Holiday Illusions

Spaces

In this beautiful Valley we call home, we usually experience long sunny summers, and a wonderful bright fall season. But eventually the pumpkins have all been roasted, and the days start to grow shorter. Some would say that nature is trying to get ready for a long winters nap, but I say not before one last hurrah! This year has been a little trying for everyone, so I’ve decided to pull out all the stops. I want to celebrate the love, the family, and the friendships I have been so blessed with in my life. What better way to show a little love than by creating a magical holiday illusion for friends and family to reconnect for one last memory of 2008!

Everyone can create some holiday illusions this season with a unique twist of old and new. The colors red and green have cornered the market when it comes to Christmas but who’s to say that you can’t shake it up a bit and have fun. Who said it always has to be traditional? If you look around, the colors of the year are teal, pink, multiple shades of green, and orange, so I say, why not mix it up? Pink and red are fabulous together, the key is to decide on a base color, and use the other as the accent. You might even throw a third color in, try to give it a mix of 60% red, 30% pink, or orange, and 10% green, put it on a white flocked tree, and you will have a show stopper that’s young, festive, and fun! You already have all the red from last year, so just add a little to your collection, and get a fresh new look. Who made red and green the boss anyway!

If you need a little confirmation about the use of color in your holiday decorating check out www.radko.net for some beautiful examples of fabulous ornaments to add to your collection. One may even inspire you to start a collection and send your Christmas experience in a whole new direction.

It’s easy to get into a routine of setting up your holiday decorations; the problem is it can get predictable, and dull. Give your nativity a new place to rest, and find a fun unexpected corner for Santa to reside over the festivities. Don’t run the risk of letting your treasures get stale, put them in some new unexpected places.

Another trend this year has been a return to nature. If this fits your taste, infuse some natural elements of moss, birch branches, and pinecones with your arrangements. The use of seasonal flowers, fresh pine, and loads of candlelight bring a festive look to any setting. Remember to layer your displays, and by mixing your treasured collections with a few new elements you’re sure to create something unique.

I love the holiday season and approach it with the belief that every year has the promise of being as exciting, and enriching as the last. We all go through different phases in our lives, single, newlywed, growing families, empty nester, good economies and bad, and they all evoke different emotions. My decorating has reflected all of those phases of my life. I think it’s important to treat each season with the respect for the last, and with a renewed hope for the future.

For me this year is all about injecting as much joy, and fun as possible, next year could be about new members in a growing family. Who knows what’s next, when you create Holiday Illusions anything is possible.

I wish you a joyous holiday season, and a happy new year.
Happy Decorating! Cheryl Christman

Spaces is happy to answer your questions. If you have a problem space and a question please forward to my e-mail address at:
cachristman@spaces-cci.com