Gourds be gone, snowmen await!

As the Thanksgiving table transitions to Christmas, the gourds and mini-pumpkins are fed to the deer out back and the candy cane striped candles move in. The setting in this photo was a platinum & gold filigree & swirl patterned tablecloth, with an ivory base. The china, also in a creamy white, were two sets mixed and intertwined with gold luster goblets for bottles of vino that the family shared. December is here; the neutral table settings can stay, and the gourds can be switched out for burgendy red and white striped candles.

When your base is neutral, it can fit almost any holiday table. As I took down the orange and black garland and put up the evergreens with lights, our puppy sat by the pile of decorations dreaming about his first white Christmas....that was after I got him to leave the tree skirt where it belonged (under the tree!)

 With the front door, I took the pinecone fall wreath and added irridescent sparkly dark-red pointsettas for color and to fit with the holiday coming. The haystalks were covered with x-large $1 store bags and wrapped instead of being tossed aside. Without having landscape yet, the oversized gifts light up nicely on the front lawn. Finish touches included adding red & green floodlights for the neighbors to enjoy. Inside, the mercury glass remained from the fall. Red lights wrapped in sparkly tulle gave the mantle a nice touch for Christmas. (Notice the pumpkin still hiding behind the snowman!) With the colored lights, and swapped out foliage, the great room is beginning to look a lot like Christmas in here....

WHoo's asking?

 

 This past Wednesday, as the "sirens went off" and the excitement set in for the quest to collect as many snickers bars and skittles as possible, I was approached with an honest question from my very 1st trick or treater at 6:01pm. An 8 yr old boy, who lives down the street, came to my door, and through his little mask asked, "Why do people HAVE to say Trick or Treat on Halloween?" (I thought to myself, that's actually a great question. No one gives out the CHOICE for a trick!) In school and at home, kids are used to receiving choices on tasks to make a selection. My neighbors son has made me re-consider my options for kids next year. I may might include $1 store decks of playing cards for kids who would rather take the "trick" with them on their 2 hour quest. Who needs 101 pieces of bite sized chocolate anyhow?

 

In the hustle and bustle of set-up for Halloween, poof the holiday is gone. Here are a few pics from 10/31 in our new home. A gently used table, with ladder back rush seats and a rustic pine finish was illuminated by a black runner and placemats which had silver & white skeletons dancing on their decor. All of the items came from Targets post-Halloween clearance a few years ago.

 

One inexpensive way to set the stage for trick-or-treaters is by using landscape lights. The covered porch was illuminated and inviting for kids of all ages using corn stalks, hay bales, pumpkins, and mums. A little spider (given as a gift form the neighbor) was hung on one of the stalks, and a wooden white ghost sign that said BOO greeted candy seekers.

 
The last and final pic. was from the Union St. Farmers Market in Manhattan, just days before Hurricane Sandy landed into town. It was a beautiful crisp sunny 65 degree Saturday morning. My husband and I strolled through the park, admiring the fall foliage while taking in the jealousy of modern Urban living. New York City did an amazing job of setting the fall tone, hay stacks and mums, just like on your midwest porches, were stacked on busy street corners. Bringing a sense of home and peacefulness to the hustle and bustle of the town.

Mercury Glass is all the Craze

 Flipping through the pages from one of my favorite catalogs, I continue to see what looks to be a tarnished silver, two-toned in appearance, reflective and beautiful. Interested in learning new words, I see the description as "mercury vase". Mercury glass? Intriguing? I loved the crisp clean look it provided with any backdrop of colour. Fall is soon approaching.....I generally steer clear of craft shows and lean towards objects that resemble the "real deal". Long behold, Mercury glass can be found at TJ Maxx & Marshalls ( the 2 stores who have a % of my income ). The PB catalog wanted 4x the price for the same Mercury Glass Candlestick. I arranged a variety of mercury glass items: pumpkins, vases, candle sticks, and bottles along our mantle & our buffet in the dining area. They shine beautifully in the sunrise & add warmth along with the comforts of Fall to our great room. The upside to Mercury Glass objects is that you can leave them on display year-round, with simply substituting color of the foliage for the current season. I chose to include grasses in deep plums, maze, and sage for September.

Why so Blue?

There is something so charming about the antique blue mason jar. It can used to hold just about anything: flowers, candles, even Q-tips & your toothbrush. I have seen mason jars used for holding craft supplies, and colorful confetti individual cakes baked into them for birthdays parties. I found this rack with 5 hooks at a local bargain store, which I believe was supposed to be used for hanging scarfs & light jackets. But, what is the fun in that! I enjoy finding objects and creating custom pieces of art with them. You don't want to use large framed pictures on every wall; you need to break up your eye with objects like mirrors or shelfs with vases and clocks. I purchased one bunch of dried lavendar and broke it up into 5 equal bunches. I also took natural mosses as filler on the bottom of the jars. The mood this piece of art created in our masterbedroom is tranquil and relaxing, and the project supply cost was minimal for a one of a kind creation.

Block it in your Nook

Monogram Block Letters add a classic touch to any bedroom or home. You can find the cardboard-material letters at Joann Fabrics or Michael's Crafts. These were done for our wedding & never made it to the backyard, but they still found a "Nook" in our new home to be displayed 3 years later! These are spray-painted in an antique white, then were spray-painted with an irredecscent shimmer an hour later. Next, jewels were glued in clusters to create extra shine. Monograms can be displayed just about in any shape or form depending on the look you want to create! Interested in a monogram to dress up your walls this Spring, send me a message at libbyoconnor1366@gmail.com Projects starting at $40 & up, depending on the # of letters, colors & embellishments selected. Everything is designed custom to fit the style you are looking to obtain for the particular space you choose.

Shutters aren't Just for Windows

This guest room started off as just a set of antique walnut furniture from two generations in a family.  It was a very classy set ... simple clean lines, but the headboard that came with the bed frame was very low. (it's hiding behind the pillow cases). After staging the furniture, there was still something missing. The curtains went up; -so did the green star.  The striped euro pillow added a little interest, but I still wanted the eye to drift up in a natural motion to a greater focal point. I found two worn blue shutters and tilted them behind the bed frame. I added a wreath to marry the green and blue hues together. The third color, a grayish purple, found in the comforter set (Martha Stewart/Poppy Floral from Macys) blended everything together. Using shutters created a similiar look that Barndoor Headboards do, but on a smaller scale. This room is only about 12X13, so it was not visually overwhelming behind the bed. The shutters made a statement, gave this room a hint of charm, and will now allow guests to feel warm and invited to stay. The number of shutters used should be based upon the overall width of the existing bedframe (this was a full-size) & also the height of the ceiling (this is 8ft).

Quilted Collages: Sewing Experience Not Required

Themed rooms can be overwhelming with limited wall space. So many pictures, so many ideas. This busy mom already had the room painted, but just needed a little support with maximizing her space with furniture & with how to utilize the "firetruck" decor. After rearranging a few items & digging in the closet, I came across the classic navys and rich reds of a quilt for the crib. After taking measurments & mental notes, I found a beautiful red & ivory inlayed wooden framed corkboard. Mom already had scrapbook paper she liked. From the stack I selected paper that would coordinate & compliment the quilt. Without a single piece of thread, I created a custom Quilted Collage using professional photos mom had set aside for a rainy day. Now that Spring is here, and baby #2 is on her way, this busy Mom needed help...like most do! If you like this design, shoot me an email at libbyoconnor1366@gmail.com A limited number of boards are being created this season.