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| Welcome Home My Florida! |
| New Beginnings! |
| Is your house cleaned up from Thanksgiving Day feasts and guests? I'm sure that most of you were anxiously awaiting to take down the season's Autumn gold, and put up the Christmas reds, whites, greens, blues and more! Tis the season to brighten up the home with things we would never even consider during any other time of the year. It's great fun isn't it? I've added an unusual item this month that's simple to make, but looks like a delicate glass ornament. Take a look and let me know how your projects of the season turn out. Send your photos to share your decorating ideas. We'd all love to see what you're up to! |
| December 2007~ Home Decor |
First of all, you should think of your guest room as a room in your very own bed and
breakfast retreat. Everything your guests need should be in their room.
Your top priority should be clean, clean, clean! Did I mention clean? Vacuum everything
from the draperies to under the bed... and let the white glove test begin! Secondly, inspect
the bed. Without a comfortable night's rest, grumpy guests are sure to greet you in the
morning, and we don't want that now do we?
Start by taking a good look at your mattress... Is it too hard? Try using a featherbed
mattress 'topper' as your guests can always take it off if it's too soft for them. Choose fine
linens with a minimum thread count of 300. (You can save a ton of cash at places like
Overstock.com or locally in Ross, Steinmart etc.). Give them a selection of pillows, extra
blankets, and an extra set of sheets.
Do something special for your guests by putting a gift basket together filled with toiletries,
some good books or magazines and even some fruit or crackers and cheese. Remember
they have had a lot on their mind with travel schedules and they could have forgotten to
pack a few items. Suggestions would be; toothbrush, toothpaste, extra razors, shampoo &
conditioner, bubble bath, candles, bath robe & slippers, and a do not disturb sign for their
door! Also leave out extra towels & washcloths, aspirin, bandages, & extra toilet paper. Be
sure they have a couple of drawers available for them to place clothing and have several
empty hangers ready for them to use in the closet space.
For the bedside table, make sure you have a good reading light. Provide a carafe &
glasses for water. Fresh flowers on the bedside table is such a great touch. They smell
fantastic and warm the room right up.
Your window coverings should have black out lining in them to keep the sun out. Your
blinds or draperies should enable your guest to have some privacy. For an extra luxury, a
small refrigerator stocked with drinks would be ideal.
Of all the suggestions on this list, the most important tip is to remember to relax and enjoy
your guests. After all, they came to see you. The moments you share together make the
best memories. Have fun and Merry Christmas to all!
Jennifer Neal
Southern Veranda Interiors
breakfast retreat. Everything your guests need should be in their room.
Your top priority should be clean, clean, clean! Did I mention clean? Vacuum everything
from the draperies to under the bed... and let the white glove test begin! Secondly, inspect
the bed. Without a comfortable night's rest, grumpy guests are sure to greet you in the
morning, and we don't want that now do we?
Start by taking a good look at your mattress... Is it too hard? Try using a featherbed
mattress 'topper' as your guests can always take it off if it's too soft for them. Choose fine
linens with a minimum thread count of 300. (You can save a ton of cash at places like
Overstock.com or locally in Ross, Steinmart etc.). Give them a selection of pillows, extra
blankets, and an extra set of sheets.
Do something special for your guests by putting a gift basket together filled with toiletries,
some good books or magazines and even some fruit or crackers and cheese. Remember
they have had a lot on their mind with travel schedules and they could have forgotten to
pack a few items. Suggestions would be; toothbrush, toothpaste, extra razors, shampoo &
conditioner, bubble bath, candles, bath robe & slippers, and a do not disturb sign for their
door! Also leave out extra towels & washcloths, aspirin, bandages, & extra toilet paper. Be
sure they have a couple of drawers available for them to place clothing and have several
empty hangers ready for them to use in the closet space.
For the bedside table, make sure you have a good reading light. Provide a carafe &
glasses for water. Fresh flowers on the bedside table is such a great touch. They smell
fantastic and warm the room right up.
Your window coverings should have black out lining in them to keep the sun out. Your
blinds or draperies should enable your guest to have some privacy. For an extra luxury, a
small refrigerator stocked with drinks would be ideal.
Of all the suggestions on this list, the most important tip is to remember to relax and enjoy
your guests. After all, they came to see you. The moments you share together make the
best memories. Have fun and Merry Christmas to all!
Jennifer Neal
Southern Veranda Interiors
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
I love living in the south. Southerners are known for so many wonderful
things but our hospitality is what put us on the map. With the holidays
approaching many of us will have family and friends coming to visit, and
between shopping for presents, holiday parties, Christmas decorating, and
school plays, it's only reasonable that we forget a few things. You know...
like the guest room. The room that is normally the place we throw items
and quickly shut the door so no one sees the mess that is piling up
inside... Others are only in our guest rooms long enough to change the
sheets, but for your guests, it will be their refuge.
Your guest room should be comfortable, inviting and relaxing. I know the
frustrations of getting it all done, as our lists keep growing longer each year
so I've simplified it for us in just a few easy steps. The goal? To create a
warm space for your guests to feel comfortable while they are away from
their own home. Let's get started on making those preparations.
I love living in the south. Southerners are known for so many wonderful
things but our hospitality is what put us on the map. With the holidays
approaching many of us will have family and friends coming to visit, and
between shopping for presents, holiday parties, Christmas decorating, and
school plays, it's only reasonable that we forget a few things. You know...
like the guest room. The room that is normally the place we throw items
and quickly shut the door so no one sees the mess that is piling up
inside... Others are only in our guest rooms long enough to change the
sheets, but for your guests, it will be their refuge.
Your guest room should be comfortable, inviting and relaxing. I know the
frustrations of getting it all done, as our lists keep growing longer each year
so I've simplified it for us in just a few easy steps. The goal? To create a
warm space for your guests to feel comfortable while they are away from
their own home. Let's get started on making those preparations.
| SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY |
Some great tips and
reminders for
creating a special
place for Christmas
Guests
and Family who come
to visit!
By, Jennifer Neal of
Southern Veranda
Interiors
reminders for
creating a special
place for Christmas
Guests
and Family who come
to visit!
By, Jennifer Neal of
Southern Veranda
Interiors
| My Inspiration for my Christmas Craft Project This came by the way of my November Resident Spotlight. She had one of these in her home and I was simply shocked to find out how it was made. The secret is about to unfold... |
Items Needed:
candle (free standing)
green felt (optional)
matches or a lighter
needle nose pliers
wire cutters
cardboard
9 white plastic picnic spoons (Nice white ones)
glue gun
glue sticks
dried oats/wheat or some type of floral to create the pistil
Magnolia leaves (real or silk). My project is using evergreen
garland for Christmas.
scissors
floral wire
long handle tweezers (optional for protecting fingers from
getting burned with hot glue)
grapevine wreath
red berry/holly clusters or any Christmas floral
evergreen for a Christmas wreath
Work space with no drafts for the lit candle
candle (free standing)
green felt (optional)
matches or a lighter
needle nose pliers
wire cutters
cardboard
9 white plastic picnic spoons (Nice white ones)
glue gun
glue sticks
dried oats/wheat or some type of floral to create the pistil
Magnolia leaves (real or silk). My project is using evergreen
garland for Christmas.
scissors
floral wire
long handle tweezers (optional for protecting fingers from
getting burned with hot glue)
grapevine wreath
red berry/holly clusters or any Christmas floral
evergreen for a Christmas wreath
Work space with no drafts for the lit candle
| Step One This first step is the tricky part. When you first light your candle, you can hold the plastic spoon pretty close to the flame. However, as minutes pass by, you'll find |
that the flame gets hotter, so watch carefully! The worst that can happen
is if it gets too hot, you'll burn black into the spoon which cannot be
whitened... (Trust me, I had to toss a few out learning this). Just
understand this takes a bit of patience, so relax and take it slowly. You
can experiment to see where curling begins and ends by rotating the
spoon and flip flopping it. All petals can be similar in shape or all
different. I personally like a variety of shapes for my project.
is if it gets too hot, you'll burn black into the spoon which cannot be
whitened... (Trust me, I had to toss a few out learning this). Just
understand this takes a bit of patience, so relax and take it slowly. You
can experiment to see where curling begins and ends by rotating the
spoon and flip flopping it. All petals can be similar in shape or all
different. I personally like a variety of shapes for my project.
CLICK PHOTOS FOR CLOSE-UP VIEWS!
| Step Two After you get the desired curl, take your wire cutters and snap off the spoon head leaving about 1/4" of the stem. |
Step Three
To add some stability to the magnolia, I cut a
(kind of) round circle of cardboard about 2" in
diameter. You don't have to be perfect on this as
you won't be able to see it in the completed
project. You can also use felt, however I liked
the strength of the cardboard the best.
Step Four
Punch two holes through the cardboard for the
wire to be strung through one side and back
through the other side. Twist the wire to secure.
This wire will secure the flower to the wreath
Step Five
Turn the cardboard over, get the hot glue ready
and begin by placing one spoon at a time onto
the cardboard or felt. This takes time as you'll
find the spoon head will want to shift if you're
not holding it until it cools. I like using 9 petals
per flower with 5 on the outer layer and four on
the inside layer.
To add some stability to the magnolia, I cut a
(kind of) round circle of cardboard about 2" in
diameter. You don't have to be perfect on this as
you won't be able to see it in the completed
project. You can also use felt, however I liked
the strength of the cardboard the best.
Step Four
Punch two holes through the cardboard for the
wire to be strung through one side and back
through the other side. Twist the wire to secure.
This wire will secure the flower to the wreath
Step Five
Turn the cardboard over, get the hot glue ready
and begin by placing one spoon at a time onto
the cardboard or felt. This takes time as you'll
find the spoon head will want to shift if you're
not holding it until it cools. I like using 9 petals
per flower with 5 on the outer layer and four on
the inside layer.
| These pictures will show you what it will look like with only one step remaining... The center. |
Step Six
I am making these
magnolias for a Christmas
wreath, so I had to do some
searching for something
that would look festive, yet
somewhat natural.
I am making these
magnolias for a Christmas
wreath, so I had to do some
searching for something
that would look festive, yet
somewhat natural.
I found golden,
somewhat glittery sprigs
of floral fill and it worked
perfectly. I know Donna
Lou has used natural
wheat tops for hers.
somewhat glittery sprigs
of floral fill and it worked
perfectly. I know Donna
Lou has used natural
wheat tops for hers.
For the wreath I'm making
I wanted at least 8 or 9
flowers to go all the way
around. The hard part is
now finished and let's
face it, it wasn't really hard
at all! I actually hurried
I wanted at least 8 or 9
flowers to go all the way
around. The hard part is
now finished and let's
face it, it wasn't really hard
at all! I actually hurried
through, and my flowers all came out slightly different
which makes it appear even more natural!
which makes it appear even more natural!
The Wreath
Remember the wreath I made
for last month's project? Here it
is again, stripped and ready to
be used again.
Remember the wreath I made
for last month's project? Here it
is again, stripped and ready to
be used again.
I always save what I can off of used wreaths to recycle up to two to three
times per stem or item. It saves tons of money every season and well worth
it. Usually at the third time around, a fresh few stems of something new
makes it all look very natural.
For this Christmas wreath, I'm simply making two layers of two different types
of evergreen. The base layer is long and wispy, while the second layer is
shorter and fuller. This layering effect gives nice depth and creates a soft, yet
full look. I've also added snow covered evergreen in splashes here and there
to add dimension and color and topped it off with a tiny bit of red at the base
along with pine cones left over from years of use.
Once I get the layers of evergreen completed, it's time to add the Magnolias
and I think it turned out beautifully! This time I did not wire each flower to the
wreath, but simply used hot glue and it's looking like it will work out just great.
What do you think? Overall, this project took a about 3 hours from start to
finish, and it was pretty simple and easy to make. So what are you waiting
for? Go make a Magnolia!
Other ideas for this project: They float! So they can be used in punch bowls,
or with floating candles... As a matter of fact, a tea light in the center instead
of the sprig for the pistil would be Fantastic. The only thing you'd have to
replace is the cardboard I used to glue the spoons together. You could use
any round plastic, like the top of a milk jug for example. You could also use
miniature spoons for making napkin rings, or how about making a
centerpiece for the dining table.
There's an unending source where you could use these, so experiment and
please tell me how you end up using your Magnolia! I'd love to hear.
times per stem or item. It saves tons of money every season and well worth
it. Usually at the third time around, a fresh few stems of something new
makes it all look very natural.
For this Christmas wreath, I'm simply making two layers of two different types
of evergreen. The base layer is long and wispy, while the second layer is
shorter and fuller. This layering effect gives nice depth and creates a soft, yet
full look. I've also added snow covered evergreen in splashes here and there
to add dimension and color and topped it off with a tiny bit of red at the base
along with pine cones left over from years of use.
Once I get the layers of evergreen completed, it's time to add the Magnolias
and I think it turned out beautifully! This time I did not wire each flower to the
wreath, but simply used hot glue and it's looking like it will work out just great.
What do you think? Overall, this project took a about 3 hours from start to
finish, and it was pretty simple and easy to make. So what are you waiting
for? Go make a Magnolia!
Other ideas for this project: They float! So they can be used in punch bowls,
or with floating candles... As a matter of fact, a tea light in the center instead
of the sprig for the pistil would be Fantastic. The only thing you'd have to
replace is the cardboard I used to glue the spoons together. You could use
any round plastic, like the top of a milk jug for example. You could also use
miniature spoons for making napkin rings, or how about making a
centerpiece for the dining table.
There's an unending source where you could use these, so experiment and
please tell me how you end up using your Magnolia! I'd love to hear.
The Finished Project!
Click on photos for closer view
Click on photos for closer view
| Don't forget to make a hanger for your wreath BEFORE you begin designing! |
| An array of evergreen and Christmas floral. |
One year I remember watching a woman
decorating her tree while screaming at her
children to be careful with the ornaments... to
the point that one ran off crying. I wanted to
run away too.
If your ornaments are more important than
your children's experience of the festivities of
Christmas, then your priorities are simply all
messed up.
Why not get the children a tree of their own
and let them go hog wild with decorating it!
That way mom's precious ornaments can be
placed on the big tree when the children are
napping and all are found happy, healthy and
nothing gets broken including little hearts.
decorating her tree while screaming at her
children to be careful with the ornaments... to
the point that one ran off crying. I wanted to
run away too.
If your ornaments are more important than
your children's experience of the festivities of
Christmas, then your priorities are simply all
messed up.
Why not get the children a tree of their own
and let them go hog wild with decorating it!
That way mom's precious ornaments can be
placed on the big tree when the children are
napping and all are found happy, healthy and
nothing gets broken including little hearts.