counting down...

  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 10. pour yourself a glass {or a few} of the bubbly!
  9. put on something extra glitzy & bold!
  8. make pretty swizzle sticks {& impress your friends!}
  7. keep the bubbly flowing!
  6. bright lips are a must!
  5. have gold cake & eat it, too! 
  4. go on...have some more bubbly! 
  3. laugh the night away! {in fabulous accessories}
  2. watch the ball drop!
  1. snag that special someone {or stranger} & give 'em a big smooch!

  what are you all up to for the big night???!!!

dressing up? down?

staying in? out?

my mom & her fiance arrive today! 

we will all celebrate a nice, low key one this year...

we are cooking indian food, drinking lots of that bubbly, laughing a lot {i'm sure},

there will probably be a living room dance party in there somewhere... 

& then cabbing it to the space needle to watch the fireworks!!!

whatever you are up to, i hope it's amazing :)

see you all in the new year :)

{i am taking a long weekend, but i will return to my regular blogging schedule - promise! - on jan. 3}

go back to bed

bonjour, dahhhlings!

you may have noticed i've been a little quiet on the blogging front

i am one busy, busy girlie...

{i know you all know where i am coming from!}

to catch you up to speed...

i have been in major wedding mode:

finishing up save the dates to be sent out this week,

working on squaring away our dj,

trying to decide on a caterer,

& building our wedding blog...

add all that on top of work 

& preparing for my mom & her fiance to come on friday...

phew!

i am definitely ready for the nice long weekend!

well, i couldn't just leave you all hanging for too long,

so i thought that i would share some of my more recent pin crushes...

seems i've also been busy dreaming about a gorgeous home :)
{psst! that quote pretty much sums up what i have been wishing for all week long!}

{find all pins & sources here & here}

if i haven't caught up with you yet...

ready or not, here i come!

what have you been dreaming, as of lately?

xoxoxo

brynn

merry & bright

hope you are all having yourselves a merry little christmas!!! 

xoxoxo 

brynn

spreading a little christmas cheer

wishing you all a fabulous weekend filled with cheer :)

xoxoxo

brynn

gift wrap guide : glam it up + one for the boys

hello loves :)

wow!!! is it really friday??!!

and is christmas really only 2 days away??!!

my oh my.

well, i am sure that you are all super organized out there

and have all gifts wrapped & under the tree...

but for the few of you who might need a little extra inspiration 

to get it done...

i have put together a little gift wrapping guide

where you will find a little bit of everything...

my tips for {serious} gift wrapping

{hey! i take this stuff quite seriously...to me, it is just as important as the gift itself ;)}

a couple of how tos for glam packaging

{it's all in the sparkle!}

& some inspiration for perfect little garnishes 

that will add pizzazz to even the simplest little craft paper package!!!
oh! & there is even a little somethin' for the boys :)

what are your big plans for the holiday weekend?

i am sooooooooooo ready to EAT!!!

{can't wait for all of the recaps!}

have a fantastic weekend

& merry christmas {to all who celebrate}!!!

xoxoxo

brynn

it's officially here!!!

{no...not christmas, silly...winter solstice!}

hello gorgeous!

these days just keep flying right by!!!

it's going to be a bit of a quiet day for me here,

but just wanted to wish you all a very happy winter solstice...

it has definitely felt like winter for sometime now here,

but today marks the official start of 3 months of winter.

are you ready? 

i am.

bring it on.

i also thought that you deserved some very pretty things to look at after the ugly sweater post ;)

{find all images here}

{find all images here}

my favorite thing about winter is the coziness it forces upon us...

there is just sometimes nothing better than bundling up, sitting by the fire, 

while sipping hot cocoa & snuggling a little closer to the one you love :)

what is your first day of winter looking like?

i wish our's was all snowy white like the photos!

but it's still chilly enough to get cozy, cozy, cozy!!!

have a lovely day!

xoxoxo

brynn

that is one UGLY SWEATER!!! {a diy adventure}

hello, loves :)

my, my...is it really wednesday already??!! 

yikes! christmas day is only 4 days away

and i feel that there is still so much to be done!

well, i can at least mark the diy ugly sweater off my list ;)

haahaa :D truly, this might be the ugliest sweater i have ever made!

unfortunately, it is not for me this year...

but even better, it is for a co-worker of mine who was in need of one very ugly christmas sweater!

well, girls & boys...i offered up my services right away...

quite willingly, in fact!

{quick disclaimer: now, all of you who know me & this blog know by now

that i love pretty, pretty, pretty...

however, i think it is sometime important to embrace the ugly...

in order to appreciate the pretty ;)

feast your eyes on all of the loveliness  ugliness

{my apologies if i offend your eyes!!!}

{even though it is not for me, i thought i would try it on for you all for some real-life perspective}

now, REALLY!

does it get any better than a mini ugly christmas sweater, ugly christmas sweater?!

and how adorable is it that the minis are holding gift boxes??!!
oh, & not to mention {a detail that you can unfortunately not see in these photos...
i added jingle bells to 2 of the minis!!!}

this is some of my proudest work right here ;)

{truthfully, i was cracking myself up the entire time i was making this!}

and... if you really want to know the secret to making your own ugly sweater

full of holiday cheer...

1. locate old ugly sweater {thrift stores are the best! this baby was only $5.99!}

2. find your "perfect elements" - the ornament section is often a hit...

i can always find something that will work 

{this year, these mini sweaters were too perfect!}

3. ready, set, attack! your weapon - the glue gun...

make sure that you have plenty of ammo {glue sticks}...

glue, glue, glue your heart out until all feels secure!

4. voila! now go and show that masterpiece off, baby!

here's to a very silly wednesday...enjoy!

xoxoxo

brynn

gift guide 2011 : that's a wrap!

hello, loves!

with christmas approaching fast,

i thought it best to wrap up the gift guides

in case you have some last minute purchases to make!

so, here are 5 more guides...

{yes, i went a little crazy!}

one for the hostess, one for the music lover, one for your bff {& you, too!}, 

one for the home dweller & one for the travel obsessed...

& at the end you will see that i have combined them all into 

an easy breezy magazine layout

so that you can just flip right through!

enjoy!

the hostess with the mostest

{always loves more!}

1. one of my most favorite hostess gifts i have ever received is the cheese slate board - $69

2. what hostess doesn't love gorgeous handmade soaps?! these soap bits are by morning calm on etsy - $2.50 for the sampler

3. brass bottle opener - $50

4. a perfect hostess always makes certain her guests are entertained...with this photo-taking-rubber-stamping goodness, she'll have guests entertained for hours! - $???

5. another fabulous entertaining piece would be this gorgeous, collectible hermes bridge set - $100

6. i am so in love with these buddah bowls & would love to receive them as a hostess gift! - $29/ea.

7. as a hostess, an apron plays almost like an outfit...& you can never have enough! - $32

the gift of music...

to those who love it most

1. know their favorite song? have the music notes made into a print & framed - $priceless {made with love}

2. hohner 589c bob dylan signature harmonica - $100

3. anyone who calls themself a music lover isn't truly so unless they at least appreciate the beatles - ten great years poster is unfortunately sold out :( {perhaps e-bay?}

4. awesome USB my tunes amp - $50

5. for the rich & famous - ultrasone edition 10 headphones - $2,750

6. adorable speak-er desktop speakers - $100

{mini music lover via}

the funny thing about shopping for your bestie

is that you often get to purchase things you would love for yourself!

1. what girl wouldn't want this absolutely fabulous necklace by loren hope?! - $185

2. because we love it all! fashionable styling for unforgettable parties - food fashion friends, by fleur wood - $33

3. THIS gorgeous white & yellow gold skywatch - $295 

4. adorable leopard jacquard cowl to keep your neck extra warm! - $210

5. capture all of the unforgettables with this diana mini white lomography camera - $69

6. sweet little coral & gold polka dot gusset purse from top shop - $16

7. forget me knot {consider it the new friendship bracelet} ring - $58

the stylish home dwellers...

always get the best gifts! 

{i think so, anyways!}

p.s. i think it's always best to go neutral on home gifts...

unless you know exactly what someone wants,

or you know their exact color scheme!

1. i have adored these fantastic heavy duty muuto felt storage baskets for organizing - $120

2. LOVE these wall flower wall art pieces from jayson home - $45+ 

3. these agate coasters and serving platters will add interest to anything sitting atop - $59+

4. only for a well-known audience {i am mostly just thinking of my mom right now} - faux zebra pillows! - $495

5. midas collection glassware - carafes & tumblers - $42+

6. honestly, i can't own enough furry blankets! they are super stylish and are my go to in the winter. i think that any stylish home dweller would agree! - $99/ea. 

the well traveled 

deserve only the best...

1. every serious travel needs the perfect carry-on...loving this one by j.w. hulme - $780

2. scratch-away map! scratch off the places you've been {like a lotto scratcher!} - $30

3. world map pillows via my bearded pigeon on etsy - $55/ea.

4. luxe city guides - a must for the fanciest of travelers - $75 for this luxe european grande tour box set

5. "life is either a daring adventure or nothing" {too true!} print via happy deliveries on etsy - $20

6. a lovely diy gift for travelers - tech tool kit that holds field notes journal, adapter, power cord, etc. - $priceless {it's handmade!} - directions via design*sponge

& here is the whole guide...click play to flip through pages!

so, how close are all of you to completing your shopping?

any last minute gifts you need to purchase?

*** i can't wait to move on to wrapping!!! *** 

xoxoxo

brynn

a little weekend recap {with sugar on top}

hello friends :)

did you enjoy your weekend?!

i most certainly did...

i indulged as if christmas was not

just a week away!!!

oh yes! oh yes i did!

is it possible to put on 5lbs. over one weekend?

{because i quite possibly could have!}

i think the photos will speak for themselves!

{just add to the mix: pizza, loads of christmas films & plenty of lounging around}

oh! the one very productive thing that i did was get started with some gift wrapping!

look forward to a fun diy guide to pretty holiday gift wrapping, later this week!

also, thank you, thank you, thank you!!! 

to all of you lovelies 

who had such nice things to say about my christmas tree

& diy garlands...it meant a ton!

i'm always a little shy to post my own projects,

so it's nice to know that you enjoyed it!

{& i hope to feature more diy goodness for you all...starting this week!}

hope you are having a fantastic start to your week!

xoxoxo

brynn

diy garlands & tree unveiling!

hello, my loves!!!

happy friday to you all :)

i am going to be a lady of few words today

and just leave you with some fun, festive garland diy projects 

{my first diy projects ever shared on my blog!}

& the official, official unveiling of our christmas tree!!!

i have had so much fun with our tree this year...

i think it is most definitely the happiest

{& most loved}

tree we have ever had :)

did you do any diy projects to decorate for the holidays this year?

i hope you all have a lovely, lovely weekend :)

xoxoxo

brynn

these are some of my favorite sweets!

hello, sweets!

happy almost friday :)

i hate to admit it,

but i have yet to eat sweet holiday treats!

i am not much of a baker... 

in fact, i really don't enjoy it much...it is too precise for me!

{i always enjoy the end result, though!}

however, as the holidays get closer i just can't help myself!

i want all sorts of goodies...

& with my mom {the christmas cookie queen} being 1200 miles away,

i am forced to take the cookie matters dough into my own hands!

so, this saturday will be dedicated to some mad cookie baking :)

i couldn't possibly do this all on my own, so we have friends joining in on the fun!

it will be a super duper {yep, i went there!} holiday fest...

holiday movies, egg nog, cookie baking...you get the picture!

so, i decided to pull a little inspiration!

what would i do without foodgawker?!

are you familiar? 

it is like a one stop shop for amazing recipes from amazing foodie bloggers!

1. mmm!!! i LOVE fudge probably way too much {as in i can't stop eating it!!!} this recipe from foodie crush sounds delicious! i am actually going to be calling my grandma up to get our family recipe...it will be my first attempt at the family fudge this saturday! wish me luck!

2. molasses cookies are definitely a big time favorite of mine! i love the spiciness :) this recipe from snippets of thyme sound absolutely divine!

3. one of our best friends {& fabulous cook}, mista g, will be making the melt-in-your-mouth nutty cookie balls known a russian tea cookies. this recipe from anice & cannella sounds heavenly!  

4. sugar cookies will always & forever remind me of my mom. every year she makes the most beautiful sugar cookies i have ever seen! this recipe from bella eats is claimed to be "the best"...this saturday, i will be putting it to the test ;) 

5. who doesn't love gingerbread men cookies??!! and how about gingerbread babies?...as seen in this recipe from adeline & lumiere ...so tell me, do you bite the head off first???

6. though i probably won't attempt these over the weekend, i couldn't resist sharing these adorable winter wonderland chocolate cupcakes from the bite size baker...aren't they just too cute?!

7. and to wash it all down... homemade eggnog...have you ever had or attempted this? i most certainly have not...but this recipe from boulder locavore seems pretty easy & so fresh! adding it to my must-dos for this weekend!

what special holiday treat makes your day a little sweeter?

have a lovely day :)

xoxoxo

brynn

checking 2 more off the list!

hello, friends :)

i am back with more gift guides! 

if you haven't yet, you can now check off

the gardener & sparkle fiend off of your list!

check out these goods...

little miss green thumb deserves only the freshest of picks!

1. rifle paper co. greeting cards... so adorable! :)  - $20

2. book: vegetables from an itailan garden - $40

3. to keep lovely hands lovely: cute gardener's gloves - $26

4. engraved spoon herb markers - $56

5. for the super green thumb: paper potter - $15-$26

6. every gardener needs a pair of cute tretorn wellies! - $80

7. the prettiest watering can i ever did see :) - $148

{garden girl illustration via}

& the sparkliest of gifts for all of those sparkle fiends out there :)

{hmm...mentally adding nearly all of these to my personal wishlist!} 

1. kate spade multi-color sparkle coin purse - $55

2. juicy couture glitter ear buds - $48

3. deborah lippmann gold specks polish - $18

4. for the mini sparkle fiends: j. crew sequin skirt - $98

5. kate spade ring - sadly, no longer available :(

6. feet & toes deserve to sparkle, too! glitter toms - $54 

7. kate spade sparkle beret - $75

happy wednesday, all!!!

happy shopping to you :)

xoxoxo 

brynn

color crushing : an au naturel christmas

hello all :)

can you believe that we are 12 days away from christmas??!! 

this is so crazy to me!!! 

but ready or not, here it comes!

so, i've been crushing on color & sparkle,

but there is always a very special place in my heart

for an au naturel christmas...

pinecones & burlap & garland & all...

even in my colorful, sparkly theme i incorporate some of these pieces!

{especially fresh garland...i just love it!!!}

{tiered vignette / holly berry & twigs / pinecones in terra cotta / ornaments / wreath / burlap stockings}

you just can't go wrong...it is so {naturally} gorgeous!

have a lovely tuesday :)

psst! i am also sharing 3 things on my wishlist with jillian over at cornflake dreams today!
pop on by to check out what me & other west coast bloggers are wishing for this holiday season :)

xoxoxo

brynn

sparkle, sparkle...color POP!

hello lovelies!!!

how are you today?

did you enjoy your weekend?!

i had a fantastic weekend!!!

i had a long to-do list...

i didn't accomplish it all...

but i did get my tree & garland & what not :)

so, i spent much of my weekend listening to holiday tunes,

sipping hot cocoa, watching holiday films, 

enjoying a little {adult} eggnog & decorating away! 

let me tell you...that decorating took it right on out of me!

i'm exhausted & i am still not even done!

i'll be obsessing over details all week long, 

so i can't show you final photos yet...

but here are some "work in progress" shots of our tree :)

{ images, clockwise from top left: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 }

all of you creative minds out there will understand what i mean

when i say that being creative-minded

is both a blessing & a curse!

the reason it's taking me so long to decorate the tree is because 

i decided i wasn't happy with the color scheme i was originally going for

{white, silver, gold...clean & sparkly}

though it's a lovely combo, i just wasn't feeling it! i wanted my tree to feel more lively!

so, what did i do? i changed color schemes just as i was nearly finished decorating the tree!

i pulled out random fabric & yarn & ribbon in bright fun colors and went to town!

the theme turned to lots of sparkle with pops of color

i restrung all of the ornaments with various bright yarn colors... 

added in red & icy blue ornament pops...

then, "created" my own garland from fuchsia & orchid purple fabrics...

and wrapped chartreuse ribbon around the tree...

i can't wait to finish it and show you the final pictures!!!

{consider this a little teaser!}

if you have a christmas tree, what color scheme did you decide on?

have a lovely day!!!

{fingers crossed for a quick week...i'm loving these holiday-fest weekends!}

xoxoxo

brynn

gift guide : foodies & misters (check, check!)

hello lovelies :)

how are you today?

happy, happy friday!!!

my, oh my, how this week has flown by!

i am a very happy girl :)

i am feeling SO in the holiday spirit...

working in the corporate retail world means that 

i am dealing with christmas 3/4 of the year...

and truly become hands on with it in september,

so, by the time the holiday season actually hits

it can be quite easy not to "feel it"...sad, but true.

however, this year i am most definitely feeling it :)

my holiday spirit is in full swing...

& i am loving every minute of it!!!

the holidays have officially taken over this little ol' blog o' mine :)

so, consider it chartreuse & a holiday twist from now until after the first of the year!

that's right! 

you can look forward to gift guides, holiday dressing inspiration,

holiday decor inspiration...you name it!!!

since, we are getting quite close, i thought that i would release two gift guides

today...hopefully they might help to cross a couple more people off of your lists ;)

the foodies...check!

tasteful treats to suit you foodie friends' appetites:

1. do the dishes tomorrow baker's towel... too cute :) {sold out...boo :( }

2. for the kitchen walls: olive & olive oil print by lucile's kitchen on etsy - $38

3. you can't go wrong with bonnie's jams - $13/ea.

4. the new brooklyn cookbook - $46

5. from the kitchen of: tags on etsy - $3

6. blackcreek mercantile cutting board & oil (ooo! i want!!!) - $126 / $38

7. test their knowledge with these foodie flashcards at knock knock - $11 

if you love that olive & olive oil print by lucile's kitchen, i strongly suggest you check out her etsy shop here. she does the most adorable foodie sketches...i'm in love :)

and the misters...check!

for your mister, mister stylin', mister boss, mister bff, mister dad...

& all other misters you might need to find gifts for...

there is something here to suit all:

1. every man needs an amazing bag...like this chester wallace waxed canvas one - $160

2. for an extra special mister : an extra special grooming kit - $650

3. dan has these whiskey rocks and LOVES them...and highly recommends them! - $20

4. how to be a man : a sartorialist & etiquette guide for men of all ages - $28

5. i got dan this nixon "wrist clock" {seriously! it's that big} last christmas 

and he gets a million compliments on it...ladies, it's a pretty sexy watch!!! - $300ish

6. for the tech savvy misters {though i don't know anyone who wouldn't want an iPad} - $500ish

7. taking a sweeter, from the heart approach...what mister doesn't love baked goods???!!! 

if you go this route, try these peanut butter cup brownies!!!

happy shopping :)

what are you all up to this weekend?

we are finally getting our tree...woo hoo!!!

xoxoxo

brynn

whistler wednesday : birthday recap

hello, loves!!!

typically on a wednesday, i would say

happy WEDnesday...

but not today...i am taking a break from the wedding posting

to bring you...

WHISTLER WEDNESDAY

so, happy whistler wednesday to you all :)

i didn't think i would finish this recap until later in the week, 

but i was just too excited to share this amazing trip with you all!!!

let me tell you all...

i had the most perfectly fabulous birthday a {30 year old} girl could ever ask for!

i am so blessed to have the most amazing friends...

i am so thankful for each and every one of them :)

my bestie flew out from l.a. to surprise me!!!!! 

{thanks e! the weekend wouldn't have been complete without you!}

and my love...oh my love...

he knows how to make me feel so incredibly special!!!

i felt like a queen all weekend long!

the weekend was incredibly relaxing & loaded with fun, fun, fun!!!...

i spent it with my fantastic friends & my love...

we rented a townhome right next to whistler village

lots of lounging... plenty eating & drinking... bonding time with great friends...

hot tubbing, making snow angels, then more hot tubbing

{that was crazy fun!}

tons of laughing... lots of dancing... more eating & drinking... 

hot cocoa {with marshmallows} by the fireplace... 

more drinking {hence all of that hydration & advil!}

a million memories made...

and many happy tears {i'm a crier, what can i say?!} 

thank you, thank you to my love & my friends for the most special birthday ever!!!

& thank you to all of my lovely readers out there for all of your birthday wishes

{and for putting up with all of my birthday posts...i can't help it! i am such a birthday person...

but no worries... this puts the birthday goodness to a close...onto the holidays already ;) !!!}

what is your most special, most memorable birthday?! 

i would love to hear about it :)

xoxoxo

brynn