Holiday Decorating: Renaissance style

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH6ZAHP_UASkuYO4Xbm-2rSMc38glju9JAv45SU6kVL55IJD__PWx6h9uOYlK-7DCKYvg7QBKmDkXzL5psoXj3yHudgEuA48yVkvZ4Rsm0RsyYXlv3cz1CXLE4sJkRu3p2X5SvU5FzYc/s1600/della+robbia+overdoor+fan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH6ZAHP_UASkuYO4Xbm-2rSMc38glju9JAv45SU6kVL55IJD__PWx6h9uOYlK-7DCKYvg7QBKmDkXzL5psoXj3yHudgEuA48yVkvZ4Rsm0RsyYXlv3cz1CXLE4sJkRu3p2X5SvU5FzYc/s400/della+robbia+overdoor+fan.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I always think the weekend after Thanksgiving is the perfect time to decorate for the holidays. For exterior decorating it's not too cold yet (hopefully) and it leaves the decorations up for the longest for everyone to enjoy!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4pD6sRXNOYmFoBBbZedEw8TlsMC-Xmh6qE0aNp1N9_ekGlDjkpWuWeCiBNU8OILDfD_vG6esqWbFeunQHuIV7BZfBoa4AxaH7-VBSLzHk2d9QLDAoeGNMrA4ZHrw9drWINxln4gbgGE/s1600/Bank+of+Alexandria.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4pD6sRXNOYmFoBBbZedEw8TlsMC-Xmh6qE0aNp1N9_ekGlDjkpWuWeCiBNU8OILDfD_vG6esqWbFeunQHuIV7BZfBoa4AxaH7-VBSLzHk2d9QLDAoeGNMrA4ZHrw9drWINxln4gbgGE/s400/Bank+of+Alexandria.JPG" width="368" /></a></div>Recently while in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, I noticed the fan of fruit above the front door of the Bank of Alexandria Building  (1792) seen in the images above.  Commonly referred to as "Williamsburg over-door fans" these decorations actually date to the early 20th century thanks to <a href="http://www.housebeautiful.com/">House Beautiful magazine</a>!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh79hfL_immSpv_1nds_Ayv5KuinRBM3B_e8ybXJYhlO0LUYNocpZpZ0CV1zZinjSBUaJu7vq5jskYiTXh6-CCsb4mlNwVO1yyMajXUvcoEarJg-Ldcf_9S0P8IUtVgz1GR_QbGTtjkOZg/s1600/emblem+of+bartolini+by+Lucca+della+Robbia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh79hfL_immSpv_1nds_Ayv5KuinRBM3B_e8ybXJYhlO0LUYNocpZpZ0CV1zZinjSBUaJu7vq5jskYiTXh6-CCsb4mlNwVO1yyMajXUvcoEarJg-Ldcf_9S0P8IUtVgz1GR_QbGTtjkOZg/s400/emblem+of+bartolini+by+Lucca+della+Robbia.jpg" width="395" /></a></div>For the Holiday issue of 1926 House Beautiful encouraged its readers to decorate like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucca_della_Robbia">Lucca della Robbia</a>, an Italian Renaissance sculptor known for his use of fruit wreaths (see above for an example of his work). In the late 1930s Christmas decorating competitions were held in Colonial Williamsburg and many of the participants sourced House Beautiful and created these fruit decorations which would have been thought quite odd and wasteful in hard Colonial times!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPUfYqevJuQOxjcdgKIrWIbIXMtdACiZ2kSDr7gSzgRulnP8jQrDP6h0F_HgwEHFn4kDGXTYVOE4BmvM4hyMYV2NabcbxCH2IXxvoSwHHlu6q34-RcHFpyRNRfgRIFewfeetd8Ktw-8k/s1600/front+door+with+christmas+decorations.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPUfYqevJuQOxjcdgKIrWIbIXMtdACiZ2kSDr7gSzgRulnP8jQrDP6h0F_HgwEHFn4kDGXTYVOE4BmvM4hyMYV2NabcbxCH2IXxvoSwHHlu6q34-RcHFpyRNRfgRIFewfeetd8Ktw-8k/s400/front+door+with+christmas+decorations.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>The pineapple is often used as a sign of hospitality, perfect for the holidays.  These over-doors are also similar to the magnificent carvings of sculptor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grinling_Gibbons">Grinling Gibbons</a> who achieved ultimate realism in his carvings of fruit and flowers in early 18th century England.  What do you think -would you use fruit in your holiday decorating?

Holiday Decorating: Renaissance style

I always think the weekend after Thanksgiving is the perfect time to decorate for the holidays. For exterior decorating it's not too col...

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Old Town Alexandria Home & Garden tour this Saturday!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkxqVhm-9H4fFEVgKXXjpnZFBSSNsE2SbPpbhDSIwZ5FR6LvcfwWWEKEXbkEq5HIaHp9h4nZqkqPvJQM2RrsGY_FCFalJppxXucl3weEcAnrKTzX8wDqvLY3lorAMfokG8vNM60Eoy7OM/s1600/old+town+house+tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkxqVhm-9H4fFEVgKXXjpnZFBSSNsE2SbPpbhDSIwZ5FR6LvcfwWWEKEXbkEq5HIaHp9h4nZqkqPvJQM2RrsGY_FCFalJppxXucl3weEcAnrKTzX8wDqvLY3lorAMfokG8vNM60Eoy7OM/s400/old+town+house+tour.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Don't miss the 72nd annual Old Town Alexandria Home & Garden tour this Saturday, September 28th, 2013. Tickets can be purchased beforehand <a href="http://fs21.formsite.com/closerware/form146/index.html">ONLINE</a> or at the Ramsey House Visitors Center (221 King Street) and the Historic Christ Church Hall (118 N. Columbus Street) day of.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SBuMHnvXAqZglfA6SzdwZZS3bDV26YSElNZRG9_AJwMPa1x9lN9XiX4bjwgeSDntHgXREtaAEi3ENBM5sYKgZexw3dbe1Hsi3c8bcdDnR13BOLXGJoa3useeDt2ELB4h86PuGfPrkCmX/s1600/old+town+house+tour+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SBuMHnvXAqZglfA6SzdwZZS3bDV26YSElNZRG9_AJwMPa1x9lN9XiX4bjwgeSDntHgXREtaAEi3ENBM5sYKgZexw3dbe1Hsi3c8bcdDnR13BOLXGJoa3useeDt2ELB4h86PuGfPrkCmX/s400/old+town+house+tour+2.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>All proceeds from the tour benefit the <a href="http://www.inova.org/patient-and-visitor-information/facilities/inova-alexandria-hospital/index.jsp">Inova Alexandria Hospita</a>l; a good cause! The tour has raised over $3.2 million dollars for the hospital since the<a href="http://www.thetwig.org/"> historic women's association</a> began in 1933; Congratulations and thank you, Ladies! <a href="http://www.yescomusa.com"><img src="http://snapshackk.com/blogger.jpg"></a> Get 10% off tradeshow booths when you shop at <a href="http://www.yescomusa.com">www.YesComUSA.com</a>. Valid until September 2013.

Old Town Alexandria Home & Garden tour this Saturday!

Don't miss the 72nd annual Old Town Alexandria Home & Garden tour this Saturday, September 28th, 2013. Tickets can be purchased befo...

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