Next Year

Luxe and Lillies

Hello all my lovely friends. I want to wish everyone a bright, prosperous New Year...may your 2011 be filled with love, laughter, and life.

 

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Retro Chic

It's retro and chic...Can you dig it?

Living etc, M Design Interiors, Design Sponge, Jeffers Design Group, Elle Decor, Babe Paley 

Warm the Heart

Hello friends and happy day to you. I am hoping everyone had a wonderful holiday and was able to enjoy a little break with some loved ones. Christmas was exciting and in full swing here in my household. It looks like a bomb went off spraying tiny toys all over the place. At this point I am not sure where to start in the clean-up, organizational process and frankly am very unmotivated...maybe better left for next year.

The highlight I suppose was the snow that started Christmas night leaving us with around 7 inches of beautiful snow...a White Christmas indeed. I have been bedded down by the fire enjoying my family time and looking forward to the New Year. There is nothing like a cozy fire to warm the heart and these are some inviting living rooms where I could spend some time sipping a hot toddy in my slippers with a good book.

Photos courtesy of Lonny, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Canadian House and Home

Have Yourself

Living Etc.

a Merry Little Christmas...from my family to yours.

Phreckles Photography

Inspired Decor

On the Thursday before Christmas, yes Christmas Eve is tomorrow, my fingers have finally stopped cramping from addressing Christmas cards. I just finished the last bunch yesterday and now I have to do the awful task of sealing them and off they will be. I am elated! Everyone has sent such beautiful cards this year and it is always such a joy to see children, families, and beloved pets.
What is even more fun than receiving these beautiful cards is looking into the beautifully decorated homes of some of the people you know and finding inspiration right around the corner. Betty Eatman Nelson of Eatman's Carpet and Interiors is doing precisely that with her blog Inspire Me. Betty was kind enough to come over and and take some pictures of my home with all it's holiday finery you can take a look Here. Thanks Betty, it is always a pleasure! 

One of her recent posts is Holiday Doors is One Yours? I do love driving around town and looking at holiday decor and sometimes wish I would remember my camera. I adore this chic ribbon, simply stunning. For more inspiration and exquisite goodies for the home, check out Betty's Inspire Me.

While we are sharing favorite shots, this happens to be one of my all time favorite holiday covers and interiors. Aerin Lauder on the cover of the December 2007 issue of House & Garden magazine at her home in East Hampton which is the former home of her grandmother Estee Lauder.

The Peak of Chic

Timeless Tartan

Uk E Online

There is something about winter and the Christmas holiday that makes me want to wrap myself and home in luxurious, festive plaids. Masculine but feminine at the same time. Sarah Jessica Parker and the late great designer Alexander McQueen are a quite vision in their plaid even Charlotte York found plaid chic enough to wear as a full length ball gown to the annual Highland Fling in an episode of Sex and the City. For those of you who love a touch of tartan but not a ball gown worth there are a few great resources for your home as well as just about anything you might like in plaid.

The latest issue of Rue Magazine took my breath away with the inspirational "Tartans & Toddies" by San Francisco, CA based designer Scot Meacham Wood. This man knows Tartan and is not afraid to use it, love it! You can also see Mr. Meacham's daily musings on his blog, The Adventures of Tartanscot. 

 Rue and San Francisco Chronicle

This is just a glimpse of the article and the rest is eye candy too, a definite must read! Click Here for a behind the scenes video of the table setting...gorgeous! 

Pendleton Woolen Mills a classic source for plaid. 

Fantastic fabric by the yard

A collection of dessert plates would add just the right touch to your table.

These linens from Williams Sonoma Home are timeless.

Available

This fantastic book offers a history of plaid, profiles of high fashion designers who incorporate plaid into their work and images of more beautiful rooms like the one shown below.

Ralph Lauren

Happy Wednesday!

Wrapping it Up

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I hope everyone had a splendid weekend, I know I sure did. We, as in my family have been making our Homemade presents, spreading some Holiday cheer, and enjoying time together.

Christmas on a Saturday this year is the best, I feel like I can actually plan this week for a party. We will have family to our home Christmas morning so it will be a festive weekend...let the party begin! 

Gingerbread cookie decorating

Beautiful cookies and tasty too

A few pics of a playroom I have been working on. I just love the Asher bedding by Serena and Lily. The brown with the red ticking looks awesome with the green walls. 

These pillows below I am waiting to give to a client,they are yummy...just in time for Christmas. I can't wait to see the room all put together.

Happy Monday!

Homemade Holiday

We woke this morning to a beautiful blanket of snow on the ground but it quickly has turned into a sleeting rain that will surely slow down activity for the next day. So here I am, home by the fire, enjoying every second! 

I am struggling to finish up my Christmas shopping and just can't seem to find the right gift for the remaining friends and family on my list. I have a few ideas for homemade Christmas gifts that are adorable and add such a special touch but with a little over a week away I am hoping I will have time to pull it together.

Martha Stewart always has festive decorations, crafts for all ages, and never ceases to amaze me with her creativity. This Sequin Bauble Ring and Leather Star Ring caught my attention and I definitely might have to give this a whirl. What girl doesn't love a bit of glamour and glitz without breaking the bank this year. 

Click on this link for directions in creating your own Sequin Bauble Ring

The folds for your Leather Star Ring...looks a little tricky but if anyone tries it let me know how it turns out.

Southern Flourish online magazine has a few great homemade holiday ideas to satisfy someone on your list. This one is especially wonderful for your coffee lover...the personalized koozie. What a chic and easy gift, thanks Southern Flourish for the great ideas.

Southern Flourish

One of my favorite ideas for a homemade gift and I am signing up for a last minute session for next week is Wine and Design. The location I am referring to is here in Raleigh, NC but I am sure there are others in locations across the United States. It is such a fun and productive experience. A glass of wine in hand, painting until your heart is content, and voila you leave feeling like Picasso.

Look at these gorgeous hydrangeas.

Beautiful boats for the man in your life.

Neighbors, this one is for you...yummy and adorable packaging too.

Homemade by Jill posted these hot chocolate gift tins via Blonde Designs Blog for a holiday gift-giving idea. They were kind enough to even post the resources for all the goodies needed to create this darling tin.

Just click Here for the skinny on making these cuties and if you don't have enough time to order the tins, the hot chocolate would be great in mason jars...add some peppermint too, yummy!