To Hang Or Not to Hang...

Okay, I need some opinions...

Being the Williams-Sonoma Queen that I am, I am really focusing my energies on making my kitchen the Heart and Soul of my new house. I found a really great price on this enclume (fancy name for a ceiling suspended pot rack) but am not 110% sure about them. It is a beautiful stainless finish and would be the perfect way to display all of my All Clad stainless pans. I am just not sure it is something I NEED to have. I'd love to hear from any of you that have an enclume and love it OR have experience with hanging them as part of my fear with this purchase is the process of getting it to hang. My dear Tim has so many talents, but unfortunately he is not much of a "do-it-yourself-er."
Okay, be honest friends...to hang or not to hang?

Is it summer yet?

Because I can't wait to use this great trick from Martha Stewart to add a little splash of color to my backyard entertaining. Hope you are having a fun week so far!

Treasure Hunt

I've been in desperate need of a hobby and I finally found one that I love - antique store shopping! I loved reading posts from fellow bloggers about their treasure hunts through the antique and flea market world and all of the treasures they found in their shopping ventures. With my new house, I am finding so much decorating inspiration and figured going on an antique spree could be a fun way to spend the day. Luckily I live about 25 minutes from one of the premier antique shopping districts in the state of California. If you have never been to Old Towne Orange, I would highly recommend a trip - it is the closest thing to a time machine I have ever seen. The streets are lined with huge antique stores, flea market type stores, and even an incredibly fun vintage garden store full of shabby chic goodness. My dear friends Jillian and Alexis live nearby and luckily they were in the mood to tag along for a fun day of shopping. We had a blast and I found a few goodies that I just had to share...

AND YES...I found keys just like I had hoped - these babies were $9.00 for the whole set - I think they are awesome. I also found the vintage glass heart ornament for $4.00 (isn't it so pretty), the creamy ceramic garden urn for $18.00 and this neat shabby plate stand/buffet stand which I am still playing with to figure out exactly how I will use it (only $10.00). I also got a really neat white garden post that is a flag holder (along with 2 flags) AND a very sweet white ceramic garden cat that was just too darling not to come home with me. Add in a few St. Patrick's Day decorations and I had 4 bags to drag home! All for under $100.00. I am hooked on this place. It is almost...dare I say it? As fun as Home Goods!! I will post more pics soon. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Three for Thursday

Okay, it's official - I am on the hunt for Vintage Keys. The Antique Mall is calling my name...

With that said, here are three truths for this fine Thursday...

1. I used to be really into collecting when I was a kid. I collected Salt & Pepper shakers with my mom and (thankfully) she got me into collecting Green Depression Glass. I think I am going to get into collecting again - here are my thoughts on some things I am itching to collect (vintage keys, cake plates and pitchers...to start.)

2. I love to walk and always feel better when I get out and exercize. But I am constantly finding excuses! I need to make a resolution to get out there and just do it. I have a beautiful new neighborhood to explore - might as well do it by foot, right? (If nothing else, it is a good excuse to go buy cute new workout gear, right?)

3. The other day my brother was over and he spent 5 minutes taking the knots out of my cell phone charger cord. My purse is a mess, and so is my trunk. My brother said that my life seems hectic and I should simplify. I replied "I don't have time to simplify." To which he replied "You don't have time NOT to simplify." How true is that...

It's All in the Presentation

Chips and salsa? Not in this house! Right now, I am all about the fluff and all about the presentation. Six months of working for Williams-Sonoma and I am already becoming an entertaining snob but I do have to say, it is so much fun to make things fancy. This beautiful tray is my Williams-Sonoma answer to your typical football game fare - somehow hot wings just weren't in the cards today. Decadent assorted French and Import cheeses, thinly sliced Italian meats, sweet grapes still on the vine and a few handfulls of buttery crackers in fun, festive shapes.
Don't worry, I will save you all a plate...
And just so our friends didn't think we had gone too far over the top, I made a simple, easy dessert classic --- rice crispy treats---which were also a hit.

I just love cake plates, don't you?

So, as you can see, we have been doing a lot of entertaining here at the Dove Canyon Cottage. We've been in our home for less than a week, and I have already hosted most of my family and Tim's - thrown a football party for friends today - and am having a dinner party early this week. I wish I could be a more laid back hostess - but to me, beauty is in the details - and the details take time and energy!
I am anxious to show you all the progress we are making on the house. I just finished decorating this little lighted alcove by the front foyer. The perfect spot to show off a few treasures: silver fleur-de-lis (I'm obsessed with all things French, can you tell?), a few of my favorite photos (that is my darling nephew Nick in the center), my new Pottery Barn lantern, topiaries and a fun over-sized key all found at Home Goods.

It's starting to look less like a house and more like a home!
Hope you all had a blessed and relaxing weekend, from our home to yours.

Fresh Start

I just love beginnings...and I have to say, this week has been full of them. The start of my new life in my new home - what a milestone, huh? And now, the start of this new blog which I am thrilled about. I got inspired to start blogging when I accidently stumbled onto a lovely spot in the blog world called Cottage Nest. I was trying to google cottage style decorating to get ideas for decorating my new home and I got...well... sucked in by the sweet, charming simplicity of the blog and how much I had in common with this person I didn't even know. Reading it made me feel warm and cozy, like curling up on the sofa with a cup of tea in your most comfy pajamas and reading a good book. It made me stop and think about all of the hustle and bustle in my life and how much I need to take a moment and celebrate the small things that mean so much. Thank you Jen, for sharing your world and in doing so, inspiring me to share mine.