My Fall Decor

Pumpkin Spiced Lattes, cozy sweaters, ankle boots, falling leaves... I could go on and on about all the great things about fall.  If you live up North, you know that fall is by far the best time of year.  The temperature is just cool enough for layering  and boots, but you aren't buried in puffy jackets and knit scarves just yet.

One of my favorite things about fall is the fall decor and the beautiful rich colors that accompany it.  I love mixing browns and shades of ivory with pops of bright yellow and orange.  Since I had so much fun decorating this year, I thought I would share how I decorated my home this fall.  Hope you all had just as much fun as I did decorating!

 

Above are some of my homemade touches.  I love creating my own wreaths.  It allows me to have the freedom and creativity to make exactly what I want while also showing it off to everyone that walks by!

I also love tiny white punkins.  I stuck them all over my house this year and decorated some with gold accents to add some extra glam.

 Lastly, I thought I would share how we decorated our patio.  We have a tiny outdoors space, but hey, it's better than nothing!  I love mixing fairytale pumpkins with guards and mums.  Adding Indian corn and haystacks give an added autumn touch!

Succulents can be a wonderful fall plant.  I picked a few and added them to a carved out white pumpkin.  I was really happy with the way this centerpiece turned out!

What are some of your fall decor tips?  I would love to learn new ideas for making the home super cozy this fall!

XOXO

Natalie

Essentials for a Cozy Fall

Fall is in the air!  The temperature is quickly dropping, which means it's time for cable-knit sweaters, cozy date nights on the couch, and pumpkin spice lattes.  Forget all the fitted, summer clothing, and bring on comfort and cozy-ness.  

This weekend was the first weekend of the year that the fall chill could really be felt.  Coinsidently, it was the first offical week of football season.  Does Mother Nature have perfect timing or what? 

So long are the dog days of summer, but rather the crisp nights of autumn.  With fall right on our heels, I thought I would put together a list of the essentials needed to make this fall the most comfortable and cozy fall ever!

Cozy Slippers - Ugg Australia // Perfect Sweater - SheInside // Cashmere Throw - Parachute // Fireside - scented candle - Parachute // Coffee mug - Starbucks // Cable-knit leggings - Bed Bath & Beyond

Summer Essentials

Summer is all about less is more!  No need to pack on layers and accessorize with chunky jewelry. The days are long and hot, so it's all about trying to stay cool and comfortable.  Summertime definitely means less makeup, less clothes and less worry.  I love just throwing on a touch of brozer and maxi dress for those warm summer nights.  It feels like summer took forever to get here, but I am so ready to embrace the long days.

1. Of course everyone needs a great pair of sunnies.  As if Ray-ban wasn't cool enough, they really have become super chic this season with their stylish "Clubmaster" line.  I love this pair from Nordstrom.com.

2. If you haven't checkout out Love Shack Fancy yet, you have to!  They have THE best summer maxis that are perfect for taking beachy days to nights.  You will live in their Signature Love dress all summer long.

3.  Another summer must-have is the perfect bronzer.  I love Bare Minerals Warmth all-over face color.  It gives you that natural summer glow, plus it has an SPF built in!

4. Every summer goddess needs a floppy hat.  Francesca's has a great selection.  I got their Bonaire Floppy Hat a couple months ago and it follows me to the beach every single time!

5. I have fallen in love with Triangl's colorblock swimsuits.  A great swimsuit is a for-sure summer staple.

6.  If I am not in a summer maxi, my weekends are spent in colorful, flowy cover-ups.  Love this one from H&M!

7.  Living in sandals all summer means investing in a good leather pair.  I love these Sikinos from Calypso St. Barth.

8. Countless trips to the beach need a fun beach bag to hold all your things.  Nordstrom always has a great selection!

My summer to-do list

Well, well, well, it has been quite some time since my last post.  Work had really gotten the best of me the past couple months, but I think I am in a good spot to get back to normal life again and begin posting.  To welcome my self back to the blogging community, I decided to post my summer to-do list! 

Last year, I created a summer to-do list, but I have to admit, I did not get nearly as far on the list as I should have.  I think it's great to make lists because it keeps me accountable and reminds me of all the things I want to get done over the summer.  Sometimes summers can be filled with weddings, showers and engagement parties; basically summer has been all about celebrating others.  But what about celebrating yourself?  This list is really important to me because lately I feel like I have not been doing things for myself, but rather everyone else around me.  Don't get me wrong, I love all the weddings and parties that summer brings.  I love spending time with friends that I do not normally get to see very often, but sometimes it's nice to just do things for you.  And between all the things I have to do for others this summer, I also want to take this summer to do the things that I want to.

You may notice that this year's list has a lot of items that I also had last year.  But what is summer without a "sick" day to the beach and a few S'mores?

I think this is a very reasonable list to accomplish this summer.  Last year my list was a little too aggressive, but I know I need to take time to myself this summer.  I can't wait to get started.

Spring Neon

 

 

 

Top - Express // Jeans - American Eagle // Wedges (old) - similar // Long necklace - Express // Layering Necklaces - Forever 21 // Gold Bracelet - BP via Nordstrom // Cuff - Baublebar (similar) // Nail Polish - Essie's Spin the Bottle

As some of my readers may know, one of my New Year's resolutions is to incorporate more color into my wardrobe.  I have a horrible habit of buying anything black or white (but mostly black).  Spring has really encouraged me to start branching out because of all the beautiful colors right now.  

I loved this top as soon as I saw it.  The neon color was bright, but so lovely at the same time.  Coral is such a great color for spring and I think it goes well with almost every skin tone.  Some other colors I am really loving this season are navy, hot pink and cobalt blue.  I think I have been doing a pretty decent job of shying away from black and purchasing more beautiful colors. The true test will be if I can keep it going throughout fall and winter. 

How 2 Style: Boyfriend Jeans

I absolutely love boyfriend jeans!  They are definitely on my list of investment pieces.  Revolveclothing.com has such a great variety and definitely has some of the best options out there.  If you are look for the perfect pair of distressed boyfriend denim, Revolve is guaranteed to deliver to you the perfect pair.  I have also found some great pairs at places like Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle (channel your inner high-school self).

  I love that you can dress  boyfriend jeans up or dress them down to fit almost any occasion.  I also love the fact they are super comfortable and stylish.  I really hope that they never go out of style.

Probably the most common way I dress boyfriend jeans is by keeping it casual.  Slip on a pair of black loafers and style with a rock tee.  Perfect the look by add some gold jewelry and a fedora for the perfect go-to look!  I fringe bag is a must if you want to pull off the whole "rocker" look.

Even though boyfriend jeans tend to be more casual, you can dress them up.  I love adding feminine details like a lace top and blush handbag to give a softer look to an otherwise edgier jean.  Complete with pearls and strappy heals and you have the perfect date night look!

Probably my all-time favorite way to style boyfriend jeans is with a v-neck, heals and a blazer.  I love the care-free vibe this look gives off while looking well put-together.  Of course, you will need to pair with some dainty gold jewelry and brown leather satchel to get that "Jennifer Anistan", girl-next-door look.

Office Space Styling

I have been working extra hours from home lately.  The problem is I live in a small condo, so finding space to do my work has been difficult.  I often find myself bouncing around from dining room table, to couch, to bed, etc.  I decided enough was enough and I needed to find somewhere to set my laptop and do work in space I felt comfortable in.  Not only would this space be great for working from home, but it would also be a creative space for me to work on blog posts.

I have been souring pinterest for ideas on how to make a great work area with very little space.  I decided my space had to meet three qualities if I was going to feel comfortable in it:

1. Small but effective - I don't have a lot of space to work with, so making sure I have everything I need while not being over-cluttered is very important.

2. Inspirational - I love to have inspirational quotes all around me to keep me motivated and working hard.

3. Stylish - If I want to embrace my creativity, I need to style the space so that it fits my personality and looks beautiful as well.

After hours of Pinteresting, here are a couple of photos I found as inspiration for my work area.

photo credit: Homey Oh My! 

 

 photo credit: Style Me Pretty

photo credit: Pearls&Pastries on Instagram

I decided to put together some of the pieces I have been eying up for my work area.  I want it to be feminine, but professional.  I love using the colors mint and gold together, but I think a little bit of pink will add some brightness and cheer to the mix.

1. Quoted coffee mug - I drink a lot of coffee while I work.  It keeps me going.  I love this mug because it not only helps keep me caffeinated, but it also makes me feel important with the "like a boss" quote.

2. Fun notepads - I am constantly writing down notes and ideas while I work.  I love these Kate Spade notepads because they double as a functional item as well as a decor item with the cute covers!

3. Mouse pad - I must have a mouse while I work.  I cannot stand the track pad on lap tops so I always have a wireless mouse and mouse pad handy.   Zazzle has a lot of really cute and affordable options for mouse pads.

4. Desk Organizer - I always seem to collect a lot of desk nick-nacks such as pens, highlighters, scissors, etc.  This desk organizer by Nate Berkus from Target fits well with my work space style.

5. Flowers - Every space needs some flowers.  You can always count on One Kings Lane to deliver on the faux flower department.

6. File Folders - I always go through tons of folders.  These mint colored folders from Nate Berkus for Target are a perfect way to ad some style to an otherwise boring desk accessory.

7. Pens - forget the normal black and blue ink.  Opt for these gold and silver gel pens from PaperSource to add some flare to your notes.

8. Printed wall art -  I recently came across this cute Etsy shop, FashionandFeathers, from a fellow blogger, and you have to check this stuff out!  She has the cutest wall prints.  I love this #WorkIt print for some quick motivation.

I will definitely be posting pictures once the final product is complete... so stay tuned!