throw pillow refresh.

A couple weeks ago I decided that I was tired of the throw pillows in my living room and that it was time for a refresh. Pillow covers can range from super cheap to incredibly expensive. Because I like to change mine out every couple years, I try to seek out a good bargain and wanted to share what I found.

As I’ve mentioned on this blog before, I’ve been really inspired by kilim style textiles that have recently come back en vogue. I wanted at least one of the pillow covers to be a kilim textile, but, they can be incredibly expensive. Last year I purchased a vintage area rug on Etsy and so I was aware of their vast inventory of vintage goods. I took my search to Etsy once again and was not disappointed. After scrolling through many options, I settled on a 20×20 inch Turkish Kilim pillow fromΒ orcunshop. The price was very reasonable ($40) and the shipping was incredibly fast.

Because the Etsy cover was fairly ornate, I though the second pillow should probably feel a bit more neutral and understated. Last year H&M launched a home decor line and I’ve been really impressed by their overall aesthetic β€” plus their products are always extremely affordable. The pillow I bought their doesn’t appear to be on their website (perhaps it’s an in-store only item?) but it was very reasonably priced at $17.00.

I’ve shared a couple photos of both pillows below. If you’re ever looking for an affordable throw pillow refresh, Etsy and H&M are highly recommended resources πŸ™‚

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turkey day decor from around the web.

This year marks only the second time I’ve been tasked with contributing something to my family’s Thanksgiving dinner. Following the success* of last year’s pumpkin dinner rolls, I thought I’d stick with the festive breads category but wanted to try something new.

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*note: success = edible, instagramable.

A couple weeks ago I did a little research for festive Thanksgiving bread/rolls and came across this jalapeΓ±o cornbread recipe by the most talented person alive, Martha Stewart. You can definitely make this recipe in any regular baking pan but because I happen to care as much (or more) about the presentation as the food itself, I knew I needed these Turkey molds. Unfortunately these are no longer available as part of Martha’s line at Macys BUT after a little perusing of the comments section, I found that you can now buy the same pans at William Sonoma!

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I will be baking turkey-shaped cakes all year-round long to justify this purchase.

One thing that attracted me to this mold was that it felt unexpected in a kind of funny way. Sandwiched between Halloween and Christmas, I think Thanksgiving gets a little left out of the dΓ©cor cycle. Part of the reason for this might be that turkeys aren’t particularly β€œcute” in the way that pumpkins or snowflakes or ornaments can be. I work in an area of Massachusetts where wild turkeys can often be seen roaming around in packs and yeah.. not the most beautiful creatures.

I decided to spend a little time looking around on some of my favorite home dΓ©cor sites and see what was out there in terms of turkey-specific items that you’d actually want to put in your house. I was able to find a handful of items that I think are pretty cute. Enjoy!

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Turkey Pheasant Wreath
One Kings Lane, $95.00 – $195.00


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Turkey Napkin Ring
Crate&Barrel, $4.95/each


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Turkey Napkins
Wayfair, $29.00


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Maple Turkey Carving Board
Crate&Barrel,Β $24.47


 

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Turkey Salt & Pepper Shaker Set
Wayfair,
$25.95



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Turkey Napkins
Crate&Barrel, $6.95/each


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Turkey Platter
Wayfair, $30.99


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Block Print Turkey Towel
AllModern, $15.95


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*I’m not actually sure if I think this last one is cute or just strange but here it is anyway:
Trot Turkey Candle Holder
CB2, $12.95