Award!

I got tagged! Thank you BrideChic for the Fabulous Blog Award! What an honor.

Here are the rules: List 5 obsessions/addictions that you have, and tag back to the person who gave you the award.

Post the rules. Tag 5 more people!

Here are my obsessions:

1.) Facebook. Update your status, people!!!

2.) Puppies. The breath, the antics, the deeeeep sleep, and the kisses.

3.) Anything uber-soft and preferrably furry (faux, of course) and ideally in the form of a pilliow or blanket.

4.) IM'ing my brother funny stuff, theories of physics or philosophy (mostly those philosophies which can be analogized by snack foods), nonsensical, overly-analytical movie lines, or just simply random junk (and captioned pics from http://www.ihasahotdog.com/).

5.) Food and wine, in virtually any form, any meal of any day or any celebration, any time of year, but especially at the holidays (yes, this counts as a mere One obsession!)

Here's who gets this Fabulous Blog Award now!

1.) Snippet & Ink

2.) Nichol Krupp Photography

3.) One Eye Open

4.) Retro48's WeddingByColor Blog

5.) BlackStar Farms

It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS!

Especially in the living room. These pictures do not do it justice, I apologize (damn cheap-ass digital P.O.S., the CanonEOS Rebel Ti slr is now at the top of the wish list)... Oh, and Santa? Can we have six more weeks of holidays, please?

Who doesn't just LOVE a good soft teddy mouse and an old fashioned rocking horse? To me that is the epitome of Christmas.

Black Tie Optional

Despite the goofy grin on my face, I thought the outfit was successful for the Studio 23 Black & White Affair. Especially love the clutch I found at Charlotte Russe for $18! I wish you could see the boots - Ann Klein on huge sale at the outlet.

(The Gallery event was the opening of the exhibition of Harry Ahn's portraits. Amazing! I highly recommend seeing him if you get a chance. I have yet to find out if I bought anything at the silent auction and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the two orange & ivory horse paintings which will inspire an entirely new office decor.)

Thanksgiving decor

Mmmm..... orange & white fluffiness. Picture a tall, hourglass-shaped orange glass tower vase with a cluster of orange roses, snowy peonies, white amaryllis, and gold silk oak leaves cascading down. It is LOVELY! However, it is a mere inch from touching the bottom of the dining room chandelier. Too tall? I'll have to post a real pic soon.

Holiday Tablescape

FOUND IT!!! Tah-Dah.... the holiday tablescape:
Photo by Perez Photography, posted recently on projectwedding.com.

NYE Update!

Hurray! We just made reservations at Blackstar Farms for New Years!!! YAY!!!

Tailgating Menu

Michigan plays its last home game tomorrow against Northwestern. It's a noon game. And the weather is probably going to be cold and wet. We're tailgating in the morning and so far here is the menu (designed almost entirely by the men who will be attending, can you tell?):

While I applaud the creativity and variety in the beverages, do you happen to notice, as do I, the glaring absence of one or two very important food groups?

Now, I understand it is football, and tailgating, and we usually just do brats & beer, but if you have any suggestions for non-beverage, non-meat, non-bread food items, I would love your input! (Okay, pumpkin is a vegetable, and there will be pumpkin in the muffins or cheesecakes, so that probably completes the triangle, along with the cider and V8 in the bloody Mary's... Right?)

PS: the bagel photo is borrowed from Café Fernando dot com.

Dreams for a Romantic New Years...

Ahhh.... Blackstar Farms... Suttons Bay, Michigan. The single most luxurious place on the face of the earth. (Well, not including anywhere with an ocean view, anyway.) I would love to stay there for New Years Eve again...

PS ~ For anyone interested in a Northern Michigan destination wedding, this place would be phenomenal!

Christmas Wish List

How exciting is that moment when your mom asks, "So, what would you like for Christmas this year?"???? I mean, it's not like I've been greedily drafting, editing and re-writing The List, but, I did have a couple little things in mind. For instance, any one of these beautiful coats from Victorias Secret will do:

I already have an ivory wool coat, so I don't really NEED another one, but these three are too fabulous to omit from the official List. But, I need a little advice before picking one of the other three. First, does anyone have an opinion on the gold buttons on the red swing coat (top left)? I love the silhouette but I'm worried the buttons are too much. Second, the fuscia one, bottom center, is gorgeous, but I usually HATE that color! Any olive-y-skinned brunettes ever wear anything purple-y?

Shey's Wedding

I first discovered these beautiful photos on the bride's Knot bio: knottie MrsMarin. They have been emblazoned upon my brain ever since, and now I am ((((this)))) close to having a chance to stay at the amazing Rockhouse Hotel. Thank you, Shey, for the images.

(PS ~ Let me know if this bothers you and I'll take them down stat!)

RAVE: Fab Fotog!

Shey Marin.... the name evokes images of the Rockhouse Hotel in Negril, Jamaica. We've been trying to plan a trip to Negril for months now, and while selecting lodging, I couldn't help taking a look back at Shey's wedding pics on her Knot bio, only to find in my disappointment, (sniff) her bio pics are now itty-bitty thumbnails =(
HOWEVER! Google is your friend. Look what I found!

She is a fabulous portrait artist who all you Indiana folks should hire, and you absolutely must check out her delectable food pictures (what's for dinner? Ideas? Anyone? Because if no one gives me any ideas it's gunna be another Mejier rotisserie chicken.)

Dream Tablescape

I adore this tablescape by Ankasa posted this week on coco+kelley's blog:

Oh, say it isn't too late to repaint the kitchen and dining room and buy all new furniture and chair covers before Thanksgiving.

Two weeks + to Thanksgiving

Today I bought a few yards of upholstery fabric to make cushions for our dining room - two benches & two chairs. (Hurray! for JoAnn's 50% off sales!) They'll be this Waverly Onyx Damask on one side (right) and a tone-on-tone ivory stripe on the other side, with ivory cording and grograin ribbon ties. Wish me luck!

(Oh, and YES, this was more important than new window treatments in the living room. What kind of ridiculous question is THAT? In other words, this was only three yards of fabric and the drapes will be a LOT more.)

Inspiration Sauvignon

I could design an entire room or event around these two pictures from Ira Lippke. (Yes, wine is a texture all its own.)

The most amazing thing about this particular event, though, is that these two photos give no indication of the crazy fun this couple (and especially their groomsmen) had at their wedding. Check out the rest on Ira's website or at snippetandink.com. Incredible!

Feathery Finds

I have been infatuated with feathers lately. In fashion, decor, wedding details, etc. And a few weeks ago I happy-accidentally stumbled upon the fabulous creations of Emplume. http://www.emplume.com/. Here are some of their things. Best part is, they're in Michigan!

I can envision a dramatic NYE tablescape centered around this idea.... I can't wait.

Ivory Autumn Floral Inspriations

We carved pumpkins for Halloween last week, and for the second year in a row we decorated them with crazy weeds, cattails and other random natural stuff from the field across the street. They turned out so cool. Oh, and I took a stab at a Martha-esque monogram, and actually really love it!

Anyway, so with the rest of the dried leaves, grasses, cattails and stuff, I was hoping to put together a fall centerpiece, but I've lost motivation. The dried things in the garage are starting to look a bit ratty and losing their color. So instead I might actually go to Michaels and buy a few things, like a bundle or two of dried hare's tail grass and some mum-like dried flower buds, and put them together with the few cattails we saved. Michaels' also has some giant ivory antique-looking ostrich feathers that would be gorgeous in that kind of arrangement. My only question is, what do I put all this stuff in? Here's the feeling I'm going for:

Autumn Textures

Our fall color tour this year gave me some fabulous images, even if not that colorful, per se. I am now in the process of searching for the perfect mats & frames to display them in series and welcome any suggestions.

New to Blogging!

I have been inspired by many blogs concerning design, weddings, home interiors, fashion, event planning, flowers, papers, DIY projects and other beautiful things, and so I just had to join the fun! My own tastes are centered on lots of textures, and I will be posting on a variety of subjects, hopefully narrowing it down as time goes by.

Thanks for looking, and please check back soon as I'll be getting this thing going very soon.