Here’s What’s Happening…

this weekend…If you live in or around Baltimore.  After several people mentioned to me that they would like to have known about the Holiday Heap last weekend, but missed it because they didn’t know in time, I thought I’d post a few things that are happening this weekend and beyond.

On Thursday night, I had two invitations – one was five minutes from the house and the other 45 minutes. Guess which one I attended. It was the Evergreen House’s Evergreen Evening, which launches the holiday season at this amazing house. The house is one of those which is just made for beautiful holiday parties, and there were trees in almost every room.Many of the trees were thematic, including one with ornaments from across the world, each representing a place where the family had an association.

The one I liked the most had loads of chandelier crystals and white fairy lights.  Information on Evergreen here.

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Today, I headed up-country to the gorgeous Ladew House & Gardens Open House and Greens Sale. I am usually there in the late spring for their Garden Festival (save the date, Carolyne Roehm is this year’s speaker!) So seeing Ladew in the winter was a whole different experience. The house is decorated for the holidays, and there are greens from across the property for sale.  I snagged a few bunches of English Boxwood. Each of the ground-floor rooms is thematically decorated by a different decorator or garden club. Mr. Ladew was a huge party-giver, I am sure he entertained a lot around the holidays. There was someone in this room playing carols on the piano, a very nice touch.I loved this rose and magnolia arrangement which was hanging from one of the windows. I think it would last a few days.Mr. Ladew was a huge fox hunter and I thought this little reynard, sitting on the library steps was a great touch.Throughout the property and studio/barn, there were beautiful arrangements, all for sale. The studio is great – all light-filled and walled with books. They’re on shelves fronted with chicken wire, a fun touch. Mr. Ladew was a huge reader and the range of books in the house is amazing. This is an interesting time to see the gardens, as the bones show through and you can see more details. When I visit in the spring and summer, everything’s leafed out, so you don’t get the sense of how the garden’s been built.But there are still some bright spots!

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I headed back into town, crossing this old trestle bridge as I turned south towards an auction preview.There are two auctions this weekend, one at Alex Cooper, where I purchased some pictures earlier this year, and an Eggnog Auction on Sunday at Richard Opfer Auctions.

I desperately need a rug for the mud-room, which has ceramic tiles over a slab, and is next to the kitchen with no door. I think that a rug will help warm the room, and since Connor troops through there with muddy feet, I want something that will disguise the paw prints.  This might do the trick.The larger of the two auctions is at Cooper, and I spent a leisurely hour or two there, checking out what’s on offer and thinking about leaving some bids. Some of the lots are massive!

Like this great wall of China import pottery. Estimate is $200, and there must be more than 100 pieces!

This lot of teapots, some transferware and others painted, has an estimate of $125-$200.

This lot of Indian silver/silverplate probably has more than 100 pieces with an estimate of $150-$200.

I thought this Wild West sort of textile was fascinating, it was delicate, but the beading was in very good condition.

Of course, you will notice that I am not telling you what I am bidding on! Just one lot of things, I think… or maybe two! 

I hope your weekend is filled with lots of fun things to do, parties to attend and presents to wrap!