I hope that each and every one of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. As for us, we spent 4 days enjoying family, friends, food and good times. I've been battling a sinus infection (yuck), but let me tell you, that didn't stop me from having a great time with loved ones this past week. Since just this past Wednesday, my husband and I have enjoyed: a date night at Empire State South (read about sister restaurant 5 and 10 in one of my Athens-centered posts, here), a performance by Yacht Rock Revue - y'all recall how we love this band! - at classic Atlanta haunt Smith's Old Bar, two days of family get-togethers, and a smashing wedding reception for one of my oldest friends and his lovely bride (they married about a month ago on a mountain-top in the northeast - how romantic is that?) Oh, and lest I forget, we also enjoyed watching another delicious win (4 in a row, to be exact) for our beloved Georgia Bulldogs over in-state rival Georgia Tech. It was a great weekend for the Forlines!
Before I get to the meat of today's post, I have to share a quote that I have shamelessly stolen from my good friend and favorite stationer's blog. Of course I am referring to the lovely Callie of Calliespondence. (I've blogged about her talent before, and you can revisit that post here). She posted this on Thanksgiving, and I share this sentiment exactly. Thank you Callie!
Now on to my main thoughts today, which have turned in gleeful anticipation to Christmas. I must admit that I am one of those people who unabashedly loves to decorate early. However, I haven't decked our halls just yet, but am working on it. As such, I wanted to share some gems I've discovered in the past few years that might give you an extra resource or two for your holiday decor needs, especially those of you in the metro-Atlanta area:
1. Tradition Trees
678.732.9676
info@traditiontrees.com
I am so excited to be trying this well-reviewed service for this first time this year! This is an Atlanta company that specializes in delivery, installation, and post-holiday removal of Christmas trees. How convenient is that?! You may remember that Wes and I were on the Avondale Estates Christmas Tour of Homes last year, and I was just-nuts-enough to put up three full-size Christmas trees, and two smaller ones. Here are most of them:
This year, I am only putting up one full-size tree (my husband, God bless him and wherever he is as I write this post, just breathed a sigh of relief). With a little one who's walking this year, that will be enough to keep us busy.
Even so, we decided to take advantage of the convenience and ease of this service. The guys are super friendly, they have 5 convenient locations throughout the metro Atlanta area, and the prices are reasonable. Oh, and they also partner with several excellent Atlanta charities, including the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and are generous in their giving back to the community. Can't beat that, now can you? I am eager to report that Tradition Trees will be delivering and setting up our Christmas tree tonight!
2. The Magnolia Company
This is another company that I am excited to be utilizing for the first time this year! As many of you probably guessed, this is a company that specializes in Magnolia wreaths and garlands. According to the holiday decorating bible (I'm only half kidding), Southern Living, and several other sources, this is the original and one of the best sites to order your Southern holiday greenery from. This year, I've decided to add a few Magnolia wreaths and some garland to our holiday swag, and I can't wait to see how it turns out.
I first read about this pop-up holiday shop in Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles (see their blog about this shop, here), and am so excited to check it out.
As AH&L's blog puts it:
Enterprising garden and floral designer Marie-Laure Coste Dujols . . . extends her well-cultivated sense of beauty and nature to her projects for Le Jardin Francais, her highly regarded Atlanta-based floral, garden and event design company. So naturally, we’d expect nothing less than such brilliance from her holiday pop-up shop, Boutique de Noel, located at the Westside Urban Market. Boutique de Noel stocks amazing European holiday décor, boxwood topiaries, potted bulbs, wreaths made from a variety of natural materials and much more. Sophisticated, elegant and charming are fitting adjectives to describe the display, which remains open through December 20. We think you’ll find it as lovely as Coste Dujols herself.
1198-B Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, GA 30318. (404) 792-1680; lejardinfrancais.com
4. Dixie Delights Blog
Y'all, this is a blog not to be missed.... and especially this time of year. The author of this blog, whom Catherine and I have enjoyed getting to know through the blogging world, is a die-hard lover of all things Christmas and all things Southern. She loves to decorate, and she is already completely finished with her Yuletide decorating. Check out a few of my favorite pictures, and then be sure to visit her site to check it all out further.
5. Christmas at Callanwolde
I went to this fabulous event last year and it is now one of my Christmas-musts! Check out just a few photos from 2011...
As the website for this event puts it:
"The magnificent 27,000 sq. ft. Gothic-Tudor mansion is transformed by Atlanta's top interior and floral designers. Period furniture, designer treasures, fine art and dazzling Christmas trees reflect an English Classic Christmas reminiscent of when the prominent Candler family lived here. Visitors delight in seasonal shopping, special family activities, entertaining cabaret nights and holiday music played on the Aeolian pipe organ."
- When: December 7 through 18, 2012
Weekdays and Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sundays: 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Extended Evening Hours, Fridays: 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where:Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
980 Briarcliff Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30306 • 404-872-5338
General Admission Tickets
Adults: $20.00
Seniors 65+: $15.00
Children Ages 4-12: $12.00
Children 3 and under: Free
Tickets may be purchased online or at the door.
- As you can see, I've got lots to keep me busy for awhile! Y'all get on out there, and start decorating!
xoxo
Lindsay
No comments:
Post a Comment