My Christmas List: Part Two

If you missed Part One, it's good! Check it out, here - or just keep scrolling down. There's some really good stuff!

So we all have that guy (or girl) in our life that we never know what to buy. Birthday, Christmas they all are sort of lost on us because they're just entirely too hard to buy for. For me, it's those guy's guys that I just can't ever relate to. My brother-in-law, primarily. He's a big beer guy, brews his own, (and it's very good incidentally) but I always just find myself bringing him beer as a gift. Practical because I know he's going to drink it, but boring because it's something he's already bought himself. I found myself lost again this year wondering what to buy him, when I stumbled across this Yeti COOZIE! I didn't even know they made these things!?!?!? He will love it, and it comes in assorted colors you can choose, all for $25 which is our "family threshold". I had to start off Part Two of my Christmas list with this, because I feel like we all have that person in our lives that we know would LOVE one of these, and it makes for a great gift that they'll use and appreciate. 

The Fire TV Stick turns any regular television into a smart television. If you don't already have a smart TV, I definitely suggest one of these little units, which plugs into an HDMI port in your television and allows you access to HULU, Netflix, Amazon TV and more. 

For the person who has EVERYTHING! They definitely don't have a fresh box of French macarons! 

We could all use a little more humor in our lives. 

Ever have that moment where you wonder if you cut the iron off? Not sure that you turned on the crock pot? Smart plugs are the solution for these little nuisances that usually require a special trip home to check. You can turn the power on or off to the appliance plugged into these adapters with your smartphone. 

I ordered this for myself this Christmas! LOL! Tis' the Season, right? But seriously, I've had an immersion blender for a long time and I love it. When I saw this package, which is essentially an immersion blender with attachments that allow you to have a power whisk, food processor, bullet, and blender all in one? For $40?!?! YES! I'm all about space saving in a tiny kitchen, and I think this is going to be so fantastic! Thought you might love it, too! 

Nest Candles have the sweetest packaging, I love them! The 2oz votives are relatively inexpensive, and very fragrant. Holiday is my fave. 

I got these last year for Christmas, and I will NEVER have another set of wired headphones again. 

Mark is working on two new books right now, but his first book "Beautiful" is still a top seller, and is filled with great decorating ideas and advice. I highly recommend it. 

Splurge on your cuddle time with this gorgeous cashmere throw! 

Love a large tote for grocery shopping, farmers markets, bringing things to parties I'm not hosting. This one is great! Love the stripes! 

Alright, this combined with Part One (keep scrolling) are my offerings to the endless lists on the internet this year for good gift ideas! I hope you find at least one thing you'll love for you or someone else, and above all - that you'll have a wonderful holiday season with the people you love! 

My Christmas List: PART ONE

So it seems like everyone is doing a Christmas list of goodies from around the internet. I often find them helpful, but know what sort of work goes into one of these things, particularly when you're trying to find links to send someone to the right place instead of on a wild goose chase. But, cause I love ya, I've made sure they all work and you're all set. So, without further ado - let's take a look at the 2019 Christmas List I think you and THEY will love!

The perfect candle. This is something I burn year round, and actually have going right now! Capri Blue Volcano is the quintessential scent of Anthropologie. If you've ever been in a store, walked by a store, or probably thought of a store - it's the scent that accompanies those experiences. It's sweet, and citrus-y, but has enough of an earthy balance to be a favorite scent all year long! It's my favorite candle, and has been for years! Definitely a must buy for the person on your list who loves home. 

If you're a seasonal scent person, and are looking for the perfect Christmas or winter fragrance, look no further. The luxury scents of Votivo brand candles are beyond enticing. They burn clean, and are wonderfully fragrant. This ICY WHITE PINE scent is my favorite. It's a hint of balsam without feeling like you're smelling a Christmas tree into February, you know? Sometimes you want that clean forest winter smell without feeling like you should be unboxing decorations! 

I finally have a patio/outdoor space that's all ours in 2020, and I couldn't be more excited. It's made me begin to think of all the pretty planters and pots that I'll need come Spring. Of course, you could use these beautiful footed vessels for anything year-round. A fruit bowl, a place to put your keys, you could plant succulents or an orchid in them, top with moss ... 

They're just really interesting and  that's not easy to find at that price point! So if you know someone who loves to garden, or just loves to have pretty and interesting things - these are worth a go! 

Who doesn't need a good looking tote bag? I mean, I'm sure there are some manly-men types who are going to rail against this, but for most of us, having a sizable grocery bag or tote in the car is a great idea. Sure, you can keep your reusable grocery bags in there, but what about when you have a party you're going to, or you just need a bag on the fly. Look sharp and put together all the time by keeping one of these lovelies in your car! Makes a great gift, too.

Another thing that's great to have on hand, but that also makes a great gift - linen napkins. I love these hemstitch options in various shades of linen, white, even dark wintergreen. Trust me, it's something people love and want they never think to get themselves. So if you're looking for a gift idea, make these a part of it, and if you're just wishing you had some - 'tis the Season to TREAT YO SELF!

Another relatively inexpensive idea that everyone wants, the YETI. I have to admit, I thought that this was a crazy thing, but then I got this little guy: 

And I fell in love. They've got some great sophisticated color options too, that don't feel too youthful.

We all spend too much time on our phones, right? I mean, we don't want to admit it - and like any good addict we look around and point the finger at someone who uses it more than we do - BUT it's true. WE SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON OUR PHONES, me included. I used to feel tethered to it literally with the cords jumbled everywhere, but then I found this little guy that we now have by the bed. Lightning fast charging, and no more messy cords. Plus, having my phone charging by the bed means that I can be hands free, phone free, stress free somewhere else in the house ... that it until I can't handle being without it. LOL! 

Back to candles, I know. But I thought that these were a great gift idea and the others I thought were a great idea for you! Know someone you went to College with, or who moved away? Still keep in touch and looking for the right thing to buy them? Maybe it's a sister or a brother who got a job out of state and has raised their family in North Carolina while you and yours are still in New York? Well, these Homesick candles are practically for any place you can think of, and are a sweet and thoughtful gift for the person you love. Even if they're not homesick, maybe you're wishing they were home. A great gift for the Mom and Dad's out there who have kids away at college! 

Truth here, this is something I want for Christmas. The new place has granite counters, and I don't have a large cutting board like this anymore. So I'm putting it here in the hopes that my Santa will see it, BUT also because it's a great price and I can tell you I'm not the only one hoping for one of these babies this year! 

These are great stocking stuffers. I want to buy the NAG NOTE for myself! LOL! Little post-it like sticky notes that are pre-printed with a fun header. Yes, definitely buying the nag notes for you-know-who.

There you go - part one! I'll have part two up on Friday. 

OH!!!! And, before I forget. 

I have a very limited number of Cross Bottles available on sale over at Cross Bottle Guy if you're looking for handmade gifts this year! And you can always peruse my instagram for art! 

White (and Caramel) Christmas

I'm a little late getting these pictures to you because we had a little bit of a whoopsie daisy with the photos, and I have spent the last 10-days trying to have the memory card scrubbed and have photos recouped. Thankfully, they found a few of this beautiful tree, and I'm hoping they'll be able to find more. Fingers crossed! 

I was asked to participate in a Tour of Homes this year to benefit housing assistance for displaced families, and I couldn't wait to get set up. This entire tree ended up being auctioned off to a lucky winner, and I spent several hours taking each ornament off piece by piece making sure they didn't break for the long trip to the tree's new home in Pittsburgh! 

I started with a great base, the 7' Flocked Alpine Tree from Tree Classics. The tree comes pre-lit with clear lights, and comes out of the box in 3-pieces. Simply connect them together, and voila! You're done! A little fluffing was all it needed to get it ready for it's close up! 

Of course, the 300 pound urn had to stay near the tree, moving it even this far was quite the challenge. So it found itself the happy host to more of those 10" glittered balls from the tree. Tree Classics has some amazing ornament collections, and I used a couple for this tree. 

It's hard to pick a favorite, but I would definitely urge you to take a look at their 12-piece finial collections. They're stunning, and they hang so beautifully on the tree. I love the interest that they provide, with the unique shapes and varied styles. They have them in red, green, gold, and a rich matte red they're calling burgundy. Definitely a lot of bang for your buck with these beauties! 

I used some ornaments from my old show-house decorating days, too. Little blue and white birds, the snow and glitter picks, and those giant glitter orbs. Just in case you couldn't tell, there were a ton of picks in this tree, white magnolia blossoms, and ornaments in soft blues, golds, and brilliant green. The green ones were hand picked from the Merry & Bright collection from Tree Classics to go with the theme, and then I used the left over red ones to work into the dining room trees. This is a great idea - you can split up the ornaments from the collections Tree Classics offers to decorate multiple trees in multiple themes. 

There were a lot of oo's and ah's over this tree, and it was amazing getting to talk to people about the apartment and the changes I'd made. Chinoiserie obviously played a big part in the creation of this space, and I loved the play of the blue in the tree against all of the Chinoiserie blue and white porcelain, and the gold and cream of the ornaments and that beautiful Tree Classics tree against the colors of the sofa and cushion. 

The tree was really loaded down with ornaments, which isn't unusual for me. There were even little glass icicles that hung from the ends of 50 branches. It took forever to put this beauty up - and even longer to take it down! 

But it gets to spend a lovely season in a new home. Like I mentioned, there were also trees in the dining room - which I'm so hoping they can recover the photos of, as they were just as stunning. 

If you're still looking for ornaments, or perhaps some of the finest life-like artificial trees, please look no further than Tree Classics. The website now has free shipping site wide until December 14th, and most everything is on sale for 50% off! A great time to land a great deal on an even greater product! 

See you soon with some more Christmas decor ... I hope! 

Florida Bound

AWESOME FLAMINGO CHRISTMAS CARDS AVAILABLE ON ETSY

I'll be spending Christmas in Florida, working on a client project, and getting some much needed rest. I have spent the last three months in a fog, working so much that I have a hard time believing that it's actually December!

While I'm gone, I encourage you to check on my Instagram, which I'll be updating quite frequently (hopefully daily). You can also check out the Book Review link at the top of the blog, which will give you plenty of reading and inspiration.

Also, remember you have until very early in the morning tomorrow to use your $5 off any book purchase on Amazon.com using the code GIFTBOOK! Find out more, here. 

I'll be back to blogging just before the New Year and I hope to have the shelves at Cross Bottle Guy re-stocked for your shopping pleasure just after the Holidays.

To you and yours, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

Safavieh

The barn was really one large space, that I had to separate into multiple uses. There was the sitting room:

which was immediately adjacent to the foyer. Then there was the living space:

complete with a fireplace and multiple seating. Then there was the desk area:

And the bar:

But probably one of my most favorite spaces was the library:

One long antique table, atop an antique rug ... framed by gorgeous Safavieh chairs in a beautiful greige linen.

The Faxon chair from Safavieh's Mercer collection is a gorgeous dining room chair, made of oak, and upholstered in 100% linen in a taupe-gray color, is the perfect chair for this application. In fact, the chair would fit well into any room, making a great dining room chair, or library chair, a desk chair, even an armless occasional chair in a living room.

Safavieh has chairs, tables, ottomans, desks, storage pieces, you name it - and in every budget from the uber high-end to the very reasonably priced chairs that I used at the barn project.

The chairs are beautifully constructed, superbly comfortable, and come with fitted covers for protection. The nailhead trim gives the frame a masculine touch, while the softly turned legs and antique french wash on the gray oak legs are decidedly feminine. Not only would the size and color of the chair allow it to fit well into any space, it would appeal to both men and women.

Safavieh sells these chairs in a pair, making it easy order in multiples ... plus, they are incredibly well priced! So, if you're looking for furniture for your home or clients, look no further. Safavieh has everything you need, at great prices, fast shipping, and excellent customer service.

Balsam Hill

All of the trees that I used in the barn this year were from Balsam Hill. Once I found this company just three years ago, I haven't looked anywhere else for my artificial Christmas trees, wreaths and garlands. They are, and this is my own unpaid, unbiased opinion, the BEST source for all things Christmas.

I had so many trees and garlands in the barn. That's what a showhouse at Christmas deserves, right? And Balsam Hill did not let me down with their amazing trees of supreme quality!

Balsam Hill trees are extremely realistic looking. I can't even begin to tell you how many people asked me if the garlands and trees were live! Built with their patented true needle technology, the trees have more tips and lights than any other trees available online or in stores.

I used their Tannenbaum Tree trio, their 9' Sonoma Slim pencil tree, their 7.5' Vermont White Spruce tree, multiple Vermont White Spruce garlands, and some ornament trees (so cool!).

Each of the trees were remarkably beautiful - and not just AFTER they were decorated. They came out of the box with very little fluffing necessary. But once I was done getting them perfectly fluffed, (using their awesome, super soft gloves), and decorated - they were THE most beautiful trees of the whole tour. Plus, after the tour was over - they were SUPER easy to store. Balsam Hill provides you with durable tree storage bags with every purchase, so no more fighting to get those trees back in a box! 

I went a little crazy with my trees this year, using large tree branches in the trees to give a real "forest" look. The trees ended up being incredibly architectural and sculptural, and honestly, I think that if I had gone with any other tree but the amazing quality of the Balsam Hill trees, they would have toppled over and been a huge mess! 

So, all in all - if you're looking for an artificial tree, garland, or wreath - don't look any further than Balsam Hill. Free Shipping, and a current promotion of more than 50% off, you aren't going to find a better deal either! 

Christmas Barn

Vanderpool Design - Lewiston Tour of Homes 

I took the day off of work today to take apart this space and get it all packed away or taken to their new homes, and I couldn't help but think ... I need to blog about how quick this tear down really was. 

It's a short post - I'm tired, and I've still not worked on the photos that I took. I also have cross bottles to make, and a whole new project that I have to design and decorate. So, bare with me, please. 

I got to the barn today at 8:30am. I had coordinated pick ups of all the things I was loaned between 9 and 10, and literally 6-weeks of work was torn apart in less than 6-hours.

Looks a little different doesn't it. It's actually a little sad to see it all torn apart like this. It just goes to show that if you have some creativity and talent, and a little money - you can turn just about anything into something spectacular. 

See you soon!

A Little Barn Update

So, it's almost here. I can't believe I've been working on this barn for the last couple of months and I'm still scrambling to get things done. I suppose that's not unusual though, I typically leave things to the last minute so that I don't have time to second guess my work. That's most often when the best work comes out of me anyway.

I've got several trees in the barn. One was decorated by Meg over at Oliver and Rust when she came over to help. It was beautiful. Unfortunately, I walked in on Thursday, and it was on the ground - shattered ornaments underneath, and one incredibly angry Artie. I think I may have even been green!

Anyway, in getting it up off the ground and anchored to the wall, I came up with a theme for both trees that can be modified to be similar but each unique in their own way. Here's how one of the trees turned out. I'll take better pics to share by the end of the week of the whole space (these were taken with my iPhone).

I wanted to have a lot of fresh greens in my artificial tree. Almost as if you were walking through a forest and decorated the tree from the things you found around you. Yes, I know you're not going to find Eucalyptus and Magnolia and Pine trees all in the same area ... but Christmas decorating is an opportunity to suspend disbelief ... just roll with it! 

Next, the tree - from Balsam Hill. Balsam Hill is by far, the best place to buy an artificial tree. They're incredibly lifelike, perfectly lit, and come with easy instructions and heavy duty storage bags. This is their pencil tree, which you can buy here. I love it because it's 9 feet tall, but only about as big around as a 5-gallon bucket. It gives you a ton of impact without having to buy a million ornaments to fill it up! Not to mention, everyone who has seen this tree has asked me if it was real! Honestly - best money can buy! 

We recently had a few branches on our block that came down during a wind storm. I didn't think twice about them, but after I decided to do this tree with a natural theme - I quickly scooped them up. They had a wonderful natural curve. 

Again, I apologize for the photo quality. I'll get some better pics for you when I'm all done in there! 

The tree is not decorated all the way around. I wanted more of a spray in the front, with very few pendant style ornaments on the side and back. The spray includes some HUGE sugar pine cones, seeded eucalyptus, eucalyptus, magnolia leaf, red and gold ornaments, and some beautiful fern leaves with gold glitter! 

It's totally asymmetric, and I like it like that. The branches throw it into a whole different realm ... just so charming and interesting. It's almost like sculpture. 

The tree will be the first thing people see when they walk into the room. Of course, there are 4 other lit trees they will have an opportunity to enjoy. (Fingers crossed!) 

The lanterns are gorgeous, too. They're from Progress Lighting. They hang a little low - but I needed to create the intimacy. 

A little closer this time. You can see how the spray works. I really can't wait to take pictures of all of this space finished. I've been so busy lately that the last thing I've thought of was taking photos with my camera. I have to get some portfolio shots this weekend, so I'll have a big long post for those of you who can't make the tour. 

So, there you have it. Something I've never done before - will likely not have the opportunity to do again. This barn just lends itself to this very natural looking display - and the crazy branches. But if you think this one is crazy ... just you wait! 

I had to update the blog - just so you knew I was still kicking! And please, when you're missing your Color Outside the Lines updates, check out my Instagram! It's your daily view at what's happening around this part of the world! 

Georgeous Christmas Tree Inspiration

Are you looking for inspiration for your Christmas Tree this year? 70% of American households will put their Christmas tree up after Thanksgiving dinner - and while I won't be putting one up in my own house, I am looking for inspiration for my many Christmas Tree's at the Christmas show house this year. I've already decorated one and taken it all apart, something was just all wrong. I don't know what it was - it just was.

So, I came home tonight and started searching - as I'm sure many of you have been - and I thought, why not throw a post together with Inspiring Christmas Trees that may or may not strike your fancy this year and have you decorating outside the box.

Mary McDonald

RAZ Imports

GrandinRoad

Lisa Luby Ryan

Pinterest

Pinterest

Lisa Luby Ryan

RAZ Imports

Pinterest

RAZ Imports

So, gorgeous, right? I mean who doesn't love a packed Christmas tree, filled with ribbons and ornaments, and branches, and fun big pieces like snow shoes and sleds. But when you do these home tour things, you have to change it up and do something different each time ... people begin to look for what's next. 

Thus, I've just ... like two seconds ago just ... been inspired by some pretty unlikely, and not so Christmas'y displays: 

That's right folks! I had already planned on filling some shelves with books - and bought a ton at a local 1/2 off sale at the thrift store. The bindings were removed, so just the pages remained ... and I had a million, literally! So, let's see how it turns out! It's too close to the day of to turn back now! 

A Little Progress ...

Well, the Christmas decor is being layered in, piece by piece. I really need to bring in my camera and stop relying on my iPhone with this terrible lighting. Once I get my lanterns from Progress Lighting, I think that'll be better.

I decided that an asymmetrical arrangement worked best here, and I liked the play of the traditional plaid with the somewhat unconventional arrangement and decoration. Some people won't get it - it will look unfinished, for others, it will be an inspiration for their mantels at home. That's how these tours work ... which do you think?

See you Wednesday - with a GREAT giveaway!! 

The Ribbon Tree - Lewiston Tour of Homes

The tree of tour was in the sunroom of the house that I decorated for the weekend long event. Everyone came through enamored by the use of burlap strapping as tree ribbon. When I found the balls at the Pottery Barn outlet in Ohio, I knew that they had to be the focal point of the tree. So, 7 went up, and then the ribbon and red ornaments were peppered in around them.

At first, I was going to use ribbon exclusively in this tree, but again, after finding those huge orbs, literally the size of basketballs, that changed. So I pulled the red from the rug up into the tree, and out onto the patio, as you saw in the tablescape featured here. My intention with all the decorating for this house was to seamlessly blend the color from the decor into the Christmas trimmings.

I'm so sorry that the pictures of this room are so heavily over-exposed. They get so much wonderful light in this room, that it makes photo taking a real chore! So, enjoy the rest of them ... and as a quick note: I WON! The tour has a "winner" each year, and I was informed just moments ago, that this house was chosen by those who toured as the crowd favorite! Many thanks to those of you who may have come and voted!