Christmas is Here!

One would think that retirement gives one lots of time to decorate for Christmas.  That has not been the case for me.  So for the first time in my life, I finished Christmas decorating 5 days before Christmas.  And my family arrives tonight!!!!!!

Red berries and fresh wreaths add a seasonal touch to the outside urns. 

Frosted kale and fresh wreaths by the rustic front door. 

Entering the front door, natural greens and berries sit on the console.

Another memory is placed in the foyer by the stairs. The Santa was purchased on the trip to 

Kansas City with close friends several years ago. We had such a good time.

 A woodland fantasy graces the gathering room fireplace.

Embellished angels flank the sides of the fireplace.

 Antlers, feather balls and snow balls fill a wooden bowl on the coffee table,

Unpacking all the ornaments that have been in storage for 2 years.

 A favorite ornament 

Packages are wrapped and placed under the tree.

Kitchen fireplace is ready for a fire. 

The dining table set with a natural centerpiece- amaryllis, frosted kale,

velvet pumpkins ,sparkly pomegranates

 Antique wine glasses are being used for votives.

Sparkly reindeers carry little woodland elves down the center. 

Tiny Christmas trees stand on glassware shelves over the sink.

And so does one of my favorite things, a Christmas cup and saucer given to me by a dear friend.

More little trees on the shelves in the larder-

And finally, the placing of all my old French Santas.

Merry Christmas to all!

First Christmas in our New Home

My Christmas decorations have been in storage for 2 years.  So my first chore is to get them out and sort them into two piles-  what works in this house and what doesn't work in this house!!!  And for the first time ever in my life, I have decided that the color red  just might work for Christmas.

Cautiously,  I started with my neutral palate - whites, greens and metallic. 

This snowy peony and magnolia wreath went on the front door.

My favorite angel finally  came out of her box after 2 years

and found a place of honor in her new home.

The living room mantle was layered with a woodland vibe-

bronze ferns, millinery birds, frosted logs, mushrooms and frosted kale.

Velvet pumpkins, frosted thistles, and snowy mushrooms were layered together.

Inspiration for the kitchen fireplace- more frosty snowy woods, but with a pop of Christmas red!

 Do I like this red invasion in my normally white and metallic Christmas décor?

 I liked the red so much that I headed back into the gathering room to add touches of red.

Red tartan throws, a few red Christmas pillows- of velvet and rhinestones.

A large vase of red amaryllis with lots of evergreens.

And all of a sudden- the room came alive with the Christmas spirit!  

The chartreuse accents in the room were perfect with the reds.  

But I can assure you that I will still find a few spots for the pastels of my past.

Who could possibly resist loving these little guys?

I still have much more to do- over 30 more tubs of Christmas to sort through before I'm done.

Our new tree arrives tomorrow and the decorating continues.  The pile to be donated continues to grow.  But every time I unpack a treasure from a Christmas past, 

it makes me determined to find it a place in our new home.

Converting Twin Beds into a King

After living in the new house for almost 8 months, I am just getting the time to add  final touches to the guest rooms.  I couldn't sell my daughter's twin beds, there were  too many sentimental reasons. So we moved them from Chicago.  Our guests have preferred larger beds, so I decided to move them together and make a king bed.

 I love the detail on these old beds. 

 Heading to one of my favorite stores in Asheville, Porter and Prince, I purchased  Bella Notte pink pillow shams and cases to perk up the white linen bedspreads.

The detail on the satin pillowcase is so pretty. 

 This old coat rack is perfect for guests to hang things on in the room.  

 Velvet pumpkins, pink feathers and a masquerade mask fill the pierced compote.

 Kissed with frost, blush roses and berries add a seasonal winter feel to the room.

 The Restoration Hardware soft gray tulle petal curtains are perfect with the Bella Notte bedding.

The rustic ceiling is a gray washed pine board. 

The floors are painted white and have a gray silk

rug that anchors the beds.

A welcome retreat for a good night's sleep.