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March
30
This post caught my eye on the stylish blog Small Shop (You must have a peek). Check out this wonderful list of 13 items to take your guest room or rather guest quarters (if you please), beyond the bare essentials. I love the idea that these touches will make your guests oh-so-cozy but with that said, not TOO cozy (So make sure your kids always wake them up early!). Happy Weekend!
1. Fresh Flowers: There is really nothing that says “Welcome” like a pretty vase filled with fresh flowers.
2. Luggage Rack (Dransfield & Ross Hoof Leg Luggage Rack)
3. Waste Bin
4. Scented Candle & Matches (Tubereuse Rouge Candle: diptyqueparis.com)
5. Tissues: Not glamorous, but like the waste bin, they’ll be missed the moment they’re needed.
6. Alarm Clock: A good phone/iPad alarm back-up plan if they’re in town on business.
7. Pen & Paper: It’s nice when people assume you’re a creative genius with brilliant ideas that may strike at a moment’s notice. (“I Met and Liked” Notebooks: archiegrand.com)
8. XL Robe: Not that you’re running a day spa, but if the guest bath is not attached to the room, it beats scurrying across the hallway in a towel.
9. Good Reading Light (Jana Desk Lamp: tonichome.com)
10. Magazines: I like to spread mine around the house so the Mr. doesn’t know exactly how many I’m hoarding anyway.
11. Pitcher & Glass (Hobnail Pitcher & Fleur de Lis Glass: anthropologie.com)
12. Snacks: I’m like an Italian grandmother, I always feel like my guests aren’t eating enough.
13. Wooden Hangers: Toss the plastic or (God forbid) wire hangers and splurge a little on the wooden ones. They’re $4 for an 8 pack at Ikea.
What special touches do you add to make your guests feel at home?
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February
22
Inspired.
Filed Under Live, Party | 2 Comments
You all know about the love affair with Pinterest. Lately I have been finding all sorts of drool worthy table settings. I am getting quite inspired to get my Martha on and start entertaining a bit…
The pink and orange are fabby together–anyone have old chavari chairs to lacquer??
Cute for a casual Sunday Brunch
love everything. about. this.
Colorful blooms + gold pomegranate place card holders = ahhh
Twinkle lights & chandeliers are sweet.
Single color flower groupings are simple, yet elegant.
Well…just pick my jaw up from the floor now.
Are you feeling it yet?? For even more motivation, check out Fort Worth’s Design Inspiration event, presented by the Kappa Kappa Gamma/Pi Beta Phi Alumnae. If you missed grabbing your spot for the groups’ sold out luncheon on March 1st–don’t worry! There are still tickets to the preview cocktail party the night before (my favorite part of the event anyway). Guest speaker & “Million Dollar Decorator” Kathryn M. Ireland will be there to enjoy cocktails, dinner & entertainment from 7 until 9 on February 29th, at Ridglea Country Club. You may purchase your preview party tickets online here
**If you’d like to go, we have a ticket for you! Leave a comment below before Friday at midnight & we will send one luck reader to the party. Good luck! xoxo – the go to girls
all images from Pinterest
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16
Hi all – Happy New Year!!
We hope you had a great holiday season–we sure did! Over the last few weeks, we have all three spent way too much time to discuss on Pinterest. If you have no idea what in the world I’m talking about, consider yourself lucky for just a few minutes, then get with it. Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board where you can save and organize images you find on the internet. We’ve been finding all kinds of recipes, gifts, interiors, as well as ideas for the clothes and shoes we hope to score for Spring!
Here’s a peek at what we’ve found so far…
If you’re not a member already, just leave a comment for us (include your email address please), and we’ll send you an invitation. If you’re already addicted, follow us! Here is a link to our Pinterest page here
Happy Pinning!!
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29
Rhymes With Dog
Filed Under Live, Stuff | Leave a Comment
MOG.
Streaming online music service with a 12 million song library. (pretty much rocks – no pun intended)
Think iTunes without the $1.29 ding every time you select a song. (sweet). You either stream the music over wifi or cell service, or you can download the songs to your device so that you can enjoy your music untethered to the web. You don’t “own” the songs, so if you discontinue the service, they go away.
For a flat fee of $9.99 per month, you have constant access to any song in the MOG library. You can listen anywhere you normally listen to music (at home, in your car, at your desk, on a jog). On any device you normally use (iPhone, iPod, computer, or my personal fav: a Sonos player). You can have up to 5 devices using the same $10 per month account, so everyone in your family with a device can download all the 1 hit wonders they want for the flat fee. We just don’t seem to buy music anymore, and we are listening to more music than ever.
Learn more about MOG right here
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17
Bottlehood
Filed Under Give, Live, Stuff | 2 Comments
Now that you know one of the Go to Girls is on point with her Holiday Cards, by her own admission in this post, I felt like I should come clean in regards to the fact that I am beginning my Christmas shopping. I ALWAYS get this burst of efficiency as soon as I begin seeing jack O’lanterns pop up around the hood. Now that I have thrown that declaration out there, please note that any of you out finishing up your shopping during the last days before Santa makes an appearance will ALWAYS run into me frantically getting my last few gifts. So, don’t beat yourself up too much. I digress.
Bottlehood is a great little retailer that I have wanted to share for quite a while now. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, Bottlehood repurposes wine, beer, and spirit bottles into amazing glassware. These thinkers are keeping discarded glass out of landfills (which they tell me takes 4000 years to decompose!!!) and providing jobs to boost their local economy. Love.
Personally, I’m a sucker for little teeny glasses, and so the Coca-Cola juice glasses pictured above are some of my faves. Insert a longing sigh here. ($27 for a set of 4)
I also love the wine bottle tumblers ($50 for a set of 6). Aren’t those shades of green just gorgeous?
This set strikes a chord with me, as I recall having several of these Ty Nant spring water bottles in my kitchen window years ago with a single gerber daisy in each one. Sweetness. ($45 for 4)
You can find Bottlehood glasses via their web shop here or at their etsy shop here. A BONUS…It’s also Bottlehood’s birthday this week! In celebration they are offering a 20% discount in the etsy shop! Simply enter the code BIRTHDAY20 at check out. (ends Friday, October 21st)
I’d love to give or receive some of these – simple, beautiful, and a fantastic conversation piece. With all the good going on behind the scenes, it should be guilt free shopping! Right?
Happy Tuesday! And Happy Birthday Bottlehood!! Thanks for the great (not to mention great looking) things you’re doing. xoxo
images courtesy of bottlehood
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15
There are a few iconic designers out there whose pieces and designs are unmistakable. Missoni is one of those designers. Gorgeous knitted fabrics, bold color combinations and zigzag, stripe and circular patterns all define this global luxury brand. That is why when we heard that Target’s next designer collaboration was with Missoni, we did a little happy dance, then marked our calendars. That’s right, Italy’s fashion house, Missoni, is teaming up with Target to debut a 400-piece collection that will hit Target stores on September 13 and will run through October 22 (in store and online). Now it’s your turn to mark your calendar for Target’s biggest designer collaboration to date. Most of the pieces in the collection will be less than $40 (except for the bike ($399, see below) and the patio furniture ($599). Yes, Missoni did a bike for Target. How cool is that?). The collection will feature everything from women’s, men’s and girl’s/infant clothing, to homewares, scarves, candles, shoes, luggage and even patio furniture. The first three photos are the real deal from Missoni’s Fall Collection at Bergdorf Goodman (just some VERY expensive eye-candy to get you excited). The rest of the photos are from Missoni’s collection for Target. Click here to see the entire collection. Please Target, keep these designer collaborations coming. Who could be next?? Valentino or YSL for Target? Who knows. A girl can dream, can’t she?
Missoni at Bergdorf Goodman
Missoni for Target
images courtesy of Bergdorf Goodman and Target
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8
aka The Room @ The Top Of The Stairs With The Door That’s Always Closed. If I posted an actual photo of the current state my office (and I use that term loosely), one or more of the following would result. Most of you would be shocked, I would be horrified, and/or the fairytale perception that I’m slightlyorganized would be shattered to bitty bits. Long story short, this space is in need of a serious ambush makeover. I’ve included a few things that are on my radar right now…
Inspirational Before & After from The Office Stylist:
Frankly, the final look is a little sweet and expected for me – but the transformation is amazing, yes?
This one also from Office Stylist is more my style.
From Anthology:
From Lonny:
These two from Elle Decor have been in my file for a looong time:
Super Glam. My little space will never look like this, but a girl can dream, no?
Where do you do your best work? What do you like best about it? What would your dream office include? Do tell!
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4
Current Etsy Finds
Filed Under Give, Live, Stuff | 2 Comments
I will never EVER fully confess how much time I spend on my computer, but lately my favorite thing has been Etsy-hunting. I wanted to share some of my favorite finds. If you don’t know about Etsy (oh my, have you been missing out!), check it out here. Let me apologize in advance because I am betting you will get sucked in, too.
1.Friendship Bracelets 2.Pink Louboutin Print 3.Pair of Hollywood Sea Foam Green Lamps 4.White Hollywood Regency Lamps 5. Clutch Pouch 6.Heart Print 7.Pagoda Personalized Stationary 8.Leather Tote 9. Pair of Asian Lamps 10.Green Ginger Jar Lamps 11. Chanel 512. Silk Ikat Pillow 13. DIY Cheese
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15
Loving Now: DIY Weekend
Filed Under Go, Live, Stuff | 2 Comments
The “Dad” does not know it yet but “we” have a little road trip planned to IKEA this weekend and a very small “Honey do”. Truth be told, I could totally do this on my own (I am quite crafty) but I like his company too much not to act clueless without him. So IKEA has never looked so FAB!! Check it….
These are prefabricated trellis screens that perfectly fit on some of IKEA’s furniture. Here is the Malm dresser shown in white $69 at IKEA and the Rast $39 is shown below.
Create a privacy screen.
O’verlays
Images courtesy: O’verlays.com. & Shelter
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25
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!
It has been one of those weeks! In need of creative therapy and/or distraction.
1. Sunhat 2. Lamp (to order) 3. Lemonade (recipe below) 4. Judy’s Lemon Pound Cake (recipe below)
5. Cocktail Napkin 6. Bamboo Pattern Pins 7. Lemon Pillow 8. Countess Tote 9. X-Bench
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade with Mint
Inspired by Modica Market
{Serves about 4 to 6 people}
5.5 cups water, divided
1.5 cups sugar
2 cups fresh squeezed lemonade (juice from about 10-12 lemons)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Pour 1.5 cups of water into a small saucepan. Stir in 1.5 cups of sugar. Add half of the mint sprigs. Bring sugar/water mixture to a boil and cook until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Discard mint sprigs. You now have mint infused simple syrup! For regular lemonade, skip the mint step.
In a large pitcher, combine 2 cups lemon juice, 4 cups of water, and 1 cup of mint infused simple syrup. Taste. Add more simple syrup if you prefer a sweeter lemonade. Add remaining mint sprigs and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Serve over ice with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint!
Note: If chilling overnight, remove mint sprigs after an hour or so as the flavor can turn somewhat bitter if the leaves are left too long in the pitcher.
Judy’s Lemon Pound Cake
This cake is so moist and is LOVED by everyone! There are pound cakes, then there is Judy’s Lemon Pound Cake. I almost hate to share this, but keeping it a secret would be so cruel.
Ingredients:
Cake
3 cups cake flour, sifted
3 cups granulated sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, softened
2 sticks margarine
8 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon extract
1/4 tsp. butter extract
2 TBS finely grated lemon zest
6 large eggs at room temp.
Glaze
1 cup + 1 TBS. confectioner’s sugar
2 TBS. fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1) Move a rack to the middle of oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 2-quart bundt pan. Set aside.
2) Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3) Using paddle attachment, beat butter, margarine, cream cheese, granulated sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric stand mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy, about 10 to 15 minutes (seriously, that long). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flavorings. Reduce mixer speed to low. In three batches, add flour mixture. Scraping down the sides with each addition of flour, and beat just until combined.
4) Spoon batter into pan and smooth top. Bake until cake is just turning golden brown and a cake tester inserted in several places comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
Cool cake in pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.
5) While cake cools, whisk confectioner’s sugar into lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth and thick.
6) When cake is cool, set rack over a baking sheet or waxed paper. Drizzle glaze over cake, letting it drip down sides.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings.
Images Courtesy: Corresponding Links, TasteSpotting.com & Cocokelly.blogspot.com
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