our home for the holidays...

i thought i would give you all a glimpse into our apartment for Christmas...here goes!

coffee table centerpiece

our Christmas tree in all it's colorful glory...

i made this wreath last year...it was super simple.

stockings!

the centerpiece for our little cafe table.

i made this wreath this year because i thought the back door needed a little love. it was also super simple.

sneak peek time!

after a long hiatus, i'm starting up my etsy shop again with all new inventory. here are a few things that i have been working on!

hair clips to add a little pizazz to your locks!

various hair clips...the one up front features two flowers. it looks cuter in hair!

felt flower pins for winter coats, purses, shirts, or whatever you'd like to accessorize!

more various flower pins. all of these will be available in a variety of colors, sizes, fabrics, and designs! i've still got a long way to go, but i'm hoping that i'll get enough inventory to start my store back up before Christmas. these would be great for little stocking stuffers! thanks for taking a look :)

taylor swift's fab new look

i know the AMA's were quite some time ago now, and i'm definitely behind the curve in posting this, but i have been wanting to blog about Swift's new look for a while now. i've honestly never thought of Taylor Swift as much of a fashion icon, but when i caught some pictures of her at the 2010 AMA's i was in love, from the bedazzled dress to the new do.

her straight locks with blunt cut bangs really take her to an edgy new level. her dress is by Collette Dinnigan and the shoes are Jimmy Choo. we all can take a few pointers from Swift's perfectly accessorized outfit. with a dress that has this much going on it's unnecessary to add tons of jewelry. the sparkly shoes add just enough interest without competing too much with the dress.

again, she has perfected her outfit. i love the simple black silhouette she has created by pairing black oxfords, black skinny jeans, and a black cami layered with a sparkly black blazer. her hair looks cute in this updo with a few pieces framing her face. she's really got this whole new mature look down to a science!

no more cold weather blahs.

can i just be honest and say that i'm not looking forward to the transition into winter? ugh, cold weather is not my friend. well, that's not tooootally true i guess. i do enjoy some winter activities like skiing and snuggling up with my hubby under blankets watching a movie and sipping hot chocolate. and Christmas.

ok, so i don't think i only speak for myself here when i say that when it gets cold out i sometimes get the winter blahs and dig myself into a wardrobe rut. all i want to do is throw on the nearest sweatshirt and call it a day. that can make me feel even more icky. Refinery 29 to the rescue! today i was browsing their website and stumbled on these outfits that i just adore. could that silk scarf BE any more chic? i think not.

happy halloween!

from

Jem and Pam (haha, get it?)

an Indian

and Madonna.

xoxo

family time with a little inspiration

benji, my mom and i all went on a saturday afternoon drive to Highlands, NC for a little leaf lookin' and some family time. it's quickly becoming an annual tradition for us. we drove along the winding roads and got to town where we spent some time exploring and shopping a little. we also made a stop by buck's coffee, one of the cutest coffee shops ever. the town was celebrating halloween and with all of the adorable trick-or-treaters lining the sidewalks and the small town feel it felt like a real life 'Hocus Pocus', one of my favorite movies.

we also stopped in a favorite shop of mine, Dutchmans Design. some of the merchandise gave me some ideas for crafting. i think this light fixture is such a great idea. it's made of old canning jars that have been strung up and randomly lit. it would be really easy to make and would make such a statement!

don't you just love this?

another really great idea is to make a candle holder out of a really pretty wine bottle that you just can't bring yourself to throw out. this would be great for a kitchen table or countertop accessory.

i thought this chandelier was really neat. all you would need to make for this would be a few metal rings in different sizes, paper clips, and pages out of old books. love it!

antique window art

a few weeks ago i purchased an old window from an antique store. i had it propped up against the wall in my living room unsure of exactly what i wanted to do with it until yesterday. i almost liked the way it looked on the floor, but i decided to add a little pizazz and hang it on our big bare wall in the living room.

the supplies are pretty simple for this project and may even consist of things you have lying around the house. gather a sponge or small paint brush (i ended up using a paint brush which isn't pictured), acrylic craft paint in your desired color, stencils of your choice, and tape.

i put my window up against the baseboard to keep it nice and straight. i chose to paint on the back of the window so that the designs would be protected from scratches. decide a pattern that you would like to do, and tape down the stencils. paint them and give a quick dry with the hair dryer on "cool". slowly peel of the stencil. the big thing here is to not worry with perfection. i went back over mine with a second coat of paint once they were dry. you could probably find a protectant to seal the designs, but i just left mine as so if i ever want to change it up i can easily remove the designs with a little cleaner and a sponge.

make sure each design is dry and wah-la you've got a new piece of art to hang!

we're all full of hot air.

i dream of going to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and flying up, up, up and away in one of the balloons. hot air balloons are so fascinating to me. they're such a beautiful means of travel. impractical, but beautiful all the same! who's down for a road trip?

coffee date

heaven in a cup.

pumpkin and white chocolate lattes at inman perk.

after being lazy at our apartment saturday afternoon benji and i decided to go out for a cup of coffee and a stroll around downtown. i love going on autumn walks. the brisk air, smell of coffee, pumpkins on doorsteps, colorful trees, fallen leaves lining the streets, and store windows decorated for halloween all make me so. so. happy.

alright, don't judge me when i say this, but i was an avid watcher of 'The Hills'. my love affair with reality tv began about six years ago when i was a senior in highschool and i first laid eyes on a little show called 'Laguna Beach' that let us in on what it's like to be a privileged teeny bopper growing up on the coast of California. after that, i was hooked. i followed LC, Lo, Heidi, Spencer, Brody, Kristen, and Audrina until the bitter end. and that's no exaggeration, it was bitter. am i the only one who was thoroughly disappointed in the final episode? ugh, no resolution whatsoever. we already knew it was fake...did they really think they were revealing something revolutionary?

all that to say, Lauren Conrad is rumored to have a new reality show in the works which she has said will offer much more than the cheesy story lines of 'The Hills'. i for one, am stoked for the possibility to see the up and coming fashion designer in the spoglight again. also, she's twenty-five this year and sporting a much less good-girl-next-door look and a much more badass look.

fall fashion inspiration

sooooo....as i mentioned in my previous blog, i am highly anticipating the change in wardrobe that comes with fall. i was perusing the j. crew website and found some unbelievable outfits that i had to post. below are some of my faves:

a tweed blazer is a must for my shopping list this year. it's so versatile and can be thrown easily over a slouchy tee with skinny jeans or a polished business top.

thigh high socks are a HUGE trend this season. i like them on other people, i'm just not so sure if i could pull them off.

i feel like i might look too 'naughty school girl' in them. (think britney spears' 'hit me baby one more time' from the 90s.) oh no, disaster.

i'm in love with this outfit, from the stockings to the leather coat. it's effortless beauty at its best. a leather coat (i already have one, but i'm not thrilled with the color anymore), tights, ankle boots, and a 'go with anything' skirt are also must-haves on my shopping list.

this is a great every day outfit. i would switch out the skirt for something less sparkly for daytime though. the skinny belt is an essential also. camel is a great color for belts and shoes as it meshes well with most colors.

long slouchy cardigans. i'm going to stock up on these. they can be worn loose or cinched with a belt. either way, they're lovely and comfy.

i'm digging this jean shirt. again, it's very versatile. i love buying neutral items that can be paired with almost anything because it insures that they will be worn many times, and in turn, cuts down on shopping costs.

and finally, military inspired items are huge this season. from shoes to jackets, they're all over the place.