Fiesta!

I am brimming over in anticipation of the upcoming, and much needed, girls weekend.  We are all dear friends from our college days and each with busy chaotic lives.  As we grow older and our families and responsibilities grow bigger, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get together.  So, this weekend we will rejuvenate those friendships, poolside, with a drink in each hand!  Always in favor of adding a theme to any party, I will be channelling these lovely ladies and might be sporting one {or more} of these fiesta inspired goodies.

images via:  ASOS Summer Dress in Aztec Print  Mara Hoffman Beaded Mexican Poncho Silk Top  http://rstyle.me/hme8weiwzw  Pinterest  Pinterest  The Old Post Road  E! Online

TSF Christmas Decor

What is it about decorating for Christmas that makes your home that much more welcoming and cozy?  Once Halloween has come and gone I am guilty of listening to Christmas music in anticipation of the upcoming season.  While I confess to listening to carols earlier that I ought to, I restrain myself from putting up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving.  The day after Thanksgiving I spend the day putting away all of Fall and taking out my precious Christmas decor.  

My home is very traditionally decorated and my Christmas decor is merely an extension of my design aestetic on a day to day basis.  I love metallics at Christmas with accents of traditional red and green, usually described as traditional rustic glam, but pretty light on the glam.  I always incorporate burlap, and this year I bought a beautiful ruffled monogram burlap tree skirt from It's In The Bag.  Burlap was also wrapped around mini rosemary trees that were placed throughout the house.

My fireplace mantle was inspired by the November-December 2011 issue of Traditional Home, which featured a gorgeous Dallas home that was glittered with mercury glass accents.  Her mercury glass trees were both antique and new.  I found my trees at United Market Street and Target.  The garland is from Hobby Lobby and was customized using greenery spray from Nicholson-Hardie.  Our traditional needlepoint stockings are from Lands' End.  And I have yet to find the perfect stocking hangers, so for now they will continue to hang on the fireplace tool's stand.

Our dining room has a few elegant touches, reminiscent of a cold winters night with a palette of brown, white, and white gold. Some sweet friends gave us the beautiful white poinsettia that on our dining room table.  I loved the white on white of the poinsettia in the antique swan planter that my SIL graciously bought me in Round Top earlier this year.  The extra-large pinecones have a metallic sheen to them.  I had to have them when I saw how beautifully they were displayed at Mary Cates on Lover's Lane in Dallas, if you have not visited them you must!  Greenery sprays and an antler shed were added to the vignette on the buffet.  The whole room would be complete with my Juliska china, monogrammed white linen napkins and these napkin rings!

The little snow globe sits in my entryway console alongside a basket full of this years Christmas cards from friends and family.  I found it at Anthropologie and thought that it was so whimsical and fun, I had to get one.  They come in all shapes and sizes, the smallest is made out of a salt shaker!  To see more shots of my Christmas Tree, visit this post.  One thing that my home is lacking is a nativity scene. I love this one.  Too bad it is sold out, would have been a great addition to our home.  Next year I will be sure to get one early!  In the meantime I will hope to win the lottery so I can buy this one.

Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to my sweet friend Kelsey from Gal on the Go Go, winner of the fabulous white feather wreath by Ellie Boo Designs!  It will be a wonderful holiday addition to your sweet little abode.  Thank you Robin for hosting this gorgeous giveaway!

In other news, my SIL and I hosted a sweet Christmas playdate last night for some of our dear friends and their little ones.  Pictures to follow soon!

TSF Christmas Tree and Giveaway Announcement

My tree has been up for weeks now but I can't help tweaking and perfecting it on a daily basis.  Here are a few recent photos of its current state.  For the record, regarding the ongoing Christmas Tree debate, I prefer a sentimental tree over a themed tree.  That being said, my sentimental ornaments are strictly glass.  I LOVE European glass ornaments.  One of our family traditions is receiving a new ornament each year (or 2 or 3).  So slowly but surely the tree is filling up with beautifully made little works of art.

This year I added green and gold ribbon to the tree.  I love how the ribbon fills in bare areas between the branches and add a bit more color.  I definitely prefer the ribbon to hang vertically rather than wrap around the tree.  It is much easier to hang it this way as well!  I think next year I will find thicker ribbon in bolder colors to add more of a punch.  My favorite ribbons come from Neiman Marcus, but of course they are most definitely out of my ribbon budget.  $40 for a spool is a little ridiculous if you ask me!  Another addition this year, which I could just not get a great picture of, is this sweet santa tree topper by David Strand.  He trained under Christopher Radko and is an incredibly skilled artisan.  I found this beauty at Nicholson Hardie.

Last year I found that stunning glass rose at Neiman Marcus and had to snatch it up in honor of the Frogs making it to the Rose Bowl.  Swans are one of my favorite creatures, there is just something so elegant about their long curving necks and how gracefully they glide through the water.  I loved this swan ornament, also from Neimans, for its long feather tail.  The other ornaments shown were found this year at Pier One and Nicholson Hardie.

Of course there are a few more sentimental ornaments that have been added to the tree this year.  I found this sweet little turtle at Neimans Last Call for Vivi, in honor of her turtle birthday party.  And of course we had to honor Cade's first Christmas with this sweet rocking horse that I found at Lawrences.  We have also collected a new ornament for each home that we have lived in as a family.  I loved this little cottage and it resembles our house, if you kind of squint a little bit.    

Giveaway info...

The giveaway deadline has been extended through the weekend and a winner will be drawn on Wednesday, December 14 at 3 pm.  I am in the middle of planning a party for next week and would like to give more readers the chance to enter!  Right now the odds are pretty fantastic, so if you have yet to enter, do so here!

Ellie Boo Designs GIVEAWAY!!

As I mentioned last week, I have teamed up with my friend Robin of Ellie Boo Designs to giveaway a beautiful, handmade, white feather wreath similar to the ones shown below.  I purchased one a couple of weeks ago and now Robin is graciously offering the one to a lucky TSF reader!  This wreath will add a little bit of whimsy to your Christmas decor.  It looks fabulous over a mantle, in a window, in front of bookcases, as a part of a holiday party, and would be a darling touch to a children's room.  Really, it will look fantastic just about anywhere!  Did I mention this is my first giveaway?!  I am so excited!

image: BHG

Robin opened her Etsy shop a few months ago and offers custom letters perfect for a little one's nursery as well as exceptionally made faux wreaths for any season.  I particularly like the purple hydrangea topiary and will probably be adding it to my fall decor next football season.

I know you are dying to enter :)  Here's what you need to do.  Good luck!

To Enter:

1.  Become a follower of The Simply Fabulous and leave a comment.
2.  Visit Ellie Boo Designs and come back and comment on which item in your shop is your favorite.
3.  Follow me on Twitter {HERE} and don't forget to leave a comment telling me you are.
4.  Tweet about this giveaway and make sure to include @thesimplyfab and this URL {http://thesimplyfabulous.blogspot.com/2011/12/ellie-boo-designs-giveaway.html} in your tweet.

Make sure you leave a comment for EACH ENTRY!

Rules:
1.  Make sure you are a follower of The Simply Fabulous.  If you are not, become one (it is an entry too)!
2.  You must live in the US to win.

I will randomly select a winner using the Random Number Generator at NOON on Friday, December 9, 2011. UPDATE: winner will be announced Wednesday, December 14 at 3 pm!

images:  Home Made Simple via North On Harper, West Elm , Garnet Hill

Outdoor Texas Wedding

In July I travelled down to San Antonio to be a part of my sweet friend Lisa's wedding.  We met in college and she has been such a dear friend through the years.  It was such an honor to stand with her at the alter while she married her soul mate and best friend.  While it was a long time coming, everyone knew the day would come.  And let me tell you, it was worth the wait!  They are the kind of couple that are constantly laughing with each other and make everyone around them at ease.

Lisa was very involved in the planning and it shows.  She was inspired by vintage weddings and her love for Pottery Barn, the perfect juxtaposition of old and new.  Complete with monograms and burlap, their wedding was perfectly Southern and rustically elegant.  And check out the awesome TCU grooms cake!  Everything was simply gorgeous, and she was the most stunning bride I have ever seen.  The couple was married at Alamo Heights United Methodist Church and the reception was held outdoors at Alamo Heights Country Club.  For the beautiful professional photos by Peacock Photography go here.

Fab Find Friday

Look what I got!

The first time I laid my eyes on these gorgeous pumpkins was when Erin over at The House of Turquoise was hosting a Plush Pumpkins giveaway a few weeks back.  Unfortunately, I was not the lucky recipient of those blue beauties but instantaneously began coveting a set.  I even went as far as to google velvet pumpkin DIYs.  Fortunately things did not have to go that far, as my MIL brought me back this insanely awesome purple pumpkin from her trip to Round Top last week.  Love affair at first sight.

Falling For...

I have never been more excited to welcome in my favorite season.  After a record breaking summer  of 100 days of 100+ degree weather and our town being named the hottest place in the country (read: the worst place to live), most everyone I know is welcoming fall with open arms.  While the temperatures here continue to be in the upper 80s, I am completely smitten with all things fall.  Right now I am falling for: mums and pumpkins, dark nails, fall fragrances, and pumpkin spice (nothing says fall to me than a hot pumpkin spice latte on a crisp fall morning!)...

   

{1. Essie Very Structured  2. Bath and Body Works Autumn Candle  3. Fall in Aspen by Amy Higgins Designs 4. Pumpkin Spice Latte  5.  Pottery Barn Harvest Embroidered Suzani Table Linens  6. Staffordshire Royal Mail Platter  7. Anthropologie Gossamer Birch Shell  8. Lulu Frost for JCrew Figure Eight Bangle  9. One Kings Lane  10. Handmade Birch Napkin Rings}

image via HGTV

The Paris Wife

I just finished reading The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, and couldn't help but caught up in the glamour of 1920s Paris.  I found myself immersed in the tragic beauty of the era, longing to join the characters for a cocktail at a Paris cafe.  What an interesting place to be, living a bohemian lifestyle, jetting off on European vacations for weeks on end.

The Paris Wife inspired my BHLDN moodboard for the giveaway hosted by blogger Joy at oh joy!  She has partnered with BHLDN and is giving away a beautiful outfit, perfect for any summer event.  Visit oh joy! to enter the giveaway by 9am tomorrow!

{via BHLDN}