Charleston: Window Boxes, Doors, and Wreaths

Charleston is home to some of my favorite old homes.  There is so much beauty to be found in the unique colors, doors, windows, etc.  Perhaps my favorite thing of any trip there is walking through the historic district.  I have obviously seen many of them numerous times but they never fail to impress me.  I especially enjoy visiting the city during the holiday season and seeing all the seasonal decor out. My favorite is the Nathaniel Russell House (shown in the last picture below) and their decorations using the traditional fruit.  Magnolia leaf wreathes are a close second.  

Have a Merry Lilly Christmas!

As mentioned in my post from Tuesday, here are all the details of the dinner party I put together for my family in Folly Beach last week.  Originally, I had planned to cook for this party but became a little nervous about that idea since we were staying in a rental we weren't familiar with yet.  I was not sure what utensils, pots and pans, etc we would have when we got there.  So when my mother mentioned my sister had requested my parents bring some of my dad's chili, I jumped at the chance to use that for my dinner party.

I mentioned my color palette would be pink and green and I added gold to that to complete it.  One of my projects for this was transforming ordinary shells from the Dollar Tree into gold shells by using a gold leafing pen.  I used these shells to act as place cards as well by writing names on the inside of them.  I also made salt dough sand dollars and starfish and use the gold leafing to dress them up.  I managed to purchase most of the items that I had to buy for this in the bargain section of Michaels, the Dollar Tree, and on major sales at Hobby Lobby and Target.

I found a glass shell dish at Goodwill in the beginning stages of my planning and decided I need to get it.  I made some "sea glass" hard candy to put in the shell dish.  I also took along some of my Christmas sugar cookies.  I played up the pink and green theme in my sugar cookies this year and I love how they turned out (I even made some lime green alligator cookies but those didn't survive the 12 hours drive to Folly Beach).

I found glass pineapple Christmas ornaments at Target and decided I would get some to use as decoration and then gift to my parents and to my sister so we all have a pineapple ornament to remind us of our trips to Charleston/Folly Beach.  I had also completed another DYI for my mom and my sister.  I used the wrapping paper that Lilly Pulitzer brilliantly sent in the mail as part of an ad to refit some gift boxes that I had picked up from Target and switched out white ribbon for pink to gift their ornaments.  I also purchased a Lilly Santa Lion bow tie for Wyatt (to match my bow of course) and sat that out at his place setting.

Happy Memorial Day!

Did you know that Memorial Day began as Decoration Day and was created after the Civil War as a way to honor the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war.  Several years later it was expanded to remember all people who have died while serving our great country through military service.

For those who have given everything to protect our many freedoms...thank you.

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day!!  I would like to thank all members of the military who have or are serving our great country by helping to protect our freedoms.   Today is a day to remember, reflect upon, and honor those who sacrifice in order for the good of our country...for me...for you...for Americans everywhere.

I found this wonderful FREE printable through Pinterest but you can find it here. If you are looking to get into the patriotic spirit, she has a couple more available as well.  I hope everyone has had a fun but safe weekend thus far!

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.

Thankfully yours,