Our Dining Room French Doors!

Finally, finally!! 

I can start playing around in this room and get it decorated for the holidays.  The french doors are  installed and now the interior trim work is finished and all that goes along with it.  They are every bit as beautiful as I hoped they would be.  The room feels so much wider, and brighter too.  In my imagination I thought maybe this winter I would be hunkering down by the doors in a comfy chair and watching the birds feed at the feeder, and taking in the winter wonderland.  The dog can go in and out back here too, so I am testing out a seating area to see if it is feasible,

 hence the chair in the corner.  A big comfy slipcovered chair.....yum. 

 Of course I love my purple transferware collection and it will still be the main

 decorative theme in the dining room.  The large boxwood wreath that I made at 

Matthew Mead's holiday workshop last year got a pretty purple and green plaid bow. 

I found some beautiful ribbons at a beautiful independent florist in Boston called 

Cedar Grove Gardens.  Two big rolls of purple wired ribbon came home with me,

 including the one you see here on the boxwood wreath.  

Wired and lovely, I find ribbon really can be an easy way to decorate for the holidays.

  How about that adorable boxwood wreath pillow with it's own black and white striped bow?  

From an independent Etsy vendor called Simply French Market, she has the most perfect pillows!

I spotted this new design of Terri's on her Instagram, @simplyfrenchmarket,  and I instantly knew it would be perfect.  It's got a zipper with a soft insert and a lovely realistic transfer design of a classic boxwood wreath.  This is exactly what "shopping small" means.  Supporting real people

trying to make a living by doing things like making pillows, as Terri does on her Etsy site.

Check out her many options for high quality and affordable prices.  

 This dining room is just starting to gear up for the holidays, and for now this bit of greenery and ribbon are setting the tone.  The wreath pillow is so whimsical, which I think always goes well in keeping a room from feeling too serious.  I will be taking a "less is more"  attitude towards decorating, although roping for the doors are a must!  

And a pair of wreaths as well.  I just love greenery for the holidays.  

 Simple but still festive.  Hopefully that is possible! 

And a few baubles here and there....

Colby is doing well, and in the thick of things, always.  He is not chewing things

 so much or biting anymore, but he is a bit rambunctious so we do take walks every day. 

 Actually I realized that if I start jogging he stays right next to me and never strays.  

 Since I have never been a runner that is a new thing for us both, and we have been doing some running walking kind of walks....he really is a great little dog.

 He can now give kisses on command.  Just don't ask him to come.