My wish to you...

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday... peace to you and yours... I wish you good health and love... happiness in all forms... delightful dreams that feed your soul, your mind, your being. I wish you good thoughts... thoughts that will carry you on whatever journey you may be on... and yes, we all really are on some sort of a journey... ever searching.

Enjoy the beauty of the delightful... small and lovely moments that will surround you...

xoxo,
Tracy

Spellbound holidays

Okay... I know you're done, you're decorated to the hilt... but I figured I would throw a few morsels out there that I am doing this year... You may have family coming over on Christmas Eve or you may still be having a party soon... All these thoughts are perfect with that in mind... easy, cool... and utterly chic! Enchanting is really all I'm going for... Well, that and magical... dripping with lusciousness and charm. I guess in my dictionary they all mean the same thing! So... this Christmas I am, as always, looking for little spots in my home to add a bit of that glittering goodness. (The tree is great and all, but once that piece is done, it's the "frosting" that gets my juices flowing!)

Dripping and draping... This vignette is the kind of thing that I love... I have this gorgeous dark wine-colored wreath (you can get these at craft stores now most anywhere for not too much $$). I love how it softens any little scene I am creating... It's just sitting behind my antique clock... The garland is cool as it is so loosely draped imperfectly over the horse and clock... not hit-you-over-the-head Christmas, but enchanting indeed. The red shades and antlers don't hurt... I could cover a wall with those... huntress chic... (Now that's a new one!)

Graceful adornments... I do love to mix really rustic things with a bit of shiny-fancy. This cool cement planter has never made it into my garden... it just floats from room to room, happliy serving me with a new blank slate to dream with. I love filling it with glittered ornaments and draping the sides with faux fruits. (By the way, if you don't have a stash of those faux glittered fruits... make some, or buy some now! Run, don't walk, to your craft store! You can use these beauties anywhere.) I also have this thing for small pretty wreaths... you can see I put them on the tops of my lanterns... these kinds of wreaths are so perfectly sized and are smashing to hang under sconces as well. I have two on our antique shutters... with some scrumptious roping draped across. Add to that a bit more garland, and you instantly have a luxe and charming feel. (BTW... I have no issues with plastic garland that is made to look like antique glass garland... I also like that you can buy loads of it for nothing and use it quite generously to be sure!!)

Starlight... Embellish an entry with hanging stars or extraordinary ornaments... try varied heights to add some balance. Also smaller beauties mixed with some larger ones is always good in my book... play around with it.. Our boys love putting these up with me. And, I nearly forgot... I keep tiny eye hooks up there year round so it's lickety-split to hang them each season!

The misfits... I hate to call them that, but you know how every holiday you end up with that range of "left-over" stuff that doesn't have a home? (Or is it just me?) Well, I always do... so I grab it and wander about to find a sweet spot to place it all... sometimes a ratty old silver tray works best... or an open antique book... or a cool fabric remnant to lay under it... Anyway, I just sort of play around with it until it feels right... never overthink this kind of stuff. Keep it simple and it will always sort of happen for you. Add in some little glittered (dear God, could I use that word more??) ornaments... a bit of candlelight and again... the charm fairy will have landed before you can get another blink in!

Dazzling details... Any small plate or pedestal is a great spot for a festive and flirty little dose of joy! This antique glass pedestal was my husband John's grandmother's. A darling glittery candle with some tiny ornaments and a bit of cedar are just easy and lovely. I use stacks of books all the time in my decorating and tabletops as they add height and more age. (I do love age...) And, as you know, I have a truly sick addiction to books... so what's the problem??

Behind the scenes...

While we're all a-flutter with the season at hand... we are right now in the studio designing next year's Christmas! This really is how long it all takes. Oddly, you really have to go with your gut on all of it as we are still in the midst of this season. Luckily we have built our business on this feeling of what's next... For me it's really about what I am craving (well, that and a lot of other thinking)... surely in hopes that you will have the same cravings!

One of the things I am very focused on now and really pondering is next year's fashion... I know that every year there are certain things that I want to find for my own wardrobe and seem to search to no avail... I am always in need of a mix of things just like you. For instance, I know that we'll design a few gorgeous sweaters... a trench or 3... I love a long skirt this time of year... (I also love knowing I can wear it in summer and you would never know it's the same piece!) I think some glitter-atti is good this time of year... You know, satin touches, a bit of sequining...

Some of my favorite things to do are take long sleeve tissue t-shirts and layer on top kicky summer tanks. The low-high of the two is really cool to me. (I must admit I am a bit of a hoarder when it comes to tissue tees... they work under everything I own... I am always on the chilly side so I love the layer it gives me.) I think a great tunic this time of year is a must, so I am thinking about this for next year as well... what will our twist be... a bit of velvet or some fabulous embroidery... I know we'll find the right thing... hmm... a contrasty fabric that gives it a just one-off feel. It's the thinking about all the materials and shapes and textures that makes me really excited. It happens to work really well with my "magpie" sensibility (sometimes "pack rat" is a better word here).

Katie, who works here in our studio, just came up a second ago with some very luscious thoughts for next year... We love thinking about how things will really feel when a range of women put them on... How should the sleeve fall? What will she want to show? Her wrist? Her décolletage? Something about it should be a tad bit sexy, but not in your face... Just thought I'd share what I am working on right now... and a bit of how we approach it... no rules. Sort of like life, really.

Fabulous food to go

I adore seafood, and for several years have been ordering lobsters, etc., from this company (www.seafoodex.com). I also happen to be passionate about fabulous customer service, possibly more so than lobster (as long as they are both dripping in butter)! These folks manage to make ordering their goodies about the easiest and friendliest thing a girl can do. Truly the nicest people... I think you'll be as blown away as I am! (p.s. Crab claws for a Christmas appetizer with a quickie homemade mayo all on a gorgeous tray is about as swift and elegant as it comes... we'll be having them without doubt! Cheers!)

Attainable fantasy

Thought I'd share a few little things I do to keep all my holiday planning merry and bright... First off I really try hard to focus on the togetherness of the holidays. By this I mean I try not to make it all about doing, doing, doing. I know it's an easy thing to say, but to practice it is another art form! Sometimes it means saying "no" to things... sometimes it means saying "yes" to other things... like when someone asks to help. Listen... everyone wants the credit for being "a fabulous domestic diva with the most-ess" ... but when the reality of stress comes-a-knockin'... have you really accomplished what it is you want the season to be? The award for baking the most or making everything from scratch is swell... but I have not actually ever seen or been given one of those trophies... Do you have one? Perhaps in your pantry? I love baking and cooking and decorating and gift wrapping as much as any other girl... but one thing I've learned it shortcuts really do rule my world!!

* Making a gingerbread house or baking cookies? Buy the dough from your local bakery and get on with it.

* Hire a teenager to wrap your gifts (or a child in your home). She/he can earn a few extra bucks for the holidays - and you a minute or more to be a human being!

* Stock up on everything early... candles, little gifts, paper plates, and napkins... You name it, make your list and get that done early!

* A fortune need not be spent on holiday dressing... become a quick change artist now! Buy the one skirt or shirt or dress and re-make it over and over... wear tights and long boots one time... strappy sandals the next... put a sequined shirt over it and an overdose of pearl necklaces once... and one long sexy strand next... get my drift?

* Buy mail-order (or online) a portion of your Christmas meal... anything! Maybe the appetizers, or the dessert... and smile!

* Pre-make several foodie items to keep on hand and freeze them. Talk about a lifesaver... The freezer is so key in my world of entertaining!

* Keep lists... If you don't it will change your life... If you do, well, then you understand.

* Make your bar a "self server"... Set it up and walk away. You do not need to serve people... Don't you do enough of that already?

* Simplify your holiday... Can you dig it?? Less of everything can be more... I did that this year with my decorating, and really, it is still fabulous and creative. In fact, I think more creative. I'm not in your world, but if you can take a moment and reflect (or have a girlfriend help you), you will find things that you feel "obligated" to do that no one will notice when they disappear... Breathe!

* Just one more thought... time really does fly... embrace your family, tell them you love them, tell them what they mean to you... If you cannot verbalize it, then write it... They know it already, but it is awfully nice to hear. Do it now, while they are here and you really can... xoxoxo

I am crazy for...

This amazing website (www.DonorsChoose.org) and the brilliant idea that they have come up with to help teachers fund projects that their budgets don't allow for... truly worth your time to check it out... incredibly inspiring... in about a million ways!!! In their words, DonorsChoose.org is a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public schools often lack. At this not-for-profit website, teachers submit project proposals for materials or experiences their students need to learn. These ideas become classroom reality when concerned individuals, whom they call Citizen Philanthropists, choose projects to fund.

Tabletop garden

Greens... beautiful greens... I think they add a marvelous layer to holiday decorating. Besides running outside with my cutters and snipping tidbits off of every other tree, bush, and clump on our property to layer into the house with garlands... I also love the look of topiaries... so simple and elegant, and really, they work alone or grouped. (Think varying heights and looks, or a pretty little row of one kind.) If you are not into watering, go with the preserved version (which, who on earth is looking that close anyway??). Some of my favorites are myrtle, cypress, santolina, rosemary, and juniper. You can pretty much find most of them at www.freshtopiary.com. I think these make a nearly ideal gift for anyone, as well... You can plunk them into any cool pot if you'd like... or just as they are!

On my radar... gifts to give

I am on high alert for goodies to give (I know you are thinking the same thing). I have all these lists I keep... teachers, grandparents, people visiting... I must add to my list daily! I always want to give something thoughtful, something hand-touched if possible, or at least something that has a "pampered feeling" to it. I keep separate kids' lists too... that's a topic I'll chat on later.

So anyway, I thought over the next couple of weeks I would share some goodies that I love to give... ideas, cool stuff, etc. Maybe it will inspire you... maybe you are already done shopping... ugh! My sister is DONE! She even told me that she has half of them wrapped! Indeed I am not worthy! How incredible is that!

I just spent the day with my mom and sister shopping... we had a nice lunch and then more shopping. I love it! Just gets me all ready for the holidays in a nice "ease-in" family sort of a way... Oh, and then, when we were done, I had a date night with my husband, John, so my mom and sister dropped me off at the bookstore for a few hours of alone time until he came to pick me up. I know I say this a lot, but... hanging out in a bookstore for three hours is about as fantasy as it gets for me! I was out of my mind excited... I floated into nearly every section... slowly wandering about... reading, reading... ahhh, yes. This time of year if you can take a minute for yourself to just breathe... by all means, you must!!!

Okay... I am a rambler... so let's get on with it!

* Any kind of art kit... I just bought some Binney & Smith kits... they are so cool and perfect for anyone... 5 to 95. Easy inspiration!

* Personalized note/thank you cards... again, awesome gift for anyone. I love the ones that www.tinyprints.com does. They are incredibly charming, and I love that you can add a photo on the corner. Darling, darling gift!

* Check out our favorite gifts... we have hand-selected what "we in the studio" think are the yummiest gifts. Littles, bigs, and in-betweeners. Love to know what you think... I'll be giving plenty of goods from this list! (A few side notes... I will say the wish boxes are great as you can add a little note of your own inside... or a ring, or...?? Any girl would love one of our cocktail rings... they are so fancy-schmancy... and for all that bling, a great price! The salt & pepper sets on fanciful pedestals are entirely cool and covetable for anyone that you just don't know what to get. And then... I have this thing for fabulous over-the-top mirrors, so if I were to receive the Chinoiserie mirror as a very nice gift, I would be out of my mind. You'll be giddy with the mix!

* I love the gift of food! I am a self-professed foodie... and really, any food is a great gift to me. (p.s. Consider the gift of food in your own town as well... Several times a year we give money to our local food pantry. They can buy tons of food at a lower price for their wonderful store, and you would be doing such a great thing for your community!) So then... two of my favorite food spots online are www.mustardweb.com (the most amazing selection of mustards... and they have very cool gift packs as well!). And then... if you know someone that loves cooking, you must introduce them to Penzeys spices. The BEST spices. You cannot go wrong here. (www.penzeys.com) BTW, both of these companies also have mail order catalogs!

* Okay, for something terribly sentimental, try this. Frame a photo of your loved one and write your lovely thoughts under the pic. We did one for my dad and it was about the sweetest thing to see his response. You can buy frames that do have a nice amount of space for writing. I prefer the simple black frames with white matting. We had each of our children write their favorite things about grandpa. I used a pic from a photo shoot we had done for our holiday catalog... Well, the peacock is my folks', so I asked our photographer to snap some pic's of my dad.


* Another thing we do in our family is, instead of exchanging gifts with the adults, we do a book exchange... it's entirely optional. So we each wrap up a few great books that we've read and trade. It really is fun... and everyone loves sharing their thoughts on the book. We are all readers, so sometimes we end up with a few of the same books... but it generally works out pretty well! I like that it is entirely stress-free!
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* If you have a bit more time and want to blow someone's mind... believe me, this will do it! (www.shutterfly.com) You can make them a book! Yes, a real printed photo book. These are truly an exceptional gift! Very easy to do. I am actually working on one right now for my son Gus, a "your first two years" book. I know I will do one for each of my boys. We did one for my mother-in-law's birthday. My sister-in-law does one very summer for our entire family after they have visited us from California. (She happens to be an extraordinary photographer, so that helps!) These books are very reasonably priced for the great quality they give, and you can personalize them top-to-bottom with any writing, etc. If nothing else, check them out... They also have very cool puzzles that you can have made from a photo... kids love this gift!

Enchanting gift toppers

Okay, while the gift itself is magical... I must confess the topper and wrapping are what make me giddy! When I was a kid I would put on Christmas music, pull a rocking chair next to the Christmas tree, and just belt out the tunes and gaze at the tree and all the glittery presents!! (Would that make me a Christmas nerd? Or just an eternal sap??) My little French grandmother Lucy, who lived with us when I was growing up, would take extra care in adding all the magic to the top of the presents. She would deck the top of each gift with ribbons and candies of all sorts. Shockingly... I now do the same thing. My kids are wild over it... they just love looking at the gifts... can't wait to nibble the goodies from the tops. We have from time to time even had "Christmas mice" come to our tree and nibble off bites from the tops. (Not sure how I feel about this... partly charmed as we also live in the country... sort of grossed out... I am trying to make it all very sweet and fairy tale in my mind... are you with me??)

Now here's the thing. I am not a "mad wrapper"... By this I mean, I do not get all crazy and make every single gift look like it was schemed up by the Christmas fairy herself. Honestly, I just don't have it in me. I pick a few... go all out... get my wrapping ya-ya's out... and then I just let go. But the ones that I do want to "make pretty" are so much fun to do!!! My thoughts are simply this... make them magical... personal... playful. Be inspired by nature... add pine cones and greens, little glittered branches, birds nests. (Don the glue gun... it really rocks my present wrapping world!)

Other thoughts...

* Candies, chocolates, gold coins (yes, hot glue it ALL on).

* Those cheap-y craft store Santas are actually entirely cool when used with a bunch of great ribbons.

* Tags are indeed good... I always do a few special ones for the boys (that yes, I do keep). I will hand-paint them, add little kitschy stuff, and glitter them. Other than that, I go fast and cheap. (Not a good choice of words at Christmas, but you get my drift!!)

* I love little plastic animals as toppers. They are darling if you spray paint them gold or silver... do what you will.

* Check out the yarn section for "fancy schmancy" yarns... metallics, some funky textures... much less $$ than ribbons and very interesting.

* A sweet tiny frame works well... and it's a cool keeper.

* Huge lollipops are fantastic... for anyone, any age. We all love fantasy... and old-fashioned things that make us think of our childhood.

Do you ever...

* Write a letter to a lovely older soul? I have a few pen pals that are in their nineties... three of them actually. I am entirely delighted with our correspondence and I know that for them to receive a letter, or a box of chocolates, or any thoughtful goodie, makes their day (and mine)!

* Use Style Secrets fashion tape? Double-stick strips to hold clothing in place... These are a lifesaver at parties, etc., when you are wearing something that will just not stay in place. Peace of mind in a simple tape strip. So smart!!

* Shop this site? (www.artisanalcheese.com) I love, love it!!! Since we are getting ready for the holidays, and special goodies are a must, this site will just have your mouth watering! I happen to love a good stinky cheese (as I have mentioned before)... These guys have it really figured out. BTW, they also happen to have a few great NYC restaurants... you can read about them on their site. I have eaten at both and they are perfectly delectable!!!

* Dream about the next big thing you want to do? You know, sort of let it percolate... find tear sheets to inspire you... write little ideas about it down on paper... keep tinkering with it. This is how John and I end up making changes on our house or garden, and how we think about things like our barn or pond, etc. We have a few things right now that we are toying with. No rush on any of them... just letting them swim around a bit. Then magically they really do all fall into place... gentle planning and a good dose of fantasy thinking helps. It's fun for us as a couple also... gives us even more to have in common and talk about on date nights and all.

From the heart

The holidays... I love it all... the sharing, the caring, the chaos, the love, the gatherings, the giving, the food... You name it... all just scrumptuous to me! The only thing I don't like is... it seems that there's never really enough time. (I know life seems to feel this way, but at the holidays it just swells!) Well, last year when our son Gus was celebrating his first Christmas, I had a "stocking for Gus" plan. I pulled together all sorts of fabric remnants, trimmings, and goodies... nothing expensive really, more just stuff that I can't seem to toss... kind of a "Nana makes the baby's stocking look" if that makes sense to you? (Did you have one of those little red stockings with silver bells sewn on and other little Christmas oddities?) My plan of course was to make our lamby a lovely, very personalized stocking. Never did happen. Just couln't get to it! Oh, well... I am not a guilt monger, so I let myself just move on... thinking the next year it would happen. The pile of goods sat on my office floor through June (truth). Then about a month ago, one of our lovely gals here in the studio scooped it up and made the stocking for Gus!! I came in one morning and there it sat on her desk... she handed it over to me and of course (sap that I am) I cried! It's really so sweet. There is even a cool little spot for his photo (a little goodie I found years ago at a craft store). So my thought in sharing this with you is... what a wonderful gift this would make for anyone... a little child or a 98 year old. No doubt anything personal adds to the real "love" of it all. If you are not a sewer (and so what, really?) just hot glue it all on. No will know... and if they do... well, aren't you smart anyway!! Each of our four boys has a stocking like this now... all different... hodge-podge-y stuff. Very cool and handmade... and really, those are the best gifts... the ones from the heart.

For you...

This is one of my favorite shower soapy / gel potions... kind of a thing. LOVE IT!! Dreamy luscious smelling goodness... eucalyptus. I just want to use way too much of it, and that is trouble!

p.s. For the ultimate pampering moment, have someone in your family give you a few "hot towels" from the dryer post-shower. I know it's a little thing, but it is just too good!! It's one tiny thing we do for our kids every time they have a shower or bath. I will throw a bunch of towels in and they just give me a holler as they are almost done. Even our baby guy Gus loves it... I scoop him out of the tub and then wrap two big warm towels around him and just snuggle him with kisses!

Behind the scenes...

It seems that when many of you call in to order, you ask our team how John and I came up with our boys' names. Several of you have asked me to blog on it... so I am!

I know that names are very personal for parents, and when you are deciding a child's name, you take so much into consideration... the now part and the later part. We have four little boys (sweet, noisy, sugary... spicy... often muddy and quite loud... lovely little boys). John and I have been married going on 17 years, so we waited a bit in our marriage to have kids.

Our two oldest boys are now 7. They are in second grade and their names are MAXIMILIAN and FINEOUS... we call them Max and Fin. The name Max has been a favorite name of mine forever... I love how sturdy and old fashioned it is... Our Max is very much a "Max" if that makes any sense at all to you?? I remember many years ago watching the Olympics and a mother was standing at the bottom of the hill and her son was a competing skier…she was just screaming at the top of her lungs... GO MAXIMILIAN, GO!! I just could hardly stand how wonderful it was to hear her yelling out her son's name. (I didn't even have kids then). Fineous... or Fin, as we call him... I fell in love with that name from the book "Great Expectations"... I can't recall, I think that boy is Finnegan? But Fineous is again very old-fashioned and lovely... with a bit of spice in it as well. (Fits him perfectly.) In fact, if you have kids you will understand what I am about to say. They were who they are when I carried them... Max on the right... more quiet, pensive. Fin on my left side... bucking around inside of me like a pony! Max was born one minute before Fin.

SIGERSON is our 6 year old. He is in kindergarten. He has big, dark, chocolate-drop eyes and is our snuggler. His name came about really from my childhood. When I was growing up we had a family friend named Sig. He was a surgeon, and seemed to me to be a very cool guy. I always thought his name was fabulous. Then I found there are many variations of this incredibly old Scandinavian name and we chose Sigerson. We call him Sig or Siggy... and again, it is completely him.

AUGUST is our littlest man. He is a year and a half and we call him Gus... or often Gus-Gus. Siggy wanted us to name him Buck. (This is something he still brings up from time to time). We had always had August on our favorite names list... (We also happened to have been married in August... but that was not our reason, just more of a bonus!) I have always thought Gus to be a very cool name. Robust, yet still very sweet. Just like our little bunker.

Wow, well... if you were able to make it through all of my long-windedness, I am impressed with you!!