Wednesday 30 November 2011

Guest posting today at Haus Design!

Good morning to all my lovely readers...hope your week is going well. I am so excited to be over at my friend, Barbara's blog, Haus Design. I was thrilled she asked me to participate in a new series she is running, Design in five, about five things I would want to do or feel the need to do if starting with a blank room. I hope you will pop on over and visit me there.

 Barbara is just the sweetest, such a gracious and classy person, she has a beautiful eye for elegant European influenced furnishings and her blog is always a divine treat for the senses. On top of that she is soon going to be opening her online store which I know will be a big hit with her fabulous taste and incredible resources from all over in Europe. She lives in Munich, Germany so I love hearing and seeing the unique perspective she offers. In any case, please come on over and visit me there and discover Haus Design if you are not yet already familiar with her blog, you are promised a real treat! See you there!
Click here to visit!



By the way for some of you who asked about the results of last weeks, "Which would you choose' here are the results.....


1ST PLACE


A CLOSE 2ND PLACE 

TIED FOR 3RD PLACE




4TH PLACE

What can I say, you all have superb taste!!  Wishing you a beautiful day.



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Tuesday 29 November 2011

Which would you choose?

Hello, hope this finds you all doing well considering the "Christmas chaos" has officially begun. I don't even allow myself to think of all I have to do, because I literally might faint, so I just take it one thing at a time, knowing it always gets done. I must admit I do daydream about getting away. A lot. Not in the cards with our move but its fun to imagine! So next best thing is a virtual trip......

Its another Which would you choose. So here's the deal....you and three of your best friends whose company you love and enjoy immensely  have decided to escape for a little girls only getaway. Just a three or four day jaunt. Just enough to make the family realize that the domestic diva they thought they had is actually totally indispensable and they will be begging on hand and foot to have you back ten hours after you are gone. Nothing like a little distance for a few days for "the fam' to really appreciate all you do and how effortlessly you make it look!

 Now, you get to choose from a few different types of vacations....will it be beach or poolside, or " ski to your hearts content" kind of trip, maybe a rustic and elegant farm to lounge around ...its your choice!! Do you see an active trip, with plenty of physical exercise and sun or ski runs during the day and cozying up by a fire roasting marshmallows at night or maybe just an old fashioned getaway with long walks and maybe horseback riding during the day and Scrabble marathons and glasses of wine at sunset? Maybe a city slicker weekend, spent catching a Broadway hit, shopping to your hearts content, eating at a new trendy restaurant...something for everyone!  Its your trip and you are in charge......so choose from these six fabulous destinations and tell me where you would want to escape  with your pack of friends and why! I have included your guest room and bath with each home to hopefully make your decision a little easier....good luck and get packing!


CHOICE 1 WONDERFUL WILD WEST












CHOICE 2  COASTAL CHARM

















CHOICE 3 GLAMOROUS CITY SLICKER








CHOICE 4 ISLAND FEVER






CHOICE 5 DESERT ESCAPADE






CHOICE 6 FARM FABULOUS







Definitely something for everyone! I cannot wait to see which you choose and which one comes out on top.With the way I am craving a getaway, any of these would be a most welcome reprise!! So, tell me where you are headed and what you can imagine doing there.....
Wishing you a great day.


And one last little tidbit....

Its not unusual to daydream (like me) to want to be away especially during the holidays when stress levels are at an all time high, and I witnessed a parking incident yesterday that got rather ugly between two well dressed women, (nothing to the degree of this video however) this is an oldie but goodie and sadly things like this happen with increasing frequency. This makes me want to go home and avoid malls and parking lots from here to eternity....Can you imagine!








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Monday 28 November 2011

Get your sparkle on!!

 Good Monday morning..hope everyone had a superb weekend. I don't know if you all caught my "random Sunday musings" post yesterday where I included a hysterical video on the "Uggs vaccine' but I also meant to say despite the throngs of teenagers and moms that think they look like their 16 year old daughters but are sadly mistaken who adore them and have succumbed to the puffy phenomenon, I DO LOVE MY UGG SLIPPERS! They are incredibly toasty and cozy, and I wouldn't give them up for a lifetime supply of Swedish Fish (well on second thought I might need to reconsider, I mean we are talking a lifetime). So the video is for both those who love them and those who are no so fond of them...its all in good fun!


Normally I run my "behind the blogger' posts on Mondays. I have one more to post which will be next week, and then taking a break from that and have another idea cooking, which I hope to start up sometime after the holidays. Stay tuned......

With the holidays officially in full swing, like it or not, its time to start thinking about holiday plans, gift giving, entertaining, and decorating your home for the holidays. Admittedly, it makes me a little weak at the knees just thinking about it, but once I start the ball rolling, normally there is no stopping me........ I turn into the Christmas decorating beast unleashed!! This year will be a little different because we are going to be moving and I think unpacking and making our house a home will take precedent over Christmas decorations but I know I will still have to do my share no matter what. At no other time other than Christmas and Dec. does adding a little sparkle make a home look more beautiful. Gold, silver, pewter a little mercury glass there, a dose of gleaming crystal here....there are so many ways to add a little bling to your home. So below are some beautiful examples of how to get your sparkle on........what are your favorite looks to add holiday sparkle to your home?

There is no such thing as too much sparkle in December! Case in point here.
Gold and silver mix beautifully together, check out their "garland" on the stairs..fun!
Love the combination of silver all a glitter on a rustic beautiful table, Lisa Luby Ryan
Sparkle looks perfect on a Christmas tree...love seeing gold and silver on a tree

Adding a shiny bowl of beautiful same colored ornaments to a table is a instant way to jazz it up
Soft gold and silver work beautifully in a neutral softly toned room, love how the gifts are assorted into silver tins....clever!
Get a favorite silver bowl and fill it with gold and silver balls.....it works every time!
Adding a little something shiny to a beautiful gift is the perfect sparkle touch
The impact of big oversized metallic ornaments is dramatic and beautiful
A beautiful mini tree all decked out in gold...why not!
Mercury glass in all its many colors is perfect way to add a little bling to any space
A little holiday sparkle is for Hanukkah too!
A stunning place setting all a glitter is a perfect way to make a sparkly statement
I love the mix of silver and gold, even done simply but elegantly
Love mixing the natural greenery with a bit of gold and silver sparkles on a table....
A tree all a glitter in an otherwise neutral setting is quite breathtaking, Lisa Luby Ryan
Look at how much this adorable little glitter birds add to these ivory wrapped presents

How about a fabulous wreath made of glittery shiny ball ornaments?
Even taking simple ivory paper and wrapping them with silver and gold ribbon and adornments is a beautiful way to add a little holiday sparkle to a room
There is no denying the magic of a table laden with silver!
Here's something everyone can do...fill two large cylinder vases with gold and silver balls and sprayed pinecones, talk about instant impact!
I love the idea of keeping all the gifts wrapped in the same metallic tones
Mercury glass is such a beautiful way to dress up any table
Love the soft muted sparkle mixed with earthly colors...spectacular!
Love how Centsational girl used wallpaper in the back of this cabinet and filled it with small gold and silver objects....beautiful!
A dining setting is picture perfect when adding silver or gold.....
Perhaps the most beautiful way to create sparkle is to smother a Christmas tree in it, its pure magic when you do!
Sometimes something as simple and small as a single candle done in beautiful mercury glass such as this one by Pottery Barn is just enough sparkle for a small table or console
Sometimes adding just a touch of sparkle is just enough as is the case here, its perfect
I love a color brought in like this beautiful green with the silver....so pretty!
Carry the magic outside....add sparkle to the outdoors by lit Christmas figures and oversized hurricanes...its magical!
A fabulous place setting set with a gold china service is always picture perfect!

So the question is will you get your sparkle on? How will you do it? Would love to know! To me, nothing makes the house feel like Christmas's magic fairy dust is sprinkled all around us like having little bits of sparkle throughout the house. The living and dining room are obvious places but don't forget about a little something in your kitchen and adding something to the guest powder room is always a great idea, it is those little touches that make a big difference! Would love to know what you like to do!! Sparkle on.........




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