Weekly Blog Inspiration

These are the things that inspired me this week in blog-land.

1. Pantries at The Inspired Room

2. Houston Style at La Jeune Marie

3. This Armoire at Delicious Organized

4.Halloween Tablescapes at Hooked on Houses

I loved so many posts this week and these are just a few of my favorites!

Happy Halloween!

Fall and Halloween Decorating

I have to admit that I do not go all out for Halloween. I absolutely love Fall so I try to stick to more autumn decorations that just Halloween. I created this centerpiece using candlesticks I have and mini pumpkins and gourds I bought at the grocery store.

I did carve pumpkins and put out mums on the front porch. I am the worst pumpkin carver EVER so I stuck to a moon and stars motif. Stars are the easiest thing on earth to cut out and here's the finished product.

As I said, worst pumpkin carver ever.

Here's to my favorite Halloween decoration, my cat Griffin and yes, he is in my roasting pan on the top of my refrigerator. He refused to come down so I took pictures.

Happy Halloween Weekend!

Cute Things from Fontaine Maury

I love Fontaine Maury. They sell adorable personalized and monogrammed items. Typically you can only get their products at certain retailers but they have now started carrying some of their items at their online store.

Melamine Plates

Melamine Trays

Water Bottles

They also have tons of other adorable items especially for kids.

Skirts Are For Tables Too

I love skirted tables especially skirted consoles.

Pics Courtesy of La Dolce Vita, BHG and.... I can't remember who else but if it's you let me know

Can I Get Some of What They Are Smoking?

Over at Restoration Hardware. $495 for 1 (yes I said 1) subway sign. I paid like $75 for mine last year. Are you kidding me?

A Lovely Reminder

You've all read this book, right?

No? Are you kidding? Go get it. You have to read it now.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold is my favorite book ever. It's gorgeous and just amazing. The movie is coming out this winter so you have to read it so you will be as excited about the movie as I am. Go now. If you have read it, I'm going to read it again as soon as I get done with The Help and The Kite Runner.

Here's the trailer, in case you have no idea what I am talking about.

Mellow Yellow

I love yellow. It might be becoming my favorite color.

Pics Courtesy of Style Court, La Dolce Vita, It's Glamorous, Coco Cozy, Country Living

A Casual Outfit

I absolutely love this outfit (especially the shoes)

Everything from Banana Republic except for the jeans that are from Anthropologie.

Christmas Craftiness: Monogram Magnets

I have gotten a big jump start on Christmas this year and I have even finished making monogrammed magnets for some women in my family. I found the idea on Martha Stewart and I embellished it a bit.

You start with flattened glass marbles, like the ones used in vases or candleholders. I purchased the larger ones so an initial would show through. I cut out pieces of decorative paper in the size of the magnets and using decoupage glue attached the paper to the marble so the decorative paper was visible through the marble. I then attached high powered adhesive magnets to the back of the marbles. I then added an initial by attaching it to the front of the marble and voila!

They turned out really cute. I then packaged them using small treat bags, gift labels and ribbon. Now I am all ready for Christmas (well not entirely but these are ready for Christmas at least).

The best part was the price tag...

Treat Bags (set of 50): $2.99

Ribbon: $2.99

Gift Tags from Tiny Prints: $7 for 25

Marbles: $5.99 for 15

Decorative Paper: $1 per sheet

Decoupage Glue: $3.99

Magnets: $1.45 for 8

For Our Favorite Brooklyn Limestoner... (Again)

So I talked to Stefanie at Brooklyn Limestone and it turns out the photos she has coming up are outside. I didn't want to be responsible for making my favorite blogger freeze to death so here's round two of outfits for Stefanie and maybe these will not result in frost bite.

Everything from Banana Republic.

Everything from J.Crew.

Coat and pants from Banana Republic. Earrings, scarf and shoes from J.Crew.

Inspirational

I love reading all of the blogs on my reading list. I particularly loved these posts that inspired me this week...

Good Girl Gone Glad: Jesse did a great post on this amazing house with this incredible kitchen. Find it here.

Hooked On Houses: Julia featured her fall decorating ideas and they were so beautiful but accessible. Find it here.

MA Belle: Along with a lot of other people did a post on Paris. Sigh. I want to go to there.

Little Green Notebook: How cute are these Christmas Stockings? Find the post here and the store here.

If your blog isn't on my reading list, leave me a comment so I can stop by.

Peonies and Peppermint: My Autumn Sunday Lunch

I saw a bread pudding recipe last week on Barefoot Contessa so I couldn't wait to make it.

Here's the recipe via Food Network

I (of course) made a few substitutions. I left out the almond extract although I would definitely add it next time and I used a white bread instead of panettone. It was delicious. I also added Creme Anglaise. I have to say that without the Creme Anglaise there really would have been no sweetness to the dessert so I recommend that addition. It was delicious.

I also experimented with my first butternut squash. Here she is (probably should be a he given the phallic symbol it is) ....

I made Kerchief Pasta with Butternut Squash and it was amazing. I forgot to take a picture but below is William Sonoma's picture. It was delicious and easy and I highly recommend it. My husband was very apprehensive and he loved it. I will make this one again and again. One note is that I did substitute dried tarragon for the sage. I love tarragon and it seemed like a perfect dish for it.

Links to all recipes are in pink. Sorry I have no original recipes to share with you but these were so delicious I didn't need to be original. Happy Weekend!

For Our Favorite Brooklyn Limestoner...

Stefanie at Brooklyn Limestone was so sweet to me when I first started my blog. She let me guest blog for her and supported my fledgling little blog. Stefanie is going to have her picture taken in a few months and I told her I would give her some style ideas for her. I love these outfits for such a stylish woman.

Total J. Crew Outfit. Stephanie told me she has a less than ideal figure and I do as well. You can't go wrong with black. I love these shoes (as you will see below), bracelet and earrings too. All from J.Crew.

This is my favorite by far. Mainly because I love these shoes. They are amazing. The dress and shoes are from J.Crew. I love the solar system bracelet and pave posts from Anthropologie. I own the pave posts and I absolutely love them.

I love this outfit. The wool sheath and skinny brown belt are from Banana Republic. The adorable peep toes, bracelet and sweater are from J.Crew.

Thanks Stefanie for inspiring us all!

Country Living Cottage

I am loving this house from Country Living this month. I love the clay color that is carried throughout the house. It's so lush and dramatic. By the way, it's an excellent issue. I highly recommend it!

Shopping List

Despite my budget I can still window shop and I totally want these...

Studiopatro Tea Towels

Anthropologie Serveware

Nigella Lawson Measuring Spoons (I know I have said this before but I still want them)

Favorite Pic of the Day

From Everything LEB

I adore this office.

Ballet Flats and My Favorite Bag

I love this outfit.

Bow Untied Top from Anthropologie. Black pants from Ann Taylor. Rogue Ballerina Flats from Anthropologie. Grammercy Park Stevie from Kate Spade (my current and favorite handbag EVER). Lady Marmalade Bracelet from Kate Spade.

Alphabet Bags

I love these bags from Alphabet Bags. How cute.

How Do You....

Save Money on Groceries?

I was so excited by everyone's budget tips last week and I realized we all have so many tips to share with each other and shockingly most of us are on some sort of a budget (or at least acknowledge we should be). I am going to start giving us an outlet to share budget tips specific to certain expenses (groceries, travel, gifts, etc.)

So I want to know how you save money on groceries?

I recently went on a serious weekly grocery budget and before this I just bought whatever I wanted at the most expensive grocery store so it's been quite an adjustment. Here are the changes I have made:

1. I make a weekly menu and plan out everything I plan to cook. I then make my grocery list based on that menu. This has helped tremendously with our budget. I wasted so much food when I just went to the grocery store and figured out what I would make as I went through the store.

2. I do "clean out the pantry/freezer weeks" and I plan my menu to use items I already have.

3. I keep track of how much money I am spending while I am in the grocery store and try not to exceed my budget.

4. We are largely vegetarians at home. I focus on healthy meals with whole wheat pasta or other one dish meals that do not require me to buy meat for every meal I cook.

What are your tips? I am anxiously waiting.