Change is in the air! We can’t deny the chill the setting sun brings—nearly an hour earlier than this time a month ago, or the slight blink of red on the tips of those maple leaves. It is a little bittersweet…we love our BBQs, boating, and porch swings, but there is still a part of us ready for routine and consistency. The kids are all back to school and we are settling into our fall groove as well. As we prepare for “sweater weather,” we are bringing all the cozy feels inside!
Transitioning your home for the next season doesn’t need to be dramatic! Creating small, inspired vignettes can add interest and warmth. We’ve put together four coffee table arrangements to help guide you!
Start with a strong base! Here, we selected a rustic, oversized wooden board and placed it on a woven table runner. A natural wood chain-link catches your eye as it cascades off the edge of the board. Continuing the antique feel, we added a handled wooden bowl—a unique vessel for seasonal items such as this wicker wrapped pumpkin, seed pods, or other harvest themed decor.
Select items of varying heights and shapes to create interest. Here, geometric candles in the same shade, but opposing size, complement one another. The olive green color brings a fun addition to the neutral palette (we have these in black, cream, olive, citrus, and marine!). A rattan wrapped vase (available in four sizes!) filled with dried florals adds additional height—replicating the florals and laying them on the base of the chopping board ties everything together.
Rule of three! Strive for an odd number of items when styling. The lack of symmetry adds depth and builds interest. Blending styles, such as pairing this sleek and modern marble board with a more distressed, wood sugar mold creates a unique appeal. With your base in place, start experimenting with fall themed accessories—pumpkins, oversized acorns, gourds, or natural items from your yard. We like including a fall scent to spice things up! Fun fact, the geometric, glazed, ceramic candle in this arrangement can be repurposed as a planter!
Reflect your personal style! One of our favorite ways to style small vignettes is with items from our own homes. Books are such an ideal way to do that! Consider your favorite hobbies or interests—cooking, gardening, or spooky mysteries with Halloween in mind. Books add an individualized feel, but also bring desired height to your arrangement (use as many or few as you need). Here, a vintage pillar made from reclaimed wood is paired with a stout candle embossed with gold stripes, creating contrast (and an inviting scent). Finally, we bring in the fall feels with a frosted acorn and seasonal faux florals.
These arrangements are simply inspiration! Try experimenting at home and come visit our boutique for more ideas. We are truly delighted to help our guests find something just right for the season!
Coastal blue hues and airy, breezy fabrics have us dreaming of the beach! Or maybe you are more of a lake girl and enjoy layering up in our graphic tees and sweatshirts to gather around the fire pit. We launched so many fun new styles at our 2nd Annual Summer Fashion Show last week. Here are our top picks to help you shine all season long!
We are just in love with this seafoam green, honeymoon look. Our striped, tiered ruffle, off the shoulder dress can easily be dressed down with a pair of flip flops for a backyard gathering, but we had fun accessorizing from our wedding collection with this adorable “Bride” bucket hat and “Mrs” clutch with gold crossbody chain. We finished the look with our stunning brass fringe earrings.
The cinched waist on this knee-length dress in sienna (available in black too!) easily transitions from day to night. The boutique is filled with fun clutches and handbags! This woven clutch can easily be paired with any outfit and will become one of your favorites this summer! We love a straw Panama hat, available in three colors, to top things off. We’ve accessorized with our terracotta stud earrings by Like Wildflower, and a stack of tigers eye diffuser bracelets.
You’ll be ready for a day on the Cape and Islands in this sweet yellow floral dress. We can’t get over the details on this feminine piece; the ruffle sleeves, empire waist, and tiered ruffle skirt, so sweet. Carry your essentials in the Dani clutch with crossbody option, and tote your wine in a glass from our line of recycled glass drinkware. The look is finished with a hat from our Gigi Pip line, this one called the Miller Fedora.
You’ll be prepared for even the hottest of summer days, in this light and relaxed outfit. The sand-colored viscose wisp jacket makes the perfect layering piece. We’ve coordinated it here with our soft blue wide leg pants. Note the crinkle fabric featured in this pant. The Austin Nights leather fringe tassel wallet can easily be tossed into your suitcase or canvas tote.
For those cooler morning walks with your pup, stay comfy cozy in our “weekend” lightweight fleece pullover. Paired with the most comfortable rayon jersey jogger pants and charcoal Range leather mountain hat. Cool, comfy and versatile.
Did you know we carry accessories, toys, and clean treats for your furry friends? Above, our pup friend Happy is modeling our harvest plaid bandana by The Foggy Dog. Every purchase of Foggy Dog products means a donation to rescue shelters across America! His proud owner keeps him close with our marine rope dog leash.
A very special thank you to our gorgeous models who brought fun and style to every moment. We are so grateful for your energy and commitment to making this event so special season after season! This summer we encourage you to “Create Sunshine, not Shade” as you shop us online or visit our boutique. We’ll be back with more styles in the fall!
I sat down and wrote this because talking about how I feel or what’s in my head isn’t something that comes easy to me. I usually find my words in a song and then it all makes sense. Three years ago it was Blank Stares by Jay Allen, and this year it’s Til You Can’t by Cody Johnson. The bridge of this song is everything to me … it’s how I live every day and what I would do for one more phone call.
I know that this blog post might only resonate with some, but I hope just one person reads this and knows that they aren’t alone. I am with you, every damn day – those tears I share with you. And for everyone else, make that phone call to whoever is your momma figure in your life, and just soak it in. Well… here it is, how I feel three years after losing my momma.
How do you be a momma without yours? Well, I am still trying to answer that question.
I lost my mom three years ago to dementia … I should say 12 years ago. I mourned the loss of my mom as we drove around for mundane everyday errands, enjoying endless Dunkin’ donuts drive through orders, and hashing through squams about what the menu should be for a holiday gathering. I watched her slip away as I sat next to her.
I stumbled across a blog post I wrote for the first Mother’s Day without her … and it immediately brought me back to 2019.
She came up to visit for the last time two months before her passing and lucky for me, she ended up watching my kids for the night, with the supervision of my dad and uncle of course. But, looking back, how lucky was I? How lucky were my kids? I have pictures and videos that often land as my top memories on my iPhone. Who would’ve thought when my uncle pressed that red button, this was the very last memory that my kids would have of their nana and honestly, that I would have of my momma?
I often find myself, fighting back the tears, holding back the anger, and counting down the minutes of my day until I can lay down, and escape into my thoughts. I walk by a teenage girl shopping with her mom, and I immediately go back years. I remember fighting over the “outfits” I could purchase or couldn’t. I overhear a new grandma talking to her daughter and helping her figure out the feeding schedule. I can hear the frustration in the new momma’s voice, and I fight every urge to walk over, hug her, and to whisper in her ear, have patience, you will miss this. I walk by the daughter, helping her momma out of her car as they walk into her favorite restaurant to enjoy her favorite meal during their weekly date, that is always prescheduled. All of this is gone, this relationship of a mother and daughter. I’m in a motherless world, with nowhere to turn, and I’m in a daughterless world, with no one to look to.
Days go by, some are easy, others are not. I find myself cursing Jesus, praising Jesus, and begging Jesus for help. I used to feel your presence daily … but not as much as I once did. I always felt confident that I could feel you, and that you wouldn’t leave me alone in this world. But as the years stretch on, your presence is weaker and the older I am getting. I pray to have the conversations we had over tea, the talks we had as I cried myself to sleep, and the fights we had over where I thought I was going on Saturday night.
No one prepares you to raise a family without your momma, but if there is any time in life where you need your mom most its then. I mean, who is supposed to help me understand why my two-year-old is losing his mind over white cheese versus yellow cheese, chicken nugget over fish stick or water over juice. The only manual I’ve ever seen on being a great mama is written in the love language demonstrated by your own.
And because of that, trying to navigate the every day, the big decisions, and all the things that come with being a momma – I rely on my memories, some of which are so clear it’s like it was yesterday, others that are faded, almost gone from my mind. But I know that she is watching me, watching them, and whispering softly in my ear which way to go. Until we meet again, I’ll walk this road alone, hopefully making you proud along the way.
me and my momma at Garth Brooks
If you can’t tell my momma means the world to me and I wouldn’t be who I am today without her. This year, my family and I have decided to start a foundation in her honor, A Beacon of Hope Foundation, with 100% going to Alzheimer’s research. It just has to stop – stay tuned for more info, but we’re doing this, and we will fight until there is a cure, solid treatment, and prevention.
If you are following along here, chances are you love decorating for Christmas as much as we do! This is the time of year to let your personal style sparkle and shine—and maybe even try something new! Can’t get enough of that farmhouse charm? Thinking of trying a clean modern look? Or are you a traditionalist all the way? Our design team have put together three mantles to help bring your vision home—hearth and center.
You know it, we all love it. The cozy, casual farmhouse look is a new classic. With wood tones and distressed surfaces, it firmly holds-up as one of our favorites! A mantle is the perfect place to layer paned window frames, antique mirrors, and shiplap signs. Wooden snowflake trivets add a sweet accent—and they pair perfectly with our oversized bookends. Bring in a pop of red with a simple plaid throw or these charming knit stockings (designer tip: fill them with crumpled paper to plump them up!) Looking for something more subtle—we have stockings in a gorgeous brushed linen too!
Simply modern and glamorous! Here we used 3 (yup THREE!) ropes of glitter coated garland to create an asymmetrical cascade of luxury. The gold really stands out against a dark wood finish and sleek black candle sticks. Modern or vintage? These bottle brush trees are so, so popular this year! You really can never have too many. Try placing a simple mirror behind them to create a forest-like effect. And, those flickering candle flames? Totally faux! We have them in varying heights and sizes—definitely a styling all-star. Your mantle (or table) will never be the same!
Boughs of holly and bursts of red and green evoke the quintessential feel of a traditional Christmas scene. It brings us right back to childhood! We have SO many gorgeous garlands to choose from right now – juniper, boxwood, delicate gold leaf. Use any one of them to frame your mantle or a doorway. Or, maybe consider winding them around your dining room chandelier. Create a warm and inviting nook by the fire with lots and lots of candlelight. These sturdy bases are so impressive next to heavier textures and bold colors, but they can easily transition to a more muted setting after the holiday season.
Many pieces in our boutique can be interchanged from one style to another. We have at least a dozen unique garlands—from gold dipped pine to classic holly berry, themed throw pillows, and greens of every kind! Not to mention, gifts galore. Stocking stuffers for the kids, scented (and unscented) candles, hand lettered gift cards, metal and ceramic planters, and as always our bouquets and flower bar…truly something for everyone on your “nice” list!
Last month, we kicked off our autumn collection with a second fashion show! This event is becoming one of favorites here at OPD. And, we are so grateful to create these new traditions with you! We launched so many amazing pieces, and are still placing new styles on the floor weekly!
We wanted to pause though – and highlight for you – our MUST HAVE pieces for the season. These are just our top 3 and you have no idea how hard it was to ONLY pick 3! Read more below to see!
Our MUST HAVE for the season is the stunning faux leather spanx. We are absolutely swooning! Go for glam with a pair of heels, or enjoy a more relaxed look with a chunky sweater and sneakers. So versatile and flattering! They definitely bring a WOW factor! Leather is not your thing? We’ve got ‘em in suede, camo, and velvet, too.
Number 2 on our list is the SHACKET. We have multiple color choices, and seriously, we are seeing this trend everywhere. Slip it on for a day trip with the kiddos or to snuggle up at your evening firepit. Simple and stylish, it pairs so nicely with spanx distressed leggings and a pair of signature booties. We got (5) new styles of booties from “Roan!” All on display in our boutique now!
Rounding out our top 3 for the season is a must with the nights getting a bit chilly! Be prepared with a pom pom hat by Meggle’s Knits. They are a true necessity for every New England girl, and do you know – they are made right here in Norfolk! With so many styles to choose from, you’ll stand out at those evening football games or while on the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree.
We have so many more options in our boutique — you will have to come in and let us help you pick out your 3 must haves for the season. If you aren’t local, that’s ok — your couch and online shopping are always a good mix.
Hi! We are Heather & Dianne and we’re the proud owners of Only Prettier Design...wedding florists and designers! Our shop in the greater Boston area is filled with fresh blooms and all the home decor to make your heart swoon. Besides entrepreneurs, we are also busy moms to 4 kiddos each! Our lives are crazy, but beautiful. We are excited to share our story with you, all while keeping it very real. While we’re super excited to show you how to execute a beautiful tablescape and design a stunning floral arrangement...we also want this to be a place to share the real struggles of balancing work and life while creating a life we love!
Hi! We are Heather & Dianne and we’re the proud owners of Only Prettier Design...wedding florists and designers! Our shop in the greater Boston area is filled with fresh blooms and all the home decor to make your heart swoon. Besides entrepreneurs, we are also busy moms to 4 kiddos each! Our lives are crazy, but beautiful. We are excited to share our story with you, all while keeping it very real. While we’re super excited to show you how to execute a beautiful tablescape and design a stunning floral arrangement...we also want this to be a place to share the real struggles of balancing work and life while creating a life we love!