A Review of: Christmas at Designers' Homes Across America (McMillan) & Making Orange Pomander Trees

Christmas in Designer Homes Across America by Catherine K McMillan and Patricia Hart McMillan Catherine K McMillan is the former lifestyle editor of Florida magazine and has co-authored a dozen books on various aspects of design that she and her mother Patricia Hart McMillan have co-authored. two books together, including this one. Patricia is the author of 15 books on design and architecture and remains active as a design consultant. Rose Gilbert, a syndicated design columnist, writes at the beginning of this book. I have a little confession: if a woman can be a voyeur, then I am one, but only at Christmas, when the tree lights begin to shine inside my neighbors' houses.

I can't resist watching your vacation. There are so many ways to dress your home for this colorful and joyful season of the year. writing Christmas has always been a magical time for me my childhood Christmas is still a colorful blur of plump tree lights and little bubble lights our first snowfalls came in boxes we used to Blizzard this little landscape we created under the tree I also remember tinsel icicles that had to be painstakingly covered one by one and only from the tips of tree branches, this book invites you into the

homes

of

designers

such as Christopher Radko John Lyle Cecil Hayes Mary Helen McCoy Howard Wiggins Keith Carrington and many more to whom this house belongs Christopher Radko, most of Christopher radko's personal Christmas decorations date back to the early 19th century, the New York Times has dubbed him the czar of Christmas gifts, all because he rekindled the love that millions have for old Christmas tree decorations.

The stranger says that his ornaments adorned the

trees

. by Bruce Springsteen Dolly Parton Elton John Al Pacino Mikhail Barishnikov and Julie Andrews also says it was Barbra Streisand who convinced him to make Hanukkah ornaments among collectors of his ornaments were Jimmy Stewart Lauren Bacall Catherine Hepburn Gregory Peck and Elizabeth Taylor Mullins a foreign designer of Hazelhurst Georgia displays her Nutcracker collection in her den, also known as The Nutcracker Room. It contains more than 2,500 nutcrackers. Nearly 400 color images offer readers dazzling visions of Christmas from leading

designers

. Scenes usually reserved for family and friends to which the reader is invited.

These personal spaces will be inspired by your decorating strategies and practical ingenuity. While you get expert tips for preserving both fresh and artificial

trees

and caring for ornaments, see how designers use unusual color combinations and centerpieces and how one designer uses broken ornaments to catch the light. base for glass faces, this book is a treasure, showcasing unique holiday ideas from some of the country's most talented interior designers who share not only their aesthetic tastes but also family holiday traditions and favorite holiday rituals. Christmas in designer

homes

. Across America written by Catherine K McMillan and Patricia Hart McMillan, this book is 256 pages long, published by Schiffer Publishing Limited and is currently selling for $45 per my thoughtful gift suggestion.

It's something you can make an

orange

Palmer Tree with. All you need is a small foam tree forms some spiked popsicle sticks and both can be found at any craft store. About 15 small

orange

s, a few whole cloves, and greenery from your garden is a great idea for a hostess or neighbor gift. Palmanders are a tradition in the fall and winter, especially at Christmas, they are a picturesque reminder of the days when plants were the main decoration of Christmas. Pine boughs adorned the mantel and the Christmas trees were adorned with cranberry cookies and candles. Pomend, which we think of as fruit embedded with dried cloves, was another traditional decoration lovingly made to brighten the winter holidays, but the history of this fragrant tradition goes back further than we might imagine.

There was a time when oranges symbolized the Christmas season, as they were so rare that they were only purchased for this special holiday. and spices were imported from faraway places,

making

clothing another luxury item, but going back even further in history, the pomender was once a different kind of status symbol, so precious that no one from the middle class could have allowed one. Palmanders were once made of gold or silver and were one of many odor-dispersing devices invented in the Middle Ages to ward off unpleasant odors that were commonly associated with illness and unhappiness. Palmanders can be found in many royal portraits such as this one of Queen Elizabeth, the first in the 18th and 19th centuries.

For centuries pomade was a gift often presented at Christmas to make this tree, simply take your oranges and with the pointed end of the wooden stick make small holes in the orange. By doing this, it will be easier to place the cloves into the orange. Place the nails randomly, you can make a pattern or just distribute them evenly. The fragrance of the cloves in the orange was really wonderful when you finished placing the cloves in the orange and were ready to attach them to the foam. Push the barbed end of the popsicle stick through the top of the odd end of the orange into the tree, starting with the greenery, first place a generous amount around the tree, it may be difficult to secure some of the branches, but when Join the oranges, it is usually fixed.

Vegetate very well and continue doing this until the entire tree shape is covered. I used my glue gun in a couple of places to make sure the tree was completely covered with greenery. I added an orange to the top of my tree and placed a red bow on top. This was my first orange palm under a tree and I was pleased with the result. It was pretty easy. It's pretty, but the fragrance is really the draw of this gift. I finished decorating the living room. I hung Holly from the chandelier. a special Bobble I received on my 21st birthday, my birthday is in May, but this ornament was covered with lily of the valley which is the flower of the month of May.

Foreign, foreign, this room with light traditional touches. I like to bring gifts and scatter them. around the house and not just under the Christmas tree there is something about seeing a gift in a random place that sparks interest and brings joy this year it will be the 96th Christmas celebrated in this house Several years ago we contacted the granddaughter of George Bailey who built the house in 1926 was 95 years old and shared with us that she spent many Christmases sitting by this fireplace and falling asleep waiting for Santa. She also told us that she remembered two nutcrackers that her grandmother placed on each side of the fireplace to think about doing the same. himself abroad.

I have several Duncan 5 style pieces of furniture in this room. Duncan 5 was born in Scotland and immigrated to the United States in 1791. Abroad, my mother purchased this nativity scene in 1962. and I remember as a child her examining every detail with Wonder. I would like to wish everyone a happy and joyful Thanksgiving and thank you for watching. I hope you will join me again on Saturday for another

review

.