Valentine's Day Look #2 + Free Printables

Valentine's Day Mini Series No. 2 | Pops of pink and red

Photos: Jennifer Collins Photography 

Valentine's Day cards and candy grams...you all remember them, right?!? I recall being in middle school and putting together valentine's day cards for the whole class. I would always make sure to give the extra sweet ones to the cute boys in hopes I would get one in return. Then in highschool, it was all about the candy grams. I vividly remember someone standing in front of the classroom reading out names of those who received a candy gram. It was always an exciting mystery to receive that super sweet heart shaped sucker, with a love message attached, which was way more important than the actual piece of candy. No one cared about the sucker, it only mattered who gave it to you and what the message said. To this day, I still enjoy a sweet little Valentine's Day card, the more grown up versions of course. Today I'm sharing some of my favorite free printables, perfect to give to your loved ones.

But first....

I also wanted to share another little outfit inspiration. This dress is much different than the dressier one I shared yesterday. Today is about getting Valentine's Day ready by wearing a dress that's already in your closet and adding a few pops of pink or red accessories to pull the outfit together. Adding a bright lip color, earrings, bag or simple coat can transition a basic work dress into one that you can wear for the occasion. Whether you have plans for a low key night out or a galentine's brunch, this shift dress from Tobi fits the bill for multiple occasions. Did I mention it has pockets? I don't know what it is about it, but I'm a sucker for any dress that has pockets. It's also loose fitting and really comfortable.

How cute are these free printables?! 

  Love these quirky love cards!

Watercolor Valentine, because watercolors are always so pretty.

These cards provide a good excuse to buy donuts.

These sarcastic v-day cards are perfect for those that don't want to take it too seriously.

I am obsessed with every one of these food and beverage themed cards! These unfortunately aren't free printables, but you can check out the website for ordering.

Valentine's Day Look #1 + Date Night Ideas

Valentine's Day Mini Series No. 1

I know this series may not appeal to all but I promise it's not all sappy love stuff. I want to make it fun and exciting! This week I will be doing a Valentine's Day mini series, sharing all sorts of things from gift guides and sweet recipes to outfit inspiration and free printables.

So whether you're going on a date with your significant other or have galentine's brunch plans, I'm sharing three different Valentine's Day looks this week in addition to some other fun stuff. When I was in college there was always some function or event going on that I felt the need to buy a new outfit for. Needless to say, I ran out of room in my closet and ended up with a lot of pieces that I didn't absolutely love. This post isn't only about a Valentine's Day inspired outfit, but it's also about finding ways to make what you have in your closet work for different occasions...like Valentine's Day. :)

             

Photos: Jennifer Collins Photography 

I absolutely love this first dress. The lace details are everything. I spring at the opportunity to dress up any chance I get. This is perfect for a fancy evening out to dinner, or attending a formal function. I'm also holding onto this little number for an upcoming spring wedding. Between special occasion dinners, formal events and weddings, I think I'm going to get a lot of wear out of this gorgeous lace dress. And side note, I found it on Tobi.com, which is a great website with tons of cute inexpensive dresses. I think mine may be sold out, but you can find two similar ones here. 

So find a reason to get dressed up this Valentine's Day and head out for a night on the town! Here are a few date night recommendations!

1. Fine Dining: Ambiance is everything. My husband often chooses restaurants based on the way they look inside. It really sets the tone for the evening. So find a sexy restaurant, make a reservation, get dressed up and indulge in a meal that you wouldn't normally prepare at home.

2. Book a local stay: Stay cations can be a lot of fun, especially if you're like me and are constantly on the go. Book a room at a romantic hotel and enjoy an evening in your home town. Head out for dinner and then have cocktails at the hotel bar. Pretending to be tourists can be fun.

3. Sunset Cruise: We are so fortunate to be surrounded by water in beautiful Charleston, SC. If you live on the coast, book a late afternoon cruise, take in the little views and enjoy the sunset.

4. Attend a show: Whether it's a Broadway show, musical, play or concert, but tickets to see a live show. It's a great way enjoy time together and do something different.

5. Wine Blending: Love vino? Find a place that offers wine blending classes. Learn a little more about it and take home a special bottle the two of you prepared.

What are some of your favorite date night ideas?


Photo Credit: Jennifer Collins Photography 

Friday Ramblings

Image source: Esty

Happy Friday! I thought I would start by sharing some morning inspiration!

I’ve haven’t been posting much lately and I apologize for that. To be honest, I’ve opened up my computer every night and just sat there staring at a blank template. Then I get caught up in answering emails, scrolling through social media and the next thing I know, I can’t keep my eyes open so it’s time for bed. I’ve been lacking inspiration and I don’t want to post something just to post it. I would rather share one good post a week versus five that I’m not 100% happy with. 

With that being said, I’ve been trying to take some time to recharge and come up with some exciting new post ideas. I’ve got some fun things coming to the blog next week that I’m looking forward to sharing with you, including a mini Valentine’s Day series. I hope you all continue to follow along, regardless of how many times I post during the week. 

In other news, I’m super excited for the weekend! We have a lot of fun stuff going on! We are headed to the Corey Smith concert tonight, an oyster roast on Saturday and a special event on Sunday called Outstanding in The Field. I’m super pumped about it! Follow along on my Insta stories for a peek into the weekend!

Oh and in shopping news...currently crushing on this sweater, this top, and these sneakers.  

Have a great weekend!

Super Bowl Snacks

We are just days away from the big game, and if you're like me, food is the priority. Calories don't count on Super Bowl Sunday, right? It's a good excuse to sample a lot of delicious appetizers that you might not normally make. I've rounded up a few that look amazing from some of my favorite food blogs. What are some of your favorite appetizers to make for Super Bowl Sunday? 

Baked Roast Beef and Brie Sliders with Caramelized Onions- I think I posted about these last year, so apparently they are still on my mind. I guess I need to make them soon!

Jalapeño Popper Football Cheese Ball- At least one appetizer in the shape of a football is a must.

Artichoke Dip Stuffed Bread- Artichoke dip is one of my favorites..serving it out of bread takes it to another level.

Skinny Cajun Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic Cheese Sauce- Garlic cheese sauce is always a good idea.

Spicy Bacon and Cheddar Wings- No super bowl party is complete without wings and I thought these sounded amazing.

Loaded Tater Tot Skewers- I love the idea of putting the tater tots on a skewer so your hands won't get as messy.

Sheet Pan Chicken and Black Bean Nachos- Nachos are always a crowd pleaser and these looks amazing.

Buffalo Chicken Tortilla Roll Ups-  I love this spin on the classic buffalo chicken dip.

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza Rolls- A fun way to enjoy a taste of pizza without ordering a pie!

Asparagus Rolls Ups- Because you have to squeeze some veggies in there somewhere.

Check out my Pinterest board for more Super Bowl Snack recipes! Oh and I thought this was a fun game to play. You know, something for those that are more interested in the food and commercials than the actual game. Download the the PDF here.

Weekend Browsing | Bedroom Inspiration

Project flip our bedroom is underway. Whit and I have been wanting to redo our master bedroom for quite some time now. It's one of the spaces in our house that we just haven't put much focus on, but now is the time. We moved into our home three years ago and have been slowly decorating each room. It feels like it's taking forever to get things just right. I don't know that we will ever not have a list of things we would like to do, but we are having fun in the meantime.

This past weekend we set out to find things for our bedroom. We were unsuccessful in that department, but we did find some pretty things for our coffee table. We also found some Euro pillows for our guest bedroom, so I considered it to be a successful trip. But getting back to the bedroom, we are on a mission to find a King size headboard, mattress, new furniture, lamps, rug and pictures for the wall. The only thing that we have checked off our list is curtains. We have quite the challenge ahead of us, but we are taking it slowly to ensure we get exactly what we are looking for. 

I'm looking forward to the day I will be able to post a before and after photo, but in the meantime I thought it would be fun to share my inspiration board. I love all the bright whites and neutrals.  If any of you have any good recommendations on where to find more pieces like the ones below, specifically headboards since that is number one on the list, please share!

Life Lately | December Holiday Parties

I realize that this post seems a tad bit delayed, but I couldn't not share a look back at the holidays. 

I started the month off by attending an awesome event featuring guest chef William Dissen of the Marketplace in Asheville, NC. You can read a full recap of the event here. 

The food was so amazing! Pictured above is an heirloom pumpkin soup and below is braised beef brisket on top of a carolina gold rice cake, topped with smoked chili crema, pickled ramps, and a radish & herb salad. 

Our sweet friends always invite Whit and I to go with them to the Christmas Candlelight service at the Citadel every year. It's always such a beautiful service and a good reason to get together with friends that we don't see as often as we like.

Dinner and drinks afterwards at Little Jack's Tavern...the baked eggs are a must!

Monster thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas tree being up. She only tried to take down a few ornaments. How can you ever be mad at that cute face?!

This photo may gross some of you out, but I think it's a beautiful thing. Our company Christmas party was at Leon's Oyster Shop and of course oysters were on the menu, among several other things.

We celebrated my friend Cayce's birthday with a delicious dinner at Fat Hen. I ate there a few months ago and had the best beef short ribs, so I couldn't resist ordering them again.

A few of us got together for a little Christmas party at my best friend Megan's house. Holiday parties are a great excuse for cheese plates like this one. Am I right? I could make a meal out of this.

My contribution was a batch of these super simple no bake oreo bars. 

We also did a white elephant gift exchange. I was the lucky recipient of a fancy track phone.

We celebrated Christmas a week early with Whit's side of the family since we typically spend the actual holiday with mine. Whit and I treated his mom to dinner at Xiao Bao Biscuit. No visit to this restaurant is complete without ordering the okonomiyaki!

A new brewery opened up in our area. It has a super chill laid back vibe. The perfect spot for a casual beer with friends.

Not too far down the street from the new brewery is a dessert bar and cafe called Gala Desserts. I've been wanting to check out for a while now and finally found the time to give it a try over the holidays. The vanilla cappuccino is amazing!

We celebrated my husband's 31st birthday with dinner at our local hibachi restaurant. This has become somewhat of a birthday tradition for him. It's the only place that can seat a group as large as we normally have. This is the best photo we could get..and still not everyone was in it.

I put together the mother of all cheese boards on Christmas Eve. I went a little crazy at Trader Joe's and bought all sorts of different cheese and crackers. It was well worth it!

We also did our annual holiday baking. It's safe to say that there was no shortage of cookies or cheese.

It was so nice to spend Christmas at home with my family.

We had lunch at Minero one afternoon and I decided to branch out and try something new by getting the Torta del Dia. Zero regrets! This sandwich was sooo good!

More December birthday celebrations...

We ended 2016 with a casual evening spent with great friends, pizza, champagne and Mariah Carey's interesting New Year's Eve performance. How cute are these Polaroid pics that we took?!