Design Challenge

Debra at  Common Ground  has come up with a great concept for a new blog party.

Design Challenge will be for anyone who is in need of design advice or just a fresh new idea.  You are welcome to submit photos to Debra for a feature post.

You can submit a whole room or something as small as a mantel display or vignette.  How about advice on paint colors or fabric choices?  Debra will post your decorating dilemmas and then you can get suggestions  from the rest of us. 

Do you ever walk into a room, or see a photo in a magazine, and start rearranging it in your mind or making design changes?   Do you love a decorating challenge?   If you answered yes then this is the party for you! Common Ground  readers have the opportunity to give decorating solutions and offer constructive criticism on the featured spaces.

Sound like fun?  You can get more details at  Common Ground  and while there grab the party button  and help spread the word.

xo,

Sherry

Designer Spotlight: Dee Dee Taylor Eustace of Taylor Hannah

Happy Saturday! I, as you know, love flowers and might just have to open a charming little flower shop in my next life. They make me happy and I always try to have a small arrangement, bouquet or some floral beauty in my home. Particularly since we are not in our home, and in a rental with about half of our things in storage...I try to add small touches here and there to make it feel a little more like "home". Yesterday I was out and about so I swooped up two plants, found this beautiful little planter and voila, had a beautiful arrangement for a side chest in the kitchen......had to share since I really liked how it came out. (when planting orchids I love using a lot of moss and take little "squares" of moss and tie them with raffia on the stems, a tip I picked up from the "pros".Hope you are enjoying a nice weekend, we have dinner plans, some chauffeuring to do for my son, invited on a friends boat tomorrow and other than that...hopefully we can turn down the pace a notch or two and enjoy some much anticipated weekend downtime.On to Dee Dee Taylor Eustace of Taylor Hannah, I have admired their work for the last year or so after having discovered a gorgeous kitchen that Dee Dee designed. I looked further and was so impressed with their portfolio, created by the very firm that Dee Dee created and is today an multi award winning design firm. Very elegant spaces as evidenced by the pictures below. In my humble opinion, it  seems their signature look is the "new traditional" a traditional room with a more modern, less fussy, more streamlined feel. Many of the spaces have a slight transitional feel and they are all incredibly beautiful if you ask me! One thing is for sure, the work of Dee Dee and Taylor Hannah architects is consistently fabulous! Based in Toronto, Canada they travel all over to create beautiful spaces. Selected as one of the top 40 under 40 recipients, Dee Dee hosted the show on HGTV, Love by design, in case you are thinking the name might sound familiar!  I would be thrilled to call any of these spaces home. See what you think.... Dee Dee is highly regarded for her outstanding body of work that she and her namesake firm have created. Click here to visit their website. So, lets take a look! Could you possibly pick a favorite?

Now onto the beautiful spaces by Dee Dee Taylor......

This is one sumptuous master!

Elegant and monochromatic, like the pop of dark from the piano and table

So soothing, serene and inviting.......love it!

Grand sized space is a great fit for this beautiful transitional kitchen, love the high ceilings

Cozy and somehow grand feeling.......

Dressing would become a full time job in this closet, by choice of course!

This is an eclectic little space, the table is so unique!

Dramatic, dark and divine!

I would never be brave enough to paint my cabinets green but I have to admit this is awfully pretty!

Sweet and romantic guest room, fit for a princess

Elegant old world feeling space, very inviting at the same time...

This is another very grand and elegant country kitchen, check out the beadboard ceiling

I like the over sized subway going all the way up.....clean and perfect for boys!

This is a darling room, so sweet!

Drama overload...love how the gold pops against the deep dark woods

The rich dark chocolate brown gives this room such a luxurious feel with a slight masculine edge

I adore this kitchen, the light and dark, the double row of cabinets....beautiful!

Always loved this bath! So elegant and serene

Ample seating in this sitting area off the kitchen is so welcoming

Beautiful dining room....like the inset mirror in the panels

Love how open the shower feels with the glass on three sides....

An interesting mix of modern, transitional and old world European...

This is such a fresh and inviting bedroom, love the fabric on the headboard!

This is a perfect example of how beautifully they blend styles within a room

So what do you think of their style? Like it? Love it? Do you have a favorite room? It would be hard to pick a favorite but I do like and enjoyed seeing their take on the "new traditional", slightly less stuffy, more streamlined, fresh colors, sleeker feeling...its a great look and very much in sync I think with how people like to live today. Hope you have a wonderful Saturday!

Gorgeous in Silver - cupcakes, Jewelry and re-invented Vintage Cutlery

I always enjoy looking at pretty things on the Internet but today felt drawn to silver and glitter and romantic images and have created a pretty “silver” collage. I decided not just to post as a “visual” feast but have included a yummy recipe for orange blossom cup cakes and some wonderful ideas for decorating them in silver for either a wedding or anniversary or just because you want to create something pretty. 

I have also found some lovely products with a silver theme, including the wonderful vintage tea spoons, two separate companies with unique ideas for re-inventing a use for beautiful vintage tea spoons.   You must visit their stores to see their great products, I think they are beautiful.

I have added links to go directly to any products you may like, just click on the shop names.

Gorgeous in Silver

Snowflake Showers wedding cake by She Takes the Cake


Silver and white bridal bouquet photo shared from ACapeCod Bride.blogspot.com . Morgan is the owner of this delightful blog which is about her creating a beautiful budget wedding in only 6 months.  A really lovely blog.

Kas Fabiano Bed Linen from Wallace Sacks Linens

Swarovski crystal heart beautifully wrapped in sterling silver on an 18" sterling silver chain - US$28.00 by Classic Keepsakes, please click on the link to see other designs in Classic Keepsakes etsy store. 

Full length ball gown tulle skirt as seen in collage above. Dove grey tulle lined with silver bridal satin US$345 by Tutus Chic. Tutus Chic has the most gorgeous tulle skirts and beautifully detailed bodices.  I have previously featured Tutus Chic's exquisite designs.

Vintage Silverware Silver plate Teaspoons US$19.00 by Wooden Hive . Wooden Hive takes vintage cutlery pieces and etches them turning them into unique pieces. Please take a look at their etsy shop to view other lovely designs including this unique bridal piece below at US$6.50.

The Vintage teaspoons below belong to California Spoon Rings, another etsy store. This  unique company craft beautiful vintage cutlery by bending, cutting and polishing into the most  gorgeous rings which are unisex.  I have selected three designs  below, however there are plenty more in their etsy store at California Spoon Rings

1. Vintage Orange Blossom design -  US$22.50 from California Spoon Rings

2. Sterling silver ring  New Standish Design 1905-  US$48.50 - California Spoon Rings

3. Silver spoon ring Oxford 1901 - US$20.50 - California Spoon Rings

(Please note at the time of posting all the above products were still available)

Orange Blossom Cupcakes

6oz (175g) butter, softened and chopped
6oz (175g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur ( I would imagine you could use orange juice instead but the taste would not be as strong)
3 eggs
5oz (150g) all-purpose (plain) flour (sifted)
1 teaspoon baking powder, (sifted)


Method:


1. Preheat oven to 180C (350F).

2. Line cupcake tins with cupcake papers.

3. Place the butter, sugar, orange rind and liqueur in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8-10 minutes or until light and creamy.

4. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.

5. Add the flour and baking powder and beat until just combined.

6. Spoon mixture into cupcake tins.

7. Bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of an orange blossom cupcake comes out clean.

8. Cool on wire racks before icing.


White Chocolate Icing: 

7oz (200g) white chocolate, chopped
160ml (2/3 cup) cream

1. Place white chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth.

This recipe comes to you from All About Cupcakes, here you can find many wonderful cupcake recipes such as chocolate mallow, almond and raspberry, lemon meringue and a trillion other   flavours, in fact anything connected with cupcakes.

Some Decorating ideas for your cupcakes

sprinkled with silver edible glitter 

( sorry I cannot credit this photo as cannot find the source, however if you own this photo please let me know and I will credit it accordingly :))

silver cupcake wrappers from the Craft Company
A company that has everything you can imagine to do with cakes and decorating, definitely worth a visit.

Today I will leave you today with a Greek Proverb

A heart that loves is always young

We are all wanting to stay as young as we can and it is a proven fact that happy, loving people do live longer, look younger and stay healthier.

Je T'aime Pillow Cover Giveaway

We figured it was time for another giveaway! We have been busy working on our pillows for fall. We currently have the Jane Austen Silhouette (facing both right and left so you can have two facing each other) and Girl Reading Silhouette pillows printed as well as the Je T'aime pillow in the 12" by 16" size and the 12" by 24" size as well. Now we are working on getting several other designs printed including ones with Silent Night, Holy Night, Joyeux, and Noel for Christmas, and a Give Thanks one for Fall. We are hoping to have them all ready for when we reopen and then once those are all ready to go we have a few other designs we can't wait to get printed.

Seeing how there are still a few more weeks left until we reopen we thought we would have a giveaway each week until then! This week we will be giving away this 12" by 16" Je T'aime pillow cover.

So how can you win this pillow cover?

The giveaway rules are the same as always:

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post!

You don't have to have a blog to enter, either. If you aren't a blogger, just enter a comment and then where it says "comment as" scroll down near the bottom and click on anonymous. However, if you do that, make sure to leave your e-mail address so we can confirm that you are the winner. If we draw the name of someone who doesn't leave any identifying information we will simply draw a new name. Make sure to check back here on the blog to collect your prize!

You can comment each day if you would like to up your chances!

For extra entries become a follower of our blog, twitter

and/or  like our facebook page!

Just write "follower" as a second comment so it counts as an entry,  and "twitter"

and "facebook" as their own entries.

You can enter through Sunday evening 

 and then we will post the winner Monday! 
 

Things I am loving Thursdays and house updates!!

Good morning....forewarning this is a long post, lots of writing, lots of pictures, lots of things I am loving this week, so sit down, relax, pour yourself another cup of coffee or wine. Hope you are having a great week. With the weather finally calming down from temperatures I felt like I was melting in, things have gotten better and more tolerable. Something sad happened yesterday, I was out doing errands and the huge neon yellow "going out of business" signs draped over Borders caught my eye. I was due for a fresh supply of magazines so figured I would pop in. I walked into utter madness, people buzzing all over the place and I spied a line with at least two or three dozen impatient customers, not the usual "happy to be a chilling in a bookstore" customers I am used to seeing. I saw the tape sectioning off the now closed cafe/coffee shop while rejected books and magazines lay disheveled and all over the place. I looked at the store in this disarray, a place that had welcomed me many an afternoon or evening with open and cozy arms with its orderly shelves brimming with endless reading possibilities. It made me sad because I had a darn good relationship with Borders and it was often my sanctuary to where I escaped to my special place, to decompress, unwind and broaden my mind with a cup of hot java in hand. I have so many great memories there and my first reaction when I walked into all the activity was "this is what it used to be like during regular business hours" now its only this way because things are being sold for 40%.
 I felt a pang of nostalgia and true sadness at what this represents, things are changing so fast, moving in such a progressive lightning fast direction that I feel like the things that we relied upon to calm and slow us down are practically non existent! Tell me whats more relaxing than going into a book store, to me not much, except maybe being on a beach alone with an IV drip of Pina Coladas or Pinot Grigio and a juicy book, but not much else. Now I hear Barnes and Nobles is in trouble too. I for one, am not ready to surrender myself and give up the feel and smell of a brand new book to a techy gadget meant to replace buying books forever. Long live the book store!!!!!!!! 
I am sorry I got carried away in my venting but seriously this has/had me really bummed. So I mourn for yet another past favorite, first Southern Accents and now Borders. RIP, Borders. You will be sorely missed.This week I start with my usual updates. Things are really moving and shaking over at the house. I finally can envision living there which admittedly is a first. Exciting, overwhelming and loads of work, but it is a wonderful thing and its so fantastic to be in the home stretch! So here we go.....
HOUSE UPDATES. Lots going on even if it seems like its going slowly. The details can be a long drawn out process but rest assured, things are moving along quite swiftly. Painters are busy finishing first coat upstairs, carpet has been ordered, trim is getting downstairs, gutters are being put in, driveway being put in, electrical and plumbing doing their finishing touches, we will have AC within a few days..woo hoo! This is very important as the finisher starts staining the breakfast room and for the kitchen cabinets...so plenty going on. The porch is done all except for one small section, its ready to stain the ceiling and have floors put in...so here is a recap on all that's happened this week........

Porch basically done!

Mock ups of spindles, this is the one we are going with....

A few different ones we were experimenting with...Don and Co. are masters!!

The cardboard version and then you have.....

The real deal, in wood

Then the living room Versailles Parquet floor started getting put in, (not stained yet)

Trim work moving along on first floor hallway

They finished this doorway from family room looking into kitchen..love it! Thanks Don

In family room looking out....

Kitchen moving along....slowly but surely we are getting there!

I like this detail....where the sinks will go

Back mudroom woodworking moving along....

The back stairs in the works

Four of the carpets for the boys room and guest room......

Vanity for sons bath, its a very very dark mahogany

Bow shaped vanity getting installed in guest room

Shower getting the plumbing

Close up with mirror

Sons bath getting vanity installed....

First official door knob was put on...yippee!!

Love the door knob, I wanted ant. brass, hubs wanted polished, gotta pick your battles, its still a beautiful knob

Hubby's shower almost done

Mud room wood working in progress

Going into living room from porch

Side door

Driveway Belgian block was just completed...

MY NEW FAVORITE HAND SOAP. Best part is its 3.99 for a big bottle at Target! And they must get some kind of special discont because when I looked this up online, saw its selling for between $5-8 online. Actually the truly best part is this is darn good hand soap, it lathers nicely, smells wonderfully with a scent that lingers as much as a nice hand lotion and I am a sucker for anything that makes me feel nostalgic for something old fashioned looking!

anything. I was thinking recently how I will of course, want to send out moving cards and found this wonderful line from Duet which features letter pressed stationary..and its all drool worthy gorgeous! Take a look! Click here to see more....

They also make adorable and beautiful baby announcements!

CHIC SUMMER CLOTHING. I love tunics, light sundresses in fun prints for the summer, throw on a piece of turquoise or coral and you are good to go. Amongst many of the lines I like for summer, I discovered Gretchen Scott about five years ago and add to my collection every summer. The price point is fair, her things are all cotton, silk or linen and she features so many great tropical summery prints...love her eye. I think of her line as one part southern belle meets one part island chic. See what you think and click here to see her line.

And then she makes these adorable pareos....love the prints! (sorry for getting carried away but its such a fun line) But these are as great as a beach/pool coverup as they are wrapped around your neck on a cool summer evening, think white pants, white top and gold sandals with one of these goodies....tres chic!

A GREAT BOOK. I am a bit behind in my summer reading, normally I get through five or six solid books, but this summer I have just completed a second. But it is one worth recommending.....Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, is a riveting and spellbinding story. Its his first book and is highly acclaimed, already winning all kinds of awards. I had a hard time putting it down. Have you read it? Click here to find out more......

A TOTALLY RANDOM SITE. OK I know this venturing a bit off my normal "area of expertise" (whatever that may be) but I found this and couldnt' believe how cute and imaginative these were!! I mean seriously these are pancakes...as hard as that is to believe! And this Jim dude has an entire blog all about the incredible pancakes he turns into works of art.....I kid you not. Man, my kids would be pea green with envy over the kinds of breakfasts his kids are treated to every morning! Check these out....I mean seriously don't you have an extra hour every morning to make caterpillar and T-Rex pancakes? LOL.....really amazing though! Just in case you want to follow this pancake master, click here to go to his blog.

She looks happy!

How can I top bee hive pancakes? Think I am going to stop now while I ahead.....best to end on a high ( and delicious note) I am suddenly craving pancakes and will settle for my always crooked, barely a circle somewhat very unprofessional looking (Jim would be appalled) BUT DELICIOUS pancakes.....enjoy your Thursday and you know I always love to know if there is anything you are loving this Thursday....do tell!