Best of 2015

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2015 was truly a wonderful year. My first year of marriage, my first time becoming an aunt, and a big move from DC to Philadelphia. Lots of happy, exciting memories to reflect on, and so much to look forward to in 2016!

I thought it would be fun to share some of my "Best Of" picks from the past year. 

Best Winter Wine: Meiomi pinot noir

Best Summer Wine: Whispering Angel rose

Best Beauty Tool: Sigma makeup brush cleaner

Best DIY: Floral arranging (I am obsessed)

Best Bedroom Accessory: Pottery Barn bedside table clock

Best Desk Accessory: Faux fur chair throw

Best Dish: Murgh Makhani (Indian)

Best Peel: M-61 Power Glow Peel (love to feel that sting!)

Best Mask: Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask (this beauty line is incredible)

Best Trend: Metallic Shoes (I have silver and rose gold…eyeing a yellow gold pair now)

Best Treat: Truffle oil - I'm addicted 

Best Read: The Island - I love anything Elin Hilderbrand, but this was one of her best!

Best Sound: Sonos Speakers (these are the best home accessory)

Best Dressed: Gigi Hadid (I'm obsessed with her model off-duty looks)

Best Bridal Accessory: Stubbs & Wooten "I Do" flats

What were your favorites of 2015?

.E

Holiday Wishlist - Favorites Edition

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 

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Am I the only one who gets immediate post-holiday blues? Wahhh I miss it already!

Christmas Eve is actually my favorite over Christmas morning because that feeling of holiday spirit all around you, coupled with the building anticipation for that burst of December 25th happiness, is probably the best feeling there is.

 As much as you want the morning to come, you also wish it would hold off for forever so you can continue living in the magical, sparkly, frasier fir scented world that we create in our homes, in town, and in church. On the 26th, I always wake up and try to keep the feeling alive by baking more cookies, listening to more holiday music, and enjoying all of the sweet treats and presents I received. I figure I can keep this going at least until New Years, right?!

This year I got to see Christmas through the eye's of my darling niece, Isla. It was so fun to watch her open presents and play with the paper and ribbons and all of her new toys. She was definitely the highlight of the holiday this year.

I hope Santa was good to everyone. Above are a few favorites that I received under the tree.

Feeling very thankful for all that I have this year.

.E

Sleepy Head

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I don't know about you, but every year without fail, I get sick just before Christmas. No matter how hard I try, I always end up with the year's worst cold. Luckily the holidays area all about sleeping and lounging in bed. And if you are gonna lay around, you might as well have cute accessories to do so! I love these adorable sleep masks for a good nap in bed or nap on the plane if you are lucky enough to be jetting off somewhere fun for the holidays! These would also make a great stocking stuffer gift for the sleep lover in your life.

Lots of good sales going on right now, friends! If you're a last minute shopper like me, you better get cracking since were in the 4 day countdown weeee!! 

Happy Christmas Week!

.E

Home Office

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Since I'm currently doing a lot of work from home, I felt inspired to design my ideal home office. I wanted the space to feel light and bright and I wanted everything mostly white with some great color punches here and there. Must haves include a fuzzy rug for under your feet, fun and inspiring decorative items kept to the side on a complimentary bookshelf (desk area should be as clutter free as possible), some soft light to amp up the natural light, and Sonos speakers for soft background music (we're obsessed with Sonos in this household). I would definitely feel ready to crush some to-do lists in this cozy little space!

What are your must-haves for your work area?

.E

This & That

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1. I made this for our friends who hosted us in D.C. this past weekend - It's delicious!

2. How cute is this personalized tennis racket case?

3. What is your spirit houseplant?

4. Adding these boots to my closet stat

5. Just tried this body scrub and I am obsessed!

6. This bag is so chic (and now 60% off!)

7. 51 New Years Eve party DIY's

8. Loving these two holiday party looks

9. I'm obsessed with Trader Joes - Check out this list of their all time best products

10. These chunky heels are calling my name - so gorgeous

2015 Mash-Up Listen

I'm heading down to DC this weekend for a good friend's engagement party, but wanted to pop in real quick to share the 2015 DJ Earworm mash-up which is something I look forward to every year.

This guy is so seriously talented (how do I learn to do this?) and this year's mix is no exception! It will definitely get you through the Friday workday.

Happy Listening & Happy Weekend!

.E

3 DIY's I Want to Try

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I love a good project. If you've been following along, you know I just wrapped up my 2015 Thanksgiving centerpiece which you can read about here. Now I am on to my next endeavor; the holiday ice bucket. I have been wanting to try this for a few years now, and it seems pretty easy and very festive. I will be sure to share the finished product if it works out well!

I am also really want to attempt to bleach pine cones. I was down in South Carolina a few years ago and found a ton of gigantic (I'm talking the size of your forearm huge) pine cones. I obviously had to collect 2 bags full and bring them home with me, but have never really figured out what to do with them. I think this DIY will be perfect since I clearly have an addiction to making everything white, bright and neutral. 

Lastly, I really want to try to do a celery stalk painting. I'm not super artistic but this literally looks like a kindergarten project so if I fail, I'll really be concerned. How cute is the above flower print. It looks exactly like an ElizaJ dress that I wore to a wedding this past September. I will also share this finished project if it works out. Otherwise I am going to hire an 8 year old to do it for me.

Project 1 - Tutorial here or try the ice cubes for a smaller scale project!

Project 2 - Tutorial here and here

Project 3 - Tutorial here and here

Gift Guide For The Foodie

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1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | 9. | 10. | 11.

I'm no expert in the kitchen, but with these items I'd be willing to learn! If you have a favorite friend or family member who loves to cook, there are some great gift ideas above. I've recently gotten into coffee (literally never drank it for the first 29 years of my life) and I think coffee art is so creative and cool. Now you can do it yourself at home with cup stencils. I so wish I had found this before our wedding - I would have had a "Mr & Mrs" sprinkled on our guest's coffee because, why not?

I've also been wanting to add a lemon tree to my home for a while, but I'll admit I'm nervous since I tend to have a brown thumb when it comes to plants (I've murdered my share over the years). I just love the idea of growing my own and having lemons ready at a moments notice for my wine, water, arugula salad, avocado toast…lemon is seriously the best garnish.

That piggy soup tureen needs to find a home on my counter top. J is addicted to soup and is often making it from scratch (last weeks chicken broth made from our Thanksgiving turkey bones was unreal). Since I don't cook, I can at least be sure it's served in adorable piggy style!

E.

Heavy Weights

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Not a huge fan of knick knacks (I prefer a clutter free space) but I do love an adorable decorative item here and there. These West Elm solid brass weights are my current obsession. Aren't they so cute? I want one of each and just maybe I will treat myself since they are all $20 or less!! These would make the cutest gifts for co-workers or your bestie. Stick one on your desk, one on your coffee table, and one on your night stand. I'm seriously in love with these little gold treats!

Help me decide between the Cross Arrows, Horse Shoe, and Hash Tag!

Shop all objects here 

.E

Cool Cat - Men's Accessory Must Haves

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We already talked about a gift guide for our guys a few weeks back (which you can find here) but I wanted to do a quick round up of the best men's accessories (all pre-tested by the closest boys in my life). Each of these would also make great gifts/stocking stuffers this holiday season!

Let's begin:

Monogrammed Suspenders: These are especially awesome if you're in the thick of planning your wedding, but really these are fun for any black tie event your guy might have coming up. I love the idea of a monogram or wedding date stitched on. For our wedding, we had our wedding date stitched on the underside of J's tux collar. It was one of my favorite details from our special day.

A Great Pair of Glasses: There's something so handsome about a guy in glasses, no? I think it majorly ups the cuteness factor. Favorite brands are Warby Parker, Oliver Peoples, or Ben Silver.

Leather Tech Gloves: A great pair of driving gloves are a winter staple, but spring for the tech ones and you will have one happy dude in your life. These allow you to click and swipe your iPhone/Pad until your hearts content without removing your gloves. J has this pair on his Christmas wish list.

Cashmere Scarf: The perfect polished touch to top off your outfit.

Pocket Squares: These are so fun to gift because you really can't have enough colors and prints (however steer clear of paisley/over the top patterns). If you think about how boring a boys outfit can be, especially formal attire (we call J's tux his "uniform" because of all of our weddings this past year), this is the area where you can add personality and fun. Don't go crazy but definitely stand out from others with this, this, or this.

Unique Belts: Another area where you can bring the fun along with the function. I mentioned in my previous gift guide that I gave J a needlepoint life belt which was an awesome gift that he has worn for years. Currently loving these La Matera belts which you can shop here.

Cufflinks: J has a bunch of fun cufflinks, but really whenever he asks me which he should wear, I am always drawn to the simple colorful knots. These are super cheap and come in really gorgeous shades.

Shoes/Slippers: This is the one area where guys can really slip-up (pun pun) and where you should place a lot of focus on your gift giving. There are SO many hideous men's shoes out there - why?!?? Invest in a good pair of slippers (J loves llbean ones) some great every day shoes (Sperry's, Chukka's, Vans Lace Ups etc) and a pair of dark leather flip flops for summer (Rainbows are the best I think). For the office, a great bit loafer or driving shoe (we love Ferragamo and Cole Haan).

A Signet Ring: This may or may not be your style, but I am a big fan of a pinky signet ring on a guy (or a girl for that matter). If he wears a wedding ring, have it fitted for his right hand. If he has a special family symbol (crest or design) work with a custom engraver for a special personal touch.

Signature Scent: Again, this is a personal preference, but if you are looking for a great men's scent, Creed Silver Mountain Water is by far the best smell I have EVER come across….I would literally bathe in this cologne. Heads up though, it will set you back a few hundred dollars! Not into cologne? Try a masculine scented hand cream (this wood one is our favorite)

Wallet, Dopp Kit, and Brief Case: The heavenly trifecta. These are three items a guy will use every single day of his life so they should be top quality and great looking! I love the needlepoint monogrammed wallet (above). Dopp Kits look great in leather, but I actually opt for a dark colored canvas that can be easily cleaned and won't show stains (I feel like men's dopp kits are always covered in toothpaste and weird stains, no?). J gave monogrammed dopp kits to his groomsmen for our wedding, and they all seem to be using/loving them. Lastly, the briefcase. I feel like guys are really picky about this item and I get it, you don't want to look like you're carrying a purse. J.Crew has some great options if you are searching, or try your local leather goods store.

Fun Socks: Like the pocket squares, these are a fun place to add a little personality and color to your outfit. J and my friend's husband (we will call him V) have an on going sock competition for every wedding we attend. They get overly excited about each other's sock game which we have come to refer to as peacocking. How cute are these pheasant socks?!

Coolers and Koozies:  This sounds crazy but literally everywhere we go, J carries a koozie in his pocket so he's always prepared for a cold brew. This Yeti cooler is also on his wish list, although I don't know where he thinks he's going with a $500 cooler…

 

Top Lip Picks!

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I never was really a lipstick girl (I always thought it made me look like a clown), but now I can't seem to get enough! I've been testing out a number of brands over the last year, and have narrowed down my favorite picks to the 6 above. 

All provide great lasting color, and each one seems to carry me through months of use! I personally think a bright red looks best on brunettes, but a great coral with orange undertones and a bright pink are two of my favorites! A deep oxblood shade is also so good for Fall and Winter months. 

Have a great lip product that you can't live without? Give me the deets!

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Nude Stix - I use this one in the oxblood (Hypnotic) shade and I love it.

Chanel - This one feels really creamy & luxe. Love the 402 Adrienne color

Bobbi Brown Gloss - I always add a gloss on top to tone the lipstick look down a bit. These are my favorites!

Sonia Kashuk - This stuff you guys, is gold. It's literally like drawing on your lip with a big, bold color crayon so it makes it super easy to apply. Plus I get it at TARGET and it's $8. You need this now!

Nars - Such a great makeup brand in general, this is the one I use when I occasionally sport a bright red lip. It more of a blue, cool-tone red than an orange red - really great shade.

YSL - Best for last, this is a lip stain and it is my #1 favorite on the list. I am addicted to this product. It smells good, goes on like a gloss but has the amazing color that a lipstick would provide. Slightly higher price tag; worth every penny.

.E

Dear Santa,

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A Christmas edition of Wishfully!

Here's a peep into a few items that I am asking Santa for this year. Is it weird that I still want to put puppies and candy on my Christmas list? We got 3 different Christmas puppies over the years, and they are by far my favorite holiday memories. 

This year I'm wishing for:

This coat - It's so chic. I am seriously loving Eliza J lately!

Dying to try this Kiehl's product that people seem to swear by

I showed this top to my mom and she said she'd already decided it was perfect for me!

Thanks to my friend Devon, I am officially on the adult coloring book train - Great for stress relief!

Loving this workout jacket for winter trail workouts - Have been doing 5 miles a day!

I've been seeing this makeup brush cleaner everywhere lately - Is it gross that I don't think I've ever cleaned my makeup brushes?

How perfect is this gold plated link bracelet? I need that stat

This tortoise clutch has been on my wish list for a while - It's sold out here but a local store in my town was selling the same one!

I remember in high school & college when I refused to wear anything JBrand, Seven's, or AG jeans. Now I swear by J.Crew jeans. I'm obsessed with them and so is my bank account.

Anthro always has an amazing selection of earrings. I am loving these star crawlers.

Addicted to home design/decor magazines. Hoping for some new subscriptions!

Feeling like I'm needing some new makeup brushes to go with that cleaner! 

What's on your wish list this season?

.E

The F Word

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Three F's every gal needs in her closet: Fringe, Floral, and (Faux) Fur. 

The above is designed with just those in mind. When sorting through my recent pins and saves, I noticed the 3F trend across almost everything. I then realized, this is where (outfit) detail magic comes from.

Honorable mentions to the bomb shell shoes, the Clare Vivier navy cross body, and the wine faux leather motorcycle pants.

Which would you choose?

.E

Thanksgiving Centerpiece 2015

If you've been following along for a while,  you know that each year I am in charge of my family's  Thanksgiving centerpiece. I get so excited for my creation that I honestly start planning weeks in advance. Typically I have a vision or color scheme in mind and then I just build from there. 

Last year I included bold color (see below), so I knew I wanted muted neutrals this year with lots of texture. The whole look began around these incredible white pumpkins that I picked up on one of our lake trips in Upstate NY. 

Since we celebrate out at our farm house, I wanted to play with a mildly rustic vibe this year. I found the garden boxes for $7.99 a piece at Home Goods (can't beat that price!). I will 100% use these over and over - they are the perfect blue/grey shade.

I decided to go with dried hydrangeas for my floral element. These are incredible flowers all year round. They're obviously gorgeous in their full-bloom blues and pinks, but dried Fall hydrangeas are pretty spectacular too. The key is to cut them over a few weeks time. The colors will continue to change as the season fades. What you see below is about three different cut batches (from the same bush) which gave me soft greens, faint purples, and warm tan shades.

For filler I included cut eucalyptus pods which smelled amazing and added some grey/blue tones throughout. The scabiosa pods were dried and saved from my bridesmaid bouquets which added a personal/happy touch.

Lastly, I never leave out the pheasant feathers. Officially obsessed with pheasant feathers.

.E

 Ta Da! Finished product 2015 edition

Closer Look - Such great colors in those dried hydrangeas!

With some of the table settings

Look at those colors!! 

Sprigs of eucalyptus pods scattered throughout 

One last look - with my pretty little pheasant feathers

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Here's a little peak at last years arrangement including rich reds and greens!