I've just fallen in love..

with Brahmin handbags. I love the textures and colors they use. They are on the pricey side, but definitely worth a splurge. You can fall in love with them too... Brahmin Bags

a few I'm drooling over...

                                 

Santaaaa pretty pretty please...

Read this

by Max Lucado. I came across this today and it gave me chills.

An Angel's Story

Gift Ideas

I love these custom terry robes by Ralph Lauren. What I love so much is that you can customize it for the person you are giving it to.  RL has an entire section devoted to items you can customize including tote bags and polos. Customizing a gift makes the recipient feel extra special.

Ralph Lauren $95

check out RL's custom shop here

Guess Who

Recognize this celebrity?

Yea... me either.



It's Taylor Swift.

Don't believe me?

See for yourself.

Let It Snow

Very enjoyable activity courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens... to make your own snowflake click here!

WARNING: It is highly addictive!!

10 Most

Tonight the highly anticipated Barbara Walters special comes on: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009. I watch this every year, but this year I am extra anxious because of several of the people she is interviewing. One of them being Lady Gaga. I mean seriously that chick is the definition of strange. She has a great voice but on tv she is always dressed crazy and acting very weird, so I cannot wait to see her interview. I think her list is pretty good from what I've seen... of course we don't know who's number 1 yet. So I thought I would create my own version of the list for fun... hope you enjoy.

10. Spencer and Heidi Pratt
9. Tim Tebow
8. Adam Lambert
7. Michael Jackson's plastic surgeon
6. Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise
5. Evan Williams (Twitter Creator)
4. Tiger Woods
3. Taylor Swift
2. Lady Gaga
1. Cast of Twilight

Don't forget to tune in tonight at 10pm on ABC

I die

for these looks by Ann Taylor. Love love love them all. Very Blair Waldorf.

Take a look.

Festive and Fashionable...

 If you are like me and are a Christmas sweater hater then here are a few ideas to add some holiday sass to your wardrobe!

1. Red in small doses can make an outfit pop. It's the color of the season but don't go overboard.

You already have: White button up top. Black pants. Black heels. *also works great with a LBD

What you need:

some great red nail polish like OPI's...

Comet Loves Cupid, $8.50

And a great red clutch...

Banana Republic $89.50

2. Metalics done right.

Banana Republic Monogram $89.50

Banana Republic $152

Gift Ideas for the troubled sleeper..

This is perhaps my favorite line from Bath&Body Works.  They came out with it 2 years ago, and it's quite fabulous.  If you are like me and love bubble baths and cuddling up with very soft things, you will love it too.

Lambie Collection:

Lambie Robe $49.50

Lambie Slippers $12.50

Lambie Sleep Mask $10

Lambie Sleep Blanket $39.50 (I have this in black and love it)

Aromatherapy Sleep Collection:

They have scents for men and women. My favorite is the lavender vanilla because it's not too strong and the lavender is very soothing. A few of my favorite products are...

Dream Bath $16.50

Pillow Mist $10

Sugar Scrub $16

Pamper and Sleep Gift Basket $60 (they have a smaller one that's $35)

"He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more!"

Gift Ideas

Here are some great gift ideas from Philosophy that are all under $25!! There are tons more on their website.. so check it out! They have great ideas for stocking stuffers too!

'twas the night before Christmas $20

Red Velvet Cake $15

a Kiss & a Wish $15

Max

Cyber Monday!!

So, if you missed the maddness that was Black Friday... you are in luck! Today is Cyber Monday which means that tons of stores are offering great deals online!  Here are a few that I checked out...

Ulta is offering 12 free samples plus a travel bag... plus free shipping.. plus $3.50 off your total. Brands like Smashbox are offering free lip gloss with purchase also. Tons of great deals at Ulta.

Gap Inc. is offering 20% off all online purchases today. That means you get 20% off at Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athletica.

Victoria's Secret has all of their bras buy one get one 1/2 off. They have tons of cute styles to choose from.

Macy's also has great deals including free shipping.

And dont' forget Target... they have tons of sales and free shipping.

Happy shopping everyone! :)

Santa baby... put some cashmere under the tree.. for me. Juicy or Burberry will do... Santa baby.. so hurry down the chimney tonight ;)

Juicy Couture $45      

Juicy Couture $65

Burberry $125

Burberry $295

Black Friday

So, I don't know about you but my friends and I are already stoked about getting up at 3:30AM next Friday to have a buggy showdown with all the other ladies in Target. In fact, we are so serious about our shopping endeavor that we are already mapping out our plan of attack for the stores we will be hitting.  Haha so maybe it's not that extreme! If you are a Black Friday shopper like me, then I suggest doing some research. It is always a mad house, craziness, people dashing for items, literal insanity. So if you are planning on partaking in what I like to consider the Olympics of Shopping.. then put your game face on and check out this site:

Black Friday

Ladies.. read this

Ok... so my boss who is married sent this article to me, the single girl in the office. And it's actually quite good. I learned a lot and it's funny. So all the single ladies and married ones for that matter, you should read this!

Decoding Men's Oddball Love Signals

To Macy's!

Soooo Christmastime is pretty much my most favorite time of year. And I feel like it is close enough to start blogging about. I love everything about Christmas, including that two of my favorite hobbies: shopping and decorating, are requirements! I love the smells, the spirit, the meaning, the stores, the movies, the music... annnnd the commercials! So to kick of my Holiday Season Blogging I thought I would share one of my favorite commercials for one of my favorite stores with you today! There will be much more to come as I am slightly obsessed with Christmas and would move to WhoVille if I could. So maybe it's the Miracle on 34th St lover in me or the shopper... but I just love some Macy's! So please enjoy two of my very favorite Macy's commercials.

Got the Blues?

Blue bags are the new hot trend being seen everywhere. Celebs like Jessica Simpson, Cameron Diaz and Rachel Zoe to name a few, are all carrying blue bags this season. I must say I don't rock a ton of blue in my wardrobe, but with the blue hues designers are using the bags are very versatile. These are perfect for adding a pop of color to liven up your look! I posted a few of my favs that I found... I must admit that I die for some of these pricier designer bags, but I did find some deals that I liked also. I mean, we are in a recession. Enjoy ;)

Splurges:

Marc by Marc Jacobs $468

Cynthia Vincent $403

Marc by Marc Jacobs $378

Kate Spade $295 (I LOVE this bag!)

Steals (Under $100):

Melie Bianco $98

Nine West $79

Forever 21 $32.80

Fall Fashion: Cardigans

If you are a cardigan sweater fan then this is your year! Although cardigans are really a classic staple to any wardrobe, this fall they are out in full force! I am personally a huge fan of cardigans just because they are so diverse and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. This season designers have given the classic cardigan a modern update and I think they can be classified three main ways: the ruffled cardigan, the classic cardigan, and the boyfriend cardigan. I've already added a few of these to my fall wardrobe and am loving them! These are in stores everywhere so you are sure to be able to find one in your prince range! I found all of these at my top 3 fav stores: Banana Republic, J Crew and Gap. Happy Shopping! :)

The Ruffled Cardigan:

Ultra feminine and depending on fabric can be used with a cocktail dress or with jeans. These are also perfect to pair with dress pants for work. One of my favorite styles of the season!

J Crew $98

Banana Republic $79

The Classic Cardigan:

Clean lines and fabric make these ultra preppy and chic.  These are classically designed but with new fabrics, designers have given them an ultra stylish look this fall. Cute with just a simple tank and jeans, these are perfect for any fall wardrobe.

J Crew $128

Banana Republic $69.50

J Crew $128

The Long Cardigan or Boyfriend Cardigan:

These are very comfy and casual. Great with denim or khaki and can be thrown on really quickly to make your grocery store attire look a little more put together. There are also some (like the bottom one pictured) that can be used like a coat.

Banana Republic $79.50

Gap $69.50

Did you watch Greys Anatomy last night??

Ok so I am slightly obsessed with a few tv shows and thanks to wonderful TIVO I get to keep up with them.  I have been a huge Greys fan since season 1 but the show had kinda hit a lull, until last night.  If you didn't watch it you should go to abc.com and watch it now... it was that good! It was old school style Greys Anatomy! I was so glad to be watching it after I had tivo'd it because it was one of those episodes where you are just dying during the commercial breaks! It was so good that I had to blog about it. So if you are a greys fan and missed it... go watch it! If you have never watched Greys... it's a great time to start!

A few things...

1. I would have so been Lexie in that episode... the girl crying because that boy was in so much pain... I don't know how nurses do it!
2. I love McSteamy... he may be the hottest thing ever.. and he and little grey.. presh
3. I wish Bailey and the Chief would get out of this funk... I miss the old ones
4. Nose Dive.. hilarious
5. The scene at the end reminded me why I love Yang

Let it Rain...

Just a quick thought... even though this rain today is yucky and makes your pants wet at the bottom, the Holy Spirit can send down a different kind of rain.  A rain that floods down from Heaven and makes the hearts of His children overflow with love. I pray that rain from Heaven will fall down today just like these raindrops of water are. 

Let it rain..
Let it rain..
Open the floodgates of Heaven..
Let it rain.
-Michael W. Smith

"The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; rightousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him and consumes His foes on every side.  His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.  The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The Heavens proclaim His rightousness, and all peoples see His glory!"
Psalm 97:1-6

Rainy Day

I woke up this morning at 6am to an absolute downpour... aka perfect sleeping weather. So needless to say I was majorly dragging trying to get up and get ready while it was dark and rainy outside. I could practically hear the bed telling me to come back.. but, I got ready instead. It was definitely a coffee morning, so since Anderson is the only city in America WITHOUT a Starbucks.. I headed to Panera Bread for a coffee fix.. only to step in a huge puddle thus getting water in my heels and all over the bottom of my pants... Oh Joy. Anyway... so that really put me in the mood to seek out some really cute but practical rain gear for myself.. and here are a few of my favorite things I found. I really love the paisley umbrella and the red and yellow rainshoes the most.. but they are all cute.  All of the umbrellas are by Totes, the adorable rain shoes are all by Sperry Topsider, and the first two jackets are by London Fog and the really cute purple one can be found at Macys! Enjoy :) p.s. A day like today ranks as one of my top 5 favorite kinds of days (another blog for another day) but only when I can be at home in pjs, snuggled up with Molly (my adorable maltese) reading a good book or watching movies.

Love Note

Some days I forget that not only am I a Christian but I am God's daughter. I forget that He loves me in such an intimate way and delights in the details of my life. His love is so rich that I don't think we can comprehend it, and so deep that we cannot fathom it. What a comforting truth that is. The God of the galaxies loves me infinitely more than a loving father rocking his newborn baby girl for the first time. He looks at me and sees a kind of beauty that no man could ever see. As I mulled over this today God led me to a particular website. I saw this a few years ago.. but today I guess I needed to see it again. See, my Savior is so in love with me that sometimes He sends me love letters... and today He sent me one in the form of a video. I hope this video reminds you of just how intimately God loves you, and may it bless your heart in the wonderful way that it blessed mine today.

Follow this link to see an Interview With God:

http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/

"Grace be with all those who love or Lord Jesus Christ with an incorruptible love."
Ephesians 6:24

Part 2: Shoes!!

I am a huge fan of Jessica Simpson shoes... but her heels can sometimes be very uncomfortable... now I am all for sacrificing comfort for a great shoe if it is the right occasion... but on a daily basis.. no. So here are some great options I found that won't kill your feet... and I personally am a huge fan of flats with a great pair of jeans. Enjoy :) Love these heels.. animal prints are great... in small doses!

Purple is huge for fall.. I think these are great to add a pop of color to an outfit.

Love these! I plan on getting these... tomorrow.

Metallics are great to add edge to an outfit.. I love these

Great boots and the heel is practical

You can find tons and tons of other great shoes on her website.. these were just some of my favs. www.jessicasimpsoncollection.com Happy Shopping!!