Deck the gates with boughs of holly . . .

GATES?

Yep, gates, folks.

You’ve seen them around, haven’t you? Big, beautiful, wrought iron gates decorated with a simple green wreath and a huge red bow.

Well, not on these gates, thank you very much!

I’ve done these gates for a few years now. The Homeowners Association hired me after one of the property managers saw this clubhouse I decorated for another one of their communities.

What’s cool about this job is one of the homeowners has become a great friend. She used to decorate the gates herself, on her own time, and her own dime. Finally, she got the board approval to hire someone . . . Me!

She and I agreed upon the initial style and colors of the decorations a couple years ago.

Pale gold, light bronze florals, and bronze netting.

Bronze netting? Yep! Now you see where I got the netting for this wreath, huh?

Pretty colors, a little different than the norm, and they blended in nicely with the gates and the homes in the community.

No big red bow here!

But after 3 years, they wanted it ‘spruced up’ a bit. Copper, as a matter of fact.

Cool, I thought. I love copper.

I actually love all colors for decorating, but I knew copper would work well and I wouldn’t have to redo all the garlands and wreaths – I could just add it in.

My first thought was to buy a couple cans of copper spray paint and spray some ivory flowers and ornaments.

But, noooo. I had to run around to 3 different stores, with BBH, oldest son & Grandson in tow.

Truth be told, BBH does most of the work.

He’s gotten so good at it, I think he could probably do the whole thing himself! Sshh, don’t tell anyone.

Anyhoo, I found some copper ribbon, poinsettias and picks @ Michael’s.

Before . . .

. . . and this.

Typically, I don’t use two colors of the same flower in arrangements. They start to compete with one another. I would’ve preferred copper ornaments, but I was lucky to find these flowers.

It’s a subtle difference, but Melody was happy!

And I think I’ll have another helper pretty soon!