lounging in black and white

after spending a few days reading out in the new rocking chairs, i decided to pump up the volume with some black and white cushions and pillows i found at garden ridge. i don't think these babies could look any more inviting now. if only i didn't have to go to work and i could just sit around reading all day...retirement anyone?

anxiously awaiting my piperlime order

last week i found myself in the possession of $30 in banana republic rewards cards and a 25% off coupon. what else could i do but spend it? i split my shopping time between banana's sale items and piperlime's boots and ended up with the two items below. they should arrive any day now...if only i had this uh-may-zing j.crew skirt to wear with them. what a great combo that would be - chambray, booties and sequins? swoon.

below: banana republic chambray work shirt, $69.50 on sale for $54.99

below: chinese laundry at once booties, $89

below: j.crew metallic sequined bell skirt, $275 (sold out!)

recipe: a beautiful plate of chicken

ok, so this one isn't really a recipe. it's more just a "ooooh look how pretty this is" combination of grilled chicken and grilled veggies. all we did was marinate the chicken in my favorite cilantro lime dressing, skewer the tomatoes and asparagus, and grill them all to perfection. having a grill has changed my life...i can't believe we lived in an apartment sans grill for almost eight years.

outfit (house) in action: new couches have arrived

the couches! they've arrived and i'm in love (and emilio is already playing king of the castle). the ethan allen delivery men came saturday morning with these little treasures and i couldn't be happier with the outcome. hearts to you, ethan allen, especially for delivering three weeks early. the next step is finding a table for the tv, throw pillows, and the curtains finished and hung. more photos to come as i make progress!




ps. this is a typical outtake when emilio accompanies me on a photoshoot. "what is this shiny black thing that i am smudging with my nose?"

outfit in action: purple and "vintage"

friiiiiiiiiiiiiiday!

i've had these michael kors wedges for aaaages...so long, in fact, that i refer to them as "vintage" just for kicks. i decided to pair them up with a club monaco sweater and (very wrinkly, oops) skirt, banana republic belt and forever 21 necklaces. and i'm still loving my funky dunkey OPI toes, too.

bring on the weekend, please. we heard we're getting our couches tomorrow, three blissful weeks early. squeeeeee!!!

warming up to fall

even though i have weeks (and maybe even months) to go before the weather is jacket-worthy, i still have my eye on a few goodies for fall. on my wish list? one wearable cape and one lightweight pea coat - and these two seem to fit the bill just fine!

below: bb dakota park ave faux fur pea coat, $72

below: zara cloth studio cape, $169

oh, and this one's cute too! bbdakota clifton coat, $130

opi ski teal we drop and funky dunkey

nick and i were lucky to have some of our best friends, christy and bobby, make a last minute trip from nyc to austin this past weekend. christy and i decided to steal away on saturday afternoon for some much-needed lady time at my favorite austin nail place. i decided on two OPI colors - ski teal we drop (from the swiss collection) on my fangers and funky dunkey (from the shrek forever collection) on my toes. i'm really loving both shades...so much that i might have to visit my local ulta store to add the hues to my personal collection.

outfit in action: nude heeling

lc lauren conrad top from kohls, gap boyfriend jeans, banana republic stacked heels

don't be fooled by the fall-ish outfit i'm wearing in these photos. the weather here in austin is still a crisp 90+ every day. however, my new office is SO.FREAKIN'.COLD. i leave work every night and practically turn on the heat in my car that's already been sitting out in the sun all day...just to thaw out.

anyway...happy monday!

candles: more decorating bang for your buck

i'm obsessed with this capri blue candle in volcano scent (purchased at anthropologie, $28). not only do i love the way it smells but the blue color is perfect for our new living room. rather than just stick it on the coffee table by it's lonesome, i decided to amp it up using a few things i had around the house: a big round vase, white beans and a glass charger plate. voila!

going wild in the guest bathroom

anthropologie is my official go-to for anything rug related. in attempting to find something a little bit out of the ordinary for our downstairs half bath, i decided this dream menagerie rug ($78) would be perfect. it brings out the grey/lavendar walls, wood and white accents. now all i need is curtains so i don't have to pee in the dark anymore.

rocking chairs: because i promised i would

hi gang! because i promised i would, here's some pix of the new rocking chairs on the front porch. i've already spent a nice bit of time out there enjoying my roses and reading a book. the garden stool came from garden ridge for $29.99 and the chairs are from lowes (see post here). i'm thinking about hunting down some pillows to up the comfort level just a notch.

out with the old, in with the new (couch)

no, this doesn't mean it's arrived. however, it does mean that i'm so excited that i decided to share photos with y'all so you understand what i've been pining away for. we ordered an avanti couch and love seat from ethan allen in blue/grey raffia with nickel nailhead around the bottoms. i die! they should be here by october 14th. counting down the days.

craving: rebecca taylor cable crew sweater

drooling...on hunt for look for less...rebecca taylor cable crew sweater ($395)

succumbing to the deer head slash antlers craze

i've been wondering if and how i want to incorporate dead animals into our home decor. while i do live in texas, i am not a hunter and neither is nick so we'd have to buy any sort of antler or animal head. rather than go for the literal translation, i think i'm going with this sea grass bull head from ballard designs ($49 for small, $99 for large). cute, no?

ps. emilio, however, definitely is a hunter. he's vicious, especially when he's sleeping between our couch cushions. bad pic, i know. GOD i hate that couch...only a month til the new ones arrive.

try-on trip to DSW

i spent saturday running errands and popping into big box stores to check out the deals for fall. i spent the most time in DSW, trying on anything that struck my fancy. as you can tell, i'm really into greys and nudes this fall. i didn't bring anything home but i'm thinking about going back for one shoe in particular. can you guess which one?

below: madden girl rhiana, $49.95

below: mix no. 6, $39.95

below: steve madden luxe, $89.95

below: max studio, $79.95

below: dolce vita boutique, $199.95

below: calvin klein, $79.95

below: carlos santana, $64.95