Guest posting today at Southgate!!

Good morning everyone! I am headed to my sons schools fall fair to chair my booth, the ever so poular Candy Sushi booth! Its such fun and I get such a kick seeing the kids faces light up....will be sure to share some pictures of our creations on Monday. In the meantime, I was so honored when Brandon from Southgate asked to interview me. What a treat and the pleasure was all mine, Brandon!

If you are not already familiar with Southgate, it is a wonderful design blog created by Brandon, who is a principal of Southgate Residential LLC, a small boutique design firm that specializes in custom residential projects. I love how he says he is probably the only 10 year old who had a subscription to Metropolitan Home! A guy after my own heart....you must visit his blog, where you will see his passion for design shine through and I hope you will visit me there today!! Thank you in advance and thank you Brandon!
Click here to visit........Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!!

Things I am loving Thursday and house updates!

Good morning, boy this week is going by fast. Hope you are having a good week. I feel sometimes, like that marathon runner who spots the finish line but in reality its like an optical illusion and the finish line is actually much further than he realizes. The closer he gets, the finish line seems to pull away from him ever so slightly. Hate to admit it but sometimes I feel like that marathon runner with my house. As much progress that has been made, as many workers that are there every day putting in long hours, I will admit I have days where I go and feel like we still have such a long way to go. But the silver lining is I am always in "a happy place" when I go there. I can be in the worst mood and being in my new house literally lifts it away like a veil being lifted...who knew my house has healing abilities!!  I know when we move there is going to still be tons left to do, but at least I will be home!  Enough chatter, here are my updates and a few tidbits of goodies I am loving this week....
HOUSE UPDATES. One exciting thing this week is my cabinet hardware got put on! They are 80% done.  I totally love it, feel like its a very timeless look that will never go "out". Painting, woodwork, trim all continues, yes its taken months but its a lot of work! In about two weeks, a few big things will be happening, the LONG awaited limestone for the front will arrive on Oct. 3rd to be precise, carpets getting installed, floors are being stained and finished and garage doors are getting put in. This house update post might feel a bit redundant, but take note that all the hardware is a new and much anticipated addition and I took lots of pictures of the molding/woodworking detail as they did such a fabulous job and its nearly done downstairs! Living and dining room are done now and they are finishing up the hallway/stairway. Of course the stairway still has me so excited, but its all covered up with scaffolding and such,  I promise to do the big reveal when its all removed....so here we go.

Ta dah! Its really starting to resemble a kitchen, pics to follow all hardware inspired....

Samples for family room paneling....

Sons vanity top finally came!! Just waiting to have sink and faucet installed and we are done here!

Older sons bathroom pretty much done!

Other sons vanity, its a dark mahogany, not black

They did such an unreal job, it goes down three stories!!

Back stair hall

Downstairs hallway molding just about done

Looking from rear of the foyer to the future front door.....

Area going from 1st floor going down to basement, they did a beautiful job on the moldings on the curved wall

Walking down to basement

Library aka storage room for now

All moldings got completed above french doors in living and dining

BITE BY BITE. Peter Callahan was so kind to have sent me my own personal signed book, Bite by Bite. I cannot tell you enough how fabulous this book is. He is famous for his mini masterpieces and with good reason, he has escalated small appetizers into a true art form! What I love is its very user friendly from the basic novice to a more seasoned cook...there is truly something for everyone in this book, The creativity and genius behind his creations is really something, my mom and I had such fun pouring through each page. I got so many wonderful ideas, seriously you must get this book. It WILL make you want to have a party, just to show off your newly honed entertaining skills. I love his "small bites" approach, because we all know things taste better when they are small and appetizing!

GREAT LOOKING INEXPENSIVE SERVING PIECES FOR THANKSGIVING. OK, you cannot be part of blogland and not be affected by the fact that everyone is already talking holiday decorating. At first I was totally overwhelmed, but then I figured "if you can't beat em join em", so I spotted these gorgeous serving dishes at none other than Pottery Barn!! Admittedly I have never been a PB fan and the only time I remember shopping there was for someone who registered there for her wedding shower. So these were a nice surprise. I think with my beautiful beaded Italian off white oversized dinner plates, this will make for a beautiful table around Thanksgiving. I must say I explored just a little on their site and I was very impressed by them, that is NOT the Pottery Barn I remember!

In my short travels I found this bedding....I mean this is pretty fabulous looking for my sons room, don't you think?

MY FINAL CHOICE FOR CHINOISERIE FOR MY DINING ROOM. I think we are pretty much decided for the dining room!  After much hemming and hawing, I have gone from gray/blue to green to neutral and in the end am nearly certain that I am going to go with an antiqued (tea stained) chinoiserie with an earthy tan background with small subtle pops of color. I want this to be antiqued and below is the inspiration. I think with this palette, it will give me many options for drapery, upholstery for seating, etc......I feel really good about this and think it will be beautiful. Sorry to drag on about this but its a big decision! Thoughts? (good thing is I get to put in a little blue and white in this one)!

A TRULY NOBLE CAUSE, THE BULLY PROJECT. I am proud to say I have donated and supported the making of this courageous and long overdue documentary about bullying. Lee Hirsch was the champion behind this project and I cannot sing his praises highly enough. While its such fun to blog about beautiful homes and rooms and fun decor and entertaining ideas,  the sobering reality is bullying is practically an epidemic that we as a society must have ZERO tolerance for. I have been blessed to not have had this personally affect me or my sons,  but my heart truly breaks for any child who has experienced the loneliness and isolation of being bullied. There was another suicide this past Sunday by a 14 year old teenager, who took his life after being bullied. That is why this project is so incredible. PLEASE all I ask is that you click on this link, and take a look at the trailer. If it prompts just  ONE conversation between a mother and her child ( as it did me and my son) I will feel like I did my small part to help raise awareness. Ideally, it will motivate all of you to talk to your children, grandchildren or a child you feel close to. Knowledge is power and just because this might not be affecting us personally does not mean we shouldn't take an active role and stand. Please click here to visit the site and see the short but unbelievably powerful trailer. I PROMISE you will not regret taking less than 2 minutes out of your day to watch a film that might prompt a conversation and ultimately change the fate for a young child. THANK YOU!

I apologize that I ended this post on a sad note but I feel its so important to spread the word and I tell everyone I can about this film. What better way to reach 1500 people than to share it on my blog with all of you. Please, if it touches you send it to your friends and family because chances are according to statistics nearly all of us knows someone whose child is being victimized. The silver lining is we can all have a part in eradicating bullying by creating a zero tolerance society. I do hope you have a wonderful day, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Accessory Alert: Greens apples and other fashionable fruit.....

OK don't ask how it started, but I have an obsession lately with green apples and pears  amongst other fruit. Oh and artichokes, not in the fruit family but equally great looking! And of course gotta include beautiful and highly decorative lemons and limes! How beautiful are they to use as decorative objects, as in filling gorgeous old world urns with them, as in lining a pair of tall glass hurricanes with them, as in filling a huge bowl on the middle of an island with them, as in decorating a flower arrangement with them, as in using them at place settings.....yes they are that versatile and can be used in that many ways.

 Then forget the GORGEOUS color that they bring into a room....I mean seriously these have to give more bang for the buck than any decorating element on this planet!! A seriously under looked but amazing little accessory. What kitchen island wouldn't be prettier with a big bowl or urn of green apples? What foyer chest wouldn't be more elegant with an urn topped with artichokes or bright green pears? What dining table wouldn't be more beautiful with a pair of tall glass urns filled with green and yellow lemons?

Try it......I think you will see I am onto something! I know for my island, I will be filling a big over sized pair of urns (cement or stone) with them.....my grocer might think I have a stable of horses with the amount of green apples I plan on using, so what do you think? Do you or have you or will you decorate with green apples?  Best part is this is something every one can do today for under ten dollars!! Send me a picture if you really love how it comes out, would love to see! And always love to know what you think.........

What kitchen wouldn't look prettier with a white pitcher, something we all have filled to the brim with artichokes?

Love how the limes liven up this spectacular vignette of blue and white!

Gorgeous pears grace this fabulous setting, Charles Faudree

A perfect sample of how beautifully flowers and fruit paired up, can be!

Something about beautiful artichokes against warm rich wood and a creamy palette, photo by Tria Giovan

Black and white plus pops of green equals perfection! John Jacob

Tell me what kitchen wouldn't look uber elegant with an arrangement like this on its island!

A small pop of green does a lot to a white space! Homebug

 

Wouldn't a pair of these be pretty on an island? The Silk Garden

Love green against black...something about it feels so old world

I think this tiered container holding green apples is spectacular in this space!

Timothy Corrigan artfully arranged beautiful fruit and vegetables in this gorgeous compote

Love the idea of a rustic container holding beautiful green fruit.....

Just look at how apples add to this already spectacular setting....LOVING this, Master Faudree

Love lining a cylinder vase with fresh vibrant lemons! Beautiful.....

Look how the green and yellow pop in this glorious kitchen, Deane

Once again the green against the black is perfection!

How gorgeous is this! Beautiful huge urns hold a mound of green apples....

Small bursts of color in an otherwise neutral kitchen is a great accent

A great example of how pretty green looks against the dark bold drama of black, M Elle

How cute would this little bad boy be in a charming kitchen? Lee Karen designs

Another great looking one.....

The yellow and green adds such great color to an all white kitchen!

Even in the simplest settings, a small bowl of pears can be equally powerful

A graceful black urn holds yellow apples, love the effect, Timothy Corrigan

A classic look, the yellow and green are the perfect accent to the dark wood and white marble!

I mean seriously does it get any prettier than this? Love the bowl of lemons!

Classic white kitchen gets a little pop of color with bright lemons, limes and artichokes! William Waldraun

A gorgeous cache pot holds a beautiful batch of green apples, Charles Faudree

A simple bowl with mini yellow apples can have such impact on a coffee table

Look how pretty this pop of green is on this otherwise very neutral table.

And finally to show I practice what I preach, I filled my little chefs container that I have had in my kitchen for years with my pears (they are fake but very good fakes) and this is another good point, if you find very good imitations of fruit, those are a great thing to have on hand. Cannot tell you how often I use these!! Love how it came out, just a little burst of color made such a difference!

So....what do you think? Will fruit and other fashionable vegetables be making their way past the refrigerator in your home? Would love to know what your thoughts are and if you have a particular way you like to decorate with fruits and vegetables. Always love to hear! Have a delightful day!