My New Favorites From Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn is one of my favorite resources for furniture and accessories and their seasonal decor is always exceptional.

 This season's treasures are even better than I expected. 

Take a look at this....

These mercury glass trees are available in four different sizes and range from $14.50 to $69

At 35.5" tall, this Grand Bronze Reindeer Pillar Holder is sure to make your room special

I always enjoy decorating with lanterns and these Snowflake Punched Ceramic Lanterns are gorgeous

Nothing says "wow" quite like these faux fir stockings for $39.50

Your tree will be stunning with this Mercury Glass Garland

I hope you enjoyed checking out some of my new favorites from Pottery Barn. 

Click here to take a closer look. 

Autumn Dinnerware and Table Decor

One of the best things about Autumn is decorating with the gorgeous colors of reds, browns, gold, and green.

 I especially love a beautifully set table in 

Fall colors!

Here is some inspiration for your dining table decor:

Start your guests off with these great appetizer plates from JCPenney Home. They have a slight metallic accent that really adds to your table.

This lovely dinneware from Pier 1 Imports can really make a statement against a neutral tablecloth. Each piece is between $5 and $7!

 

 

Serve up your favorite nuts or candies in this antiqued bronze Maple Leaf Serving Bowl from Pier 1.

Pottery Barn has this gorgeous Pear Platter. It would be perfect for serving a variety of scrumptious foods and it's dishwasher and microwave safe.

If you prefer a more clean lined look, these great dishes in red/orange from CB2 are the perfect way to liven up your table. 

Happy Autumn decorating!

Sparkly Holiday Party

Are you planning a holiday party?

My favorite way to decorate for a festive holiday party is to add a ton of bling and pizzaz.

Here are some ideas:

Add some wow to your table with glitzy pieces like these from JCPenney.

This Gold Mosaic Reindeer can go on your mantle or table top. Find it along with some other great decor at Pier 1 Imports.

These stunning Mercury Candles are from Pottery Barn.

Pick up this Lux Vase from Crate & Barrel and add your favorite holiday arrangement.

This Silver Tree is from Target. Grab this and add it anywhere you need a litttle glam decor.

H&M Home

I love H&M stores, they have fun clothing and accessories. I've even notice my niece in some adorable H&M children's clothing lately. Did you know they have a home store too? Unfortunately they're only in the U.K. But....hopefully they'll make their way here!

Here are some of the items they have for the holidays.

Want to see more? Visit their website by clicking here.

New Year Party Cocktails

If you're planning a New Years party, you're thinking of food, champagne, great music and more. How about serving some new drinks at your party? 

The website SLOSHED! is great fun. It chock full of amazing drink recipes. You're sure to find something everyone will love. You can also read reviews and even search for drinks using your favorite type of liquor.

Click here to search their cocktail archive!

Holiday dinner centerpieces

Are you the lucky one hosting the family dinner this year? Well I'm sure you have quite a bit to worry about so here are some easy and unique centerpiece ideas. 

I really love this simple look. Visit an antique store and purchase a few mason jars. Next add some greenery, pine cones, then fill the jars with fake snow and a white candle. It's pretty and also pretty simple!

There is no reason you have to stick with red and green. A large bowl filled with gorgeous silver balls makes quite a statement. Not into silver? Use gold, teal, lime green or any other non traditional colors.

Do you have some wrapping paper or ribbons you love? Wrap some small packages like in the picture above then add some greenery.  Place all this onto a pretty table runner and you're done.

Looking to do something rather inexpensive? Find some interesting containers, use a simple white candle and add some plump cranberries for color. What can be easier than that?

 

 

 

 

Holiday Cocktail Party

By now you’ve decorated and are in the holiday spirit and now you’re ready to host a holiday cocktail party. Hosting isn’t cheap, but fortunately there are several inexpensive things you can do to keep your soiree from breaking the bank. 

Décor

Candles, candles and more candles. Try mixing and matching candles in gold, silver or multicolored candleholders throughout. Go ahead and skip the fancy scented candles. They smell great for everyday but may interfere with smells from the food. You don’t need a spiced cranberry candle next to your hotwings. Strand white lights throughout for an elegant, fun look. Skip the blinking lights; you don’t want your drinking guests thinking it’s a disco!

Food

It’s a cocktail party, not buffet. People expect to have fun and not chow down. Often times people have more than enough food and end up with loads of leftovers.  Try making most of the food yourself if time permits versus catering the party. There are loads of easy recipes out there. Also, don’t be afraid to asks friends to help out by bringing suggested items. Just ensure you have enough food in comparison to the amount of alcohol that will be consumed. 

Drink

There is no need to have a fully stocked bar, simply serve a signature holiday drink and perhaps some Schlafly Christmas Ale. Someone will more than likely bring a bottle of wine as a hostess gift so open up and pour for the wine drinkers. Don’t forget to have some soda or juices for the designated drivers!

Entertainment

A fun way to add entertainment is to have a holiday movie playing and mute the sound. Try my favorite movie White Christmas or the always entertaining Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.  Then play your favorite holiday music. I love to make a mixture of songs, everything from upbeat holiday tunes and Christmas carols, to songs from one of my favorite CD's Sarah Brightman's - A Winter Symphony.

More holiday decorating ideas...

So you're probably getting ready to start holiday decorating. Still haven't found the decor that just for you? Here is another trend that I'm loving. 

Silver and White

Use silver and white decorations throughout. It will easily look elegant and festive and you'll love it.

Look for a fun tablecloth. I like this one from Kohls which is on sale for $17.49! It's an inexpensive way to dress up a large area.

These beaded chargers from Target are great. You don't necessarily need one for each place setting. To save $$$, only use them at the ends of the tables or underneath centerpieces.

Look for fun, festive serving pieces like this snowflake platter. It's only $12.99 at Target and can be used all season.

 These glitter birds from Pottery Barn are gorgeous. Use them as a vase filler or simply as table decor. Place them on your buffet table or around your table centerpiece.

Ready to splurge a bit more on decor? These next items are for you.

This tree with planter from frontgate.com is fabulous. It could be a great conversation piece and fun to continually add ornaments too.

These Orrefors Carat Candlesticks can be found at Nordstrom. They're gorgeous and appropriately priced.

Add some major glitz and shine to your holiday with this silver tree from West Elm.

Happy Decorating!