Cindy Rinfret Wannabe

Cindy Rinfret's work totally speaks to me.  I've been a fan for years, since I first saw her in Traditional Home.  If you love traditional style with the occasional twist, you need to know her.  I have taken all of these images from her website Rinfret, Ltd.  I found myself lost in them just now, so I thought I ought to share...

Cindy is located in Greenwich, Connecticut, and has authored the quintessential book on the style of that area...

It's a must read if you like the images I've shared.

I'm planning some decorating/redo's in my home this year.  What's on your decorating agenda?

Talk to you soon,
Carol

Parumpabumbum...

The newborn King to see...

Wishing for you the simple gifts of Christmas

Thank you for spending time with me on House and Home Defined this season. 

Carol

My Weird Christmas Nook

Do you have a really dumb nook (which makes it sound charming. not.) in your house?  The kind of thing a builder does without thinking it through?  Mine is the top of the closet in my front hall.  So, at Christmas, I decorate my weird nook to help it blend with the rest of the house...

Santa has to go somewhere, right?

How to Turn a Gummy Bear into a Reindeer

Maybe necessity is the mother of invention, or maybe it's just the creative mind at play.  Whichever, my daughter Sam claims to have invented the gummy reindeer (though her sister will argue that fact.  Ah, twins...).

At the annual Gingerbread House extravaganza, Sam showed me the way to creating this lovely creature...

When I told here I was going to post her reindeer tonight, she offered to sketch some instructions...

Truth be told, Sam bites the head off, licks it, and sticks it on the reindeer's shoulders.  Not to worry, no one else but her will eat it.  If you prefer the more refined method, you can attach the head with a smidge of frosting. :)

I have to say,  I found this to be a pretty darn clever way to  get a herd of reindeer to hang outside a gingerbread house!

(See the red guy in the center?  Gummy Bears make decent Santas, too.)

It was pretty cool that my niece was able to skype in for the afternoon and do her own house at the same time.  Traditions live on in new ways.

Enjoy the rest of the week,
Carol

Christmas in Orange, Leopard and Copper

We went to my friend Charlene's for a Christmas dinner party this past weekend.  Her home just hugs you when you walk in.  Thought you might like to see her take on Christmas...

Enough said?

Not quite...Not only was the decor beautiful, but these two cooked up a meal of roast lamb with homemade mint pesto, herb-roasted sweet and white potatoes, marinated green beans, and a killer salad to start.  Merry Christmas and thanks to Charlene and her man Larry.

Talk to you soon,
Carol

My Dining Table Gone Christmas

Creating a Christmas tablescape for my dining room table is my. favorite.thing.  Here she is, in gold, white and soft green...

Can't forget the chairs...

These four images above I've entered in Scot Meacham Wood's Holiday Decorating Contest over at his beautiful blog The Adventures of Tartanscot.  The remaining images are just because I love this time of year!

Craft commerical... the potted branches below I made by spray painting two old garden pots I already had, stuffing them with florist foam, spray painting some red dogwood twigs after cutting them to size, and you can see the rest.  Super easy, really quick...

When you work with colors that blend with your existing decor, it gives you a soft look as opposed to a lot of "pop".  There's no right or wrong, it's about what you like.

Here's the sideboard behind the table...

There is nothing like making my guests feel special at my table.  That's what taking the time to set your table with an extra effort does -- it just makes people feel good.  I know I tend to go overboard because I'm in design, after all, but it doesn't matter how much you do.  Even the tiniest addition of a green or extra candles will do the same thing.

Will you try a little extra something for your holiday table this year?

Now, go check out the gorgeous contest images at The Adventures of Tartanscot!  Click here.

Talk to you soon,
Carol

A Woodland Tablescape You'll Want to Take Ideas From

Someone at work went to a ladies Christmas Lunch today.  This was one piece of the tablescape that she came back with...

Isn't it AMAZING?  Forgive the background noise -- I wanted you to see the whole thing.   A stuffed, interesting, real log with some funky plant and ranuculus.   I want to go on the hunt for cool logs, hollow then out, and stuff  them  (I assure you that will happen very soon).  Here are some close ups, then I'll show the table...

What are those weird (live) things?  Anyone know?

Here's a look at the 16 foot table, set with what I would call a Winter Woodland Wonderland.  These images below were taken with a phone...

The "trees" were birch logs with flocked greens coming out the top.  Notice things like silver mushrooms and ornaments tucked in amongst the moss, logs, ranuculus, amaryllis and bunches of interesting plant materials...

Another look at the table...

This just blew me away.  It was done by Flowers By Semia in North Providence, RI, the state's premier florist.

(The place settings were done by the club the event was held at.  I want to go in these pictures, change the china, put little silver boxes tied with white bows on each plate and a silver charger under each, and napkins in a cream, silver and soft green plaid to the side, ringed with fresh wired greens.  I can't help myself.  My mind never stops.)

I am a major tablescape nut, and am trying to get mine together for the contest at The Adventures of Tartan Scot..  Have you seen it?  If not, click here to check out all the inspiration. 

Talk to you soon,
Carol

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