January Favorites

It's so hard to believe that January is over but here we are! To commemorate the changing of the guards I want to share some of the things that I've loved this past month. Before I jump into the goodies though I want to say that I will be doing these posts and videos regularly moving forward but won't be sharing only new things each time. Instead, I will share the things I'm loving both old and new that reach beyond just fashion and beauty. Beginning with today's post, you can expect to see an array of food, fashion, books, movies, beauty and more that I'm particularly keen on at the moment, and I hope that you like it. 

First up is the Ex Nihilo perfume in "Rose Hubris." I purchased this fragrance in Paris when Jason and I got engaged, but I have recently fallen back in love with it and have been wearing it a ton. Not only is it the perfect rosey scent that isn't too heavy and lasts for ages on the skin, but the packaging is beautiful. Plus, every time I spritz this I'm instantly transported back to Paris in the fall and one of the best days of my life. 

Next, is another beauty favorite that I recently discovered. In my winter capsule planning post I mentioned that I was in the market for a new blush and had my eye on an Hourglass beauty. However, after swatching it in Sephora and doing some more research I ended up picking up the Milani blush in "Romantic Rose" instead and couldn't be happier with it. 

This blush is very similar to the Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in "Exposed" while being slightly more rosey. Plus, it's a steal at only $8.99 and stays on my cheeks all day and looks fresh from dawn til dusk - no touch-ups needed. 

Next, is the Clarins Supra Volume Mascara that I was lucky enough to receive as part of my Octoly membership (a fantastic resource for content creators). Recently I have been in the market for a new mascara and had my eye on this particular one from Clarins so when I saw it pop up in my Octoly store I was ecstatic! Since receiving it I haven't been able to stop wearing it and am absolutely smitten with it. Not only is it super volumizing, but it smells great without being overpowering and doesn't smudge - no small feat given my oily eyelids. 

The next two items are both fashion pieces that you've seen many times before. Both the Everlane Cashmere Crew in grey and the Marc Fisher Yale Booties in black have been two of my absolute favorites this season. I'll spare you the long post here since I've gone on and on about them before but I love them and haven't been able to stop wearing them. 

If you aren't familiar with Mimi Thorisson, then you need to take a quick peak at her blog and Instagram in order to grasp the full impact of my next favorite - her cookbook. As an avid follower of Mimi's for years I couldn't wait to get my hands on her second cookbook and when I received it for Christmas it didn't disappoint. This beauty is chock full of amazing recipes that you will make for years as well as some of the loveliest images from the French country side. Even if you aren't in the market for a new cookbook yourself, this beautifully bound book would make a great gift for anyone on your list.  

Another favorite of mine this month is one you've seen before - the Cuyana Travel Set in blush. Like the sweater and booties, I've gone on and on about this set before so I'll save you the lengthy post now but you can read my full review here if you're interested. If I had to sum up my thoughts in one sentence though, it would be that this set is absolutely worth every penny and looks brand new despite already having traveled with me a few times. 

When it comes to Instagram I like to follow accounts that inspire and motivate me and my next favorite does just that. Jamie Beck of AnnStreetStudio.com has one of the most beautiful Instagram accounts I've ever seen and I love following along as she and her husband travel around the world and work from their New York photography studio.

Plus, in addition to her stunning photography and revolutionary cinemagraphs, Jamie also shares photography tutorials on her SnapChat account that are sooooo good. Below, I've embedded some of her gorgeous shots for you to take a peak (clicking on each picture will take you directly to the corresponding post). 

My last favorite is one that I'm sure everyone else is going to mention this month as well - La La Land. This movie was everything I look for in a film - touching, sweet, funny - and I can't recommend it enough. Plus, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are perfection together and their chemistry really jumps out at you making the whole experience that much more enjoyable.

That's everything! Those are my January favorites and I hope that you got either a great product recommendation or some new inspiration from this post. I've also filmed a corresponding YouTube video that I've embedded below for you to check out and I hope you have a great rest of the day.

Chat soon,

Audrey

January Recap

It's hard to believe that January is nearly over! I know that everyone says this, but this year is absolutely flying by. To close out this month, and every other month moving forward, I will be doing a quick recap post of what I posted both here and on Instagram and what I'm looking forward to. I will also be sharing a monthly favorites video moving forward in which I will share everything I loved from the previous month ranging from fashion to beauty and movies to books. So, without further ado here's what I've been up to in January. 

January Posts

The name of the game for January was simplicity with a newfound focus for the year ahead. Both here, on my Instagram and on my YouTube channel I worked to streamline everything a little more to redirect the message I hope to relay. After launching a new blog layout, I officially switched over my closet for winter and focused on streamlining what I have even further. With a newfound love of simplistic separates in neutral colors, my 26 piece capsule reflected this new direction and was one of my favorite posts this month. Below, I've listed the other bits and bobs that I shared. 

• My 2017 goals for the year focused on new ways I can get to know my city as well as a few house updates that we're hoping to make. All-in-all, I'm excited for what this year has in store and have already made some headway.
• For Christmas I received the Cuyana Travel Set in blush and am absolutely smitten! You can read my rave review here.
• My most-worn items for 2016 re-confirmed that I have an affinity for classic basics in neutral colors and should spend more time utilizing them in 2017.
•  In two new "Project 1-4-4" posts, I shared how I style black pants and a striped tee across all four seasons. Both videos got me excited to wear these classic staples even more. 
• My winter fashion haul was chock full of some of great pieces that have already become staples in my wardrobe - like these amazing booties that I can't stop wearing. 
• With all of the January sales it can be hard to differentiate the hype from what you really need. To make things easier and help you from making impulse buys you may regret, I rounded up some classic closet staples that you can wear far beyond the sales rush.
• Even though my winter purchases were predominantly classics that I can wear beyond this season, I still had a few trend driven items so I put together my pointers for adding trend pieces to your closet without breaking the bank. 
• Like I mentioned above, my winter capsule is full of simple separates in neutral colors that have really served me well so far. 
• One of my 2017 goals for this site is to personalize it all a little more so a little bit ago I shared some random facts about me so we could get to know each other a little better.
• My first official winter capsule OOTD went live last week and it was jam-packed of everything I'm loving this season - black, grey and accessories. 
• Also last week I shared my first official house update since moving in! Everything is coming along nicely and I'm hoping to have a bedroom reveal for you shortly. 
• Last but not least, my final video for the month was a quick round-up of five ways I like to style my silk scarves in fall and winter. 

February Forecast

Phew! When I put it all in a list like that I can see how much I've actually accomplished this month (so gratifying for someone who LOVES lists). Now, for February I have a super busy month jam-packed with travel so be on the lookout for a packing post, some of my first beauty videos and potentially a February fashion challenge - I'm still working out the specifics. Plus, I've also got a new video layout launching tomorrow that I hope you love.

Until then, I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the day and thank you so much for stopping by. 

xxAudrey

How To Style A Silk Scarf For Fall & Winter

Today's post is all about my favorite accessory - the silk scarf! If you've been following along for a while then you know that I love silk scarves and think they're an essential accessory for every wardrobe. That said, sometimes they can be a little tricky to style so in today's post I'm sharing 5 ways I like to style mine in the fall and winter.

Below I've embedded my styling video and I hope that it inspires you to wear your silk scarves more. 

Until next time,

Audrey

House Update No. 1: Our Bedroom Decor & Planning

Happy Friday! Today's post is an exciting one because it's my first official house update. Before I get into the post though I want to share that I'll be incorporating more house updates and little DIY projects here and on my YouTube channel so stay tuned for more coming soon.

Now back to the post at hand. Since we moved in we've been slowly but surely making tweaks here and there - nothing major but just enough to make it our own. If you remember from my first house post here, our bedroom needs the least amount of work so naturally it's the closest to being done. 

What We've Done

So far, we've exposed the brick on the fireplace (it looks amazing!) and just need to have it repointed a little before having the molding touched up. 

I'll be sure to share a complete before and after of the fireplace once it's done but for now, I'll leave you with a picture of how it looked when we moved in. So far we've also removed the bar across the corner and taken down the T.V. mount. Next on our list is to paint the entire room a lovely, crisp white and start decorating. 

Decorating Inspiration & Color Palette

When it comes to decorating I have a very clear image in my mind of what I want the room to look like. One of my favorite things about the space is how light and bright it is thanks to two very large widows so I want to take advantage of that as much as possible. In order to do so I'm sticking to a light palette of creamy white, pale blue and antique brass and taking design cues from some amazing rooms I've collected on Pinterest. 

What We Have & What We Still Need

When it comes to furnishing the bedroom we've slowly but surely been collecting pieces at antique shops, eBay, Etsy and craigslist alike and we're just about done! Below, is everything we have and a quick collage of it all together that I'm saving as an inspiration board as I collect a few more things. 

• White, antique wrought iron bed
• Small, marble topped dresser
• Taller wooden dresser with brass hardware 
• Gorgeous, antique brass candlesticks - I'm going to include these in another home decor haul video coming soon
• Botanical prints that I shared in my last home decor haul 
• Lovely pale blue glass bottles - also featured in my last home decor haul 
• A small selection of antique books that you've seen in the background of so many of my videos and posts 
• Linens 
• What I'd still like to add is the following:
  • small side tables
  • white, airy curtains
  • brass or white iron curtain rods
  • table lamps
  • a great mirror for above the small dresser
  • wingback or accent chair for the space next to the fireplace and a small table or bookshelf to turn that area into a reading nook
  • a chandelier like the one we got for the living room
  • some more artwork like a great oil painting or two to go above the tall dresser

Below, I've embedded some of the items featured above but I also want to share some of the places that I actually shop for home goods. First up, Etsy. I LOVE Etsy for everything from decorative books (these, these and these are some of my faves) to door knockers, botanical prints (like these and these) and vases. The supplies here are genuinely endless and I've been so inspired by them lately that I'm going to be adding some great finds to my own shop soon.

Another of my favorite online destinations for unique and beautiful home goods is eBay. I love hitting eBay for everything from candlesticks to oil paintings and find it particularly great for finding amazing pieces at an incredibly low price. The only catch is that you need to be prepared to search when shopping on eBay but the effort is definitely worth it in the long run. 

Before I go I'd love to know what your decor sources are? Where do you love to find amazing pieces that round our your room? Let me know in the comments down below and I hope you have a great weekend!

Until next time,

Audrey