Coco Chanel Inspired Tablesetting

I had the opportunity to decorate a table for the Women's Council of Realtors Annual Spring Tea. This was my second year. The ladies really go all out. I remember showing up last year to set my table and feeling like a little dingy among huge ships. So, this year I wanted to step it up a bit! I saw a few pictures on Pinterest that inspired me to do a Coco Chanel themed table. It is super girly and sparkly so, of course I had a blast putting it all together. I only had a week and was stressing out. I usually like to order items online because that is where I find my most unique pieces. I ordered everything the day I found out. Many things came a few days later but, a few items came the day before the event!

I started with a black tablecloth that touched the floor. This is very important if you want your table to look polished. There is nothing worse(to me) than a tablecloth that doesn't touch the floor. Especially round tables. 

I then added some black and white crosshatch fabric from Joanns for my overlay. I searched high and low  for a wide black and white striped tablecloth or fabric. No luck.  If I had more time I might have been able to find something. I was really bummed I think it would have added all kinds of fabulousness! I ordered chair sashes from my favorite online site for linens called eFavormart. They have amazing prices and they were offering 30% off at the time I ordered! I had previously ordered those pink satin napkins for another tablescape I did years ago.

I had a few ideas for the centerpiece but, when I saw these hat boxes at Joanns I knew I had to have them! I wanted some height so these were perfect. They were originally a cardboard color I simply painted them black with a sponge brush and then added a diamond trim. I seriously had to stop myself with the diamonds I wanted to put them everywhere! I also purchased those from David Tutera's wedding line at Joanns. If you have not taken a look at his line it is a must..so pretty! I took down a large round mirror I had hanging in my living room for even more bling. I was browsing the clearance section at Joanns and found those 2 wooden C's! I couldn't believe it. It was like they were just waiting for me. Scored those for only .25cents.

I  think this was my favorite project to make. I found a square vase from Michaels and typed out a Chanel No.5 perfume label to mimic a perfume bottle. I added large pearls that I got from eFavormart. Then I found these fun feathered flowers at Joanns. I added some light pink ribbon and topped it off with...you guessed it... more diamonds!

This art print was an instant download from the Etsy shop, poppy loves to groove. Instant downloads are awesome when you are in a pinch.

I had this crazy idea that I wanted to use a purse as a vase! I went to the thrift store trying to find something that would work..nothing. I was looking through my closet and remembered I had this cute sparkly clutch that the closure had broken on. It would be perfect. I simply found a plastic container, covered it with tape, making a grid for the flowers to go into and filled it with the flowers and water. 

I also ordered these drawstring bags from an Etsy store called Lovey By Elle. The were stamped with two different saying from Coco Chanel. This shop is so amazing. The owner knew I was in a hurry and got them in the mail the next day! I put in a Paris hand lotion from Bath and Body Works since Coco was from France. 

 I had to make a few desserts for the 10 people at our table. I bought lady fingers which you can see on the tea saucers, from World Market. I then made some cupcakes and topped them off with fondant that I imprinted a quilted pattern on to mimic a handbag and topped with an icing bow that I found at Joanns.

Last, I made perfume bottle shaped sugar cookies. I found the cookie cutter on Etsy. I just added some icing and mixed yellow and orange sprinkles to mimic the look of perfume. I had this jewelry box and thought it would be great as a cookie box!

Overall I had a wonderful time creating this tablescape. Now onto thinking about the theme for next year!

Summer Lovin: Friday Favorites

This week has been a scorcher! I went on the hunt for all things outdoors. From entertaining Al fresco to a simple picnic with the kiddos these finds will get you outside in style. I made sure to add a few drink recipes to keep you cool and not melt while you are hanging outside!

Roxy Sunset Beach Blanket
Nate Berkus Beach Towel
Crate and Barrel Picnic Cooler
Zigzag Beach Chair
Drink Dispenser
European Water Bottle
Metal Cage String Lights

A few drinks to keep you cool and to sip on while enjoying the great outdoors:

Recipe found here

Recipe found here

On Trend:Seeing Spots

I have been seeing spots everywhere! Specifically black and white Dalmatian spots.They are showing up in home decor and clothing. I am no Cruella but, I do love some faux animal prints.

Dalmatian-Spotted Walls//Vintage Vogue Cover//That Chair!

Gymboree Shoes

Pillow//Skirt//Purse(50%off)

I apologize for some of these links. Many are from Pinterest and they do not have an actual link. That is my biggest pet peeve about Pinterest. It is why I love Keep.com. They always have links to where you can buy everything on their site! But don't worry Pinterest I still LOVE you. With all this Dalmatian talk I want to go watch 101 Dalmatians!

Happy Monday Loves!

Summer Lovin: Friday Favorites

Garden Grove Floral Watch-I saw this on Francesca's site while searching for Mother's Day Gifts I have to be honest. I have never stepped foot in this store. We have had one for awhile in our local mall and it just seemed like an "older lady" store. I saw some younger girls on YouTube who purchased some really cute jewelry there and thought I better give it a chance... while I was at the mall a few days ago. I am glad I did. They have the cutest clothes, shoes and jewelry!
Heart Coffee Mug Set- I would love to buy these mugs from the Etsy shop owner, but they are a bit too much for my pocketbook. I thought these were great inspiration for a DIY project!
Mac Blush in Melba-I did it. I went to MAC and bought my first blush by them. I was afraid I would fall in love, because again these are pricey...but they have the pretties colors. Of course, I fell in love. This shade, Melba, is a gorgeous peachy pink. Perfect for Spring! (At least that is how I justified it and I may have purchased another shade).
#redballoonsforryan Tote- My sweet friend Alyssa of Beckett's Threads is donating all the proceeds of her red balloon stamped leggings, shorts and this adorable tote to the family that tragically lost their little boy last Friday. For more info and pricing you can follow Beckett's Threads on FB or on IG. She makes the cutest stamped leggings, shorts and even came out with her signature stamp on a t-shirt. My little man loves his shirt.
Ikat Glasses Case-I wish I would have seen this case before I purchased my last sunglass case. This one looks super retro and I am in love. If you are like me and constantly wear sunglasses this is a must for protecting them from everything in your purse.
Palazzo Pants-Do you guys remember these? I can't believe I am old enough for styles to be making another round! I wore these wide legged pants in high school. I personally love them because they flare out and distract from my booty and hips. They are also super comfortable and a great light weight pant option for the Spring and Summer.

I Heart Mint Nursery Design

It is finally here! I finished my niece's nursery! A few days ago I went and put the final touches on my sweet little niece's nursery. If you remember I wrote a post on some inspiration pieces for her nursery. I went with the colors mint, blush pink, coral and gold. I originally threw in peach but, only ended up using a splash here and there. I only have a boy so, doing a girl's nursery was a dream come true. It had to be super girly and filled with lots of sparkle! My sister is an amazing graphic designer and she made some adorable prints for the room. My brother in law is always so helpful and painted the room with me!!! I hope they all love it and enjoy spending time together in the new room.

My sister recently moved into her new home with her husband just days after she had her little girl. So, as you can imagine she had her hands full! I asked her if I could help put together her nursery and she gave me full reign!!! I was so excited. 

My sister found this crate and it originally had a Christmas design on the sides. I thought it would be great to hold books in. I simply painted the sides peach and added a monogram letter to it. Love using vintage items!

I found this pillow on Etsy and I couldn't pass it up. Blush pink and gold polka dots....xoxo! WilderandBean is such a cute shop. Check out her other pillows and blankets. They are not only cute... but very well made.

While I am loving on some Etsy, let me just show you my favorite part of the room. The gold heart wall!!! I purchased these decals from OwlHills. These are wall decals that come in 38 different colors. I was so excited when I saw they came in metallic gold! They also have other decals like polka dots and arrows. If you are looking for an easy way to add something special to your walls I highly recommend their decals. They were super easy to use. The placement we chose was tricky but luckily the decals are repositionable:). 

These are prints my sister made. I need to ask her to put them in our shop! Also, I seriously need to work on my photography(ugghhh...that glare)! It was so hard for me to get any good pics. I moved things around... added things...subtracted things...turned on and off lights. Whew, it is hard work! I think I got like one good pic. 

 I found this lamp at Goodwill. It did not have a shade but that was ok because I found the cutest one on clearance at Target. I then added some dollar section crocheted flowers from Michaels to give it a vintage touch. It came out to around 15.00 for the lamp and shade. I pictured my niece using this little space to play dress up and look at herself in the little antique mirror or maybe a little reading corner(which is more suited for her as her parents are readers...my little girl would be using it to stare at herself in her newest outfit). :)

I love this vintage nightstand my sister found thrifting. I also used the matching dresser that my sister already had from when she was little. That rocking chair is also my sisters from way back when. Kudos to my Mom for keeping our cute furniture! 

This is the matching dresser from my sister's childhood. I love the feminine lines. I added a wire heart wall art piece to hold all of my niece's hair accessories.

Isn't that pouf so cute???? That was the best score! It was on clearance at Target for only 7.48! It had all the colors of the room, except for mint.  

And here is the bed. You my be thinking..."Where is the crib"? That is what I had envisioned, as it is a nursery. My sister has a fancy pack and play and decided to use that for as long as possible and thought it would be best to just get a toddler bed. She may choose to get a crib later on, but for now she has this pink toddler bed. I have to say this threw me off. The scale of it is so small. It looks like doll furniture next to everything else. I made that "C" scroll art from some wood pieces from Michaels. I pictured the crib going under the art pieces but when that idea was nixed I had to think!!!! I saw a picture of a room that used a towel rack to display a quilt. I thought this would be a great place to use this idea as it would add some height to the bed. I thought about floating the bed in the middle but as my niece grows bigger I know she will need the room to play. The quilt on the bed is one that I try to steal from my sister every time I come over. My Nana made it . She made one for me too but I used it so much it started to fall apart. Now that it is my niece's I guess I won't try to steal it anymore....maybe:).

A lot of Auntie love went into this room. It was so fun to put together. If there is anything that I did not link above I will link down below. Sweet dreams little niece! Enjoy your new space!

Paint Soft Mint Green(top)Softest Juniper(bottom)//Curtains//Rug//

Towel Rack//Decals//Pillow//Bed//Blanket above bed (custom made by Grandma)

Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Baseball Themed Party

My son turned 5 last month and we threw him a big party! We had close to 100 people in attendance and it was a blast. The Hubs decided to hire a Hot Dog Cart guy and boy am I glad he did. It was such a relief to not have to make food for 100 people! We also got a bouncer that kept the kiddos busy and they had a blast in it! Well enough talkin' lets get to the pictures!

Etsy- These invitations were perfect for our theme!

The Hot Dog Cart. Isn't it so cool?! He had 9 different hot dog choices to choose from. Some of the toppings included were: Chimichurri, Chili, and other classic condiments. They were all delish!

Etsy-Loved these instant download banners! 

Etsy

A baseball themed party wouldn't be complete without Cracker Jacks and Big League Chew!

I used some tin pails that I already had and bought some fake grass from Joann's and then just placed a baseball on top and had my centerpiece completed just like that.

I also had these paint cans on hand from a previous party. I searched for vintage baseball printables online and printed out these on card stock and inserted them into the pails(had to trim down a bit). Then I filled them with peanuts and added some felt homemade pendants. 

Pay no attention to my handwritten sign!!!! I got a new computer and didn't have Microsoft Word yet and forgot to try to print it out somewhere else:). Anyways, I love this idea. All our party guests signed the Birthday Boys' Bat. It will be a great souvenir from the party to keep forever.

Happy Birthday to my Lil' Slugger!!!

Summer Lovin: Friday Favorites

So many pretty things have caught my eye this week. Since Mother's Day is coming up soon I thought I would put together some gift ideas! I picked out something for every mom...from gardening, cooking, fashion and beauty. Make sure to make your Mama feel special on this day and every day! This year marks the 100th Anniversary for Mother's Day!!!!

Apollo Gardener's Tool Kit

LP Blue Payton Satchel

Le Creuset Soleil Skinny Griddle 

J.Crew Ceramic Jewelry Tray

Dot Perfume by Marc Jacobs

It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Palette

You know what I really hate???

Andy Rooney had a segment on 60 minutes called, "You know what I really hate"? I think he should of called it, "You know what really grinds my gears"? In this segment he would talk about things that really irritated him. I don't want this post to be about my opinion of the recent Clipper drama, but it did stir up some thoughts. Most rooted in sadness and disgust. It had me thinking...you know what I really hate?...disrespect!

 When I think about racism, I am not naive to think that it is something of the past. It does seem archaic of a thought. I would hope we have learned from the past and have... grown up, for lack of better words. But, the sad reality is that it is still around. The comments made by the Clippers owner, were a huge slap of reality, that people are still racist. I think the bigger picture is that there is so much disrespect between us humans. Respect has been a common topic that I write about on my blog. It is so sad to see each generation show less and less of it. If we had more respect for others racism wouldn't exist. If we showed more respect for human life, abortion wouldn't exist. If we showed more respect for ourselves prostitution wouldn't exist.

Many of these issues like: racism, abortion and prostitution may not be issues that you have to deal with, but I am sure you know someone who was bullied or a female who has no respect for herself or other women and dresses to attract the wrong attention. Or maybe that is you. You are bullied or you don't have respect for yourself. Our world is in a sad place right now. I can pick apart what I know of Mr. Sterlings' life. I won't list them here, but I am sure you know the kind of life he leads. This man has issues. What I also wrestled with in my brain is that what is going on in your heart flows through your lips. I am going to guess Mr. Sterling isn't living a life that is focused on pleasing God. But, it did make me think about what flows from my own lips.

Psalms 141:3 states: "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord. Keep watch over the door of my lips". If Mr. Sterling had lived a life that was pleasing to God the recording might not exist or more importantly he would be less likely to have those thoughts. There are things I have said that I would never want to be broadcast on TV or the internet. Have I said hurtful things about others, yes. Anything like Mr. Sterling, no, but hurtful none the less. It is a great reminder that our words are powerful: "Reckless words pierce like a sword. But the tongue of the wise brings healing" Proverbs 12:18. My prayer is that my heart is pure and my words are uplifting. If we can learn anything about this man's foolish words is that we all need to show a little more R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Summer Lovin: Friday Favorites

I can't believe is is Friday again!!! This week I am sharing with you items I have actual purchased and am loving. Enjoy!

1-Loreal Sleek It Stand Smoother Serum-Spray  Best stuff for frizzy hair. It feels like a light oil without the greasiness
2-Crosley Palm Harbor 4 Piece Resin Wicker Set from Wayfair We were in need of a more modern patio set. We are loving this one!
3-Beach Babe Tone It Up DVD Love these girls!!! Great videos for toning and I never get tied of doing these routines.
4-Mint Merona Emily Sandals Got these pretties at Target and am loving the color!
5-Bath and Body Works Caribbean Escape 3 wick Candle  ohhhhhhh this smells like a tropical vaca
6-Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-on Eyeliner Fabulous liner. I am not a fan of their original 24/7 Glide on eyeliner but this velvet one is amazing. Stays on all day.

Living Room Design Ideas

Recently, I had the opportunity to give some design advice to a few friends. If you know me, this is my favorite thing to do. It takes me awhile to envision the space. I do not have the gift of seeing a plan right away, but with some time I can put together something that isn't too bad. I love the design site Olioboard. You can upload your own photos or use participating retailers items to plan out any space you have. My friend recently bought an amazing home and it was a blank canvas. She had The Hubs and I over and asked for our advice on their Living Room. The home has beautiful wood ceilings and beams. The room also has a wall of windows and sliding glass doors that open up to the most spectacular view. We went on a shopping trip to Z Gallerie. How fun is that? Her and her husband found a sofa they loved and I worked that into one of my designs. Here is what I came up with for their open living room:




This is not the correct layout but just a basic design direction. I love the pops of green, as they play well with the outside. The rug and artwork are my favorites. The great thing about Olioboard is it shows you where you can purchase everything and for how much. If I were a fancy schmancy designer this would have cost my clients around 10,000 but luckily you can find many of these items for a lot less. 



This design is with another couch and also shows some different chair options. The rug is a little more playful in this design. I chose to switch out the green from the previous design and show them what it looks like with yellow and blue. This also mixes different textures and metals which add a lot of warmth to a room.

They haven't started designing yet but I am looking for some items for them and hopefully I can help make their already fabulous home even more fab! If anyone else needs some help with decorating a space in your place:) just let me know. I do not charge... yet...I just love it. I am not a professional but I need to put all this info floating around in my brain to work. I love working with what people already have as well. Sometimes new eyes on a room can bring new light to it.