Welcome December!

The last month of the year!

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The time of year when abundant celebrations with family and friends is in order.

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The time of year with everything glistens and glows, sparkles and shines and when bells ring as a sign of festivity.

December is the time when we can all look back on the days passed and count our blessings for what was

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And the time of year when we can all look forward to the days ahead with renewed optimism and hope.

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December is the season of joy and time to remember the true meaning of Christmas.

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It’s the time of year when we give not because we receive, but because we love.

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December is the most magical time of the year!

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Shelly

images via pinterest

My Favorite Thanksgiving Decorating Ideas

Happy Monday!  Sorry I’ve been MIA the last few days but my schedule kept me away from my desk which meant little time to sit down and write blog post.  I’ve got a couple of super busy weeks ahead with lots of client Christmas decorating projects on the books, so before the Christmas madness takes over, I thought I bring you a round-up of my Favorite Thanksgiving Decorating Ideas. 

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Mini pumpkins and gourds used as candleholders.

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A fall themed bar cart is a fabulous idea in my book (and so is a hot chocolate bar)!

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A Thankful Tree is a great way to remember and recognize all that you have to be thankful for.

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A pumpkin vase beats a glass vase anytime for a Thanksgiving tablescape.

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Mother nature has given us so many wonderful things to decorate with for Thanksgiving.  Evergreens, pinecones and oranges = simple sophistication.

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The perfect way to personalized your table for fall is with real leaf name cards.

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Before you indulge take a moment to give thanks.  This is a great way for the family to connect and creative way to decorate the table.

There are so many creative ways to decorate for Thanksgiving so this year have fun with your décor and….

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Shelly

I’ve got lots of holiday inspiration coming this week so stay tuned.

Entertaining Idea: Dinner by the Glass

With the holiday season nearing, I’ve thought a lot about party planning. And since I have several clients that ask me to help them set their homes and dining rooms for holiday parties, I’m always on the hunt for new party ideas I can use. While looking for a recipe on Pinterest recently one image grabbed my attention and gave me an idea that I think puts a fun twist on a typical dinner party.
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The Theme:
Instead of the typical dinner service that requires plates and bowls, each food item is served in a different drinking glass.  This is a great way to control the amount of food served and may allow you to offer up more menu items.
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The Ingredients:
Cold appetizers are served in champagne glass, martini glass or shot glass, all of which hold the perfect amount of food to the wet the appetite.
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The second course of soup is served in glass mugs which are easy to hold and scoop from.
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 The salad course is served in a tapered tumbler or martini glass, perfect for holding pasta or greens, veggies and a scoop of dressing.
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For the more substantial main course service, martini glasses or round double-old-fashion glasses would be perfect.
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For the last course of dessert, wine glasses or shot glasses end the party of high note!
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Of course beverages and cocktails can be served in old-fashioned mason jars…
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And the centerpieces can get in on the fun too!
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Don’t you just love this Dinner by The Glass party theme?  When you think about it,  almost any food you make can be served in drinking glasses but the best part of a Dinner by the Glass party theme it that you’ll give your guest a fun, new dinner experience!
Shelly
all images (and more) can be found on my Party Décor pinterest board.

Entertaing Idea: Swizzle Sticks

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Every great party includes fabulous cocktails (loaded or virgin) and every great cocktail deserves a fun swizzle sticks.
Did you know that swizzle sticks originated in Martinique when bartenders plucked twigs from native trees and used them to mix drinks to get them nice and cold.
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Swizzle sticks are a throwback to the 60’s and 70’s cocktail culture when a gathering of friends and some libations resulted in a classic cocktail party.
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After doing a little research I learned that there are three ways to mix a drink, one of which is to SWIZZLE IT!
Stirring a drink results in the liquid getting chilled and the booze being diluted without adding air.
Shaking  a drink adds air to the cocktail while chilling it and diluting the booze.
And Swizzling a drink combines the juices and spirits and evenly chills the liquid without diluting the booze. Plus it looks cooler.
There are so many great swizzle sticks you can buy but I love the idea of making my own.  Here’s a few of my favorite DIY Swizzle Sticks.
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Gold Paper Hearts
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Washi Tape Flags
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Metallic Pom Poms
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Toy Animals
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Whatever’s in the craft drawer
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Yarn Pom Poms
Ingredients to make swizzle sticks:
Wood skewers or flat wood pasty sticks
A decorative object
Glue, tape or some type of non-toxic adhesive
A cocktail to help with the creative process while you make your swizzle sticks!

 

Swizzle sticks are an easy way to introduce a little fun and whimsy into your party.  They can also be use to help people keep track of their drinks and most importantly they will make you look like the hostess with the mostess at your next gathering!
Have I won your over yet?  If not, head over to my Party Ideas pinterest board for a ton more swizzle stick ideas.  All of the images above can be found there!

Shelly

For more Entertaining Ideas check out this, this and this!

Inspiration + Weekend Reading

Happy Saturday!  I hope your weekend is starting off great.
Now that the Nordstrom Anniversary sale is over I can’t help but feel like fall is just around the corner.  During these last weeks of summer, it’s the perfect time to begin thinking about your fall wardrobe and maybe do a little organizing and styling in your closet.  This image is a great example of how you can achieve both organization and style in a small closet space.  It has definitely inspired me to do some purging, sorting and de-cluttering in my closet.
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When you take a break from organizing, take a moment to enjoy these weekend reads….
No matter what age you are, this is sound advice for both your business and personal life.  A must read!! Thanks to Mandy over at Waiting on Martha to bring it to my attention.
Want to be inspired?  Check out these Top 100 Inspirational Quotes!
You’re going to love this home tour and you’ll get some great decorating tips from it too.
Beautiful inspiration if you want to decorate with black.
What a great way to inspire a table décor theme!
I love how creative Kristin used the leftover space in her laundry closet!
I found this blog post to be a great reminder that “surrounding yourself only with people who will lift you higher” is something we should all be striving for.

Shelly

Inspiration + Weekend Reads

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Happy Saturday!
It has rained in Atlanta for the last week or so and when that happens I get the urge to nest and create. I came across the image above and immediately feel in love with the black armoire, texture and warmth of the space.  This image has inspired me to make a few changes in our bedroom so while the rain falls today the hubs and I will be doing a little painting and accessorizing.  Enjoy your weekend and these links….

  The cutest collection of paper goods ever!
These will make you want to have a party just so you can decorate.
You’ll love this house tour on page 52!
My new favorite blog is full of the most amazing inspiration!
 A handbag + a good cause=a reason to shop!
The difference between living life and not!
I am so going to paint a chair goldWow!
One of these is on the menu this weekend.

XO Shelly

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