Travel Archives | Page 3 of 3

New York, New York, Here I Come!

October 25, 2012

I have a fun announcement to make today and I’m so excited!

So what’s the best thing that could happen to a girl like me that loves to wrap gifts?? Only one thing of course…being named as one of the 8 finalist in the Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper contest for 2012.

I got the phone call last week and just about fell on the floor!

In late November, the hubby and I will be heading to New York where I’ll compete in the national gift wrapping contest and have a chance at winning $10,000! I’m so thrilled and truly blessed!

This is the 16th year that Scotch has held the contest, looking for the best gift wrapper in the land. This years contest will be taking place on Friday, November 30th in Bryant Park and will undoubtedly include some challenging gift wrapping task. I’ve been studying videos from the previous contest and have been amazed at some of the items the contestants had to wrap. How about a 7′ sailboat or a 4 wheel all terrain vehicle? Or what about a BBQ grill or full size refrigerator? Let me tell you, this contest is no joke! Needless to say I have already begun practicing my wrapping techniques, challenging myself to come up with clever ideas to wrap unusual items and have pulled out every book I have on gift wrapping (which happens to be a total of 12) for inspiration!

I know the next few weeks are going to be a test of my nerves and my creativity but I feel confident that when it comes to wrapping gifts, I can not only wrap a beautiful and chic present but anything that moves, rolls, sits, or stands too!

Wish Me Luck and if you live in the New York area I’d love for you to stop by and check out the contest, cheer me on and say hi!. You can find all the details here! And, be sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates and photos before, during and after the contest!

If you need some gift wrap inspiration, check out all my post on unique wrapping ideas!

Wrapping in Paper Gift Bags

My Signature Giftwrap

Embellishing with Buckles and Pins

Wrapping with Fabric Scraps

Beautiful Bows

Seeing Dots

A Red, White and Kraft Christmas

New York, New York….Here I Come!

top image courtesy of Scotch

Scenes from the Weekend

October 8, 2012

Happy Monday! As you can tell from the late posting of this blog post that my Monday has been a bit hectic and has thrown me off schedule. I’ve gotten things back on track now and wanted to share scenes from my weekend…a weekend that included a trip to ADAC, some shopping and a fun new adventures as well.

Friday started off with a trip to ADAC (Atlanta Decorative Arts Center) to hear designer and blogger Brian Patrick Flynn. Brian shared photos of his work and talked about his learnings as a self-taught interior designer. Brian is super talented and I think everyone in attendance learned something from his words of wisdom.

After the presentation at ADAC, my friend Tina and I stopped for lunch and then did a little shopping. We popped into Marshalls and then headed to HomeGoods. If you haven’t been to HomeGoods in a few weeks, now is the time to go. They are really stocking their stores for the holidays and the shelves were loaded. I was really impressed with the lighting they currently have and was wowed by the selection of upholstered parson chairs. Just look at all the beautiful options.

On Saturday the hubby and I ventured out to IKEA. (I’m always telling people not to go to Ikea on the weekend because it is a mad house so why I did is a mystery)!

Anytime I go to IKEA I walk away with lots of design inspiration for quick and easy DIY projects. The store is filled with inexpensive pieces that can easily take on a new life.

I love the idea of using a simple vase as a cloche. I’m gonna up-style mine and add a cute little glass knob on top to give it the real look of a cloche.

This round metal tray was on $4.99 and I imagined all the beautiful colors it could be painted in and used as a magnet board in an office. Or, how about a fun tray for your bar area? They also carry a smaller size that could easily be used as fun coasters. I walked around the store and jotted down lots of ideas and snapped lots of photos and then my heart skipped a bead……

Christmas at Ikea is in full swing, and if you don’t already know, I love gift wrap and packaging!!!! I spent a good 20 minutes walking around looking at all the paper and boxes and bags. Ikea is really playing up a red, white and silver theme this year and have some fab gift wrap at super fab prices (most rolls under $4.00)!

I loved the silver and white gift bags!

And, these mini bags with numbers are such a cute way to create advent/countdown to the day gifts.

These ribbed metal containers were adorable. They can in several sizes and in red and white. I love the look with these mini Christmas trees (also for sale).

On Sunday we decided to head out for a new adventure. Being from Washington State I grew up around apple orchards but never really took the opportunity to pick them myself. Since the weather on Sunday was so nice, we decided to drive to Ellijay, Georgia, about 1 1/2 hours from Atlanta and go apple picking.

We enjoyed some beautiful scenery on the way and finally arrived at the Red Apple Barn. How cute is this little barn?

The outside of the barn was a showcase of pumpkins. They even had a pumpkin patch if you wanted to pick your own.

We took a tractor ride out to the orchards.

The orchards were vast and included so many different varieties of apples.

While there were lots of apples still on the trees, there were just as many on the ground!

I made my sweetie climb to the top of a tree to get me some apples.

We picked 1/2 a peck of different varieties, mostly red skinned.

Once we made our way down the orchards we stopped by this beautiful flower garden that was on the property.

From there we headed home but had to made a pit stop at this cute little antique store along the road.

There was lots of fabulous junk inside and out.

All in all my weekend was great. I’m all about trying new things lately and can now add “picking apples” to my NEW ADVENTURES LIST for 2012.

I hope you weekend was a good one too!

See you back here tomorrow!

What I Bought at The Longest Yard Sale

August 7, 2012

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post recap of our Longest Yard Sale trip, we shopped our way from Kentucky to Alabama.

Before I left home, I created a list of items I hoped to find and am glad to say that most of the items got checked off my list.

My Shopping list included:

VINTAGE TYPEWRITER–I’ve wanted one of these for a few years.

MIRRORS–I found one that I really like. I plan to paint the frame black or white.

VINTAGE SCALE–Another item that I have wanted for a while. I seen lots at the markets I attend but most are priced above what I want to pay. The one I found on our trip was $15.00!

VINTAGE RUBBER STAMPS–Found a few to add to my rubber stamp collection, now over 1100!

VINTAGE JEWELRY–I was looking for jewelry that I could repurpose into the jewelry I make and sell on my Etsy Shop. I found some really cool hardware pieces and some great rhinestone pieces too!

VINTAGE LINENS—Didn’t find much that I wanted to buy expect a few vintage hankies!

OWLS–I’m on an Owl kick lately but didn’t find anything that floated my boat.

LETTERS and TYPOGRAPHY–I purchased some cool metal letters and an ampersand sign–Great buy for $4.00!

CLOCKS–Funny but I didn’t see much in this category.

And, here are photos of a few items I purchased…

Love this vintage gold necklace I bought!

I found lots of rhinestone pieces with nothing over $1.50 a pair.

Beautiful vintage crystal knobs.

A classic wood bench for $8.00. I have plans to reupholster and paint this guy.

These are only a few of the pieces I picked up at the Everything $1.00 vendor.

Some old rubber stamps.

E and S for Eugene and Shelly!

I didn’t buy this art for the images but for the chunky bold frames–$8.00 for the pair! WhooHoo!

A pretty ornate frame that will look great with some paint.

This chunky wood frame was purchased in the rain for only $8.00. Another stellar find!

Vintage yarn spools and a ceramic glove mold which I see a lot but not for $9.00 which is what I paid for it.

My vintage typewriter! It is in excellent condition and it puts a smile on my face.

Love my vintage scale! I bargained for this and won!

I found lots of cool vintage hardware pieces I’ll create jewelry with.

A beautiful silver plate serving piece. I’m thinking of using the bottom as a planter and will repurpose the top into something else.

Tiara Black Diamond Cocktail Set–Ice Bucket and six DOF’s

Vintage Salt Cellars!

And, beautiful vintage hankies!

Now that you’ve seen some of the items I purchased, I want to share a few tips on shopping the sale with you. This was the second year I attended the sale and between the two years I’ve learned a lot.

1. Plan your route early and make hotel reservations! Most of the hotels along the route sell out several months in advance and many raise their rates beyond your wildest dreams. Yes, Super 8 was charging $250 for a room over the weekend. I found a great room at the Crossville, TN Best Western for $90. Not only was the hotel nice, offering a free hot breakfast but it was located right off interstate 40 so there were lots of stores, gas stations and restaurants in the area. This will definitely be a stop for next year.

The other towns I’d look to stay in is Danville, KY or Albany, KY.

2. Kentucky has the best selection and some of the best prices. Last year we drove from Alabama up north to Chattanooga and although I found some good deals I heard from many people that Kentucky was the place to shop. I also read the blog post from Eddie Ross on the items he found last year during the sale shopping between Kentucky and Chattanooga. Based on this info. we decided this year to drive to Kentucky and come south.

All along the route you’ll find large pockets of vendors set up to sell items. Kentucky had more of these than Tennessee or Georgia. In some places over 500 vendors were set up. Frankfort, Danville and Liberty, KY all had major shopping areas. Crossville, TN was also one of the spot we heard that HGTV films at.

In my opinion stopping at these larger shopping spots paid off more than stopping more often at smaller venues.

3. If you love it, buy it! Don’t pass up something you love because I promise you’ll be thinking about it for the rest of the trip. The Longest Yard Sale is not a place you want to muddle over your purchase. If it fits your budget and you love it, go for it because there are lots of people looking over your shoulder. My friend Tina snagged a $15 chair from under two women because she didn’t stop to think about it.

4. Negotiate the price! All of the vendors selling along the route are willing and expect to bargain on their prices. I always ask “is this the best price you can do?’ and they always come down on the price. I even had some vendors come down by 1/2 or more.

5. Bring sufficient cash and small bills! There are not a lot of banks or stores along the route so having cash on hand is a good deal. Some vendors take credit cards but using a my credit card in some field in the middle of Tennessee was not something I wanted to do.

6. Bring lots of water and food. Last year we only had two bottles of water when we started the trip and no food. We thought we’d pass places to stop and eat but really didn’t. While there are some small towns with restaurants along the way there are major areas where there is nothing at all. If you don’t want to spend the weekend eating fair food, pack snacks and sandwiches in a cooler. Subway made this trip easy for us.

7. Dress comfortably and wear a hat. It is hot as the dickens here in the south in August and being in the sun all day can wear you out. Make it easy on yourself and don’t try to be cute….go for comfort!

And finally, take the time to enjoy the scenery and the people. We met lots of super nice people along the route, some of the vendors I shop with at Scott Antique were even there. You can definitely create some great memories during the Longest Yard Sale so have fun and take time to enjoy it all!

As for The Longest Yard Sale 2013….

I’ve already started thinking about the trip. I’ll definitely be spending more time shopping Kentucky and am working on a partnership with either Dodge or Ford to secure cargo vans to take along. I’d love to have a caravan of bloggers and friends so if you are interested let me know in the comments and I’ll keep you posted on all the plans.

That’s just about it for this years Longest Yard Sale.

For more info on the Longest Yard Sale and tips on shopping the sales, check out theses Southern Living videos here and here by Eddie Ross.

Linking to:

Hugs!

Country Charm

August 2, 2012

As you read this, I’m on my way to the Longest Yard Sale heading into the countryside of Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia.

My shopping list for the yard sale is quite varied but I do hope to score some eclectic vintage country inspired china, antique linens, a vintage scale and maybe a piece or two of vintage furniture.

While my personal style is not country, I can’t help but love some of the elements that help to create a Country Charm style. From weathered woods and painted furniture, to rustic details and eclectic accessories, Country Charm is one of comfort, relaxation and at home ease.

As I shop, these images will help me remember all the things I like about Country Style and I hope to bring a bit of this charm back home to the city with me.

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I love mixing weathered furniture finishes with more refined details to give a space a sense of character.

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Repeating patterns is a sure sign of country charm and provides such a personal touch to a space.

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There’s nothing like vintage country inspired accessories to make a space feel special.

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Country Charm can be incorporated into your decor with the simple addition of wood and painted pieces. I love this mirror and farm table combined with more classic pieces.

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The mix of soft linen fabrics, painted pottery and rustic metal furniture work so well together!

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Rustic finished with refined details.

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A mix of country and vintage patterns + antique furniture=Country Charm

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And, nothing says Country Charm like white weathered finishes with a bit of bling thrown into the mix!

Four days of shopping southern countryside should be a great experience. I’ll be tweeting @confettistyle and sharing some of my purchases and images of my adventure on Instagram @confettistyle, so follow me and join in on the fun!

I have a great Room of The Week post coming tomorrow and I’ll see you back here on Monday!

Bye, y’all!

10 (little) Things to Love about Summer + 1

June 19, 2012

Boy is this year flying by at lightening speed. The first day of summer is tomorrow and with that comes some of the best things life has to offer.

No matter how busy your schedule is, this summer take time to enjoy a few of these fabulous summer luxuries…

Making S’mores over an open fire!

Carrying a bright and cheery summer beach bag (even if you’re not at the beach)!

Tart and tangy old-fashioned lemonade! Try this classic recipe!

A fun and unexpected nail color! Paired with a bright, bold handbag!

Outdoor dining! Somehow food taste better when enjoyed under the summer sun.

A bike ride around town or just around the corner. I promise you’ll feel like a kid again.

Fireworks on the 4th of July! And, I dare you not to say “ooh” at least once!

The sun setting! It’s always a magical sight.

Summer fruits! I haven’t picked up my first watermelon of the season yet but word on the street is that this years crop is super sweet!

Fresh Flowers! One of the easiest ways to brighten your surroundings.

Taking a road trip to someplace you’ve never been before!

I’m so excited about the summer ahead. I have lots of things I want to do and experience but above all I want to enjoy each day to the fullest and soak up the glorious sun!

So now that Summer is here, what luxury of the season do you have on your to-do list?

all images via pinterest

A Road Trip + My Bucket List

August 8, 2011

I love it when I can fill my weekend with a new adventure.

On Friday, the hubby and I decided to do something unexpected, something that has been on my bucket list for years and something that would involve a bit of adventure. We decided to hit the road and attend the World’s Longest Yard Sale.

If you’ve never heard of it before, the World’s Longest Yard Sale event is a 4 day event, every August, that spans from Gadsden, Alabama all the way up to Michigan, 657 miles in total. Running along Route 127 (two lane back roads), the yard sale is just as it sounds.

As you drive along, you’ll encounter house after house with “stuff” in their yard for sale. And, between the houses, you run into open fields and lots where multiple vendors, 20 to 50, set up tables with more “stuff” for sale. It’ really is one long yard sale.

Now, when I use the word “stuff” to describe the items for sell, it’s a pretty broad description. You’ll find true antiques, old guns, vintage furniture, hand-made items, locally produced food items, jewelry, and then “stuff” (ok, junk) that people have pulled from their attics and garages.

Prices vary, some good, some great and some over-priced, but you’re bound to find just about anything that might be on your list.

You’ll need lots of patience to experience the World’s Longest Yard Sale. The car traffic is like being in a big city, but on two lane country roads. The weather is hot, there is lots of dust and people move at a snail’s pace. But, with a little patience, you can have a wonderful experience and find some great deals.

For me personally, the experience was a bit overwhelming for my first time, putting me in a bit of a buying coma, but I did pick up a few treasures.

I found some old letters and envelopes dating back to the 1913’s. These gems were only .50 cents and I plan to use them in some collage art I’ll be making.

I also scored some vintage jewelry, again .50 cents each. I plan to rework these into my jewelry designs. The leaf pins will be used as gift wrap adornment.

I’m always on the lookout for old keys to use in a variety of jewelry and craft projects. These skeleton keys and the old motel key were .50 cents and $1.00.

And finally, I scored big when I found this cut crystal and brass lamp with a marble base. The lamp needs to be cleaned up, re-wired and a shade added, but since I only paid .50 cents (yes, just 2 quarters) for it, the work I’ll put into it will be well worth it. I’m envisioning a black oval shade. What do you think?

Along with treasure hunting, we go to see some beautiful countryside…

Cornfields and Cows…

And, every now and then along the country road a beautiful house would appear out of nowhere.

So, all in all my weekend road trip was fabulous. We made our way to Gadsden, Alabama and traveled all the way to Chattanooga, TN, before heading home. It was a long day, but loads of fun. So much fun that I’ve already started to plan my route for next years World’s Longest Yard Sale adventure.

Who wants to join me?

Hope your weekend was packed with new adventures!

all images–ConfettiStyle

Shopping The World, One Store At A Time!

February 22, 2011

Meet my friend Robyne!

Robyne is the one person I know who loves shopping and uncovering new home decor stores as much as I do. As someone who travels between Atlanta and Arizona, often by car, Robyne has been known to take 100 mile detours just to see a store she’s read or heard about. And I love that about her. She’ll do anything for the cause!

Tomorrow, Robyne will be hitting the road again, where she plans to uncover some of the best home decor store in Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Arizona and California. Along the way, she’ll be snapping photos, gathering information and sharing all the juicy details from the front lines of her road trip shopping adventure.

So stay turned as ConfettiStyle’s gal about the country shares her fabulous finds with us, in a new series call Shopping The World!

If you have any store recommendations, we’d love to know!

ROAD TRIP

September 21, 2010

I am really in need of a vacation, but with Christmas trees to be decorated at the store, and the busy season just around the corner, a vacation, let alone a weekend getaway is out of the question. So, while I can’t get away in real life, I can escape mentally.

So, the story goes a little something like this….

It’s Thursday evening and I’ve just left work. I have a 7 pm flight headed for the land of the rich and famous–Hollywood, CA.

As my flight takes off, I feel a sense of relaxation come over me.

Three days of bliss lie ahead.

Upon landing, I head to my home-away-from-home for the weekend, The London West Hollywood Hotel.

I dine, I relax, I swim, I shop, and I relax some more.

Life is Bliss!

THE LONDON WEST HOLLYWOOD

Whatever I need for my little vaca is just a call away!

An early morning swim is my ultimate luxury.

This is where I begin and end each day! With a cocktail in hand of course.

Lunch on the rooftop patio makes me feel like a real star.

I relax each evening in my beautiful guest room. I just love the sleek modern design of the room and the cozy, plush fabrics they incorporated. Pure relaxation.

On the last evening of my getaway, I enjoy a wonderful dinner in Gordon Ramsey’s beautiful London West Hollywood restaurant. Aren’t those pink banquettes to die for?

Although my trip is a short one, I return to my real life with a renewed sense of spirit, inspired by the beautiful design of The London West Hollywood.

If you could get away, where would you go?