Look-A-Likes for Less: Etched Glassware

Etched "Glass for a Friend" Glasses:

Verre d' Amitie Glass $9.95 per glass at Mothology.




Glass for a Friend Glasses $19.99 for a set of 4 at Bed Bath and Beyond.



Etched Dot Glassware:



kate spade "Larabee Dot" Collection $30-$140 per piece at Macy's.




Etched Dots Glassware $3.98-$9.98 per piece at Pier 1 Imports.

Lovely Little Bungalow

If you don't subscribe to Country Living I suggest picking up a copy of the October issue just to drool over the 1,000 square foot bungalow owned by Lizzie Carney. The charcoal gray walls add drama to the space and make the pink and turquoise accents pop. I love the mix of styles; the retro turquoise refrigerator, contemporary cabinets and hardware, and ornate traditional gilt frames and crystal chandeliers. There are also a wide variety of fabrics used throughout the home including plush velvet, sleek leather, sturdy denim, and shiny satin. Carney's makes use of the space in surprising ways, such as turning the basement into both a dining room and wine cellar and using the second bedroom as a luxurious walk-in closet.










Photographs courtesy of the October 2010 issue of Country Living magazine.

Look-A-Likes For Less: Mercury Glass Gourds

The fireplace mantel in my living room is covered with mercury glass candle holders year round. I add in green mercury glass Christmas trees in winter and when I saw these mercury glass pumpkins at Pottery Barn last year I knew they would be perfect to display on the mantel throughout autumn. Unfortunately, the mercury glass pumpkins sold out at Pottery Barn last year before I made my decision to buy and again this year they sold out quickly. However, when I was looking around for Halloween decorations on the Wisteria website I found a set of three antiqued glass gourds. If you only want one pumpkin then the Pottery Barn version is cheaper, but if, like me, you want two or more the set from Wisteria ends up being less expensive. I also like the variation in the shape of the Wisteria gourds. The dimensions and finishes of both options are similar.





Mercury Glass Pumpkin $24 at Pottery Barn.






Antiqued Glass Gourds $34 for a set of 3 at Wisteria.

Look-A-Likes For Less: Black Plastic Halloween Goblets

Both the Touch of Europe and Target goblets are black, incorporate a hobnail pattern, and are made of dishwasher safe plastic that won't break easily. All of which make either version a great choice for a glam and spooky Halloween party. Both sets are sold as sets of four, although you can buy the Target goblets individually in stores. The Touch of Europe goblets are more detailed, but also more expensive.



Black Polycarbonate Acrylic Glassware $39.99 at Touch of Europe.



Black Textured MS Goblets $11.99 for a set of 4 at Target.

From My Very Tall Stack of Magazines: July, August, and September 2010

July/August

I like this clever scrapbooking idea from Martha Stewart Living. Use the map from your summer vacation to make envelopes, photo corners, and other scrapbooking supplies.It's an inexpensive and creative way to embellish the photographs from your recent travels and most people will already have a map left over.


Photograph courtesy of the July 2010 issue of Martha Stewart Living.



In the July/August issue of House Beautiful there are great examples of living big in small spaces. One is the studio apartment of designer Ellen O'Neill where she used a neutral color palette and clever furniture arrangement to make more of her small space. One example is her custom made daybed which serves as both seating and a bed and helps define the living space. On the other end of the spectrum is the wildly colorful one-bedroom apartment of David Kaihoi and his family. The rich purple walls, vibrant red closet, and tattered pink wallpapered bedroom are a far cry from Ellen O'Neill's restrained color palette. However, both Kaihoi and O'Neill admit to carefully editing their possessions to keep their petite apartments from feeling cluttered and claustrophobic.







Photographs courtesy of the July/August 2010 issue of House Beautiful.








Photographs courtesy of the July/August 2010 issue of House Beautiful.






Photographs courtesy of the July/August 2010 issue of House Beautiful.






Photographs courtesy of the July/August 2010 issue of House Beautiful.







Photographs courtesy of the July/August 2010 issue of Veranda.




Photograph courtesy of the July/August 2010 issue of Elle Decor.





Photographs courtesy of the July/August 2010 issue of Elle Decor.




Photograph courtesy of the July/August 2010 issue of Elle Decor.




Photograph courtesy of the July 2010 issue of Southern Living.








Photographs courtesy of the July 2010 issue of Southern Living.





Photographs courtesy of the July 2010 issue of Elle.




Photographs courtesy of the July 2010 issue of Glamour.




Photograph courtesy of the August 2010 issue of Elle.




Photograph courtesy of the August 2010 issue of Southern Living.










Photographs courtesy of the August 2010 issue of Southern Living.




Photograph courtesy of the August 2010 issue of Cosmopolitan.




Photograph courtesy of the July/August 2010 issue of Country Living.






Photographs courtesy of the July/August 2010 issue of Country Living.



September


Photograph courtesy of the September 2010 issue of Country Living.






Photographs courtesy of the September 2010 issue of Country Living.





Photographs courtesy of the September 2010 issue of Country Living.




Photograph courtesy of the September 2010 issue of Southern Living.












Photographs courtesy of the September 2010 issue of Martha Stewart Living.





Photographs courtesy of the September 2010 issue of House Beautiful.





Photographs courtesy of the September 2010 issue of House Beautiful.




Photograph courtesy of the September 2010 issue of House Beautiful.









Photographs courtesy of the September 2010 issue of House Beautiful.




Photograph courtesy of the September 2010 issue of House Beautiful.








Photographs courtesy of the September 2010 issue of House Beautiful.











Photographs courtesy of the September 2010 issue of Veranda.