Brunch Recipes

Before opening presents on Christmas morning, pop this easy Brunch Strata into the oven. It serves 16 and has veggies and protein, so you can just toast some english muffins, make a pot of coffee, and mix up a pitcher of Bloody Marys (Zing Zang's is awesome). If your family loves pancakes, my favorite mixes are the Stonewall Kitchen Farmhouse Pancake & Waffle Mix and the Bob's Red Mill 10-Grain Pancake Mix (for the health nuts). Everyone will be stuffed until dinner!

Christmas Brunch Tablescape

I coaxed my super talented friend Lindsay into coming up with a Christmas tablescape. She used a vibrant, non-traditional color palette and set the table for brunch instead of dinner. We figured brunch would be great for Christmas and for New Year's day. There are lots of wonderfully unique touches and I love the festive yet comfortable look. Beautiful, isn't it?

Not only did she deliver a beautiful scheme, she went above and beyond with the whole concept. The Proust Questionnaire was used to create thought-provoking, conversation-inducing place cards.

  

A stunning William Yeoward crystal vase was filled with white hydrangeas, white roses, and fresh cranberries.

Gilded ornaments from the Danbury Mint topped each place setting.

Love this Hope ornament...

No pinecones on the table yet here...I like it both ways.

The salad plates are Royal Crown Derby Black Aves Gold. The dinner plates are Raynaud Marie Antoinette. The flatware is called Absolu from Williams-Sonoma, it's my everyday stainless.

We subbed out the Black Aves plate with an inexpensive alternative from Anthropologie...it was on sale for $8!

Glassware mélange...Lindsay's vintage basketweave highball and gray wine glass (from World Market), and my crystal (was my grandmother's).

This elephant is walking with its trunk up which Lindsay brought because it is meant to symbolize good luck and optimism. 

Lindsay even brought over this wonderful True Grace candle...it smells divine, but is a light enough fragrance to burn it while there's food around.

Are you hosting any meals for Christmas or New Year's? Lindsay's tablescape makes me wish I was! We have other plans for both days, but maybe I'll host a just-for-fun brunch after the holidays. Whatever my next party may be, I'll definitely be using the Proust Questionnaire...I just love that idea! Tomorrow I'll share more tidbits from Lindsay's brunch scheme including a few recipes and a fun playlist, so stay tuned!

Eye Candy at Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles

You all have got to browse the lineup of 100 Superlative Spaces that Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles has put together. It's a terrific compendium of unique spaces...every aesthetic is represented and it's really fun to look at them all at once. There are super modern rooms and others that are decidedly traditional - each is well executed in its own right.

These are the ones that will go in my inspiration files...

Design by Suzanne Kasler

Design by Barbara Howard

Summerour and Associates Architects

Design by Beth Webb and Nancy Pendergrast Duffey

Design by Lee Kleinhelter

Design by Barbara Westbrook

Design by Betty Burgess

Design by Phoebe Howard

Design by Amy D. Morris

Design by Beth Webb and Nancy Pendergrast with Summerour and Associates Architects

Design by Bobby McAlpine

Design by Stan Topol

John Oetgen residence

Living room of Keith Arnold and Marc Henderson

Design by Scott Laslie

Design by Margaret Bosbyshell


All photos from Atlantahomesmag.com, photo credits can be found here

Believe it or not, that's just a little taste....there are over 80 more spaces to view. Hope that browsing through the photo gallery is as fun for you as it was for me. I'm madly in love with the dark bedroom by Barbara Howard (second photo on this post). I was shocked to discover that it's a teenage boy's bedroom...what a lucky guy!

Report back with your favorites :)

Last Chance for the Twelve Days of High Gloss!

Today is the final day to enter to win the Twelve Days of High Gloss giveaways, so you better hurry on over to the Happenings page and do some commenting! All of us at High Gloss are so thankful to our amazing sponsors who provided these wonderful goodies to share with our readers...

Thanks to all!

Jill Rosenwald

RabLabs

Evie Talmus

Sugar Paper

Ellington Handbags

Shop Ten 25

Dabney Lee

Fabricadabra

Wiley Valentine

La Plates

One Kings Lane

Rizzoli

Heather Belle Co.

Good luck to all who enter - we truly appreciate your participation!

Ceylon et Cie.

In yesterday's post on the Mary McDonald book signing, I mentioned Ceylon et Cie. and Michelle Nussbaumer. I can't begin to explain how transfixed I am with Ceylon et Cie. and the woman behind it. The showroom is exquisite - to say it's a visual feast is an understatement. The selection of worldly goods is incredibly unique and interesting. I find myself wondering about the origin and story behind every item!

One thing about the showroom that stands out to me is that nothing seems overly forced. The assemblage of goods is decidedly glamorous and decadent, yet still livable and non-pretentious. It's obvious that Michelle handpicks the antiques and objets and plays an active role in Ceylon Portfolio, her furniture line, and Ceylon Bijoux, her jewelry line. The whole "brand" is perfectly balanced between being sophisticated and exuberant, luxurious without being ostentatious, and exotic but comfortable.

All of those qualities seem to be present in Michelle and it makes sense that it takes a woman like her to create such a fabulous business. Her passion (and work-ethic, I'm sure) has led to her success and thus she's quite an inspiration to me. I'm certainly not the only one who finds Michelle and her work so fascinating, she's been featured in Elle Decor, Veranda, Southern Accents, House Beautiful, and many other notable publications. I especially enjoyed seeing the introspective on her in 1st Dibs' Style Compass...be sure to take a look because it includes some gorgeous shots of her projects.

Via Style Compass, photo by Stephen Karlisch

I could go on and on, but I would rather show than tell. Please prepare yourself for some serious visual stimulation. Et voila, the photos of the marvelous Ceylon et Cie:

 

Pretty amazing, isn't it?