Holiday Preview

On the heels of the fall wreath, let me show you a little preview of last year's holiday and the greens I used. This is FUN to me, and you will soon see the result in Romantic Homes Magazine, when I can scan the spread this week. The theme I chose was Pere Noel; there was a wonderful pile of presents at the big front door, as if Father Christmas had just been there.... a second theme was natural....the blown quail eggs nestled in among the greens, also at the front door; I will post on the eggs shortly~
loads of greens from the garden and flowers from Corona del Mar farmers market with two exceptions, these tulips~

and the tall red Ilex berries here below. The short red berries used throughout the house are from our Toyon or California Holly trees; they never fail each year. I bought just a few sticks of proper Ilex because I wanted the effect of the red against the fragrant while lilies & pine with the yellow walls; sorry for the flash, this is my "old" camera~
There were many flowers inside; you'll see in the magazine, such as these; the Editor and Photographer have a tremendous eye, it's amazing...
this 1920's archway outside the kitchen door did not make the final cut, but I will redo it this year, differently, with the antlers & apples I mentioned. The date cluster is off of our Phoenix palms, it was like an early Christmas gift from the garden~
The dates were the "natural bow" I was searching for. I use what is on hand. I never thought yesterday to use red onions or garlic or red peppers on a wreath, but they were there (and I traded a few produce bags for them) so it worked, same as the date cluster.

The dates worked well with the rest of the yellow/orange fruits on the archway, all from the market; apples, meyers lemons, clementines. Every bit of greenery is from the garden; pine, pepper tree, juniper and Toyon; I will show how I did the archway when I set it up this year. The Toyon berries again; the fruits set up so naturally, it was a good look and lasted for months~

yes, forgot, there were lights in the arch, for night-time. More tomorrow....