Chocolate Christmas Cookie Towers

Chocolate and cookies, the children will be happy to help with this project. First take a styrofoam cone (available at most craft stores) and paint it with melted dipping chocolate that you can find in the baking aisle of the grocery store. It is the kind of chocolate you would use to dip pretzels or fruit.
I then place on wet floral foam in a small punch bowl ,but you can just place on a holiday plate if you do not want to use flowers at the bottom. I use wooded floral 6″ picks to hold the cone to the foam and arrange flowers and Christmas greenery in the bottom. Pin the cookies to the cone with colored toothpicks, using smaller cookies at the top. I often make Chocolate towers with the same technique and an assorted box of chocolates or homemade chocolates. White melted chocolate and pepppermints are also easy and clever. Have fun in the kitchen and happy holiday baking!

Holly!Holly!Holly!Underwater Holly!

Holly, Holly Holly! Nothing screams Christmas like holly and red berries. Simply place varigated holly in a tall clear vase , fill with water and place red flowers in the top of vase for a fabulous and quick party centerpiece. You can add under water battery lights for a cool effect and even food coloring in your favorite holiday color. Varigated holly is available from your local floirst. If you do not want to see the stems use a plastic or lomey dish on top of the vase with floral foam and make your arrangement in the foam and place on top of the holly filled vase.

Decorating with Santa

Collecting Santas has been a passion for Karen (one of my favorite customers)for quite sometime. She not only has exotic Santas, she has classics, playful,colorful, casual and international Santas. She has collected so many……that she now decorates with Santa throughout her house. Mixing Santa with gold cones and velvet cloths on the dining table, placing assortments on the mantles and under the tree. We even added a fairly Santa to the staircase. Collecting can make the Holidays special. Ornaments, jingle bells , trees , wreaths and nutcrackers can all be collectables and something you can look forward to unpacking and remembering every holiday season. Start your collection this year!

Snowy Decorating for the Holidays

Bundle paperwhites with rubber bands and place in an oval vase while adding a touch of varigated holly to hold the stems in an upright position and to add a holiday feel to this snow scene. You see… in the South, we long for snow during the holidays so we make our own snow scenes with gingerbread houses, potted pines and loads of fake snow. The paperwhites add a sweet fragrance too. I took this photo while working on a customer house that was also being shot for a magazine holiday story. You can always use this as a tablescape by making several smaller vases down a long table with a scattering of fake snow.

Thanksgiving decorating tricks make memories special

Making the holidays memorable involves family,food and decorating traditions. Collecting traditional decorations and the way in which you use them make the holidays a special event. Thanksgiving decorations can include pilgrims, turkeys, pumpkins, gourds, cranberries and cornucopias. Fall colored leaves and flowers can add flavor to any of these collectable decorations. Pilgrims work great in centerpieces or on mantles mixed with fall foliages and flowers. I personally I love the variety found in pumpkins. I use real orange or white around my outside doorways and on mantles. As Thanksgiving approaches I add wooden pilgrims and turkeys . Ceramic glazed cream pumpkins have a more formal look and can be enhanced with cut greenery like varigated pittisporum perfect for a dessert buffet. Natural clay glazed or unglazed pumpkins with fall foliage like crepe myrtles tucked around the groupings are not only colorful but their draping clusters of pod like berries add grace to a displayl. Cake plates work great to give varying heights to the pumpkins and I also use them with flowers. If you have an older turkey that has lost his color you may want to spray him with a gold spray paint. Try making my pineapple turkey for a special treat. Cornucopias filled with vegatables can be a great project for everyone. Try making a cone shape of foil and coveing it with ready bake refrigerated bread sticks or unrolled crescent rolls and bake for an edible cornucopia. Your family will love to get involed, especially children. Make this year the first year of great memorable Thanksgiving decorations and watch their eyes beam with excitement. Just know they will expect the same great decorations next year! Happy Decorating!