Silver and Gold

Silver and gold, silver and gold

Mean so much more to me

When I see silver and gold decorations

On ev'ry Christmas tree.

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer ~ NBC 1964-71 and CBS 1972 - present

Who doesn't love a singing snowman? 

Especially one with such a jolly face!

Burl Ives singing Silver and Gold

never fails to take me back in time.

And when it comes to decorating at Christmas,

things just don't look right without a little 

glitter around the house!

This year it was made much easier to work into

my decor with this beautiful

Silver Glitter Wreath

slender, spiky needles with bronze and gold

balls reflect the light beautifully against 

the dark wood table.

Silver Conical Finials

when mixed with our

Silver Glitter Ornaments

and

Glitter Flower Ornament

add sparkle to our bar

and dress up our 

Wall Wine Holder too.

Silver and gold does not mean you

have to be formal, I love mixing 

the glittery elements to the more 

rustic textures around the house.

Here I added our

Pleated Finial Ornaments

and

Snowflake Ornaments

to a strand of burlap and pine cones

for an elegant Country French style.

Continuing the mix of rustic elements with glittery accents

the Glittered Berry and Leaf candle ring

reflects beautifully on my glass topped 

twig coffee table adding a soft elegance to the room.

So if Silver and Gold is part

of your holiday tradition or you want

to try something new, visit us at

Maggie & Reese.

And be sure to follow us on 

Maggie & Reese Pinterest

for new ideas, sale information and design tips!

~ Maggie

Everything Old is New Again!

Hard to believe that "retro" now 

applies to my childhood!  

Born in the late 50's, my Christmas memories 

consist of Rudolph clay-ma-tion,

the Grinch and our family favorite, 

A Charlie Brown Christmas

A Charlie Brown Christmas ~ CBS 1965

Daddy bought us a silver aluminum tree 

with green ornaments that changed 

color in the light from a 

turning light disk at the tree base.  

20 years later when he grudgingly 

placed it in a garage sale 

(at my mother's insistence)

it was the first item that sold!  

That Christmas was the first time 

I realized that Christmas does not have 

to be red and green! 

Glass Ball Ornaments

So, when Reese and I found the
Glass Ball Ornaments
above while searching for our boutique,
I had to have them!
I mean really, their bright colors,
pink accents and retro starburst design
transported me back in time!
And they blend beautifully with our
Royal Frog Ornaments.

Happy Holiday Felt Tree Skirt

And what better way to complete the tree than with 

Maggie & Reese's

old fashioned tree skirt of felt, applique and 

sequins in pink, purple, green and blue!

Below I decided to use the glass balls in place of candles 

because the colors and style blend so well with our 

Festive Tree Tray

and

Holiday Felt Wine Charms

The trees on the tray look like they came right out of

Who~ville~

How the Grinch Stole Christmas ~ CBS 1966

When snack time rolls around,

our Melamine Snowman plates

are a great retro look AND good for the environment!

Here I have mixed with our 

Melamine Red Solo cups

and used the glass ball ornaments in an 

old aluminum ice bucket to complete our retro tabletop.

  

Below is my copy of 

A Visit from St. Nicholas

given to me by my grandmother in 1963.

Note the pink sash and sugar plums!

The Pink Pom Pom Throw

would have been a welcome addition in my house, 

especially since it can be rolled up and carried

to grandmother's house!

If you are a child of the 50's, I hope my trip down 

memory lane brought back some happy

memories for you.

And I hope Maggie & Reese will inspire you to add 

something a new to your holiday decor!

~Maggie

Gledelig Jul, or Merry Christmas Scandinavian Style!

Every year as I pull out my Christmas decorations

I think about the variety of ways people celebrate the Christmas holiday around the world. 

When my boys were young, 

we often added a tradition from another country 

to our holiday celebrations, 

a pickle ornament from Germany,

My pickle!

tradition has it that whoever finds the pickle 

Christmas morning receives an extra gift.

As a mother of TWO, I found this to be a very bad idea.  No one wants to be a loser on Christmas Day! 

I have since found that this tradition's 

history is a little suspect!

St. Nicholas Feast Day 

(did you remember to put your shoes out December 5?) 

and my personal favorite St. Lucia 

(I always wanted to wear a crown of candles on my head)!

With that in mind, the next few blogs will feature 

different styles you might want to try in your home 

this holiday season.

First up ~ Simply Scandinavian!

When I think Scandinavian Christmas, words like simple and natural usually come to mind. Think of tree boughs 

and pine cones. Paper cut outs and lot of RED also bring the Nordic spirit to your home

As someone who loves red, adding Scandinavian design elements to my decor at Christmas time has been easy.  

Over the years I have collected "cut out" pillows 

in red and white, knit stockings with a snowflake motif and a book that unfolds to tell the 

Christmas story in cut out style.  

This year I am adding a 

Merry Christmas pillow and a white Plush Owl to the mix.

Everyone who has been to Ikea knows 

the Swedes love contemporary design.  

With that in mind, I pulled out some

old red glitter trees to pair with my woodland garland, red bells, knit stockings and the little white Plush Owls are 

keeping guard on the sides.

Close up of fireplace

Below I have added a M&R 

Gray Felt Chalet Runner and stick Hedgehog

with his Nordic styled headband

to M&R's Lafco Candle , Jingle Bell Napkin Rings 

 a saved Christmas card and antique 
pewter for a festive look.

Don't forget to add some seasonal items to your 

powder room. There are lots of beautifully packaged soaps and towels that will compliment a wide variety of looks.  My soaps and towels came from a local garden shop and 

I found the "glass" snowman silhouette picture 

at a small town Texas hardware store!

Our guestroom has a white Matelasse coverlet so I can change out blankets and pillows with the season.  This year I used red shams with M&R Gray Chalet Pillows and

Merry Christmas pillow and our white Plush Owl makes another appearance!

Link the Wonderdog has settled in for a long winter's nap!

The final touch for our Scandinavian guest room 

This Little Light of Mine

M&R's wall art sign for
a little Scandinavian simplicity.

Now all that is left is the 
cookies and milk and waiting for Santa's arrival!

Happy Holidays Cookie and Milk Set

God Jul from Maggie & Reese!




Next up, Merry Christmas Retro Style!

~Maggie

Over the River...

Thanksgiving is the biggest 

family holiday of the year with my husband's 

(and now my) family.

When the extended group gathers

we number well over a hundred!  Some bring a new dish

to try and others bring an old family favorite recipe.  

It is a day of food, football and talk as we

catch up with events of the previous year. 

This year, I have the privilege and joy of sharing 

this special day with my first grandchild!

Now that I am a grandmother,

it brings a whole new meaning to 

"Over the river, and through the wood..."

So in honor of tradition, we bring you 

"Over the River and Through the Wood" 

Maggie & Reese style!

"Over the River and Through the Wood"

By: Lydia Maria Child, 1844.

Over the river, and through the wood,

To Grandfather's house we go;

the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh

through the white and drifted snow.

Wooden Horse

Over the river, and through the wood,

To Grandfather's house away!

We would not stop for doll or top,

for 'tis Thanksgiving Day!

Plush Owl "Dolls"

Over the river, and through the wood-

oh! how the wind does blow!

It stings the toes and bites the nose

as over the ground we go.

Warm Brown Pom Pom Throw

Over the river, and through the wood-

and straight through the barnyard gate,

We seem to go extremely slow,

it is so hard to wait!

"Barnyard" Pheasant Gravy Boat

Over the river, and through the wood-

When Grandmother sees us come,

She will say, "O, dear, the children are here,

bring a pumpkin pie for everyone."

Glazed Pumpkins

Over the river, and through the wood-

now Grandmother's cap I spy!

Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?

Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

Owl Pumpkin Stand

So, whether this is the start of a new tradition for you

or your celebration be tried and true,

we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving season!

~Maggie

PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLES

 

Fall for Reese means enjoying all things pumpkin ~

pumpkin spice cake, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin pie,

and my new favorite ~ Pumpkin Snickerdoodles!

 

 

I recently made these for a football tailgate

and everyone wanted the recipe so here it is...

 

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup canned pumpkin (I use the whole can!)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Topping:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp allspice

 

1. Preheat oven to 350. 

Prepare baking sheets with cooking spray.

2. Place butter in a large mixing bowl & beat with a mixer until fluffy.  Next, add the sugar & pumpkin & beat well.

3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the baking powder, salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, & egg.  Add to the sugar mixture & beat until well mixed.

4. Add the flour a little bit at a time until it is fully incorporated.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap &

allow to chill in the refrigerator.

5. While the dough is chilling, mix together all

of the ingredients for the topping.

6. Working quickly, scoop the dough into 1 tablespoon-sized balls.  Roll between your palms until uniform & then roll in the sugar mixture.  Place 2" apart on cookie sheets.

7. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until they are browned. 

Remove immediately to a wire rack & cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

8. ENJOY!!

 

Tip: Cooking times vary depending on your oven. 

I only bake for 7-8 minutes!

 

This recipe was given to me by my nephew, Blake, & is courtesy of the Young Chefs Academy.

 

~Reese



FALL FIREPLACE FUN!

 

If you're like me, October, November, & December

all go by way too fast and I don't feel like I get to

enjoy each holiday separately.

 

In part, this is because I am constantly redecorating!

 

So, this year I decided to make it easier for myself

and I decorated my fireplace in a way that is a

quick change from Halloween to Thanksgiving using
some fun items from Maggie & Reese!

 

 Halloween

 

1. Halloween Ball Wreath

2. Plush Owl Ornaments

3. Spiderweb Runner

4. Pumpkin People

 

 

Thanksgiving

 

1. Glass Owl Vase

2. Plush Owl Ornaments

3. Lafco Candles

 

Excited that I already have this figured out and it took me less than 10 minutes to make the change!

Now, I can sit back, relax, and enjoy Fall.

Well, at least until the day after Thanksgiving anyway...

 

~Reese



Across the Pond - One Last Time!

One of the reasons Reese and I opened our boutique is we believed our different styles would 
compliment one another.  

No where do our style

differences reveal themselves more than in our 

vacation destinations this year. 

She and her husband headed off to the wild 

beauty of a rugged island paradise to spend their time fishing, walking and relaxing with wild life.

My husband and I on the other hand spent our time touring

historical homes and world class museums 

at anything but a relaxing pace,  

I truly needed a vacation when I returned!
But our destination choice was driven by the fact that two of our children currently live in London and how could we pass the opportunity to spend time with them 
in such a great vacation destination.
So first stop, Leeds, England...

Hollins Hall

After a 14 hour overnight flight, we landed at Heathrow, changed clothes in the airport restroom and headed out for a 3 hour drive to Leeds.  Well at least it was supposed to be 3 hours, freeway congestion made it more like 5 hours 

but I had slept on the plane and was happy 

to see the kids so life was good! 

The next day it was off to scout Northern England.

First stop the Royal Armouries.

Amanda looking very Regal

Amanda's knight in shining armor!

                      The museum was 4 floors and included not just samples of the weaponry itself but the history of how it was used through out English history.  

It turned out to be a fascinating morning for all.

Next on our agenda was the Bronte Parsonage, 

home of those literary Bronte sisters.

But first, we needed a bite to eat. Now one of the pluses of traveling to England is that you are in a European country where they actually speak the same 

language right?  I am not so sure anymore.  

After driving through several bucolic towns with no place to eat in sight, we found a local pub.  It was filled with jolly Englishmen watching soccer and drinking beer but this pub 

did not serve food (strange custom).  

They were happy however to offer directions to a restaurant down the road.  We listened, nodded, then headed outside. I turned to the family and said, 

"did anyone understand a word of what he said"? 

Lucky for us, the kids have been overseas long

enough to be fluent in English!

And here is our pub...

Note the silhouette of a "Bronte" sister in the carpet!

After a quick bite, it was back in the car to the parsonage. 

Bronte Parsonage

While I admit to loving the Bronte stories in film, 

English lit is not my specialty so I was 

anxious to learn about this family.

Here are a few facts: 

There were 3 sisters and 1 brother, 

all of whom died before the age of 40.  

Their first works were published under male pseudonyms and their real identity unknown 

until after the success of Jane Eyre.  

And the most impressive discovery -

realizing that these sisters, these authors, who have influenced students, writers and filmmakers for more than 100 years, 

wrote a total of less than 10 books.

Parsonage Cemetery

All too soon it was time to leave the moors of 

Wuthering Heights behind...

Next, the world of espionage, MI6 and

 Bletchley Park!

Enigma

Bletchley Park was a countryside home that was converted into a military installation where secret codes were broken, the most famous being the Enigma.

Hard to believe all of the technology in the wires above would fit inside of our IPhone today!

Finally back in London for the week.  

Unfortunately it was hot by London standards, the 80's, 

and considering there is little air conditioning, 

our favorite rest stops all tended to serve food and drink

with mechanically cooled air! 

Here is a small sampling of our week.

Kensington Palace

Pretty place but even Prince George's future 

home needed a little AC!

A wonderful Fashion exhibit featuring dresses of 

Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret and Princess Diana

Queen Elizabeth gown

Princess Diana wallpaper and signage where
everyone wears a crown!

Tea Time

Victoria and Albert Museum

Think I could talk hubby into letting me
 memorialize Link at my feet?

Town of Windsor

Resting again!

Greenwich, England

Prime Meridian - Where I truly met myself coming and going!

Cutty Sark

Ship Figure Heads

Leaving Greenwich by boat

London Bridge one last time.

The next day, we packed our bags and headed to the train station for the ride back to the airport.  Our son makes the journey with us and it is bittersweet.  

We had a great time but know this is the last time we will see the kids until they come home next summer,

but we will take home wonderful 

memories of time well spent.

Maggie