My First Christmas Party!

I had my very first Christmas party this year in our new home, here are a couple pictures of the spread... some of the pictures came out blurry as I was trying to snap a few before people were showing up/lighting candles/preparing the perfect christmas melody/etc...

From Spring to Fall

My sweet vases got a make over this week from the springtime hydrangeas

To their new Fall look! I love fresh flowers.... le sigh

Mason Jar Vases

I have always had a passion for fresh flowers, however I do wish I was better enlightened in the world of botany (the identity of more flowers and the meaning of them). Anyways at a friend's ranch last weekend they had mason jars with leather twine tied around them as vases for flower arrangements of mums, hyacinths, and more. They were precious and of course the thing that always comes to my mind: I can do that! I trotted myself down to the supermarket. You can buy a case of mason jars for around $8 (which I fully plan to pickle something in the future so multiple uses for them). I also chose this kind because of the diamond like ridges on the sides. 

I picked up a very summery bright bouquet that was entitled Pura Vida, so it of course caught my attention.

We were going to a dinner party at a friends house that night so i wrapped up a jar in raffia as a thank you for my friend's delicious cooking. It was amazing with dove lizzies, back strap, green beans, broccoli rice casserole, rosemary rolls, and topped off with apple pie. You can actually catch the recipes on her blog: http://colloquialharvest.blogspot.com/ Thanks Jessie!

I then wrapped up 3 other jars with a random orange ribbon I had in my gift drawer, and arranged the rest of the flowers. The colors really pop against an all white platter.

 Ah! summer.... Pure Vida!!!

 And... with a whole case of jars $8 and the Pura Vida bouquet for $12, it was such an affordable way to say thanks for a great evening, brighten up the room, and give the motivation to pickle something.... future blog post?

Week and a Half Anniversary

After our fairy tale wedding the Argyle packaged up our very own dinner for us to go, so we could really taste and enjoy everything because your just in a haze the night of the actual wedding. We left the glorious farewell brunch on Sunday and went to Wimberly, TX for a 'Mini-Moon'. A week and a half later we thawed out the vacuum sealed deliciousness and decided to try our first romantic dinner at home.
Our sealed food:

I am a complete dishoholic, inherited from my mother. I absolutely love my Penzo dishes from Zimbabwe. However the country is in unrest right now so the owner of Penzo is moving the company to South Africa so unfortunately my coveted dinnerware is now very VERY hard to come by, but I still just love them so much. Alas the magician at Hanleywood, she goes by the name Ingrid, beautifully put together the placemats, napkins, and napkin rings to perfectly compliment to whole look.

My sweet grandmother also brought me these highball glasses etched with various African animals all the way from Uganda, they are fabulous, thanks Nonny.

To finish the whole affect, another gift from my other grandmother, a pair of antique candlestick holders. She gave us these as an engagement present with a note "For lots of candlelit dinners for two" and it almost melted my heart. They are gorgeous and the perfect final addition to our table, for a magazine ready evening.

The evening would not be complete without pieces of our wedding and groom's cakes! (Not to fret the top of the wedding cake is still safely stowed away in my parents practically walk-in freezer)

Hydrangeas

My new dry cleaners is right next to flower shop conveniently, I may or may not have planned it that way so I would get fresh flowers every time I picked up my clean clothes. Today hydrangeas were abundant!
My naked vases look so much better with a little color in them, and they brighten up my day a little each time I walk by.

Happiness

Can believe only $20 worth of flowers, cut the right way will give you weeks of bliss.