A Very Merry Christmas!~

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!~

It is our very first holiday season of being entrusted with this 101 year old building.

While still figuring out the ins and outs of the wiring, lighting, repairs needed and more, we couldn't let the season go by without adding a little holiday cheer...

Just love the details of the side doors and can't wait to paint them with fresh paint in the spring.

While working with some wonderfully talented local florists over the holidays, a co-designer and friend heard me discuss my budget conscience decorating ideas for the building this first season of ownership.  She created these fabulous boxwood wreaths for the front doors of the church!~  I love them and love her for making them for us!~

I'm pretty sure that these metal posts once held a connecting piece and signage. For now, I added box elder tree twigs to make an arch. I intended on adding greens and twinkle lights, but electric issues are complicating my lovely plans.

Perhaps next year, we will have wreaths complete with beautiful bows in the windows.... 

and a fancier light fixture above this stained glass window...

For now, I'm thankful for angels with bells in windows,

doors to paint fresh in the spring,

 

architecturally appealing designs, regardless of chipped paint...

jingle bells, pine cones and red berries on red doors...

Merry Christmas to all!~ 

May your holiday season be filled with true Hope, Joy and Peace.

A Special Holiday Event!~

I attended the sweetest event today 

at the Bailey & James Boutique. 

 The creative owner and her lovely assistant hosted A Very Blogger Christmas Open House, and it was fabulous!~ 

 

 Upon entering the boutique, one couldn't help but to notice the wonderful refreshments. After being greeted to the event and given a gift of A Mother's Nature Lavender lip balm, my friend and I were offered sangria. Yes, please!~  Oh my, is that a sprig of thyme in our glass? Love the added touch and the special straw (sorry, didn't get photos!~). After being served sangria, we were offered a candy cane which would give us a percent off all purchases for the day. There was one 40% off cane, and my friend was fortunate enough to draw it! (I received 20% off which was quite lovely as well).  And so we shopped, and this is just a bit of what we saw....

The adorable boutique is just one of many wonderful shops in Rockford, Michigan and if you are in the area, I highly recommend a visit. Upon leaving the shop, with bags in hand, we were handed one final gift, a ribbon bound foilage sprig which looks amazing on my dining room table.

For the next four days, the girls at Bailey and James Boutique are celebrating the 12 Days of a Mitten Crafted Christmas featuring local Michigan crafters. It's a great time to visit them, and a great time to enjoy the holiday in my hometown of Rockford!~

Holiday Decor

I have a wonderful friend and client who I met years ago when I had a booth, selling fresh cut flowers at the Rockford, MI farmers market. Annie loves a house full of flowers and she would not only purchase, enjoy and rave about the flowers that I grew, but she would also share stories, smiles and sweetness every time she visited us at the market.

As the years rambled by, I was able to decorate for her daughter's wedding at the family lake home, enjoy occasional coffee dates and shopping excursions, and hear of the emotions that accompany empty nest syndrome (which I can relate to more now that my oldest child is a senior in High School).

I also have the gift of being able to decorate the lake home at Christmas time, in anticipation of the annual company Christmas party that is held at Annie's home. As Annie and I work together placing some new and some well loved decorations throughout the home, stories still fly, laughter rings out, and both Annie and I come to the end of the process feeling richer for the friendship that continues to evolve.


These first 3 photos were taken at my house, before I took flowers to Annie's...




Outside photos...



Corner of kitchen...


Downstairs family room...




Newly painted bedroom...



Newly remodeled great room...




Annie hired Gallery Interiors of Rockford, MI to begin transforming the home. Phase One included the foyer, great room, staircase, and master bedroom. Their work is beautiful and they added their finishing touches to the mantle and staircase decor. I can't wait to see what Phase Two will include.