Mother’s Day Tablescape & One More Announcement…..

So the big news……. I’m Pregnant!

NOT!

And should you ever hear someone say that  I was, you should seriously question their sanity or their grasp of basic biology and reproduction.

Actually the news is sorta like giving birth but in a creative sense.  A few months ago the kind people at SheKnows.com got this crazy idea that I have a point of view and offered me a monthly column.  Yup folks, I am a columnist now joining the ranks of Dear Abby, Ask Heloise and Jackie Stallone (you didn’t know she had her own astrology column?).

So every month I will be dispensing lifestyle, entertaining and design advice all packaged in the “Courtney Out Loud” way – minus the dirty words and sexual innuendos.  This month I tackled creating a Mother’s Day Tablescape that is young, colorful, bright and full of easy DIY projects along with a few designer secrets…….

I love how the table turned out and think it’s one of the best designs I have done to date.  It’s hip and approachable but still looks like you went broke creating it.  I break everything down from the place settings to the flower arrangements so you can create your own version at home.

Swing by the site and take a look and stay tuned for my June column – it will knock your socks off — metaphorically as I don’t condone violence even if it is to socks….

Have a great weekend and take a little time to enjoy the day!

ps:  Have you entered the Joy and Revelry Pin It To Win It Contest?  Don’t miss your chance to win $500 worth of home decor personally selected by me!

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Play Date: Mark & Graham Spring Tablescape…

I don’t know about you but I am immensely enjoying the fact that it is still light outside after 6pm.  I can honestly say I am d-o-n-e with winter and before you say it, I know my version of winter consists of 55 degree days, no snow and the occasional super-warm-sunbathing-I-can-wear-a-tee-shirt-day.  I  have zilch to complain about. Nada.  Zip It.  Shut yer’ yapper……

But honestly, even the mild Northern California winters can get the best of a person.  So it was no surprise that when the team over at William Sonoma’s newest venture, Mark and Graham contacted me to create a tablescape to celebrate Spring, I wanted to create something that just vibrated with vitality, life  and freshness.  I brainstormed everything from indoor picnics to an outdoor BBQ.  While the table may have ended up indoors, my design was definitely inspired by a spring garden……

As I said, I wanted freshness and vitality, so I stuck with the thing we most closely associate with Spring – flowers and greenery.  I created 11 different individual flower arrangements  surrounding a larger centerpiece.  This arrangement gave me the flexibility to use the arrangements through the rest of the house once the party was over.

I limited my color palette to green  through the cut flowers and the peat moss placements and white.  In case you were wondering, the pea moss placements were a lucky and inexpensive find at the craft store which created the background for the rest of the place setting – the floral dinner plates, the wooden cutlery  and the monogramed napkins.  On a sidenote, this is my first time having something monogrammed – I think I am hooked!  A healthy dose of glass, crystal and reflective metal finishes were added to the mix to create a modern take on an indoor garden party…..

Swing by Mark & Graham’s blog mgram to see the full tablescape,  see how I incorporated the other products from the Mark & Graham line and what I am coveting for Spring.

So what are your weekend plans?  I am going to be elbow deep in my patio preparing for another shoot on Sunday and prepping for client meetings that kick off on Monday and go one a day for the entire week.  Can’t complain too much since the last two weekends found me in wine country and Palm Springs.

Yeah when I say it out loud, I don’t feel bad for me either……

[Photo Credit: Photo by Adza//Styling: Courtney Lake]

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Throwback Tuesday: 2011 Thanksgiving Table Setting

This year, I will not be hosting dinner at the house.  I am a little sad by the fact that my home won’t have the heady scent of roast turkey, garlicky mash potatoes and the spicy hint of a pumpkin pie.  However, I am excited to break bread with new friends and contribute to their holiday in my own little way.

While I won’t be setting a table this year, I thought it would be nice to revisit my Thanksgiving table from last year.  Truth be told, it is one of my favorite tables I have done to date.  It has a traditional elements that have been modernized thanks to color and interesting floral arrangements.

So as I take a stroll down, memory lane, I hope this inspires you in our own way to make your home the inviting and warm haven you wish it to be this Thanksgiving…..

Check out my Facebook and Pinterest pages as well as my Twitter for more holiday inspiration.