Thanksgiving Place Card Printable

November 7, 2019 By Linda 2 Comments

Thanksgiving Place Card Printable – Free Thanksgiving Printables.

Sometimes blog posts just write themselves. The words just flow. The ideas pour out my head faster than I can write. Or type.

And sometimes ….

sometimes I’ve got nothing. Just a big blank space in my head. Nada. Nothing. Nunca.

And then sometimes …

sometimes I’m in a DayQuil slash TheraFlu slash Aleve haze.

That’s the space I’m in this week.

It hit me this weekend. Out of nowhere.

Woke up Saturday feeling like my head weighed 150 pounds.

That was followed up with a massive, splitting headache. And sore throat. And swollen glands.

You get the picture.

All week long it’s been lingering in that place where I don’t feel quite right, but can still function.

Annoying.

So the still functioning part of me created some simple doodle art Thanksgiving place cards …

And the don’t feel quite right part of me is at a loss for words.

I blame the DayQuil slash TheraFlu slash Aleve haze.

The still functioning part of me created a second version of this doodle art Thanksgiving place card printable that you can attach to the napkin with some baker’s twine.

Like so …

It’s pretty clear the over over-the-counter-medicated side of me cannot figure out how to edit down the number of pictures to include in this post! 🙂

To download and print out these doodle art Thanksgiving Place Cards, just click here …

Pin It!

You Might Also Like:

**Thanksgiving/Fall Table Setting Ideas**

Painted Snowy Tree Mason Jar

November 5, 2019 By Linda 1 Comment

Painted Snowy Tree Mason Jar – Christmas Tree Mason Jar Craft.

I seriously debated if perhaps I should wait another week …

or two …

before pulling out the Christmas crafts.

Because, between you and me, I’ve been Christmas crafting up a storm. With the requisite cheesy Lifetime and/or Hallmark Channel Christmas love stories playing in the background, of course! 🙂

And when I’m not Christmas crafting, I’ve looking on Pinterest and Google Images for some potential craft ideas I can adapt and customize and share with you.

(As an aside, hey Google when are you going to recognize the spelling of Pinterest? Every time I type it into a blog post you give me the big red underline that screams “Hey dummy, don’t you know how to spell?“)

But then I took my dog for a walk last evening. And did you know what I spotted?

Two — count em two — houses with their Christmas trees up. Lights and decorations and all!

Who knows how many more trees I would have spotted if we had taken a longer walk? 😉

So that right there settled it. If Chicago is ready to embrace Christmas, then so am I!

I actually made this mason jar as part of a wedding gift for my newly married niece.

Now, I’ve never seen her house but I’m guessing she might like a painted snowy tree mason jar because (1) she got married in a barn; (2) she paints hand made signs that she posts on Facebook and; (3) she has chickens in her back yard!

That’s like a perfect trifecta for some mason jar crafty love!

Painted Snowy Tree Mason Jar Tutorial

Materials

Ball Regular Mouth Pint (16 oz.) Mason Jars

Gray Paint (I used this Rust-Oleum Chalked Paint, but you can use an acrylic gray too)

White Paint

Americana Holly Green Paint

Paint Brushes

80 Grit Sandpaper

Toothpicks

Matte Spray Sealant (this is my go-to favorite that never yellows the whites)

*some affiliate links included.

Start with two coats of paint. Let dry completely between coats (I typically give it an overnight to dry).

Distress along raised letters and edges with 80 grit sandpaper.

Add a dot of green paint.

Use toothpick to stretch paint upwards to form tree top …

… and downwards to create branches.

Use toothpick and white paint to add snow to the top …

… and the branches.

Add brown tree trunk using toothpick.

Sprinkle in some dots of snow.

Finish with spray of matte sealant. This is my favorite brand (link here) which never yellows the whites.

P.S. I guess technically this mason jar isn’t just Christmas. It’s more of a winter craft … if that makes it any better that I’m sharing it two months before official winter kicks in! 🙂

Pin It!

Snowy Tree Painted Mason Jar - Winter Mason Jar Crafts - Christmas Tree Mason Jar. Painted snowy tree mason jar. Christmas tree mason jar craft. How to paint evergreen trees on mason jars. How to paint snowy Christmas trees. Winter craft mason jar.

You Might Also Like:

November in Chicago

November 2, 2019 By Linda 6 Comments

November in Chicago – Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas – Cozy Living Ideas for November.

November.

Sigh.

I’ll be honest. If it wasn’t for that big giant feast at the end of the month — you know, the one with the turkey and stuffing and cranberry sauce — you (November) could quite possibly be my least favorite month of the year.

Sure, you’re not the coldest.

Sure, you don’t typically come in with snow (unlike this year!).

Sure, you’re one of the shortest of months of the year.

But none of these truths can overlook the fact that you’re the gateway month. You, November, are the beginning of what will only be a long, cold, gray (and potentially snowy) Chicago winter.

So in November, I find myself bringing the cozy inside. And occupying myself with Thanksgiving preparations …

you know, to try and distract from that cold thing. 🙂

Once again, I’m joining some blogging friends (organized by Jennifer at Town & Country Living) to share some thoughts on how we make each month cozy!

In November, I like to focus on creating cozy table setting ideas for that big end-of-month feast. Like this one I recently created that features black, white and orange.

And then there’s this more neutral centerpiece and table setting, using fabric pumpkins and jute pumpkins and faux eucalyptus …

I also really liked the year I went all white pumpkin and hydrangea. Everything was real and fresh …

Remember when I was all about color and contrast? Before I adopted neutrals? That’s when I went crazy and painted pumpkins for my Thanksgiving table setting idea …

A few years back I even created a free printable place card for Thanksgiving.

But the #1 thing I look forward to in November … and what truly makes the house super cozy … is setting up the Christmas tree in the dining room in time for that end-of-month feast!

Twinkle lights make everything better!

Be sure to check out my blogging friends to see how they cozy up to November!

Duke Manor Farm / Sincerely Marie Designs / Finding Silver Pennies / Creative Cain Cabin

Town and Country Living / Making It in the Mountains / It All Started with Paint

Pin It!

Halloween in Chicago

October 31, 2019 By Linda 2 Comments

I never fully embraced Halloween this year.

Oh, who am I kidding. There was zero embracing involved.

The porch was completely naked until last week. When I added two sad little pumpkins.

And on Monday (yes, three days ago Monday), I added three mums from Home Depot.

I didn’t even bring up my Halloween haul from the basement.

I mean, why bother at this point? I would just have to haul it all back down this weekend.

I’m not sure what has led to my Halloween apathy this year.

Perhaps not having my daughter at home contributed?

She has been egging me on these past few years, adding spiders and skeletons to my typically pumpkin and mums mix.

So in lieu of sharing my sad, pathetic and apathetic Halloween front porch this year, I thought I’d shine a spotlight on my neighbors …

they’ve really outdid themselves this year!

I love, love, love these brooms. I may need to figure out how to diy my own next year.

My Halloween tour companion Ernie made a new friend!

Pin It!

Vegan Pesto with Walnuts

October 29, 2019 By Linda 1 Comment

Vegan Pesto with Walnuts – Easy Pesto Recipe.

Those who’ve been hanging around here for awhile know I like me some TV watching.

Not all day watching. But I do like to chill at the end of the day with a glass of wine and good binge.

My TV viewing tastes are all over the place. And can change with the wind.

But I’ll always say yes to Say Yes To The Dress.

And I’m always up for just about anything Bravo. Especially a little pot stirring with the Real Housewives of New York. And Orange County. And Beverly Hills.

And then there’s Below Deck. I’m all in for everything below, above and off deck too!

Gilmore Girls? Can’t get enough. I’ve watched each episode so many times that I’m very close to repeating episodes line-for-line!

90 Day Fiance? I’m obsessed with this franchise in all it’s iterations: during, before, after, the other way. I even watch as 90 Day Fiance-ers watch news episodes of new 90 Day Fiance-ers. Confusing, right?

And now we are entering the Hallmark Christmas movie season.

Sigh.

But here’s the real shocker …

are you ready for it?

I’ve recently added a series of YouTube channels to my viewing repertoire!

(Holds my head in shame).

I stumbled across Van Life on YouTube and I’m obsessed.

What’s Van Life, you may be asking?

Well, it’s simply that. Living in vans. People have converted their vans into rolling homes. And some of the conversions are amazing! And then they take their Van Life on the road. Around the U.S. To Mexico. Through Mexico. To Central America. Through Central America. To South America. Through South America …

you get the idea …

and one couple recently shipped their van across the Atlantic and are now Van Life-ing in Europe!

I’ll link some of my favorite Van Life YouTube channels at the end of the post if you want to check them out.

But there is one couple who frequently share their Van Life meals. All plant-based vegan. And they recently created an ebook with recipes that I just love, love, love. Including this Pesto recipe (which I slightly modified to adjust to my tastes) …

Print Pin

Pesto with Walnuts

Vegan Pesto Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped (you can use pine nuts too)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3-4 cloves garlic
2 TBSP olive oil
3 TBSP nutritional yeast

Instructions

Combine basil, walnuts, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste in blender. Blend until smooth.

Ebook Link:

Here’s the Weekday Whip Ups Plant-Based Ebook from Van Lifers Eamon & Bec (p.s. I get nothing from promoting this ebook; I just am really enjoying the recipes and wanted to share!)

My Favorite Van Lifers:

Eamon & Bec – A Canadian couple in a beautifully converted Mercedes Sprinter van currently traveling through Europe

Kinging-It – This adorable couple recently converted a small bus (they named Custard) and are sharing their amazing trip through Europe. Pre-Custard, they’ve taken some wild trips in cars, vans and even a rickshaw through India!

Trent & Allie (and their dog Frank!) – Beautiful van conversion; they traveled through Mexico, Central America and are currently making their way to the tip of South America

Tio Adventura – They have a schooley (converted school bus) but are selling it and plan to take up Van Life! Can’t wait for their adventures!

Kombi Life – Ben is from the tiny island of Jersey off the coast of Great Britain and has spent the past 10 years traveling. His biggest trip was from the tip of South America to Alaska along the Pan-American Highway in a beat up VW bus. Along the way he adopted a Peruvian street dog and named her Alaska! He’s currently converting a new VW bus and plans a trip around the world with his girlfriend & Alaska the dog, of course!

Pin It!

You Might Also Like:

You can find all my recipes at this link …

Tissue Paper Flowers DIY

October 24, 2019 By Linda 7 Comments

Tissue Paper Flowers DIY – How To Make Tissue Paper Flowers – Script Tissue Paper Flower.

Tissue Paper Flowers DIY - How to Make Tissue Paper Flowers - Script Tissue Paper in Gray, Off White

I was in college when I first discovered that I have absolutely no business taking care of living plants.

My mother dropped me off in State College, PA my freshman year complete with all my new-for-college clothes, my favorite stuffed animals, a collection of pictures from high school to post on my bulletin board, some posters to decorate the walls, a brand new pastel striped comforter and bedding …

and a plant.

A real, live, living plant. She thought it would add some life (literally) to the room.

Bwahahahahahahaha. How little did she — and me! — know then. 😉

I really didn’t give it a second thought. I mean, it’s a just a plant after all. We had plants around the house and all of them seemed fine (note: my mom took care of those plants at home).

Well, the problems started when I would forget to water it.

And then I would overcompensate for the forgetting to water it and over water it. Okay, more like drown it in water!

Rinse. Repeat.

That freshman year plant tried really hard … you could say it gave it the hold college try … to stay alive.

Though, to be honest, unlike me it did not gain that freshmen 10. It looked more like it had developed a very serious eating disorder.

And when I brought said plant home for summer break, my mother confiscated it.

She would tease that she could hear it gasping for water 230 miles away.

I didn’t tell her about all the times I waterboarded that poor plant!

Over the years, I would try and try again …

wouldn’t it be great to have an indoor herb garden …

surely I could manage to care for a succulent next to the sink …

but it always ended with the same sad, miserable, dusty, dead plant results.

So, for now, I’m back to faux and paper fauna and foliage:

How To Make Tissue Paper Flowers DIY

Materials

Tissue Paper (I think I found my paper at this link)

Scissors

Stapler

Start with five sheets of tissue paper.

Cut off excess length to make sheets 10″ x 14″

Accordion fold.

Staple in the center. I added a second staple to make sure the sheets were secure.

Trim edges so they’re slightly rounded at ends.

Begin peeling back tissue paper sheets, one at a time.

Keep peeling …

and peeling. You may even need to do a little fluffing too.

Until you’re done!

No watering needed! 🙂

Pin It!

You Might Also Like:

**Decorating with Faux Eucalyptus Year-Round**

Jute Wrapped Mason Jar Craft - Easy Fall Mason Jar Craft - Easy Jute Twine Craft Ideas — **Twine Wrapped Mason Jar**

Fall in the Living Room

October 22, 2019 By Linda 6 Comments

Fall in the Living Room – Neutral Fall Decor in White, Gray, Greige.

I know it’s technically been fall for a month now. But it hasn’t really felt like fall …

until yesterday.

Fall in the Living Room - Neutral Fall Decor in White, Gray, Jute, Greige

Fall blew into Chicago overnight.

And when I say blew in, I mean blew in with gale force wind that rattled our windows.

And overnight (at least for me) the trees changed colors.

How did I miss that?

Maybe I need to look out the window more often. Or, better yet, get outside more often!

And to make sure that Chicago really, truly realizes that fall is here to stay …

Today is a repeat of yesterday.

Blustery-window-rattling winds. Check.

An abundance of foliage (which, actually, is being blown off trees by said blustery-window-rattling-winds). Check.

Gray skies (why does fall in Chicago come with gray skies?). Check.

I think it may actually be time to put my flip flops away and succumb to socks and toe-covering shoes.

Sigh.

Hello fall.

Hello fuzzy socks.

Hello cozy hoodies.

Hello slippers.

You Might Also Like:

No Carve Pumpkin Crafts

October 21, 2019 By Linda 4 Comments

No Carve Pumpkin Crafts – Pumpkin Craft Ideas for Kids.

No Carve Pumpkin Craft Ideas - Halloween Crafts - Halloween Crafts for Kids - Fall Craft Ideas with Pumpkins - Thanksgiving Table Decor Ideas with Pumpkins

I have a little pumpkin fail story to share with you all.

It was October 1993 and I had packed up all my worldly belongings and hit the road in my white-on-white Volkswagen Cabriolet convertible to Chicago. I had no job lined up, but I did have a really fun and funny fiance with the most amazing blue eyes waiting for me. And a really cool apartment to live in.

I was eager to start our life as a couple, to make a home together, and to create and celebrate traditions together.

First up was Halloween.

We didn’t have a front porch to decorate. We lived on the second floor of a building with four apartments. Our outside entry was four concrete steps.

Oh, and the chances of our getting trick-or-treaters was practically zero.

But I was eager to decorate for Halloween and we went ahead and got a couple of pumpkins from one of the many pumpkin patches that pop up on every empty lot in Chicago in the fall. We sat on the kitchen floor and carved them up. Then rinsed and dried the pumpkin seeds, sprinkled them with salt and popped them in the oven.

When it got dark, we put our pumpkins in the front window of our apartment and lit them up with candles.

And as they flickered away, we cozied up on the couch with our toasted pumpkin seeds.

The start of a great tradition. Right?

Oh how wrong I was!

The next evening as the sun fell, I decided to light up those pumpkins again. But when I removed their little pumpkin stem lids …

I jumped back.

And dropped the pumpkin stem lid.

Because the inside of the pumpkin was just filled to the brim with mold!

Yuck!

Apparently lighting a candle inside of a carved pumpkin inside of the house is not a good idea. And creates the perfect conditions to grow copious amounts of mold overnight.

Who knew?

If only no carve pumpkins were a “thing” back in 1993, I could have started a very different non-moldy tradition using any one of these no carve (and no mold!) pumpkin craft ideas … 🙂

Googly Eye Pumpkin

October 17, 2019 By Linda 2 Comments

Googly Eye Pumpkin – No Carve Pumpkin Ideas.

No Carve Pumpkin with Paint and Googly Eyes.

Can you stand just one more pumpkin project?Or are you all pumpkin’d out at this point?

I’m on the fence, honestly.

But I’m going to forge ahead with one more pumpkin craft. Just one more. I promise it’s the last one …

for this year.

But, seriously, isn’t this googly eye pumpkin just the cutest? It reminds me of when I was young and always veered towards the cute.

Okay, that’s not 100 percent accurate. Because, honestly, I still can’t help being drawn to the cute. Put a googly eye on a piece of fruit or vegetable and I’m all in. Or how about those edible googly eyes that people put on cupcakes and desserts. Again, I’m all in!

Plus this project cost me zero dollars. The cutesy in me picked up a bag of googly eyes years ago.

Can you believe it took me this long to get my googly eye fun on!

Added bonus: this pumpkin was so easy to make. Paint, googly eyes, and a glue gun is all you need.

Oh, and a pumpkin too! Can’t forget the pumpkin!

How To A Make Googly Eye Pumpkin

Materials

Pumpkin (real or fake, your choice)

Black Acrylic (or Chalk) Paint

Googly Eyes

Glue Gun

*includes some affiliate links.

Two coats black paint.

Grab a googly eye.

Attach with glue gun.

Press in place.

And you’re done!

Easy. Cute. And it plays nice with my fancy bejeweled and flowered pumpkins (link below).

Pin It!

Googly Eye Pumpkin. No Carve Pumpkin with Paint and Googly Eyes.

You May Also Like

Bejeweled and Flowered Pumpkins

Fabric Stuffed Pumpkins

Twine Pumpkins

Chicago’s Southport Corridor

October 15, 2019 By Linda 20 Comments

Chicago’s Southport Corridor – Chicago’s Lakeview Neighborhood.

Today I’m joining a group of home decor/diy/craft bloggers to do something we don’t typically do …

sharing the sights and some favorite places outside of our homes!

A big shout out to Jennifer at Town & Country Living for getting us all up from our couches — and away from our screens — to take a little adventure around our neighborhoods.

And away we go …

As those of you who’ve hung around this lil old blog for awhile know, I’m not originally from Chicago. Or even the Midwest.

I’m a Jersey girl.

And when I was a working girl in New York City (no, not that kind of working girl; I was the Melanie-Griffith-sneaker’s-with-shoulder-padded-power-suit-commuting-in-via-bus/train-to-New York working girl) I had the opportunity to visit most major market cities.

Some I love (hello San Francisco and Boston) and some not so much (sorry Phoenix and Dallas).

But I never, ever visited Chicago. And at the time, I never, ever really gave it much thought. I mean, I was born-and-raised east coaster and Chicago was just part of fly-over country.

Right?

Oh how wrong I was!

The truth is, I fell in love with a Chicagoan before ever stepping foot in his city. But when I did finally visit, I fell in love …

for the second time in my life!

And when said Chicagoan and I decided to tie the knot, where we would live was a no-brainer. Chicago won hands down.

I always tell people that Chicago is such a livable city. Mostly because it’s so spread out. And mostly because Chicago is made up of so many different neighborhoods.

We live in a neighborhood called Lakeview (though there is no view of the Lake where I live). Sometimes it’s referred to as West Lakeview. We’re north of downtown and less than a mile west of Wrigleyville (and Wrigley Field). I shared some shots around Wrigley at this link.

I’ve also shared a little walking tour around my block at this link …

but today now we’re going to venture a few blocks farther to an area I think of as our very own little main street.

Chicagoans spend the majority of their time in their own little neighborhood pockets — especially those (like me) who have an abundance of shops, restaurants, and grocery stores within walking distance.

This area is referred to as the Southport Corridor …

hence Corridor Brewing. 🙂

I can personally attest that Benefit does offer great brows. 😉

After a long, cold, and dirty winter cars line up down the block at this little car wash joint.

Most of the boutiques along this stretch are a bit pricey for me, but it’s always fun to window shop with my daughter.

I had forgotten that on Thursdays there’s a farmer’s market at the Low Line …

Which is located just under the Southport stop L tracks.

I left my purse at home, but hopefully there may still be a Thursday or two left before they close up shop for the winter!

This is a favorite new restaurant of mine. During the warmer months, I like dining outside …

Inside they have a huge bar and cozy atmosphere that will be perfect in the winter.

One of my favorite things about this area is some of the old architecture.

Schiltz used to open their own bars around the city and you can still find some old buildings with their logos.

This is a true Chicago dive bar, co-existing with fancy restaurants and boutique shops. Located just across the street from a Chicago Park District site that offers pre-school classes …

Gotta love Chicago where the old and new comfortably co-exist!

Sadly our days of dining al fresco are numbered. But this place has a nice cozy interior that’s perfect for a cold, snowy day!

I hope you enjoyed this little stroll through my Lakeview neighborhood …

and be sure to check out the amazing places my fellow bloggers live. There’s a little bit of everything, from coastal to country and small town to big cities …

MONDAY

Town and Country Living / Finding Silver Pennies / Southern Hospitality

Shabbyfufu / Designthusiasm

TUESDAY

My Sweet Savannah / Hymns and Verses / It All Started with Paint / The Happie Housie

WEDNESDAY

Creative Cain Cabin / In My Own Style / Duke Manor Farm / Hearth and Vine

No Carve Jeweled Pumpkins

October 10, 2019 By Linda 9 Comments

No Carve Jeweled Pumpkins – Glam Pumpkin Craft Idea.

No Carve Jeweled Pumpkins - Rhinestones on Pumpkins - Bling Pumpkins - Glam Pumpkins - Painted Pumpkins.

My front porch is sad. And empty.

It’s naked.

I really, really want to decorate it. I really, really want to put my terracotta pumpkins out there. I really, really want to purchase some unique pumpkins in various colors, sizes and shapes from Trader Joe’s. Along with some mums.

But I’ve been holding out.

And now the neighbors are showing me up. Big time. They’ve pulled out their A game this year …

You see, I decided early in the summer that this is the year I’d give my porch a refreshing coat of paint.

It’s chipping. And looking pretty run down.

But as the summer progressed, I progressively came up with excuse after excuse of why I need to wait until next week to paint it.

It was too hot.

It was too rainy.

It was too close to our vacation and I didn’t want to potentially leave the project half finished.

It was too close to taking Molly to college and I was distracted with all that entailed.

It was too expensive so I’ll just wait for a Sherwin Williams sale/coupon.

And next week turned into months …

… and eventually a whole new season!

All too soon my next week excuses will include a) it’s too cold and; b) it’s snowing!

But I’m going to be totally serious here: NEXT WEEK I’ll be painting that front porch.

And when it’s dry, I’ll be decorating the bejeezes out of it!

Watch out neighbors.

In the meanwhile, I’ve been having some no carve pumpkin fun. Remember those little orange pumpkins I used for my orange, black and white table setting (see here). I decided to dress them up with some crystals, pearls and roses …

How to Make No Carve Jeweled Pumpkins

Materials*

Pumpkins (found mine at the grocery store)

Paint – White, Off White/Cream, Gray – I used Rustoleum Chalked Paint

Stick-on Rhinestones

Stick-on Pearls

Mini Ribbon Satin Bows

Small White Beads

Glue Gun

Tweezers

*includes some affiliate links.

Tape stems and give your pumpkins two coats of paint. I used chalk paint because a) I like the matte finish and; b) it dries quickly!

Remove tape. At this point I was going to spray them with matte sealant but I forgot. Ah well. Since these pumpkins are real, they’ll be tossed soon!

Grab your stick-on rhinestones …

and start sticking on! I just eyeballed spacing.

The Jersey in my is loving the glam!

Now grab those stick-on pearls …

and start sticking on!

Reminds me of my pearl necklace!

Which reminds me, when is that cardigan and pearls style trend coming back? I think it’s time for a revival!

Next up are the silk mini roses and pearls. I used to sew these onto the collars of onesies for my nieces to dress them up!

You need a hot glue to apply these.

For the little pearls, I used hot glue and tweezers to affix them.

I then I need to do a little paint touch up!

So cute!

If only these were waterproof, I could put them on the soon-to-be-painted-next-week-pinky-swear front porch and really razzle dazzle my neighbors!

🙂

Pin It!

You Might Also Like:

Fabric Stuffed Pumpkins

Jute Twine Mini Pumpkins

Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Neutral, Jute

Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral

October 8, 2019 By Linda 14 Comments

Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral – Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas.

Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral - Thanksgiving Table Setting Idea - Pumpkin Centerpiece Idea - Pumpkin Table Setting Idea

The weekend before last I returned to New Jersey.

Thanksgiving Table Setting Idea - Pumpkin Centerpiece Idea - Pumpkin Table Setting Idea - Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral -

And, yes, I can hear your moans and groans about New Jersey. The snarky “poor you.” And the “why would you?”

But can I defend my birth state for a minute here?

Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral - Thanksgiving Table Setting

Sure, Jersey conjures images of the stinky New Jersey Turnpike. Or crime-addled Newark. Or those Jersey Shore folks from MTV (who, by the way, are not from New Jersey!)

But New Jersey actually has some really, really pretty parts.

Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral -

Stop laughing!

Jute Pumpkin DIY - Jute Crafts for Fall - Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral - Thanksgiving Table Setting Idea - Pumpkin Centerpiece Idea - Pumpkin Table Setting Idea

Our adventure began at Newark Airport. It’s quadrupled in size since I last flew in/out of that airport. And stepping off the plane onto one of the new concourses was mind melding.

Seriously.

I thought we may have landed in Tokyo. Or Singapore.

The concourse was super, duper high tech. Tables with iPads at each and every seat replaced the traditional benches you typically see outside gates. The center of the concourse was a giant bar/restaurant with an iPad at each chair.

Did I mention it was mind melding?

You could use the iPads to order food. Or drinks. Or go online. Or shop. Or, or, or …

a hundred other things you could explore based on all the apps loaded on each one.

After we finally figured out (with some airport personnel assistance) how to find the rental car, we hit the road.

And it didn’t take long … as we headed north west to the destination of my niece’s wedding … for me to realize that New Jersey is actually pretty lush.

Lush!

Seriously, stop laughing!

Living in the Midwest for so many years I’ve become accustomed to everything being flat. But New Jersey? Well, at least the northwestern part of New Jersey is hilly. And lakey …

yes, I said lakey as in we were in a region with lake communities.

On the afternoon before the wedding, we joined my sister and her husband for at a lovely (and very Pinteresty) lakeside restaurant. The day was gorgeous. The views spectacular. Yes, the views in New Jersey were spectacular …

I can still hear you snicker …

and the wedding was beautiful. A Pinterest dream. At a remote historic site with multiple barn-esque structures for the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception.

The bride was beautiful. The groom beamed. And my brother (the father of the bride) was filled with such pride and joy!

And me?

It was so wonderful to reconnect with my family — all together in a single space — after such a long time apart.

And it was wonderful to reconnect with my birth state and remember that New Jersey has some really beautiful parts.

Oh, and we actually caught some early fall foliage in those lakeside towns.

Beautiful!

You can stop laughing now. 🙂