Quarters One Christmas Tour of Homes 2012

A Christmas welcome from the Big Red One!

Deck the halls with boughs and boughs of birch and cypress branches! Coming on the heels of a wonderful RandR, and Thanksgiving with all of my children, I was hard pressed to be motivated to decorate for Christmas. I really just wanted to make like Rip Van Winkle and sleep away the rest of the deployment. But...instead of wrapping myself in Christmas lights and drinking vodka while crying to Christmas tunes... I enlisted the help of my friend, Rob and VOILA!  A Christmas decorating miracle! It's amazing what can be done with  birch branches and fresh greenery.  Imagination, along with zip ties, wire, and ribbon held it all together. We used everything fresh outside and fabulous faux greenery inside.  

This sweet reindeer was just passing through but he was a great touch to  our decor!

 The outdoor light fixture was stunning!

Another view of the porch light.

This was really my excuse for not wanting to vacuum on this side...

Everything on the porch got touch of fresh greenery.

 Naughty or Nice, I'm still trying to decide...

Our theme this year was Woodsy Glam.
lots of natural elements mixed in with silver, velvet, and crystal.

 I love to decorate with these old snow shoes.

We had the same Christmas decor on our stairs for the past 7 years, it was time to change it up and we did! The birdhouse added a touch of whimsy and accentuated our outdoor theme.

One of the five fireplaces in Q1...this tile came from Italy and symbolizes our much loved 173d Airborne Brigade.

This fireplace is reserved for Santa!

A little angel reading a "book" we added a few pages of our own to make it a Christmas story.

Italian stockings made by my friend, Aly. The painting is a Rembrandt reproduction found at a market in Italy, he reminds me a little of St. Nick!

A snapshot of our collection of snowmen and Santas from all around the world.

'Tis the season to be Joyful! We decorated both sets of dining room chairs.

 Found these great reindeer candle holders at Tuesday Morning one year.

We staged the dining room table to look like a New Year's Eve buffet!

The dining room sideboard.

An ornament given to me by a German friend.

My very favorite room! An antique corbel makes a great centerpiece and the oyster shells are votive holders.

Over sized sugar bowls serve as mini soup tureens.

We've used the "Duty First" ribbon a lot! It came from StationaryStudio.com.

 More corbels (I love them!) act as bookends for our favorite Christmas books.

This is the island in the kitchen and it is where we always eat when it's just the two of us. The Big Red One glasses belong to Quarters One.

We moved this desk into the kitchen from the living room, it really "cozied" up the big space!

We had over 200 visitors on the Tour of Homes, our Historical Society did a magnificent job!

There goes Leigh, our HASFR president and the head docent for the day at Quarters One. I loved the period costume she wore, it added a great touch to the event. For more Christmas pictures of Quarters One visit us at www.facebook.com/Quartersone!

'Til next time....Merry Christmas!

Duty First!

The Gatherings on the Prairie

The Gatherings re-opens September 28 at 10 am!

Winter holidays bring happiness and when the holidays arrive in September it is pure JOY!  That's exactly what happens outside of the gates of Fort Riley in a fabulous little shop called
 "The Gatherings on the Prairie".
Days after we moved into Quarters One my friend, Theresa, introduced me to Rob Dudley and Rick Munson, the proprietors of the Gatherings, and I became their biggest fan!

It's where the Army sends us..I'm so glad it sent us to Fort Riley!

All year long the Gatherings is filled with beautiful home decor and things you never knew you needed.  It is my absolute go to place for gifts large and small and it's my number one destination spot when I have a decorating dilemma...there is plenty of help and talent to be found with in these well decorated walls.
But, ahhh, September...that's when the magic really happens! The Gatherings shutters their windows and doors for two weeks and the store is totally transformed into a Winter Wonderland.  I, mistakenly, missed out on the first few weeks of the Gatherings holiday season last year. A mistake I will not repeat this year! I was honored to be able to take a sneak peek of the store and I am excited to share my photos with you. Even if you don't live in  Kansas I hope you'll enjoy this pictorial tour and maybe get some great ideas for 2012. And if there's some thing you really love, give Rob a call, he might just be able to make your Christmas wish come true!

These wonderful Christmas pillows, many of which are Rob's own designs, will make you feel  Very Merry!

Happy!

Red is in the house! Amaryllis, velvet ribbon, antiqued ornaments....perfect for "Big Red One" decorating!

Rob used the term "Rustic Glitz" to describe this year's holiday theme...I think he made that up on the spot but I love the way it sounds and the way it looks!  

I believe!

No matter the season, each time I walk through the doors of The Gatherings I am excited to see all the sweet things it has to offer. More than that I am excited to see my friend, Rob. When the day comes for us to leave Quarters One and Fort Riley I know that the most precious gift  that I will take with me from the Gatherings is that of friendship.

Thank you, Rob and Rick, (and Susan, too!) for truly creating a place where we can all gather on the prairie...and for being so good to me and all of my Army Family.

I'm dreaming....

The Gatherings on the Prairie
615 North Washington Street, Junction City, KS
785-238-7300
Mon-Fri 10-6 and Sat 10-4 (Closed Sunday)

If you would like to see more photos of The Gatherings on the Prairie look for us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Quartersone . You can also visit (and like!) the Gatherings on Facebook.
'Til next time....Duty First!

La Bella Luce

"Every lock should have a key and every key should have a tassel"

A tassel from Venice hangs on an armoire we bought in Germany
(Quarters One annex)

My dear friend, Aly, said this to me once as we whirled through a fabric market in Piazzola sul Brenta, Italy.  Quarters One, with it's French country and Italian villa decor, is partially the result of my long friendship with this fiery Cuban chick from Miami. I love her and her sense of style. Her amazing taste in decor and talent for entertaining makes her a remarkable woman.  Aly can turn any plain set of  quarters into something out of Home Beautiful overnight. Did I mention she is the wife of a deployed Soldier and taking great care of the families in their unit? Raising two children? And managing her shop "La Bella Luce" in Clifton, VA from Italy where they are stationed? Army Wife extraordinaire!

On Main Street in historic Clifton, VA
Pronounced La Bella LOO-CHAY meaning beautiful light

I don't think Aly even remembers saying the line above to me.  I think about it constantly as a metaphor for taking the most simple of things or spaces and making them beautiful.  Big or small, military quarters or a simple apartment, your space should tell your story in your own way.
 And don't put it off. Today is your day.
Here are some photos from La Bella Luce which always gives me great inspiration (not to mention unique treasures)  for much of Quarters One.  Stop in the next time you're on Main Street in Clifton for a good idea or a great find, you won't regret it.  If you can't get to the market in Piazzola sul Brenta then this is the next best thing!

Take ordinary and make it extraordinary
(and a chandelier is never out of place)

La Bella Luce's venue is an historic home, it makes it all the more fun to shop and get ideas

Italian wine jugs known as  damigiana (s)

Love this cucina

Another kitchen view

Sweet dreams

Even the bathroom is full of vintage finds

For more photos of historic Quarters One and La Bella Luce visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/QuartersOne
'Til next time...
Duty First!