Featured in the Herald Leader, Weekender!

Here's what Harriett Hendren had to see about our Christmas Open House coming up!!!

Christmas is nearly two months away, but November means the beginning of "open house" season, with stores decked out for the holidays offering specials and treats.

One of the first open houses in Lexington starts Tuesday and runs through Nov. 6 at House, the cut-as-a-button homem decor shop at 1583 Delaware Avenue.

Everything will be 20% off. Co-owners J. Stuart Hurt, Dwayne Anderson, and Jeremy Rice worked for years at Corman's, so they can decorate for the holidays like nobody's business.

A sampling of what you'll find: candles, trees, garlands, wreaths, swags and loads of holiday design ideas.

Call (859) 523-3933 or go to http://www.housebyjsd.com

Christmas Open House! It's here!

Mark your calendars! 'house' will be celebrating OUR first ever November Christmas Open House! We are so very excited! Tues Nov 2 - Saturday Nov 6 Save 20% off EVERYTHING

We've been working our little butts off (well if mine is the determining factor..." fat butts off " )! Christmas is EVERYWHERE in the store....I MEAN EVERYWHERE.

Against what I would have chosen, we started listening to Christmas music on Tuesday of this week, but 4 days in...I'M READY! There's just something about Christmas Music that puts you in the mood!

We've been putting up trees, decorating garlands, wreaths, and swags! If you've thought our store was full before....just wait until you see it for Christmas! I should have went on a diet!

To let you in on a little honesty, every year as the Christmas season approaches, I get a little nervous, wondering how we are going to top what the three of us created before. WELL....this year, is VERY different. Hands down...we've smacked anything we've ever done out of the park this year.

As far as themes....we have everything. We have Burberry Equestrian, Classic Williamsburg, Traditional Red & Green, Oompa Loompa Red and Green, Candy, Cardinal, Formal Gold, Formal Silver, Ice and Snow, as well as some new combinations of Navy/Burgundy with a Flocked tree, and many others!

We are so excited to open our doors and share this wonderful season with you!

We also need your assistance to help us spread the word of the Christmas Open House Nov 2 Nov 6! Please tweet (we're @housebyjsd) , facebook, email, word of mouth all of your friends! Not everyone knows where to find us now! And after all....we're half the fun! (insert disclosure of possible snow and glitter thrown here! we do like to have a good time!)

We're counting down and hope that you are too! Thanks again! And see you soon!

What I love about Fall!

Now that it seem the temperatures have finally started to lower and become the Fall that so many of us love, I can't help but think about all of the things that I love about Fall!

The crisp mornings, warm afternoons, and chilly nights! Bowls of chilli! FOOTBALL! The turning of the leaves! And maybe...just maybe that the hint of Christmas is right around the corner! (I know it's still early, but I had to mention it!)

In the last few weeks we've been working on many Fall parties, and have created a number of different takes on Fall. For me, Fall isn't just about sunflowers, and pumpkins (although I'll never pass on a piece of pumpkin pie....don't judge!) , however the season is more about the colors and textures.

Our lovely friends at Heaven Hill asked us to do a couple of Fall floral arrangement to sit out at an WEG event at Keeneland. So what was I to use?

We first off, I found the incredible orange coxcomb seen in the arrangement, it was without a doubt what set the color direction for the rest, and who can pass on the fun texture that it provides! Taking the lead from the coxcomb, I had the color direction, but needed the right textures to add. The large bourbon stained fugi poms (the flowers that are kind of like star bursts) were a great texture against the coxcomb, plus they gave me the option of them being the "star players" in the arrangements. The unusual color and flower shape were ideal!

What to add next?! Well, I LOVE hydrangeas.....or maybe I should say I LUUUUUURRRRVVV hydrangeas (I have about lost my religion with mine at my home, because they bloomed like twice this summer!) The mini-greens hydrangeas were a perfect pop of color in this monochromatic orange/bourbon/green combination!

The final pieces to finish the combination were hypericum berry, decorative cabbage, and a surprise addition by a pomegranate. Notice the color of the hypericum. Often you find it in either a red/burgundy, apple green, or white color.... Well this morning I hit the jackpot....with this creamcicle hinted hypericum! THE PERFECT filler!

As for the cabbage, I use cabbage a lot in the fall, they are such a statement piece! And the pomegranate...it was a beautiful green pomegrated with hints of orange and burnt umber. NOW, just between you and me, it was artifitial....that's right....fake! But this morning while at the store, everyone who has saw it and touched it have asked where in the world have I gotten this beautiful fruit! I never shared the information around it! It just proves that in some circumstances, you can add artificial pieces with fresh to make a look!

So for me today, this was fall. A monochromatic look at the season through a different eye! Now...if I could just find a piece of pumpkin pie!