wreath on!

my holiday podcast for whirlpool's "the american family" recently posted. in it, i talk about ways to spruce up the front porch. it sets the stage for the ho-ho-holidays + is always cheery. inside or out.

good news: it's not too late to order entryway bling! 

first off, i absolutely covet this peacock feather wreath from chicago's jayson home and garden. sophisticated. sexy. festive.

next, yarn balls + shiny glass make for a modern, yet homey, door décor. find it from plytextiles' shop on etsy.

third up, boxwood never looked better square. modern. simple. swap out the bow or eliminate it all together. very cool. available from williams sonoma. 

lastly, a fragrant eco chic option: bay leaves + rosemary. handcrafted in california. get one from organic bouquets.

tips+tricks

in a pinch, you could always snatch the wreath off your front door + reuse it as a dining table centerpiece. perhaps some votive, taper or pillar candles placed inside the center. why not multi-purpose?

(photo credits: jayson home and garden; plytextile; williams sonoma; organic bouquets)

TABLETOP TUESDAY - super soup supper (say that 3 times!)

recently i recorded another "american family" podcast. 

scheduled to post in the next few weeks, i share simple ideas for holiday decorating + entertaining.

one trick i use to lessen the stress of food preparation is to make "one pot" meals. why be a slave in the kitchen?

last night i followed my own advice + whipped up some "roasted vegetable soup" out of veggies i had on hand (baby carrots, parsnips, butternut squash). i also made homemade croutons out of some seriously stale challah!

DIY DELISH DISH

find the recipe in "family style" by barefoot contessa. minimal ingredients for both. super easy. super quick. super yum.

cook it up.

soup: veggies (save even more time by roasting them beforehand), olive oil, salt+pepper, chicken (or veggie) stock. 

croutons: fresh or "day old" bakery bread, olive oil, salt+peper (on a side note, i'm obsessed with making croutons. such incredibly savory morsels atop soups, salads or even as a cocktail party snack. so many options for seasonings....).

mix it up.

i always fiddle around with the spices. sometimes i add "french four spice" in the soup; other times i sprinkle "northwoods seasoning" on the croutons (sometimes i give it a kick with chipotle and/or smoked spanish paprika). go crazy at penzey's spices.

serve it up.

choose bowls, big or small. mine are a mix of vintage mcnicol china (hails from clarksburg, west virginia before relocating to east liverpool, ohio), pottery barn from a few years back + latte bowls from anthropologie (various sizes available in store; classic size sold online).

eat it up.

it's a super soup supper.

TABLETOP TUESDAY - a "steel"

in preparation for the upcoming holiday season, i've been asked to participate in another podcast for "the american family."

while hunting for affordable décor, i ran across this beautiful "glow" candleholder. designed by maria berntsen who brilliantly crafted the piece in economical stainless, a few would look striking in a simple tablescape or when illuminating a mirrored mantle. available at georg jensen for $74, truly a "steel." 

fun fact: berntsen graduated with a degree in economics but went back to school to study architecture. don't you just love reinvention? you glow girl!

PODCAST: "decorating on a dime"

recently i was asked to speak during "the american family," a series of podcasts developed and sponsored by whirlpool. subjects run the gamut from health, travel and safety to business + home...stuff we all care about.

given these economic times, "decorating on a dime" came at the right time. host gigi lubin and i discuss "do-it-yourself" décor: affordable art; paint palettes; spruce ups with mirrors, lights + more.

take a listen on whirlpool's site or subscribe via iTunes (my segment should "air" sometime soon. search: american family podcast).

DIY DÉCOR

with budget on everyone's mind, reconsider. 

for example, these lovely decanters are organic in form and feel very sculptural, particularly when placed in front of an oversized mirror like the home of one of my clients. 

how? repurpose glassware you already own or find "new" vessels at your local thrift shop (that's what we did!). arrange in sets of three or five depending on your space. for less than $10, we created serene reflective space. you can too.

shout out: 

thanks to lucky guppy for helping me prepare for this podcast. i threw out ideas + ms. LG crafted questions begging to be answered.