18 of My Fave Statement Earrings for Summer

July 27th, 2017 | 0 comments

I don’t remember exactly how old I was when I first got my ears pierced (maybe 10?). But I do distinctly remember where I got it done. It was in a v classy Claire’s inside the mall and I was (possibly) more nervous than anyone who has ever had their ears pierced before or after.

Since then, I’ve accumulated a lot more piercings – most of which either can’t be seen easily OR have closed up over the years. And sadly, my ears are amongst the fallen soldiers on the ‘closed up’ list. I am, however, fairly desperate to get them pierced again, so I can wear all of the cool earrings I’ve been buying lately. Just bought #5 on this list and am contemplating #1, 3, and 6 rn too. Yes, I totally realize I have no business buying earrings when my holes have closed up. But YOLO.

Here’s a list of my favorite statement earrings for summer…

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How to Throw a Dinner Party that Looks Effortless (And Actually Is)

July 26th, 2017 | 6 comments

So often, I’ll see elaborate dinner parties online and think to myself, ‘wow that looks amazing, but I can’t even imagine how much time that took to put together’. I’m guilty of it too, believe me, and there’s definitely a place for those type of parties. BUT sometimes you just want things to look nice without having to spend hours and hours laboring over every single detail.

For those times, you have today’s post… How to throw a dinner party that looks effortless (and actually is)! I teamed up with Macy’s for their big semi annual home sale (which kicks off today) to bring you all the tips, tricks, and DIYs for the easiest dinner party you’ll ever throw, that still looks super stylish and thoughtful.

I even have the breakdown of everything I used to put the party together, in case you want to shop this look while getting your discount on. Save 30-50% plus an additional 15% off home and 10% electronics, furniture, mattresses, and rugs with promo code HOME at checkout, on Macys.com. Click through for the full breakdown and all the easy entertaining ideas…

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6 DIY Ways to Style a Bandana for Summer

July 25th, 2017 | 10 comments

Yesterday, I started deep-cleaning the studio and found ~~six~~ SEVEN square bandanas tucked into the couch, folded up in the upstairs built-ins, and randomly tossed into the supply closet. And that’s just at the studio – I honestly have no idea how many more I have at home.

You know the bandanas I’m talking about right? The ones that you’re supposed to use for neckerchiefs, etc that are square-shaped with some kind of fun pattern on ’em (and usually under $15). I’m sure you know the type…and I’m guessing if I have this many laying around, you probably do too?! Although, if it’s just me, by all means, let me down gently. 🙂

So, I came up with 5 quick tutorials for putting all of those rogue bandanas to good use for summer. Because let’s face it, we’ve all bought these little guys, but putting them to good use (and looking cute while doing it) is a whole other story. Click through for all 5 DIY looks and the step by step instructions for recreating them on your own, in 60 seconds or less.

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The Art of the Mini Arrangement: How to Quickly Arrange Teeny Tiny Bouquets in Vases

July 24th, 2017 | 6 comments

In my mind, fresh flowers always do the trick for livening up a room. Whether the arrangement is big or small doesn’t matter much. It’s the textures, colors, and scent that you can only get from fresh flowers that really do it for me. True, I can be a size queen with the best of ’em when I need to be – like a giant dinner party table that calls for a big centerpiece or a special occasion that screams huge DIY bouquet (like a wedding or something).

BUT for the most part, any flower arrangement is better than no flower arrangement and one of the easiest to recreate at home is the one that doesn’t require a whole lot of flowers. So, that’s what I’m touching on today.

If you have a small vase and a few blooms (either from your local grocery store, florist, or even your backyard), you’re good to go. Click through for my tips for mini flower arrangements and my go-to vases for teeny tiny bouquets.

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6 DIYs to Try This Weekend

July 21st, 2017 | 6 comments

We’re headed back home this weekend, after a week long trip to Harbor Island. And I really, really, REALLY am not ready to get back into reality mode.

But on the upside, there’s still a whole weekend of fun to be had. And plenty of DIYs to try. Here are my fave projects from the week…

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Home Sweet Home: The Story I Never Told About Buying Our First House

July 19th, 2017 | 6 comments

At SunTrust Mortgage, we make it a priority to learn all about your unique circumstances. Confidence starts with a conversation.

Talk with a SunTrust Mortgage expert today. This post was sponsored, and paid for, by SunTrust Mortgage. All opinions are my own.

About ten years ago, before Jeff and I were even engaged, we bought a house together in Jacksonville. We still own that house actually, but have been renting it out since we moved away five years ago. At the time, I was 22 and it felt incredibly exciting to be buying a house at that age, but also completely nerve-wracking at the same time. Because neither one of us had gone through it before or had any idea what the process of buying a home was like – getting approved for a home loan, locking in interest rates, a down payment, yada, yada.

Luckily, my mom had previously been a real estate agent (she lived in Michigan at the time though) and also knew the drill from buying houses for herself in the past – which was really helpful. But if we hadn’t had my mom to lean on with questions, I’m not sure what we would have done.

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Strawberry Fields Forever: A Simple Summer Salad with Strawberries, Pecan, and Feta

July 18th, 2017 | 8 comments

There’s this little restaurant in Atlanta (Folk Art) that has a really good strawberry salad that I always order. Especially during the summer months because it’s light but filling. I’m kind of picky about salads…unless they involve fried chicken. Then, I’m all in.

ANYWAY, when I was putting together meal ideas for a dinner party shoot (which I’ll be sharing next week), I realized that salad I always order would be super easy to recreate at home. I swapped out a few ingredients from the original, which typically has bacon, tomatoes, etc (I nixed all of those) and added in a few more of my faves (feta and candied pecans) and now I have a go-to summer salad that is beyond easy to make and is really, really delicious. Click through for the recipe.

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