Christmas lemon drop cocktail

Lemon Drop Cocktail
Ingredients
2 cups frozen vodka
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Ice
Combine the vodka, lemon juice, and sugar and pour

 into a cocktail shaker with ice.  Pour into martini glasses

and garnish with lemon slices.
makes 6 cocktails

ciao! Fabiana

winter ideas for succulents

With winter quickly approaching, succulents 

are a  pretty and easy way to brighten up 

your home.  

They even make quite a statement 

as a centerpiece or as party favors for your 

next soiree.

Succulents mix especially well with rustic 

elements  and simple candles.  

Scour your 

closets and cabinets for little vintage vessels that 

could make unique containers for your succulents.

They are a great way to 

liven up a sunny window sill.  

An unused frame can be fitted with large gauge metal mesh to create a living piece of art.  

And don’t fret, these little pets thrive on little water and don’t need a lot of your attention. 

The only attention you might get are a few oohs and aahs from your friends!

photo source

ciao! fabiana

winterizing my nails

The dry winter months can wreak havoc on our skin and nails. That’s why I am starting my nail care regimen early this year. 

I'm so happy to have found Julep's breathable nail polish colors. It dries ultra fast and even contains antioxidants, which help to keep nails conditioned! 

The color I am wearing here is Ilga, a rich creamy bordeaux shade. It’s perfect for the month of December and will look great throughout the holidays!   

The color even matches my 

heart-shaped linzer cookies!

The perfect nail care tips for this winter!

I love this regional color chart, too!

Which color would you choose?

ciao! fabiana

rings by Stella & Dot 

holiday gift tags for your Christmas table

A cute holiday tag, combined with rosemary makes the

 perfect place setting for your Christmas dinner table.   

You can add a variety of tags for each guest! 

ciao! fabiana

setting a beautiful charcuterie board

It’s always nice to have an assortment of cheeses on your platter.  Consider things like soft, hard, fresh and aged varieties for your guests enjoyment.  

Start with the cheeses and then add some of your favorite dried and fresh fruits, like figs, grapes, apricots or quince jam. 

Olives, nuts, crackers and a fresh sliced baguette can finish off the plate.  Salami and prosciutto are also great options. 

  

    I like the use of martini glasses to add height.  

It also helps keep the bread dry and the pickled foods

 from seeping onto the other ingredients.

This beautiful presentation of vegetables uses a 

large variety of pretty and tasty assortment. 

They're tightly arranged like a tapestry of flavors.  

Of course, the dip takes center stage!

This lovely Slate Cheese Board , below,

is an easy way to start creating a gorgeous cheese platter.

ciao! fabiana

💕

While I’m here today, I wanted to share some of my "Tablescaping Essentials" with you. I have a whole page on the Amazon website with my favorite picks for setting a beautiful table.

Quite often time is of the essence, and I have last minute projects or events to work on, so I turn to Amazon for one or two day delivery. You’d be surprised at how many amazing items they have to offer! And I'm constantly updating this page with my new favorites. 

You can check it out here, at “Tablescaping Essentials”.

 

Photo Credit:  Do me a Favor Blog,  Inspired by Charm,

Cupcakes & Cashmere, Honestly Yum, World Market

monday morning treat

Enjoying my hot cappuccino,

with a little help from my friends

and I’m ready for cyber Monday!

ciao! fabiana

my favorite deal for cyber Monday

I have my Christmas gift list ready for cyber Monday and the first stop I will make will be to log on to Stella & Dot. That way, I can treat myself to a little something too!  

They're offering this cute Avalon Bracelet Clutch in black for only $9.95, with a $50 purchase. 

This clutch is the perfect size for holding my wallet, lip gloss and cell phone while running errands! 

ciao! fabiana

an interview with kim rodosky of 503 found

503found is one of my favorite, go-to  shops for home furnishings and accessories. They offer unique décor made by artisans from all over the world and here locally in Orange County. 

It's also fun that they incorporate vintage finds to their store, which I love. Interior design services, large and small, are also offered at 503found to help you create an eclectic, timeless, and functional home. 

I was so happy to interview Kim Rodosky, one of the founders and talented designers of 503found. I'm so impressed that this mother of six can pull together a gorgeous home for her own family and also run a successful business. Here are some of her insights for creating a gorgeous home.

Kim Rodosky
photo by Ryan Garvin

1.  What's an unexpected place to display one-of-a-kind, personal finds?

“I think a unique, unexpected place to display one-of-a-kind, personal finds would be in the guest bathroom. You always have people coming in and out and no one really expects to see anything unique in a bathroom. Very unexpected! “

2. Do you have suggestions for filling vacant wall space?

“I always recommend filling with art and family photos. I love blending the two to make a gallery wall. Art, mirrors, family photos - you can take up a lot of wall space with those elements.” 

3.   My favorite vintage scores are ...

“Art! I've found amazing vintage art pieces scouring finds for 503found. They are usually really affordable and are some of my most treasured pieces.“

4.  One design rule you always break?

“I don't follow a lot of design rules, but I guess I always break mixing patterns. I love mixing unexpected colors and patterns!“

5.   Best place to spend $500 on decor?

“503found in Newport Beach of course! We have great accessories, vintage art, tabletop decor, candles, turkish towels, pillows and more - all under $500.” 

My favorite picks at 503found:

ciao! fabiana

503found

located in Cannery Village

503 31^st Street  Newport Beach, California

(949) 877-0147