‘Decorating’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Food and Drink Christmas Tree {2012}

December 19, 2012 · Narrative

We have a handful of Christmas traditions, and our kitchen food-and-drink-themed Christmas tree is surely one of my favorites. We have added enough ornaments to it over the last few years, that last year I set off to find a new and bigger tree. All throughout the season, and even after, I looked and couldn’t find anything that would work. Too big. Too small. Too fat. Or too expensive. Just not right.

So this season, the hunt started again. In earnest. K-Mart. Target. The Christmas Tree Shop. Michael’s. I thought I had actually scored when Michael’s four foot $50 tree went on sale for half-price. Until I carted it home and Nick put it together (thank goodness for him!) and then I realized … it actually wasn’t that much bigger than what we already had. Maybe a foot? And so it went back.

I had all but given up…

Until on a visit to Wal-Mart last week, I spied one that would work. And that they were, of course, sold out of. Luckily they agreed to sell me the floor model (fyi, those stinkers at Target wouldn’t when I found a sold-out one there), so a 6 foot tall skinny tree now sits in our kitchen.

And again, Nick put it together. Obviously with only a few pieces, this is not a hard endeavor. My problem is that I spend so much time trying to track it down, and then lugging it home, my energy and motivation for such things is depleted. And as luck would have it, that’s exactly when his kicks in.

We’re a good team for sure.

So … new additions this year!

Beyond the tree, of course.

There have been some pretty awesome finds.

*my friend Beth found this one for me at Lord & Taylor – love it!

*this Oreo with one bite missing we found last week at a local garden center

*this one is from Target – and it’s huge! I wish they had a matching ketchup bottle – maybe that’s next year!

*this sweet little mini gingerbread man was also at the local garden center and a steal at $1.49

*also from Beth and Lord & Taylor – it’s a beaut!

*this one Nick found last weekend while out with friends

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Project: Reading Room Map Wall

April 26, 2012 · Narrative

It really all started with that map painting right in the center of the wall.

I bought it from Target years ago, when we were in our old house, and Madeline had just been born.

When we moved back into this house, Jamie, our old babysitter, hung it in the center of this wall. I’ve stared at it every day for nearly three years since.

It was plain on that wall all by itself.

And lonely.

And needed more.

I knew that.

It just took me a long time to get ‘er done.

I wanted to create an entire wall around that map.

The kids love going on adventures. That’s a given. Love seeing where things are on the map. Where people we love, live. How far away xyz is.

Why not play that up?

Big time.

And so the idea of a whole map wall was born.

Over the last few months, I went about collecting more maps to fill up the space.

Two were from Amazon.

One was from Target for $5.00.

My parents dug out two super old ones.

And the rest (the top quarter of the wall to the ceiling) were from AAA.

One of the perks to AAA membership is free maps.

Oh yes, please.

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Food and Drink Christmas Tree {2011}

December 4, 2011 · Narrative

This is the third year of my food and drink decorate Christmas tree in the kitchen. I would say it might be one of my favorite traditions of the holiday season, but who am I kidding? I am pretty fond of them all.

So instead of a traditional Weekend Photos in Review post tonight, it’s all about the tree.

Some of my favorite ornaments from the past two years have been:

This one I grabbed at the after-Christmas clearance sale last year. Mostly because I couldn’t bear to pay $9.00 full price.

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Wordless Wednesday: Hoboken House Tour

October 27, 2010 · Narrative

On Sunday, I went on a house tour with my sister, mom and brother-in-law in Hoboken. I love getting a peek into people’s houses to see how they decorate their homes (as in interior decorating), and it was perfect weather for a self-guided walking tour. Here are some of my favorites (including some pictures of Halloween decorations in the neighborhood as well):

We saw two kitchens that definitely took inspiration from Martha Stewart’s Decorating issue last year. If you missed that issue, it’s worth hunting down … wonderful ideas from cover to cover.

This was my favorite home on the tour, a renovated old marzipan factory. It was so warm and inviting from the moment we walked through the threshold.

Has anyone see this type of print available anywhere? The Mona Lisa is made up of tons of little tiny pictures. I couldn’t make out the signature, and neither could the homeowner. Anyone familiar with seeing something like this? He also said he has seen online programs where you can make something like this with your own pictures, but couldn’t remember the site. Anyone?

The homeowners were working on this web when we passed by. If you look closely to the left of the spider, you’ll see a trick-or-treater caught in the web, a new addition they added this year.

Project 365
October 27, 2010, Photo #198

Recognize us? Speaking of decorating, I have this idea for something silly in our house, and this is the first part of it. If you come over, be expected to contribute. That’s all I’m saying.

Decorating Class with Pottery Barn

March 15, 2009 · Narrative

I’ve been taking Pottery Barn‘s monthly decorating classes lately, and had another one today. The price is right (free!) and I always come away with useful information that I can put into practice right away. Today’s topic was table settings for brunch and ideas for celebrating the upcoming Easter/Passover holiday with family and friends.

I love entertaining, whether it be casual or formal, but when it comes to the actual table setting, I am terrible at it. I have been a child of Pottery Barn for many, many years, and saved their catalogs just to get a feel for how they set their tables so beautifully. In recent years, they have published decorating books, which are a great way to learn how they do it all. Once I found out today’s topic was going to cover my Achilles heel, I was in.

Here are a few of the notes that I took:

They suggested using table runners instead of tablecloths when setting your table. They said that it’s a great way to show off the beauty of your table, be it an antique, something handed down through your family or a new purchase, and it’s an inexpensive way to completely change the look of the table settings for the holidays, the different seasons or just because.
Speaking of table runners, they also suggested using them across the width of your table, instead of just thinking of them in the traditional way down the center length. By using them across the width of the table, they also become placemat-like as well, because if you put them along the width, going from chair to chair, they’ll be right under the placesettings.
They love chargers and said it’s an easy way to build up your theme from a solid foundation. For a casual luncheon or brunch, they suggested wicker chargers. I loved them, and was sorely tempted but at $16 a pop, I restrained myself. For a more formal dinner, they opted for these silver ones with a Mother of Pearl rim. (They’re way shinier in person, by the way)
They suggested using a core white dinner plate for the base of everything. (They used this set in today’s class) It’s simple and classic. Then, to personalize the table for the particular event, they said to use a patterned plate (a layering plate as they called it) for the smaller one set on top of your white plate (see above photo). I loved this idea, and to me, this was worth the class attendance alone. I must have four different sets of plates, but two years ago, I switched to using a bright white dinner plate instead. I found it easier to match with all my table linens and accessories, and I love the idea of using a smaller, patterned layering plate on top of it to change up the white quickly, easily and inexpensively. Genius.

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