Numbered Edition Napkins
by Heather Lins

A guest post from Artful Home Online Merchant & Interior Decorator Barbara Fitzsimmons

As the days grow shorter and colder (at least here in Wisconsin!), my nesting instincts really kick in! That means making my home comfortable & cozy for the holidays & the long winter ahead.

When it comes to decorating for the holidays, I like to surround myself with my favorite things. Comfort, creativity & fun are all key. Finding unexpected ways to display favorite possessions or using objects from nature can make your space unique.

This year, instead of putting up a traditional tree (that takes up a lot of room in my small space), I’m planning to use birch branches to display my favorite ornaments. Glass ornaments are especially stunning against the white birch bark. One of my favorite art glass ornaments is First Snow.

When it comes to decorating the holiday table, I love our new Numbered Edition Napkins & Coasters from Heather Lins. They’re a fun conversation piece that can really liven up the table & will go with most any décor. It’s also fun to decorate each place setting with a unique keepsake for your guests. Why not give Andrew Van Assche’s colorful ceramic boxes filled with homemade candy or a simple handwritten message to your guest?

There are no rules when it comes to holiday decorating. Your home should feel festive, but most importantly, should always reflect you.

Spiral Cake Platter
Matthew A. Yanchuk

I have an enduring, intimate relationship with my cake platter. Born and raised in South Alabama, I have cake baking in my DNA. Important childhood memories are underscored by some of the great cakes of the world: Red Velvet Cake, Coconut Cake, Sweet Potato Cake, and, of course, Pound Cake.

When I embark on a new baking adventure, the first move is to bring the cake stand from the shelf to the kitchen counter. It remains there for the next few hours – inspiring confidence and challenging me to take risks with a new cake creation. When the task is completed, it bravely displays the cake, no matter how beautiful or unseemly.

Who can explain when or why ordinary objects take root and begin branching into our lives? For me, the simple cake stand is a gentle reminder of Southern traditions and recipes yet unexplored.

“Large Lip Bowl”
Peter Karner
Photo by Scott D.W. Smith.

The philosopher John Dewey, in his 1934 book, Art as Experience, lamented the American habit of putting art on a “remote pedestal.” He wrote, “When an art product once attains classic status, it somehow becomes isolated from the human conditions under which it was brought into being…”

Now, I’m the first person to enjoy and appreciate museum exhibitions. I serve on the board of my local museum, and believe that the institution adds a great deal to my community.

But, art to me is a living, breathing thing. And, luckily for all of us, there is a growing nucleus of artists creating exciting products for the home — artwork we can live with and use on a daily basis.

Peter Karner’s ceramic bowl graces my life, as I use it to serve everything from salads to rice to vegetables. This piece of art sits on a pedestal, but the pedestal is my dining room table instead of a museum pedestal.

“Nut Dishes”
Kari Radasch

My mother used to make Chex party mix for her bridge club gatherings. These evenings were special occasions. The house was cleaned spic and span, and I got to wear a Sunday dress.

Mother was an early devotee of Russel Wright and his marvelous dishes in pinks and greens and blues. I remember sneaking handfuls of Chex party mix from those serving dishes! Today, I have my own collection of Russel Wright dishware; they serve as an on-going reminder of distant evenings and the company of friends.

Artists, who appropriate their ideas from many places including the past, provide us with the modern-day version of Mr. Wright’s sensuous curves and bright-colored dishes. I particularly like Kari Radasch’s “Nut Dishes”. They are completely contemporary, and yet suggest memories of Chex party mix and bridge clubs.