have yourself a merry christmas!

Hi readers, just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas. I hope Santa is good to you and the holiday is filled with great food, fun memories and a kiss or two under the mistletoe!

I'll be back after vacation and will try to write a post or two of my experience in Cancun for Christmas!

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Christmas vacay announcement!

It's only 10 DAYS until CHRISTMAS! Can you believe it? I can't, especially because I'm leaving for Cancun in six short days! 

I'm going with my immediate family: Mom, Dad and the little bro who is a Senior at K-State. I have not been to Cancun before, although I've been close by - Cozumel last year for a beautiful wedding and Playa del Carmen for high school spring break. I am SO excited and have been listening to Ella Fitzgerald's and Jimmy Buffet's versions of "Christmas Island" every morning for the past few weeks.

My mom has said for the last five or so years that she's wanted to skip Christmas decorating and gifts and the cold, and go somewhere remote. The first few years the dream destination was Australia. Then Mexico. And every year around Thanksgiving she'd say "maybe next year". So this fall when she was dreaming of Cancun again, my brother and I didn't take her too seriously. Hence why this vacation has completely snuck up on me - I kept thinking it would never happen! We have next to zero plans for eight days which is the opposite of previous family vacations where my energetic and over-prepared mom would have something scheduled every morning. That is a trip, not a vacation. All I plan to do is read, drink strawberry daiquiris and work on a tan (aka get more freckles and turn pink). I can't wait!

Have you ever vacayed over Christmas? Do you think you'd ever want to?

high gloss high glam

While pre-drinking before the bars a few weeks ago (wait - can every post start like this??) I was talking to a friend whose parents were just finishing redecorating their entire house. She was describing some of the big changes, and one really stuck with me; they painted all the doors (or maybe just all on the main floor?) high gloss black. So I've compiled some examples found on Pinterest, but may I say, pictures of high gloss black doors are pretty scarce on the internets. Maybe I'll just have to take a road trip to Sabetha and snap some photos of my friend's parents' glammed up house!

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tgif and nye outfit inspiration

I'm so thrilled it's Friday! I found this adorable picture over at Blog Brunch and had to share. Obviously she is ready for a fabulous evening.

I used to dread New Year's Eve. Like I had 7 years of bad December 31st's. So in years past I've just pulled something from my closet for the end-of-the-year party because 1. I didn't want to jinx myself buying something wonderful and having no where to go, and 2. I didn't look forward to it so after Christmas I didn't have time to find and purchase a great outfit. Not this year, though! We are going to a house party and I am so excited, and definitely in need of a new ensemble.

Here are some great options for a sparkly, exciting New Year's Eve, no matter what your plans are.

TFNC sequin dress

ASOS lace skater dress

Alice + Olivia alameda crepe dress

This one falls outside of the sparkly spectrum, but I love a bright dress among all the black and silver of New Year's!

Robert Rodriguez silk blend dress

Love those gold pants! Similar found here.

gift guide: the men

First off, shout out to one of my favorite bloggers, Allyson at Mimosas in the Morning for this hump day motivation. My mom says this all the time whenever one of the cousins blurts out "I'm bored" in that whiny, high-pitched way little kids (and grown-ups who need more hobbies) do.

Now on to the subject of this post: finding a good gift for the men in our lives. I am a self-proclaimed boys' girl. Not a tomboy mind you. That ship sailed in 1st grade when I realized playing dress up was way better than playing any sport. I grew up surrounded by families with three boys in tow and and have a wonderful little brother; no sisters to steal my clothes and make up. I'd much rather watch football all day on Saturday and Sunday than watch a marathon of some Bravo or E! show, or Lifetime movies. Luckily I found some prime high school and college girlfriends along the way to share secrets and go shopping with, learn important life lessons from (like everything is better with a little cookie dough and champagne) and go on unforgettable trips with.

But back to the boys. They can be a real pain to shop for, don't you think? Blue Eyes is particularly difficult because he hates most anything to do with recent fashion (opposites attract, right?). All the men in my life buy whatever they want whenever they find it, so there's no point in asking for lists. So the key is to find items that they either don't know they want yet, or wouldn't spend money on for themselves. Here's a little guide (tailored mostly toward the boyfriend/brother/best guy friend) that will hopefully provide some help!

1. RHCP Live at Slane Castle DVD. There's not a better DVD to have on in the background for a party.

2. J. Crew cashmere socks

3. Lacoste Bordeaux aviator sunnies

4. Bakon vodka (perfect for bloody mary's!)

5. Lego Star Wars alarm clock. Judge me all you want but if you have a Yoda/Anakin/Darth fan in your life (like I do, what went wrong?), you'll be their hero with this gift. 

6. Sperry Top Sider bahama chukka suede shoe

Top 5 Tuesday: lonny nov/dec issue

Well this was again very difficult to narrow down my five favorite finds from this past issue of Lonny. And as promised, I'm a month late. So without further adieu narrative, here they are!

1. the luxe life

Celerie Kemble designs

 OMG that chandelier!!! I will probably get excommunicated for saying this, but I really dislike chandeliers. I think they are gaudy and downright offensive in most living spaces. However; this 1970s Italian glass leaf chandelier is simply glamazing in a feminine, eclectic way. Now take your eyes away from the light fixture, and you'll see the table is set with my new favorite tableware: Goldware! 

2. Jonathan Adler

needlepoint zodiac pillows

Lonny did a 10-page spread on Jonathan Adler for this issue. I've always loved his whimsy, happy and irreverent (his word, not mine!) style, and wanted to know more about who he is and how he tapped in to that fun-ness, oh and made *tons* of money off it. Well Lonny readers, most of those answers are in the mag! You'll get an inside look of his office, which I want to steal the cork wall idea for huge inspiration boards. 

3. hints of peacock

I have a similar vase with peacock feather in my living room right now. It brings some height and texture to an otherwise neutral space. The chair is called Peacock chair, produced by Shi & Erhard. How cute would this be in a master bedroom, or even better, screened-in porch??

4. diy

Some of the beautiful pieces in this Manhattan living room definitely belong in the luxe life section, but the part of this space I want to focus on are the blinds. They are from Sears, and the owner (Lonny's features editor) used Gorilla Glue and brown velvet to make them one-of-a-kind. What a great idea.... this is going to Pinterest for future use.

5. really great quotes/advice

"Carrie Fisher says that what you hang on your bedroom walls is what you want for your life. Yikes. So I've made a concerted effort to surround myself with images that move and uplift me." - Robert Leleux, Lonny's features editor

Advice from Jonathan Adler. I will take it!!

gift guide: for the traveler

Whether they're a beach bum or a snow bunny, your gift will be a hit with any of these presents. My personal favorite is of course the Frye boots, which I have been living in since I got them at the Nordstrom anniversary sale over the summer. They survived the concrete jungle of Buenos Aires, and five months later I still get compliments almost every time I wear them. They are the best wardrobe investment!!

1. Patagonia down sweater vest

2. Rainbow leather sandals

3. Fuji instax mini 50S camera (produces credit card-sized photos in a few seconds!)

4. Frye Melissa button back zip boots

5. Lodis athena dylan zip iPad case (love this in rose gold)

6. LeSportsac weekender

gift guide: for the fabulous

We all know her. The really fabulous friend/sister/aunt/Barbie who has just about everything and therefore is ridiculously hard to shop for. I have a few of these women in my life. One is my mother, whose personality doppelgänger is Martha Stewart and who routinely shows up in clothes I've been sale stalking online. I know, it's tough. You should feel semi-sorry for me.

Anyway enough about my really great mom. The point is that she and many other women are intimidating to impress come Christmas gifting time. Hopefully this little guide helps you (or the people who have you on their gift list!):

1. ALDO buschur leopard pony slipper shoes

2. J. Crew glitter iPhone case

3. Elizabeth and James fairway sunglasses

4. Vogue: The Covers coffee table book

5. Elizabeth Gillett gold sequin archer infinity scarf

6. kate spade new york spade hinge bangle

oh hello

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not all accordion lovers look like this guy

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The whole accordion look really snuck up on me this winter. It all started with this picture (below, not above!) from the fabulous Bee at Atlantic-Pacific.

Obviously the entire outfit is stunning, but the skirt is to die. So I have been looking for some accordion options for my own closet. Here's what I've found so far - some are within the budget and most are way outside, but it can't hurt for some inspiration!

INC accordion pleated maxi

Halston Heritage pleated skirt

ASOS contrast pleated midi

Alice + Olivia Shannon skirt

Now....... off to Spotify some polka!

so clutch

How great is this polka dot clutch from Anthropologie? It just exudes "I'm fun and cute and ready for a night on the town", or "I like brunching". Which speaking of.... I need more in my life at the moment. For some reason the winter takes the brunch out of me. Need to change that, stat. Happy Tuesday loves!

Anthropologie polka rounds clutch

diy: ornament wreath

Who else gets the creative bug over the holiday season? Hobby Lobby was having a huge sale on their Christmas decorations last week, so I decided to make an ornament wreath like the ones I have been obsessed with on Pinterest lately. 

I wish I would've taken more pictures of the process, but I was way too wrapped up in hot glue gun string to grab my iPhone. Here's a picture of the final product, a silver and gold wreath with a little K-State purple sprinkled in. 

All you need is a large styrofoam wreath (found in the gardening section), about 100 ornaments of 3 different sizes, a hot glue gun, and ribbon to hang the wreath afterwards. I glued the 4 large silver balls first and then started filling in. I like that the ornaments have a bunch of different textures: some look like disco balls, some are matte and others are glittery!

breakfast of champions

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! I am sufficiently stuffed, but was somehow still in the cooking mood, so I whipped up these bacon & cheese croissants with the limited ingredients I had in the fridge. They are so easy, reheat deliciously, and can be enjoyed on the go, which is important for me since I am not a morning person by nature.

All you need is a can of croissant biscuits, cheese singles, and 6-8 slices of bacon. Here's how to make these super simple breakfast rolls:

Preheat the oven according to the croissant can instructions.

Separate the dough and split the cheese singles in half.

Cook the bacon to your liking. Is there anything better than the noise of bacon cooking? Love. 

Cut the cooked bacon in to small pieces and sprinkle on top of each croissant triangle.

Roll 'em up! Stick them in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!! I have 2 for breakfast each morning and just reheat them in the convection oven.

attire inspiration: Thanksgiving

I can hardly wait to assist my Mom in making the creme de la creme of my Thanksgiving meal: Gravy! (I don't trust myself to make it all by myself just yet). I looooove Turkey Day and have so much to be thankful for this year. 

Our family friends have a huge turkey smoke out at their house the night before Thanksgiving, where people I've known since I was in diapers show up year after year for the Chili cooking contest and warm rum cider. This is also where I fret about what to wear: do I go trendy over warmth? Do I go Midwest fashion over my latest fashion-forward piece? I typically play it safe even though these are the parents that have had my back forever and supported me in everything I do, and my friends who will still be my friends even if I show up in red long underwear (or a faux fur vest). 

Here's my classic fall wardrobe inspiration for tonight and tomorrow:

 ~all images via my Pinterest~

This will probably be my last post until after the holiday, so I hope you all have an absolutely lovely and fine Thanksgiving!

welcome to Kansas City: H&M

Kansas City finally has it's own H&M! It's located in the heart of the Plaza, which is walking distance from my apartment! Woo hoo!

Here are some looks I'm currently crushing on. Can't wait to get in the store and try these beauties on!

I know, you don't see any Versace for H&M pieces here. They are just so not me. I am not a big print/color girl.... my thought is my red hair is loud enough as it is, so blacks and neutrals (with a few jewel tones here and there) are my best look!

trip highlights: napa wino weekend

Happy hump day! As promised, here is the recap of my wonderful weekend getaway to Napa with my girlfriends!! If you are not at all interested in reviews of places to eat, wineries to visit or the other lovely amenities Napa has to offer, skip down to the pics..... But fair warning, you should be interested. Napa is amazing!

First item up for discussion: The Vineyards

We trekked to nine wineries over our three-day stay. My favorites were the ones tucked away in the mountains where the GPS lady would say our destination was only 6 miles away, but it took 25 minutes to get there due to the windy roads hugging the cliffs. Of course there wasn't a single vineyard that was less than enjoyable, but my two favorites were Barnett Vineyards and Outpost Wines. These had the best views, excellent ambiance and my favorite Pinot Noir and Grenache, respectively.

The other *wonderful* wineries we visited were Cade, Alpha Omega, Cliff Lede, Hess, Robert Mondavi, Grgich Hills and Darioush. I could seriously write an entire post about each of these experiences they were so great.... well except Cliff Lede, where I was more than a bit hazy after 3 wineries and a visit to Pancha's (make sure you have cash and have decent knowledge of Dire Straits for this little gem!). So I guess I need to go back to give Cliff Lede a real chance next time.

Here's the view from Barrnett Vineyards:

Can you believe this gorgeousness???

Second item: f00d!

Like I said in my previous post, we had all of our tasting fees waived, and did I mention we had all of our accommodations taken care of, too? Seriously, my friend is a big shit in the wine industry. So we decided to spend all our funds saved up for the trip on food!

My no-contest favorite meal was at Redd, where I enjoyed scallops, fried bone marrow (that was a first) and the most amazing steamed pork buns I could have ever imagined. For real. We all enjoyed the pork buns more than our expensive entrees.

Other restaurants on the must-visit list were Mustards Grill and Bistro Jeanty. Both fabulous for foodies and non-foodies alike. I unfortunately fall in the non-foodie category since I'm on the picky side, but I'm trying to get better!!

OK, third item: Pictures!! Enjoy :)

at Outpost

K-S-U!

We all met thanks to Chi Omega, whose mascot is the owl. Hootie hoo!

Barrel room at Mondavi

via my Instagram (monicarosekc)

Darioush

We had so much fun!!!