Christmas Wraps

Mr. RTH wanted something different for his team at work for Christmas, not a candle, and not another bottle of wine. So we decided to put together a dessert - Chocolate Christmas Fondue from France, seedless clementines and an angel food cake. Packaging each of the items in cellophane bags, I tied them all together with a red bow and handmade tag with instructions. A bottle of lemon infused olive oil and red currant mustard fit nicely into Santa's boot. A beautiful bottle of a special rum also went into Santa's boot as a hostess gift for later this week! I love to wrap in cellophane, as it always gives a festive appearance to holiday gifts. Tucking in little sprigs of holiday berries adds a merry touch!

Fireplace Mantels Dressed for the Holidays

Mantels are such a small surface in your home, but they make a big impact! That's why my decoration philosophy for the holidays says "put as much stuff as you possibly fit up there!"

Layers of lit garland, frosted sticks and flowers, ornaments, moss, cherubs, angels, candlesticks, books, clocks, pictures, mirrors, trees, Santa's, fruit and whatever else comes to mind and makes you happy- put it up there! An ingenious invention, Command Strips, allows about twice the normal amount of "stuff" on the mantel for the holidays. These pictures show mantels in several homes - all sharing my philosophy- lots of stuff! See how romantic, how charming and how much they share with us about the personalities of the owners of the homes.

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!