Blog - Page 40 of 52 - Linda Nelson

…….A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

December 16, 2014

Brooches on treetops and baubles on Blitzen….

Do you dress your reindeer with earrings? No? Well, you should. You want them to look fabulous, don’t you? Get your glitz and glamour out of the jewelry box and on to antlers. And on to everything else.

©Linda Nelson 2014

Let’s face it, most of us gals have quite a collection of jewelry, yet we only wear a few choice pieces at a time. The rest sits in a box and waits. And waits. And waits. What a waste. Give those baubles a job for the holidays. Besides, with them displayed about, you may be more inclined to snatch one from your decorative vignette and dress yourself instead.

©Linda Nelson 2014

Oh, and what about glamorizing those little bud vases, jars and bottles you have stashed away in the basement? Add a few sprigs of greenery, and you’ve made a statement!

©Linda Nelson 2014

There you have it.

Now, go fetch your baubles and get creative!

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ANGEL HAIR(STYLES)

December 10, 2014

I just finished up a custom order of angelic handmade greeting cards. Designing and assembling these cuties was just too much fun to be considered work.

©Linda Nelson 2014

I also transformed a few of my decorative pinecones into hanging ornaments.

©Linda Nelson 2014

The ones pictured above are for a friend. Have you given making these pinecones a try yet? They’re super lovely placed amongst an organic, rustic and natural holiday setting. Plus, they’re so very easy to make.

©Linda Nelson 2014

Click the sidebar pinecone photo and you’ll be taken straight to the tutorial.

Happy holiday crafting!

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THRICE UPON A YELLOW WING

November 2, 2014

Last weekend I made a return visit to Wing Cottage, and assisted my friend in taking down her vegetable garden and various garden beds for the season. The late October weather was glorious, some trees still clad in the celebratory hues of autumn.

©Linda Nelson 2014

Her vegetable garden harvest had proved bountiful throughout the summer, though upon my arrival this time around I was greeted with just these darling little diehard strawberry plants. And the rooster.

©Linda Nelson 2014

Upon the plants being cut back, it was apparent that the decorative treasures tucked about would now take center stage and be the sole stars of the show.

©Linda Nelson 2014

The property is lined with a few bluebird houses, something I hadn’t taken notice of during my previous two stays at Wing.

©Linda Nelson 2014

My friend’s periodic archeological property gleaning has rewarded her with numerous curiosities and props to play around with and display. She gifted me the bottles and jars, which I will add to my overabundant, yet never enough, collection of bud vases.

©Linda Nelson 2014

The pond on the property was the “it” spot for a harmonious choir of frogs and crickets during my visit back in August; though, by last weekend the performers had already packed up and left. This time around the tune was rustling leaves, and though still music to my ears, proof that fall was in full gear.

©Linda Nelson 2014

However, my friend’s boyfriend apparently still hears frogs and crickets.

I bet Wing wears a blanket of snow well, peeking out like a little yellow box of sunshine. I would love to find out.

If you are just now reading about Wing Cottage, take a peak at my posts from the past to learn more about this gem that’s nestled in the picture perfect country town of Clinton Corners, NY.

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GARDEN TRICKS MAKE FOR VISUAL TREATS

October 22, 2014

Requests from my clients for Halloween decor are infrequent, as many of their homes are not exactly situated in trick-or-treating neighborhoods. Pictured are a few entrances I designed, the focus being pretty rather than scary.

Our mid-atlantic zone 7 region is ideal for incorporating a few summer season plants into the autumn mix. And, while trusty mums and cabbages are readily available, fresh cut evergreens are great contenders, too. I think incorporating them bridges the autumn and winter look together, allowing the display to read as “current” for a longer period of time. Evergreen branches can fill pockets in your container plantings where summer annuals have succumb to frost.

With regard to what’s growing in the ground, perennials such as sedge grasses, sedum, dusty miller, yucca and euphorbia visually carry a garden further into the season. Often sold in one gallon size pots, they are ideal for nestling into container planting arrangements, too.

I hope this post has delivered a little insight on how to enjoy your potted plantings a bit longer.

There you have it.

Now, start planting.

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