More Holiday Homes.....and a GIVE AWAY WINNER!

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The perfect French substitute to the traditional holiday wreath.....a French basket of evergreens!
    

This next house, also in the Fabulous Forties, is a story of two buildings that joined together to become one.......a small home was joined to an adjacent building which was previously was a metal foundry dating back to 1915. The marriage has made for a home that is now over 3000 square feet and full of character. The current owners are avid Francophiles and music lovers, and the Holiday decor by Beyond the Garden Gate reflects those passions.......


In the Living Room, the more formal part of the house, the mantle was decked with cedar and mercury glass candle holders. And there is a perfect use for tassels!

The tree is decorated with music note ribbon, glittery music note ornaments, vintage music flash cards and musical instruments....


The Dining Room was all in green and white, and the backs of the chairs each held French Christmas cones....


Heading into the Family Room, which was orginally the old foundry,  we were tempted to disrupt the dessert display in the kitchen. Touring homes is hungry work after all.....but we were polite. French tradition holds that 13 desserts be served representing Christ and his twelve apostles. Dried fruits, nuts and marzipan are common treats, and of course a Buche de Noel!....


Someone living nearby must have had a tree full of lemons....the leaves were still attached. Such a pretty display in the blue china bowl!


The Family Room mantle was full of Santa Clauses....or Pere Noel.....


And the basket of stuffed toys was so sweet.....


....but perhaps my favorite detail were the children's shoes lined up for Pere Noel to fill them with gifts....


This house is all ready for the big day....


I have always loved peeking into windows to see others' trees all lit up. There is something about the tree framed by the window that makes it even more special. When we left the home to see the backyard, a backward glance gave me a vision of the old foundry building re-imagined, with its corrugated siding and rough hewn trellis....


We exited out of the garden  to head home along the side alley, we caught a glimpse of the foundry as it might have been during holidays past.....



And now.....

THE WINNER of the GIVE AWAY!



 goes to.....

Amber 

of the SIMPLE DWELLINGS blog

A Big Congratualtions to Amber,

and Happy Holidays to you all!