A Few New Lovelies

Happy Monday friends! I want to welcome all the new readers that have recently joined. I'm so completely thrilled to have you! As I write this morning, I'm watching the prettiest tiny flakes of snow fall softly and very slowly outside my kitchen window (in the forest of trees in our backyard). It's pretty magical ... and after a rather stressful weekend, it's quite therapeutic & relaxing. Now I just need that coffee ...

Well, I spent a bit of time redecorating a couple of rooms yesterday. Well, just adding some touches here and there. Thought I'd share the updates with you. I went to Besselli's 50% off sale and picked up this gorgeous silk scarf (the one with roses) It's supposed to go around my neck, but looks so smashing on my wall. Our "head board" is constantly changing ... sometimes art and other times scarves (usually vintage finds), just whatever I'm in the mood for. 

 A sweet little pillow made for me by one of my students.

This perfect little beaded bow is from Daena (Anthropologie) and the tasseled layers necklace is from my mom (Loft).

I adore this jewelry dish with it's tiny bird keeping a watchful eye over my jewels (I have a little one that likes to swipe them) - (Pottery Barn).

 {little white purse - vintage, bracelets - grandma, Piperlime & Banana Republic, leaf hair pin - vintage}

Monty's new guitar pillow (from Oeuf). Sort of the coolest thing ever.

And the boys received this awesome tee pee from Land of Nod (needs a good steamin' though). Grannie created a little kit of colored cord and "bug-y" clothes pins for displaying our rotation of art work. And there's that chalk board decal again.

Grannie also made these capes! Isn't she the best?

I picked up this bookcase from Target. It's tidied things up so nicely. I'd hoped for a similar set from Ikea but these were great too and even a better price. 

I also did a little thrifting over the weekend. Goodwill, how I love thee.

Grand total for all of this - $34 and a few cents. Thought that was pretty great!

Don't forget to enter the winter giveaway for a chance to win a $30 gift certificate to CSN stores. They even have a luxe site that sells some fantastic shoes and bags, if that's more up your alley!

Happy New Year!

I wish you all a very happy new year and many beautiful moments in your year ahead. It's been such an incredible year for me and my family, packed full of laughs (a few tears) with 3 amazing children that astonish & impress me daily as they change & grow at light speed rates and a crazy wonderful husband that I seriously love more and more every single day. I'm so, so blessed. 

 On a day like this, when the air is electric with excitement/hope/well wishes/big dreams/crazy fun & we all attempt to turn over a new leaf or make our plans & lists for the future, I can't help but think about my dearly missed friend and family worlds away. I love you so much! 

Finally, thank you friends for coming here to visit and for supporting this little blog of mine. It's become so dear to me and while it began as a place to simply collect and share virtual beauties, it's also connected me to so many talented individuals that have left me incredibly inspired on a daily basis, urging me to stretch and improve my own creative muscles! 

Now enough sappy soppiness, let's enjoy some pretties fit for a great NYE night. 

 {1-3. Design Sponge 4, 6, 7, 9. This is Glamorous 5, 8. Coco + Kelley}

A Fabulous Winter Giveaway!

As the Christmas merriment winds itself into a long and cold winter (at least for those of us hibernating in the north), I have a little something to cheer you up a bit. Fresh off the heels of our last giveaway and we have another! I'm so excited to let you know that CSN stores would like to give one "Lovelies" reader a $30 gift certificate (fab, I know!) to spend in one of their hundreds of online stores. CSN was new to me, so I checked them out and found some fantastic things. I have a few examples of items I've come across in their furniture store, just so you have an idea of the lovely options out there.

I've been taking a look at the gorgeous Phillipe Starck Ghost Chair, a part of their modern furniture collection and a piece I've seen on design blogs a million times over. It's such a swoon-y piece (and comes in several colors too).

Parker just received this chalk board wall decal for Christmas and it's a huge hit. CSN offers the same decal as well as an assortment of other bright and fun mural decal options for the kid's rooms. (I'm such a fan of chalk board decals as it's so little work for me and looks super cool on the wall)

This little red tree is so sweet too.

Parker also received this incredible wallpaper for Christmas and we can't wait to get it up and start drawing! It's made up of hundreds of frames in black and white, ready to let your little artist actually draw on the walls!

(CSN has it too; truly a little bit of everything.)

And this wallpaper by Ferm Living is so exquisite.

How to enter the CSN giveaway -

1. Become a follower of "Lovelies in My Life"

2. Subscribe to receive "Lovelies" posts via email

3. Leave a comment below

To be entered for this fabulous $30 gift certificate to CSN, please make sure you have completed all 3 of the above. You have 1 week to enter and the winner will be selected via random.org and announced on Friday, January 7th. Go check them out and see what you'd like!

Best of luck to everyone!

Everyday Classic

 Do you have a favorite pair of jeans in your closet or is it still something you're searching vehemently for? I think I have 2 faves right now, one from Gap and the other Forever 21 (a pair you've seen a million times by now). But I've also had some luck with the options at American Eagle and T J Maxx (more great prices). I just recently received my first pair of designer denim - Current/Elliot (my husband did a gig at Azure, a great little boutique in De Pere {he played for a Christmas-y open house} and anyway, I got to go shopping in their store!) Yes, they feel like "butter" on and yes, I can tell they're made beautifully, but I think my $18 pair from Forever 21 will get more mileage out of me. On this day, I had on a comfy straight leg with an old belt, a simple navy sweater, and a vintage scarf (that usually acts as a table cloth). It felt classic to me ... sort of had that Ralph Lauren vibe about it.

 {scarf - vintage, sweater - Gap {$12!}, bracelets - Banana Republic & grandma, belt - Gap, jeans & shoes - T J Maxx}

My favorite Gift! {you won't be surprised}

 My mom surprised me with this too-good-to-be-true champagne sequined skirt for Christmas, a delicate fabric that feels like stardust! I had to wear it immediately and for this occasion, decided to attempt dressing it down a little. The preppy gingham and oxfords turn my New Year's Eve worthy piece into a more versatile little number. But I look forward to dolling it up for NYE nonetheless, as it so deserves.

 {ear rings - Anthropologie, shirt - Fossil, skirt - J. Crew, tights - Express, shoes - T J Maxx}

 My dearest Cara in a "wild-out-of-the-jungle" dress!

 {dress - H & M, bracelet - Urban Outfitters, wedges - T J Maxx}

With our favorite 3 month old, Charlie.