I've got one today with the ladies from work. I'm making Ina Garten's roasted butternut squash salad with warm cider vinaigrette. I love this salad during the winter. I also love Ina's kitchen. Sorry I've been so busy! I might not be coming back until next February, no just kidding. But I have been a little preoccupied lately with this house!

Here's a little project I've been working on...Get one of these 16-18'' wire wreath frames from here.
Find some preserved boxwood, magnolia leaves (actually I used preserved lemon leaves), and other orange berry stick type things. I know the name of the plant I used was on my receipt which is somewhere lost in my wallet, sorry! I picked up my boxwood and lemon leaves (and actually some dried juniper for some other projects) at a local wholesale craft shop and the fresh orange berry twigs came from local wholesale flower warehouse. Gotta have a wreath hanger and that wire will become your new best friend. Don't forget the wire cutter!
And...Voila! After Thanksgiving, when I start to get more Christmasy I'm going to remove the orange berries and add some pomegranates using floral pics, oh and maybe a big gold bow for fun!

I highly recommend listening to Motown Christmas on Pandora when participating in these Christmas craft activities!

...added to my front porch yesterday afternoon. Still working on that wreath...more to come!

Sorry peeps, going out of town for the rest of the week. Big installation at a house in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Should be a lot of fun...although hard work, early morning, late nights, cleaning and moving. BUT, I pretty much die for this kinda work. Draperies, bedding, rugs, pillows, hanging pictures, accessorizing...heaven. When I get back hopefully my husband will have cleaned up a little so I can show you some paint pictures at our wee house!

image: here

My table top arrived a few weeks ago from Louisiana, with my swing. Here it is propped up on its base, aren't those primed walls in the background lovely? (oh and that mess of books on the floor, they've been there so long we're creating a new look) We've been busy busy... I've been adding coats of Tung Oil (mixed with paint thinner) on this bad boy, a new coat every 2-3 days, 3-4 coats, it's taking a while, you do the math. She's looking pretty. I'm letting her dry out all week before I start with the English Wax I bought for her.

I'm thinking about one of these for my powder bathroom...
This one is from Brown, who's having a major sale this weekend, I'm missing the start of it this morning because of a meeting...hopefully I'll make it there later today to see what's left!

I need help!

Part of me wants my porch to be very 'in keeping' with the style of my house.


a.k.a. - This rocker, in black.

The other part of me wants these cool, very comfy, Ikea rattan ones spray painted in a fun color (or still black), with great custom made seat cushions on them.

I can't decide. The taller ones could be seen from the street, but I think I only have room for one of those. I probably could fit two of the shorter ones. Hum..decisions, decisions. Refer back to here for visuals...

Oh, you may think I am crazy talking about my porch during this time of the year, but it's like 75 in Houston these days, perfect temperature to be lounging outside!

While I was in Boulder this past weekend I popped into a new precious shop along Pearl, it turns out the hospitable, warm owner is from Houston! I'm sorry, but southerners are just plain sweet, I love meeting them out of town. Anyway, she had a jewelry line that I love. I know I've seen it before, perhaps on a blog somewhere? or in a shop? Alkemie. Check it out. It's green. I love that. Made from recycled metals. How cool.