This 'n That Thursdays: Thanksgiving Table Décor Ideas

From Classic Reel Girl

Thanksgiving has a way of creeping up on me -- I always think I have more time to prepare than I actually do!  It is not too early to start thinking about the table décor, so now is the time to share some of the ideas I found while browsing the internet.  Let's take a look:

From Homesthetics

From PREPA Long Beach

From DigsDigs

From Whimsical Home and Garden

From FamilyHoliday.net

From Setting for Four

From Neiman Marcus

From Home Bunch

From Home Bunch

From Home Bunch

From Home Bunch

From Vitamin-Ha

I'm not sure I am feeling all that thankful at the moment after this week's election results, but maybe these images will inspire me to at least set a table.  Have you begun your holiday preparations yet?
                     

Wish List Wednesdays: A Quartet of Cardigans from Serrv

From iOTWreport.

Our weather is finally starting to cool down here in Georgia, and lately I have been seeing a lot of irresistible cardigans perfect for the chillier temperatures.  I recently received a Serrv catalog filled with great choices, and I just had to mention a few of my favorites today:

1) Long Spice Cardigan ($180) - a long open front cardigan of 100% soft alpaca in a color I adore

2) Shawl-Collar Cardigan in Teal ($168) - warm wool chunky knit with a single wood button closure and two front pockets

3) Judith Sweater in Brick ($160) - another long, open front, 100% alpaca cardigan in an autumnal shade, with cable accents on the front and sleeves

4) Jewel Stripe Cardigan (on sale at $69.98) - this colorful wool button-front cardigan is really calling my name!

So many lovely cardigans, and such a short season for wearing them here.  I am truly a cold-weather person, and really miss the chilly northern temperatures!
             

Current Events: Election Day!

From Youth Radio

Today is Election Day!  Please get out and vote if you have not already done so, as it is the single most important thing you can do as a citizen of our great nation.  No matter who you prefer, if you do not exercise your constitutional right to cast your ballot then you have guaranteed that you have no say in how this nation functions.

"Choosing not to vote isn't rebellion.  It's surrender."

               

Weekend Wardrobe: Overnight Brown, Beige, and Blue Travel Wardrobe

Two weekends ago my husband and I did a quick overnight trip to our Serenbe house near Atlanta.  We wanted to give the house a quick cleaning and weed the yard a bit, so of course my wardrobe was very casual (jeans and tee shirts), but I still wanted to pack apparel in coordinating colors.  The outfits worked well for me, so I decided to put together a similar overnight travel wardrobe style board for this post.  Most of the clothing shown below are similar to the ones I own rather than exact matches, since most of the items I packed are not new (with a few exceptions, namely the blue jeans, the sweater, and the purse):

Clockwise from top left: District Made Women's Perfect Weight Crew Tee in Espresso;  Acorn Favorite Cotton Sweater in Azure; Alfred Dunner Sanibel Island Tropical Tee in Turquoise; J. Crew Vintage Straight Leg Jeans in Ecru (this style no longer available, but similar jeans are available from Land's End); Great American Leatherworks Zip-Top Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available in this color); Orvis Women's Marled Sweater Fleece Jacket in Bay Blue; Sperry 'Authentic Original' Women's Boat Shoe in Nutmeg/Sahara; Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda Stretch-Fit Jeans in Stonewash Denim; Center: Neushop Corbi Long Sleeve T-Shirt in Seal Brown.

A few more items that came along on this trip were sleepwear and a favorite bracelet.  Instead of pajamas I prefer to don a t-shirt and lightweight knit capris at bedtime (you never know when you may need to leave the house in a hurry, and these items can pass as daytime apparel in a pinch!).  Because I am rarely cold, my slippers are not lined, unlike the moccasins shown below.  Finally, I like to wear one piece of jewelry when traveling, and it is usually a bracelet.  I own a black and silver cuff bracelet with a running horses design that is my current favorite, similar to the one shown below but much less costly!

Clockwise from left: Jockey Knit Sleep Pants in Taupe; District Made Women's Perfect Weight Crew Tee in Clean Denim; Wildlife Wonders Kabana 14K Gold /Sterling Silver Running Horse Cuff Bracelet; L.L. Bean Women's Oceanside Shearling Moccasins Slipper in Dark Brown.

All in all we had a good time on our trip.  The weather was perfect, we got a lot done around the house, and we got to reconnect with the Serenbe neighborhood, which truly is a special place.  The only downside was that I had one of the worst dinners of my life at a Newnan barbecue restaurant we had never tried before, but it was so bad it became a joke.  Every time we passed any restaurant or fast food joint on our way back I would say to my husband "We should have eaten there instead!"  Sometimes you have to find the humor in a bad situation, because it is always better to just laugh about it and move on (I am applying the same philosophy to this year's election).

Have a great weekend, and I hope you have the opportunity to do something fun.  Then get out and vote on Tuesday if you haven't already done so, because this is one right that we must not take for granted!

"Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves, and the only way they could do this is by not voting." (Franklin D. Roosevelt)

             

Foodie Fridays: Parmesan Pumpkin Polenta with Baby Greens

I had half a can of pumpkin purée left over after making Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars for Halloween, so I decided to try a savory pumpkin dish next.  My recipe is based on one for Pumpkin-Sage Polenta, with a few alterations of course.  The biggest change was the addition of baby greens, so that I would have a side dish with vegetables as well as carbs.  Instead of instant polenta, I used the old-fashioned type because that is what I had on hand.  This dish is just a savory variation of cornmeal mush, but it is really quite good, and a nice change from potatoes or pasta.

I served this polenta with some chicken-apple sausages I happened to have in the freezer, but it would also be good with chicken or ham.  I might even try it with shrimp or eggs one of these days.  This is the perfect side dish for a fall meal -- I just wish we were having fall weather right now!

Parmesan Pumpkin Polenta with Baby Greens

2 C. 2% milk
2 1/2 C. water
3/4 C. canned pumpkin purée
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C. old-fashioned polenta (not instant)
2 T. cream cheese
1 bag (8 oz.) mixed baby greens (I used a kale and spinach blend)
1/2 tsp. crumbled dried sage (or 1 T. chopped fresh sage)
3/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese

Bring the milk and water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in the pumpkin and salt.  Reduce the heat to low and gradually add the polenta, whisking constantly (this step is very important to prevent lumps!).  Continue cooking over low heat for 30 minutes, whisking frequently, especially during the first half of cooking.  Do not leave the polenta unattended as it will bubble and splash all over the place!

During the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the cream cheese until it is completely melted.  Add the baby greens one handful at a time, stirring until wilted before adding the next batch.  Remove from the heat and add the sage and cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted and the polenta is smooth.  Serves 8.

This 'n That Thursdays: A Plethora of Pretty Pier 1 Purchases

From Pier 1.

My Christmas décor shopping started early this year at Pier 1!  They are already having a sale on some of their Christmas tableware, so I made a quick trip to our local store a couple of days ago and stocked up. Here is a look at all of my recent purchases:

1) Park Avenue Puppies Tray ($24.95) - adding to my Park Avenue Puppies purchases from last year (see my Christmas table using this collection here)

2) Park Avenue Puppies Juice Glass Set ($24.95)

3) Park Avenue Puppies Dip Bowl ($7.95 each) - these would also make great cereal bowls

4) Park Avenue Puppies Dalmatian Dog Ornament ($5.95) - I can never resist anything Dalmatian!

5) Glass Dalmatian Dog Figurine Set ($17.95) - these are adorable!

6) Christmas Animals Salad Plate Set (on sale at $27.96 for a set of four) - I am obsessed with Pier 1's animal salad plate collections (see here and here)

7) Christmas Village Scenes Salad Plate Set (on sale at $27.96 for a set of four)

That last purchase is quite a departure for me, as I normally am not attracted to plates decorated with cityscapes.  However, these village scenes are just lovely.  Also, if you look closely at the plates, you can see that the design on the left features a pet store with a dog at each window, one of which is a Dalmatian!  I like the variety of colors too, because they will work well with so many different tablescape color schemes.

One caveat: The boxed plate sets I bought locally were not pristine.  The tape seals had been broken, and in one box flimsy paper separated the plates rather than corrugated cardboard.  Since selection was limited due to the sale I could not find any sealed boxes, so I went ahead and purchased the opened ones.  Be sure to check any store-bought purchases carefully to make sure the correct plates are in the box, and that nothing is damaged!

I still have my eye on a few Pier 1 items, including the Park Avenue Puppies Indoor/Outdoor Doormat (on sale at $39.95), European Glass Park Avenue Puppies Ornament ($14.95) which I did not see at our local store, and the Découpage Dalmatian Dog Art (on sale at $31.96) that was also unavailable at our store.  (I obviously have a Dalmatian obsession!)  All of these items can be ordered online, and if I get all three my order will qualify for free shipping (all orders over $49).

Merry Christmas shopping, everyone!

                

Wish List Wednesdays: J. Jill Mixed-Stitch Draped-Front Cardi

I just checked out the new arrivals at J. Jill, and fell in love with their Mixed-Stitched Drape-Front Cardi in Dark Grey Heather Multi ($129).  I am a sucker for colorful patterns, especially ones that look southwestern.  I typically avoid acrylic or wool sweaters, but I think the 70% acrylic/30% wool blend of this one will counteract the slick feel of acrylic while keeping the "itch" factor of wool to a minimum.  I would be willing to give it a try!