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Thursday, December 31, 2015

Christmas Vignettes by my friend Jill

My friend Jill has a wonderful talent.  She is a master at creating holiday magic in her home. This is her last Christmas in this home of over 20 years, as she is building her dream home in the Carolinas and will move this year.   I love to stroll thru her home during the holidays, as I am always inspired by her vignettes.   Here are some pictures that I captured of her home this season.



Enter the front porch by a beautiful arrangement of fresh holiday greens.
 

Fresh boughs of greens and needlepoint pillows on the bench, welcome every guest.




Enter the large foyer, with the beautiful arrangement on the table by the stairs.
 
Notice the grouping of ornaments and candles at the base- layer upon layer of holiday delight.

 


 


 Enter the living room- decorated in neutrals.
 
 



 
Santa in a silver compote- enhanced by silver branches and ornaments.



Rhinestone embellished gilded pears lay in beds of rhinestone coral.
 




 
A masterful display of cement sheep, natural greens and embellished boxes!




 

 
In to the dining room, where tartan prevails.  An old tartan throw is used as the tablecloth.

 
 


 A beautiful arrangement of fresh greens share the table with Jan Barboglio candlelit vessels.
 
 
Frosted kale, grapes and velvet pumpkins are assembled to create this beautiful tapestry of color on the dining room sideboard.

 
 




Carrying on with the tartan theme in the kitchen and family room, Jill's collection of antique tartanware is showcased in this vignette.


 
The fireplace is ready with stockings made from vintage throws and antique fur collars. 
A stack of tartan throws to snuggle in by the fire.



 
Brown transferware in the antique pine cupboard is joined by a collection of chalkware Santas.









 
Jill's collection of handmade Santa's, has been assembled through the years. 

I love the face on this guy!  Notice the tartan scarf and the great crest pin.
 
 
 
 


To the kitchen island display-






 
The butler pantry display- chalkware angels and Santas with vintage compotes and old silver.
 

 
To the pine dining table in the kitchen! 

 
Tartan tea towels mixed with vintage monogrammed white towels- so pretty!

 
 
As I walked through Jill's house,  memories came flooding back to me.  We have been friends for over 30 years.  Annual Christmas shopping expeditions to favorite haunts were one of our favorite things to do together.  So I remember where and when most of these decorations were found.  Trips to Marshall Fields State Street Christmas Shop ,  Peachtree Place, Kimball and Bean's annual holiday event, trips to Nell Hill's and Hall's Department store in Kansas City, trips to Geneva and Sentimental Gardens,  Monchee Farm in Wisconsin, and of course, the over the top Christmas at Romancing the Home.  As we both complete our homes in the Carolina's this year,  I only wonder what we will find there.  A whole new world awaits our discovery!   I am so lucky to have a friend so dear! 
 
Happy New Year and Merry Christmas! 

8 comments:

Jill said...

Susan,You surely can make it all look better than I feel it is!-- I found myself reflecting too on each of these components as I put them out this year. These are the edited pieces of Xmas trim that I will take with me to our new home in SC!-- I realized how much of these favorites were found when I was with Friends ( mostly Susan And my sister Nancy!I am sure that is very much why these are my treasures!--- they help represent the fun and friendship during the find!!--- thanks to Susan for capturing in photos those finds and for beng such a great friend!-- I so look forward to our next adventure in the Carolina's!!Here is to a wonderous New Year!

Mari said...

Wow everything in your friend home is simply gorgeous!!!

Smiles~
Mari

Sarah said...

Susan, you have no idea how much I enjoyed this little tour. Both of you have an eye for beauty and the loveliest way of staging vignettes in your home. Of course the tartan vignettes are my favs! A friend gifted me a plump tartan velvet pumpkin this year. It's sitting atop an urn solo, but now I just might be rearranging a new vignette to include my tartan ware collection. Going to add some of these ideas to my Pinterest board. All the Santa figure are special. Love the mix among the brown transferware too. I spy some wonderful treasures. I can only dream about how perfect your new Carolina homes will be. I hope we get to see.
Happy New Year to both you and Jill. All the best for new adventures in the Carolinas.

Christy said...

Just beautiful and especially loved the needlepoint pillows by the front door! Everything was lovely, Jill!

Anonymous said...

So lovely! We live in South Carolina... I hope you will like it here, too!

Nella said...

Thank you for this lovely collection! It is refreshing to see these lovely holiday images collected with love and purpose over so many years....I always have had a preference for this type of holiday decor' Father Christmas, elves, tartan...I met with some dear friends for coffee at one of their homes before Christmas, and her home, a beautiful old Victorian farmhouse was imbued with the same lovely decorations seen here, reaffirming that good, old fashioned decor withstands the test of time..wishing you many, more, beautiful, Christmases to come in your new home in South Carolina! N.xo

Laurell Banner said...

I feel like I was walking through Jill's house seeing all of her magical vignettes with you.
Something about tartan always makes the Christmas Holiday special. The Santa collections are true treasures.
I am sure all of these lovely finds are going to look awesome in Jill's new home.

Betsy said...

Love it! I would like to see more of her decorating. I was looking at the crystal hutch in the living room and I wanted to do the same thing with mine. I like the two sofas and the colors. Some people just know how to put things together. So pretty.