View Holly Mathis Interiors Archives for December 2009

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Dec6
4 Comments
My fave gift – Seeds of Life
Posted in: Christmas, favorite things

I was going to just include these wonderful little trees on my fave things holiday list (coming soon) but once i explored their site i decided they deserve a post all their own… Seeds of Life is a division of the Magnolia Company and YALL need to check them out for unique gifts..
they are just amazing little trees and i think they are going to make wonderful gifts..the packaging is spot on and they tailor them for various occasions as you can see below, like for a teacher!

or a baby, or memorial etc..explore and see all of the different occasion ideas and offerings..

or you can style them up yourself with a simple tag and your or your child’s handwriting (i think i will include the scripture at the end of the post with a simple manila tag and twine for my boys’ grandparents..i mean really, grandparents, babies, a tree, a scripture of prayer for boys we both love..what a perfect combination especially when the grandparents love and appreciate nature)..for grandparents day, Christmas, birthday..love this!
i KNOW my in-laws will be thrilled to receive these little trees from their grandsons and plant in their honor. I just love the idea of giving a tree instead of a tie or Bed and Bath set (not knocking those i just dig this more!;;)
see more about Seeds of Life here..beautiful slideshow and photography..enjoy!
oh and where can you get these little trees..you can find sources by state on their site, or order from the Magnolia Company directly, they are a family business in Florida with a rich heritage…I ordered mine through this great local florist (and friend). I highly recommend Missy at Moosefeathers in Brenham if you live locally. Or if you have a florist you know in your area, i suggest asking about Seeds of Life, maybe if you order a dozen or two they will give you a discount!…i do know they are sold through various catalogs and sources (like Pottery Barn!) but they are not cheap…so shop around and remember when debating the cost, it is a TREE!

…bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
-Isaiah 61:3
{photography by Stacia Hollman for Seeds of Life}
Dec2
6 Comments
Nell hill visit
Posted in: Christmas, nell hills
I realize this may be a little anti-climatic because many of you have made the pilgrimage to Atchison, Kansas, to see Mary Carole Garity’s beautiful home at Christmas. I would love to do that one day. The closest i got was about six or seven years ago while on a business trip (this was before Drew was born and i was still working in a museum job) SO i had a meeting in TOPEKA, Kansas which is not too far from Atchison but not well, very close. So I get done with the meeting and check out of the hotel and figure i have JUST enough time to DRIVE up to Atchison and then DRIVE to the airport in Kansas City, check the car in and board the plane. Of course this was the first time i had flown much since 9/11 so i knew i needed some extra time but oh well… I WAS GOIN TO NELL HILLS! (and dont worry, i checked and there was unlimited mileage on the rental car, i wasnt going to get fired over a trip to Nell Hills;;)
so after a few wrong turns and a much longer drive than i anticipated, i finally made it to Atchison and YALL, it is a beautiful little town. I am such a dork because i was so excited (i am actually getting excited typing about it)…it was cold and rainy and i am a little “rushed” as I barrelled into the store and who is standing there looking all serene???? MARY CAROLE herself..so sweet and charming, just the ultimate shopkeeper as one of the commenters said on the previous post. I’ve even read she doesnt even have an office at her stores???? anyway, she hugged me and signed my book and i told her “i’ve come all the way from Texas” and she was just super nice. The sad part was i had to rush though the store because of time and there are (or were) THREE stores, the main Nell Hills store, the store with bedding in the old bank (name??) and the “big furniture pieces, not merchandised” store (my fave)..lots of neat old Art Deco buildings..LOVE THIS TOWN..it is on the banks of the Missouri River (right?) and just picturesque..i totally want to go back one day and do the Christmas tour… for those of you have been…i am jealous!;; and if you have been and have pictures to share, please link in the comments.
One last thing, i have to say the things i love the most about the entire Nell Hill “brand” are not just the books or the items for sale in the store but really the way it is all merchandised and the stores themselves..the black awnings, the urns, the logo..just the way it is all pulled together really appeals to me..i think deep down i would love to have a store..just not the responsibility!
and what did i buy? a cute little black tole looking tray (everything is reproduction in her stores pretty much..lots of smalls and qty because she has a massive demand but that is ok), some chunky glass knobs i have on my changing table AND the most genius thing you can buy RIGHT BEFORE YOU BOARD A PLANE…a little knife set..little antler not cheap knife set…brilliant! so on my way to the KC airport it dawns on me “knives, 9/11, they will throw them in the TRASH!” so i swooped in to a TINY post office in small town on the way to the KC airport, Kansas, and MAILED them to my home address! I am sure that little town postmaster thought i was nuts because i was in a rush, have i mentioned i was rushing! ha!

And now Mary Carole has an online store with some great decorator items that give a wonderful traditional and collected look for a great price point. She also has paint now i think! so check out her online store!
check back over the weekend for more Christmas eye candy, my gifts picks/faves list which will all be pretty cheap and will include some baby/children’s items, and more next week on that ‘keeping it simple’ thing!;; It is snowing in Texas (well sort of) yall stay warm!
Dec2
3 Comments
Nell Hill Christmas
Posted in: Christmas, nell hills
Time for a little Christmas fluff!
On the way home from Thanksgiving we stopped by Barnes and Noble, isnt that the perfect place for a pit stop?..starbucks AND a thomas train table and BOOKS. I purchased this one…

From Mary Carol Garrity of the fab Nell Hill’s store in Kansas.
and it is a large, beautiful book. with wonderful images like this!

in fact, all of her books are great..I particularly love the first one Nell Hill Style.
another photo in the Christmas book that i just love! so fresh. love her dramatic colors.

lots of inspiration in the Nell Hill books…like how to use ribbons with wreaths for a fresher less fussy look etc…
Stop by tomorrow and i will dish about visiting the stores a few years back and meeting the gracious and lovely Mary Carol!
Dec1
8 Comments
Post without pictures
Posted in: keeping it real
I am glad yall enjoyed seeing the honeymoon cottage in the previous post. and yes, i do have some interior pictures somewhere i will try to scan and share sometime down the road…it will be funny to do see the evolution of my decorating..i remember using lots of fruit to decorate that year and learning two things…first, that fresh fruit is an expensive way to decorate when you are in graduate school and two, a rotten apple will fall off of a topiary form in a short timespan and just might roll under the sofa and really start to stink by Christmas..yuck!
yesterday’s post and the burlap post the day before also have me thinking about another subject..perfection and blogging..or image and blogging..what we put out there..i’ve actually been thinking about this a long time and have discussed with several people. i’ve never felt i could quite do this complex topic justice so i have avoided but i have invited a guest blogger to share something she wrote about it (and other things) soon and i think you will find it interesting.
the bottom line, we can selectively posts photos and snippets of our lives and work on blogs and create an image whether we realize it or not, i believe it is rarely on purpose and this “perception” often may have to do with the reader and their circumstances and thus becomes something the blogger has NO control over. but i still want to be careful to be very honest…as a blogger i take this seriously..i love people even more than fabric and pretty rooms…at the same time, there are private things about finances, relationships, and other matters that i really dont want to share with the entire WWW..so it is difficult to be really transparent yet prudent… it is also difficult to be positive but not fake…”authentic” but not negative or whiney. so usually i just post lots of pictures!;;;
but today no pictures and it feels really weird for me..like naked.
so while i posted a picture of that darling house yesterday i also have to tell you a little more about that time period in our lives..honestly that was a very hard year of marriage, poor Chuck may or may not have heard some yelling and crying on occasion while he was out watering the ferns.. and the rent may or may not have been a little above our means and honestly we might not do that again AND well life is just not perfect, i am not perfect (not that you think i am but go with me here) and there are just always layers, even to blog posts…just wanted to share a little more..i felt a tad fake just showing the pictures of the cute white house and going on about the marble shower; just a little too perfect of a package.
and in a Christmas decorating update (it i “tweeted” i could just twitter this but i dont so i will share here..did i even use those words correctly??) i am really enjoying just using what i have..tonight i half made a linen stocking on the kitchen floor (same color but less mess than the burlap) ..crudely sewn, simple and cute…funny how when you lay things down and get over obsessing, you can finally just enjoy a little!