Gifts For Him - $150 & Under

When it comes to gifts for guys I consider the usefulness & style of the items...I've given many a gift that sat unopened or unused (even when the said gift was requested).

With style &  usefulness in mind, I've compiled a gift guide with lots of great options for all the men in your life.

UGG ASCOT SLIPPERS - $110Once He slips these on...he will never want to take them off.

UGG ASCOT SLIPPERS - $110

Once He slips these on...he will never want to take them off.

LEATHER CHARGER ROLL-UP - $49

LEATHER CHARGER ROLL-UP - $49

CREST BOTTLE OPENER - $48Both Bottle Opener & Piece of Art

CREST BOTTLE OPENER - $48

Both Bottle Opener & Piece of Art

WATSON MULTI-DIAL LEATHER STRAP WATHCH (OXBLOOD) - $115

WATSON MULTI-DIAL LEATHER STRAP WATHCH (OXBLOOD) - $115

CRAIGHILL WILSON BRASS KEYRING - $12

CRAIGHILL WILSON BRASS KEYRING - $12

SUPER TECH KIT - $26Perfect for all his tech emergencies - earbuds, 3 in 1charger, wall charger, phone camera lens, tablet stand, flash drive, screen cloth, & cord organizer.

SUPER TECH KIT - $26

Perfect for all his tech emergencies - earbuds, 3 in 1charger, wall charger, phone camera lens, tablet stand, flash drive, screen cloth, & cord organizer.

TOSCANA JOURNAL - $33A classy Leather journal is the perfect place for him to organize his thoughts, doodle, and jot down favorite memories & quotes.

TOSCANA JOURNAL - $33

A classy Leather journal is the perfect place for him to organize his thoughts, doodle, and jot down favorite memories & quotes.

HOUSE MONEY CLIP - $80

HOUSE MONEY CLIP - $80

AMAZON ECHO - $139

AMAZON ECHO - $139

3 IN 1 CELL PHONE CAMERA LENS KIT - $13The days of blurry selfies will be long gone with this set of lenses for his phone.

3 IN 1 CELL PHONE CAMERA LENS KIT - $13

The days of blurry selfies will be long gone with this set of lenses for his phone.

BLESSINGS - KATE V.

Gifts For Her - $100 & Under

Gifts For Her - $100 & Under

Whether you are shopping for a friend, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, co-worker, sister, or mom and can't think of what to get her, here's a list you can't really go wrong with.

 

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WICKED GOOD MOCCASINS - $79

These Moccasins are by FAR the most comfy shoes I own! Shearling lining is hard to beat when it starts getting cold.

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AMARA RING SET - $55

Currently on my personal wish list - these rings will go with anything from a casual T to a fancier outfit for a holiday party.

LAKE PAJAMAS BERRY NIGHTGOWN - $74A Personal Favorite - These Classic Striped Pajamas come in all colors & styles.

LAKE PAJAMAS BERRY NIGHTGOWN - $74

A Personal Favorite - These Classic Striped Pajamas come in all colors & styles.

METALLIC 2018 DESK CALENDAR - $62

METALLIC 2018 DESK CALENDAR - $62

CAPRI BLUE BURNISHED CANDLE - $18-$30

CAPRI BLUE BURNISHED CANDLE - $18-$30

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S SLEEP MASK - $22The perfect gift for the jet-setter or marathon napper.

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S SLEEP MASK - $22

The perfect gift for the jet-setter or marathon napper.

HERBIVORE BLUE TANSY RESURFACING CLARITY MASK - $48For the skincare enthusiast - sure to become a staple in their routine.

HERBIVORE BLUE TANSY RESURFACING CLARITY MASK - $48

For the skincare enthusiast - sure to become a staple in their routine.

LIBERTY OF LONDON MUG - $14Add some chocolate dipped marshmallows or hot chocolate mix & you're all set!

LIBERTY OF LONDON MUG - $14

Add some chocolate dipped marshmallows or hot chocolate mix & you're all set!

CROWN POINT GOLD FRAME - $60

CROWN POINT GOLD FRAME - $60

BATH BOMB SET OF 11 - $29For the Bath lover - you can't go wrong with a box of fizzy scented bath bombs.

BATH BOMB SET OF 11 - $29

For the Bath lover - you can't go wrong with a box of fizzy scented bath bombs.

BLESSINGS - KATE V.

Gift Ideas For The Home $100 & Under

 

If you like marble, brass, soft blankets, tortoise shell & blue and white chinoiserie, then you can’t really go wrong with this list.

These items will blend seamlessly with any home décor, whether yours or the lucky recipient’s.

MINI GINGER JAR ORNAMENTS, SET OF 6 - $75Add a little Class to someone's tree this Holiday Season with these Mini Ginger Jar Ornaments.

MINI GINGER JAR ORNAMENTS, SET OF 6 - $75

Add a little Class to someone's tree this Holiday Season with these Mini Ginger Jar Ornaments.

BRASS BIRD SALT CELLARS - $98These brass bird salt cellars are the perfect way to add a little whimsy to the holiday table.

BRASS BIRD SALT CELLARS - $98

These brass bird salt cellars are the perfect way to add a little whimsy to the holiday table.

CHENILLE CROSS STITCH THROW - $79

CHENILLE CROSS STITCH THROW - $79

MARBLE TIC-TAC-TOE SET - $78This marble & brass games doubles as décor when not in use.

MARBLE TIC-TAC-TOE SET - $78

This marble & brass games doubles as décor when not in use.

GILDED CAFE MIRROR TRAY -  $69 - $99

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TORTOISE SHELL ICE BUCKET WITH TONGS - $70

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BRASS HEXAGON PAPER TOWEL STAND - $59

Dress up a roll of paper towels with this classy marble & brass stand.

BUFFALO CHECK WOOL THROW - $90

BUFFALO CHECK WOOL THROW - $90

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BRASS BORDERED STONE JAR - $70

BRASS DESSERT SCOOP - $70Scoop up some Holiday Cheer with this lovely brass dessert scoop.

BRASS DESSERT SCOOP - $70

Scoop up some Holiday Cheer with this lovely brass dessert scoop.

BLESSINGS - KATE V.

Gift Ideas For The Home - $25 & Under

Tis the Season to start thinking about the fast approaching Holiday Season! This past week it feels as if every major shopping center has turned into Santa’s Wonderland overnight! I for one love Christmas, and am beyond ready to deck the halls…but one of the things I look forward to the most about the Holiday season is Gift Giving! I’ve started my Christmas gifting list…but I’ve still got a long way to go before December 25th arrives.

Throughout the next couple of weeks on Mondays and Wednesdays I will be posting a series of Holiday Gift Guides on the Blog. So be sure to check back for more gift giving ideas!

GIFTS FOR THE HOME - $25 & UNDER

SLEEPING CAT TRINKET DISH - $19One can never have too many trinket dishes! And in the shape of an adorable sleeping cat...need I say more?

SLEEPING CAT TRINKET DISH - $19

One can never have too many trinket dishes! And in the shape of an adorable sleeping cat...need I say more?

TORTOISE SHELL NUT BOWL - $25Dress up someone's bar this Holiday season with this classy nut bowl!

TORTOISE SHELL NUT BOWL - $25

Dress up someone's bar this Holiday season with this classy nut bowl!

COZIEST THROW - $20A Personal Favorite - The Coziest throw is the COZIEST throw!

COZIEST THROW - $20

A Personal Favorite - The Coziest throw is the COZIEST throw!

BURL WOOD HEXAGON STORAGE BOXES - $20-25For the Organizer - Store stuff in Style!

BURL WOOD HEXAGON STORAGE BOXES - $20-25

For the Organizer - Store stuff in Style!

TREK HORN BOWLS - $9-$20These classy Horn bowls make the perfect catch all - great for bedside, coffee table and kitchen!

TREK HORN BOWLS - $9-$20

These classy Horn bowls make the perfect catch all - great for bedside, coffee table and kitchen!

PEARL THE DRAGON - $20Add a little whimsy to someone's holiday with this hand crafted gold dragon.

PEARL THE DRAGON - $20

Add a little whimsy to someone's holiday with this hand crafted gold dragon.

SCRIBBLE BLACK & WHITE VASE - $10Simple & Fun - this vase will add character to any space!

SCRIBBLE BLACK & WHITE VASE - $10

Simple & Fun - this vase will add character to any space!

LUSH VELVET PILLOW COVER - $21Add some sheen to someone's Holiday with this Lush Velvet pillow cover!

LUSH VELVET PILLOW COVER - $21

Add some sheen to someone's Holiday with this Lush Velvet pillow cover!

GLATTIS TRAY - $20You can never go wrong with a gold serving tray - especially if it's filled with Holiday Sweets!

GLATTIS TRAY - $20

You can never go wrong with a gold serving tray - especially if it's filled with Holiday Sweets!

Blessings - Kate V.

A Piece Worth the Price (and Pain).

Every once In a blue moon I get the DIY(Do It Yourself) itch. It's not very often that I get bit by the DIY bug...I would much rather purchase an item or find someone else to do the work for me, since I'm impatient and want the project finished within a day (am I the only one?).

With this particular project I couldn't wait to get started...the only roadblock to getting started was picking a paint color. I knew I wanted a Kelly green...then I wanted a light blue...then 3 months pass and I'm back in the Kelly green camp. Now the problem of figuring out which Kelly green...fast forward 2 months and I finally have the perfect paint in hand!

With paint in hand it was time to start the most daunting DIY project of my life. One can of high gloss paint and one piece of perfect furniture I've waited years to own (Henry Link Bali Hai dresser & hutch I snagged off of Varagesale for an absolute steal) and one perfectionist who has never painted a piece of furniture in her life.

The Henry Link Bali Hai Hutch & Dresser in all her Yellow glory!

The Henry Link Bali Hai Hutch & Dresser in all her Yellow glory!

Both apprehensive and hopeful about the project I knew I had to just dive in or it would never get done. I dragged the furniture to the garage with some help and wiped it down 2-3 times to make sure all the dirt was removed. Then came the laborsome task of sanding…I sanded until my arms couldn’t sand anymore and called it a day for day 1. With day 2 came more sanding…add a coat of primer…sand…add another coat of primer…sand. Day 3 I pulled out the paint bucket and freaked out because the perfectionist in me knew if I was going mess up it would be on the final coat of paint. So I did what any perfectionist would do and called someone (my grandfather in-law, Alfred) with a paint sprayer…because a paint sprayer is more likely to paint the piece of furniture evenly and leave fewer brush strokes glaring at me. Lucky for me Alfred not only offered to let me use the sprayer he offered to paint the furniture for me…I didn’t say no. On day 4 with some help the furniture was loaded onto a trailer and driven across town to Alfred’s. I could barely contain my excitement that I was getting closer to being finished (after all it’s taken 3 days longer than my 1 day DIY quota…my patience was running thin).

I learned that I wasn’t the only impatient person on the job. Alfred, wasting no time, popped off the lid of the paint can and started spraying within 10 minutes after the furniture arrived. Within 2 hours the hutch, dresser, and all the dresser drawers had been sprayed with the first coat and left to dry for the rest of the day. I went back over the next morning to help with the second coat and by the time I arrived at 9am the furniture was already dressed in its second coat in front of the fans drying.

After 2 more sleeps and vivid dreams of the perfect Kelly green piece of furniture it was time to go pick it up. With trailer padded to high heaven to prevent scratching the furniture was loaded on and headed home! EEEEKKK!

Once home the furniture was slowly moved from the trailer to the living room…slowly because I’m not sure I could handle anything happening to my precious at this point. First came the dresser…followed by the hutch. The drawers still needed their freshly polished hardware installed so I quickly took over the task while my husband moved the dresser and hutch into place. With blistered hands from sanding I screwed the hardware into the drawers despite the pain….nothing was going to stop me from finishing the project at this point. 30 minutes later the drawers were something to behold with their new brassy hardware….my hands on the other hand (no pun intended) were not. As I pushed the last drawer into place I felt an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment…I didn’t do the whole project by myself as I had intended to, but I did something I had never done and I didn’t give up after my 1 day DIY quota. My hands lived in lotioned gloves for the next couple of weeks, but I would do it again….in a year or two…in a heartbeat.

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My Bali Hai hutch is by far my favorite piece of furniture I own, not because it had been on my furniture wish list since I was a child, but because I painstakingly made it my own. It’s a constant reminder that I am capable of refinishing furniture if I so please (which most of the time I don’t). It lives in my living room as a little confidence booster (which we can all use from time to time).

I tell you all of this to say if you fall in love with a piece of furniture that needs new life….it is worth the work. You end up with a personalized piece of furniture and a feeling of accomplishment every time you look at it.

Bali Hai Hutch & Dresser - $100 on Varagesale

Paint & painting supplies - $100

Grand Total = $200 & worth every Penny!

Paint Color - Benjamin Moore Seaweed in High Gloss

Blessings - Kate V.

5 Easy Ways to Add Fall to Your Home

Fall is one of my favorite seasons – I love the crisp fall air (It’s a special treat down here in south Texas), cozy sweaters, Apple Cider, but mostly I love the rich fall colors that offset the coolness of the fall weather.

When it comes to seasonal decorating I tend to take the minimalist approach. Less to take out each year and less to put back. I also prefer real pumpkins to faux, there are plenty of great faux looking pumpkins out there I just prefer the real deal (I can also dispose of them when the season ends and don't have to worry about storage space). Here I have compiled my 5 favorite ways to add fall to the home. Enjoy!

1. NATURE

Bring the beauty of the outdoors in with a few scavenged twigs turned into a branch arrangement, add a couple gourds or pumpkins with a bit of greenery in a bowl/urn, or add a bundle of logs to the fireplace for a natural fall aesthetic.

 

Via - Adorable-home.com 

Via - Adorable-home.com

 

Via - Missmustardseed.com 

Via - Missmustardseed.com

 

Via - www.decoist.com2. SUCCULENTSShow your creativity with a DIY fall centerpiece with a hollowed out pumpkin and a few succulents, or place succulents in a metallic votive for a luxe fall look.  

Via - www.decoist.com

2. SUCCULENTS

Show your creativity with a DIY fall centerpiece with a hollowed out pumpkin and a few succulents, or place succulents in a metallic votive for a luxe fall look.

 

 

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Via - Maisondepax.com3. PLAIDThis pattern is synonymous with cooler weather. It has a comfiness about it and comes in many colors and styles. Simply add a plaid pillow/pillowcase or a throw for a touch of coziness to your home. 

Via - Maisondepax.com

3. PLAID

This pattern is synonymous with cooler weather. It has a comfiness about it and comes in many colors and styles. Simply add a plaid pillow/pillowcase or a throw for a touch of coziness to your home.

 

Via - Mydomaine.com4. PILLAR LANTERNS & VOTIVESAdd a bit of visual warmth to Fall’s chilly nights with a few flickering flames. Both lanterns & votives come in a variety of styles & materials to play to your taste whether it be rustic or…

Via - Mydomaine.com

4. PILLAR LANTERNS & VOTIVES

Add a bit of visual warmth to Fall’s chilly nights with a few flickering flames. Both lanterns & votives come in a variety of styles & materials to play to your taste whether it be rustic or chic.

 

Via - Potterybarn.com 

Via - Potterybarn.com

 

Via - Potterybarn.com5. PUMPKINSWhite, green, or Orange pumpkins are an effortless way to bring fall into the home. They can be used in a variety of settings around the home such as the mantle, as a bookshelf accessory, or as a table centerpiece. 

Via - Potterybarn.com

5. PUMPKINS

White, green, or Orange pumpkins are an effortless way to bring fall into the home. They can be used in a variety of settings around the home such as the mantle, as a bookshelf accessory, or as a table centerpiece.

 

Via - Pinterest.com 

Via - Pinterest.com

 

Via - HGTV.com 

Via - HGTV.com

 

Via - Curbly.com Blessings - Kate V. 

Via - Curbly.com

 

Blessings - Kate V.