Holiday Cheer!

Holiday Cheer & Charm.

Greetings friends!! This Monday feels particularly momentous because Channuka starts this week and Christmas (including the lovely vacation time that accompanies it) is officially NEXT WEEK! Talk about a reason for holiday cheer!! Here to help you prepare for the holidays are some seasonal eats, treats and crafts I've spotted around the web. Happy (almost) Holidays!

I love this simple and seasonal placeholder which even the less Martha Stewart inclined can definitely pull off! Pin it HERE, full instructions HERE (as well as some other unique place card holder ideas.) 

If Channuka is your holiday, fret not, I've got a simple and sweet centerpiece for you too! These white roses surrounded by golden gelt are the perfect decor idea for serving up your latkes in style. Pin it HERE, (super easy) full instructions HERE. 

What a festive and simple way to bring some snowman cheer to your Christmas tree decor!

As long as we're talking about snowmen... So easy, so cute. Now you just have to hope there aren't any serious Olaf lovers at your dessert table!! Pin it HERE, full instructions (and some other pre-school aged holiday crafts) HERE.

Pomegranate seeds are one of my favorite fall/winter seasonal treats and combining them with cheese clearly takes my love affair to the next level. Add some tasty honey and a cute serving dish and you'll have the holiday appetizer game in the bag. Pin it HERE, full recipe HERE.

Gobble Gobble

Can you guys believe that next week is Thanksgiving? I literally cannot wrap my head around how quickly yet another month has passed us by! It feels like just yesterday I was bemoaning the end of August and 10 seconds ago I was picking out a Halloween costume... whoa. Thankfully, because my dining room table ("dining room" used interchangeably with "only food-eating-height" table) seats just four people, it is not my responsibility to host Turkey Day. I am one of the lucky ones that gets to sleep in, watch the parade on tv and then show up with a bottle of wine in hand and eat until I pass out on my cousin's couch (#murica) But this complete lack of responsibility hasn't stopped me from collecting a TON of awesome Thanksgiving recipes and ideas from around the web for all of you to enjoy... 

So, with 1 weekend left to shop, here's everything you need to be declared Queen of the Pilgrims at your Thanksgiving Feast.

Even though people love their classic Thanksgiving side dishes, if you think your crew is willing to live on the wild side (literally hehe), these 12 Classic Thanksgiving Sides with a Twist like Buttermilk Biscuit Stuffing, Fully Loaded Smashed Potatoes and Sriracha Green Beans with Candied Bacon (good lawd YES!) are sure to be a hit.

If you are ready to channel your inner baking Goddess this Thanksgiving, these Sweet Potato Pumpkin Rolls with adorable little "gratitude scrolls" inside are for you! The recipe sounds absolutely delicious, the finished product looks wonderful and when guests crack open their rolls to find a little parchment paper note of gratitude (or some other message... know your audience:) inside, everyone will be blown away by your craftiness for sure!

Nothing welcomes guests like a home that smells of holiday sweetness. Whip up some of this Thanksgiving Stovetop Potpourri if you've got a stovetop burner to spare next Thursday!

Holiday eating doesn't have to be horrible for your waist line to be delicious (they claim) which is why I was excited to stumble upon this collection of Ten Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes including that delicious looking Farro, Cranberry and Goat Cheese Salad or maybe a Pumpkin Cheesecake Bite is more your "healthy" style!?

Thanksgiving inspires a lot of great crafting ideas, from the food, to the colors to the theme of thankfulness. Click HERE for an awesome list of "Best Ever Thanksgiving DIYs" from Style Me Pretty Living (my personal favorites are the leftover pie slice printables and the gourd candles (above)) and click HERE for 30 table-decor specific ideas. 

Finally, pick one of the many takes on Turkey Cupcakes and wow your guests with an easy to make dessert that will be (almost) too adorable to eat. Options HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.

Hump Day Distractions

Wooooo Wednesday!

Hey hey hump day, welcome to my week! I woke up feeling like a minimum of 3 more hours sleep was required, but then I got my ass to Soul Cycle and it's like hey! maybe those exercise will make you happy folks are on to something (or maybe it's just the post-spin large iced coffee talking?) Either way I'm up and at em and in a great mood because tonight my fam is getting together for dinner to celebrate my Dad's birthday. My Dad is pretty awesome so celebrating him makes me smiley:) Happy Birthday Dad!!! And for the rest of you, get over the hump with some of this good stuff:

* Cronut inventor Dominique Ansel is at it again, but this time he's using milk and cookies!

* Would you, could you, make out with a stranger (on film!!)?

* Just signed up for THIS cool delivery-turned-healthy(er) site and can't wait to see how it works!

* The view from the top.

* When we look back on his two terms as President, it's possible THIS interview will be Barack Obama's greatest achievement (it's seriously laugh out loud funny, I highly recommend!)

* I'd started to suspect as much, but this deposition proves that Justin Bieber really is a spoiled little sh*t. doh!

* After recently being served roasted garlic instead of butter with my bread at an Italian restaurant and freakin LOVING it, I was excited to stumble upon this recipe.

* Don't worry. I do. 

* What a lovely and easy way to create candle light decor for your dinner!

* These moving pictures are pretty freakin cool!

* Reading THIS will change some of your favorite songs forever.

31 Days of Halloween

Indeed.

October has arrived, my first batch of beloved candy corn has been purchased (and consumed) and my Pinterest feed is bursting with seasonal inspiration... Halloween, my friends, is nearly here!! Which got me to thinking - you peeps seem to LOVE all things autumn and Halloweeny just as much as I do, so why should Christmas be the only holiday with a whole month-long calendar's worth of fun!? Today Seek to be Merry is officially kicking off the 31 days of Halloween, a month-long orange, black, costumed and pumpkin spiced celebration of my most favorite holiday (July 4th is a close second:) Each day, in addition to my regular posting, I will share a seasonal goody with you, everything from decor ideas to recipes and costume inspiration. It will be boo-tiful:) And since today is technically the 3rd day of 31, no tricks, just 3 treats to kick off our month!!! 

Trick or Treat!!

Since your front door plays such an important part in all the Halloween festivities, why not get it dolled up for the occasion!? Last year I suggested THIS mummified version, but if something a bit more monstrous is your preference, here's how to get the look courtesy of Parents.com.

Snap, crackle, boo!!!

A seasonal sweet treat that's beyond easy to make in bulk? Yes please! These pumpkin rice krispie treats (with tootsie roll stems!) via Food, Family and Friends are perfect for Halloween parties of all ages and will be sure to score smiles.

Everything's coming up roses!

How awesomely adorable is this costume?! Ladies, 1 quick trip to your local craft store (and possibly also home depot for the plastic planter) and you're ready to go. All you have to do is cut out the bottom of a large plastic pot, affix two thick straps (I'd use a staple gun and something rubbery and durable like a theraband) and go crazy with the fake flowers and glue gun. Add a floral hairband for an extra ounce of awesome!

For the Kiddos

Tiny & Sweet

It's been a while since my last "For the Kiddos" post (HERE), so I'm excited to share some of the latest awesome, adorable and miniature(!) goodies I've collected around the web!! From clothing and gifts for new mamas to nursery decor, here's a merry meri dose of kiddo excellence for you.

Rock the ridiculous leggings

With cooler temps comes a chance to rock some of the coolest leggings! We adults may not be able to get away with mustached legs or rows of animals, but our favorite little ones certainly can. Check out the awesome mustache pair above from Seed Heritage HERE and find the adorable animal print (and so many other hipster baby prints like THIS and adorable apparel items like THIS) from Fable Baby HERE. 

Nothing cuter than babies in bathrobes

Perfect as a gift (totally unisex!) or for the little cutie you get to share bath time with each night, this hippo robe is sure to be a hit every time it gets put on. Super affordable via Overstock.com, get your Hippo HERE, or the equally adorable shark HERE.

Beary good breakfast idea!

So simple. So freaking cute.

Makes saying goodbye more fun!!

Never met a little kid that didn't love a silly rhyme.

Insta-cute

I can't think of a better way to kid-ify a room than with wall decals. Quirky, cute and completely not permanent, you can indulge your daughter's love of pink hearts or your son's obsession with space ships without worrying about the cost of re-doing the room when they grow out of it. Check out the awesome collection from Ferm Living HERE (I'd even consider those dots and triangles for quirky adult decor!)

Simple & Sweet.

And since it can't all be about the bambinos, how about this beautiful bracelet for mom? A recent awesome Etsy find, shopLUCA will personalize each bracelet in tiny font with the new baby's name and birth date. Dainty and sweet, these bracelets are the perfect way to add some pretty to a new mom's day and remind her of her bundle of joy!

That's a Decor-able Idea!

So simple. So googly & great.

Sometimes when the summer heat rages on (see: 91 degrees in midtown Manhattan) we have no choice but to hide in the air conditioning (1) browsing Pinterest and (2) making some of the goodies found on said Pinterest. I know from "it's too damn hot I'll just stay at my desk" lunch break experience. And since Pinterest can be a real rabbit hole of distraction, I thought I'd share some of my carefully curated home decor finds from lately (plus those googly eye cups, because I think we all need more googly eyes in our lives). 

Take a (stylish) seat

File this one under "dammit, why didn't I think of that?!" Considering the drab fabric and color options typically available, how great do these spruced up folding chairs look!? Click HERE for step by step instructions for turning your dull folding chairs into something you'll be proud to pull out when company comes over. (Click HERE for Pinterest)

Take a look, it's in your book!

Say goodbye to that hideous blinking wireless router lurking in the corner of your living room. HERE is a simple and whimsical way to mask your gadget and look bookworm chic while doing it!

Upside down is the new right side up!

This one's an actual forehead slapper. Save big bucks on a side table by flipping a trash can upside down. Be sure that the bottom is smooth and the top is flat before embarking on this craft-astic journey, but once you find the perfect can (THIS or maybe THIS?) use spray paint for a pop of color and prepare to brag about your brilliance!!

All that's missing is a colorful cocktail!

Want cheap coasters in patterns that pop!? No problemo for even the most amateur of  crafters with this simple DIY. Head to Home Depot/Lowes to purchase 4" x 4" tiles ($.48 Home Depot) and then Michaels for 4" x 4" scrapbook paper squares (or cut your own). Adhere the paper to tile with Mod Podge and let dry. To finish, spray a coat of clear spray paint and let sit for 24 hours. Attach felt pads (like these) to the bottoms (to avoid table scratches) and voila!! 

Hump Day Distractions

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

...what do we do? We swim, swim, swim! All the way to Friday right!? Another weekly grind, another hearty serving of Hump Day Distractions for your clicking pleasure. PLUS, there's something new and totally freaking awesome coming to the blog tomorrow, so get excited and until then, distract yourself here: 

* THIS Mom totally rocks my socks off.

* 12 hours in ______. (everything you need to know)

* As if being an astronaut wasn't awesome enough, THIS dude is taking space travel to the next level of cool.

* Game on breakfast.

* For your favorite "Face Farmer" and his offspring (bookmarked for an eventual lil merry kiddo of course).

* Don't let your desk job drag your fitness routine down!

* If I ever have to leave NYC, at least I will know where to go.

* I am a size 7.5 and my birthday is in July. Who's buying?

* Thanks to Sis for sending this dance-tastic routine my way.

* Townhouse perfection.

* The world is such an incredibly beautiful place.

* This one has made the rounds, but just in case you missed it, these parents are my heroes.

* I'd like to think that Dr. H and I would handle THIS the exact same way (but we'd be singing Journey of course!)

The art of book-shelving

Carefully curated.

When I was unpacking from our move and setting up the new apartment, I noticed something funny.  As I emptied boxes of books and placed them on various shelves, I was carefully selecting which ones got primo exposure in the living room versus those which were relegated to the bedroom. Law school text books? Hide them, hide them now! Travel books, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Stewart/Colbert publications? Front and center baby. Without realizing it, I was creating a conversation piece, a snapshot of my interests and tastes through a carefully curated selection of books. It’s not that some books I own are “good” for display and others “bad” or embarrassing (I am proud of my Mr. Met book!), it's just that this collection, taken together, says some...thing, about ME. In my living room, everything from Fodor's and fiction to Jane Austin and Chuck Klosterman made the cut until I had created shelves which seemed to portray a perfect representation of my personality.

Brings new meaning to "reading rainbow"!

I think you can tell a lot about a person based on their bookshelves. I’ve seen organization by author and topic, years of saved magazine issues and even one “sort by spine color” collection. The books, their arrangement and even their mere presence as décor, tells you a story. What does your bookshelf say about you?

 

Live large, spend small

New home = blank canvas (Disclaimer: Not my apt:)

As most of you know, Dr. H and I recently relocated to a new apartment in Greenwich Village. Expanding by approximately 200 square feet and moving to one of Manhattan's most beloved neighborhoods, we, like so many other New Yorkers, are living at the tip top of our housing cost comfort zone (and consider it worth every penny!) The trade off however, is that when it came time to upgrade our Ikea/college dorm/parent hand-me-down furniture collection, sticking to a budget was an absolute necessity. Though I dream of a day when the "perfect piece" is more important than the "perfect price", today is not that day. Since I love to share all that's good and merry in my life, here are some of my decor shopping success stories. We managed to find awesome new furniture from both expected and unexpected places (online and in person) and who doesn't love a good deal!?

* World Market - www.worldmarket.com

Because no one wants to break the bank on decor "accessories"

Dr. H and I decided that we were going to keep our 2 couches, but spruce up the living room with new pillows, carpet, accent chairs and a throw (to freshen up our fading love seat). Worldmarket was the PERFECT website for decor accessories with quality not at all sacrificed for affordability. Their furniture also gets great reviews.

* Target.com

Who knew Target.com was this chic!?

I am a big fan of Target (or "Tar-sh`e" as my Nanny calls it!) but Target.com pretty much blew my mind. The selection of furniture, particularly accent chairs, not available in stores is bananas and free shipping/returns are more common than not. Minimal assembly and high quality fabric sealed the deal on my target.com love affair

 * Rugs USA - www.rugsusa.com

Something cozy under your toesies

You know what costs a lot of money? A new carpet costs a LOT of money, so thank you Pinterest for directing me to this amazing website. RugsUSA has a huge selection of rugs at every price point, in every size, color and print you can imagine. Shipping was fast and the site's frequent sales make the shipping cost a non-issue.

* Brooklyn Flea - www.brooklynflea.com

Winter Flea

Summer flea

Dr. H and I love a good flea market (for reals, my husband will willingly peruse a flea market... how lucky am I!?) and Brooklyn Flea is a very good flea market. Outdoors in Williamsburg and Fort Greene during spring, summer and fall, now indoors at Williamsburg Savings Bank, on our most recent flea trip we discovered the incredible Joel Voisard, a furniture craftsman who made us a custom wood kitchen table and bench which we absolutely love. Since Brooklyn Flea is populated by small business owners and artisans, prices allow you to get creative, go custom and purchase something one-of-a-kind, all while staying in your budget! (Also, lots of good eats to give you energy for shopping:)

* UrbanOutfitters.com

Come into my bedroom friend!

Another awesome store that's hiding all the good stuff online! Urban's online furniture selection is as hipster-chic as their clothing and in most cases, even more fairly priced. Our fold-out loveseat (the "Anywhere Sofa") has stayed with us for 2 moves and we recently added those pretty little nightstands to our bedroom.

* Other ways to save...
I'm by no means a professional decorator, but I've got a decent eye and a crafty mind. Some more ideas I put to work:

- By repainting two of our old kitchen chairs a funky purple and re-appolstering the other two a burnt orange, I was able to get "new" chairs for my kitchen, living room and desk for under $20

- I had my heart set on a big fancy bed frame, but those prices are a serious commitment. Ultimately we found an awesome headboard at Pier1 for a fraction of the price. In the end, not having a footer on the bed gives our colorful and glamorous comforter (HERE) more room to shine

- Pictures can be art. Get creative when it comes to covering your walls by mixing artfully framed photos from your own collection with other pieces you've purchased. This personalizes your space while still keeping it classy.

Hump Day Distractions

Dancing Polar Bear = I am officially distracted. Work it bear!!

Oh hey there Wednesday! Look at you sneakin up on me thanks to a lovely 3-day weekend shortening the week! It's rainy and grey here in NYC so I've been snuggling up with tea and willing Friday to arrive. Soon enough... In the meantime, allow the distractions to commence:

* Photobombs seriously crack me up!

* I'm skeptical about the ability to preserve freshness, but maybe it's worth a try?

* Dannnnnce to the music.

* I find Google Street view to be highly entertaining (also, ridiculously helpful). Apparently, so does THIS guy.

* Hey baby-makin friends... I am going to spoil your babies with adorableness from HERE.
* THIS is a pretty great story about how a moment of honest praise turned into something much much bigger.

* Now if that isn't the most darling thing!! 100% chance you see this as decor at the next shower/kiddie/girly party I'm involved in hosting.

* My wifi network name is not nearly creative enough

F.I.T.S. of merriment

Vacationing is just faaabulous dah-ling

Merry Meri is on vacation this week so she's left you with something Funny, something Interesting, something Tasty and a Site she loves (F.I.T.S.!!) to hold you over until her triumphant return. Enjoy!

Funny: These product displays are sure to make you a repeat customer.

Interesting: I was a BIG Twitter skeptic, but Dr. H convinced me to give it a try. Though I'm still not sure I love pausing real life to talk to my online "followers" (of which I have embarrassingly few) following interesting things and people (@empirelights tells me the meaning of the Empire State Building's colors each night, @nycgo keeps me up to date on the latest and greatest in my city and @lenadunham is freakin hysterical) is definitely, as Gretchen Rubin says HERE (@gretchenrubin), a happiness booster. 

Tasty: Supposedly these are the best meatballs you'll ever have. There are a lot of ingredients (which typically I'm against due to time constraints) but for your next italian feast, it might be worth a shot! 

SiteILove: Peppermint Bliss - If I could meet 1 person whose blog I read daily, it would be Bailey from Peppermint Bliss. An interior designer/young mom/fellow Britney Spears worshipper, Bailey blogs about everything from her kickass home decor ideas to her adorable 1 year old daughter. She's hysterical, creative and inspiringly unique and I want to live in pretty much every room she designs.

I want to go to there.

Goodbye high-rise, hello pre-war!

Dr. H and I are planning to move this fall. After a two year "experiment" north of midtown, we've decided that we are, without question, "downtown people". So when our lease ends, we plan to migrate back towards our first apartment together in the Soho/Village/Tribeca-ish area. Now anyone familiar with NYC real estate knows that you cannot look for an apartment here until you are ready to sign on the dotted line (literally. Holding onto an apartment for more than 4 weeks before your lease starts is unheard of) but given my tendency to plan and our eagerness to relocate, I've been doing a bit of fantasizing...

about things like THIS...

... and THIS.

It's a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad thing to do for many reasons, but mostly because my Pinterest-lusting might be a tad larger than my budget (insert Dr. H eye roll here). So in an effort to re-direct my energy from fantasy to reality, I thought I would share some of the fantastic home DIY projects and decor ideas that I've come across in my browsing...

Calorie free cake stands for your bathroom & kitchen!

NYC apartments are notoriously short on counter space in places like bathrooms and kitchens so I will definitely be using this creative (and adorable) storage solution in the future.

Use every inch of space you have!

Our Soho apartment had a shelf above the hallway doors and it was a brilliant way to display some of our knicknacks and sports paraphernalia (we both have A LOT of sports paraphernalia!) Chic-ify the idea with a lovely corner like this one.

Wallpaper lined bookshelves

What an awesome way to jazz up those Ikea/thrift shop/flea market purchases!! I've seen this done with paint or wallpaper, in china/display type cabinets and on bookshelves. I guess if I do this I'll have to commit to not overfilling my shelves with crap!?

twinkle twinkle little star...

How awesome is that curtain!? I'm thinking it might be a perfect surprise for friends when they go to sleep in our guest bedroom (fantasizing again?) Anyyyyways, this starry night is NOT just for the babies... it can be purchased here on Etsy or if you're feeling bold, a craft store hole-punch and cheap shade (like this one) could make for some DIY magic!