Even though our lake cottage is snug, during the holidays, we still manage to fill it with lots of family and friends. One of the keys to fitting in so many folks is to find ways to encourage everyone to spread out through the house, not just wedge into the kitchen like merry making sardines. At … [Read more...]
A Warm Welcome for Holiday Guests
I can’t wait. On Christmas Eve, my big sister Judy will come spend the holidays with us. I am so thankful that she keeps coming back because, to be honest, I have been a pretty rotten hostess in years past. Absolutely no food in the house? Check. Complete lack of toilet paper? Check. Within hours of … [Read more...]
Saved by the Incredible Wreath
I will never forget the year it felt like Christmas passed over the Garrity home. We had just opened Nell Hill’s Briarcliff, and I was working a million hours a week. I didn’t have a spare second to decorate our home for the season. Since I am surrounded by so much Christmas décor at Nell Hill’s … [Read more...]
Holiday Table Inspiration from Nell Hill’s
Many of us have fabulous dining spaces in our homes … that collect dust. It’s time to fix that. This holiday season, and into the new year, resolve to fill your dining room with people you love, gathered together for good food and great conversation.I firmly believe that one of the greatest … [Read more...]
My Winter Love Letter to Plaid
This is my warm and happy place: snuggled under a plaid throw blanket, a steaming cup of coffee in my hands, winter held at bay outside my cottage doors. In my house, it’s plaid season.Someone asked me once if I was ever going to get over my obsession with plaid. Nope. Plaid is the fabric of … [Read more...]
Ingredients of a Marvelous Mantel
Next to your tree, your fireplace mantel is the most important part of your holiday décor. After all, this is where Santa makes his big entrance! The sky is the limit when it comes to dressing this long, thin stage.Some of us like a display that has a few discreet touches of seasonal cheer. … [Read more...]