Do the holidays put you into High Gear or Neutral?

Every season has its own beauty

Tis the Season to be ...(jolly, frazzled or numb?)

Every year we go down the same path. One day you're hanging Christmas lights outside and enjoying the scent of mixed pine wreaths at an amazing garden store, like Terrain.Next day you’re held up in holiday traffic, wishing you had gone shopping online. And other days, it’s just hard to get back into the holiday spirit.

It’s a stop and go kind of month and it whirls by so fast, you can barely coast for a minute to catch your breath.

 But just think about it for a minute. Do you actually know anyone who just loves every minute of this holiday season?


Yes, some people seem to be less frazzled, but maybe they don’t love the holidays as you do.

It’s OK to be a little frazzled at times. - it’s a sign you’re engaged and not blithely coasting down the highway of life.

So, sit in traffic, listen to some holiday music and dream of your idea of a perfect holiday. Was it the inside or the outside decorations, the choir singing, the Salvation Army kettle or baking Christmas cookies or - the Baileys on the rocks by the fire that you dream to recapture?

What's your vision of the most perfect holiday? I would love to know.

How to find the happiest Colors for your Home

In the fall, I want it all - colors that make me come to life! What colors rev you up?

With daylight savings coming to an end soon, you may be thinking about the long dark days of winter ahead. So to fortify yourself against doldrums, do you run to the nearest clothing store for a bright scarf or sweater? Or does a silver ring with amethyst stone or a new handbag in a great color do the trick of raising your spirits?

Whatever you need to get a boost or to pick up the pace, it's probably associated with a color. For me, I look to add pop-up colors to make the rooms I live in come to life. Look at the photo above, without the patterned fabric on the chairs, the dining room would be nice, but...lacking in that certain something.

So, if you find yourself between the seasons or jobs and you need a little oomph in your life, check out a color wheel and note which color grabs your attention - that's a color that is calling you. Use it any way you can - wear it on yourself or in your home as a paint color, a table runner color or a bedspread.

Live in color.

For more information on how to make your home beautiful -

Call Mary Alice in the New Jersey and metro New York City area at:

732 690-2030

Check out my website and blogs:

M. A. Smith Ltd.,Interior Design
Best Design Coach Blog
House Zen Garden Blog