arrangement on my entrance door with a bit of Valentine flair. 

 

I just added some scrapbook paper to these metal hearts that I cut out from a project we did in my mom's kitchen that I will write about soon. I attached straightened wire hangers to the hearts and tied on various lengths of ribbon to the base of each heart. The LOVE heart is actually from a box of stationery that caught my eye because of the black and white graphics but you could replicate this with chipboard letters or stencils or some other decoration all together.

PS. My door is screaming for a new coat of paint and I am ready to change it out... another future post. I will probably be heading back to Amanda's Decorating Dilemmas but I would heart your suggestions for a door color to dazzle this big old white house.

One more thing - I am linking up with The Inspired Room a blog I have followed for several months now. She has a fun blog party of Inspirations of the week. I have never participated before but I thought that the door candy I saw on Garden Web prompted me to take action with my own front door. I guess that qualifies as an inspiration. Check out other inspirations of the week at The Inspired Room by clicking here.

 

 

Bringing In A Brand New Year

From our home to yours, wishing you a Happy, healthy, and peaceful 2010.

 

 

Holiday Hint #3 ~ Think Multiples

One of the easiest ways to add impact to your decorating is by thinking in multiples. I learned this at a design seminar a number of years ago. I was going to buy one ceramic piece but when the designer showed me how much more dramatic it looked she put three of them together I became a convert to the multiples theory. Yes, sometimes more IS more.

Like here -

 

and here -

 

and here -

 

Now things don't always need to be in groups of three. I guess it just worked out that way with these photos. Sometimes I would love to have more but three is all I can find. I do usually like to have odd numbers of things, though, if I am doing a grouping. 

I saw a great post a month or so ago at Thrifty Chick and it was love at first sight. She took multiples to the max. I love the understated elegance of this look.  To pull this look together I bought a mirror at Target and raised it  with some boards then trimmed the edge with with silver ribbon to match the frame so it looked like it had more depth. The candles reflect prettily on the mirrored surface but it was a lot of light with the crystal chandelier above so I toned it down with a metallic gauze fabric.  Now my table doesn't look at fabulous as hers but for the sake of this post I had to call it done. I will be looking for more cylinders and I'm thinking I need some big fat ones to add to my centerpiece along with a few more ornaments and a bit more greenery.

  
At least I have a start on a great idea. I might have to have a follow up on this later. We will call this the before picture. Do notice the mesh that I wrapped around the cylinders - more on that tomorrow.

 

 

Willow Lights Work Their Magic

Easy Holiday Decorating Tip #2

 These willow lights rock my world. They make holiday decorating so simple. You just plop them in a vase or container, add a few twigs or greens and voila! Instant holiday happiness. 

I like using things I already have and manipulating them to reflect the season. It makes decorating simpler and it means less for me to worry about storing until next year. 

For this arrangement I used a silver champagne bucket that my dad gave me years ago. You could use these pre-lit branches in a container by themselves if you had enough of them but that might make for a costly arrangement. You could also easily add them to real or faux branches, berries, or greens to make a winter statement that doesn't scream Christmas and is pretty enough to carry you through those post Christmas decorating doldrums until you can break out your Valentine flair. The lights I found are made by The Light Garden and you can find them here I bought my branches at a local gift shop  but I was so excited when  my MIL gave me a second set. They come in two sizes. These in the picture above are the smaller ones. The second set that I have is  a bit taller and I think they cost around $40.00. They give off such a nice soft light though that they are worth every penny

They take an arrangement from this

to a wonderland nighttime effect like this.

  

Five Faves to Make the Holidays Fabulous

1.The no tree look.

This week my goal is to do a daily post sharing my favorite finds to make your holiday just a bit easier and a tad bit more fabulous. My recommendation for Monday is this amazingly lush and pre-lit garland from Frontgate. This is the first year that I decked out this archway. When I first got the idea I looked at the Frontgate catalog and thought their garland was beautiful but having not an ounce of patience I decided to check out what I could buy locally. I purchased a garland from a local big box home improvement store and it cost me $50.00 for eighteen feet. It looked great in the box but I was really disappointed when I took it out and hung it. I mentioned it to a friend that thankfully had been a little over zealous in ordering her garland - from Frontgate. She had two extra boxes and she told me they were beautiful. She was right. Even before I "fluffed" them they looked amazing. Thanks Teresa. 

I had hobbled our pre=lit living room tree through the past couple of seasons and decided last January that it really wasn't worth saving. I  thought seriously about replacing it but when I would think about hauling it up and down the stairs and how much space it takes to store such a large tree I knew it was time to opt for something simpler. Still, I had a lot of ornaments that I wasn't ready to part with so I found new ways to use them. Some of them went on the tabletop tree in the library. Which as I look at this picture I notice it sorely needs something cooler at the base. Next year for sure. Isn't it funny how you notice more in a picture than in real life?

 

Still other ornaments went on a wreath.

 

The rest are scattered in bowls, on top of candlesticks and I found this fun idea for some of them at Living With Lindsey.

 (Lindsey's photo)

What remained I used to deck out my Frontgate garland. So much easier to put up and store than that fat tree. The hardest part of this project was hiding nails in plaster wall and wood that is so old it seems to have petrified. 

 

 
  I must be getting older or wiser or both. I am still looking for some wow but with a lot less effort. 

 
 

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Now that the Thanksgiving holiday is already behind us I am looking forward to tackling the not so insignificant task of decorating for Christmas. As I am packing away my ambers, browns and golds and pulling out the numerous totes of greens and reds I have time to reflect back on yesterday.

I have a lot to be thankful for. Yes, there were some empty places at our table and we will miss those loved ones forever but all of our babies are well and safe and two of them were with us.

 

 
 

How lucky am I?   I am married to the kind of guy that chips right in and helps  to make the day a relaxing and enjoyable one for all of us. One of my favorite times of the day is when we are alone and we are cleaning up after our big meal. We  are able to bond over the private jokes, concerns and the pride we share for our family.

 He's not mad, just concentrating while cooking :>) 

 My mom was also here to complete my family circle and like the rest of us she knows how to tell a good story. We had some real belly laughs and some great food. I sometimes think I could easily downsize and have a home with out a dining room, but when it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas I am also thankful for all of the space this big old house offers up. It is the space and the home I always dreamed of and when it fills up with the people I love I know that I am truly living the dream. Wow, I'd better stop or you'll all be hating on me. :) Does it help if I tell you that 2/3 of my Christmas tree will not light up? It's true.

 Thank you too for Liz who has taught me to have my camera handy so I never forget these days and thank you to James for taking this picture for me.

 

 

Goodnight Carlotta

I can't believe that Halloween has come and gone and it is already November. October was like a movie played in fast forward. Now with Halloween over I am starting to focus on Thanksgiving. Just like Christmas, I don't like Halloween decorations up after the holiday has passed. It's just so 2008. I find that looking at them after the holidays is like looking at my rumpled party clothes the morning after or the dinner table after a big meal. It's a bit of a let down.

Unlike Christmas, packing away the holiday remnants is a breeze. I have one large tub dedicated to Halloween specific items and another for fall flair. I seem to be better about using or tweaking what I have with a few small additions instead of the reams of chotchkies that tempt me and follow me home from the store at Christmas. I bought this very cool mask,though, and named it Carlotta.  Naming her is weird. I know. Anyway, I bought her late in the month at Pier 1. I probably paid too much because I bought her a day before their Halloween sale but I knew if I waited that she would be gone. I'm kind of sad to pack her away but how fun will it be to open up my tote next fall and greet her again. She will be my head start on next year's festivities. So good night Carlotta and Happy November to all. 

Bringing Oz Home for Halloween

 

 

Republishing this Halloween post from last year at Sunday Favorites.

I thought it was timely one year later.

 

I'm not exactly big on decorating for Halloween but I decided to try adding a little something different to the mix this year. I don't like decorations that take up a lot of room because I don't know where to store them and I don't like to spend a lot of money on these types of things but I had this hat from my "Blinging Witch" costume a few years ago and when I saw these shoes at a consignment store last week the idea bulb went on in my head.

 

I apologize to the person that bought them thinking they were cute and then I use them as witch shoes... yikes, hope she doesn't read this blog. :)

I thought it would be fun to have a little vignette that looked like the Wicked Witch of the West had set her things here so I added some Halloween socks and placed the three items on this table. It still wasn't working. I decided the hat needed height so it is on a wreath stand that is wrapped with a gift wrapped paper towel holder.

 

There was still something missing. I knew what I needed was a snow globe, but where would I find one of those that had a Halloween theme? I had an Ah ha moment and remembered that in the scrapbooking department at Hobby Lobby they had empty globes that you are supposed to put a picture in.  I couldn't decide - a picture of the witch or her words. In the end I went with the quote from the story.

So there it is an easy to store and unusual Halloween nod for less than $25.00.