It's almost 2011!

Sorry for the lack of posting, but I'm savoring the end of the year and getting ready for a brand new 2011.   Are you having having fun?  Taking naps?  Getting ready for some really special resolutions?  Me too. 

See you soon!

Ciao,

Anne

All is calm, all is bright

Schumacher Trees

Well, the days have been busy.  Yesterday, despite my best efforts at maintaining a peaceful vibe, I had a small meltdown.  While wrapping gifts, I discovered a small bag of merchandise to be totally missing.  I searched high and low.  No, it had obviously been left behind at the store.  I called the store and they said to come with my receipt.  I was SO mad, mostly at myself.  It's my own responsibility to leave the store with all the bags.  But when I got there, the bag had been set aside, waiting for me.  Phew.  BIG sigh of relief.  Refinding the items would have been quite the hassle.

Grandboy's  big gift is of the electronic variety and I've read in some of the reviews that we need to open it up and get it all started up so that he can play with it on Christmas.  Something about using the computer and blabbity blab blab.  I've assigned this chore to Hub, but you know that doesn't mean I've let go of it.   Some reviewers said it's easy as pie, others have said it's quite difficult.  Reading product reviews is a double edged sword!  At least we know to get started on it. 

I wish you all peace.  I wish for a beautiful new year for our world.  As tough as these times are, life is good.

Ciao,

Anne



More on the mantel

I did a little more fluffing on the mantel this weekend.  I like to add or tweak as the days go by and I have the time, come across an idea or stumble across a forgotten ornament or a sale in a chic little boutique (okay, in Harris Teeter, ornaments were 75% off!).  If I can, I'll post an udated picture this week.

In the meantime, I wanted to show you some pictures I saw on another blog that I enjoy reading--Habitually Chic.  Here's a mantel that is gorgeous, BUT it looks like a fire hazard for those of us who actually use our fireplaces.  Yes, there's a roaring fire in the photo, but I just can't imagine...  Anyway, pretty picture, great mantel.  I'm a sucker for pine cones.

Here's another one, realistically more to my liking

Southern Accents

I'm going to try to remember this one for next year.  Not a big fan of that wreath hanging on the wall, but I like the clean, quiet vibe so much.  Will keep my eyes peeled on my shopping adventures for a long, narrow container for the center, and maybe can put something taller in it.  Then I wouldn't need the wreath. 

I liked this idea also:

Again, clean lines, simple.  Looks kind of beachy to me. 

Here's one more.  I've put candles in old champagne glasses many times, but this is a new twist for me--a little greenery in silver chalices.  Just wanted to use the word "chalices," thanks for letting me.

Have a great week. Light candles, make cookies, play with a child (or a childish adult).  Breathe.

Ciao,

Anne



The Christmas mantel

Yesterday I pulled out the pre-decorated garland that I bought several years ago--an excellent investment because it makes the mantel a fast and easy project.  Plop down the garland, rotate the artwork, give Mr. Moose and Mr. Deer their rightful place, add the sparkly trees that look like something Tim Burton designed and I'm good to go.  I like imperfection, that's why those sparkly trees are still around.  They're shabby chic in the truest sense of the word.  Our family room mantel now looks special, but still clean and simple. Stephanie Fracasso did the still life oil painting.  It's lovely.

Ciao,
Anne

My Find of the Week--A great gift idea!

Do you need gift ideas for those people who have everything? How about lovely hostess gifts? Would you like an idea that both men and women will like?  Here it is--handmade soap. Once you try it, you will completely understand.  It's a great way to start the day in the shower, or a lovely way to end it in the tub.  It's aromantherapy and getting clean, all in one.  And I think real soap is good for you, as opposed to those bars of detergents that the store calls soap. We have super sensitive skin in this house, and we're all happy when we use handmade soap from Hello Crafty.

Hello Crafty Handmade Soap is gift worthy, wonderful soap that comes in all kinds of amazing scent combinations.  The beautiful Bonnie King of Durham, NC, whips these up herself and the girl knows what she's doing.  The blue one, above, is called "Ocean." Isn't it pretty?  It "brings the scent of an ocean breeze" into your shower (that's what she says and I believe her).  It's a salt bar, meaning that it's made with lots of salt that gives it a hardness that makes it last a long time.  But they're still make a creamy lather.  My favorite salt bar has blood orange, lemongrass, grapefruit and bergamot essential oils in it.  The smell is amazing.  Hub has even told me how much he likes to use it in the shower!  He has never mentioned soap in the 30 years that we've been married until I brought that one home!

This one is the lavendar citrus cold process bar.  Go to her Etsy shop and read about all the different kinds of soap.  Very reasonably priced--about $7 per big bar, very decadent stuff.  She packages it nicely, so you'll be good to go.  Oprah would make this a Favorite Thing.  Martha would call it a Very Good Thing.  Even better, DeCocco Design calls it the Find of the Week!  

Ciao,

Anne

Easily distracted with crafts

Every year at this time I try a new crafty project.  Some have worked out very well, like my accent pillows (sold them all in a gallery, lah dee dah),

 or my little beaded elves that adorned tags on gifts.  I made mine out of glass beads, so they were a tad prettier than this picture from Parents Magazine (oh yeah, I get my ideas everywhere!).

Some not so well, like the damn garlands made by cutting very heavy foil into leaves and acorns--ouch!  Very pretty Martha, but the maker ends up in bandages.  This year I'm experimenting with memory wire to continue the jewelry making journey that every woman eventually, it seems, must tackle.  But then today the pom pom maker arrived. 

Etsy.com  This is not mine, I just got the tool today!

 OH. MY. GOSH.  I love pom poms and this thing is really easy.  But what does one do, exactly, with fancy pom poms?    Oh dear.

Ciao,

Anne

Stress-free holiday decorating

There will be NO stress this Christmas. We will not do that to ourselves this year.  A tough year is an opportunity to be low key, quiet and mindful in our preparations for this most joyful of holidays.  Now let's get started!

Here's all you need to decorate your interior spaces:

       Candles.  I prefer white or cream.  Find them at discount stores.
       Garland.  I prefer real pine garland.  Garden centers.
       Bowls.  Any and all sizes.  Use what you have.
       Music.  All kinds.  Whatever you like.

Start with a clean house.  Yes, that's the catch.  But a clean base makes it easier to keep up.

bhg.com

Spread the candles around the house.  All sizes and shapes are welcome. Place them in votives, in candlesticks, on squat little bases, floating in wine glasses, in hurricane lanterns,  sitting on saucers, etc. Put them in anything and place them everywhere. Be sure that most are in locations and holders that are safe, because you're really going to light them.

You don't have to be this ornate, but it's easy to wire on some pine cones.

Drape the garland wherever you can.  Over the mantel is where I start, but winding up the banister on the stairs is also a classic. You're not reinventing the wheel here.  I pull some of the garland apart and stick it in a bowl because it smells good.

bhg.com

Fill the bowls with whatever you like.  Candy, ornaments, strands of beads or your collection of fake pearl necklaces (how did I get so many of those?).  Baby blocks, pine cones, sea shells, favorite photos, beach glass, little stones, marbles, nuts, fake fruit..  Anything that you find when you walk around your house or look into cabinets and can amass to fill a small or large bowl (no, not laundry).

Music.  Just make a commitment to play music often throughout the season.  Put it on whenever you're home.  You may find that you don't need the droning, depressing, stressful TV to be on so much.

That's it.  You're done.  If you have time, throw a pan of brownies or cookies in the oven every now and then.  They make the house smell so good and you can eat them or send them to the teachers or put them in the employee lunch room.  Brownies take minutes to make (I'm talking from the box of course).

So now the house looks good, smells good and sounds good.  Do whatever you want with the tree.  We've had a few years when all we put on the tree where lights and fake snow.  They looked so pretty.  You don't have to be this simple every year, but if you give it a try I bet you'll like it.

A simple year, with candles, garland, bowls of favorite objects and music can be a wonderful thing.

Ciao,
Anne

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful for so much: family, friends and home being my top 3.  Also trees, crafts, joy, fun, laughter, books and sleep, among many other things.  I hope you all enjoy Thanksgiving, are kind to each other and find some downtime this weekend.

A friend sent me this picture.  It made me laugh, so I'm sharing it with you (thanks Shelley!).

Ciao,

Anne



The flavors of Fall

No "Find of the week" this week.  I was busy busy every day and wasn't in the stores and shops much.

BUT I did zip over to the Ornamentea parking lot this afternoon to visit the Designer's Downtown Market and pick up some soap from the fabulous TJ Pappas of Soft Wind Soap.  He makes a Tea Tree Complexion bar that is such a wonderful product.  I have super sensitive skin and have never been able to use soap on my face until I stumbled upon TJ's soaps.  I also buy his oatmeal bars for Grandboys bath.  These are real soaps, not detergents, which is what the soap you buy in the grocery store is.  Very, very nice.  And not an indulgence at all as they're reasonably priced, last a LONG time and have eliminated the need for me to use prescription products from my dermatologist. 

While at the Market, I also stopped by the booth of  Tom Kumpf of Double T Farm.  I was drawn in by the sight of his beautiful little bunches of beets.  Red and white striped, white and golden beets, all with their delicious greens attached.  They were the star of my dinner tonight!

Two little bunches netted this bowl of sliced beets and the bigger bowl of greens.  I sauteed them all in butter and they were so good.

Tom also has the prettiest heads of butter lettuce I've ever seen, so I bought one of those as well.  Gently washed and dried, then torn up and tossed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.  I'm drooling as I type (I know, TMI).  Tom's farm does a CSA program, so go to his website and read about it.  Fresh, local produce is super delicious!

Also on the menu this evening was a pork tenderloin with applesauce and rice pilaf.  A Fall feast!  I'm a happy girl.

Ciao,

Anne

Your Jewelry Store

Everyone needs a great, local jewelry store to call their own, so let me introduce you to Vigari Jewelers.  They're located on Strickland and Leesville Rd in Raleigh (in the shopping center with the Teeter).  919-870-6611.

You need your own jewelry store for many reasons.  First and foremost for repairs, maintenance and sizing of jewelry that you already own.  Then you need a place where you can find unique pieces, gifts, trends and, of course, those very occasional but absolutely fabulous BIG purchases marking special events.  Oh!  I think I hear holiday bells as I'm typing this!  Who has the time to search out these things?  AND you don't have to set foot in a mall.  AND it's a store owned by local people. 

At Vigari's, you'll find amazing customer service and vast knowledge from Michael and Travis.  They are both such gems!  I'm sorry--I had to say it!  You can describe what you're looking for and they can pull out catalogs and find it for you.  From the moment you walk into their store, you become a special customer, no matter what you buy.

Right now they have a case of these super fab ICE Watches.  They come in a medium or large size, so they work for both men and women.  The colors are phenomenal. 

 This is the one I would pick for me:

Oh, it would be highly versatile in my wardrobe.  Is Hub reading this?  Is he? 

Ciao,

Anne