holiday

Valentine’s Day Home Must Haves

Valentine’s Day is one of the cheeriest holidays. When I was younger, Valentine’s Day was all about sending “warm fuzzies” to your classmates. What’s a warm fuzzy? It’s just that, a note that makes you feel warm and fuzzy when you read it! What’s better than that?

Valentine’s Day is a day all about love and letting people know how much they mean to you. I mean… candy, hearts, cupid, what’s not to love? Want to make this Valentine’s Day special? I have an amazing collection of Valentine’s Day home must haves below! My dream? Making Valentine’s Day treats in my heart apron using my heart measuring spoons and spatulas! Check them out below!

Valentine’s Day Heart Garland ($10) / Sur la Table Heart Measuring Spoons ($5) / Sur la Table Spatulas ($11) / Kohl’s Heart Chalkboard ($12) / Sur la Table Valentine’s Crackers ($15) / Pier 1 Ombre Heart Pillow ($30) / Kohl’s ‘to the moon and back’ Pillow ($18) / Pier 1 Cupid Owl ($13) / Sur la Table ‘Love Bugs’ Baking Liners ($5) / Kohl’s Hearts Apron ($16) / boldLoft His & Hers Mugs ($27) / Kohl’s Nesting Baskets ($12) / Kohl’s ‘I woof you’ Kitchen Towels ($7) / Heart Pancake Rings ($7) / Valentine’s Day Vase ($11)

New Year’s Eve Party Dresses Under $100 | 2015

Now that I have all my Christmas shopping wrapped up, It’s time for me to focus on New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve is a magical holiday where we spend the night sipping champagne and contemplating new year’s resolutions. Every year it’s a great opportunity to hit the reset button and start the next year off fresh with some new goals.

Even if you haven’t decided what your new year’s resolutions are yet, you need to pick a dress. There are so many fun trends floating around this season that it’s hard to pick just one, but I’ve pulled together some of my favorite party dresses for 2015. A few of my favorites include the sequin ombre dress, the glitter jumpsuit and feather hem dress. Check out my picks below and share your favorites with me in the comments.

Nasty Gal Fringe Dress ($68) / Sequin Hearts Embellished Sweetheart Dress ($66) / Topshop Feather Hem Dress ($75) / Nasty Gal Sequin Ombre Dress ($88) / ASOS TFNC Embellished Neck Dress ($91) / H&M Blue Ruffle Dress ($60) / Nasty Gal Red Fit and Flare Dress ($88) / Topshop Tuxedo Dress ($82) / Hommage Lace Sleeve Romper ($52) / Topshop Pleated Foil Romper ($38) / H&M Glitter Jumpsuit ($50) / Glamorous Sequin Mini Dress ($98) / Nasty Gal Sequin Dress ($78) / Forever 21 Red Sequin Dress ($30) / Topshop Lace Hem Cut Out Dress ($75) / Forever 21 Sequin and Fringe Dress ($30) / Nasty Gal Icy Sequin Dress ($98)

Stocking Stuffers for All | 2014

Reality check! We officially have a little over a week until Christmas, are you ready?

With about one week left, I’m hoping you at least have a solid idea of what you are getting everyone on your list… if they aren’t already wrapped and under the tree. Are you having trouble deciding what to get that special someone? Check out my Top Gifts for Her, Top Gifts for Him, Gift Guide for the Hostess and Gift Guide for the Girl on the Go for some quick help!

At this point in the season, I usually have all my big presents bought and my main focus is stocking stuffers. Stocking stuffers are something I just recently got into and thats because they happen to be a BIG deal for me this year- my husband and I decided to skip the presents and just fill up each other’s stockings. This has given me a perfect chance to go out on a limb and get some fun, funky and inexpensive gifts for him. I’ve had a ton of fun brainstorming ideas so I decided to pull together some of my top ideas for this 2014 stocking stuffers.

I included some girly gifts (cozy socks and beanies), some entertaining gifts (cocktail game and coasters), gifts for the techy (cord wraps and tech gloves), gifts for the lucky (lottery tickets) and gifts for the naughty (coal)!

Pottery Barn Cocktail Game ($29) / HMNS Agate Coaster Set ($24) / uncommon goods Coal Gum ($5) / Lottery Tickets / uncommon goods Wooden Puzzles ($20) / Old Navy Chic Tech Gloves ($7) / Anthropologie Gold Monogram Mug ($10) / Pinch Minimergency Kit ($24) / The Container Store bobino Cord Wraps ($3-$5) / Target Striped Cozy Socks ($3) / uncommon goods Cocktail Towels ($14) / ASOS Embellished Pom Beanie ($19) / Quench Bar10der Cocktail Tool ($40) / The Container Store First Aid Kit ($6)

Gift Guide for the Girl on the Go

Happy Humpday! Today is all about that girl on the go in your life. You all know one! Maybe it’s your workaholic mom, jet-setting bestie or your overachiever sister. These girls are running from one meeting to another, dressing day-to-night and always look amazing at a moments notice. How do they do it? By having all the right tools at their disposal.

Below is a list of what every girl on the go needs and some of these items are so fun! I love the gem speaker for a girl who is ready to dance at a moments notice, the Minimergency Kit for the accident prone and the Naked on the Run full makeup palette that can get any girl ready in a flash! And don’t forget to stash all these amazing finds in this Reversible Tote from Nordstrom!

Which travel necessity is your favorite?

Etsy Passport Case ($29) / Forever 21 Gold Stripe Cosmetic Case ($10) / Rifle Paper Co Bon Voyage Journal ($15) / ban.do Gem Speaker ($40) / Bella J Manicure Set ($12) / kate spade jubilee ultra thin portable charger ($50) / J.Crew Lightening Cable ($26) / Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit ($18) / Happy Plugs Earbuds ($30) / kate spade initial card holder ($30) / kate spade bow eyemask ($38) / Echo Tech Gloves ($28) / Urban Decay ‘Naked on the Run’ Palette ($54) / BaubleBar Gold Jewelry Set ($58) / Street Level Reversible Tote and Wristlet ($48)

Top Gifts for Him Under $50 | 2014

I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving and a successful Black Friday Weekend! As you know, today is Cyber Monday and I suggest dedicating your lunch break to some sale shopping! It’s a great opportunity to get some names crossed off your gift list.

To get you started, I pulled together some of my favorite gifts for men- all under $50! This year, my husband and I are foregoing the large haul of gifts and sticking to stocking stuffers. This inspired me to pull together some fun, small gifts for the man in your life. The list ranges from festive boxers to martini tools, all perfect items for stuffing this year’s stocking without breaking the bank!

Click the links below to shop! Happy Cyber Monday Shopping!

Gap Snowflake and Christmas Boxers ($13 each) / H&M Leather Gloves ($35) / Crate and Barrel Whiskey Rocks- Set of 12 ($20) / Quench Martini Multi Tool ($40) / S’well Woodgrain Water bottle ($35) / J.Crew Snowflake Socks ($17) / Nordstrom Red Buffalo Check Scarf ($20) / Old Navy Pajama Pants ($17) / Minnetonka Slippers ($46) / Urban Outfitters Hibernate Flask ($18) / Herschel Chapter Toiletry Case ($25) / Herschel Charlie Card Case ($20)

Be the Hostess with the Mostess | 2014

As the holiday season approaches, my mind is swirling with tons of holiday party ideas! With Thanksgiving only about a week away, I thought I would share some festive must haves for the modern hostess.

To me, the holidays are all about good food, yummy drinks and kicking back with family and friends. To make your holiday season a little easier, I pulled together some fabulous products that are bound to make this year’s get together memorable.

Why open your bottles with that boring opener hiding in your drawer when you can use this golden pretzel? Try serving everyone’s favorite dairy product on this festive snowflake cheese board, don’t forget to label them with these adorable fork cheese markers! Explore my other hosting must haves and share your favorites in the comments below!

Anthropologie Pretzel Bottle Opener ($10) / C. Wonder Snowflake Cheese Board ($38) / Anthropologie Glittered Cocktail Stirrers ($12) / Nordstrom Wooden Christmas Tree ($29) / kate spade Polka Dot Place Cards ($10) / C. Wonder Polka Dot Coaster Set ($48) / Anthropologie Bubbles Highball Glasses ($58) / C. Wonder Fork Cheese Markers ($28) / Nest Holiday Candle ($14) / Anthropologie Holiday Cookie Cutters ($28)

{BONUS– The whole C. Wonder site is currently 30% off!}

Holiday Must Haves | 2014

The holiday season is upon us and I couldn’t be more thrilled! I love all the fun textures, patterns and warmth that comes with this fabulous season. Nothing beats getting dressed in my coziest layers and enjoying some warm hot cocoa by the fire. To help everyone get as excited as I am about the holidays I pulled together some must haves for the upcoming holiday season. Nothing screams holiday like faux fur, fair isle, plaid and reindeer prints- Enjoy!!

Forever 21 Fur Vest ($45) / Target Ear Muffs (On Sale for $10) / Sole Society Mini Backpack ($40) / Old Navy Patterned Socks (On Sale for $8) / H&M Jacquard-knit Sweater ($35) / Forever 21 Over-the-Knee Boots ($40) / Forever 21 Fair Isle Leggings ($18) / Forever 21 Shaggy Socks ($4) / Old Navy Buffalo Check Flannel ($22) / Forever 21 Plaid Scarf ($11) / Nordstrom Chalkboard Tumbler ($13) / Old Navy Strappy Ankle Boots ($40)

Boo! DIY Repurposed Wine Bottle Halloween Decor

I love going all out for holidays, the food, the decorations, the parties, it’s always a ton of fun! But making your home festive for the holidays can definitely add up if you aren’t careful.

That’s why I try to stick to DIY options, especially for home decor. The best part about DIY is being able to repurpose things you already have around your house and bringing them new life. Last year, I painted a few old wine bottles to add a halloween touch to my apartment and they turned out great! They’ve held up great too, I just took them out of storage to add to my decor this year too!

Things you will need:

Wine bottle(s)
Warm water
Dish soap
Waterproof acrylic paints- These Martha Stewart ones work great!
Paint brushes
Optional- Dish brush

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Now that you have all your materials, it’s easy!

Remove the label from the wine bottle. This is easier said than done. After I did one, I realized it’s not even worth trying to peel it off dry. I suggest soaking the bottle in hot, soapy water for about an hour. By this time, most labels start to loosen up. Now, you just need to scrub it off. I used a dish brush to help me scrape off the labels. If you are having trouble getting yours off just soak it overnight in hot, soapy water, that will definitely loosen it up!
Once you have a clean bottle, you need to let it dry completely!! This is very important! You do not want to be too eager and start painting before your bottles have thoroughly dried. If you want to speed the process along you can use some rubbing alcohol to dry out the glass.
Now it’s time to paint, get creative with your characters! I love mixing it up with candy corn, jack-o-lantern and frankenstein. But there are tons of possibilities. You can go spooky or sweet! Try spelling out B-O-O or even add ombre to you designs! Just make sure to use waterproof paint!
Voilà! You have some fun new halloween decor that costs next to nothing!

Halloween Must Haves

I can hardly believe it, but Halloween is right around the corner! As you start to decorate for this spooooky holiday please remember, halloween decor doesn’t need to be pricey OR tacky!

I love getting some glam pieces, like the gold foil pumpkins, and mixing them with some fun and unexpected things, like the AMAZING skeleton yard flamingo and skeleton hand servers. Don’t take it too seriously, if it makes you smile or chuckle then it’s a great choice!

I pulled together some great decorating options for whatever is on your Halloween agenda. Throwing a dinner party? Check out the dare to dine section! Celebrating day of the dead? Skip to the skeletons! Just keeping it real this Halloween? Go for the modern take on classic pumpkin decor! Whichever you choose, have fun with it and make sure to have a party to show off all your hard work! 🙂

pumped about pumpkins:

Pier 1 Check & Chevron Pumpkins ($12.95 each) / Target Burlap Pumpkin ($10) / Pier 1 Confetti Glass Pumpkins ($11.95 – $16.95) / Pier 1 Gold Foil Pumpkins ($5.95 – $9.95) / Target Chevron Pumpkin ($6)

dare to dine:

Crate and Barrel Tier Graveyard Server ($39.95) / Crate and Barrel Bat Bowl Set ($7.95) / Crate and Barrel Pumpkin Placecard Holder ($3.95) / Kohl’s Owl Salt and Pepper Shaker ($11.19) / Pottery Barn Skeleton Hand Servers ($19.50)

don’t skip the skeletons!:

Oriental Trading Skeleton Yard Flamingo ($15) / World Market Jeweled Eye Skull Set ($19.98) / World Market Los Muertos Candle Set ($19.98) / World Market Cat Skeleton-Set of Two ($39.98) / Crate and Barrel Morelia Plates ($3.95 each)

TOMS for Target

Happy Monday everyone! This morning, I am bringing good news to all of you do-gooders on a budget. Two awesome companies are teaming up to release a collection that partners each of their specialties- giving back and budget friendly prices. That’s right! I’m talking about TOMS and Target

Target has had more collaborations than I can keep up with, but who am I to complain? Each collection has me on the edge of my seat counting down the days until the launch and I have a feeling this collaboration with TOMS won’t be any different

Last week, Target announced this limited edition holiday collection with TOMS. When I first heard about it I assumed the collection would consist of their signature slip-ons and maybe some specialty shoes for top dollar, but that is not the case at all! The collection does include the canvas slip-ons, but it also features home goods, apparel and accessories for women, men and kids. And the giving back has gotten a little more creative too! For each pair of shoes sold, a pair will still go to a child in need, but all other purchases result in the donation of a blanket or one week of meals to those in need. And the good news doesn’t stop there. I could hardly believe it, but each item in the collection retails under $50.

I love all the items in the collection, but I picked a few of my favorite looks to feature below (how cozy does that beanie and scarf look?).

Check out the full collection of apparel, accessories and home goods on Target’s site. And make sure to pick your favorites now! The collection will be available November 16^th, just in time for gift giving!

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