giving thanks

HARVEST FESTIVALS like Thanksgiving are a chance to celebrate the abundance of Mother Earth, if not the universe. A large bird, such as a turkey can feed a number of people along with all the trimmings of this celebratory and traditional meal, which is most likely why the turkey became so popular for Thanksgiving. Some experts think the first American Thanksgiving dinner was served by the Pilgrims in 1621. Others credit the settlers of Virginia's Jamestown with celebrating the first Thanksgiving as their version of England's ancient Harvest Home Festival (also called Ingathering). Whether or not turkey was served as part of the first Thanksgiving meal, nobody knows for sure.

GREETING YOUR GUESTS at the dinner table with an ornament at their place setting will serve as an heirloom reminder of the meal for years to come. Even if it's not a turkey ornament, one that has a special significance for the season, in general or your guest, in particular is a welcoming gift. A small burlap bag is an attractive nest to coddle the ornament and once inside it, doubles as a perfect way for your guests to carry their new treasure home safely.

A SUMPTUOUS meal is a tried-and-true way of thanking the important people in your life for being a part of your journey. Gather friends and family alike for this important celebration. If you can't go home to be with your birth family, there are always a few friends that also can't go home and they will welcome the chance to celebrate the holiday. That's what friends are for. Give thanks to them.

PROPER SETTING | A place setting with a surprise ornament such as this turkey is sure to be the start of a memorable meal. This beautiful antiqued mercury glass vintage-inspired collectible is made by KD Vintage. Starburst plate by Isaac Mizrahi for Target (past season).

ORNAMENT BOUNTY | Any unique ornament could fit the bill. It doesn't have to be a turkey. Just make sure it says something about your guest or evokes the autumnal celebration. It's important that you choose with the particular person in mind as a uniquely personal way to thank them. Feather dessert plate by Patch NYC at Target.

FAMILY PATINA | Nothing says tradition and heritage better than using something that is meaningful to you as a part of the meal. Letting your guests know about these symbolic gestures makes them resonant. I can't think of a better way to represent your personal family history than to use your parents old silver-plate like I have here. I've always loved the pattern my parents chose when they were married on December 23, 1941. Although not fine, this timeworn silverplate is one of my few cherished inheritances from them. I don't like to completely shine it to perfection, as I think the patina of a slight tarnish is quite beautiful. The pattern is Grenoble Silverplate by Onieda (1938).

PROPER FEAST | If you don't fuss over many meals during the year, Thanksgiving is the time to do it. Devin and I invited only a couple of friends over this year (Devin did most of the cooking and I set the table and ran back and forth to the grocery for items we needed). We cooked from scratch two turkey breasts, green beans, scalloped sweet potatoes, stuffing and bought fresh cranberry/orange relish from Trader Joes and rolls from Publix. For dessert we had apple pie with a cheddar cheese crust and a traditional pumpkin pie, both with freshly (slightly-sweetened) whipped cream. After our meal, we brought in the Christmas season by watching the 1954 movie, White Christmas, a musical starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen, always marveling at Vera's insanely tiny waist and incredible dancing ability. This was much more fun than falling for the crazier-than-ever antics surrounding Black Friday. There's still plenty of time to shop before Christmas. More thoughtful and unique gifts usually always come from small local businesses.

©2012 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland
food by Devin Borden

Matthew Mead's Holiday

THE BEST THING about the holidays is good company. It's that most wonderful time of the year when we make it a point to decorate our homes, bake cakes and cookies and celebrate merrily. Matthew Mead and I found good company in each other and he has gifted me this year with an 8-page feature in both issues of this season's Matthew Mead's Holiday magazine and expanded bookazine.

In the spirit of the season, Matthew is offering two bookazines for The Decorated Tree to give away! All you have to do is like The Decorated Tree Facebook page. If you've already liked my Facebook page, let me know you've also visited Matthew's site by leaving a comment in the comments section of this post. I will have a drawing to announce the two lucky winners on November 22nd (Thanksgiving day).

SINCE THIS BLOG called The Decorated Tree was begun on August 17, 2009, it has fast become less of a hobby and more of a creative pursuit. This is my 88th blog post, but it announces my first magazine article. I've designed hundreds of magazine articles over the course of my career, but never have been the subject of one! It's truly incredible to be in such good company in the pages of Matthew Mead's Holiday!

THIS IS JUST A TEASER of much more to be found in the sumptuous pages of this year's edition of Matthew Mead's Holiday. And The Decorated Tree is elated to be a part of it!

THE DECORATED TREE | The opening spread of The Decorated Tree's article featuring trees from several of my blog posts including the two you see here from Winter Wish (above, also) and a closeup of the cover tree photo from my book The Decorated Tree.

COOL, CALM, & COLLECTED | Hostess Sally McElroy offers a full holiday menu with a sweet ending of Double Chocolate Cookies and Perfect Chocolate Ganache—two ways.

GIFTS FROM NATURE | Matthew Mead and his wife Jenny open their home in the pages of the magazine—a beautifully pared-back elegance ushers in the holiday season.

HOLIDAY COOKIES | These cookies get royal treatment in the pages of Matthew Mead's Holiday. The recipe for Cardomom-Black Pepper Trees with Juniper Icing is worth the price alone of the expanded 256-page edition! If you have no other cookie this season, this is the one! But there are at least 20-more cookie recipes to choose from!

 

CHRISTMAS PRESENT | Executive Editor Linda McDonald opens her doors of her holiday home to share her approach to celebrating simply. Delicious cakes, cake bites, trifles and such are their celebratory foods for the season.

WINTER WREATHS | Wrapped in tradition, Matthew's enduring wreath story presents eight ideas for making your own to last through the season.

©2012 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The Decorated Tree collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland,
magazine spread photos and styling by Matthew Mead.

of cats and men at Halloween

I don't know how it escaped my notice until this year, that October 29th was National Cat Day. When decorating and photographing this spooky tree to celebrate Halloween this year, I debated on whether to use my cat painting (by local Atlanta artist, Ronnie Land) as a backdrop over this buffet table. Now I am glad I did—even though the setup is more complex than usual. Because many of R. Land's artworks are packed with hand-drawn imagery like this poster done for Atlanta's infamous Little Five Points Halloween Festival and Parade, it all seems to fit together quite nicely. I've never been a minimalist at heart. I like the discovery and surprise found only when many delightful things are vying for one's attention.

These magical and well-crafted mushroom ornaments by Wendy Addison, designed for Midwest CBK hang from a glittered Halloween tree from Target. I purchased the mushrooms from Bayberry Cove. The large "Christmas spider" ornament is an antique Czechoslovakian beaded ornament from my collection.

"Founded in 2005 by animal welfare advocate Colleen Paige, National Cat Day brings attention to the number of cats that need to be rescued each year. It is also a day for cat guardians to celebrate their own amazing cats." I truly like that "cat guardian" moniker, but I feel it is the other way around. I have always thought of cats as my guardians, or muses, or familiars, or warm and fuzzy companions. My father always loved cats and I have been lucky to have had many special cat companions throughout my life. I've only had one dog as a pet. All the rest have been cats. I love their peculiar nature and independent ways—I truly am a cat person, through and through. Don't get me wrong, I love all animals, but I can't escape the feeling that cats are superior creatures in many ways. The feline world and I have a magical understanding.

Frida, the tuxedo cat (left) and Abella, the Bengal cat (right) are my sweet guardians.

An assortment of cheeses, crackers and fruit are a visual and literal feast.

Cats, magic and Halloween all seem to go together. Add the creepy presence of spiders and earthy balls of moss and you've got a tableau that visually creeps and crawls in just the right way. Mushrooms add a touch of nature's magic that sets the mood for the season, along with an abundant cheese and fruit buffet, of course. And if you're lucky enough to have earned the trust of a cat or two, you're all set for Halloween's spooky route to the beginning of the end-of-year holiday season. Happy All Hallows Eve! 

This mushroom ornament is also by Wendy Addison, designed for Midwest CBK. A glass-glittered wire spider from Pottery barn adds a creepy, crawly touch.

The standard pot the tree was purchased in is dressed up with dried moss and an unusual tire pot by River Market Pottery in Kansas City, Missouri, adapted from sewn leather working techniques, but made from up-cycled rubber tires that had previously been bound for the landfill. The perky bronzed metal mouse sniffing for the cheese is from Pottery Barn.

©2012 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland

wedding mementos

IF A WEDDING can be a frame of reference for life events, it is only appropriate that a wedding later in life frames memories of the past and present. Marriage is a symbolic point at which a couple's lives officially merge as witnessed by close friends and family.

The trees were carefully crafted beforehand and displayed at the wedding with the expert help of Devin Borden (center, bottom).

WHEN DISCUSSING designing a tree and other elements for the couple's wedding, we discussed a way to personalize the trees. Including the photos of persons so important to each family's heritage along with past and current life event photos of living relatives was a perfect way in which to accomplish this, at least symbolically. Later, we decided that having two trees of equal stature representing both sides of this merging family was a great way to honor both families, both separately and together as a unit. The bride and groom both garden, so it wasn't a stretch to use simple natural elements as decor on the trees and tie to other decor for the wedding. It was also a theme in keeping with the autumn season at hand.

THE SINGULAR tree shown in this post combines photos from both of the trees done for the wedding. Because marriage merges two families together, this tree is symbolic of the union between the bride and groom and their respective families. 

Each frame was simply made from pine cone pieces surrounding a laser photocopied picture mounted to thin cardboard—creating frames that harken back to history, having a "tramp art" look to them. Thin brown satin ribbon formed the hanging loops.

All the handmade photo frames for both trees. The idea for the frames was modified from instructions found on the Martha Stewart website here.

At the base of the modern clay container for the tree (a wire Easter tree from this past season's Pottery Barn line) photographed for this blog, a small pot of moss, a wooden box, some leaves, pinecones and a silver bird add just the right touch of earthy whimsy.

©2012 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED photography and styling by Darryl Moland; pine cone photo frames hand-crafted by Darryl Moland and Devin Borden

made in America

AMERICAN MUSIC is probably one of this country's most enduring exports. I'm not checking facts here, but I know for sure that New Orleans jazz, rock and roll, gospel, bluegrass and many other types of music originated in this country. The American South, in particular can lay claim to the birth of many of these forms which continues adding to the list with rap and hip hop music, much of which originated right here in Atlanta, Georgia. You have to wonder what brought forth the circumstances to create such a rich musical heritage. Is it the freedom to express ourselves? A unique "melting pot" of people in one place? A big new interest in folk music seems to be taking hold with bands from all over the world importing it back to the U.S. (like the Swedish folk singer duo, who are sisters, named First Aid Kit who I'm going to see in concert soon).

GOOGLE DOODLE | Today's banner logo art for Google's home page uses some nostalgic yankee doodle dandy typography forming the word "Google." The lyric "this Land was made for you and me" is from Woody Guthrie's folk song titled "This Land is Your Land," which has become one of America's favorite (and inclusive) patriotic songs since it was first recorded in 1944.

I HAVE TO think it is the independent spirit that first formed this country back in 1776 with the origin of the 13 colonies that gave birth to such an exuberant musical heritage. I pay homage to that spirit with this tree hung with 13 striped lanterns.

FIREWORKS and picnics are also represented with this tree. The hot July 4th holiday is a great time for grilling outdoors, making homemade ice cream and watching fireworks explode across the sky. That's exactly what I'm about to do with a group of friends, but I'll leave you with my mother's homemade ice cream recipe which I recently started making again. Today, Devin and I are serving it with fresh blueberries, fresh "strawberry" cherries and lemon cookies after grilling some of Devin's turkey burgers. Happy 4th!

MAMMA MOLAND'S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM 

2 12 oz. cans of evaporated milk (such as Pet Evaporated Milk)

2 cans sweetened condensed milk (such as Eagle Brand)
1 cup sugar
6 eggs beaten (since they're used raw, it's best to buy the pasteurized kind for safety)
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract (or more if you like, but make sure it's the best you can buy—DO NOT buy imitation vanilla flavoring)
1 quart whole milk (or enough to fill the freezer's canister to the fill line)
4 quart hand-cranked or electric ice cream freezer
1 large or 2 small bags of ice
1 box of ice cream rock salt 

In a large mixing bowl combine evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, sugar eggs and vanilla with a wire whisk one at a time. Pour into the ice cream freezer's inner canister (4 quart-size). Pour in enough whole milk to fill to the level of the freezer canister's fill line and stir with a long spoon to combine with the sweet mixture.

Place top on securely and freeze submerged in the freezer's bucket according to manufacturer's instructions packed with layers of ice and ice cream rock salt. Cover with a towel. Hand crank or freeze until your arm gives out or the motor stops.

The ice cream (very milky instead of too creamy) will be a soft consistency. Let canister cure in the ice mixture covered with a towel for at least 30 minutes). Scoop and serve with whatever toppings you might want. It melts fast in the July heat, but you'll want to eat it fast because it is so good! 

PATRIOT GAME | Count the lanterns on this tree in the photos above and you'll see that there are thirteen, representing the independent spirit of America's original 13 colonies. The lanterns were originally bought from Bayberry Cove and were designed for the Bruce Elsass Collection for Bethany Lowe Designs, Inc. The lanterns are just large enough to hold a flickering LED votive inside (no live flames with these) to carry the tree's festive look into the night.The red, white and blue mylar sparklers attached to the ends of some of the branches of this wire tree represent the holiday's fireworks—purchased last year at Target (I snapped off the wooden sticks they were attached to). Below the tree is a plaid tin picnic basket found this year at Cost Plus World Market along with a starry napkin purchased at Pottery Barn. The wire tree was originally purchased from the now defunct Martha by Mail catalog as an Easter tree, but I thought its spiky look would be evocative of the sparks produced by fireworks.

©2012 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland

evergreens & topiaries

READYING SMALL EVERGREENS and topiary in summer for use in autumn and winter, will bring summer’s green inside for the end-of-year season. Evergreens inside the home have long been a living element in end-of-year decorations—symbolizing spring’s new life.

THE ROMANS are most often credited for the origin of topiary. The first written descriptions of the topiary came from Roman writers Pliny the Elder and his nephew, Pliny the Younger, who made references to topiary in their writings. Topiary flourished by the end of the first century among wealthy Romans. 

EGYPTIANS AND JEWS may have actually introduced the art of topiary to the Romans. There are paintings that survive that depict Egyptian gardens with topiary forms, and Jews were among the slaves in charge of maintaining the gardens of Rome. During the Dark Ages, after the Roman Empire had ended, cloistered-away monks kept the art of topiary alive—a perfect pastime for monastery life. During the Renaissance—synonymous with a grand revival of the arts—topiary came back in favor. 

IVY TOPIARY  | (above) Ivy has long been a symbol of love and fidelity and grows into a beautiful holiday topiary when trained on a conical wire form.

THE FRENCH are credited for topiary reaching its epoch in the late 17th century. Andre Le Notre’s landscaping for King Louis XIV at Versailles as the chief royal gardener, made the topiary popular once again.

THE TOPIARY is one of the most ancient of garden crafts. Pagan tradition holds the belief that winter evergreens are a promise for another spring—symbolizing life’s continuity. Evergreen decorations became ritualized at temples and even inside the home in winter celebrations, representing the promise of new life. 

TOP TOPIARY | (all photos above, left to right) An ivy topiary gets its start on a small wire form. Other good evergreen choices in this photo (from left to right) Red Star White Cedar, which maintains its juvenile foliage through adulthood; Lemon Cypress, trimmed with a long stem; and a Hardy Rosemary plant trimmed into a conical form. The terra cotta pots topped with a sage green glaze are by Guy Wolff Pottery.

RIGHT AT HOME | (above) Dwarfed by the topiary pots, diminutive cardboard ornaments form a small community. Bringing live evergreens inside the home has a symbolically rich history. 

©2012 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland

footsteps into the future

EARTH DAY was first celebrated on April 22, 1970. Twenty-million people came together on that date to protest environmental destruction and raise awareness for a healthier, more sustainable planet. Since then, Earth Day has grown into an annual global event with one billion people around the world joining together to draw attention to environmental issues. Paraphrasing the Earth Day site linked above: "On this 42nd Anniversary of Earth Day in a fiscal environment of global recession our planet (our home) is being neglected. Climate change continues unabated in the continued failure of governments to take any steps towards protecting and preserving the environment. There's a new ecological disaster happening almost daily. This Earth Day it's time to mobilize the planet from the ground up to send a message that the Earth won't wait! The Earth Day 2012 campaign is designed to provide people with the opportunity to unite their voices in a call for a sustainable future and direct them towards quantifiable outcomes."

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BUTTERFLIES AND BOOTIES | (photos above) Crepe paper butterflies were made from an old Martha by Mail craft kit using crepe paper, clothespins, wire, Czech glass beads and German Glass Glitter. The small pink mercury glass baby bootie ornaments are from Crate & Barrel and tied with metallic ribbon from Martha Stewart Crafts.

WHEN I THINK about future generations and what they have to inherit from thousands of years of mankind wrecking our environment and using up the Earth's resources—I have to be honest—at first I am a bit pessimistic with what lies in their future. But then you see the hope in the face of a child and it reminds you that everything that new and unformed is an agent of change. Future generations need to be taught to develop a much lighter step and more compassion than ever before for our natural surroundings. It is now at the point of our very survival and best interest to do so and it is an issue of economics. We can no longer ignore the warnings from mistakes made in living the way we have in the past in the name of big business. We must also look to past voices to remind us of a more sustainable mode of living. This quote from a mostly forgotten indian chief was sent to me from Lisa Cummings Edwards (a blog follower and owner of a copy of my book, The Decorated Tree):

"Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect."

—Chief Seattle, 1855

LITTLE GRASSHOPPER | (above) The tree branch is placed in a "quilted" ceramic container from a local gardening store, while a wire and mercury glass grasshopper from West Elm stands watch. Grasshoppers can only leap forward, not sideways or backwards. Symbolically, they have the ability to leap through time and into space where the true mysteries of life exist. The flowers behind the grasshopper are from one of the tallest deciduous trees in North America. The tulip tree (tulip popular) is related to the prehistoric magnolia and only produces flowers after it is about ten years old. The tulip tree flowers and bud are interspersed with white buds from a springtime nandina bush, which will eventually become red berries in the winter.

THIS TREE was a collaboration with a very special person in my life, Devin Borden. We made it to decorate his coworker's new nursery. Amanda Hickham and her husband Jeff are expecting a little baby girl soon, whom they have already named Jane Harris. In thinking about what the future holds for their little girl, Amanda says "It seems that over time, people have become more aware of the environment in general and increasingly more respectful of our planet. I can only hope that our baby girl will feel even more of a sense of responsibility once she is grown. It is important to me to be a part of sustaining and bettering an environment that will be safe for her not only as a baby, but for generations to come."

FACE THE FUTURE | (above, clockwise from top left) There are quite a few young ones in my life right now, some of which are shown here: My coworker Gianna Adams recently gave birth to Zander, shown with his mother in this beautifully poetic photo of mother and child; reaching for my face, Sian, former coworker Justine Chung's daughter is a complete delight; Atlas Bunda, the son of Kandace and Rob Walker-Bunda is understandably the happiest boy I know since both of his parents are extremely creative "Renaissance" parents; another photo of Sian with Devin Borden and I (who collaborated on the tree in this post); Mira is the beautiful daughter of my coworker Akiko Wilson; and another photo of Sian as a newborn.

INDEED, WE ARE ALL CONNECTED as humankind, but we sometimes forget that we are not removed from the natural world. We are products of every breath we take, every resource we consume and everything we eat. We are viscerally connected to every living thing in nature. 

THERE SEEMS to be a lot of children in my life right now. In looking for the face of the future, you only have to look into the face of a child as a source of hope. My friend Justine sent me a beautiful quote which she says pretty much sums up her new life in New York City. It really applies to all of us: "A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for." Our mothers know best — especially Mother Nature.

AS A SIDE NOTE, Caine, a 9 year old boy — who built an elaborate cardboard arcade inside his dad's used auto part store — shows that do-it-yourself creativity and persistence can pay off. Caine's Arcade became a success after getting the attention of indie filmaker Nirvan Mullick (Caine's first and only customer until then). Mullick made a short film about Caine (see YouTube video below). The short film went viral through the filmmaker's efforts. It is the most heartwarming story I have seen in recent years and will give you hope for the future like nothing else. Please visit this website and donate a dollar or two (the price of a fun pass) to his college fund as I have. 100% of my donation of $2.00, minus the PayPal transaction fee (0.36), will be put toward creating a Scholarship Fund that will be held for Caine to further his education. The filmmaker will be working with Caine's dad George to make sure a Trust gets set up properly. Also, due to the overwhelming support, and the spark of inspiration that Caine's Arcade has ignited, Caine's Arcade Foundation is being built to help more kids! The Foundation will help discover, foster, and fund creativity and entrepreneurship in young kids like Caine. The Goldhirsh Foundation is generously matching your donations to Caine's Scholarship Fund dollar-for-dollar (up to $250,000) to help them get the Foundation off the ground.

IN THE FUTURE, entrepreneurship will truly "get off the ground" if tempered with a good solid education about the environment and its protection, which will ultimately turn into action for saving our Earth. Happy and Hopeful Earth Day!

©2012 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

crafting by Devin Borden and Darryl Moland,
photography/styling by Darryl Moland