Pumpkins and Spice...

What a busy Halloween!

For some reason I was taken over by some crazy drive to pull everything out of my Halloween bag of tricks like some kind of superwoman. Not sure where that came from or what I was "possessed" by!

This is what I took on as my way to celebrate:

1. Craft time with the girls in my family:

2. Caramel Apples: using Werther's Originals and Honey Crisp apples...yum!

3. White Chocolate Ghosts for Sophie's Halloween party: (it was supposed to be treat-free, but when her teacher told the class that, Sophie piped up that I already had all the ingredients and would be "disappointed" if I couldn't send them in. Lucky me!

4. Craft time with some of Sophie's friends (too busy to take many photos!):

We made little Halloween trees with paint and glitter!

Annual Pumpkin Carving Party:

We had my spicy chili, rolls, delicious chicken soup and apple crumble pie made by one friend, and this decadent chocolate cake made by another friend:

 And the annual stoop shot, posing with their pumpkins:

 And last but not least, Halloween itself!!

Busy, but happy...

Happy Halloween!!!

Holiday Blogging

Remember last year, when I sported a special holiday banner, created by my blog designer, Danielle aka The Design Girl?

This might jog your memory:

Well, right now Danielle is preparing her schedule for those wishing to do the same - have a specially designed holiday blog design or banner for their own blogs (check it out here). She also has pre-made blog templates for sale and they are really great!

So, don't forget: if you want a custom holiday blog design, be sure to act quickly. Orders are filling up fast!

It's on

Here's my ghettofabulous Buffy the Vampire Slayer costume:

{Yes, the "H" and the stripes are duct tape}

I had the boys home with me today and the stars aligned (i.e. they took their naps at the same time) and I got to work on sewing my costume.  The "pants"/ bodysuit is actually a shirt turned upside down...  The arms are now the legs and I sewed up the hole for your head.  The yellow "skirt" is also a $3 Michael's t-shirt and I stretched out the head hole for the waist and cut it off.  I use the leftovers to make another t-shirt long-sleeved.  It's ridiculous and the best part of the costume is the pair of scrunchy socks I'm wearing.   

{Argg just realized I need a scrunchy for my hair!}

happy Halloween!!!  And to learn the Thriller dance go here.

(SO worth it.)

It's on

Here's my ghettofabulous Buffy the Vampire Slayer costume:

{Yes, the "H" and the stripes are duct tape}

I had the boys home with me today and the stars aligned (i.e. they took their naps at the same time) and I got to work on sewing my costume.  The "pants"/ bodysuit is actually a shirt turned upside down...  The arms are now the legs and I sewed up the hole for your head.  The yellow "skirt" is also a $3 Michael's t-shirt and I stretched out the head hole for the waist and cut it off.  I use the leftovers to make another t-shirt long-sleeved.  It's ridiculous and the best part of the costume is the pair of scrunchy socks I'm wearing.   

{Argg just realized I need a scrunchy for my hair!}

happy Halloween!!!  And to learn the Thriller dance go here.

(SO worth it.)

Chatting with Nie...

Come on over and read my interview with Miss Stephanie Nielson.

She is guest posting on the HOLIDAY website today, and I had a little chat with her.

She really is lovely...!

"Spooky" evolution charts

I've been loving educational charts lately and have been running into a lot of German ones.  I thought this vintage evoluationary chart "Abstammungslehr II" was perfect for the season.  Christian calls skulls "spookies" and is pictured below eating his breakfast:

{I've collected more topiaries on the table this Fall...  Look how unsuspecting they are sitting there.. Waiting to slowly be killed...   Ok, I'm really going to try to keep them alive.  I tried out lemon cypress -which I've killed before- because I've heard they're not too difficult.}

This chart was definitely used in the classroom as you can see from the old red arrows the teacher must have drawn:

...And... look who's walking!!! 

Justin started a couple of weeks ago and is definitely not going back.  Time to finish babyproofing!!

Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeeeen!!!!

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

"Spooky" evolution charts

I've been loving educational charts lately and have been running into a lot of German ones.  I thought this vintage evoluationary chart "Abstammungslehr II" was perfect for the season.  Christian calls skulls "spookies" and is pictured below eating his breakfast:

{I've collected more topiaries on the table this Fall...  Look how unsuspecting they are sitting there.. Waiting to slowly be killed...   Ok, I'm really going to try to keep them alive.  I tried out lemon cypress -which I've killed before- because I've heard they're not too difficult.}

This chart was definitely used in the classroom as you can see from the old red arrows the teacher must have drawn:

...And... look who's walking!!! 

Justin started a couple of weeks ago and is definitely not going back.  Time to finish babyproofing!!

Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeeeen!!!!

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Halloween anyone???

Okay, I LOVE Halloween.  I always have.  When I was in preschool my grandmother made me a "Glinda" costume (from the Wizard of Oz)...  It was shiny pink with star sequins glued onto it.  I felt so pretty and special and wore it waaaaaay too often after that.  (Walk in the woods anyone?  Let's put on the Glinda costume!)

I've dressed up almost every year of my life (even in high school when it wasn't cool anymore...  knock Knock...  "Trick-or-treat!"   "Um, aren't you a little old??")  Yeah, so...  I get so excited planning costumes & parties and making sure everyone's got their costume covered.  (I've been known to make housecalls for those in desperate need of costume help.)  When I had Christian (at 25) it was a little harder to get into it but we stayed strong with a warrior party at our house...

{Just the girls}

And the following year we did superheroes...

Last year I was pregnant and we did a small "kids" party.  We didn't dress up ourselves, and it just wasn't as much fun.  It was definitely great to see the kids partying and Christian loved it, but I really missed dressing up.  (And to me, a night is only a perfect "10" if it ends in dancing.)

We usually start out at our house with a small pre-party & then get a limo into the city where we meet up with all of the other ridiculous people.

SO...  this brings to me to where we're at now.  We really debated and wishy-washed about doing something fun for Halloween this year.  It's so sad but we sort of didn't want to.  My best friends live far away and can't make it...  It's a lot of effort.  I barely got pumpkins outside this year.  It just feels like time is racing by and I'm seriously flying by the seat of my pants.  I read all of these beautiful blogs with creative ways to get your house ready for Halloween & table settings & on & on and I love them and plan on trying out the ideas myself but before I can get my act together, the event's upon me.  As we were driving to High Point & throwing the idea of a party around -pretty much thinking 'no'- we put on some music and before I knew it, my hands were in the air and I was dancing in my seat.  (Taio Cruz's Dynamite is really one of the best songs EVER and I fully blame it for the evite I subsequently sent out.)

I have no costumes... only a theme...  Cheesy Teen Horror/ Comedy Movies.  Dave's going as this guy:

{Best movie ever}

... and we're still loolking for a Keiffer.   And a nice curly brown mullet wig and some fangs...

I'm going as my childhood idol:

{hahahaha what does that say about me?}

Yeah, when I was 10 I taught myself the entire dance in the beginning of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and used to do cartwheels and sommersaults on the street while holding a stake.  (Issues much??)

So... we mustered it up for another year.  We were so close to not doing it but we just felt like that would be giving up and we're not ready for that.  I know it'll be fun, it's just the process of getting there that has me a bit exhausted.  It's also harder to convince friends and a few former troopers are done dressing it up now that they have kids which makes me so sad.   

Costumes for the whole family are on the agenda for tonight and we'll be breaking out the sewing machine.  I really am torn here.  It's hard to get into Halloween when you have kids.  Maybe we're not supposed to?? hahah  Is anyone else feeling this?  I envision getting crazier & crazier each year with a haunted house and over the top decor.. maybe murder mystery party...??  Is it too much.  What do you do?

And, if you want to get excited, go here and listen.  Anyone in the DC are going out Friday night?  We usually head out somewhere and are debating where.

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Halloween anyone???

Okay, I LOVE Halloween.  I always have.  When I was in preschool my grandmother made me a "Glinda" costume (from the Wizard of Oz)...  It was shiny pink with star sequins glued onto it.  I felt so pretty and special and wore it waaaaaay too often after that.  (Walk in the woods anyone?  Let's put on the Glinda costume!)

I've dressed up almost every year of my life (even in high school when it wasn't cool anymore...  knock Knock...  "Trick-or-treat!"   "Um, aren't you a little old??")  Yeah, so...  I get so excited planning costumes & parties and making sure everyone's got their costume covered.  (I've been known to make housecalls for those in desperate need of costume help.)  When I had Christian (at 25) it was a little harder to get into it but we stayed strong with a warrior party at our house...

{Just the girls}

And the following year we did superheroes...

Last year I was pregnant and we did a small "kids" party.  We didn't dress up ourselves, and it just wasn't as much fun.  It was definitely great to see the kids partying and Christian loved it, but I really missed dressing up.  (And to me, a night is only a perfect "10" if it ends in dancing.)

We usually start out at our house with a small pre-party & then get a limo into the city where we meet up with all of the other ridiculous people.

SO...  this brings to me to where we're at now.  We really debated and wishy-washed about doing something fun for Halloween this year.  It's so sad but we sort of didn't want to.  My best friends live far away and can't make it...  It's a lot of effort.  I barely got pumpkins outside this year.  It just feels like time is racing by and I'm seriously flying by the seat of my pants.  I read all of these beautiful blogs with creative ways to get your house ready for Halloween & table settings & on & on and I love them and plan on trying out the ideas myself but before I can get my act together, the event's upon me.  As we were driving to High Point & throwing the idea of a party around -pretty much thinking 'no'- we put on some music and before I knew it, my hands were in the air and I was dancing in my seat.  (Taio Cruz's Dynamite is really one of the best songs EVER and I fully blame it for the evite I subsequently sent out.)

I have no costumes... only a theme...  Cheesy Teen Horror/ Comedy Movies.  Dave's going as this guy:

{Best movie ever}

... and we're still loolking for a Keiffer.   And a nice curly brown mullet wig and some fangs...

I'm going as my childhood idol:

{hahahaha what does that say about me?}

Yeah, when I was 10 I taught myself the entire dance in the beginning of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and used to do cartwheels and sommersaults on the street while holding a stake.  (Issues much??)

So... we mustered it up for another year.  We were so close to not doing it but we just felt like that would be giving up and we're not ready for that.  I know it'll be fun, it's just the process of getting there that has me a bit exhausted.  It's also harder to convince friends and a few former troopers are done dressing it up now that they have kids which makes me so sad.   

Costumes for the whole family are on the agenda for tonight and we'll be breaking out the sewing machine.  I really am torn here.  It's hard to get into Halloween when you have kids.  Maybe we're not supposed to?? hahah  Is anyone else feeling this?  I envision getting crazier & crazier each year with a haunted house and over the top decor.. maybe murder mystery party...??  Is it too much.  What do you do?

And, if you want to get excited, go here and listen.  Anyone in the DC are going out Friday night?  We usually head out somewhere and are debating where.

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

A Fabulous New Book...from Fifi O'Neill

For those of us who embrace the pretty side of life and are fans of romantic style, this sneak peek of Fifi O'Neill's new book, Romantic Prairie Style will leave you wanting more! As editor-in-chief of Romantic Country, Fifi is an expert on all things romantic and feminine. She is also an engaging writer and intuitive photo stylist whose personal style is casually elegant with generous influence from her Gallic heritage.

Meet Fifi:

A little more about the book:

It's available for pre-order on Amazon, major book stores and through Ryland Peters & Small and Cico.

It features some of the homes of very talented bloggers!

And...from the book's introduction:

Romantic Prairie Style is much more than a decorating book. It is a way of life. One that reconnects us with what truly matters: family, home, and the earth. Honest materials, artisanal goods and time-honored objects are once again valued and create homes, not just shelters. The lessons learned come together in the celebration of a wholesome life. The spirit of prairie style drifts eternal in the romance of nurturing interiors and the abundant beauty of the nature.

Isn't it beautiful?

Watch for it!!

diaNoche

One of my best friends from high school has recently started a company with her husband called diaNoche , and a blog to go with it.  Her name is Veronica and the brand, diaNoche, is all about her versatile peices that you can wear both day & night. She's American {half-Italian (from her dad's side, like me!) and half Columbian from her mom's side} and since I can remember has dreamed of creating her own line of clothing that straddled all of her roots.  An artist, she graduated from FIT in New York and has gone after her dream. 

{Veronica El-Showk}

Here's a quick excerpt from a press release:

"diaNoche is a lifestyle brand that embodies the love of travel and art.  While living in New York, owners Veronica and Hedeer El-Showk traveled often for both business and pleasure to Morocco, Europe and Colombia. Inspired, Veronica started designing a collection of shirts with the vision of importing goods from overseas in the future. diaNoche's designs have a strong arabesque influence and are also inspired by the designer's Colombian heritage. The company's themes include everything from the ancient mosaics in Cyprus, to the salt mines in Bogotá and the intricate patterns of tribal North Africa."

{Veronica in a photo taken by her sweet husband, Hedeer}

Her passion for life & all things beautiful literally jumps off of the page at you from her new blog and I am so freaking excited for her & Hedeer!!!! DiaNoche's Fall & Winter line of designer t-shirts is debuting in a couple of weeks. 

{The beautiful logo she created}

Yesterday she came over to our place & I helped her out with a photo shoot.  Here's a picture I took of a little jewely tray we created for the background of one of the shots: 

{Those garden weeds come in handy!}

We shot all day to get her day/ night looks.  (Around 700 images...  and- you know how it goes- only a minute number of usables- especially with me as her model- but she got what she came for.)   She's an amazing photographer & we wanted some soft fresh day looks and some dark, edgy ones for night.  

{me, taking off the shoes...  oh how I love them, oh how I have no idea how she walks in them...}

 

We tried out some crazy stuff- including laying on my outdoor harvest table, (definitely not a use I'd ever envisioned for it) the concrete patio (brrrrr) and nighttime shots in my bedroom which definitely gave it a whole new look.  She 's now working on getting the images loaded & the website finished up and as soon as she does, she's promised me a giveaway for Pure Style Home.  I literally wanted EVERYTHING I wore yesterday.  The designs she's created are super-flattering and just honestly make you look good.  I was really skeptical when she asked me to be her model but truly, the clothes did all the work.    

{image by Veronica...  her friends' boots in Italy- how beautiful??}

At one point yesterday (well, at lots of points) we just started cracking up...  I think I was hanging out on a hide rug pouring tea from a beautiful tea pot with a pile of vintage quilts next to me...  really???  You definitely have to play a lot and take risks and feel stupid to get to where you're trying to go. 

But it was so much fun. 

At one point Christian came up to us, "What game are you playing?"

Veronica: "Photo shoot."

Christian:  "Can I play?

...So, although theres not yet a diaNoche kids' line, Veronica made sure to get a few good shots of Christian.  ...Who made sure to let me know that he loved my hair the way she'd done it (curls) but didn't like the "gray stuff" on my eyes and helped me wash off the eyeshadow when we were finished. {What a picky little man!}

So, as soon as she lets me and her site is set up for online purchases, I'll post some photos of Veonica's new line & we'll be doing a giveaway.  If you have some time, stop over to visit Veonica at diaNoche and say hi.  She's a brand new blogger & I know she'd love to hear from you. 

I'm so excited & happy for her and I know we're all going to be hearing a lot about her soon.

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

diaNoche

One of my best friends from high school has recently started a company with her husband called diaNoche , and a blog to go with it.  Her name is Veronica and the brand, diaNoche, is all about her versatile peices that you can wear both day & night. She's American {half-Italian (from her dad's side, like me!) and half Columbian from her mom's side} and since I can remember has dreamed of creating her own line of clothing that straddled all of her roots.  An artist, she graduated from FIT in New York and has gone after her dream. 

{Veronica El-Showk}

Here's a quick excerpt from a press release:

"diaNoche is a lifestyle brand that embodies the love of travel and art.  While living in New York, owners Veronica and Hedeer El-Showk traveled often for both business and pleasure to Morocco, Europe and Colombia. Inspired, Veronica started designing a collection of shirts with the vision of importing goods from overseas in the future. diaNoche's designs have a strong arabesque influence and are also inspired by the designer's Colombian heritage. The company's themes include everything from the ancient mosaics in Cyprus, to the salt mines in Bogotá and the intricate patterns of tribal North Africa."

{Veronica in a photo taken by her sweet husband, Hedeer}

Her passion for life & all things beautiful literally jumps off of the page at you from her new blog and I am so freaking excited for her & Hedeer!!!! DiaNoche's Fall & Winter line of designer t-shirts is debuting in a couple of weeks. 

{The beautiful logo she created}

Yesterday she came over to our place & I helped her out with a photo shoot.  Here's a picture I took of a little jewely tray we created for the background of one of the shots: 

{Those garden weeds come in handy!}

We shot all day to get her day/ night looks.  (Around 700 images...  and- you know how it goes- only a minute number of usables- especially with me as her model- but she got what she came for.)   She's an amazing photographer & we wanted some soft fresh day looks and some dark, edgy ones for night.  

{me, taking off the shoes...  oh how I love them, oh how I have no idea how she walks in them...}

 

We tried out some crazy stuff- including laying on my outdoor harvest table, (definitely not a use I'd ever envisioned for it) the concrete patio (brrrrr) and nighttime shots in my bedroom which definitely gave it a whole new look.  She 's now working on getting the images loaded & the website finished up and as soon as she does, she's promised me a giveaway for Pure Style Home.  I literally wanted EVERYTHING I wore yesterday.  The designs she's created are super-flattering and just honestly make you look good.  I was really skeptical when she asked me to be her model but truly, the clothes did all the work.    

{image by Veronica...  her friends' boots in Italy- how beautiful??}

At one point yesterday (well, at lots of points) we just started cracking up...  I think I was hanging out on a hide rug pouring tea from a beautiful tea pot with a pile of vintage quilts next to me...  really???  You definitely have to play a lot and take risks and feel stupid to get to where you're trying to go. 

But it was so much fun. 

At one point Christian came up to us, "What game are you playing?"

Veronica: "Photo shoot."

Christian:  "Can I play?

...So, although theres not yet a diaNoche kids' line, Veronica made sure to get a few good shots of Christian.  ...Who made sure to let me know that he loved my hair the way she'd done it (curls) but didn't like the "gray stuff" on my eyes and helped me wash off the eyeshadow when we were finished. {What a picky little man!}

So, as soon as she lets me and her site is set up for online purchases, I'll post some photos of Veonica's new line & we'll be doing a giveaway.  If you have some time, stop over to visit Veonica at diaNoche and say hi.  She's a brand new blogger & I know she'd love to hear from you. 

I'm so excited & happy for her and I know we're all going to be hearing a lot about her soon.

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.