31 Days of Spooky Movies - I Married A Witch (1942)

 Hey there princess!

Halloween is my favorite time of year, and this year I wanted to post every day of October - sharing a favorite spooky movie of mine. In full transparency, I don’t watch a ton of gory movies so you’ll see things in here that for sure lean more towards the suspense genre. I will include ratings (where relevant) so that you know if this is something you’d like to watch with your family. 

I wanted to start this month off with one of my absolute favorite Halloween movies - I Married a Witch (1942).

This movie was based on the 1941 novel The Passionate Witch by Thorne Smith and follows the story of a father-daughter witch duo who were burned during the Salem Witch Trials and have returned to exact their revenge. While this sounds quite dramatic, the film is a romantic comedy and is laughs and gorgeous costuming from start to finish. 

Veronica Lake is all kinds of fabulous in this movie and you can see nods of her performance all over the television show, Bewitched. If you’re looking for something fun, funny, and in the spirit of a vintage Halloween - I think this movie is a perfect choice. I never let the season pass without watching it at least once!

In addition to sharing a favorite spooky movie each day, I wanted to share something small that I enjoyed doing either this year, or in Halloweens past. Today, I wanted to share a little piece of a Halloween brunch set-up I did two years ago for my family. The Saturday before Halloween, I had everyone over for brunch and a movie and below you’ll see my little beverage station. 

The cups are from Natalie Chang on Etsy (here) but I believe they are currently out of stock? In the drink dispenser I made POG juice (equal parts passion fruit, orange, and guava juice).

I always have so much fun sharing my favorite moments with my family - especially with spooky snacks involved. 

I would love to hear about your favorite Halloween movies!

Spook on!

Bridal Registry Basics - Selecting Your China Pattern

Hey there princess!

We are quickly approaching my 1 year anniversary to my sweet husband, and I wanted to revisit one of my very favorite things about registering for wedding gifts - selecting a china pattern. I have had a love of tableware for as long as I remember, but I totally understand that not everyone lives and breathes Limoges. This is a little guide to those just beginning to explore the wide world of tablescaping. 

Now, when selecting dishes for your wedding registry you need to keep your preference and your home in mind. The china you choose will be used at your table every day, so it needs to be something you won't get sick of looking at and that will be practical for the meals you plan on serving and the events you plan on hosting. 

When I got married, I already owned a set of solid white dishes (which are an excellent thing to have), so for my registry I chose to focus on fun patterns and festive holiday items. We can focus on holiday china in a later post, but today, let's just take a look at some wonderful registry choices for the bride looking to spice up her table. Here are my 10 favorite china patterns for the bride to be!

For the elegant bride: Green Leaf Lace by Mottahedeh

Click here to be directed to this classic set. Green china can be combined with all kinds of other patterns to create unique place settings in your home. The original cobalt based Blue Lace teardrop border was inspired by Ch'ing dynasty (1644 -1911) porcelain pieces. The fine pattern is highlighted by bands of 22 carat gold. Can someone say fabulous?!

For the modern bride: Wedgwood Intaglio

Click here to view this perfect blend of classic and contemporary lines. The embossed pattern you see here was incredibly popular during the Georgian era, and is reminiscent of classical Grecian pottery and architecture. The clean, white glaze makes it an excellent choice for any home, and it being Wedgwood is just an added bonus in terms of quality and durability. Plus, it's microwave and dishwasher safe!

For the classic bride: Blue Italian by Spode

Click here to be directed to this cheerful set. The benefits of Spode Blue Italian are limitless. They can be cleaned in the dishwasher, they are a popular set - which means there are ample serving pieces available online, and it has been around for a long time so you can count on high availability for replacement pieces.  It checks off tons of boxes, and is a great choice for all brides-to-be!

For the Autumn bride: English Countryside by Mikasa

Click here to be directed to this clean and classic set. Mikasa is another brand that makes their dinnerware dishwasher safe (yay! Future you will rejoice!), and also has tons of options for serve wear. This set is so beautiful for autumn, and would look wonderful on the table for thanksgiving. Since it is white, it looks wonderful every day, and the intricate leaves and embossed fruit bring a sense of nature into your home. 

For the girly bride: Chinese Bouquet in Raspberry by Herend

Click here to see this beautiful pink set of dishes (they also come in blue, orange, and multi-color). The flowers, the colors, the gold accents - this has everything a girl could ask for. This pattern has been around since the 1930s and the classic raspberry color is my ultimate favorite. Also, did I mention the accents are done in 24K gold? Each item is hand painted in Hungary and I would highly recommend hand washing and treating with great care!

For the extravagant bride: Tobacco Leaf by Mottahedeh

Click here to be directed to this over-the top gorgeous set. This is a total favorite of mine, and would be such a stunner for a bride-to-be who plans on entertaining. China like this deserves to be seen and shared with others - it's art you can eat off of! It comes with a no-nonsense price tag, and is something that would be ideal to purchase with the plan to pass down to future generations to enjoy. 

For the monogram-loving bride: Federal Platinum by Lenox

Click here to be directed to this uniquely personalized set. Lenox has a reputation for creating unique and beautiful dinnerware, and this set is no exception! Federal Platinum is one of the most popular china patterns in America today, and the addition of the monogram is just the perfect touch to create something memorable and personal for your dinner table. You can choose between 1 and 3 letters for the monogram, and is just the thing elevate anything from an intimate family dinner to a party with friends and family.

For the sophisticated bride: Renaissance Gold by Wedgwood

Click here to view this elegant and timeless set. With bold patterns and luxurious gold trim, these dishes will elevate even sandwiches and frozen pizza to the next level of grace and sophistication. The wonderful thing about this set is not only how classical the lines are (promising to stay in style season after season) but also offers many different serving selections. This gives you the opportunity to be creative with your table and customize it to your personal tastes. To top it off, plates are dishwasher safe!

For the preppy bride: Weave by Tiffany & Co.

Click here to view this beautiful pattern. Tiffany's has been a staple in the world of fine decor for generations, and their designs are always beyond classic. This beautiful china pattern is elegantly embossed and can be used in both simple and complex tablescapes. This Irish bone china was inspired by traditional Celtic designs. Remember to be cautions with newer patterns like this one, if they become discontinued and you find yourself wanting additional settings, it can be challenging to get ahold of them. 

For the fanciful bride: Butterfly Meadow by Lenox

Click here to be directed to this fantasy-filled set. If you are looking for something more whimsical for your table, this is the perfect option! I have always loved Butterfly Meadow, and it is still on my list of sets that I would love to collect someday. It is dishwasher and microwave safe, and is oh so girly through and through. I personally wouldn't recommend this to someone who is brand new to the table game, but it is a great staple for a collector. Just look at those scalloped edges! 

Whatever china pattern you choose, it should be the perfect one for your marriage and the life that you plan on building with your spouse. Choose something that you will both enjoy for years to come, that will bring you sweet and special memories from your first years together. 

If you're looking for an amazing wedding registry checklist, click here! It will save you hours while planning, and it's only $0.25!

As always, sparkle on!

A Palm Beach Bridal Shower

Hey there princess!

About a year ago, my younger sister, Coco (who was my Maid of Honor) and my mother threw me a 1960's Palm Beach themed bridal shower at my family's home in Houston, Texas. It was honestly one of the best times ever, and such a beautiful party. 

I painted a centerpiece for the party based on my engagement photos (featuring my favorite Lilly Pulitzer maxi skirt), and bought a fun frame for it at Hobby Lobby. 

My mom found these adorable invitations on Etsy and they are my absolute favorite. To me, invitations are super important to any party because they set the tone for the event. Guest know from the invitation what they should expect in terms of the level of formality, and who is hosting the event, and it is also a great keepsake from the party! I love holding on to invitations from past-parties that I loved attending!

Regarding decor, my hosts fancied-up my family's dining table with a Lilly table runner from Etsy (can you tell we are all huge Etsy addicts??). One of my favorite touches was using the depression glass that Coco and I have collected since we were young to serve the sandwiches and food. We both have the cameo ballerina dishes, mine in yellow and hers in green.

Look at how beautiful that table is (and in the background you can see me sneaking a bite)! We had tiers of sandwiches from Chicken Salad Chick and tons of snacks, beautiful flowers, and an unbelievable macaroon tower. 

I mean look at how stunning it is! I could die! This tower came from a shop in Houston called Sweet, located in City Centre and the flavors Shailee chose were lavender, rose, and lemon (they were all divine). I felt just like Marie Antoinette!

One of my bridesmaids also put together some amazing charcuterie boards, and my mother and sister put together plates of Lilly shift cookies, candied pecans, and tons of bundtinis from Nothing Bundt Cake. 

Just for fun, Coco and I made some white chocolate-covered popcorn and then absolutely drenched it in pink sprinkles. It tasted pretty good, but mostly it was just super festive! 

I am so thankful to my sweet friends and family for making my bridal shower such a special day. I know that I am going to remember this party for a long time! 

If you want to see more of my little parties and celebrations, please follow along at @heythrprincess on Instagram!

I would love to hear about the special parties in your life - whether it's a bridal shower like mine, a birthday party, or just a party for the sake of a party. How are you celebrating?

Sparkle on!

Spurs and Stars

Hey there princess!

Today marks day two of the Parker Country Sheriff's Posse Rodeo here in Ft. Worth. I thought it would be fun to delve into the history of rodeo, and while I'm at it, dig out some fun vintage photographs of the men and women who know just how the west was won.

The beginnings of the rodeo can be tracked back to the ranches of the early 1700s, which were owned by Spanish cattlemen, or vaqueros. In places like California, Texas, and the New Mexico Territories, land was plentiful and just itching to be settled. So, vaqueros and other ranchers developed new techniques for herding and roping the steer that were to be sold to folks out east.

At the end of a long cattle-drive, the first American Cowboys would hold informal competitions to see which of them was the best rider, roper, and all-around best drover. These competitions later developed into Wild West shows, which were basically the Toddlers and Tiaras of the early American frontier (see divas below).

Today, much of the competition style is the same (though there may be a little more bling involved). So saddle up your best pony and put on your stetson! It's rodeo season here, and I hope to see you at my local roundup! Yeehaw!!!