Cookin' Up Some Holiday Decor!

i had the pleasure of decorating an executive residence in Seattle for many years,
becoming friends with the remarkable family who lived there...

and let me tell you the homeowner's copious collections provided me and my decorating crew

with a PLETHORA of materials to work with!

the thing with huge collections is to divide and conquer...

her large collection of Department 56 houses 

was always given the place of honor in her living room and kitchen. 

each year, we'd rearrange and create new scenes using the same houses with changing props.

a few of the kitchen displays are shown here...

above, the gigantic island hosts a woodland scene 

with moss, snow, twigs, and shiny red ornament trees & garlands as the large focal points.

glass cake pedestals hold faux cakes, and a cut glass vase with a glass plate on top

serves as an even higher vantage point for woodland creature figures to gather...

in the bay window,

two nutcracker pedestals lift Department 56 houses and faux cakes up high, 

while various old food tins act as pedestals for more from her collection of 150+ nutcrackers -

these are bakers, candymakers, winemakers, and creators of other foodie delights!

gumdrop trees (some light up!) and candied faux fruit floral picks

add more color to the theme.

low glass pedestals hold more Department 56 houses.

 another year, we put the shiny red garlands into tall vases,

and topped them with huge clear glass platters.

those formed tall pedestals in the back of the bay window, 

where the largest Department 56 houses were stars!

 yet another year, the red shiny ornament trees moved to the bay window,
sitting up high on the nutcracker pedestals.
white plastic snowflakes dot the garland behind the houses
and from red shiny ball garland and greenery swags over the window.

i'll share another post with photos from her living room Department 56 displays soon...

in the meantime, take a look at her largest Nutcrackers, guarding the front doors!

these guys were 8 feet tall!!!