POTTERY FAVS

With wedding stuff occupying most of my time lately, I have started paying a lot of attention to china. I just keep stumbling upon these beautiful pieces of hand-made pottery that I could picture displayed in my dining room or entertaining a house full of guests. I love unique, one of a kind pieces, and like I mentioned before I have developed a slight obsession with tea cups so that may lend to my attraction as well. I wanted to share a few artists that I have found and my favorite pieces. (feel free to ship any to Melrose)

1. LeaWoodCeramics :: I love the simple shapes and elegant thickness to all her pieces, but I especially enjoy the touch of quirkiness the ink strokes convey. The black and gray touches are classic enough to mix and match with any dinner sets. 

2. Sara Paloma Pottery :: With my love for white, you know I would love these dainty pieces with touches of gold. So sweet!

3. Gretel :: Gretel is a company that sells home accessories from around the world. All of the brands are beautiful and share an appreciation for simplicity and creativity. 

Do you have any pottery favorites? I know Etsy has tons more ... I just found these through other bloggers. 

NEW WISH LIST ITEM

So, you bloggers/readers have probably seen these amazing cover designs by Coralie Bickford-Smith for the F. Scott Fitzgerald series all over blog world, but in case you haven't -- get ready to drool! I want them all! And, I don't even care if I read them or not, I just want to collect them and display them on a beautiful piece of furniture. I love the use of the metallic ink and the simple eye-catching designs. I think my favorite is The Great Gatsy. What do you think?

Don't worry, I have all ready created an Amazon wish list and emailed it to Brandon asking for at least one for my stocking ;)

WISH LIST

I know I am getting married in exactly 85 days, but a girl can dream, right? So ... I decided to put together a fun Christmas wish list just in case somebody was wondering ;) Or, perhaps it can spark some gift ideas to add to your wish list!

one two three four five six seven eight

My #2 item is a beautiful tweed jacket from Zara -- I think it looks awesome with those tights and booties. I just recently discovered Zara and I am fascinated! They have great styles and prices, just what I love. Check out some of my favorites below:

rehearsal dinner outfit???

love this simple short sleeved turtle neck dress

What do you have on your wish list??? Please share!

MERRY CHRISTMAS ...

and happy holidays from Melrose!

[the bulbs are actually lime and white]

I don't have a lot, but here is some fun Christmas inspiration ...

love this wreath -- I am sure you could easily make this. 

I love all things natural ...

creative use of old books at Christmas time!

burlap ornaments -- my friend Lacey sent me this pic -- that I am going to attempt to make myself!

My good friend, Laurel-Dawn, did a fantastic holiday decor post so be sure to check it out for more ideas! I will share more photos of Melrose once the tree goes up. 

HOLIDAY GIFT

Brandon and I had our first wedding shower in Birmingham the other weekend and it was a blast. It was themed an "entertainment" shower and we received some awesome gifts ranging from serving ware, utensils, baking accessories, tailgate gear (WAR EAGLE!), and an awesome cozy blanket! The hosts and hostesses were amazing and could have not made it anymore perfect.

I wanted to share the gift I made for the hosts because I thought it turned out cute and with the holidays right around the corner -- it may be a quick and easy gift for you to make as well. It is appropriate for male or female recipients.

My Dad and his 2 buddies developed this delicious pork dry rub recipe and he was so gracious to make me a big batch to bottle. The ingredients and proportions are top secret, but you can find several other recipes online. This one looks good to me: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/BBQ-Dry-Rub/Detail.aspx I packaged them in ball mason jars and attached stainless steel tongs along with a recipe on how to use the rub. What do you think?

*NOTE: Yes, Dad and his 2 buddies named themselves the "Woman Haters Club", but they do NOT hate women ;) it is merely a joke on the wives so they won't nag!

Here are some pictures from the party:

Check out Brandon's excitement about the gravy boat! ;)

Me with my fashionista, Dana -- she is such a great help with all things fashion, and look for her blog coming soon!