Swan House

Ah, to walk out onto the terrace with your morning cup of coffee and see this view. Your first request of the day, "Jeeves - Turn on the fountains!"

I was able to take a private tour of the Atlanta Historical Society's Swan House when I was in town last week. Sweeping lawns, tables set with fine china and opulence at every turn. It was like walking around inside a dollhouse and I loved it.

Tomorrow, see what caused me to text: "I am in girl heaven."

Food Lovers Paradise

Would you believe that this is only one of three cheese cases at the amazing Star Provisions in Atlanta? What a beautiful selection.

This amazing space combines fresh artisanal foods (cheese, seafood and bakery) with specialty items (an entire cupboard of honey products), housewares (be still my heart) and a "Provisions To Go" cafe all under one roof. There was so much to see, I continually looped the store in slow motion.

My lunch (eaten at the window counter) was a Shrimp Po Boy sandwich. It was the perfect combination of fresh & hot - absolutely delicious.

I thought I had resisted the bakery when I heard one proud employee tout his favorite cookie: a Rose Water & White Chocolate macaroon. Did someone say macaroons?

I did a quick pivot and ordered a Pistachio French macaroon from behind the glass case. It was one of the best cookies I have ever had. Chewy, sweet and nutty with a meringue-like crunch. Exceptional. I ate it on the way to the car and by the time my seat belt was fastened I wanted to go back in for another. It was that good. Maybe I need to try my hand at macaroons...

Ballard Designs

I have been ordering from the Ballard Designs' catalog for years. It's loaded with fresh beautiful items for the home, plus it's a great source for 90 inch rounds. But, like most of the world, I had never seen their wares in person. So I was thrilled when I got the chance to visit their outlet in Atlanta, Georgia last week. (My Mom has been to their retail store in Tampa - jealous!)

Of course I wanted everything, but as my suitcase was dictating my purchases, I settled on one fabulous item (which didn't end up fitting in the suitcase, after all).

I bought a wire manor house. That's right. The structure of an Italian manor house (walls, windows roof) made out of dark bent wire. I am going to set a few wispy green plants inside as "furniture" and use it as a tabletop display. I actually hope to find a small indoor vine that could cling to the wire walls as it grows. I promise to show you once I make it to the garden store. It is going to be so cute.

Paint Your Own Pottery

Recently, I had the chance to spend a Saturday morning at a "paint-your-own-pottery" shop. It was a social event hosted by the Junior League of Birmingham to build bonds between the membership and I had so much fun! Inspired by some paper butterflies I brought from home, I thought I would try my hand at making a "pretty little dish." After finishing the butterfly, I painted thin blue stripes up the outside of the bowl and covered the pedestal with polka dots. It is clean and simple and I really like it. I figure I can float a hydrangea in it, fill it with pastel M&Ms or even leave it empty to show off the inside - look for it on display here in the coming weeks.

10,000 Feet

I do some of my best thinking at 10,000 feet. While some fasten their seat belt and hunker down with a magazine, I always start any flight with a brand new notebook.

It is somehow easier for me to brainstorm designs, plot lines and color palates when I literally have a "bird's eye view" of the world.

Where do you like to think?

Ben and Bernice

Do you know what stands out to me about this picture? The smooth snow. There are no bunny tracks yet. The snow storm ended and the sun came up on this morning before Ben & Bernice made it out of their homespun hutch to investigate.

Years ago, I named the rabbits that live in our area Ben & Bernice (and dubbed their sons, Robbie & Ralphie). In the Spring and Summer they lounge on our lawn nibbling and listening, but in the wintertime, only their footprints give them away.


I have been crafting a children's story about them and the trials of learning how to "be" a rabbit. Sort of a cross between Uncle Wiggley and Anne of Green Gables - a story full of muffin baking and gentle lessons.

I hope to have it published one day...

Santa & Rachmaninoff

As we were lingering in the lobby after the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's incredible rendition of Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini," I started chatting with one of the other patrons.

My new friend opened the conversation with:
"Rachmaninoff played here, you know."

"What?" (Seriously...what!?)

"He performed here with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra back in the 1920's."

"I can't believe it," I said, "I don't even think of (Rachmaninoff) as real, you know. I think of him more like Santa."

To which he replied, "Hey...Santa's real."

"I know, I know," I said, "It's just they are both so mythological and I haven't met either one of them."

***You can see concert pianist, Olga Kern (who performed Rachmaninoff at the concert I attended) perform Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 on YouTube here.

Morning Muffins

I wanted to bake a delicious muffin (full of vitamins & minerals) to add variety to my morning routine. The problem is, these are so delicious, I want to eat them all day long! I hope you think so too...

Morning Muffins
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup oats
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 Tablespoon wheat germ
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (preferably Vietnamese cinnamon )
2 cups shredded carrot
1 shredded green apple
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup broken pecans
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened natural applesauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shred carrots in a food processor (measure out the 2 cups after shredding). Shred apple (including skin) in the food processor. In mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, wheat germ, salt and baking soda together. Mix in carrots, apple, raisins and pecans. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, oil and vanilla together. Stir egg mixture into carrot mixture and then spoon into muffin cups. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Enjoy!

The 12 Days of Valentine's Day

I am telling you now so you'll have a chance to plan...The 12 Days of Valentine's Day starts in 2 weeks.

What does this mean?
It means it's time to get out your red placemats, buy pink sprinkles at the grocery store and start thinking of ways to express your love to those around you. Friends, family, neighbors - everyone can celebrate with you.

I absolutely love Valentine's Day and could not possibly fit all the heart-shaped food, flowers and decorations I desire into just one day.

Want to see how I celebrated last year? Take a peek at my blog posts from February 3 -14, 2008.
Come celebrate The Twelve Days of Valentine's Day with me...you know you want to.

Music is a Gift

I was at the symphony on a very special night. The theme was "From Russia with Love" and I was drawn there to hear Glinka's Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla. The excitement came, however, when Alla Borzova, composer of the cantata "Songs for Lada," came on stage with Detroit Symphony Orchestra music director, Leonard Slatkin. She announced that this was the first complete performance of her cantata "Songs for Lada" (including a children's choir, soloists, symphony orchestra, poetry and Belarusian folk instruments) and that her daughter, for whom it was written, had flown in to be in the audience that night. She spoke of the themes, instruments and language of the piece before rushing up to the balcony to sit beside her daughter and listen.

Can you imagine? What an incredible moment that must have been for both of them. To begin composing music in Minsk, Belarus just after your daughter is born and then, years later, to sit and hear it performed in its entirety for the first time with your grown daughter at your side. What a gift.

Carved from Butter

I knew that I wanted to buy some roses for the house...but what color? I went in thinking lavender and came out with the most gorgeous pale yellow roses I had ever seen. They looked like they had been carved from butter.
Then I chose a teapot ("Loves Me" by Deb Moore) from the cabinet, put an empty jar inside it to hold the water and flower food and started arranging. 

I like using a jar inside because it keeps the teapot clean and food safe for tea on another day. This arrangement really brightens the living room. Love it!

Edible Art

I have a 3-tier white wire plate rack that sits on the island in my kitchen. I stack it with the fresh produce I have on hand - usually lemons & limes on the top rack, apples & pears in the middle and red skin potatoes, squash and onions on the bottom. It looks lovely and always inspires me to cook with something fresh.

What I love is that everyone mentions it when they come in the kitchen. I think they are taken aback at how pretty everyday produce can look on display. I always try to "eat around the rainbow" and keeping the color out where I can see it makes the task far easier. Are you eating enough vitamins and minerals?

An Assumption in Crafts: When My Knitting Doesn't Improve

I love to knit. But I want to be perfectly clear...I knit scarves. My knitting varies in color, texture, weight, pattern, purpose, season...but my project are always scarves and I am okay with that.  I can do the "knit stitch" back and forth and find it very relaxing.

There is an "assumption in crafts" that all skills need to be advanced. I disagree. The counting, shaping, decreasing of more advanced knitting projects takes all the fun out of it for me. I don't want to learn more right now. Maybe in twenty years I'll feel differently, but right now I love love love to knit (scarves).

So if you are like me and find your audience slightly disappointed when you answer their "What are you making?" question, remember this...

They asked because they are interested. Maybe they'd like you to teach them how to knit (scarves).

Candlelight

I think that candlelight is so pretty on a Winter evening. I have been lighting a candle every night to add a little something extra to dinner or coffee on the couch.

That being said, I have also been wanting to try making candles. Not a production line of pillars or anything. Just a few.

What could be better than transforming a favorite item into something that glows?

Do you remember this "dishes by the pound" treasure that I bought last June? I have breathed new life into it with pale pink wax. A "Soy Candle Kit" from Michael's included everything I needed: wax, candle-making thermometer, wicks and even scent & color cubes. It was easy and I must confess that not long after it set, I was trolling the house looking for other items to convert. Do you like candlelight?

Planet Sushi

I thought you might like to see a little whimsy today. Enter...smart cars with fins. These adorable pink cars zip around Paris delivering take out orders for Planet Sushi. I think this is an example of marketing at its best. California roll, anyone?

Detroit Institute of Arts

Looking for a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon? Plan a visit to your local art museum.

My husband & I went for the special exhibit "Monet to Dali" (loved it!) at the DIA and really enjoyed our afternoon wandering through all of the collections.

An unexpected moment (and surprisingly my favorite part) was entering the Great Hall. The museum had hung hundreds of mirrored discs from the ceiling on clear thread. As air currents moved in the grand room, the area twinkled. It was breathtaking and I managed to capture a moment on video to show you. Remember, art is everywhere.

Window Shopping

A friend had told me that the next time I was in Charleston, South Carolina, I had to make time for breakfast at Poogan's Porch. She told me that the restaurant was in an old house with a big porch and was a favorite spot of celebrities (Paul Newman, Barbara Streisand and Lauren Hutton all dine there).

So the next time I was in Charleston, I made it a point to go and believe me, the french toast is worth it! On my way to the restaurant, I passed by this darling house and had to take a photograph. It was all so well done. The shade of the house paint, the texture of plants in the window box, the fact that the tiny coral blooms reinforced the paint color, all set off by crisp black shutters. It was a little work of art and it made my day.

There is nothing like a little window shopping.

Peanut Butter Pecan cookies

In my book, Moments of Delight, I mentioned discovering a delicious peanut butter pecan cookie at a little bake shop up north and I was determined to recreate the deliciousness in my own kitchen. I finally mastered the recipe and I am sharing it with you today.

Peanut Butter Pecan cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup JIF reduced-fat chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon 2% milk
1 cup all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup, chopped raw pecans (chop pieces to the size of chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, salt and peanut butter together. Beat in white and brown sugar and eggs until fluffy. Beat in milk. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and chopped pecans together and add to butter mixture. Beat until incorporated. Using two spoons or a 1 ½ inch cookie scoop, place dough onto Silpat or parchment-lined cookie sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool on a baking rack.

After baking, you could glaze some pecan halves in a saute pan with butter and brown sugar and then "stick" one to the top of each cookie. In this photo, I simply topped each cookie with a plain pecan half to make it pretty. These cookies are chewy and addictive! Enjoy.

See, Hear, Do

I just turned to July 2009 on my calendar and wrote "Lavender Farm" in an open space at the top. I also wrote "Sheep Festival" on the May page and "Black Raspberries" at the top of August.

Time goes so quickly and the day-to-day bustle can make it easy to miss the really special events that only happen once a year. What do you want to see, hear, do this year? Figure out when it happens and jot a note to yourself on the calendar. You'll be glad you did.

Sunlight & Fertilizer

The other day I asked my friend about her community's Garden Club. She talked of casual meetings held monthly in member's backyards. Glasses of iced tea and conversation surrounding sunlight and fertilizer.

She went on to say that they still meet in the Winter - mostly to look at pictures in garden catalogs. "It helps," she said simply. And I was reminded of the kinship between all gardeners off season.

So today I am featuring a photo of my David Austin English rose, Abraham Darby. I have loved this variety for years and can't wait to see it "in person" again.

I hope it helps.

Cath Kidston

Do you know the British designer Cath Kidston? Soft colors, pretty florals and polka dots tend to be her signature look and I love it.

This darling mint green cupboard is from her only retail store in the United States. This morning as I was drinking my coffee from one of her floral mugs (similar to those hanging from the row off hooks on top) I realized that I should show you this lovely display.

Everything tastes better on pretty dishes, don't you think?

Delight in Paris

I look at the calendar for 2009 and all I can see is Paris.

I am registered for a small week-long cooking class with award-winning cookbook author and teacher Patricia Wells and I am so excited I can hardly see straight.

The markets, pastries and windows of Paris are calling - but I will have to be patient untill May.

You know what is funny? I can't wait to see my own photos!

Monogrammed Scarf

What do I do on a snowy Saturday morning? Embellish!

Last October, I walked into a discount clothing store (TJ Maxx) and was handed a small gift bag with this amethyst scarf inside. As a promotion to highlight their new "high-end" fashion section, every customer that afternoon was given a scarf. I've been considering how to make it my own for months. Then last night it struck me - a beaded monogram would be subtle, but beautiful. I printed off a giant "R" on my computer, drew it free-hand in ink and started sewing on beads. The trick is attaching about 20 beads, then tying off. It makes me feel better knowing that if one thread breaks later, the entire letter won't fall off and I'll be able to repair it. I may use something on the back to secure the stitches...Fray Check?

I love how this looks!

Color of the Year

The color yellow "Mimosa" has been selected by Pantone as the Color of the Year for 2009.

I am sure that you will start to notice splashes of yellow everywhere now. Yellow rain boots, stationary, cardigans and totes are all showing up in stores and online. Have fun with it - yellow is meant to inspire and uplift.

I've got an idea...when you are hosting friends for brunch this Spring, serve mimosas! You can tell everyone that they are drinking the color of the year.

Cheers!

Times Square

Happy New Year!

Since so many of us will ring in 2009 by watching the ball drop on TV, I thought I'd post a photo from the heart of Times Square.

One Summer night, some friends walked here with us after seeing a show. It was very modern and colorful - it felt like we were moving around inside a giant "Lite Brite."

I wish you a new year filled with Moments of Delight!

Five, four, three, two, one...

Book club

Tonight, I have book club. Twice a year, 8 of us meet for dinner and then walk over to the bookstore to select our books for the next 6 months. It is very democratic. We all scour the store for books that were recommended to us, that we have read and loved or ones that we want to read. Then we sit down together and each member gives a little summary of her books, passes them around and adds them to the master list. After each person has pitched her books, we vote, choosing 6 books each. The books with the most votes become our reading roster. It works like a charm. We get a broad selection and it keeps us from getting stuck in one genre. The trick for me will be staying on task and out of the cookbook section!

Are you in a book club? I'd like to recommend a website called Reading Group Guides. It is loaded with discussion guides, book suggestions and reader feedback. It is a wonderful resource and can help you navigate the overwhelming selection of great "book club" books. Happy reading!

Princess Diana's Wedding Gown

I loved Princess Diana.

I was 12 when I set my alarm to wake up early to watch her wedding "live" from London. I collected photo books filled with her beautiful gowns and was so enamoured with her that people brought me memorabilia from their trips to England. A nurse from our doctor's office brought me a porcelain dish that commemorated the Royal Wedding, a fellow girl scout brought me a matchbook that was printed with Charles & Diana's engagement photo and a distant relative even sent me an official "Princess Diana" mug. I loved each piece as a girl and to this day they are safely tucked away among my treasures.

So a few years ago, when my Mother-in-law announced that she was taking my sisters-in-law and me on a "girl's day" to have lunch and tour a Diana, A Celebration exhibit, I was speechless. This amazing exhibit was in Houston for just a few weeks (which happened to coincide with our yearly trip) and showcased over 30 of Princess Diana's suits, dresses and gowns - I was amazed at how many I recognized from the pages of my books. I was so overwhelmed I only managed to take one photograph and this is it. Thank you, Kay, for a day that I will always remember.

Winter Break

Are you getting a well-deserved rest after the big build-up to Christmas, or are you still meeting and greeting with family and friends? I am usually in Texas the week between Christmas and New Year's, spending time with my husband's wonderful family and navigating the whirl of delicious restaurants and cute shops. But this year, we will see his family at a reunion in the Spring (Washington, DC!), so we are home for a few quiet days after the holiday. I am reading books, drinking tea and thinking about all the lovely photos I want to take in 2009.

Snow Globe

When we put colored Christmas lights in our bushes, I knew that it would give a festive glow to the house. What I didn't expect was the 10 inches of snow we got in a blizzard the week before Christmas! It's been like "living in a snow globe." The colored lights glowing from beneath the snow looked like a scene from a Christmas card - simply magical.

Bourbon Balls - the perfect Christmas Cookie for Adults

I wanted to show you the jelly bean fireplace that I am so proud of...tah dah. This year the snow-covered lawn is made of tapioca pearls.

I also wanted to share my "rum ball" recipe with you. I have promised this recipe to many a friend, so I decided this is the year to include it in my blog. Made famous by my grandmother, these potent cookies are actually made with bourbon, not rum. The puzzling part is that they have never been made with rum, yet "rum balls" is what we have always called them. Feel free to continue the tradition and make "rum balls" for your friends and family.

I don't have a picture of them right now, but just imagine classic round cookie balls.  This gingerbread house is way cuter.  Enjoy!

Rum Balls

2 cups Nilla wafers cookie crumbs (not reduced fat version)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon Hershey's unsweetened cocoa

2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 cup bourbon

1 cup white sugar (for rolling cookie balls in)

Pulverize Nilla wafers in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Measure out 2 cups of crumbs into a bowl. Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup and bourbon and mix with a fork. Transfer mixture to empty food processor bowl and pulse until dough starts to cling together. Place a dinner plate covered with white sugar on the counter. Take dough by the teaspoon from the food processor bowl and roll between your palms into a ball. Then roll the ball in white sugar to coat. Voila! These cookies are best stored in a tin and will keep for weeks. Please note that since these cookies are not baked, the alcohol does not evaporate. They are absolutely delicious, but be aware that they pack a punch! Happy Holidays to one and all.

Sugar Cookies

This would make a great puzzle! Can you find "Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer" near the bottom of the picture? And next to him is a "House full of love" (covered with red hearts) - look closely and see that the roof is strung with colored Christmas lights. Can you find the "Elephant with the purple blanket?" An important cookie in my family - I wrote about the tradition of it here.

This year, my favorite cookie is at the top of the picture. I have a new cookie cutter shaped like a t-shirt and Caroline decorated it to say "I (heart) Xmas."

Now that says it all, doesn't it?

Christmas Traditions

Every year, my husband and I spend a day in December baking and decorating my grandmother's sugar cookies with our 7 nieces and nephews. The kids (ages 17, 17, 15, 15, 13, 13 and 10) have been building this tradition with us since the oldest was only 4 years old and it really defines the holidays for me. There is Christmas music playing, "chocolate tea" (hot cocoa) on the break between baking and decorating and a general sense of ease. Rolling, cutting, baking and frosting is a long process, so the kids just relax and take their time.

This photo shows a few of the over 250 cookie cutters in my collection! A sweater (Caroline always makes one Fair Isle with rows of sprinkles, an ice skate (Emily laces it up with brown jimmies) and a sewing machine (This year William covered it with orange dots.) There are cookies everywhere.

The kids eat a few, keep a few and place the remaining on a tray "for dessert" on Christmas Eve, when we will all be together again (with their parents, and mine) to celebrate the holiday. I love this time of year!

A Swedish Beach House Christmas

I have always referred to my decorating style as "Swedish Beach house" (paying no mind to the fact that we live neither in Sweden nor by the sea).

When I started planning the look of our house, I described plate racks, oval back chairs and dreamy blues & creams (Swedish) with pickled shell-colored kitchen cabinets,
off-white duck couches and touches of pink and celery (Beach house). Makes perfect sense to me. But sometimes people ask me, "How do you do Christmas in here?" Thinking that red & green would over-power the tranquil colors.

Here is a glimpse into our family room this Christmas. Shell-covered cone trees, Tracey Porter holiday glasses filled with pink candy canes and a pastel village set among my grandmother's china. It is my interpretation of a Swedish Beach house Christmas and I just love it.

White Hot Chocolate

I am in the middle of a blizzard and I can't stop thinking about Laura Ingalls Wilder's book, Little House in the Big Woods. Can you see the little house on my table runner? So sweet!

Today is a day for knitting, reading and staying inside where it is cozy. In honor of our first big blizzard, I have made white hot chocolate in my favorite Japanese cup by Tag.

White Hot Chocolate
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup Land o Lakes fat free Half & Half
20 Nestle white chocolate chips
a few mini-marshmallows

Place milk, fat free half & half, and white chocolate chips in a microwave safe container. Microwave at 30 second intervals (whisking after each session) until milk is hot and chocolate has melted. Pour into an adorable mug, top with marshmallows and enjoy. This makes 1 serving - double as needed.

*My version of white hot chocolate is lighter than many recipes that are loaded with whipping cream etc. This is a comforting drink, that is not overly sweet. Tweak it as you wish to achieve the richness and flavor you desire. Just be sure to enjoy it!

Sew Pretty

I think that anticipation is an underrated concept for grown-ups. When I put presents under the tree, I want everyone to:

A) Be excited
B) Think they are too pretty to open
C) Imagine what could be inside
D) All of the Above

I also like giving people something to talk about. Hence, my raspberry & cream sewing theme! I have wrapped all of our gifts in tissue patterns, sewing instructions and a classic raspberry print. By finishing some packages with tape measure ribbon or a homemade belt, the concept is complete.

I absolutely love how this looks and it was sew simple!

Eskimo Kiss

When I am traveling, I'm always on the lookout for things that bring delight. My sisters-in-law in Texas are "on board" with this concept and consider it their mission to take me places that we don't have in Michigan.

Enter The Eskimo Hut.

We were driving home on a hot, Houston afternoon when Susan announced, "I know what you'll like!" and pulled into, what looked like, a car wash. To my amazement, it was a drive-thru frozen daiquiri store. You can order almost anything, but much of the draw is that you can get a "real" frozen margarita to take home and enjoy. Since it was mid-afternoon, we opted for nonalcoholic Pina Coladas and a few Diet Cokes, but it was really fun. Somehow choosing from a million flavor combinations (with names like "Code Red," "Orangesicle," and "Hurricane") and ordering from the car window, made us feel really wild. We got our giant drinks, popped in a straw and happily slurped all the way home.

Type & Text

I wanted to show you a wreath that I made from "paper scrap." If you like the idea of a wreath, but want to highlight non-traditional images (I hang this in my office year round), this is a neat way to go.

I love when type, text and images are combined and I found many of the items shown here in a book called Alphabets and Ornaments. It is a book & disc of images that you select and print yourself. I also added a recipe card written in my grandmother's hand, some sheet music etc. I think of it as a tribute to home & hearth.

Hansel and Gretel

If you have been searching for Hansel and Gretel, look no further. I have found their gingerbread cottage in the lobby of the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, Michigan. My lovely neighbor and her Garden Club girls (age 9 & 11) invited me on a "field trip" to see this giant masterpiece in person. The gingerbread boy nearby boasts the recipe: 220 pounds of sugar, 300 pounds of gingerbread mix, 90 gallons of water, 240 eggs...wow.
We took pictures of ourselves with this luscious cottage and I asked the girls what part of the house tempted them the most. One wanted to taste each candy cane along the roofline, the other wanted to bite a gumdrop off the wall and I confessed that I would lick across the lollipop flowers and announce each flavor as I passed.

Thanks, Phyllis, for a delightful afternoon!

Jewelry Box

Some days I simply have to give up on my "to do" list and make something. My "jewelry box" is calling - beads, buttons and baubles all waiting to evolve into something wonderful. So the moment I return from a Christmas lunch with the Garden Club girls, I will begin. I am imagining pretty little boxes of jewelry under the Christmas tree for all the girls on my list!

11 Ladies Dancing: Christmas Decoration

Years ago, Martha Stewart published instructions for making a holiday garland to honor the Christmas carol "The 12 Days of Christmas." 

I loved the garland of the eleven ladies dancing and chose to recreate them as individual ballerinas. They're made from white poster board (I traced Martha's template) and are dressed in paper gowns I made. Some have tissue paper skirts, others wear ribbon dresses, some even have paper doily aprons, but the color scheme is always simply red and white. I would include a link to the template, but it isn't online. The Martha Stewart Living issue was from the 1990's.

I love these ladies that dance and swish their skirts around my Christmas tree.

Cottage Built For Two

To me, making a gingerbread house is a lot like designing jewelry. There are an infinite number of combinations and the building materials are gorgeous!

In 2006, I made three gingerbread houses because I simply could not decide on a style. I literally had my own little neighborhood and it was fantastic.

This "cottage built for two" is for a sweet young couple returning from their honeymoon. My favorite part was using sticks of gum as aluminum siding! And the Necco wafer roof, of course.
"Honey, I'm home!"

Reindeer Games

I was having people over for the holidays and decided to serve my ginger cakes as a sweet treat. The last time I baked them, a friend pulled me aside in the kitchen and confessed that she'd eaten four! That was all I needed to hear.

In the back of my mind, I remembered seeing a really cute white cupcake topped with a plastic reindeer in a magazine (Country Living, Dec 2008). So when I stopped at the cake decorating store to pick up some mini-cupcake liners, I asked the salesgirl, "Do you have any realistic plastic deer?"

She thought about it, hesitated, then walked over to a cluttered shelf. "Well...we have these," she said as if there was no way that they had what I wanted. It was the exact reindeer from the magazine and was the best $2 I've ever spent. They took my box mix cupcakes to a whole new level, and became an unexpected party favor - no one wanted to leave without their reindeer! I tell you, delight is everywhere.

Winter White

A floral arrangement in antique white can look so lovely this time of year. I was lucky to find a bunch of hypericum berries in peach and paired them with cream roses in an old-fashioned sugar bowl. So pretty! And this photograph captures it forever.

I just received the January issue of Victoria magazine and it is dedicated to moments of winter white. What was the first thing I did? I made myself a mug of white hot chocolate - yum. Do you indulge in winter white?

Ginger Hearts

I believe that little touches are the secret to making a big impression. An understated couch with one fabulous pillow. A classic watch with a velvet ribbon band. Or in this case, store-bought cookies (Ikea) embellished with Wilton white frosting. Don't they look like they are from a little Swedish bakery? I was inspired by the beautiful baking at the Swedish Christmas fair and this is the result. I am starting off the week with a cup of coffee and a ginger cookie. Join me?

Christmas Cards

One year I received a Christmas card depicting a horse-drawn sleigh carrying a young couple home with a fresh Christmas tree. I loved the image and wanted to preserve it some how. So I thought, why not make it a Christmas ornament?

I collected some newspaper (the movie guide), olive green ribbon (a scrap), a button, silver glitter, pinking shears and a bottle of craft glue. A few minutes later - voila!

Inspiration is everywhere - this time it was in my mailbox!

Marshmallow Snowstorm

Are you looking for a pretty centerpiece? From my perspective, nothing beats a little paper village after a marshmallow snowstorm. And it smells as sweet as it looks! Keep your eye out for vintage-style buildings in discount stores and antique shops and as you build your collection, just make sure that the houses and churches you choose are all the same scale. I love how my little Winter village looks, I hope you do too.

Sugar Plum

There is something so magical about department store windows at Christmastime. I took this sugarplum fairy vignette last year at the Macy's on State Street in Chicago. The figures moved back and forth into graceful poses - it was lovely.

Family Tree

This is my maternal grandmother as a little girl. Oh, to wear big hair bows! In those days a photograph was so precious - she must have been thrilled to have hers taken.

I was named Anne after her and we spent hours and hours together at her cottage in Leland each Summer. She had an enormous garden (with delphinium and foxglove spikes taller than me!) and we would eat egg salad sandwiches on a metal table & chairs out by the garden.

I think she would like that each year I make a "family tree" for Christmas. Handmade ornaments made with vintage photographs (reproduced on fabric), sweet calico and a little pink glitter.

Visual, Edible, Givable

My mantra for holiday preparations has always been Visual. Edible. Givable. In that order.

Visual:
I start with decorating. I find that once I have taken care of the "visual" joy of the holidays (decorating the Christmas trees, making a gingerbread house, putting holiday touches in each room) I enjoy myself much more. Friends can drop by and the house looks "ready" (even though I'm not!).

Edible:
Then comes baking. Once I've made a batch of gingerbread men (super easy - see my secret here), I always have something to offer my friends and family. The house smells delicious and they taste great any time of day with a cup of coffee. I also bake Nama's Sugar Cookies (stay tuned) several times each December - yum!

Givable:
It is only when the house looks festive and the cookies are in the tin, that I start to shop for gifts. Coming home with bags & boxes is much more fun when the visual and edible has been taken care of. Then comes the wrapping! I always choose signature colors and try be creative with my choice of papers. This year I will be wrapping in cream and raspberry - the cream gift wrap will actually be sewing patterns and for raspberry, I'll use some beautiful double pink wrapping paper that I found at the hardware store!

May you enjoy every minute of the holidays!

Cyber Monday

Today the world wide web is a-buzz with holiday shoppers. Traditionally, the Monday after Thanksgiving is so big for online sales that it has been dubbed "Cyber Monday."

So I expect my web store, ANA, will be humming today. My daybag on the left is called a Delight tote - made entirely of plastic and tape!

I also have ribbon watches, cigar box purses and my book, Moments of Delight. It's a beautiful soft cover photography book with inspirational stories, recipes and ideas for enjoying the beauty of everyday life.

Want to spoil your Mom? Give her a sometime to delight!

Take a peek - it is Cyber Monday, after all!