FRONT PORCH HOLIDAY SPARKLE

I’ve been using gold accents in my home for several years, but I’ve never been able to let go of these silver sequined deer or my disco balls.  My front porch is all silver sparkle for Christmas.

I placed urns on either side of the bench, filled them with clippings from my garden, and plopped one of my large disco balls in the center.

Do you prefer silver or gold for the holidays?

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NUTCRACKER HOLIDAY DECOR. YEA OR NAY?

My entire life I’ve been on team nay.   This year I changed my mind and purchased three nutcrackers.  I can’t explain it, but I’m happy with my choices.

 

So how do you feel about nutcrackers?  Yea or Nay?

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BLUE AND WHITE FOR CHRISTMAS

 I love decorating for the holidays, but it seems that every year I try to streamline what I do.  I try not to get carried away and add magnolia to every piece of art and every chandelier.  I’ve convinced myself that minimal holiday decor is the way to go.  It makes the January after-holiday packing up and storing so much easier.   

I have blue and white in my sunroom.  Instead of changing too much, I removed some items from the mantel and added some holiday decor.

I never thought I would use faux greenery, but these faux cedar garlands and wreath have become part of my new holiday style.

I kept the large ginger jar on the mantel.  The bookshelves on either side of the mantel have more blue and white.

I found the blue and white pagoda trees on Facebook Marketplace.

The woven trees are a Homegoods find from last year.  They tie in with the seagrass furniture already in the room.

As I get older my decor choices have changed.  

How do you approach holiday decor?   Do you go all out or are you on the road to minimalism?

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THANKFUL GARLAND

 This year my sister had the idea of a thankful garland.  I’m going to pack this away and bring it out again next year so we can add to it and make some family memories and traditions.

What are your holiday family traditions?  Please share.

BAMBOO SHELF REIMAGINED

 I have many pieces of bamboo in my home.  The shelves are the most useful.  I reimagined this burnt bamboo piece as a shelf for the towels in one of the bathrooms.  When we have guests, this is the one they use. It's also helpful to have the towels visible.  It also frees up some of the under-the-sink storage space too.

I have a large mirror resting agains the wall.

BAMBOO SHELF REFLECTED IN THE LARGE MIRROR

IT FITS PERFECTLY IN THE WINDOW ALCOVE

LOVE MY CHINOISERIE ELPHANT

Do you use vintage bamboo in your home?

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MY CLIMBING CARDINAL VINE IS HAVING A BAD HAIR DAY

 This is the first time that I planted a Climbing Cardinal Vine on my arbor.  It took a while to get started but it’s really covered the arbor.  Let’s just say that there are a few wild vines.  I’m saying that she’s having a bad hair day.  I’ve said this before but the end of summer gardens are the best. 

How does your end of summer garden grow?

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I HAVE AN EXPLOSION OF PERENNIAL BEGONIAS

 Many years ago a dear friend shared some of her perennial begonias.  They were the same size as the annual begonias you purchase at the garden center.   I don’t know how they did it, but the last few years they had quite a growth spurt.  You’ll see from the images that they have become giant begonias.  Some of the leaves are five inches wide and the plants are almost a foot tall.  I have no idea what I did right to have this begonia explosion.  I did nothing to the soil and have never added a fertilizer, but boy are they happy.

Have you had a garden surprise this year?

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MY SPECTACULAR LIMELIGHT HYDRANGEA

Every August I repeat that the Limelight Hydrangea was the best addition to my garden.

 

What’s your favorite garden addition?

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VINCA VOLUNTEERS

 Several years ago I added Vinca to my garden.  Although Vinca is an annual, it self seeded and appeared in my garden the following year.  Each year they appear and add the color I need to my garden.  You’ll be able to pick them out easily in this photo.  They’re the pop of color in my otherwise green garden.

VINCA POPS OF COLOR IN THE GARDEN

How does your garden surprise you?

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MIRROR REFLECTIONS

When a mirror is part of a photo, its reflections can cause challenges.  In my case, I decided to work with the mirror reflections rather than against them.  I think that the reflected images add interest to the photo and also an opportunity to share another view of the room.

MIRROR REFLECTIONS ON MY MANTEL

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MY FAVORITE DISHES

 If you haven’t noticed, I have an obsession with dishes.  I selected some of my favorites and restyled the cupboard in my butler’s pantry in green and white with gold accents.

CORNER CUPBOARD IN GREEN AND WHITE

The top shelf  has my favorite transferware in green.  I’ve sold off a lot of my vintage dishes but I don’t think I’ll ever part with these green and white dishes.  They actually directed the cupboard styling.  In the center is a large white Italian cachepot and ginger jar salt and pepper.  On the shelf below are some scalloped oyster plates.  I added the pair of green bookends just because they were the right color.

The next shelves hold some of my cabbage leaf collection.  The white luncheon plates are a variation of the green ones.  I have three of these cabbage leaf pedestal dessert stands in graduated sizes.

CABBAGE LEAF CAKE STANDS

The bottom shelf holds more transferware and an ironstone pedestal bowl filled with gold apples, pears and figs.  The demijohn base bowl holds bumble bee napkin rings.

MORE TRANSFERWARE, IRONSTONE COMPOTE AND GOLD ACCENTS

I tied it all together with a selection of gold accents:  figs, apples, pears, bumble bee napkin rings, tassel bookends, artichokes and  weathered furniture finials.

WHAT’S IN BLOOM

 In this summer heat my blooms didn’t disappoint.  It has been an unusally hot and dry start to summer.  I wanted to share what’s in bloom is mid June.  

I found this hanging basket of Calibrachoa outside the grocery store in the almost dead sale section for $5.  I knew I could revive it—and I did.  It’s an annual so I’ll have to look for it next year.

CALIBRACHOA 

I had to look up the name of this perennial.  It’s very low growing with lovely purple/blue blooms.  The bees are feasting on it.  It’s perfect under my bird bath.

WALL GERMANDER

My Evening Primrose is a real fighter.  The aggressive Black Eyed Susans invaded their space.   The Susans were much taller than the Primrose but that feisty plant grew taller and bloomed above the Susans.

EVENING PRIMROSE

I planted this Lamb’s Ear last year and it is thriving.

LAMB’S EAR

My Russian Sage never disappoints.  I’ve been dividing it. And sprinkling it around the beds.  It is unaffected by drought.  Love it.  So easy care.

RUSSIAN SAGE

How does your start of summer garden grow?

BEACHY DECOR WHEN YOU’RE NOT AT THE BEACH

 I don’t live at the beach but I love adding  beachy decor.  

GLASS BEADS, CORAL, SEA LIFE PILLOWS AND SHELLS

Notice the design book in the tray too, BOHEMIAN SOUL, by Valorie Hart.  The author has been my design inspiration for many years.  I followed her blog many years ago and currently follow her Instagram account @visualvamp.   The images by photographer, Sarah Essex Bradley, are of the “Vanishing Interiors of New Orleans”.    I’m really enjoying it.  If you love to scroll through inspiring interiors, follow her on Tumblr too, The Visual Vamp.  Of course garlands of glass beads and some coral look good in the tray too

BOHEMIAN SOUL INTERIOR DESIGN BOOK WITH GLASS BEADS AND CORAL

FAUX CORAL ON A STACK OF BOOKS ON A BOOK SHELF

 

PAINTED BRANCHES IN A SHELL-FILLED CONTAINER ON MY MANTEL

My fireplace is non working so I layered a small cabinet, some “coral” candleholders and a chinoiserie print over it.  Can you see the coral in the print?

CORAL CANDLEHOLDERS AND CORAL REPEATED IN THE CHINOISERIE PRINT

I have six of these framed coral images layered over my windows.

ONE OF SIX FRAMED CORAL IMAGES LAYERED OVER MY WINDOWS

If you’re a regular follower you’ve seen my fabulous faux shell filled with shells.

SHELLS INSIDE A SHELL REFLECTED IN MY MIRRORED TABLE

ONE OF MY SEA LIFE PILLOWS

What do you like to add to your rooms?