Christmas Inspiration

Thanksgiving was lovely quiet, all the men were here, a treasure indeed. Now my thoughts are going to decorate and make festive, our home for Christmas.

I love the fragrance of winter evergreens,

perhaps with a mix of dried hydrangeas.

Have you ever experienced Christmas at the Biltmore in Asheville, NC?

Be sure and put on your 'top 10' list of "must do's". It is a wonder and a spectacular sight to see.

I enjoy seeing what others do, don't you? I took a look back to Christmas '08 to see what some bloggers did. Michelle Morelan of A Schematic Life.

A Christmas from Down Under, Anna Spiro of Absolutely Beautiful Things.

Eddie Ross

Katie Denham of Katiedid

Linda at Lime in the Coconut

Southern Living Magazine

Mrs. Blandings

Valorie Hart the Visual Vamp

Ingela at Love your Homes (Sweden)

What do you like to do? Do the same things go in the same spot? I like to mix it up a bit. I also go through and purge of things I have not used in the last few. I did a 'big girl' tree the last couple of years and my sons wondered where all of their ornaments were. So, out they will come this year.

Happy Thanksgiving!

After you have gobbled up your turkey and all that makes you happy, why not add this to your dessert buffet?

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

I saw this last night at Urban Grace Interiors and stole from her!

Of course we all know that imitation is the highest form of flattery! I am on my way to get the ingredients right now! You can find the recipe here!

So, sweet friends, enjoy your family and friends and count your many blessings one by one!

xx

The Brickmaker's Table - Who will win?

My good 'bloggy' friend Brooke at Velvet and Linen posed this question a few weeks ago, "Can you create your own design style even if you buy some pieces from a catalogue?"

One of the comments came from Mark Sage of Bobo Intriguing Objects right here in Atlanta, and this is what he had to say...

"Some of you attended a Catholic school. There were certain girls that just looked “different”… better. How could this be when the uniform was all the same? The answer of course was the way they WORE that uniform."

"If six different people had the EXACT same coffee table, it would look COMPLETELY different in six different settings. It still comes down to how you place it, the other pieces surrounding it, the shape and color of the room and how you accessorize that table. Putting your personal touches to a reproduction piece can be very rewarding."

Mark and Brooke put their heads together and came up with a competition! Mark generously offered to give 3 of these tables away. Brooke asked for those interested to send her a picture of the room where they felt this lovely table would fit. Well, wouldn't you know that those out in blog land went crazy and Brooke had pictures of 170 rooms?! She then called on some her design bloggy friends to help her choose. We had to send her our top 5.
Do you have any idea how difficult this was? There were indeed many outstanding rooms.

These are just a "tease" of the contestants. Click on over to Brooke's blog Velvet and Linen to see the rest of the rooms and look at the top right corner and place your vote! Only one vote please.

Changes

When you purchase a home there are things that you have to live with for a while. Sometimes there are things that have to go right away. That happened for me with this powder bath. I am showing you the "after" first. I really wanted to paint it black but DH said 'no'. He usually doesn't say too much as he knows that flying helicopters is his expertise. So when he has a strong opinion I listen, somewhat. I found the darkest gray I could find. heehee

The ceiling is about 14' so I dropped the top of the roman shade down a bit for the balance of the room. I usually like to hang at ceiling height but it was not right for this space.

I am not a 'blue' person, so this had to go right away. And, for some odd reason I do not like towel holders. I prefer laying the hand towel folded on the sink.
The light pink and green bedrooms with a lilac jack and jill bath went too.

We've now been in our home a year and a half and it's time to get busy with other projects. I showed you some painting last week.

We went from this...

to this...
(which way do you like the furniture arranged better? I am having difficulty deciding.)

This room is a GIANT work in progress. Did you notice the yellow lovely? It is on 'loan' to me from my Mom but will eventually go to my sister maybe. Unfortunately for her right now, she lives too far away to get it! I am going to have it reupholstered some time in the Spring however. So, 'big girl' drapes are in order, and some type of contemporary art in oil and an area rug.

Chair Saga

I found this French wing chair at Historic Roswell Antique Market a few days after we moved into the house. I call it my 'funky' chair and it is soooo comfortable. How about the '60's brocade? So lovely. NOT (the round table has since gone to son at college!)

Of course, it and another wing went right away to the upholsterer's.
BUT
When they were delivered back to me, my heart just sank, I hated them. The fabric definitely looked better on the bolt.

So a year and a half of living with them, I had them redone.

First, I cleaned up the wood,

and found new fabric...

and off they went....

they just came back today....

So to me....much better, more calming. I have some great fabric in mind for lumbars and an ikat for a couple of toss pillows for the sofa.
Still a work in progress... since pulling up the carpet and installing wood floors continuing from the kitchen is not an option right now, I will be on the hunt for an area rug to pull the room together and rearrangement of art and eventually changing the paint colour (one I inherited).

So a few changes at Moore Casa and moore (heehee)to come.

Susan at Between Naps on the Porch
is hosting her 45th Metamorphosis Monday, why don't you 'click' on over and see how others are making changes.

Time Passes Quickly (part 2)

It is so very hard to believe that this sweet boy is
celebrating 22 years today. Tender memories come to mind
of his loving nature and abundant energy.

We went from soccer to little league with swimming in between,
then on to football, baseball, basketball, and track too.

He has grown into a fine young man with strength of character and focus in life.
Happy Birthday Geoff. I am so very proud of you.

In the Spirit of Giving

It is far easier to give than to receive.

As I get older I am trying to learn the value in being a gracious receiver so that other's may have the joy of giving.


Sweet Lisa of The Lisa Porter Collection very kindly sent me

The Honest Scrap Award.


It is intended to find out some interesting tidbits about the recipient. I do think we bloggers are an interesting lot.

Lisa is one of the most warm, kindhearted and loving bloggy friends I know! She is one talented lady, and beautiful watercolorist. She is a mom extraordinaire to two teenagers and one tail wagger and her Mr. is one lucky man!

1. I have moved over 40 times thanks to Dad and DH being in the military, I treasure friendship.

2. I earned First Class Girl Scout (same as Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts) now called the GS Gold Award.

3. I have a degree in 'cello performance and have studied opera as well as jazz and have sung in a USO show.


4. "What Season are You?" Summer, Winter, Spring or Autumn?
Yep, you guessed it!
"Color Me Beautiful" consultant and speaker.

5. I was a personal trainer for 17+ years.

6. I have done 5 triathlons...sprint distance.

7. I do not primp.

8. I will usually try just about anything once.





9. I believe in the art of note writing and keep lots of pretty papers including some I have purchased from bloggy friends.

10. Most importantly...I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Some lovely friends I have met and I know you would like to meet as well. I would like to present the Honest Scrap Award to:

Slices of Beauty

Blueprint Bliss

Comfort and Luxury

Oliveaux

Love Your Homes

Renee Finberg Tells All in her blog of Adventure and Design

Trouvais

Painting

Sunday afternoon about 2pm I decided to paint my living room. We moved in our home about a year and a half ago and I have been living with the colours I inherited. This brown with an olive-y green undertone was just too dark for me. I painted for 2 hours Sunday before I lost the light.

I chose SW Ramie which still has a green undertone, but lighter and calming.
Will show finished product later, I failed to get a snapshot before I lost the light today.

While I was up and down the ladder, twisting and turning, oy, the hired painters were in my bedroom. Same dark brown...not me.

I managed to get everything out but the bed and the armoire.

Painters weren't quite finished in the bathroom when I snapped this. I chose SW Ellie Gray and WOW what a fabulous difference. This room is a work in progress and will post the metamorphosis when it is complete. I have some fabulous fabrics all picked out!

I haven't painted in a while and I know why....advil and hot bath are calling my name. It took me all day to do 3 walls. I'm a perfectionist. I use an artists flat brush on the trim to make sure the lines are straight. I know, I do it to myself.
DH is sure going to be surprised when he gets home the end of the week!

Au Chocolat

The mere mention of anything associated with this mouthwatering confection can cause a dreamy look to come into the eyes of the chocoholic.

The cocoa tree, Theobroma cacao, originated in South America and from the early 7th century was cultivated by the Maya. In 1502, Christopher Columbus took the cocoa bean to Spain, but it wasn't until later when Cortes introduced Xocotlati, a recipe brought from the Mexican court of Montezuma for a drink made from crushed roasted cocoa beans and cold water. Vanilla, spices, honey and sugar were added to improve the flavor of this thick and bitter brew and over time it came to be served hot....our hot chocolate was born!

In the 17th century, the popularity of cocoa spread to the rest of Europe. France was the first country to fall to its charms, then Holland, where Amsterdam became the most important cocoa port beyond Spain.

From there cocoa went to Germany, then north to Scandinavia, and also south to Italy. Cocoa arrived in England in the mid-17th century, and in London, chocolate houses quickly began to rival the newly established coffee houses.

In the early 19th century, Dutch chemist Conraad Van Houten invented a press to extract the fat from the beans, and developed a method of neutralizing the acids. In this way, he was able to produce almost pure cocoa butter, and a hard "cake" which could be milled to a powder to use as a flavouring. As a result, it became possible to eat chocolate as well as to drink it. Yay for Conraad!

In Britain, Fry's chocolate appeared in 1847, and in Switzerland the famous chocolate companies were established. In 1875 chocolate was combined with condensed milk to produce the first milk chocolate. At around this time, Lindt found a way of making the smooth, melting chocolate still associated with its company today. About 20 years later, Hershey introduced the famous chocolate bar in the United States.

Cocoa trees are now grown in many parts of the world. The cocoa beans are left in the sun, then shelled, and the kernels processed to produce cocoa solids. Finally, the cocoa butter is extracted and further processed to become chocolate in all of its forms!

Around the Christmas holiday season, I enjoy trying new recipes and sharing with my friends. I have difficulty keeping too many confections in my home, as my willpower wanes.
So....are YOU a chocoholic?

Text and images from the book, Chocolate
Hot Brandy Chocolate
Hot Chocolate Souffle
Chocolate Brownie Roulade
Chocoate and Banana Crepes
Candied Citrus Peel
Champagne Mousse

If you would like any recipes, drop me a line.