'Tis The Season!

The holiday season is here, and I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I definitely ate for two and had my fair share of turkey, dressing, casseroles and desserts! I enjoyed spending the long weekend with our families, and now I'm looking forward to sharing time with loved ones over the Christmas holidays. Yay!!

I know it has been way too long since I have written a new post, and there has been so much going on in my world. I have missed my "blogger" friends...no doubt...but I must admit that I have enjoyed taking a break from the computer to spend time with family and friends. Also, with Baby Girl Maley on the way, it seems like so much of my "free time" is spent planning a nursery and going to bed by 9:30 p.m.  - which doesn't leave me many hours at night to post like I normally do. Yes, the pillow calls my name that early, and I almost always answer :) Ha!

OK, enough about that...It's December and my favorite time of year!! I just love the cool weather and cherish the 24-hour, non-stop Christmas music blaring on my XM radio. Ahhh...it's just so fabulous! Unlike many  years, I feel like I am ready and prepared to celebrate to the fullest...my house is decorated with glitters and lights, all of my shopping is complete (with the exception of a couple of small gifts), the presents are wrapped and my menu for holiday baking is complete! Below are some photos of my decorations this year. I used a good bit of red and green - the classic Christmas colors. The best part, though, is the smell of Frasier Fir in my home - if only I could send the aroma through my computer...you would love it!!

Happy Holidays to you, and I hope your season is filled with joy!! Oh, and I have some nursery posts coming soon! I think I've got a plan - now I've just got to put it into action :)

 Living Room

Front Entry 

Living Room Mantle 

Flocked Tree in Living Room

Breakfast Area

Fairy Santa in Kitchen

Keeping Room

I would love for you to share your seasonal decor as well! If you post your holiday decorations, leave a comment with a link to your post so we can all "ooh" and "ahh!"



Design Profile: Big Apple Style

Occassionally, I browse the internet for unique and interesting designers and decorators - well, I really look to find talented people in general. It's such an inspiration to see the work of others, and I love to see how different spaces come to life. Tonight, I stumbled upon a website, Karen Houghton Interiors, that really caught my eye. The firm has been around since 1896 and is based in Nyack, NY. Karen's design principal states that "a room must be right for its time, its place and for people who live in it." So true! She has a staff of 3 designers, along with herself, that transforms homes throughout the NY tri-state area. Although I don't know where Nyack is exactly and I will probably never make it there, here's to betting that they have some gorgeous homes and lucky homeowners- thanks to KHI.

Below I have posted some images from the firm portfolio. In my opinion, the work is fabulous - very soothing, sophisticated and elegant. Don't you agree? I could feel right at home in one of these spaces - no doubt!

I've hit a milestone...

I now have over 100 followers!! I am so blessed and thankful that so many of you are taking time out of your busy schedule to read my blog. I enjoy keeping this online diary, and I've met so many wonderful people through the process. My whole blogging experience started as a small project and has grown into so much more than I could have imagined. It's truly amazing! I appreciate your support very much and hope you will continue to follow my journey!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you - from the bottom of my heart.

Fireplace Fix-Up

I've been meaning to post about this for a while but just got around to taking some final photos. When Collin and I bought our home, it wasn't quite complete so we were able to put a few of our own touches in the final building phases; however, some things were already in place. One of these things was the tile around the fireplace in the formal living room. The tile that the builder selected was a slate tile which had a lot of natural blue hues. I liked the tile OK, but it just wasn't working with the style and colors of the room. It was dark and rustic, but the room is more formal and light. So, we made a change and replaced the slate tile with a 2" x 1" Imperador marble mosaic tile, and I love it! I wanted something classic, subtle and neutral, and I think it really works well in the space. Of course during the whole process, I bought a new lamp and a few new accessories and moved some things around - go figure!

Below, I have posted some photos of the room and fireplace- before, during and after. I apologize for the pictures not being very professional! Anyway, have any of you reworked your fireplace surround lately? What has been your most recent home project? Aren't they so much fun?!

BEFORE

DURING



AFTER!

Drumroll please...

I can't believe we finally found out - we're having a girl!! We are thrilled and most excited that our little one is healthy!! It's just so surreal! God is so good, and I feel extremely blessed! Collin and I had dinner with my parents, sister and niece to celebrate and here are some pictures from the night. I've also posted some pictures from the Mistletoe Preview Gala I mentioned in my previous post. We had a great time with friends at the party last night- as always!!

Well, I'm off to do some shopping tomorrow at Mistletoe Marketplace. Can't wait!! Then, I'm on to nursery design :) And I promise I'll be back with more design related posts soon. I told myself I wasn't going to make this a personal blog, but I just couldn't help sharing our exciting news!! Happy weekend!

Thursday's Thrill

It's Thursday, and I couldn't be happier! It's almost the weekend (yay!) and as I mentioned in my previous post, I'm headed to the doc today to find out the gender of Baby Maley! Oh, and last night we attended the annual Mistletoe Preview Gala and had a blast. Even though we were there for several hours, I still felt like I didn't get to see everything (there are so many things going on - music, food, shopping, silent and live auctions...you name it), but I did get to visit with many people I hadn't seen in a while. It's always so much fun! Pictures will be coming soon :)

All in all, it's just been a great week! I thought this room below was appropriate for today - happy, cheerful, colorful and bright! I love the mix of modern and traditional elements, and I especially love the ottoman and yellow lamp. Yum!

Soothing Energy and Baby News

Okay, so I know that I have been WAY out of the loop lately. I don't know what has gotten into me....although I have truly been extremely busy - and tired. I'm going to try to do a little better...I promise! I thought I would post about one of my favorite photos. It's something about the cool purple and lime green that catches my eye. It's soothing and energetic at the same time. I just love it!

In other news...we find out on Thursday if we're having a boy or a girl!! I can't wait, but most of all, I'm just anxious to see our little one. I'll definitely keep everyone posted. In the meantime, though, what do you think we will have?

Boy???



or Girl???

Leave it up to me to put cupcakes as my boy and girl images - yum!!!

Sassy Seating!

Last week, Jackson hosted the second annual DeltaCON tradeshow for contract furnishings. There were over 90 vendors and some really awesome products. I must say, though, two chairs have really stuck in my mind as favorites. The first is Herman Miller's SAYL Chair designed by Yves Behar, and the second is the FIT chair by Kimball Office. They are so sassy, and I am proof, too, that they are just as comfortable as they are unique!!

(Below) Herman Miller SAYL Chair

(Below) Kimball Office FIT chair

I hope your week is off to a great start!

Fun Weekend and Fair Food

This past weekend was a great one! My high school reunion took place beginning on Friday night and ended with a great party on Saturday night at Jackson's newest restaurant, Parlor Market. The food was delicious, and it was so nice to see so many people that I haven't seen in so many years. Unfortunately, I do not have the first photo, but all in all, it was a nice weekend.

To start the week, Collin and I met some good friends at the MS State Fair last night. Oh my goodness, talk about food, food, food - everywhere! We enjoyed many samplings and even rode the ferris wheel. Just to name a few of our indulgences...hamburger, french fries, cinnamon roll (yum!), and Collin's favorite - philly cheesesteak (without the cheese-ha). Wow! It was a great way to start the week for sure, and the weather was fantastic!!

I hope your week is off to a good start as well!! Happy Tuesday!

Neopolitan, please!

Today, I am loving this image from House Beautiful. The shades of pink with splashes of brown and ivory work so well together...and besides that...they remind me of one of my favorites, neopolitan ice cream. (Sorry, I just had to throw that in there!) Anyway, I especially love the greek key pattern they have used on the pillows and rug. It adds such a splash of personality to the space, and the tufted chair isn't so bad either (love it!) Oh, and how can you not adore the chandelier that adds a feminine touch and a little more formality to the space? Speaking of...here's a tip: if you're wanting to dress up a space and can live without your ceiling fan, think about changing the fan {or ceiling mounted fixture} to a more detailed, formal chandelier. It can really transform a space!

I hope you all have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Cool (and Hot) Runnings

I recently ran across these ultra-cool and super-hot water faucets by German brand, Dornbracht, and Italian brand, Zucchetti. Although I'm not in the market for one of these at the moment, I just couldn't resist saving them in my "favorites" file for the future. The Dornbracht faucets are sleek and modern while the Zucchetti fixtures are offered in several eye-popping colors that are sure to spice things up in your kitchen or bar area!



Dornbracht "Tara" Dispenser designed by Dieter Sieger

Zucchetti Dispenser designed by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba

Dornbracht "Tara" Dispenser with rounded faucet head

Images via Trendir

Which is your favorite? Hope your week is off to a great start!

Daring Duo

I hope you all had a great weekend! I was on the road, but it was well worth it! Now, it's back to the daily grind. I thought I would start off this week with a bold image that contains two of my design favorites - he polka dot effect and velvet orange club chairs. I just love the combination of colors in the photo, and the wallcovering is dynamite!

I hope you have a great Monday!!

Image from House and Home

Pyramidal Friday

It's...

...and isn't this chair funky?!

Pyramid Chair by Nienkamper