{GHP} Holiday preparation around the house

04 Tuesday Dec 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Christmas, Collections & Accessories, Decorating, Entertaining, Holidays, House and Home

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Oh my word, is it December 4th already? Time has evaporated for me but I’m excited for the upcoming season, just give me a minute, I’ll be ready, I promise.

{tumblr ~ That Inspirational Girl}

I would have thought that by cutting my posting by half I would have hours of free time. Well, somehow the clocks started decreasing the amount of hours in a day and I got behind…Thanksgiving, wedding…those events will do that to a person, no matter how organized they normally are, right?

Meanwhile, Christmas has been on my mind and these images from various sources prove it…

The nutcrackers are out, work is still in progress on our mantle and fresh greens are ordered.

{GHP}

I’ve got some help in the kitchen with my chef nutcracker…I don’t think he’s interested in cracking any nuts but he doesn’t question any of my cooking decisions, so he stays.{GHP}

Charles Faudree inspired me to wrap garlands in unexpected places. I love this porch in his country home, with the garland-wrapped French poster. {Charles Faudree ~ Pinterest}

{Southern Accents}

I’ve seen several tiered displays online this year, I like the idea, I wonder where I could put one?

{BHG}

The simplicity of this dining table is stunning, I might try it for New Year’s Eve. {would I have to serve white food?}

{Party Resources}

I didn’t manage to get paper whites started, oh well, there’s always next year. I do love this display from And George.

{And George}

So, cue Bambi, let the caroling begin, make a batch of egg nog, Christmas is on the way.

{tumblr ~ That Inspirational Girl}

Am I alone, are all of you already decorated, wrapped and ready? I need a challenge, let me know, it will help me get my act in gear.

Happy December!

{GHP} Visions of sugarplums dancing in my head

20 Tuesday Dec 2011

Posted by Karen B. in Christmas, Entertaining, Family, Holiday/Seasonal cooking

≈ 2 Comments

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Christmas

‘Twas ~~the night~~ 5 days before Christmas…

As we round the corner, with Christmas clearly in sight, I think of the upcoming days with excitement and joy {and yes, sugarplums or any sweet treat, have been dancing through my head}. Our granddaughter, Olivia, will be spending Christmas with us as well as her mommy (Jamie) and daddy/our oldest son (Kyle)! {huge smile}

The front door is dressed and ready to welcome guests…

Wreathes adorn nearly every room, some fragrant fir and some faux pine and berries…

Cox & Cox

The pantry is stocked with ingredients required for old favorites and a few new recipes…

{via}

The side board is set with festive serving pieces at the ready. Candles are lit every evening to set the mood of the season…

{via}

The table is set and ready for meals that will fill tummies and make memories for the season…

{via}

Christmas cards have been sent and received…

{via}

The fireplace is laid with logs and ready to warm the room…

Southern Accents

The tree is decorated and presents are wrapped…

Outdoor activities are on hold until after the holiday…

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tin reindeer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyes–how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, “Happy Christmas to all and to all a good-night.”

by Clement Clarke Moore

Dear readers/friends, I am taking some time off from Garden, Home and Party to be with my family. I wish you all a happy, healthy Christmas surrounded by loved ones. May 2012 be a very good year for us all!

Merry Christmas and happy hoidays…believe

24 Friday Dec 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Christmas, Traditions

≈ 4 Comments

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Christmas

No matter what your religion, this is a magical time. Time for reflections, gratitude for the abundance so many of us enjoy and time for a pause in our typically hectic lives.

image of the family tree, 2010

I’m happy to have good friends and family and to have met many blog land friends this year! Thank you so much for reading and commenting on my site…it truly warms my heart to have you give your time to drop by! Happy Christmas

“At one time most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe.”

~The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

I hope you and yours can “can hear the bell” this holiday!

Christmas cards…photo cards

17 Friday Dec 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Traditions, Trends

≈ 7 Comments

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Christmas

Growing up I don’t remember a lot of photo Christmas cards and the few that we did receive were usually poor quality photos on photo paper with semi-blurry words stating, “Merry Christmas”. (Full disclosure, I grew up when “politically correct” wasn’t in existence).

Today, with very little computer skills you can have any kind of card you want, using any photograph you want and many of the companies will even label your envelopes for you!

A couple of weeks ago one of my favorite columnists for the Los Angeles Times, Chris Erskine, wrote a piece about taking the family photo for the Christmas card. One of the funniest lines in the piece was,

“My wife, Posh, approaches the Christmas card photo like a Vogue editor perusing the perfect cover. She once flew the whole bunch of them to Paris for the right Christmas shot”.

To read this very funny column visit HERE.

image via Martha Stewart

When did we become so determined to show friends and family the year’s progress in photographs? Don’t get me wrong, I too realize that I’m just slightly disappointed when I only get a lovely card sans photograph. Crazy, right? As if we don’t have enough other important tasks on our list this time of year, we have to include thinking about a photo-op sometime during the 11 ½ months prior to December 25^th!

That said, on our trip this past week to Austin, I went with 2 goals in mind. 1. Bond with my infant grand daughter so that when I see her next she won’t cry when Grandma wants to hold her; and 2. Get a card-worthy picture of the little bundle of joy for my Christmas card this year.

I am happy to report that we were successful on both fronts.

A few good sources for photo cards:

Cards Direct

Tiny Prints

Costco*note, you must have a membership card for this company.

image via Martha Stewart

Do you do photo cards for the holidays?

Outdoor holiday decorations

13 Monday Dec 2010

Posted by Karen B. in DIY (do it yourself), Gardening, Outdoor living, Traditions

≈ 6 Comments

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Christmas, holiday, home

When I think of decorating for Christmas, indoor decorations get more of my attention than outdoor…until this year. 5^th and State, a blog site I recently stumbled upon, featured a DIY on planting outdoor planters for Christmas. If you’d like to see more visit HERE.

I live in Southern California and let’s face it we’re simply NOT going to be celebrating the holidays with freshly fallen snow.

left & right images via 5th and State

image via Country Living

That said when we entertain friends and family they will pull up to the curb and the first thing they see is the entrance to our home.

image via 5th and State

I’ve always done wreaths, sometimes fresh sometimes fake faux. I don’t have a bias since I’ve seen beautiful versions of both.

This year I will attempt to go a little beyond the front door wreath. (By the way, we do hang a string of lights across the front of the house but due to the design of our roof line it would be suicide for anyone to get up on the peak of the roof to really do the Griswold Family Christmas version of Christmas lights).

I picked up some Ilex berries from a local floral supply store and added them to the cone shaped boxwood in the urn by the front door.

The berries are faux but festive!

I also planted some cardinal ivy geranium in the planter on the right side of the door but, sadly, they are not in full bloom right now.

There will be more red blossoms later in the year, probably after Christmas but maybe in time for St. Valentine’s Day.

image via Martha Stewart Living

I put a bow and some holy on the lantern that sits by the door, I guess that will be a good start to branching out beyond the front door wreath.

I used a wax battery-operated candle so that I can turn it on and not worry about it catching anything on fire.

Welcome to our home!

image via room service

Maybe next year I’ll put a pre-lit garland around the door!

With all of the options for incredible wreaths I will have to try a new one each year! {just kidding} What are you doing to welcome guests this year?

Christmas Wish Lists

03 Friday Dec 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

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Christmas, tradition

When our sons were little I can remember them circling toys in the Toys R Us catalog in response to my question, “What do you want Santa to bring you this Christmas?” My husband and I were always on a budget so we would listen to them throughout the month of December to make sure Santa we got them what they wanted most.

Once they were older and knew the facts about Santa (parents are Santa’s helpers since clearly Santa can’t be all over the world in one night, right?) we would ask for a list from each of them and to this day that is my method for getting them the very thing they would like…along with some surprises. Now, I understand that this is the “easy way out”…I know if I were more clever and creative I would know intuitively know what everyone on my list would love and I’d buy it…but I’m not nearly so clever and due to full-time work have little time to ponder the question.

So, I’ve put out the request and am waiting for the lists to pour in. Meanwhile, my list of wishes is growing by the day. What is it about this season—the stores bring in wonderful items and display them with more panache than usual and I’m hooked. Not to mention the endless stream of catalogs, some of which I’ve never seen before, and the list grows.

In fact, I don’t need one single solitary thing, truly I don’t. But boy, do I see so many things that would be fun to have! So…I thought I’d share…I’d love to hear what some of you are wishing for this season—besides world peace and an end to worldwide hunger.

I've read about this book and seen some of the pages in blogland but I think I'd enjoy a copy.

Okay, I realize this is too practical, but that's the kind of gal I am...I would love a food scale and just never have purchased one for myself.

This medium Pierre Deux pewter serving tray has been on the radar for some time.

...along with these Pierre Deux coasters.

And while I realize this list holds only items for or about the home and design—well, that’s how I’ve always been. Hubby used to ask, would you like a diamond bracelet and I’d say, “I’d rather have French doors!” And on that note, since this is just a “wish list” I’d love to renovate our guest bathroom with this…