December 08, 2015

A Christmas List- for Kids

December 08, 2015/ Mallory

It's that time of year!.. When everyone goes crazy trying to find the perfect gift for those in their life. I love Christmas and all that it entails. The twinkling lights, Christmas music, candlelight services and gift giving.

Now that I have two little ones of my own (still hard to believe sometimes), I try to look for gifts that offer both fun and function. I have no desire for a ton of little toys, that they will quickly tire of, to litter my floors. Instead, I like to look for items they can use for a long time--things well-made, that will get much use!

Here are a few of my favorites I've found this year:

one // two // three // four // five // six

one- This wall organizer is a great way to free up floor space and encourage little ones to help clean up at the end of the day. Plus, kids LOVE pockets. This allows them to sort their goodies any way they please.
two- This whale rocker is not only adorable and fun, but it also has storage in the back for books and toys. Win-win.

three- This kid-size acrylic desk is a great place to let your little ones' imaginations run wild. Its sleek design doesn't take up much visual space in a room (great for already crowded playrooms or bedrooms) and has a little slot for holding extra books and notepads. Can you tell I like storage? ;)

four- You may have seen this one on our Instagram feed a few weeks ago. Auden got this tee pee for her birthday last month, and it's been a big hit--so much so, that my nephews will be getting one for Christmas! I love that it's a simple canvas so we can change out the look and embellish with colored garland and pendants as we please. And the window is just an added bonus! Plus, this particular tee pee is much less expensive than many others I sourced.

five- These mini tolix-inspired chairs come in 4 colors and will be sure to add a little design flare to your playroom. Honestly, how cute are they?

six- This vintage kitchen will be one of Auden's gifts this Christmas. It too is offered in a variety of colors, many of which that won't clash with your own decor if you plan on having it in the living room like us. It's stylish and well-made, and I can't wait to see my girls spending many hours "cooking" at it!

That's it! I hope I've brought you some new ideas or at least made you think of gift giving in a different way :)

October 15, 2015

Mallory's Fall Favorites

October 15, 2015/ Mallory

It's that time of year again! My favorite time of year...fall! Although it won't truly feel like fall for awhile around here, I'm still enjoying the crisp mornings (though they may be fleeting), pumpkin sightings and overall slower pace of things (is it just me or does the world seem to slow down a bit when the leaves start to fall?).

To mark the beginning of the season, I've compiled a few "Fall Favorites" that make this season even better.

Crushed velvets, cozy wool throws, wood wick candles, warm wood tones, cognac leather and stylish fall apparel...these are a few of my favorite things.

1. pillow // 2. necklace // 3. cheese board // 4. candle // 5. throw //
6. bar stool // 7. blazer // 8. bootie // 9. bench // 10. lamp

December 19, 2014

4 STEPS TO BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY WRAPPING

December 19, 2014/ Mallory

Now that Jessica's given you some ideas on creating beautiful tablescapes, all that's left to do is finish wrapping presents, right? Well hopefully you're at least that close to be completely done with your holiday gifting.

My favorite way to do finish up gifts is by having a wrapping party with friends! Have everyone bring their own scissors, tape, paper (gifts of course) and some ribbon and embellishments to share. You can have snacks, a hot cocoa bar or a signature cocktail to make your spirits bright while you get your creativity on!

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

Solid wrapping paper (or one that isn't overly busy.)
Coordinating patterned paper
Ribbon, jute, baker's twine and fabric
Embellishments likes pinecones, feathers, gingerbread cookies, ornaments
Gift tags
Tape
Scissors

Now that you have the essentials, let's start wrapping some gifts!

Your presents are just as much a part of your decor as your tree.

Stick with the same color scheme/theme as your tree and other decor for a cohesive look. Kraft postal paper is one of my favorite papers to use because of its versatility and minimal cost. You can find it at most big box retailers and office supply chains or find some online here.

STEP ONE: SELECT SOLID AND PATTERNED PAPER

Once you have your main papers (or "backdrops" as like to think of them) picked out, you can begin. Remember to use at least one solid and one pattern for contrast. You can also create your own pattern with stamps. I love this block print idea from Miss Mustard Seed.

STEP TWO: ADD RIBBONS AND FABRICS

When you have your gifts all wrapped, start adding on the extras. Ribbon, jute, fabric strips and leftover strips of your patterned paper make great add-ons for layering. I love this idea of using old clothing for fabric.

STEP THREE: ADD EMBELLISHMENTS

Next, you want to "dress" your gift with a little something extra. Here are a few embellishments to consider:

Pinecones-plain, painted or glittered
Plant clippings--pine, magnolia leaves, etc. (grab some clippers and head out into your yard to see what you can find)
Feathers
Ornaments
Gingerbread cookies (in any shape)
Pictures (scenic or portraits)

black and white ribbon and kraft paper.jpg

STEP FOUR: TAG IT

Last but not least--you'll need a gift tag. The Internet is swarming with free printable tags so there's really no excuse to slack in this last step! If you don't have the time or ink to print some of those, make your own with come card stock, a whole punch and some scissors (to cut a decorative edge).

And that's a wrap! Pun intended. I hope these ideas get you motivated to make your gift wrapping a memorable part of your home's holiday decor!

December 12, 2014

A Luxe Christmas

December 12, 2014/ Mallory

Christmas is my favorite time of year. Hands down. Gingerbread house making, Christmas carol singing, Prancer (or Little Women) watching, twinkle lights glowing, cinnamon and cloves smelling, present wrapping, candlelight service attending...it's the best time of year.

I'm hoping to pass on many of my childhood Christmas traditions as well as make new ones with my little family. I want Auden to love this time of year just as much as her momma. Right now, it's not looking so hot---at least on the Santa front.

Is that not the cutest/most pitiful thing you've ever seen? Poor girl. And poor Santa.

Even though Santa isn't a favorite of hers, I'm hoping decorating for the holidays will be one day. When I was little, we used to go pick out our own tree at a tree farm, cut it down, get it home, crank up the Christmas music (Little Drummer Boy, anyone?) and decorate it as a family. It was magical.

Every year, I get Jon to pull down all of my Christmas boxes from the attic and my brain gets to work on how I will decorate our own house and tree. I like to change it up a bit every year, but I don't like buying anything new--that's when your creativity gets to work.

My mind went into overdrive this year, and I began to imagine what I would do if I could wipe the slate clean and start over with decor. I decided I'd want a luxe, warm, classic look for our home. I didn't get to make this dream a reality, but I did make it a design board for all of you! Maybe you'll get inspired and want to spruce up your own home for the holidays (or at least catch some of these on sale to put up next year :)). Here is my luxe Christmas wish list...

“Luxe-
n. The condition of being elegantly sumptuous.”

{click image to enlarge}

one // two // three // four // five (Target in-store) // six // seven // eight // nine // ten

I think I would never tire of that look...at least not for a long time. Maybe next year I can make it happen! Have a great weekend everyone! And remember to contact us at the top of the page if we can help you with your own decor!

November 26, 2014

5 tips to a stylish Thanksgiving Buffet

November 26, 2014/ Jessica Nguyen

The past couple years my husband and I have taken over the role of hosting both of our families for Thanksgiving. Because our family is too large to seat down at a formally set table, we lay all the food buffet style and it's get in where you fit in.

If you plan to have a buffet style Thanksgiving too, here are a few tips on putting together a stylish one.

1. START WITH A THEME

Putting together a stylish buffet table doesn't have to be expensive. Take stock of what you have already that you may want to use as a starting point: a table runner, a pretty serving dish, left over pumpkins from Halloween. Look around your yard. Perhaps there are some pretty branches, clippings from a rosemary bush, leaves, acorns, or pine cones.

2. ADD VARYING HEIGHTS

As seen in the image below, it is visually more interesting to have items laid out at different levels. If you do not have decorative items that can be used for elevation, stack books and cover them with linens.

3. LABEL DISHES

Food labels can be an easy and inexpensive way to add a personal touch to your buffet. Pinterest has several labels that you can download or you can get creative and make your own.

This walnut used as a charity card holder could also work as a label holder.

4. DRESS UP YOUR PROTEIN

Typically, the protein tends to be the star of the table. Dress it up! Use items that you used to cook with such as fresh herbs, greens, fruits, vegetables.

5. DISPLAY THE SILVERWARE STYLISHLY

The silverware offers another opportunity to be creative. Instead of laying them in a pile on the table, tie together individual sets with twine or place them collectively in a decorative container. *Tip- Place the silverware at the end of the buffet, rather at the beginning. By doing so, it prevents juggling of the utensils while trying to serve yourself.

With a little resourcefulness, a stylish buffet can be achieved with little to no cost. As an added bonus, here is a free download of these adorable left over labels designed by Bloom Designs. Just print them out and stick them on your guests' take home container.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

November 14, 2014

Felt Ornaments, Holiday Decor Steals and A Nursery DIY

November 14, 2014/ Mallory

It's the most wonderful time of the year!...well close, anyway. I usually wait until after Thanksgiving to start decorating the house for Christmas, but this year I already have the itch. Maybe it's because I have more time this year (last year we had a brand new baby that took all of our attention and I was lucky to have any decorations up). Or possibly it's because we won't be spending Thanksgiving at our home, so I'm all "Out the pumpkins, in with the pine!" Having a little one to enjoy all of the lights and sparkle is a incentive too...although it might make decorating a challenge with her little hands wanting to touch/pull on everything. Whatever the case may be, I'm ready for holly!

I was looking at Crate & Barrel's holiday outlet sale online the other day and found some really cute ornaments for really cheap... and y'all know I love a good deal! Specifically they had a good bit of felt ornaments (great for kids!) on sale. Felt ornaments are great for many reasons:

Family tree decor- With these you don't need a bare bottom tree in worry that the kids will break something
Mini trees in your kids' rooms- Again with them not being fragile, the kids can even play with them and even decorate the tree themselves
Gift wrapping- Finish off that cute wrapping job with a keepsake. Some of these are cheaper than the cost of a bow!
Nursery decor- Before you call me crazy, let me explain. How many of you have seen really cute felt/wool mobiles on Etsy that you loved but didn't like their price tag? Well with a simple embroidery hoop or dowels, string/twine and ornaments, you can make your own!