{monday morning with: Liz of Sequins & Stripes}

This Monday the adorable Liz from Sequins & Stripes joins us for a little virtual coffee chat.  I have followed Liz's style blog from the very beginning and you might remember her as the fabulous host of the Nordstrom campaign/event I participated in here.  

what's your drink of choice? 
I'm a beer girl!


what's the most recent store you shopped at? 
Zara, to stock up on more sweaters for this insane winter.


do you have a signature scent? 
I wear Marc Jacobs signature scent. 


what is the top item on your wishlist right now?
I'm headed to Florida in a few weeks so I'm dying for this fun beach coverup or a new Marysia bikini. 


what'd you do this past weekend? 
I went to my friend's lakehouse in Wisconsin for a girls weekend to meet her new baby girl!


where are you or where would you like to travel to next?
I'm currently in the middle of the polar vortex in Chicago, but I'm dreaming of sunny destinations for our honeymoon in September!


what are you currently reading?
Mrs. Kennedy and Me by Clint Hill


favorite quote of the moment? 
One of the happiest moments in life is when you find the courage to let go of what you can't change.


whats your new favorite blog discovery?
Park & Cube, the imagery and design is gorgeous!


tell us a secret?
I'm addicted to coffee.

{monday morning with: pursuit of shoes}

Today I'm launching a fun little Monday Morning post series featuring some of my favorite bloggers in a casual "virtual coffee chat."  I always love the little tidbits you uncover with friends over drinks (caffeinated or otherwise!) so why not take the edge off every Monday morning and learn a little more about some of the great ladies behind the blogs.

Starting off with a fabulous fashion/shoe blogger (and real-life friend!), Ashley Torres of Pursuit of Shoes ...

what's your drink/cocktail of choice? 

I'll always say yes to a nice glass of champagne. When I'm out to dinner a glass of Syrah or Malbec always does the trick.  If I'm "out out" or just having drinks with friends then my go-to is vodka soda with a splash of St. Germain.

what's the most recent store you shopped at? care to share what you picked up?
Madwell! I'm a sucker for Madewell and can't walk by without taking a peek inside.  I scooped up a new olive green tomboy shirt - it's going to become my new version of chambray!

do you have a signature scent?
I'm actually pursuing signature scents at the moment. In college I was a Gucci Rush girl. Kenzo's flowerbykenzo is one of my faves, but not sure if it's the signature!

what is the top item on your wishlist right now?

Pretty much anything from FORWARD by Elyse Walker.  Honestly, I'm due for a big closet haul, so right now I'm feeling a bit cluttered and not in the mood to shop (crazy, I know!).

what'd you do this past weekend?
Saturday, I met my friend at Pop Physique for a morning workout then ran errands all day. In the evening the BF and I made pizza for dinner then stopped by ShoreBar for a friend's birthday! Sunday was super mellow and lazy, something I never typically do, but it was a day filled with magical TV: NFL playoffs, Golden Globes and Girls! 


where are you or where would you like to travel to next?
The boy and I have been toying with a European getaway. Not sure exactly when or where, but I would love to take him to Mykonos because we absolutely adore exploring beautiful beaches.


what are you currently reading?
Truth: I need to read more. I've been "currently reading" Dear Girls Above Me for about 3 months now… haha!

favorite quote of the moment?

You are enough. You have enough. You do enough.

whats your new favorite blog discovery? or whats a great unknown blog you care to share with us?
I've really been getting into food and DIY blogs - trying to get more creative in the kitchen and life. There's not one blog in particular, but I pin all my inspo on Pinterest.

tell us a secret or funny fact about yourself…

I love hippos and sleep with a stuffed hippo named Henriette, Henri for short.

{friday cocktail: guest blog with Pharmacie LA}

Even though I am on vacation, I would never leave you without a tasty Friday cocktail to try out and I am so excited to bring you a custom cocktail from Talmadge Lowe of Pharmacie.  Talmadge's less than a year old company is raising the bar on hand crafted cocktails from the classics to unexpected mixtures.  After sampling some for myself at The Cream event last Spring, I can personally vouch for their satisfying creations.  Check out Pharmacie's website for more info on events and custom cocktail creations.  Take it away Talmadge!

{image via Jennifer Emerling}

This is a classically styled aromatic cocktail that I designed for a wedding. The groom wanted a drink that was "deep and dark, something that feels old fashioned." The bride commented that the cocktail tasted like something that would be served at "some old school men's club with leather chairs" and the name was born: The Confirmed Bachelor.

Cheers!

{gift guide guest blog with A Fabulous Fete}

Today I have Lauren from A Fabulous Fete here to give you the 5 Things on her Christmas list!  I started reading Lauren's party centric blog almost two years ago after discovering a link to her amazing calligraphy.  You simply must check out her blog for some amazing party inspiration (including her recent wedding!) as well as her adorable Etsy shop which includes one of my favorite signs!  Take it away Lauren:

When Natalie asked me to pick out 5 things that were on MY list, I was like (heck yes), this will be super fun, easy, and the perfect link to send my husband. But then, I had to narrow my list to santa down to just a handful. It was hard, but I think that these really are the 5 things on the top of my list. 

01. palm leaf pillow. i've seriously been drooling over this forever. i can't bring myself to pay for pillows (they're just so easy to make), but i would totally accept them as gifts.

02. lighted peace sign. we have "that" wall in our living room that is begging for some tlc. this would be the perfect centerpiece to the art collection i plan on starting.

03. lips print. this will go right next the number 2.

04. kate spade 'ta da' necklace. i feel like whenever i explain something to someone, these words come out of my mouth. like everything i do is a magic trick or something. 

05. wildfox drunk on love sweater. just because it's cool, and i like margaritas.



FLAIR EXCHANGE GIVEAWAY WINNER IS 
Rachel Leigh of Rae Leigh Designs! Congrats Rachel!!! :)

{gift guide guest blog with Modern Sequins}

Today we have Myka from Modern Sequins sharing her "5 Things on My Christmas List" gift guide while I am out on a ski vacation before heading home for the holidays!  I actually first found Myka through her Instagram feed and immediately fell in love with her sparkly style.  Be sure to check out her fabulous blog.  Take it away Myka:

Hi.  It's Myka from Modern Sequins.  My wish list this holiday season includes a votive holder I've been coveting (hello Jonathan Adler, I love you), some fun accessories, and a dress that proves every girl deserves a little sparkle in her life.  Doesn't this dress just scream best dressed at any holiday party?  Happy holidays to everyone and here's to an amazing 2013!

1. dress  2. ring  3. votive   4. pom pom   5. scarf

{gift guide guest blog with Sequins & Stripes}

I am so happy to have Liz from Sequins & Stripes contributing her "5 things on my Christmas List"  while I am out this week hitting the slopes (aka drinking spiked hot chocolate in the apres ski lodge).  I have followed Liz's inspiring style blog ever since it first launched and if you aren't familiar with it then you simply must check it out immediately!  Take it away Liz: 

Hi there! Liz here from Sequins & Stripes sharing a selfish little gift guide centered around five items that I'd love to see under the Christmas tree. Tis the season for giving, but sometimes it is fun to reward ourselves too...{right?!}.

1  Markus Lupfer Ice Cream Cone Sweater  2  Joie Lace Skirt  3  Ban.do Smoke & Kisses Bobbi Set  

4  Alexander Wang Rocco Duffle Bag  5  Red Valentino Glitter Oxfords

A huge thank you Natalie for having me! I hope you are having the most amazing time on your vacation. 

Happy holidays to everyone! xo

{diy corkboard + planter tutorial from Bourbon and Bleu}

For Christmas, my good friend Heather made me this amazing framed corkboard with an attached planter for succulents.  This was such a wonderful gift to receive and I was shocked to hear how straightforward it was to make.  Heather normally blogs about all things food, restaurants & cocktails over on Bourbon and Bleu.  Since this project doesn't fit with her normal content, I asked her if she would be willing to put together a tutorial for the corkboard to share it on here.  Take it away Heather.... 

I’m so excited to share this fun DIY project with you! I made this for a few friends this holiday season, but now I’m sort of itching to make one for our apartment. It’s a great way to showcase pictures, cards, jewelry – you name it. And I think the succulents bring a unique and special touch. (full tutorial instructions are below)

 

 

 

what you need:

Bulletin Board Materials

• 1 White Wall Frame (19 x 22.75)
• 1 package cork squares
• ½ yard fabric (large geometric patterns tend to work best)
• Glue gun / glue sticks
• Razor blade
• Cutting mat

1. Using the glass from the frame as a guide, cut the cork squares down to fit the frame. 
2. Place the cork on the back side of the fabric. Trim the fabric so there’s about an inch or two extra on each side. 
3. Glue the fabric to the back of the cork board. Line any of the cracks between cork pieces with hot glue so that the cork doesn’t move around. Don’t put any glue on the front of the cork (where you’ll be placing the push pins) or else you’ll have lumps.
4. Put the fabric covered cork inside the frame, place the backing over the backside of the cork and then
5. Fold the clips down. You can discard the glass.

Planter Box Materials

• 2 pieces of 1 x 4 x 19 wood
• 2 pieces of 1 x 4 x 4 wood
• 1 piece of 1 x 4 x 19 particle board
• Nails
• Hammer
• spray paint
• Phillips screw driver
• 2 L brackets
• 4 screws
• Glue gun / glue sticks
• Plastic drop cloth
• 5 mini succulents
• Soil

1. Build the planter box using the 2 pieces of 1 x 4 x 19 wood as the front and base, the 1 x 4 x 4 wood as the sides, and the particle board as the back. I don’t think there’s any exact science to the number of nails or the way to build it. Just be consistent on each side and use enough nails to ensure the planter box is stable.
2. spray the planter box with several coats (I used 3 coats).
3. Once the planter box is dry (I purchased fast drying spray and gloss paint, so it took about an hour), line the planter box with the drop cloth. The drop cloth will make sure the planter box doesn’t leak every time you water the succulents. Line the interior of the planter box (about half way up) with hot glue and attach the drop cloth around all the sides.
4. Affix the planter box to the frame using an L bracket on each side. The L bracket will connect to the back of the frame and the base of the planter box.
5. Fill the planter box about three quarters of the way up with soil and plant the succulents throughout the box.

{the corkboard in it's new home}