A Wow Of A Catalog

I have never seen this seed catalog before, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, www.rareseeds.com

It is filled with magazine quality photos, articles and recipes.

The veggies look like you could eat them right off the page!

Pages of flower seeds also

Lots of unusual tomatoes

They even have a sense of humor!

The prices of the seed packets seem competitive and if you can get hold of this catalog you are in for a visual treat!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like ....

I can't believe how fast this has all come upon us, the 2011 Holiday Season!  I met my gardening friends at a local nursery and it is so pleasant to shop there because they have an indoor greenhouse.

This was a huge container and very pricey, just pick it up and carry it away to your home.

There were some smaller versions which were more affordable.

Winterberry is beautiful, very expensive and hard to keep for the winter season.  If you can find faux that will withstand the weather or use pepper berry which will last throughout the season.

On to a great shop later in the week known for its creative decor.  I couldn't pass up a beautiful runner for my sideboard.  I have made my own previously and know this was a deal if only for the trim.

I couldn't pass this one up as I know what it would cost me to make this, sometimes buying ready made is smarter.

I found a few more treasures like these gilded pine cone candle holders, reasonably priced and unusual.  The three candles in the front are battery candles which flicker and are lovely without the worry about burning candles.


I can never pass up little birds, good luck you know, to put on my table by my living room staircase.

A round tablecloth from Home Goods, I trimmed it in braid, gathered up on four sides with a tassel.  The tablecloth was reasonably priced, trim and tassels from Hancock Fabrics.

I love having seasonal pillows but I always try to purchase them after the holidays at reduced prices.

I found Father Christmas at Hobby Lobby at half price for the top of my little tree by the fireplace.

On the other side of the fireplace I have faux, not very big on having a lot of real greens in the house until a few days before Christmas.

Continuing on yesterday to another local nursery which grows all of their own poinsettias.  This is preferred to those that are shipped in from other locations because they are set to bud later, last longer and will enhance your home throughout most of the winter season.

Poinsettias, mums, ivy

Smaller cyclamen with variegated leaves

Larger flowered cyclamen

I could not ignore the Amaryllis that was blooming, think this one was called Elvas.

The Paperwhites are beautiful but you don't want to buy them like this now or you will not have blooms for Christmas!

The tall amaryllis are blooming but may not be blooming for Christmas.

Some baskets are already made up with ivy, cyclamen, schefflera and poinsettia.

Poinsettias, cyclamen and Norfolk pine

I bought a red Poinsettia for the living room.

White Poinsettia in the container on the living room coffee table

I am trying another cyclamen, smaller variety, in the dining room.  We'll see how long I can keep this one alive - cool, light, moist not wet!

I couldn't pass these up, half price, and was able to plant them in the pre-frozen soil.

Before The Snow Flies

As I looked at my outdoor container plantings I thought I had better get those photos taken before we are knee deep in snow.  There was one year that I never saw my containers until March!

It is too bad that pansies and parsley are not Christmas plants because we really would have blooms and greenery into December.

The concrete planters by the garage are a combination of incense cedar, huckleberry, some faux berries and red twig dogwood branches.  The Limelight hydrangeas have been spray painted in an outdoor enamel.

Geranium Magnificum could be a Christmas plant but it's not, just turning color before going to sleep.

I used some different greens this year like the Huckleberry and Port Orford Cedar and the Seeded Eucalyptus, faux melons that I sprayed with poly.  The Hydrangeas are my dried Limelights sprayed.

The hayracks on the shed are pretty casual, balsam, cedar, huckleberry and red twig dogwood, some faux apples and garland.

Max Frei Geranium is also putting on its holiday colors.

Magnolia, Port Orford Cedar, Eucalyptus Pods, Hydrangea Unique sprayed green, Green Apples and Willow.  Some are faux, some are real!

Pomegranates and Boxwood.

I sprayed the pomegranates this year with a clear poly to see if they will withstand the winter weather.

Plumbago is this great ground cover that blooms with blue flowers in the fall and then turns this great purple color.

Panicum Northwind is not a Christmas color but it sure does perk up my spirits as I drive into my garage every day.

I am not so thrilled with the resin planter this year, but it is more natural with the allium Purple Sensation.

This is one of two cast iron planters in the front, lots of cedar, white pine, a tree topper, pepper berry, dried seed pods and some faux berries.

A Vintage Christmas Decor

I have been working in just about every area of holiday decor, inside, outside all around the house.

The tree is done, narrow because of the area it must fill, lots of memories on this tree from my children and students through the years.

The mantle in the family room is filled with vintage and faux decor.

The mirror is vintage and the candles are celluloid (from the 1930's) lit from underneath.

The sconces are from the 1920's, a hotel in Chicago, and the candle holders are amber glass with etching from the 1930's.

I made the stockings many years ago for the whole family, even the dog.  I have since given my children their stockings to use in their home.

Ralph Lauren fabric with applique from several years ago.  I wrap them carefully and bring them out every holiday.

A small tree by the fireplace

A basket on the other side of the fireplace with faux greenery and ornaments