joy.

my life has such an abundance of joy in it. 
it is overflowing.

i have always led a joy-filled life. 

but the past three years have been especially joyful.

i met my lovie. & we fell in love.

he brings so much joy to my days.

we joyfully got engaged & promised to love each other forever. 

vowed to years & years ahead of sharing in one anothers joys.

we bought our forever home. 

& have every intention of filling it with the utmost of joy.

it is most appropriate that my life is captioned 

joy. joy. joy.

we had a great big family dinner this weekend.

with the bretts. the mills. & a few very special friends.

& it was evident to everyone around us that we were all full of joy.

the smiles were big & the laughs came easy.

celebrating the announcement of our

little bundle of joy.

baby mills coming in june 2013.

oh. what a miraculous joy! 

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louis. louis.

i am simply loving the latest louis vuitton collection.

so terrificly bold. so wonderfully crisp. so chic.

i really fancy one look best of all.

c'est si bon. c'est si bon.

loving this checkerboard print. 

so terribly smart.

would you don the louis vuitton checkerboard prints?

{image courtesy of instyle}

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nyc bound.

alright my little lovelies.

i need some guidance from all of you. 

mom. dad. & i booked a last minute trip up to new york city.

we leave next saturday. & will be there for three short days.

i can hardly stand my excitement. 

as i have been longing to visit that little island.

{manhattan will always have a little piece of this gals heart} 

while in the city. we have nothing on the agenda except 

shopping. park strolling. museum hopping.

a little more shopping. eating great food. & some more shopping. 

a. perfect. fall. weekend. in. the. crisp. nyc. air.

so.

i want to hear your all-time fave places to eat in the city.

after living in nyc for two years. i certainly have my faves.

but i want to hear about yours.

fancy. casual. modern. hole in the wall. ethnic. finger foods. seven course meals.

any kind of food will do. 

as long as it is well worth the trip. 

do tell.

if you had one day in the city.

where would you stop for breakfast? lunch? dinner?

xoxo

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love, nina jane.

i have completely fallen in love with jewelry line

love, nina jane.

not only because the jewelry designs are so terrificly darling & unique.

but also because the three women behind the line are even more lovable than imaginable.

the perfect melding of southern charm & city chic.

the gals behind love, nina jane perfectly compliment one another in every possible way.

i have just had such a swell time interviewing & chatting with these gals.

they are terribly witty. incredibly endearing. impossibly genuine through & through.

and i love a gal like that. 

so you can imagine. 

i really love three gals like that.

allow me the complete joy of introducing you to my new friends.

the sweet ladies of love, nina jane.

two sisters. anne & jane number one. 

and one friend. jane number two.

being raised by two mothers who happened to be the dearest of friends.

these three were destined by the Lord to become a great trio.

a great trio of jewelry designers.

their inspiration is appropriately drawn from their fashionable mothers.

one was from the south. & one was from new york.

but both were named...

nina jane.

so lovely that the line is so tenderly called love, nina jane.

the ladies look at each piece designed as 

a love letter to the two nina janes up in heaven.

how wonderfully sweet is that?!

i just love their jewelry. as it is the perfect everyday accessory.

the pearls represent the southern nina jane.

and the leather represents the urban nina jane.

and the catholic medals are a nod to home. south louisiana. 

don't you just love the simplicity of this necklace? 

so understated. but simultaneously a statement piece. indeed.

i adore the layered strands of graduated lengths. 

i could see this paired with a pair of skinny jeans. a tee. & some riding boots.

so everyday-fall chic. 

love, nina jane really is the passion that beats in these three gals hearts.

each & every piece is made by their loving hands. 

& that makes each piece so very special.

thankfully. the ladies of love, nina jane have so graciously offered

to give one lucky c'est si bon reader a piece from their line.

& let me tell you. it is just beautiful. you will totally want this.

this three strand pearl & leather bracelet is sure to be your new everyday accessory.

don't you just adore it? & even more so because you know the story behind its very being?!

being a girl who is so wildly inspired by my own mother.

i hugely appreciate the story behind love, nina jane.

may all of us continue to draw great inspiration from our dear mothers.

they are wise beyond belief. & for that i am grateful.

to enter in this darling giveaway follow these simple steps:

1. "like" the love, nina jane facebook page

2. leave a comment on the c'est si bon facebook page or on the blog sharing

what about your mother gives you great inspiration. 

3. post this link on your facebook wall. 

giveaway winner will be announced on october 9.

good luck! 

thank you jane. jane. & anne. for sharing you sweet story with us.

you have touched my little heart.

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the halloweenie spirit.

it is hard to believe that tomorrow is october first.

this year is just flying by for me. 

and with october upon us. 

i am on the hunt for the most darling halloween decor.

getting in my happiest of halloween spirits.

i am totally a big baby when it comes to halloween.

i. do. not. like. spooky. &. scary. no. i. most. certainly. do. not.

i happen to only like jolly pumpkins. & the friendliest of ghosts.

terribly silly little monsters. & oversized candy corns.

the happiest of hauntings. if you will. 

thankfully. beach papery & gifts offers the 

perfect mix of spooky & silliness.

the most adorable of all halloweenie things to adorn our home.

this table is just so stinkin spooky in the cutest of ways.

loving this darling black glittered tree to hang halloweenie friends from.

like little mister frankenstein.

how cute is he?!

and little miss battie. 

adore her glittered wings.

beware. 

to enter if you dare.

a welcoming wreath to adorn your door.

all treats & no tricks in this candy jar.

{although. this witchy women would likely not share}

how stinkin cute is this jolly little pumpkin?!

i just love him & his big friendly smile.

not to mention. this lit-up haunted house behind him.

so. perfectly. fun. 

pumpkins galore in this great halloweenie display.

it is too hard to pick out my fave. 

each one is just more darling than the next.

a friendly little ghostie 

wishes the happiest of hauntings.

darling.

& this just cracks me up.

witch legs to pop out from under your door mat.

how funny is that? 

i love this natural mantle display.

the pumpkins & sprouting greens are too cute.

this is perfect for a more subtle halloweenie decorator.

just about died when i saw this.

witchy leggings to cover your dining room leg tables.

how terribly clever is this?! 

i am certain the kiddos would love this idea! 

another darling option for the minimalist.

these mercury glass pumpkins & acorn branches 

would bring the halloween spirit to any home.

i love how simplistic & earthy this looks.

now. if i ever had a little girlie girl.

she would certainly be carrying one all of these purses.

a witch. a pumpkin. a candy corn. whatever she fancies.

the perfect little halloweenie purse for your perfect little punkin.

the jolliest of all pumpkins.

these pumpkins would look so cute on a front stoop.

i just love their little witchy hats.

and quite possibly my all-time fave in the entire store.

i am just swooning over this hot pink. bright orange. & black bauble garland.

how impossibly cute would these be draped upon on mantle?

don't you just love the saturated colors?

they are so vibrant!

with the most adorable matching ornaments for hanging.

loving the bold stripes. polka dots. & checker board prints.

friendly ghosts to hang on your doors.

this set of three. in different sizes. would look just adorable.

do you see why i am having such a terribly hard time picking out the pieces i want?

each & every one is so unbelievably cute. i just want them all.

now. to get everyone in to the halloweenie spirit.

c'est si bon is going to {g}host a little game.

i want to see how you would decorate your home for halloween.

follow these little steps to enter into our spooky little giveway.

1. post a picture on the c'est si bon facebook page. showing your fave halloween decor.

{you may choose pictures from this blog. pinterest. or anywhere else you find}

2. encourage all your friends to vote on your picture by "liking" it.

3. for every single "like" your picture receives. your name will be entered into the drawing.

{you may post as many pictures as you would like. just really spread the word to get as many "likes" as you possibly can. post on your facebook wall. tweet it. email. etc}

winner will receive a 50 dollar gift card to starbucks for pumpkin spice lattes.

one large bag of candy corn. one halloween dish towel. & a super cute surprise decor item.

{all of my favorite halloweenie treats & goodies}

this game will start today & end on october 15th.

so get to work & spread the word.

ready. go!

oh. and just had to introduce you to the sweetest little devil.

the darling yun stanton. owner of beach papery & gifts. 

be sure to swing into the store for a peak at all the halloween decor.

or if you are not local. but see something you like on this post. 

she will surely ship. give her a ring. 

{727.822.8951}

happy hauntings. my little halloweenie friends. 

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polka-dots and peplum

Hi lovelies, I'm Jenee your guest blogger from {camo meets couture}.
Kristen has kindly let me take over her blog today to share with you some thoughts on the art of getting dressed (if there were such a thing).

When it comes to creating outfits, I love building around a key piece. Whether it's a classic LBD, plain white tee or in this case a fabulous pair of polka-dot pants. Once you know which particular item you'd like to wear, the rest is a simple case of mix and match with a little accessorizing thrown in. 

My favorite outfits all tend to have some form of contrast. For instance, pairing a great little dress under an oversize blazer or skinny leather pants with a chunky knit sweater. Casual pieces look great paired with corporate wear, think baseball tees with pencil skirts. 

These polka-dot pants are the perfect blend of feminine print with masculine form. In keeping with the 'borrowed from the boys' approach, I paired the pants with a classic button down, cardigan and large structured tote (great alternative to the briefcase). While the oxford shirt is a nod to classic menswear, the peplum cardigan keeps things looking fun and flirty. Add to that a few undone buttons, messy hair, bright lipstick and killer heels for an ultra feminine take on menswear inspired style. 

And in true C'est si bon style, a gold bow to complete the look. 

Thanks for having me Kristen, and thanks for reading!

xx Jenee C.
{camo meets couture}

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luella & june.

have you met my friend bradley?

if not. allow me the pleasure of introducing you.

lovelies meet bradley.

the terribly cute & magnificently styled gal behind luella & june.

{one of my all-time fave & daily read blogs}

 

 

when i first started c'est si bon.

one short little year ago.

i was a little baby blogger with wide eyes.

& so i looked to other bloggers for inspiration & guidance.

 

i immediately knew that i wanted to grow up to be just like bradley.

she was real. she was approachable. & let's be honest. she is just stinkin cute.

reading her words made me feel as if we were old besties.

long time forever friends just chatting about the important things in life.

oh you know. like...

fashion. runways. new collections. home decor. pretty things.

girl has got style to boot.

 

 

and so i reached out to her.

naturally. she reciprocated with an abundance of

kindness. warmth. & sincerity.

 

i think she might be one of the sweetest gals in the biz.

& despite being terribly. overwhelmingly. busy with

luella & june. fashion events. and the like.

she still continues to take the time to email with me.

& i even scored a little interview.

just to share with you.

 

get to know my sweet friend.

miss bradley agather.

fashion maven. creativity enthusiast. & lover of life.

 

 

i am a born & bred texan.

i attended school in dallas & then moved to austin to attend the university of texas.

after graduation i moved to new york city for a brief spell.

then i returned to dallas to work for fossil.

i was the concept designer at fossil for two and a half years.

 

but now.

there are a lot of new and exciting things happening in my life.

i recently took on a new and fun career.

i am the fashion editor at the dallas morning news & fd luxe.

oh and. i got engaged!

 

on top of my new job.

i am also a full time blogger.

i started luella & june three years ago.

it was just my after work creative outlet. just plain old fun.

i never imagined it would turn into a full time job.

let alone  one of my greatest passions.

 

i have always loved fashion. for as long as i can remember.

if i had to describe my sense of style in three words:

classic. feminie. with a bit of edge.

i would love to collab with proenza schouler.

that would be my dream designer collaboration.

i look to taylor tomasi hill for style influence.

she would definitely be my style icon.

oh. and the coveter is my go-to blog.

absolutely my number one read.

 

if i'm not working on luella & june.

you can find me on the tennis court. traveling to west texas.

planning my wedding. or vintage shopping in austin.

likely i am spending time with my fiance. family. friends.

enjoying great restaurants & shops.

there are just a million things i love about dallas.

 

and. bradley. there are just a million things we love about you.

thank you for inviting us into your pretty little world for a bit.

you lead such a terrificly cool life.

 

lovelies. be sure to check out luella & june.

it is most certainly going to be one of your new daily reads.



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well, hello fall treats.

like so many of you.

i wait for the fall season to greet me each year.

simply for the sincere joy of over-indulging in pumpkin goodness.

{i may or may not have already had three pumpkin spice lattes this season}

i just savor the spicy scents. tastes. warmth. that fall always promises to bring.

so tonight i treat you to the first of many fave autumnal treats to come. 

now. i totally blame one of my besties for this little treat tonight.

i give all of you permission to totally indulge in this treat & blame her for it. too.

she made us do it.

big. bad. treat. eating. bestie.

we went walking yesterday in the not-so-crisp-florida-fall-evening-air.

& spent a good part of our time chatting about pumpkin treats.

pumpkin milkshakes & pumpkin lattes.

pumpkin bars & pumpkin cookies.

pumpkin anything & pumpkin everything. 

oh. and the twelve cookies she indulged in the night prior.

i don't know about you.

but if someone else is bad on their healthy eating plan.

that gives me total & uninhibited permission to be even worse.

{i tend to be a one-upper on treat eating skills}

hence. my evening was spent baking. eating. & enjoying these

pumpkin & white chocolate chunk cookies. 

best. bad. decision. ever. 

these cookies are just a breeze to bake.

the perfect mix of pumpkin & white chocolate. 

not too sweet. & terrificly cake-like.

{so crispy-cookie-lovers steer clear}

these are crumbly. soft. & just downright delish.

simply divine & totally lovie approved. 

and what is best.

you likely have all of these ingredients in your pantry right now.

late night cookie party? i won't judge you. 

grab your pencils. ladies. you will want to write this down.

2 1/4 cup flour {gluten free if you wish}

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon {i added a bit more}

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp salt

mix all dry ingredients in a bowl & set aside.

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar {packed}

cream butter & sugar.

then slowly add in dry mixture.

then add the following.

1 can pumpkin

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla {i added a bit more}

2 cups white choc chunks {naturally. i added a bit more}

using an ice cream scoop. 

scoop heaping spoonfuls of cookie dough onto 

a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

bake for 12 little minutes in a piping hot oven set at 350.

voila! 

the quickest & sweetest way to welcome fall into your homes.

{image & recipe courtesy of a few shortcuts.

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