Today, you can easily spend a huge amount of money on holiday decorations: Halloween decor that becomes an eyesore on November 1, Thanksgiving decorations that become unseasonal 3 weeks later, and Christmas decor which is appropriate for 5 weeks at best. Rejecting this holiday-specific marketing for outdoor decor, a few years ago I resolved…
When we decorate for Christmas, we usually just decorate typical things: putting up a Christmas tree, placing a wreath on the door, and perhaps putting outdoor lights on our house. But the chicken house in your yard can be a fun spot to add cheer and decorate for the holidays too. As Americans rediscover backyard…
Here’s a quick way to decorate for your next camp themed event or just add the cozy touch of a campfire without any of the mess, maintenance, or headache. This faux campfire is pretty darn convincing copy of a campfire burning low with reddish orange embers, but you won’t have to worry about any…
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to use scrap packing paper to produce this charming Christmas tree garland inspired by paper dolls but styled after classic gingerbread men. This project takes only a few minutes and uses materials you can probably find for free! This gingerbread man pattern is actually my own design, sketched and…
Christmastime is my favorite season at Pike Place Market. The crow thins out and the market is transformed into a pacific-northwest winter wonderland. Because of Seattle’s temperate climate, December temperatures hover in the 40’s to 50’s.. With cozy winter clothes and warm bakeries to slip inside to warm up, Pike is the perfect climate for a…
From 2010-2015 Hawk Hill’s stable was inhabited always by a horse or two and I ran a tack store out of a warehouse building on the property that was designed to look like a barn, so it seemed appropriate for both my use of the property and the design of the buildings themselves to integrate…
If you love a classic look and equestrian flare, Christmas gifts are a great place to show off this style. Small pieces of equestrian hardware can take the place of a bow to create sophisticated wrapping for your gifts. This year, I raided LuckyPony.com’s hardware department to wrap gifts for my family and…
Last Updated: Last fall a friend purchased a fantastic property with an old 19th century stone barn still standing. When I remarked on the old horse collars resting under a thick layer of dust in the old tack room, she immediately gifted me both. I knew right away I’d make wreaths with them, and thanked…
I just wanted to share a few shots with my readers of Christmas Eve dinner at my parents’ home. What was once a shabby fiberglass-roofed patio that lulled me to sleep with the loud echo of raindrop when I was a child has been converted in recent years to a spacious 4-season sunroom with floor…
Tasked with using up leftover cranberries and with the goal of creating a beautiful baked brie dish, this Christmas I decided to try sugaring cranberries. The experiment was a huge success! Not only did they pair great with the cheese as an appetizer for Christmas Eve dinner, but everyone enjoyed the leftovers as a snack.…
Each year I try to post a preview of my Christmas decorations before the rush of the holiday season begins- and then a full followup and a few tutorials during the relative quiet season of the weeks following the new year. While I’m still working on a few new decorating projects for Christmas 2014, here’s…
Last Updated: Update 2018: In response to so many requests to buy, a local small business is making these wreaths to sell. Order yours now via this link: Horse Head Wreaths – or use these instructions to create your own! One constant in my outdoor Christmas decorating plan is wreaths on the front gates. Since many…
With the colder than usual fall, and shorter-than-usual Christmas season, decorating was smashed into one whirlwind weekend this year! Although I’m still finishing up some new elements, I wanted to give my readers a preview of the tutorial I’ll be posting once Christmas retail sales slow down enough for me to have free time again.…
last updated: For once, I’d like to make a holiday post that actually gets published before the holiday! It seems the best I can hope for is to record with my camera and update later. Our tack store is set in a newer building at the back of our property near the 80 year old…
