A nature inspired Christmas

Wooh!  I am overwhelmed with all those over the top Christmas home tours popping up on Pinterest and blogs.  Is it me or have people gone totally overboard  with Christmas decorating? The practical in me rebels.  Where do they store all those new decorations each year?  How much money is invested yearly when one does a complete decor  change at Christmas?  Where is tradition in all of this? 

It's was so refreshing to visit  my sister's home this week and see that nature and thrift inspired much of what she has done to invite Christmas cheer. We both love a good bargain and forage our gardens for materials to decorate.  Some of the objects get used year after year in different ways and a small portion are purchased new.   So come along and see what she has done.....


nature inspired Christmas
Christmas Welcome

She  has the perfect roofed entry for welcoming  Christmas decor. A centre layout doesn't hurt either.  She couldn't pass up these  lovely birch pots even thought she went looking for something larger. I love the colour and texture of them. They  are so versatile and  could easily be used inside too on a table or buffet.

nature inspired Christmas
 Birch Pots

 A closer view.  The local dollar store had lots of inexpensive ornaments to add to the cedar and pine.


nature inspired Christmas
 Berries and Birds

The red tub and a sprinkling of snow adds to this delightful combination of birds, berries, twigs and greenery.  Happy holidays to all who decide to enter by the back door.  That would be almost everybody in the town where she lives! While I was visiting there were high winds and we were afraid the contents  of this arrangement would  end up in the neighbour's yard.  Decorating outside in Newfoundland is a risky business.

nature inspired Christmas
Dove with greenery

 And inside a stained glass dove, a gift from us several years ago, is incorporated into  this very simple arrangement of greenery in a basket that gets used every year.  This arrangement also serves a practical purpose - it creates privacy and allows the outside in.   Taken at night this shot shows the inside wreath on the opposite wall,  the bare tree outside and  the neighbour's lights.  I wished I had my camera and not my I Phone for better shots.

 This  versatile candle holder might appear anywhere during the year in her house, but this Christmas it is on the buffet in the dining area. 

 Add a red candle.... 

 
And a $2.00  mini wreath, you guessed it from the local dollar store,


 

 and viola .... ready for Christmas. 



We were wishing there was a third one to balance out the wreath.  Spreading them out a little helped.  That shot never got taken.



 And a lovely 3 D snowflake on a spent orchid stalk.   So simple and so riveting .  Your eye will  follow  red anywhere.   We had great discussion about where  the snowflake should be placed.  We decided to put it on the edge of the vignette to move your eye on to the next thing. Two sisters who are both decorators can spend hours talking about very little (according to family)!

An inviting home and a great sister.  Merry Christmas Vera, and thank you for allowing me to show some of your Christmas cheer.






10 Ways to use Pantone's Colour of 2014

The news is out and after much  guessing  by designers the world over Pantone has declared Radiant Orchid as the colour for 2014.

10 Ways to use Pantone's 2014 colour of the year
2014 Pantone Colour of the Year

 It seems to leave people a little speechless.  Now I am a purple lover and have hits of it around my house, but I lean toward the bluish purples.  Even my front door is BM french violet. I have lavender  front porch cushions  etc.  I wear lots  of purples in clothing.   But this is more pink.

It is a far cry from last year's emerald. 


 If you bought into emerald last year here's a combination of the two.... 


Certainly colourful.  Notice how white is used to quieten this scheme.


But how to deal with this vibrant pink purple.... 



 Play it safe and use it to add a  jolt of colour in flowers... Beautiful and temporary.

 
 source

Invest in a little leather that can be moved from room to room.  




Paint a piece of furniture or a mirror.



Throw in a daring light fixture. 


 Buy an accent chair in this lovely hue and connect it with a patterned pillow. 


Mix it up in lovely patterned bedding. 


Or on a ceiling or headboard.  Notice the leather ottoman from a previous shot.


Now we are getting daring with drapes, a bold geometric pattern and peonies.  The dark furniture provides a rich backdrop for this scheme.


Or have the full meal deal with walls, bedding, drapes, pillows and art.  Thankfully the white offers the perfect foil for the vibrancy.

Did you notice any trends in how it is used? 



And good- bye with one of my paintings that works with this lovely colour


Margaret Ryall ( In Between) mixed media on canvas, 12 x 36 inches , private collection



 

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