pondering color : risky colors that work...

i feel like it's always a little risky to throw a bunch of color together in one room...what if they clash? ... equally risky is choosing one color with major personality, like a mustard orange-yellow, to put on the walls... such a color could be overpowering...somehow though, i love both of these rooms with risky paint colors... someone please help me make colors work like these do (of course Martha can do it)...

sticks & stones & pinecones...

hope everyone had a great Christmas! hope you got everything you wanted from Santa, ate your fill of food and spent plenty of time with loved ones! now it's time to start taking down all the holiday decorations and to embrace the beautiful barrenness of the winter...

pinecones from Martha Stewart

sticks & stones...from Terrain

homemade delicious gifts...

this year i'm making granola for everyone as gifts...sorry to spoil the surprise if you're a family member reading this but i figure there's nothing more perfect in the realm of "EATS" that could be both healthy & delicious and look as great in a re-purposed canning jar (from our wedding reception center-pieces)... i mean isn't everyone tired of getting candy & cookies as homemade food gifts?... by the time Christmas day rolls around, i'm pretty much done with sweets so that's why i'm making granola... i was inspired by these cute containers and great recipes from The Container Store ... i'm also making the packaging pretty cute with inspiration from the above photos found in a Martha Stewart slideshow ... i even made up this cute little rhyme... "Something salty. Somthing sweet. Made with love, for you to eat." ...if you must, i give you permission to use it... because it IS brilliant...plus i'm pretty sure i've heard it before somewhere :)

wrapping...

wrapping from Arboreal

tags from anthropologie

tags by Retro Pops

paper from Erin Ruth

tags by Paper Eclectiques Deux

i know it's kind of nerdy but i LOVE wrapping during the Christmas season! even though it's what's on the inside that counts, i still can't help but make the outside pretty too... with the help of these etsy shops, Anthropologie & Martha Stewart i'll be handing out a beautifully wrapped package to all the good little boys & girls in my life this year