Shutterfly Holiday Cards

After the response to my Minted post, I feel more comfortable talking about all things holiday cards since I know a few of you are thinking about them, as well! My family used Shutterfly for our holiday photo cards last year, and we were very pleased! Quick turnaround, pretty designs to choose from, and excellent customer service. The best part? Since we're lucky enough to now have gorgeous family photos from Jenna Cole and & Unlimited, our send-outs are going to look good no matter which design we pick!

Here are a few of my favorites:


Starlight Joy, from $1.91. I generally prefer the flat v. folded designs, but this one was too simple + pretty to pass up.


Holiday Window, from $1.75


Pretty Package, from $1.75


Christmas 2010, from $1.75


Swirl Greetings, from $1.75

I even doctored a few to see how they might look with our chosen photo...


Peace and Joy, from $1.75


Partridge Pear Tree, from $1.75


Swirls and Dots, from $1.75

What do you think? Which is your favorite?

Ed note: Shutterfly is providing me with 50 free cards as compensation for this post, but the sentiment is all my own. As I said, my family used Shutterfly for our holiday cards last year, and are thrilled to do so again! Bloggers, if you're interested in hashing out a similar deal, click here.

Thanksgiving table inspiration

Have we discussed yet how I'm hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year? No, I don't think so. Though I should probably be more worried about getting a large bird*, multiple side dishes, and three different kinds of pie (J's request) into stomachs, I am somehow more interested in thinking about the table decor. Here are a few ideas I've gathered!


Jose Villa (See more here!)


Unknown


Pottery Barn


via Timeless Paper


Sunday Suppers


via JolieJolie


Martha Stewart Weddings


Martha Stewart Weddings


Sunday Suppers


Sunday Suppers


Sunday Suppers


Sunday Suppers


Good Housekeeping


Martha Stewart Living


Jordan Ferney for Project Wedding

The underlying theme seems to be neutrals, golden accents, and nuts... let's see what I come up with! I will, of course, be sharing the finished design -- that is, if I don't burn down my kitchen first. Here's hoping!

*My mother's stated goal in life (one of them, anyway) is to never cook a turkey. Somehow she's escaped thus far, so I don't think she'll be much help! Then again, she always knows what to do. Love you, Mom!

Inspiration Board No. 78: Fall Figs

(Click to enlarge!)

I am LOVING purple lately, which is kind of strange, as I don't really consider myself a purple person. (In fact, I've only posted ONE other purple inspiration board to date: it's here, in case you're wondering!) Plum and dark chocolate, with a hint of sage and peachy pink to lighten things up, is such a gorgeous palette for fall, though, don't you think? I'm also quite taken with the dimension and texture the halved figs and blackberry cluster centerpieces bring to this board.

The Details

First row, left to right: reception setup by Napa Valley Celebrations, photo by Meg Smith, blackberry centerpiece photo by Jodi Miller via The Bride's Cafe

Second row: plum bridesmaid dress photo by Landon Jacob Productions via Southern Weddings, figs photo by Ellie Grover via Style Me Pretty, bar setup photo by Landon Jacob via SW

Third row: sink flowers photo by One Love Photo, fig photo by Jodi Miller via The Bride's Cafe, flower girl photo by Meg Smith

In which I consider buying a leopard jacket

Am I crazy? Ever since I saw this faux fur jacket on Simply Seleta, I've been seriously considering running to Anthropologie sometime this week. Let's forget the price tag for a moment. Would I actually wear this? I feel like I would probably only feel like I could wear it if the rest of my look was perfectly put together. You know, skinny jean capris, a cute headband, a chic watch. This is not a black fleece you can just throw on with anything! Would buying this jacket be inviting unrealistic expectations... or provide motivation? I have other leopard pieces, such as a pair of ballet flats, but this would be taking things to a whole other level.

Discuss, please.

Out to Dinner: The Grove Park Inn

I thought y'all might like to hear a bit about October's dining adventure! As you may recall, my sister and my brother-in-law gifted J and I a $50 gift certificate to eat at the restaurant of our choice for twelve months. In September, we went to Vin Rouge in Durham, and last weekend, we ate at the Blue Ridge Dining Room at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville.



We love Asheville and have been there a few times, but have never been to the famous Grove Park Inn. We made a reservation ahead of time and were seated at a fabulous table looking out over the Blue Ridge Mountains just as the sun was setting. Gorgeous!


Photo by J

This photo looks just like where we were sitting:



On Fridays and Saturdays there is no a la carte menu; all guests choose from the prime rib buffet. The amount of food was staggering, and delicious! J had five courses, and I had four (no seafood for me!). My favorites were the garlic mashed potatoes and the chocolate peanut butter bars and chocolate cheesecake for dessert. Here I am in a blurry iPhone pic with the five bean soup we split (got to be conservative at the beginning of the meal, you know):


iPhone pic

The service was wonderful, as well: our server was attentive but did not hover, and everyone from the hostess to the chef that came to our table was warm and relaxed but professional, never stuffy. There was even a strolling violinist!

After dinner, we wandered the grounds a bit, and though it was dark at that point, the stone structures were still beautiful. I'm jealous of you Ashevillians (Ashevillains?) that have the option of getting a hot apple cider and cozying up in front of the GPI's massive stone fireplace any evening you'd like!





We also visited Tupelo Honey and Mayfel's while we were in Asheville, and I'd recommend both highly. The buttermilk biscuits with blackberry jam they serve as a starter at Tupelo are TO DIE FOR.


iPhone pic

And just so you know we did things other than eat, here are a few photos from atop Chimney Rock, where we hiked up and down 960 steps (yes, we counted). The weather was perfect!


Personal pic


Personal pic

Any fun weekend plans, friends? J and I are going to be competing in a "diamond dash" in Raleigh tomorrow. For those of you not familiar with this concept, a jewelry store has hidden a $15,000 diamond ring somewhere in the city, and teams solve clues to find it! It's pretty much the ultimate scavenger hunt, and we're really, really excited. Wish us luck! :)

Unless otherwise noted, photos are from the Grove Park Inn site.

Gifted Magazine

Have any of you had a chance to flip through the new online magazine Gifted? It just came out a few days ago, so I won't blame you if you haven't, but I will encourage you to get on it! It's perfect for those of you who (like me!) already have a tiny itch for Christmas. I've jotted down several gift ideas gleaned from its pages and I'm only halfway through! I particularly enjoyed the feature on Rifle Paper Co's holiday order preparations.



Speaking of RPC, here's a peek at their 2010 line:







There are also several DIY projects and holiday tips from some pretty fabulous bloggers that you won't want to miss. Kudos to Ez of Creature Comforts for putting this gem together!

Click here to take a peek!

Happy November!

Country Home


Peggy Wong


via Junk Garden Girl


via Bippity Boppity Boo

Happy November! The leaves are just starting to change where I live and I'm so ready for crisp, cooler temps, longer sleeves, and richer colors. How about you?