WOW!

Has it really been that long since I posted?

But I've had so much to say.

Apparently, I've had even more to do.

Please join me at my new blog 

The Haves and the Have Nuts!

It's there where I chronicle the adventures of living with teenagers.

I hope to spend more time blogging here about gardening and decorating but the REAL stuff will be with my nutty haves. Thanks for following me in the past. I hope to entertain you in the future. 

2012 Spring Garden

Transitioning from early spring to summer . . .

 Poppies which were a start from my good friend, Jane.

My companion - waiting patiently for me to pick her some catnip which is nearly outgrowing its space behind her.

 Iris, all of which was transplanted from our old house, my grandmother's garden, or a garden which was being plowed under - can you imagine?!?!

 Yes, it is a rose, "Peace Rose" I believe. It was a mother's day gift from my daughter. It is just growing low enough to appear as though it is blooming on the catnip.

Apparently not wanting to get her paws wet in the morning dew as I ventured further out into the garden, she watched me from her perch. (Actually, given her personality, she probably didn't care at all what I was doing and may have just been watching birds.)

My Christmas Crayons

 We're all busy coloring our house with Christmas and I'm no exception.  We put up six trees; five artificial and one live.  I'm only showing three today as the other three are in each of the kids' rooms and they are not fit for public viewing.  First up, the "Fir in the Foyer."  I only wish pictures could capture the beauty of these trees.  Maybe it's the photographer, but they just look so much more lovely and sparkly in person.  I decorate this tree with prisms and ornaments made from crystal, glass, silver colors, and gold colors so they are all sparkly and refract the lights. 

Many of the ornaments on this tree were selected for their iridescence or brilliance, but several have special meaning, including the little couple in the gift box just below.  It is a "First Christmas Together" ornament by Enesco Precious Moments given to us by my mother the first year we celebrated Christmas as a married couple in 1987. It's "precious."  Our family room tree coming up below has all the other "precious" ornaments.

I  love these sparkly white swans - - a mama and her three babes - - just like in our house.  I couldn't find their Daddy, unfortunately.  Usually one of our kitties is sleeping under the tree, filling in for the missing Daddy.  Things are a bit more rosy for my three babes.  The kitties don't have to step up.

I recently painted the formal living room and dining room a grayish/silver color (metamorphosis post here) and am loving the lighter, more sophisticated look of the rooms.  I'm able to pair the new color with purple this Christmas season, a seldom used color from my crayon box. 

The dining room

I am enjoying the new bright color on the walls in these two rooms with the purple as the accent.

I have some work to do in this hutch.  Since I only recently painted, I'm still enjoying the Blue Willow against the new back drop and have been procrastinating about changing it out for the Spode Christmas Tree china.  But, I'll do that soon as I really enjoy seeing and using those dishes too, and having the opportunity one month a year isn't quite enough.

Gold and silver balls in different sizes add a simple touch above the windows in the kitchen.

I'm not thrilled with the way the sideboard in the kitchen turned out, but I needed a place for the nativity.  I have to work on this space so that it makes more of a statement. Then I need to take a better picture. I just read a post at Centsational Girl about photography basics for bloggers. For any of you who are new/inexperienced like me at taking pics for a blog, I urge you to spend a few minutes reading it here.

This more traditionally decorated live tree in the family room.  This is my favorite tree as it has all the ornaments we've collected over the years either as gifts from people who mean so much to us, some from places we've traveled, some made by sweet chubby little fingers when the kids were small, and the list goes on.  Every ornament has a special meaning.  There is the angel I found when shopping at antique stores with my daughter, the ornament that matches my blue willow my Mom gave me from her trip to George Washington's estate at Mt. Vernon, ornaments from my Grandmother's estate, and many many others with unique, special meaning.  I know that all of you have the same ornaments.

The mantel in the family room has my collection of Santas.

And that it is for now.  I'll be back with the nutcracker collection, a Spode Christmas Tree tablescape and, hopefully, an enhanced nativity display.

Merry Christmas.

Purple Passion

I'm so excited to join the 12 Days of Holiday Projects for Blue and Purple since I just updated my dining room and formal living room from red to shades of blue and purple and have been able to decorate with purple this season.  

It was, however, with great trepidation, hesitation, and doubt that I painted over the red walls as I loved them, especially at Christmas as viewed below in a picture from Christmas last year.  The metamorphosis is at this post.




But, I am having so much fun decorating with purples this year and they look super against the new backdrop of blue/gray walls that I hardly miss the red at all.  It just feels so fresh and updated.

On the sideboard I mixed three purple sparkly cone trees with old pieces of silver we received the first couple of Christmases after we were married many years ago.  I like the tarnished, aged, look and haven't polished them in years.  I think it softens the more modern feel the rooms have taken on since I painted them and since I am traditional at heart, it's a blend of old and new for me.

I've intentionally kept it simple this year to emphasize the elements that really make the statement.  As such, you will notice there are no candles on my candlesticks and very little adorning the mantel in this room.

Another image of the fireplace and you can see how the mirrored candlesticks and lidded trinket box reflect the lights throughout the area.  They also catch and reflect the sunlight in the mornings when it is so peaceful and pleasant in these two rooms.

I've kept it simple in the adjoining living room too and used shades of purple to contrast the walls. 

Forgive the photography.  My skills aren't great to begin with and with all these mirrored surfaces, it's hard not to get a glare.

.

I was so happy to find these pillows that look great with the Christmas decorations, but will look good all year too.  Now I just need to find the right window treatments. THAT is going to be a challenge for me. Window treatments always feel like such a permanent investment and I just don't trust my decorating skills enough to single handidly take the plunge.

Joining the party at Twelve Days of Holiday Projects: Blue/Purple here.

and

Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday party


  

and No Minimalist Here Holiday Dining Party here where there's also a fab giveaway.