One Good Egg

This past weekend I helped style a Fundraiser at my oldest son's former school. The school is for children who learn differently and they do an incredible job with helping each child to reach his or her potential. Just like no two eggs are exactly alike, they recognize the beauty of each of these individual children and they do it with dedication, love and talent. When Christopher attended the school, I always helped out where I could with their benefits, auctions and fundraisers to help them help the kids and I was honored when this year they asked me to help style the event which was entitled Snowflakes and Bubbles. What a great theme for this time of year! I could picture lots of snowflakes, white and silver, lots of glitter, candle light and of course champagne...thus the bubbles. 

My first purchase from the New York Home and Gift Show were these beautiful hand painted blown out eggs. They were so sparkly on the Christmas trees and I had many left so I decided to use them as the favor for the benefit. I printed up a little tag that read, "Nurture a new life of Hope and Promise in every student." I then punched a hole in the tag and attached it to the silky ribbon from the egg. I added a touch of glitter and then stacked them in a crystal bowl for the guests to take as a remembrance of the positive impact they were making on each and every one of the students by attending this event.

Thank you to those of you who make a difference each and every day in the life of a child!

Yes....a puppy...

I know, I know, I know! Having a puppy is like having a baby all over again...and I have already had five (babies that is), but how can you resist this adorable ball of fluff with those eyes? Part of what Life's Patina is for me is a depth of life as time passes and people and places change and items age and find their own Patina.  This puppy will add to the richness of life here at Willowbrook Farm and my personal patina in the form of additional grey hair….

Who picked the year of the owl?

Looking for the latest and the greatest new products here at Atlantasmart but we couldn't help but get distracted by the many versions of owls we found in every showroom!  Now, understand I have nothing against owls and I enjoy those that "hoot" me to sleep at Willowbrook Farm but this trend may have gone too far!

Scary Owl

Jungle Owl

Overdressed Owl

Pretty Owl

Norwegian Owl

Bad Hair Day Owl

Parliament (yes that's what they call a pack of owls!)

B-U-F-F Owl

Industrial Owl

Appropriate Owl

It is all in the Packaging

 

I ordered a copy of a Belgian magazine called Jeanne d' Arc Living from a beautiful website French Larkspur. I had been admiring the pages that she has highlighted every time I go on the site and I finally pulled the trigger and ordered. I was hoping that the magazine arrived before I headed off to Atlanta for America's Mart, a fabulous home decor and gift show. That way I could leisurely peruse it on the flight and use the inspiration that I gleaned from the magazine in helping me to make my buying decisions. I love to intersperse the old with some new objects that are designed with the past in mind. So I received the Priority Mail package, ripped it open upon receiving, and was greeted by a lovely wrapped package. What an awesome way to present a decor magazine! A simple tissue wrapped package with a ribbon that held the hand stamped a personalized gift tag as well as a page from an old French book elevated the anticipation of opening the package and taking a peak at the pages. So much so that I could not open it at home and had to wait until I showed it to my friend Chris on the plane (my partner in crime with Life's Patina.)

It is amazing how an ordinary moment of opening a magazine can become something special with a few simple touches!

Christmas at Willowbrook Farm

Christmas was the "most wonderful" time of the year...as well as the "most hectic"time of the year! I would like to share some photos of how we decked out Willowbrook Farm to ring in the season as well as the New Year.

                                                                         Welcome!

I love to use natural elements outside as well as neutral colors that can stay up most of the winter...

Our house is a hodge podge of styles due to the fact that the first room was built in 1710 and there have been a series of additions up until the mid 1900's. This creates an eclectic atmosphere where one room which has 7 foot ceilings and a primitive country feel...

Circa 1710

...leads into another that has 10 foot ceilings and a fish pond in the dining room. This is exactly what I love about the house. Around every corner, there is a surprise! 

What to do with a fish pond in a dining room?...fill it with poinsettias and a focal piece of branches spray painted white and bedecked with vintage postcards, ribbon and pictures.

Dining Room circa 1925 when it was quite chic to put a fish pond indoors!

I had used this same arrangement in the Barn sale to highlight some merchandise that I carry but tweaked it a little to use it in the dining room.

We had to add a tiny table onto the end to accommodate the 17 adults we had for Christmas Eve Dinner. The kids sat at the proverbial "kids" table in the Family Room.

I used my Liberty Blue, Independence Hall Ironstone that I found in an antique shop in upstate Pennsylvania for a song. Not your typical Christmas colors but it works nicely with the white and silver Holiday decor.

One of my favorite features in the whole house is the Butlers Pantry...as my kids always ask, "where is the butler?"

I love to use this spot to lay out the yummy desserts for any gathering that we have. I love the play of the dark wood on the counter, with the dark blue back of the pantry and the greens and sparkle of the lights. Have I told you that I have an obsession with blue????

The Library was added in 1789 and again has a very low beamed ceiling. I use the traditional colors of the season in this room.

I hope that you enjoyed this "After Christmas walk" through some of the rooms in the house that we bedecked for the Holiday season. 

I so hate for it to end...and to take it all down!

"During the holidays, we remember our treasures with fullness of heart and we give thanks for the infinite wonder of love and the sweet blessings of friendship."

                                          Flavia

I wish you the wonder of love and the sweet blessing of friendship all through the New Year!

Meg Veno