French Country Christmas Courtyard

 Welcome to our Christmas Courtyard!

 Decking the halls begins with the exterior, and for me, it is the wreath on the door that says "Merry Christmas" and "Welcome" to our home.  Happily I partnered with Lynch Creek Farm,  a family business located in the Pacific Northwest that sells elegant evergreens from their farm.  Living in the New England, I have decorated our home for many years with local evergreens from big box stores and small garden nurseries.  Lynch Creek Farm topped them all with their big bountiful and beautiful wreaths.  I couldn't be happier to pass the word along, as well as give my readers a chance to win their own wreath or centerpiece in a Lynch Creek Farm giveaway!

For my french doors in our courtyard I chose the 26" Blended Bay Wreaths with moss green bows. 

 The style of this wreath felt most like something you would find in the French countryside. 

Full and lush with bay leaves, cedar and balsam greens, and pinecones, adorned with a moss green burlap wired bow. They come with or without bows, with bows in either an apple or moss green color.

 Piper and I set the stage for a Christmas courtyard, starting with the old

cast iron urns, that we filled with cut lengths of birch, followed by balsam clippings

around the edges.  It is a simple treatment for outdoor containers and it will look

good all winter long.  The natural Blended Bay wreaths will go the distance too, 

as appropriate as they are for ringing in the holidays, they will look still look great 
during the long winter months when the snow begins to fly.

 A pretty winter dressing for the courtyard is just what I had in mind.

Understated elegance, and it all looks wonderful with the rustic nature of the space.

Of course Lynch Creek Farm has a huge variety of wreaths, with everything one

can imagine~velvet bows in rich holiday red and cranberry,  magnolia leaf wreaths,

themed wreaths for wine country and whimsical styles as well.  

The Blended Bay should be renamed the French Country Wreath if you want 

my opinion.....haha!

One tip for filling outdoor containers is to stuff them while the weather has yet to

get too cold, so that the potting soil will accept the branches and logs, and then when

it freezes it will keep them in place all winter long.  You can add berry twigs or ribbons
or keep it simple, like I did.  I do plan to add some twinkling white lights to each urn
for a bit of extra sparkle and magic to our entry. 

Piper is pretty pleased with how it all turned out.
She only ran off with one birch log while I was busy hanging the wreaths.

Caught in the act!  Oh well, she is still just a big puppy.

 It couldn't look nicer, and now I wish I had one more of these wreaths to

decorate my little garden shed.  When they first arrived, I took one up to the 

shed and tried it out....and it looked so darling. 
 Guess I could use one more...

Simply gorgeous.  
These wreaths will last for months when hung outdoors

in our cold climate.  They can also be hung indoors and will last for weeks

with a regular misting of water to keep the greens fresh.

Before we know it, Christmas will be here! 

Our guests will be entering our home 

through the courtyard to celebrate the season.  

 My wreaths from Lynch Creek Farm set the tone for what lies ahead...

a bountiful and beautiful holiday home.  

Now for the Lynch Creek Farm Giveaway!

All you have to do for a chance to win a centerpiece or wreath is to visit 

Lynch Creek Farm and come back and tell me what item you would love to win.

For more chances to win, leave a comment on each of my blogging friends posts

as well!  Also, make sure you leave your email address in the comments so we 

can contact the winners.  The giveaway is limited to residents of the Continental U.S.

and Canada. The deadline is midnight, Sunday, December 3, 2017.

See their beautiful homes via the links below~
Click and visit!   Good Luck and Happy Holidays!!

Houspitality Designs   Savvy Southern Style   Duke Manor Farm   Maison Decor     Home is Where the Boat Is     French Garden House

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Easy and Spectacular: All White Easter

 Stunningly simple, and yet spectacular, an all white Easter table is 

easy to create and most impressive.  These amazing ideas come from my

creative friend, Matthew Mead.  I really wish he was still blogging, but since he isn't,

I thought it would be fun to put these ideas all together for him in my blog!

(Thanks M)

Get ready to be inspired to steal some of his great ideas

for your spring or Easter table.   White, white and more white!!

The opening image may be my favorite idea:

White asparagus surrounds a white pillar candle, secured with white ribbon.  

 Frost a cake with whipped cream frosting and top with Ferrero Raffaello Coconut Candies

to conjure up cotton tails!  Set on a white pedestal cake stand to impress. 

If you don't have white, use clear glass to keep the palette clean.

 Not hosting Easter?  Bring this to your hostess:

  A white bakery box holds an array of Easter goodies

 all nestled in a section of egg crate cut to fit the box. 

 A simple and charming idea to set at each table setting:  

a broken eggshell used as a vase for a single flower.  

 Little paper cutout bunny silhouettes glued to toothpicks are inserted into lemon cupcakes, frosted with sugar and white sprinkles. Use as place settings by inscribing names on each bunny.

Print out a bunny template like this on card stock

 and then use for a table centerpiece or menu card.

 White carnations make whimsical cotton tails.

Print the menu on the bunny template and add your carnation cotton tail, 

and dress up the white dinner plates. 

 (Matthew told me he cut each card out using tiny sharp scissors.)  

 Speaking of cotton tails, a pile of creme puffs sprinkled with 

confectioners sugar makes a cute reference to Peter Cottontail.  

 More paper cutouts, or vintage looking Easter bunny decorations

 are tucked into flower frogs, painted white for the occasion.  

 Lemon cookies from Trader Joes get the Easter treatment with a sprinkle 

of confectioner's sugar through small stencils.  I love this idea, and I can imagine 

these cookies at a First Communion party as well as at an Easter table.

 Another wonderful way to use stencils and sugar, 

this time on a store bought pound cake!

Find an array of stencils at shops like Michaels or Joanns.

Simply unwrap a white chocolate rabbit or two, and arrange on a white tablecloth

 with some white eggs and candies.  Tuck a few white tulips or hyacinth 

inside of juice glasses.  Brilliant!

A large clear egg from a craft store is a magical way to present an 

old fashioned and romantic Easter gift to a special loved one.

Think WHITE this Easter, and follow Matthew Mead's easy ideas 

for an unforgettable table to share with your family and friends.
To see even more White Easter Ideas, visit his Pinterest page here
Note: All photos property of Matthew Mead

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A Rustic Classical Thanksgiving Table

It's a pleasure to be joining a talented group of design bloggers 
with table settings for Thanksgiving.  
How many times do you do the same thing, every year?
Well this group may give you some ideas about switching it up!
My Thanksgiving table came together quite naturally this year.

It centered on one big beautiful thing.

My inspiration point for the table setting was a classical urn that I found 

recently at the wonderful SOWA Antique Market in Boston.

You can make your own table centerpiece using a 
beautiful soup tureen or a large vessel like a planter or an urn.

To dress this table up, I could have started with a white tablecloth, 

but I loved the look of the fancy urn against the rustic wood table planks. 

A bunch of wheat (that is actually in a self contained pot) was plunked inside the urn,

and then I filled in the edges with cuttings from one of the mums I had outside.

You can see the beginnings of my table above.  The urn without the mums yet,

and the table with just white baby boos and no individual flowers for the settings.

It's nice, but lacking somehow....so keep layering until its pretty but not cluttered.

 Each place setting got a special touch with individual antique purple
 glass vessels, holding one sprig.  It is simple and pretty. 

As you may know, I always shop my yard or my home to create special looks.

The sparkle of silver and gold, and farm stand pumpkins and flowers

 create the perfect mix of refined and rustic decor that I prefer.

 Ignore traditional thinking and set your table 

with what appeals to your own personal style.

Use your favorite heirloom pieces to create a table all your own.

This could be my most favorite Thanksgiving table ever!

Don't forget to visit my blogger friends homes to see what

kind of tables they have come up with.  

You will be sure to be inspired.

Shabbyfufu

 

StoneGable

Savvy Southern Style

Maison Decor

 

On Sutton Place

The Enchanted Home

 

Monday's posts:

Designthusiasm | French Country Cottage | Cedar Hill Farmhouse Kelley Nan | Bless'er House | Maison de Pax

Tuesday's posts:

Town and Country Living | CitrineLiving | Sand and Sisal Zevy Joy | Life on Virginia Street | Design, Dining and Diapers

Wednesday's posts:

Decor Gold Designs | ZDesign At Home | Randi Garrett Design Ella Claire | So Much Better With Age | My Soulful Home

Thursday's posts:

Shabbyfufu | StoneGable | Savvy Southern Style Maison Decor | On Sutton Place | The Enchanted Home

Friday's Posts:

Sunny Side Up | Finding Home Farms | The Wood Grain Cottage Setting for Four | Becky Cunningham

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