happy {almost} thanksgiving.

Last year, we hosted 20 people in our new {old} house. We were just reflecting last night, 2009 was one of our favorite Thanksgivings in recent memory. A lot of work. A lot of fun. This year, sure we are making a few side dishes but we are going to make the 2 mile circuit to Mike's sister's house, my sister's house and a pop in on some friends en route. When we get a chance to host again, I am all over this decor. It has a lot of my favorites---Home Goods craftiness, metallic spray on pumpkins, wide pin-stripes and organic and sparkly all at once. The story behind this photo shoot and tablescape is here. I particularly like how creative smarts and family-friendly casual can sometimes go together in a photo shoot.

There is so much to be thankful for this year....made even more sweet by moments when we got a wake-up call to recalibrate and focus on the essentials- health, family, friends and a warm home.

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.

{erica + mike}

merry,merry

Wishing you and yours the simple joys and magic of Christmas from Buzz Media Company.

{mike + erica}

white christmas.

images found here.

Wishes granted. A white Christmas arrived this past Sunday with a foot of snow here in Mystic. I love how a snow storm makes us all slow down and cozy up. While we may not have been feeling the magic as much after the third hour of shoveling, the snow does have a way of framing the holidays in a traditional, Rockwell-esque way.

While the hilly back roads, sparkly decorated homes and miles and miles of stonewalls here in Connecticut are beautiful and festive, (has a way of making you want to hum 'dashing through the snow....o'er the hills we go...') nothing beats a snow storm in the city.

Wishing everyone the chance to step away from the hustle + bustle to slow down + cozy up in the last days before Christmas....

{mike + erica}

let it snow.

images found here

Some of my favorite winter wedding images leaves me longing for a white christmas to make the spirits bright....

{erica}

a few of my favorite things.

Big. small. necessary. whimsical- it wouldn't be holidays if we didn't run across some great gift guide ideas in the form of a top five list.

So as the song goes...these are a few of my favorite things:

{yep, these are specifically chosen to complement the cream + mango colors of Buzz!}

Click to enlarge the image:

1. Hobo International. A wallet that can double as clutch with that vintage clasp, every color of the rainbow and fun, graphic linings that change seasonally.

2. Satya Jewelry The triple pendant design with little nuggets of pretty symbolizing radiance, love and new beginnings sounds perfect to me.

3. 2010 Linnea Design Calendar Beautiful, whimsical artwork as we kick off 2010.

4. West Elm Sheepskin Rug Big fan of West Elm rugs but with this family of floor sitters a cozy sheepskin throw could be the ultimate winter luxury.

5. Murad Essential C Cleanser Murad products are great for all skin types and this cleanser is perfect as we go into the winter months. Fresh and exfoliating without the dry winter chap.

{erica}

spirit of the season.

In the midst of juggling parties, plans for hosting and holiday travel, how do you pause and make time for meaningful gifts at the holidays?

One of my favorite gift giving holiday memory was the year where we each picked only one name at Thanksgiving and we had to make our gift.

At first, the concept was a bit intimidating. But the creativity and love that came shining through was unlike any other Christmas. Gift giving that spanned the generations (youngest participant was 5) and gave us a chance to pause and appreciate. From homegrown and homemade jalepeno salsa, a beautiful watercolor painting, compilation cd of favorite music, an original framed poem from a child, knit scarves and a 'memory lane' photo album-it seemed to be gift giving the way it was intended.

The pressure was off to find 16 meaningful gifts and we just focused on one family member, our own inventiveness and the true spirit of the season.

image found here

holiday season begins.

The first day of December has arrived and while the snow in New England has not, the seasonal rituals are in full swing. The hectic holiday pace has a way of creeping in but the simple joys of unpacking the sometimes decades-old ornaments, the smell of fresh evergreen and the first lighting of the newly decorated tree are peaceful holiday moments we all live for.

As you begin designing the season- these images might be timely inspiration and creative solutions to holiday decor limitations we face like when...

... lighting every exterior border of your home is just not that appealing for the light installer or the neighbors. 'Joy' template and instructions found on Martha Stewart

...you have small spaces or want something more whimsical or modern in some of your living areas. Image via Coastal Living Magazine
...you want to avoid the inevitable leftover-white-light-trail hanging below the greens. Make Douglas fir sprigs into a snowflake shape and leave the lights for the main act...the tree and garlands. Sunset Magazine tutorial

...there is no fireplace with which you can hang your stocking with glee. An antique cherry picker ladder idea via Coastal Living

For the last remaining weeks of 2009- we will be sharing some of our favorite new wedding highlights of the year and some fantastic collaborations/ projects we are working on.

Happy December!

thanksgiving inspiration.

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Family style seating has always appealed to me for weddings. Long wide farm tables, low clusters of flowers and lots of delicious platters of food being handed down the table from friend to friend. These images are simple and elegant inspiration for family style seating regardless of the season.

Alas, the meal of all meals is coming soon....Thanksgiving dinner. Official word came in from relatives in Boston last night that our totals are looking like 18 adults and 8 kids (gulp.) Our almost 8 foot farm table is being built so my job is easy, right? Maybe wide oatmeal linen runner with dried hydrangeas in vintage, mismatched low vases, votive clusters and a few pops of color with fresh cut flowers? Our white hydrangeas from the trees out front have turned to this antiqued burgundy color from the sun-a beautiful autumn color. With the sun finally out today, I am going cut some to start drying.

Tablescapes? Done. Maybe I should start thinking about the two turkeys, fifteen side dishes and countless desserts yet to be planned?
{erica}

boo.

Decorating for a holiday takes time and creativity. It seems I can only muster it with my full heart once a year for Christmas. But to a first grader, having both parents with full time jobs, a fixer upper bungalow and a yard in desperate need of fall plantings is no excuse.

Halloween is around the corner and it is time to deck out the entryway with some spooky spirit. But how do you avoid the white cob web (the Halloween equivalent to tinsel- still vacuuming up in July!) and orange plastic mess? I love this Halloween entry way from Life in the Fast lane. Check out her ideas here- clever, creative and completely avoided the dreaded two hours in Walmart perusing the picked over plastic Halloween decor. Only thing missing is a shallow dish of candy corns- the Halloween classic. Lucy might be right- it is definitely time to spook up the house.

{erica}

heading for the beach...

The first week of September in New England has been just perfect. Every.single.day. It is as if Mother Nature is trying to make up for a rainy June, a mediocre July and an August so sticky and hot it left us wishing for the end of the summer (gasp!). But Labor Day weekend is here... one last hoorah and chance to wear white all weekend (works out well for brides!) before it is officially taboo.

This image from the talented Jill Thomas Photography is so priceless. Even better it is her two kids and new puppy for their "we're moving" announcement mailer. Our plans? Beach, boat, bbq and lobsters in no particular order with our family visiting from out of town.

Happy Labor Day weekend!

{mike + erica}

it's not easy being green.

We'll admit it. We don't use soy ink cartridges or have solar panels and probably never will. But we do buy in bulk (reduce packaging), have a compost pile (okay so we haven't used it since we tossed our Halloween pumpkins there- so it could very well be a pumpkin patch next year), will plant a raised veggie garden, recycle, have Lucy use both sides of the paper for artwork and try to carpool whenever we can (phew, seems like a lot when crafted into a run-on sentence.) Yes, we believe in it and it certainly is hip to be eco-chic but sometimes, as Kermit sang years ago, it is just not easy being green. Today- we can all be green in our own little way. Happy St. Patrick's Day. Pass the green beer and check out these beautiful green wedding images... baby steps.

photos: Top Inspiration Board courtesy of Ruby Press Bottom two images courtesy of Corbin Images and Potted Shamrocks from Red Envelope.

spring ahead.

Both literally and figuratively. Friday's post was about being ready for Spring and this weekend delivered on cue. Here in New England it was like homecoming weekend in the parks, along main street in Mystic and out on the walking trails as everyone emerged from their homes and greeted their long lost neighbors. People were out enjoying the time change and the "balmy" 65 degrees that felt like summer after such a long winter.

If you didn't remember to change your clocks yesterday, you were an hour late to work this morning. No worries, your boss doesn't care- it is beginning to look a lot like Spring.

This image from Dutch by Design out of the UK offers contemporary home decor and lighting designed in the Netherlands. We love this new spin on a gallery wall and an artful reminder that time is all we really have-so we need to use it responsibly. Enjoy the extra hour of light on your way home from work tonight.

|erica and mike|

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown

Valentines Day has a real magic in Kindergarten. The biggest task of the week is to make an envelope to hang on the edge of your desk to catch all of the love of your classmates. Doilies, pink cupcakes and the cut out heart signed by your first crush. Pure joy. We relived that magic looking through all of the sweet surprises in Lucy's carefully decorated bag. Her smirk gave her away. Yep, Luke is her definitely her first crush. So today-maybe get back to pure basics. Fold a piece of red paper in half, cut that familiar curve, decorate with all your heart and give away. It has a funny way of keeping that magic alive. Happy Valentines Day.

|mike and erica|



Left to Right
Martha Stewart Kids via Black Eiffel (Kids Valentines)
Beautiful Couple Max Wanger