Daniel Island Resident Gives Holiday Thanks

Reprinted with permission by The Daniel Island News
Letters to the Editor
December 15, 2011

Christmas as an experience is often very different from the way I envision it in my romantic mind’s eye. Recently though, I had a wonderful treat – an evening with friends on Daniel Island that summed up for me the good things about living on Daniel Island and also helped me to get into the Christmas spirit. It made me think about how the design and texture of a town help make the community what it is. We all know that we live in a fabulously beautiful place. We are incredibly lucky to have a quality school that many of us center our lives around. We have sidewalks, bike trails, pools, parks, lots of green space, playgrounds and even a dog park. Our children run around freely, bicycle to their friends’, the parks and school – something that I marvel at each and every day. We have a library with a staff that is truly dedicated, informative, knowledgeable and helpful.

In fact we have so many interesting, talented and wonderful people living here, I have to pinch myself and ask: “Is this a fairy tale town or actually what a well thought out and planned community looks like?” Do the beauty and thoughtfulness attract more of the same? Frank Lloyd Wright once said: “If you foolishly ignore beauty, you’ll soon find yourself without it. Your life will be impoverished. But if you wisely invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life.”

On a recent Friday night I felt as though I had gone to heaven….. or at least to a small village in Europe (which for me would be heaven). After watching the Daniel Island tree lighting and entertainment with my kids, husband and friends and munching on some surprisingly good chili, we decided to continue the holiday reveling and go have a glass of cheer at the nearby Irish pub. The pub was bubbling over with people but we were comfortably seated and we easily made room for more friends as they joined us. The children were welcomed and we were able to settle them at tables in different groups around us – far enough that the older kids had a little autonomy though still within view. The pub was teeming with friends and familiar faces – including some of our children’s teachers and even our principal.

My happiness was at its peak when my niece, her husband and their beautiful little ones, also DI locals, popped in for a beer, spying us in the window as they were out for an evening stroll to enjoy the newly lighted tree. What could be more heavenly or Christmassy?

As we made merry, catching up with good friends – our children nearby and happy, familiar faces, loving family, teachers and neighbors all around me in a neighborhood pub, I felt like I was in the greatest little pub, in the greatest little town on earth.

It is a beautiful life on Daniel Island and I am truly grateful!

Jacqueline Gowe
Daniel Island

Daniel Island Christmas Tree Initiative A Success

Twenty local businesses, individuals and organizations donated their time and efforts this year by decorating holiday-themed Christmas Trees that were raffled during the Daniel Island Holiday Festival on December 3rd.  The beautiful trees raised $1,273 that the Daniel Island Community Fund then matched, bringing in a grand total of $2,546 benefiting the boys at Windwood Farm Home for Children.  However, the trees represented far more than just the spirit of Christmas. They brought awareness to a cause that affects more than 19,000 abused and neglected children annually in South Carolina.

“This initiative exceeded our expectations, not only from a financial perspective, but it was great to see how quickly people would get involved once they realized what the cause was,” said Kristin Power, Director of Development at Windwood Farm. “Once again The Daniel Island Property Owners Association, The Daniel Island Community Fund and all that represents this great community, came to the aide of our boys in a big way.  For that I cannot thank you all enough!”

The initiative will be back in 2012 so stay tuned for information next fall on how you can participate.  Also, mark your calendars for Saturday, February 25 when the Daniel Island POA office and Windwood Farm will partner together for the popular annual “Pork n’ Pearls” oyster roast.  More details to come!

Daniel Island Holiday Festival A Big Hit

Thousands of Daniel Island residents and visitors kicked off the holiday shopping season in style on December 3rd at the annual Holiday Festival at Family Circle Stadium. Like magic, this world-class sports venue was transformed into a winter wonderland with over 100 local vendors selling crafts, gifts, delicious treats and more to eager holiday shoppers.  A big hit this year was the ice skating rink that was enjoyed by kids (and adults!) of all ages.  A visit with Santa himself – and a line-up of spectacular performances from singers and dancers from around the Lowcountry kept everyone entertained. This island tradition has become one of Charleston’s biggest holiday events. Check out these photos from the official festival photographer, Spring Dyer. The complete gallery of image can be viewed here.

‘Tis the Season to be Merry!

Daniel Island residents and visitors will kick off the holiday season the first weekend of December with a special Community Tree Lighting Ceremony and the annual Holiday Festival at the Family Circle Tennis Center.

The lighting of Daniel Island’s Community Tree will take place at 6:00 pm on Friday, December 2nd at the entrance to the Family Circle Tennis Center. Afterwards, enjoy a “Chili Bar” hosted by Daniel Island Young Life and Wyldlife, plus a hot chocolate and cookie station hosted by the Daniel Island “Flying Fish” swim team.  The entire family will also enjoy holiday caroling, story favorites and a visit from Santa.

On Saturday, December 3rd from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm, the Family Circle Stadium will be transformed into an exciting Holiday wonderland. Shop for gifts and crafts from more than 120 of Charleston’s finest vendors, enjoy some tasty treats, and be entertained by a full line-up of events scheduled to take place on Center Court Stage.  A special attraction this year is the outdoor skating rink!  Rent or bring your own ice skates and take in all the sites and sounds of this year’s Holiday Festival.

Don’t miss this popular Daniel Island tradition – it’s a great way to kick off the holidays with the entire family! Admission is free and open to the public. Free parking will be available, and an ATM machine will be located on site. For a complete line-up of vendors and events, visit danielislandholidayfestival.com.

Photos from the Daniel Island Holiday Festival

Thousands of Daniel Island residents and visitors kicked off the holiday shopping season in style December 4th and 5th at the annual Holiday Festival at Family Circle Stadium. Like magic, this world-class sports venue was transformed into a winter wonderland with over 100 vendors decked out in red and green to sell crafts, gifts, delicious treats and more to eager holiday shoppers. Meanwhile, children enjoyed crafts and special activities – including a visit with Santa himself – and a line-up of spectacular performances from singers and dancers from around the Lowcountry kept everyone entertained.

This island tradition has become one of Charleston’s biggest holiday events. Check out these photos from the official festival photographer, Spring Dyer. The complete gallery of image can be viewed here.

Celebrate the Spirit of the Season at Daniel Island’s Annual Holiday Festival

Family Circle Stadium will be transformed into a holiday wonderland Saturday and Sunday, December 4^th and 5^th when the annual Holiday Festival on Daniel Island returns. This shopping extravaganza features more than 120 vendors selling unique gifts of all kinds. From handmade crafts, jewelry and local food items to logo gear, toys, decorations and more, the Holiday Festival is designed to help you find gifts for everyone on your holiday list.

While you’re shopping, enjoy a line-up of live music and dance performances on the center stage, and occupy the kids with face painting, crafts and other children’s activities. There will also be Christmas carols, a tree lighting ceremony and, of course, visits and photos with Santa. Delicious drinks and nibbles from island restaurants and other food vendors will be served throughout the day.

Don’t miss this popular Daniel Island tradition – it’s a great way to kick off the holidays with the entire family! Admission is free and open to the public. Free parking will be available, and an ATM machine will be located on site. For a complete line-up of vendors and events, visit danielislandholidayfestival.com.

The Wonderful World of Larkspur Lane & Creator Lib Mead

When you first walk into Lib Cummings-Mead’s home on Dalton Street in Daniel Island Park, you aren’t aware that upstairs, on the third floor, Lib is busy creating a whole other world. Downstairs, her elegant Charleston home is tastefully decorated for the holidays, the dining room table set and ready for the next round of guests to arrive. But if you look closely at the decor, you begin to notice that a collection of charming figures has found their way onto shelves, tables and other nooks and crannies throughout, playfully beckoning you to search for more.

These are members of “Larkspur Lane,” Lib’s world of bright, wonderful, whimsical characters, all created in her third-floor studio, which she shares with her husband and the family dog, “Sparky Pancakes.” Inspired by attic treasures, Lib has created a storybook world, brought to life using paper mache, vintage colors and her vivid imagination.

Lib, who began her career as an illustrator, began working on “Larkspur Lane” six years ago. Named after the location of her previous home in Minnesota, the line of adorable figurines includes a variety of characters with names like “Tadgarrish,” “Bearly Right,” “Bearly Wrong” and “Bearly There.” Each year, she creates a new line of characters for select holidays, including Halloween, Easter and, of course, Christmas. Her handmade prototypes are shipped to China, carefully reproduced and sold to collectors and retail outlets throughout the country.

“It’s a labor of love,” Lib says. “I really become attached to these characters, and I enjoy bringing them down from the third floor to decorate my home for the holidays each year.”

The “Larkspur Lane” line is currently in transition while Lib switches to a new manufacturer. But she is hard at work on next year’s line – a colorful cast of angel characters – which she expects will be in stores by next winter. In the meantime, you can check out some of the characters from previous lines in the photo gallery below:

Home For The Holidays!

Every November, island resident Heather Platzer gets a certain twinkle her eye. Since she was a child, she’s been collecting Christmas ornaments, snow globes, Christmas trees and Santa Claus figurines. And each year, Heather’s husband James hauls down endless boxes of Christmas decor and delight from the attic in their Daniel Island Park home, where the boxes take up a vast majority of the space!

From start to finish, it usually takes Heather about three weeks to decorate their home for the holidays. She spends four days alone on the main Christmas tree in the living room, which boasts more than 1,000 ornaments!

“I’ve been collecting ornaments pretty much since birth,” recalls Heather. “Really! I’ve got ornaments that friends and family gave my parents when I was born. My entire family has always been really into Christmas so you could say I come by it honestly.” Her mom, Re, also lends a hand and, according to Heather, her husband James is almost a professional when it comes to putting the lights on the Christmas trees!

There are a total of four (yes, four!) Christmas trees each year in the Platzer home. The beautiful 10-foot giant in the downstairs living room is accompanied by three other themed trees throughout the house. Each theme tree takes Heather approximately two hours to decorate with more than 250 theme-specific ornaments per tree! In the breakfast nook, a fruit-themed tree displays ornaments of strawberries, blueberries, oranges, pineapples and all varieties, shapes and sizes from the fruit family.

A couple of years ago, Heather surprised James, an avid Disney fan, with a special Disney-themed Christmas tree for their master bedroom. Featuring colorful ornaments of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy and other Disney characters, the “Disney Tree” tree is bright, whimsical and fun — sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. On the third floor of the home, an “Americana Tree” pays homage to our country and its patriotic spirit. The “Americana Tree” can be found in the couples’ office, which displays mementos and memorabilia from James’ great-uncle Al who worked as Assistant Director of the FBI during J. Edgar Hoover’s tenure.

A number of Heather’s decorations were passed down through both her and James’ families, and many were gifts. The ceramic nativity scene beneath the main Christmas tree was created by Heather’s grandmother during the 1970′s, which she left to her only granddaughter. The beautiful set of red glassware on the dining room table belonged to James’ great-grandmother and dates back more than 100 years. Several of the snow globes in Heather’s collection were gifts from friends and family. And a number of the ornaments from the “Americana Tree” were presents from a friend who worked in Washington, DC.

Heather also purchases many of her ornaments and Christmas trinkets on trips and vacation with her husband. “I love buying ornaments from other places,” she says. “It’s a small little purchase, but every year, when I pull the ornament out of the box, I’ll remember that specific trip and the place where I bought it. To me, that’s more special than anything else I might bring home.”

For more pictures of Heather and James’ festive Daniel Island Park home, take a look at the photo gallery below. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Island Resident Lorraine Vale Shares Her Tips For The Perfect Christmas Tree

For island resident and interior designer Lorraine Vale, it’s all about the tree…

By Lorraine Vale

When we first moved here from New England, I needed to retool my idea of Christmas decorating to fit in with our new surroundings. So, red and green, steeped in tradition and cute all over (I never did ‘cute’), wasn’t going to work for me and my new home. Our new life in Charleston called for fresh, new and exciting, and I was ready for it!

Christmas decorating comes with its own set of challenges, especially for a professional designer. The pressure is really on to have the most put together, perfect tree with all the perfectly coordinating holiday decor. There’s just one problem: I’m not perfect. I’ve learned through years of trying, one cannot achieve perfection. Besides, it’s probably boring.

Take on a new approach to decorating this year: Think of what you did last year, the year before (yawn), and the year before that, and forget it. I know it’s against some unwritten rule for Interior Designers, but in the case of my Christmas Tree – pre-lit faux – it’s the way to go! It’s more conducive to my decorating style, and besides, faux trees start out perfect! Less is more is my mantra for interior design – edit, then edit some more – but when I decorate a tree, more is more. The key is control and knowing when to stop.

We have a 9’ tree with 1,200 white lights. The problem with some of the pre-lit trees is a that the lights are all on the tips, leaving the center of the tree dark. I have supplemented with additional lights placed towards the trunk of the tree. This makes everything glow from with in! Try a color for added dimension.

Here are six steps that will help you take your tree decorating to new levels:

1. Be Practical: Assess the space – traffic patterns and safety.
2. Make sure the lights work before stringing the tree!
3. Take a moment, stand back and look at it from all angles to be sure it’s straight. Secure it tightly in the stand.
4. Plan:
5. Color – Traditional red and green can be challenging in any decor. It could be time to try something new. Get inspiration by walking out your door. I love the tonal colors we have all around us in the marshes and magnolia leaves – browns and green. Throw a bright color in there for the element of surprise – purple, chartreuse, fuchsia. Don’t forget the sparkle.
6. Themes: This is a great idea for continuity through your home’s holiday décor – nautical, beach, pets or old fashioned Santas can be fun and reflect your interests and personality. The use of color or natural elements can be used as a theme for a sophisticated look.

These are great things to keep in mind while you shop or while your hunting outside. Now you’re ready to begin!

The first step is to string the lights. Address the whole tree, not just the branch tips. Wire from the inside out. Second is to put on the tree topper. If you don’t need to follow tradition, do this first. Saving it for last risks disturbing what you just spent hours doing or breaking branches. Your topper can be anything that crowns your tree in glory. Rethink that one star at the top. Think about a bunch of stars of different sizes and colors Use floral tape to hold them together and stick them in the top, securing with floral wire. Not one angel, but imagine a flock of them hovering around the top. I have taken those pointy toppers, you know the ones that you’re suppose to stick the highest branch into the bottom of? I’ve grouped them together at the top so they point in all directions. It’s effective. The point is, it doesn’t need to be an angel or a star. You are only limited by your imagination!

Next, add the garland. Materials like natural rope on a faux tree or an artificial one on a natural tree add an unexpected element and add volume to an otherwise sparse tree. If you want to stay traditional, use popcorn or cranberries…if you want to pump up the volume, try embellished gold branches, glitter burlap, or extra-wide wired ribbon. Starting at the top, weave your garland in and out of the tree in an elongated spiral.

Here’s the fun and creative part:

Composition: Hang the largest ornaments first, setting up a visual rhythm that keeps the eye moving; left to right up and down. Work down in size from there, placing the most beautiful or sentimental ornaments front and center.

Important: To prevent your tree from taking a face plant, distribute the weight all around the tree.

Layer with textures: Textural depth and interesting shapes add an unconventional twist. Spray paint palm fronds and ferns that you collected outside. These are the elements that can break the triangle’ shape if placed strategically in the tree. They can also be functional, plugged into bare spots or placed to hide extension cords. Remember to add the sparkle. Play with scale and proportion by thinking outside the box.

In summary:

Tis the season of the 4 Re’s:
1. Re-use: Give a new look to your existing ornaments by bunching three ornaments together for a dazzling impact.
2. Re-purpose: Head outdoors to the garden to hunt for potential fillers for the tree.
3. Re-cycle: Consider a living tree for replanting. However, the life of a faux tree can be 5-7 years.
4. Re-think: This year, try coloring outside the lines and watch the magic happen.

Have fun and add the sparkle!

Daniel Island Residents Are In The Holiday Spirit!

Every December, the Daniel Island Property Owner’s Association holds a contest among island residents for the best, most festive, brightest homes decorated for the holiday season. And this year, island residents did not disappoint!

The Daniel Island Garden Club judges all the homes on the island and selects the winners for each neighborhood. Below is a list of all the winners!

Barfield Park
Front door – Len & Ruth Peters | 1128 Barfield St.
Children’s – Barbara Bruggemann | 1400 Elfe St.
Overall – Mark & Brenda Berkland | 1118 Barfield St.

Center Park
Front door – Deanna Simpson | 1066 Blakeway St.
Children’s – Shawn & Lauren Templeton | 1072 Barfield St.
Overall – Steve & Kim Cramer | 9002 Merchant St.

Cochran Park
Front door – Beth & Dan Brannan | 843 Dunham St.
Children’s – Cody & Kem Baker | 704 Netherton Ct.
Overall – Becky & Ross Robinson | 925 Cochran St.

Codner’s Ferry
Front door – Barb & Jan Visser | 242 Beresford Creek
Overall – Brittny & Mark Petyak | 119 Shipwright St.

Daniel Island Park
Front door – Toni & Chris Carson | 85 Iron Bottom
Children’s – Joe & Teri Mullaney | 410 Hidden Bottom
Overall – Mr. & Mrs Branigan | 557 Park Crossing St.

Etiwan Park
Front door – Linda Phillipi | 120 Bounty St.
Children’s – Carole Campbell | 162 Brady St.
Overall – Melanie & Jim Murphy | 117 Scott St.

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Pierce Park
Front door – Benji & Suanne Dandridge| 1899 Pierce St.
Children’s – Jim, Terri, Joseph, & Jane Garvey | 1890 Pierce St.
Overall – John & Nicole Dalzell | 1820 Beekman St.

Smythe Park
Front door – Amy & Jason Moyer | 1746 Pierce St.
Overall – Donna & Dale Corcoran | 1275 Blakeway St.

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