Hello Christmas Table

I'm finally getting around to posting the photos from Christmas day at our house. I know it's a little late (as in more than a month) but better late than never right?!

Here is our table.

Bird's eye view. I purchased bunches of white flowers from a local florist.

The linen is from Crate and Barrel and the runner is just a $2 piece of burlap from JoAnn's.

Owl salt and pepper shakers from etsy.

I purchased Jadeite dinner plates on etsy and ebay, and the salad plates are my grandma's china. I love the gold greek key pattern on these.

Here is a look at our bar. I set it up on the console table in our entryway. Our entryway is right between our dining room and living room. The idea here was that hopefully by putting the drinks and appetizers out here it would keep the party out of the kitchen - it definitely helped to keep the kitchen a little quieter and less chaotic.

I grew paperwhites for the first time this year and I loved them.

Cantaloupe wrapped with prosciutto.

Gold and white polka dot glasses purchased at an antique store and silver straws from west elm.

I'm in love with this pitcher (belt and all) - another antique store find. These bacon wrapped dates were delish and very easy to make.

I hope you enjoyed our Christmas dinner decor!

Hello Moth Design

If you don't already frequent Erica's blogs here is the perfect reason to start. Check out her little closet project.

She framed shopping bags from some pretty amazing little stores and used them as artwork in her closet. I'm pretty much obsessed and I love the way it added color to the space.

I also really adore the fact that she keeps all of her black and white items and daily staples in one closet and everything else in a different closet - it really allows her amazing pieces to stand out.

You can find Erica at Moth Design, Little Moth and Luxe Life.

Hello Bobbette & Belle

I'm back with my newest installment of Wedding Wednesdays. This week I have some great sweets inspiration. Meet Bobbette & Belle. They own a little pastry shop/bakery in Toronto. They make some of the most beautiful cakes and macarons that I have ever seen. I first saw them when Amy Atlas featured this display.

How gorgeous is that cake?!

I even loved the styling of the event.

Next up are some images of their dessert tables, as well as detailed views of their cakes and macarons.

I love a good macaron tower - how beautiful is this?

Macaron favors.

Here are some images from their shop via weddingbells

Hello Pantry

I've been dreaming of a pantry as of recently. I think it is all still a part of my organization kick that started back in November. I got off to a good start but if you saw my house now, you would not know it.

We will be redoing our second bathroom this spring (the first one is 95% finished and I refuse to do a post on it until it is completely done and being used daily - which I hope, pray, and wish will be soon!). Moving on to the point of all of this - the bathroom is unnecessarily large for a second bathroom - there is plenty of space for a bath tub, vanity, and toilet with plenty of room to spare. This bathroom just so happens to back up to our kitchen.

Because there is a kitchen reno in the distant but hopefully not too distant future - I came up with a plan to close up the back portion of the bathroom so that when we do reno the kitchen we can open up a doorway into that space and have a nice little pantry. I made a lovely slideshow with images for my husband to present the idea to him. I think he's in - and if not he will be when it's actually time (crossing fingers). I apologize for the length of the explanation, but hopefully you can start to see how manic my brain really is. If you read through all that I am totally impressed and your reward is my favorite pantry inspiration photos.

I definitely want to be able to squeeze in a small desk space like the on pictured above. I'm thinking this will be pretty close to the actual amount of space that we will have. I hope. My major goal is for it to be a functional space - help keep kitchen items organized - maybe a nice little space to make coffee - and a small, cramped place to sit by myself and pay bills, blog, and dream about what part of the house I'll work on next.

I would love to add a pretty chandelier like this one.

I love the little pass through in the one above - we won't be getting that fancy nor will we have anywhere near this much space but the cabinetry and backsplash in this one is perfect.

I'm hoping it will be the epitome of organized like this one from Emerson Made

Lots of white dishes - perfection!

And I will definitely need a place for my cookbooks.

And a place for an amazing espresso machine like in the one above or below would not be too shabby either.

What would you include in your dream pantry? And if you already have one I'd love to hear how you use it - is it truly a functional space or just somewhere you throw canned goods and things you don't want anybody to see?

I believe that I borrowed all of the images from Houzz and I know the last one is Martha - if you have any more det's on sources please do share and I will add them.

Hello Sofa

I'm hoping to have a new sofa by this weekend. Here she is. It is the Avanti sofa from Ethan Allen. I found it on craigslist and immediately put our own couch up for sale. So if all goes as planned (basically if my buyer doesn't back out) this one will be mine!

The images make the fabric look like a light gray but the true color is a pale gray/blue/green almost turquoise color. I'm very much in love. I like the fact that it is very tailored looking and has much lower arms than our current sofa - which will mean we will actually be able to see/use our end tables when we are sitting on the sofa. Plus the seat cushions are upgraded so they maintain their shape - no more frumpy looking sofa from the hours we spend sitting on it.

So please craigslist guy - pick up my couch like you said you would this week so I can go and pick up this one!

Blogiversary!

So yesterday was this blog's 2 year blogiversary! I wanted to be back to regular posting yesterday to celebrate but it just didn't happen. Life has been a little crazy around here between the Holidays, my husband's birthday, lots of miscellaneous parties and on top of all of that we're refinancing - which let me tell you is a huge hassle!

I figured I would celebrate Hello Lover's 2nd birthday with one of my favorite party ideas I've seen in a while. It's a Modern Christmas created by the talented people over at Sitting in a Tree and photographed by Joielala Photography.

So here is to you blog - Happy 2 years!

How perfect and fun are their color choices?! You definitely need to check out their site and take a look at their past work - they do some pretty amazing stuff!

Now on to business - sorry I was away for so long - but I promise to be back to regular posting next week - I have lots to show you from our own Christmas celebration!