November Recap (Decorating, Shopping and More!)
Happy weekend and welcome to the Saturday Spotlight! This week, I’m sharing an November recap of things that didn’t make the blog during the month. From late fall decorating ideas to shopping and more, I hope to inspire you with my look back at the month of November!
*For your convenience, please note that this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking my links below, I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you).
November Recap – Late Fall/Early Winter Decorating:
Simple way to add coziness…
As the sun sets earlier and earlier, I start adding extra light sources in my home. Usually, I’ll light a candle or two or turn on an extra lamp. This year, I bought a set of rechargeable cordless lamps (this exact set) and decorated with one on my coffee table for a couple weeks. With it’s soft glow, it added just the right amount of ambiance for the evening. For Thanksgiving dinner, I included them on my dining room table…so cozy!
An addition to the dining room…
On a recent shopping trip to The People’s Store in Lambertville, New Jersey, I spotted this painting and thought it would be perfect for my dining room…but I hesitated to purchase it. (Yes, I can be a bit indecisive!). Well, my sister in law mentioned it to my husband and he ended up surprising me with it for my birthday! And yes, I was right…it was perfect for my dining room! Original art adds so much uniqueness and character to a space.
November Recap – Finding Inspiration:
Appreciating small businesses…
In case you didn’t know, the Saturday after Thanksgiving is known as “Small Business Saturday”. It’s the perfect day to shop locally and support small businesses during the busy holiday season. Recently, I visited one of my favorite small businesses, Julian Gage Home Collection in Oldwick, New Jersey. Located in a historic church building, the store is filled with beautiful antiques, furnishings and artwork. So much decorating inspiration! For instance, here’s a great way to display small Christmas trees in blue and white porcelain planters.
A visit to Pottery Barn…
Of course, it’s always fun to shop the larger retailers like Pottery Barn! This year, they’re selling tons of beautiful plaid items…which are perfect for those of us decorating in Ralph Lauren Christmas style! Since I wait until the day after Thanksgiving to decorate for Christmas, I spend the month of November planning my decorations. And yes, there will be lot of plaid!
November Recap – Christmas Decorating:
In our home, we decorate for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving…
Even though most bloggers start decorating for the holidays before Thanksgiving, I always wait until the day after. This year, I started with a new wreath since my previous Christmas wreath got destroyed by birds. To try something new, I bought this one with lights (but of course it’s already sold out). If you’re looking for something similar, here’s another one! My exact bow is sold out too but it also comes in other pretty prints!
November Recap – Recent Read:
In November I read a book from a new-to-me author…
If you’re in the mood for an emotional rollercoaster of a book, I recommend you read The Last Letter. In this story, Beckett, a former a former special-ops soldier, promises his fallen best friend that he’ll look after his sister, Ella, and her children. When he arrives in her Colorado town, he doesn’t reveal his true identity partly due to his survivor’s guilt. Over time, he falls in love with Ella while supporting her through her daughter’s serious illness. As Ella and Beckett grow closer, secrets, and an unexpected twist test their trust.
For me, it was one of those books that stayed in my mind after I was finished reading it. It was beautifully written, heartwarming at times and absolutely heart wrenching at others. If you’re ready to feel deep emotions, read this one! (*Warning – if you’re sensitive to childhood trauma/sickness, I don’t recommend it).
November Recap – A Family Favorite Recipe:
For Thanksgiving, it’s tradition in our family to make tarragon peas…
In our home, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without them! See the recipe below.
Tarragon Peas Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 packages of frozen peas
- 4 Tablespoons sugar (I sometimes use 2T)
- 1 Large garlic clove
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons tarragon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons of butter
- 8 Tablespoons of water
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in pan.
- Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Remove garlic and drain. Enjoy!
November Recap – Blogger Conference:
It’s always important to keep learning…
Earlier this month, I headed up to Boston for MVCon, an annual conference for content creators who use Mediavine for their advertising. For three days, we attended workshops, networking sessions and listened to speakers in the publishing industry. To kick off the conference, Ally Love from Peloton fame was the keynote speaker! As expected, she was amazing!
During the three days, I met so many wonderful creators from a variety of backgrounds. From food, travel and fashion bloggers to just a few of us home decor bloggers, it was a great way to exchange ideas.
*Shown above: Louisa (La Passion Voutte), Marisa (Mindfully Glam), me, and Jennifer (Cottage on Bunker Hill).
Each day, the hotel provided our breakfasts, lunch and cocktail hour snacks, but we were officially on our own for dinner. One night, I joined a group of ladies for dinner down the street at Chickadee Restaurant. We enjoyed great food and conversations while bonding over our blogging experiences. A fabulous evening!
Shown above: Louisa (La Passion Voutte), Marisa (Mindfully Glam), Tamara (The Thrifty Apartment), Ketti (Tilted Map) and me! When you get a chance, be sure to check out their blogs!
Shopping Finds to Wrap Up November:
As we transition from November to December, here are some finds…
For holiday entertaining, how cute is this cheese board?! (For a special touch, you can have it monogrammed!)
To add some cozy ambiance to your home, these cute pine cone candles are perfect for Christmas! (And could be enjoyed throughout the winter season!)
If you want to add a touch of plaid this holiday season, this black watch plaid tissue box is adorable!
For more late November/early December inspiration, here are some ideas from around the internet:
Decorating, DIY projects etc…
- Since there’s still time for a Christmas DIY, try making faux sugar coated fruit!
- For beautiful Christmas stocking inspiration, see these creative ideas!
- If you love the cottage look, you’ll enjoy this charming Christmas home tour!
- Get inspired for Christmas with this gorgeous YouTube tour!
More decorating ideas to take you from November to December…
- If you have leftover cranberries from Thanksgiving, read – Holiday Decorating with Cranberries (Plus Recipes)
- Recently, I shared Plaid Christmas Tree Ideas.
- Earlier in November, I shared Kitchen Window Sill Decorations for Christmas!
What does your November recap look like?
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