This is David.

He has been in our family for years.  My Dad bought him for my Gram decades and decades ago, and he used to live in my Gram's garden when I was little.  I have always loved this statue (somewhere there is a picture of two year old me hugging him and giving him a peck on the cheek). When my Gram passed away, David came home to my Mom's house, and when Alli was about two, I was able to snap a picture that mirrored the one of me hugging David (she has always loved him too).  When I bought my house, my Mom gave David to me.  It has become a tradition that we dress the statue up for holidays.  It started as a joke one fourth of July when I put a red, white, and blue ribboned hair tie around his neck like a tie.  He looked very festive, so when Halloween rolled around, I got him a little witch hat.  And from that, our little tradition was born.  So here is our statue of David, sporting his little Pilgrim hat, wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.

DIY Snowglobes

My kids love to do little projects with me.  My son, in particular, always asks me if we can do something for the holidays.  I must admit that I don't like to make things that will just head to the garbage the next day, or clutter up the fridge.  It is always a challenge to find projects that are easy, yet something that I want to have around.  I saw these adorable little snow globes on pinterest.com and thought they would be the perfect project for me and my kiddos.  I didn't even have to buy anything, I had everything I needed in the garage and cupboard!

from pinterest

Begin with standard mason jars. 

I spray painted the tops white, but they would be cute in any color.

Next I rounded up a few toys and mini Christmas trees.

Use epoxy to attach the toys and trees to the inside of the lids.
Let them harden for 24hrs. (This step is for parents only)

The army men make me laugh, especially since that penguin
is twice as big as they are!

Add distilled water and glitter (you can use a few drops of
glycerin if you have it, it makes the glitter fall slower).

Love this one!

These turned out really cute, and were so much fun to make!

Plaid Dress

This was taken not too long ago, before it got too cold.  If I want to keep wearing this dress through the colder winter months, I'll need to experiment with layering.  Any ideas?

dress- Dillard's
jacket- Dillard's
shoes- Ann Taylor Loft



The dress is sleeveless and has a cowl neck,
so the shrunken jean jacket
 tones the seriousness of the outfit down a bit.



Big fan of belts- adds structure and in this case, a little bit of sparkle. 
The neckline of the dress is enough that I don't think it needs a necklace to
detract from it, so the gold on the belt adds a jewelry effect without the actual jewelry.

Fun little pleat detail on the skirt



For The Love of White

"For me, people are color, flowers are color, food is color, and all of this is my canvas."~

 Rosy Strazzeri-Fridman

Ah, white.  I have and always will be in love with white.  I am not alone in my infatuation.  Many people see how magical white is.  Just like a snowy white landscape, expansive and glorious. Nothing is prettier than a white interior.  It is perfect for any style home: from traditional historic, or simple country to modern contemporary. Although it is beautiful, white interiors can be tricky; that is why some people are afraid to decorate their own homes in white.  Each piece in a room takes on more importance when everything is white: the architecture is more noticeable, and the light plays freely from edge to corner.  Mirror and glass sparkle more in a white space and your home becomes your canvas.

simple country kitchen

Classic white Nantucket style kitchen

Traditional and timeless. Invest in a white kitchen, and you won't regret it!

decorpad

Fabulous, contemporary white kitchen.

The beauty of the materials and view can be the stars in an all white room like this.

This is what I would dream of seeing first thing in the morning.

This room will go out of style when? Oh, that's right...never!

the advantage of an all white or neutral space is that even a little color makes an impact.

via

This is the sweetest little sleepy corner!

An accessable white bathroom. Not over the top, but lovely.

Need proof that white works in any style of home? Here is a cabin in Montana, done in white.

crushculdesac

gorgeous, simple, expensive, white

sketch42

Transitionally decorated living room, mainly white with neutral contrast

White isn't just for pretty rooms in magazines.  I live with white in my own home and find that it isn't difficult, even with children (and a husband).  Slipcovers and duvets are genius, and like I always say, if it is dirty I want to know about it! White never bores me, and I have decorating ADD.  The more you read about others who live in white spaces, the more it is obvious that white is just right.

This is Sasek



by Sasek



A couple of years ago, Alli and I were lucky enough to go on a trip to Europe that included stops in England, France, the Isle of Mann, and Ireland.  I wasn't sure if we were definitely going to France, as it was only going to be a day trip if we had time.  (The sole reason for going to France was to go to Paris, because Alli wanted to see the Eiffel Tower.)

Anyway, our trip was set for the summer, but the planning began months before that, and so for Christmas Alli received a special book to let her know of our upcoming trip- This is London by Miroslav Sasek.

By the time her birthday rolled around, our day trip to Paris was set, so I bought her the book This is Paris to let her know that we would be making the trip to the city of lights.





by Sasek



 While were were in Ireland, I got her the book This is Ireland by the same author.

by Sasek

Next summer, my goal is to go to Italy.  Alli wants to go back to Paris, since we missed seeing the Eiffel Tower lit up at night, but I have always, always, always wanted to go to Italy.  And I'm paying, so I win.  Part of me is a little scared to go, because it is looking like it may just be the two of us traveling across the pond.  We flew back from Ireland by ourselves, but for our whole trip last time, we were part of a large group.  We were really fortunate to be part of that group; for our first trip overseas we were gone for a few weeks, staying in flats and bed and breakfasts more than actual hotels.  And we had a beautiful time, though unfortunately we have fallen out of touch with many of the people from the trip.  Anyway, that trip has put it in my mind that if you're going to go to Europe, you should stay as long as possible.  So I would like to go back to London for a few days, and then go on to Italy.  And while in Italy, I'm thinking we should rent a little flat or villa, rather than stay in a hotel.  I just think it makes sense, if we can get a good deal, to rent a little apartment and make that our home base and travel around Italy from there.  I would like to go to Roma, of course, and Firenze (Florence), and the Amalfi Coast.  I want to go to Venice, Tuscany... I want to go everywhere I possibly can.  And I want to keep with our tradition of getting her the Sasek books that focus on the country or city.  So these are two things that I'm hoping to get Alli for Christmas, with the understanding that it means the trip is in the works and we are going to Italia.  I want to be able to test out our tiny bit of Italian, like "Tanto piacere" (It's nice to meet you).  Here's hoping!


also by Sasek



by Sasek

Vivien Leigh

Many little girls want to be Scarlett O'hara, but I always wanted to be Vivien Leigh.  I believed, and still believe, that she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in pictures and movies.  She seems almost unreal.  I am sure I saw her in Gone With the Wind first, and she is wonderful in that role, but it isn't my favorite.  Waterloo Bridge is fantastic, as is That Hamilton Woman.  I must say that I don't believe she is a great actress--when I say great I mean legendary--she worked very hard and it shows, it shouldn't show.  Next to Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire it is obvious that Brando overshadows her, yet she was far superior to so many in terms of her intellect (Brando included).  She was a cerebral actress, not an intuitive one.  This is possibly because she was classically trained as a stage actress, and many (including Laurence Olivier) had to learn to adapt from stage to film.  Vivian Hartley (her given name) was born in Darjeeling, British India.  Her father was an officer in the British Cavalry, so little "Vivling" went to the best schools and received a top-notch education at Roehampton (now Woldingham School) where she excelled at cello, piano, ballet and language studies.  She spoke French and Italian fluently, and her knowledge of language made it easy for her to adopt a Southern dialect in the role of Scarlett O'Hara. 

Vivien Leigh is not a fashion icon; she is remembered by many only as Scarlett O'Hara.  I believe she is a wonderful example of an intelligent, beautiful woman who wanted to do the best she could with the abilities she had. She looked delicate but, by all accounts, was tough and tenacious. She was always the consumate  lady, even when she played a prostitute in Waterloo Bridge there was always something about her that was proper.  She may not have been a legendary actress, but she was a good actress.  More than that, she was an amazingly intelligent and determined woman, whose beauty is legendary.

There isn't a bad picture of Vivien Leigh to be found. This one though, is stunning.

Studying at school.

Gorgeous publicity shot for Waterloo Bridge.

A very young Vivien.

In Gone With The Wind.

That Hamilton Woman, staring with her husband Laurence Olivier.

The beautiful couple at the Oscars.

Vivien Leigh as Blanch in A Streetcar Named Desire.

Vintage Inspired Dress

Vintage inspired dress, Marshalls

belt, Dillards

boots, Aquatalia

cardigan- I honestly can't remember.