OUR THANKSGIVING TABLESCAPE

 

 

As we sit and gather around loved ones this Thanksgiving, I wanted to share my tablescape for this holiday.  The inspiration for this theme were the natural elements we see outside; together with some metallic silver and mercury glass to add just the right amount of glamour to the space. 

The simplistic and neutral color palette sets the mood I was trying to create.  As you sit down to our table, you are surrounded by different layers of nature.  Starting with a flower arrangement of different shades of creams and greens, along with the deep green of faux boxwoods (Marshalls) set in metallic planters. The scattered moss coverings and feathers add an outside feel to the indoor space.  There are glimpses of small pumpkins and acorns; even a couple of birds if you can spot them! Painted birch candles set on mercury glass candle holders (Marshalls) completes the look.

For the dinnerware, I used water hyacinth placemats, pairing with silver plate chargers (Michael's Craft store) and simple white dinner plates.  To decorate the napkins; instead of using napkin holders, I decided to use ribbon in a silver finish that almost resembles a nest.  I finished the look by adding cream colored feathers and dazzled them with a strip of silver glitter glue.  This simple project made a world of difference to the simple stem of the feather (seen below).

Here are more detailed pictures . . .

Hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you.  Here's a video as well.

Wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving! 

xo

TURN IT UP TUESDAYS (SPECIAL EDITION) . . . GIVE THANKS

image via google from allwomenstalk

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving." W.T. Purkiser

"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie

With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away, I wanted to dedicate this Turn it Up Tuesdays with songs dedicated to being thankful.

With all the holidays back to back, we seem to rush over Thanksgiving. Stores have their window displays of Christmas themed items and trees are for sale.  Some houses have their lights up and decorations hung, and everyone is getting ready for the shopping rush.

Let's not forget Thanksgiving.  For me, it's one of my favorite holidays because I get to share it with family.  I remember as a child, one of the places we would go for Thanksgiving was my aunt Margie's house.  It was so great to see the family; especially our cousins, and spend time together.  A table was dedicated to the "children", where we told stories, laughed and sat down to a great meal.  As we grew older, those traditions were passed down to our generation.  And, even though we don't get together every year, we still are surrounded by new families and loved ones. 

We all have something to be grateful for.  It's a time for families to come together; a time for people to give back to their communities, for those that are less fortunate.  It's a time to reflect; to appreciate; to cherish; to give. . . to be thankful.

Wishing you and your family/friends a Happy Thanksgiving!


Here are some songs that give thanks  . . .

Mary Chapin Carpenter

Natalie Merchant - Kind and Generous

Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World

Dido - Thank You

Kelly Clarkson - Thankful

Randa Victor created an inspirational video with Josh Groban's song, Thankful.  What a beautiful video (thanks Randa!).  You can watch it here

(Inspirational quotes above via internet)


xo

High/Low Look

Like most women, I love fashion!  Sometimes, too much.  For some of us, okay maybe just me, wished money grew on trees.  My hunger for shopping is bigger than my wallet (lol).  The responsible side of me saves for rainy days too. 

When shopping, I try to choose pieces that are classic and not too trendy. I also pick pieces I can wear to work and mix it up with on the weekend. 

Here are two looks I created.  One, a high end for those who can afford a little luxury and the other, a low end for those watching their wallet.  

Happy Monday!

xo

 

BOBBI BROWN HOLIDAY 2013

Image via Google

It's that time of year where Bobbi Brown offers some of her holiday collections (limited time only). They make fabulous gifts for you or your friends/family.

I'm a big fan of Bobbi Brown makeup. I love the "natural" make-up look. In my makeup drawer, you will find that most of my items are Bobbi Brown products. I especially LOVE her lip glosses. I must own 10-15 lip glosses from her collection. Okay now that I've said that I had to pull out all of my lip glosses and ramble the list off to you. Here I go . . .

(1) Moonlight Pearl, (2) Bellini, (3) Plum Buff, (4) Pink Blossom, (5) Rosy 22, (6) Sailor 1, (7) Popsicle 3, (8) Pink Lily 53, (9) Tangerine, (10) Tea Berry, (11) Naked Plum, (12) Petal, and (13) Pretty in Pink.

I'll share with you some of my favorites for everyday and the new items for the holidays.

Let's start with my favorites. . . lip glosses

I tend to lean toward the neutral soft colors. I don't wear lip liner or lipstick so their glosses work for me by themselves. Right now I'm switching between Tea Berry 55 (a deep plum); Naked Plum 7 (high shimmer); Petal; Rosy 22 and Pretty in Pink 5. I always get compliments from friends who say they always love my lip glosses.

I love Bobbi's blush in "Tawny" and "Nectar".

For foundation, I wear the Skin Foundation with SPF 15 in Honey. I mix it with my moisturizer for a more natural look.

I can't live without the Corrector (in Biscuit) and Concealer (Honey).

And lastly, the Rich Caviar Eye Palette. This was a holiday special last year and I made sure to stock up because I fell in love with it so much.

Here's what's new:

Twilight Pink Lip & Eye Palette. Features ten eye shadows in mix-and-match textures to create matte, shimmering, and light-catching looks. Plus four shades of creamy lip color to compliment every skin tone. This is an $80 value.

Nude Glow Shimmer Brick. A quad of pearlescent shimmer for a lit-from-within glow. A $45 value.

Sequin Shimmer Brick Eye Palette. A soft wash of pearlescent color for eyes. $48.50

Lip Gloss Trio. This glossy trio features an ultra-wearable range of textures and shades for all skin tones. $42.00 These will be on my "need to try" list. The colors are: Bronzed Heather (a nude pink with golden flecks); Dusty Rose (a pink mauve); and Pink Sugar (a silvery pink).

Everyday Pretty Lip & Eye Palette. This ultra-flattering set features everything you need for daytime eyes and lip looks. $30.00

Smokey Cool Eye Palette. This carefully edited mix of six eye shadows is perfect for those who prefer their smokey eye look on the cool side. $48.50

Smokey Warm Eye Palette. Perfect for both hazel and brown eyes - or any woman who prefers her smokey eye look on the warmer side. $48.50. This would be a yes for me.

Those are just some of the holiday picks. You can check out her website here or any of the major department store websites to view her collection.

What are some of your favorite Bobbi Brown products?

Images via Bobbi Brown website


xo

DINING ROOM PROJECT (Part 2)

 

Continuing with the next phase of our dining room project (almost a year later) was finding the perfect rug.

I knew I wanted a low pile rug but didn't want a sisal rug.  I wanted something different that would add interest to the space, while still flowing with the rest of the space.  I searched for months; visiting different stores, looking through magazines and surfing the web to find the perfect rug to catch my eye.

One evening, while catching up on my fellow bloggers' posts, I was reading AM Dolce Vita's post.  Michelle at AM Dolce Vita posted a couple of rugs she purchased on her blog (see post here and here ).  Michelle raved about a company called Rugs U.S.A..  The rugs she purchased were good quality (great choices Michelle) and the pictures on the web were pretty accurate.  Michelle lives in Canada and gave a thumbs up to Rugs USA.  The deals she got really grabbed my attention.  And, how can you not trust Michelle and her taste.  Have you seen her home!!  I get excited to see her design projects because she has a great eye for design. 
 

So, I jumped on Rugs USA site to see if they had anything that would work for my dining room. While browsing through hundreds of rugs, I noticed that some pictures showed what the rug actually looked like; as opposed to a computer image. I usually hesitate on making big purchases through websites without seeing them in person. I didn't want to have to deal with returning a rug. 
 

Continuing my search on Rugs USA, I found a rug that caught my eye. It was the Marquis Chevron Natural Rug here.  What caught my eye was the design; a chevron pattern, cowhide rug. It was a thin rug, just like I wanted and the colors were just what I was looking for.  I decided to take a chance and purchase the rug. When I went to click on my size, it said "sold out"!  Ugh. It wasn't meant to be and my search continued. While searching around for another rug, my thoughts kept going back to that rug!  After a few months later, I checked again and it was available!  I immediately ordered it (with 50% off and free shipping).


I couldn't wait to see it in person and hoped it was what everything that I hoped it would be. When it arrived on my front porch I dragged it in and ripped the plastic open.  I was thrilled by the look and design in person!  It was perfect.  It even has a felt backing.
 

Here are some pics of the rug and how it looks in the dining room.  I couldn't be happier!

 

 

 

Thanks again to my fellow bloggers for giving me the inspiration to complete our dining room. Well, it's not totally complete. The next piece is a mirror to place in between the cabinets.  Still haven't found "the one".


If you are shopping for a new rug, I would suggest checking out Rugs USA here   They have a large selection of rugs, from traditional to contemporary, natural fibers, outside rugs and more.  The prices are great as well!


xo