With Memorial Day on Monday, I began thinking about our party last year.

That party was so much fun and has me wishing I was throwing another one this year.

Unfortunately, we have to use this long weekend to finish up some things on the house so that we actually have a place to host parties like this.

But even though we aren’t hosting one, the party planner in me still found myself scouring the web for inspiration.  So, this Friday Faves is comprised of my favorite things from around the web that I would use IF I was throwing a party this year.

Here it is, you ready?

Can a Memorial Day party be bohemian modern instead of traditional patriotic?  To me, it can be whatever you want!

So, if I was throwing one, I’d start with a hand-painted runner with some orangey red and white in a great navajo inspired print (1).  I’d layer it over the dark-stained farmhouse table that’s going out on our patio (2).  I’d bring out some modern chairs around the old table (3).

For the centerpiece, I’d layer a ton of succulents potted in terracotta and gold candlesticks in every shape and size (4-5).  To serve the delicious food, I’d use pretty plain white plates, but really have fun with glassware.  I’d use a mix of all colors and styles and definitely bring in our blue glasses (6).  And no party is complete without some lights strung overhead for a little magic (7).

What would I wear to this event in my head?  Oh, don’t worry, I found that too.

I’d throw on a casual maxi outfit something like this.

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And maybe a fancy cocktail ring to spice things up like this.

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Throw a few braids in my hair like this and I’m ready and outfitted for this lovely bohemian modern evening.

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Okay, now I’m dying to throw this party.  It doesn’t have to just be for Memorial Day…maybe it’ll be the first event we throw in our new outdoor area!

Do y’all have plans for Memorial Day that I can think and dream about while I’m painting and doing housework?

Here’s my favorite one:

To enter:

So, comment, re-tweet, and like and comment on Facebook to win!  Just remember, tell us which is your favorite painting.  You can check them out here.

Thanks so much, Arteka, for this amazing giveaway!!!

So excited about this one and here’s what we’re thinking.

1 – White vanity top with a rustic wood base.  Think factory table style.

2 – Kilim rug goodness.

3 – Slate floor with large tiles.

4 – White subway tile with dark gray grout for the standing shower.

5 – Brass and glass light something like these.

6 – Ocean inspired paintings from Tastes Orangey.

These ideas may shift slightly in how they end up, but I’m pretty sold on these things.  I still cannot decide on the mirrors.  We’re doing a double vanity, so I want two mirrors versus one large one.

I love this bathroom reno with two different mirrors.

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It’s so different, but not sure my husband is sold on it.

What do y’all think?  Two different mirrors or two the same?  Any idea for finishes that would look good with the other elements above?

Our addition is finally starting to look like a room!

There is sheet rock, windows, and as you see scattered on the floor, the hardwoods are going in today!

The addition has become Gracie’s playground.  Anytime we’re missing her, we can find her here.  I love that in the picture above, you can see her tail as she’s leaving the bedroom and heading back to the rest of the house.

I found her like this this morning.  We’re keeping the windows open since the air isn’t working yet. It’s getting hot!  We need to get on that…anyway, Gracie loves the open windows.

This view above is from the hallway door that leads from the rest of the house to the addition.  Our bed will go in the center between the two smaller windows.

To the right of that wall are the his and hers closets.

Hubby is so sweet and gave me the bigger one.  They aren’t very big: 4×5 and 4×7 or so.  But, we’ve got a plan for built-ins and ways to maximize the storage in there.  I’m excited to have my own girly dressing room of sorts.

This is the view standing against the bed wall.

The door on the left goes into the master bathroom.  The door on the right leads into the hallway and then into the living area.

Here’s another view of the hallway.

The door to our backyard and outdoor living area is there on the right.

It’s not pretty out there yet, but will be soon.

Hint, hint…we’re using this coming long weekend to put in the patio!  We’re so close to having an outdoor area to decorate and enjoy!

The big window in our bedroom (that Gracie was hanging out of) will look down onto the outdoor dining and sitting area.  We’ll use curtains for privacy, but it’ll be a pretty view to look down on when we want to.

Now for some views of the master bathroom.

From the door, you will see a double vanity.  Do you see the plumbing for two sinks?  Hopefully it gives you a little idea of the layout.

To the right of the doorway, will be a pretty big tiled shower.

Really excited about that part!

I know it’s still hard to tell layout, etc. at this point, but very soon, we will have some finished things to share!!!

So this week in the addition, floors are being laid, trim is being put in, doors are being put in, and everything is being painted.

Next week, the bathroom will have tile and some other things.  So exciting.  We’re nearing the finish/make it pretty line!

Tomorrow, I’ll share our vision for the master bathroom renovation.  REALLY excited about that room’s inspiration board.

What?!

I know things have been moving along, but he’s seriously telling me that the addition and everything will be done next Friday????

My reaction was excited, doubtful, and really just sheer disbelief.  But he’s good and he works fast.  But what that also means is that all decisions have to be finalized NOW on everything else he’ll do.  Most of this we know, but haven’t really been thinking about because we’ve been focused on the kitchen, bookshelves, and other things you don’t really see the effects of….electrical, plumbing, HVAC, etc.

I last posted addition progress here.  This post was saying we broke ground and now I’m telling you it’ll be finished next week.  It’s moved fast, people.  Now, it has sheet rocked walls (I’ll snap some pictures to share tomorrow) and our contractor is working on laying hardwoods, trim, and painting this week.

Next week will be bathroom tile and other odds and ends.  I’ll be posting our inspiration for all of this really soon!

Of course there will still be a lot to finish that we’re doing ourselves.  Namely, the pretty things.  But I am in disbelief that in two weeks, we’ll be down to the pretty things and the fun things.  That’s what I’ve been longing for this whole time and it’s nearly here!

As I look back over this renovation season for us, I have very mixed emotions.  There have been really rough days, triumphs, exciting things, sadness, rough patches, I could go on and on.

But the only real word that comes to mind is storm.

This season has truly tested us, but it’s also made us more grounded.  It’s readjusted our perspectives.  It’s made us closer and realize that good marriages take work and fighting for each other.  Life is busy.  Life is hard.  Obstacles get in our way and we have to fight through it.

Granted, we chose this storm and still feel like it was the right thing for where it’s taken us and what it means for our future, but choosing it doesn’t make it easier to go through.

But looking back, I’m thankful for the rain and lightning and thunder that really defined this season.  It’s brought us to a deeper, stronger place.

The storm isn’t quite over.  The next two weeks are packed, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  A light filled with decorating, DIY, entertaining, rest, relaxation, and magical summer evenings.

I’m so unbelievably excited to very soon have the time and energy for what I really love and of course, sharing it with all of you!

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It’s no secret around here that I’m obsessed with all things global, tribal, navajo, aztec, we could go on and on.

Going along with that is my love of Kantha blankets.

Kantha blankets are made of strips of Indian saris sewn together with colorful threads.  You can find some great vintage ones on Etsy and eBay.  Some of them run a little pricey, but they add such amazing texture and pop to a room.

Pottery Barn has some found Kantha blankets that are beautiful.

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Nordstrom does as well.

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I’m looking for the right vintage Kantha right now for our living room.

They can be used as bedspreads or at the foot of the bed.

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And I love how Eileen from A Creative Day used it on her couch.  It’s so pretty and I love that she displays the whole pattern like this instead of just tossing it over the arm of the couch.

What a statement!

I’ve also seen Kantha throws used for others things.  Like this headboard from Flights of Whimsy.

And these Kantha pillows from One Kings Lane.

I’m on the hunt for one!  For my typical neutral palette, this would add in a fun little punch.

Happy weekend!

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Remember my For the Books post?

I’m dropping in for a quick renovation update to say that the bookshelves have begun!

Chris has the frame in place.

 Now we just have to put in the shelves, give it a coat of white paint, and decorate away!

OOOH, I can’t wait to style those shelves with lots of books, some art, and some pretties.

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The setting was straight out of a fairy tale: on a lake in the middle of a vineyard.

There was a girl in a beautiful dress…

…who walked down the aisle to her prince.  They stood before family and friends and God and promised to love and serve one another for as long as they both shall live.

Their covenant was sealed with a kiss…

…and they left to celebrate their union with one heck of a party.

There were beautiful flowers, candles, and lanterns overhead.

There was a beautiful cake and food that was enjoyed by all.

And most of all, there was a newlywed bride and groom so in love and taken aback by the magic of their day.

And do you want to know the best part of this story?

The magic didn’t end with this wonderful evening.  No, this couple is still seeking magic, looking for adventure, and growing more and more in love through their journey.

Happy 3rd Anniversary, honey.  I love you and though this night three years ago was wonderful, it’s only gotten better.

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You can read about our wedding ceremony here and our reception here.

]]> http://lifeofsplendor.com/2013/05/some-magic-was-made/feed/ 3 http://lifeofsplendor.com/2013/05/some-magic-was-made/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LifeOfSplendor/~3/n2eD8CafRiQ/ http://lifeofsplendor.com/2013/05/shop-update/#comments Tue, 14 May 2013 16:52:56 +0000 Lindsay http://lifeofsplendor.com/?p=5130 There’s something we haven’t talked about in a while…our little Etsy shop.  I’ve had some questions about it lately and thought it was time for a little explanation.

I introduced our shop here for our newbies around the blog.

I started an Etsy shop with my mom and sister because we are so passionate about party throwing, home decor, and making life special for our family.  We wanted to help others do that and so, the Etsy shop was born.

I’ve been quiet about this topic lately and of course, there’s a reason there.

We knew that the idea of an Etsy shop was foreign to us and we weren’t sure if we would like it, but it was something we wanted to try.  We’d had the dream for so long and that seemed like a practical way to give it a go.

It was fun, stressful, and not really what we expected.  It wasn’t bad.  There were parts we loved and parts that weren’t our favorite.

We haven’t closed the door on that forever, but after Christmas, we decided to take a break for a couple of reasons.

Running the shop showed all three of us that what we are really passionate about are ideas.  We are idea people.  We loved brainstorming the party decor and bringing it to life by creating the products and styling it up.  And of course, taking pretty photos to share is fun too.

Remember our Memorial Day party  last year?

And dad’s nautical birthday bash?

These two parties really sparked our thinking to take our party throwing and product making farther than just doing it for ourselves.  We loved creating these parties for our family and this began the talk of the shop.

For the shop, we created several different looks and party table settings.  I still love how these turned out!

For fall, we had Grateful Harvest.

And Enchanted Autumn.

At Christmas, we introduced several different looks.

Seeing all of these again makes me sad that we’ve decided to take a break…a little bit.

Because seeing them makes me remember how much we loved putting all of these looks together. Again, we loved the ideas behind all of this.

But what came after, creating copies of products for those who ordered took away some of that idea love.  We were selling the products after all.  Yes, the ideas were still part of it, but it really became about the “stuff” for us, which was never the intention.

This blog was built on the concept of sharing ideas, DIY, and helping others create things.  Selling products didn’t fit in with that and I wasn’t really at peace with the sales idea.

Turns out, my mom and sister were feeling the same thing.

Also, with the current state of our lives, trying something like that really showed us where our priorities lie.  We each found that at this point, there wasn’t room for the shop.  Well, we weren’t willing to get rid of necessary things to make room.

For me, the shop was taking a lot of time away from blogging and sharing new ideas with y’all.  It really showed me that’s where my passion lies…sharing ideas, not selling products.

So that’s where we’re at with the shop.  It’s on hold for now and we’ll see where the future takes us.

What’s not on hold are our ideas.

I’m planning to bring in a lot more party ideas once things settle with our renovations.  One thing at a time

But we love the art of throwing parties as well as decorating houses and setting a beautiful tablescape to enjoy with friends and family.  I’ll still be creating parties and sharing ones like above, but instead of then selling the products from the party, I’ll do tutorials on how you can do it yourself at home.  Much more fun, right?

There are a lot of changes and new things coming around the blog.  There are some series ideas brewing, some partnerships with other bloggers in the works, and a little bit more structure being created for what you’ll see around here.  Those are my major goals for the summer and am thrilled because some fun things lie ahead!  But one  of them will be party looks and tutorials on a more regular basis.

I’m excited!

On a different note, thanks so much for all of the support, encouragement, and sweet comments we got about the shop over the last year.  Y’all were awesome and I really hope you like the party ideas that will keep coming.

]]> http://lifeofsplendor.com/2013/05/shop-update/feed/ 3 http://lifeofsplendor.com/2013/05/shop-update/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LifeOfSplendor/~3/lxNAzkuMnGM/ http://lifeofsplendor.com/2013/05/loving-the-sheepskin-trend/#comments Mon, 13 May 2013 19:51:10 +0000 Lindsay http://lifeofsplendor.com/?p=5119

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Aren’t y’all seeing sheepskins everywhere?  I feel like every single time I log on to Pinterest, I see them.

Slung over a chair…

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…thrown on a bench…

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…or couch…

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…tossed on the floor…

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…there are no limits to what you can do with these lovelies.

I love that IKEA has sheepskins for $29 and faux sheepskins for $10.

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I love the texture and CONTRAST (there’s my word!) that these beauties add.  My only problem now is that I’m picturing them in every room of our house that I’m currently designing in my head.  Can you have too many of them?

I know some people are particular about real versus faux.  But I’m really not.  I like the idea of saving the money.  Plus since they’re white and furry, they aren’t the most durable things.  Faux might be best.

What do you think?  Real or Faux?