{perfect little entry table}

Lucky for us, most of the furniture we already owned (and trucked 2000 miles across the country) translated really well into our new place.  The one thing that didn't work was a our previous entry way table which was just too wide for our entryway here.  Even though our entry here has an enormous coat closet, I still felt the area needed a little table to catch all the odds and ends.  I thought for sure I would have found one at the flea markets or thrift stores here, but tables that are less than 11 inches wide seem to be hard to come by. 

I was surprised to find this great table at World Market since I don't think I have ever looked at furniture there in a serious way.  Maybe I had just missed it on past trips there, but World Market has seriously stepped it up in their furniture department.  I found myself wanting to figure out a space for multiple things there; like this amazing industrial console table or this chic laptop stand.  The entry table I did take home works perfectly alongside the coat hooks as you walk through our front door.  The slim profile is exactly what I needed for this space and the simple design of the table is sure to lend itself well in whatever future spaces we find ourselves in. 

{i realize now looking at this photo that having a jar with lollipops in it is a little bit doctors office-esque, but whatever- people like candy}

{one of Chris' aunts gave him this picture of his dad framed with the along with the insightful words for his high school graduation.  We have always found it inspiring and it generally finds a home near the front door of our place so it can be a reminder to live every day to its fullest}

{quick and easy hostess gift}

I was always told not to show up empty handed when someone invites you over for dinner; and like most people, our go-to hostess gift is usually a bottle of wine or an interesting whiskey.   It's certainly a hostess gift we don't mind receiving ourselves, but sometimes you want to do a little bit extra for those inviting you into their home.  I picked up these drink stirrers the other day as a simple addition to our bar and it occurred to me that given a little effort they could make a great hostess gift!

Drink stirrers have quickly become one of those things that is almost mandatory at weddings and parties.  Usually made with just a simple bamboo skewer, cut to length and adorned with a colorful flag of sorts.  While you could create this gift for someone using the regular bamboo skewers, I feel that these unique cocktail sticks elevate the stirrer to something a little more special- plus they have a sort of awesome preppy vibe.  I quickly typed up "cheers" in a few of my favorite fonts and then hot glued the cardstock flags onto the colorful array of sticks.  Topped off with a simple gift tag and these will make for a cute hostess gift your friends wont forget.

Click here to download the file I used to create these flags.  These flags are also now available for purchase in my Etsy shop right here!

Another option if you are really pressed for time, is to make the flags blank so that they can be used as-is or written on as drink markers.

{butternut squash lasagna}

This summer flew by faster than I could have ever imagined.  We returned home from vacation a few days ago to find that all of a sudden its beginning to feel like fall.  Starbucks has pumpkin spice lattes on the menu and Halloween displays are in full force at stores.  Fall is by far my favorite season- probably because when we lived in LA there was no such thing as Winter temperatures and Fall basically spans two seasons.  The flavors of the Fall are one of the more memorable aspects of the season for me and nothing says it better than butternut squash.  When I saw this recipe for Butternut Squash Lasagna, I knew it would make the perfect dinner for our first home-cooked meal upon returning from a week long tropical vacation (photos from that trip here, here, here, & here).  As with most cheese-y lasagnas, this recipe proves to be flavorful and decadent.  Even though it takes a pretty significant amount of prep time, the results are well worth it!