'Tis The Season

While most are bustling through the crowds on Black Friday, I stay away from the madness and begin to deck the halls instead. Honestly, unless I choose to go on an out of town shopping venture I don't really step foot into a retail department store for the entire holiday season. The shoving and crowds nowadays actually take away from the season for me. When they should be their jolliest, people actually become their nastiest.  Most of my gift shopping is done online or in small businesses.

In years past I have been known to put up a tree in every room.... this year I am not feeling quite so ambitious though.  Given the preppy vibe I am trying to incorporate after a huge plaid ribbon sale after the holidays last year though, I am trying to add plaid into each room to carry the season throughout my home.  The first thing I always do is go around and add pine picks above all my larger pictures on the walls. Then it's time for the main tree in the living room....

Years back ( maybe even 15 years back) Macy's had a  leopard tree on display and I absolutely fell in love!!!! I bought every piece they had available and have been adding to the theme every year since.  Even the angel on top is in a leopard robe and was found several years back at Michael's. Over the years a few non-leopard pieces have gotten added in but all had meaning back to my Grandma Dee. She was the family Queen Bee and after her passing it was joked I took over the role, hence the red honey comb ornaments added in from Dillard's last year. Also she loved owls and so the owl at the angel's feet is her watching down on me still.

This year I added in my plaid ribbon as well.... I think the result has some Ralph Lauren flair!

My bathroom is a bit more girly any time of year compared to the Tuscan decor in the rest of the house. I added some glitzy purse and shoe ornaments to a wreath I had from years ago to give it a new life and hung it over my curtain rod with an over the door wreath holder. A glitzy deer on my side cupboard and a mannequin tree bought this year at Big Lots and the small bathroom was completely festive.

The fireplace in the dining room is flanked with topiary pre-lit trees from Big Lots with the plaid ribbon added in as well. The ornaments I used here were only a sampling of my Santa collection.  The dogs' and my stockings were hung from the chimney with care using Southern Living stocking hangers bought last year at Dillard's.

I had to carry the plaid theme into my bedroom as well and struggled to find plaid sheets I liked.  Similar here:Denver Paid flannel Sheets. Then of course I needed a new holiday feeling comforter set.... similar here: red velvet comforter set.  The faux fur throw was a Christmas gift last year from my aunt. Similar here:faux fur throw.  The red velvet fur trimmed pillow was a Burlington find this year.  The plaid fur trimmed pillow and the small white holiday pillow were finds last year at JoAnn's.

Comment below on your theme for the year or Holiday items you added this year.

Southern Living Inspired Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has always just been one of those holidays that kind of gets lost in the mix for me. It isn't as fun as Halloween or Christmas that it is tucked between and sadly it also kind of signals the end of fall....

It is a wonderful time to reflect back though and be thankful for all you have in your life no matter how bad times can sometimes seem. It is also the time to gather with family and friends just to be thankful to have another year together as well.

This year it was my turn to cook the feast, so in true form, I had to go big. I was leafing through the pages of Southern Living when I saw a version of the heirloom Friendly Village dishes I have paired beautifully with peach roses. To me it seemed the perfect table scape for the holiday but where would I find the roses I needed? A trip to Pat Catan's quickly produced all the flowers I needed on a massive clearance as well as napkins from the original Spode Turkey pattern. True to me though I made my arrangement in an old grape crate incorporating cotton picks, antlers and a silver candelabra.

Below was my take from the Southern Living inspiration which can be found here: "Get Creative With Turkey Plates" Southern Living Nov 2017

Welcome Fall!

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year… the pumpkin spice lattes, the beautiful orange leaves, the beginning of crisp morning air…. It is just beautiful! The boots and sweaters come out of storage….The days become even more meaningful as we cling to long daylight hours before the time change.  So of course one of my first blog posts would be about celebrating the season.

No fall season would be complete without a few things though….

• ·         Starbucks Pumpkin latte- pumpkin everything for that matter
• ·         A trip to the pumpkin farm
• ·         Adding the gorgeous fall colors inside the house.
• ·         A final trip to the farmer’s market
• ·         A last bonfire… and
• ·         A country drive.