Extra! Extra! New Christmas Blog Launched Today!

Ever wonder how many days are left until Christmas? 127, Days. 7, Hours. 59, Minutes but really who is counting! Or wonder just how to decorate that tree that is way too short for your vaulted ceiling? What about blue lights on a Christmas tree? Fake or real, which is better? How many ornaments are too many?

Ever felt yourself stressed out on just what to do with that tree and decorations you have had for years and yet envy all those Christmas trees in those high end department stores???

Well look no further. We have a new blog that was launched officially today called, A Baby Changes Everything from Teresa at Grammy's Girlfriend. Simply click on the button to read all the details!

So I know what you are thinking next is so what? Another Christmas decorating blog big deal right? Nope! Completely wrong. What makes Teresa's blog so unique is this is her job! That's right envious bloggers, she completely decorates home for the Christmas holidays. Not just trees, but mantles, staircases, tables, doors, you name it as long as it is in the house. Not only that she is sharing all her valuable tips with all of us throughout the next several months. I had the opportunity to interview Teresa about a few things most of us would love to know and I hope you enjoy it.


1. What is the hardest thing you have ever had to decorate? A new client had just moved into a 10,000 square foot house literally December 1. She needed the house totally decorated 10 days before Christmas for several parties. We had to go out and buy everything she needed locally from trees to garland to ornaments. She wanted to start fresh. It was one of the most fun jobs but absolutely the most stressful with the time we had to work on it...but it turned out beautiful.

2. How did you get started in the business of decorating trees? I always had a tree in every room and normally we had several holiday parties and were on the Tour of Homes twice. I think it was 17 years ago that a lady called and ask me if I would decorate her house...then there was 2, then there was 5 and now there are 60 plus...so I am not really sure how I got where I am today.

3. What are some things besides twinkle lights and blue ones do you hate to use when decorating? This is going to get me in trouble.... artificial poinsettias, I don't really like them at all...but I can work with real ones...but the others would never be listed under my favorite things. I hate it when a tree just has a few ornaments....especially when the client thinks they have plenty. I always convince them they need more. Let's see I not only don't like blue lights, I do not like blue decorations...Blue is just not Christmas to me...We went through a time a few years ago when blue was in and the only way I could even act like it was if we paired it with tons of SILVER. I am sure there are many other things but that's probably more than most people want to know. I really love the loaded look.

4. Where do you usually start when you decorate a home, the tree, the doors? Because I normally have 4 or 5 people with me, we start everywhere. I normally start on the tree and I always finish the tree....someone else starts on the mantle, staircase, etc. On many houses we have physical pictures from years past and that helps so much....I am constantly looking at my watch as we normally have at least one more place to to be later in the day. And some days I just move faster than others.

5. What is the largest tree you have had to decorate? I really do not do many businesses...that is just a totally different set of problems...but we have many houses that have 12 ft trees and some that have more than one.

6. What is your biggest decorating nightmare? That someone will fall off the ladder...and we have had some close calls, especially when we are tired...I am going to tell a story on my blog later in the season that happened to us last year, when the heaviest garland I have ever worked with, took a tumble...All I can say is we had some guardian angels that day. I don't worry about breaking ornaments...ornaments BREAK...we are as careful as we can be, but with most of the big houses having wood floors, if a Christopher Radko ornament falls from a 12 foot tree, chances are its going to break.

7. Where do you store everything once you purchase things? From now until we start houses, I keep everything in the two shops that are on each end of my house. I literally go to work at home. There are pros and cons to that...The good thing is I can work at any hour and all day in my pajamas...The not so good thing is that the work is always right here...I never leave it. The rest of the year everything is in a storage building we rent. My husband just told me we have 100 storage boxes full of Christmas that he needs to start bringing home tomorrow. UGH I try to unload 10 boxes at a time where it is not totally overwhelming.

8. How long does it take you to decorate an average home? We normally do one big house and one smaller job a day...hopefully in the same area of our city...but there are houses that we work on two full days for 12 hours a day....and there are days we have done 3 houses.We work Sat, Sun, Thanksgiving Day....that is one of the real pressures of the job...we cannot get behind once the schedule begins.

9. What is your favorite decorating theme? I think I may have covered this a little on my blog, but I love the Southern Living, rich colors, lots of sticks, woodsy look...not sure if that is a word...but more than that I like a tree that fits the house that it is in...I can tell by walking in someone's house, what kind of tree would create a warm holiday feeling. Some houses call for gold, silver and crystal....others that would look horrible in. I really love the traditional Christmas colors,Christmas RED and GREEN....but in the last few years I have fallen in love with the new Green, which you will see lots of in my trees during the season, paired with RED...


10. If you could have absolute control to decorating a home, how would you do it? I had to give this one some thought, as in most of the homes we do have a lot of control. I am trying to think back over the years and I can remember only a couple of instances where someone wanted anything changed. I rarely see the client as they are normally out of town, at work, or just go away for the day we decorate. Nothing slows us down like someone talking the entire time we are working or asking a million questions. I always try to match my clients trees not only to their home but to their personality....a challenge occasionally, but fun....and so rewarding when they leave a message on my machine before I get home, telling me that they have never seen their home look so beautiful. That's the best part of the JOB.

Did you know she doesn't use ornament hangers on a tree? Or how to increase the lighting on your tree without adding any more lights? Need to know how? Click on her blog A Baby Changes Everything or her button on the right and make your way on over there. When you get there, tell her hello and sign up. She is hosting a great giveaway for some lucky new followers so time to start clicking. Better make sure you have plenty of printer ink and paper because these are just too good to pass up.