a photobooth smile is always in style.
just ask jackie & jfk.
classically beautiful people.
the photobooth certainly does them well.
back in the saddle.
when i was in italy this summer,
saddle shoes were sprinkled throughout every little boutique.
and i could not be more thrilled about this fall accessory.
impossibly chic. menswear meets old school prep.
absolutely love it.
i certainly see these shoesies being a staple in my fall closet.
love the brown-on-brown tones. they are perfect for autumnal get-ups.
i had the most darling pair of black & white saddle shoes picked out in italy.
but thought i would wait till fall came around so i could pick up some brown ones instead.
don't you just love this look?
monochromatic saddle shoes. cuffed jeans.
patterned popover. chunky cable knit sweater.
the absolute perfect outfit to don on a blustery fall day.
oh, and every man wearing saddle shoes is instantly way cuter.
so definitely pick some up for the gentlemen in your life.
will you get back in the saddle again?
{images courtesy of piccsy}
fudge it.
oh. my. goodness. lawdamercy.
i may or may not have just found the sweetest little treat.
and not to mention. literally a piece of cake to make.
i will call it the not so fudge. lets just fudge it. mocha coconut fudge.
and, girlfriend. it. is. good.
today i stumbled upon how sweet it is blog.
and was beyond blown away at all her great recipes.
{recipes like hot blueberry cheddar dip. um. amazing}
instantly when i saw her mocha coconut fudge. i knew i had to make it.
i am such a lover of anything mocha. anything coconut. and anything fudgie.
so clearly. this treat was gonna knock it outta the park for this girl.
while it is not a true-to-form. fudge. fudge.
it totally deserves the glory that is given to old fashioned fudge.
this fudge is amazingly delicious & takes minutes to make.
in my {cook}book... a treat that is pretty and delicious
earns extra brownie fudgie points.
and really, how beautiful are these little fudge squares?
they would make such a lovely gift.
wrapped in parchment paper.
and tied with a pretty black & white ribbon.
coconut critics do not be dismayed.
the coconut flavor is subtle.
yet the toasted flakes create such depth of flavor.
it will literally knock your socks off.
and surely you could substitute any flavor you like.
peppermint. almond. or simply leave it as a rich mocha.
whatever you decide.
i am confident that it will be divine.
here is the recipe for the mocha coconut fudge.
so. i now have a tin full of fudge-it fudge.
and i need to give it all away before i over-indulge in it.
any takers?
{my camera is down for the count. all images were pulled from how sweet it is blog.}
a fair lady.
oh, eliza doolittle.
how i love those bold black & white stripes.
and that hat would suit me just well.
the makings for a fair lady. indeed.
afraidy cat.
i have been so blessed to grow up in a christian family.
i have been surrounded by people of faith for my entire life.
& you have no idea how grateful i am for that.
even still. after years of cultivating my faith & relationship with the Lord...
i am still a big ol' afraidy cat.
even though i have participated in about one-hundred bible studies.
with friends. with family. with church peers.
that have influenced my life & instilled wisdom beyond belief.
i still find myself living in the stronghold of fear.
but this summer i am participating in a beth moore study.
it is unbelievable.
that girl has got it going on.
and she just may be able to help me change my perspective on fear.
we are studying the book of esther.
a book that i had given very little attention to prior.
i am amazed at all the depth & wisdom within those few short chapters.
& this past week was especially convicting for me.
as we spoke about esther's bravery in fulfilling her calling.
for such a time as this.
so many times in life i am paralyzed by fear.
the fear of the unknown. the fear of what may happen. the fear of living in fear.
i can't tell you how many times i have looked at my lovie with tears in my eyes saying
i am so nervous about this. or i am so anxious about that. or what if.
but beth shared something so profound that has changed my outlook of living in fear.
did you know...
that the command that is proclaimed in the bible with the greatest frequency is
do not be afraid.
do not be afraid. do not be afraid. do not be afraid.
knowing that in our lives we will face the crippling affect of fear.
to remind ourselves that fear is not faith.
and that we should not be afraid.
takes away the paralyzing grip that we once chose to cling to.
in those moments of fear. choosing to remind ourselves that the Lord is with us.
& that He will work all things to good. is such a reassuring thought.
allowing us to take a deep breath.
and just trust.
that just as He has been faithful in the past. He will remain faithful.
so that we do not have to live life as little afraidy cats.
but as trusting women of faith.
so, friends. if you are anything like me.
a vulnerable & weak girl.
who struggles with worry. and fear. and an anxious mind.
{and we all most certainly do}
take heart.
and do not be afraid.
for we serve a great big God.
yet He is small enough to hear us in our fear.
and that, my sweet friends, is deserving of the biggest amen of all.
fall chic.
call me crazy. but i am already starting to plan out my fall wardrobe.
i know. i know. we are smack dab in the middle of summer.
but being the planner that i am. i am already scoping out the fall trends.
every year i am eager for labor day to come & go.
as that is the day i switch to my fall wardrobe.
being in florida. the weather does not always match the season.
but that is just a small price that i gladly pay.
i totally endorse dressing for the season & not the weather.
that being said.
i can hardly wait to don my fall pieces.
i am a perennial lover of the ralph lauren fall collection.
it is always classic. timeless. the perfect balance of prep school & equine chic.
i get huge inspiration from the colors. the textures. & the layering effect.
all of which defines to the core who ralph lauren is.
don't you just love the richness of hue & the menswear edge?
i would totally don all of the outfits.
i was perusing through net-a-porter yesterday
& stumbled upon a fall wardrobe must-have piece.
marni has me drooling over this prepster varsity sweater.
i could totally see this sweater layered over a tartan button down.
paired with suede skinny pants & riding boots.
the epitome of fall chic.
not to mention i would be over the moon to boast that m.
mrs. mills loves her m monograms.
have you started planning out your fall wardrobe?
{images courtesy of style.com, ralph lauren, net-a-porter}
airbrush appeal.
every girl longs for a flawless. glowing. complexion.
you know, the perfect dewiness that only comes from being airbrushed.
no imperfections. no discoloration.
just a fresh-faced dewiness.
ladies, brace yourselves.
i may have found three products to achieve that airbrush appeal.
three little must-have beauty essentials that promise a flawless face.
right in your very own home. everyday. without fail.
mom and i went in for a makeover a few weeks ago.
just for fun. girlie mother-daughter time. a little pampering.
after hours of playing with colors & hues. we walked away with these three products.
and i can promise that they will remain a staple in my beauty regimen.
oh, chanel sublimage.
you are a miracle worker.
this regenerating fluid is more amazing than words can say.
you can literally see the transformation in your skin seconds after you apply.
your skin is instantly rehydrated & full of life.
this is a pretty little penny...
but i kid you not. it is magical.
the foundation of all foundations.
this water-based skin perfecting make-up does just that.
it literally covers up every blemish. every color spot. every. little. imperfection.
and being water-based means that it is great for acne prone skin.
this blending brush is the essential piece.
it effortlessly ensures that you will have an airbrushed look.
simply put a bit of foundation on the back your hand. dip the brush in.
pat it on your face. and then the brush does all the work.
it is quite amazing.
i have always been one to use my fingers to apply foundation.
but i will never. ever. ever. do so again.
this brush evenly disperses the foundation so perfectly.
and it gives such a light & airy look. never cakey.
using these three beauty must-haves will ensure a natural & flawless face.
i promise.
you must head on over to your nearest chanel make-up counter & try them out.
while you are at it, grab a friend and make an afternoon out of it.
my mom and i had such a ball trying new eyeshadow colors & blushes.
it is the glamorous version of playing dress up.
so thrilled to have found these chanel products.
i love knowing that even on my worst skin day i can accomplish an airbrushed look.
yahoo! yippee! yay!
oscar.
runways around the world are on display
with the latest designs for resort wear 2013.
and oscar de la renta sure did create a show-stopping collection.
oh, oscar.
you make women all around the world love the glamorous life.
{image courtesy of vogue.com}
god bless america.
the fourth of july is one of my all-time fave days of celebration.
maybe it is the stirring of nostalgic emotions for our countries past.
maybe it is the sense of unity & pride between all of our peeps.
and maybe it is the reminder that we are one nation under God.
either way.
i simply love the fourth of july.
and i really, really love the fireworks.
the fourth of july is the perfect excuse to be certain that
you are donning your red. white. & blue garb.
as one can never be too decked out in usa pride.
i love this glitzy-casual combo.
j.crew nailed it with this sequined crop jacket.
i love how pairing a sparkly top with a little denim-on-denim action
makes for the perfect day-to-night celebration outfit.
i adore this look for so many reasons.
late afternoon blogger shared this outfit & i was instantly in love.
i love the pattern mixing of red & whites.
so way cute. in the most patriotic of ways.
i am proud to be an american.
and i would be super proud to be rocking this get up.
she is essentially a living & breathing grand old flag.
what are you planning on wearing to show your american love?
{images courtesy of jcrew. late afternoon. and unknown}
mis en chic.
when it comes to chic home decor & style
there is one lady who tops them all.
heidi kiffin, the style guru & shop owner of mis en chic,
has got an eye for absolutely beautiful things.
simply stepping into her shop is enough to make your heart skip a beat.
sending it into a fluttery new love affair with all things frenchie-chic.
and you have yet to even begin taking in all the beauty.
every where you look. every nook. & every shelf is overflowing
with beautiful furniture. antique pieces. & home accents.
each one more lovely than the last.
i had the pleasure of chatting with sweet heidi last week.
and believe me when i say. she is just as darling as her little indian shores shop.
the wispy & dainty blonde beauty has enormous style & grace.
an abundance of humility was evident, too. as she was so grateful to be recognized.
i simply loved meeting with her & hearing all about her little baby,
the glorious mis en chic.
heidi lived this girls dream. living in france for seven years.
walking the streets. speaking the language. and immersing herself in the beauty.
planting the seeds of what would quickly become an
impossibly & expertly honed eye for architectural beauty & style.
after coming back to the states, heidi longed to capture the essence of france in her home.
so what started as a love for decorating her own home with unique & timeless pieces
quickly grew into a passion for finding one-of-a-kind pieces for other home decor lovers.
and as a result of her innate talent for finding such luxurious pieces,
mis en chic took off. leaving admires swooning with adoration.
quite possibly one of my fave pieces in the shop is this antique couch.
absolutely stunningly beautiful.
i love the side panels more than words can say.
this dining room table is great round table.
and the place settings are just lovely.
i am thinking that i need these gold place mats for our next home.
they are so my style.
how magnificent is this ice bucket?
this line of tabletop decor also makes a corresponding pitcher & napkin rings.
this would make a lovely wedding gift.
i am a huge lover of displaying an abundance of pillows.
this couch is boasting tons of pillows of different patterns & styles.
i love how heidi styled this couch with eclectic pillows.
the shell & seahorse pillows are hand painted.
simply breathtaking.
this chair is darling.
and i am swooning over this rosette pillow.
the sweetness is perfectly balanced by the neutrality of color & texture of fabric.
this chest of drawers has my name all over it.
have you ever seen something so gloriously stunning?!
i simply adore the variation in drawer sizes & styles.
whenever we get our next house, this will surely belong in my bedroom.
along side of this beautiful bedspread & pillows.
the detail that went in to creating these pillows is astounding.
you must go see these in person.
and these candles.
not only is the display simple amazing.
these candles are the most luxurious candles i have ever seen.
made in paris, heidi is one of the only shops around to sell them.
the scents are so enchanting & mysterious.
the wooden floors of versailles. a cathedral burning incense. ernesto of cuba.
they are truly incomparable to any candle i have ever smelled before.
these would make a lovely housewarming gift.
heidi also carries unique jewelry.
my fave being this exquisite bracelet.
amazing.
i am absolutely coveting this mother of pearl chandelier.
it is magnificent.
and how about those dining room chairs?
antique chairs that tell years of stories.
another of my all-time faves are these candle sticks on the right.
this set of three gold gilded candle sticks are so beautiful.
and would serve as the perfect accent piece to any mantle.
i also adore these wine bottle candles. so cute. so clever.
a local creative mind uses old wine bottles to create these darling candles.
it is simple to see that heidi has an incredible gift of style.
she travels all over the country & overseas to the paris flea market
to collect pieces for her shop & clients.
mis en chic has become so popular, in fact, that they have outgrown
their darling little indian shores location.
after being open in the same location for three years,
great success & popularity has required the shop to relocate.
to downtown saint petersburg!
did you hear that?
mis en chic is moving to downtown st. pete.
when i heard this amazing news, i was completely overjoyed.
come the beginning of fall, mis en chic will have a lovely storefront downtown.
how amazingly. impossibly. outstandingly. wonderful is this news?!
c'est si bon will certainly be a regular shopper of the new downtown shop.
{sorry, lovie.}
in the meantime, do swing by the indian shores shop to take a peak.
you will quickly realize why i love this shop so very much.
you will adore seeing all of the great pieces that heidi has found.
mis en chic is truly a one-of-a-kind store.
unique. chic. & lovely as can be.
thank you, sweet heidi.
i am so thrilled to be friends.
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