Christmas 2010

 To say that Christmas has come & gone this year just blows my mind. It's the one holiday I look forward to all year long, & POOF...it's gone. It comes & goes so fast doesn't it?

For the first time in my life, I burnt myself out on Christmas music. I started really early, & played in thru out the house, in my earphones, in the car, where ever I could listen-- it was on...

FOR 2 STRAIGHT MONTHS. 

I just absolutely love it! The caroles & jingles make my smile-- on the inside & out.

This year, I also hosted Christmas dinner. We had torrential down pours here all week leading up to the big day, & I had been gone most of the months prior, so when the week of the 20th came...it was crunch time, & oh how I love the chaos! The planning, the baking, the shopping & last but not least, the oven roaring early Christmas morning! 

It's my heaven.

This Christmas was definitely the best one to date. Having family over, with plenty of food & drink, lots of laughter, story telling & family firsts, I'm both happy & sad to leave this holiday season behind in 2010...

Can't wait for next years celebration!

 PREPARATION

 

Cleaning the stemware, pulling out the candles, the vases, etc.

Figuring out what will go where.

 THE SETTING'S

I picked up a "holiday swag" from Trader Joes for $4.99, & cut the wire off to use it's individual stems. I set up the appetizers on the kitchen island, & placed the pine sporaticaly  around the platters, then topped it off with glitter pine cones, mini ornaments, & votive's.  

I went to the local flower mart & picked up white cabbage, hydrangea & carnations. Plus some filler & stargazers for a little punch of color.   

FESTIVE DECOR

Pinecones & feathered birds added to my pre-lit wreaths. I also put together large ivory & gold glitter ribbons with what I had left over from years past, & attached them to the center of each wreath.

 My husband actually spotted these sea creature-like ornaments & I just had to have them. The have so much texture & sparkle. I can never get enough sparkle!

I absolutely love these birds. As you can see, I have them in both white & silver. They add the perfect amount of whimsy to my holiday decor. 

 The silver ornament you see here is actually a foot in length. I also have long mosaic mirrored icicles that I didn't put up this year-- come to think of it, I'm not sure why. I'm sure they'll be out in all their glory next year :)

AFTER 

CHRISTMAS

ARRANGEMENTS

After the party was over, & the kitchen was picked up, I gathered the pine & put it all in this vase. It's so bright & fans out quite large.

 I snagged these carnations, 25 ct. for $5. 

They remind me of peonys when I can't get them in the winter months.

After dismantling my 4 larger arrangements, I divided the carnations up & made 3 small arrangements for the breakfast nook table. Wouldn't these make a great centerpiece for a casual bridal shower?

 

(All photos: theplushpad.blogspot.com)

Peonies & Lysianthus

I'm back, with another post dedicated entirely to flowers.  

I love having fresh flowers around the house, & for me...the more the merrier! 

As we were preparing for company yesterday, we swung by Trader Joe's to pick up some essentials & like clock work, I always stop at the front to check out their latest selection of flowers. 

This time I hit the jackpot. 5 peony stems, for $5.99?...absolutely!

Oh pink peonies, how I love thee :)

I put them in the center of the dinner table last night, & as we were all sitting around enjoying our dads on their special holiday, each bloom opened, and by the time we were thru with dessert they had all completely blossomed into these GIANT pink beauties.  

... and while I was at it, I couldn't help myself but pick up some equally beautiful lysianthus. They were too pretty to pass by.

Now, they happily sit on my desk where I can enjoy them to my big hearts content :)

(all images: theplushpad.blogspot.com)

The Metropolitan Building

Dating from 1909, the Metropolitan Building, located in Long Island City, NY- first started out as an electrical parts factory. Seventy years later, it had long been vacant, sitting there desolate and in a sad state of disrepair.

In 1980, Eleanor Ambos, a successful business woman, with an antique furniture rental company, based in Manhattan, purchased the building for storage space and to accommodate a variety of artisans to set up their studios and workrooms. She undertook a massive restoration project, and today- The Met Building is one of the hottest locations for weddings, parties, photo shoots, & movie sets.

Hundreds of frames hung from the ceilings. This was one of the first rooms I came across, my first time at the building. When I wondered away from everyone else, I turned a corner and my jaw hit the floor. Immediately my heart started RACING with excitement. I knew there was a lot more to be seen here.

Lamps, lamps, lamps. What a collection!

 

Rows & rows of chests, side tables, cabinets, you name it- it's there.

  

Hundreds  of old antique chairs fill the second floor space...

...My Heaven.

 

 I was alone walking around from floor to floor and come across this statue. I could only look & snap her photo for a second. 

(all photos by theplushpad.blogspot.com) 

Fluffy White Goodness

This morning, as I was getting ready for my day- fresh out of the shower, sipping my morning coffee, the door bell rang. Usually I never answer it, but today was a different story.

I looked thru the peep hole to see who it might be, and "Oh my gosh!", I swung the door open to see a gorgeous arrangement of my favorite flowers; fluffy white hydrangeas :)

I couldn't believe it; out of the blue..."Just because I love you".

They're so beautiful, I had to share.

Sunburst Mirrors: A Love Hate Relationship

(click image to enlarge)

I looooooove sunburst mirrors. I mean- LOVE. And I happen to love them in gold *swoon*. Luckily for me, when I told my husband I had plans of putting one above the fireplace, he quickly quipped "Those round things? Oh god, I hate those." 

Wanting to know why & where in the world he would have ever found a hate for these stunning beauties, I asked why. His answer- "An ex girlfriend of mine when I was a kid...her parents had one in their house and I remember seeing it, & hating it.".

...oh geez.

So I put together a bevy of examples to prove to my husband that they don't have to look like the one his ex's parents had in the early 80's.  I mean...nothing fabulous came from the 80's. So I put my imagination to work, & I can definitely see why he'd remember them being not so "fab". 

As for me....they'll always be stunning, creative, sophisticated, & down right EYE-CATCHERS :)

From top left: 

Inspiration For Home Blog; Ruth & Ollie; Matthew Izzo ; Lisa Epley; Kellie Cashon @ Cashon & Co.; Shabby Slips- Dallas, Dovecote; Lisa Epley; Southern Accents; Stacey Hyde- Dallas; Graham & Green; Corbis; Kellie Cashon @ Cashon & Co.; Dec. 2005 Homes & Gardens Mag.; Phoebe Howard;

Beauty

-Photograph by George Hurrell c.1937-

Tyrone Power & Loretta Young for "Second Honeymoon"

"Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art."

Ebay, 1 Great Find At A Time.

One of my favorite things to do online is to browse/shop Ebay. Partly because you never know what you'll find, and mostly because it's a one-stop-shop! The site is chalked full of the most unique finds, priced high to low. 

If you're any sort of treasure hunter/bargain hunter/ or heck even a (literal) hunter, you'll find it there.

Recently I came across some pretty amazing pieces. Take a look...

First up is this French Chinoiserie Bombe Commode. This piece dates back to the 1920's era & could very well have been made by Maison Jensen.

I'm finding my interest in Asian (Chinoiserie) pieces growing more and more each day! They're just so beautiful. The detail, the scenes, the colors. The stories they tell! 

Next is this antique glass & brass pendant light. The leaf and scroll accents are what caught my eye. I haven't seen anything like it. It's vintage, art deco, and feminine all in one pretty pendant.

I saw this & thought WOW. THAT is a piece of furniture! Tucked away among the other listings this seller had, was this to-die-for French Louis XV Carved Baroque Gilded Frame. It's perfect at 37"L x 33"W :)

Pair of Italian hand carved alabaster candlesticks, inlaid with genuine malachite.

I happen to love anything malachite, so even though these don't have much- the pop of green is just enough.

Pair of "Pinkie & Blue Boy" Gold Framed prints.

I absolutely LOVE this set. The frames. The boy. The girl. They're not painted together in one piece, but when I look at them, all I think of is romance.