Happy Thanksgiving to You and Yours.

November 27, 2015

For the beauty of the earth

For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.

For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light.

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild.

Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

-F.S. Pierpoint

I have been parked in my kitchen for the past two days, but there is something grand about cooking a meal that you know is in community with your country. I will never feel deserving of each of this family that filled my very full table. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, with love from ours!

Easy Ways to Update Your Home for the Holidays

November 24, 2015

*This post is in partnership with American Signature Furniture.

1. Camelot Accent Chair
2. Birchwood logs
3. Cableknit Pillows
4. Camelot Storage Ottoman
5.,8., and 9. Lindbergh Candles
6. Pour over coffee maker
7. Sheepskin
10. Darling Magazine

When the evenings start to get dark early and the temps start to drop, you start to feel all the best holidays coming up. For me, I immediately want to make the house feel cozy, warm, and welcoming. There are actually simple ways to do this without a complete overhaul. Here are a few easy ways to update a room for the holidays to welcome guests.

Move your furniture around! You can push your furniture against the wall and direct it around the mantle or Christmas tree. You could parallel your chairs against the wall or pull them back to open up the room. This makes for a more conversational environment and feels less crammed when you have guests over.
Change out your pillows — The most inexpensive way to change the look and feel of your furniture pieces is by switching out the pillows. I just have a few pillows I like to trade in and out of our family room that make a big visual difference … and I have a soft spot for cableknit!
Work in a sheepskin throw — These are generally inexpensive options to add some cozy pieces to a room that are neutral in color and can make you feel like you want to kick off your boots and stay in for the night.
Add some seasonal aroma — Light ’em up! Oh what a good candle can do, right? Completely lifts the mood of a room and oftentimes cues up some nostalgic memories of the best time of year. A few fire logs don’t hurt either. In our house, the fireplace becomes what we focus the furniture around in the winter!
Change up your bar cart — I love to add some hot drink options like coffee or cocoa to have on hand to serve your guests. A good pour-over coffee option is easy on the eyes too. 😉
Have some good coffee table reading material — A good stack of magazines or books is a great way to update your space as well as leave some options for your guests as the day winds down.

What are some ways you like to update your space for the holidays? I am really looking forward to the coming weeks and the chance to spend more time with loved ones we don’t get to see often. But for now, you can find me in the corner cozy chair with a good mag, pillow, and a fire going.

Thanksgiving Brunch

November 23, 2015

I’ve always enjoyed making brunch more than dinner, and this year I wanted to get some family and friends around the table that we wouldn’t get to see over Thanksgiving. So it was a brunch I was motivated to get up early and make. I won’t lie, it took hours. All morning to be exact. But as a wise woman told me, “Food is always worth if it brings people around the table in peace.”

Brunch Menu:
Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with poached eggs
Orange Cinnamon Rolls
Sausages
Mimosas and coffee bar

(Mini casserole dishes are from Martha Stewart Collection at Macys)

You can prepare the casserole the night before, so the morning of you aren’t scrambling like I was! If you time your dishes right, you have plenty of time to sit and visit with company.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus and Poached Eggs:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Separate your asparagus into even bunches and cut off ends if needed.
Wrap each bunch with two pieces of uncured bacon, and set in 9 x 13 casserole dish. Bake for 15 minutes.
While those are baking, poach your eggs. (Great directions here.)
They take approx. 4 min. for each egg.

I tell ya what, that bacon flavor seeping out of the asparagus is the only way to eat it! Its a really good savory compliment to the french toast casserole.

I wasn’t counting on my pumpkins to whither just in time for Thanksgiving week, but luckily had a few flower bunches to work with for a bold color centerpiece. It looks complicated, but actually pretty simple!

Thanksgiving centerpiece and runner:
Bowl vase (mine is from an antique store)
Cedar Incense
Pomegranate
3 Artichokes
Greenery bunches (They sell them pretty inexpensive at whole foods)
Deep purples and orange flowers

– Place a styrofoam piece in the middle of your bowl vase.
– Layer your cedar incense bunch (one bunch from Pike’s Nursery was all I used) 3/4 around the bowl.
– Place your pomegranate and artichoke side by side since they are your largest pieces.
– Add in your bold toned flowers (cut the stems shorter).
– Finish with a few fresh greenery stems to fill out as needed.
– Stack the rest of your greenery branches along the table in opposite directions till you reach the end of your table. Stick the stem ends underneath eachother so it flows well. That’s it!

Alright, now to plan the Thanksgiving menu. Phew! I’ll be in the kitchen till Thursday if you need me! 😉 Any dishes you would like to share for Thanksgiving? I am always up for some new ideas!
X, Anna

Items featured:

DIY Cape Vest

November 20, 2015

Okay, as promised, here is the how-to guide for a DIY cape vest. I saw these in stores and loved how lightweight and fun they were to layer. It is shockingly easy, and if you don’t want to sew, you don’t have to. It’s been forever and a day since I have done a DIY, and may be another year before I try again, but this one was to easy to keep to myself..

DIRECTIONS:
– Pick out your fabric of choice (wool is easy to cut and doesn’t fray).
– Measure 1.5 yards of fabric. Most fabric from fabric bolts are double folded. You will need this to get the right width.
– Using a fabric pencil, mark the measurements of your semi-circle and arm holes as seen in the visual above.
– Carefully cut along the lines with a fabric scissors.
– Edge stitch all edges with a sewing machine. However, if you don’t have one or don’t want to sew, you can leave an unfinished edge if it is wool/felt. This won’t fray easily. You can add fray check to make sure and prevent any fraying.

*You can adjust width and length per your height. It’s always easier to start bigger and go smaller than cut too small the first time.

I have already made a few with different fabrics I have found because these make a really easy layer to change up an outfit, and they are also fun gifts:) Let me know if you have any questions!

Items featured: Fringe Bag, Chambray, Denim, Boots, Sunnies: Ditto (Use code IHOD for free month)

Chai Spice Muffins with Pecan Crumble Topping

November 18, 2015

Today’s post is from Lauren of Love Lola blog. Really love her recent post about gathering around the table and why it’s important:) She’s onto something! Thank you Lauren, for today’s recipe. I was needing a rainy day fix!

Chai Spice Muffins with Pecan Crumble Topping

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cardamom

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cloves

3/4 tsp. ginger

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup milk (any type – almond, soy, 1%..)

Pecan Crumble Topping:

2 tbsp. butter

1/3 cup sugar

5 tbsp. all purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 F and prepare a muffin tin by spraying with cooking spray, or lining with cupcake liners.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk until combined.

3. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated, being sure not to over mix.

5. Next, make the crumble topping by cutting the butter into the flour and sugar. Add the pecans and cinnamon. Use your hands to mix it all together until crumbly and combined.

5. Spoon the dough into each muffin compartment, about 1/2 way full. Sprinkle the crumble topping on top of the dough in each muffin compartment.

6. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove, let cool, and enjoy!

Keep up with Lauren here: Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook

Motherhood Must Have: Owlet Baby Monitor

November 17, 2015

I think you are given a sixth sense when you become a mother. You have a constant radar synced with your new baby that is always on high alert mode. Your ears perk at the sound of anything you are unfamiliar with. Your heart races if you suspect something might be a little off. You may even wake up a little too often when the sixth sense is in overdrive mode. I used to wake up in a panic every night to make sure my first born son was still breathing. I was so worried I wouldn’t hear him if he was in distress. Those fears never leave you, although with your fourth baby you rest a little easier. However, I often wished my heightened senses would calm down and let me sleep! When I heard about the new Owlet Baby Monitors, I had my jaw on the floor…

Where was this the first time around?! Ah the hours of sleep I would have saved! This monitor is a smart sock you slip onto your baby (it comes in three sizes), that uses a technology called pulse oximetry that doctors have used for decades. Its connected via bluetooth to a dock station that will alarm you if the oxygen or heart rate levels are off. We have gotten into a good rhythm of using the monitor, and Rocco doesn’t even notice it’s on. Happy there are a few sizes of the socks so we can use it as he grows too.

I highly recommend you head to the site and watch the incredible experiences of mothers who have used this product. The stories are fascinating. I know these Owlet Baby Monitors are going to going to help many parents across the globe. Definitely something to put on your Babylist registry. Also, something to note- you can get $10 off the Owlet Baby Monitor by clicking here. No code needed, as it automatically adjusts for In Honor of Design readers.

I just call it my guardian angel service (wink wink). I sleep with a little more ease now. I entered Rocco’s info into the Owlet app which will also alarm if something is wrong. Pretty brilliant right? Of course, you should never fully rely on a device to take care of your child, but it can certainly be of service when you are unaware that your child is in trouble. So thankful for the engineers who created this device. I welcome any extra help in keeping my lil man Rocco safe:)

*This post is sponsored by Owlet and all opinions are my own.

When the world suffers, how do we respond?

November 16, 2015

(artwork by this talented lady)

Paris, Kenya, Syria….our world is in so much pain. It would be easy to mourn and then forget, but I sure hope I don’t forget. I want this week’s events to leave its mark and leave me changed. I want to step forward as a person with more resolve to love hard, act with intention, and pray with hope. I know this is the least I can do for the countries and people whose realities are so broken right now.

How are you all processing these events? I am putting an act of service plan for advent for my family, but I wish there was more I could do. At least we have hope, right? It would be easy to give into fear and discouragement with raising my children in a world of turmoil, but I firmly choose hope. I know that prayer is powerful, and I hold on to the truth that peace will come again someday. Until then, we have to try to move forward with a courageous kind of love because we are never guaranteed tomorrow.

Praying for more love, less hatred, more of what we are for, less of what we are against, less talking, more doing. Kenya, Paris, Syria…our hearts are with you!