Web

11/17/2012

Blessing Design Christmas Home Tours

This year the proceeds went to Julie and Debbie's families. Two very sweet ladies that could write a book with the big obstacles they have faced in life. Yet they keep smiling and sharing their love to others.
I fixed a little hostess gift from my company. For each one of these lovely ladies that opened their homes for the showing. Added a chicks and hen to some pines for the garland. 
So yesterday with great anticipation I waited for the time to arrive,to start this tour.
These were the 5 homes and one store featured in this years tour.
So my friend Rachel picked me up and we started going down the road talking fast so we could to catch up on each others life. Since we havn't seen each other in what seemed for ever.
First we stopped at Amy Schlabach's house.
She is not only a sweet person but has the knack to decorate. Loved her style in how she brought old pieces in the new house they had build.
When I read this couldn't believe there was only 39 days till Christmas.
She painted these chairs and made this pillow. She also has a blog Blessing Design Team.
We were served amazing chocolate.
Who would have thought of putting these old bells with the candles.
This was another piece in her foyer that I admired.
Loved her teal and lime green colors to blended together through out the house.
What a wise idea to cover this tub was attached by Velcro.
This old cabinet held her bath towels.
She added tacks and picture frames to give detail to this library table.
She displayed these ornaments on candle sticks.
Was such cozy house with fire place burning.
It is hard to see in this picture but this was displayed on her back deck.
Next we were off to Jill Sisson's house and we were greeted by this cutie.
The tone was wonderfully set as we entered the music from the piano flowed through out the house.
Her tree had so much detail and you could tell she spend a lot of love on it. Liked the birds on it.
She had a big open kitchen where she served cheese ball and sparkling grape juice.
One of my favorite things I like to see are Christmas mantles and how they are all decorated differently.
So on and off went the blue booties and we were off to find the next one.
This the walkway to Mary Yoder's house.
She used gallon glass jars with sand and candles along her walkway.
She had a very cozy front porch. For this gift wrap she used newspaper and a burlap bow.
Loved this old cabinet in the entry way. Mary has a blog is call Porchswings N' Honeysuckle you will want to hit that link and see that she does most of her Diy decorating and renovating on her own and on cents.
Here she just took off her closet door and made a little holding area for her families cloth and shoes.
What a great idea to make yourself a mantle if you don't have a fireplace. She also stung together pine cones for the garland.
I'm using this idea to put my skinny trees in my old crocks.
As I looked out the back window I noticed she even had a little tree in her potting shed.
Liked this redo and the phone too.
She had a beautiful kitchen that on some of the cabinets she left the doors off.
Loved this big jar of flour that was setting on counter top waiting for the holiday baking to start. I'll try and not use the word LOVE more then is needed in this blog. ;)
She also had the pans she used hanging above the island with a granite bowl filled with silver ornaments.
She had all 3 levels of her home open for the showing. Downstairs was where she did her canning. Here they added a little counter top for a bar.
My guess is her husband made this too.
At this home the Design Team served cookies.
They have two boys and she decorated their rooms so adorable.
Wow! what great idea.
Think one might be into fishing and thee other one must like horses.
Her studio was also upstairs was very bright and
cheery.
Liked how she had this cloth brush hanging out to use. This is something every Amish home has,since they wear allot dark colors and it is to brush off the link. But also want to share Mary and her family were Amish till a couple years ago. So she has converted her house from Amish to what it is now. As you can tell all these ladies doing the showings are very creative women.
This was in her master bedroom. She took twigs and painted them white to make her own tree.
Its hard to see in this picture but she also made her own trees out of boxwood for the centerpiece's for her table.
These are her boys.
Her coffee table is made from an old window.
She had old beams I didn't get a picture of that lead to this little nook in her kitchen. Loved how she did chalk board paint on the one door.
I can not wait for me to finish this blog and dig into revamping my house with the things I already have.
As the dusk was setting
we left one oasis to find the next one.
So off we were talking and driving in the rolling hills of Holmes County. We found this historic house in the quaint little town of Winesburg.
As we opened the front door we were pleasantly surprised with the Hiland Choir group singing
in harmony.
This old house was very unique and was decorated kind of vintage too. It took you back in time.
With the long candlesticks and the fruit they used in with
the holiday greens.
Another cozy fireplace. This was the home of Jean Agha-Khan.
We were send off to the next one with a candy cane and a bag of party mix.
Our next stop was Rebecca Miller's house. She had a big long cozy porch with a real tree on it.
She used these wooden boxes for her gifts under the tree on porch.

Wondering if these were maybe her husband Jim's skates. Shh don't tell him. He will think I'm saying he's old.
Once again there was candy for thee decorators eye everywhere.
.
This was the setting on the mantle.
Am scared you think this blogs to long. Please hang in there with me,it will be worth the extra long tour of these 5 amazing homes as I show you the grand finale.
Great idea to put this road sign on top of a old stand.
She also served us. There were specialty coffee drinks and the yummiest mini cinnamon rolls that melted in your mouth.
I snuck two. OK maybe three.
Here is one of the team fixing me a drink.
Liked this display above the bar.
What great idea with the hanging pine cones.
This house had joy too.
She was telling me about when she brought this beauty home from antique store and how her husband wanted her to paint it.
Liked how she created a privacy wall for her co mote with this shutter and old barn door.
Isn't that brilliant.
It's the entry from her master bedroom into the bathroom.
Also liked the display of this.
You know me and my compassion on canning. Think I had to choose from 10 picture from this display for the blog.
Also liked this big mug displayed on top of this mustard cabinet.
Rebecca and my friendship go way back to when I was a teenager and was a waitress with her at Der Dutchman's. She used to of kind of take me under her wing and softly spoke wisdom into my life and she has one of those bubbly laughs that you can never get enough of. She now owns Rebecca's Bistro. (which I just previously wrote a blog on)
She had this stocking hanging
on top of her cozy bed.
Wondering who else shes having this holiday other then her family of six. She has two sons with beautiful wifes.
Found this setting in her guest bathroom.
Have to share you the story on the curtains. Here friend Barb told her that she
needs to move the curtain rods up above the windows. She said she needs to find black velvet material to add onto the top of curtains and they had a hard time finding the material. So Rebecca says well I have this black velvet skirt I sometimes wear.
And Vala! you got an amazing new look.
Here was another great idea. She took scrap piece of laminated flooring and flipped it over on back side and painted on it. Look out Allen you are so totally doing this one for me. It would be a great Christmas present.
OK sorry I'm back to the blog again. So as we stopped at Walnut Creek Cheese for a wrap up of our night. Our hearts,brains,belly's and souls were filled. Hoping this blog inspired you to make your homes cozy with what you have and to share it with others.
 
 
 

2 comments:

Mary said...

Thanks again for the go go bars...they were delicious! Great job on posting about the tour!

Mary said...

Forgot to say that I'm going to try and plant that little hen&chick plant that you fixed up with the granola bars. So cute! Thanks!

Blogging tips