Chrismas Decor at C's

I thought I'd share with you some photos taken at C's home of some of the decorating I was working on last week.

the main tree centered in the living room...


fireplace mantel in the same room...

stairway in the same room.

entry.

this is one of two wreaths that I hung on the windows on either side of the fireplace.

master bedroom mantel...

that is really just a fraction of the Christmas Decor there...I will be posting more pictures soon.

in the mean time, I've been working hard on my own Christmas Decorating and I can't wait to share it with you on Saturday.

I have a more understated and earthy style at my home using natural elements brought in from the garden .........

you'll see.

I start decorating at Suzanne's house on Wednesday...hope to show you pics of that as well!

oh yes, we FINALLY had a deep frost, so I need to take care of some annuals that have been blooming like crazy in this mild fall weather and now have turned to mush...and there are those darn leaves to remove!

busy,

busy,

busy!

pop on over to http://thoughtsfromovertherainbow.blogspot.com/2009/11/deck-hallswelcome-to-our-home.html

for more beautiful Christmas inspiration!

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!

I certainly did and after a restful and filling day (i must have gained 5 lbs) I am now totally into the

Christmas Spirit!!

Yippie-Skippie!!

I have started to decorate my own home, which I LOVE to do!

and I plan on sharing lots of pictures with you...I promise....

in fact I will be joining in a "holiday decorating and craft blog party" this coming Saturday hosted by Denise at http://bella-dreams.blogspot.com/2009/11/share-joy-lets-party.html

this will be tons of fun so please stay tuned!

also, I hope to post some pictures of C's house this week.

I'm still running on hyper-mode here (coffee and sugar=yum)) and am gearing up for another Christmas decorating job THIS week. I haven't had much time for blogging and I am totally surprised and rather embarrassed at how much I have been missing it!!

Yikes...Total blogging dork here!

after the holiday decorating, I'll have lots more time..........

until then

if you want to find me, just follow the trail of glitter and fake snow..........

Happy Thanksgiving

I am so grateful, yes indeeedy!

I love my husband and he loves me.

Yesterday afternoon I finished my huge Christmas decorating job at C's house. A whole weeks worth of intense physical and creative effort. I love the results and may share some photos with you...but right now I am resting and thanking my lucky stars for such a supportive husband.

I couldn't do it without you babe.

Thank you so much for doing ALL the cooking and shopping and cleaning this week.

Thank you for delivering C's tree.

Thank you for making sure the hot tub was at my favorite temperature.

Thank you for the back rubs.

Thank you for the goofy songs you sing with your made up words.

Thank you for the cocktails.

Thank you for the campfires.

Thank you for being so thoughtful.

Thank you for my beautiful children...they are such cool adults.

Thank you for being my best friend.

i love you.

ee

Huge Flaming Christmas Ball!

I feel like a Huge Flaming Christmas Poinsettia Ball is heading straight for me!! and I can't get out of the way...

This is a difficult time of year for me with the gardening season winding down, but still work to be done AND the pressure of decorating TWO massive clients homes for the holidays (one of which has to be done by this Wednesday)...not to mention trying to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family in there! I don't know how I could do it all without my wonderful, supportive hubby having dinner made for me every night.........and he will cook most of the Thanksgiving meal as well! This is my 7th year for this grinding routine and it has gotten easier in some respects but the pressure and responsibility I feel is HUGE and the "recovering perfectionist" in me makes it most difficult to focus on anything else right now. I will be creating a Snow Village today (yes, it's Sunday) using 40 + pieces all individually lit with of course, no wires showing, hidden under artistically placed drifts of snow...........

aaaahhhhh!!

the job is HUGE,

the physical effort is HUGE,

the house is HUGE,

the pressure and stress is HUGE,

the expectations are HUGE,

the responsibility is HUGE........

WWhhhhaaaaaaaaaa!

here's hoping a HUGE Poinsettia Ball isn't heading in YOUR direction.

photo taken of me at the Chicago Botanical Gardens in 2008

Glitter!

Well...the Christmas decorating has begun at C's house. After 2 days of organizing, fluffing garland (ouch) , checking thousands of tiny lights (tedious) and making fresh bows which have me covered with glitter (even down my shirt, how does that stuff travel?).......I am already exhausted but very excited about getting the actual decorating started.........I am changing the color scheme in the main part of the 10,000 square foot house from burgundy/gold to silver/white/gold..........hence the making of all new bows and ribbon..........

yesterday as I left for the day, covered in glitter from all the ribbon and totally whipped and sore, I walked outside and the last rays of the sun were shining through the pampas grass...
making the most beautiful Glitter of its own.

and I was recharged.

Radnor Lake

Well, another fantabulous weekend here in Tennessee! With record high temps and no rain...a perfect opportunity to walk the tranquil trails at Radnor Lake. Most of the leaves are carpeting the ground now...with rain expected tomorrow, the last hanging leaves will probably drop.........it is hard to even wrap my brain around thoughts of Christmas decor. I will start decorating my client C's home starting on Monday, as she likes the house to be Christmassy for her Thanksgiving family gatherings. It's a huge home and a lot of work but my job made easier with the help of the housekeeper and two assistants. I must enjoy these last warm days as the holidays approach.

Please try to get outside and play if you can..........

The Gatherer

Can I confess something? We're all friends here right?

I am a Gatherer.

I gather things. Things from nature. Seed pods, rocks, moss, shells, feathers, bark, abandoned nests.............you get what I mean, don't you? My hubby gets it and is a Gatherer too. He has gathered an unbelievable collection of Indian Arrowheads, turtle shells and rocks. I tell him all the time that He is "almost done with his training". Anything with an interesting shape or color. Texture and pattern is what excites me. Subtle earthy colors is what I am all about. Yes, those vibrant red colors from my last post although beautiful, that's just not me. Nope.

These are the things that inspire me.........



The wonderful, subtle gifts from Mother Nature..........

my latest painting .

Falls Fleeting Fire

Autumn is ablaze, in all its glory!

Except for the fourth image...all fiery photos were taken today. We still have not had a deep frost and are enjoying warm days. Days to go outside and absorb as much beauty and color as we can, as it will not last much longer. The ephemeral foliage makes me anxious and sad. One season ending, coming to a close. Gardening slowing down which leaves me much more time for my art......

and facing the blank canvas.

for more outdoor fun go to

http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/

Better Late Than Never

I have been reflecting a lot lately about this here blog of mine... and what path I want it to take...



For me, digging in the dirt is the best way to work things out in my body and in in my mind. We still have not had a deep freeze here and the warm sunny days have been absolutely perfect for gardening.

hundreds of bulbs and pansy's have been planted, perennials cut back, notes taken...

and of course there are those LEAVES!!

the clean up has begun and will continue until all have been composted or mulched. We have over thirty mature trees in our yard (I know because I counted). I do love the trees, yes indeedy, but leaf removal...not so much.

So with all of this hard glorious work going on, I have "worked" something out...

it has come to my attention through some dear blogging friend's, that I should add the "Followers Gadget" to my sidebar.

I have been informed I may have missed opportunities to acquire followers by not having this gadget?! Who knew?

When I first started this blog, I had NO earthly idea of what I was doing. No computer or typing skills I just jumped right in and started learning all I could about uploading some nice photos ( I have tons of them to share). I have been focusing on learning all I can about my new DSLR camera. Early on, I saw a short video tip about blogging where this guy said NOT to display the Followers Gadget until you had over twenty friends, or you would appear as a LOSER.

Well,

guess what, I'm a loser...I still have very few. Wwwaaaaa....

but I am coming out!!

So...although this is totally embarrassing AND I am never comfortable asking for anything for myself...

here goes...

gulp.

Will you please be my follower?

Pretty please?

But only if you want to.

I promise I'll always have something pretty for you to look at.

signed,

Better Late Than Never

Old Natchez Trace love...

i heart the Trace ... after a long drive through the Tennessee countryside, in search of fall foliage photo ops...

i find myself taking pictures just down the road from where i live.

Old Natchez Trace has been my favorite country road since i discovered it almost thirty years ago. after living in several areas around Nashville, i feel extremely blessed to find myself living near this historic trail.

the old trees envelope you as you meander through...this is our path home from downtown Franklin and at night this road is especially charming and comforting. the headlights flickering on an ethereal tunnel leading us home...



bordered on one side by the rising and falling of the ever changing Harpeth River ... it is not uncommon to see deer, squirrel, possum and of course many squirrel. even the most careful driver should tread lightly here. i struck a deer one night and like they say, he truly "came out of nowhere". i haven't been the same since...and always mourne old buck when i drive by the scene.




crusty old bridges wear colors that only time can grow.

across from the river stand stately homes and farms and my very favorite plantation called

Old Town.

behind a charming white picket fence sits this historic home. i don't want to name any names, but oh what the heck...Jimmy Buffet used to live here and now it is owned by raspy singing Kim Carnes (think "Betty Davis Eyes" fame). i have never spotted them here, in fact i have never seen anyone here before...it is said to be haunted.

i just know that i love this place...and this Trace.

and that this lucky chic doesn't have to go far at all for

a photo opportunity...

it's right down the road.