Christmas 2011  Things were absolutely a WHIRLWIND the whole month of December.  I was REALLY busy at the store on top of  all of the wonderful seasonal things to include on my daily "to do" list.  Christmas with my family was a lot of fun, and it makes me chuckle when I begin to put photos together to respond to your interest. Here Goes........   I try to watch what I eat daily and Christmas is always a great excuse to indulge guilt free.  I have had this recipe for awhile and tried it for Christmas Eve morning.  I think I have heard it called Monkey bread (does it look like a monkey?)  it was deelish!  SOO much butter and cinnamon.  I think three of us had the whole thing polished off by Christmas morning...  Christmas Eve night was at my Sister Danielle's where my mother carried on her tradition of the seven fishes including stuffed lobsters.....  This is one of the pictures that started the theme, everyone brings out their red attire with a sense of humor....My husband Roger included, second from the left, and I'm sorry I cut my brother-in-law Mark in half.  LOL  My youngest son Adam and I are enjoying fried calamari!  My sister Denise is in the background.  You can see my Sister's Christmas tree to the right...  It is imperfectly BEAUTIFUL!! PLENTY of open room to hang your ornaments.  My son, Ryan complained one year when I bought a tree at Walmart where they don't even let you open the netting for $29.00.  That did not go over well with Ryan, chief of Christmas tree police.  He is one of those obsessive Christmas tree Kooks who likes a perfect sheared FULL Christmas tree triangle,  The bigger the better. Once your kids move out they have to have PERFECTION when they come home for the holidays so we agreed each year he would go out and buy AND decorate the tree. He puts it up Thanksgiving weekend and then I spend a month worrying everytime we have a fire because it's so DRY!!  Last year our tree rivaled the Rockefeller Center tree in size AND he even had to prune it to barely fit in the family room.  Everyone who stopped by during the season commented  "Wow, great tree!!"  I was embarassed as there was no room for anything else in the room, we had to remove seating...so silly!   My sister, Nicole and her hubby Tom looking cute!  My Granddaughter,  Madison discovering a ring pop for the first time in her maroon velvet.   Garland for the bannister....  I take fresh sprigs and just place them on top of the artwork.  These are just 2 of the herbiers in my powder room.   I have more available $145.00 ea. in simpler frames.  This year I placed this small tree in the dining room. The angels were from my childhood.  I love stone indoors and use the swan as a centerpiece filled with silver pears and balls on fresh greens.  Her necklace is a crown I wore at Christmastime when I was a child.  I place red bows on the chandeliers.  The iron figural sculpture on the right is one of my favorites and, yes I MUST get new window treatments. (My design New Year's resolution) The ceiling color is Farrow and Ball mouse's back and the chandelier is Italian from France.  I use this tablecloth somewhere every holiday.  My Grandparents, who enjoyed the holidays so very much, brought it back from Italy for me in 1977 and it makes me feel as if they are with us still....  You can also see how the light eventually burned the ribbon...glad I was home for that one!  Madison and I made this gingerbread house and I have it atop an antique sled on my island.  Don't laugh!!  I LOVE my swan even though it gives some of my family the creeps!    mirror close up with mercury glass beads....  Okay, so we voted down the TurDucHen for next year even though I thought it was okay.  I generally don't get excited for entrees.  Between the eggplant rollatini, Denise's scalloped potatoes and the cheesecake with chocolate fudge pockets I was happy!  The men sat for at least 2 hours after the meal drinking port!  I think the experience was enhanced  with the old hotel silver tray server and the spiced chocolate alongside.   The 18th century chopping block with the large knife attached makes the stilton taste better.  I was inspired by Katie when I did my mantle and, although my birch tree came down this Fall I rescued the branches to decorate with.   My mother gave me this Santa years ago .....  Okay, so here is our "scaled down " tree this year.  Don't love it at all. How will I be able to get a Charlie Brown tree next year so I can use more of my ornaments??  With this bush you just cant HANG anything??  I just LOVE Maddy's face here when she was eyeing her gifts....  Switching gears to New Year's Day for the annual plunge in the Lake!    The Lorber family took things to a new level.  Started by my husband 6 years ago,  the crowd has been growing from the original 5 lonely polar bear plungers.  Even I did it once and I thought I was having a heart attack.  One year we had to send my sons ahead to break the ice on the lake...it's COLD in New Jersey!  Roger doesn't feel the urge to plunge anymore but does the countdown....  Crazy people in Mt. Lakes!!   My niece Bergen on the left with her friends....  My son Adam usually arrives late and my niece goes in for the second time with him.  This year he arrived on time but did a second jump for his cousin who was away.......   CRAZY!!    I hope you had a wonderful holiday season.  A new year ahead with new opportunities.  I decided to set realistic resolutions this year. Mine are     "I vow not to put my running clothes in the dryer because I know it prolongs their use" and "I will STOP obsessing about my curly hair".  Those are 2 I think I can do....how about you?  Enjoy the few new postings to the website, I am behind but will get a lot on the site in the next couple of days.  Warmest regards, Bonny P.S. "Currently I have reduced pricing on many pieces at the store including 25% off all silver.  Email me with any questions." My favorite blogs: Cote de Texas Velvet and Linen Things that Inspire   The Enchanted Home     Bonny Neiman Stylish Antiques  p.973-714-4541 www.bonnyneiman.com Trouvaille 12 Beechwood Road  Summit, NJ Monday-Saturday 10-5:30   Like us on Facebook

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... I had just received my container from Europe and, because of the holiday,  hadn't unpacked but I saw one box marked "glass jars".  I used them as a row of centerpieces with a twig centerpiece  in the middle where everyone wrote what they were thankful for this year. I have several of these hand blown glass jars from Belgium available WITH stones. All you need to do is add the leeks or paperwhites and water. They look wonderful with Christmas balls for the holidays and for the rest of the year can hold collections or flowers. They vary in size a bit. Hand blown glass jars from Belgium with stones-$94.00  I have been unpacking boxes, etc. and arriving at the shop with dozens of great things from Europe, small and large. Between my trips there, to the electrician , the upholsterer and the framer I am swamped. I haven't been able to get pictures on the site but have notified all of you with pictures of items you had wanted. Please let me know if you are looking for anything for that special spot. There are lots of pieces including wonderful mirrors and art . I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy your preparations for the holiday season upon us...    Best regards, Bonny P.S. Go to facebook to see more pieces on their way and to get advanced notice of updated web site. My favorite blogs: Cote de Texas Velvet and Linen Things that Inspire   The Enchanted Home     Bonny Neiman Stylish Antiques  p.973-714-4541 www.bonnyneiman.com Trouvaille 12 Beechwood Road  Summit, NJ Monday-Saturday 10-5:30   Like us on Facebook