Things I love: being creative with what I have and not having to buy things I don't need. So of course, using fresh pine for the winter / holidays is THE BEST way to decorate. Not only is it simple, but it's free (wink wink)...just go outside and do a lil snippy snippy and you're well on your way.

I chose to make potted arrangements but you can also make bundles to hang. Using various greenery is also a plus. I was able to find several different types, including Boxwood, Pine, Arborvitae and Spruce. All the different textures and slight color variants create interest and makes your arrangement more unique.

Now about some added color...Pom poms! You already know I was going there. These babies have been my easy-peasy go-to for pops of color for yeeeeears. They never fail me. They're quick to make, inexpensive and won't shatter like ornaments. There are many ways to make these guys...I have the plastic craft store pom pom makers in many sizes and they serve me well.

You might be wondering what to put everything in. I like to reuse my summer flower pots. I have them in red and chartreuse which is perfect for Christmas decor as well. If you don't have any flowers pots available, you can grab a plain terra-cotta pot for a few bucks and spray paint it. A vase you have sitting around is a great option too. Hint: mini versions would make great holiday party/ Christmas dinner table toppers.

For assembly, I arranged the greenery in layers and packed it in full so nothing would fall out. The longer stems are in the back and shorter in the front. I kept each kind of greens together so they formed their own layer. Other elements you can add in are pinecones (you can glitter these, you can spray paint these - go nuts) or some of your tree decor. I used some sparkly snowflakes and sparkly accent stems.

Christmas is quickly approaching but this is so quick and easy you can still make it happen. It looks beautiful as indoor decor or outdoors on a porch. What a lovely holiday gift it would make as well!
Enjoy & Happy Holidays, everyone!

Merry Christmas, guys! Weather wise, this has been the most amazing winter so far. No complaints from me! I love being able to wear dresses comfortably without freezing my butt off. 

Also, hey flower crown! Gah! It was my first time making one and I went all out with this statement piece. Designing with flowers is such a fun challenge....not to mention, GORGEOUS! Remember, pick a variety of colors, textures and sizes to combine together. I have some directions and tips below!

DIY Statement Floral Crown 

• floral wire
• floral tape and of course
• freshly picked flowers.

First, cut a piece of wire to fit you head. It's up to your own preference to how you'd like it to lay and fit you. Overlapping the wire ends, use the floral tape to wrap and secure the ends together. Make sure to pull and wrap the tape tight. Floral tape isn't as sticky as regular tape so it was a little hard to get used to.

Now that you have your crown base, lay it flat on the table so you can start arranging flowers around it to get an idea of how you'd like it to look. Trim the stems to be around 2 inches long. You'll be taping these to the wire.

I used cuts of evergreen branches as the main greenery element and wrapped those to the wire first as my base. I spaced small cuts equally around (except for the front). Wrap each stem base with the tape until it's secure to the wire with little movement.

I left the front bare (no evergreen) so I could easily add in my focal point. I grouped my largest flowers (3 giant mums) in the center and arranged carnations around them as accents with little snippets of evergreen. Try on your piece every once in a while while you're making it to see how it lays and to see how it holds up. Make any adjustments necessary and ENJOY!

Flower Crown: diy  ///  Coat: Zara  ///  Dress: Missguided  ///  Boots: Missguided 

Back to black...& brown. It's always been favorite color combo of mine, maybe it's just because the majority of people are afraid to wear them together. To me, it's a sophisticated vibe and it speaks confidence....do your own thing and don't follow the crowd. I love how brown can tone down an upscale, dressier look. This long and flowing black maxi dress from PYLO oozes glamor and would typically worn for a night out. IF you pair brown with it, you automatically get a toned down casual look. I love being able to work items into different styles and make them versatile. Versatility enables you to be able to pair down your wardrobe, get rid of the extra clutter.

Hat: ASOS  ///  Earrings: Souls Repurpose  ///  Charlize Mock Neck Maxi Dress: PYLO  /// Plaid Vintage Blanket  ///  Boots: Matisse (from Swell)  ///  Harness: Glam & Grace

Hey Cleveland! This holiday season, shop local & shop handmade! Come out November 29 to Cleveland Bazaar Winterfest at the 5th Street Arcades. I'll have lots of fringy & sparkly jewelry ready for you to pick up for holiday gifts...or maybe just for yourself ; ) See ya there!

Oh Deborah Lippmann, your nail polish...I just can't get enough! It's like a little bit of luxury in a bottle.  In my opinion, some of the higher end nail polishes are worth a "splurge"...it's a much better product as far as quality and often they are they are some of the top colors I can find. Deborah Lippmann is known to pack her glitter polishes with max sparkle. Also the color combos make a designer giddy. This color is "Glitter and Be Gay" it's candescent canary yellow. You can get it from Sephora.

A Christmas favorite has always been these cookies, Chocolate Crinkles. My mom usually makes them every year along with various other delicious goodies. It's now become my tradition to make as well.
Chocolate Crinkles (via Betty Crocker):

1/2

cup vegetable oil

4

oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled

2

cups granulated sugar

2

teaspoons vanilla

4

eggs

2

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

2

teaspoons baking powder

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/2

cup powdered sugar

• 1In large bowl, mix oil, chocolate, granulated sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• 2Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray.
• 3Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat and shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
• 4Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Original photos found here: 1 /// 2 /// 3 /// 4

Velvet is the rage this winter. I'll be wearing plenty of velvet leggings with oversized sweaters I'm sure of it! Here are a few gorgeous photos of some simple on-trend looks.

Also, here are some of my fav picks to shop: 1 /// 2 /// 3

Talk about some glam cookies! These lovely and delicious peanut butter cookies are covered in metallic sparkly silver and gold sprinkles. Such an easy way to add some festiveness to your holiday goodies. By the way, these are the best peanut butter cookies in the world! They are a must try! 

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

bag of Hershey's Kisses

Cream butter & sugars. Add peanut butter & eggs. Mix well. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl & then add to peanut butter mixture. Make into balls, roll in sugar sprinkles and slightly flatten with spoon. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Place a Hershey's kiss on each cookie, bake for another minute.

Enjoy!

my new silver and gold look