CHIC, BUDGET FRIENDLY THANKSGIVING TABLESCAPE

It's amazing what kind of decorating goodness you can find around the house when you put your mind to it. I wanted to whip up a budget friendly, but still ultra gorg, tablescape for our Thanksgiving festivities, using items I already owned.

On hand; our wedding china (always use it when I can), white cloth napkins (an absolute staple when it comes to entertaining), fancy gold glassware (you can never have too many glasses), mason jars (if you don't own a few, stop reading this and go out and buy them right now!) and good old kraft paper (so many uses).

I filled in the gaps with some seasonal foliage (only $10.99) and spiced them up (pun intended) with some cinnamon sticks - these normally just sit in my cupboard because I generally have absolutely no idea what to do with them!?

The cinnamon sticks made another appearance as a decorative place setting detail on the napkins; simply wrap 3 sticks with twine, and place, that's it.

I scattered the table with mini white pumpkins ($3) and a couple candles to add sparkle. I got really adventurous (not) and painted a bit of gold on a green gourd ($5); gold is my world!

And there you have it, for approximately $20 out of pocket, I made a pretty, seasonal tablescape out of items I already own.  Try it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

HOW TO MAKE A QUICK DIY VASE IN A PICKLE...JAR

Hello!!! I know it's been a while, I've been busy getting my life back on track after my loooong vacation; laundry piles, bills and fallen leaves have been top priority; however I did mange to get away for a weekend with friends (they come before laundry).

Last weekend we made the trek up north to a friends cottage to celebrate two birthdays, an anniversary and one engagement! I was in charge of the flowers for the bride-to-be and in my post vacay daze I didn't even think to bring a container to put them in for her to transport back on the 4 hour drive home. Yikes!  

One of my super crafty girlfriends came to the rescue, she spotted a pickle jar in the fridge and decided we could make something pretty to keep these flowers perky.  

We emptied the pickles into Tupperware, washed the vase,  arranged the flowers (not sure why we did this before we wrapped it) and wrapped in twine (taping the first end down and the last end as well).

Ta da...make-shift pickle jar vase!  It turned out beautifully, very rustic-chic.

When you get desperate, your get creative; think beyond the everyday use for items you have on hand...it just might get you out of a pickle.

FETE || easy weekend brunch

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend, I sure did.  Saturday was particularly special for me, I hosted a get together with some of my longest standing gf's, we go all the way back to the elementary school playground!  The time together was so lovely, I miss my wing women; we always get together around Christmas, but that's not nearly enough. Thought I would share a few quick pics of the easy, potluck brunch we all enjoyed while dishing the dirt, emphasis on "dirt". I kept things simple, the focus was on friends, but I did get to use some of my favourite pieces and I tried out a new quiche recipe.  

My Vera Wang wedding china with vintage, silver spoon napkin rings.

Pretty hydrangeas in a mason jar

My addiction, vintage tea cups, the colours kill me!

If only every Saturday was filled with brunch and best friends. 

FETE || stylish outdoor entertaining

Hi lovelies, just wanted to share a few quick pics with you from last night's Palm Springs inspired dinner party; it was the first time we've used the new backyard to host a dinner (promise pics of the yard are coming soon).

We were celebrating summer and couldn't have asked for more perfect weather, although I did ask the weather gods several times to please keep the rain away, it worked.

This was the scene...

Black, white and yellow with a splash of pink was the palette I played with, of course. The table seats 8 but was set for 6 and still a tight squeeze, but it seemed to work. I ended up making a table runner from fabric I had leftover from our wedding (cheated a little and only ironed the edges flat, it actually held together well, great shortcut if you don't like to sew).

Any excuse to craft, I'm on it, so I picked up these cute anchor stamps and some scrapbook paper from Michaels and made these little cards to bring some pink and whimsy into the table setting.

The flowers were meant to be bright and have a California feel to them. The market I go to didn't have the billy balls I desperately wanted, so I grabbed these nifty things, thought they fit the bill.

The menu was simple but risky; don't ask me why I decided to try 3 new recipes in a dinner party setting, I usually test them before hand to make sure they're up to snuff.  This time I just went with it and everyone seemed to like the food, and drinks of course were cold and plentiful :)

The menu; Citrus Marinated Shrimp Skewers with Grilled Pineapple to start, Arugula, Potato and Green Bean Salad, a Smitten Kitchen recipe (so amazing, it was totally delish) and Teriyaki Flank Steak (a fave amongst the group). 

For dessert these super refreshing, light and flavourful Strawberry Paletas I saw in Sweet Paul . TO.DIE.FOR! 

We laughed, we chatted, to be honest most of us were tired from work, but it was a relaxed evening and always great to get together

At the end of the night we lit up the fire and toasted marshmallows; our friends brought over a s'mores kit that came complete with sticks to put the marshies on, genius.

This was first of many summer backyard dinner parties in our household. Now, I'm on to the next, Canada Day party planning; was there a hostess badge in Girl Guides? I would have totally earned that one ;) ! Have a wonderful long weekend!

CHIC COUNTRY LIVING

How was your weekend?  Mine was quite lovely, such wonderful weather here and being Father’s Day on Sunday I got to hang out with my family which is always a treat.

My extended family met up in a little rural town called Grafton; think rolling hills, houses acres apart and fresh air.  Grafton is home to Canadian famous, St. Anne's Spa and also my Grandparents and Aunt and Uncle. I’ve been going to this quaint little town since I was born, frolicking in the raspberry bushes, swinging in the hammock and mostly running from all the bugs.  Until a few years ago, I didn't really appreciate just how beautiful this precious land is; now I savour every nugget of its undeniable beauty.

Thought I would give you a little break from your everyday (although, maybe your everyday looks like this, in which case you know what heaven is) and share with you just a slice of chic country living.

This is my Aunt and Uncle's place, a quintessential country home that’s complete with a gazebo, several horseshoe pits (duh?) and way too many beautiful secret spots to escape to  with a good book.