Tuxedo Lemon Pound Cake gift!

So I have the extreme luxury of a fully stocked lemon tree out my front door, (eye roll) so I decided to search for some fun recipes requiring the freshest lemons. I decided on this simple pound cake with lemon icing,  and the recipe yields two pound cakes! If you know me its all about the presentation, so check out below for details of how it all came together.

I used this black satin ribbon to tie the top bow (very Marc Jacobs) the whole spool was $16.00, more than i wanted to spend however it will last for like ever.

One of my favorite personalisation secrets is the 2x4  Avery shipping label, i run it through the printer and in moments i have tons of great stickers.  Also have no idea how the world worked before the  slim Sharpie but i hear it was rough. 

"My colors are blush and bashful" if you are a "Steel Magnolias" fan you get it, but really my colors are fuchsia and black. I find it essential to have your "colors" so that people can look at something and immediately know its you. At the last moment I saw these ans just knew they needed to be in the bag.

                  Speaking of the bag, I Found these simple plastic bags at my local party store 100ct for only $13.95. If you cant find them just cut the zip off of the top of a Ziplock bag and your good.

From Kansas City pine to sexy piano black

Developing an eye for "the find" is a skill that can take years, luckily I can get you started. Since taking color theory in hair school I have been able to change colors in my head, very helpful when your getting highlights. However I also found that it comes in handy when I am shopping for vintage or second hand furniture. This entry piece above I found at a Goodwill store for only $75.00, after one look I knew it needed to be high gloss black. So with another $10 worth of metalic paint I am the proud owner of the sexiest entry piece ever! The next time you find yourself at a thrift store or a flea market take a moment, close your eyes and change the finishes in your head. You will be shocked what you can have for under $100.00!

Treasures for the table from our Big Bear getaway!

Whenever I am traveling around the country I always like to check out the local thrift & antique stores, to find what treasures they may be hiding. On this trip to the beautiful mountain town of Big Bear I stumbled upon this cluttered store that seemed to go on for days. I got this very unusual pine cone for only $2.00! I bought three of them and arranged them around the house to instantly create that warm holiday feeling. Not to mention the conversation about how unique and beautiful they are. 

www.bigbear.com 

A Champagne Thanksgiving!

After we bought this amazing farm table in August I have been on a mission to create the most fantastic thanksgiving. I only wanted 8 people total so we could all sit together, there is just something nostalgic about saying "please pass the mashed potatoes" It reminds me of home. I had some pretty stiff competition from my mother and aunt, they have put on some amazing dinners! Weeks ahead i was scouring all of my cookbooks, and online for the right  the menu. when it was all said and done i ended up with three different potato dishes (sweet potato casserole, Au gratin, and of course mashed potatoes) and more desserts than you can shake a stick at! What i learned was its not about the perfectly balanced menu, its about the laughter around the table and creating a comfortable setting in our home.

Hollywood Housewarming (on a budget)