THREE Creative Ways To Decorate With Wrapping Paper

December 15, 2016

It’s no secret that I love wrapping paper. And you may have even noticed that from time to time here on the blog I use wrapping paper for more than just wrapping gifts.

When I received this beautiful gift wrap from Paper Mart in November I knew immediately I wanted to use in my holiday decor. So I got creative and here are a few ways I decorated for the holidays with gift wrap.

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No. 1: GIFT WRAP TABLE RUNNER

A gift wrap table runner is a no-brainer and such an easy and inexpensive way to dress your table. The poinsettia wrapping paper is perfect as a runner because of the all-over pattern and bold colors. You may have noticed that my table scape is different from what you saw in the Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour. I made a few simple changes to give my table a new look.

Pinecones and Poinsettia Gift Wrap // Preserved Boxwood Wreath

Red Satin Reversible Ribbon

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No. 2: GIFT WRAP TRAY LINER

Another creative way I used the wrapping paper is as a liner to a serving tray. This is such an easy way to UpStyle any tray to match your seasonal decor or a party theme.

Black and White Plaid Ribbon

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NO. 3: GIFT WRAP PICTURE FRAME MATT

Another one of my favorite decor ideas using gift wrap is to use the paper as a decorative matt in a frame.

Holly Jolly Print

Similar Plaid Gift Wrap

And here’s a few other ideas for decorating with wrapping paper…

♦ Make seasonal pennant flags to hang from the mantel

♦ Wrap plain pillar candles to make them more festive

♦ Line drawers or cabinets

♦ Wrap books for a decorative book cover

♦ Use wrapping paper as a wall paper alternative in a small room or closet

♦ Frame it and hang as artwork

With only 10 days until Christmas, I know some of you still have decorating and wrapping to do so I hope you’re inspired by this gift wrap inspiration.

Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide (aka–things I would want)

December 12, 2016

Happy day friends!

I’m just dropping in to share one last holiday gift guide with you. It’s my Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide and it is near and dear to my heart. All of the items on the list are chic, stylish and something I’d personally love for Santa to deliver to my door.

Have you been looking for a gift for that special someone and haven’t found it yet? This gift guide is here to help.

Happy shopping!

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The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide

♦ I love everything that Lollia makes including this Lollia Poetic License Diffuser ($48). Scent diffusers are a great way to add fragrance to a home without burning candles. I especially love to use diffusers in a bathroom or tuck one away in a guest bedroom.

♦ This Gilded Monogram DOF Glass ($18) is a good gift for someone (like me) that loves to entertain. One, two or four make a great hostess gift or family gift. If you’re celebrating the holidays at a New Year’s Eve party, a set glasses would be ideal to ring in the new year.

♦ A pretty necklace can make an outfit. The Silver Links Statement Necklace ($29.99) is a gift that will be enjoyed long after the holidays are over.

♦ Emerald Green is one of my favorite colors and you can’t beat the price on this Green Pashmina Style Shawl ($5.99)! It’s the perfect layering piece over a sweater or under a coat. One for them, one for me.√

The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide by ConfettiStyle

The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide

♦ You’ll wow anyone with a gift of these Silver Mercury Glass Hurricane Candleholder ($11.89-$19.59). They will look stunning grouped in the center of a table or next to the hearth. And I’d also use them as vases by dropping a clear glass jar inside to hold flowers. Check your local Cost Plus because these are selling out quickly online.

♦ Pretty {and functional) gloves are hard to come by but this pair of Echo Touch Zip Boucle’ Tech Gloves ($39) checks both boxes. You can operate a cell phone with ease and stay warm while doing it.

♦ This L’Objet Malachite Tray ($120) is the most expensive gift in the gift guide but it is a beauty. Envision this sitting on a side table, night stand or vanity holding pretty perfume bottles.

♦ If you’ve never read any of Steve Harvey’s books, I recommend you do. His books are filled with solid wisdom, advice and lots of laughs too. I can’t wait to read his newest book, Jump: Take the Leap Of Faith to Achieve Your Life of Abundance ($18.04).

♦ A girl can never have too many handbags. The Crossbody Bag with Metallic Straps ($39.90) is a great bag for weekend shopping or traveling when you need hands free.

♦ I’m always stuffing my electronic cords in a zippered pouch but they never stay organized. The idea of something to keep everything neat and tidy is so appealing. I love this Leather Charger Roll Up ($49) because its compact and comes in fun colors.

♦ Personalized stationery just might be one of best gifts you can give someone. This 7 Tablet Notepad Set with Holder ($41) is a great price and personalization is available in array of colors.

If you need gift wrapping tips to help with all your holiday gifts, check out my Holiday Gift Wrap Guide here or click the image below.

Holiday Entertaining: Mini Cheese Boards

December 6, 2016

Welcome to part 2 of the Reindeer & Recipes holiday blog hop. You’re in for another round of fabulous holiday recipes, entertaining ideas and holiday cheer from a great group of bloggers.

If you’re coming over form Positively Southern, welcome and thanks for stopping by.

Ok, let me set the scene…You’re hosting an intimate sit down dinner party and want to serve up something unique and fun. Don’t fret because I’ve got an easy entertaining idea that you can create for each of your guests–Mini Cheese Boards!

I’ve seen some beautifully styled cheese boards on Pinterest so I decide to do a little styling of my own but in a mini version.

♦ Mini Cheese Boards for Holiday Entertaining ♦

♦ Start with small wood cheese boards like these that I found at HomeGoods. They are the perfect size for an individual serving and are easy to hold in your hand so your guests can snack and mingle at the same time.

♦ Include a mix of sweet and savory cheeses and finger foods. I used gouda, honey goat cheese sharp cheddar & salami plus nuts, grapes and crackers.

♦ Arranged items randomly around the cheese board and put the nuts in a small dip bowl to contain the them. The bowl also adds another visual detail to the cheese board.

♦ Garnish the cheese board with Rosemary sprigs to add texture, color and an amazing fragrance.

♦ If you want more color on the board I recommend you add a few strawberries or olives.

Yum!

Not only are mini cheese boards perfect for a holiday cocktail party but they also make a great impromptu dinner when you don’t feel like cooking. #justsaying

The next stop on the tour is M. Jones Style so hop on over to Marsha’s blog for more holiday fun.

And be sure to check out the other Reindeer Recipe participants for more holiday recipes, entertaining ideas and tablescape inspiration.

Positively Southern // M. Jones Style // Swirls of Flavor // Clutter Cafe

Life At Lydia’s House // Brittany’s Pantry // Totally Tailgates

Next Wednesday I’ll be back for the final Reindeer Recipes blog post and will be sharing a fun recipe themed gift idea.

Favorite Posts, Pins and Products (of the week)!

November 19, 2016

Enjoy your weekend and my favorites from the week.

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FAVORITE POSTS

If I do life all over again, I’d live in New York for a few years and my apartment would look something like Emmy Rossum’s Manhattan home.

Here’s a fun and inspiring interview with designer Christiane Lemieux.

Loved this easy idea to glam up holiday garland.

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FAVORITE PINS

With Thanksgiving just a few days away and Christmas right around the corner, I’ve been thinking a lot about holiday table settings.

Here’s a really fresh take on a holiday tablescape. You’ll definitely want to click here to see the other elements that were used on the table.

I’m loving this black and white table setting and those turquoise candles are a perfect unexpected pop of color.

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FAVORITE PRODUCTS

These initial stickers are such an easy way to UpStyle a tote, handbag or just about anything else you can think of.

This is just one of the great holiday prints available from this Etsy shop. And they are all between $2.00 and $5.00!

I spotted the adorable Pineapple Tumblers in Bed Bath and Beyond the other day and immediately added them to my wish list. Set of 2 for $19.99!

Enjoy your weekend friends. I’ll be back tomorrow with a fun and easy DIY hostess gift idea.

Product + Inspiration: Decor Meets Christmas Tree

November 15, 2016

When I teach a holiday decorating workshop, the question always comes up about whether your tree decor needs to match your room decor. My response is NO but for a truly cohesive look its best if your everyday decor inspires your tree decor.

Take a cue from the tips you use to decorate a room in your home. You start with one or two key elements (art, rug, curtains) and use those as the building blocks to create the overall design. When it comes to decorating your Christmas tree, find inspiration within your decor and use that to build the theme for your tree.

Here are 3 holiday tree designs and the accessory and furniture pieces that could have inspired them…

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This is the Christmas tree I’d create if my inspiration was colorful and bohemian inspired space. The gold accents play off of the gold finish on the furniture and the bold mix of colors tie back to the textiles within the room. During the holidays, sparkly details are a must and a grouping of beautiful mercury glass candle holders would inspired the ornaments, ribbon and giftwrap I’d use.

Shop these items: Embroidered Floral Bouquet Throw Pillow // Gold Cole 3-Tier Rolling Bar Cart

Sabyasachi Print Round Tray // Mercury Glass Candle Holders //Tufted Ottoman

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If I were decorating a Christmas tree based on decor that included classic holiday colors like red, white and green, it would look like this. The varying shades green found in the jars and artwork, along with whimsical details like the fur pillow would inspire the ornaments and ribbon used on the tree.

Shop these items: Charlotte 3-Drawer Campaign Chest // Red Rhododendron Framed Prints // Oversized Wine Bottle

Reese Velvet Ottoman // Mongolian Faux Fur Pillow

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A neutral color palette relies on texture, a variety of finishes and a subtle graduation of color to bring it to life. This elegant and glam Christmas tree would be inspired by a mix of gold and silver decorative elements, antique surfaces, lots of visual texture and shimmery finishes.

Shop these items: Carys Hurricane Table Lamp // Diana Accent Table // Moravia Wall Mirror

Holston Area Rug // Baylee Aluminum Accent Table

So the question still remains–which comes first, the chicken or the egg. In the case of holiday decor, take a look around your home and let the pieces you live with everyday inspire you!

Kitchen Keeping and My Favorite Fall Cocktail

October 19, 2016

Kitchen Keeping With M. Jones Style

Now that fall is here, have you made the transition from a cocktail on ice to something warm and soothing? I sure have.

Today I’m over on the M. Jones Style blog sitting down with Marsha for a virtual chat and sharing my love for entertaining along with one of my favorite fall cocktails.

Hop on over to Marsha’s blog and join us for a cocktail.

Fall Bar Cart Styling (and my favorite cocktail accessories)

October 13, 2016

I’m not a big drinker and during the fall and winter, I love a hot cocktail like spiked cider or boozy hot chocolate. And now that the temps are falling in the evening, I thought I better get my bar cart ready for fall sips.

I have two bar carts that I switch between so I decided to put the smaller cart away and pull out my large three-tier cart. I made this shelving piece at a Home Depot Do-it-Herself workshop a couple of years ago and love it.

Like most of my decor these days, I styled my cart with both brass and blue and white pieces. And to keep the cart fun, I added whimsical pieces like the BAR marquee letters and a couple of decorative pineapples.

As the season progresses, I’ll probably switch out the pumpkins for and fall flowers for something else but for now my cart is dressed for fall.

Blue and White DIY Ice Bucket

When styling my bar cart, I have some go to pieces that I think every bar cart needs. They include pretty glassware, a chic cocktail tray and cotton cocktail napkins. I also love a fun ice bucket and a brass pineapple cocktail shaker. All of these items can be purchased new or you can shop flea markets and antique stores for vintage pieces. To make shopping easy, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite off the shelf cocktail finds.

My Favorite Bar Cart Picks…

Brass Tray // Stemless Martini Glasses // Rainbow Cocktail Napkins // Monogram Drink Stirrer // Pineapple Cocktail Shaker // Monogram Ice Bucket

Next week I’ll be sharing on or my favorite fall cocktails so stay tuned.

**affliate lines included

2016 Fall Tablescape–Autumn Colors With A Twist

October 10, 2016

I’m excited to share my fall tablescape with you today. If you remember, a few weeks ago I shared the fall inspiration board below. The vision was a table that included blue and white with pops of orange, white and gold. Like all inspiration boards, the elements were meant to inspire the pattern, color and style direction I wanted for my table.

Here’s where the inspiration led me…

I had so much fun pulling together this fall tablescape and love the orange and navy color palette even more than I thought I would. In the end I decided to pump up the color impact and use orange and blue in more dominant ways. I also created a more colorful floral arrangement using sunflowers which are one of my favorite flowers.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that one of the most important elements to a beautiful table setting is the layers. I went all out with this table and included layers from the linens up. The plush blue tablecloth was made from a remnant piece of velvet I found at JoAnn fabrics. The orange runner layered on top (it’s actually a tablecloth folded in thirds) was a $5.00 find at a consignment store. The subtle plaid pattern adds even more visual interest to the table. The last fabric element I added were orange napkins in a slightly darker hue than the runner. The napkins came from HomeGoods.

In creating the place settings, I knew I wanted to use my wood chargers as the foundation. I layered the dinnerware starting with my vintage Blue Willow plates. Then I added a small wood cheese board and a small blue and white ironstone plate. The wood charger and cheese board add a rustic touch to the table.

I created my floral arrangement in a gold pedestal bowl I bought at HomeGoods last year. The texture of the bowl resembles the bark of a tree–another visual detail. Surrounding the floral arrangement are different sizes of faux pumpkins, mostly in white and gold. One orange velvet pumpkin was added as an unexpected element. Did you notice the feather stems I mixed in with the flowers? Feathers are a fun fall accent.

To visually elongate the centerpiece, I placed two blue and white ginger jars on each side of the floral arrangement. The blue and white chinoiserie pattern plays off the pattern in the dinner plates.

The name cards are DIY using blank white business cards, a gold metallic Sharpie and pumpkin cocktail picks from the craft store.

As with most of the tablescapes I create, this one included items I’ve thrifted or purchased for a bargain. The wood leaf bowl I scored at a thrift store for $2.00 along with the brass candlesticks which were $6.00 for the pair. The white ceramic squirrels I found in the dollar spot at Target. #score

Fall Tablescape–Autumn Colors With A Twist

I had so fun much putting my fall tablescape together and love the way it turned out.

For more fall and Thanksgiving table tips, check out this post.