Sandra M Cavallo

Holiday Nesting… I usually start my Christmas decorating by foraging for greens in the woods. Last year, I found the most beautiful and sculptural white branches with berries and carefully placing them throughout the house. I soon realized they were actually Poison Ivy and it turns out I’m HIGHLY allergic (which created a memorable eight weeks following.) This year called for a change of plans. Since The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a favorite part of our Christmas traditions, I wanted to make the dining room a sparkly, cozy space where we can linger long after our meal. It’s Sparrow’s first Christmas (he’s been “helping” with decorating) and I decided on a twinkly “nest” feel with lots of nods to birds and sparkly (faux) branches since he loves a good stick!😑 Winter is long on the Cape, so I chose items from @Arhaus that are not only festive for the Holidays but can last throughout the season to keep our spirits bright! I loved how the 8’ string light tree next to the window creates a beautiful transition from inside to the cold, stark, but beautiful landscape of winter going on outside. The embossed brass and bronze stars are perfect to add warmth and tie in the bronze and brass accents throughout the room and the string light garland, wound up to create a magical nest in my antique urn adds a sparkly moment to my bar. And, of course I am excited to entertain in here this year with the addition of the new @arhaus Rodin Dining Chairs! I’ll continue to share more as I add layers to this space! #welivehere #myarhaus

The Sentimental Tree… Tree trimming is in full-swing here. This is the tree where I hang my precious ornaments, the ones with all the memories. This year, the first ornament I hung was the blue wave glass ball my sister made for me in a glass-blowing class she took (she was always down for something new!) Swipe! She gave this to me the very last time she visited. I made a wish, and hung the ornament. Tante Moonie, til we meet again!🕊️✨ #welivehere #capecodchristmas #sentimentalchristmas #christmasinnewengland #christmasbythesea #christmastree #silvertip

The Little Tree… This was the year I used my collection of vintage ornaments on the little tree. My favorite thing about this time of year is unboxing these, it’s like seeing old friends. Most of them were on my tree growing up.🎄 Every year I find so much holiday inspiration here and it’s always so tempting to go big- the “more is more” tree! But, somehow I always find my way home. #welivehere #lessismore #christmasbythesea #christmasinnewengland #silvertip

Tree of Hearts… This was the year our tree was so perfectly imperfect that I just left it bare for two weeks. I did eventually add my heart ornament collection but it was a slow and really enjoyable process. (Swipe!) I always do a live tree, and I haven’t done Silvertips (like this one) in a few years. Yesterday, I bit the bullet and decided to order them for this year. (Shipping is really expensive to New England) They are really sturdy and last well into January. (I order mine from @silvertiptrees ) I use fishing line to suspend the star above the tree for a little magical touch. #welivehere #lessismore #christmastree #Christmasinnewengland #capecodchristmas

And Just Like That… It’s “Posts of Christmas Past” season! Tonight I’m sharing one of my favorite years, “A Woodland Winter” was the theme, and I started with my entryway and drew my family and guests in through my center hall to the Christmas tree ahead. I don’t decorate for Christmas til December, but with all the inspiration I’m seeing these days I may start earlier…And this year, we have a puppy!😊 Happy Weekend!✨ #welivehere

Sparrow, Sparrow, Cupid Arrow… We got a puppy and he stole our hearts! He’s a 9 week old Golden Retriever and his name is Sparrow (a nod to my mom, her maiden name was Passeri, the sparrows in Italian.) He came home last Sunday and life this week has been a blur- we are off schedules, the house is a mess, we are exhausted… and over the moon in love with this sweet ball of fluff! He’s curious, funny, smart and so loving (Except when he’s biting😵‍💫). He’s really good at “sitting” and “staying”. We’ve been (slowly) exploring the house and yard TOGETHER! His favorite place to explore is the wood pile under the pizza oven🤷🏼‍♀️, and he is very curious about all the interesting things on my LR coffee table (which is the perfect height for him.) His favorite snack is a frozen carrot. He loves sticks, balls and acorns. It took him all week, but he mastered the front steps! He’s been meeting friends and family, and we are all settling in. Sparrow seems to really like it here! (The paint on his butt is his litter marker, he was the dark green puppy, which Phil thinks was kismet- Go Birds🦅!) Cheers to new beginnings, and Happy November!🧡 #welivehere @sparrowandball

Fall In Philadelphia… A few weeks ago we spent a weekend in Philly, helping our daughter Nathalie move into her new apartment and we discovered a hidden gem, @the_rittenhouse ✨ Located in the absolute best spot in the city, right on Rittenhouse Square, we had such a great stay! It was quietly luxurious (the most comfortable bed, beautiful views and stocked with the finest beauty products!) The staff was so accomodating, it checked all my “home away from home” boxes. And, just after we arrived, we enjoyed dinner at @lacroixrestaurant right in the hotel which was the perfect date night!✨ We love Philly (my husband grew up outside the city and my twins both went to college there) and we go back a lot, so together, we wrote a blogpost highlighting all our favorite things about Philadelphia to make it easy for you to plan a getaway- it’s just beautiful this time of year! And! We picked our puppy, Sparrow, up this morning! He is so precious! I’ll share in stories later!💙 (I’ve linked my blog in my bio!) #therittenhouse #stayic

Porch Sitting and Company… I think there is no better time for porch sitting than October. Just ask Bunny!🐰(swipe!🥰) You know your “outside season” is winding down so you appreciate those moments more. Nathalie, Chris and Bunny have been here these last few days as they transition to their new place in Philly. It’s been fun and busy! And, I was so happy to finally meet one of my most favorite and inspiring instagram friends yesterday! Bee @osborninteriors stopped in to say hello, as she tours New England! I have been following Bee since my first days here on instagram- she is such a kindred spirit, she lives in the Cotswolds in the most beautiful cottage that she and her partner, Stephen renovated! Go take a peek, you will love her as much as I do!✨ Unfortunately, it was raining and windy yesterday so we couldn’t sit outside, but we had a wonderful visit anyway! (Thank you Bee for making the time to come by!💗) #welivehere #capecodhome #capecod #capecodlife #porchsitting

Oh October… My second favorite month of the year! Tonight I’m sharing some pics of what October looks like around here! (Outside, and then outside from inside. Swipe!)🍂 #welivehere #falloncapecod #capecodhome

Welcoming the Weekend… Sharing an Early Fall peek around our sleeping porch. I’m slowly adding some cozy layers and spending a little more time on this side of the house now that it’s quiet around here. Some things I’m noticing: *The sun has moved back down the horizon and casts a whole different light. *A crop of late season roses bloomed and created a charming backdrop in the windows behind the bed. *Having both firetables out here makes it really comfortable early in the morning and later for sunset. *The Hydrangea garden outside this room, after an absolutely spectacular season, has dried to a beautiful, muted palette. Cheers to the weekend!✨ (Here’s a list of sources for this area of our home, and I’ve linked what I could in LTkit): Bedding/throws: @bollandbranch Rug: @annieselke Crocheted Lobster: @anneclairepetitaccessoires Firetables: @prism_hardscapes Porchswing: @porchswingcompany Outdoor lounge chairs and table: @caneline Outdoor ceiling and wall lights: @visualcomfort Wall color: Shadow White @farrowandball Window valances: custom, using @kravetinc fabric Motorized shades: @blindsgalore Wine: a French chablis🥂 #welivehere #capecod #capecodhome

The Early Bird… Starting the day out here, watching the sun rise over the salt marsh is a hard habit to break. These cooler mornings are ruffling my feathers- and remind me to enjoy every minute. #welivehere #capecodlife

First Things First… As we embrace a new season, I always start with outside. This weekend I’m heading to @mahoneysgarden to fill our pots with all the Fall things. While I was looking back through pics, I think my favorite Fall was two years ago when we were getting ready for @magnolianetwork to come shoot for a “Classic Homes” episode. I went a little fussier than I usually do (and a little out of my wheelhouse) but in the end I really loved all the color, texture and interest the whole mix added to our entry. (Swipe to the end to see exactly what’s in each pot if you are inspired to add some to yours!) #welivehere #capecodhome