Santa Gets a New Saddle

I just love sparkle! While out at flea markets, sometimes I will find old rhinestone trims on old coats and dresses. When the garment is not in great shape, I remove the decals, cuffs, buttons and trim to use in other projects. A pair of rhinestone cuffs from a vintage evening jacket make festive "saddles" for my Christmas reindeer, so Santa can safely ride through the night! A long piece of rhinestone trim from the front of a dress makes a beautiful garland , just draped over a compote of vintage Shiny Brite ornaments. One of my favorite finds is a rhinestone rose that was sewn to front of a coat. It makes the perfect coaster for a Christmas candle. all of these sparkle brightly when surrounded by candlelight! Through out the year, I use these vintage elements in different ways. - Valentine's is just around the corner and I think I know what Cupid will be wearing!

First Lake Bluff Christmas Tour Happens!

The first annual Lake Bluff Christmas Tour was held on Sunday, December 5th and it was a delicious treat! All five homes were decorated to the nines and all in a completely different fashion. The first 2 pictures are of my dining room and a stocking that I made for my staircase. Next, is Linda Hicks delightful pink and green living room and this fabulous side table, filled with vintage ornaments. Penny's mantel and sideboard display of fiftiess trees and snow houses took us back to our childhood memories of Christmas. Cathy's old 1905 Victorian home was decked out in fresh greens and incredible silver pieces from her mother. Patty's shimmering whites and silvers created a serene Christmas scene and made you want to linger. Hats off the the talented owners - including me of course!. It was a fun day and one we hope to make a tradition in our small quaint Midwestern town! Of course, the snowfall on the previous day only added to our magical ambiance. More to come on the tour this week!

The Porch gets Dressed for the Lake Bluff Christmas Tour

Yesterday was a decent day to be outside and get our front porch ready for the Lake Bluff Christmas tour-{ happening this upcoming weekend}- after all, it was a balmy 39 degrees! Fresh garland, cedar boughs, winter berries and icy branches were stuffed into every pot, statue and container that was available. And of course, my beloved angel, who stands guard over our home, had been knocked over in the last wind storm and broke! But Mr. RTH lovingly ( and grudgingly, fussing the entire time) glued her back together for me and proudly placed her back in the driveway, where she has stood for 15 years. A bouquet of fresh winter greens adorns her repaired arms and again she stands guarding the house. To purchase tickets for the tour, go to www. Christmaslakebluff.com or call the store (847) 615-1900. Proceeds to benefit the Vliet Center of Lake Bluff History.

Lake Bluff Christmas Home Tour - December 5th!

The first annual Christmas Home Tour in Lake Bluff is December 5th. Romancing the Home is actively involved in 3 of the 5 homes on the tour. So yesterday the preparation began in my own home. Two of 8 trees were completed and one of four mantels was done! Glitter is everywhere and the place is a mess, perfectly normal in the middle of the process. At this point panic sets in as I realize the tour is 2 weeks from tomorrow! I hope my elves show up! P.S. Tickets are available to purchase at the store or at www. Christmaslakebluff.com.

Let the Season Begin!

First of all, a sincere, heartfelt thank you to all of our wonderful customers who came to our party last night! In addition to the opening of our 2010 Christmas shop, our book, Romancing the Home ENTERTAINS, was finally available to take home! The store was full of laughter, customers, and food, and we hope that everyone had a good time. My wonderful staff had spent long hours creating the inspiring Christmas displays for your enjoyment. Many one of a kind items were available for sale, especially the beautiful hand-made Santas and Angels by a talented local artist. One side of the store was glittery and metallic, while the other was a natural, organic wonderland. Special holiday food products were brought in from Europe just for the event, and it seems the brandied cherries were the hit! ( I understand that dropping one brandied cherry in a lemon martini is one of our customer's favorite drinks!). Lynda flew in from Atlanta to create tarts, cakes and savories for your tasting enjoyment and of course, all the recipes are in our book. So let the holiday season begin- fa la la la la- ho ho ho- Christmas is only 7 weeks away!

Lots Happpening Next Week!

Our Christmas Open House and the debut of our new book- two big things happening next Thursday night. We will close the store on Wednesday and Thursday to get ready for our party! We will re-open at 4 pm on Thursday with all of Christmas 2010's glory. From natural to opulent, we have gathered a magical collection of Christmas decor. Many surprises are being held just for the event, from handmade Santa's to our collection of special boxes for display around the tree. Here is a peak at some of the handmade boxes- gold and silver, purple and glitter, and more to come. We will have copies of our new entertaining book for sale during the event and will be tasting recipes from the collection in the book. So bring a friend and enjoy the fun. rsvp 847-615-1900

From Sunrise to Sunset - A Book is Born!

A spectacular sunrise over Lake Michigan and a sensational full moon over Lake Michigan in the same day - is that an omen of good things to come???? It was yesterday morning- I left my house to go the the airport to pick up Lynda as the sun was rising. As I looked at the lake, the sunrise was unbelievable and I had to stop and get a picture. It was going to be a good day ; our book was finally going to press! Lynda flew in from Atlanta to go with me to our publisher's plant and watch our book being printed. We were excited. Our fantastic account manager and "teacher of how to and sell a book", Jean, met us at the door. They were ready for us. The metal plates were lined up on the huge press, ready to be attached to the rollers. As each of the "forms" ( a grouping of 12 pages) were printed, we had the luxury of fine tuning the color. Tyrone, a veteran of over 25 years in the printing business, worked his magic on each of our pages by increasing or decreasing the various colors of ink. And the pages look awesome-sharp and perfect colors. Once the forms were approved, the copies of our pages rolled off the press, and were placed on palettes, ready for the binding process. On Monday, the dust jacket and book cover, along with the final pages of the book will be run- and then binding will begin. As we drove home last night from Milwaukee, and drove into Lake Bluff, we saw a stunning full moon over the lake. A magical beginning and ending to an exciting day! A book had been born!