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Sweet Escape: Holiday Preparations

by | Dec 1, 2007 | Seasonal Decorating & Entertaining, Sweet Escape

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Sweet Escape: Holiday Preparations

Greetings, dear ones! I’ve been a busy little bee, so I am late with our weekly Sweet Escape (click here for a link to last week’s escape into Christmas tree decorating)! It has been hard to get away, let’s just put it that way! We got our tree last night, and it is absolutely HUGE! I’d say it is about 8 feet across — a chubby! It was a big struggle getting it through our house to our living room. I’d love to show you pictures, in all likelihood it will be at the end of our Creative Inspiration Week, maybe next weekend. I’ll probably be the last one to post my own holiday pictures, but I have so many things lined up for Inspiration week I don’t want to hog the time for myself! I’ll invite you over for some cookies next weekend and we can catch up and I’ll give you a little tour.

Sweet Escape: Holiday Preparations

In addition to my own holiday decorating, I’ve been emailing and chatting with all of the lovely ladies participating in next week’s event! Yesterday I added ANOTHER amazingly talented woman who was willing to share a sweet idea with you, WITH INSTRUCTIONS! Woo hoo, we are going to be on inspiration overload (in a good way!). We have 12 women ready to inspire! Check back Monday for all the fun.

So today, our Sweet Escape is into PREPARATIONS for holidays, events and festivities! It is hard to even think of escaping anywhere when your own home is becoming a cozy nest for the holidays! There is no place I’d rather be right now. Fluffing my nest, sipping hot cocoa, blasting the Christmas tunes and seeing the snow fall outside of my window! Snow is a rarity in Portland, Oregon, so seeing it on Christmas decorating day has really got me feeling festive!

If you are preparing like I am for a gathering at your house and want to read the tips I put together on Holiday Hospitality, you can find it here. These are 10 tips I use all the time prior to having a party or special gathering at my house. Nothing fancy at all, but just ideas that help me to focus on what I need to do, so I don’t get overwhelmed by things I don’t need to do. The checklist also helps me avoid worry when pre-party disasters strike. You can chuckle if you want to about the mention of the dead rodents because I wrote that article BEFORE the rodent issue you all got to experience here on my blog (click here if you missed it). I think I jinxed myself by writing about it. The rodents seem to know how to humble me right before a party, they die just to spite me. Those horrid creatures.

We are supposed to be getting quite a windstorm here later tonight and tomorrow, so if for any reason you don’t see a party here on Monday, my power may have been knocked out!

Meanwhile I am lighting a fire in the fireplace, finishing up my decorating, and getting my jammies all ready for our festivities next week! See you then!

Sweet Escape: Holiday Preparations

 

Top two photos, Coastal Living online

Bottom photo: JCrew online

20 Comments

  1. robyn pope

    Great photos. My oldest daughter lives in Portland and dances with OBT. Nutcracker begins in a week, she was excitied it was snowing a little too- kind of puts one in the holiday mood :)

    Reply
  2. rosieswhimsy

    Ooh…love that conservatory….I would love to have on of those attached to my “cabin in the Woods”.

    Reply
  3. Kathleen Grace

    Great article on Holiday Hospitality! I look forward to next week and all the ideas and fun you have planned. By the way, another great blog about entertaining is http://www.reluctantentertainer.com/. I think you might enjoy some of her thoughts on entertaining for the faint of heart:>) Have a great weekend:>)

    Reply
  4. Pat

    Loved the article Melissa! Looking forward to next week!

    I did my Nell Hill’s post this morning. We had a wonderful time. Mary Carol’s new store is fabulous, just as I knew it would be!

    Pat

    Reply
  5. Vee

    Nice jammies! I think tomorrow will be a jammie day at my house. All day. Gotta get rested up for the festivities after all!

    Reply
  6. Vee

    Oh that was an excellent article on hospitality…I learned some new tricks and I hope that you’ll share more about creative concealment or whatever that term was…

    Reply
  7. janet

    I am looking forward to next week. I seem to need some inspiration this year. I am full of ideas, but lacking in energy. Oh well, next week I will be at your house and with all the creative I’ll be zipping along at a frightening pace in no time.

    Reply
  8. Pat

    Hi again, Melissa! I’ve always taken photos of Mary Carol’s home. No one said anything at the store and I didn’t see any signs. I asked permission at the small shop on our Main Street, I wrote about, though. Mary Carol or her docents at the house, always encourage photos and if you don’t happen to have a camera, she will suggest buying a disposable. When we were at her house in May, I had just dropped my camera. We went back to the house, after I found a disposable. Mary Carol was on the front porch. I told her what happened to my camera and that I had missed getting photos earlier. She said get in here and take some pictures!! That’s just the way she is. I think I was the only one taking pictures when we were at the store, that I could see. I was so busy trying to see everything and take pictures, I didn’t notice!…I was the ultimate tourist, yesterday!

    Pat

    Reply
  9. Ruth Welter

    The conservatory is gorgeous Melissa..looks like it is overlooking the water too. Wonderful eye candy.

    Reply
  10. Annie

    I love the silver ornaments surrounding the paper whites–great idea!

    Annie

    Reply
  11. Esther Sunday

    Looking forward to Inspiration Week! What a doll you are to do this!!! Looking forward to seeing your tree, I bet it will look awesome! No surprise there! Love Ya, Esther

    Reply
  12. Rhonda

    We are decorating here today/tonight as well. Ours is a small tree this year though.

    Can’t wait for Inspiration Week:)

    Rhonda

    Reply
  13. Jenn and Jacqui

    Hi Melissa, stunning photos, we love the white and green colour scheme, just beautiful. Thanks for the Holiday Hospitality link, we’ll sure to vsit there to keep those stress levels at bay :) Looking forward to next week. Jenn and Jacqui xo

    Reply
  14. Neutral Dwelling

    Boy, what a tree you have to decorate! Can’t wait to see your pics. The conservatory looks great doesn’t it? I would love to have one on the water. I’ll be back next week!

    Reply
  15. Penny, Mosaic Artist

    Love the conservatory, but really want those long johns!! They are adorable.
    Penny

    Reply
  16. tongue in cheek

    What a wonderful spot, the conservatory, the view, the water…your style is divine.

    Reply
  17. Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)

    The first photo is absolutely gorgeous! There really are just so many stunning places in the world, aren’t there?! Can’t wait for the inspiration to begin! I hope the weather doesn’t get too wild & woolley for you sweetie!
    Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)

    Reply
  18. Elzie

    I just love the first picture. It would be great having such a place here. Guess that’s a dream that never will come tru LOL.
    Hope you’re having a great first of Advent.
    Love Elzie

    Reply
  19. Abby from The Blissful

    What a great article on CWO! Thanks for sharing it. I think I’m going to use your cider recipe for my little holiday wrapping party for two at home. We’re going to make a real girls’ night in of it. The photos from Coastal Living are fantastique! I love the second one with the Silver Tannenbaums (top holiday sellers at The Blissful) and the silvery ornaments in cast iron urns. Fully gorge!

    Reply
  20. rochambeau

    The narcissus look beautiful and fresh!
    See you tomorrow.

    Constance

    Reply

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