Thanks Given

Uhhhhh... anyone else still nursing their Thanksgiving hangover? I've learned the hard way that "hair of the dog" does not apply to tryptophan. 16 pounds of turkey split two ways is a long, sleepy weekend.

Empty seats meant full bellies for Adam and I- in addition to our succulent cider-brined turkey, we had sourdough apple stuffing, truffled mashed red potatoes, gjetost gravy, and a pumpkin spice cake with orange cream cheese frosting (the very first cake I've ever baked!). Even the kitties feasted on turkey liver!

I'm glad we decided to truly celebrate- to dress up, light candles, and treat ourselves. 

How was your holiday?

Tablescaping: Thanksgiving for Two

It was a special thrill to setting our table with my great-grandmother's napkins, sparkling new crystal, the china Adam and I found together in an antique shop, the handsome silverware that I first blogged about over two years ago, and white pumpkins left over from our wedding. It amused me to look at those two place settings and think that I could serve as many as twelve. I love the idea of having a big, noisy Thanksgiving at my house- maybe next year!

But this year I'm content to enjoy a quiet newlywed holiday. Today I'll walk down to the flower stand while my pie is in the oven. Tomorrow I'll light candles and pour two glasses of wine while Adam carves our cider-brined turkey. It's easy to see how much we have to be grateful for.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends. See you on Monday!

xoxo

Elizabeth

Kitchen Chemistry: Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce

Are you prepared for Thanksgiving?

We're still mulling over ways to scale down the feast for our party of two this year. At least one thing is certain- we'll be fixing our signature Cranberry Sauce. Cranberry Sauce really is the gem of the Thanksgiving table, isn't it? This one has a sparkling taste you'll enjoy as well. Beyond spicing up your turkey, it's also beautiful on red meat (we served it with beef at our wedding!), sandwiches, cheese platters, and ice cream. 

We gave out our secret recipe as a thank you to our wedding guests. I thought you might enjoy it as well...

Mr. & Mrs. WarLock's Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce

Start by simmering one can of Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce over low heat

Stir in 1/2 shot of Calvados, 1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of Ginger, and a pinch of Salt

Squeeze in the juice from 1/4 of a Large Orange, simmer until thickened

Chill, then garnish with Orange Zest and Cinnamon Sticks

Bedroom in Progress

There is a closed door in the WarLock house that hides a shameful secret. Adam's insane pyromaniac first wife? Far worse, I'm afraid. A bland, undecorated bedroom. Ahhhhh, the horror!

Not for much longer. Over the last few months, our embarrassing bedroom has undergone a slow transformation. First we swapped mismatched dressers for a pair with gorgeous Regency styling. Then I painted the dingy walls with Behr's soothing "Misty Morn" (a big step for a girl who's a bit color-shy).

I removed clunky shuttered closet doors and bent-up old window blinds and upgraded to simple bronze curtain rods. Menswear-patterned drapery panels accessorized with gold clip rings will add texture and give our low-ceilinged hovel the impression of height. I'm considering a coat of blue paint on the ceiling to add to this illusion.

There isn't much wall space to work with, but I'd like to frame and hang our print of a vintage skull illustration. My vanity will get a chic new mirror as soon as budget allows.

But first, we can't ignore the biggest thing in our tiny room: the bed. And this is where I need your input. Is this fabulous, or is Adam's first wife actually crazy?

We'll be using a gift card to purchase the stripe sheet set in feather gray from West Elm, which is both affordable and practical. I'd originally thought that I'd want to top the bed with a plain gray duvet, but then... I fell in love with the Heirloom Rose comforter cover and shams from Garnet Hill. I'm mad about the combination of stripes and oversized floral. The gender-neutral color palette prevents the roses and ruffles from getting overly romantic, and the mix of pattern and scale is so bold. 

Am I this bold? Can I commit to this look without being committed? I'm 99% sure that I can, but I want your opinions!

Happy Weekend

I'm taking a cue from Tildy-Cat and starting our weekend a bit early. Just practicing for our upcoming four-day holiday! It'll be a short week, but a full one. I need some opinions on a new decorating scheme (so get ready to comment and give a girl a hand!), and I'll show you how I'm tablescaping a Thanksgiving for two!

xoxo

Elizabeth

A Natural Wonder

If I had a large wall to decorate, say, in a hip live/work loft in the city, you better believe I'd rasterbate this piece to giant size...

Posted at Trailheads in Redwoods Park

My weekly hikes with Adam are an incredible source of inspiration- but who would've thought I'd find such a graphic gem off the beaten path?

How the WarLocks Celebrate Halloween

Today I decided to  finally (begrudgingly) take down my Halloween decor and move on to Thanksgiving. Perhaps I should share first?

I didn't fully haunt the house this year, just a few subtle spooks here and there. After, all only our wicked cats were there to enjoy it. On Halloween weekend, on the most crisp and colorful Autumn evening you've ever seen, we donned costumes of a different kind for a little party...

That's us in the photo booth at our wedding reception!

We won't get our photographs until Christmastime, but a few teasers arrived in my inbox this morning. They were just enough to give resolution to the blur of joy that was our wedding day. Our love, and our labor of love. The designing, editing, crafting... all captured, along with the candid emotion of our beautiful friends and family. We did it. I feel triumphant. I can't wait to show you.

In the meantime,

xoxo

Elizabeth

PS: Be sure to visit the Shock the Bourgeois Facebook page for one last look at my Halloween decorating (and a glimpse of our wedding invites!).