Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Visions Of Sugar Plums Danced In Her Head; a holiday bedroom makeover

I decided to give our bedroom a Christmas makeover! 


This is what my bedroom looked like before said  makeover. Shades of calming, soothing aqua...



I decided it needed a POP! of color for the holidays. Red fit the ticket.




I found the peppermint garland duvet cover and pillow cases at Garnet Hill. The peppermint pillow was handmade in NYC by Etsy seller,RosiRouge.




I filled the jars on my nightstand with various peppermint candies and peppermint candles.




I hung the snowflakes I made up over the bed using red and aqua ribbon.



For The other night stand I bought handmade bottle brush trees also from Etsy sellers. I fell in love with the Baileys cup tree and had to have it! It's from JenniferArndt. The little red tree and the little aqua tree  are from BlessingsFromCindy.








The bedroom turned out so cheerful, it gives me yet another reason not to want to leave my bed! Also it should be noted, Samardzija puppy approves of the makeover! xo & holiday spirit, Lizzie

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

take a moment tuesday; a bit of holiday happiness

Decided to make paper snowflakes tonight...



I used red, aqua and white cardstock paper. I finished the white flakes with a sprinkle of aqua glitter.



Can't wait to show you where I am hanging them! I will share more photos tomorrow! xo Lizzie

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Take a Moment Tuesday; Happy Little Things

3 little things are making my Tuesday a little better...

My new necklace made by the very talented Danielle of The Merriweather Council. I am working with her on a much bigger project- she is so great to work with!

Beautiful blown glass macaron ornaments from Sur La Table.  I put them on my pink cake plate for this picture and my JT walked by and said he wanted to eat them. Last year I waited until December to order from Sur La Table and everything I wanted was out of stock. I did not make that mistake this year! 

We got our pictures back from One and Only Paris Photography- I am having fun choosing prints to give our parents in their Christmas cards.

It's one day closer to Friday, I can be glad about that! xo Lizzie






Sunday, November 13, 2011

The Best Hot Chocolate & Homemade Marshmallows

If I love something I always am out to find the best version of it. Be it macarons, cupcakes or buffalo wings... I am constantly on the look out for the very best.


Hot chocolate with marshmallows is one of those things. Among those that I have tried in my search; Maribelle (too dark & too rich & very very bitter), Williams-Sonoma (not rich enough!), and Godiva (surprisingly not the super chocolaty taste I crave).



From my search I have found 2 favorites. Jacques Torres Hot Chocolate is my very favorite, but I have to buy the fresh at one of his shops in Manhattan. I have had the privilege of meeting him on several occassions and admittedly I have bit of a crush on him. I heard his French accent and melted a bit. Then his scrolling romantic handwriting impressed me and I told him this. He replied with "You should see what I do with ze chocolate..." and winked at me. The man wasn't kidding, his hot chocolate is awesome and so sinfully thick. My holiday isn't complete without a stop to a Jacques Torres shop for hot chocolate!


My second favorite is my favorite make-at-home hot chocolate... Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Sinful Hot Chocolate Mix. Ina's version of hot chocolate has just a touch of espresso which seems to balance the flavor perfectly.



Handcrafted marshmallows are a big trend in stores right now, but they are so expensive! Totally unnessary- they are so easy to make! I use Alton Brown's recipe and I cut them large. They are the perfect finishing touch to a great cup of hot cocoa.




I am going to go curl up on the big chair in our living room with my hot chocolate. Weekends are my favorite! xo Lizzie





Sunday Breakfast; Caramel Apple Pancakes

Gooooood Mooorning! My fiancee and I enjoyed a nice Fall breakfast at home this morning. We tried out Williams-Sonoma Caramel Apple Pancake Mix. We topped the pancakes with diced Honey Crisp apples and Vermont maple syrup. 




On my morning walk with my husky puppy, I collected colorful leaves and branches. I covered my yellow table runner with the leaves and I put the branches in my tall Fiesta vase.




The pancakes were great! They had cinnamon sugar crunchies in them and apples! I love Fall! xo Lizzie