They Fell In Love

I've been a little slow with the blogging this week.  Between the shower I hosted last weekend, a quick trip out of town, Wes' 9th birthday and Thanksgiving lunch at my house for 12, things were a little crazy.  I know, excuses, excuses!

So, last Saturday my sister and I hosted a couples shower for my brother and his fiance.  You can read about my ideas on this previous post.  It was a lot of fun and as promised, here are some photos from the night.  I tried my best to get more shots, but between my duties as caterer, bartender and hostess, my time was limited.

The cute couple!

The centerpiece on the food table.  I used those candles again at Thanksgiving.

Some of the yummy food.

The Coffee Bar (one of three by the way)

The Popcorn Bar

All the fixins for the yummy s'mores!

Debby, Cindi and Mickey (he loved the popcorn)

Spencer and Katie (with Big Daddy) enjoying the cocktails.

It was a great night filled with family and friends.  We can't wait until we get to celebrate this couple again in February, when they get married!

Thanks for reading,
Jennifer

Decorating 101 - Window Treatment Ideas

I love window treatments!  I think they are one of the best things you can add to your room and get the most impact.  If I've heard it once, I've heard it a million times from my clients "I never realized what window treatments could do for my room!".  As the world of interior design changes, I've noticed a lot more ready-made window treatment choices out there in cyberspace.  Some good and some not so good.  With that, I've decided to share a few of my designer secrets about window treatments with my readers.

Draperies
I didn't learn a lot in college about window treatments, but I'll never forget this tidbit from one of my professors..."Drapes are a verb, not a noun.  Draperies drape."  So I always refer to my curtains as draperies, never drapes.  But I digress.  One of the most common window treatments out there are draperies.  You can do stationary ones that just frame your window, or you can do functioning ones that actually open and close as needed to control either light and/or give you privacy.

• Never mount your draperies right at the top your window.  Go as high as you can or at least half-way between the top of your window and the ceiling.  
• If you want to be able to open and close your draperies, use metal hardware.  Wood hardware does not work well for functioning draperies.
• Make sure your draperies are lined, unless you are using a sheer fabric.

One trick I like to use for my clients who are on a budget, is to purchase ready-made panels and add a little trim detail to them.  Ribbon, trims and even buttons are a great way to add a little of your own personality to rather plain draperies.

Valances
I consider any fabric treatment going across the top of a window a valance.  I find myself doing less and less of these, but there are definitely rooms that need "hat" and not a full dress.  Some of the biggest mistakes I see with valances are they are mounted right across the top of the window - go up as high as you can to make your window appear taller.  I also see valances way too long.  I like to use the proportion of 1/4 of the window height and go up or down a little.  For example, your window is 72" long, your valance should be about 18" long.  

Shades
Finally, I find that clients are preferring fabric shades instead of wood blinds or shutters.  I like them because they serve a dual purpose - they function like a blind to give you privacy and light control, but they also bring in fabric on the window.  My best advice about these is to have these made by someone who uses a lifting system instead of a traditional cord control.  Believe me, this extra cost will save you a ton of frustration.

All photos can be found on my Pinterest Board or my website.

 

The Color Blue

{Blue is the color of the clear sky and the deep sea} as defined by Wikipedia.  It also happens to be the "it" color in the world of interior design this season.  I personally have always loved blue, especially the darker shades.  

Here are some beautiful fabrics I am loving a little more at the moment...

If you are ready to add a little color in your world, give me a call!

Thanks for reading,
Jennifer

 

The First

November 1st already?  Where did October go?  Actually, where has this year gone?  I've been thinking about all that has happened this past year and I'm so thankful.  I have an amazing son who keeps me on my toes every day.  I have a job that I love.  Most of all, I have an amazing family.

This time last year, my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.  In a blink of an eye, our world was literally turned upside down.  But between all the prayers, the doctors and my mom's strength she is still here with us - fighting this war that is raging inside her body.  When I look at her, I realize how quickly this year has gone by and how many opportunities I've missed with her.  

One of her favorite holidays is Halloween with her grandchildren.  Last night we had another amazing Halloween with my mom.  We all gathered at my sister's house, ate some chili, then battled with the kids to sit on the front porch for their annual photo.  Here are some photos from years past... 

2009

2010

2012

 
I hope this post will encourage everyone to take a minute and appreciate all the little things in life.  Now, to take my own advice...

Thanks for reading!
Jennifer