Stylin' Mamma: Did Somebody Say Party?

Perhaps it's a sign that our kids are getting older and we're (finally) dusting out the baby-brain cobwebs, but after a few dry years the holiday party circuit is CRACKLIN'!

I won't lie: I'm delighted.  Season after season I have stared at my festive wear and wondered if I should just give up the ghost and clear it out.  But now, all of a sudden, we're staring at 5 invitations to events big and small, glammy and casual, and my closet is back in action!  Somebody pour me a Cosmo and let's get to it!

THE BIG BASH

If you can't go large at Christmas, when can you?  This is the moment to break out the spangles.  A mini dress is great indoors but be sure to bring a cozy coat for the walk home.  I never shy away from a killer shoe but sometimes it's wise to bring a clutch big enough for a late-night flat.

If the invitation calls for a bottle to share, check out the gifty packaging of Sofia minis -- guaranteed to be the most effervescent offering on the table. 

THE FIRESIDE CHAT

For a cozy holiday open house event, something more understated is appropriate.  I like jersey pants because you can easily post up on the floor by the fire for casual catching up.  A festive sweater gets you from here to there, and deco earrings dress it up.  Red finger and toenails add holiday cheer.

For a hostess gift, I like pretty tableware, and these Ten Lords a Leaping placecard holders are just subtle enough to avoid Christmas kitsch.  

Of course, you're never fully dressed without a smile (and a great mani-pedi).  

 

Happy New Year!

 

- Jamie

The Holidays at Chez Davis

While the amount of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas was short and led to a rather stressful and hectic holiday setup weekend, I'm happy we went to the effort.  It's been nice to have lights and candles and stockings and a tree up. Last year we were mid-renovation so our decorations were pretty meager.  This year Bryan understands Christmas and Santa a bit more (Santa, if you're reading this, he's been a good boy - by his definitions - and would like an Elmo and a Giraffe), so it's been more fun to have all of the decorations and holiday spirit around. This past weekend was nice and snowy. We made cookies and did some sledding (injury and all) and even got a snowman in.  Here is what our holiday season is looking like.  Hope everyone else is enjoying it as much as we are!

Our house on apartment therapy

I showed you all a few photos of some staging I did for our Apartment Therapy Shoot last week. Well, the house tour is out! I'm really excited about the different views it shows of our house (as opposed to the Woman's Day shoot) and I love all the vignettes that Pablo included in the tour.  Here are a few of my faves. Check out the full tour here.

Stylin' Mamma: Stompin'

'Tis the season to wear boots, and the good news is, they're everywhere.  Short, tall, dressy, casual, bright colored, classic...Nordstrom's shoe department is a big old boot fantasy these days!

After much debate, I landed on these for 2013, and may I say, I'm *quite* pleased with them!  Comfy, practical, unusual, and versatile (you can zip them up for a skinny midcalf fit too).

I don't know about you but I hate wearing long pants in the winter.  The ground is ucky (especially in rainy and snowy climes) and I feel like I get home at the end of the day with my trouser hems all a mess or my jeans heavy and damp.  Tights and skirts keep it light while also holding the elements at bay...plus they look a bit sassy, too, for holiday shopping downtown.

A sculptural skirt in a traditional print gets a pop of color from textured tights and a small cross-body bag (best not to be weighed down when you have presents to gather).  The rest of the look stays neutral and warm -- layers, layers, layers! -- with a chambray shirt under a cashmere sweater, all wrapped up in a poncho.  Gloves keep your fingers warm as you stomp from store to store!  

Happy Hunting!

- Jaime

Staging with florals

On Wednesday our house was shot for an Apartment Therapy house tour. I'm super excited to share it with you when it goes live (in about a week or so). It was a completely different experience than the Woman's Day shoot.  Woman's Day involved a photographer, assistant, stylist, hair and makeup person, editors, props and an entire day of arranging and re-arranging. The Apartment Therapy shoot was one guy, a camera, some lenses and a light.  If you read both of these online and print publications, you'll know that Apartment Therapy likes more candid shots and lots of tight vignettes versus the more polished shots that grace the pages of Woman's Day.  Since Wednesday's shoot didn't come with a stylist and a van full of props and florals, I had to do my own styling (which was nice because I get to keep the props this time).  I bought some grocery store florals and used some of my new found knowledge from the garden club I am joining.  Here is an arrangement I did for the dining room in one of my favorite vases from Target (along with a new plant that replaced the fig that finally bit the dust). 

And another arrangement in the living room that I did in a fun footed brass bowl I got at a garage sale.

Storage Solutions in the breakfast nook

Thanks to Bryan's propensity to get food all over the floor, we have been using the breakfast nook a lot, especially, well, for breakfast.  It's nice to have him sit in his high chair while I'm prepping. The only issue is that the space is small and we like to read books while we eat (as in, that's the only way to get food in his mouth) so there was always a big pile of books on the breakfast table.  Also, the napkins and wipes were always too far away on the dining room bar cart.  Here is where I would normally include a before pic, but did I mention that I have a serious case of pregnant brain and I thought I'd taken one but apparently did not?  So instead here is what it looks like now.  Don't you love that green faux-malachite tray on the island that I picked up from Home Goods. Thinking about it for a client but I love it here too.  I like that I'm bringing in a darker green around the house in the step stool and bathroom tray and now here.

You may ask, then where did the books go?  Just around the corner.  Ballard wall storage to the rescue.  I got this two tiered wall organizer. It's perfect for library books and napkins and wipes.  Everything is close at hand but neatly tucked away and not taking up valuable space on the table.

Now if only I could get around to actually sewing the cover for the window seat cushion...