Mantel sneak peek...

I am putting the finishing touches on a longer blog post about my holiday decorations, but since you have all been waiting with bated breath to see my mantel (insert sarcasm) - here is a peek.

I am adding a little more height in the middle this weekend after a trip to Marshall's then it should be all complete. Stay tuned for more holiday fun...

i've got spirit, how 'bout you?

I have some serious holiday spirit going on. So much so I can't wait until thanksgiving is over so I can officially decorate for Christmas. don't get me wrong, I love Turkey Day and the fact that we are spending it with my fiance's fabulous family, but I just can't wait to start decorating for Christmas. 

I am especially obsessed with our mantel. My mantel dilemma's have been well chronicled on My Life By Design, so they idea of giving it a fresh new look is really appealing. I've found lots of inspiration online that has gotten my creative juices flowing...

From Crate and Barrel: My favorite of the bunch. I already found similar reindeer for a fraction of the price at Marshall's!

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I just love the cozy feeling this one evokes. 

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Love the symmetry of this one

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How cute are all of the stockings?

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I like the contrast of the red against the stark white. 

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While I think these candles are just beautiful, I would never leave the house
all season because I would be too afraid I left one on! 

I just can't wait to get started. And to top it all off, a Michael's just opened in the city. I am in heaven!! 

wherever you are, you are loved...

I'm back from my trip to Cali. The work conference went well, but the best part was visiting with my sister.  We only get to see each other a few times a year and the visit is never long enough. I can't imagine what it's like living thousands of miles away from family like she does, and not be able to just jump in the car and see relatives in a matter of hours.

So on my last trip out there, I made her a gift to remind her that no matter how far away she is, she has a family that loves her. 

I gathered old photos of every member of our extended family, pictures of us as kids, and our parent's and both sets of grandparents' wedding photos. I then decoupaged them onto a canvas along with some graphic red shapes to add a punch of color since her home is decorated in black, white and red. I also included beautiful quote that says, "You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you as you are to them."

It was a fairly easy project to do. If I ever do it again, I will make sure I print the pictures on a thicker stock because once these got wet with the modge pdoge, they rolled and bubbled up and it made it much harder to apply. 

But all in all I think it turned out well and I hope it reminds my sister that even though she is far away, she is never far from our hearts. 

heading to the left coast...

I'm off to LA for almost a week mostly for work and also to see my little sis. I just love the lifestyle out there -- so laid back and casual -- so I'll be sure to post some pics of any design inspiration I come across.

Have a great weekend!

It's my lucky day....

since I have been in bride mode for a while now, I spend the majority of my days cruising blogs and pouring over the gorgeous real weddings the sites feature. One of my favorites is Elizabeth Anne Designs. Ami & Cyd feature the most beautiful weddings, ideas and inspirations.

So I was SUPER excited when in my email I got a message from Ami saying I was the winner of a gorgeous wedding garter from The Garter Girl. I never win anything!

And to top it off, I also found out I paid off my college loans last month and didn't even know it. Thanks Nelnet for the heads up (insert sarcasm) but I will accept your reimbursement checks!

Guess today is my lucky day! Thanks again Ami and Cyd - and make sure to check out Elizabeth Anne Designs for yourself.

good to the last drop...

at one of my recent excursions to the vintage market I came across the coolest silver coffee canister. It was really unique. I loved the intricate engravings. The slight patina. The fact it looks like it could have a really cool story, even if it doesn't. It makes the perfect vase.

I still need to clean it, I am assuming silver polish would work? Anyone have any home remedies that work?

Thanks to some holes in the seams, I had to place a glass inside to hold the water. 

I just love the way it adds a vintage touch to my beautiful flowers.

Bad blogger

My humblest apologies for being such a bad blogger lately. I swore I wouldn't get wrapped up in wedding stuff but I did. Big time. But now that some of the big stuff is out of the way, I promise to get back to my regular blogging schedule. I have two projects/purchases to unveil this weekend, when the lighting is right for good pictures.

I have to admit though, with such a small apartment, after a while I feel like I've accomplished all of the projects that I can in my space. So how do I satisfy my design cravings? Any suggestions?

What do you do when you've got "designers block?"

I'll leave you with a little inspiration. When it comes to my wedding planning, it's more about the decor than the dress for me. I found the most fantastic post recently on the lovely Green Wedding Shoes site. It's the inspiration for my wedding day design, just with different colors. Enjoy a sneak peek!

The vintage vases mixed with the bright colorful flowers are amazing. 

How cute is their vintage hutch/candy station?