Summer•2017•Okinawa

by Jessica // September 2, 2017 // No Comments

Hello, friends and family! We made it back to Okinawa after spending the summer back in the states. We had a wonderful time in Alabama and South Carolina with our wonderful family and friends.

The kids started fifth and sixth grade on Monday, so we’re adjusting and getting back into our little groove. I just wanted to share a few pictures from last week and this weekend. We got out and enjoyed Naha and a park near the house. Hope you all have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

XO,

Jessica

The first day of fifth grade!And Sixth Grade!

The summer of dabbing!

Ava puppy shopping.

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Spring Break In Tokyo

by Jessica // May 11, 2016 // No Comments

Hello, friends and family, I hope you are all well and enjoying this lovely spring weather, though it already seems like summer here in Okinawa. This post is from the first few days of our trip to Tokyo, over spring break. It was our first time visiting and we were excited to check it out. Hope you enjoy the pictures, I will share the rest of the trip with you in another post.

The Tsukiji Fish Market was our first destination. It’s said to be the largest fish market in the world. The market opens at around 4 AM, if you get there early enough they give out tickets to the first hundred who want to watch the tuna auctions. These fish can go for the price of small car, we didn’t make it that early. It was still a site to see all the different vendors selling any and everything related to seafood and the preparation.

The freshest of sushi prepared in front of you.

A happy customer.

I saw this gentleman on Pinterest when I was researching our trip. He was so cute and had to be approaching his 90’s, he appears to be leaning over the stove, but he had severe kyphosis. There was a nice crowd around his kitchen, I’m sure his ramen was delicious.

This soup looked and smelled amazing, and from the look of the long line waiting I’m sure it was.

These are large rice rolls usually mixed with a type of meat, often Spam, and then wrapped in seaweed.

Ava and I tried these, they looked and smelled so yummy.

Seaweed and Seasonings

Crowded side streets near the fish market.

Chocolate teeth and all, makes for perfect ending to a fun day at Tsukiji Fish Market. Definitely worth a trip, if you’re in town for a few days check it out.

These trees were loaded with blooms, when the wind blew it looked like snow.

The park had groups of businessmen and women taking their lunch break. We had a picnic and soaked in the view.

These ladies were taking care of the gardens at the park, all decked out in their aprons and hats.

Beautiful pink dogwoods reminded me of home.

The azaleas were also in bloom.

Burning some energy after our picnic.

Daddy’s girl!

We were fortunate to experience the cherry trees in full bloom, they were so beautiful. Hope enjoyed the pictures, more coming soon, just too many to post at once. Enjoy the rest of your week.

Take Care,

Jessica

Simple, Timeless Christmas Decor

by Jessica // December 13, 2015 // No Comments

Hello friends and family, I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season! We’re less than two weeks away from the big day and I want to share with you a few of my favorite Christmas decor finds, all easy and affordable. Let me know what you think or share some of your favorites with me. Click the pictures for links.

Inspiring Holiday Tablescapes with Floral Designer Natalie Bowen

My favorite by far is this inspiring Holiday Tablescape by Floral Designer Natalie Bowen. I love the black and white table linens mixed with the reds and greens.

This is a timeless look that is easy to achieve. Here they have used olive branches, but any greenery you have on hand would work. Mix the greenery with various size candles and a simple table runner, makes for an elegant table setting. Source apartment therapy.com.

Another beautiful option using candles, greenery, and red berries. What really grabbed my attention are the napkins, so fun and a unique twist to this timeless look.

Here’s a completely different look, it’s a look that would work for any time of the year. Gold finishes are the current trend, mix it with the black and white table linens and greenery for a very formal, elegant dinner party.

This is a creative way to use succulents for your centerpiece, it looks gorgeous mixed with the gold, black, and white. This centerpiece is great for your table year round with very little maintenance.

It doesn’t get any more simple than this timeless look. This would look great on an entryway table, mantle, or your dinning table. Use varying size vases and tree trimmings to add more interest. If you don’t have a live tree like us on the island any greenery will work.

A fun twist is to also add ornaments, and this is also a great option for small living spaces where a tree may not be an option.

If you have extra ornaments or special ones, this is a great way to display them out of reach of the little hands.

Paper whites and red ribbons are a beautiful combo. Source www.theartoftheroom.com.

Cute door ideas, perfect way to greet your friends and family for the holiday season.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures and are inspired to try one of the looks.

Thank-you all for checking out my blog and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your friends!

Jessica

Thanksgiving Table

by Jessica // November 18, 2014 // No Comments

Hello friends, Thanksgiving is fast approaching and it’s time to start thinking about setting your table for family and friends, which can often be a daunting task. I like the simple, timeless approach, try to avoid buying trendy items that you may look back and say, “What was I thinking?”

This season there are many affordable options, depending where you live and what you have access to. I’ve seen beautiful arrangements this season using cotton, pheasant feathers, wheat, just to name a few. The colors I’m loving this fall are plum and burgundy, an easy option is always fruit and fall foliage.

Click the pictures below for the link and more info.

via www.boho-weddings.com This is the color scheme my pick this fall, check out more amazing pics. on Boho-weddings.com.

via www.weddingchicks.com How beautiful is this linen napkin, pheasant feather, and brass napkin ring combination?

via www.blog.birdsparty.com More of the beautiful plum color, mixed with magnolia leaves and persimmons.

via www.vignettedesign.net Beautiful color combination.

via www.bridalguide.com This is a beautiful combination with the pine cones, pomegranates, and orchids.

via www.blog.xoxobride.com Another simple, yet beautiful option for using pomegranates.

via www.stylemepretty.com This is another amazing arrangement, if you have access to fresh cut cotton.

via www.findinghomeonline.com Black and white gingham, striped tea towel, and a small twig of lavender.

via www.potterybarn.com These lovely ikat napkins would be perfect on any Thanksgiving table, priced at $16.00 for a set of four.

via www.pinterest.com Accorns and lavender.

via www.intimateweddings.com Another great look if you have access to fresh-cut wheat.

via www.southernliving.com Fall foliage and miniature pumpkins, pop against the white table linens and dinnerware.

via www.hgtv.com This is a great idea for your guests or kiddos, write what your thankful, a beautiful keepsake.

via www.eastcoastcreativeblog.com Lovely craft idea for the kiddos, also another option for guests to share what they are thankful for.

via www.eastcoastcreativeblog.com Creative artwork idea for the kiddos, using dry magnolia leaves.

Hope you’ve enjoyed taking a look at a few of my favorite picks for our Thanksgiving table and it’s helped get the creative juices flowing.

Thank-you for reading my blog! Don’t forget to subscribe and share with your friends.

Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!

Jessica

Give Your Porch Spook-Tastic Flair for Halloween

by Jessica // September 24, 2014 // No Comments

It’s finally fall, my favorite time of the year. I love that the weather is cooling off, the Halloween carnivals and festivals, football games, pumpkin patches, and last but not least decorating my home for the fall season. The decorative options for a pumpkin or two are endless, I’ve found a few of my favorites and I hope they inspire you to start decorating too. The pictures below have clickable links to the source for more information.

via www.bhg.com Love the look of this look, it’s simple, affordable and will look great through the Thanksgiving holiday.

via www.bhg.com With this arrangement stabilize the bottom pumpkin with rocks or sand; stack the pumpkins from largest to smallest, leaving lids with stems off on all but the top pumpkin.

via www.bhg.com If you’re into carving your pumpkins, this is a cute idea with sunflower seeds.

via www.southernliving.com To create this topiary, sandwich bay wreaths between pumpkins stacked in concrete urns, and top with a small pumpkin.

via www.pinterest.com This raven wreath is so simple, I would have never thought of something like this! The ravens you can find at just about any store that sells Halloween decor. The foam wreath is just painted or wrapped in a black ribbon.

via www.thegatheringplacedesign.blogspot.com This wreath is a great fall decor option to get you through the Thanksgiving holiday season and simple to make.

via www.susieharrisblog.com Check out Susie’s blog for step-by-step instructions on how to make these lovely fall wreaths.

www.bhg.com Love the color combination of this one.

via www.marthastewart.com This is a great alternative for the front door if you are going to be away with your own trick-or-treaters. I have actually done this the past few years, very easy and looks great.

via www.thistlewoodfarms.com

via www.marthastewart.com

via www.countryliving.com Another creative idea for your fall decor, a little metallic spray paint to add a nontraditional twist to your pumpkins.

via www.goodhousekeeping.com Carrying on with the raven theme, this makes a dramatic statement, sure to spook your little trick-or-treaters.

via www.marthastewart.com This one is a little more simple, but still very cute.

www.southernliving.com

via www.bhg.com The door decorations made from painted gourds are sure to catch the eye and chill the heart in the dark.

via www.potterybarn.com

via www.marthastewart.com This one is simply a large shredded garbage bag(the thin cheaper bags work best), I have also done this the past two years and looks great. It does tend to get very tangled, if you live in a windy area you may want to wait until a day or two before the trick-or-treaters arrive.

via www.bhg.com Easy to pose and secure with nearly invisible fishing line, the plastic skeletons can withstand the weather and hang out the entire season.

via www.bhg.com These spooky silhouettes are simply traced onto black paper or poster with a light placed behind. This is a project the kiddos can definitely help with.

Hope you have enjoyed this post and it has inspired you to get decorating for Halloween.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and please share with your friends. If you have recently subscribed and haven’t received email notifications please subscribe again, I’m still trying to iron out a few glitches. Have a great day!

Jessica