Holiday Sparkle and Shine

The holidays are in the air everywhere you look! Whether it's store front windows, decorated front yards, or the holiday party invites that are rolling in, it is literally the holiday season. And I for one am glad. I love the holidays. Always have. Christmas is by far my favorite holiday! The decorations, the cookie baking, shopping for gifts for your loved ones, and waiting with anticipation for what Santa will bring you are all the things that make this truly the most wonderful time of the year!

We have a couple of holiday parties coming up this weekend and I am putting party looks together. We don't get dressed up that much anymore so it's especially special this time of year. I haven't been shopping for anything new in what feels like ages, so I'm browsing the internet for inspirational pieces that I might find in my own closet. And if I can't recreate them, maybe I can take something away from the color palette. 

I'm obsessed with the accordion pleat trend and love the gold, even though I own the black. I can't wear a crop top like the one below, but love the two piece look. The green dress is stunning and the black Art-Deco dress makes a statement. Each piece brings its own sparkle and shine to any holiday party! Check out my picks.

1/2/3/4/5/6/7

Aren't they all simply lovely? Just FYI, the Adriana Papell dress is sold out in green! Everyone must have had the same idea. The color is gorgeous! The perfect Christmas green. Honestly, I would wear each and everyone of these on some occasion outside the holidays. And, even though the Aidan Maddox two piece look has a crop top, I could style the skirt several different ways!

What are you thinking of wearing to your holiday parties this season? Will it be a casual look or something on the dressier side? Let's chat!

Happy Monday, all! 

Cocktail Confessions - White Chocolate Peppermint Coffee

 It appears that I've made several coffee cocktails lately, but if I'm being honest, it's because I need more coffee! When you're chasing a four year old who wakes up before the sun and never stops, even in his sleep, this mama is tired and needs a constant pick me up! And, from time to time, a little booze!

This one is pretty tasty. I mean, when you're working with a peppermint simple syrup, Peppermint Schnapps, and white chocolate liqueur, how could it not be good! 

Here's What You'll Need:

Coffee, Peppermint Schnapps, White Chocolate Liqueur, Peppermint Simple Syrup, Half & Half

Add coffee to an ice filled glass. And half & half, if you like that kind of thing.

To that, I added one shot of the white chocolate liqueur. So pretty! 

After that, I poured in a little peppermint simple syrup. I made my own and you can too. It's just a half cup of sugar, a half cup of water, and a half teaspoon of peppermint extract. You add all of that to a small saucepan and allow the sugar to dissolve in the water of medium low heat. Let it cool and store in the fridge in an air tight container. It will be great in your daily coffee and other recipes!

The iced version was great, but I was actually freezing, so I added it to my favorite my holiday mug and heated in the microwave! It's good cold and hot! Gotta love a double trouble cocktail!

After a sip or two is when I decided to add the Peppermint Schnapps. You have to taste your drinks to see what it's missing. In this case, the simple syrup was good, but it needed a little extra punch. Leave it out if you think yours is perfect!

This would be a great after dinner drink on Christmas Eve! Serve up a little decaf, or full on caffeine if you have a night ahead of you, and toast to family, friends, and the festive holiday season!

Cheers!

Holiday Shopping with Groupon

A week from today is Black Friday, a day I never go shopping! The "specials" aren't that big of a deal to me! Have you seen the videos of shoppers on that day? Stampedes, camp-outs in the freezing cold, and having to get up way before the sun (or never going to bed) sound awful to me! I like the warmth of my bed, sleeping in until almost 7:00, and relaxing with my family all day!

I am all about saving while shopping though! With the holidays around the corner, everyone loves to save while shopping, right? My list isn't horribly long, but I have my husband, son, parents, and close friends I love to give gifts to every year. Shopping for my son is easy! If it's a truck, I'm done! And it doesn't hurt that his list to Santa is a mile long! My mom is easy as well. Girlfriends are the best to shop for because they love anything girly, boozy, and pretty! But my husband and dad....well, they're a challenge!

And let's face it, it's exhausting! Shopping all day, lugging bags all over the mall, fighting the holiday crowd that's also worn out, simply makes me cranky and ready to call it quits. Thank goodness for Groupon!

If you aren't using Groupon, you should be! It's the easiest way to shop WHILE saving money! The best of both worlds, no? I've been using them for years, mostly for restaurants, but did you know that you could shop for clothes, trips, wine, and makeup? Well, you can! It's a virtual shopping mall where you don't have to fight the crowds, lug around bags, and wind up cranky by the end of the day!

Some of personal favorites are the Groupons to Neiman Marcus and Lord & Taylor. It's a one stop shop within stores we don't have access to here in Kansas City. But, I love that places like Loft offer in store and online shopping rewards through Groupon that you may or may not get via email from Loft themselves! I mean, who can't use an extra $25 for spending $50! Yes please! A little post holiday shopping for yourself maybe.... And with the wine specials from Gold Medal Wine Club, I have now checked my dad off the list!

Here are some of the items I'm loving for my husband, my mom, for myself, and girlfriends, and all can be found via the specials offered by Groupon!

Cute boots for Joel.

Warm slippers for my mom.

A super cute handbag pom-pom for my girlfriends!

A darling sweater for me from Loft with those $25 rewards!

 And the wine club for my dad!

I think I may have everyone covered! And thanks to Groupon, I saved money while shopping! What are you waiting for? Get over there and start clicking those links! Seriously, the holidays are right around the corner!!

This post was sponsored by Groupon, but all opinions expressed are my own.

Wednesday Wants - Glitter on My Feet

So I've never been what one would consider a glitter kind of girl. I love to glitter things when crafting, but to actually wear something with glitter is not really in my personal style closet. But then I thumbed through the new Boden and Sole Society catalogs and I completely changed my tune! I have fallen love with these particular glittered pieces and now all I want is glitter on my feet!

 One/Two/Three/Four

What do you think of my glitter picks? I love them all! They are perfect for the upcoming holiday season and I love that you don't have to go with heels to be festive! All of them would be darling with jeans, but equally chic with dresses and skirts! The skies the limit!

Hoping your week is going well! Stay fashionable! The weekend is almost here!

Tres Chic December - The LBD

Dress: Ann Taylor; Shoes: Valentino (gift/similar); Earrings: Made by Me (similar); Ring: Gift;

Lip Color: MAC Ruby Woo; Nail Color: Sephora OPI Personal Shopper 

Nicole by OPI: Rainbow in the S-Kylie

When we thought about December and what we wanted to style, we all agreed with the LBD or Little Black Dress. We all have something to attend this month. Holiday parties, New Year's Eve events, work events, and cocktail parties and the LBD is the easiest piece to style in your closet. Throw on colorful shoes, gobs of jewels, fun tights, a little jacket, or go with all black. It's a blank canvas! 

We also thought it would be to get together for a little Tres Chic photo shoot. My dad graciously accepted the job! Our little shoot took place on the balcony of Aloft and we loved looking out over Park Place! The ice skaters were in full swing while others were shopping or lunching. Such a fun experience. As you can see, we all went in completely different directions with our dresses and I think each one is as chic as the next! Check out Lauren at Classy and Fab Girl and Caitlin at SophistiCAITed to see more! 

 Caitlin's Outfit Details:

Leather Limited Dress (old) similar here and here, BCBG blazer (old) similar here,

 JustFab bow pumps, Joie clutch c/o Shopbop, J.Crew tights (old) similar here, 

 Stella and Dot necklace, J.Crew bracelet, J.Crew Factory bracelet (old) similar here, Kate Spade studs

 

Lauren's Outfit Details:
dress - White House Black Market (similar) | leather jacket - Envy (similar) |
 tights - Loft | shoes - Ellen Tracy | lip color - Revlon Blushing Nude

We have had such a great time with our Tres Chic series and I can't wait to see what we come up with in 2015! As always, if you have any wardrobe challenges you would like us to tackle, send them on over! We love a styling challenge! 

See you in January with our next Tres Chic post! Until then, stay fashionable!

Photos Courtesy of Richard Lawson

Shopbop: Hostess Gifts

I have several parties coming up this weekend and I'm trying to think outside the box in terms of of hostess gifts. I always seem to give the same thing, a bottle of wine or a plate of baked goodies like cookies or bread. This year I'm thinking of going down a more chic route and I'm loving these little nuggets I recently found! There's something for the fashionista, the wine lover, the neat freak, the foodie, coffee expert, and the baker. And each one is as sophisticated at the next! See my favs below!

 Coasters/Wine Stopper/Espresso Cups

Cookie Jar/Coffee Table Book/Cheese Spreaders

What's on your list for the host or hostess in your life?

Holidays at Crown Center

Sweater: Anthropologie (old/fun option); T-Neck: Loft (similar); Jeans: Loft; 

Boots: Sole Society (c/o/similar); Handbag: MbyMJ (gift/similar); Shades: Loft

  

Every year we have a tradition of heading down to Crown Center for a day of fun. We take McKinley to lunch at Fritz's, his favorite place to dine, and then head across the street to play on all the over-sized wooden toys. The first year we went, he was only eight months old, so it was a pretty quick trip. At a year and a half, he was barely walking, but we had a blast. Last year he didn't really know what to do first. He was a little overwhelmed and seemed more enamored by the fountains than the toys. This year, he was crazy! He literally ran from one piece to the next. I loved watching him playing, using his imagination for each toy, and asking us to join him on this journey. It was a great day!

It didn't end there. We walked over to Union Station to check out the train displays. I've never seen anything like it. I was like a kid! If it wasn't McKinley telling us to look at something, I was telling him to look! And, to top it all off, he got to ride in a train around the darling Christmas display in the main hall. This was the best day and I can't wait for next year! 

   

Even the weather was amazing! It was a gorgeous mid 50s day with sun. I knew we were going to be outside for most of the day and I didn't want to have to wear or carry a coat. And, I wanted to look a little festive for the occasion. I reached for my favorite sweater, skinny jeans, and boots. The perfect combo for a day of play. What I didn't anticipate was all the walking! My dogs were tired!

This sweater is an oldie but goody. I've had it for years and can't seem to part with it. And, I received tons of compliments on it so I can't even begin to think of tossing it now! It really is the best sweater for this time of year! 

What are some of your holiday traditions? And, how do you try to look festive without going over the top? I can't wait for you to share!

Happy Monday!

Happy Holidays - The Good Stuff

I love this time of year. As I've told my husband in the past, I have a feeling of peace. That even though there's that hustle and bustle that comes with the holidays, there's a sense of joy and calm around me. And I want to spread that peace and joy with others. I mean, isn't that what this whole season is all about in the first place?

I love to give gifts. And I love watching people open the gift they've received! I truly try to think about the perfect gift(s) for my friends and family. Over the past year or so I've really enjoyed giving homemade gifts. There's something so personal about making something with your hands and heart and then passing it on to your loved ones. My favorite gift I've given was homemade apple butter and bread. I was able to spend time in the kitchen with my mom, which I love doing, and everyone who received the goodie basket seemed to be in heaven. Knowing they appreciated such a sweet gift made my heart sing!

Not only do I love giving to the people in my life, I try to make an effort to give to those in need. Any time I see an Angel Tree, I can't help but take one or more angels from the tree. We have so much that I feel it's important to give to those less fortunate. And this year, I'm trying to emphasis this to my three year old son. Together, we took two new toys to a Toys for Totes bin, and I had my son place each toy in the box. I explained to him that there are other little boys and girls that may not have something under their tree this year, and we needed to make sure we could make that happen. I loved watching him give that little gift.

 But even with all that happiness, peace, and joy, sometimes the holidays can be a stressful. One of the things I try to do to alleviate that stress is shop all year. I know that may sound crazy, but why do we feel we have to shop all during the month of December in order to give someone the perfect gift? If I'm out and about and see something I know my husband would love, I get it. If there's that darling pair of earrings I think my girlfriend will wear, I'm at the checkout with that pair in hand. Spreading out my purchases over twelve months really helps my wallet! And, even though I lost my job in April, I'm not feeling that tug on my purse strings because I've had a few things checked off my list for months now. Something to consider come January! 

And speaking of savings during the holiday, hop on over to Coupons.com for some amazing gift giving ideas! I especially love the beauty stocking stuffer ideas! My mom always fills my stocking with some of the cutest beauty needs. For the nail art enthusiast, check out the featured Essie mani set! I love the little The Body Shop gift cubes and tubes! Normally $10, they are offering two for $15! They would be a perfect gift to yourself for saving all that money! They are darling! Headed off to a holiday party and in need of a hostess gift? Check out the Bath and Body Works hand soaps! The packaging is so cute and the price is right at $6.50! And while you're there, enter the Coupons.com "The Good Stuff Holiday Sweepstakes 2014"! It runs from 12/8 to 12/25. They'll be picking three separate winners to win a $100 Amazon gift card, and one winner of a grand prize of a $500 Amazon gift card! And who couldn't use a little extra of the good stuff during the holidays?!? 

Now that I've checked off all the items on my gift giving list, the only thing left to do is wrap! Anyone interested in a wrapping party? No? I guess I'm on my own for that one! 

Let me know what items you might be snagging off the gift giving list! So many ideas that you're bound to find everything you need. Who doesn't love one stop shopping!

This is sponsored post, but all thoughts expressed are my own!

SHOPBOP - Party Shoes

As most of you know, I love shoes! I may even have an unhealthy love of shoes, but I love them none the less! And with it being the holiday season, I can't help but dream of party shoes! The right shoe can truly take a look from good to amazing in one little click of the heel! So I've been scouting out the perfect shoe from Shopbop, to wear to those holiday festivities that are quickly on the rise. My top four are below!

  Gold/Black/Royal/Plum

What party shoe is on your wish list for the holiday season?

Happy Monday!

Holiday Crafting - Ball Jars

Who doesn't have empty jars from time to time. Jelly jars, pasta sauce jars, or canning jars there always seems to be a jar. I'm a recycler, so usually the jars go in our glass bag for a trip to the recycle bin. Not this month! I've been busy upcycling my jars and making them festive little gifts!

My mom and have been into canning lately, we have a jam canning project in the works, but I also have some empty canning jars that I'm not currently using. I decided to take those jars, spray paint the lids, adorn them with sweet little trees, and add a little yumminess of the non jam kind. See what I did below!

What You'll Need:

Jars of any kind and size. I used pint size Ball Jars.

Miniature Trees

Strong Adhesive - I used E6000

Spray Paint

Candies, Hot Cocoa, Marshmellows

If you're using Ball jars, you know that there is a sealing lid below the screw-top. Take all of those out and put the screw-top aside. You'll use those later. If it's a just a jar lid, follow the steps from here. Simply remove the trees from their packaging, apply a small dot of the adhesive, and place the tree in the very center of the lid. Lightly press so you don't have glue oozing out the sides. Set and aside and move on to the next. Honestly, it's that easy!

How adorable are these little guys? This sight made me so happy!

 Next, take all the lids, including all the Ball jar lid components, to a well ventilated area for spray painting. Lay out a protective surface and place your lids on that. I divided up my lids into groups because I painted both gold and silver. Black would be really sleek as well!

And spray paint! Make sure you get all angles and nooks, and all sides of the trees. So shiny and festive!

 Once everything is dry, begin the assembly. Also, decide early on what you're going to fill the jars with so you are ready to go. I went with a hot cocoa mix and mini marshmallows, various chocolates in fun holiday wrap, and peppermint candies. If you have larger jars, a cookie recipe with all the ingredients is always cute!

I think these are darling! The tree doesn't necessarily make it so holiday that your recipient can't use them all year long. I think they would make great teacher gifts, a fun Secret Santa gift, or party favor. Who doesn't love hot cocoa or candy?! Whatever you decide, it's a great way to re-purpose your jars and a fun crafting activity! 

Happy Gluing!

One Dress - Two Holiday Looks

Vest: H&M (similar); Dress: Piperlime (similar); Tights: Target; 

Heels: Louise et Cie (50% off); Necklaces: Ann Taylor/Talbots  

Remember the pictures of the dress I wore to our anniversary dinner? They were dark, unfocused, and not truly blog worthy. But I was so excited to share the look that I overlooked the poor quality! That's not the case today. Broad daylight does wonders, no?

I am in love with this dress! It's so comfy, so chic, and the perfect piece for the upcoming holidays. Whether it be for a family Thanksgiving day gathering, or all those holiday parties on the horizon next month, it can be worn in so many different ways. Today I'm bringing you two looks, that with the removal of a MAJ vest, goes from trendy to classy in an instant.

I went into H&M to look for one specific piece and walked out of the store with this statement piece instead. I fell in love with it the minute I saw it and I haven't had an ounce of buyers remorse since. It's simply amazing! I am constantly styling it in mind, and now that it's beyond freezing outside, it's time to take this vest for a stroll! I really like how it brings this dress down a notch. It makes it more playful and whimsical. I loaded up the pearls, added my fav berry lipstick, and wore my new pony hair heels. I just love it!

 

 

  

If you aren't into such a bold vest, simply remove it. You are left with a simply classic sheath. Again, keep the oodles of pearls and berry lip, and this look is cocktail ready!

Which look is your favorite? Would you wear either of them to upcoming holiday events? I can't wait to bring you more holiday looks! A stylists dream!

XOXO

Happy Fourth of July

I hope you are having a festive Fourth of July! We don't have much planned, but I know we will enjoy every minute of our family time together! We don't have actual plans. We're just going to go with the flow of the day and do whatever everyone feels like doing! I love the holidays! Any holiday will do. The decorating, the baking, the parties, and the outfit planning! It's all so much fun. And even if it's just the three of us, I have plenty of things up my sleeve. Here are just a few things I'm loving!

Amazing nail art via Pinterest!

Super cute Espadrilles and striped maxi from Old Navy!

Yummy patriotic Popsicles via Pinterest.

My son's Fourth of July tree and pennant that I made for him! 

 

 A darling print that's perfect for a pair of shorts! Let's hope I can get them made in time!

There's nothing like a little red, white, and blue to get this girl jazzed for a holiday weekend! 

Happy Fourth of July!!

Holiday Gift Giving - The Gift Set

I would say that as of today, the holiday's are in full swing! Our house is mostly decorated, most of my gifts have been purchased, and holiday cards are almost complete! I didn't do any Black Friday shopping. I never do! After working years in retail, I can't bring myself to go shopping when I know those poor people had to be up hours ago and didn't really get to spend time with their familys. But the biggest reason is that I'm not willing to fight all those crowds when I can just click away on Cyber-Monday!

 

I still have a few things on my shopping list. I'm not even sure if some these things are on sale. I just know I want to get them for the gals in my life. I'm a huge fan of gift sets! Sets are all the rage during the holidays. It's the perfect time to test things you wouldn't normally buy, but have to because they are a part of a set. Lip colors, lotions, candles, and perfumes. All there, in tiny bottles, compacts, and votives for me (and others) to play around with, to experiment with!

 

I've been poking around and found some of my favorites that I want to share with all of you. Get that mouse ready! You might just find something for someone on your shopping list and you might need to buy it today!

 

L'Occitane is a line of hand creams that I've always wanted to try. And, when you get one large tub for $12.00, it only makes sense to try five small ones for $42.00. That way, you can find the scent you love the most and then splurge on it at a later date!

 

 

I love Deborah Lippman nail polish! Her colors are rich in tone, the polish lasts forever, and the names are awesome! Bitches Brew! Who doesn't love applying a color called Bitches Brew to your nails! One bottle of polish is $17.00 so when you can get twelve bottles for $78.00 (normally a $144 for twelve) go for it! Your nails will thank you! 

 

 

This is one of the BEST gifts I've ever received! A friend of mine gave me this a couple of years ago and I used every single scent! There are 14 samples of some of the most popular scents all in one tiny box! After you've tested all the scents in the box, take the certificate into Sephora and get your favorite scent for free! Gotta love that! This is a $65 value and totally worth it!!

 

 

Stila is one of my favorite lines of cosmetics. They have the cutest packaging and all of their products are great! Side note, I love their concealer. This package of nine lip glosses is awesome! It's $29, a normal value of $124! I love the colors.

 

Who doesn't love candles? I have so many that I never get around to burning them all! However, no matter how many you have, you can always use more! This set from Voluspa would be a great hostess gift, stocking stuffer, or something because you need them for the holidays! You get six mini votives that sound like amazing scents. It's a $50 value. And, when one candle alone is $24, I say $50 is perfect!

 

Lastly, I'm a huge fan of Philosophy lotions and body wash. They are thick and rich and smell devine! The Gingerbread House collection sounds delish, but the Snow Angel (which smells of newly fallen snow) sounds so...angelic! I don't think you could go wrong with either!

 

 

What do you think of the selections? Have any been on your wish list in the past? Any going to make your list for friends or family or maybe just yourself?

 

Happy Holiday Shopping!