interior home: December 2010

Happy New Year!

Free Printables for your New Year's Eve Party

It's not too late.... Do you have card stock and a printer and a few minutes? A quiet evening at home with your family or dinner with friends? Add some ribbon and glitter and make your New Year's Eve pretty with these printables. Included is a door sign, 2011 banner, cupcake toppers, candle votive wraps, dinner menu, napkin embellishment, drinking straw flags and anything else you can think to do with these pretties. Created by moi.

Download them HERE.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/46110738/2011-New-Year-s-Eve-Free-Printable

L O V E

the home of Spanish designer Tony Espuch by way of HABITUALLY CHIC

Lake Home Construction Photos: Near Mt. Sunapee NH

Construction is ongoing on our lakefront vacation home being built in Blodgett’s Landing, Newbury, NH, right near Mt. Sunapee, a tear down project replacing a small, worn-out cottage.

It sure is cold after our nor’easter (Newbury received 14” of new snow), but the crew has a weather-tight shell and temporary heat to help. The site is very tight, with neighboring houses on either side, which can hamper snow removal efforts, but so far has not been an issue.

Interior framing, plumbing, and electrical is ongoing. Check back for progress photos!

Cafe Express has finally made it to Austin

Was thrilled to hear about their new location down by Seton Medical from my sister. Less thrilled to wait for a parking space on a recent lunch date with my hubby. Though I'm so happy Austin finally has a Cafe Express! Have y'all checked it out?

Merry Christmas!

Glittered Jingle Bells

How fun would this be to DIY with beautiful fine glitters from Martha Stewart?

I found this garland for sale at Sweet Charity last week. Oh what fun it is....

A Window Wonderland

I love Illy coffee and I'm in awe over this Barneys New York window display.

Barneys New York teamed up with the Food Network, the Cooking Channel, and Illy to deck their Madison Avenue windows in a “Have a Foodie Holiday!” theme. A papier-mâché Mario Batali head sits on a platter, while a mannequin wearing a dress made of foil coffee bags and disposable cups sports an Illy espresso machine as a headdress. Simon Doonan and his madcap team have created a campy homage to the well-known foodies of today.

Elle Decor

Rejoice! Bay Hill Design

If you have never window shopped at this design shop/ design studio in 26 Doors, it's worth a looksy.

http://www.bayhilldesign.com/

Vintage Santa

These sweet vintage images make me so happy. I'm going to use them for gift tags.

Ten Reasons for Shopping Locally - New London, NH

Here is a re-print an article by Jessie Levine, New London NH’s town administrator on the benefits of shopping locally. To read Levine’s entire article (12/7/2010) titled “Budget Update & Shopping Locally,” visit the New London town website.

By Jessie Levine

You may have noticed that we have some new residents in New London, as the nutcracker soldiers began showing up around town early last week. The nutcrackers are the brainchildren of Destination New London, a group of local businesses working together to encourage people to shop locally this holiday season (and always). I thought I’d take this opportunity to remind everyone why I think shopping locally is important to New London.

Protect Local Character and Prosperity: By supporting locally-owned businesses, you maintain our unique and wonderful community. Our local businesses are here for us – let’s shop here for them!

Enhance Community Well-Being: Locally-owned businesses are good neighbors and contribute to local causes. If we don’t support our local businesses, they will not be here to support our special events, golf tournaments, raffle fundraisers, etc.
Encourage Local Decision Making: Local ownership means that decisions are made locally by people who live in the community and who will feel the impacts of those decisions. Local businesses are caring and responsive to our needs.
Keep Dollars in the Local Economy: Dollars spent in locally-owned businesses have three times the impact on the community as dollars spent at national chains. Money spent in catalogs, on-line or in destination shopping centers does not come back to support our local economy.
Create Jobs and Improve Wages: Shopping locally creates jobs and promotes community development. Locally-owned businesses create local jobs with better wages and benefits.
Support Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship fuels our economy and elevates our families. Empty store fronts do not.
Reduce Public Costs: Local stores in town centers require less infrastructure and make more efficient use of public services than big box stores and shopping malls do.
Advance Environmental Sustainability: Local stores help sustain vibrant, compact, walkable town centers, which reduce sprawl, automobile use, habitat loss, and air and water pollution. Save gas – shop here!
Increase Competition: A competitive marketplace of small businesses ensures innovation and low prices. A rising tide raises all ships.
Encourage Product Diversity: A multitude of small businesses selecting products based on the needs of local customers guarantees a broader range of product choices.

Why would you want to deal with Route 12A traffic, anyway? West Lebanon could really use a few roundabouts…

Houston Home Adorned for the Holidays

a little greenery in the master on the chandy

Even the library gets garland

Is that a real peacock by the pool? What an accent!

Traditional Home

a Cute Chicago Chocolate Bar

How fun is this cute little cafe that serves my two favorite things: chocolate and cocktails.

Even the packaging is cute and fresh.
Traditional Home

Christmas Card Season

I LOVE Christmas card season. Several have arrived already in my mailbox. I love getting them, sending them, displaying them and keeping them. Our family card is going out today. YAY! (Note for next year: Square envelopes = the Monarch stamp, not exactly Christmasy. Oh well : (

For the cards I receive, I'm thinking about displaying them like this on my foyer mirror: