Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

My Fifteen Favorites - Christmas Wish List


Happy Shopping Friends! 
We've super-sized 'My Five Favorites' this month and are sharing our Fifteen Favorites,
including some of our personal Christmas Lists! I think it's my favorite post of the year. 
My blogging pals always have the best lists, and since I have a December birthday I
always feel justified adding a few of their great ideas to mine. :) 

Jennifer @ Dimples & Tangles

We're so excited to have Megan @ Honey We're Home as our guest host today, she's an
 absolute sweetheart, the cutest mommy to James & Jordan, a fashion & home blogger, 
and fitness guru extrordinaire! 
She has a surprise giveaway with her list you won't want to miss!


 All of my favorites are for the women on your list:  
 5 ITEMS I HAVE & LOVE
5 ITEMS I NEED
5 STOCKING STUFFERS


I HAVE & LOVE!

   

I bought this cozy soft Beaded sweater  for casual occasions during the holidays, it's adorned
with pearls and rhinestones and is a little oversized. I like mixing my wardrobe
 (same as my decor) - distressed jeans and a dressier top. I know it will be on repeat, I just 
need to keep track of who's seen it. Haha! I'll wear it shopping, coffee with a friend, casual
 family dinner, it'd be fun for ice skating or zoo lights with a warm scarf and beanie.  


   LOVE my Block Monogram Necklace it was on my NEED Christmas list last year and
 is perfect for layering with several necklaces I have. I get a ton of compliments! 
Mine is Gold Fill - 16" - Large (1.625") - Blonde Marble   


I bought these classic Adidas Sneakers several months ago, they're super comfortable, 
and so versatile. They're fun to pair with white jeans in summer/fall and above is my
 favorite timeless, casual look for cooler fall/winter weather. The silver side stripes are
 more subtle than the bolder black stripes.  


Wearing my bright pink Boden coat makes me feel happy and stylish every time I put it on!
 I've had mine for a few years, the style is almost exactly the same as this one. It's playful
yet polished and the simple style looks equally pretty dressed up or down.  


I'm not the only one that thinks these mid-rise jersey leggings from Old Navy are awesome!
4.7 stars and over 1K reviews. Old Navy activewear wears incredibly and is crazy reasonable.
It's always good motivation to start the new year with a few new workout pieces. 


I DON'T HAVE AND NEED! :)


Snakeskin is on trend this year, and I love the high end look of the block heel on these
  Faux Snakeskin Booties. A little height but still comfy enough for wearing all day. 
 Sizes are going fast at $65!  


I LOVE this floral sweater and wouldn't it be great with the snakeskin boots above! 
My perfect outfit - comfy, pretty details and unique! 
I haven't ever ordered from this site before, so don't have any experience with them,
but I think this sweater is worth trying them out!  


I put this on my list in September when I read it was the hottest accessory at New York Fashion Week. Not only is the $14 Clear Bubble Umbrella the choice for fashionistas, as it goes
 with any outfit, but it's practical, more wind-resistant and slopes downward to give you more
 protection from the rain.    


I need a crossbody bag and I'm thinking this Michael Kors will fill all my needs, it has a
 boatload of great reviews and the color is perfect - not too gold or pumpkin(ish).  The
size isn't too small to fit my phone, wallet and sunglasses. 

This Sherpa Toggle Coat checks all the boxes!
Cozy and classic toggle closures make my list! I like the stand up collar,
lined, and described as getting a hug from a teddy bear! 

STOCKING STUFFERS OR TIE ON A GIFT! 

  

  I love tying these fun one-of-a-kind Anthropologie Annalise Spatulas on gifts!
The ideas are endless ~ 
a cook book, breakfast basket, new kitchen towels, homemade cookie dough, 
a plant.... 






elf Lip Lock Pencil keeps your lipstick, gloss or liner from feathering, or budging.
A friend told me about this, for $3 it's worth trying, I'm sneaking one in my stocking, 
and picking up a few to tie on my girlfriend gifts.   

Coin necklaces are still popular and here's a fun piece of costume jewelry that will give
 you the chic look but won't break the bank. It's the perfect layering piece, and would look
great with the monogram necklace above. 

I've mentioned this before, and you guys NEED to order Rapid Lash to put in your
stocking. I'd always had good lashes but they started getting shorter and after researching
I determined Rapid Lash was the best price/review combination I was looking for. 
It's $22 on Amazon - much more reasonable than $100/tube. I was completely
surprised at how long a tube lasts. I'm going to be close to 2 tubes lasting a year! I'm
diligent about using nightly because your lashes return to their previous condition when
you discontinue use.  I have noticed I go through mascara more quickly and Lash Paradise
is my favorite, but I don't like the waterproof.   


I found Buxom Plumping Lip Polish (Dolly) one day when I was at Sephora, and
asked a lady what lipstick she was wearing. It has a slight tingle when applied, that's the
plumping at work. Dolly is the best selling shade - it's described as 'sultry mauve.' 
I love using it over other lipstick shades, too. 


  Be sure to stop by and check out my pals' lists:

Jennifer @ Dimples & Tangles




Posted by pam {simple details} at 2:00 AM 273 comments
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Saturday, December 2, 2017

Eclectic Christmas Home Tour 2017

Thanks so much for stopping by to check out my tour friends, and welcome if you're
new to Simple Details! A huge thank you to
Jenny @ Evolution of Style and Amy & Christy @ 11 Magnolia Lane
for rounding up a wonderful group of bloggers to share their Christmas decor for the
 12 Days of Holiday Homes! 

Over the past couple years I've embraced the 'less is more' philosophy and ditched all the
bins of stuff in favor of using greenery from our yard. It's a great motivator to be creative
and rearrange all of my Craigslist finds for a new look. I've been holding out on you,
 I have a couple new pieces! :) If you're not familiar, everything in my living room and
 dining room are Craigslist or thrifting finds. 
    
Come take a peek and see how I've changed it up from last year's tour, it's a total
different vibe and color scheme, but you'll no doubt recognize some of the pieces. 

Living Room


I decided to bring out all of my blue and white pottery and pair it with black, white
 and pops of chartreuse.    


I love the tiny boxwood from the big box garden centers. They're a steal on sale and 
easy to trim up for a topiary look. The NOEL pillow was a gift a few years ago, I 
love it, and it always makes an appearance, as does my DIY Pottery Barn knock


Here's a tease of my newest Craigslist score - can you even believe I bought a chair?!

  
Before I tell you about the chairs, how fun is this whimsical guy? 
He was a 'meant to be' find because I used the same print for invitations to my
Annual Girlfriend Favorite Things party coming up on Tuesday. I promise to fill
 you in on all the details and favorite things! The abstract above was a quick diy
to pull the blue into my gallery wall.  


Oh my goodness, I didn't buy one, I bought two!!! I know I have a problem, but seriously
I would have been crazier not to buy them, they were $25 each! They're unique, tall,
 amazing quality and comfortable! If you happen to be new to Simple Details, it's a little
joke ~ I have a LOT of chairs! 


I wanted to keep the decor to a minimum because I did a big glam-up job
on my oversized mirror. It would be easy to do with any mirror, I used beads,
 pearls, ornaments and crystals that I had for tree decorations.  



Check out that chair and don't pay attention to my sad paperwhites!
This is the first year ever they haven't gone gangbusters. I think I planted thirteen.
The chair backs are 48" high, kind of cool!  
I like the mix of chippy old columns and urns with the modern geometric pattern.  


Dining Room
  


Another quick DIY abstract, with layered artwork in front. I have a canvas I just
 keep re-painting when I want to change up colors. No tutorial needed, ha! 


One of my favorite decor items this year is the Three Cedars fresh wreath from
 Lynch Creek Farms. It adds a gorgeous classic style to my dining room, and smells amazing,
 can you believe how full and lush it is. Their finished wreaths are 26" and have a beautiful
three dimensional style. I think they'd make a wonderful gift!
Thank you to Lynch Creek Farms for generously sponsoring our holiday tours!



Family Room


Since our tree is in the family room, I keep the rest simple, our cozy fur throw and fur
 trimmed stockings are pretty touches. More blue and white pottery to tie the rooms
 together.   




My favorite girl, Rio for her annual Christmas photo. :)

Hope you all enjoyed the tour, thanks so much for stopping by!
Wishing you a wonderful season and the Merriest Christmas! 

I'm lucky to get to share the day with my blogging bestie,
 Lisa @ Shine Your Light is sharing her beautiful tour today, too.
 It's one you won't want to miss!
My jaw always drops when I see her classic New England Christmas porch!  



Posted by pam {simple details} at 2:00 AM 82 comments
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Friday, November 24, 2017

Project Design - Five Takes on Holiday Gift Wrap

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families! 
I'm thrilled to be teaming up with a few of my favorite bloggers to share our holiday gift
 wrap ideas. I love changing up my wrap from year to year, a pretty but simple look that
 doesn't complete with the tree and other Christmas decor is my favorite. It's super easy to
add a little dose of the same elements I use for wrapping to my decor to help the keep the
look cohesive and achieve a nice flow from room to room. 
Here are a few tips to create the look: 

Use neutral color wrapping paper
Use neutral patterned boxes and metallic tin boxes
Change color of ribbon from year to year, choose different textured ribbon
Use the same ribbon to help decor flow from room to room
Add greenery from your yard to embellish your gift 


You can't go wrong choosing a sheer texture, and if it has pretty detail, all the better. 
Costco is a great source for sheer ribbon, and a steal if you catch the end of season sale.
  Notice the printed box below right, I've had it for several years and it gets put under the
 tree every year. 


I used the green leopard ribbon and sprig of greenery on the backs of my dining chairs
to carry the color/pattern into that room. 


Last year I had painted my living room blush and used blush satin ribbon on my
gifts to tie the look together. 



Notice the black and white patterned box above, the pattern added a little pizazz to plain
 white wrap. 


Pine sprigs on the gifts, chair backs and brass container below and the blush
 satin ribbon on the wreath give everything a cohesive look.     


This leopard & plaid pairing is an oldie but goodie. There is the patterned box
again, and simple silver tins - I think they originally held chocolates. Save any
pretty boxes you receive during the year and simply add ribbon ~ not everything
has to be wrapped in paper. 


I coordinated the bow on the wreath in the next room to easily create a pretty flow. 

 
Be sure to check out my talented friends' beautiful gift wrap ideas:




 




Posted by pam {simple details} at 8:00 AM 21 comments
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Wednesday, November 1, 2017

My Five Favorite Tips to Tame the Holiday Crazy!


Happy November friends! The countdown to the holidays is on, only three short
weeks until Thanksgiving, then we blink and it's Christmas! For this month's My Five Favorites'
topic my blogging pals and I are sharing ideas to help keep the stress level low and fun level
 high during the holidays! It's my favorite time of year and I remember ONE year when I was
 SUPER organized, oh my gosh, it was so enjoyable!

Kris @ Driven by Decor
Lisa @ Shine Your Light
Jennifer @ Dimples & Tangles

I'm so excited to have Amy & Christy at 11 Magnolia Lane with us this month ~ they are
 organizing gurus and I'm certain they have some tricks up their sleeve to share!

11 Magnolia Lane

 Not only are they awesome at organization, DIY and decor, but they have an Etsy shop as
 well. My favorite item I order every year is this chic gold vinyl monogram to put on the
 front of my calendar!


#1 - Black Friday
 $5 Fresh Wreath & Garland
Stock Up!!!

I gave you the scoop about this favorite Black Friday deal here. Home Depot sells
fresh wreaths and garland for $5!! I love to stock up (keep in your garage) to have on
 hand throughout the season ~ it's a simple gesture to brighten someone's day if they find a
 surprise wreath on their door step! I've used them to decorate inside and outside, as my gift
 for my Favorite Things Party, a hostess gift, to add some cheer to a housebound neighbor's
 gate. Over the years I've learned the garland is best left for outside decor, as it gets a tad
 crispy inside. :(  I don't think they're on anyone's radar because there's no line or crazy
 people clamoring for them.


#2 - Frozen Cookie Dough 
~ Neighbor/Teacher Gifts ~
 Not your typical plate of cookies

You guys are going to laugh at me, but once I timed myself to see how long it took to
make a batch of cookie dough - 10 minutes! My point in telling you is that this gift is 
so QUICK, easy and appreciated! And, you can do it in November! 
Who doesn't love having homemade cookie dough in the freezer? Pop it in the oven at a
 moment's notice if company drops by, for a snack, or a busy mom that needs a last minute
 treat for school. It's my favorite gift to give ~ I shared all the details, and tips for pretty 
packaging here.     


#3 - Worth It 
 vs 
 Not Worth the Trouble List

I'm such a list girl, I don't know how people make it through the day without one! 
Every year I make a list for the following year of what worked and what wasn't worth
 the time or effort. I found the list changes year to year depending on what stage of life
 your kiddos are in. I also have a book where I keep track of party details
(for about 15 years, a little OCD?) it helps jog my memory when putting together menus.
Date, Invitation, Guests, Food & Beverage Menu, and of course, what I wore.
 You can see at my Annual Girlfriend Party last year I wore winter white pants and
 cropped fringe sweater - monochromatic in case you're wondering. Hahaha!

  

#4 - Make Ahead
 Thanksgiving & Christmas Menus

If you think 'make ahead' means sacrificing quality and flavor, think again! Simply prepping
the time consuming chopping, dicing, making a sauce, etc. helps ensure a stress free day
 when you're hosting the meal. My parents always host a crowd of family on Christmas day
 and my mom and I spend a few hours the day before getting the table set and prepping all
 that we can. I'm sure you're not surprised I have a list of our menu last year, the initial 
indicates who brought which dish. (I know it's a LOT and a weird mix, but we all love food
 and accommodate if anyone has a favorite request, somehow the Tamales & Green Chile
 got left off the list, but it's tradition). 
   

A few years ago I shared our more traditional Thanksgiving dinner menu of
favorite tried and true recipes from past Bon Appetit magazines. I gave detailed
 tips what I prep the days leading up to the holiday. Stress free and delish!


#5 - Look Good! Feel Good!
How did this ended up #5, it should be #1

Take the time NOW to plan out a couple outfits you LOVE. It will make all the
difference if all else fails, and you're running around frazzled, if you have an outfit
planned that makes you feel fabulous.
Start with your Pinterest Fashion Board (you have one right?) Here's mine.
It's a great place for inspiration before you head out shopping.
I'd choose a couple outfits to emulate - comfy, casual for shopping or school and
 something dressy for church, party, Christmas day. It doesn't have to be an entire new
 outfit, although I'm sure you deserve one! Shoes, statement necklace, sweater or a pretty
 scarf to update some classics in your closet are perfect too.
Whatever makes YOU feel great!
Don't forget to schedule your hair and mani, pedi appointments now, if you haven't done so.


Be sure to check out my talented friends' favs too:

Kris @ Driven by Decor
Lisa @ Shine Your Light
Jennifer @ Dimples & Tangles
Amy & Christy @ 11 Magnolia Lane


Posted by pam {simple details} at 2:00 AM 23 comments
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