It's Christmas at Scott's Antique Market

The world's largest yard sale - Scott's Antique Market (link to website - was held this weekend in two large buildings (and plenty of outside space) near the Atlanta airport. It is held during the second weekend of the month and I try to go each month and particularly if my cohort and friend, Bette, is available to join me.  We traveled to the site on Friday and "did" just the south building - our favorite. The crowds were down from other months and we saw fewer of our favorite sellers which is a trend we've observed before. It was still a wonderful visit. I did try to capture some of the great holiday decorations and ideas.

Love these little guys - they were $25 each.

Nice wooden Santa! 

This vendor was selling battery-lit (some with timers) candles that looked quite real. The prices were $8-12 each. We almost bought one or more. I would have liked these better if they looked less rustic. 

Holiday combo - the scarf was made of felt with fabric balls.

Oversized cones work in so many places - they are great fillers as well for more delicate ornaments. 

I can do this!  I love the look of fresh greenery in a simple mercury vase.

These santas were "wearing" antique fabrics/linens - really nicely done! 

A sweet looking Santa!

We saw a number of these which would work well in a cabin or minimalist setting.

This vendor had a number of playful gourds - love this one!

I'd like this year round!

Good sized ceramic snowman! 

I bought a herd of these last year and distributed them to family members - I have three in my foyer!

Beachy-looking trees!

This and the next wreath were displayed by our favorite "fake but you wouldn't believe it" seller - $89. 

I loved this deer!

On our way out - would love to see this little guy on front porch bench!

We had a nice visit and look forward to next month - as always!

Learn with me - IPhone Photography - Hipstamatic App

Here is the third in my series practicing new skills using my IPhone photography features with new apps.  See more introduction and other posting here.  In this posting, I am using the Hipstamatic App - link to website about app.  There is also a blog and a pinterest board that provides tips, techniques and awe-inspiring images - link to pinterest board.

Hipstamatic is a digital photography application for the Apple iPhone sold by Synthetic Corporation. It uses the iPhone's camera to allow the user to shoot square photographs, to which it applies a number of software filters to make the images look as though they were taken with an antique film camera. The user can choose among a number of effects which are presented in the application as simulated lenses, films and flashes. Several of these are included with the application, while others may be acquired through an in-app purchase. Popular, the application has sold 1.4 million copies, as of November 2010.  source

As mentioned in this description, the application allows you to switch lenses, films, and flashes.  I do not like to use flashes in my photography so I haven't practiced with those at all - someday, perhaps.  I am practicing with the various combination of lenses and films which are easily switchable on the camera.  The best way to evaluate the results is just to shoot away and see what you get.  It is a fun and easy to use application.

Here are the results of using one film (Kodot) and all the free lenses that come with the basic app.  I am looking to add a black and white film but otherwise will probably stick with these.

The film Kodot is defined as follows:

Being a little rough around the edges never hurt anybody. Kodot's XGrizzled addes a vintage ‘just out of the dryer' look to your prints. source

I used this film with the following lenses - all are explained here - source:

• John S.
• Jane
• Jimmy
• Karmal Mark II
• Buckhorst H1 

Here are the results:

I am not seeing a huge difference between the John S. and Jane lenses - the other lenses definitely give you a different look.  I will be experimenting more but this may be it before my holiday company comes today!  

HAPPY HOLIDAYS and happy photographing!  

Christmas Eve Photos - Some Pinterest Ideas

Dinner Table with Candy Cane Name Plate Holders and My Mother's Old Czechoslovakia China

Closeup of Cranberry and Mums Centerpieces

My daughter hosted a family Christmas eve dinner at her lovely home in the Atlanta area (near Murphy Candler Park).  She had found a number of very cute ideas on pinterest and some stand-byes from prior year's celebrations.  Here's a quick posting.  I also got my sister started with pinterest - we are all getting addicted to this interesting way to find and save/file interesting images, ideas, recipes, etc. etc.  

Reindeer Cookies and Pomegranate and Proseco Holiday Drink

Holiday Decorations - Options for the Mantel

I am obviously distracted by the holiday season and the decorating challenges we all have this time of year.  I am happy with most aspects of my decorating - but not the main fireplace mantel in our family room.  I would call it "understated" - with some greenery and two Dr. Seuss type trees on each end.

In maintaining this blog, I spent a lot of time looking at other blogs as well as decorating magazines for inspiration.  The mantel decorating options are plentiful and well illustrated.  I just reviewed a group of them on the Better Homes and Garden website that are all interesting - and ideas that would help my mantel stand out.  website
Here are some that I particularly like:

BHG Fireplace #1

I like the mirror-image decorations against the bright greenery and what great stockings!  I also like the symmetry which is not exact and makes the two groupings look more interesting.  Also, like my mantel, it appears that they did not remove the photo above the mantel replacing it with a wreath or other holiday display.   I do question the candles which appear undersized and not particularly useful here - I certainly wouldn't want an open flame so close to the greenery.

BHG Fireplace #2

I think this one is sweet.  I like the color scheme and the simplicity and, in this case, almost perfect symmetry.   I like the horse on books in front of the fireplace which looks like it would be easy to move when starting a fire.  I think those are stockings behind the horse but not sure - regardless, not a good place in case of fire!

BHG Fireplace - #3

This one looks like it started with quite a few of the basics already in place and just added holiday finery and great stockings.  A simple wreath across the mirror and lights make this a festive look.

BHG Fireplace #4

I love the creamware and white candle combination on this simple mantel which matches so well with the white wreath and frilly stockings.  I don't think I would do frilly stockings but they do add a flair of feminism.

BHG Fireplace #5

I think this last one demonstrates the theme of this series - simple and elegant.  You don't have to go all out with huge and totally different decorations.  I like the attention to details and the careful planning of the color schemes shown here.

So, now I have some more ideas and will definitely improve my own mantel - but probably not until next year!  I am done for 2011!

Holiday Decorations - My Ideas

Preparing for our Gathering on a Bright Sunny Day

I belong to the Neely Farm Garden Club which includes some of my best neighborhood friends.  The group does include some great gardeners (including one "master") but its real goals are to maintain friendships and have fun together.  This year, I had offered to host the annual holiday party at our home.  Hosting such a gathering (25) does force you to critically review your home and its decorations.  We always have a big tree in our "sunroom" which takes advantage of its height but this year we put up a second tree in the dining room.  We also added additional outside lighting to brighten up the setting.   If I do say so myself, the place looked magical as the guests arrived.

Here are some of the ideas I used for decorating and hosting this gathering - some old and some new:

• A tablescape that included multiple smaller candles that are low and somewhat scattered in the center to maximize the amount of space available for diners and provide a low profile for conversation across and around the table
• Two beverage stations - both as far away from the kitchen as possible to encourage more movement and decrease congestion in the kitchen (it worked pretty well) - one was outside on the deck which certainly helped keep beverages cold
• Stuffed animals as decorations on the stairwell and throughout the house including a group of greeters in the entrance foyer
• Oversized ornaments on the big tree with an emphasis on those that best reflect the lights
• Smaller, more intimate family ornaments on the second tree in the dining room 
• An original oil painting (from South America) of the Madonna and Child that is part of my dining room buffet grouping
• Lots of shiny surfaces that reflect all available light including bowls of different sized glittering ornaments 
• Candles in "fire-proof" settings such as enclosed glassware or broad glass plates (I've actually caused some minor damage in past with less well-designed candle decorations - never again)
• Christmas themed cookie jars as primary decorations in the kitchen including jars on top of the kitchen cabinets enhanced with greenery - I have at least 30 jars collected over the years 
• LOTS of reds all over - it helps that my living and dining rooms are predominantly red to start with!

Here are some more photos to demonstrate the impact.  

Some Examples of Decorations

Ready to Go!

Spruill Gallery Holiday Artist Market - A Local Tradition

Spruill Gallery - Dunwoody, Georgia

I have been taking several watercolor classes at a local institution - the Spruill Center for the Arts.  link  The Center has great teachers and students and contributes to a wide variety of cultural and artistic endeavors in the area.  Every year at this time, they have a wonderful Holiday Artist Market at their old homestead. From their website:

The Spruill Homeplace in Dunwoody, Georgia, was the center of a large working farm from the mid-19th century until 1965. Today, the main house and two outbuildings are still standing in good condition on the property. The house has undergone numerous additions and renovations since being built in the 1840s, and features a century's worth of phases and styles of Southern folk architecture. 

Spruill Pig Ornament

I visited the Market today and loved the sights and smells of this wonderful old building.  The items they have for sale are well priced and unique.  I bought several Christmas gifts - for friends and my two granddaughters and couldn't resist the cloth pig (I LOVE pigs) to hang on my tree.  

I know of people who do a lot of their holiday gift shopping at this annual sale.  I wish I had waited for some of my purchases - this is a wonderful tradition!

Displays at Spruill Gallery

Holiday Decorating All Year Round

I spent part of yesterday at my daughter's house babysitting for the little one.  She is in the midst of her holiday decorating and commented that she had the perfect Christmas house - a bright green and white kitchen, a gold living room with plaid rose and green chairs, and a rose and apple green family room.  One of her girls has a deep pink bedroom and the other aqua with pinks and yellows.  All that is needed is the tree and accessories and the whole house is sparkling with Christmas cheer!  I had sewn for her two rose and green plaid tablecloths for the larger than usual crowd expected Christmas eve and was delivering those as well - so she is almost all set!

I also noticed this wonderful symmetry in many of the holiday settings shown in the December issues of decorating magazine.  I follow a favorite Arkansas designer and blogger, Tobi Farley, link and through her found the magazine "At Home in Arkansas".  One article featured another designer Cynthia Smiley, who has a lovely home all ready for the holidays and, again, all she has to do is add some decorations.

Cynthia Smiley's Holiday Kitchen

My own home (and taste) also provide good foundational colors for the seasonal decorations with a lot of reds in my formal areas and an apple green master suite.  I also have a number of great refurbished chairs available on-line that would provide a good basis for a cheerful holiday house all year around - link to on-line store!

Chairs for a Holiday House All Year Around

Holiday Decorating - Including My Pieces

Sunroom Tree in My Home

I am excited to get the holiday decorating issues of the various magazines I subscribe to - seven have arrived over the past few days. I will be scrutinizing each and every article and photo for inspiration.   We have mostly finished our decorating and have installed two full-size Christmas trees this year - one in our "sunroom" and the other in a cozy corner of the red dining room.  The place feels magical, particularly at night.  

Dining Room Tree

Although I do get Better Homes and Gardens magazine, I am always impressed with the Better Homes and Garden website link.  It is one of the ones that I do not find irritating to get multiple updates during the week - they are always interesting and inspirational.  (The other website updates I like is for Real Simple - great ideas and recipes link).

Recently, I found a link to living rooms with holiday decorations on the Better Homes and Garden site - each bright and unique - many different approaches to decorating for the holidays.  I reviewed several with the idea of inserting some of my refurbished pieces and could easily imagine it.  I would guess this comes under the category of "more value for less money" since my pieces are reasonable, American-made and well constructed, and support green decorating - a nice combination!

BHG Living - Two of my Neutral Chairs

BHG Living Room - Two of my Red Chairs