A Halloween Freebie from Me to You

I made these place card decorations for the house and thought I would share them with you! I've always loved downloading a freebie design here and there, so I thought what better way to kick off the holiday season than making a little something for everyone!

To download the cards, click here.

(Heavier paper/card stock works best, but regular office paper should be fine)

I just ask that you please do not share or sell the actual file (in digital or paper form), or distribute as a digital file. If you would like to share these on your blog (please feel free to!) please do not link the pdf file to your post, rather send them to this post to download it. Thank you :)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! xoxo

PS. A few people emailed me asking where I got the votives. They are from Z Gallerie and were on sale for $1.99 each. They still had them last time I was there, so check your local store!

Dare to dare...

I've always loved playing around with makeup, and what better time do so than around Halloween? I found these stunning photographs by Angelika Buettner and couldn't resist pairing them with some MAC makeup.

Loved this dramatic eye as well:


I don't think I could ever be this bold with my makeup, although it is stunning!

[photos here, makeup here]

Autumn Inspired

Sorry to double up on the fall themed posts this week, but I eagerly await this season all year, so I can't get enough when it finally arrives. I was on a serious hunt for some autumn tablescape inspirations last night, but easily got sidetracked on Etsy and a few other sites looking at fall inspired jewelry and home decor. Here are some of my favorites:

[Autumn Leaf Necklace, Dainty Gold Rings, Double Ring]

[White Birch Cardholder, Twig Pencils, Birch Votive]

And I couldn't resist posting this:

[The Jane Cardi]

I am in love with this cardigan! Perfect for the cooler nights.

PS. Let's go GIANTS! No matter how long I've been in LA, I'm always a Northern California girl at heart :)

Chic & Simple DIY Projects

I loved reading all of your fall traditions- thank you for sharing. Some of them I have tried; others I have noted and will be trying to incorporate them in the weeks to come.

I am also loving these beautiful DIY projects that seem simple enough and produce great results.

Chiffon & Tulle Flower:

Fabric Flower:

Crepe Paper Lanterns:

Fabric Lined Envelopes:

I think the chiffon flower is my favorite, but it's hard to choose!

[all projects via]

Favorite Fall Traditions

Fall is in full swing here in LA, and I could not be any happier! For the past 6 years that I've lived here, never once has any weather remotely close to resembling fall come until November, and even then it would go from 100 degrees to winter-like temps immediately. I've been reveling in the crisper days by wearing layers upon layers, firing up the oven and roasting veggies for nearly everything, and reading as many books as I can get my hands on.

[photos: I am in love with these images from Rachel Whiting]

I think my favorite fall tradition has to be carving pumpkins and roasting the pumpkin seeds! We are headed out to the pumpkin patch this week (I hope they have some left!) and I cannot wait.

What are some of your favorite fall traditions with family and friends? I love to hear how everyone celebrates this time of year!

Olivia Palermo

This girl can do no wrong in my book!

I love her shorter hair!

[photos via]

Minted Holiday Cards: It's beginning to look a lot like...

The only thing I love more than the holiday season itself is receiving the holiday greeting cards from all of our family and friends. Whether a family photo is attached, a small letter inside updates us on yearly happenings, or it's just a quick "hiya.long.time.no.talk.be.merry"; holiday cards are so much fun to get in the mail!

Recently, the lovely and talented team at Minted contacted me about a compensated review and sent over some samples of their exceptional Christmas cards. I was blown away at the amount of detail and design that was put into each of their holiday cards. They have everything from photocards to holiday minibook cards, and so much more. Here are just a few of my favorites that would make a great addition to any holiday season:

In addition to holiday cards, their brand new photo calendar's will be available just in time to stuff some stockings or to give to your special someone!

So gorgeous!

Ralph Lauren at 888 Madison Avenue

When I was browsing Vogue Daily today I came across photos of the new Ralph Lauren store located at 888 Madison Ave, NYC and I about died. What a gorgeously designed store! I would have loved to sit in on the design team's meetings for this place!

Hope you had a nice start to the week! xoxo
PS. Brunch at Saks' Tumblr is up and running here.

[photos Vogue]

Pops of Turquoise

I've always loved the color turquoise. The beautiful hue reminds me of my Grandma, who wore this big, gorgeous turquoise ring every single day. The bold color can often times be hard to incorporate within the home, but if done so with just a minimal amount, turquoise can adapt to just about any style decor.

I love the way this vintage turquoise table looks outdoors:

Have a nice weekend :) xoxo

PS. Starting a tumblr for Brunch at Saks. Check it out here

[photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Industrial Cottage

I love the look and feel of a cottage styled home, but it can be hard to please everyone with such decor. While to some it's cozy, warm, and elegant, to others it can easily feel too girly and frilly. Interior designer, Jill Brinson, does a beautiful job at blending the comforts of cottage with the sophisticated look of industrial decor- creating a the perfect marriage between the two.

Happy Wednesday :) xo

[photos here]

Off topic...

With my new found love and desire to cook, I've been in desperate need of kitchen utensils and cookware, so I was extremely thankful and ecstatic when CSN Stores contacted me about reviewing a product of theirs. I love hosting giveaways for them because they have the best products: lamps, luggage, leaves (okay, not literal leaves, but drop leaf tables which are gorgeous) cookware, pillows, and so much more! I can't wait to try out a new kitchen tool and review it for you all. Thank you, CSN.

[photo here]

Roasted Corn & Heirloom Tomato Soup

Thank you all for your sweet comments, emails, texts, and messages! I am feeling 100% better :)


As some of you know, I've been cooking gluten free for about a year now. Three months ago my doctor and I decided to try taking out casein (anything dairy or lactose related) from my diet and my tummy troubles that once were have diminished almost completely. GFCF is a great combo for me! At first I felt so overwhelmed with the whole process, but to be honest it has been a rewarding journey to cook for myself and be able to enjoy food again without being nearly bedridden the next day with stomach pains. I've made it my second job to pretty much scour the internet for tummy friendly recipes, and thanks to beautiful blogs like Karina's at Gluten-Free Goddess, I've been able to put dinner on the table every night without having a full on breakdown! Saturday night I made her Roasted Corn soup and it was dee-lish. I highly recommend this- especially for the colder months to come!

Hope you all had a beautiful weekend :) xo

I've been...

...so sick the past 2 days with a nasty bug, that the thought of a sumo wrestler knocking me out sounded like a real treat. I haven't had the flu since I was 8 yrs old, so I guess my time had come. Nothing from the past 2 days is pleasant, so I'll spare you the deets.

I feel like a new person today, albeit a new person who got hit by a truck, but a new person none-the-less.

So this is what I did while certain I was going to hell in a hand basket...

A lot of sleeping...

A few cold baths (which are horrid but necessary when your temp is 103.5)...

Sipped on the occasional cup of tea and drank a boatload of water...

And read a ton from The Pillars of the Earth which I've been wanting to read for the past 2 years...

If only being sick were as pretty as these photos!

So sorry I've missed all of your posts this week- expect some blog stalking from me soon. xo

[photos 1, 2, 3, 4]

Alexa Chung

I never really post celebrity photos, but when I saw these images of model/TV host Alexa Chung, I just had to. I am in absolute love with her shoes!

Does anyone know where her shoes are from? I can't search for them until I get home tonight- but I am dying to know!

How to Rock a Tulle Skirt

Working title: Rock a tulle skirt without looking like one...

Out of all the trends we've seen churn out of the fashion machine that is Hollywood, there is one that seems to go awry quicker than my hair in a Florida heatwave: tulle. True- Carrie Bradshaw is the exception and wears it amazingly well, but for the most part, tulle skirts and anyone over the age of 5 generally do not fare well together. The problem has nothing to do with the skirt itself; rather it has everything to do with the companion pieces being donned at the same time (a.k.a the jacket and shoes). To avoid looking like a victim of closet vomit, think balance. Just as you would tone down a smoky eye with a nude lip; the tulle skirt need only be accompanied by simple, non-evasive pieces. Naturally the skirt will be the center of your outfit's attention, so the complimenting duds should be as tame as possible. Here are my top picks for dressing tulle:


1. Quilted Leatherette by Arden B
2. Cropped Jacket by Alberta Ferretti
3. Black Jacket by Steffen Schraut
4. Ruffle Skirt by LC Lauren Conrad
5. Tulle White Skirt by Balmain
6. Studded Belt Skirt by Gojane
7. Basic Pump by Aldo
8. Suede Ankle Boot by F21
9. Mary Jane Pump by 3.1 Phillip Lim

Hope you have a lovely weekend xo
PS. I can't believe it's already October! Before we know it will be 2011- ay yi yi.