My Home for the Holidays - {Part I}

I admit I am not one to decorate for every holiday, season, occasion, etc. A few pumpkins (preferably of the white and green variety) for Halloween, a fresh bouquet of white tulips for Easter and I am pretty much set. Christmas, however, is a different story.

Like many people, some of my most wonderful childhood and adult memories are of my family's Christmas traditions. My Mom baked wonderful Norwegian cookies, my grandmother cooked a full course Italian dinner {which took hours to eat} and our entire house was decorated with love. Each ornament on our tree held a memory - a place visited or lived, a childhood school project, a favorite past time or sport, a gift from a cherished friend.

Traditions tie us to the past and help us to remember from where we come. As a Mom, I want to pass these same feelings on to my children. Which is why I make the effort to decorate my home during Christmas. It is the time we spend together as a family that means the most. So over the next few weeks I would like to invite you into my home to share some of my favorite decorating projects.

This week's post features my mantel (seen above) and a simple table top decoration. For several years I have wanted to hang a wreath on a garden gate above my fireplace. I had seen pictures of this done before but had never been able to locate a gate until last week. I am so pleased with how it looks and I am trying to figure out how I can have the gate there all year!
I also made stockings out of white burlap, linen and muslin, with raffia hangers. The round fabric embellishments are called "yo-yo's" and have been used in quilting circles forever. If you can sew, making stockings are a simple and quick project.The second item today is a "peppermint candy stand." Many people have some sort of wire stand in their house similar to mine. I simply outfitted it with a few clear bubble glasses, ornaments, greenery and candy.

My kids love this during the holidays as it is the only time of year I have candy out and on display in my house. They find it fun to sneak a piece while they think I am not looking! (another great memory) I have used this as a centerpiece on my island as well as part of Christmas party dessert table.

Favorite Housewarming Gift

Like most people, I never show up at a party without a gift for the host and hostess. One of my favorite simple holiday gifts is a paperwhite in a vintage tea cup. I purchase the tea cups throughout the year and save them until Thanksgiving. Here is what you do.Supplies:
Paperwhite bulbs, river rocks, tea cups, water and rubbing alcohol, cellophane and raffia
Instructions:

Fill tea cup about 2/3 full with river rocks. Place bulb, root side down, on top of rocks. Fill around the bulb with additional rocks. The rocks help anchor the plant once the roots begin to grow.

Fill tea cup to bottom of bulb with a mixture of 10 parts water to one part rubbing alcohol. The rubbing alcohol will keep the paper white from growing too tall. Place in a sunny location until ready to give. Note - you will have to monitor the water level of your tea cups almost daily.
When ready to attend a party, simply wrap your tea cup with clear cellophane, tie with raffia and add a tag.

Homemade Gift Ideas at Tatertots and Jello

Bag of Tricks

Be sure to grab a copy of Better Homes and Gardens winter edition of 100 Decorating Ideas Under $100. Inside you will find a story on using vintage sacks for many simple decorating projects. I created the roman shade and the small pillow shown in the article.

100 Decorating Ideas Under $100 / Photographer - Michael Partenio

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

The coffee sack roman shade was very easy to make and required a minimal amount of sewing. (Directions are included below.) I think the most difficult part of this project is finding a sack that is close to the right dimensions of your window. If you can't find one wide enough, simply add banding on both sides like was done on this shade. If you are not a sewer, you are better off using a smaller sack and adding banding to it, rather than trying to take apart the sack and make it smaller.

100 Decorating Ideas Under $100 / Photographer - Michael Partenio

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

I also made the small red and black striped feed sack pillow shown below. I closed my pillow with a zipper, but you could also use a needle and thread. Feed sacks can be found in a variety of colors and patterns. Some (like the one shown) even include embroidered initials. Because these sacks are typically fairly long, they will make two or three smaller pillows depending on the size of your inserts.

100 Decorating Ideas Under $100 / Photographer - Michael Partenio

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

100 Decorating Ideas Under $100 / Photographer - Michael Partenio

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

Here are some other photos from the article.

100 Decorating Ideas Under $100 / Photographer - Michael Partenio

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

One of my favorite attributes of vintage sacks is their versatility. If you keep the sack as found, it can be used as a table runner, table topper and a large pillow - no sewing required! I have several sacks in my house that I simply inserted a body pillow and secured the end with a large antique laundry bag pin. This allows me to use the sack for several purposes.

100 Decorating Ideas Under $100 / Photographer - Michael Partenio
Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

 100 Decorating Ideas Under $100 / Photographer - Michael Partenio

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

100 Decorating Ideas Under $100 / Photographer - Michael Partenio

Stylist - Donna Talley, Regional Editor and Producer for Meredith Publications

My previous tablescape post also included a picture of a chair seat that I covered using a vintage sack and my kitchen includes stools covered in vintage sacks. If you have other ideas you would like to share for using vintage sacks I would love to hear them!

My First Tablescape Thursday - Fall Lunch for Two

So excited to participate in my first Tablescape Thursday sponsored by Between Naps on the Porch. I decided to start out simple and pretend I was setting the table for myself and a close friend. Hence the name, "A Fall Lunch for Two." I used only what I already had on hand. To keep things light and airy, I opted for a monotone color palette.
What I used:

Table and chairs - antique oak English dough table from a North Carolina flea market

Chair seat cover - vintage grain sack

Plates - vintage white Independence Ironstone by Interpace

Napkins - linen from Pottery Barn

Flatware - stainless steel by Dansk

Glasses - vintage finds from a yard sale

Small silver salt & pepper shakers - vintage finds from a yard sale

Table runner - made from new linen. To learn how to make one for your table see my tutorial, "A Simple Table Runner."

Glass candle stick and candle - Pottery Barn

This was such a fun project. I will definitely give it another try again some time soon. Please let me know if you have designed a tablescape. I so enjoy seeing the creativity of others.

Home and Store Connection Part II

A few weeks ago I wrote about the connection between my favorite stores and the homes of the people who own them. It seems to me, if I love a store it follows that I also admire the home of the store owner. Such is the case with Genevieve's Home and Garden and store owner Christi Tacy's house.

On my previous post, I featured Christi's newly remodeled bathroom and promised a story on her store's November 6th holiday open house. Unfortunately, my son was sick and I was unable to attend. I did, however, visit Genevieve's yesterday and am happy to share the photographs below of Christi's wonderful shop.

Notice the hand painted plate above the door used for the street number.

Instead of using a traditional wreath, Christi choose an elongated basket filled with fresh greens and accented with a silver glittered "G."

Once inside, there are numerous displays to spark your imagination and creativity. When Christi first opened her store, it occupied one store front. Several years ago, she and her very talented carpenter husband expanded in to the adjoining space by making this gorgeous passage way.The new addition features the original brick walls as well as many of the original details that make buildings like these so special.

Christi's husband also built this wonderful built-in to showcase many of the beautiful items available in the store.

If you would like to visit Genevieve's, it is located at 55 Front Street in Ballston Spa, NY and is well worth the trip.