’Over the River and thru the Woods…’
Wherever you’re headed this Thanksgiving, may you have traveling mercies and enjoy the ride!
Love y’all, Camellia
* photograph by Jeremy Miniard – used with permission. Find more of his wonderful photographs at jeremy-miniard.fineartamerica.com
It’s a fact- the closer you live to a Southern Magnolia the better your life will be…Tall, stately and oh so beautiful, she wears flamboyant flowers and her signature citrus scent. Magnolia’s green satin leaves are lined with brown linen that sets off creamy white flowers, red berries, then rustic cone shaped seed pods. Magnolia does enjoy her seasonal wardrobe. A true Southern lady, Magnolia tends to prefer the lower and coastal landscape and seems particularly happy in a mixed crowd-
Magnolia Grandiflora may be her given name, but just call her ‘Mag-knowl-ya’. Like so many Southern Ladies she knows how to age gracefully– and stands peaceful and serene regardless of winds or high water; and like a true Southern Lady seems to have a high tolerance for shock. 
Magnolia makes her home from the Low Country of Virginia and the Carolinas all the way down and across the South right over to Texas, where she quietly makes her majestic presence known. Give Magnolia a Decent Footing, she’ll spread thick sprawling roots- bringing Beauty to her surroundings all year round. Magnolia is the epitome of Southern Hospitality offering red berries to winter songbirds and her shiny leaves beautify every special occasion. From the cradle to the grave, Magnolia seems partial to the Holidays. Rich in symbolism, the Southern Magnolia represents
This year, a Magnolia Wreath seemed perfect for the front door, since we have three native Southern Magnolias and two hybrids called Little Gems, their dwarf cousins growing on the property. We made a full and simple wreath of Southern Magnolia Leaves to welcome Thanksgiving at the cottage. Beautiful. Simple and Traditional for large or small homes. Here’s how we did it-
Our Evergreen Southern Magnolia Wreath will carry herself in Dignity, Speak Kindly, look Beautiful and Age Gracefully, I promise!
Love y’all, Camellia
Bundle up! Cool Autumn days are here- warm sweaters, cozy blankets and oh yes! Let the Festivities Begin! …Was that a groan? So much to do- so little time… Ask me if I’m a natural born multitasker?
‘Well Darlin’ I fried two chickens at once, four frying pans- too much work and the grease splatters weren’t worth it.’
The Southern drawl isn’t equipped to use the word multitask effectively, on the other hand- Bundle brings forth fond images: Bundles of Joy wrapped in Receiving Blankets, a Bundle of Clean Clothes right off the clothesline, Bacon wrapped Green Bean Bundles for Sunday Supper, a Bundle of Kindling or a mother’s voice…‘Bundle up now, you’ll catch a chill.’ When Holiday tasks are bundled up, it’s a joy not a chore…
Here at Camellia’s Cottage, for Fall and Winter Holidays, we try to think like party planners, which elevates the preparations to something joyful. A color scheme, a menu, a theme… Then there’s three things we bundled up to kick off the Season-
I know from experience that Setting the Scene for the Holidays begins with finding a common thread that runs all through the Season– this is a sure fire formula for Holidays Bundled with Joy.
We use a neutral color palette for Camellia’s Cottage- White, Gray and Black. Natural Sisal Rugs, Cool Marble and Warm Barn Board are accents throughout. Whatever the season, Green is the common thread, the ultimate neutral in nature- think Pumpkin Patches, Sultry Magnolia Leaves and Soft Southern Pine. On my Supply List- Each year, I add a new shade of Green Satin Ribbon; for holiday magic -a new shade of Red too, since both work all year. I add Cello Bags in several sizes; White, Clear Cellophane and Natural Wrap are also used year round. Wonderful mail order sources bring ribbon and supplies right to the Cottage Door! Nice Stationary is the epitome of Southern Grace and Good Manners! There’s nothing like putting pen to paper for handwritten notes, though we’re finding new and beautiful ways to express our holiday wishes!
This season, Camellia’s Cottage is excited to be working in cooperation with Paperless Post®- the premiere retailer of online stationary… including the Southern Must Have- Thank You Notes! Why, Paperless Post has designs by world famous designers- Oscar de la Renta, Kate Spade and Jonathon Adler- talk about an all star line up! All of our stationary needs are bundled up in one place!
Paperless Post® includes options to download my own designs, photographs and to personalize the wording. There are options to order Paper Designs, too. I found an array of ideas for Fall and Winter Holidays. I won’t get stuck with unused cards, with Paperless Post® – order a few or a whole slew.
For an Annual Eggnog Party, not held at the Cottage-the hostesses are updating the festivities using online Save the Date and Invitations- here’s what we’ve done so far:
With the help of Paperless Post, we’re working up a Traditional Tartan Plaid by Oscar de la Renta. His square design for personalized Save the Date – To notify out of town guests . The Plaid Rectangular Online invitations to the Heads of each Clan will say- ‘Join us for an Evening of Comfort and Joy’ . Check out how Paperless Post works- it’s fast, fun and bundled up! Paperless Post® has an online RSVP tool which tracks and stores responses ‘Let us know how many in your Clan will be there’ Online Cards are convenient, save time, money and best of all- Oscar de la Renta’s Plaid Holiday Design will make our annual event extra special!
The most difficult Holiday Tasks are easier when they’re Bundled Up! Here’s some tips:
Everyone is busy, avoid Holidays fraught with multitasking nightmares…Bundle up! Begin now. Find ways to incorporate Holiday preparations into daily living. Don’t go it alone. Partner up, like we did, with Paperless Post® Enjoy the ease of online invitations and the process of themed Party Planning. Find a common thread, like pretty Ribbon or Tartan Plaid for Holiday décor. Now, about those gifts…I’m looking at personalized Thank You notes! No self respecting Southern Lady would be caught dead without them!
Love y’all, Camellia
A huge Thank You! to Paperless Post® for your cooperation and help. *Images for Cards and Invitations were used with permission from Paperless Post®
* All other photographs are obviously mine, as well as the images of my own personal designs- the pumpkins and purses can be downloaded to online form with Paperless Post!
It’s early Fall, when mornings are cooler, days are slowly but surely getting shorter and evening deep blue skies are a bit darker hue. Armed with clippers, I went out to see what I could see, a Fall Forage that inspired me to bring a bit of early autumn indoors to enjoy…
I found bright purple Beauty Berries, almost fluorescent in color, the Glory Bower’s pale blossoms are now magenta and dark blue berries…a few Figs still left unripe, leaves still crisp and green…plump and orange-y Rose Hips…
Lichen laden branches pale and ghostly alongside unripe celadon Nandina berries… Clipping and cutting, my bag was getting full and interesting…A papery hydrangea nodding her summer head.
Frilly ferns and fronds under leaves just thinking about changing to Fall colors. Chive seed heads bright and white cheerfully stood alongside unforgettable spidery blooms from a fall bulb I can’t recall! Lavender and pale blue wild blooms growing near thick leaved sedum- always my Autumn Joy…
When I spread out the morning’s bounty from my early Fall Forage… I lined them up like the scouts they were- to let me take their beauty shots. They behaved so nicely… I couldn’t stand to let them go to waste and wilt. What would my Fall Forage look like in a bouquet… 
Then a fleeting thought. What if I could somehow take a photograph that resembled an old oil painting…You know the ones with black backgrounds.
I think they call them Old Masters. 
A happy coincidence I will admit, a quick and blurry picture, with not a single brush stroke except from the Master Gardener Himself and random clippings from an early morning Fall Forage.
Love y’all, Camellia
*All photographs are obviously mine- Oh my, on days like this! *Plants are not listed in order.
‘…when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us go to the other side of the sea.’ And leaving the throng, they took Him with them, just as He was, in the boat- and other boats were with Him. And a furious storm of wind ( of hurricane proportions) arose, the waves kept beating into the boat, so that it was already becoming filled. But He was in the stern of the boat asleep on a leather cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Master, do You not care that we are perishing?’ And He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Hush now! Be still!’ and the wind ceased, (that is, sank to rest as if exhausted by its beating) and there was immediately a great calm- a perfect peacefulness…’ Mark 4:35-41 KJV Amplified Version
Please notice first- ‘other boats were with them’. When a storm comes- you will not be alone. Others are affected by the same storm; others will suffer and others injured by strong winds- and there are others who will be blessed by what He does during that storm – even though they are not ‘in the same boat’ with Jesus; the storms we endure affect others, right? …
The part of the Amplified passage which I love best- is how the ‘rebuked’ storm reacted to Jesus. ‘And the wind ceased- sank to rest, as if exhausted by its beating and there was a great calm- a perfect peacefulness’.
If you have ever been through a hurricane or a tornado or any ‘Act of God’ afterwards there is a great calm; an almost perfect peacefulness. As the damage is assessed… The weather may be peaceful, yet the path of destruction is astounding…
The cleanup work is ahead; the wreckage yields it’s own suffering. Keep in mind that though the Galilean storm stopped raging- the disciples had to bale the water out of the boat. Storms have aftermaths. Excerpt from ‘Four Days- the Lazarus Principle’
As Hurricane Irma continues her destructive path, a devastating earthquake has damaged an area outside of Mexico City and cleanup efforts continue from Hurricane Harvey- we would remember those affected by these Acts of God- situations beyond human control, as the insurance folks call them- we know these are Natural Disasters of Epic Proportions. It is always appropriate to remember that God does care about us all. May we each do what we can to ease the suffering aftermath these folks now face, here and around the globe.
Love y’all, Camellia
* These beautiful photographs were taken by Jeremy Miniard. Find more of his wonderful work at jeremy-miniard.fineartamerica.com Four Days- the Lazarus Principle written by Brenda Wyatt can be found on Amazon.com, BN.com and other fine booksellers. More information about this book may be found on our ‘About Us’ page.
Camellia's Cottage 