bits of life

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A beautiful Sunday, early evening, windows are open, Pumpkin Cupcake candle is burning, the house is silent save for the humming dishwasher. Aaron is finishing up some painting, my brother Walt & his girlfriend Val went to a Barbecue, and I'm working on some plans for an upcoming project that I am pretty excited about. I filled up a good dozen pages of notes, sketches, and ideas in a notebook over the past two days. I'm still toying with ideas and how I'd like to go about starting the project, which I hope to do within the next two weeks (fingers crossed). I'm excited to share said project with you, mostly to see if any of you share my passion. I know this is such a tease and I'm pretty much telling you something without telling you anything at all. I just really want to tidy up my ideas and plan a smidge more before sharing. But it'll be soon soon...I promise! :)

I've been sifting through cooler weather recipes over on Pinterest and really look forward to doing some comfort food cooking...and baking. I think the crock pot will be working over time, and the cookie sheets and bundt pans are going to be earning their keep as well. The above pumpkin doughnut created a monster. Just one bite was all it took to kick start my baker's heart.


This here is Carlos. The crazy old man. Ha ha! He really makes us laugh. Getting this pic was no easier than capturing Yeti or Loch ness' most famous resident on film. He has a nack for dodging the camera. He's never had a bad experience with a camera so I have no idea why he runs and ducks and zigs and zags any time I aim the lens at him.  His little brother Jack on the other hand loves to pose any chance he gets. But you won't find a pic of him in today's post because he happens to be sleeping the day away under blankies in the bedroom.


I've been gathering up some vintage ephemera for a Fall Journal I'm working on.  I've mentioned that I'm really not an orange gal, but come Fall and I LOVE it! I'm totally down with the classic Halloween color palette of Orange, Black, and White. Keep that newfangled Purple out of the picture. It doesn't work for me. But you know what does?...Aqua. It's the perfect outside-the-box addition to the Fall spectrum.


This weekend was also spent working on orders that will soon be shipped to happy new homes all over the globe. We are very excited about one large order in particular. It's a nice assortment of stuff...a great cross section of what we do best. And this is the fun part...it's going to a newly opened retro style bakery in Kuwait! :)

So these are some bits of life here at casa de Holiday. What have you guys been up to? Any fun outings or vintage finds?  Recipes you think I'd like? Tell me, tell me, tell me... I'd so love to hear! :)
xo Jenny

ps. Be sure to visit me tomorrow...I'm really excited about a super cool giveaway from one of this month's fabulous sponsors! :) 

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Hamptons Style Kitchen Makeover

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A kitchen makeover can be an expensive and stressful exercise.
In order to sail through process to a great end result
here are a few basic tips to help on your way:-

1. Pick a style
Make a mood board or pull out pages from your favourite kitchen magazines to help you define your look.

2. Do you homework
Research tapware, appliances, stone benchtops, cabinet handles and light fittings - get a feel for what's out there and how much everything costs.
These days most of the leg work can be done on line.

3. Make a list
Write down exactly what you would like in your kitchen right down to the last cabinet handle.

4. Work Out A Budget
Find a figure that you're comfortable with and cost out everything on your list
- tweak your selections to fit in within your budget.

5. Sketch Up A Plan
Engage an architect, designer, draftsperson or kitchen cabinet maker to help you design your dream kitchen. Using a professional is always a wise investment on a large scale renovation otherwise your local cabinet maker will probably be all the help you need.

6. Find A Cabinet Maker
Ask around friends, family for a recommendation - someone tried and tested is always your best bet. Try to visit a recently completely project for added assurance. Shop around for 2 or 3 quotes and make your final selection on the one who is offering the best service. The cheapest quote will not always get you best the end result and remember to put everything in writing!

Here's some inspiration for your mood board!





Melissah xox

Images via 1, 2, 34, 5, 6, Design Darling

Check out Coastal Style on tumblr and Pinterest

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