the new chandelier is in

i gave my dad one honey-do for his time in austin - to put up my new capiz chandelier from west elm. i bought it earlier this week using coupons and gift cards, bringing my personal total to only $58 down from the original $269. i've been pining for this chandelier for months so i'm totally pumped to finally have it up. loooooove!

the first three pics are of our thanksgiving dinner table before we sat down to stuff ourselves silly. i love the "omigod i forgot a centerpiece-centerpiece" courtesy of the rose bushes in our front yard, and i was so excited to use our wedding china and crystal. i should break it out more often, just for kicks. the last picture i just took as i'm writing this - see the computer? that's where i'm blogging from!

lou lou lofty

ugh! so this girl (pointing at myself) didn't do ANY clothes shopping over the weekend, can you believe it!? well, i thought i was being good...until i went online to check out the scene last night and found these gems, the lou lou t-strap heels, on the ann taylor loft website. sounds like good news, right? 40% off $89.50 - a no brainer. right. except they're SOLD OUT in any size remotely close to mine. needless to say i'll be making a few phone calls to customer service today to see if they can find a pair for me somewhere...anywhere...

well, that was a fun thanksgiving

this year marked the first annual thanksgiving in the new house. my parents, brother and sister made the trip down from maryland and we made a full weekend out of it. while thanksgiving dinner was the highlight (in part thanks to nick's smoked turkeys), we also kept busy with a trip to san antonio to see the alamo, stuffing ourselves silly at the salt lick, a downtown austin biking margarita crawl, stuffing ourselves silly at el chile and again at tacodeli. it was the first time my entire family has been down to austin all together and it was really, really fun. i'm already looking forward to next thanksgiving!

ps. i was a bad blogger and didn't take any photos...i *must* get better at that!
pps. happy birthday to my sister, laura!

yes, i still shop at ikea

believe it or not, ikea has more than just low-profile platform beds and plastic chairs and tables. proof is the edland nightstand that i picked up for $149. it's an elegant dark grey color and has awesome finishing details - and it's perfect for the little nook in our dining room (and the drawers are even more perfect for all of nick's crap that was accumulating on the counter). it only took me about two hours to put together minus the few days i've been waiting for nick to finish one of the door handles).

hopefully this weekend i'll start putting things on the walls!

below: the nook before

below: you can't see me, but i opened the box and instantly became terrified of the chore in front of me

me: an hour in and feeling good. this was right after i showed my skillz with a power drill

below: success! it doesn't even wobble. just need to finish that side door and it'll be perfection.

i went crazy on etsy: the pillows are here

and so continues the arrival of all of my goodies ordered from etsy about two weeks ago. i am in loooooove with the pillows i ordered, especially the navy blue lattice ones. emilio likes them, too...clearly. maybe one of these days i'll stop shopping so much and actually lay down on the couch with the pillows rather than just look at them.

the chalkboard has arrived

and its the only thing i've put up on the walls so far. i knew exactly where it was going to go - in the kitchen next to the island and back door - so it was a no-brainer to put it up the second it arrived. i love how big it is and i can't wait to have some visitors come over and leave a message. see chalkboard info here.

our first chilly weekend

this past weekend was the first chilly one of the season (it was cold last weekend while i was in mexico, but that didn't count). nick had four friends visiting from out of town so i made myself scarce all weekend so i didn't cramp their style. i spent most of my time shopping my balls off interspersed with a few errands, seeing "waiting for superman" with a girlfriend, dinner with neighbors, baking and cooking, and dressing up emilio in a turtleneck cableknit sweater to keep him warm (he looks so dead poet society, doesn't he?).


ohhh...and and i also spent some time looking at pictures from mexico. here are just a few of the highlights!

below: the view from our room

below: walking to the beach

below: the infinity pool and ocean

below: just one of many silly photos - andrea, lee, beth, korie, mckinnon, catherine, angela, taylor, me

below: another silly one - the pool/balcony in our room

below: yes, another silly one while lounging at the beach

below: a non-silly moment caught on camera

below: me and andrea, the birthday girl

below: the birthday girls

below: taylor, me and catherine

below: korie watching the sunset from our balcony

below: mmmmmmmmmmmargaritas

below: last day...sad

earrings: i switched gears

during my blue and coral earring hunt last week, i fell in love with this more fall-inspired pair from shopmamie.com (just for fall earrings, $16). i couldn't resist and now i'm waiting patiently for their arrival. i think they'll work for all seasons but you can be sure i'll happily rock them for the rest of this season.

sequin it up with gap's holiday lookbook

gap's holiday lookbook is awwwwweeeesome. i ordered up this sequin skirt ($49.50) last night after accidentally stumbling upon a 25% off discount code (ok, it was advertised on their home page). sorry to report that the coupon only lasted through last night - but i'm sure another one will pop up soon. it's friends and family season so that might be entering our inboxes within the next few weeks.

mirror mantle mania

forgive me, forgive me - these are definitely not the best photos in the world, especially since there's a mess surrounding the fireplace and i took them at night. however, i wanted to share my latest find - the allen + roth's quatrefoil cloche mirror, $65. i was a little iffy about it but once it went up i knew it was just right. now i have to find a place for all of my candlesticks and fun stuff to put on the mantle with the mirror.

blue and coral earrings - help me choose!

since my mexican vacation, i've been dying for some coral and/or turquoise earrings. i've found four solid options and need help choosing. which ones are your faves?

below: kendra scott nyla starburst earrings, $95 (but i have a $20 coupon from signing up for emails)

below: soul-swinging filigree earrings by thestellabluegallery on etsy, $25

below: red lucite earrings by blondechick on etsy, $25

below: turquoise and coral chandelier earrings by offthechainjewels on etsy, $34.99

coveting a new staple for fall: top down jacket

yes, yes, i know. many of you have already moved on to winter while little ole' me in texas is still enjoying fall - so yes, i'm still looking for fall staples. don't hate! my lovely friend catherine and i spotted a cute lady wearing this jacket in the puerta vallarta airport on sunday. catherine instantly popped up and went over to ask her where she got it (love her!) - it's the top down jacket by free people, and it's still available. a bit pricier than my usual finds, at $148, but i think it might be worth it. love the side pleats and the buttons on the sleeves. available in pink or black.

ps. more on mexico coming soon...working on gathering photos!

guest room vision: viceroy santa monica...in texas

i haven't been able to get the decor at the viceroy santa monica out of my head since i visited for a work trip many years ago. kelly wearstler is just genius for her work at that hotel and i wish wish wish i were as talented as she is. i'm totally poaching the grey walls with white plates, vibrant accent colors and white and grey textiles.

the current room: the hideous blank slate

the vision: the viceroy santa monica by kelly wearstler

the materials:

while i'm in mexico, nick and his dad will be painting the currently light purple walls a slate/elephant gray.

meanwhile, i'll be waiting on the arrival of this duvet cover and white canvas curtains from west elm.

the accoutrements: i'll be accenting the room with purples and yellows, so will be on the hunt for pillows and such. not to mention all of those plates i'll need for above the headboard! i'll also be scouring craigslist for a different bed frame. although i do like the white, i kick myself for buying that low-profile bed. haaaaaate it, especially when i knock my shins on it while making the bed.