Tuesday, December 31, 2013

New Year's Eve - Getting Dressed!

I must admit, NYE snuck up on me this year! And that meant a quick closet dive to figure out options  to ring in the New Year!

I ended up with three options I can use depending on my mood in a few hours!

  • Miss Sixty Emerald Dress
    • Love the vibrant color and the build in necklace makes it so easy
    • Would pair with black tights and suede heels (BR MADMEN collection)

  • Taylor Striped Dress
    • Black and white is so classic and this dress fits like a glove but is also comfortable enough to dance in
    • Would pair with black tights and burgundy faux fur heels (BCBG - obsessed!) and accessories to had a subtle punch of color

  • Fur Vest and Coated Jeans
    • A piko top, black booties, and a bold necklace make this look something I would love to wear to a more casual get together!
    • Old Navy Rock Star Skinny jeans are my new fav since they are crazy inexpensive (I think these were $12) and allow you to buy a trendy style (i.e. this coated pair) without fear of major buyer's remorse!

Enjoy celebrating tonight!

Until next time,
Emily




Sunday, December 29, 2013

2013: A Year In Review

Memorable Moments by Month:

January: Paint The Town Red (one of my fav charity fundraisers) complete with an awesome faux red leather jacket from (surprisingly) Forever 21 ( yes, it has major studs...no I haven't worn it since...oops!)!

February: Mardi Gras! Finally checked it off the bucket list with some of my best friends! Definitely worth experiencing at least once in your life! I have a new found appreciation for Po-Boys and beignets!


March: I officially decided to become a CASA (court appointed special advocate).  It's an organization I had been involved with for many years but this year it became a huge part of my life and is probably what I am most proud of from 2013!

April: Dallas Color Run! It was my first experience in Dallas and running the Color Run and I loved both!

May: Bachelorette Fun! I planned my first bachelorette party (Cinco de Mayo Weekend) and we had a blast in the Dells.  We had an adorable cabin to ourselves and the bar scene was surprisingly crazy!


June: I was honored to be MOH in one of my very best friend's wedding.  Every detail was perfect and it was literally one of the most fun days of my life!


July: America and I share this fabulous birthday month! Talked my friends into a birthday rodeo which did not disappoint!  This will likely be a repeat for 2014!


August: For me this month was all about Football! Even pre-season games get me excited and Fantasy Football kick offs are something I look forward to each year! We went to the Packers vs. Rams pre-season game and had a blast!

September: Walk This Way - I was honored to be chosen as a honoree for the Cystic Fibrosis Walk This Way Event! My competitive spirit definitely came out and through some amazing support I raised just over $16,000 for the cause! I was incredibly nervous to actually walk the runway (eeekk) but had the most amazing cheering section that helped ease the butterflies!

October: Halloween in Mexico! Sun and margaritas were the only 2 things on the agenda for a long weekend birthday celebration for one of my best friends! So. Worth. It.  My very best friend's gender reveal shower was this month as well! I am still beyond excited for her to have a little baby boy next year!



November: Anniversary trip to Thailand! There is no way I can summarize this adventure in a few sentences so I'll save it for another post but our trip to Beijing (quick layover stop), Bangkok, and Railay Beach was so memorable and another place checked off of my bucket list! And...I chopped my hair!


December: Home for the holidays! At the end of the day family (which I appreciate even more now that I'm not driving distance away) is what makes this crazy so called life worth it!






Saturday, December 28, 2013

'Tis The Season For Gifting!

I have to admit, while I tend to put a lot of thought into the actual gifts I give, I've never exactly been Martha Stewart when it comes to wrapping.  With an easy "gift wrapping" search on Pinterest this year I decided to step up my game.

Check out my Pinterest inspiration here: Gift Wrapping Inspiration

All it took was a quick trip to Target and Walmart and voila! New and much improved wrapping!


  • Flowers, twine, and polka dot paper came from Target (scrap booking section)
  • Parchment paper and washi tape (not pictured) came from Walmart (office/mailing supplies)
  • You can probably find everything at one or the other but I was a little picky on what designs I wanted
I don't have any of my Washi tape examples but here's a great 101: Washi Tape Gift Wrapping

My only watch out is that I found it was actually easier and it looked better if I cut the string and
taped it versus wrapping in one continuous string.  I also thought the presents I did with Washi tape instead of twine had a bolder impact and were better for kids!  Happy Wrapping!

Until next time,
XO - Emily

Friday, December 27, 2013

The Adventure Begins!

I've toyed around with the idea of starting a blog for a while.  I read quite a few and use them all the time whether it is for a quick party app or a hairstyle that I can actually achieve in 30 mins before I have to be out the door! My vision is to create a space that encompasses all things - from cute outfits, to recipes, to vacations, to weekend adventures, and even an occasional bad day (because after all that's part of life too).  I have a lot of crazy visions of me actually completing intense DIY projects and becoming a master chef c/o this space but for now let's just take it a day at a time!

A little more about me:

I've been married for a little over two years to my husband Daniel (hence my move to the South) and we have one puppy, Clay, who we rescued locally and is spoiled rotten! I love fashion, traveling, trying new things, tennis, football, running (we have a love hate relationship), food, yoga, and above all creating memories with my family and crazy friends!

Until next time,
XO - Emily