Weekend Reads {10.11.13}

Whew! We have made it through another week. It has been a crazy one around here for sure. Between upcoming weddings, work events, and everything else, it sure has been exhausting. Next week is going to be any better though. I have two major weddings coming up next weekend and I'm tired just thinking about them. Given that I will probably be living off of caffeine for the next week or so, I'm looking forward to a weekend of relaxing. We have a friend's wedding on Saturday evening, but other than that you will find me on my couch soaking up the calm before the storm. So, in honor of my planned weekend of doing as little as possible, I've rounded up my favorite relaxing reads to kick off the weekend. Hope you find them to be relaxing as well!

Have a great weekend!

1. Perfect Pairings: Coffee + A Good Book from La Petite Fashionista

2. Champagne Cake from The Glitter Guide

3. Southern Vogue Travel Guide: Palm Beach from Southern Vogue

4. Papaya Enzyme Peel from Mrs. Lilien

5. Favorite Beach Destinations from The Glitter Guide

Color Me {Aqua & Gray}

Recently, work has been getting increasingly busy. It's a good thing I know but it makes time for relaxing harder. Because of that, I've finding ways to incorporate relaxing elements into my everyday. The major tactic is to make my house resemble the most tranquil place I know...the beach. I'm incorporating coastal elements everywhere but trying to keep the color scheme coordinating throughout. While there are always pops of coral, yellow, navy, and other sunny shades, gray and aqua are the base. To me, the color combo is refreshing and calming. Mix it with the ocean outside my front door and I think I would be in paradise!

What's your favorite relaxing color combo?

Relax...It's Just a Wedding!

I can't believe I'm about to give away my dream, best wedding ever secret! Like every girl, I've been dreaming of my wedding since I was a little girl and needless to say it has changed many times over the years. However, one thing has remained the same, I want it to be one big party. My secret to the perfect fun party wedding is to do away with certain formalities like tables and seating assignments creating a relaxed homey feel for guests to enjoy. Fill the space (preferably outdoor space) with furniture creating different seating areas. With the increasing number of furniture rental companies, you can customize the feel of your furniture to your design esthetic. Wether you like vintage or modern, you can find different pieces to create the perfect series of seating areas that will encourage guests to sit back, relax, and have fun celebrating with you!

What would make your perfect wedding?

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2013 y'all! Last year was full of fun but I have a feeling that 2013 is going to be my year. Thirteen is my favorite number after all. With the new year upon us, it's time to make some resolutions. Whether you pledge to take on a healthy habit or kick a bad one, the new year is always a time for new beginnings. I wanted to share with you today my resolutions for a happy and healthy 2013. 

Create: this year I want to take the time to create more for the blog, to start being a creater and not a curator.

Relax: with so much going on its easy to get bogged down and stressed out. I want to take the time each week to just decompress and spend time with those that mean the most to me.

Capture: it's been a long time coming, but a couple years after getting my camera, I'm going to finally sit down and figure out how to use it and take the best possible pictures.

Eat: isn't eating better everybody's resolution? I do my best to try and eat healthy as often as possible, but sometimes convenience is key. This year I want to focus on making easy, healthy, and delicious meals from scratch using fresh ingredients.

Weekend Warriors {9.21.12}

It's finally Friday! After going through all of yesterday thinking it was Friday, I can't explain how happy I am that it's actually here. Now that I have a couple days to relax, I've been thinking about how I'm going to enjoy them. With so many options, it was hard to narrow down the list. After careful consideration, I finally found the five things to-do that are going to make this weekend spectacular! Here's five things to-do and celebrate this weekend!

1. Tour a Brewery: Craft beers are taking over and home brewing is becoming a huge trend. We are for sure participating in the trend. Well, I more or less watch while Rob brews, but it's like the same thing. However, the art of craft beers and the quality they produce is amazing. I wish we had a closer brewery because this weekend we would be belly up to the tasting bar after our tour for sure!

2. Relax: We all need to do it. Sometimes weekends get bogged down by all the chores and errands that have built up throughout the week. This weekend, I'm throwing it out the window and doing what I love most, relaxing...and crafting.

3. Bake a Pie: Fall = Pie. It's true. Apple pie, strawberry pie, blueberry pie, it doesn't matter to me. I've been craving flaky crusts and sweet fillings. Oh, and this time, I'm making it all from scratch.

4. Visit the Farmer's Market: Nothing beats fresh produce. We've been so busy I've missed it the past couple weeks, but I can't wait to finally get back tomorrow and gather up all the homegrown goodies.

5. Host a Get Together: It's always easier to be the guest than the host, but it's so much more rewarding when you are the hostess with the mostess. Whether it be a tailgate, watching party, or bon fire, aim to be the best Martha Stewart you can be!

What do you have planned for the weekend?

Lusting After {Lounge Furniture}

Happy Friday dolls! Time to kick back, relax, and celebrate. Before I head out for the weekend, I want to throw out a new trend in events, lounge furniture. From oversized chairs to plush couches, this new craze has guests feeling right at home. Set up a series of areas where guests can rest their feet from dancing, sip a cocktail, and socialize with each other. It's more comfortable than a folding chair and infinitely more stylish. Whether you prefer vintage or modern, it doesn't matter. With event furniture rental companies popping up all over the country, no matter your style, you can get the perfect pieces to fit your theme!

Happy weekend!

*Images: (Row 1) 1, 2 (Row 2) 1, 2 (Row 3) 1, 2 (Row 4) 1, 2

Essentially Relaxed

I tell you all the time that life is about celebrating the little things. Well, sometimes that includes celebrating you! Not just for an accomplishment at work or a milestone in your life, just you. You deserve a celebration sometimes for just making through a rough week, or even just because you can. Sometimes you have to take a step back, take a deep breath, unwind, and just celebrate the fact that you are you and that makes you special. My favorite way to do this is to throw on my robe, lay in the bed, and throw away my to-do list of chores and errands for a day. I did that very thing this weekend, and I feel completely refreshed. Here is my list of essentials for the perfect "you" day!

1. Comfort: Whether the most comfortable place for you be in the bed, on the couch, or cuddled in the oversized chair in the corner, the best place to relax is wherever you feel most comfortable. For me it's my bed surrounded by a bunch of super soft pillows, like these from Caitlin Wilson Textiles.

2. Nails: When I feel pretty, I feel happy. Sometimes, you get so caught up in the everyday and the hecticness of life that you forget to make yourself feel pretty. One of the things that makes me feel the prettiest is when my nails are done and not looking ratty. Whether I do them myself or go to a professional, a bright shade of nail polish is always the key the happiness. 

3. Cocktails: No surprise here. This girl loves a good cocktail. This past weekend, nothing beat lying in bed and drinking a beer (My bar is in much need of restocking.). It's good to just throw the diet out the window every now and then and maybe have a drink, or two, before happy hour. 

4. Eye Mask: Who doesn't love an afternoon nap, because I sure do! But, it's incredibly hard to fall asleep with the sunshine beaming through the windows. I keep an eye mask in my bedside table just for days like this!

5. Candles: Capri Blue Volcano is my personal favorite. Just lighting the candle puts me in a better mood and makes my house smell incredible! 

6. Terry Cloth Robe: Hands down the best gift I ever received. I wear it every chance I can. It's just so comfy cozy that I instantly decompress the minute I put it on and nothing compares to lounging in it all day!

7. Stack of Magazines: No matter what you like to flip through, turn the TV off for the day and open a book (or magazine). Reading my favorites always inspires me for new, new recipes, new party ideas, new decorating ideas, etc. 

Lusting After {Driftwood}

Hi there! We made it through another week and boy was it a long one for me. It left me dreaming of white sandy beaches and relaxing with refreshing cocktail in hand most days. Longing for the beach made me wish my house was filled with more stray pieces of driftwood that always remind me of lazy summer days. With their rustic, natural feel, driftwood takes me back to place that is so calming and refreshing. It got me thinking, why don't I use it more often? A plank running through the middle of long table adorned with candles and some lose buds would be perfect for an intimate dinner party or wedding. On of my favorite uses is to paint it in bright colors with sayings and pictures to use as a sign. In fact, in the small town of Hope Town in the Bahamas, all the street signs are made of old driftwood pieces. It's absolutely charming! But the uses for driftwood aren't just limited to fabulous soirees, it's a perfect home and store accent as well adding the perfect natural element to make guests and customers alike feel relaxed and comfortable. 

I hope you get a chance to "drift" away this weekend and enjoy! xoxo

This Week I Feel...Relaxed

I have officially turned in the keys to my old apartment, and now that that task is over, I feel magically relaxed. A huge wait has been lifted off of my shoulders now that I don't have two apartments. Anyways, I am feeling inspired by my new sense of relaxation. And what is more relaxing than bright corals on the beach? Not much in my book! It's bright, summery, fun, and classic. Pair it with turquoise accents and any soiree is bound to be beyond gorgeous and relaxed. Make the event a little more subdued by pairing it with natural tones and textures like burlap or linen. What makes you feel most relaxed? Beach or mountains?

Color Me {Beachy}

Lately I've been dreaming of escaping to a tropical island. More specifically, the Bahamas. I've been going since I was young and it is truly the happiest place on earth (step aside Disney World). Leaving behind the stresses of everyday life and sipping a margarita on the beach is exactly what I could use right about now! With crystal turquoise blue water, sunny skies, and tropical libations, how can you go wrong? But, seeing as there is no tropical vacation in my near future, maybe I'll just transform my house into an island retreat and pour myself a margarita, or maybe even a rumrunner, every day after work! Who wants to join?

*Boat, Seagulls, Beach Party, Couple, Rock