WITH MUCH GRATITUDE!

After three months of hard work and many volunteering hands our Kris Kringle Market was a success. Many came to join in the festivities.The North Pole was buzzing with excitement and Santa and Mrs Claus were very pleased with the children's behavior this year.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of the volunteering hours, the hundreds of dollars donated for the Lemont Food Pantry and all of the gifts donated for our giving tree. We truly enjoyed putting it together and are hoping to improve it for 2010. Who knows, maybe next year we dream bigger and look a little more like this.

Christmas market in Jena, Germany.Photo:Wikipedia

KNITS, KNITS, AND MORE KNITS

Knits for winter are a must, but I am tired of the same ol' scarf as a decorative outerwear accent. We have options ladies!!!




I am in LOVE with these head warmers created by thisolthing and leg spats crafted by the talented miss Natalee. Something new, colorful and creative to get us through these cold winter months.

ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, CHRISTMAS!

I Just love these sweet and simple holiday decor ideas from
SWEET PAUL an interior, food and craft stylist out of NY.

VINTAGE

So very happy with our new vintage jewelery collection. Hand strung by our genius friend Raquel.
Each piece so different from the other. Truly a one of a kind designer!

BROWN IS THE NEW BLACK

The season for dressing up is right around the corner. All of us ladies own that simple black dress that we tend to feel safe in, but this year we should all break from the"basic black" comfort zone and try new things.

This velvet brown dress by Hazel (Velvet Tie Waist Dress $ 98.00 ) is so cute, and the perfect way to look festive without being the room eye sore. Pair the dress with a splash of color like these victorian inspired earrings by kneehighsnpigtails's and your ensemble will be sure to turn heads.

Victorian inspired red glass earrings $32.00

Antiqued filigree dangle necklace $38.00

You can find the complete ensemble at The World According To... Boutique in Lemont IL. and break from the "black pack". Happy Holidays!

SERVE SOMEONE THIS HOLIDAY

Serving others teaches humility, builds self-discipline, creates unity, strengthens work ethics, and leads to greater love and compassion.

Illustration by: Jen Corace

MAKING NEW TRADITIONS

Last Sunday while shopping and basking in the 75 degree weather, I discovered quite possibly the most delicious thanksgiving stuffing I have ever had. William Sonoma was sampling their sausage, and mushroom dressing made with La Brea Bakery Harvest-Blend Stuffing with Pecans & Cranberries. I've died and gone to Heaven. While growing up in Argentina we celebrated many great holidays, like Three kings Day and the Day of the Children, now that I'm a big kid Thanksgiving has taken the lead. I love the meaning behind it, the colors and smells!

My parents moved to Florida four years ago and my sister and I have started our own traditions. We continue to perfect it a little more each year. This year we will try out this recipe and we will see if it gets voted in. I know it has my vote!

SODA IS A THING OF THE PAST!

Talcott Avenue is addicted to Mattoni Mineral flavored waters. Popular throughout the Czech Republic for their sexy commercials.

Mattoni mineral water from nature in the surroundings of Karlovy Vary is flavored with selected fruits. It's light, bubbly, refreshing and full of minerals. No chemicals preservatives, artificial colorings or sweeteners. It's hard to keep the shelves stocked at BOTTLES. Everyone has their favorite flavors. Orange seems to be the local favorite, fallowed by grapefruit and green apple coming in at a close third.

BOUQUET OF THE YEAR

I just love this bouquet! Made of crocasmia pods, lizzyanthus, plucked sunflowers, green hydrangea, millet and burgundy scabiosa. I made it for Lemont's very own Elizabeth Hamel's wedding this summer. Elizabeth had a lovely garden wedding at her parents home. Mrs Hamel belongs to the local garden club. The garden looked stunning as did the bride!

Photo:Captured Moment

KRIS KRINGLE MARKET IS COMING TO LEMONT!

Kris Kringle Market
Mr. and Mrs. Claus
Saturday December 5th, 12th and 19th
2:00 pm to 6:00pm

431 Talcott Avenue Lemont IL
Come, take your picture with Mr. and Mrs. Claus in the North Pole.

Enjoy the outdoor German inspired market. Tree lighting ceremony, carolers, story telling and much more. All proceeds go to The Lemont food pantry. Lions Club eyeglasses drop-off box on site. Please come and help those in need this Holiday season.

Little Treasures

I love these little vintage inspired pieces of jewelry that were designed and handcrafted by Erica Weiner. With a background in sample making, she started developing jewelry out of her apartment in 2005 and soon after, stores across the world were showcasing these unique creations.

One of my favorite pieces that she has created is the "bird-call necklace". Two contrasting brass chains (15" and 17"), hold a delicate gold sparrow that flys above a miniature bird whistle, it actually makes noise! This is a fun and whimsical necklace that is a great addition to anyones jewelry collection.

There are plenty of vintage-inspired jewelry designers to choose from, but Erica Weiner sores above the rest. 5% of all profits are donated to charity, as well as all paper products and packing material used are from recycled materials. Depending on the piece of jewelry, about half of materials used are vintage and re-purposed thus creating a little piece of wearable history.

Find your Erica Weiner treasure at The World According To... Boutique located in Lemont, IL. 60439

TILL NEXT SEASON !

Our French Market has come to an end! This year we have been fortunate enough to enjoy the farmer's market right in front of our shop. We will miss all of the smiley faces every Tuesday morning, looking for their favorite treats, from sister Mary's fabolous french pastries to El Gringo Loco's spicy salsa concoctions, everything always so fresh and delightful. We truly enjoyed having a stand on the market strip and interacting with our friends and neighbors in such a simple but yet uplifting way. What a great way to start our week! Till next June Mon Ami!

MAN SHOPS GLOBE....GIRL OBSESSES OVER SHOW

"Man Shops Globe" is a new series on the Sundance Chanel definitely worth viewing. I have always wondered where the great interior decor pieces where discovered, and finally my question was answered. Keith Johnson is the lead buyer for Anthropologie stores for interior products. The show allows you to travel with Keith to exotic and sometimes remote destinations around the world, in search of something amazing. The show airs on Wednesdays 10pm on the sundance channel. Happy Viewing!

I FELL IN LOVE WITH A PUMPKIN!

Lemont has fallen in love with these sweet little pumpkins our talented friend hand makes for us. We will be selling them this holiday season at our shop. Decadent plush velvet with real pumpkin stems . They come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. My personal favorites are the chartreuse, wedgewood and raspberry. They can also be made to order. You choose the color and the size. The perfect way to get in the holiday mood!

"One Man's Garbage is Another Man's Treasure"

We have all driven past that certain piece of garbage that makes us brake every now and then. Slowing down enough to see if it is worth keeping (a free find is the best kind!!!) but of course driving not too slow as to look like a garbage picker. Well, this post is for those who have braved the embarrassing leap to retrieve a "free find" and then later realize, it just might be garbage after all. What do you now do with your lop sided chair, or rusty metal headboard?

This ladder bookcase simply shows us that there is a creative solution to our hopeful finds. Giving the room a sense of balance this bookcase has transformed a painfully dull object into a piece of art work. When you enter this room, the ladder as well as the books placed into the step space, are a great way to create that "conversation starter".

I love this idea of recycling old skies into usable shelves. By adding some eclectic wrought iron brackets to the walnut colored skies, this wall is transformed into a piece of art with a vintage quality. Perfectionists beware, you may be bothered by the waviness to the skies, but true antique beauty can be found in the so called "flaws". The tiny nicks and scratches or a weathered finish will sometimes liven up a once ordinary object.

New uses for your possible great finds is a awesome way to help recycle and cut down on waste size. You are helping to save our planet and at the same time create a one of a kind addition to your home (at least that's what I tell everyone who laughs at my creations:).

JILL+ MIKE

Jill + Mike

Jill and Mike were married August 22nd 2009 at the Morton Arboretum .I loved working with Jill, so carefree.....Just looking for something soft and semi homemade in feel, that would make people feel comfortable and in the mood to celebrate. The jar collection took about a year of haunting in vintage shops and Jill's parents eating allot of the content in our favorite jar shapes! The bride carried a lovely almost tea stained bouquet of sandstone roses, rananculas, dahlias, tuberose, and tree foliage. Jill's love of nature is obvious in the vintage bird prints we used for place cards. The family's culinary talent was beautifully displayed in tiny jam and jelly jar favors they canned through the year. When it came to dessert, tradition went out the window. The bride and groom decided that lots of smaller cakes from their favorite bakery,Vanille, would be so much better then one type. And finally they put the cherry on top by finishing off the celebrations by honeymooning in Spain and Provence. Some the most perfect places in the world!
Enjoy these stunning pictures from Olivia Leigh Photographie.