Wow three posts today...I am in major catch up mode in life lately. With the pending Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday, I want to make sure I am on top of things early so that I can enjoy the next month and a half (I think I say that every year).

One of the non holiday things on my list as of late is to find a reasonably priced flat weave rug with character and at a great price point..ANd those who know about good rugs knows that can be a tricky feat. If you have any good ideas on where tho resource such a rug please share. There is one that I have my eye on at a consignment shop but the price has to come down a little. Anyway the above rug in the cool Milan palazzo belongs to the designers behind Dimore Studio.

{above photos by Emanuele Zamponi for Yatzer}

glass clusters and using expired lightbulbs

I love clusters of glass like the above so when I saw the below I instantly thought of crafting something similar for the Christmas holiday. I think it is genius that Camilla over on Family Chic found a way to use her expired light bulbs.

Fot the full crafting instructions go here.

The compilation of Aerial Views

I am completely charmed with the aerial photographs that have been compiled into a blurb book by Bernhard Lang. All of the aerial photographs were taken over the south of Bavaria, Germany in both the summer and winter seasons. I would love to add this book to my collection and think this would be a great gift..hint..hint.

Aerial Views by Bernhard Lang can be purchased on blurb right here.

{discovered via Yatzer}

Tis the season for velvet pillows

I've had my eye on that silk velvet blush pillow ever since that top bedroom was published in Veranda. The silk velvet fabric to make that pillow is by Scalamandre just in case you were wondering.

Anyway this is the season for velvet. Velvet immediately warms up a room even when the temps are below freezing. If you are on the hunt for some silk velvet pillows then I would suggest these or these.

{part of the weekend}

On a whim I booked a hotel fifteen minutes away from our home called the Saguaro. You see husband had a birthday and his only request was that he got to sleep in. To remedy this request we outsourced a place to sleep. The cool thing about the whole experience was that we walked into the hotel with the same clothes we walked out with. No packing except for our bathing suits and a few toiletries. A couple of highlights from our stay included the fact that we were the very first ones to sleep in the newly renovated room and we were also the only ones at the pool area. I do have to admit the weather was pretty chilly but with heated pools and hot tub it all worked out just fine. Now if this sort of place looks like it would be up your alley and you come and visit us in the valley of the sun then I would recommend it for many reason including the most comfortable beds. What are you waiting for? Come and visit us because we really are in our season of joy in this neck of the desert...

How was your weekend?

metallic holiday earrings (best tassels ever)

I love tassels so I was very excited to find small ones that were metallic and already looked like jewelry. I can not even begin to tell you how beautiful these are in person. I could just imagine all of the crafting purposes for these little pretties. Anyway they have such a festive look to them that I thought they would make gorgeous earrings for the holidays. The best part is that they are really easy to turn into an earring. All you need are some little earring hooks and the tassel. Just tie the top of the tassel string into a knot and then hook it onto the earring piece and you're done.

Can you believe we are in full force holiday season already?

If you are interested in the most beautiful tassels ever then call the folks over at The Fashion Company in San Francisco and tell them you want the 3" metallic tassels. They have the best prices I have found thus far.

12 tassels @ $8.50

(415) 626-5641

Oh and you want me to include some interiors that are all holiday magical that would go well with the tassels???

Pls. turn your attention to the below pictures from Nuevo Estillo because they are right up my Momma's holiday peace and joy alley..and mine too.

Have the best weekend ever!

[a little note and the candy fairy}

Well we made it through Halloween. In hopes to halt all gluttonous behavior I told the kids to eat as much candy as they wanted the day of Halloween and then leave the rest out for the candy fairy to take in exchange for a small toy. My friend thought I was so weird for doing this but I think there would have been more weirdness going on around the house after the kids all downed their 10 pounds of candy Ausustus Gloop style. I could just see myself saying, "Kids save some for later". The funny thing about the candy fairy though is that she really loves Twix and Kit Kats...that probably should be the real focus of gluttonous behavior..busted.

Anyway I am feeling kind of chatty at the moment and wanted to get something off of my chest. You see most of the time you don't see what goes on behind the scenes of the blog and in fact only see certain aspects of life....which usually tends to be the best. You see a camera can be choosy on whether it wants to capture the the mess to the left or the clean spot to the right if you know what I mean. Sure I could post about how motherhood kicks my booty every other day or how I just had to invest in clinical strength deodorant because I have BO and stink but alas you see mostly all of the good and the pretty. I would never want anybody to think I was some kind of amazing Mom who always had it together because then I might be at risk of being deemed a phony baloney. With that being said I need to hustle and clean up my house just so Lilia won't be scared when she comes over to give my house a monthly deep clean (Lilia is one of my favorites). I love all of you guys and love all of the nice little notes and emails..even if you think I might be better than I am.

Hugs.

Oh and what are you doing this weekend..I really would love to hear????

I want to go skiing

{above photos from Vogue}

I like to use the word obsessed with caution but can we talk about Aerin Lauder's ski cabin (can we even call it a cabin)? Then again I still think about Aerin's Manhattan apartment and Hamptons country home from time to time..see I'm not obsessed. I love how sleek and modern her Aspen home is without sacrificing that warmth. Give me a cup of seeping hot chamomile tea and I'd be good to go watching the snowflakes fall down after a good day on the slopes.

P.S. - I'll be back with something of more substance a little later.