Wednesday, December 10

NC Governor's Mansion, Part 3



CLICK to enlarge!

The main entrance to the Mansion. This year, the porch is draped with "curtains" of pine roping and a simple garland of pine over the main doors. Kissing balls of boxwood and mistletoe hang between the columns. You can't see them in this photo, but there are five large wreaths on the mansion windows, with big red velvet bows and streamers (made by yours truly). Volunteers did the pine draping according to Mel Day's design.


In the main foyer, the stairs to the upper floors. It may be hard to tell what they are, but there are lit grapevine deer on the landing. The stair well is garlanded with lit roping and attached by lush bows on the outer railings (done by volunteers also).

And behind those stairs, a grotto of sorts, with two deer nestled among poinsettias and various foliage. Rhonda put this grouping together.


I did this arrangement in the mansion's beautiful silver epergne, featuring willow, peacock feathers, dried hydrangeas, cedar, fir, magnolia and boxwood, along with ornaments and beaded flowers in blues, greens and purples, that clipped onto the branches.


This polar bear lies in wait; to toast his nether regions between the andirons on the dining room hearth. Isn't he wonderful?


The dining room mantel, with glittery deer marching amid beaded and jeweled branches and ornaments. Mel did this and the table below.


Mantel detail.


Dining room tablescape, featuring penguins, jeweled branches in tall glass cylinders and white twig trees.

I am going to a party there tonight, for state employees and volunteers - so I may have more photos tomorrow (unless you're tired of them already).

16 comments:

Lisa said...

OMG!! Everything is so beautiful!!

I would love to visit there. You can just fell the Christmas spirit even through the photos.

Beverly said...

Never too tired. Is the public invited to view all these wonderful decorations?

How long does it take to do it all?

OldLady Of The Hills said...

It is just fantastic, what you all do there at The Mansion....! I was thinking it must be nice to have people come in and decorate your whole house...lol! Well, I guess if you had a House like The Governer's Mansion....!
Very Beautiful, Judy....ALL of it! I LOVE that Polar Bear and The Penquins, too!

Bear Naked said...

I love love love those garland curtains.
And that polar bear---nice!
Please please more pictures.

Bear((( )))

Ginnie said...

Very elaborate and beautiful. Somehow the polar bear looks lonely to me...

oklhdan said...

Everything is beautiful! What a great job!

bobbie said...

Very impressive and beautiful - although I have to say I have never liked blue for Christmas, ever since my brother and sister-in-law did their tree all in blue one year and it was really, really ugly.

rosemary said...

the mantel is stunning....love the blue.

Pat said...

The touches of vivid blue and green are delightful and good idea to put little balls to cover the base of dried twigs. I'm just wonderig if we do anything similar and I don't think we do - more's the pity. For one thing we don't really have an equivalent of a governor. I don't think a mayor comes close.

Jean Campbell said...

I do so look forward to all your photos of your work -- and your cohorts'.

It's almost as good as being there. My mother used to love to visit our governor's mansion. She said she was like the little boy who saw the same movie 7 times: "This time I'm REALLY gonna enjoy it!"

tiff said...

So gorgeous!!! Well done.

Bobkat said...

Simply gorgeous! That stairway looks wonderful with the little lights and foliage draped up the bannisters adn the deer at the top and that mantel glitters like a winter wonderland. It must be fabulous 'in the flesh' when you can walk from room to room and experience it all.

Diane Mandy said...

WOW!!!!! You make me miss home!

Shelly said...

Fabulous! You've given me some great ideas...love the peacock feathers..hmmm...think I need to go get mine.
I'd love to see more ;)

Jamie Dawn said...

I still can't comment on your blog, but the link you sent by email worked, so I could see this post.
I am going to see if I can get to your main page from here after I leave this comment.

The mansions looks so festive! You all did a terrific job on all the decor.
I agree that the polar bear is delightful. I hope his bohunkus is nice and warm.

:-)

Jamie Dawn said...

Well, I was able to click on HOME down at the bottom, and it took me to your main page, but photos still do not show, and when I click on comments, I get a blank screen and cannot leave a comment.
Well, at least I was able to leave come here from the link you sent me via email, and at least I am able to read the content of your blog. I'm hoping this resolves itself soon. I am using the same link I have always used to come to your blog, so I know nothing has changed in that regard.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
:-)