We all know the beauty that African violets, or Saintpaulia ionantha, bring to a window garden, but have you considered their value for Christmas centerpieces and mantel displays? The picture above (click to enlarge) shows a “tower” of African violets that I crafted from various silver objects: a round tray, an inverted vase, a wine… Read more »
Adorning mantels with evergreens, candles, fruit, and ornaments is a holiday tradition that dates back to the Victorian era. My own mantels are swagged with boxwood, cedar, juniper, and white pine, all thoroughly coated with Wilt-Pruf. Would you like to see how I decorated the boughs? (Hint: click pictures to enlarge.)For the mirrored mantel in… Read more »
This week, I had great fun decorating wreaths with creative friends Randy Hinz and Patricia Decker. We turned a series of plain, balsam-covered rings into one-of-a-kind door hangings…and so can you! Pictured above is a wreath that we decorated almost exclusively with gleanings from my garden. You can make this wreath for own door, too,… Read more »
O, Christmas Tree! A nine-foot Frasier fir entered my parlor on the first day of December. This might seem a tad early to you, but frankly, I can’t justify such an expensive, temporary decorative item unless it gives me at least one full month of pleasure. Here are my thoughts on treating, lighting and decorating… Read more »
The random, domestic act of polishing silver serving-pieces and removing spilled wax from silver candlesticks is hardly my idea of a good time. Nevertheless, the holidays are here, company is due, and I want my tableware to sparkle. Here are a few tricks to make this mundane cleaning chore a little less…mundane: Silver-Plate. I use… Read more »
Trees, shrubs and vines which adorn themselves in bright red berries during the coldest months provide colorful accents for the winter garden, and also food for the birds, whose plumage sparkles in the frosty air. Choices for scarlet-fruited plants are seemingly unlimited. Here are the ones that attract the most birds to my own winter… Read more »
Herminio Ramirez, one of the craftiest people I know, stopped by this morning to give me a lesson on Jack-o-Lantern-making. Would you like to see how he turned a pumpkin into a cat? Rather than cutting out the traditional “lid” from the pumpkin’s top, Herminio carves an oval in back, just large enough for his… Read more »
