Holiday Decorating With Fresh Greenery: Getting Ready For Shopping in a Winter Wonderland at The Farmington Valley Arts Center

The Only Holiday Greens I Knew About (Until Yesterday) Were Spinach and Kale 
I am very proud to announce that yesterday marked the first time I helped decorate for Christmas. I've had a lot of experience with blue and white banners, dreidels and this year Thanksgiving latkes, but not much floor time with greens and wreaths. In fact, the only greens I really know about are spinach and kale. 

Decorating The Farmington Valley Arts Center For Winter Wonderland 

So please understand  it was a big deal for me to show up at holiday workshop to help make holiday swags to adorn the outside posts and doors at The Farmington Valley Arts Center in Avon, CT. where I have my art studio (Studio 9B). 



Getting To Know My Holiday Decorating Greens 

I arrived to our beloved classroom in 3A ( a place I have taken many classes before I became "a real artist" LOL). It was there that I was introduced to a whole new variety of holiday "greens" gathered from the landscape around the art center and brought in from our artist's gardens.  I learned that you can use, White Pine, Virginia Pine, Junipers (fragrant), True Cedars, Firs, Spruce, Ivy, Holly (green and variegated) and many Evergreens such as Hemlock. 

Making Holiday Swags Is A Hand's On Experience: Protect Your Hands

By the end of the afternoon, I had a whole new appreciation of the bounty that was available for FREE. But let's get back to the actual hands on experience. You need to be prepared for working with your hands and protecting your hands. Old gloves are helpful. Forget about using the thin surgical gloves that many of us Mixed Media artists use in our studios. You will never be able to wrap wire around your bunches of greens with rubber goves on. You'll get all jammed up, trust me!

Making Holiday Swags

So what actually is a holiday swag? It is an arrangement of greens bound with wire, a colorful holiday ribbon and dressed with embellishments such as coloroful ribbons and bows, berries or  acorns if you wish. After the first four swags I made...the rest were a piece of cake. Making the bows was another story. 

You can see our holiday swags this Friday night, December 6th, 2013 at The Farmington Valley Arts Center Open Studios and Shopping in A Winter Wonderland 6:00-9:00 pm. Sample chocolates in each of the studios and visit The Drezner Holiday Gift Gallery and the Fisher Gallery for a wonderful glimmering exhibit.

For more information visit: http://artsfvac.org/37th-annual-candlelight-opening/

Vintage Holiday Decorating With Red, White, Green Housewares,Textiles, Collectibles

Retro Christmas Decorating With Collectible     Kitchenwares, Linens, Tins 

Using red  and green vintage textiles, ceramics, housewares and linens from the 1940-1950s is a great way to add holiday spirit to your home at this time.  Red, green and white was a very common combination of colors in the 1940s and early 1950s so that you will have an easy time finding collectibles in these colors.

Thrifty Holiday Decorating For Christmas

The beauty of decorating your home for the  holidays using vintage linens, housewares and decorative accessories is that you  can accomplish so much with a small budget.

Nostalgic Decor For Your Holiday Home

And unlike manufactured store bought household goods, vintage treasures are durable and nostalgic.
Baby boomers who grew up in the 1940s-1950s can share older styles with their families and create new versions of holiday decorating.

The latest slogan is that old is the new new!  

Here are some ideas of vintage home and kitchen collectibles that will look nice for Christmas.

Vintage Holiday Ideas In RED  WHITE GREEN

1. crocheted potholders
2. vintage cookie or candy tins
3. old ceramic planters
4. glass pitchers
5. colorful vintage tablecloths
6. kitchen canisters
7. picnic tins
8. beverage glasses
9. trays
10. barware
11.napkins
12. tea towels
13. carts
14. stools
15. shelves

16. old holiday cards
17. vintage dishes
18. vintage ornaments
19. kitchen utensils
20. serving pieces


Photos courtesy of :

Main Street Antiques, Semour, CT

Farms Village Antiques , West Simsbury, CT  http://www.farmsvillageantiques.com/

 C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Decorating Your Home Or Antique Shop In Vintage Holiday Style

How To Decorate For The Holidays In Vintage Style Using What You Have

It's easier than you think to decorate your Antique shop or home in Vintage holiday style. On the second floor of Antiques On The Farmington, Collinsville CT., one of the dealers did a great job accessorizing her booth for the holidays. She tends to carry a lot of vintage kitchen wares as well as cottage collectibles. For the holidays, she pulled out all her greed, red and white and red and cream collectibles and used them to showcase her holiday displays.

Building Towers of Vintage Holiday Fun

A master at creating "towers", this antique dealer stacked green glass serving pieces on top of an old candy tin. She than added pine cones and other holiday decor. This stacking tower was so charming and nostalgic.

Using Natural Trim Such As Pine Cones, Berries, Branches

I loved how this dealer uses what she has on hand and then adds natural trim such as pine cones, tree twigs, berries, leaves, branches etc to her collectibles.

Pull Out Your Vintage Crystal, Silver, Milk Glass For Holiday Decorating

And you don't need an antique store to this. You can create a vintage style holiday by looking in your closets and cabinets at home.

Pull out your crystal, your milk glass and your silver. You probably have plenty hidden away in your very own China closet that yo can adapt for the holidays.

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.comVisit my website, CDianneZweig.comDianne is a member of:The American Society of Journalists and AuthorsThe Society of Professional Journalists

Sparkling Vintage Christmas Holiday Ideas Using Glass And Silver Compote Bowls

How To Add Some Retro And Vintage Bling To Your Christmas Holiday Table With A Vintage Pedestal Compote Bowl

I have been out and about snapping photos of elegant holiday table decorations. You may actually have plenty of family heirlooms already at home that you can bring out for the holidays and use filled with attractive vintage or newer colorful ornament balls.

As you can see in these photos taken at The Tomato Factory in Hopewell, Pennsylvania, there are so many different kinds if bowls and vases that will work quite nicely for holiday decor.

Using A High Stemmed Or Pedestal Compote Bowl For Table Decor

One of my favorite looks is to use a high stemmed serving bowl such as a decorative compote bowl in glass or silver. A compote is a fruit dessert with is a mixture of cooked fruit. Generally the fruit is cooked on low heat to warm it and break it down gently.

More About Compotes And Compote Bowls

http://www.shetlarglass.com/stretchglass/SGCompanies/SGcompotes.htm


C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.comVisit my website, CDianneZweig.comDianne is a member of:The American Society of Journalists and AuthorsThe Authors Guild, Inc.