You're Invited to Share a Few Favorite Things

I'm sure you're all thinking that I'm getting ahead of myself with the visual above (created by me! yay!), buuuuuuuuuuut the spirit of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays is already upon me. 

Rather than focusing on what I don't have, why not focus on the thankfulness and gratitude I all feel for the things I do have? I'm feeling so very blessed lately, and now have more time to appreciate the special pieces in my home that really make me smile.

What about you? What are some of your favorite things in your home?

Do they tell a special story or connect to a dear memory?

Want to play along?

Send me an email with a photo of "your favorite thing", as well as a description of the item, why it's so special to you, its origin, and where it lives in your home.

*be sure to include the name and url of your blog in the email, if you have one*

I'll be spotlighting a few of "my favorite things" this coming week and would love to highlight yours, as well!

Hope you'll all play along!

Still Looking for a Campaign Dresser?

How about two Campaign dressers?

I came across this posting on Craigslist just this eve.

One is $60 (with mirror) and the second is $50 (without mirror), and they are both located in nearby Newtown.

Get on this find, Philly friends!

Roundup: My Current Fall Craft & Decor Favorites

As I type this, I am in the middle of a very long project list that I concocted about a month ago in an attempt to make the most of my little "vacation from employment" (wink, wink). The list contains a lot of sewing and painting, but I'm hoping to squeeze in a few more seasonal projects before the autumn escapes.

One of the reasons I love fall and the lowering temperatures is because I can spend more time at home and on crafts than in the summertime. Here are just a few of my favorite craft and decor ideas that are perfect for a season focused on opening our homes to family and friends.

Talk about making a grand first impression to Thanksgiving visitors!

Why not bundle your Japanese maple, with its vivid red leaves, and transform it to a seasonal sculpture in your foyer?

(via House & Home)

These wheat sheaf place card kits are perfect for welcoming your Thanksgiving guests to their seats.

(via Paper Source)

To imbue your turkey day tablescape with a little autumnal essence, why not use a bark charger under your plates?

(via Martha Stewart)

If you're feeling ambitious, may I recommend these papier mache faux bois planters?

I'd love to see a jewel-toned arrangement in these at the holiday table.

(via Martha Stewart)

Are garlands just for Christmastime? No way! I like this leafy garland idea from Women's Day.
Personally, I'd forgo the silk leaves in favor of preserved leaves (from Save on Crafts) to play up the all-important natural quality of nature (duh, right?).

(via Woman's Day)

Have I inspired you to get cracking on some seasonal craft and decor projects for your home? 

Any fall project ideas you are itching to try? If so, please share!

P.S. 

Thank you for your overwhelmingly kind comments on Friday's post. Many of you responded that it brought tears, and I have to admit that your comments did the same for me. I'm still feeling my way around this new world of mine and am forever grateful for your thoughtfulness and support.

TGIF, 11/14/11 Edition

(photo by me)

I've been quite the negligent little blogger this week, haven't I?
Let me explain: Monday (yes, Halloween, the horror!) was my last day on the job and I've been struggling to get my bearings being at home ever since.  I've been taking time for home projects, and have certainly been busy reflecting.

***

When I was in the fifth grade, my teachers Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Mangini were required to complete our report cards, those white-yellow-pink carbon versions, on a quarterly basis. I always liked school, considered myself to be an excellent student, and anxiously awaited the moment I could lay eyes on my grades every few months.

Teachers weren't required to use traditional A, B, C marks in the fifth grade; instead, they used other letters like O (for 'outstanding'), S (for 'satisfactory'), and NI ('needs improvement'). Teachers also had the option to further qualify each grade with a plus or minus after the letter (for example, O+ was a concise way of saying, 'wow, this kid is really awesome and super-smart').

All four quarters of the year had passed, and just before my class was ready to formally move on to the sixth grade, the time came for grades to be handed out. Mrs. Mangini, the fifth grade teacher who covered social studies and language arts, was the bearer of the report cards that would represent our progress in fifth grade. I don't remember my individual marks today, but I do remember the message she wrote on that collection of carbon sheets. 

It read:

"The world needs more competent women like you, Ashley. Good luck in 6th grade."
***

I'm not in the 6th grade anymore. I'm in my late twenties, married, and still learning as I go.
I want to live up to those great expectations. I want to believe that I'm competent and that the world still needs me.

I know my next career adventure is just around the corner.

Happy weekend, all.
 The regularly-scheduled posting will resume on Monday, I promise.

Folding Screens

What's your take on folding screens?

As of late, they keep popping up in various spaces that catch my eye.

Folding screens, also known as room dividers, add height to any space and function both as furniture and as artwork.

When mirrored, folding screens can buoy the brightness in any room.

(via Apartment Therapy)

When upholstered, folding screens can soften the harshest of corners.

(Domino via Design Dump)

When lacquered, folding screens can mimic the glossiest fragment of sea glass.

(via Elle Decor)

When painted, folding screens can double as large-scale abstract artwork.

(via Interior Design)

When ribboned, folding screens can complement the existing upholstery in a room.

(Domino via The Lovely Lifestyle)

When caned, folding screens can recall the best of exotic vacations.

(via Elle Decor)

When paneled, folding screens can strike the ideal balance between Hollywood Regency and traditional styles.

(Kelly Wearstler's guest house)

When stenciled, folding screens can introduce a handmade element to a space.

(via Martha Stewart)

When patterned, folding screens can negate the need for wallpaper.

(via Apartment Therapy)

When decopauged, folding screens can fake an extensive book collection.

(via 1st Dibs)

And, when DIY'd, folding screens can be whatever you want them to be.

(via Elle Decor)

Folding screens can be a great many things; what function would you like one to serve in your home?

TGIF, 10/28/11 Edition

(via Martha Stewart)

Happy Halloween weekend, blog goblins!
As per usual, I am still unsure about my costume, but am hoping to finalize everything quickly tomorrow.
Do you have Halloween party plans?

Before I let you depart for ghoulish weekend shenanigans, I need your opinions:

Meet my new over-the-bar-cart mirror, which I picked up last weekend at Elephant's Trunk.

Love the mirror, but currently questioning the maple tone of the frame.
Should I paint it? If so, what color?
Black? Red? (Court, you're voting red lacquer, right?)

Wishing that all of your Halloween candy dreams come true.
'Til Monday, friends.

To Quote Liz Lemon

"I want to go to there."

--Elizabeth Miervaldis Lemon

(via Livingetc)

Want to come with?