Wednesday, December 28, 2011

RICH DECOR : A EUROPEAN ESSENCE


Lovely thoughts of the holidays still linger... 
Warmth radiates from this golden dining room.  Loving the combination of European antiquities,  rich yet simplistically perfect. 
~
Will be striving to bring this essence to my interior design work for clients this year.
~
The beam across the room reminds me of the apartment I rented in Paris., here below. 







inside courtyard, dreamy...





DO YOU HAVE A New Year's RESOLUTION YET,
what are they?
Karen
Linking with White Wednesday at Faded Charm  and Common Ground

Monday, December 26, 2011

Thank you and a giveaway Winner.....


Thank you to all that participated in my Shabby Apple necklace giveaway!
I t was appreciated and fun! I love this alice in wonderland inspired necklace. The combination of an old looking cameo with a more contemporary silver casing, almost like a mirror frame is perfect!
Hoping your Christmas was magical, ours was.


the winner is
BJ
from

thanks, 
Karen

Friday, December 23, 2011

Merry Christmas



MERRY CHRISTMAS
 from all of us at the 
Brayton Homestead


May you have a blessed holiday


tomorrow night a winner will be drawn for the jewelry giveaway
you can sign up until then,

MERRY CHRISTMAS
Karen

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Plaids for decorating



Never realized I used so many plaids at Christmas,
especially in my kitchen.





and plaid-like textiles in the mudroom






plaid scarf on men's skates for the outside door... 


checks in the study



thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed and have a  Merry Christmas,

linking with these great blog parties:

Karen
IMAGES : all Brayton Homestead Interiors

Monday, December 19, 2011

Blog giveaway ends Saturday!


Alice in Wonderland
was the inspiration for the necklace in my blog giveaway 


by Shabby Apple
so much wonder and cheer
especially this time of year!


you can win this great necklace to wear on the New Year!

TO ENTER:
1st chance- become a follower of Brayton Homestead Interiors and leave a comment to say you have
or  leave a comment to let me know you are already a follower- thanks!
2nd chance- blog about it and leave a comment here
3rd- post about it on FACEBOOK and leave a comment here.


Thanks and enjoy,
linking with the tea party at Silken Purse
Karen

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Santa in his sleigh



Santa is coming to the Brayton Homestead. Some last minute touches in the mudroom. An old carriage seat I picked up this summer along with some suitcases. Can you ever have enough suitcases?


Yes, this is how long I have had my wind up singing Santa
from my dear Dad.

linking with Faded Charm

enjoy,
Karen

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Shabby Apple necklace giveaway!


thanks for coming to the homestead,
I hope you will please sign up for my Shabby Apple necklace giveaway.
ends December 24th!
I love this photo I found on Google, it has a Magnolia Pearl fashion 
look to it...,


TO ENTER:
1st chance- become a follower of Brayton Homestead Interiors and leave a comment to say you have
or  leave a comment to let me know you are already a follower- thanks!
2nd chance- blog about it and leave a comment here
3rd- post about it on FACEBOOK and leave a comment here.
Thanks and enjoy,

Karen

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Merry Christmas



I LOVE SNOWMAN, do you?
these are a few of my handmade paper mache boxes..


love making snowmen outside!

a fab outfit from Shabby Apple the sponsor for my giveway
do not forget to sign up for the Shabby Apple necklace- here
 GIVEAWAY


LOVE hot chocolate to drink after creating!


and I so love to make them
like these snowman boxes on my Etsy shop vintagedchic
(one in front top pic sold )


the crackling sound of a fire in the hearth is also perfect this time of year...

LINKING WITH THESE BEAUTIFUL BLOGS:


photo of marshmallow on Etsy
Karen

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

PAINT YOUR OWN SKATES: easy tips to paint YOUR HOME portrait


It is very cold here in Massachusetts! Only had a sprinkling of snow last week, but enough to make me reminisce and want to grab my ice skates and go to the Somerset marsh and skate.



Here are the basic steps I use to create the skate.


These are my handpainted ice skates., painting of the Brayton Homestead, of course.  I painted them in a primitive style- aka- giant snowman the size of a house. 
 First I painted the skates entirely with white paint, including blades and lace openings. I sketched the house on one piece of paper, the snowman on another, cut around the edges of 
each and kept moving the shapes around until I liked it. Then traced the shapes.


I made a straight line with a little curve for the snow, painted a deep blue around the house and snowman, even the lace openings, the painted in details. Remember in this naive primitive style, you are not looking for perfection! I glazed over the snow and the snowman with a thinned out gold paint and completed the skates with a gingham check fabric scrap for laces and a hand painted bells as snowmen.
Try painting your house! 
You can always take a photograph and trace it-
 Let me know if you have any questions.

stay dry and warm and thanks coming by the homestead.
Karen

IMAGES: all Brayton Homestead Interiors

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Have you joined the Mad Tea party and giveaway?



do not be late-
late for an important date!!
the blog giveaway ends December 24th
so sign up now
one lucky person will win this Shabby Apple Alice in Wonderland inspired necklace!


click here for details and to sign up!
LINKING WITH:
SILKEN PURSE
thanks,
Karen

Friday, December 9, 2011

CELEBRATE: Beautiful Necklace GIVEAWAY


SOMETHING TO DANCE ABOUT
come enter my blog giveaway to win this beautiful pink cameo necklace with a gorgeous silver edge and chain. 


to enter click here.
Ends December 24th and hope you'll take my button to the right,

Linking with: HOW SWEET THE SOUND
thanks,
Karen

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

St Nick



St. Nicholas Day is special at the homestead


St. Nicholas Day is special at the homestead
in the authentic tradition,  wooden shoes are put out for St. Nicholas, not stockings
* " He had a reputation for secret gift giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus, whose modern name comes from the Dutch Sinterklaus, itself a series of elisions and corruptions of the transliteration of Santa Nikolaus"
ours are filled with nuts, yarn and other goodies...



All to enjoy while working in the study/ office. The homestead, circa 1796, is so easy to decorate for the holidays, especially in a country cottage almost French country style-
Merry Christmas!
Karen

Linking with the beautiful:

you can sign up for my jewelry giveaway  click here
IMAGES: Brayton Homestead Interiors