I finished the last of my holiday work early this afternoon; my holiday is on its way. Dressing up my own landscape and home for the holidays has gone on over a period of weeks-but it is all done now. I have the tree up, the packages wrapped, the wreath done, and the outside lighted. It’s Buck’s turn now-as the chef de cuisine. Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays to all of you…
…from all of us.
Rob does a lot of the holiday display work in the shop. It may take me a while to figure it out, but usually there is some recurring theme in his work that finally surfaces. In addition to his light garlands, this year of his was all about the trees. Trunks, branches, and stems got taken apart, and put back together in some beautiful way. This spot in the shop is home to its third tree of his making. This collection of bare box elder branches was assembled as a multistemmed holiday tree-this one simply decorated in beaded snowflakes and glass birds. The others, hung with glass icicles, have new homes for the holidays.
The idea of a holiday tree small enough for a sideboard or table is an appealing one. This “pear tree” is decorated with glass pear ornaments and icicles; the partridge is sitting in her brown glittered nest. This holiday tree is a one of a kind expression with a big visual impact.
This glass vase he filled with the skeletal remnants of weeds from the field next door. The blown seed pots of asclepias tuberosa, or butterfly weed, softens the look of the sticks. A very subtle and unexpected addition? A few platinum glitter picks make what at first glance seems ordinary, sparkle softly.
These very sparkly trees take up next to no room on a mantle or buffet. This Pucci-inspired version of a tree-great fun. The glittered seed pod trees have the same effect-very festive.
Coulter pine cones are the largest cones on the planet. They are little wood trees, in and of themselves. A very large Coulter cone which stands up on end, perfectly balanced, makes small but stunning holiday tree.
Rob frequently displays holiday ornament in tree branches. Many years ago I decorated a small deciduous tree from my property for the holidays. This does have an understated and spare look reminiscent of the feather trees so popular at the turn of the century. These ornaments from bark strips look right at home here.
This vase with a tree comprised of a few pine boughs and field weeds gets some punch from a feathered cardinal ornament. It says holiday with the fewest words possible.
Other arrangements of his are not so spare, but they all feature his particular point of view. Happy holidays from Rob.
I was finally ready this morning to install holiday decor for a client both inside and out; the wreath for the front door was the last thing to be loaded in the trucks. My clients have spent years restoring a beautiful late nineteenth century house; they moved in just weeks ago. Though the landscape renovation just got underway before we ran out of good weather, we managed to get the granite driveway installed. The new front portico and brick walks are still under construction. But being in the late stages of a construction project does not mean they have to forego the holidays.
A formal tree in the foyer is decorated all in red. Glass ball ornaments in clusters and berry picks suffuse the interior of the tree with a red glow. Sparkly red ornaments of all shapes and sizes hang from the tips of the branches.
The space at the bottom of the stairs is a small one. Some of the lower branches of the tree spill into the stairwell going downstairs. A cloud of red sinamay shot through with metallic red threads finishes the tree at the floor. The garland on the stair railings is plain-but for bouquets of berry picks, ornaments and satin ribbons on the newel posts.
My client requested that the ceiling of her dining room be dripping with holiday. I am sure she did not think I would take her request literally-but it seemed just the thing to do. The glass drops pick up the light from the windows, and the chandelier; the whole room sparkles. I can imagine it will look beautiful with candlelight.
We pinned copper and pewter colored oak leaf garland at the top of each beam. Coppery brown manzanita branches were zip tied together in a configuration that would allow for hanging the drops at different levels, and in different planes. Natural reindeer moss is glued over the zip ties. The contrast of the old and somber hand hewn beams with the delicate glass drops-lovely.
The old fashioned cooking fireplace is draped in magnolia garlands which are fastenened at the corners with pewter colored leaf and pod picks. Small custers of brown berries add a subtle shine to the garland. I always hang magnolia garland with the leaf tips up. As the leaves dry, they open, and fan out, giving the garland greater volume. Garland hung with the leaf tips down will dry down, and be smooth and uniform in width. This is gravity at work.
The new portico outdoors still lacks lighting and finishing, but Christmas is next week. The steel topiary towers were custom made for these large pots; they are wound with brown corded lights. As the bed of greens is so massive, we did a mix for textural interest. Large branches of magnolia grandiflora were zip tied together to make a shrubby form akin to the steel topiary form.
These three English made concrete planters are stuffed with mixed greens; their centerpieces are cardinal red twig, red glitter branches and red glitter leaf picks. They make a big splash. The planters are positioned to screen the side door from immediate view, and direct visual attention to the front door.
In the spring, the antique brick walkway porch, and new landscape will dress this area up considerably. But for now, being ready for the holidays is a gesture in a good direction.
