Giving Thanks

"Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever..."

Psalm 106:1

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! I have so many reasons to be thankful each and every day, but this week has been particularly awesome for us. Lots of surprises, birthday celebrations (hubby's), yummy food, and many happy moments. God has been so good to us! We see His handiwork in our lives everyday. Sometimes they're big miracles and other times, it's in tons of little ways in which He shows us He's with us always. Thank you Lord for all your goodness! May all your lives be filled with similar blessings! Happy Turkey Day!

PS. Be back on Monday with tons of Christmas posts!!

image from here

Designer Quote Monday

"There is one fundamental fact about lighting: Where there is no light, there is no beauty."

Billy Baldwin

image from here (interior: Amy Lau)

Fall Centerpieces

Ideas for Thanksgiving centerpieces have been going around in my mind all week long. Should I use flowers or just some pretty golden leaves? How about pumpkins? Big ones or tiny ones? Should I incorporate other elements such as nuts, twigs or fruit? For me, this year the key word is: Simple. If you're having trouble deciding on a centerpiece, take a look a these easy arrangements and I am sure by the end of this post, you'll have some wonderful ideas!


Can you go more minimalist than this? The tiny white pumpkins look so elegant placed in a long wooden tray and the orange runner beneath adds just the right bit of contrast.

Painting your pumpkins is a fun idea, making them almost look like ceramic pieces. Play with heights, putting them on cake stands and candle holders.


Or just place them in the center of the table along with other accessories like a bird ornament and vases of the same color.


Not into white pumpkins? Spray paint them gold! Or silver... Metallics add the nicest sparkle to the table.


So many things you can do with pumpkins! Hollow them out and use them as a vase. This is one of my favorite centerpiece ideas, which I have used in years past. It always looks amazing!


Candles are a nice alternative. Grouped together like this on a lazy Susan or tray, makes for a simple and warm centerpiece.


For a more stunning arrangement, group thick pillar candles in different sized hurricane vessels and fill them with nuts, seeds or even beads for some sparkle.



Have a wonderful weekend everyone! See you on Monday!

images from: 1 here /2 here /3 and 10 here/ 4 and 8 here/ 5 here/ 6 here/ 7 here / 9 here

"Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name." 1 Chronicles 29:13

Thanksgiving Tables

Thanksgiving is almost two weeks away and I couldn't be more excited! After Christmas, it's my favorite holiday. I think it goes back all the way to elementary school when we would make turkey crafts, read about the pilgrims, and have all these themed activities. Then in high school, we would all get together at someone's house (keep in mind my entire graduating class consisted of only 20 people) and put on a wonderful dinner, sort of like a potluck, where everyone would bring a dish. It just brings back good memories.

This year is very special, since it's our first Thanksgiving as a married couple, in our first home and about to start our very own tradition. Today I'm putting the finishing touches to the menu, but I still have to decide how to set up the table. So I went searching for a bit of inspiration...


I like the idea of using nontraditional colors. Pinks and blues combined with gold accents look amazingly elegant. And don't be afraid of mixing in some hot pink or purple for some pop!



I love this table. The colors are light, it's casual and simple with just a hint of autumn in the centerpiece.


This is the table setting from above. Doesn't it look lovely? Perfect for a Thanksgiving in the tropics.






Centerpieces can be as complicated or as simple as you wish. A bowl of pears, a pumpkin, and some smaller bowls filled with nuts and you have a beautiful table. You can use corn, wheat, grapes, and any type of gourds. How easy is that?



Hope these images will inspire your own Thanksgiving tables. Later on in the week I'll be sharing some other ideas for centerpieces!

images: 1-2 Southern Living/ 3 Lonny/ 4-7 Country Living/ 8-11 Martha Stewart/ 12 Camille Style

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16

Designer Quote Monday

"The most beautiful rooms are those that retain a feeling of not being quite finished. There is still a place for a painting on that wall, still a chair to be found that will suit that corner...meanwhile the room stays alive, young and growing."

Michael Taylor,
The Finest Rooms

image from here

Guest Post: 8 Designers, 8 Gorgeous Rooms

Today I have a very special treat for you guys! We have a guest: Joanna from Design Shuffle, who will share some amazing inspiration from some of my favorite designers. Welcome Joanna, thanks so much for being here!

xoxo, Ana Elizabeth

PS. Next week I'll be sharing some Thanksgiving decorating ideas and lots more, so stay tuned!

Hi there! My name is Joanna and I'm a writer for Design Shuffle, an online source for interior designers to showcase their own unique designs. I spend my days creating guest posts for beautiful blogs like Confessions of a Designer. Thanks for letting me share some fabulous designer rooms with you. Today's established and up-and-coming designers are mixing styles and design elements like never before. The result is gorgeous rooms which are livable and inviting. The designers below hail from every corner of the globe and bring with them beautiful examples of their own signature styling. Enjoy the decorating ideas which are sure to flow when viewing their rooms!

Kelly Wearstler does a great job of mixing Hollywood glamour with modern styling. She has created an uber-successful brand around her signature style as shown in this image.

Prolific designer, Jonathan Adler loves color and it shows in this home office with its own art-filled wall.

Furniture designer Philippe Starck is famous for mixing modern and formal styles. This eclectic space is a perfect example of his signature style.

Marie Turner, named by House Beautiful as a designer to watch, mixes traditional with rustic in this library/dining room combination. What a welcoming space which inspires many interior design ideas!

What's not to love about Dutch designer Marcel Wanders? This sitting area in the Kameha Grand Bonn hotel is representative of his brand of design with its bigger than life elements.

World traveler and interior designer, Vicente Wolfe brings a global feel to his room designs. In this dining room he brings together a timeless look with a mix of modern and antique pieces.

Interior designer, Tobi Fairley is perhaps best known for her use of bold color and pattern as in this vibrant living room design.

Windsor Smith's bedroom design, featured in House Beautiful, is sultry mix of the palest pink and gold textures and prints.

[Images 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 ]

Aren't these designers fantastic? Design Shuffle is the place to be to find even more inspiration from top San Francisco interior designers, Boston interior designers and more!

My Impressionists

Undoubtedly the best part of our visit to the Met was getting to see the works of my favorite painters, the Impressionists. If you haven't seen the BBC mini series yet (The Impressionists), please do! You won't regret it. My love for these amazing painters started very early in my life. You see, my grandmother absolutely loved them. An incredible painter herself, she not only passed on her artistic genes to me, she also imbued me with her fondness for the works of many different artists. Specially the Impressionists.

As I walked into the first gallery, there she was. Proudly standing on her pedestal, bronze feet in position, her face looking up towards the light, her tutu seeming to almost flutter in an imaginary breeze... Little Dancer of Fourteen Years, by Edgar Degas. My design thesis in college was about sculpture, so I have soft spot for works like these. It was a beautiful moment.

I couldn't choose a favorite, although Monet, Degas, and Renoir are head to head. Grandma loves Renoir in particular, and it's not difficult to see why. His paintings are lively and bold, and done in such a big scale, you just have to pay attention.

It was amazing to see the brushstrokes up close...

This picture is for you grandma!

**I wrote this post a few days ago and was scheduled to be published this week. Even though my posts are rarely so personal, I loved talking about my grandmother and the huge influence she had on my love for the arts. Sadly, grandma Teresa passed away today. She was 94 years old and lived a blessed, happy life surrounded by a family who loved her and a spouse who doted on her until the day he died, just 6 months ago. They just couldn't be apart much longer I guess... A little part of me died last April and today my heart is heavy once again. Even though their passings leave a desolate imprint on my soul, their memories will always bring me joy.

Photos: by me

"Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading to its hope. It can really outlast anything." 1 Corinthians 13:7 (Phillips)