Pumpkins Pretties

The lads and I went to pick out some pumpkins yesterday, so I thought
I'd share a few snaps of the gorgeous options we had to chose from...

I took me about an hour to decide which ones to bring home.

The funkier they looked, the more I like them!

This might be the fall I get brave enough to make a real pumpkin pie.

I loved these giant white pumpkins, but they were $50 each.
Wwwwwhhhhhaaaaaa???

Zits on your face = awful. Zits on pumpkins = awesome.

Pumpkin preciousness!

Operation Retro Rec Room: Storage

We’re planning to roughly finish off part of our basement this fall to make a playroom for G/Q. Of course—me being me—I’m having visions of midcentury rec room awesomeness. Here’s my inspiration room:



Sorry for the crappy screenshot, but the owner of this Flicker set has turned off the download feature (booooo!). You can see the room better here. Brick red + olive + touches of yellow? Swoon.

We want to keep lots of open space for romping, but also make it functional with lots of storage and room for us to hang out, too. As usual, our budget is pretty minimal for this project (S—do we even have a budget?). I’ve been dreaming of having it tricked out with some Ikea Expedit storage units, but I know by the time we order them/drive to Philly or NJ to pick one up (sadly, we have no Ikea in Upstate NY), it wouldn’t financially make sense.

Then, lo and behold, on a random trip to see what was left at our Kmart (it’s closing), I find this fixture on sale for $80!

I like the light woodgrain finish on the outside, but will probably paint the inside with a pop of color, then finish it off with some baskets/bins for toy storage.

Have you bought store fixtures before? We had great luck buying some shelving/slat wall for our garage when our Steve and Barry’s closed a few years back.

Stay tuned for more updates on Operation Retro Rec Room!

1st Birthday Party, G/Q-style (part 1)

We loved these whale invites from Tiny Prints. They perfectly
coordinated with our theme. We're big DIY-entertainers,
but I'm a stickler for nice printed materials.

I was ridiculously excited about making these decorations.
I'm not crafty at all, but give me some crepe paper, paper
lanterns, curling ribbon and a hot glue gun, and somehow
I'll give you a giant octopus and a jellyfish garland!

Ms. Octo is ready for her close-up.

I thought the jellies had the sweetest faces!

My dad thought everyone should have to
"swim" through the tent.

This is the pool I bought to soak in while pregnant last
summer, now with MUCH cuter contents: an inflatable
octopus from Pottery Barn Kids and whale and beach
balls from the dollar store.

Our centerpieces were cheapo bubble bowls from AC Moore,
filled with Rhode Island sand from vacation and our tub toys.

I had the most fun making these octopus party hats out of
balloons, paper plates and ribbon. I knew it was doubtful
that the babies would keep them on, but the idea was
too cute not to attempt!

Party hats and high chairs waiting for the guests of honor.

We used sand buckets scored for $1 each at
Christmas Tree Shops to hold favors.

I gussied them up with a resin sand dollar
and personalized tag.

My mom used these felt banners at my shower last summer,
and I thought it would be a nice tradition to hang them every
year on the boys' birthday.

We spread a beach blanket as a hangout
for all the babies in attendance.

I'm sooooooo ready to get my party on!

Stay tuned for more details from the bash!

Scary or Cool?

I'm definitely leaning towards cool, but it's probably too bizarre/scary for the nursery, huh?

(via utilitarianfranchise)

Nursery Art

Giant Squid

Jacques Cousteau vs. the Octopus

Nautical Print

Just did a big Etsy order today for art for the nursery. Can you guess what our theme is?

(via BeatUpCreations, petitemoufette and AfricanGrey)

I'll have a (pink) Christmas without you...

How fun are these Christmas decorations? I particularly love the packages all done up in chic white boxes with hot pink bows. This makes me want to retool my very vintage-y, slightly tacky holiday decor.

(via Full House)

Psst!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win a copy of Cynthia Rowley and Ilene Rosenzweig's adorable decorating book, Home Swell Home, which is now out of print. The winner will be announced tomorrow!

Holiday Giveaway #1: Home Swell Home

Today marks the first of the giveaways I'll be doing each week in December to share the holiday spirit with you, my lovely readers! I'm so, so excited about this giveaway, because I was absolutely obsessed with the Swell line when it came out at Target seven or eight years ago. I bought the tableware, the pajamas, the underwear, the linens, the paper goods...but for some reason I never bought the books. I can't believe it, being the book junkie that I am, but I didn't. I've often looked for them in the last year or so, but haven't been able to snap any up off of Ebay or Amazon since they are now out of print.

So...imagine my surprise when I came across Home Swell Home in the book department at a Christmas Tree Shops on Friday! I immediately grabbed a copy for myself and another for one lucky reader. To be entered to win this adorable, colorful, inspiring little decorating book, written by the amazing Cynthia Rowley and Ilene Rosenzweig, you must:

• be or become a follower
• leave a comment below

Easy peasey, right? I'll draw and announce the winner on Friday. Good luck!!!

Thanksgiving Banner

How cute is this Thankgiving banner? Go check out this super easy how-to tutorial over on Delightful Dwelling. I love paper crafts and think even the self-proclaimed non-crafters among us (by which I mean me) could handle this one!

(via Delightful Dwelling)

Setting the Table for Thanksgiving

I've had so much fun scouring Etsy this week for a few items to put you in the Thanksgiving spirit! I hope today's picks will inspire both your table decor and your menu planning.

Who needs a gravy boat? Use this adorable pumpkin-hued pitcher instead!

I love the '70s vibe of these little dessert dishes. Cranberry trifle, anyone?

Why not use silver pumpkin s&p shakers?

These wooden pumpkin trays would be a perfect backdrop for pre-dinner snacks.

This classically vintage wheat pattern is so harvest-y. I can imagine all kinds of incredible sides coming out of the oven in this Pyrex casserole dish.

(via VintageEye, Sassbox Classics, Park & Beach, Kitty B. Creative, and Auracuana Designs)

Thanksgiving Table Linens

I've got a real thing for vintage tablecloths, so couldn't resist seeing what Etsy had in stock for fallish-themed linens.

The blue on this little luncheon spread is an unexpected pairing with the harvesty pattern. I think it would look amazing paired with some old brown or blue transferware dishes and orange accents.

Linen placements that are so '70s...so Vera!

Remember this way cool tea towel calendar from a couple of weeks ago? Well, here's an original. Anyone born in the fall of '79? This should be yours!

I think this one is my favorite. It's the little nuts in the pattern that do it for me.

(via Uncle Buck's Trunk, Soso Vintage, MyraMelinda, and The Linen Lavoir)

Thanksgiving Gourds

Today's Etsy search for "gourds" yielded all manner of painted and reconstructed squashes, but these are my favorites:

I love the stems on these blown-glass gourds...they remind me of the pumpkins that turn into Cinderella's carriage. So whimsical!

This Art Deco gourd vase has a deconstructed vibe that could add some edgy coolness to your holiday centerpiece.

These painted gourds are amazing--proof art can come from even the most humble of mediums.

(via Providence Art Glass, Design Wizard, and Jenzartzaar)

Honeycomb Thanksgiving

Today's picks for some cute Thanksgiving decor from Etsy are near and dear to my heart. My mom had some of these honeycomb decorations when I was little. I specifically remember the excitement of when I was finally old enough to insert the die-cut feathers into the honeycomb tail of the turkey. I thought he was just marvelous!

I didn't find any honeycomb turkeys on Etsy, but this scarecrow is way too cute.

My mom had a pumpkin similar to this one, but hers had fancy die-cut leaves and vines that surrounded it. It might be fun to order this one and do my best Martha Stewart cutting out some pretty leaves to spruce it up.

On second thought...maybe I'll just search Ebay for the Hallmark pumpkin my mom had!

(via Marie'sVintage and Yapping Cat Studio)

Felted Thanksgiving

All week I'm going to be highlighting some of my favorite fall/Thanksgiving decorations from Etsy. How sweet are these felted owls and acorns I found today?

(via Oodlekadoodle Primitives and Lil Fish Studios)

Pretty Pumpkins

I have one small blown-glass pumpkin from when I interned at the Corning Museum of Glass. These pretty pumpkins make me think it might need a friend.

And don't you just love the mix of orange, red, and pink in this space? So energizing!

(via Sweet Home Style)

Words to Live By

Isn't this poster from 1914 great? Although it states the philosophy the hubby and I already have about food, I think I'd like it framed in my kitchen as a daily reminder.

And speaking of buying and cooking food with care, have you heard of You've Got Supper? I read about it earlier this week over at Young House Love and think the concept is just genius. I'm a huge proponent of menu planning to make grocery shopping easier and more economical, but I know it's something that a lot of people find challenging. When you sign up for You've Got Supper, Susan and Michelle take the guess work out of the planning by e-mailing you weekly menus with recipes and a shopping list. Sadly, it seems like there isn't a menu plan for vegetarians, but perhaps some of the recipes could be modified. Check it out!

(via beehive)

Tea Towel Calendar

Considering I never found a good calendar for 2009, I'm already on the hunt for 2010. I saw these adorable tea towel calendars yesterday on Mrs. French's I Heart Monday list and fell in love...particularly with this forsythia print (my favorite flower!). So cute and old fashioned!