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