For the home

Happy Friday! To wrap up our week of obsessing over geometric patterns, we figured it would only make sense to highlight some fun ways to incorporate new patterns into your home! If you're normally a little pattern shy, sticking to a neutral palette or something classic like black & white is a good place to start. Here are some things on our wish list for the home:

1: Headboard via West Elm

2: Rug via Layla Grace

3: Mirror via Jonathan Adler

4: Room divider via Layla Grace

5: Chair via Urban Outfitters

6: Throw pillows via Jonathan Adler

7: Lamp via Layla Grace

So fun, right? Happy decorating!

Stepping out

Imagine our excitement when we found out that Kate Spade's pattern of the month is stripes! There isn't a pattern we love more so when Kate encourages us to "Step out in Stripes", we will not decline! Looking at her new collection, our eyes were instantly fastened on the Westchester Toni.

How perfectly versatile is this cross-body bag? Those sassy little stripes are screaming spring and summer, don't you agree?

*Photo courtesy of Kate Spade New York

 

Pretty Inviting

It's Wedding Wednesday {YAY!!!} and we wanted to take this opportunity to share another pattern laden creation... this time however, it was created by us! It was so much fun working with Carolyn and Chris to create their Tory Burch inspired letterpress invitation suite. We sprinkled in some nautical touches to highlight the gorgeous venue they were to be wed at... the Ocean House in Watch Hill, RI. Everything about this suite is screaming of an elegant preppy beach soiree- which is exactly what the wedding was... every last perfect detail. *Photos courtesy of Laura Ashbrook Photography

My oh my

We've been talking a lot about Missoni inspired patterns in the Paper Moss office lately {our pattern obsession continues} and have been head over heels in love with the bright, vibrant colors in that classic chevron style. Yes, these ballet flats from Bloomingdales may just be the next wardrobe staple for spring 2012.

And if you're a bargain shopper, Target still has some of the Missoni for Target flats available too... on CLEARANCE!

Photos courtesy of Bloomingdales; Interview Magazine

The trendy fruit

HAPPY FRIDAY! Honestly, I'm a little sad that the weekend is here {#ilovemyjob} but who doesn't need a few days of relaxation and errand running to get caught up?! Hopefully you have some fun plans in store?? For the last few months, we've been hearing left and right that one of the hottest colors for 2012 is "Tangerine Tango". Not only is the name just adorbs, but the color is so vibrant and fun. While the actual Tangerine Tango is a specific shade, we're embracing all that is orange and loving every bit of it...

{Blouse; Bracelet; Tote; Pantone mug; Nail polish; Candle holders; Pillow}

To add some splashes of Tangerine Tango to your home, check out this round up of bright and orangey home goods!

Burberry strikes again

Nothing compares to the ever-classy Burberry plaid, but this little beaded wristlet is pretty hard to resist. We're feeling slightly giddy over the bright and playful beaded texture which would be the perfect accessory to so many outfits- spring through fall, at least. Yes, we've had a mild winter here in New England so far, but it's impossible to keep from dreaming of retiring our wool coats and the return of warm evenings. Warm evenings with this wristlet... ah yes...

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High and Low

A couple of my recently engaged gals are in the process of searching high and low for the perfect wedding gown. While doing a little searching of my own to help with ideas, I stumbled across one Fall 2012 trend that I'm on the fence about: high- to- low hemlines. Have you seen these yet?! I'm just dying to know what you think, so please, leave a comment and let us know if you love them or hate them, if you would sport the trend or if you were super fashion forward and already donned a gown of that style!

Monique Lhuillier

Sottero & Midgley

Pnina Tornai Exclusively for Kleinfeld

Claire Pettibone

*Photos courtesy of Brides.com

Hot air balloon Heaven

I don't know about you, but I {Anna} have always wanted to go up in a hot air balloon. It just seems so romantic, breathtaking and adventurous- without seeming dangerous. While I've been saving this ride for a special occasion {what that might be, I have no idea}, I absolutely adore them as decorations. When I was researching fun ideas for incorporating these little guys into a baby shower for a dear friend, I just jumped for joy when I stumbled upon this DIY from Martha Stewart!

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So yes, this is what I'll be doing this weekend: paper macheing, painting and decorating. YAY for a 3-day weekend! What sort of fun plans do you have in the works???

Thursday Purseday

If you've been following the blog for while, you might remember my sheer elation when I {Anna} found out that Milly was coming out with a handbag line. AHHH! I still hear the angels rejoicing when I remember that moment. Anyway, Milly continues to catch my eye with her fabulous style, keeping up with trends in a classy, but sometimes bold way.

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I'm kind of in LOVE with this shearling & patent-leather bag, staying true to the trend of mixed materials with combining cozy fur, sleek leather and a little bit of gold bling. Now, I'm dying to know your thoughts on the bag- is it too much or too perfect??

A Rustic Chic Indiana Wedding

Ever since the photos of Kristen and Nathaniel's home spun wedding crossed our path, we've been dying to share them with you! This adorable couple went above and beyond with sentimental details to fill their rustic Indiana barn with the story of their love. Ruth Elieen Photography was there to capture every minute and Kristien {the beaming bride} was so kind to share  with us her memories from the big day!

From Kristen's perspective: Best. Day. Of. My. Life. It was so much fun and fit our personalities and lifestyles perfectly. From the whole wedding party donning cowboy boots--to Dr. Seuss being read during the ceremony-- to covering my husband in cake (which I'm still proud of)--everything was perfect. We wanted to have a short, simple ceremony and then let the party begin...which is exactly what happened. The most memorable moment on the dance floor, though, had to be my father. Videos of him dancing are now floating throughout the internet!!

It's all about the details: Growing up, Nathaniel and I have always been involved in our family farms, so barns, cowboy boots, burlap, whiskey barrels, mason jars, and chicken and mashed potatoes were a must. I grew up in a log cabin, so I wanted this same feel for our reception. My mother and I spent over a year searching through books and online for rustic decor ideas. We loved including a table with vintage photos of our parents and grandparents as well. While many of the decorations were homemade, Etsy was also a great resource.

Advice from the bride: I highly recommend wearing cowboy boots with a wedding dress- they're much more comfortable than heels and make for some great pictures. Also, any brides who are looking for a photographer, check out Ruth Elieen Photography!  Getting pictures taken were one of the best parts of the day and Ruth was a blast to work with.

{Photography: Ruth Eileen Photography :: Venue: Amish Acres :: Wedding gown: Posie Patch :: Bridesmaids dresses: Mori Lee :: Florist: Sue's Creations :: Cake: The Cake Lady}

Glittery Kicks

There's nothing better than a little bit of bling to brighten up your day, right? We're just obsessing over the glittery and glitzy shoes that we're seeing in so many styles these days... and these are a fun change from donning the standard bling, jewelry. What do you think about this Shoesday Trend? Love it or hate it?

Flats: Cole Haan

Heels: Top Shop

Tennis Shoes: Miu Miu

Booties: Miu Miu

*Photos from respective sites

Here comes the Bridesmaid

HELLO and happy Monday to you! What kind of shenanigans did you fill your weekend with? Along with celebratory drinks for a dear friend who is now a bride to be, this weekend was all about cleaning, catching up on sleep and talks of wedding plans. While contemplating bridesmaids dresses, we poured over possible retailers and remembered the reasonably priced gems that ModCloth offers. How great is this round up of pastel dresses, all of which are under $108!?! The re-wearability factor is ridiculously high too... aren't they adorable??

1: Sparkling Cider Dress: $54.99

2: Fancy Dinner Dress: $84.99

3: A Whispered Wish Dress: $107.99

4: Sugar Cookie Platter Dress: $74.99

Check out ModCloth for more super cute & AWESOMELY priced bridesmaid dresses or a rehearsal dinner dress!

Letterpress Cookies?!

Yes friendies, it's true and oh-so-awesome. Needless to say, these Letterpress Chocolate Dipped Lemon Sugar Cookies have been calling our names. And, wouldn't they would be such an awesome party favor for a birthday?

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Letterpress stamps {in both letters and numbers} can be found in a variety of places and in an array of fonts. Etsy is a great place to search and this shop is one of our faves. Remember that the letters & numbers need to look "backwards" when looking at the blocks in order for them to appear normal on the cookies.

Pretty stinkin' cute for a fancified sugar cookie, right?!

Getting Organized

Yes, of course this is one of my {Anna's} resolutions for 2012: to get organized and stay organized. In the event you're in the same boat, I wanted to share a Thursday Purseday find that in a previous year helped me through one area that was a constant struggle to keep organized... the good old wallet. Ever since my sweet brother introduced me to Lauren, my magical Hobo wallet, {best Christmas gift EVER} I never again encountered issues of digging through the wallet to find my ID... loosing gift cards... scrambling to find insurance cards... or receipts. As if that isn't enough to make you feel like you won a war, I must say that the lining in each little wallet is one of the highlights!

And finally, I've had my glorious Hobo for about 4 years. Ladies, these things last forever!!!

Happy organizing!

*Photo courtesy of Hobo International

Best of the best Bridesmaids gifts

Choosing your bridal party is such an exciting decision. Through all of the planning, the dress shopping on, the showers, the invitation stuffing and the appointments galore, they are there by your side. To show your appreciation, traditionally a gift is given to all of the maids on the big day. Well, we pulled together some of our favorite, fun ideas for gifts for your gals...

1. Personalized Pillows

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Your ladies will love these with their monogram and will use them for the years to come!

2. Plum Pretty Sugar Robes

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You can't go wrong with these gorgeous robes from Plum Pretty Sugar! Perfect to wear while getting ready the day of the wedding too!

3. Customized Hangers

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These not only make for ADORABLE pictures with the bridesmaids dresses, but they're a cute decoration for the ladies to use again!

4. Monogram Rings

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These delicate rings are beautiful solo and stunning when they're stacked together!

5. Tote Bags

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These totes from Ballard Designs are guaranteed to be a hit! Perfect to lug around things on the wedding day or on a beach day!

Don't you just want them all?! Hope this helped with some gifty inspiration- whether it be for your bridesmaids or for a birthday gift!!

Chloe + velvet bows

Our first Tuesday Shoesday of 2012 and oh goodness, do we have a pick to kick off the year! We're entirely convinced that these gorgeous Chloe heels are the perfect shoe. They also happen to embody one of the most versatile shoe trends that we've seen in Fall 2011/ Winter 2012 shoes- patent leather. Love!!

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Simple & elegant... and that delicious velvet bow is just enough to leave us dreaming about them all day. Happy Shoesday, darlings!

Happy New Year!

Happy 2012!!! We hope to heavens that you had a magical holiday season and are filled with hope and anticipation for what 2012 has in store. New Years is one of my favorite times to reflect and celebrate the happenings of the past year {both good and bad} and get geared up to tackle those goals for the year to come. Did you make any exciting resolutions this year?! We all know that the first 2 weeks in January are nearly effortless to kick off those resolutions... but after that, the challenge sets in. Speaking from experience, we're determined that this year will be different, and this goal tracker will help with some accountability.

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Brilliant, right? And only $15!

Do you guys have any other ideas to help with keeping those resolutions?

Happy Holidays!

After a long and incredible year, we're closing up shop to relax and celebrate the holidays with friends and family. This is our absolute favorite time of year- we're humbled by the meaning of Christmas and what it represents...

"For to us a child is born... and he will be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

{Isaiah 9:6}

... so as we reflect, rejoice and rejuvenate in the week to come, we hope that your days are nothing short of fabulous.

Safe travels and get ready for an A M A Z I N G 2012!!!