FRESH INSPIRATION: COLOR

Months before the announcement of the Pantone Color of the Year, I had my eye on a new favorite color pairing: green and blue.  This fresh and sophisticated palette is great for any application.  Whether you are looking to add some green and blue throw pillows to a room in need of color or you are trying to update a forgotten powder room with an exciting new wallpaper, green and blue is my new favorite.   

Try soft gray blue and pale lime for a serene bedroom or mossy green and sapphire blue for a dramatic library.  You can also take this color pairing from coastal home to home in the suburbs.  Here are a few photos for inspiration: 

Images via Pinterest

GLITTERY, GLITZY, GLAM....AND BUBBLY!

Tis the season for all things glittery, glitzy, glam....and of course, bubbly!  Here is some inspiration for your final days of 2013. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images via Pinterest and Tumblr 

WHITE CHRISTMAS

I rise from my cozy spindle bed.  The house is asleep, with my brothers and parents still in their beds.  Downstairs the Christmas tree stands tall, with its glistening white lights and colorful ornaments.  Below the tree are beautiful packages, in bright patterned wrappings, topped with  crisp bows. The stockings are hung from the night before, and now bursting with candies and small gifts.   

Outside, all is still.  A fresh coat of crisp sparkling white snow softly blankets our yard.  The snow is perfect and untouched.  The morning sun shines through  our pine trees, as flakes of  sparkling snow fall from rustled branches.  There is something very special about a White Christmas. 
Merry Christmas to all! 

Images via Tumblr 

BEACON HILL: IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

Beacon Hill is one of the most charming and visited neighborhoods in Boston.  Streets are filled with beautiful old doorways, cobblestone drives, gas lamps, and crooked old trees.  In addition to it's charm, the community is known for it's festive traditions.  One of these traditions is the decoration of the 1,100 gas lamps that line the steeply pitched streets.  On Saturday, I decided to help my neighboring friends with this annual decoration. The tradition of decorating the gas lamps dates back to 1995, and it is carried out exactly the same way every year. 

Members gathered early in the morning, at the Harrison Gray Otis House.   Laurels and bows were wired and ladders were borrowed from the Charles Street Hardware Store.  I joined around midday with my longtime friend and resident of Beacon Hill.  The process began with a tasty burrito donated by Anna's Taqueria and a quick briefing on how to wrap a lamp post.  After, the garlands were moved into a truck for delivery on the street.  My group was assigned the left side of Joy Street.  Beginning at the bottom of the hill, our group quickly picked up a rhythm, and we were wrapping trees at lightening speed.  Garlands were placed at the base of each gas lamp, then a ladder was brought over. A member of the group went up the ladder, as others held it in place.  The garland was handed to the person above, and the wrapping process began.  With the laurel leaves facing up, the garland was wrapped in a counter clockwise manner.  Bows were then attached, facing up and down the street.  Then it was on to the next gas lamp. 

Images by AGA

HOLIDAY: TREE

After the turkey leftovers disappear and the black Friday rush is over, the time for holiday decorating arrives.  Ornaments, garlands, and lights seem to appear overnight.  Tree topped cars drive down busy streets.  And neighbors compete for the biggest light show.  It suddenly begins to look a lot like Christmas.

One of the most celebrated holiday decorations is the Christmas tree, and my personal favorite. In previous years, our family would select our tree from a nearby hill top farm.  The combination of seclusion, gray misty air, and dark green pine needles, made this one of the most magical places in my hometown.  Often times, we would find ourselves circling for hours.  There are many factors to consider when selecting a tree; needle type, fullness, and height to name a few.   

Once our tree was finally tagged, my dad would arrive with his handsaw.  After several slices the tree would start to lean and creak, until reaching it's final breaking point.  On the way home our two or sometimes three trees would bounce along in the back of our red pick up truck.  After arriving home the trees were trimmed and placed in buckets of water.  Tree stands and lights were prepared, and the installation process began.  

Boxes of new and old decorations were brought down from the attic.  Each one carefully wrapped in tissue paper from the year before.  I had many favorites, including a fox couple, various vintage Christmas balls, and of course the gold reindeer, that topped our Keeping Room tree.  I would spend hours unpacking and decorating with my mum, many years ago the tree managed to fall on me, but this didn't stop our tradition.  

Last weekend I selected my apartment Christmas tree.  Because I live in a small studio, I wanted a petite tree that I could place on a garden stool.  Here is this year's Christmas tree:  

First image via tumblr
Second image by AGA

HOLIDAY: ADVENT CALENDAR

Today marks the first of December, and the start of the Christmas advent calendar.  The advent calendar tradition began in Germany during the 19th century, with a chalk mark for each day leading up to Christmas. By 1900 the first printed calendar was produced in Germany, by Gerard Lang.  This calendar featured miniature colored pictures, that were attached to a piece of cardboard, each day.  As Lang's design progressed, the advent calendar included candy, a picture, or a religious verse.  Lang's calendars were produced until World War II, when the factory shut down due to shortages.   Later, President Eisenhower promoted the advent calendar as an American tradition.  

Growing up my brothers and I began our Christmas countdown on December 1st. Each morning we would sit at the breakfast table and search for the current date.  The paper door was then opened to expose the secret image.  The twenty-fourth door was always the most exciting, due to it's large size and celebratory image.  

Each year my mum purchases a few different advent calendars. My brothers and I select our favorite and the countdown begins.  I tend to favor the ones with glitter embellishments.  Here are a few of my favorites: