It is good to be back!  Since my last post, I have recovered from two intestinal surgeries and it certainly is good to be out of the hospital and on my feet again.

I am designing residential interiors for three clients, writing, doing a travel report for Magazine C, decorating my home for Christmas, and cooking my family’s Christmas Eve dinner. I have included the menu in this post.

I almost never do Christmas decorating in an organized fashion.  Instead, I simply take a few items out of each room and replace them with lots of greenery, red ribbons, wreaths, faux ornamental fruits and vegetables, and a few Christmas novelties like Christian’s childhood Christmas books, bottle brush trees, and the Santa’s I’ve collected over the years.

Osage orange in a vintage looking bowl with holiday beverages above.

The hand painted, iron Santa looks unassuming next to my wedding silver and platter from a trip to St. Remy Provence, France.

A primitive Santa, a large vase of holly, and my favorite antique stoneware soup tureen looking pretty in the morning light.

A simple pine bough wreath with pine cones hangs on my arched front door.  The iron framed window has a clubs and spades motif which is repeated throughout the house.