From Louis

********This year I thought it might be fun to give you a special “sneak peek” into our home, and how we decorate for Christmas…..Over the years Jac and I have collected, made and received many Christmas decorations. With every new Christmas that comes….we gather the decorations from high and low…..open the boxes where they are carefully stored….and the memories come flooding back. Above, are pictures of the “Family Room” or as I like to call it…”The Gathering Room”, where family and friends gather for an evening by the fire with traditional Christmas music playing softly in the background.. Every Christmas we have two trees. The 10 foot tree in the Family room, and the smaller tree on the sun porch. This smaller tree we call “Jac’s Mother’s Tree”, because it is filled with her mother’s ornaments and lights. The lighthouse and ship ornaments were  purchased during a trip we all took together in Kennebunkport over 11 years ago….It’s always a little melancholy putting up this tree, but there are always lots of good memories too……It is our tradition to open a bottle of Port, light the fire, play Christmas music and decorate the tree. “Our Tree” is filled with ornaments we have collected, and there are many from some very “dear” friends. A few years back we had a catastrophe, and lost many ornaments….so if you look very closely…you will find ornaments that may be a little broken….we call them the survivors, and we felt they had a right to shine again….so proudly they hang from the tree. When my father was still with us….I would have him collect bags filled to the brim with pine cones. He had three magnificent pine trees on his property that produced the most beautiful cones. At a certain point I had to say “Dad…STOP….I have more pine cones than I know what to do with”. I only wish I had never stopped him and had him today collecting the pine cones for me. Jac and I made everything with those cones….wreaths and center pieces abound. On one of the tables I have them piled in a silver bowl. I had painted the tips of each cone white to look like snow. I have them all over the house grouped on book shelves and tables. My father is never far away….. This year we have added to our collection.  Jac fell in love with the Valerie Parr Hill small silver porcelain Christmas trees that light up, and we have them scattered, and grouped about the room. Everyone wants to know where we got them…… We really do enjoy ourselves, and when the decorating is all finished and the lights are a glow…..it is a beautiful and happy sight……Jac always says…..she feels like five gain……………………Merry Christmas everyone!……………..all our Love……….Jac, Louis and the girls

**************The Living Room is just off the Gathering Room at one end, and the Dining Room at the other. The floral slip covers on the couches and arm chairs were supposed to be for the summer only, but they looked so festive we leave them on all year, and just take them off to be cleaned. One year we spent a wonderful time in Amsterdam and traveled all over the Netherlands. Jac’s family is from Brugge, so it was a wonderful trip for us to take. We bought some lovely old delft Christmas balls and have them in a silver basket. Almost all of the other decorations in the room we made…all except the center piece on the bar table in front of the decanters…..and the Candy canes in the English porcelain cup. We purchased many of the center pieces, in all sizes, and took some apart to decorate the small trees on the bar, and elsewhere in the house. The large tree with the red birds on the coffee table we also made….actually there are 7 of them around the house…..there are my father’s pine cones again!. Jac did all of the needlepoint pillows and Jac’s mother crocheted the blanket on the couch. Her mother, Marianne, and I would take  trips to the yarn store, and  she and I would pick out the colors for the many blankets she made for us over the years. It was something that just the two of us did….many memories, many good times and many laughs. She is all over our home………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

**************Many of the decorations in the house Jac and I made. We are pretty proficient with a glue gun. The little trees above sit on a table in our dining room. When we got them years ago they were bare. Out came the glue guns, the nuts, the fake berries, tiny birds, the ribbon and voila. On the far wall in the Gathering Room, on a long Chinese scroll table, sits two sleighs that we also decorated with the handy glue gun…..added this year….the little trees from Valerie…………..Have  happy Holiday, and if you are traveling…..a safe one!

A few more photos I quickly snapped around the house……………In the upstairs hall there is a long table…..upon which sits a grape vine Angel which we decorated with box wood, white berries and a variety of things. Along side the angel are two topiaries that we also decorated. The fireplace in the living room has garlands of pine, faux fruit and real pine cones….from you know who. There are two more little decorated trees at each end. Perching  on the mantel…off to the right is a pheasant that flew in to wish us all a Happy Holiday. The pictures at the extreme bottom right are of the “Green Room”, or sitting room. The walls are covered in green velvet and when the little fire place is on…..it’s a very cozy room to “hang” in. There is a game table in this room, and when Jac and I are in the mood….we will have a game of Backgammon and sip a Port…..or else it’s a wonderful place to sit on Sunday morning with a cup of tea and read the papers……………..I hope you have enjoyed this little tour of our home, and again…..Jac and I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year………………………………………………………………………..much Love………………………….Louis

Hi everyone!….I will be making a quick appearance tomorrow night on PM Style…..I think with Sandra, but not sure……it should be interesting. I will be showing one item….the classic turtleneck….but…..pay special attention to Kate! I will have her decked out in the new DROP EARRING in the jet, the new CLUSTER NECKLACE in the jet, and two, one on each arm, DIAMOND BRACELETS in the silver /clear combo. I don’t necessarily think that many of you will wear these pieces all together, but I only have one opportunity to showcase the new pieces before Christmas….so I’m piling it on!………….I have meeting the next day so I’m killing two birds with one stone…….Jac is getting a reprieve……she won’t be coming down with me…..way too much to do at home……..Happy Holiday……..much Love, Louis