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Glamorous Decor

Glamour Friday: Wallpaper Obsessed!

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a fantastic March break last week.  As you know, I was down at Walt Disney World with my hubby and my two girls so this last week has been major catch up on some client projects that I am finishing up.

Today I was at Crown Wallpaper & Fabrics with a client looking at wallpaper for her powder room (one of the last rooms I am decorating for her) and so I couldn’t resist showing you some beautiful wallpapers that can make a huge difference in the look of your home!

I’m a bit biased towards Candice Olsen’s line of wallpapers since she adorns the walls of my dining room and my eldest daughter’s bedroom.  Now get ready for some wallpaper porn!!

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This is the wallpaper my client chose for her powder room. It’s called Shadow Flowers and has the most amazing texture.  I can’t wait to show you the powder room once it if finished.image

Wallpaper are available in lovely neutral colours….where you go bold is with the pattern…but when it is tone on tone, a very glamorous, elegant look is achieved.  image

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Or you can go wild with colour….and you know how much I love purple!!  Paired with neutral grey chairs, this living room truly becomes unforgettable!

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So fabulous and what an easy way to create impact in your dining or living room!

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Want to create oomph when your guests walk into your home?  Than wallpaper your foyer or entryway with dramatic wallpaper.

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Of course, the bedroom is an obvious choice for wallpaper and you can go as subtle, glam or over – the-top as the pictures below show.

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I’m a huge advocate of wallpapering a child’s room.  My only advice is do NOT go juvenile.  Your child is going to grow out of child-like designs…so keep that in mind when choosing the design. 

This wallpaper is very pretty with the little pink bunnies….but when the little girl becomes a teenager she just may get sick of those bunnies.

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As you may recall from this previous post, I am updating both my daughters’ bedrooms. I chose Candice Olson’s Dark Pink Mini Daisy Spot (image below) for my daughter’s bedroom when she was 6 years old.  She is now turning 10 in a few months and this wallpaper will grow with her into her teens.  Her room is almost complete and I can’t wait to show it to you here.

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If wallpaper still intimidates you, but you are dying to try it in a room in your home, then the powder room is the perfect place to start.  It’s a small room so the investment will be minimal, you’re not in there a lot (I hope) so you won’t get sick of it and your guests will enjoy the scenery while they use the amenities.

 

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This is my powder room.  I wanted high impact with lots of glam!  And I wanted my guests to feel like they were being wrapped in black velvet every time they stepped into this room.  Almost 4 years later, and it is still one of my favourite rooms that I have decorated.

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I’m also in the midst of redecorating my office and these photos definitely inspire me.

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I’m thinking of using this pattern but in blue versus the pinky-red.  I will let you know what I decide.

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Well,  I hope you stayed to the end of this very long post and I hope I was able to convince you to wallpaper at least one room in your home this year!  Let me know what you decide.

If you want to know how to decorate your home for 2012, then contact me online or via twitter…I’d love to help!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Glamour Friday: Jamie Herzlinger

In the latest issue of Dabble Magazine, a gorgeous Arizona home designed by one of my favourite interior designers, Jamie Herzlinger is featured.  And because it is so glamorous, I thought it would be perfect for a Glamour Friday post.

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This stunning 19th century Dutch corbeille shaped canapé greets visitors when they walk into this 7000 sq. ft. home.

 

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I love this very glamorous foyer  with neutral grass cloth covered walls, the fabulous marquetry commode and the stunning mirror above it make for a GLAM SLAM!

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This living room is so glamorous with all the sumptuous velvets and silks in this room.  And you can never go wrong with decorating in unforgettable plums and purples mixed in with neutral greys. Oh so very elegant!! Love it!

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The master bedroom is very calm and serene decorated in a neutral palette mixed with lots of whites.  I guess the lesson here is that it’s ok to put the bed against a wall of windows when it’s the only way to ensure that the bed remains the focal point of the room.

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This sitting area goes extra glam with nail head detail on the chair and ottoman, a large mirror and lots of gold and brass accents. 

This home designed by Jamie Herzlinger is truly a luxe retreat!

If you want to create a glamorous space in your home for 2012, then contact me online or via twitter…I’d love to help!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

Here’s hoping that you, my wonderful readers, enjoy a day full of glamour, gorgeous decor and lots and lots of love!!!

I fell in love with this romantic living room when I first saw it in one of my favourite blogs The Decorista.

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It reminded me of pink roses and a heart-shaped box of chocolates! The soft pink walls, the luscious brown velvet sofa, a rose hued chandelier and fabulous flower art on the wall.  It’s utterly a romantic room!!

I hope that you all have a special romantic place that you go to with your loved one…..and if you don’t, then maybe it’s time to create one in your home!!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY LOVELY READERS!!!  Red heartRed heart

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Decorate As You Dress: Tangerine Tango!!

This is the first “Decorate As You Dress” blog post of the year and I thought why not start it off with Pantone’s 2012 Colour of the year:  Tangerine Tango!!

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“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

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Now let’s take a look at how you can incorporate this vivacious colour into your wardrobe or home decor:

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I absolutely adore this spring coat as much as I adore this headboard.  Now that’s the way to add some POP into your room!!

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On the other hand, this kitchen is definitely over the top orange which is something I would NOT recommend doing in your home but I would definitely wear that cute orange outfit above.

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Pops of orange like these counter stools or the dining room chairs below is a much palatable way to go with decorating your home in this hue!  And used with whites is a sure-fire way to garner positive attention.

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Definitely much more refined looking when such a bright colour is used as more of an accent!

But if you want to stop traffic at your next gala event, then this gown is the way to go!!!  STUNNING!!

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And just as stunning is this front door.  What a way to welcome guests to your home!

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I’m actually coveting this glorious wallpaper along with these oh so glam Steve Madden shoes!!!  Be still my beating heart!!

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In case you want to run out and paint a feature wall in this colour, Benjamin Moore has a similar colour called Tangerine Melt CC-091.

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If I have inspired you to incorporate this wonderful colour into your home or closet, here are a few tips:

1)   This hue is magical when used as an accent against a neutral background, especially with greys!

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2) Don’t be afraid to use in colour combinations such as blue & orange or pink & orange!

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Wow, I love this glamorous girly look for my Glam Cave!!

3)  Don’t be shy about incorporating this colour into your wardrobe or home decor…start off small, then go from there!

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Like this or like this……

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4)  This colour is not for everyone so if it doesn’t suit your skin tone or you absolutely hate anything orange in your home, then DON”T DO IT!!  Instead try Benjamin Moore’s 2012 colour of the year: Wythe Blue (HC-143).  I’ll blog about this colour later this week.image

So tell me….are you ready to tango with the tangerine?

If you want to know how to decorate your home for 2012, then contact me online or via twitter…I’d love to help!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

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Couldn’t resist this last image!! Want this look for spring!!

 

Picture sources:

pantone.com

bourbonandpearls.tumblr.com

decorpad.com

From casadevalentina.com.br

digsdigs.com

bhg.com

encoreuneminute.tumblr.com

sayyestohoboken.com

access.decorati.com

stevemadden.com.au

http://www.benjaminmoore.com

marthastewart.com

quintessenceblog.com

houseofturquoise.com

empireoffashion.tumblr.com

blog.shopbop.com

What Are Your Decorating Projects for 2012?

Happy New Year Everyone!!  Now that we are almost one week into 2012 have you started to think about what you want to accomplish with your home decor this year?

Well, I definitely have! Besides finishing up a some client projects and continuing to write my What’s Trending column for Dabble Magazine, I have a few personal home decor projects that I have been putting off because 2011 was a busy year for me.

The 6 projects I want to start or complete are:

-  Converting my master bedroom retreat into a ‘glam cave’

- Purchasing a few furniture/accessories for the master bedroom to finish off the room

-  Revamping my home office a bit

- Finish decorating my 2 daughters’ bedrooms

- Converting my daughters’ playroom into a homework room

So here’s a sneak peak into some of the rooms and how they look right now:

This is my retreat that is right off of my master bedroom and it is boring with a capital B!!

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Right now we only use it for watching TV some nights when the girls are in bed.  The only things that are staying is my leopard print chaise because it is oh so glam!  And my capize shell chandelier because it is stunning.  My husband doesn’t know it yet but his god-awful recliner is so outta there!!

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The TV and the stand will stay of course – but those speakers and clutter on the floor are gone!!

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When I’m done it will be a purple passion glam cave with a stunning desk and chair, lighting and dramatic wallpaper!!

Next room to revamp is the kids playroom on the second floor.  When we bought/built this home it had a nook on the second floor called the ‘homework room.’  But we made it into a small playroom for the girls to play in.

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When I’m done with this room room it will have 2 side by side desks, an art wall one one side and a chalkboard wall on the other side with lots of shelves and storage.  I also found the cutest wallpaper for the main feature wall.  It’s going to look fabulous!

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My oldest daughter’s room is another room that needs to be updated.  Her current colour scheme is black/white & pink which will stay the same.  When she’s a bit older I will paint out the pink walls.

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Mackenzie is going to get a new double bed with a  headboard that I am designing for her.  And of course, new bedding.

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This little table & chairs is going to the basement but the shelf will stay

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That bare pink wall will be full of pictures – probably a gallery wall of her competing at horse shows since she is a budding equestrian.  Also her dresser will move to this wall and she will need a funky mirror on the wall.

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Her black velvet chandelier is definitely staying.  When I purchased this glamorous piece it was because it was a piece that would grow with her – it’s not juvenile at all.

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The Candice Olsen wallpaper called “Daisy” on the feature wall will remain.  I love this wallpaper so much, and again it is something that can grow with her into her teen years.  Her funky Homesense lamps will also stay!

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The bookshelf will stay but I want to style the shelves and get rid of most of those stuffies.  I’m also planning on doing a DIY project above the shelf to hang all the ribbons she has won so far participating in the horse shows.  And of course her window seat will remain.

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The last project I will highlight today is the bedroom of my youngest daughter Mya.

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Over 2 years ago the crib above converted into the daybed below.  But now she to big for it and needs her own twin bed.  Which she will get when her sister gets a new double bed.  Now that’s what I call recycling!  Smile

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Mya’s room decor is light pink with chocolate accents – which will stay the same except I’m going to add some orange accents through wallpaper and some accessories. Also her beautiful rose chandelier will remain….that piece will grow with her.

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Because a twin bed will be coming into this room the layout will change.  That rocker will also be heading to the basement to donate.  (I have lots of fond (and not so fond) memories of nursing both babies in that rocker).IMG_5228

I’m going to keep this adorable bookshelf just change its location.  The shelf will also remain.

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Her change table which became a dresser in the short-term will be donated and she will get a big girl’s dresser.  The armoire will go to the basement but I will keep it.  It’s a beautiful piece that I will eventually paint out and keep for one of the girls or use in our future cottage.

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Mya’s room has a cathedral ceiling so she has great natural light coming from her 3 large windows – although with this dark picture you wouldn’t think so!!  I’m going to add some architectural detail to the other walls by adding paneled moulding and wallpapering inside the panels.  It should look amazing when its done..

Okay, that’s it for now.  I’m exhausted just looking at what I need to accomplish in the new few months.  My office will have to wait for another post.

So tell me, what decorating projects will you be working on in 2012?

 

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Christmas Rewind 2011

Wow….I can’t believe 2011 is almost over.  I shut down for a bit over the holidays to spend time with my husband and 2 daughters.  It’s not too often that the girls and I have our #1 man for a solid week….so I decided to just focus on the family!

But I did promise you a peak into my Christmas decor so here is “Christine’s Christmas Rewind”. We had a wonderful holiday with family and friends over on Christmas eve AND day!!   A bit crazy and hectic, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

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My darling glamour girls in front of our white Glamour tree in the living room.

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Every year I purchase a few new ornaments for my white glamour tree.  This year my husband bought me this gorgeous chandelier with lots of bling from a Christmas Store.  Isn’t it gorgeous!!

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Another chandelier ornament I got this year…..and believe it or not, I got this one at Wal-Mart.  I love mixing high and low ornaments on my tree.

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My white tree is always a Blue/White & Silver theme with lots of birds and diamond crystal motifs.

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I haven’t been into tree toppers for the last few years and instead prefer to add fullness via decorations at the top.

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Another new chandelier ornament I picked up this year.

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Diamonds are always a girl’s’ best friend!!

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The four of us have personalized silver ornaments on the tree each year!

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This is my fireplace mantle in the living room….again all glamour with lots of sparkle!

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Don’t you love my ice crystals….they look like diamond chips or frozen ice chips on my mantle.

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This is my stunning 3-piece mosaic Christmas tree that greets visitors when they walk into the front foyer.  It can look blue or purple depending on the light.

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This is my console table in the foyer.  Unfortunately, my purple feather wreath fell off the mirror above so I just set it behind my purple decor boxes.

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If you look in the mirror you can see one of my 2’ foot Santa on the staircase landing.

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The girls love my miniature purple trees and of course, the purple Diva Deer (as we nicknamed her).  She oversees the family room purple tree!

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And here is our purple passion Christmas tree that resides in the family room!!

 

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And of course, we all have ornaments that reflect our personalities!   Yup, that fancy shoe is mine!  Winking smile

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A Mickey Mouse keepsake from one of our Disney March Break vacations.

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Our eldest is a budding equestrian.

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Our youngest is the dancer of the family.

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Butterflies, birds and peacock feathers is a common theme with our decor this year.

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I purchased a few fun ornaments like this chevron one and the polka-dot one below!! (sorry for the blurry shots)

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I chose orange and green accents to offset all the purple this year.

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I used lots of purple wrapping paper to pretty up the bottom of the tree.

 

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We hosted 15 guests on Christmas eve and had a seafood extravaganza of lobster, crab and jumbo shrimp.   Mmmmmmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

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My husband is the cook and I set the table….one of my most favourite things to do when we are entertaining.

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This year all my guests took home this crystal diamond ornament used as a napkin ring.

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Place settings are also a must!

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One of my favourite traditions each holiday season is putting a cracker by each place setting.  Everyone wears their silly paper hats and each person has a chance to read out their funny joke to the table.  My holiday crackers are actually purple but they look blue in this picture.DSC06835

And then this is what we woke up to Christmas morning!l Open-mouthed smile

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Hope you too had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends.  Thanks for hanging out while I did a not-so-quick Christmas rewind.

All the best heading into new year’s eve!!

Christine xoxo

 

 

All Photos: Decor by Christine

What a wonderful time of the year!!!

 

 

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Christmas Inspiration Days 7–14: Christmas Trees from around the world!!

Hi, with Christmas just around the corner, I have been super crazy busy getting ready for the holidays and trying to tie up some loose ends with design clients this past week.  And I am pretty sure you would say the same thing back to me.

So below is a gorgeous tree for every day that I missed since my last Christmas Inspiration blog post !  Hope you enjoy these Christmas trees from around the world.  Some of these trees are utterly amazing and creative. So it’s nice to take just a little break from all the hoopla, and just sit back and take in the magic of Christmas.

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The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington , D.C. , is decorated with 3,000 ornaments that are the handiwork of U.S. schoolchildren. Encircling evergreens in the ‘Pathway of Peace’ represent the 50 U.S. states.

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The world’s largest Christmas tree display rises up the slopes of Monte Ingino outside of Gubbio, in Italy ‘s Umbria region. Composed of about 500 lights connected by 40,000 feet of wire, the ‘tree’ is a modern marvel for an ancient city

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A Christmas tree befitting Tokyo ‘s night-time neon display is projected onto the exterior of the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka.

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Illuminating the Gothic facades of Prague’s Old Town Square, and casting its glow over the manger display of the famous Christmas market, is a grand tree cut in the Sumava mountains in the southern Czech Republic.

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Venice ‘s Murano Island renowned throughout the world for its quality glasswork is home to the tallest glass tree in the world. Sculpted by master glass blower Simone Cenedese, the artistic Christmas tree is a modern reflection of the holiday season.

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Moscow celebrates Christmas according to the Russian Orthodox calendar on Jan. 7. For weeks beforehand, the city is alive with festivities in anticipation of Father Frost’s arrival on his magical troika with the Snow Maiden. He and his helper deliver gifts under the New Year tree, or yolka, which is traditionally a fir.

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The largest Christmas tree in Europe (more than 230 feet tall) can be found in the Praca do Comercio in Lisbon , Portugal . Thousands of lights adorn the tree, adding to the special enchantment of the city during the holiday season.

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‘Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree’: Even in its humblest attire, aglow beside a tiny chapel in Germany ‘s Karwendel mountains, a Christmas tree is a wondrous sight.

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Ooh la la Galeries Lafayette! In Paris , even the Christmas trees are chic. With its monumental, baroque dome, plus 10 stories of lights and high fashion, it’s no surprise this show-stopping department store draws more visitors than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower

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In addition to the Vatican ‘s heavenly evergreen, St. Peter’s Square in Rome hosts a larger-than-life nativity scene in front of the obelisk.

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The Christmas tree that greets revelers at the Puerta del Sol is dressed for a party. Madrid ‘s two-week celebration makes millionaires along with merrymakers. On Dec. 22, a lucky citizen will win El Gordo (the fat one), the world’s biggest lottery.

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A token of gratitude for Britain ‘s aid during World War II, the Christmas tree in London ‘s Trafalgar Square has been the annual gift of the people of Norway since 1947.

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Drink a glass of gluhwein from the holiday market at the Romer, Frankfurt ‘s city hall since 1405 and enjoy a taste of Christmas past

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Against a backdrop of tall, shadowy firs, a rainbow trio of Christmas trees lights up the night (location unknown).

Deep sigh. Ok, 10 more days!!!  Back to panic mode.  Gotta go!!!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Christmas Inspiration Day 5: A glimpse into my Christmas decorating theme

Believe it or not, I’m still not 100% finished decorating my home even though I started at the end of November!!  And I won’t be getting my real tree until this weekend.  But in the meantime, I though I would show you how I have incorporated my Purple passion Christmas theme into my home so far!!

If you know me well, then you know how much I love wine.  So it only makes sense that my dining room table centrepiece is made out of full length wine staves from the barrel.  And its the perfect vessel to display my ornaments.

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I’m really pleased how my purple ornaments in varying sizes along with my purple table runner look on my dining room table. It’s very dramatic and glamorous flanked by my mirrored candelabras.

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My Lucite reindeer and snowballs are on prominent display on my sideboard, alongside my mother’s silver tea/coffee set that she gave me so it has a lot of sentimental value (BTW: it needs a good polishing)

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These snowballs are just Styrofoam balls with fake snow glued all over…..what an easy DIY project.  I actually found these at the Dollar Store and thought they were fabulous!!  And a great deal!!

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On my other sideboard, I added a very glamorous mirrored tray to house my bar accessories.  Love my glittery nutcracker hidden among the martini utensils and wine decanter. 

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My purple theme will flow into the family room with the real tree as the focal point – once my hubby chops it down this weekend.  So right now all I have decorated is the mantel and a side console table.  The fireplace is not finished because I haven’t hung the stockings yet.  I bought some really gorgeous purple peacock feathered stockings at the end of the season last year so I am looking forward to putting them up.  They will go perfectly with my purple & green peacock feathered trees.

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That’s a purple fur throw in the brown basket by the fireplace.

Here’s a close up of my feathered trees….aren’t they stunning???

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I love symmetry as you can see by the way I displayed my candle holders and trees on the mantle.  Once the room is finished I will put up new pictures so you can see the final result.

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And of course, we need more sparkle with my sparkly purple cones by the hearth.  Christmas is definitely the time to go overboard with lots of sparkle, glitz and glamour!!!

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One of the accent colours to go with my purple theme is orange and bronze…and I showcase this colour scheme with an assortment of ornaments in these colours.  I found these adorable and very glam deer and the tiny nutcracker at Bouclair.  My 2 daughters love the glittery purple deer.

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Here’s a better look! Have you noticed the feather theme going on here!! Feathers are very hot this season in ornaments.

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Next week I will show you my purple tree in all its glory, the foyer AND my white glamour tree that resides in front of the living room window for all to see!.  Yes, every year I have 2 trees!

Well I hope you enjoyed a peek into my Christmas decor, and that I was able to inspire your own Christmas decorating in some way.

Leave me a comment and tell me how you are decorating you home for Christmas this year.

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Christmas Inspiration Day 3: All White Christmas Decor

I have always been intrigued by creating an all-white Christmas theme….and after seeing these magnificent pictures, I definitely intend on doing it one of these years. 

So if an all-white Christmas theme is something you would like to do this season, then here are some pretty pictures to inspire you!!

 

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From shabbynest.blogspot.com

 

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From citified.blogspot.com

 

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From design-decor-staging.com

 

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From agrablewski.com

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From countryliving.com

 

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From marthastewart.com

 

White really is oh so glamorous!!  Hope these gorgeous pictures inspired you as much as they inspired me!!!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

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