Here & Now: Newlywed Christmas

Newlywed Thanksgiving was so much fun we thought we'd give Christmas the same treatment. That, and the husband is out of vacation time. Regardless, we're here, and we're making the most of it- with twinkle lights, glitter, and a Christmas tree that's taller than Adam (proof of this will be posted on the StB facebook page later today).

Some very dear friends gave us Crate and Barrel's Angelique Stockings and Tree Skirt as a wedding gift, and they inspired this year's decorating scheme: neutrals and metallics. Does that combination seem a little familiar to you? Let's just say the tree looks right at home in the WarLock house. 

Our tree is wearing something old, something new, and quite a few things borrowed from the wedding! I used my collection of basic ornaments to give our tree a subtle gleam: crackled mercury glass orbs, chartreuse bulbs, and little spots of gold. The pearl-encrusted baubles were a bargain at Target, and they're a good match to the trim on our new stockings. We also replaced last year's roosting owls with a sparkling star tree-topper that sits at a jaunty angle (so endearing- and I love the size). I  added a bow with long curling tails that I saved from a wedding gift. Actually, all of our ornaments are tied on with snippets of ribbon left-over from wedding projects and wrappings! Old, new, borrowed, but nothing blue- I prefer to buy led string lights with a warm, old-fashioned glow.

Simple and sentimental- just right for our first married Christmas.

Holiday Cat-astrophes

"You better watch out, you better not cry" might be a good behavioral deterrent for little kids, but there's no gimmick that works on pets. "Santa is watching" does not prevent Phineas from gnawing on the Christmas tree. If I hide an elf on a shelf, you'll find Matilda up there with him (probably biting him, actually). You better believe that both of my cats are on the naughty list.

Really, who can blame them? This is a season of enticing foods, drunken strangers, and tail-pulling babies. We bring a perfectly climbable tree into the house and put shiny temptations on every branch. It's no wonder that every year we experience a bit of cat-related holiday mayhem. Just look at our Thanksgiving aftermath...

Our kitty mishaps have ranged from amusing (Tildy's obsessive pilfering of faux cranberry vase filler and Phinney's sneaky turkey tasting) to slightly stressful (like the cat + dog chase that led to a broken mirror). 

The key to avoiding disaster is simply to know your pets. Between Phinney the plant-nibbling ribbon-swallower and Matildor the Destroyer, we have our hands full.

• If we're expecting a house full of guests, I know that Phinney will hide under the bed until the party has died down- but Matilda loves to mix and mingle. I put a bell on her collar to prevent her from getting underfoot.
• Ribbons are Phinney's ultimate temptation. A pricy trip to the emergency vet in the middle of assembling wedding invites taught us to keep loose ribbons and bows out of reach, and to skip the tinsel on our tree.
• Matilda likes to bat at baubles, so we tie ornaments onto the tree.
• Phineas has a sensitive belly, so we don't overdo it with the treats.
• Knowing that Tildy holds grudges (she's been hissing at my brother for years now), we're careful to make slow introductions to new people and animals.
• Like many cats, Phineas can't keep his teeth off of the greenery- so we avoid poisonous poinsettias.

So, a few questions for you in the comments section:

How do you keep your pets out of trouble during the holidays?

-and-

What's your most memorable Christmas Cat-astrophe?

Here & Now: Right Outside my Door

Yesterday we took a stroll through my parents' lush garden in Edmonds, Washington. I'd love to be able to follow up with a tour of my own Edenic landscape, but I don't have one! Alas, we have exactly the kind of outdoor space you'd expect from an unkempt and ugly four-plex: like the apartment, the yard has gone to seed. It is, on the whole, scraggly, weedy, and uninspiring... save for one thing, just outside our front door.

This treehouse in my neighbor's backyard lends a little charm and imagination to our outdoor space. There aren't any kids next door, so the treehouse is a bit overgrown, and mainly enjoyed by squirrels. I entertain amusing notions of hosting club meetings up there, Calvin & Hobbes style, but I'm fairly certain my neighbors (and their dog) might take issue with that!

Our First Christmas Tree!

After 5 Christmases spent moving, traveling, in tiny apartments, or in separate states, Adam and I finally got to bring home our very own tree. We chose a noble fir that's just my size. Really- just over 5 feet tall! We tucked it into a formerly dark corner of our kitchen & dining room, where it can be appreciated from all over the apartment. Doesn't it sparkle?

We haven't yet acquired any sentimental ornaments, but luckily I had a stash of simple bulbs purchased at post-holiday sales- small and gold, vibrant chartreuse, and huge crackled silver. Instead of hanging them with wire, I used little snippets of green and lavender ribbon to add more color to the tree. Sprigs of glittery leaves catch the light, and acrylic crystals are a glamorous (yet cat-safe!) adornment. I topped off our tree with a curious pair of wintry owls.

I might shop for a few collectible ornaments to add as we get closer to Christmas, but for now the tree is decorated entirely in things I already owned. Affordable, easy, and a perfect fit for my existing color palette!

A Glass Half Full Weekend

Monday already? It can't be. Adam and I spent our weekend in the company of amazing people and many glasses of wine, and I can't believe it all went by so quickly (especially the wine).

It's not often that we've got such a full social calendar, with two separate visits from college friends in one weekend! On Sunday we drove up to Sonoma for lunch at the Coppola winery and a taste (or two) of what wine country has to offer.

Naturally I'd like to take an extra day off to recuperate. Today I'm enjoying a quiet house, catching up on the shop, putting the finishing touches on some blog posts for the week... and eyeing the bottle of port that we brought home as a souvenir...

Afternoon Escape

I think, after all the excitement of the weekend, that a ramble in the park would be just the thing to refresh my spirits. That, and my annual reading of Pride & Prejudice. 

Image Courtesy of Vogue

*Sigh* Back to the real world tomorrow.

The To-Do List

Adam is off on a business trip to Chile, which means that...

a. Calling my boyfriend would set me back $3.49 per minute. 

b. I'm home alone with a demanding cat and an even more demanding to-do list.

c. I better get one helluva souvenir.

It's not all bad though, because...

a. I'm going to eat all of the ice cream I want.

b. I'm going to sleep diagonally.

c. World traveler Adam has forfeited his right to veto the paint color for the living room. Ha.

Anyway, I'm treating myself to a leisurely morning before I crack open a can of paint. Leisurely but productive, as I'm researching options for coat storage.

The Twig Coat Rack from Pottery Barn, $199

 The Twig Coat Rack from Z Gallerie, $139

 The Twig Coat Rack from Grandin Road, $99

I think we have a winner with that last option- definitely an improvement on our current practice of stashing coats on the backs of my dining room chairs.

A Clever Display

While picking out our Christmas tree at Sky Nursery, my parents and I couldn't help peeking around at their other offerings. Ornaments galore, a greenhouse full of wintry blooms, and these very inspiring displays:

What a great example of thoughtful merchandising. These doors will be easy to paint and keep fresh for a year's worth of ideas. After all, the massive selection of this nursery can be a little overwhelming for the amateur gardener or for those of us who rent. Not everyone has a front yard, but all of us have front doors! These displays show how to create a welcoming doorstep using coordinated colors and practical container gardens. Forget about landscaping, this is porchscaping!

Images Taken with my iPhone

Feathered Finery

Perhaps you've noticed my fondness for decorating with fowl and feather. A faux crow, a wise little owl or two, a pair of birdcages... you don't have to go out on limb to guess that I'm pretty much tickled by all of the avian accessories abound this holiday season. I don't have a nest to feather this year, but perhaps I should start collecting now?

These are perfect for the neutral and natural Christmas that I've been envisioning. Envisioning these on the tree with metallic trimmings makes my heart flutter.

Feathered Orb Trio from Anthropologie

On the trip to Sky Nursery to adopt the family Christmas tree I spotted these rather glamorous plumes tucked into the branches of a display tree. Very stylish- similar to the black feathers that Cassandra of Coco + Kelley used.

Just the thing for an elegant holiday dinner. The placemats are a lovely way to add texture to a white tableclothed spread. I have four that I'm planning on using under centerpieces! The Quill flatware is so fanciful, I think that a pair of spreaders would suffice.

Guinea Feather Placemat from Jayson Home & Garden, Quill Flatware from Pottery Barn

I love the simplicity of this calendar- such beautiful way to watch the year fly by, and an excellent gift (in fact, I think one would really soften up my home office, *hint, hint*).

Year of Feathers Calendar by The Wild Unknown, as featured by Design*Sponge