About twelve years ago, I was invited to participate in an annual fund-raiser, the Fairfield (CT) Christmas Tree Festival, and I've been doing it ever since. All proceeds go to various local charities, and it's also a great way to meet other hard-working, multi-talented women. FCTF is held in an historic property, the Burr Homestead. This house is EMPTY except for lovely marble mantels and chandeliers. Several years ago the rooms were repainted in "period-correct colors", like Tiffany blue and maroon. Challenging at Christmas time!
A dozen designers each decorate a room. They need to come up with a theme, shop, order, and maintain a budget. Then they have to craft each wreath, tree, garland, topiary, door hanging, etc!!! It's all for sale! It can add up to 50 - 75 items!!! And we have to decorate the rooms!!! IT'S THE ULTIMATE IN VACANT STAGING!!! Over the years I have decorated many different spaces with the following themes: Patriotic (red, white and blue Santas and flags - grown men were weeping), Nantucket (early introduction of seashells), Updated Williamsburg, Spring Flowers (lots of faux vegetables and flowers!), Winter Garden...last year it was a Vintage Christmas. As an antiques dealer, I had collected hundreds of ornaments and decorations and I just had to use them! The results are in the RES.
This Festival is an event that is near and dear to my heart. It is my community service, and something I work hard at year-round. I love the women I work with and the fact that every year our efforts produce more and more money for the designated beneficiaries. I know I'm fortunate to be able to "give back" doing something I love to do, and hope everyone else on AR is just as lucky. Tell us what your "give back" is - there are probably as many versions as there are snowflakes! What's my theme this year? "Visions of Sugar Plums" - stay tuned!
Well that put me in the mood for some eggnog!
Question; the vacant home...who's was it and was it for sale or just a space used for staging Christmas decorations?
I'm trying to get "in the mood" too because I've been asked to decorate a tree for a local auction and it's hard to think Christmas trees when it's hardly even fall here. Need some inspiration before I decide if I want to invest in this project because it could be very costly if I don't start purchasing supplies early.
Thanks for the RE show ...it helped! Clever of you to show your information this way!
I'm trying to get "in the mood" too because I've been asked to decorate a tree for a local auction and it's hard to think Christmas trees when it's hardly even fall here. Need some inspiration before I decide if I want to invest in this project because it could be very costly if I don't start purchasing supplies early.
Thanks for the RE show ...it helped! Clever of you to show your information this way!
WOW Julia, this looks great. I'm just now starting to decorate for Halloween! We have a huge party each year and it takes weeks before to get all my stuff up (thank God for my husband) by the time we're done, decorating for Christmas gets put on the back burner - it's usually a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving that we've gotten all the cobwebs removed... I love the RES and the music!
Thanks, Ginger & Karen!
Sheron: The Burr Homestead in Fairfield, CT is a large historic home built by the Burr family in the 18th century, now owned by the Town of Fairfield. Near the town green and surrounded by other historic homes, early churches, the town hall and the Sun Tavern (where George Washington really did sleep!), it is rented out for fund-raisers, formal parties, weddings, and the like. The FCTF has rented it every year for the Festival. Happy Holidays! Julie
What a nice idea! Have you drawn any business for holiday decorating from it. Two years ago the Fresno Metropolitan Museum had local designers decorate a Christmas room and or tree in the museum and it was the best experience. I went with the school as it was one of their field trips. Wow was it pretty. I would estimate there we 60 trees and 15 rooms all decorated to the nines. What a great way to get the community into the spirit. Last year my son and granddaughter put the tree and decorations up before Thanksgiving and I was never so happy to take them down...I could not wait till New Years.
I have clients who have holiday decorators come in and decorate their 20 ft trees. Now thats the life!
Hi Sheron - I've been doing this for twelve years and never got a job from it - not even a query! Strange but true! It would be great, but I didn't go into it for the marketing. It's my charity work, my give-back. Since I've joined the Board of Directors, I would feel funny about getting any work from it now...
Julia,
How beautiful! It's so nice to give from the heart and have so many enjoy it. I'm sure all of you that work on this project get inspired from each other. Creativity sparks creativity, and what fun!
Penny White
Beststagedesign Inc.