Style Lush

Last Minute New Year's Eve Style

By Janet

Recently, I implored you to get sparkly this New Year's Eve, even if just for watching the ball drop on your television. There's only a little time left to order sparkling shoes from the Internet, but here are a few last minute ways to get glittery with items you can pick up at your local Target or department store (or maybe in your own closet). Add one or more of these to a little black dress and you're set!

Put on a pair of glittered dancing tights!

Layer all your most sparkly necklaces.

Paint your nails with sparkles (more inspiration here).

Gorgeous glittered eyes!

Happy New Year, friends! See you in 2012!

{Images via Nordstrom, The Chic Department, Love Maegen, Dress Design Decor}

One Last Hurrah for Your Potted Poinsettia

by Christina

I grew up with a mom who loved poinsettias. As a result, I love them too. I always get one or two, they are gorgeous and so darn festive. But when Christmas is over? I throw them away. Just chuck the whole thing, pot, plant and tacky foil wrapper. Gone. Mom on the other hand, she'd prune them back and put them in the basement because somewhere she heard that not watering them and putting them out of the sun would keep them for the next season. That never, ever worked. The instructions are much more involved then tossing the thing into the basement to die. I guess that's why I just throw them away. This year before I chucked the pot I decided to make some arrangements out of them. And, man, these are some finicky flowers. But, after Googling a few tips I've managed to keep them happy. And it's been worth it. They are so pretty.

This is just with a few blooms from the grocery store. So if you are going to just throw them out next week, cut them! Here's how.

Cut the stems from the base, near the dirt. Place them in a vase of cold water for 30 minutes, then take them out of the water and burn each stem (I used a long candle lighter, you could use an actual lit candle too, don't want to burn yourself!) and the moisture at the end will bubble. When it stops and the stem is charred, place it in a vase with fresh water. They should last up to two weeks, if they start to wilt, snip the bottom and burn it again, clean the water and wait. I know, I know, this is ridiculous! Keep them in the pot if you want, but if you want to change it up, now you can.

Sparkling Shoes for New Year's Eve

By Janet

Hands down, New Year's Eve is the most exciting evening of the year for dressing up. Everything is sparkles and glitter and glitz and shine. Whatever you may be doing -- whether it be dancing the night away at an elegant soiree or sitting at home watching the ball drop on television -- I urge you to do it wearing something sparkling. To that end, how about a new pair of shoes? 

Fergie Accente Too, Pewter Glitter, $100

Kate Spade New York Charm, Gold, $325

Anne Klein Watchit, Black Glitter, $70

J. Renee Fiesta, Multicolor, $80

Nine West Choral, Gold, $80

Any of these shoes paired with a little black dress (maybe one already in your closet?) will ensure you ring in the new year in style. Let the countdown begin!

Paper Crafts For Your Holiday

By Sara

As Leah mentioned yesterday, winter flower bulbs are a fantastic gift for just about anyone during the holiday season. I've gifted many different people with amaryllis or paperwhite bulbs and they are always happily received. This year, I spotted something equally lovely and much longer lasting:

This is a PAPER amaryllis kit from one of my very favorite paper stores: Paper Source. How adorable is this? I snapped up a couple to make and give to my grandmothers since they adore flowers but are getting awfully picky about any powerful scents. This is a fantastic alternative to live bulbs if your recipient is sensitive to smells. 

Paper Source also has paperwhite kits as well as a wide array of seasonal paper kits. I'm partial to the Poinsettia Wreath Kit:

And perhaps the Button Garland Kit is your style:

These kits are such a great way to add hand-crafted goodness to your home without having to come up with the idea on your own. Or, you know, spending hours pinning crafts on Pinterest that you might not actually get around to creating. 

All images courtesy of Paper Source.

Festive Fingernails

by Janet

The holiday party season is fast approaching, which means it is time to start thinking about pretty party nails. I've picked ten favorite nail polishes, perfect for tree trimming shindigs to New Year's Eve soirees. 

Deborah Lippmann, Shake Your Groove Thing

Essie, Very Cranberry

Deborah Lippmann, Today was a Fairytale

Nars, Space Odyssey

Dior Vernis, Apparat 871

Butter LONDON, The Black Knight

Deborah Lippmann, Believe Cher

OPI, An Affair in Red Square

MAC, Posh Paradise

Lancome, Golden Hat 101

Do you have a favorite holiday nail color? 

LRD

By Blythe

Gone are the days when my workplace threw a big, fun holiday party at a downtown hotel with passed hors d'oeuvres and people hooking up in cringe-worthy combinations after midnight.  I was never much of a party girl, honestly, but I do miss shopping for a fun holiday party dress.  Even thought I'm not buying a dress this year, I can still shop, right?

Here are my favorite little red dresses (LRDs).  If you wear one to a holiday party this year, please drink a sparkly cocktail for me!

This dress is so sparkly, and leaves room at the waistline for extra crab puffs.

{Photo credit: nordstrom.com}

Pretty ruffles and an empire waist

{Photo credit: target.com}

This one might show a little more cleavage than I usually do, but I'm a big fan of the brand (Maggy London) and if now isn't the time to show some cleavage, when is?

{Photo credit: nordstrom.com}

I just love the pleats and the sleeves on this one.

{Photo credit: asos.com}

My Favorite Scarf, EVER

By Tara

I am a big, big fan of scarves. They are the perfect accessory to keep you comfy and warm, while also adding a spark to an otherwise simple outfit. And since I am always cold and usually dressed in a pretty simple outfit, I have developed quite the scarf collection over the years.

My absolute favorite is the Featherweight Gauze Wrap from Land's End.

{photo credit: landsend.com}

This scarf tends to get some mixed reviews on the Land's End website, mostly due to it's size, but it was the size of the scarf that won me over in the first place. It is 42" wide, which is much wider than any other scarf that I own, but the material is very thin, and it just doesn't feel as bulky to me it apparently felt to some of the reviewers. I am all of 5'2, and I don't feel overwhelmed by the material at all. My husband and I flew to Omaha last weekend for a wedding, and I wore it as a scarf on the plane, used it as an additional layer while we were waiting for the hotel shuttle in a crazy wind tunnel at the airport, and took it with me as a wrap for the wedding reception itself.

Versatility. It's what you look for when you're an overpacker like myself...

I have it in Pewter and a lighter blue that they apparently don't sell anymore, but I'm currently fighting the desire to order it in Deep Clover, Wild Cherry, and Dark Amethyst also, now that I'm looking at the website (and noticing that they are on sale). Seriously, I am a fan.

It always annoys me when websites don't include a picture of someone wearing whatever clothing item you might be ordering, just to show the proportions of the item. So for some perspective, I present the larger-than-average-but-not-entirely-overwhelming scarf knot:

{photo credit: me. obviously.}

My New Favorite Cardigan

By Jessica

 

It's October, I don't care that it's still hot here, I want all the things to be pumpkin flavored. Yes, ALL the things. I want apple cider. I want cozy blankets. I want knee boots and cute dresses with tights. I want pumpkin patches and trick-or-treating.

So in that vein, I totally thumbed my nose to the fact that it was 90ish degrees here over the weekend and bought myself a new cardigan. I know. I'm insane, but I can't resist a shawl collar, it's my favorite style, and the color was so pretty and it was on clearance at my local store. Of course, it's not on sale online BUT there are a bunch more awesome colors and I think having this style in multiple colors is a fashion must! Or maybe buying things in multiple colors is just a must for me.

{Photo credit Target}

 

 

DIY: Arachnophobia

By Jessica

 

I'm not sure when I first saw these spider egg sacs from Grandin Road, but whenever it was, it was love at first site. I absolutely have been coveting them but sadly have never clicked the trigger to make them my own (something else always grabs my Halloween fun money first).

Garden Ridge Pottery has their own version but honestly they don't look nearly as well made as these do. Of course, the Garden Ridge version cost $5.99 (for one) not $29.00 (for three on sale) but you get what you pay for I suspect.

I decided that I could probably make my own with crap I had lying around the house and I'm really pleased with my outcome!

So on the left you can see the first one finished and hanging on my front porch. I've added a fairly large spider hanging from the top as well as a small spider hanging on the outside. Top right is all the materials laid out.

Materials:

One old sheet (or any other fabric, light in color, you have laying around)

Plastic bags (you could use pillow stuffing, batting, more fabric whatever)

Twine or rope

Scissors

Spider webbing

Spiders

As you can see in the "in process" shot, I just gathered the fabric up around the plastic bags like a sack and then tied it off with the twine. I essentially did the same thing with the spider webbing and just stretched it out when and where it was needed. Once I hung the whole thing from the twine, I spun another strip of webbing around the twine to hide it and give something for my spider to hook onto but ultimately I ended up just bending his wire leg onto the hook in the ceiling of my porch. I am going to make at least one more but I couldn't wait to show y'all what I did FOR FREE! I am so excited to see it lit up at night.

{Photo credit top: Grandin Road}

 

'Nightmare' Themed Birthday: An Update

By Tara

Last week, I posted about what I wanted to do for my daughter's Nightmare Before Christmas themed birthday. This week, I'll show you the results...

  








  

The cake and the hot dog bar were my husband's idea (the inspiration for the cake was this...), the decorations were all mine. And really, the best part is that I don't have to take anything down for the next couple of weeks, because it fits with the rest of my Halloween theme.

I am a fan of anything that makes my life easier at any point...

(Of course, the second best thing would be that we made an enormous cake and two dozen cupcakes for all of about 10 people, so even after we sent people home with stuff, we still had a ton of sugar left over at the end of the night. I am a fan of sugar, as well...)

{photo credit: all me}