HOLIDAY TIME AT OUR HOUSE: PART II

One last post before the Christmas weekend..

Here is the mantel in the living room: remember the "Iron Mountain" story of a year ago? It was most definitely the right choice for this mantel.. and looks great with bright Christmas colors.

 These green "ornaments" have tiny sort-of-styrofoam feeling-balls all over. I found them on sale at a gift store here and thought they would make versatile and any season decor (not to mention props in so many photos). The twig balls come from the same source and serve just the same purpose. 

 I am loving the pink here! 

My favorite snowmen. Now, aren't they the most cheerful guys you've seen in long time?

These concrete sheep live in the park in our village! I just had time to photograph them with the frost still covering part of their bodies, and with the holiday greenery around their necks.

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

GLASS MAGNETS YOU WILL WANT TO MAKE!

Let me introduce you to Deborah of Velasquez Studio.

I just discovered Deborah's blog last week and saw this great idea for cute Christmas, or anytime, gifts. Simple to make, easy to design, and fun to receive!

These are made from those half glass beads you see in bead stores, or at a flower supply store. Then, get yourself some pretty paper, some Mod Podge and have fun!

Fun, fun, fun!

Thanks for sharing, Deborah and I hope everyone will go and take a look....

Just in time for a Christmas stocking, right?

HOLIDAY TIME AT OUR HOUSE

Busy weekend!

Let's start with the flowers. We were having people over for a Sunday lunch (that's l- u- n- c- h  not
b- r- u- n -c- h). I'm not a brunch fan...sorry.

So I bought these flowers at Whole Foods. They were nothing extraordinary, but I love the green sort of waxy looking petite mums. The colors were Christmasy without screaming Christmas, no?

I had bought this great glass and metal vase at Ace Hardware a few months ago. Actually, I think it's meant for a candle which is what we normally have here. But it works very well for flowers!

Moving right along to the food. I made a minestrone soup from Marcella Hazan. Aside from the usual beans, zucchini, celery and carrots it also has shredded Savoy cabbage which adds a great texture!

you DO see that orange knife block in the background, don't you???

love love love my soup tureen, thanks to my sister many years ago!

remember the wire basket? 


And for dessert a yummy, rich, decadent chocolate mousse cake with whipped cream ( and yes, I added sugar!)

Tomorrow I'll show you some of our decorations. Don't get your hopes up!!!   we do NOT have a tree this year as we are leaving on Saturday... but I think the mantel looks great. Check back tomorrow!

LET'S TALK ABOUT TANGERINE TANGO

For those of you haven't heard... Pantone has chosen TANGERINE TANGO as the new "color of the year" for 2012.

Pantone calls this color  
"an electric orange red. It is warm, energizing and vibrant."

"Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it. Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy"

Pantone

As seen around town, on the web and in blog land:

 www.riehldesigns.com

furbishstudio

apartmenttherapy

Even Marimekko is taking part:

crateandbarrel

Pairs well with purple!

flowers

To give you some perspective, here are the last four years of Pantone's "Color of the Year":

You can see these images, and more, on my Pinterest Board : "Tangerine Tango".

I love Pinterest! I'm going over there now to add some new images.....

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR CAN MAKE

It was one year ago that we moved down to North Carolina.

The day the truck showed up at our old house, in the Hudson Valley, it was snowing, sleeting and icing.

all ready to go...

Ah, but yes, the ice and sleet followed us down here! The drive down was sunny and nice, but the move in day was more of the same. Our neighbors here were none too happy that we brought with us this awful scene!

At least it did make for excellent photo ops!

And this was my morning walk today. Quite a change.

The Belties, with frost on the grass

Camellias

And this is how we will end the day, just as we did one year ago: