Teal and metallics, a great holiday combination...

I just love the color teal and copper together, especially for Christmas decorating.  It reminds me so much of the beautiful desert southwest, and using  metallic copper, gold and silver just adds that special glitz for the holidays.  The pictures below are ones that I either found on Picasa, Z Gallery, two of my own, or other Internet decorating sites.  I particularly love the metallic glass bulbs hanging from the second level. I'm seriously contemplating trying to make them for the cathedral ceiling in my great-room, which I normally never have decorated in the past years.  My daughter and I have been going to Home Goods about every 3 or 4 days, they are constantly putting out new decorations, and they have so many unique beautiful items.  I don't know about anyone else, but it seems as though the holidays are coming so quickly this year, so...I think starting next week, I will begin putting up some of our Christmas decorations, and hopefully, to have them all up including the tree before Thanksgiving.



Metallic drops




From Crate and Barrel




Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills a few years ago




Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills





Mercury Glass with the soft teal




This tree was found on Picasa - beautiful colors





Snowy white and teal





The leopard ribbon is stunning





Gold net ribbon with the bright metallic - gorgeous




Part of my fireplace mantel from 2009




Palm in my front yard, Christmas 2009



Stunning



What a great idea with metallic glass bulbs, so unique



Peacock feather wreath found on Picasa

Pine cone dipped in teal paint

Tiffany & Co Christmas Ad

From Z Gallery

Beautiful glass copper ornaments

Candles from Z Gallery

Metallic wreath found on Picasa

Poinsettias....

There is no flower out there that signifies Christmas more to me than the beautiful poinsettia.  Today there are so many varieties and each year there always seems to be yet another unique one we've never seen before.  For me, I just can't have enough around my home during the holidays.  Living in a warmer climate, I plant them all throughout my yard around palm trees and in other garden areas.  I collect huge ceramic pots and plant all kinds and colors I can find in them throughout my back yard with landscaping lights and in my Lanai with miniture white Christmas lights.  The best part is when the holidays are over, I will cut them back, and plant them in a shaded area of my yard and they grow until next season.

A few years ago, my daughter and I went out to Los Angeles to have Christmas with my family who lives there.  My husband did not go on this trip with us, and I think he was glad in the end, because it actually turned out to be one big shopping trip.  We arrived days before Christmas, so there was still some shopping that needed to be done.  We decided to drive down to Costa Mesa in Orange County to The South Coast Plaza.   I've been to So. California dozens of times, but never to this mall, so one would think when we pulled in, I would be so excited to see all the fabulous stores and the size of this wonderful mall...well, the first thing I noticed was the beautiful landscaping...thousands of red poinsettia in a curvature design outlined with pure white Cyclamen, it was stunning!   The last picture below is the combination of those that in an arrangement.  So, I'm on a mission this weekend to find the white Cyclamen and get them ready to plant in my front yard with the bright red poinsettias.  Not only is the combination just so perfect for the holiday season, but it brings back the most indescribably wonderful memories of that trip, and after all that's what Christmas is all about, being with the ones you love, making beautiful memories and being so grateful that we have God in our lives.

Here is a wonderful website you may like to visit.  It's the Paul Ecke Ranch in Encinitas, California.  It has the history, legend  facts, myths, etc. of the Poinsettia...along with some great information especially the one listed under "product catalog", 2011 Ecke Summer Poinsettia Catalog about the Polar Bear poinsettia.

Creating A Holiday Ambiance...

No matter your style or taste, or even where you live, when it comes to decorating for the holidays, I think most of us want to create a warm and inviting environment in our homes for our family and friends.  Sometimes it's just those small touches of beautiful crystal garland that sparkles while intertwined with candle light, or one of my favorites, is using a plain beveled mirror tray and  place a variety of unique sparkled candles, then place some individual crystal snow flakes scattered about the mirror.  Some examples are in the pictures below that was found on a decorating web page.  Living here in Florida, whenever I can, I try to create at least some areas of my home with that sparkling effect using diamond dust covered white candles, mirror and crystals, to give an illusion of a winter wonderland - even when you look outside at all the palm trees!  Over the last several years, I've noticed that in most of holiday decorations, the use of clear glass, or vivid colored glass, and even mercury glass is being used more and more in such unique ways, along with the old fashioned round glass colored Christmas bulbs, that use to just be for hanging on a Christmas tree, is now being used in such glamorous ways, that your imagination can go wild and create something so unique to your taste.  It seems like no matter where I go for holiday decorations this year...everyone has feathers.  Whether they are miniature trees, wreaths, or garland.  I have to admit, I fell in love with a white feathered wreath, nothing on it, just that  "Old Hollywood" look...and I bought it.  Not sure yet as to where it will go this year, but I couldn't resist and can't wait to see it up.  It's simple but so pretty...

Beauty products for the busy upcoming holidays...

The holidays are upon us, and with all the shopping, baking, visiting family and friends, gift wrapping, and on and on...here are some products that are just the perfect thing to help add that bit of "glam" and help you take that special time, just for you.  All these products can be purchased through Sephora.  http://www.sephora.com

 

Bliss Hand Cream Duo for at Home Mani

                       

Kate Somerville - Deep Tissue Repair

Frederick Fekkai Golden Shimmer Gelee Hair Mist Contains Golden Micro Diamond Particles (my daughter uses this during the holidays, it is beautiful)

Girl Meets Pearl by Benefit (I use this, it's fabulous)

Kinerase Hydrating Antioxidant Mist (Love it, a must try, I keep it in my handbag along with Evian at all times)

Kinerase Photo Facials Sun Damage Reversal System (totally wonderful)

Lorac - Oil Free Luminizer

Merry Me, by OPI at Sephora Opaque Cranberry Red with Silver Glitter - so "holiday"

Philosophy "Crispy Marshmallow Bars, Shampoo and Shower Gel (Yummy) 

Prestige Brush Set - Sephora Collection

Red Sequined Lip Clutch

Super Hyper Hydrator coconut Water, By Dr. Nicholas Perricone