Happy December! Kicking off our first gift guide of the season by celebrating handmade goodies for the Etsy lover on your list.
We couldn’t help adding most of these to our own wish lists.
1. Red felt garland,
2. Caviar bow-tie,
3. Gold ampersand,
4. Cupcake toppers,
5. Antler tea towel,
6. Original photograph by our very own Jessica Caso,
7. iPhone case,
8. Paper mâché bowl in gold and black,
9. Hugs and kisses purse
I am so excited to introduce the newest addition to the Mochatini style team. Meet Jessica Caso. Jessica and I had the pleasure of working together at a hgtv.com shoot recently and I loved her creativity, her eye for composition and her talent for photography. In her own words, here is Jessica.
My name is Jessica and I am a DC area photographer specializing in family & children photography. My interest in photography began as a child but my love for it didn’t begin until I lived in Paris. I wanted to capture Paris the way I saw it, or wanted to see it. Some of my favorite shots are early ones of Paris, when I really had no idea what I was doing but I loved doing it anyways. I now live in Falls Church, VA with my husband and three kids, who have taught me to always keep my finger on the (camera) trigger, since you never know when the next great shot is about to happen.
Jessica and I cant wait to share what we have been upto recently… so stay tuned my friends.
xo
Life* Available for a limited time only.
This Thanksgiving weekend my grandfather took his last breath. We knew it would happen one day and given his health, we feared it could be soon, but was never really prepared for when it did. It took a whole day for it to sink in and I had to keep telling myself, he’s gone, he’s really gone. Struggling to find the words to express how I feel, what I feel..Letting go is hard.
If I had know that when I saw him a year ago that that was to be the last time, I would have hugged him goodbye longer, spent more time with him, taken pictures of him. I try to find comfort in believing he is in a better place, and not suffering anymore. He was an amazing grandfather and father, an award-winning surgeon, a wonderful spirit but most of all a very loving husband to my grandmother. One of those love-stories that make you tear up in a” The Notebook” kind-of-way and made your heart warn and fuzzy.
I am grateful for all the time we did spend together. His presence will be missed but he will forever be in our hearts with his love shining down on us. This holiday season I am going to celebrate his life, love and the countless smiles he brought to our faces. Wishing where ever he is, he is at peace.
So for the holidays my message to you, my friends, is spend as much time as you can with your loved ones. Tell them over and over again how much you love them. Make every minute count. Create memories that will forever brighten your day. xo
How are your Thanksgiving preps coming along? I am not hosting this year but am yet to get started on my contribution to the dinner. My favorite part of this holiday is when we go around the table and everyone shares what they are most thankful for this year. Most of us have a huge list, but its the smallest and simplest things that I love hearing about most. I am thankful for the wonderful people in my life, my family and friends, and you. Your support keeps me going each day. What are you most thankful for?
I wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving.
xo
Happy Friday! My days have been so tied up lately that I’m kinda finding it hard to accept that Thanksgiving is only 6 days away! What are your plans? Are you hosting? If you are, keep an eye out for my next post on entertaining.
Meanwhile, who’s ready to go shopping for Holiday outfits? Actually, who isnt? Well, our friends at Shopbop are giving yet another $100 giftcard to one lucky Mochatini reader to help with the “what-to-wear” to so-and-so’s holiday party. Just leave a comment below with your most memorable holiday party experience and link to this post on your blog/facebook/twitter. Easy-peasy! Good luck!
Oh and those planning to travel for Thanksgiving, take a look at ultimate Thanksgiving travel suitcase on Shopbop Blog
Giveaway open until Nov 27, 2012 and is open to international readers.
designer scarves sample sale Kors
UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed. Winner is is Melanie. Congratulations Melanie, please send me your email asap.
xo
Don’t you just wish you could change up the decor in your home each time you saw a new drool-worthy room? I certainly do. To be clear, I LOVE my home. It’s perfect for me and I get to decorate it the way I want. But, then as a blogger and designer, I am constantly exposed to new ideas, products and styles, pins and likes, that I find it hard to really say this is it, and that this will be it, forever. I feel that as I grow older and ahem, more experienced, I am reluctant to pinpoint my style and let it be it. I want to evolve, I love certain decorating styles right now, but I dont know if I will LOVE them forever. Know what I mean? Do you ever feel that way?
images via: here, here and here
As a puppy-mommy I find it hard to enjoy the holiday season, or any occasion for that matter, without my adorable lab Dexter. He is the one thing I look forward to seeing all day. So, when my editors at HGTV.com took me up on a pet holiday feature I was only too thrilled. And for months I have been waiting to share details of this project with you. A pet PAW-ty celebrating the furry members we love and cherish so much. A holiday party with pet-friendly yet totally stylish decorations, a treat table, doggy-bags, and home made goodies for the pups! Inviting Dexter’s doggy friends, indulging and pampering them at party focused on them was one of the most satisfying events I have ever planned. Nothing was off-limits for them and just seeing their happy faces was priceless.
I stitched up these bow ties for each of the guests to wear at the party which also doubled up as favors.
The dinner table with placecards and bowls for pet-owners to take home. The tablecloth fabric is from Ikea and the candy-cane-like treats are from petco. The placemats are glitter paper from Michaels. For the centerpiece I place a rosemary plant in a dollar-store bucket.
No party is complete without a dessert/treat table so why should this one be any different? I created a garland of plastic ornaments as a backdrop hung above puppy reach, and placed a mix of store-bought and homemade goodies so the doggies could help themselves.
These dog biscuits were easy and so fun to make. Recipe on hgtv.com
Little flags made with craft paper and a graphic bone served as helpful food tags.
Personalized striped doggy bags for each pet-parent to fill with treats to take home.
For main course we served dog-friendly ice cream. Can you tell how much they loved it?
Dexter was one super happy puppy! Needless to say, all the pups had a ball!!
Get all the details, including recipes on how to host a pet holiday party from the full feature at hgtv.com
xo
styled and photographed by Manvi Drona
There’s nothing like waking up to the loveliest birthday wishes from all over the world. Emails, wall posts, phone calls and little packages in the mail with the sweetest notes making my heart completely melt. You are the best peeps a girl could ask for. Thank you for filling my day with so much love!
I wish everyone in hurricane Sandy’s path safety and warmth.
It’s been a while since I did a post on my favorite rooms. You might remember me mentioning my obsession with emerald in a post recently, well, I have long loved this color so forgive me if you arent into it. But allow yourselves one look at these spaces and you’ll see why I’m green with envy!
Be it upholstery for chairs, a pretty wallpaper pattern, a collection of earthenware {LOVE the pups in that one}, kitchen cabinetry or a lamp shade, this hue of green instantly makes a room feel so alive and vibrant.
Totally glam too! Remember the green glass bottles I scored at a thrift store last year? They are the inspiration for my bedroom decor and I wish I could capture how gorgeous they look in when my sun-flooded room.
I just cant get enough of emerald hues in my life. I want to pair it with cobalt, navy and white in my bedroom. Which reminds me that I need to get on that project STAT! How would you use this color in your home and life?
images: house beautiful, elle decor, domino files and pinterest
xo
ps: have you tried the paper by fifty three app on your ipad? Im ADDICTED!!!
I have been creating and shooting Holiday looks since May so I’m not surprised to see gift guides flooding my inbox and stores outfitted in Holiday decor. Have to say I’m loving it. But equally tempted to splurge on things I dont need but oh so want! With my birthday around the corner and a party on the calendar, Im feeling indulgent and its getting harder and harder to resist bringing home a few lovely things. This week, I fell hard for these little big temptations.
What have you been splurging on/indulging in lately?
xo
Happy Friday from the nation’s capital. Have you checked out Martha Stewart’s Halloween edition? No, you must! I love all the DIY ideas from costumes including ideas for pets, decor, food and beverages. All supplemented with templates and shopping lists! Dont forget to grab this limited edition available at most local stores.
Also, check out my host a Christmas ornament-making party feature on hgtv.com.
xo
From outfits to table settings to interiors to gift wrapping to artwork, this color combo has taken over my moodboard recently. The warm glow of honey-mustard and deep jewel tones of emerald pair delightfully to create a bright and cheerful palette. Season appropriate too!
Happy Monday + have a great week!
xo
Have you heard? Zara Home hits the US! And they offer online shopping. After being envious of my European buddies’ access to Zara’s home line for years, I am so glad to finally get my hands on their home textile, bed, bath and table linens, tableware, and decorative accessories. Yipee-yay! Oh! Yes, I already have a wish-list started.
costa throw | sequin pillow | mylo vase | allan tumbler | steel tumbler | lawrence dinner plates | silvia napkin rings | julio door stop
In case you missed it last week, my monthly tablescape feature for Bright.Bazaar is live. This time we headed East for an Indian-inspired tapas soiree. A burst of bright colors like aquamarine, navy and tangerine, in vibrant patterns, played up with watercolor menus and invites, {by Little Bit Heart, thanks Jenna and Elizabeth}, and gold elephant place card holders and understated centerpiece using baby’s breath came together to create a fun party look for Fall! I loved how my my peacock tumblers from Good Earth looked.
I have had this aqua ikat fabric from Quadrille, Inc for a while decided to use it to make napkins and am so pleased with how they turned out.
The menu cards are in a soft watercolor pattern and mounted on mini canvas’ painted gold. Dont you just LOVE!!! Jenna and Elizabeth always blow my mind with their creativity!
What do you think?
Check out the full article on Bright.Bazaar.
xo
