Cozy Weekend Essentials

gone girl / fodor's italy 2014/ earrings /cable sweater / jeans / socks / blanket / mug / candle / popcorn

Dream: sitting beachside sipping a fruity drink this weekend, reality: living in the tundra. Even though there are no current flights booked to tropical places and I'm (sadly) convinced that the groundhog is going to see his shadow Sunday, I'm determined to reverse my terrible attitude. 

My first step is to plan cozy weekends in away from the elements. I'm thinking hot chocolate, lots of blankets, baking, books, binging on tv shows and likely some online shopping. What do you think - how are you kickin' the winter blues? 

PS - if you haven't tried the Kettle Corn popcorn, run - don't walk to your local grocer. amazing. 

Loving Lately // The Statement Earring

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

My daily earring routine is about as exciting as a trip to the dentist - aka I have trusty (faux) diamond studs that without fail are my go-to everyday. In the past, branching out to something a little fancier felt like I was trying too hard. 

However, lately I have been inspired by images of women wearing a statement earring in an effortless, natural way and I have resolved to try it myself. I've picked out a few of my favorite options above - which is your favorite? And I'd love to know, how do you where your statement earrings? (help a sister out!)

images: 1, 2, 3, 4

Can't Stop Won't Stop

I figured out mother nature's motto for this winter: can't stop, won't stop. But seriously. Yesterday we woke up to temperatures under 10 degrees & another 3 inches of snow. Despite apparently living in Antarctica, we had a lovely weekend filled with catching up with friends over dinner and bundling up on the couch. In fact, I was in my pajamas by 4pm on Sunday. #winning. 

Who watched the Grammy's? Thoughts? My two: vote for best dressed goes to Taylor Swift & the night only further solidified my thought that Jay-Z is the coolest human being on this planet. 

 husband's beanie / old leather jacket (similar) / pim + larkin sweater (sold out) / j.crew jeans / old boots, (almost identical here & here) / maybelline lipstick

Loving Lately // Overalls

Today we explore an age-old question of fashion: overalls - for farm or fashion?

I'll be honest, I never in a million years thought that overalls were going to be spotted on those gracing the pages of street style blogs, but I'm kinda in love. One of my favorite parts of fashion is wearing the unexpected, and what's more unexpected then gussied-up overalls?  The best part is - the options are endless, with printed, shortie style, distressed,  and (vegan) leather looks. I'm going to start with a traditional pair, which is on the short list for my spring wardrobe. 

What do you think of the overall trend?

images: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Wanderlust Wednesday // Hawaii

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

A few weeks ago, my mom told me that she booked a trip to Hawaii for the end of this year - no, I wasn't invited (curse you, adulthood!). While I've never been myself, it's my mom's favorite place on earth and have heard all about the clear blue water and perfect temperatures. 

It's no surprise that I immediately started planning what I would bring on my non-existent trip to a warmer climate. The beauty of vacationing by the ocean? - packing is a sinch. Nothing like throwing a bathing suit, beach accessories,  and a few rompers & dresses in a bag and calling it a day. 

Anyone have a trip planned to the beach? Let me know so I can vicariously live through you ;)

Pattern Play // Tropical

1 / 2 / 3 / 4/ 5 / 6 / 7

My bad attitude towards the less then ideal weather here (tomorrow's high: 16 degrees!) has seemingly spilled over into my selection in prints lately. I have been gravitating towards all things bright and tropical ever since spotting these on Zara's website last week. Now I just have to figure out how to find myself in a destination that matches the prints ;)

Howl at the Moon

 sunglasses /  old earrings, similar/ old (as dirt) blazer / sweater / watch / old clutch, almost identical / pants / old heels, loving these 

Alright, the snow was really cute in December - it's not cute in January and it sure won't be any cuter in the next two months either. Buckle up folks, we are in for the long haul - and it's going to be painful. 

Despite my rather horrific attitude towards the current state of temperatures, I did manage to have quite a lovely weekend. The husband returned after two weeks away for work (which is why I now have photos again - note to self: work on backup photographer), and we spent Friday catching up with close friends, saw American Hustle on Saturday, and spent the rest of the weekend doing close to nothing. 

My goal is to see all of the movies noimated for Best Picture before the Oscars - already checked off Wolf of Wall Street & American Hustle, any suggestions for what should be next? 

Sunday Browsing

Some of the posts that I look forward to most from bloggers that I follow are ones where favorite sites, articles, and sales are shared. While it may not be an original idea, I hope you enjoy a few things across the interwebs that I'm loving lately:

• It's no secret that I'm head over heels for Jenna Lyons, so I was delighted to stumble over this interview - only makes me lover her more!
• We're only 19 days into 2014, so there's plenty of time to set new goals - I think these are a pretty fabulous start (and super fun!)
• Been thinking about trying an ear cuff lately - thoughts?
• These pants have me dreaming of the beach
• Making curried cauliflower soup for the first time tonight, I'm excited & nervous!
• In my endless search for new tumblr sites, I stumbled across this one and am loving every image!

image via

Killer Combos // Tartan & Leopard

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13

Ever since I spotted this picture from sincerely jules, I have been antsy to mix two very classic prints - tartan & leopard. Admittedly, I have a little work to do in the area of shopping before I have the pieces to support this duo - but alas, I'm up for the challenge. 

Thoughts on this combination? Yay or nay?!

Gift Guide: Everyday Celebrations

one / two ( top & bottom) / three / four / five

How was everyones weekend? I spent mine with a few of my best friends, where we found ourselves watching TLC's Extreme Cheapskates. What an eye opening experience, it was crazy - like, using leftover bathwater to do the dishes, crazy. Yikes. 

On to a less crazy topic - everyday gifts. While we all just wrapped up our holiday shopping marathon, life keeps moving, and therefore the celebrations continue. From birthdays, to engagements, housewarmings - here are a few gifts that I consider fail-safe no matter the occasion. I love giving (and receiving!) personalized gifts like this & this, candles are always a winner (this one is currently making our apartment smell lovely), and nothing beats an inspiring coffee table book, or cozy pajamas (just purchased the shorts & shirt version of this lovely number). Looking for one more idea? A friend had lyrics from our first dance song printed for us, it was one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received. 

What are your go-to's for everyday gifts?

Wanderlust Wednesday // London

A few months ago, a sweet friend suggested I post a few packing essentials for her trip to London in January. Well, by the time I finally got my lazy rump around to this here post, she is in London. Opps... (crickets). Clearly my hoping that I'd be lucky enough that her trip wasn't until late January was just that, a hope. Next time, just kick me or something ;)

While I've never been to London, I've done a good amount of traveling lately and feel like I have learned a lot. Number one rule - always pack a carryon unless absolutely unavoidable. Two reasons: 1) it's free (holla!) 2) No risk of losing the wardrobe that you dedicated way too much time planning.  Here's a few more non-negoitables (in my opinion):

 a small crossbody bag allows for hands-free exploring with just enough room for necessities (tip: stuff any jewelry in here for packing) / comfortable shoes for walking / a classic t-shirt / black pants that go with everything / colorful scarf that doubles as a blanket for chilly flights / a camera of any kind to document your adventures / statement necklace to instantly dress up your day outfit for night / chambray shirt that is appropriate for day, night & everything in between / black booties / a hat to mask that dirty travel hair (hint: to pack, stuff with socks) / a stylish and practical tote, lusting after this option / red lipstick, a necessity for any occasion / black blazer  that adds and extra layer of warmth, and can be thrown on top of anything

What are your travel essentials?

Get the Look // Monochromatic Print Mix

Black & White: top /bottom / booties

Navy: top / bottom / heels

Cream: top / bottom / heels

It's no secret that I'm a fan of mixing prints (exhibit a & b), so when this look come across my Pinterest screen, I was instantly inspired. In the past, I have typically mixed prints in a very loud way, combing different color & pattern combinations - but I love the idea of choosing one color, and mixing within. 

Above are a few outfits that I think would be perfect to try out the look, what do you think? Up for some monochromatic print-mixing?!

Currently Loving // Tumblr

While Tumblr isn't a new concept, I have recently found myself getting lost in the beautiful images for an non-respectable amount of time that never seem to end on my favorite sites. So, in case you find yourself with some time to kill this weekend, check out a few of favorites! I'd also love to know, which Tumblr blogs are you currently diving into?

Un Amore Per Sempre - Hands down my favorite, I want to crawl into every image and never come out. 

Syvende - Never ending fashion inspiration from girls way cooler then me. Hello inspiration!

Classy in the City - A perfect mix of glamorous city life and a weekends away in a quiet east-cost city. 

That Inspirational Girl - 100% girl and amazing. We're talking glitter, diamonds, and all things that sparkle. 

New Year, New Resolutions

Happy 2014!! How was everyone's New Year's Eve? We spent ours in Alabama with our new niece - it was a quiet low-key evening that was overall perfect. 

One activity that I have always loved is making lists (blame it on my type-a, first child personality), and there is no better time to make a list then in a new year. Here is what I'm hoping to accomplish in 2014:

Faith is the Priority - Six years ago, I started pursuing a authentic relationship with Jesus, where I have experienced incomparable grace and love. And while I say my faith is the priority, I easily let all things trivial get in the way. Time for a change. Time for a refocus on what I consider most important. 

Develop a Media Kit - One major goal for this year is to continue to evolve this here blog, with fresh content, scheduled (ahead of time!) posts, and a media kit. 

Learn Italian - I'm half italian, and have always dreamed of visiting the homeland and learning the language. For Christmas two years ago, my now husband bought me Rosetta Stone - but then we got engaged a few months later and any time devoted to learning italian was quickly converted to planning a wedding. Time to resurrect Rosetta Stone and restart. 

Commit to Reading - I love reading, but easily get sucked into the wonderful world wide web. Time to shut it down and end my night with a book, not Pinterest. 

Eat more Veggies - I probably eat enough fruit to turn me into a diabetic, but am a real slacker when it comes to veggies. Here's to a year of broccoli, carrots, and celery!

Write Thank You Notes - For someone who loves receiving mail and paper goods, I am terrible at writing thank you notes. 

images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6