Confetti System for West Elm

Given my slight obsession with all things Halloween I was taking a look at West Elm's offerings earlier and found that they already have their Christmas items on their website.  I know, I know - Christmas already???  It is still over 80 degrees here in LA everyday and while I occasionally sneak a Christmas song in before Halloween I can't really think about Christmas decorations until November.  But I'm going to make a slight exception this once.
It appears as though they have collaborated with Confetti System to come up with a mini collection of holiday decorations. The items range in price from $8 -$29 so there is something for everyone's price point.  The collection consists of five items and they are all pretty fun - though I think the paper ornaments are my favorite.  The red and pink one would match the decorations I already have so I might pick up one of those.  I think they would make cute favors at a holiday party.

Confetti System for West Elm Tree Topper $19.00. 

 

Confetti System for West Elm Paper Ornaments $12.00 each

Confetti System for West Elm Garland $19.00

Confetti System for West Elm Glass Ornaments $8.00 each

Confetti System for West Elm Twist Open Trees $19.00 - $29.00

But these twist open trees might be the most fun.  As the name implies they twist open allowing you to stuff with presents, candy or anything else you want to surprise someone with.  It's like a pinata and a center piece all in one.  So what's your favorite?

P.S.  I promise to at least try and not mention Christmas decorations again until November.


 All images via West Elm.
 

Halloween Garlands

I've become quite accustomed to having garlands or bunting up year round as there is a perfect spot in my apartment to hang such things.  I usually change it out a few times a year and definitely for different holidays.  These are a few of my favorite Halloween garlands.  Most are available to purchase or can be made at home with just a few supplies. My favorite might be the creepy doll head one. 

 

Tissue Tassel Garland /Zombie Halloween Fabric Banner / Vintage Doll Head Garland /Pacman Garland / Halloween Ribbon Garland / Halloween Circle Garland

Halloween Care Package

I love Halloween.* I decorate my porch and inside. I'm always finding something else that I think I need for Halloween but I think that we don't have room for any new decorations this year. But I would love to spread the love and send out some Halloween care packages with items like the ones below.

 

Glittered Halloween Boo / Halloween Cupcake Topper Rosettes / Skello Kitty Cookies / Halloween Stripey Straws / Halloween Divine Twine / The Bride of Frankenstein / Halloween Edible Sugar Decorations

*This is likely only the first of many posts about Halloween decorations, goodies and general scariness between now and October 31st!

Sentimental

Now that the delivery date is set for the new couch and the old couches are all set to be picked up by a charity I am starting to regret my decision.  Not about the new couch but about letting the old ones go. 

I know that is super silly but every time I look over and see Chopper laying down next to the couch I get a little sad.  Technically Chopper is not supposed to get on the couch but over the last few months he's been really sneaky about it and he always manages to put himself in a cute position and I just have to snap a picture.

So in tribute to the green couch (and Chopper's cuteness) here are some of my favorites.

Caught tan-pawed!

Getting some sun.

He rides inside.

He was already laying like that I just added the empty wine bottle.

I found him like this.

I found him like this too.

And if he gets on the new couch I can use these pictures on the ad putting him up for adoption.

Teeny Tiny Beach

Somehow the summer got away from me without a vacation.  I took a Friday off and spent the day at a hotel pool which was nice but other than that I spent the summer working (and the end of it melting as it heats up around here). I came across some photos of beaches taken from high above (maybe from helicopters?) and thought they would make nice little watercolors. 

Getting the paper ready

Adding water, sand and foam

Some umbrellas

Some stripes and swirls

 

A few more and I felt like I had actually gone to the beach (well almost). 

 

 





Bookcase

A few years ago I upgraded to an Expedit bookcase from Ikea. I only got the 4x4 as it seemed to be "big enough" at the time to replace my two tiny bookcases. HA!  I don't remember what it looked like when it got here but it has slowly but surely filled up.  It holds books, sparkly, glittery goodies, old textbooks, beach reads, my Julia Child cookbooks, and two vintage cork lamps with Liberty of London lampshades to name a few.

This is what the bookcase looked like a few days ago.

The problem with the giant bookcase is that it needs to be moved so that old couches can be moved out and the new couch moved in not to mention where the new cable hook up needs to go so that all the furniture can be moved around.  So everything needed to come off the bookcase so that it could be moved.  So this past weekend (on what I'm sure was the hottest day of the year) I moved all the books, dog toys, frames, and tchotkes on to an the dining table (with the extra leaf).  After about forty minutes (almost) everything was off.

Dining table with bookcase contents (and the desk chair and dog bowls lingering around as well)

Oh my goodness!  The books that were hiding in that thing!  I think a book donation is going to happen before I move everything back. 

I can't wait to have everything back to normal - living in chaos for the next week and a half is not something I'm looking forward to.

New Couch!!!

I finally bit the bullet and bought the couch.  I had said I would get it by the end of the summer but I only half believed that - then ZGallerie had a sale over Labor Day weekend and with only 30 minutes left to spare (and after measuring the door, the old couches and figuring out the diagonal height of the new couch using a formula that required square roots no less) I bought it. 

Royce Sofa from ZGallerie

Now to just get rid of my comfy green couch and love seat.  If those couches had been uncomfortable or in bad shape I would have done this a long time ago but I got a good eight years out of them and now I will try and find them a new home.

I am uncertain how the dog will react to this news although technically he is not supposed to be on the couch I have been letting that rule slip in recent months if it means he will settle down and not beg for treats all night. I pretend I don't see him.