Tree of Life...

Over on the HOMEWARDfound facebook Page, 

I asked if you collect and use vintage & antique ornaments in your Christmas decor.

 In today's 'Bonus Post', I'd love to share a story about ornaments,

and how they are so much more than just 'decor'...

Over seven years of decorating her home,

one of my residential decor clients has become a dear, cherished friend

This was the weekend in December that I would normally go to her house to put up her tree. I'm missing her this year, and thought I'd reflect on what she's taught me...

Fran is a lovely lady, widowed, who lives in a modest Seattle home. A home that holds the immense treasures that only a lifetime of living, loving, collecting, and fond memories can produce. Some things may have monetary value, but the true worth of Fran's 'estate' is that every single item comes with a story....

Fran's impressive Christmas ornament collection dates from the late 1800's. 

Some ornaments came from her grandmother, then her mother added to the collection, then Fran added her own - three generations of Holiday memories. Each precious fragile bauble is lovingly swathed in pristine white tissue and laid gently in original boxes. Packed into plastic tubs, they are safely stored all year - until the lucky day that I get to go to her house and help her unearth them.

As each box is opened and each little wad of tissue unwrapped, Fran's eyes dance and her smile grows wider. Occasionally I see a tear in her eye, as a memory catches her breath. I hear every story...'These we got on our honeymoon in Spain...' , 'This Dresden angel was mom's', or 'My niece made this for me when she was 7' (she's 40 now). Precious memories of happy times, all brought out into the light each Holiday season. 

[I think it is a remarkably SMART practice to purchase ornaments as souvenirs when traveling - less to pack, inexpensive to buy, and you get to relive the memories each year]

It took hours of work, but it was truly a labor of love - for Fran, and for me. 

She started out as a client and is now a dear friend. We love our time together to chat, visit, catch up, and share Holiday memories. And after the hours of chatter and gasps and the occasional 'Oh Dear!' when one of the oldest ornaments is found to have deteriorated beyond repair (SO sad), all of the special ornaments end up on the tree - and somehow manage to look more beautiful every year!

 It's not a 'designer' tree, not a theme tree...it's a tree of life. Fran's life.

Her life as a child, as a daughter, as a wife, as an aunt. 

It's her story, beautifully told.

Even the old ornaments that are broken and damaged are used...

I heap them into her collection of silver hotel serving pieces, and they look absolutely perfect. In decorating as in life, the lack of perfection is often what is most charming. And damaged doesn't mean something isn't still useful.

Many years ago, she called me to ask if I could help her "bring the Christmas Spirit back" into her home, after her mother died. Which was two years after her husband died. That same year, she lost her brother. Too much for one person, I think. This woman has known so much in life...growing up the daughter of an immigrant farmer, to create a career in broadcasting and hotel management, to her wonderful, loving marriage to a successful businessman who adored her, then figuring out life as a single woman on her own for the first time in her life.

Joy, sorrow, love, loss, pain and passion have touched her, and yet she is vibrant in spirit, young at heart, and a gracious, caring person. I am in awe of what she has experienced, what she has learned, and how she easily admits that she really still has so much to learn. She impresses me. I respect her, I admire her, and I love her dearly.

Fran told me each year as we parted that I make her holidays worth celebrating.... 

How do you respond to that, except with tears and a hug?! 

I treasure this woman, and am so blessed to have her in my life. We share stories, laughter, lots of tea, and lunch. And Love is the Christmas Spirit that she brings to me. Now that I no longer live in Seattle, I will miss decorating for her, but our friendship is still shared across the miles by phone calls.

Before I left Washington, I created a photo album of all of the photos you see above, which are of her own ornament collection, and gave it to her when I took her to tea at the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel in Seattle. That was where I delivered the sad news that I was leaving Seattle...and the happy news that our time together has been so meaningful to me. With these photos, she can enjoy her beautiful Christmas ornament collection and her memories any day of the year... and so can I.

a Vintage White Christmas

as you might expect from an  

a) decorating enthusiast  b) visual designer & stylist 

and c) owner of fifty-plus tubs of assorted Christmas decor, 

i try to mix things up every year when i decorate my home.

i love what i have, i just want it to be fresh and interesting each year.

one year, my theme was 'a Vintage White Christmas', 

with some burlap and lace thrown in to echo the popularity of Danish-Euro style...

all this white pine-bough loveliness came about as a last-minute addition to my decor plan!
 

in the midst of decorating, i went into the local thrift shop [i know, i know....]
where i spied two huge plain cardboard boxes labelled
'White Xmas Tree: Part 1 and Part 2'. and they were taped shut. 

i asked how much for the tree, and was told  

ten bucks - plus 50% off, so a total of FIVE BUCKS.
and you already know what happened next... i said SOLD! so fast it wasn't funny!

the gal cut open the boxes so I could check out the tree, 

and it was a really NICE white nylon tree from the 80's. 8' tall. No lights. 

 Now, I already had a decent white 7' white tree, pre-lit, to use that year......

but here's a hot tip for you:  

NEVER pass up a decent faux tree for a good price.

You may not need another TREE, but you can use the branches for decorating with!
and that's exactly what i did.

instead of using my usual cut greens from outside in the decor,

i stayed with a very light, soft palette and put white branches 

on the chandelier, on the buffet, on the dining table, on the tables in the living room, on the entry table...

 everywhere, basically. 

and then i added heaps of ornaments and candles and more to the chandelier 

(and i have to say i just LOVE those fancy blown glass ornaments)
and to the buffet, the dining table, the tables in the living room, and the entry table.....  

 filling jars, bowls, serving trays, cake pedestals, and other everyday containers with beautiful ornaments

is an easy way to spread Christmas cheer and your color scheme all through your home

remember my original 'white glass light globe pumpkins' i shared here in my fall posts?

well, THIS is what i do with CLEAR light globes!

i put them into arrangements with greens and ornaments, 

and then tuck a night light on an extension cord inside them.
turn it on, and it glows beautifully - while being very safe.

[i use them outside this way, too, 

and have photos of that to share in another post...]

a sweet way to add 'a little something' to a simple candle: 

a vintage crocheted collar, a silk ribbon and a vintage rhinestone clip earring 

wrapped around a glass hurricane shade.  a candle in a glass jar inside the shade burns safely. 

and because i am truly NEVER 'done' decorating, i made a change after i took the photos...

i put white bubble light bulbs into my chandelier!

my grandma Ward had bubble lights on a tree when i was little, 

and they always bring back sweet memories for me.

these white ones were just too perfect to pass up

[and my grandson LOVED them, so the tradition is passed on!]

this soft, monochromatic Vintage White Christmas theme was so restful

and serves as a basic decor scheme that allows for changes through the years:

the next year, i added seashells for a really beachy theme

and another year, i had a swanky black and white theme...

i'll share those soon!

Embellished Gift Wraps

add a handmade touch to your gifts this Christmas  

by embellishing them with re-purposed materials!

these gifts were wrapped with paper that has a sweater print 

(from an old line by MODA Home called 'fUnKy MoNkEy'!)

and then embellished with vintage trims...

detail shots below:

 a lace doily evokes snowflakes, 

and a tiny grass nest with vintage flower petals adds a touch of real nature.

 Vintage lace and a sweet carnation pin made from vintage fabric (re-usable!) stand in for a bow

[similar pins available from Rose~Marie Designs]

pinwheel posies are made from the edges of canvas painter's tarps, rolled & glued.

attach to a gift with glue dots, over a piece of Christmas sheet music.

[this makes a great solution for gifts to be mailed - no bows to squash!]

feminine vintage trims make for luxurious wrappings...

wrap a gift IN a sweater!

sew an 'envelope' from the body of a sweater, pop a gift box inside, and safety pin the top closed.

On top, a pouffe of beautiful ribbon or trim, a satin bow, and a bling-y rhinestone clip.

rosettes are made from cashmere sweater arm cuffs. just roll up and stitch to hold.

attach to gift with a drop of hot glue. 

the perfect accent for a sweater is PEARLS... dripping on top of the gift like a tree garland!

sometimes very simple materials get BIG results: 

Sew an envelope from canvas, and tuck in vintage sheet music or a favorite magazine.

Fold closed and tie with vintage trims - like velvet ribbon or seam binding and a canvas flower.

 

for a more rustic masculine look, combine burlap and twine (from the hardware store!). 

a vintage belt buckle on it's original sales card adds more texture.
 

making use of vintage trims not only makes for beautiful packages that save resources

[including your MoNeY]

 but they also offer a 'bonus' re-usable gift to the recipient: a pin, flowers, a nest, ribbon, pearls.... 

take a peek in your junk drawer and craft closet, 

and see what you can find to embellish YOUR gifts this season!

 this post and Monday's post are companions to my article in

the 2012 Holiday issue of Creating Vintage Charm Magazine 

Wrap It With Style!

To be a top-notch guest at Holiday parties, 

always bring a thoughtful gift for the host/hostess

and wrap it with STYLE!

 
Here are a few ideas that coordinate with my current story
in Creating Vintage Charm Magazine

 the Holiday 2012 Issue is available in print HERE

 Giving a lovely bottle of wine, port, champagne, or liquor

is an elegant way to thank a host or hostess for inviting you...

*Make a 'sweater cozy' for decanters and wine bottles - simply cut the arm off of a lovely sweater, and scrunch over the bottle. Tie a bauble around the bottle's neck for a finishing touch.

*Use a stocking as a wine bag! Tuck a bit of tissue into the toe of a stocking, then sit a bottled beverage inside. With a snippet of greenery or more tissue at the top, it's charming and re-usable!

*Simply wrap a bit of burlap, linen, ticking, or other fabric around a bottle (double-stick tape works really well) and then tie with twine. Add a vintage earring or brooch for some bling to dress it up!

Here's a foolproof 'gift bag' idea:

 Tuck a bottle into an old cowboy boot, and add a cushion of burlap.
Perfect for any man or woman with 'cowboy chic style'!

Since we've all seen the 'coffee can as cookie container' trick,

I have a few new ideas for that, as well:

*Simply tie some rustic twine around a silver can for an industrial look. Add a tag made from an old spoon.

 *Make a sweater cozy for a can - cut off the arm of a sweater and sew one end closed. Scrunch it over a can and tie the top with a bow made from vintage lace.

*Vintage metal containers are still a stylish way to present baked goods!
Find them at thrift stores and antique shops,
then add a seasonal detail like a small burlap wreath.

Coming Up: more from my current Creating Vintage Charm article...
Stylish Wraps for Gifts Under the Tree!

Warm Up With a Scarf Wreath!

over the years, i've grabbed whatever is at hand (or, um, on the floor...)

to create interesting and personal decor for my home each season -

and that's REALLY the case for the Holidays.

an old wreath form gets a new lease on life around here quicker than you can say 

'Fast, Cheap, & Easy'!TM

above and below are two of my own wreaths,

and let me tell you - making them is SO SIMPLE!

here's a quick tutorial:

1. grab a foam or straw wreath form (new or used)

2. find a knit scarf or two (new or used)

3. pin one short end of the scarf to the top of the form (use long straight pins)

4. wrap the scarf tightly around the wreath form, pinning as you go.
5. when you get to the end, pin in place.

if it's a big wreath form, you'll need more scarves. 

hit the dollar store or goodwill for cheap and colorful materials!
you can add whatever you want to embellish the wreath

for the soft knit wreath above, i used burlap and vintage ribbon to make a 'bow' 

then added a bling-y 'blessing' ornament and a vintage crystal.

 [the wreath is hung on my screen door from a woven grass belt!]

 

 for this one, i used a knit scarf with fun fringed ends.

when both ends met at the top after wrapping it, i foofed the fringe out

and added a vintage ribbon and a flower made from an old chenille stem.

a simple piece of heavy cardstock offers a welcoming message.

 this one is made up of a super-long scarf that i made out of sweater remnants,
tied with a bitty 'scarf' (another remnant), and a felt snowflake ornament.

find my scarf wreath tutorial here

 mine are simple, because that's my style.

now, there are some other gals out there making some drool-worthy wreaths

out of scarves, sweaters, and felted fabrics...

get a load of these!

all three of these brilliant ideas are from the amazingly talented Betz White!

how about this beauty from Bloomsbury Loft!

i met owner/designer Judith last May at the Springfield Ohio Antique Show,

and was instantly delighted by her colorful palette and playful creations. 

this one is from RecoverGirl  - and her post is a tutorial!

in the course of research for this post, i discovered that 

the tv show CRAFT WARS actually had a challenge for contestants

to make a Christmas wreath from old sweaters!

Margot Potter was one of the contestants on that episode,

and she's sharing her considerable talents 

for creating this yarn-wrap wreath in a tutorial on her blog!

are you inspired yet?!

go ahead - grab some of those old funky Christmas sweaters hidden in the attic

(yeah, the ones that look like Bill Cosby wore them in the 80's)

and make some colorful flowers for your knit scarf wreaths!