Getting settled with some finishing touches

I guess I haven't told you the story about how we accidentally ended up on the Southport Home Christmas Tour to benefit the Southport Historical Society. It goes like this: we'd been here for a week and the nice lady stopped by while I was at work and talked to my husband and he told me about it and I said something very along the lines of a distracted and overwhelmed "that's nice" (meaning how lovely of them to ask, I'm honored but we just moved in). I do realize that I have been married for almost 20 years and still am surprised when my husband cannot read my mind.I am not sure a Dr. can cure this. A week later when I said "I've been thinking about the Christmas Tour and I just don't think we will be ready for it," he looks at me and says, "Oh, I thought you wanted to and I already told them yes."

It is a good thing I don't get too worked up about this sort of thing but we are the first people to live in this house and so nothing was done at all and the good news is that it has completely forced me to get the house done. This could have taken YEARS otherwise and I am SO not kidding. So curtains and shutters are up.

Morning Light

My bedside table and the Roman Shade

 

 

 I was a little panicked about the orange after I sent her (Jill Berry, Curtains from the Back Room and my new hero) the twenty yards of fabric but I am thrilled with the result and as Jill herself said, "It really does draw out the orange in the pillow." And well, it really IS all about the pillow.

                                                                                                                                                   

In the living room I went with shutters

Ruby Girl!!

And to top things off, we walked into Southport Antiques a couple of weeks ago, owned by our friends Bobbie and Brian Hennessey and saw this table. It was a foot too long but it was made in Black Mountain where Jack and I fell in love and so I got them to cut it down for us because while I have always longed for one of those old Pine farm tables, the Tiger Maple twist just stole my heart and clearly, because it was from Black Mountain where my dear old honey and I started it all, it was just fate even if we had to tweak it a little to create perfection. I just love the symbolism in that too.

and see how my mind works: now I need new chairs

So sometime not long after Thanksgiving I will show you all my "Holiday Finery" or just come tour the house on December 11th. Afterward you can take a ride in the carriage and check out The Christmas House for some ideas of your own.