Holiday Weekends

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ226aIBdg7dr7_j4uaYXoUWtBu7ffc3t0U4jN4imv4zWPRQ3hBwCTibnA-JKEymnsp54b8lihGLdBIgK6ubgz07BW4f4Tya9gR5E9qwhZmn5H2IAl9ctsSLG0N7O8lTbuYhWTdfYvqpg/s1600/vintage+ornaments.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ226aIBdg7dr7_j4uaYXoUWtBu7ffc3t0U4jN4imv4zWPRQ3hBwCTibnA-JKEymnsp54b8lihGLdBIgK6ubgz07BW4f4Tya9gR5E9qwhZmn5H2IAl9ctsSLG0N7O8lTbuYhWTdfYvqpg/s400/vintage+ornaments.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>This past weekend was busy as most weekends tend to be during the holiday season. I've been unable to decorate for the holiday unfortunately but I was able to do a little something to bring some of the Christmas spirit into my own apartment.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJ5-f26FnxeUK0SInJym2cZ6dU3HnmCiIvRkcy9eyx7HOrgWeaYwlTo4TTaC4uCHyWC5NA6TFgX-8DfG1C5IjI0glQbsnKYMu3pezFSFX-hsExpudDWfmMXOTZtHmocGcbN7Mr72HDOs/s1600/christmas+decorating.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJ5-f26FnxeUK0SInJym2cZ6dU3HnmCiIvRkcy9eyx7HOrgWeaYwlTo4TTaC4uCHyWC5NA6TFgX-8DfG1C5IjI0glQbsnKYMu3pezFSFX-hsExpudDWfmMXOTZtHmocGcbN7Mr72HDOs/s400/christmas+decorating.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>At an estate sale I visited this past weekend one of the many scores was a large box full of vintage glass ornaments from the 1930s and earlier (for $2 no less)! I placed these in clear glass vases throughout my apartment for some color and Christmas cheer!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcWa56XeiCThncsLw7-kDFdnqU8YEya1g_lWmceSb8nuMQLa7Cf_WRxNuD_qTVoR51KSK-Jct2pnMYT_B6VGw7HBdTS9Jt3wUjfPyIs99CbFEri8qmz-yWFD1jbKxgpdG_Me-857Ni0U/s1600/architectural+lamp+in+dining+room.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcWa56XeiCThncsLw7-kDFdnqU8YEya1g_lWmceSb8nuMQLa7Cf_WRxNuD_qTVoR51KSK-Jct2pnMYT_B6VGw7HBdTS9Jt3wUjfPyIs99CbFEri8qmz-yWFD1jbKxgpdG_Me-857Ni0U/s400/architectural+lamp+in+dining+room.JPG" width="296" /></a></div> Another find was this vintage brass lamp with an interesting paper shade. An antique print of an Italian square was mounted to the shade after the windows in the scene had been cut out and infilled with Mylar paper. When the lamp is lit the windows 'glow'! I love the neoclassical brass shaft which I polished along with the marble base as well as the red stone finial. You see it here in <a href="http://interior-design-pictures.blogspot.com/2013/03/my-dining-room.html">my dining room</a>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4rxGtThJ_hiLsNaYdD-tQNZA6uyTjLHboHh0EjjU5mEAM2r6ye2ZMMJu0ze8O7wCyQdGX34gyXhYIvLn99tuZuYOQDTsXOKBZnyWIcI1xupXHQ3_kX_euPbO7HR7p32pnw2P-TMBzBk/s1600/modern+empire+style.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4rxGtThJ_hiLsNaYdD-tQNZA6uyTjLHboHh0EjjU5mEAM2r6ye2ZMMJu0ze8O7wCyQdGX34gyXhYIvLn99tuZuYOQDTsXOKBZnyWIcI1xupXHQ3_kX_euPbO7HR7p32pnw2P-TMBzBk/s400/modern+empire+style.JPG" width="255" /></a></div>I also visited my favorite shop, <a href="http://www.artisanlamp.com/">Artisan</a>. They have tons of new merchandise you have to check out (online as well as in person) and as the owner was telling me, they make perfect gifts. I love the modern take on a classical empire chandelier seen above. The elegant antique French crystal chandeliers in the background are a perennial favorite as well!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDHPMhbcQEGiGaeaTDCR_ZNuMNJagwU9nzqXTbVHy3BkgqCBBBrmih4w4NofSh15GO85p37CM1SUmFIj905renLAxAw2PlIppVbtzXcVTGGsNu45lO4P3HQV6h7zk96KBM74-HDp-wyQ/s1600/arts+and+crafts+style.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDHPMhbcQEGiGaeaTDCR_ZNuMNJagwU9nzqXTbVHy3BkgqCBBBrmih4w4NofSh15GO85p37CM1SUmFIj905renLAxAw2PlIppVbtzXcVTGGsNu45lO4P3HQV6h7zk96KBM74-HDp-wyQ/s400/arts+and+crafts+style.JPG" width="286" /></a></div>Perfect for the arts and crafts house or bungalow is this unique iron and painted glass fixture. Why buy cheap new fixtures when you can pick details that will shine and make your house a unique home!  What are you doing to your house for the holidays?

Holiday Weekends

This past weekend was busy as most weekends tend to be during the holiday season. I've been unable to decorate for the holiday unfortuna...

Read more »

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...

Read more »