A Passion for Plates

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I love plates! I love dishes!  I just started last year with buying matching plates for dinner. I saw several designers setting their tables for dinner or parties and I thought, “goodness, I have no nice plates”.

So I started my quest at the flea markets and goodwill’s. I like old dishes. I have found some of my best plates at the flea market. I have just a small collection below but I am very proud of what I have so far and I use my plates everyday.

I will continue to add to my collection. I have also added a video from designer Bunny Williams. She sets her table beautifully and her new dinnerware collection is lovely. Enjoy!

My plates. I use the white and the blue and white plates everyday!
I found my blue and white bowl at T.J. Maxx and my other floral bowl at the thrift store. 




The stripe plate and the floral plate are from the Martha Stewart Collection.
The small plate with the green flowers is from France.  



My Martha Stewart Collection setting. I love it! My good friend gave me the entire set!

I love this giant bowl. It has a chip at the top but it is still functional. 

I thought these were so pretty. This set came from T.J. Maxx.

This crystal plate I found at the thrift store for $12!


Setting A Table with Bunny Williams – YouTube

(click on the link to enjoy the video)

Chicken and Bow~Tie Pasta

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I am always trying to come up with different ways to prepare meals at home. I like to try different recipes but having some trusty favorites is a good thing also.

I came up with this on short notice. I wanted some roasted chicken and cheese but I didn’t know how I could tie it all together. But then I thought about the bow-tie pasta I had in the pantry and then it all came together.

Chicken Bow-Tie Pasta

* I just roasted two large chicken breast in the oven ( 400 degrees with olive oil and salt & pepper) for about 40 minutes
* Boiled some bow-tie pasta  (half a box)
* Cooked some broccoli   (about 2 cups)
*  Once it was all cooked I threw it all in a baking dish, seasoned it with more salt & pepper and added some cheese on top.
* I let it cook for about 15 minutes in the oven

Pulled it out and let it cool while the french bread was baking. Once the bread was done, voila! Dinner served!

My chicken pasta

Small Details Around the Home

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Everyone has small items or decor details around their home that makes it their own. It’s the little things (I think) that can bring your home together. I am always decorating and changing things in our home all the time.

A friend told me recently that a woman’s taste in clothing and home decor changes every 10 years. I thought about it and noticed that for me, well she was right! It has been 10 years since I changed details and furniture in my home and recently I have been on a decor spree!

I have all these ideas for my home but I will take my time in decorating. I have a board on Pinterest called Decor Details. It’s like a giant scrapbook page full of small details around the home. I love it! Below are some of my small details around my home. Also, if you missed my blog entry about Vanity Beauty or Homekeeping with a Pet, see here and here. As always, enjoy!

The island in our kitchen. I am starting to decorate with all my fall items.

I found these panels at the flea market. 
I just placed them on our nightstands. I love the way it looks.




My silk flower arrangement. I love it!
It’s in our bedroom.







 I love these eggs! They remind me of the Faberge eggs.
T.J. Maxx was selling these years ago so I purchased about 6 of them!
When you open them there is a music box inside. 


I love small luxuries.
 I added a pillow and soft blanket to my chair at my desk for decor and comfort.
The pillow has a little “bling”on it. It’s DKNY.


I added this small photo of art to my side of the sink.
I think it adds a little something special.




This little teapot was given to my by my sister-in-law at her bridal shower.
I thought it was a great gift since the party was a tea party.
I have it sitting on my bathtub corner. 

Last but not least my kitchen utensils. I saw Martha Stewart doing this in her kitchen.
She was using pitchers and white canisters to keep her tools in.
I thought it looked organized and sophisticated. 

My Perfume Vanity Tray

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I love perfume. There is nothing like having a signature scent that you enjoy. I like several perfumes! It’s pretty bad. I don’t really have a signature scent but I love florals and anything that smells clean. Lately, I have been wearing my Vera Wang Signature. I purchased it while we were in New York in 2007.

I have gotten many compliments on it! I’ll have to get another bottle. Below is a photo of my perfume vanity tray. As you can see I have a lot of favorites! But I just enjoy being a woman and wearing perfume is just another great factor of it! 
My tray includes:
Vera Wang Signature
Banana Republic
Lolita Lempicka  (so fantastic!)

Clinique Happy in Bloom (this was a nice surprise)

Philosophy Amazing Grace (I carry a small bottle of this in my purse)
Victoria Secret Chiffon Peony Freesia Perfume (this was a gift from a friend and surprisingly good!)



(photo via Mrs. Shockley)

Vow to be Chic ~ Dress Rental Service

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Now this is a service that should have been available a while ago. I wish I knew about this but oh well. Vow to be Chic is a bridal dress company that lets you rent bridesmaids dresses and little white dresses for your wedding day.

When I stumbled on this website I couldn’t believe it! Now you can rent that fabulous designer dress that you can’t afford for your wedding. And to have the option for your bridesmaids to rent theirs, how great is that?

Here is how it works:

SHOP & RENT

Rent designer bridesmaids dresses and Little White Dresses online starting at $50. An affordable, convenient, and stylish alternative to the status quo. Bringing an age-old tradition into the 21st century.
  • Browse our curated selection of designer dresses online.
  • Our bridal stylists are available for complimentary consultations to help you select the perfect dress and coordinate the bridesmaids’ orders.
  • For bridesmaid dresses, submit your measurements, preferably taken by your local tailor or dry cleaner. For Little White Dresses, submit your normal dress size.

TRY ON AT HOME

Find the right fit from the comfort of your home. No more scheduling appointments or making multiple store visits. Try-on is included for bridesmaid dresses and optional for Little White Dresses.
  • We send you the dress in two sizes to try on based on your measurements approximately two months before the wedding or event.
  • Let us know your preferred size.
  • Return the try-on dresses by using the prepaid packaging. We’ll handle the dry cleaning.

WEAR & RETURN

Look & feel fabulous without worrying about a thing. No more wasting precious closet space with dresses you’ll never wear again.
  • One week before the wedding or event, your dress arrives.
  • Enjoy the occasion in your beautiful dress.
  • After the event, return the dress using the prepaid packaging. We’ll take care of dry cleaning and everything else. It’s that simple.
Doesn’t that sound amazing? Here are some of the dresses available:

Monica
(This is my favorite!)

Haley

Stephanie

Daisy



Olivia
(all photos and information via Vow to Chic.com)

Schweitzer Linens

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I stumbled on this company  Schweitzer Linens while reading the latest issue of Harper Bazaar. I had to go to the website and find out what this linen company was all about.

What I found was a company who sells gorgeous items! They sell everything from bed, bath, table, cashmere and tapestries. Everything is beautiful. Schweitzer Linen is a high quality luxury company that is based in Manhattan, NY and has been in business for 40 years.

Take a look at their website or request a catalog. Below are photos of some of my favorite finds from the company. Enjoy!!

Evita ~ Daywear
Garden & Drapes Tapestry
Noblesse~ Cashmere
Rosy Posy Nightwear
This one is my favorite!



Fine Table Linens
Bath Accessories
Luxury Bedding

(all photos via Schweitzer Linens)

To Decorate ~ My Dream Job

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I love decorating, cleaning, organizing, basically anything to do with making your home life more plentiful. Being a decorator has always been a dream of mine. I hope to someday make it a reality. For the most part I really want to “soak up” anything I can learn from someone who is a decorating.

I am still young and I know there is time but all I do is dream of having a job where beauty is all around me. I posted this about two weeks ago on my facebook page:

I want to be around beauty for a living. I want a career where I can create, observe, & learn about beauty. Whether that be flowers, china, decorating, clothes, accessories, travel or food; I want beauty to be my life. I pray this in Jesus name Amen. ~


I know that prayer isn’t respected as much today but I still believe in it and do it. I just want a life where my 9 to 5 is making things beautiful. Creating, putting things together and making beauty, to be working with my hands and imagination instead of staring at paperwork all day and staring at a computer.

If I am staring at a computer I want it to be at paintings, or restaurants, clothing samples something that stirs the heart, will and emotions. I will just continue to have faith that one day this will come to pass. Below is a photo of one of my favorite decorators Bunny Williams and her intern Kelly. I have also included a video from Martha Stewart. It is a video of  interior designer Alexa Hampton and she is giving bedroom decor advice. See here.

Bunny’s advice for interns who want to be decorators is :
Advice I give to interns… 
Absorb every part of the business and don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions. Questions show interest.
One anecdote from my own internship experiences… 
I actually never interned. I took the job as a receptionist because I was willing to take anything.
If I could intern anywhere now, I’d intern at…
The New York Botanical Garden, to learn more about gardening.
Ambition is…
The pathway to success!
If you want to see more of this click here.  This article & photo came from the Tory Daily blog. 

My sitting room at home. I am still moving some things around. 
I want to get rid of the pink chair and maybe put a blue and white one there. I need a rug.
And I want to change my large floral arrangement to all white flowers. 

But I love my new curtains. They are Tahari.