A DAY IN THE LIFE.....HOLIDAY REVIEW

I don't know if I've ever mentioned it but I grew up in Chicago....Lincoln Park to be exact....so when I go back to visit my parents it is like going home....I spent the longest time there! When we go home for the holidays the Macy's windows on State Street were on the agenda this year (since the time before that we were snowed in...ok ok that's probably a smidge dramatic BUT I don't do snow driving). 

My DREAM job is to be a visual merchandiser for Macy's State Street...so I definitely appreciate all the holiday splendor! 

Look at the GORGEOUS architecture!! 

The Marshall Fields Clock - a CHICAGO ICON

Hard to see in this picture - it's a gilded deer with the antlers dripping in pearls and beads - I may replicate something like this next year!! That's the thing - I SEE INSPIRATION every where I go!!

I've never noticed this clock INSIDE Macy's

The infamous tree in the Walnut Room

 I've been to Macy's downtown several times BUT never noticed the ceilings - look at the incredible work...it looks like the ceiling of a church....the craftsmanship of days gone by is so inspiring. The ceiling is Tiffany Glass made up of 1.6 million pieces of glass. This took 18 months to complete and designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany - largest Tiffany glass piece.

This year my mom went with us and it was neat to see and hear her expressions...she couldn't believe it was 8 floors. When we originally drove down there Friday (and it was a zoo, couldn't find parking, the driving made her crazy - and she was the passenger BUT the minute we stepped inside Macy's she says "I could do this..."). Macy's AKA Marshall Fields to us Chicagoans is MAGICAL....

The kids look like naturals!!! 

FOODIE FRIDAY....Mom's Lasagna and Homemade Garlic Bread

My mom is old skool - she makes batches of sauce at once and freezes them....its a twist on my great aunt's sauce with a few additions of my moms and very different from mine. My daughter and I like my moms sauce - my son not so much (there are mushrooms, pieces of garlic and pork). She sent me home with a few packages of her sauce and I had a hankering for lasagna...My daughters boyfriend came over and my guy came by impromptu so it was a perfect family dinner. 

I was excited to use my vintage pyrex baking dish....

 Even though the box says no pre-boiling of the noodles, I still like to pre-cook them....

 I put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the pan to prevent the first layer from sticking....add a layer of noodles, sauce and grated italian cheese blend (I also like to add ricotta BUT my grocer was out). Continue to layer until your pan is full or your noodles are gone.

I baked low at 320 for 20 minutes to melt the cheese and then turned up to 360 to get that golden crispy crust....

We are a waste not family....italian beef sammies for Christmas dinner left us with 2 long loaves of bread (dad likes to BUY a lot of bread - just in case) SO I turned that left over bread into homemade garlic bread....slathered melted butter on the bread, shook on some garlic powder and himalayan sea salt and baked until golden brown.

What do YOU put in your lasagna?

THRIFTY TUESDAY

I have an affinity for collecting THINGS!! And it's funny, when I'm thrifting I seem to choose items that go together...not intentionally, but probably self consciously. When you collect what you love, it all works together. Take my table setting below for example, 95% of what you see is thrifted...and that other 5% the items were less than $5.00. 

This year I wanted a black and white buffalo check theme (harder to find than you might think...the place I had the most success was Homegoods)

 Runner - Thrifted last year AFTER seeing Love the Coopers....I adore Diane Keatons style and thought I could use this as a sash (I never did that BUT thankfully I held onto it)
Placemats - Thrifted last month @ Salvation Army
Chargers - Michaels - June 2016 - they were clearanced to 70% off so I think I paid around $9.00 for 12
**** THAT IS THE BIGGEST TIP I CAN GIVE YOU - BUY OFF SEASON***
(it does mean you have to store it and remember WHERE you put it BUT it saves SO much money)
Plates - Picked up at various thrifts over the years - when you do white it can always be mixed and matched
My entire Centerpiece is various thrifted finds....I had planned to only do black and white BUT my kitchen theme is a candy colored christmas SO I added the pops of green and LOVED it. This year I layered, layered and when I thought I was done - added another layer!!

These gold glitter coasters were .75 for a pack of 12 at walmart a couple years ago after New YEars Eve...I picked them up because they were gold and GLITTER!!! The 6 pack of napkin rings were $2.00 at Marshalls and as I mentioned the place mats were thrifted and .69 / each

I'd LOVE to see your table decor for the holidays!!! Getting inspiration from fellow bloggers is always fun!! Leave me a comment with your link so I can see how you decorate!