Monday, December 28, 2009

Nooks and Granny's

This might be the shortest blog post in Highlowaha history. I arrived in New York yesterday and am about to embark on three solid days of sight seeing with my German exchange student, Pola.

Conserving energy is the name of the game.

I love returning to my New York home. When I walk in the door I am instantly reminded of how great my mother's taste is and what a knack she has for making simple things look beautiful. Since my sisters and I have grown up and moved out of the house, my mom doesn't embark on a full-fledged tree every year (thank goodness, since then she could relinquish her ornaments to me). Instead, she creates festive nooks and crannies in unsuspecting places around the house.

Take a look at a few...

This is on the coffee table in the living room
This is the front window of the study. Greenery, gold balls, and small gold trees.
This is a small lamp stand (I cut off the top of the picture). I love the look of overflowing jewels.
This was tucked away on top of the coat closet! Extra points if you notice the pot with the flower pens.
This is a picture of the window sill in the kitchen.
This chandelier is hanging over the dining room table. The picture SO is not doing it justice. Trust me when I tell you it is beautiful
This small bowl of glass ornaments sits in the corner of the dining room
I could go on. I didn't photograph the branches and red glass balls perched in the stairwell, the large icicles and snowflakes hanging from Pola's bedroom window, the Santa Claus on the dresser in my room, or the crystal wreath hanging in the bathroom.

My mother is one of a kind. She has a great sense of aesthetics and an amazing eye for that which is tasteful and elegant. Coming home to such a beautifully decorated home is one reminder of why my mom shines!

Before holiday decorations start being put away, tell me about one of your favorites. Me, I've gotta go. We have a 9:20 train to catch.

8 comments:

Chaotic Kristi said...

one of my fave decorations? Our Yule Log. We do not have a fireplace for a "traditional" log :-( but we found an antique wooden 12-hole candy mold on a weekend jaunt. We've placed a collared clear glass votive in each hole and we light tea lights in it every night. :-)

Robin said...

Well Claudia, it looks like we now know where you get your shine gene from! Have a blast with Pola and I'm glad you're getting a chance to go home for a bit.

Cheryl Houston said...

I hope you and Pola have a great time in NY! Your mom is awesome. Favorite decoration? Growing up it was the bubble lights my mom had. You know the kind that look like a candle but they have a liquid in them? Once the light heats the water up they bubble. Now- I don't really have one thing that stands out. I was so ready to have my house back in some kind of order I took everything down yesterday when I got home. I just have the outside lights to put away.

Kat said...

Hope you have a fun trip!
My favorite decoration this year was my Christmas ball wreath that I made for the front door. I am really ready to take everything down, but we will see when that actually happens.

Cheryl Houston said...

I am so BORED at work today and y'all are all out having fun! Claudia is in NY, Katie is in KY, Heather is in KY, Peggy is in Chicago... I want to be... well, really I just want to be at home.

end rant.

Katie said...

My favorite decoration has to be a plate that my mom has that she puts out during the winter. On the plate it is decorated with two snowmen. The text on the plate reads "Friends stick together" and the two snowmen are stuck together. I love it and just reminds me of the importance of the holidays and the love that I feel this time of year!

Cheryl- I'm sorry you're stuck at work. If it makes you feel any better it's FREEZING here!!!

Claudia @ Highlowaha said...

Hi, everyone.

Checking in after a long day of site seeing. Today was downtown . Tomorrow - midtown.

The weather is supposed to be much colder. Wish me luck. I hate cold weather.

Anonymous said...

Love the play on words for the title. Great pictures...my favorite decoration right now if the fire place mantle... I got the stocking hooks that spell out NOEL and with the lights and beads and garland.... love how our homemade stockings look!

So, was downtown Chicago at 22 degrees colder than NYC?

anon AKA Peggy