I have a question for you. Are you ready to rock? Wait, let me be more specific: Are you ready to rock — around the Christmas tree?!
It might only be September but I’m thinking we can agree that it sounds kinda fun. Hey, I’m not asking you to untangle strings of lights or to lug the ornaments out of storage. Just to tickle your fancy with holiday finery and get your wheels turning for making those Christmas cards!
Some background on the inspiration for my very first Happiest Holiday Collection before we get to rocking ... in many ways, it was inspired by my mom. When I was growing up, my mom decorated our home using her artistic talents, her unique and worldly style, a penchant for interesting patterns and paint colors, creativity and thought in every detail, coziness and confidence and passion and love. It made such a big impact on me. Mom (her name is Susan Smith) is the raddest. She deserves a blog post in her honor every week. It makes me smile just writing about how truly kind and positive, warm, supportive, and loving she is.
My mom’s passion for decorative objects and the art of displaying them helped inform my own style. The way she lives life on her own terms is just plain cool. No decorating rules (or, any rules, really) for that lady. Don’t Tread on Susan Bea. The photo of us above is from 2012, and she had just finished chemo and radiation for breast cancer. She is a survivor and a sweetheart and an inspiration and she’s MY MOM!
The holiday stamp images we’re revealing over the next few days spring from many of the style cues I picked up from Mom. How about I share a few photos I snapped around her house that Christmas to get us in the mood?
This is a pretty special little scene, isn’t it? On a dining room tabletop, she has vintage ballerina figurines beside a bottlebrush tree, their colors echoing the hues of the tree bristles, tinsel and ornaments. An antique Staffordshire dog with golden accents (spruced up with an angelic bow) sits beside a vintage Santa ornament and a gold-tipped teapot. Everything subtly coordinates with the pale celery and rosy-mauve Bruschwig et Fils wallpaper. OK, now imagine scenes like this nearly every place your eye lands throughout the house...
I TOLD YOU! Susan Smith has got it going on. This painted cupboard displays pieces from her English transferware stash. A lot of folks are into blue transferware. It’s a lovely, classic look for sure. My mom is into pink, brown, black, green — even purple. I love how she clusters it all together grouped by color. Let’s move in for a close up on that cute lil pink bottlebrush tree in the pink transferware tea cup...
SWEET!!! Oh yeah, you are feeling the creative tingle of Susie Kringle now, are you not? But wait, one more fun one...
Here is a dresser in the hallway of my Mom and step-dad Steve’s wonderful old home (it’s the house I grew up in, built in the 1860s). I hope you can see in the reflection that I am smiling while I’m taking the photo, as I was most likely laughing to myself about how impossibly fun this house is, and how wonderful the person is who put it all together! Mom gathered a forest of trees of various types, from ceramic to bottlebrush to papier-mâché. A cockatoo statue wears a wreath. Angels abound! At the very center, there’s a framed Santa picture my brother Andrew painted when he was little.
Oh my gosh, I’m STILL smiling!!! Is everyone still ready to rock? I hope so... because if you liked the images above, and ESPECIALLY if you noticed a certain holiday object that was worked into each of the displays in the photos above, I think you’ll be happy to see today’s set:
Bottlebrush Holiday is a clear polymer stamp set filled with all manner of bottlebrush trees, vintage-y goodies, and handlettered sentiments that will absolutely infuse your holiday creations with fun and festivity. You’ll have to come check out the Bloom Brigade’s posts today to see a few of the ways this set can be used ... let’s roll on over to their blogs.
IT’S FINALLY TIME TO ROCK!
Hope to see you all back here tomorrow — we’ve got THREE MORE DAYS of sneaky peeks to share before we’re ready to put everything up in the shop for you! Have a great one!
Just had to say that I LOVE this post :) I love seeing the roots of where and how your artistry was born in your mom :) Gorgeous decor and an equally beautiful set....thanks Marcy! So excited to dive into your first Christmas release!
ReplyDeleteOh, Marcy, I agree with Christine! Just LOVE this post to see who and what inspired you for this Christmas release! And it's so precious! I have a dear friend who would LOVE your mom's house. They would be "besties," for sure! It looks like a storybook house that is so inviting and relaxing! Thanks for sharing your photos, especially the one with you and your mom!! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love these bottle brush trees, and you've captured them so perfectly in your little sneaky peeky! I can't wait to get this stamp set in my hands!! Shucks, you might as well just mail all of the Christmas stamps to me as I know I am going to love em all! :-)
ReplyDeleteBottle brush trees in stamp form??? Be still my beating heart! Love all the Christmas display pics.
ReplyDeleteSo excited for your first Christmas release! I know these will be as gorgeous as everything else you create! Congrats to your mom on being a survivor and an all around fun person!
ReplyDeleteGreat classic Xmas image! Love this post, totally gets me in the holiday mood!
ReplyDeleteSuper happy post! Love the decor that you shared, definitely a fun and warm home :). The bottlebrush trees are adorable!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to this release!
How nostalgic, that is a gorgeous stamp set!
ReplyDeleteMarcella, it was so nice to read your tribute to your mom. She is beautiful, and is probably as proud of you, as you are of her! I love this release...makes me almost hear and smell the holidays! Thanks for a great blog hop, and give your mom a big hug!
ReplyDeleteWOW! What a fabulous place to celebrate the Holidays! This stamp set is fun and I can also see it being very elegant! Looking forward to the rest of the sneak peeks!!! Congratulations on your first holiday stamp collection!
ReplyDeleteOh my your Mum is a talent as well <3 love the first day of the release and cannot wait to see more
ReplyDeleteMarcella, thank you so much for sharing your amazing mom and her beautiful home with us! The story behind the Bottlebrush Holiday set makes these holiday stamps even more special! I have fallen in love with all of your stamps, and can't wait to see all of the holiday collection. Happy First Christmas at Power Poppy! ♡Dawn
ReplyDeleteLove your post, Marcella, with a glimpse of YOU! I am so looking forward to the new release of your artwork. Exciting!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight to your inspiration! Can't wait to see what you bring us over the next 3 days!
ReplyDeleteYour house growing up look as if it was a blessing Marcy. Congrats to your mom being a survivor as well, that is inspiration enough! Loved seeing some of your home, mom and inspiration as always!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your Mom with us in this post. I lost my mom when I was 9 so I know how hard it is to be without her. So glad your mom is a survivor! I also love her mad decorating skills. (like mother like daughter). :D
ReplyDeleteYour bottlebrush trees have such spunk! Love them. I'm delighted that the cockatoo gets a wreath for Christmas, and I'm pretty sure my grandparents had that same light-up ceramic Christmas tree. It was a Big Deal to put all the little bulbs in--no two colors could touch! At some point, there were little butterflies that lit up just like the bulbs, and those were extra special. :)
ReplyDeleteMarcy, you and your mom are so cute together! My heart is all swollen up with the love. She is an amazing woman. Such a beautiful home, with or without the fabulous and artful array of Christmas decorations. If this post doesn't put everyone in the Christmas spirit, then I guess they're just hopeless!
ReplyDeleteSweet Marcy....I LOVE this post! That photo of you and your mama is precious. I loved the tour of your mom's beautiful decor and your sweet description of everything truly made me feel like I was right there! Thank you for sharing this lovely post with us...not to mention your gorgeous artwork! Big hugs to you AND mama! :)
ReplyDeleteI can see how you became such an Artist now, surrounded by such beauty & creativity! The apple doesn't fall far from the tree! <3
ReplyDeleteLove the tour of your Moms, decorative vignettes. Looking forward to seeing all your wonderful artwork.
ReplyDeleteI think we should have a stamping retreat at Christmas time at your mom's house. It is incredible. It must take her hours to decorate. This is all so amazing. What a warm and welcoming place to call home. Love it.
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