Design Hole’s Guide To Halloween Decoration

It was a dark and stormy night. Each year I struggled to overcome my compulsion, but the lure of free candy won out every time. I vowed this Halloween would be the last time I lied about a sick child or a cupboard bare of any sweet delights due to a lost job. “Heh, that one often brought double the treats,” I snickered to myself. This year I was determined to fill my new bag to the brim. It was this promise that brought me, tired and cold, to 666 Grimstoke Lane. Read More…

How To Dress Up Every Day China For The Holidays

Do you have special dinnerware just for the holidays? They’re definitely a nice thing to have, but there are lots of ways to dress up your china to give it a holiday feel.

This is the first of a little series on holiday tables with a few tips on style and how to do it create a look without breaking the bank.

First, decide on your backdrop. Personally, I like a tablecloth. Buy a nice one – it will last for years and save you money in the long run. If the the price is too dear, at least make sure you buy a natural fiber cloth. It lays more crisply on the table. White or ivory is a good color because there are so any ways you can layer it for different occasions.

Here, I’m using a vintage lace cloth. I’ve topped it with a green placemat from Bodrum ($15.00). For a more Thanksgiving look, use an Autumn color. Or, choose a color that coordinates with your china.

Thanksgiving is more casual than other holidays. So you can use your everyday dishes. Here, I’m using a casual ceramic set from Juliska ($44.00 for a dinner plate).A white dish is great. As with the linen, you can dress it up for all occasions.

A placed the napkin in a simple way. This all cotton napkin is from Williamsburg ($5.50). Nothing beats a cloth napkin in a natural fiber! Red and green is always a color combination winner at Christmas. For Thanksgiving, mix Autumn oranges, reds, purples and green.

Set the dishes on the placemat so you can serve the dinner family style (passed around the table in serving dishes). You can leave it plain, or dress is up with some greens from the garden tied with a color coordinating ribbon. I cut these from a cherry tree in our front yard.

Set the knives and forks with the first one you’ll use on the outside and move in for the next course. I used my own things here.

Finally, buy a set of wine glasses. Make sure you have enough for everyone, plus a few extra. This simple goblet is from Juliska ($68.00).

Finally, I put the centerpiece together in about 5 minutes. The rustic, wooden leaf is from Scout, a very groovy shop in Royal Oak ($50.00). I laid a base of evergreens cut from our trees arranged some large pine cones (from JoAnn’s) mixed with smaller ones from our yard. A little greenery, cut from a cherry tree and tied with a satin ribbon, completes the look. Low candles, like votives, create a beautiful glow and allow everyone to see each other.

All the dishes, linens and glassware can be found at The League Shop, a wonderful store located right here in Grosse Pointe. They will be happy to place orders over the phone and ship them to you. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to borrow their things for a few days. Thanks to Scout as well. Thanks!

Do you have a favorite way to set your holiday table? Anyone have turkey dishes?

Liberty Print Christmas Crafts

If any of you saw my post from yesterday about the upcoming Jr League Show House I’ve submitted proposals for, then you know I’ve been thinking about Liberty prints. They’re very distinctive, floral prints from Britain. Many patterns from the Victorian era are still made today. Typically, they were used for dresses. Now Liberty makes home decor items and has branched off into other things. But the florals will always be my favorite.

Today I saw that Marie Claire Id?©es’ blog has several holiday crafts you can make using Liberty fabrics.

The instructions are written in French, but you’ll get the idea. And if you need some How-To instruction, try an online translator to help.

They give instructions for the birdhouse and the tree with ornaments. Obviously, you don’t have to use Liberty prints. But you can buy them directly from Liberty and local fabric shops.

Can you help me out? If you know a shop that sells Liberty here in the States, can you let us all know by leaving the info in the comments?

Holiday Table Decorating Idea

I saw this table arrangement in an email from Rejuvenation and thought it was lovely and unique.

Notice there isn’t a centerpiece. No need. Instead, the table is dressed with tall candlesticks of varying shapes and heights. Wood birds are scattered here and there, and a variety of moss balls decorate the beautiful arrangement of dishes and glassware.

Notice, too, the tablecloth. It looks pretty, doesn’t it? This holiday season, I’m going to try to tempt everyone to rethink using tablecloths. Think of them as a backdrop, a starting point.

Which do you prefer – tablecloths or place mats?