wrap it up

i always try to do something special each year when it comes to wrapping my presents.  i like for people to know that i put a lot of thought into wrapping their very special gifts.  last year when i was working with the hospitality company i was really busy during christmas and pretty much a slacker when it came to wrapping my gifts.  i think the extent of my special wrapping was using a wide ribbon…not so special, right?  this year i’m still pretty busy but i’m going to make time to wrap my presents with care.

i’ve been browsing my favorite online spots to see what ideas are out there.  burlap is huge in the design world right now and i think that these gifts wrapped in burlap are quite lovely.

 

i think that tags and bows are the areas that you can be most creative with your gifts.   using your special someone’s initial for a tag is a really cute idea.

 

i would feel so special if i got a gift with this tag on it.  it’s so easy to make too.  just type out your message, print it, cut it out and apply some double-sided table to the backside.  use pinking shears to cut out the tag.  that would make it even better.

take a look at these cupcake carnation bows.  martha you always have the best ideas.

a great way to incorporate your kids into gift wrapping is to let them make the wrapping paper.  take a look at the gifts below.

if you can bake try baking gingerbread name tags. 

this package is so beautiful but i’m not sure i’ll have that much time on my hands.  looks like it would take quite a while.

here are just a few others that caught my eye.

 

 

how do you wrap your gifts?  do you use gift bags? do you have a theme each year?  do you tie an ornament onto your bow? let me know.

**photo credits – southern living and martha stewart

LiveJournal Tags: christmas,gift wrap,southern living,martha stewart living,burlap

holiday color scheme

i hope all of you had a wonderful thanksgiving.  i sure did.  mine was filled with family, fun and lots of food. 

i put my christmas tree up on wednesday night and i love having my house decorated for christmas.  while i was at target over the weekend picking up a few extra decorations i took a stroll through the home decor section and found a few christmas decorations that caught my eye.  it was mainly the colors that caught my eye. 

i’m in love with the color scheme.  if i hadn’t already decorated my tree in red, black and white then i would have definitely opted for this color scheme of fern, light olive, oyster, pearl, silver and wood tones.

maybe some of you haven’t decorated yet and can use it instead of me.  send pics if you do.

happy monday!

LiveJournal Tags: target,christmas decorating,thanksgiving,color scheme

my first guest blog is up

i’m guest blogging for the first time today over at the blog bargains in buckhead.  bargains in buckhead is a local atlanta blog and anna and claire give tons of tips for saving money around town.  stop by and check it out if you get a chance.  it’s my first time doing a video for a blog too.  it took a lot of takes but i finally got it done.  the guest post is about bargain christmas decorating ides.  hopefully you’ll find some that you can use.  click here to go directly to the post.

i’m signing off for the week to enjoy time with my family during the thanksgiving holiday.  i hope you and yours have a very happy thanksgiving.  eat lots of good food, and have fun with your family and friends.  see you back here on monday.

image – here

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

LiveJournal Tags: bargains in buckhead,guest blog,christmas

make your own bar, my sangria recipe & a winner

thanks to everyone who entered a comment to win the giveaway of the book the comfortable home.  i really enjoyed reading your comments about the most comfortable part of your homes.  the lucky winner of the autographed book is….

 

comment number 16, camille r. from the etsy shop blue dogwood stuidos.  congratulations camille! 

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planning a party this holiday season….don’t know what to do about not having a bar….no worries.  create one.  here’s how. 

grab a console table, desk or small dining table and set it up like either of these.

both images – domino

beautiful right?

and here’s a great link if you are trying to figure out how to stock your bar for your party.  it tells you exactly what and how much to buy.  click here to go directly to the site.

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here’s my own personal sangria recipe for you to add to the mix.  it’s so yummy.

cristi’s festive sangria

ingredients:

-2 bottles of red wine (merlot) or white wine (chardonnay).  don’t  buy expensive wine.  i always buy the cheapest biggest bottles.  with all the other yummy ingredients no one will be able to tell that it’s cheap wine.  swear.

-juice from 1-2 lemons

-juice from 3-4 oranges or 6-8 tangerines

-juice from 1 lime

-4 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

-2 “liberal” shots of vodka (i use raspberry flavored vodka)

-1 small can of chopped pineapple

-2-3 cups of ginger ale

-3-4 tangerines sliced or 1-2 oranges sliced (skin included)

-strawberries – as many as you want

-secret ingredient: my extra special, super-secret ingredient is a dash of cinnamon.  the cinnamon makes it oh so good.  you’ll have everyone wondering why it tastes so good.

preparation:

-pour both bottles of wine into a large pitcher or bowl and squeeze the juices from your citrus fruits into the wine.  (make sure you don’t let any seeds into the mixture.) stir.  add sugar, cinnamon, vodka and extra fruit.  ***the amount that i have shown is just a guide.  you can add as little or as much fruit and vodka as you would like.*** chill for a few hours or for the best results chill overnight.

when you are ready to serve pour in ginger ale and stir.  add ice to wine glass and pour.  top with choice of fresh fruit.

***for easy transportation just pour the sangria mix, minus the fruit and ginger ale, back into your empty wine bottles.  once you get to your party pour everything back into your pitcher and serve.***

you’re going to love it!

xoxo,

cristi

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LiveJournal Tags: bar,party,domino,recipe,sangria

Happy Thanksgiving

We will be enjoying this year's Thanksgiving holiday with Hubby's family in Wisconsin. But spending the holiday away from home, didn't stop me from enjoying a Thanksgiving table - minus the turkey and all the trimmings!

I got the spray roses at the grocery store. I love the color.

I dusted off my Thanksgiving dessert plates and polished one of my Grandmother's old server knives. Did someone say pumpkin pie? ; )

I got the wreath for the front door but it's been so windy these days that I decided to hang it on the dining cabinet instead.

I love the simple yet intricate detail of the overlapping wheat.

I'm sending you the warmest, most beautiful Thanksgiving wishes...Happy Thanksgiving.

mod meadow studios

on saturday this past weekend i went to the indie craft experience(ice) holiday spectacular 2009 at ambiance plus studio.  the indie craft experience is pretty much an etsy art show.  it’s wonderful.  each booth is filled with hand-made crafts from jewelry to artwork.  it’s the perfect place to get unique one-of-a-kind christmas gifts.

my good friend tanya owns a company called mod meadow studios and she had a booth at the ice-atlanta spectacular. 

tanya is an amazing jewelry artisan and artist as well as a great interior designer.  i met tanya a few years ago when we worked together for the same design firm.   she was just starting to build her jewelry and artwork company but now she has a full line of both jewelry and artwork.

her jewelry line is filled with unique stones, felt and vintage finds.  each piece has a style all its own.

i loved how she styled these rings in little birds nests.  they were so sweet.

 

she also hung necklaces off of bird cages with painted birds in them.  she did a great job styling her booth.

i love tanya’s artwork line.  it’s so funky and fun.  perfect for children’s rooms.

 

tanya also makes these amazing faux cupcakes that look good enough to eat.  they are completely fake but you’d never know by looking at them.

 

tanya accepts custom orders, and she also is available for jewelry parties in the atlanta area.

if you want to check out mod meadow studio's website click here.

if you want to check out mod meadow studio’s etsy site click here.

LiveJournal Tags: mod meadow studio,indie craft experience,christmas,jewelry,art,handmade

the comfortable home and a giveaway

i finally got a chance to sit down over the weekend and read the new book by mitchell gold and bob williams, the comfortable home: how to invest in your nest and live well for less.  i have to say that it is easy to read and also very easy on the eyes.  beautiful interiors grace the entire book.

mitchell and bob have simplified the process of designing a home and provided a wonderful step-by-step “how to” guide to help all readers create a comfortable, livable home. 

they start the book off by explaining easy ways to plan for decorating your space.  they also give tips from measuring to color selection to accessorizing. 

once they’ve gotten you started they take you through room-by-room chapters where they give helpful hints for perfecting each room.  they provide space plan examples for the different rooms and also provide suggested pairings to help you create a particular overall look. 

although each chapter discusses a different room there are many tips that can be used in any room of your house. 

my favorite parts of the book are the “homes we love” sections spread throughout the book.  they highlight different homes and define the styles of each home as well as feature numerous pictures.  the modern cottage home is by far my fave.

  the revitalized ranch comes in at a close second.

 

the comfortable home is a great book for someone who needs a little extra help when it comes to designing their home.  it’s also a wonderful book for those who don’t need help but love to look at beautiful homes.

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now for the giveaway!

last week mitchell gold + bob williams sent me a complimentary copy of the book to give away to one of my readers.  while i was at the book release party at the mitchell gold + bob williams showroom i got mitchell and bob to sign the book.

if you would like to win this book simply leave a comment on this post and let me know what room in your home is the most comfortable room to you.  i’ll choose the winner by using random.org.  the contest will start today sunday, november 22nd and will run through tuesday, november 24th at midnight.  i’ll announce the winner on wednesday the 25th. {this giveaway is now closed}

good luck to all of you!!!

LiveJournal Tags: mitchell gold + bob williams,the comfortable home: how to invest in your nest and live well for less,book,giveaway

loving….

today i turn 29!!!  it’s my birthday.  i can’t believe that this is my last year to be in my 20’s.  i’m sad that i only have one more year of saying i’m twenty-something but happy that i’ve been so blessed for the past 29 years of my life. 

i’ve been in huntsville since late tuesday night.  i am traveling back today, and i’m so excited about what billy is taking us to do tonight for my birthday.  i’ll give you a hint.  it has to do with #1 on my loving list this week….

1.   mr. robert pattinson.  i’m so excited that we’ll get to meet again tonight at the new moon movie.  i could stare at him all day long.  (billy, i still love you more and you are such a sweet husband to sit through this movie with me.)

oh, look how sweet.  he wrote me a song for my birthday.

back to my regularly scheduled loving list…

2.  this tutorial from the blog full house on how to make beautiful sunburst mirrors.  so creative.

3.  this pin-tuck duvet from west elm.  it’s been around for a while but lately i’ve been seeing it a lot.  i like it more and more each time  i see it.  i think my favorite color is the gray.  i think it’s the perfect warm undertoned gray

4.  this guest bedroom makeover featured in this months southern living magazine.  it’s been circulating around the interior design blogs now for about a week but i’m still loving it each time i see it.

 

click here to see the original article.

well, i’ve got to get on the road so i can make it back to atlanta in time to get my tag renewed.  fun times.  hope it’s a great weekend for you.  oh, and stay tuned for monday’s giveaway.  i know i said i would do the book giveaway sometime this week but i was so busy i couldn’t get around to it.  i promise you i’ll do the post on monday. 

xoxo,

Cristi

LiveJournal Tags: birthday,robert pattinson,new moon,full house blog,west elm,southern living,book giveaway