Christmas Decoration: Ideas for White Christmas trees!!

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Decorating Christmas tree is uniquely special! It brings together the entire family, putting up the tree, selecting ornaments, choosing a theme and the final display. Love everything about it, except maybe the effort in putting it away ;) So get bookmarking your inspirations, pin the ideas you love and when you have a theme marked, the rest will come easy.

White Christmas tree is non traditional, a very modern fun interpretation. They are available everywhere, and the ways you can decorate is amazing! Its the perfect foil for even your pastel and mercury silver ornaments. Anything on a white backdrop literally stands out!


Perfect apartment size and super cute! Match the ornaments to your wall color. White Christmas tree can be decked up in any color and look gorgeous each time.


Subtle elegance of white on white. The simple decoration is serene and the stair banister has the touch of fir and pine in sync with tradition. Love!


Match the decoration to your upholstery. Unique combination of brown and purple. Love the pine cones hanging on the tree. Choosing a theme really helps!


Vibrant colors! A sweet setup for holidays. Bright pink and green are the theme colors, in the wreath, wrappings, and table centerpieces. Cover gift boxes in matching paper and use it to prop up the trees.


A very contemporary Christmas decoration. Black and white is a popular combination and the white Christmas tree fits in perfectly. Tres chic!


Teal and white Christmas tree. A simple tree, which looks amazing in the living room backdrop. The upholstery adds so much to this look. Exceptional choice!


My favourite! Love the rainbow theme. If you love colors as much as me, just display all the colors, with a little scheme. This is a good scheme of colors and looks fantastic!

via here

Neutral colors are a good canvas for bright accent. White tree plays off the little hints of red and green beautifully. Those who love minimal and contemporary this is a good alternative.


If you have a sweet spot for a certain color, chances are its present all as home accents. Decorating your faux tree can't get simpler. Choose some ribbons, tinsel and baubles in your fav color. Done!


Traditional pale gold tissue Christmas tree skirt, with strings of light around frosted Christmas tree. It has a very natural and simple sophistication to it.


Add a few accent in the same color theme to make it festive. Very quick and absolutely complete. Spray paint thrift store ceramics in the same color to match the decor. Easy!


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Posted by Mr Black

Back in Step

3:22 PM |


What a summer that was.........blazing hot, drought induced and madly busy!

I was unprepared for the spate of business for both interiors and gardens with never enough time to spare. Good and bad, don't you think? I have missed my readers, and actually my friends and family. But with all that madness I knew that my annual jaunt to Europe to guide a tour and to REST was in sight. Just arriving home, Autumn brings hopes of a return to normality, however Christmas retail lurks nearby.

So what has been going on besides gardens & interiors?
 THIS! Discovered this wine in France and about to begin the hunt for it here and this vineyard in particular. Like Pinot? This will ruin you forever. This strictly red wine girl is hooked on Sancerre!
 Have always liked Dash and Albert rugs, I jumped in and am carrying the whole line. As an introduction to my readers, enjoy free shipping and a 20% off first order discount. (good until 11/28)

 NEST candles, ahhhh, our favorite scents and a top seller in the shop. As a good client, we were invited to a private party at Laura Slatkins home on the upper east side of NYC, her 8 story private home! OH MY, OH MY! I fear I did not make any friends. Upon entering her massive dining room, the period empire table (seating 20) was surrounded with her new fragrances. Picking up a bottle by it's lid which was my first mistake as the bottle departed it's lid and landed with a massive thud on the said period table, after silencing the room and much visible heart clutching later, the hostess managed to avoid eye contact with me the remainder of the evening. (nothing like getting noticed in a crowd)

Oh and this "star" was there with an entourage (for the uninitiated, this is Dina of the Jersey 
housewife fame)


ANY free time was spent here, gathering gorgeous inspiration, fab recipes and interesting D-I-Y projects........I am sadly addicted


Found a new blog I like, 'The Caledonian Mining Expedition'. Take a peak

Discovered this stunning perennial, Gentiana. The most vivid blue flower that blooms nearly all summer. Great for the front of the border. Mr. 5th has joined my business and reluctantly taken on the ordering. I was siting nearby when he was reading my handwriting and placing the order. Gentiana was  ordered like this......."I would like 24 genitalia!" i over heard and matched the roar of laughter from the other end of the line. "If you tell anyone this, I will never order again!" shhhhhh 


Never would have guessed my "dream" vehicle would be a 1935 Ford pick-up truck. 
Purchased from a friend, I thought with the proper signage it would make a nice vehicle marketing my landscape business, don't you think? Only problem is the learning curve, so far I cannot get the double clutching down. Beware if you see me on the road!


We recently completed our group tour to Dordogne France and to Paris, will share in the next post. 

Then it was four glorious weeks in England, scouting for next year's English tour, catching up on sleep and rest. Oh and shopping, wait until you see what I found!

 Thank you to my dear friends and hosts Sylvia and Joe for housing me, feeding me and loving me in the magical town of Sherborne, England

Let's catch up, I miss you all

Debra
PS:  working on a new look for my blog, not there yet. What do you think so far?






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Posted by Mr Black

How to Make Sage Butter

2:18 PM |



There are a couple of ways to make sage butter. One is actually a melted sage butter (brown) sauce that's pretty delicious with chicken (we'll get to that before Thanksgiving). The other is a flavored butter you can use as an ingredient in cooking or to serve on a buffet or at the table. It will keep for weeks in the fridge and for months in the freezer. (Yes, you can freezer butter without it

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Posted by Mr Black

How to Make Sage Oil

9:30 AM |

Making sage oil is easier than you think. If you start now, you'll have some on hand in two to three weeks. With the holidays coming, sage oil, sage honey and sage vinegar are nice additions to your culinary arsenal, too. They all add a savory kick to your recipes with a minimum of fuss, and they make very nice gifts. This is a sage oil "infusion" rather than an essential oil that's distilled

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Posted by Mr Black

Christmas Theme: Kids Special!!

2:13 PM | Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Christmas is a wonderful time to display new craft and ideas. You can choose a theme and color inspiration, there are amazing number of beautiful variations! Ring in the holiday mood with a little planning and search for ideas no more! It gets really easy when you know what you are looking for,pin the idea that inspire, get ready to create and collect :-)

Christmas decoration with kids in mind, its bright, colorful and absolutely cute! Lot of diy ideas and upcycle too. Enjoy crafting and decorating this holiday season.

White Christmas tree with lovely bubblegum colored decoration. Super easy holiday cards on a ribbon, tacked to the wall with a glitter snowflake! 
Lovely swag for mantel, little gifts hung on a ribbon. Make the most of what you already have.


Unconventional Pink and Purple Christmas tree! Really simple decoration but it looks absolutely decked up and perfect for a little darling. White background makes the color pop. Sweet and simple!


Kid's bedroom all setup for Christmas! A little tree with their choice of ornaments. Let them punch paper circles and make a garland.
Recycle old tinsel wreath (cardboard circle + tinsel garland), add new baubles, holiday cards. Its fun and its frugal!


How adorable is this! Make a felt ball/pom pom garland. A no fuss banner and a lovingly made advent calendar quilt. Cozy and perfect for apartment too.


What caught my eyes are the handmade pom pom decorations, and felt/card stock reindeer. These are perfectly safe for kids to handle and they will have a ball decorating the tree! Super cute :)


Convert a spiral wire Christmas tree into a personalized one for your little one's room. A little bit of floral wire, and an assortment of embellishments! Do it up differently every year, oh the possibilities..


Beautiful Christmas colors and a rustic sophistication. Decorate with a swag and some elegant embellishments for a special Christmassy effect. A perfect diy surprise!


In true holiday colors, Hanukkah decoration for a festive window. Paper craft, cricut embellishment and little cones to hold peppermint candy. The whole combination is so serene and chic.


Love all the details in here! A simple fir branch, hanging over the table with an assortment of decorations. A new twist to traditional tablescape. Its natural and unique!


Bright and perky! Cute little santa and snowman, with so many cheerful colors are sure to brighten up the holiday mood. Love the gorgeous table setting, happy and festive. :)



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Posted by Mr Black

The Many Uses for Sage (salvia officinalis)

11:15 AM |




If you're into Thanksgiving stuffing, you probably enjoy adding a bit of sage flavor to your holiday table.  Sage is one of the most popular but misunderstood herbs around.  It can have an overpowering flavor if you use too much of it, but in moderation it can improve the savor of a wide variety of ingredients.

It can bring out the mild sweetness (and creamy texture) of eggs, wake up mild

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Posted by Mr Black

Fall Autumn: Crafty nature inspired decoration!

5:50 PM | Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Most of us have already updated a little for Autumn, and what a wonderful season to enjoy! Love using things natural and beautiful for decoration? Look no further! This post has some gorgeous craft ideas to update your home to welcome fall and all its colors.

Enjoy what nature offers and make the most of it, its free , its good for earth and  you will be so proud of your craft!

Stunning fall colors, bring a handful of leaves and a branch of red berries from the wild! A lovely color combination just full of 'Fall'!


Easy table decoration for Thanksgiving maybe. A simple trim with punched leaves hot glued for a stunning makeover. Easy and pretty!


Fireplace will soon need to be spruced! Decorate the mantel with this. An old frame(thrift), ribbon and pressed leaves. Write a message on the leaves to make it more personal. Good gifting idea too!


A twist of grass twine, pumpkins and leaves! Such a cute window decoration, its much better than store bought, and knowing its Eco-friendly makes me like it even more :)


Upgrade your boring napkins with some buttons! These leaves in the many fall colors are perfect for Autumn parties. Perfect for beginners at sewing too.


Upcycle old sweater's sleeve to make these votive cozies! Use the rest for making mittens etc. These can be slipped on a cozies for your tea mugs too, easy easy!!


Dollar store candle votive, spray on glue and fall leaves! Perfect for a display on your thanksgiving table or decorate on the mantle.


Autumn themed unique wreath made of leaves and nuts! Such a stylish statement piece. Love the natural colors and different shades. Almond, leaves and wreath anyone?!


All you need is a wire hanger and autumn leaves for making this lovely wreath. Kids will have fun making it. Or, styro foam wreath and pushpins, will be another idea!


My favourite! Stunning autumn colour wheel style wreath. Each element is beautiful and all natural. This is on my to-do list for the season!!


Wheat sheaf or autumn pruning of lavender can be tied to stair rods for this frugal but pretty decoration. So chic and delicate!


Perfect alternative for a wreath, though a more country cottage style. Just shove the corn on the rake or tie them with fishing line to make it more secure. Done in no time!!


An absolutely delightful centerpiece perfect for Thanksgiving! No carve, just scoop and add bunches of sunflower for this lovely three tier decoration. Heart it!


Another take, scoop and spray some bleach and put in a small pot of flower. Such a style quotient to this easy makeover. Perfect for novice too ;)


You can make so many lovely combinations with different pumpkin and flowers. Easy flower vase carving!


Use their different shapes to advantage, the slender neck is so elegant, pretty pretty!!


Credit: All images are from BHG, and Martha Stewart

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Posted by Mr Black
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