Category Archives: Holidays

V-Day Ideas: Yourself

Posted on February 6, 2014 | Leave a comment

And of course, most of all, spread a love your own way!  You have to love yourself most of all, so why not treat yourself to a sweet Valentine’s Day gift.  It won’t be a surprise, but it should absolutely be special.

Pick things out for yourself that no crush or long time love would choose – in other words, be frivolous and fancy free.  If you’re buying indulgent sweets, make them the most indulgent, if it’s jewelry you’re after make it sparkly and sublime.

vday_you

V-day gifts for yourself aren’t about man-bashing, or celebrating single-dom; they’re about celebration Y-O-U!

Shop: nails / hoops / body cream / pops / tee

Recap all of the gift ideas from this week! Continue reading →

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V-Day Ideas: Guys

Posted on February 5, 2014 | 2 comments

Valentine’s Day gifts for guys are hard.  This is a total girl’s holiday and worse, typically, when a guy wants something he’ll just buy it.  So, I’m suggesting you skip the Whitman’s Sampler and get to the heart of the matter with gifts that are playful, pampering and punny.

vday_him

These gifts run the gamut from, “I like you, I think…” to “I’m so in lust, good thing you have these (new) sneakers to keep up!”

Shop: card/salami / kiehl’s / sneaks

More fun gift ideas all week long!

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V-Day Ideas: Kids

Posted on February 4, 2014 | Leave a comment

It’s hard not to share the love with your favorite kids – whether your own, or your adorably charming nephew or whip smart sassy niece.  I love these gifts because there is not a drop a teaspoon of sugar in sight, but they are not doubt sweet as can be.

vday_kids

Shop: bunny/penguin/puppy/mouse

More fun gift ideas all week long!

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V-Day Ideas: Girlfriends

Posted on February 3, 2014 | Leave a comment

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?  Are you planning out pink and red outfits, catchy cards and sweet but not cavity inducing love songs?  Or, you more of a ‘don’t come near me with your Hallmark co-opted faux holiday,’ type of a gal?

No matter where you stand, it’s always a good time to tell the people you love that you do and the coldest month of the year gets warmed up midway through by sweet affections and some similarly sweet tokens.

I love my girlfriends, in college with or without boyfriends we would plan a Valentine’s outing to the Cheesecake factory and share salads but not dessert.  Girlfriends are there for you for an honest opinion, to share stories, recipes and the good, the bad and the ugly.  Besides, it was Carrie, and not Carly, who said “Maybe our girlfriends are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with.”
girlfriend_vday

Shop: t-shirt/case/macarons/paper clips

More fun gift ideas all week long!

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Gifts Ideas for the Domestic Goddess: Reading Material

Posted on December 11, 2012 | Leave a comment

As a young cook, cookbooks have been essential in my learning my way around the kitchen.  My most helpful cookbook has been one that my mom compiled for me of favorite family recipes.  If you don’t have my mom’s recipes to share these are great for those on your list.

cookbooks

I have either used all of these books or enjoyed these authors recipes online with great success.  So they are kitchen tested and approved.

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Gifts Ideas for the Domestic Goddess: Kitchen Clean Up, Made Cute

Posted on December 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

This is the gift giving season, but it is also the whisking, mixing, baking and mess making season.  If you’re all about the cute, and you probably are, these are the perfect helpers for your kitchen clean up and kitsch decor.

I have posted about Studiopatro before (for Fall 2011) but I had to share the new items for winter 2012.

buyme_img29_0-c00438555e92a8935325235ee66359f8 buyme_img13_0-d96e3286baa5d594096f732f7c48199f buyme_img4_0-53f98e98e93864a4b66983b720dc21e4

These make a lovely and generous gift for a friend, a holiday hostess or for yourself.

 

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American Girl

Posted on July 4, 2012 | Leave a comment

Ever since I went to American University I have had a soft spot in my heart for this song by Tom Petty.  It is perfect for today.

Happy America Day to all of you American girls!

P.S. If you need some last minute holiday treat and snack inspiration, check out my Pinterest!

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What is Your Summer Style?

Posted on July 3, 2012 | Leave a comment

Tomorrow is the 4th of July!  Three cheers for fireworks, bbq’s, mini-weekends in the middle of the week and an all-American summer. What are you doing and what are you going to wear?

I spent this past weekend in Telluride, Colorado.  A beautiful town, more on that on Thursday, with a really terrific sense of style.  My trip got me thinking about what American style is, beyond Ralph and Tommy.

Which of these most closely match your all-American summer style?

P.S.  I am a mix of all of these.

Shop: City tee/jeans/shades/bag/bracelet/sneaks
Shop: Country dress/clutch/jacket/belt/boots
Shop: Beach bikini/bag/shades/shorts/flips/sunblock
 
 
P.S. for more American fashion inspiration check out this editorial from Vogue.
 
 

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Posted in Fashion Inspiration, Her Closet, Holidays, Shopping

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A Cozy Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 7, 2012 | 1 comment

In the life of a woman I think there are a few must have ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day, and if you’re luck you’ve had a few really great Valentines.

First is a little girl’s dad, my dad is a great card giver.

Then come a series of puppy-loves, and their Whitman Samplers.

Then come the girlfriends, the rose wine, the shared meals at The Cheesecake Factory, and teary movies.

Then comes true love.  My forever Valentine is always filled with surprises and his thoughtfulness comes through in small gestures and grand ones.

Mark and I have had so many great Valentine’s Days and dates.  But, the truth is, we try to make each day special, and make every day Valentine’s Day if you will.  This year (next week!) Valentine’s Day is a Tuesday – smack in the middle of the week and so it calls for a cozy night at home.

Cozy and Sweet for Valentine's Day 2012

 Shop: Stripe Set – Shirt – Casablanca – Cookies – Card – Socks

This sweet little inspiration board is just perfect, something sexy, something soft, something cozy and a lot of somethings that are sweet.

What is your favorite Valentine’s Day memory?  What makes your day – are you a homemade cards and cookies gal, or champagne and a little box kind of a gal?  Or maybe somewhere in between?

 

Tell in the comments!

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Posted in gifts, Her Closet, Her Home, Her Inspiration, Holidays, Personal

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First Day of the Year

Posted on January 2, 2012 | 1 comment

Did you wake up feeling like this yesterday?

Marie Antoinette, la Hangover

That’s okay.  It was the first day of the year, and probably came well earned after a night of real revelry.

We went to dinner with dear friends, ate a ton, drank a little bit, and celebrated well.

New Year's Eve 2011

And then came home and went to sleep.  We had a lovely time and woke up the next day for yoga.

What did you do for New Year’s Eve?

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