Words of Wisdom from a few unlikely sources…
Words to Inspire
Happy Thursday!
It’s been a Christmas decorating frenzy in my neck of the woods, but it’s been great!
Earlier this week I was able to spend time with two of my most favorite people on earth. They helped me decorate client homes for Christmas and it was such fun.
Both of these friends are people who I admire and that I hold in the highest esteem. Both of them inspire me in ways that don’t even know and most of all, both of them make me feel loved beyond measure. That my friends is what friendship is about!
As we parted for the day, one of the friends gave me a present. I said ‘thank you’ and told her I wouldn’t open it until Christmas but she said it wasn’t a Christmas gift, it was a JUST BECAUSE GIFT that was given for no reason other than to inspire and show love!
Knowing that I’m heading to New York today to compete in the Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper contest, the gift was a beautiful book on gift wrapping….a book that unbelievably I didn’t already own but wanted to. Along with the gift came a card which include these handwritten words from my friend…
Congrats on being a finalist in the gift wrapping contest! Congrats on being featured in Country Living! Congrats on your Blog Award! Congrats on living out your Passions! The card brought me to tears and reminded me of this simple thing…
Wishing you a day filled with nothing by HAPPY!
Thanksgiving Decor–5 Last Minute Ideas
I ventured into the grocery store yesterday and was quickly reminded that shopping within days of a major holiday is not such a good idea. Along with me, there were lots of last-minute shoppers trying to get the job done. That whole process got me thinking that there are probably lots of people out there who have put off pulling together their Thanksgiving decor as well! If you happen to fall into that group, don’t fret because there are lots of quick and easy looks you can pull together in time for Thanksgiving. To give you a little inspiration, I’ve rounded up five of my favorite Thanksgiving DIY projects.
Fresh flowers are a must for the dining table but this look will jazz up your table more than a vase of flowers ever could. Purchase several bunches of fall flowers, snip the flowers heads off and glue them to the outside of pumpkins. You’ll want to create this centerpiece an hour or two before your dinner so the flower heads will stay fresh.
It’s easy to pull together a Thanksgiving look for your mantel just by adding a few fall pieces to the decor that you already have.
Let nature do the work when it comes to creating a fun table centerpiece. I love how the leaves add layers and dimension on top of a simple fall tablecloth.
This is a great project to get the kids involved with. Cut leaf shapes from different colors and patterns of paper and felt, and use double-sided tape to attach them to the edges of a plain white tablecloth that’s been accented with a band of ribbon. Crafty chic for sure!
And finally, gather some pinecones from the yard, add eye ring screws and create a garland for the mantle!
Here’s to being Thankful for so many creative ideas!
Scenes from the Weekend
Good Morning! I hope today finds you all in great spirits and ready to conquer the world!
Me, I’m taking it a bit easy today after a very jammed packed weekend.
Friday I worked on a client project and the hubs and I spent a good part of the day running around doing research for my gift wrapping challenge which is coming up at the end of the month. I’m not going to tell you what the items I’ll be wrapping in New York are, but I will tell you my research led me to a music store, an extreme hobby store and this on-line store for inspiration. Any guesses?
I also spent some time on Friday getting ready for two design workshops I presented at Smiths, a local retailer in North Atlanta. It was such fun to share my workshops entitled “The Best Gifts Under the Tree” and “Holiday Decorating from A to Z” with the group of ladies and gents. Smith’s was packed all day and it was obvious that the holiday shopping season has kicked in.
Hop over to the Smith’s website and learn a little more about this local store and what they have to offer. While you’re there, be sure to check out their Gourmet blog which has some fabulous recipes you might want to try.
Dennis and Tim, the owners of Smith’s were so gracious in giving me this beautiful holiday art piece that was personalized by the artist, Linda Vachon. To see more of Linda’s work check out her Facebook page or check out images you can buy through Smith’s or Linda’s Etsy shop.. Her pieces were definitely one of my Top 10 Gift Items!
fyi…Geno is the nickname I call my hubby!
After my workshop presentations on Saturday, I spent the rest of the evening making jewelry. Having one of my necklaces appear in Country Living has been a blessing and has kept me busy!
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Sunday morning I woke up early and spent a little time flipping though the holiday issue of Sweet Paul magazine. You’ll definitely want to add this to your reading list this week. Be sure to check out the Blue Christmas inspiration on pg. 66 and the Holiday Dinner recipes on pg. 100!
Sunday I spent the day shopping with a client for furniture and accessories. We didn’t get everything checked off the list but we did find some great pieces at Z Gallerie, Home Decorators and Crate and Barrel! While at Home Decorators, I saw this wall hanging which was a great reminder of what really matters in life!
And, I ended the weekend by seeing the movie Flight with Denzel Washington. So, so good!
I hope you weekend was filled with Blessings!
A Few of My Favorite Things–Holiday Gift Guide #1
I hate to bring this up but, Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? I’ve checked a few things off my list but have a few more things to buy before I can call it done. In my search for unique gifts I’ve some across some things that have officially made it onto my Favorite Things list for 2012. To make my list the item must have gotten a few “oohs” from me AND must have been budget friendly. Check them out below, you never know, one or more of these fabulous gift items just might make it on to your gift list!
click on the numbers below of product info.
1 Because eating out of beautiful dishes makes eating more fun!
2 Every girl needs a sparkly clutch
3 Even as adults, we can still have a ‘blankie’ as long as it is plush!
4 Anything to put a little style into the work day!
5 The perfect way to dress up a plain cardigan for the holidays or a special night out!
6 Because I just can’t pass up a cute scarf!
Room of the Week: Winter Hybernation
Last week I wrote a post entitled Why Dark Walls Work! As I mentioned in the post, I’m a fan of dark walls, especially if the end result is a room that looks like this!
So much to love! I just want to curl up in this room and stay there until the end of time. I love the mix of neutrals with black and shades of grey, and all the texture just adds to the ambience of this space.
This room should be the poster child for great design!
Why do dark rooms work?….
Coziness
Elegance
Drama
Sophistication
High Style
Depth & Dimension
Utter Beauty!
Have a fab weekend. I’m off to Scott Antique market, spending time creating and spending lots of time at my desk!
If you’d like help creating a home you absolutely love, CONTACT ME about my design services!
Scenes from The Weekend
Happy November!
I can’t believe we are in the final stretch of 2012. And, I really can’t believe that Christmas is only 8 weeks away!
I am about dive head first into a super busy time of year so this weekend was spent doing a lot of prep work for the upcoming holiday season.
On Friday the hubs and I got up early and hit the voting precinct at 7:00 am to vote. We only had to stand in line for about an hour and then treated ourselves to a yummy breakfast afterwards. I’m really glad we did early voting because I think the voting lines are going to be monstrous on Tuesday.
After breakfast we hit a couple of flea markets and thrift stores. I scored this awesome vintage tinsel garland which will be available in the Christmas section of my shop later this week.
We also stopped by a wholesale packaging store so I could pick up some new gift bags to ship my items in.
On Saturday, I spent a good part of my day doing Design Workshops at a local retail store here in Atlanta, Smith’s. The turn out was amazing and the group was so enthusiastic! I love teaching and sharing my passion of design and decorating!
I’ll be teaching a new series of classes at their other location on Nov. 17th so stop by if you live in Atlanta.
I did manage a little time this weekend to catch up on some magazine reading. I always look forward to the December issue of O Magazine and Oprah’s Favorite Things. Have you checked out the list? What’s you favorite item?
p.s. The cover of the magazine is gorgeous and Oprah looks stunning in that color combo!
I also kept busy scheduling Christmas decorating appointments with my clients! Such fun. I really never get tired of decorating for Christmas!
And….
I began flushing out my personal decorating plan for Christmas. I’ll be sharing a sneak peek later in the week.
I read this great article entitled 9 Things Successful People Do Differently! Lots of great info you can apply to both your personal and professional life.
I also did a little late night browsing on Pinterest adding to my pin count and spotted this saying which I thought was perfect for this time of year…
Make a little time to Celebrate this week!
Room of The Week–In Pictures and Words
“Be faithful to your own taste because nothing you really like is ever out of style.” – Billy Baldwin
Decorating with things you love is one of the most important things you can do in your home. While red walls in the living room might not be for everyone, if the color gives you a sense of warmth and comfort, do it.
If the most comfortable chair in your home is a bit worn and tattered around the edges but otherwise functions well, keep it.
If you love old stuff versus new and trendy stuff, collect it.
If MORE is better in your book than LESS, add more.
Whatever it is, surround yourself with this things that bring you joy and make your home a haven!
Enjoy the weekend!
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