Merry ChristmasTime!!!

Last year at this time, I shared a photo of our family table in my post Our Christmas.  In my tablescape, I included treasured photos of loved ones who have passed away, as a remembrance of their love and presence in our lives.

These photos included a picture of my mother and father (deceased), my in-laws, paternal and maternal grandparents and photos of our closet family friends.  These pictures brought much joy to our holiday gathering and we delighted in sharing stories about our loved ones.

This year especially, please hold your family and friends close.  Too many families will have an empty seat at their table this Christmas.  Remember those who have gone before us and celebrate their lives as you share in your Christmas dinner.

 

artistsandart.org

Merry Christmas!!!

Heather

MIA

SO, I've been MIA for some time now.  Life has been exciting and hectic.

Since I last posted, I've celebrated with 100+ friends and family their love and support during my breast cancer diagnosis and treatment at Boobapalooza...

 

We attended our daughter's graduation and traveled to Vancouver to help her get settled in her new city and her new job.

  

Graduation Day!

 

Canada Day with 1 Crazy Canuck & Olympic Torch lit for the celebration

We vacationed in Sea Island with dear friends and visited our daughter in NYC, delivered refinished furniture and other goodies and took in The Book Of Mormon.  LOVED IT!!!!

I designed and created wedding accessories for our niece... 

Celebrated my baby brother's 50th in Toronto.... 

I've redecorated our guest bathroom...

I've refinished furniture....

I've sewn outdoor curtains....

I've painted for charity....

I've been obessed with PINTEREST....Larissa Hill Pinterest

SO, I have been busy and I can't wait to share it with you on my newly redesigned blog.  This project is the most challenging and time consuming of all. 

Let me know what you think....

Pull Up An 'Animal Print' Stool

Recently, House Beautiful Makeovers featured an article entitled, "10 Ways Accessories Can Transform a Room" dedicated to perking up your color palette or personality of your home without redecorating completely.  Well, guess what caught my eye????

"Stools are the perfect spot to perch or place a tray with drinks. Designer Nancy Boszhardt chose one upholstered in a zebra print for the fireplace of this New York home because it offers a lot of flexibility." LOVE IT!!!!

Here are just a few animal print ottomans and stools via Larissa Hill Pinterest that have definitely upped the 'personality' factor in these rooms.   

An artful mix of vintage benches with Clarence Houlse fabric via Elle Decor.

Fabulous Zebra bench via Houzz 

Designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard introduced these spectacular
zebra ottomans into this traditional Beverly Hills living room.

Sophisticated living room via Decorpad



Blue and White and Zebra too!!!

Larissa Hill Designs

[ fur + leopard + brass + a blown-up photo* ]

Small Shop Studio

Google

Head on over to Larissa Hill Pinterest Wild Things Home to see more animal print touches that yield big design results. 

Let me know what you think....

Happy New Year

Pinterest continues to amaze me.  I stumbled upon these wonderful New Year's greetings that I just had to share with you.



Thank you for joining me in this blogging journey that I began in August.  I hope that you will continue to travel through 2012 with me as I explore new painting techniques, redecorate, create for charities, thrift with Shari from Swinging On A Star Creations, and celebrate my 2 year cancer survivor anniversary.  Your response and support has given me strength throughout my recovery this year and for that I thank you. 

Have a safe and Happy New Year!  Heather

PS.  I plan to dance on the table tonight!!!

Pinning Too - Leopard Print

My first post based on Pinterest featured my Wild Things Home board and of course, it was all about Animal Prints in the home, specifically Zebra Print decor. From the floor to the ceiling and everything in between, animal prints are a must in your home.

Here are a few of my Leopard favorites....

Relax by the fire with this cozy leopard pillow.

Trey Laird via Elle Decor

I just love how Heidi Claire incorporates the leopard rug and pillow with the orange and white pillows, orange lamp, throw and garden stool....genius.

Heidi Claire

Instagram brings us this gorgeous leopard pillow + purple velvet chair = perfection

Sandie and Stella shows us how to mix classic leopard design in a contemporary setting.

Delightful accent leopard stool ready to bring into your room when needed.

Paloma81

The Yellow Cape Cod  bravely combines two of my favorites in this wing chair vignette.



And finally, there is nothing like a statement wall of leopard. 

Decorista.com

You can see more Wild Things  in Leopard on Larissa Hill Pinterest boards.

SO, where do you have animal prints in your home????

Wrapping YULE Love

The manner of giving is worth more than the gift. 

Pierre Corneille, Le Menteur 

SchemeEvents.com

(Surprise, surprise...this isn't me wrapping presents!!!)

I can’t remember when I began to appreciate how a gift was wrapped.  I do remember my mother teaching me how to wrap a present, folding the paper's seam under on the bottom of the package and neatly turning in the ends to finish it off.   I remember how excited I was seeing the pretty packages with bows and ribbons sitting under the tree on Christmas morning.  My mother was Martha Stewart before Martha Stewart....

A beautifully wrapped present shows how much you care.  'Tis the season for taking a little extra time to wrap presents for the special people on your gift list.  Small personal touches make the wrapping as memorable as the gift inside.

I stumbled upon A Gift Wrapped Life  when I first started blogging and couldn't believe what blogger Sande Chase created with paper and ribbons.  Sande's blog is a must read for everyone who appreciates beautiful things.  "From the simple to the spectacular, I hope my world of gifting will inspire you to give beautifully." Sande Chase   And it does....

From craft paper tied up with multiple torn silk ribbons to a fluffy hair scrunchie tied up with velvet to reused Kate Spade and Tiffany boxes, Sande Chase gift wrapping style is amazing.  Here are just a few samples of her stunningly wrapped presents.



  



Unique DIY wrapping ideas can be found everywhere, from elegantly wrapped gifts to eco-friendly alternatives to ways to incorporate greenery, ornaments, vintage elements and luxurious ribbons into your designs.  Here are a few beautifully wrapped presents from around the internet to give you inspiration this holiday season.



Fancythatonline.net





FancyHouse



Heather Bullard

Grapevines Invitations

Jenn Playford

The Happy Home Blog

This Old House

Crafty Stylish

LivingGreenSolutions

Caligraphybyjenn



DoLifeSimplied



Delish.com



JoMalone Regifted





Throughout the years, I have become more conscious of reycling and repurposing when wrapping and with that, more creative.  I recycle gift bags from year to year and I also like to make the gift a part of the wrapping by using tea and gift towels, scarfs and storage boxes.  It is an eco-friendly alternative that guarantees to be a one-of-a-kind gift under the tree. 

I continue to color-code my gift wrapping by assigning a color or design to each family member.  It makes it much easier to find gifts under the tree and somehow, Mom knows what Santa has wrapped each person's gifts in!!!  Using complementary colored wrapping creates an elegant look under your tree at least until Christmas morning....

Just remember, imagination is the key to creative gift wrapping and when beautifully wrapped, any gift can be so much more than the sum of its parts.



Karen Appleton

Visit Larissa Hill "Wrap It Up" Pinterest for more creative gift wrapping ideas....



IT'S PARTY TIME