Hello 2013!

Wishing everyone a happy & safe New Year and leaving you with this simple saying I created to inspire me throughout 2013.

Christmas DIY: Burlap Trees

I love the look of burlap when it comes to decorating for anything- weddings, fall, Christmas, etc.  I saw a few burlap trees at Home Goods a few months back and decided they would make a perfect DIY project.  I got a medium and a large cardboard cone from Michaels and a yard of burlap from JoAnns.  I cut the the burlap into 3/4" wide strips about 5" long, looped them, and hot-glued them one by one onto the cones.  It took an hour or so to do both trees and I am so happy with how they turned out.  I apologize for not taking more pictures during the process but hot glue sure makes it difficult to! I love the rustic, frayed look the trees have and I can't wait to use them for many Christmases to come.

Christmas Cards 2012: Antler Style

I'm seriously debating about whether or not to make 'Antlers' its own post category on the side of my blog.  Lately I've been posting about them so often because they are the perfect cross between my style and my husband's style.  Trendy yet classic, masculine but feminine.  I decided to watercolor our Christmas cards this year and thought that deer would be the perfect subject matter.  Below are a few snapshots courtesy of Instagram of the cards we sent out.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on how they turned out!

His & Hers: Bar Carts

Don't ever search "bar cart" on Pinterest unless you're prepared to literally spend two hours looking through them all.  Just kidding, but not really, because as soon as I typed those words in the search bar my jaw dropped and my eyes got all googly.  These images gave me so much inspiration and I can't wait to collect items to start creating our own bar area.  I love the idea of making it either ultra feminine or super masculine based on who your company is that day.  Hopefully ours will fall somewhere in between these masculine and feminine ideas.

His...

birch bark straws / antler bottle opener / brokers gin / knob creek / moonshine / tray table / ice bucket / trays / decanter

And hers...

striped straws / mirrored tray / pellegrino / lamp / trio drinkware / lemons / absolut citron / cocktail napkins / mirror topped table

Makes You Want to Take a Back Road

A few weeks ago when we went home my mom and I drove around the county to take pictures of barns.  We had no map or time limit, it was just us, our cameras, and the radio.  It wasn't about capturing a season or a person, but more about capturing our surroundings and appreciating the rustic details and rural landscape. It made me want to research the architecture of barns - what types were built in what areas and for what use. It made me want to know the story behind each and every one, about the history right in front of us.  And it made me want to paint - to watercolor the sun-washed siding and reflective tin roofs.  I'm so thankful for that weekend with my mom and all of the memories we made with each photo we took.  Here are a few of my favorites from that weekend.  

Color Palette: Classic Christmas

This weekend was made up of coffee, picking out the perfect Christmas tree, sparkly ornaments and twinkle lights.  I re-checked all of my holiday songs on iTunes and downloaded a new favorite. I miss the fireplace we had in our Charlotte apartment, but I loved decorating our new apartment with a few DIY projects (tutorials to come), my old snowman collection, and new plaid plates and napkins.  I think this color palette is a cozy mix of a few classic Christmas staples.  Plaids, sweaters, colored bulbs, and snow create the perfect blend of wintery prep.

Stag Style

Who says stags are just seasonal?  I love seeing antlers and deer silhouettes during Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I think they should stick around through out the whole year.  Here are a couple of my favorite stag-themed decorations that can last all year 'round.

a. antler stamp / b. faux antler candelabra / c. stag bottle stopper / d. etched stag double old fashioneds