Monogramming

What is it about monogramming that makes everyone enjoy it so much? I think most people love to see their name on something. In a way it is our animalistic tendency to leave our mark so why not do so in a beautiful way? Regardless of the gender or age of a person, everyone loves a gift that is monogrammed. If anything else you know they will not be able to re gift the item and they might have a difficult time disposing of it because it has their name on it.
Webster defines a monogram as, "a sign of identity usually formed of the combined initials of a name." The art of monogramming has been around for centuries. Greeks and Romans used it to identify rulers on their coins. During the Middle Ages artist's would use monogramming as a way to sign and identify their work. Throughout the Victorian Period, upper class society used it as a way to symbolize their place in society. Today, we use monogramming as a means of identification and decoration.
Like everything else in the world there is a monogramming etiquette. The most common type is the three letters which represent the first, last, and middle name. For monograms that are printed the order is first, middle, and last name. The initials in this case should be printed in the same size. Married monograms are somewhat tricky because the wife's name is first, then the married last name, and finally the husband's first name. If you are just doing the wife's monogram the format would include her first name, her maiden name, and her new last name.
I hope this post has inspired to you to appreciate the pieces you already have monogrammed and to consider giving the gift of personalization to others. I know they will always admire and cherish their name.
Love, Lili

The Smell of Christmas

The first time I used a Fraiser Fir candle by Thymes I was in awe of the amazing scent. It truly evokes the smell of a live Christmas tree! The Frasier Fir fragrance comes in a variety of products including: candles, soaps, and diffusers. I can honestly say I have tried every product that they have ever made and have enjoyed each of them. Frasier Fir scents can be purchased at any Thyme retailer but the best prices for these products can be found at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/) where they typically include free shipping with each order. I hope you will enjoy this fragrance as much as I do and that it will become a delightful reminder of the holiday season each time you smell it!
Cheers, Lili

Cranberry Cocktail

This is seriously the easiest drink to make that I am almost embarrassed to tell you about it, but I had to keep with the cranberry theme of Thanksgiving.

Virgin Drink:

Using whatever pitcher you will be using fill 1/2 of it with cranberry juice and the 1/2 with Sprite.

Adults only:

Repeat the steps above for the virgin drink but add some vodka to it. They say you should only do about a 3/4 of a shot per glass, but if your family is driving you nuts you can always add more!

To make the drink all the more festive you could add a few cranberries in the drink or hanging from the edge of the glass.

Crazy For Cranberries

Decorating For Thanksgiving

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns" George Eliot

Thanksgiving is usually a holiday that is forgotten in regards to decoration and presentation. Everyone focus' so much on "dressing" their turkey that they skimp out on "dressing" their dining room table. Although food is the most important part of celebrating this holiday, having a festive welcoming table is fun for both you and your guests. Typically, everyone has a set of table linens and china that they use for special occasions but what is usually lacking on the table are center pieces. To keep with the Thanksgiving theme I found easy and elegant ways to use cranberries as decor for your table. To decorate with cranberries I suggest using fresh berries that are not frozen. It is best to do these projects the night before or the day of Thanksgiving, as they are fruit and will not last a very long time. The easiest way to add both color and light to your table is to take a basic glass vessel and place a solid pillar candle in the center. Next, pour the cranberries around the candle so they are evenly spread throughout the glass. Another way to do this would be to take the same glass vessel and place a flower weighted down with cranberries at the bottom of the vase. The next step is to pour water into the vessel leaving about a 1/3 of room to the rim of the glass. Next place some cranberries on top and a floating votive candle in the center of the piece. To be safe you should not place the cranberries above the top of the candle. These candle arrangements could be used as your centerpiece or on either side of a floral arrangement.

Another simple way to use cranberries is to create a floral arrangement using them as accents. All you have to do is take a large vase and place a clear narrow vase that is filled with water in the center of the large vase. Next, spread the cranberries evenly in the space between the two vases. Your last step is to place your flower arrangement in the narrow vase.

My last suggestion for decorating with cranberries is to take what you already have, which is and should be cranberry sauce. If you actually take the cranberry sauce out of the can or glass jar and place it in beautiful clear bowl it will complete your cranberry theme!

I hope everyone has a wonderful "Turkey Day" filled with thanks, love, and of course cranberry sauce!

Love, Lili

Fall Cleaning

"Hospitality is making your guest feel at home, even if you wish they were."

- Author Unknown

I never understood why spring cleaning became so popular. If you really think about it fall should be the season where you pull out all the stops and prepare your home for the holidays. In the spring most people are outside enjoying the weather or vacationing. Ask yourself when do you do most of your entertaining? I am guessing it is during the fall and winter months. With this being said why not get a head start on your home before you are consumed with other responsibilities that go along with the holidays (cooking, decorating,socializing etc...).

Before you become overwhelmed with all of the things that need to be done, I would first make a priority list of the things you can and should do and follow them accordingly. The last thing you want to do is begin several projects and never complete any of them. Although every home differs in size and design there is typically a room where you entertain your guests. I call this the "hospitality room." This room should be the room where you should be most concerned with. I would first begin by dusting the room. There is no point in cleaning a space only to have to clean it once more after you have dust flying all over the place. Next, I would do the basic cleaning and organizing. Once you are finished with your core cleaning I would begin to focus on the details which would include: cleaning your windows, furniture, picture frames, lighting fixtures, etc... The other room that should be cleaned is the guest room or the location where your guests will be sleeping. I would follow the same routine as you did in the entertaining room, but I would focus more on organization. You want your guest to feel like they are at home and have a place to set their belongings. Regardless if you have a closet or a dresser I would try to empty the spaces so that your guest can hang their clothing or put away their items. I would also make sure that you have a set of clean towels,wash clothes, and an unused bar of soap readily available for them to use.
The last room but one of the most important is the kitchen. Somehow everyone congregates to the kitchen for some reason or another (often to the dismay of the hostess). Instead of becoming engulfed with dirty dishes overwhelming your cooking space, try to keep everything organized and timely so you can enjoy the process of entertaining. The best thing to do in your kitchen is to clean out your fridge and cabinets of expired food. This will allow you to shop ahead for your food and have a spot for it. If you are lucky you could always cook your food ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator until it's time to bake or cook it. The next suggestion I would make is to clean out your kitchen drawers. There is nothing more embarrassing than when someone offers to help in the kitchen and they happen to find your secret miscellaneous drawer(s) where you throw everything into. The last and most important thing to do in regards to the kitchen is to take out all of your table linens and have them washed and pressed before your company arrives. This will save you both time and stress when the festivities start and it might also inspire you to decorate your table.
So, instead of waiting to clean your home until spring why not start now when it will be most enjoyed!
Have a lovely week!
Love, Lili

Super Woman

"The modern day Renaissance woman"

The expectations of women has changed significantly in the last few decades. At one time we were expected to be homemakers and cater to the needs and demands of our families. With the advancement of education, many woman now have the freedom to work and contribute to the families finances, but with this arises guilt. We are now expected to be successful at work, maintain and decorate our homes, and sustain a spectacular relationship with our families and friends. How do women do this all and still have time for themselves? The answer is it is utterly impossible and if someone tells you differently they are lying through their teeth. Multitasking all our responsibilities is a balancing act that many fall short upon, myself included. Since childhood we were taught that no one is perfect but somehow between our adolescence and adulthood we have forgotten that. Instead of feeling guilt because we can not do everything we want to or as well as someone else, we should take pride in our accomplishments and give ourselves a break! After all, a true "Renaissance woman" is merely a saying and "Super Woman" does not exist.

Here are a few tricks that I use around the house that make me feel like a super hero.

1. A great way to remove permanent marker from a wall is spray hairspray on the marks. It might take several sprays but I guarantee it will work!

2. Have little ones left crayon on your walls? There is an easy fix to remove the artwork quickly. All you have to do is create a mixture of toothpaste and water to create a paste. Take an old toothbrush and rub the concoction on the wall!

3. Everyone has water stains on their furniture and no amount of cleaning will remove them from the piece. Again, there is an easy fix to this problem. You are going to take some ash from your fireplace and add a little bit of water to create another paste. Take a lint free rag and rub the stain with the paste in a circular motion. The water stain will literally disappear!

4. If you have a brick fireplace and it is covered with soot you can make it look brand new by cleaning it with a basic bathroom/tile cleaner.

5. Everyone has votive candle holders with pieces of the candle that can not be removed from them. Rather than scrape and ruin the holder itself by trying to force the candle out you should pop it into the freezer for several hours. The old candle should literally pop right out of the holder. If the candle is still stuck in the holder you might need to keep it in the freezer for a longer time.

6. The oldest trick in the book for removing blood stains from fabric and clothing is to apply hydrogen peroxide directly on the stain. It might have to repeat the process several time before the stain is removed, but I promise you it works like a charm!

I hope you will try some of these tricks and feel like your own "Super Woman" in your home.

Have a lovely weekend!

Love,

Lili

"Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing"

-Harriet Braiker

Cake Tier Jewelry Stand

CAKE TIER CONTINUED.....

A funky example of a handmade cake tier used for displaying jewelry. You could create the same look using different dishes, colors, and patterns! What do you think?