It's our GreatHouse Gift Guide and fun holiday workshop sign up!

We've been busier than elves on Beechwood Road! This past weekend the entire town was full of holiday cheer as visitors enjoyed the great weather and many points of entertainment throughout town. It was hysterical whenever I looked out the window to see a horse and carriage clomping up the street...so much fun! Thank you to Summit Downtown Organization for creating such a festive environment. We have put together our GreatHouse Gift Guide featuring some of our favorite pieces carefully chosen for all the members on your shopping list.....lucky them! Festive displays are adorned with Christmas ornaments and holiday soy candles, $34.00. Also featured, above, are our lucite coasters in malachite and leopard, $72.00 set of 4. Bone and horn creamy white boxes, $85.00-$175.00 For the hostess! Artisan gold leaf soap dishes with French milled soaps, $42.00 Artisan gold leaf bowls and vases $48.00-$155.00 Vintage classical plate $65.00 For the special teacher in your life.. Artisan ceramic accessory trays $32.00 arrows, trees and bumblebees Copper rimmed picture frames $28.00, $34.00 For the special exotic sweetie in your life... Genuine ostrich leather clutch with hornback crocodile handle and dust jacket, $165.00 For the glamour girl... Vintage perfume bottles, $65.00-$145.00 Pink lucite accessory box, $145.00 Vintage marble bird bath, $275.00 Vintage silver tray, $75.00 Vintage set of pastel cocktail glasses, $85.00 Vintage Christmas trees with mercury glass balls $235.00-$325.00 Vintage blue art glass bowl $120.00 For the art lover.... Vintage bronze dancers sculpture.  $ 245.00 Vintage metal head vase, $265.00 Upper left -vintage signed pen and ink drawing from France,1 of 3 $425 ea Far right, framed mixed media(Circles) $695.00 Small oil paintings $95.00-$245.00 For the Foodie... Vintage mortar and pestle $225.00 Black marble cheeseboard $54.00 White marble and wood cheeseboard $54.00 European linen kitchen/towels $24.00.dinner napkins $44.00 set of 4 Mother of pearl serving spoons $42.00 set of 4 Artisan pewter napkin rings $18.00 ea. Not only the tree glitters! Sissys jewelry has new arrivals with pieces totally drool worthy. Earrings start at $40.00 and necklaces shown are handmade with natural stones. Some have gold filled beads and hand carved bone feathers. The necklaces top left are sterling silver made with antique European sterling silver watch fobs! Gorgeous! Necklaces shown range from $95.00-$275.00. For the mixologist, his bar will standout with unique vintage pieces. Here are just a few, pictured. Vintage 3 decanter tantalus $295.00 Hotel silver wine/ice bucket $ Antelope horn bottle opener. $155.00 Vintage highball glasses in rack $245.00 Sterling flask $325.00 For the Christmas crazed! Must have original vintage mugs make for a comical Christmas morning, $22.00... A few pitchers too! Vintage Christmas barware many sets varied pricing. Antique handpainted mercury glass ornaments $18.00 ea. Is he always cold?? In stock luxurious 60 X 72 faux fur throws, $375.00 And not too late to order in 3 different sizes and a dozen add'l fur choices. Chunky knit throws, $275.00 For the collector...gifts that will be passed down for generations. Antique steel mounted oak humidor with porcelain lining $ 325.00 Heirloom 19th century inlaid Turnbridge boxes $425.00-$545.00 Antique crystal finial$175.00 Antique gilded pin tray $75.00 Antique gilded fragments mounted on lucite, $95.00  Antique round chinoiserie tray $165.00 Here is a bountiful example of one of our antique cutting boards making your cocktail hour look irrestible! About 5 available. And lucky GreatHouse enthusiasts will enjoy creating their own glittering winter cloche, Thursday evening December 17th at 6:30. It's always a fun experience to sip and create under the guidance of spirited and inspiring Matt Allegretta ....nicest guy around as he takes time from his busy career as display coordinator for Anthropologie to lead us in this hands on workshop. Space is limited so grab your bestie and call to register, 908-522-8900. $55.00 covers your cloche cost. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay in touch about the latest happenings at GreatHouse and to be in the know about our super special flash sales you will not want to miss! Talk to you soon,  Bonny   Please note delivery and shipping is available on all items EMAIL ME with any questions.     GreatHouse Bonny Neiman    p.973-714-4541  www.bonnyneiman.com   12 Beechwood Avenue | Summit, NJ Monday-Saturday 10:30-5:30

Holiday how to and sign up for our cloche workshop !!

Hi Friends,    I was putting together the planters outside the store on Sunday and was showing passers by and thought you would want a replay of my "how to" blog. I added something different which I show at the end. A few announcements as there is so many fun things going on I don't want you to miss anything. Thank you to all for making our Giving Tuesday such a huge hit! It felt good to write a nice check to St. Jude's Children Research Hospital and send it off. This Friday night kicks off the holidays in Summit! Stores are OPEN LATE with specials and we are hoping you and your date "get your jingle on" with us for a sip and shop where one of our signature soy candles will be free with your $40.00 purchase. Luminaries will light the street with music and live singing through town with lots planned. On Saturday starting at 1:30 it's kids day with crafts, stories, free hot chocolate, horse and carriage rides and, of course, Santa. For more information go to www.summitdowntown.org. We are planning a do it yourself holiday container workshop on December 17th with our favorite creative genius, Matt Allegretta. This is a hands on workshop ($55.00) where you will be creating your own masterpiece to take home and be amazed with your own creativity!! LOL!!   Anything Matt is involved in is magical and fun!  Please call 908-522-8900 between 10:30-5:30 to register as space is very limited.   AND....as our gift to you, we will be running super terrific flash sale specials thoughout the season that you will not want to miss. They will be 24 hours only and pictures and details will be posted exclusively on Facebook and Instagram. CHRISTMAS PLANTER HOW-TO!!! My son came home this past weekend for his annual trip to "get the tree".  He is VERY "tree specific", lets call it, but I have to say he must be evolving because when he placed his find in the family room this year the size didn't warrant removing every piece of furniture from the room. HE LIKES IT BIG!!  He does a masterful job of placing each light and then scoots back to the city and I have 2 ladders around old tannenbaum for a month while I try and make it look less like Rockefeller Center and more like home....I truly LOVE Christmas but, probably like you, feel a little stressed with all the opportunities for fun.  I showed a picture of the store planters last week on the blog and many of you commented on them so I thought I could give you a how- to with my own, above. Very easily done. I went to our larger garden center and bought Red branches 2 red artificial fruits I poked on green sticks from the gardencenter 2 picks of artificial magnolia leaves ( love the copper color) Some cedar branches with seeds Some cedar branches without seeds Some evergreen boughs 3 "bricks " of oasis foam Take the 3 bricks and place them hole side down in water, below They absorb the water and also are easy to poke with stuff but so is dirt already in your pots. Cut with a knife to fit.  The planter above is 12 inches in diameter First the plain cedar Then add some cedar with the seeds.. Then add the evergreen for some form Then add the magnolias in the center...the brown color is a nice contrast...and then add..... red sticks for height.  I really wanted full red berry sprays but they only had short ones.  When I cut them I noticed the garden center had  sprayed healthy branches....the branches weren't even dried out yet .   The fruit....you should try and find plastic as in very cold weather the foam ones usually crack and show the white styrofoam underneath. VOILA!! I must add that everything looks great in an antique real stone beautifully aged planter. EMAIL ME for pictures of planters I have available. I placed an antler to bring a little lightness to it. Pinecones also look great!  I added birch poles this year, this pic was a rainy day but I still love them. For your holiday shopping convenience we are now open   on Sundays too from 12-4 pm Our window is sparkling with a winter wonderland display featuring our gorgeous vintage swan I scored years ago from a museum going out of business. The silver foil trees are from the 1960's! Our gift table is full of treasures at terrific price points for everyone on your list. Wonderful hostess and teacher gifts. French milled soap resting on an artisan hand gold leafed soap dish. Price $42.00. Artisan ceramic trays, $32.00. Choose designs of an arrow, full tree or bumble bee. We have many sets of our popular vintage glasses and barware. Everyone loves to give and receive these one of a kind gifts. Exotic ostrich skin bags with hornback crocodile wristlet, $225.00 Lucite coaster sets and decorative boxes and candles ...prices ranging from $34.00-$95.00    Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay in touch about the latest happenings at GreatHouse and to be in the know about our super special flash sales you will not want to miss! Talk to you soon,  Bonny   Please note delivery and shipping is available on all items EMAIL ME with any questions.     GreatHouse Bonny Neiman    p.973-714-4541  www.bonnyneiman.com   12 Beechwood Avenue | Summit, NJ Monday-Saturday 10:30-5:30

Early Black Friday Specials and a Thanksgiving throwback!

We're starting Black Friday Sales today! In addition to "buy one, get one" special on candles, Sissys Jewelry is having their very first sale. WOWZA! I'll have to look at that myself!  Their pieces have gained quite a following with their stylish curated selection. We are also offering our fantastic selection of antique and vintage mirrors (some pictured below) at 15 % off  just in time for your holiday parties. We have been decorating for Christmas and have been collecting holiday gifts that are exclusive, sourced from my travels around the world.  We are really excited to show you the collection and hope you will stop by when you want to give gifts carefully chosen with you in mind. This is a throwback post from our Thanksgiving a few years ago that I thought may give you a laugh. A silly Thanksgiving!! This was such a silly day.  About a month ago my niece Jordan sent around an email in the family  mentioning her desire to have us all dress as Pilgrims and Indians for Thanksgiving.  No, Jordan is not the 10 year old Indian behind the front  row turkey, she is a 21 year old college student.  Everyone jumped on board in their own way as is typical with the whole group.   Holidays were a big deal when I was a child.  My mother would go all out with decorations, costumes and meals.  On Halloween she, my Grandfather and Grandmother would put their heads together and create, hammer and sew costumes worthy of a Broadway show for us.  I still remember the costume parties they had. Our home at Christmastime had theme outdoor decorations and not the store bought kind, tasteful engineering feats dreamed up by my Mother and executed by my Grandfather.   I don't know how she did it, really  even our  meals were sumptuous banquets. Each summer when my Grandparents took their cross Atlantic cruise with trunks packed full of spectacular gowns my Grandmother was always proud to report they took first prize at the masquerade ball with her creations.  The desire to have fun and not take ourselves too seriously has made its way through the generations.  A few years ago we started having a progressive Thanksgiving feast where we walk from house to house for each course as my 3 sisters and I all live in the same small town.  The men orchestrate the frying of the bird and make it an event outside with cigars, bourbon or a nice scotch. Sometimes we set up a target outside and everyone takes a turn shooting bows and arrows. My eldest son showed up from the city in a turkey costume....he made me so proud!! I always pride myself in not spending a cent...(maybe it shows but it's the spirit that counts) My husband (manning the fryer) grabbed a headband but he lost his feather very early.... my brother-in-law Tom was HYSTERICAL as a pilgrim and I took 20 pictures of him because I kept cracking up every time I looked at him. My Indian nephews showcasing our crispy bird... Hilary made her turkey costume and glued every feather. (my nieces are sooo creative!) My mother said she will wear a red bow at Christmas and carry a bell and go as a Salvation Army volunteer!! LOL!!! My Dad always brings the cigars.  That is my son without his turkey costume.    My sister Danielle with her brood posing.  I thought it was so cute that even though his brother and sister were weapon bearing Indians Nicky wanted to be a "fat turkey"! My Pilgrim father.... My sister Nicole's sangria looked beautiful.... My sister Denise's daughter Bergen helping herself to a picturesque crudite. Jordan with her Dad preparing the filet appetizers... Look at the little cutey baby in the headdress and the rear view of Hilary's feather display! They were calling my husband a biker, (what WAS he anyway in that shirt??) Here they are carving both  turkeys... For your holiday shopping convenience we are now open   on Sundays too from 12-4 pm            During Thanksgiving we would like to express our gratitude to all of our faithful customers/friends who have supported us this year and made our work a joy! We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and will keep making it happen for you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!   It's a good time to follow on Instagram and Facebook as some of my finds and fun experiences are posted!  Talk to you soon,  Bonny    Please note delivery and shipping is available on all items EMAIL ME with any questions.       GreatHouse Bonny Neiman    p.973-714-4541  www.bonnyneiman.com   12 Beechwood Avenue | Summit, NJ  Monday-Saturday 10:30-5:30