Santa let's keep it simple! ... A Kate Spade clutch!

Poor Santa!  SO  many lists and so many expectations, I don't know how he does it!  In the true spirit of Christmas, I have decided to go easy on Santa Claus this year and keep my wish list to one thing:

THE KATE SPADE PRIDE  & PREJUDICE CLUTCH!  

I love classic books and I love purses and I love Kate Spade.  When you have all of these worlds collide, this is the result:

Source:  hiphipgingin.com

 Seriously?  Kate Spade is doing this with all great literary classics and I am IN LOVE with this concept!  But THIS is my all time favorite book and I absolutely have to figure out a way to get one of these!

PRICE???  $325!  Yes $325 smackeroonies!  Ouch - it even hurts to type that but alas that is the dilemma which I am in.  Will I get one?  Sadly, no.  I will have to live vicariously through other bloggers and fellow Austen-ites who have had the privilege of acquiring one of these little beauties.

I guess if I had to choose between this clutch and tile for my bathroom, tile wins.  How tragic is that?  :-)

Disney's Prep & Landing on DVD today! Yay!

Just wanted to give you a heads up that TODAY is the day Prep & Landing comes out on DVD.  This is a lesser known holiday special which has developed a HUGE cult following.  Even Hallmark has come out with an entire gift line of accessories and fun stuff.

If you have not seen this short movie, DO!  It is a total riot and basically deals with two hilarious elves who have the job of going into each house to prepare it for Santa's arrival.  They have sparkle dust for mean doggies, etc.

Also coming out today is Beauty and the Beast Enchanted Christmas on Blu-Ray and there is a $3 off coupon out there if you Google it!

Happy Holidays!

I'm Thankful for Thanksgiving!

I LOVE Thanksgiving!  I also love the days leading up to Turkey Day.  There is an air of excitement and a smattering of Christmas trees and lights begin to appear in my neighborhood.  

MACY'S Parade turkey float!  Classic!

Source:  Vintage-Everyday blogspot

I love that the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is such a mainstay in peoples' homes on Thanksgiving morning that it is a tradition in and of itself.  Even though it is rooted to a retail store, it is a time honored American tradition!  I love that this institution has endured for so many years!  

LOVE the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special!

When I was in college, the week before everyone left for Thanksgiving break, we had a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving feast!  We had root beer, jelly beans, popcorn, buttered toast, and pretzel sticks!  It was a total riot and I love that TV special still to this day!  

There are so many things to love about Thanksgiving.  I love the parades, the way the entire country seems to sit back, relax and just enjoy family and friends.  FOOD!  Charlie Brown Thanksgiving!  Holiday sale papers.  Snow flurries.  

I love to watch the Miracle on 34th Street because it celebrates both Thanksgiving and Christmas!  And I ONLY watch the black and white version - NEVER COLORIZED!  (shudder).

One thing I have come to hate about Thanksgiving is BLACK FRIDAY!  Don't get me wrong - I used to set my alarm for 4:30 when Target would open at 5 am with door-busters.  It was actually a lot of fun grabbing a cup of cocoa throwing on the tacky holiday sweater and you could definitely save some serious money.  But NOW - it has become bigger than the holiday itself and I hate that.  It was funny to see shoppers camping out in tents but when people started to get trampled to death or shot at because a sale was more important than helping up a poor innocent person, Black Friday just isn't the same for me.   

Source:  beatthetraffic

So I am vowing to have a good old-fashioned Thanksgiving holiday this year.  Morning Mass, a road trip with Christmas carols and trivia along the way.  A traditional holiday feast followed by the always interesting family game challenge with everything from dominoes to Wii to Scattergories. 

And when everyone is jumping into their cars to brave the crowds and crabbiness for those sweet doorbusters, I will be laying my head down for a long winter's nap whilst visions of sugar plums dance in my head.  And while I will be missing the infamous BUY ONE GET ONE FREE foot massagers or the Kay Jewelers teddy bear with the purchase of Jane Seymour's open heart pedant.... I think I'll survive.  :-)  

On behalf of General Splendour, I wish all of you a very blessed and most beautiful Thanksgiving weekend!  Have fun decking them halls!  

Happy 1st Birthday to my blog! 10 things I've learned...

Wow it is hard to believe an entire year has gone by since I decided to launch GENERAL SPLENDOUR!

I had another blog called Whip Cream & Sprinkles but it just wasn't what I hoping it would be.  Then I was watching Pride & Prejudice and Keira Knightley says, "I was just admiring the general splendour".  A lightbulb went off and knew I had found the name especially since it was tied to Jane Austen who has always been my literature of choice.  PERFECT!   I feel the world "general"  exemplifies how so much of our lives is basic, required and normal and yet splendour can apply to home furnishings, love, laughter, passion, tears, and everything that is our lives.

I am still very green to blogging and to look at my blog I don't even like the look of it very much.  I think as I enter into year two I am going to give it a re-model.  And I have to get a button!  I have button envy with so many of you.

Ten things I have learned in my 365 day trip to Blog World:

10.  Linky parties are the BOMB!  It is so fun to share and see so many amazing ideas all in one place!

 9.  Just because you post it doesn't mean someone is going to read it!  :-)  And just because no one comments doesn't mean your post is dumb or that your blog is weak.  Right?  LOL!

 8.  Read twice - post once!  How many times have I gone back to read a post and was like "seriously,  what was I thinking?!?"  That was really dumb Tray.  :-)

 7.  Posts you think will be popular not always are and posts you think are boring get tons of views!

 6.  PINTEREST and blogging make the best of friends!

 5.  Give credit where credit is due.  I always try to source and credit pictures and ideas and I have learned not everyone returns the favor.  But I'm am sure I miss sometimes and I am sure others do asw well.  So it's ok.

 4.  Negative or not nice comments are NOT a personal attack on me as a person.  Everyone has the right  to their own opinion and I have to learn to not take them to heart.  :-)

 3.  I have made such wonderful virtual friends who somehow know more about me as a person than REAL people in my life and I think that is WONDERFUL!

2.  Learn from the best!  There are so many blogs I try to read everyday and I learn something new every time I visit one.  I am so impressed by so many of you - your blogs are AMAZING!

1.  Your blog totally becomes a part of you.  How many times do I see something or try something new and I can't wait to share it!  General Splendour has added so much General Splendour to my life!

Whether you are a follower or just stopped in one time for a look at a picture or idea, you are part of my first year and all the lessons learned.   I am so excited for my second year to begin!  THANK YOU!  Have a lovely day!  :-)

Breakfast with Kate Spade!

Cutest Mittens EVER!

It a rainy, raw day here in Chicago so I am having hot cocoa and cinnamon rolls for breakfast (my oncologist would not be happy).  I found some awesome KATE SPADE items I simply had to share!  I hope Santa reads this!!!.  :-)

"Place Snowball Here"

I live in the suburbs but these are A DOR ABLE!

LOVE LOVE LOVE

A SILVER BOW - PERFECTLY PERFECT!

So elegant for a shopping day downtown.  LOVE the red!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!

You don't even have to wrap it - I will wear it home and never take it off!

C*U*T*E!

LOOKS SO ICY - I love it!

SERIOUSLY - I am crying right now!  

Let it snow - NOW!

I MUST FIND THIS SKIRT!  

LOVE me some houndstooth!  And a BOW!

Pottery Barn Holiday Notables!

I am not one of those crazy obsessed fans of Pottery Barn (you know who you are) and yet every time the catalog comes in the mail, I am eager to see what new and exciting trends the pages will hold!   I would LOVE to live the PB life and have a perfect entryway that looks like this, but I guess a smattering of PB items in my home will have to suffice.

Looking through the holiday catalog today, I found some pretty interesting items which I simply wanted to point out.  Of course, the one thing I absolutely LOVED are no longer available!  SERIOUSLY!

They are called the Carved Architectural Chargers (56-4032009) and are STUNNING!  Why buy beautiful holiday china if you can simply accentuate your table with chargers and dessert plates?  That is my humble opinion.  So I found these and was like HELLO!  Here is the only pic I could find:

Next I found this jeweled wreath to be somewhat intriguing!  It looks like a ring of old snowflake brooches and it is SO pretty.  I think this placed on top of another wreath for contrast would be SO pretty!  Comes in 13" or 16.5"

My favorite this is something I had never seen before.  Glass Jewelry Cloches!  My new love!  And they are BACKORDERED!  Of course they are - why wouldn't they be?  :-)

They are little covered jars for your jewelry!  I'm dying they are so precious!  I LOVE the bracelet/watch cloche and it sells for $49.  AND - you can add your monogram (for an additional charge of course)!

And last but not least, we need to mention the PILLOWS!  I would have to say Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma Home are TIED in the competition of BEST PILLOWS EVER!  This year, PB did not disappoint.  Firstly, and making a return visit for 2011, is the pom pom Santa pillow.  I keep vowing to make this out of red felt and jingle bells but have yet to do it!   Isn't it the cutest thing ever??
Here are a few more of the holiday collection.  SO CUTE!

Love that this can stay out all winter!

Made for outdoors!  

So pretty - deers in the snow!

Make from vintage prints.  Cute!

Jeweled snowflake pillow.  Pretty!

White Velvet!  Doesn't this just make you want to get a big cup of cocoa and watch White Christmas?

Oh and lest we forget the boxwood garlands?   Gor-geous-o!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!  

Crystal lamp makeover - from brassy to sassy! :-)

I must turn this lamp on and off ten times per week and I never really paid attention to it.  So, when I found this awesome lamp shade for only $10, I had to buy it even though I had absolutely no idea where I was going to use it.

Then I tried it on this brass lamp and it fit perfectly and gave new life to a somewhat dated light.  I disassembled it and gave it a quick silver spray and here is the result.   From start to finish I think it took about 30 minutes.  Sweet!

NOVEMBER! Goodbye spooks - Hello Holidays!

I love November!  It never ceases to amaze me how we can be so focused on Halloween and ghost and goblins only to wake up the next morning and it is the holiday season!  HOW EXCITING!  I can already hear Andy Williams crooning, "It's the most wonderful time of the year"!

My sister HATES Halloween as she gets so spooked and scared and so at Midnight, she will always call me and scream, "Happy Holidays" into the phone because October 31st is now November 1 and the holiday season has arrived.  It always makes me laugh.

The two months are in such stark contrast that waking up on November 1st always reminded me of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz opening the door from black and white to color.  I am a huge fan of Thanksgiving and I think it gets a bum rap being squeezed out by big old Christmas.  But the holiday season is upon us and I couldn't be more excited!