DIY Crafty Lighting: VHH on Better CT

You may recall that I worked with Melissa Cole from the Better Connecticut TV show in the fall to produce a few holiday related segments:

Thanksgiving Decor Tips  | November 13, 2015

Holiday Centerpiece DIY  | December 14, 2015

I was thrilled when Melissa contacted me recently to film additional segments for the show.  They already had many Valentine's related gift ideas (you can see my Vivid Hue Home ideas here) and wanted something with a DIY flair.   Since many of the schools in our area have February vacation (next week), I thought it may be helpful to provide a craft that is easy and fun for parents and kids.

Today, the segment "Crafty Lighting" aired.

I demonstrated how to create a yarn lamp shade with some easy supplies.

1. Yarn
2. Shade
3. Lamp Base or Pendant Swag

Here are some behind the scenes photos from the shoot:

Melissa Cole, a reporter from Better Connecticut filming the segment with me.

The first shade I made is on the left the Neapolitan multi-colored one.  You can see that there is a Moroccan tile pattern underneath, but I almost think this adds to the charm.

I love the gray and neon yellow shade.  The yarn was already multi-colored so the pattern automatically developed that way by simply wrapping the yarn around.

I used two different weights of teal fabric to create this look.  It's simple but there's a subtle pattern that adds some texture and dimension.  This is mindless and relaxing to create but I did count the rows per each yarn type to create some symmetry.  

This would look adorable in a little boy's room on the nightstand.

Our pre-spring decor in the shop incorporates fun pops of neon.  I fell in love with these candle sticks at a vendor show.  They're almost so over the top in their color that they are magnificent!  

These love letters were created by just wrapping yarn around and around.  It can get a bit tricky around the edges but just keep layering the yarn and it all works out.  

Thank you to Melissa and the Channel 3 Better Connecticut team that continue to ask me back!  Next week, stay tuned as I give advice on how to zhush up your living room to fight the dol drums of the winter blahs!

Vivid Hue Home on Better Connecticut

Keep in mind, we have some terrific gift ideas for all occasions, particularly Valentine's Day. 

Check them out here!  

Cheers 

Heather 

Vivid Hue Home + Gifts

775 Farmington Ave | Farmington CT  06032

860-677-0301 | vividhuehome.com

Hours: Mon Closed, Tues + Wed 10-5pm, Thurs 10-6pm, Fri 10-5pm Sat + Sun 10-4pm

A Vivid Hue Holiday Recap

I have been negligent in blogging this holiday so I have decided to give you a "Reader's Digest" update via instagram photos.  This was Vivid Hue Home's first holiday season as a gift boutique and it was such a wonderful and fulfilling season.  We have quite a loyal customer base locally and I'm so grateful to the regulars that stop in to see what we have to offer.  

One dilemma I faced in the fall was deciding when to decorate the cottage for Christmas.  Each year, Christmas trees go into retail stores earlier and earlier and there seems to be a real trend to kick off the season just after October.  I slowly started introducing some holiday-related items inside the store around early November and fought the urge to fully decorate until mid November.  

Our little cottage is perfect for New England greenery and berries, red ribbons and white lights.  

Our ombre turquoise Christmas tree with fuchsia boa feathers.

Antlers and plaid stockings over the fireplace! 

It was thrilling to see customers repost their Christmas goodies on instagram and tag us in them! 

Early in the season, Melissa Cole (who is a reporter for Better Connecticut) approached me about filming a few DIY segments in the shop for the holidays.  Of course, I jumped at the opportunity.  She came to the shop with her cameraman and we filmed two episodes back to back.  The entire filming took less than two hours and the result was two clips to appear on future episodes.  

The first, How to Create a Thanksgiving Mantle   

And the second, How to Create a Holiday Fruit Tree.  

It's funny how things happen in "threes."   Literally the day after my Better Connecticut filming,   Kerri-Lee Mayland (who is an anchor on NBC's Connecticut) visited the shop as a customer and loved the products so much that she asked me to appear live on air to provide holiday gift suggestions for viewers.   I almost got trumped by a special report from Obama, but luckily was able to squeeze my segment in before the report began.  Watch the segment here.  

Here I am with Kerri-Lee Mayland.  

Some of the gifts we offered as stocking stuffers.  

My "other half" is so into Star Wars that he insisted I purchase Star Wars  products for the store before the movie release.  

In fact, his birthday is a week before Christmas and he received mostly Star Wars-related gifts, including a life size R2D2 trash can and an original 1977 vintage Chewbaca stein.  We even took the kids out of school early on the movie release day.  

We sold traditional Christmas items, like these wood-carved Santas.  

There was a red and green theme of products...in fact, these gurgles were a popular gift item.  

And then the S'well bottles!  We started carrying them in every single size offered and they literally flew off the shelves.  These are so convenient and the large size will hold an entire bottle of wine (which was often a convincing reason for purchase)  

Of course, in Vivid Hue fashion of mixing patterns, why not mix cheetah and plaid? 

Professionally, it was a stellar first Holiday Season for the store.  And personally, it was such a terrific  year with family.  

Boston for Thanksgiving to visit the in-laws.  

Off to see "Rudolph" at the Bushnell in Hartford Connecticut.  

Some preppy red and pink decorations in my home.   We sell these elephant planters @vividhuehome and I have used them every single season to make a statement on the dining room table.  (PS, ignore the dead looking holly on the left).

Our pink and green mudroom decked out for a neighborhood get together.  

Front of house with fresh greenery and lights 

We go over the top with Christmas trees, including one in our master bedroom.  

One of the felt ornaments I made EG when we were engaged and I was still in NYC and he was in Boston.   This little guy is 12 years old. 

We spent Christmas in Northern Virginia at my parent's house.

We visited our old stomping grounds in Georgetown, where we got married.  Here is the entry path leading down to Sequoias.

We took the kids to the Smithsonians...their first real year of understanding what they were seeing (e.g. the original United States Flag, the Bureau of Engraving and printing where money is made)

We enjoyed lunch in DC before settling in at my parent's house with our entire family.  

And to think that the year has come to an end and we are off running with 2016.

Thank you to all of my readers and (now customers) who have supported the launch of the store this year.  For regular updates, please follow vivid hue on Instagram.  I have started posting individual photos of our products in the shop and local customers can keep track of what we have to offer.

May you and your family have a healthy and happy new year.

Cheers,
Heather

DIY: How to Make a Holiday Fruit Tree

I grew up in Northern Virginia and every year around the holidays, my mom would pull out this foreign looking wooden form with nails protruding from it.  I knew exactly what it was for...our annual Colonial Williamsburg style Apple Tree!  She used it as a centerpiece on our Christmas table and as an accent decoration for an entry table.  It always sparked great curiosity and many fabulous comments.  As I grew into an adult, I decided to carry on the same tradition.  

To start you'll need the following:  

1. Apple Cone Form

2. Pineapple

3. 3-4 bags of delicious red apples (or in this case oranges).  

4. Greenery

5. Whole Cloves (if using oranges)

Assembling the Tree

I start by adding oranges or apples from the base of the tree to the top.  It doesn't matter if you put the fruit in rows or staggered, but I would stick to the same pattern throughout.  

Stick the pineapple on the very top of the base.  There will be wholes between the fruit that you will fill in with fresh greenery.  I use anything from boxwood to holly.  

Fill in the bare sections with strips of greenery.  I usually stick the end of the branch towards the bottom and let the leafy tops of the greenery fill in between the fruit.  It can be unruly so you will have to push it between the fruit in places so the fruit can still be seen.  

I added cloves to a few select oranges after the fact.  If i'd had more patience, I would have consistently put them in each and every orange.  

I added some faux berries in between the greenery to add an additional amount of color.  I also used some pink and red ornaments around the base to make the centerpiece seem more Christmas-y.  

The Christmas season was here and gone in a flash and I didn't have time to post this tutorial before Christmas.

I also had the wonderful opportunity of sharing this DIY project on Better Connecticut in early December.  Melissa Cole came to the shop and taped the segment.

Check out the link to the show here

Hope you all enjoyed your holiday season.  Welcome to 2016.
Cheers,

Heather