Season's Greetings... Cards

Hi Friends:

One of my favorite holiday traditions is sending seasonal greeting cards. It's such a nice way to tell people you are thinking about them during this time of year. 

As I am sure you have experienced, displaying these cards can be a trick. Here are a handful of ideas to help you showcase your cards and add charm to your holiday decor.

When you rifle through your Christmas decoration box, do you have any extra ornaments that just don't seem to make it to the tree? Add them to a decorative bowl and add your cards. The bowl will look great on your coffee table or sideboard.

You can use the same philosophy with bells -- add them to a decorative bowl with your cards and voila!

Do you have a table with glass on top of it to protect the surface? Slide the cards underneath the glass for a great display.

We just love this idea from Martha Stewart! Simply punch a hole through your holiday cards, add a ribbon to form a loop and hang on tree branches. So cute and festive.

You can also purchase card holders that can be hung over the back of a door or mounted to a wall. I have a vintage card holder that I hang from a ribbon on my door (image on the right) but we found a great vintage-inspired piece at Pier 1 this year (image on the left)!

 How do you display your holiday cards?

Vintage Sugar Bowls!

Hi Friends:

Before you start reading this post, do me a favor; open the door to your pantry and take a look at your sugar storage situation. I have a feeling if you are like most of us, it probably looks a bit disorganized with ripped and clipped bags and boxes stuffed on a shelf probably spilling their contents and probably making a royal mess. In-and-of-itself, this situation is not insurmountable. With some heavy duty bag clips or high quality Tupperware, your problem is solved. But, what do you do when you need "just a spoonful of sugar?" Tell me you don't dig into those bags with a teaspoon!

If you do, have I got the perfect solution for you: vintage sugar bowls! They are so beautiful, so unique, so charming and so much easier to navigate when you need just a pinch of sugar in your morning java. Vintage sugar bowls come in every size, shape, and color; but I prefer clear cut glass or crystal, utilitarian versions that fit in with any decor. Clean and classic, you just can't go wrong. Fill up your sugar bowl, keep it on your counter, add a beautiful vintage sterling silver or silver plate teaspoon (for extra flare engrave your spoon with your monogram or last initial) and presto: instant charm and no mess!

Lisa & Nikki's Friday Finds - Stocking Stuffer Edition

Hi Friends:

This week's Friday Finds is devoted to vintage stocking stuffers for the home! What has inspired and delighted us? Here they are - the sights, sounds, and one-of-a-kinds we loved!

Nothing will complete your upscale barware collection quite like this unique jigger spoon with bottle opener. Love!

We love this vintage tin scoop. It measures less than 4 inches long and is the perfect way to add charm to an apothecary jar filled with bath salts.

Need a way to store those beautiful vintage sterling silver and silver plate teaspoons? How about a Princess House Glass Spoon Holder!

These vintage rice molds are so unique and make great spoon rests in your kitchen.

There is no classier way to put out a candle than with a vintage candle snuffer. We love this brass one!

Monogram-a-holic!

My name is Nikki and I’m a monogram-a-holic. Not long ago, I was not comfortable talking about my addiction. I tried to hide it from my family and friends; but, when my three favorite letters started popping up on pillows, towels, silver spoons and trays, my husband was quickly on to me.  I think it was the large embroidered “B” on my shower curtain that compelled him to ask – what’s with the obsession? 

The answer was simple.  Monograms and initials, in every form, are beautiful.  They personalize your home, they are great conversation starters, and gosh darn, I just plain love them!

My personal philosophy on monograms follows traditional schools of thought:

• The monogram in your home should always represent the woman of the house
• A traditional monogram is:
• small initial of your first name, large initial of your last name, small initial of your middle or maiden name

I think there is one exception to the rule. I love the idea of embroidering a beautiful "married" monogram on a European size pillow to display in the middle of your bed. Follow this pattern:

• small initial of wife's first name, large initial of your shared married last name, small initial of husband's first name
  

 It's a wonderful way to visually depict two becoming one.

Happy monogramming!

Bring the Cornfield to Your Door!

Beautiful wreath made by A.J. Ackleson for Georgia's!

While meandering through Ohio this weekend, I passed through a quaint little town where the streets were lined with homes decked out in Fall finery. There were pumpkins, gourds, haystacks, cornstalks, scarecrows...it was really charming. But one house in particular caught my eye!     

This was a "stop the car!" moment for me. I just loved this wreath! The size and free form of the corn husks really appealed to me. I had to have one. I knocked on the door, but there was no answer. As I was leaving, the lady of the house walked up the sidewalk and I asked her about it. She said that she had gotten it at an antique market and that she, too, loved it's size and style. Over the next three hours of driving, as I passed cornfield after cornfield, I decided I would buy some cornstalks and try to make one. Here is what I came up with for under $20 and, if I do say so myself, it turned out great!

You need three bundles of cornstalks for this project in order to have a good selection of leafy parts.

Gather supplies: straw wreath form, twine or wire, clippers, scissors, florist greening pins and wreath hanger.

Start by determining the approximate diameter you want the finished wreath to be. This is important to know in order to determine the length of the cornstalk pieces to cut. Then, using your clippers, cut the top leafy parts of 4 to 5 stalks and tie them on the wreath form.

Continue to cut and bundle cornstalk sections attaching each bundle by wrapping tightly with twine and forming a clove hitch knot (or a knot of your choice) before adding the next bundle.

To add fluff to each bundle, pull off individual husks from the base of the stalk and add them to the 4 or 5 stalk tops. 

The wreath is starting to take shape. Beware, it gets big!

The finished product! It definitely makes a statement don't you think?

A little something for the squirrels!

Rack 'em up!

I don't know about you, but I quite literally despise towel racks that are made from chintzy metal.  You know the ones I'm talking about, they are in almost all hardware stores, new construction homes, even old construction homes! Boring. Blah. Not cute!

While I recognize the job of holding up a wet towel is not exactly glamorous, that doesn't mean the rack can't be. Below are two re-purposing ideas for creating unique towel racks with  charm. 

1. Find some old cast iron hooks.
 

I love hooks! Check out this great set that I have hanging in my master bathroom. Not only do they look great, they are so functional.  Forget hanging one wet towel, I can hang eight if I really wanted to (but I don't). Typically I hang two wet towels; but with these hooks, I have room to hang miscellaneous clothing items too! I love it when style meets function.

2. Hang up some old spindles.

You heard me. Old spindles. In my spare bathroom I took a set of old spindles that I found at a local salvage warehouse.  These beauties used to support what I imagine was a beautiful staircase railing. Now they are re-purposed to hold my...say it with me...wet towel. I actually have two types of spindle towel racks in my guest bathroom:  a single and double version.  The single rack hangs next to my sink and holds an embroidered "welcome" hand towel.  The double version holds a guest bath towel and a monogrammed hand towel. To be honest, this option is more style than function.  Though not ideal for long term storage of wet towels, short term hangs should be perfectly fine.

Happy Showering!