MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas everyone! Here's to creating beautiful family memories, eating 'til you're miserable and loving your life! CHEERS!

TIME TO BAKE!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but it's been a busy couple of weeks! Lots of birthdays in our family this time of year, lots of Christmas shopping and lots of persimmon picking!

Persimmon trees are native to China and deciduous, with broad, stiff leaves. These trees were later introduced to California and southern Europe in the 1800s.

They belong to the same genus as ebony trees, but persimmon tree wood has limited use in the manufacture of objects requiring hard wood. It is hard, but cracks easily and is somewhat difficult to process. Persimmon wood is used for paneling in traditional Korean and Japanese furniture.

There are two varieties of persimmons, Fuyu and Hachiya. The type I have is the Hachiya, which is used mostly for baking breads, pies and cookies.  They are ready for picking at the end of November or early December. Persimmons like Hachiya, must be completely ripened before consumption. When ripe, this fruit comprises thick pulpy jelly encased in a waxy thin skinned shell. To me, it tastes a bit like pumpkin.

So, since picking all of the persimmons off of our tree, I've been able to prepare at least 8 bags of persimmon pulp, just waiting to be made into delicious cookies! Thanks to a family recipe (which I will share, 'cause you're THAT special), you too can enjoy them! If you don't have a persimmon tree or know someone who does, you can grab some at your local grocery store this time of year. They aren't cheap though....they are selling for $2.99 each at mine! Check out the crop I had this year-took forever to pick them all.....but worth it!

Here's the Persimmon Cookie recipe! Again, make sure your persimmons are SUPER mushy (almost rotten) before getting the pulp out. The recipe calls for 1 cup of pulp, which is about 3 persimmons. Use the toothpick test after 10 minutes of baking.

CYBER MONDAY TOMORROW (and my BIRTHDAY) !

On your mark....get set.....shop! I have one more deal to share with you for CYBER MONDAY. Use code: CYBMON10 for 10% off EVERYTHING in my Etsy Shop. Happy shopping!

BLACK FRIDAY ANNOUNCEMENT!

First of all...I hope you had a very HAPPY TURKEY DAY! I would like to thank each of you for following my blog. I started my blog in April of this year (so, I'm still a newbie) and it's been a lot of fun! I've met some amazing and talented bloggers and followers in the process and have enjoyed our blog experience together.

To thank you- I'm offering an EXCLUSIVE "Black Friday" 10% discount on EVERYTHING in my ETSY SHOP! Enter coupon code: BLKFRI10 during checkout.

So, enjoy your shopping today! ♥ TO YOU ALL!

IMPERIAL TRELLIS (ALTERNATIVE) FABRIC

Introducing an exclusive, and EXTREMELY RARE- NEW color option for the Imperial Trellis "alternative" fabric! Gun metal gray/light gray color combination and  even reversible! Gray color option sells for $46/yard....Way cheaper than the Kelly Wearstler (KWID) designer fabric. These fabrics are 100% polyester, and categorized as a multi-purpose fabric, which makes it perfect for drapery and upholstery projects. HAVE TO HAVE IT?? Get yours here!
Looking for some examples of what other designers have done with this NEW color gray fabric or other color options in this same pattern? Well...here are some ideas for you! 

Gun Metal Gray and Light Gray color combo- $46/yard

Black and Ivory color combo-$32/yard

Gun Metal Gray

Gun Metal pillows!

Gun Metal roman shades!

Gun Metal (reverse side)

So...what would you do with yours???

THANKSGIVING ENTERTAINING TIPS & IDEAS

Yep...whether you want to admit it or not, you should be making your Thanksgiving plans by now! If you haven't already started, let's get to it!

Dinner Table
Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be a white tablecloth and polished-silver event to be elegant. Small, thoughtful touches are all that guests need to feel the Thanksgiving spirit. Here are a few ideas to spruce up your table decor:

Classic

Formal

Using fruit can be a nice touch and inexpensive (especially, if you already grow them).

Use pears, acorns, persimmons, crab apples, etc.

Bring a bit of nature in for a more organic look (and inexpensive). Search your yard for autumn leaves, twigs, branches or use your sweet gum trees for decorating your table.

Personally, I LOVE the idea of using natural decorations like fruit and foliage because you don't have to store them!

And we can all use some extra storage space!

TIPS:

Start the day with a list of kitchen tasks. In general, begin by assembling the stuffing, mashing potatoes, and making pie crust. The cook can rest and dress a couple of hours before guests arrive, while the turkey roasts and the pies bake. As guests arrive, you can be caught preparing appetizers, salad dressings and opening wines, social activities that allow you to chat and prep at the same time.

Sounds  like a lot of work, right?! Well it doesn't have to be.... try sharing the duties by having a pot luck (welcome to 2010). If that's the route you go, then you (the host/hostess) should make the main dish (turkey, ham, etc) and allow your guests to bring the mashed potatoes, stuffing, pies, etc. Instead of using name cards on the each place setting, use the name cards in front of the side dishes to let everyone know who brought what...for example: "Aunt Gina's Creamy Mashed Potatoes" or "Mom's Corn Bread Stuffing".

Host/Hostess Do's and Don'ts:

You have the menu, the decorations, the guest list -- the biggest variable left is your stress level, and stress has a funny way of making us morph into those beings (or other B-words) we don't want to be. Relax. Or you could just find yourself behaving like...

  

The Invisible Hostess: Having failed to start on time, or having decided to make difficult, last-minute dishes, you're in the kitchen, alone-all night. Very bad! As is jumping up to start cleaning while your guests are still at the table eating dessert.
BAD PLANNING=NO VISITING...AND THAT'S WHY YOUR GUEST ARE THERE....SO SIT DOWN AND VISIT!!

The Insecure Faultfinder: Do not start telling everyone whats wrong with your food dishes before they even pick up their silverware. If you're one of those that sit down and say...."So no one thinks the soup's too salty?" or "Sorry, but the turkey is probably really dry", or "Are the mashed potatoes are too lumpy"....Really, what can they say?! Stop worrying! Let your guests decide what's good....and unless your preparing Thanksgiving dinner for Emeril, you shouldn't worry about your guests critiquing the entire meal. RELAX and let them just enjoy the food!

The Child Chaser: Okay...okay...we all know your house is GORGEOUS....but do you really need to chase all of the kids around with paper towels and glass cleaner? They're guests too, and they also need to be "entertained". So, keep things "kid friendly" and "house friendly", by setting up a special kids table. Use butcher paper as a table cloth so they can draw or write messages. Set up some crafts/activities or have Thanksgiving themed coloring books on hand. This will keep them entertained and keep their parents happy too!

The Bickersons: It's a challenge to have people over when you and your spouse or significant other are in the midst of a squabble, but it happens. No matter what, avoid nit-picking at each other and rehashing any long-running arguments. Your guests WILL feel the tension and become uncomfortable. So, put it to rest before your guests arrive and enjoy each other's company.

The Depriver: A good host/hostess always has some wine or other alcoholic beverages available for their guests. Just because you aren't a "big drinker" doesn't mean you should deprive your guests from what they enjoy. Just avoid the KEG....you DO want everyone to be responsible, so too much isn't always the best way to go either....Need a festive beverage idea? Here's one I found that looks perfect for turkey day!

Cranberry Martini
Ingredients:
Serves 2

• 1 lime wedge
• Red sugar
• 8 ounces vodka
• 1 ounce cranberry juice
• 1 teaspoon vermouth
• Skewered fresh cranberries (for garnish)


Directions:
Rub the rims of 2 martini glasses with a lime wedge, and then dip each rim into a saucer of red sugar, rotating gently to evenly coat. Chill in freezer at least 10 minutes. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake vodka, cranberry juice, and vermouth until chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain into chilled glasses, and garnish with skewered fresh cranberries.


So, that's all I have for you today....happy planning!



Our Powder Room Remodel-Featured on Remodelaholic Blog

Looks as if we are getting some ♥ from Cassity at Remodelaholic again! This time, our powder room remodel will be featured! You can catch it tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7:00am. The Remodelaholic blog is all about DIY in its finest. We are very honored to be featured for the second time! Thank you for sharing our bathroom remodel project with your followers. We hope to inspire some other DIY-ers out there! 

NEW PRODUCT ALERT...CHIC HANGING CHAIR!

Back in July, I created a blog post about hanging chairs. I love this idea for a porch or back yard, but I've seen them used inside the house too and it looks nice! Since many of you (including myself!) were so interested in these cozy chairs, I went on a mission to get my hands on some! So here it is: 

This "Bird's Nest" hanging chair (52" tall x 36" wide) is made of durable woven resin for an organic wicker look. It comes with all necessary hardware, as well as the weather resistant neutral colored (and comfy) cushion! But....I think I'll have to recover mine and make it even more stylish and maybe add a pillow!

In case you were wondering-Hanging chairs were originally made famous by Danish and Scandinavian designers. Nanna and Jorgen Ditzel’s 1957 wicker hanging chair took the world by storm. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, you couldn't escape its influence in the Far East. These cozy egg-shaped swings could be found in homes of all social scales. Still extremely popular in the UK and Australia, it's a true classic, which many designers here in the USA are now integrating into classic modern home decor. It's rare to find them for less than $800!

I wish I had mine hanging right now — imagine snuggling up in that cocoon on a gloomy Saturday afternoon. Then come summer time throw open the doors and settle in with a cool drink and a good read!
If you want to order yours, you can visit my eBay page!

ROSE BOWL FLEA MARKET

GOT FLEAS? WE DO!
The second Sunday of each month, most designers in LA throw on their most comfy shoes, slap on some sunscreen, grab some cash and head over to the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena for some SERIOUS shopping! Said to be the World's most unusual Flea Market and the shopping place of the stars, it features over 2,500 vendors and 15,000 to 20,000 buyers every month!
Personally, I was most interested in browsing through the vintage and antique section. So, we headed that way and could not believe how many vendors were there! The flea market is GIGANTIC, and it's just this endless sea of vendors. The day we attended it was about 85 degrees....warning...there is NO shade! I was sunburned in the end, but it was worth it. We only made it to a fraction of the vendors, so hope to go back October 10th! I'm hoping for cool, overcast weather that day! Here's some of what you might see there:

This means...you're at the right place!

The flea market is open from 9:00am-4:30pm

It's $8.00 for admission, and they give you $2 bills for change!

This was strange to see there, but it was unique and entertaining. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

Retro chrome chandelier

For the mid-century modern designers.... this is was a pristine Le Corbusier lounge chair!

For the seamstress in you, here's a great vintage dress form

Vintage stage lights...amazing, but expensive!

Faux bamboo chairs! If these had cushions, I would have bought them in a second!

   Oh...Andy Warhol was even there!



OUR KITCHEN AND LIVING ROOM REMODEL BEING FEATURED ON REMODELAHOLIC!

EXCITING NEWS TO SHARE! Our kitchen/living room remodel is being featured on REMODELAHOLIC blog tomorrow at noon CST! I know most of you are already familiar with Cassity's amazing blog, but for those of you who aren't, you have to check it out! She has 3,082 (as of today) followers! Wholly smokes, right!? Her blog is about "DIY in it's finest" and she loves remodeling and other projects....not just theirs, but yours and mine too. Her blog features her own projects, as well as other do it yourselfers (like us) who have caught her eye with their designer touches. So, thank you Cassity! Can't wait until tomorrow!

IMPERIAL TRELLIS ALTERNATIVE FABRIC-NEW SHIPMENT JUST IN!

Okay, all you Imperial Trellis fabric fans....back by popular demand-new stock is now available for the Imperial Trellis alternative fabric in Black and Ivory! You can also order it in Coffee/Ivory and Aqua/Grey. This is as close as it gets to Kelly Wearstler's Imperial Trellis pattern, and at a FRACTION of the cost of KWID fabric. The alternative fabric is currently being used in the decor on The Bachelor Pad and in the Big Brother house. It's probably the most popular fabric the design world has seen in decades!! To order yours, visit my Etsy shop!

Black/Ivory

To give you a better idea of the size of the pattern, here's a picture of a pillow I had made using the Imperial Trellis Alternative in Black/Ivory.  This pillow is 16"x16".

Coffee/Ivory

Aqua/Grey

Latte/Ivory

FLIPPING OUT...AGAIN!

As some of you already know...the new season of Flipping Out is here! And, I don't know about you, but my Tuesday evenings now revolve around BRAVO! Fly home from work, have a quick glass of wine, chat with my hubby about our workday, watch the dogs and chickens play, make a quick dinner...all just in time for some great entertainment!

I ♥ this show! 

Jeff Lewis' humor is a bit on the dark side (I do LMAO though), but his interior designs are to die for. I had to share these photos of his personal residence (Valley Oak 2), which he initially bought to flip. It was placed on the market for the low, low price of $2.4M until he decided to make it his permanent residence! To top it off, it's nestled in the middle of Griffith Park! What a gorgeous home, don't you agree? Wish I could afford it!

Valley Oak 2 is a two-story, mid-century modern, post and beam house that was built in 1963 and has been flawlessly renovated.

This Chef’s kitchen includes features such as a Viking range, custom cabinetry, built-in Miele coffee maker (Oh I wish I had one of those), Bosch dishwasher, SubZero refrigerator, wine fridge, and an oversized pantry.

This amazing home has it all! Clean lines, open space, as well as spectacular views from downtown LA to the ocean from the pool. So jealous!