Christmas Candlelight Tour 2011, Historic Fredericksburg Foundation

I led the decorating team for 404 Hanover Street, the circa 1842 home of Gaynelle and Courtney Scott, for the Historic Fredericksburg Foundation Christmas Candlelight Tour.  The stately home, filled with early Virginia and New England antiques, was the perfect setting for simple decorations with a bounty of fresh, local greenery.  We had a fabulous team working on this house, with members of the Ann Page Garden Club - Andi Gabler, Laura Ann Cline, Alice Nuckols, Lana Kelsey, Martha Manner-Brown, Sue Moorefield, Carol Evans, Leslie Campbell, Sharon Fick, Sharon Null, and Rita Campbell; and friends and family, Tina Egge, Betsy Kiley, Sarah Hall and Gaynelle's sister-in-law, Susanna Jett.  Gaynelle and Courtney Scott were gracious, kind and generous throughout the process.  We had such fun and the results were perfect for this house.  I was thrilled to support HFFI in this way!  My daughter, Khaki Valentine, took all of these pictures.

Welcome to 404 Hanover Street

                                                                                         Khaki Valentine Photo
Tina Egge, Betsy Kiley and Sarah Hall wrapped the columns and framed the front door with the beautiful cedar garland that I bought at the wholesale florist. They then embellished the garland with nandina, magnolia and cryptomeria.



For the arrangements on each side of the front door, I used magnolia, cryptomeria, holly, a long, droopy evergreen from my yard, and these wonderful knarly branches in a large garden urn. These arrangements welcomed guests into the house.  Tina Egge made the wonderful plaques, or sprays, on the two front doors. She inserted magnolia all around the the oasis, sort of like an Indian headdress, ending in the center. I then created a focal point in the center with seeded eucalyptus (the only green I bought), the long, droopy evergreen, holly and filbert hazel (corylus).   

Alice Nuckols and Lana Kelsey's gorgeous arrangement in the front hall.

Sue Moorefield did a fabulous job in the Living Room.

Gaynelle and her sister-in-law, Susanna Jett, decorated the tree. Susanna wrapped all the gifts.

A close-up of the living room mantle. Magnolia, china fir, nandina, cedar, holly, boxwood, branches, and osage oranges. 

Alice Nuckols, Lana Kelsey and Carol Evans created an exquisite display in the dining room, with 2 apple trees on the table, flanking a champagne bucket with pears and cryptomeria.  The mantle was gorgeous with magnolia, nandina, china fir, corylus and artichokes.

Susanna Jett and Andi Gabler filled the drink box on the deck with greens and champagne!

Susanna and Andi's deck arrangement.

Leslie Campbell and Sharon Fick created this Colonial basket of greens and apples to welcome guests to the Kitchen Dependency.

Sharon and Leslie used pine, cones, and osage oranges on the dependency mantle, and a few vegetables on the work table.

Laura Ann Cline made the garden patio a welcome retreat with filled with branches of berries and covered with moss.  Osage oranges and Stratford Coaching Lanterns completed the look.

The finale of the tour was the Snowman Christmas Party out by the pool!  Sharon Null, Rita Campbell, and Martha Manner-Brown created this fun scene to end the tour on a fun note!