Top Project of 2011

Rhoda from Southern Hospitality is having a link-up party sharing our favorite projects of 2011. This was an easy one for me to choose. It took much of our time to complete and I am still enjoying every bit of this room.
Our Laundry Room Makeover:

This is also the time of year many of us want to work on organizing our homes - so I hope you get some inspiration from some of my ideas. Enjoy!

Click HERE for Part I of my post ~ the room tour.

Click HERE for Part II of my post ~ the resources.

Make sure you visit Rhoda's party link for more bloggers' top projects!

Holiday Wishes and a Shop Message

Just a reminder:

We will be taking a little break to spend time together with our family.

All new orders will be shipped the week of January 2nd.

Thanks so much!

Coming up:

A New Year's Giveaway Announcement!!

Christmas around the house...

The decorating is done ~ cards, shopping,wrapping and baking ~ still working on that! But I'd love to participate in the home tours going on all around blog land. I like to keep it mostly natural but I do change things up a little from year to year.

So welcome to my home...

My standard front door basket filled with cut evergreens, berries and crystal stems.

The porch - more fresh greens and white lights. I also have candles in all of the windows. Wish I could show you but I don't know how to take a good night pic.

Another favorite decorating piece of mine is this etagere filled with greens and oversized ornaments.

Have to have a little sparkle!

We  have many different types of evergreens on our property - so it's this time that they all get a good trimming. Some types shed less than others.

But I just love how easy it is to make empty pots and planters look festive. This one could use some pinecones on top but I do love it just like that!

As you walk in the front door, here is my entry. More greenery with whites and silvers and a touch of red in my french script ribbon.

Are you spotting the bird theme here? 

I really love these white ones with the birch feathers that I found this year.

Love the glow of the mercury glass.

You can easily make your mirrors festive with a little greenery and ribbon.

The urn is a simple arrangement to recreate - white painted sticks, greens and pine cones. 

We are still painting our dining room furniture but I can show you a little corner of the room.

This tree is wrapped in a coil of grapevine and baby's breath is tucked all around.
 

Love these crates and they also get some greens.

The mantle in the family room is very simple this year. We will be working on that room next. Shhhh....don't tell my husband.

Mason jars filled with snow (epsom salt), cranberries and battery lit candles. Too much greenery around there - I was worried about my candles catching fire.

I filled one of my rustic planters with greens (there is a mixture of artificial and real in there), white lights and sugar cones. They are huge! I also tucked in some sparkly caspia.

This vase receives some sticks and greens from the yard and tall berry stems.

I set the table - just for you. A really festive, and inexpensive centerpiece you can create and eat! All using items from the market. Pomegranates and green apples with more greens and pine cones.

More snow and cranberries in my new Matthew Mead Jelly Jars.

My grapevine wreaths with preserved cedar decorate my cookbook cupboard and the backs of the chairs.

 I hope you enjoyed my tour.

Make sure you stop by the following parties featuring so many gorgeous Holiday Home Tours!

And if you have one up - please let me know so I can visit you too!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

at Lavender Fields.  I spent the afternoon helping Lori get the store ready for the holidays. She has so many gorgeous items in her shop to style.  I also brought in some of my own creations to add to her collection of Holiday Decor.

This weekend, the Village of Pt. Jefferson is having their annual Dickens Festival ~ featuring costumed characters, decorated streets and shops, Victorian entertainment and food, carriage and trolley rides, a lantern-lit house tour of historic homes and a parade.

It really is such a fun event. The characters are all through the streets and the kids really get a kick out of it.  Check it out if you're local to Long Island, NY.  Hoping for beautiful weather this weekend too!

Matthew Mead and The New General Store

So glad I finally made it out to one of Tricia Foley's The New General Store ~seasonal pop up shops.  A relaxing break from a hectic week. Her home is on such a pretty piece of property on Eastern Long Island. My friend Lisa said "it feels like Vermont". She had beautiful weather for her sale on Saturday.

It was nice to catch up with Lisa from The Polka Dot Pound Cake. And it was really nice to meet Matthew Mead. Such a big fan of his work. His magazine is full of decorating inspiration ~ some great recipes in there too.  He's as nice in person as he is online.

Last night was spent with tea, a slice of my favorite cake (the Christmas cake) from Lisa, and 2 new books to enjoy ~ Matthew's Holiday magazine and Tricia Foley's White Christmas ~ so beautiful.


I also couldn't resist purchasing one of her paperwhite bulbs. They looked so cute in their white enamel. Hope I can grow this one!

Black Friday ~ Cyber Monday Sale

Use code 20BFCM at checkout for 

20%OFF

your entire purchase!

through 11/28/11
This code is good in our ETSY Shop or WEBSITE

Simple fall tabletop ideas

With Thanksgiving just a few days away - here are some easy ideas for centerpieces.

A good base for your designs is some burlap fabric and some rustic wood platforms to add a little interest and height to your centerpiece.

A collection of bud vases in beautiful fall colors are simple to arrange with flowers from the market. Here I took mixed fall bouquets and just separated them creating a very pretty assortment of flowers on display.

Add some mini pumpkins and pine cones from your yard for a natural look.

A tray filled with mini pumpkins (sprayed with a little bronze paint), dried hydrangeas, votives and berries.

Pumpkins on pedestals - surrounded by moss and gilded acorns. 

Dried hydrangeas in a beautiful urn, more of my favorite white pumpkins.

You can also just fill a planter with moss and pumpkins for a quick centerpiece.

Having a buffet? Print your menu on decorative paper so your guests know what the choices are.

Candles in mason jars scattered throughout your buffet tablescape.

Cut some bouquets from your mums outside, place in mason jars tied with burlap.

More creamy white pumpkins with bittersweet.

Love using lifts (cardboard boxes or tins under cloth) for the food platters.

Your guests will love the thought and your efforts!

Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!