A Cottage Living Christmas

I usually reserve Mondays for daydreaming, but my brain is so fried by the race to the finish line (Christmas) that I cannot even do that right now! So today I wanted to share with you some festive pictures from my old friend- Cottage Living. Maybe my day dream will be that CL will come back!!!Oh why can't this be my house? I just don't understand....
One day I will have a dinner party with mini trees on the table, love the idea! Do y'all find that you have these plans for great dinner parties and then by the time you get around to it, it is paper napkins instead of cloth, zero place cards and your everyday dinnerware? Seriously, I am going to try to work on that...(not that there is anything wrong with going casual)
So sweet, flowers as ornaments....I wish I had done this....
Next year I am going back to old school, big color lights, sorry PHS....

All images from http://www.cottageliving.com/cottage/. If you have not checked out this issue of Cottage Living (the last one, tear) you need to, such great rooms.

...im on vacation

its been a few days since ive posted, i have since had a cold, traveled home to newport, rhode island, was stuck over night in philidelphia and now am home. Since college during the holidays i always tend towards a few films that just for some reason make me feel nice during the winter. the 400 blows, murmur of the heart and au revoir les enfants are the ones that get the job done.
Im sure i will be plenty busy going from house to house seeing friends and family during my 10 day stay here, so i wont be posting as much, most notably i will be going to new york next weekend to not only see some friends i havent seen in a while BUT... to also meet up with David Cafiero of www.cafieroselect.com...along with his assistant Keenhan to see what there working on... i will try and get pictures but dont hold your breathe... till then, have a great holiday, enjoy yourself, enjoy your company... be well.

Will You Help Me Robert?

People are always amused when I say I wish someone would come decorate my house. However, I am sure many of you in this industry feel exactly the same way. This year, Christmas really crept up on me and I am not ready at all. What could make this all better?
If Robert Rufino (the mastermind behind these festive decorations) would come help decorate for Christmas.
So I decided to get to know my future decorator better and found this great article about him. As I went along I started to become very intimidated by him, he is so talented and refined and after all the CREATOR OF THE TIFFANY WINDOW DISPLAYS FOR YEARS....
And while I loved the pictures of his home I worried that we wouldn't mesh.....But then I spotted the glasses and something inside me said, "Yes, maybe y'all are destined to be friends" (I LOVE the glasses)Then came the pictures of the WATCHES and his closet and I knew we were alike on some level, he even has a yellow watch which screams fun right? But still I was intimidated....But then magic happened, I spied this picture . Any man who has a sense of humor and loves his dog like Robert is fine by me. The Hubby and I have spent all week laughing at the reindeer antlers we put on Harry and here is my long lost friend doing the same.....I know, now you love him too.....

First three images House Beautiful, December 2008.
For all other images and an interview with Robert visit HERE.

4 Calling Birds, 3 French Hens....

Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree....Has anyone else noticed that everywhere you look these days there are birds? Not that I mind .....Of course there are always bird ornaments, I LOVE the ones above from Pottery Barn.You know too many post have gone by since I mentioned West Elm, these could be out year around...I heart anything Mercury Glass, these are no exception.

Any of these sets could be added to my "imaginary for now, hopefully will come to fruition one day" plate collection...
Oh I want these pillows, I love the silver embroidery, perfect Holiday decorating without being over the top....
Every bird needs a home. This one is for the bird who has a sense of humor...
This one would be for the Shabby Chic Bird....
And of course for the Modern Bird....
CLICK ON IMAGES ABOVE FOR SOURCE. Be sure to check out Anthropologie, always a great source for bird gems.

Country Living Christmas

I don't have time to really blog today but I thought I would leave you with some Christmas images from Country Living December 2008....
I wish the bedroom above was mine. The iron hardware added the wreath below makes it a little more eye pleasing than it already was...Such a happy table.....

john peixinho

ok... so i'm not a year behind the times or anything, this issue of www.housebeautiful.com came out almost a year ago. It features my good friend and former boss' home in newport, rhode island. to say that this house is the epitomy of classic new england relaxed style would be an understatement. John and Franklin and co. have created a time machine, a world where classic lines, comfort and an appreciation for antiques take center stage. i cant say enough about John's stylistic and personal influence on my life, he continues to surprise and inspire me. He taught me everything from how to set a proper table to utilizing assertiveness in the eyes of defeat. kudos!

www.franklinandcompany.com

Mondays Are For Day Dreaming: Shiny Things Coming My Way

What if for Christmas I was getting something shiny and sparkly, antique and outrageously expensive? What if the price tags ended in 000 or 0,000 or even 00,000 instead of one 0? Hey, don't judge me , this my DAY DREAM. This day dream all started when I spied this in an ad.....In one second I knew I had to have it and it would also never be mine.......Which got me thinking, I don't have any brooches, not even a cheap one! So I decided to go looking. Let's start with some festive pieces to get us in the spirit.....This one is so sweet, is is spring yet?Oh and then there is this one. This one makes me laugh out loud. So perfect for a Monday. It says, "Even though I may look nice because I am dressed nicely be warned. I am in a MOOD and may bite your head off at any moment." I believe this is the exact look I give my alarm clock on Monday mornings. If I owned this piece I may even wear it to the gym to warn people to steer clear since I am always grumpy going to the gym. ( I am kidding, I don't wear jewelry to the gym, it is a pet peeve of mine).
Simple, lovely, these pieces remind me of earrings my Grandmother gave me that I love dearly.


I may not own any brooches, but I do own some watches. I LOVE watches, they are my "thing". However, I don't have any nice dress watches, I will take both of these in case I can't decide between gold or diamond.

Some for the rest of the week......



Well, I had to throw in some earrings for good measure....

And since it is the season of "five golden rings"......

So I hope you enjoyed this little daydream. Unless you are insanely lucky, don't fall in love with anything on here- everything shown has at least three 000's on the end of the price tag if not more. ALL JEWELRY AND IMAGES FROM www.1stdibs.com

PS- the lion is already sold, I hope the owner finds it as amusing as I do.