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 from 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 — 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 🙂

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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 jalapeño 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 décor cycle. Part of the reason for this might be that turkeys aren’t particularly “cute” 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 décor 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, $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