The shopping area of Homewood is like a mixture of Nashville’s Hillsboro Village and The Hill Center.  You’ll find Zoe’s Chicken and Pure Barre to make you feel at home.  Plan to spend a few hours wandering in and out of boutiques; there are shops for kids, men and of course, plenty for women.

Right off the bat I made a bee-line for Mary Evelyn interiors shop. You’ll see the sign on the main street and follow the sidewalk back toward the parking lot and you’ll find the store.

She was the featured designer interviewed in the last issue of Southern Accents and I just adored what she had to say.  I chatted with her for about 20 minutes and she is just delightful.  Her store has a wide range of prices and my favorite piece was this stainless steel with wood dining room table for just over $1,000.

I also wanted to bring this sofa, on sale for half off, home.  But I’d have to leave my three kids in behind if I had done that!

Soca is a great women’s store in Homewood.  I’d say their average client in probably late 20′s but I found it full of tempting items.  And, my wallet was glad my girls were not with me as they would have screamed in delight over the mini-me version of Soca for younger girls.

However, my own big scream came when I saw this sign in front of Four Seasons Antiques and Art.

I am a huge fan of Peter’s Pottery and no one in Nashville sells it.  It was hard not to go overboard, but my one purchase of the day was a Peter’s Pottery salt and pepper shaker.  I really wanted so much more…

And because I am such a huge fan, one more picture:

Here’s a sampling of what else you will find in Homewood:

I can attest that both these stores are wonderful. My sweet mother-in-law got me the cutest top from Theadora for Christmas.

See why I made the Hill Center comparison?

When in Homewood, you have to promise me to stop by White Flowers.

White Flowers

It’s like no other shop I’ve EVER been in.  Everything in the store is white.  In fact, it’s so different from everything else in this world, that it makes you squint – like walking into a winter wonderland – as your eyes adjust to the lack of color.  It is serene and the angelic music being piped through the store just reminds you to breathe deep and enjoy life.

There is even a shop for Fido:

© 2010, StyleBlueprint. All rights reserved.

Southern Accents

It is with TOTAL DISCLOSURE – and Liza’s blessing – that I offer today’s post about my brother-in-law’s local, seasonal business, Santa’s Trees. Nepotism aside, we would write about him anyway, as he is just the type of story we LOVE to blog about: local, passionate, and excellent at what he does.

One reason I knew that Liza would not exercise her veto power is because my brother-in-law, Jim McLeod, is a total entrepreneur.  For those of you who don’t know Liza “the Entrepreneur” Graves personally,  I can vouch for her drive and determination to bring new ideas to the marketplace.  And, she absolutely applauds anyone with her same tenacity.  And, she applauds Jim.

As this post is about garland, wreaths and trees, I am also including some of our favorite ways to decorate with such gorgeous greenery.

So here goes the story of Santa’s Trees:

Santa’s Trees was started in 1984 by my brother-in-law when he was 17 years old and still in high school.  His Mom and Dad, Shirley and Jim, even pitched in on weekends to be sure that the money was safe and that the buddies he recruited to help out were actually doing the work!  Year after year, he interrupted his college or work commitments to take off a month and sell Christmas trees.  25 years later, Santa’s Trees now has five large lots and is the largest independent Christmas tree seller in Middle Tennessee. But the main reason I am devoting this entire post to Santa’s Trees is because Jim is selling the absolute most GORGEOUS garlands and wreaths you’ll find in Nashville.

Jim, owner of Santa's Trees.

Garland

Let’s start with the garland.  In my opinion, the most beautiful homes at Christmas are decorated with REAL greenery: evergreen garland with magnolia leaf accents, plus holly berries and pine cones to add color and texture. If nothing else, the smell makes it Christmas.  If that’s your idea of an attractive holiday combination, then your first stop needs to be Santa’s Trees to get the garland to lay the base.  This is the type of garland you would normally order from an expensive floral shop or have shipped in from New York.

The garland comes in four options:

1) Light combination of white pine and Fraser fir for $1/foot

2) White pine and Fraser fir in a heavier weight for $3/foot

3) Solid boxwood for $3/foot

4) Multi-mix of white pine, Frasier fir, boxwood and arborvitae (simply gorgeous) for $7/foot.

The garland is made in North Carolina and shipped in fresh each week!  A shipment arrived yesterday.

Don't be afraid to put garland in unexpected places. Southern Living Dec 2009: Genia Gilchrist's home.

Southern Accents

Country Living

Genia Gilchrist's home shows the beauty of live garland in Southern Living Magazine Dec '09

Wreaths

Now about the wreaths. The wreaths are handmade on-site at the Santa’s Trees lots, and are sized from 16″ to 48″. They come in three types: Fraser Fir, Boxwood, and Premium Mix, which is a combination of greenery.  Special orders  are available.  The wreaths are priced from $20-70, depending on the type of greenery and the size of the wreaths.  They are beautiful. PROMISE.

Santa's Trees: an example of a beautiful, fresh wreath

Trees

The actual Christmas trees can range from tabletop up to 12′.  Most of the trees sold are Fraser Fir and they smell wonderful.  As the trees are cut and shipped to the lot each week, you are getting the freshest trees in town.  So, when Christmas morning arrives and you’re gathered around the tree to open presents, you won’t feel like you need to call the Fire Marshall to make sure you’re going to be safe through the eggnog portion of the day.  Tree prices are based on height. Tall trees are costly, because of the growing time, but they are worth the money.

Most importantly, Santa’s Trees will deliver and set up you tree!

Mistletoe

If you are a romantic, fresh mistletoe is available along with fresh-cut holly and magnolia.  Tree stands are sold on sight and can save your marriage.  Jim has deemed his stand the straight tree stand: it’s guaranteed to stand straight, not fall and last forever.  If you don’t buy the tree stand, then be sure to buy some mistletoe.

Finally, for everyone who registers on the Santa’s Trees website (www.santastrees.com) by Friday morning (GO SIGN UP!  THAT’S TOMORROW!), Santa’s Trees will be giving away 25 Christmas trees for FREE to celebrate the organization’s 25th birthday.

And not that this matters in the least, but Jim is the proud father of five children and every tree he sells goes to a great cause, keeping his little peeps fed!

Santa’s Trees Locations:

You can read more about Genia Gilchrist and her holiday decorating ideas in Southern Living Magazine.

© 2009 – 2010, StyleBlueprint. All rights reserved.

You know I’m just a mess over the fact that Southern Accents is ceasing publication. I have heard rumors that this may be temporary.  Pray it be true!  But, their final issue is on newsstands now.  I felt like each article was written just for me as I fully read each page beginning to end.

Here are all my many reasons for loving the last issue:

• From the start, the letter from the editor is spot on.  She lists her favorite interior design books that are being published this fall.  This is a great resource to find a gift for a dear friend, or yourself.
• The interview with Birmingham designer Mary Evelyn McKee is a course in itself.  If you want to learn great style, read this interview.
• The color pumpkin is passionately exulted.  I’m a neutral girl with a softness for orange.  Bring it on….
• Who doesn’t love Dahlias?
• I’m now planning a trip to Florence, Alabama.  Florence was always just a sign on 65 South on my way to Birmingham.  Now, a stop is assured.
• The supper club photographed for the Entertaining section has me longing for a supper club of my own that can be together for the 20 years that the featured one has been.  The recipes are keepers.
• The articles on Austin and Dallas make me want to visit old friends.  The sky is just bigger in Texas!
• A call out to my home state Virginia.  Writer Logan Ward, fellow Vanderbilt grad, is a contributing author this month. He opens up about his experience writing See You in a Hundred Years while living in Staunton, Virginia.
• Cashiers. Western NC is my centering place.  My rejuvenation.  This FABULOUS Cashiers home is featured in Southern Accents.  My dear friend Mary has been in this home and she says it is breathtaking.
• Baltimore renovation by Nashville architect Ray Booth, of McAlpine, Booth & Ferrier.  This struck me as a funny merger of MD/Nashville as I was packing to move to Baltimore not two months ago.  The design is beautiful.  I love historic homes.
• Even the ads are wonderful.  Be sure to check out the gold and turquoise jewelry featured by Elizabeth Showers at Fiskin & Fiskin jewelers!

I hope you go out today and buy this issue and spend the Holiday weekend enjoying and savoring it.  Be safe, relax, have fun……-Liza

© 2009 – 2010, StyleBlueprint. All rights reserved.

Be sure to pick up the Sept/Oct issue as this is Southern Accents last.  I hope this years 2009 Showcase house will be featured; it is in Fort Worth, TX.  If you would like to see photos from other Southern Accents showhomes, check out Rachel Halvorson’s post today at www.nestegg.typepad.com.  Since Southern Accents will remain online, perhaps it can print again in the future.  So long my favorite….I’ll miss you.

If I ever build custom, this is what my house will look like. Well, perhaps this outline with a modern spin.

A close up of the stone work

Can I move right in? No need to change a thing!

Isn't this the dining room you want to linger in?

Perfection

OK- so I'd have to redecorate the Master Bedroom. I'm up for the challenge, and I'll keep the color scheme!

© 2009 – 2010, StyleBlueprint. All rights reserved.