Coffee Table Basics
Coffee tables are the centerpieces of most homes, and what you have on your table says a lot about who you are and what inspires you. Mastering the art of creating a perfectly personalized tablescape may seem intimidating, but here are a few tips I have learned along the way.
• Ambience is everything; so always have a few of your favorite candles out.
• Keep things organized.
• Add a few of your favorite books
• Let your personality show; add a few decorative pieces.
• Keep things organized.
• Add a few of your favorite books
• Let your personality show; add a few decorative pieces.
Here is what is currently on my coffee table.
• French Quarter Candles in ‘Garden District’. After a trip to New Orleans earlier in the year I fell in love with these candles.
• An antique pineapple candle snuffer my grandma brought me back from the south.
• Bouquet of peonies. I love the addition of fresh flowers to my house.
• Apothecary jar of Holland mints. When I would go visit my great grandmother I always remember her having Holland mints on her coffee table. When I had my own place they easily became one of my favorite accessories to add to my own table.
• Hand painted ceramic angel bought at a craft show.
• Fashion, entertaining and hospitality books can be found on my table. When I am feeling uninspired, I love to flip through the pages.
Five Things
{backyard buddy}
Ball games are a quintessential American summer activity, and I try to go to as many games as I can pack in each summer. Even when the temperatures are in the high 90’s there is nothing like a day at Comerica Park watching my boys knock it out of the stadium. The rest of my week was spent inside with the AC cranking, and it looks like the weekend will follow the same theme. Here are a few things that have kept me inspired during this heat wave.
{an old wagon wheel at the orchard}
{trips to comerica park for tiger baseball}
{freeze berries in ice; to get the ice extra clear, use boiled water}
{perfect hostess gift to bring to someone on the water: freeze pops in a sand pail}
Make a Statement
In elementary school I remember learning about ancient Egyptian culture, and that is when I first fell in love with statement jewelry. The Egyptians had such lavish and beautiful pieces. Now statement jewelry combines elements from previous decades and a variety of cultures. Ultimately giving us all the glitz and glam that we love, here are some of my favorite statement pieces.
11 Ways to Beat the Heat
We are already half way through July and the temperatures are holding steady in the high 90’s. As a result it is making it miserable to spend time outside. Here are 11 ideas for beating the summers heat.
1. Make a batch of homemade ice cream (old fashioned vanilla)
2. Create new candles from left over wax of candles you have burned.
3. Spend sometime in front of the mirror creating different hairstyles (fishtail braid, ballerina bun).
4. Create your own summer signature cocktail.
5. Play classic backyard games (croquet, bocce, badminton) in the backyard at sundown.
6. Buy some watercolor paints and have some fun! Paint cards for friends and family or create a unique art piece you can frame for your house.
7. Create an indoor herb garden.
8. Crank up the AC, and try out a new cookie recipe (banana split cookies).
9. Rearrange a room in your house to create a new vibe.
10. Make a small basket with napkins, candies, a drink in a nostalgic bottle and popcorn for an impromptu movie marathon (with girlfriends or alone).
11. Give yourself a DIY mani/pedi with a fun design (sunset manicure).
2. Create new candles from left over wax of candles you have burned.
3. Spend sometime in front of the mirror creating different hairstyles (fishtail braid, ballerina bun).
4. Create your own summer signature cocktail.
5. Play classic backyard games (croquet, bocce, badminton) in the backyard at sundown.
6. Buy some watercolor paints and have some fun! Paint cards for friends and family or create a unique art piece you can frame for your house.
7. Create an indoor herb garden.
8. Crank up the AC, and try out a new cookie recipe (banana split cookies).
9. Rearrange a room in your house to create a new vibe.
10. Make a small basket with napkins, candies, a drink in a nostalgic bottle and popcorn for an impromptu movie marathon (with girlfriends or alone).
11. Give yourself a DIY mani/pedi with a fun design (sunset manicure).
How to: Sunset Manicure
Sunsets are the prettiest in the northern part of Michigan. Particularly when they are over a lake, and it is definitely a bonus if it is over one of the Great Lakes. On a recent trip up north I was sitting on the beach near the Mackinac Bridge. The sunset that night was a stunning display of tangerine, peach and orange. After taking multiple pictures that just did not do the sky justice I decided to recreate the serene setting on my nails.
{manicure inspiration: sunset under the Mackinac Bridge}
{left to right: OPI \’Come to Poppy\’, Jessica Cosmetics \’Tangerine Dreamz\’,
Orly \’Cotton Candy\’, OPI \’Are We There Yet?\’, Jessica Cosmetics \’Love Story\’}
{drop a dot of each nail polish color onto a wedge cosmetic applicator}
{dab the cosmetic wedge onto your nail}
{continue to use the same sponge and reapply colors for each nail}
Fashion meets Food 