It’s a new week and I’m happy to have a fresh, clean slate to begin my work. I think most of us dread Monday mornings but I’m starting to take a different approach and appreciate them as being a new start to work on things that mean something to me and to reach specific goals before end of day on Friday. I’m working very diligently at becoming better organized, not so much in my home because I do well on that end — but in my head, you know with scheduling and business management and such.
But looking back, I had such a nice weekend, did you? What did you do? I had much to prepare for my upcoming e-course in January (registration begins today at noon EST here) which I’ll be teaching with the wonderful Leslie Shewring who writes and styles her column on decor8, Color Me Pretty. I also had many errands to run, and of course I set aside time to play by reading and decorating around my home. I also attended an amazing festival. To say it was grand is to to call it simple. It was lavish. Beyond expectation, really. Imagine shopping in a very old castle in rooms such as this one shown below. That’s exactly what I did with my husband and cousins. Here is but a glimpse.
This all took place at a gorgeous castle which hosted a spectacular indoor/outdoor shopping and interiors show along with plenty of tents for eating, drinking, horse show-watching, fairytale-listening and other fun activities in nearby Bückeburg. Imagine the air cool and fresh, maybe in the 50s, with the smell of cinnamon, burning wood and fresh baked bread in the air and twinkle lights everywhere. A few of my impressions are shown above. I couldn’t stop drooling over the assortment of chandeliers. And I really love how the plates are arranged over that cabinet and imagine doing something like this someday if I ever have the ceiling height to do so. It’s so nice. I wish I had taken more photos but it started to rain and indoors the castle was packed — plus, I didn’t want to ignore my family by playing photographer/journalist.
And this is very random, but nothing I ever saw in the states (at least on the east coast, though we have one in Boston now), fields filled with wind generators. Here are a few, they make me think of giant pinwheels… I remember seeing them for the first time about ten years ago as I flew into Germany. I looked down from my plane and saw fields of them and thought they were so beautiful. I know, it’s weird to talk so sweetly about a wind generator… but I think they’re quite amazing. And if you’ve ever stood next to one, they are so enormous. I took this shot above yesterday from the car. It’s also fun to the watch the license plates when I drive here. Yesterday I played a game, Guess the Plate. It’s common to see plates from the Netherlands and Poland on the roads, but yesterday there were a few from France. The first thing shown on a plate is the colored strip with the abbreviated country name. For Germany it is D. For the Netherlands, it is NL and so on… The one on this BMW is German, the first 1-3 letters shows the abbreviation for the city where the owner lives (MYK which is Mayen-Koblenz), then a space with the rest of the plate number. If you live in Berlin, it would be B, if in Hamburg HH and in Hanover just H. I hope I’ve not bored you, but it’s a good thing to know for when you are traveling in Europe and wonder where the drivers are from.
And finally here we are in my cozy living room on Saturday morning where I put up my winter garlands which will stick around until Spring… These are handmade by Lobster & Swan. I took this photo after my morning tea and book reading ritual that I regularly participate on the weekends. I didn’t bother to straighten the blanket or style the photo, I like to sometimes capture a mood and to me, this worked.
So happy Monday to you my dear friends. I’ll be back shortly with some inspiring posts for you today.
(images: holly becker for decor8)
December 7th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Wow that castle looks amazing, and to shop in it makes it even better.
I hung paper garlands in my apartment this weekend as well! (I made mine though) It actually looks pretty similar to yours too. :)
Brooke H´s last blog ..Holiday Shops
December 7th, 2009 at 10:23 am
This post is making me miss Germany something fierce! They really know how to do festivals and markets right. Am excited about the e-course — hope I can snag a spot before it gets filled up.
Lilie´s last blog ..~ Month o’ Jewels: Week One ~
December 7th, 2009 at 10:48 am
What a lovely post to start the week.
Virginia @ Where You Hang Your Hat´s last blog ..real-life renovations: kitchens.
December 7th, 2009 at 11:00 am
Great post! The festival looks like it’d be an amazing thing to experience firsthand. And I loved your explanation of the the license plates. I’ve honestly always wondered!
You make me want to move to Europe, Holly!
Kristin´s last blog ..It snowed in Georgia.
December 7th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Gasp!! The castle is exquisite – what a lovely way to spend the day. As to “Happy Monday,” I’m one of those nerds who loves mornings and Mondays.
December 7th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Thank you Holly, have a great monday/week too! Like always, you bring sparkles on our days!
December 7th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Wow, wonderful pics !
On saturday, I was at a dress up party. The theme was “oh my god, you DID it!”.
I just can say that the photos won’t be on my blog… but it was so funny !
Enjoy your week !
Melibu´s last blog ..Colorful girls…
December 7th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Your photos from the castle are exquisite, Holly! So magical. The chandelier one is magnificent! Thank you for sharing that wonderful festival.
Georgianna Lane´s last blog ..On the Cusp of Winter
December 7th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Wonderful images. Just realizing how much I miss Germany. I’m so looking forward to spend Christmas there.
Katrin´s last blog ..Moving
December 7th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Wow, that is something else! I’m a big fan of the windmills. They were very unpopular when they were introduced but they seem to have grown on people quite a bit over the years. I find them quite friendly now but they are massive when you’re standing next to them!
Nem´s last blog ..The Fabled Needle Giveaway
December 7th, 2009 at 11:53 am
I think wind turbines are pretty too! There are a couple about a mile from my house… not as neat as a field of them but I still really enjoy looking at them… AND knowing that they are helping to power my electricity! :)
December 7th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
What a lovely weekend….that festival at the castle looks like a dream come true to me, how fun! How romantic! Thank you for sharing bits of your lovely weekend with us Holly….my favorite? Your living room, so beautiful and so warm & cosy. Of course that wedding blanket is just crazy gorgeous & I love the garlands from Jess( I have one too! ) :) Have a fantastic week hun…
xo
Melis
Melissa de la Fuente´s last blog ..Monday: inspired by Tartlette
December 7th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
THAT is FANTASTIC. Beats the mall, eh. Amazing quality of life.
December 7th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
In Belgium we have lots of wind mills who produce eco-friendly energy, I find them quite elegant actually.
December 7th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Wow. That shopping event looks amazing! I would love to have been there. And I am so inspired to create some garlands this season. I love your winter palette!
Juliet´s last blog ..A Tall Drink of Water
December 7th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Your first photo was such a delightful thing to see on Monday morning. Beautiful. Thank you for sharing your fabulous weekend. Very inspiring!
Claire Quilter´s last blog ..Haviland – Dessert Bowls – Paisley c. 1919 (8)
December 7th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
You have a very beautiful,clean home. This is impossible to achieve with kids, so enjoy them while it last :)
I love the garland! it changed the space so dramatically and so beautifully!
I hope you can post more photos of your lovely home more often!
nina´s last blog ..Rain, rain go away…
December 7th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
I actually exclaimed aloud, “Oh, that’s so cute!” when I saw the picture of your living room! It looks so charming and calming. I love the garlands.
Stacey´s last blog ..Dressing up my wardrobe
December 7th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Shopping in a castle? You are definitely living the dream, Holly! :)
Alanna´s last blog ..My Favourite Things
December 7th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I LOVE the ceilings at the castle! And my goodness, if this is your room without any styling-=- gorgeous!
(by the way, they also have a “line” of windmills set up on Maui. Captivating to see when you fly in!)
December 7th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
So much GOOD stuff today! Even if you don’t blog the rest of the week, I’m a happy reader! From the chandeliers to the wind turbines (lots in my neck of the woods – Montana) to the garland! Yippy! And the location of that festival… wowee! Better than the highschool gym where a lot of our events are held (craft fairs and such). Love the pictures!!!
Genelle´s last blog ..DESTASH Bridal Flowers
December 7th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
That castle is gorgeous! What a lovely place to shop. I love the windmills too. There are several areas in California where you can see hills completely covered with these windmill/generators – I remember growing up they always seemed beautiful + slightly creepy.
December 7th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
I’d love to shop in a castle.
BTW, we have tons of those windmills in California …
December 7th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
They have the best shows there in Germany and also in the Netherlands. I really miss going to those as well as the Christmas markets in the border towns. I’ve never seen anything to compare here in the states. Hope you got something beautiful and ate well. They have had the windmills in the Netherlands for sometime now along the North Sea, it’s quite a site. The modern with the old mills, I miss the beautiful flat landscapes.
December 7th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Oh yes! Lovely windmills all throughout west Texas. They are lovely and make me think of some wacky old 50′s sci fi movie. I couldn’t stop snapping pics when I first saw them. They are elegant in an industrial sort of way.
December 7th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
I have seen turbines like these when I was driving to Iowa from Wisconsin.
This was a fabulous weekend for me because I went down to Miami for Art Basel. I got to see the art market in action and to peruse the booths for art that my husband and I would like to aspire to. I took tons of pics. Today I posted the look of South Beach Miami. Tomorrow, the art I like. The next day, I will write about what really goes on behind the scenes at a high caliber fine art fair like this! Busy weekend just like yours!
Lydia, Clueless Crafter´s last blog ..Art Basel Miami Scene
December 7th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Your cozy living room is romantic. I like you photographed exactly as it is.
To go shopping in a castle is the ultimate. Those ceilings are fantastic.
Shell´s last blog ..Back to Business
December 8th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I live in a town in Ohio that is powered entirely by wind energy :). Not only is it renewable, but electricity bills are so cheap!!! I love it
December 8th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Such gorgeous images!
Alissa´s last blog ..T is for… Tabletop
December 9th, 2009 at 12:13 am
Holly, the picture of your living room is lovely. Looks like you’ve mastered the art of styling.
peggy´s last blog ..Color Scheme: Pink with Gray, Brown or Black
December 9th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Wow! So very beautiful!
Penny Patten´s last blog .."Gaiter’s"
December 9th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Yes, wind turbines! Those are all over California and some other western states, and there are so many that they even have a lovely name: wind farms.
December 9th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Oh, the east coast is getting that field of wind turbines…in the middle of Nantucket Sound – booo! There have been a few in Hull for awhile and they are sprouting up all over the place.
My friend Marci in Cohasset just had to move because they are putting one uphill from her house and she would have had strobe-like flashing for hours during the day through half her windows, as the blades would spin in between the sun and her house.
I have mixed feelings about these – I am in love with the field of them outside of Palm Springs – they look incredibly beautiful. I guess I’m a bit of a NIMBY (or a NIMOV – “not in my ocean view”) when it comes to turbines!
becky from hatch´s last blog ..I LOVE this Blog
December 10th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Wow! All of the pictures are so gorgeous! How amazing to go shopping in a castle! What an experience! I love how light and natural your living room is, its also gorgeous! Thanks for sharing!
Reyna´s last blog ..How am I giving back this Christmas?