KY3 TV Holiday Segment + Centerpiece DIY

The holidays are here upon us! I'm feeling WAY behind this year, but as I've gotten older and added a a few more children, activities, and blissful chaos, I've come to realize it's really just about 'being in the moment'.  Making memories.  That's what the holidays are about, right?  This year, inspiration for my table scape came from that motto.  'Slow Down'.  'Stick close to home'.  Create a warm and inviting wonderland that's simple, yet memorable.

My talented friend Heather from Heather Cherie Photography came by Pickwick House to photograph our latest holiday table scape we created for a KY3 segment.  Hop on over to her blog to see the post and you can see the KY3 segment here.

Clementines are a favorite at our house.  Not only are they such a juicy, easy snack for little hands to grab and peel, they have no seeds. And the skins smell so good as you are peeling the vitamin C goodness.  They also offer a juicy jolt of color for the holidays.  [We buy them by the case around our house.]

DIY Clementine Arrangement:

Materials:
Small wooden box.  {I used one I had on hand from a past wedding}
Nine fresh clementines {We call them cuties.  I like to look for the deeper orange colored ones.  They are my favorite.}
Small sprigs of evergreen {We used pine and rosemary sprigs from the yard}

How To:
Turn the box upside down
Lay the grid of clementines {I put three on each row}
Lay the sprigs of pine and rosemary in between each clementine

That's it!  You're done.  I placed ours over a bed of fresh greens that my friend brought to me.  So easy, inexpensive, useable, and beautiful!!

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Hope you are enjoying this time of year!   Let us know if you need me and my team to help warm up your home or throw an unforgettable party holiday party this year and into 2013!

xx

sharon

Shade Under a Walnut Tree

Happy Wednesday!  Because it's so hot out, and because I enjoy treating myself and this little human inside me....baby J, I've stocked up on popsicles, lemonade, and, ice.  I picked some fresh mint from Will's mom's house this morning to put in the lemonade for the KY3 tv entertaining segment I had today.  It smelled so good.

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Summertime is my favorite.  It is about being a kid at heart and catching fireflies, drippy popsicles, lemonade stands, inch by inch garden growing, portable radios in a field, golden night skies,  tree-climbing, patio umbrellas, zinnias, roller skating in the driveway, backyard picnics, tee-pee building, rock collecting, creek floats, blowing electric fans, charades, outdoor parties, mean croquet matches, country drives, badmitton.

Our yard has a towering walnut tree that shades our whole back yard.  The stock tank is going to be filled today and I plan on dunking in it for a bit this evening with my Sylvie after a big day at Boca Mocha cafe.  The cafe opens day after tomorrow and we're in the midst of crazy faze of everything going wrong that could possibly go wrong.  It will all get ironed out though.

I'm giddy for the owners.

Don't forget the soiree tomorrow night! It's getting all fluffed at the store today and tomorrow.  Smiles and Summertime Shade to you today!

xo
sharon

Spring Table-Tops

My uncle just sent me this little picture and verse that my great, great grandmother Pauline Frances Camp made over 100 years ago.  She would make these as favors for their many party guests that they would entertain-for in their big, beautiful Victorian home on Walnut Street.  Pauline's husband, Walter, commented to his mother that Pauline would make things like this "so quickly, that the expense and passing of time was of no consequence."

Poems and sketches.  So sweet.

I thought that this would make a sweet addition to a table I just put together here, at the store.  The spirea flower is one of my favorites.  Reminds me of mom, because mom battled hard with my dad over these bushes in our own yard, growing up.  Dad loved hedge trimming with his long-corded electric hedge-trimmers and took pride in making a tight-bowled shape bush, while mom loved the free flowing branched bushes.  I have to agree with mom.  Free flowing is much dreamier.  What would you say?

These spirea branches are from a bush from my childhood home, which my brother Philip lives in now.  We live next door and share this one bush that I love.  I loved picking them today.  What's popping up in your yard?  No other bouquet like one from your own yard, is there?

This Friday, on the KY3 News early morning show with Maria Neider, I will be sharing some entertaining ideas for Easter Tables and Baskets. I'll try to share a link then.

Have a good rest of your week!

xo
sharon