October 28, 2020

Boo!

October 28, 2020/ Meryl

Friends we live in a really special place. The roads are windy, it’s dark and it’s always been a fun place to Trick or Treat but, it got a whole lot funner when we sold my parents home to Marc and Andrea and they went to work - making it one of the scariest and coolest Halloween displays in the area.

While not a typical Haunted House it is very much a scene and the trick or treaters must walk past all the frightening ghouls and goblins to get their treat on the porch. The display you see is from 2019. These wonderful friends had planned to move pre-covid and sold off all the decorations after Halloween last year. They brought much joy to so many for 22 yrs! We were thrilled our son was finally able to face his fears and walk up to the door.

Halloween came to America in the 1840s with Irish immigrants.
First citywide Halloween was in Anoka, Minnesota, 1921.
FACTBOX/Reuters

Decor on our sideboard and inspiration from IG friends. Click image for link.

We WILL be out Trick or Treating and handing out candy with masks this Saturday. We wish you all a spooktacularly bootiful Halloween!

Til next time!

Images: Mine/Linked to Above Accounts

January 01, 2020

HEY 2020!

January 01, 2020/ Meryl

Hello and Happy New Year my friends! The only thing that kept running through my head about today’s post was this song by the Chambers Brothers: Time Has Come Today . Enjoy.

In reflecting over the last year I’m thrilled with where I am on this first day of the New Year. I continue to have some of the same goals as last year: to exercise and to keep up with the clutter in the basement.

I achieved some of my goals for the Chalet Interiors in 2019 New Rugs for the Livingroom and the Pink Walls in the upstairs Hall.

Some design/decor on the wish-list or 2020 around the Chalet: Painting the Kitchen (possibly new cabinet knobs), Painting the stairwell to the basement, A new Diningroom pendent, We need new cushions for the Diningroom chairs, A new light for the Upstairs Hall, I’m mulling over a few tweaks to the porch or more to the diningroom… we’ll see. New pillows of course… I have a bunch of fabric I want to review and sew up some new covers and swap some out and New Art! Always New Art my friends!

I’m so pleased with where my business is - the blog readership has grown - I was thrilled to incorporate interviews into my pieces this past year. I love learning about people - look for more this year. I was pleased to have my first partnership with Great Big Canvas. I look forward to similar opportunities with other fun brands. I’m also toying around with the idea of adding a resale shop - instead of consigning items - just sell them here.

Of course the part of the business I am over the moon about - the most exciting part is sharing my creativity with more clients in 2020!

sunlight on the way home after dinner.jpg

I enjoyed many delightful trips into Manhattan to marvel at Art and more at the Guggenheim, the Met, the American Museum of Natural History, listen to music, revel in feats of Ballet and eat wonderful creations. I was blessed to meet up with some of my sweet IG friends too!

I was able to read or listen to (thank you Hoopla) 28 titles in 2019! Woo Hoo! I became the moderator of the Great Titles Book Club through church and I’m really enjoying it. It’s the first book club I’ve been involved with.

We were blessed to share fun excursions to the Mountains and the Beach with family. Nothing better than time with those we love! My family is happy and healthy and I am truly blessed.

A sweet friend reminded me it’s always wonderful to be learning - In 2020 I want to be a student - I want to learn more about design, cooking and art and I hope to always be learning how to be the best human I can be. I’m eager to see where 2020 takes me and I hope you are as well!

Til next time friends - I Prosecco to you! Cheers!

December 25, 2019

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

December 25, 2019/ Meryl

Hello and a very Happy Christmas friends!

Today we will be celebrating at my Mother in Laws lovely home in Warwick, NY. Marge is an amazing decorator! She was the first person I met who had more than one Christmas tree. She was also the first person I ever met who chose a different Christmas theme every year. Friends she was Insta before Insta! She is so incredibly creative. Over these last 23 Christmases she has astounded me with her decor. So what better way to revel on this special family day but, to honor Marge and share her home. Enjoy!

Marge has always designed and decorated, if she wanted it she created it. She has shared stories about the decor in their little side door stone home in a suburb of Philadelphia - when my husband and his older brother were babies. The wallpaper she painstakingly picked out and hung. She tells stories of the faux beams for her dream country kitchen in their next home in a lake community. Of amazing Drexel Heritage furnishings she chose… of twin yellow sofas.

When other women at the age of 84 are happy to sit about - Marge along with her business partner works as a Home Stager and Estate Sale Coordinator. She has designed and executed the holiday window displays in the shopping corridor in downtown Warwick. She has been hired to decorate homes for holidays. Previously she owned and operated her own Antiques business.