miy Paris Holiday decorating, miycreations, Maddylane,

As one of the designers invited to dress up a VIP table for the exhibit, "Les Plus Belles Tables de Noël", I would
like to share with you my personalized design concept with you; "Christmas in Paris". My inspiration for the
creation of my Christmas theme décor came from the elegant Christmases of my childhood spent at my
grandmother's house. I combined traditional and modern elements in order to recreate my interpretation of her
Christmas decorations and her love of Paris.

The decorations that I created for my holiday theme table, even if they seem quite elaborate, can easily be
created with very few craft supplies, available in arts and crafts and fabric stores and many various remnants
from around your home. Make your holidays special, personalized it with style, make it yourself!

My "Christmas in Paris" theme is based on a composition of blending the old with the new. My grandmother's
table was always set with the finest bone china and antique silverware. Oil paintings, painted by my grandfather,
graced the walls. Her holiday décor was fashioned with stylish satin ribbons, shimmering crystals, and an
exquisite white Christmas tree, decorated with but a few striking ornaments. Place cards, Christmas crackers and
a personalized centerpiece coordinated the whole ensemble. She always used fresh greenery and flowers to
garnish her home.

Even the color palette that I selected was nostalgic; a combination of bright turquoise, greens and blues with soft
pastels in similar hues amidst accents of silver, angelic whites and chocolate brown. As a young girl, these
unusual combinations of Christmas colors made quite an impression on me. My table this year is an homage to
my grandmother who is now 98 years old. You could say that style influences along with traditions are also
passed on through generations. With this specific concept in mind, the table I chose is a cream-colored dining
room set by Tommy Bahamas. This set was very close in resemblance, shape and style to the look I wanted to
recreate. Even though this particular set is more intended for a Bahamian plantation, which is much en vogue, it
worked beautifully to accomplish my goal.

The square-patterned taffeta table runners are in bright iridescent color blocks of emerald greens, deep-sea
turquoises and opulent blues. The organza centre panel runner is a soft pastel aqua shade. The runners are all
trimmed with luxurious satin borders. The main table cloth is a sheer underskirt in a delicious café-au-lait colour.
It is edged with a multi-coloured trim made with fun-fiber wool.

For the place setting for four, I chose the Rochelle Platinum collection by Noritake - fine white china, trimmed with
an exquisite silver-dotted textured border. I transferred images of the Eiffel Tower, in tones of deep turquoise, to
the center of clear plates. Using clear plates allows the bright image to stand out on the white background of the
china.

Beneath the place settings, sit lovely silver charger plates with beaded edges. The glasses are from the
Grossgrain collection by Vera Wang. Tiny white dots and fine stripes line the borders of the shapely glasses. For
the water glasses, I transformed plain glasses (picked up at a rummage sale) with turquoise and green stripes
using glass paints.

I wanted a chic, yet fun centerpiece with a different twist. I used a crystal, square-shaped cake stand and filled it
with assorted pearls, green and silver balls, and placed a pillar candle at the center. Eucalyptus sprigs, pine and
willow branches, Queen Anne's lace and Ornitogalums are refined with silver angel hair accents. The vases are
accented with marble-pattern squares, blending assorted shades of blues and greens.

For an elegant finishing details, the backs of the chairs were decorated with a blue satin bow, a crystal bead
tassel and a pine branch surrounded by a silver wire swirl accent. The crystal candle holders are bejeweled with
a crystal beaded fringe, which is repeated throughout the theme. The tea-light candle holders are edged with a
white feather frill. Two frosted glass votive lamps are embellished with clear micro beads in shapes of Eiffel
Towers. I revamped an old chandelier to coordinate with the setting. I painted it silver, added fine details such as:
crystal bead fringe, fancy white and silver fuzzy wool, draped with pearls, lavish ribbons, and crystal pendant
jewels (taken from other items that I recycled).

I created a mini art gallery incorporating mainly photographs with assorted art mediums including a painting of
the Eiffel Tower, lit up with tiny rice lights. Photo montages are made with panoramic pictures of Paris placed
over canvases covered with patterned rice paper. Two canvases were covered with textured wallpaper and
bordered with satin ribbons. My teenage son Spencer made his contribution to the mini gallery with a graffiti sign
of Paris using oil pastels on canvas.

For a nostalgic touch; I applied family photographs onto self-hardening clay to create an advent calendar tree
and attached them onto a white feathered tabletop tree. A coordinating feathered square wreath centers a
grand round mirror.
An Eiffel tower shaped tree made out of willow branches, gracefully trimmed with a fluffy white feathered boa.
Tiny glass balls and paper ornaments are decorated with feathers, crystals, micro beads and sequences.

I made a simple garland using: a spiral silver wire, a few pine branches, eucalyptus springs, silver holly shapes
made with foil and a silver wire to spell the word Noël. I made mini Eiffel Towers out of wire for the place card
holders. Fake chocolates are made with clay.

The gifts; uniquely wrapped in shapes of bonbons, and frilly purses using assorted papers, pictures, fabrics and
ribbons left over from the items created for this theme. Wire monograms, old-fashioned labels, and fun-fur were
also incorporated in some of the pretty wrappings. Hand-made greeting cards were customized using similar
materials, and also micro beads, silver foil, fuzzy wool, shrink film designs and sequins. Other items made to
decorate this room with style were a Paris travel souvenir tray, a cake candle, hat boxes, a lavish picture throw,
and a Christmas tree shaped like an Eiffel tower.

To view more, you see how several of these Miy holiday Paris projects are made, click on the links in the side bar.

Miy Paris Theme Holiday Decorations
C r e a t i o n s & I n s p i r a t i o n s
"f o r t h e p u r e j o y o f m a k i n g t h i n g s"

Miy Christmas Theme Decorations:
"Christmas in Paris"

Miycreations and photographs
by Madeleine M Langlois MaddyLane Designs

Make it Yourself Creations... The Spirit of Making Things ~ Naturally Simple