Hello, friends!It's November! Hard to believe since its been feeling like mid-summer outside. We down her in the South had the most amazing cool front this past weekend. FINALLY. It was glorious!This month is one of my favorites of the whole year. Not only do we get to celebrate Thanksgiving, but we also get to be a little more obnoxious about celebrating Christmas. Let's be real: I've been celebrating Christmas for weeks now. But at least now I won't get made fun of for it.My first goal for this month is to finish my Christmas decorations. I'm actually almost done but putting the finishing touches has been a challenge to say the least. Both my babies stay home with me and so anything that must be done, must be done with mommies little helpers. This project is taking about a million times longer than I would have hoped but that's part of the reason I started so early. I can't wait to share the home tour in the next few weeks! Reese has a special feature in the tour where she used an entire roll of scotch tape to attach a 12 inch ribbon to our fireplace screen. LOL! It's so trendy.Once I get the house all done, I can start to really focus on Christmas shopping. I love getting thoughtful gifts for my fam so it takes a good bit of planning ahead and searching to try to find just the right thing. I'm working on a blog post that'll include some of my favorite thoughtful gifts that I'm working on now and have given in the past. I hope to get everyone's shopping done before Thanksgiving. I know, it's nuts. But a girl can dream, right?As the Holidays approach, it gets really easy to get lax in areas I'm normally disciplined in. So this month I've already planned out all my blog posts thru the end of the year. I'm normally kind of a fly by the seat of my pants kind of blogger but I'm working on becoming a little more on purpose in this area.I shared on my blog a few weeks ago about our upcoming girl's trip to New York. We leave the first week of December so we still need to finalize all our plans and, most importantly, my outfits. Priorities, people. I'm still on the hunt for a few different things to complete my packing list. I've already bought one of these jackets and now I'm trying to figure out if I need the other one, too! Thoughts?[showshopthepostwidget id="2082368"]Since NYC is (hopefully!) going to be cold, it's time to invest in some real outerwear. I'm mildly obsessed with these gloves!! The beanie and scarf are new favorites, too.[showshopthepostwidget id="2082388"]
Friday Favorites
Hi!
Happy Friday to you! This week has been CRAY-ZEE around here thanks to getting carpet installed in our upstairs + assembling all the new things for the girl's new room. I'm almost done and I can't wait to show it to you!
I have a little compilation of things I wanted to share with you for today's Friday favorites...
Blanket Scarves
Yall. I can't get enough of blanket scarves. Plaids, buffalo check, stripes, I love them ALL. What I'm really loving about blanket scarves is the versatility of how you can wear them. I'll do a little tutorial coming up about all the ways I tie mine. I've really enjoyed wrapping the scarf around my shoulders to achieve a poncho feel. If you want to shop a few of my favorites, here they are!!
Halo Top Ice Cream
Oh. My. Word. You guys this stuff is amazing. All the hype surrounding it is TRUE. I don't know what any of us did to deserve a delicious ice cream that you can consumer without any of the guilt. Call it favor. Call it unmerited mercy. Whatever it is, it's hashtag BLESSED. I've only tried mint and chocolate because the selfish people that shop at my local Kroger, snatch up all the other fun flavors. But I will keep looking til I can find more. Cuz I need more.
Chip and Jo
How much do I love these two? Let me count the ways. I've only read a teensy bit of this beauty since I got it yesterday and it is so perfect. We needed something to tide us over til November when the new season starts, and this is just perfect for that! Get your copy here.
The Best Mascara Ever
I know everybody claims to have the "best mascara ever" but I have been around the block trying ALL the mascaras and when it comes to helping my stubby blonde lashes look lengthy and full, this stuff does the trick. The name is weird but it's worth it. You can try it here.
We are looking forward to a cooler weekend just in time for apple picking with the fam. I apologize in advance for the oversharing that is to come. Hope you have an awesome Friday!
Love,
Laura
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
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
Shopbop Sale
Hi!
I'm so excited that a few of my favorite things are on major sale thanks to the Shopbop Event of the Season sale!
I've linked them below so scroll thru and click when you see what you like. Be sure to check out my FAV distressed skinny jeans. I've literally never seen them go on sale so this is big. If you've been thinking about adding any of these items to your wardrobe, now's the time! Can we talk real quick about the navy floral tunic? It's Free People and it has smocked detail around the neckline. #yesplease
I'm still hunting some more favorites so stay tuned if I find more!
Happy shopping, sweet 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
