Styling Book Shelves

Book shelf styling is my favorite.

It's ironic that we call them "book shelves" since the thing I use the least when styling shelves is actual books. Antique books? Yes, please. But like an ugly hardback self help book? Those have a special place in the upstairs closet where no one knows they exist.

I think the most challenging aspect of styling shelves in general is achieving the balance. There are a few things to keep in mind when you tackle this kind of project that can really make or break the end result.

Lean Toward Monochrome 

A monochromatic look basically means varying tones of one color. I normally land on a few different colors but like to stick with white. You know I love me some white. This gives you a flow that can't be achieved when you have too many colors competing for your eyes attention.

Less is More

It's tempting when you're filling a shelf to feel like you actually have to "fill" the shelf. Surprise! You don't. The goal is to make the space look full without making it look busy. It's amazing how little you need to pull this off! Try getting three tall skinny glass vases/jars (mine are from Hobby Lobby) and put a tiny sprig of greenery in the top. Spread them out a bit and batta bing batta boom. One whole shelf.... Done! 

Balance, Balance, Balance

I like to use items of varying heights and widths for my shelves. I also like layering items in front of each other, which gives it kind of an unexpected look. Styling book shelves take a lot of trial and error. I will set something up, take a few steps back to check it out. See what needs to change. Repeat. It's just a process of finding what's pleasing to your eye. 

Try Everything

I pull in some really random decor when styling my bookshelves. You'll see baskets, candlesticks, jars, old scales, and yes, sometimes even books. Don't limit yourself to things you think should or would look good. Step outside the box and you'll probably end up loving the process and the outcome!

Hope that helps you out a bit especially if you've been putting off designing empty shelves for too long. A list of resources for my office shelves is below. Hope you have a great day, friend!

Love,

Laura

Layers of Fall

Hi, friends!

Thanks so much for stopping by the ol' bloggity blog! I'm having so much fun layering for Fall... and then UNlayering once the Georgia heat starts cranking back up. #thestruggle

Summer is a minimalists dream because of the simplicity in the styles but if you love mixing things up (literally) than Fall is your playground.

I know the process of layering can feel overwhelming to some but just have fun with it. I love mixing stripes with plaids. Adding a bomber jacket to an otherwise completely basic look adds immediate sass factor. And if it ever gets cold enough to justify a blanket scarf, I'm fairly certain the skies will open and some version of the Hallelujah Chorus will ensue.

My FAV bomber!

You can't have too many puffer vests and I think the most flattering version is from J Crew Factory. They always go on sale. I've had mine for two years and it's still holding up like a dream!

I also highly recommend investing in some cutie swing dresses because of how well they pair with jackets, scarves, and boots. I get most of mine from Forever 21 

And if you;re still on the hunt for the perfect pair of riding boots, I highly recommend these:

Just in case you're in the mood for even more layering inspiration, I've linked up some of my favorites

Keep It Simple: Seasonal Decor

We are finally heading into my very favorite time of the year! I love everything about Fall... the cooler weather, the football, the apple picking, the pumpkin EVERYTHING.

My Fall decor barely gets a chance to collect any dust before I'm beginning to transition into Christmas. 

Before you throw your stones just know that I have been decorating my house for Christmas in the beginning of November for years. It's just how I roll. We have so much going on in the month of November and December that cramming one more "to do" just gives me a twitch. I would prefer to decorate when things are slower giving me time to really let the creative juices flow.

Speaking of creative juices, one thing I get asked about all the time is how to take the chore out of decorating. Here are a few tips:

Focus on small spaces with high impact

I think one of the reasons people get overwhelmed while decorating for any holiday is that they feel like every square inch of their house has to be covered in seasonal stuff. Instead of feeling like you must touch every space, just focus on "moments" here and there. No matter the holiday, I always like to decorate my entryway, my mantel, my dining room table, and my kitchen... not my entire kitchen. just a little touch on my breakfast table and a spot on my counter. Some of you might still be thinking that still sounds like a lot. But most of those areas stay exactly the same as they always are and I just supplement with touches of the season. 

Buy decorations you actually like

Another reason some don't like decorating is that they actually don't like the stuff they have. This year I finally decided to spruce up my fall decor and I know I'll have to do the same for Christmas. Everything I had fit with our house before it was updated. None of the colors worked anymore so it was time for a change. I didn't have to spend a lot of money (thanks mostly to Target dollar section) but I really love the way everything looks. Don't be afraid to move a few things around in the budget to allow for seasonal decor and be sure you get stuff you like! Just because it's a good price, doesn't mean it should come home with you.

Don't Overdo It

Kind of piggybacking the first idea with this one. but it's worth mentioning that the decor you put out doesn't have to be extravagant to be beautiful. Find a theme that you like and then incorporate little touches here and there. This year I was really loving the organic feel of fresh foliage so I bought up a few bunches of eucalyptus and spread it throughout the house. Inexpensive but it makes me happy every time I see it. 

Ask for Help

If I'm ever feeling like I have zero inspiration, I turn to Pinterest. I start out looking up something really generic like "Christmas Decor" and then once I see something I like, I'll change up my search to something more specific like "Christmas Faux Antlers" or "Farmhouse Christmas" and then see where it takes me. I also have a few fav bloggers that always have the best ideas! I love getting inspiration from all over. It gives a great jumping off point.

I hope this helps! Keep an eye out for my Christmas Home Tour coming the beginning of November. And if you ever have any questions regarding home decor, please feel free to ask! 

Love,

Laura

Girl's Trip - NYC 2016

I've been to NYC once before but it was actually when Matt's flare up was beginning so it was really a hard trip for him and in turn for me too. We still had a great time -- he's such a trooper-- but I'm just excited to go back now that we've got a better lay of the land and Matt's health is heading in the right direction.

I'm going the first week in December with two other lifestyle bloggers so naturally we are already planning our outfits for each day, trying to decide how many coats we can each bring, and trying to uncover every quintessential "Christmas in New York" activity we can take part in.

There will be lots of brunching, lots of shopping, and lots of exploring the city. Last time we went, my sister and I didn't really take into consideration how painful it would be to try to walk all over a massive city in booties. Even our flats left us with blisters. This year I'm packing these shoes and plan to wear them every day! I'll change into heels for dinner. But when it comes to sightseeing, I'm going comfortable.

One of the dream come true moments from our last trip was having tea at The Plaza.

We went on my birthday and my sister, Anna, arranged a black SUV to pick us up from our hotel to take us to tea. It was the sweetest! We rolled up feeling like celebrities. Well, she looked like a celebrity. I felt like her assistant. It's fine. Anyway, it was absolutely everything I dreamed it would be.

When Pink Blush reached out to me about doing a collaboration with them, as soon as I saw this gorgeous black tulle skirt, I immediately thought about wearing it to The Plaza. The skirt has an elastic waste band but it's so soft and forgiving. You could even wear it over a baby bump if you're expecting. It was hard to narrow it down to this skirt when I saw all the cuteness on their site, but this was just speaking to me. Ladies, when you're in this season of baby carrying and having, you know an elastic waste band is your FRIEND!

This bow tie from ASOS is everything for me right now. I'm really trying to refrain from styling it 25 different ways. Don't be too shocked when see it reoccurring over the next few months!

We would love to hear from you about any tips on seeing NYC. Favorite spots to eat (especially dessert!), what to see aside from the big stuff, and any secrets you wanna share for how to make the most of our time there.

Hope you have a great day! As always, thank you so much for reading!

Love,

Laura

Fall Bucket List

Our Fall Bucket List:

1. Spend a cool Saturday morning at the Farmer's Market: I love going to our local farmer's market! Our tradition is to throw on some comfy clothes, load the stroller, grab me a PSL, and just meander thru the rows and rows of local farmers, artists, and bakers. You can get a solid breakfast in thanks to the abundance of delicious samples being offered. I can embarrass Matt by asking the farmers what chemicals they use on the veggies. The girls are perfectly behaved as they look forward to the promised King of Pops Popsicle at the end of our walk. It's just the best!

2. Go Pumpkin Picking: Every year in late October my whole family (over 30 of us) meets up at Burt's Pumpkin Patch in the North Georgia mountains. It's the sweetest family owned operation complete with a hay ride that has talking pumpkins sharing the Gospel. Bless. They have kettle corn and hot boiled peanuts to munch on while you scour the fields for the perfect pumpkin to take home. It's also a LEGIT photo opp... golden leaves and pumpkins? Yes, please.

3. Go to the Fall Festival: Normally it's my family who are the steep tradition keepers, but Matt's family has a few of their own. One of those is going to the Fall Festival in McCaysville, Georgia. Matt's dad grew up in this teensy tiny town so every year we make the treck back up to explore old stomping grounds. Reese and Rowe are just in it for a ride on the tractor with their Poppa. I'm mostly there for the apple cinnamon donuts from the orchard down the road.

4. Go Apple Picking: The same weekend we go to the Fall Festival, we venture over to a small orchard to pick apples straight off the trees. Last time we went, we were the only people there so we got a private tour and got to learn about all the different kinds of apples they grew. It was beautiful and SO fun. Rowe will even be big enough this year to run through the orchard instead of riding on Daddy's shoulders.

5. Bake an Apple Pie: What are we gonna do with all those apples we pick? I'm glad you asked! We gonna bake us a PIE! I'll be trying my hand at a gluten free crust so Matt can enjoy it with us. It'll be good practice for Thanksgiving. I think I'm up for the challenge and my lovely little baking assistant can't wait to get her hands dirty!


We always like to add in a few more fun Fall-ish activities like eating chili by the fire while football is on TV. I also love sipping hot apple cider and roasting marshmallows for s,mores. We also take our family Halloween costumer pretty seriously. Stay tuned for that!

So what about you? What are you looking forward to this Fall?

Thanks for stopping by!

Love,

Laura

Outfit Details Here: