Pink!

Who doesn't love a little freshening up, especially with Spring right around the corner. There's something about this time of year that makes me loves reorganizing, tidying things up and making changes. I recently decided that I wanted a touch of delicate pink in my life and now I just have to decide which lovely shade of pink suits me best. I've narrowed it down to a few...

:: pouf of pink ::

:: sweet memories ::

:: rose hips ::

:: calique ::

:: rose point ::

:: spring rose ::

:: her majesty ::

Any favorites?

xo, 

Heart to Heart

:: Disclaimer | I had planned and still will post a much lighter piece in the coming days :: 

The last two weeks have been a humbling reminder of how fragile life can be. They have also been a stunning demonstration of love, friendship and family. Nearly a year ago my life began to change. In some ways things have changed for the better, in some ways things have become more challenging.  Some changes were more foreseen than others and some have been downright shocking and painful. 

:: truth ::

Last Sunday my best friend and I had a wonderful evening together. We said good night to one another and I began to get ready to crawl into bed. Then my phone rang, it was him. In an instant my heart sank and I knew he needed me and that I needed to be with him through whatever the coming hours would bring. Ultimately, a patriarch passed away; a husband, a father, a grandfather and one incredible man. It was sudden, unexpected and heartbreaking.  I was fortunate enough to have witnessed Max's incredible love, devotion, affection and kindness. His presence and energy were such that by proximity alone you could feel the warmth, love, and gentle manner of his soul. 

:: my everything ::

I returned from Sunday evening mid-day Monday. Only a few hours later my husband received a phone call from his mom. His cousin had passed away. This was also a sudden and unexpected death, he was only 42. To say that my husband and I felt overwhelmed at this moment does not even begin to touch on the emotions of disbelief, emotional exhaustion and sadness that we both experienced. 

Yesterday we gathered to celebrate the life of an amazing son, brother, uncle, friend and person. Following the funeral we returned to the family home and were surrounded by his closest friends. His brother, sisters, nieces and nephew's all jumped into the pool in his honor. There was laughter, there were tears, wonderful memories and shared stories but above all there was what matters.  

:: love. friendship. family :: 

As I write this I am sitting in the warmth of the incredible sunshine, looking at the deep blue sky and there is an overwhelming sense of peace. My peace is not the result of a perfect life but rather the acknowledgement of a life fulfilled. 

And while some people have come and gone from my life I realize that those who matter remain. And, that through it all there is love, there is friendship and we are all family. 

With incredible gratitude & love, 

Parabal Gurung

A few days ago the Parabal Gurung collection for Target launched. Following the incredible success of the Missoni | Target launch there have been a handful of of designers that have attempted to follow suite. I'm not including the entire Neiman Marcus disaster, I think it's just best if we put that behind us and pretend it never happened. 

Personally, I am not sure if there will ever be another partnership like that with Missoni. To date not a single collection has maintained their brand with the quality and level of design that Missoni clearly invested. Not to mention the Missoni collection was insane with the number of incredibly diverse products they offered. 

I'm not sure if anyone else feels this way, but I've certainly lost a great deal if interest in these pairings. I shop at Target at least a few times a week and so I figure I'll stop in and see the collections when I can. 

I perused the collection online nothing had jumped out at me. Yesterday I stopped by and found two cute items! 

At first I wasn't so sure about this dress. I was initially drawn to the bold colors and thought it could be a cute dress for Spring and Summer. I tried it on and it is cute! It will be great for running errands or having lunch with my girlfriends. The dress is mostly made out of cotton and is sort of like a t-shirt dress except that it has fun ruffles at the bottom. The ruffles are actually another much lighter weight material which gives them a bit of bounce and movement in person. 

My next little discovery was these! I love shoes especially colorful shoes and these fit the bill. They are actually comfy too! I can already see pairing them with jeans, tailored shorts, skirts and dresses. They are a great accent piece for any outfit and since they have nearly every color in them you can choose whichever color you like and they will really make it pop! I even bought my sister a pair for Valentine's Day :)

Overall, I think this collection fell into the rut as well :( Most of the pieces were not well designed and the quality of construction was poor. I think like with most of Target it's really about finding those few pieces that standout from the rest.  What did you think of this latest collection? 

Vine

Come join the fun!

Find me on the Vine app | LadyElizabethGrace

xo, 

Mom vs Dog

Just a typical day in our family...

My mom and our 140 pound Saint Bernard Quincy...no wonder our lives remind people of a reality show!

xo, 

:: Sparkle ::

Sparkle and my name might as well be synonymous. It all started with my original iPhone case back in college and well let's just say that over the years the sparkles have expanded. 

:: The Daily Sparkles ::

I know it's often hip and trendy to change phone cases but believe it or not I've had the same phone case (I exchange them for new ones on a regular basis, but same design) for literally years now. 

:: A Petite Addition to the Original Sparkle ::

When the iPad first came out I didn't even think about what case I would select it just seemed obvious to me that of course my iPad would sparkle too! I'm literally attached to my iPad it goes with me everywhere. At first I was concerned about how my sparkly iPad would be received, especially at work, but guess what, not a single person was surprised. In fact most people commented that it was perfect and now people both professionally and personally know me for and by my sparkles. 

:: Signature Sparkles ::

 In the last few months I've added a couple of "little" sparkles to the collection. When I first spotted this Jonathan Adler pouch I knew I had to have it. I use it in my purse to keep my cosmetics organized and I can't tell you how many people ask me where they can get one. 

:: Sparkles Jonathan Adler Style ::

 I've always said that hot pink nails and sparkles make me happy, so when I was walking through our local hardware store and discovered my key chain disco ball my previously boring errand had just become fabulous! Obviously I use my keys many times throughout the day and while it may only be a key chain I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to look down and see it sparkle! 

:: Because Everyone Should Have a Miniature Disco Ball Somewhere ::

 Do you sparkle?

xo, 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In honor & in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

With respect & gratitude, 

Cleopatra

I'm always experimenting with color, especially nail color! I'm currently obsessed with my latest color combination - Cleopatra. Known for her ornate and stunning gold and often depicted with colorful accents of jewelry including turquoise this latest color story immediately brought Cleopatra to mind. 

 :: Essie | mint candy apple :: OPI | designer series (really really old) :: Essie | good as gold ::

:: Cleopatra ::

A base layer of  mint candy apple, a light dusting of designer series finished with good as gold french tips

In darker lighting it appears almost as a light grey & in brighter lighting the depth of the mint & sparkle of the designer series sparkles right thought. The delicate the gold accent gives this combination it's refined finishing touch. 

Hope you enjoy!

xo, 

:: Memories :: Traditions :: Love ::

Slowly, incredibly slowly, things are beginning to come together. One space that makes me smile and that I see and walk past nearly all day long is the entrance to our master suite. 

My favorite painting "The Depth of Peace" & a beautiful vintage bottle adorn the entrance and serve as daily reminders of peace, tradition & love 

I delight in the hidden symbolism of these objects and enjoy how this space combines old and new. It is a reflection of our personal style, a reminder of love and honors my childhood memories and traditions.    

Everyday as I walk past, I smile and think of Grampsie

Growing up my Gran and Grampsie always had a beautiful ceramic vase, more sculpture than vase, that sat at the end of the hall by the entrance to their bedroom. As little girls my sister and I would take turns dropping coins into the vase. We were told it was our "college fund" and so we delighted in adding to it. My Grampsie however was the primary donor as he would empty his spare pocket change daily before entering into their bedroom. The vase of my childhood remains at the end of my Gran's hallway, but since my Grampsie is no longer with us I don't think it's been contributed to in quite some time.  

From the Rocky Mountain Water Company I was drawn to the texture and design of this bottle

 My husband and I love tradition and it's important to both of us to carry on and continue those of our families but also to create new ones of our own. I love seeing this old glass bottle with coins whenever I walk by. While it may not be the stunning ceramic piece of my childhood, it's vintage flair is mine and my husband's modern day adaptation of this memorable and very special childhood tradition. I love passing by and look forward to filling and refilling this bottle many times in the years to come.  

Do you have any favorite traditions?

xo, 

The Color Purple

Last night we made a quick decision and decided to head to dinner. Not only did I get dressed in all of maybe ten minutes but I quite literally threw on what was available and easy to grab...needless to say it became an evening all about the color purple...

My Neon Violet Toothpick jeans arrived from J.Crew!

I hijacked my gay husband's plum cashmere sweater that has been sitting on my dresser for the last few weeks, thanks DG :)

Paired my purples with one of my favorite vests...

And away I went... No joke, I literally was running our the door...no makeup at all!

:: I wore my Tory Burch leopard flats & used my big black Burberry handbag :: 

Resolve 2013

It's been a while since I've done a link up - but as we begin the New Year I thought this was a great opportunity! 

:: linkup hosts ::

In 2013 I will...

surround myself with positive people

spend more time laughing 

be less critical of myself and others

travel to somewhere I have never been

be incredibly thankful for a backyard

take more walks with girlfriends

have faith that eventually everything work out

In 2013 I will not...

allow negative people to be a part of my life

get frustrated by the fact we are still not all the way unpacked (fingers crossed on this one!)

take for granted the blessings of life; friends, family, our home

be apart of someone else's life unless I am able to make a positive contribution 

( be it laughter, friendship, love, a smile...)

ever again take for granted the ability to simply open the back door and let the dogs out

In 2013 I hope to...

actually settle into our home

have many celebrations with friends & family

soak up the sun in our backyard and read

give myself time to "just breathe"

volunteer more

laugh often

love more

 What about you?

xo,

I ❤ You a Latte!

When I was very young, probably around six, my Grandma introduced me to café lattes. They were her morning drink of choice and so naturally I had to drink them too. Not only did I drink them but I really enjoyed them and we could frequently be found sipping our morning lattes and watching Captain Kangaroo. A few years later my Grandma's latte habit and mine as well gave way to tea and I really did not begin drinking lattes again until I was in college. 

:: Captain Kangaroo & Mr. Green Jeans ::

For the last five years or so I would have a latte a few times a week but I was never one of those people who ran to Starbucks or Peete's every morning. My mom on the other hand is another story. She had actually never had a latte or any form of coffee up until a few months ago, but one day I made her take a sip of my venti, half soy, half non-fat latte and low and behold she liked it. What I never anticipated however was that I had just created a monster. My momma literally in a matter of weeks went from never having touched coffee or espresso to easily drinking a latte and sometimes two daily! Needless to say as her Starbucks consumption increased so did mine as she would often grab one for me while ordering hers :) 

:: nom nom nom nom nom ::

Up until a bit ago our little Starbucks habit was a bit pricey but I figured what the hell. I've always had the Gold card from Starbucks and so we never paid for the additional soy. When Starbucks revamped their rewards program they got rid of free soy and so instead of  $7.70 a day for lattes, my mom and I now found ourselves paying $8.90 and that's if we only had one latte per day. Needless to say this price hike didn't keep us from our coffee but it did make us think long and hard about other viable options.

:: meet Miele - our new best friend ::

After some preliminary research we decided on this puppy and we've already fallen in love. I purchased espresso and soy milk from Starbucks as I needed to ensure that I would be able to replicate our drinks or really what's the point? One of the main reasons we selected this machine is because it allows you to customize everything from the temperature of your coffee or espresso, to the brew strength as well as the portion size of the shots and coffee. Not only is it a breeze to use, but it makes exceptional espresso, coffee, fluffy steamed milk and it cleans itself! We've only had our Miele for a little over a day but I'm not going to lie, I think it's going to be really hard to go back to Starbucks when I'm now able to enjoy my lattes in my PJ's before I even shower! I've also found that since it's so convenient I don't think twice about making myself an afternoon latte! 

:: you know I love to accessorize and our new coffee bar is no exception ::

:: I came across these adorable containers and knew they would be perfect ::

I'm also really excited to be able to make coffee for people when we entertain as I've never owned a coffee maker or known how to make coffee :) 

Do you have a guilty pleasure? What's your favorite drink? I'm always intrigued by what other's drink, half the time I have no clue what they're ordering! 

xo, 

Color Me Skinny!

I love color!

Bold, bright, vibrant, subtle or soft - color is one of my favorite and essential elements of style.

 Last Summer I found a pair of fabulous skinny jeans at J.Crew and I bit the bullet and bought them, even though they were over $100 dollars. I wear them all of the time - all year long - and they are by far the comfiest jeans I own.  I've never second guessed my purchase and had in fact just the other day made a mental note to scoop up a few more pairs. I happened to be in J.Crew yesterday to pick up something for my sister when I stumbled upon my favorite jeans on sale! Not just any sale - a ridiculous sale. My jeans that had been $125 were now $20!!!

 :: J.Crew - Toothpick Jeans | Vivid Fuchsia & Light Citron & I ordered Neon Violet ::

*The green shorts pictured above are for my sweet boy and they were $13 - I couldn't resist

:: Color Story #1 Out & About ::

:: Light Citron Toothpick Jeans | J.Crew ::

:: leopard flats | Tory Burch ::

:: denim button down & white tank - Target |  necklace - Juicy Couture | sunnies - Jimmy Choo ::

:: Excuse the mess - a peek inside my handbag - Burberry ::

:: Color Story #2 Hello 2013! ::

:: Vivid Fuchsia Toothpick Jeans - J.Crew | shoes - Enzo Angiolini (old) ::

 :: white button down blouse - Façonable | grey cashmere sweater (old) | necklace - Juicy Couture ::

  :: all together now :) bracelet - Juicy Couture ::

out why I'm obsessed these skinnies! 

:: comfy - cute - instant & effortless pop of color - casual or dressy - great for travel - fabulous fit ::

I hope your New Year is off to a great start! 

xo,