Mallory's Summer Fashion Favorites

Well, this started out being a birthday wish list post, BUT since I've found so many of the items running on great sales, I've already acquired most of them (...and my birthday isn't until the 11th-whoops)!

So I'll call it a Summer Favorites List instead and share all of the items details and links favorite with you guys!  You know... in case online shopping is your thing too.  My husband says it's like Christmas day every day at our house because I'm always shopping online.  He can thank me later for saving him gas money ;)

ONE // These Coral Tassel Earrings will make a statement with any outfit (even a simple tee), and they are the perfect color for summer!

TWO // I purchased a black flutter sleeve shirt from BR in this exact same style this spring and get compliments on it every time I wear it.  I decided to add one more to my closet, this time in a fun pattern Flutter Sleeve Plaid Shirt.

THREE // I have a pair of snakeskin sandals I bought a few summers ago and have worn them out to the point of them coming apart.  I loved them so much because they went with everything (great for trips when you need to pack less!). I couldn't find another exact pair but these Snakeskin Sandals will be a great substitute.

FOUR // I spotted these adorable Fringe Sandals on a recent trip to Target (for almond milk and baby swim diapers--isn't that how it goes?)  I did a quick try-on and instantly knew I wanted them!  Great price for a knock-off look.

FIVE // I ordered this Large Tweed Pouch when BR was having a 40% off all sale promotion going on.  It's large, hence the name, and has a lot of cute colors in it.  The fringe down the side is just icing to the cake.  It'll be a great purse for a dinner out, and I've already got it in my suitcase for an upcoming trip!

SIX // My current gold watch is 8 years old and needs another new battery so I decided to see what other options were out there.  I somehow came upon this Gold Watch, and I love the large face and sleek design.

SEVEN // I ordered this Chambray Off The Shoulder Top in my first TJMaxx online shopping experience.  When you can't get to the store, get to the internet :) It looks so cute with white jeans, and you can't beat the $20 price tag!

EIGHT // I purchased this Embroidered Off The Shoulder Top at the same time and love the fun colors and embroidery.  It is a juniors top so I ordered up a size for a little extra length.  It was a little more than I usually like to spend on a TJMaxx top, but I couldn't resist the fun pattern for summer! 

So there you have it--my summer favorites.  Enjoy! I know I will!

Mallory's Home Christmas Tour

Christmas time is by far my favorite time of the year.  Hands down.  There is just something so magical about the season that I think it deserves far more than a month of celebration.  The sights, the smells, the music, the jolly spirits, the Savior.  What is there not to love? 

One of my favorite sights to see is a glowing Christmas tree.  No, I take that back--a glowing anything.  How is it that Christmas lights in the darkest of places can make the space seem beautiful?  Ahhh.  But I digress. 

Each year when I get poor Jon to get down my copious amounts of Christmas totes from the attic, I start to plot my decor.  As soon as the first lid comes off, my brain gets to work.  I try to switch things up a little every year.  So when the boxes come down,  I see what I have available and the think of the look I want to go for in our home.  The color scheme I use for the tree is what sets the precedent for the theme for the whole house---and this year it was metallics, whites and blacks.  A little luxe, a little modern and as always a little vintage.  So let's begin the tour! 

Once you take a few steps into our house, this is what you see. 

There's an antique chest of drawers on the right that I topped with a mini pine tree and and a bowl of ornaments.  Next year I'll get around to making Mr. Horse a proper coordinating bow.

The silver bowl on the left was a $9 thrift store score.  I dressed it up with some vintage ornaments (also a thrift store find many years ago) and some pine cones from the neighbor's yard.  Done and done.  You'll soon see that a bowl with ornaments is my easy, go-to decor.  I love that it's simple (no one has hours to spend decorating a house with two little ones running around), yet still pretty and classic.

If you look to the left, you'll see the dining room. 

All the dining room needed was my favorite lit boxwood wreath adorned with matching black and gold ribbon and again, a bow of ornaments, moss and pine cones.  My glass Christmas trees added the perfect glitz.

The bowl of moss balls is always on the table (tip: every room in your house needs some greenery in it) but by adding the ornaments and pine cones, I put on her "winter coat."

Continuing on into the living room area, you see a gallery wall of our family photos and a long console.  All I did to add some holiday flair here was hang another wreath with matching ribbon (coordination is key) and I replaced our usual wooden box for a glittery tree.  Again, I threw some ornaments in with my moss rocks (you guys see how easy this is?) and ta da!  Because I already had mixed metals in this space (silver lamps, gold orb, brass bowl) the work was already half-down for me.  Work with what you have, not against it!

I feel one can never have too many wreaths on ribbons in front of windows so I added another on the other side of the living room.  This is my view from the kitchen sink.  Not too bad if you have to do the dishes (but thankfully, Jon takes care of those most of the time ;) )

Our last stop on the tour is Auden's room.  Simple was the fix in here as well.  I got out one of my mini "vintage" trees and let her go to town decorating it was some sweet clearance bow ornaments I scored at Target's after Christmas sale last year.  She loved getting to decorate (and redecorate) her very own tree.  A faux fur vest makes the perfect, free tree skirt.

As you can see, she's still learning about spatial distribution :)  But it makes it even cuter and very much "hers" so I'm okay with it.  She loved getting to help decorate our big tree too and kept saying "It's BEA-Uitiful!" and asking where the jingle bells were as she took off the lid to every box.  Rollins loves Christmas as well, but mostly for the reason that she gets to pull off ornament after shiny ornament and "cook" them in her pots and pans.  Thankfully, all of the glass ones were purposefully placed out of her reach.

We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas season filled with lots of love, sparkling lights and classic Santa photos :) 

Christmas Decor...for a Girl's Room

In case you missed it, yesterday, we discussed simple ways to dress up your boys' rooms for Christmas.  A few swaps in the bedding, a few adornments and, of course, the all important tree.  Today, it's time for the girls! 

Several of the main elements were used in both spaces, but we swapped the red for a muted pink and the lumberjack feel for a little whimsy by way of snowflakes and texture.  And, again, all of these items are from Target.  There are so many great deals that can really transform your child's space. I can't wait to get to work in my girls' rooms!

{click images for sourcing}

Jon has an off day before he heads out on another trip, so we're starting to deck the halls today!   

Christmas Decor... for a Boy's Room

If you're like us, you want the holidays to last a lot longer than the calendar says they should.  One of us (*cough* Jessica) may have even put up our tree before mid November. :)

There's just so much joy, sparkle (literally) and comfort in Christmas decor.  In fact, we love it so much we thought, "Why not extend the holly and jolly to the kids' bedrooms?"  I mean if there were ever such a place for wonder and delight it's there, right?

Starting with the gentlemen...Here's how to dress up your boy's room with a few touches of holiday cheer...all from Target!  There are some great deals...$20 tree, $14 flannel twin sheets, etc.  And they are all pieces you could use for years to come.  My favorite piece might be that wood garland.  So cute! 

We hope you enjoy decking the halls!  We'll be back with decor for a girl's room later.

{Click images for sources}

Jessica's Christmas Traditions

 It took all of us to get Amelia to take a picture with Santa. Pic on the right is of my brother and I with a family friend and Santa one Christmas Eve (my brother's nickname when he was little was The Barbarian; hence the lack of clothes).

Christmas is my favorite time of year. I am one of those people who waste no time getting Christmas decorations up. This year they went up a week before Thanksgiving. I know, ridiculous but I LOVE the spirit of Christmas and in my opinion, one month is too short. In following Mallory's previous post, here are some of my Christmas favorites!

Sparkle and Love

Favorite Childhood Christmas tradition(s):

My mother is from Panama. Like in many Latin cultures, Christmas Eve is a big celebration in itself. The day is spent cooking and visiting with friends. Come evening, we attend a candlelight service, snack on our favorite finger foods, and at midnight open presents! To help the time pass, as we eagerly waited for midnight to come, we would watch Christmas movies and play games as a family. It was always such a special time and I have since carried on the tradition with my own family.

Favorite new tradition:

When my eldest was little, a girlfriend and I started taking the kids for a ride around the local neighborhoods at night to view all the Christmas lights. We pack popcorn and play Christmas music as we slowly proceed down the streets taking in all the decorative lights. It is something we come to cherish and do each year. 

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Favorite Christmas movie:

Elf! I have seen it a million times and it still cracks me up.

Favorite decor tip:

Give some life to your artificial garland and wreaths by tucking in real tree trimmings. Holley branches and magnolia leaves make attractive additions.  Also, avoid unnecessary nail holes and unsightly cords by using 3M hooks and battery operated lights. Game changer!

Favorite dish you look forward to each Christmas:

Hands down my mom’s sweet potato casserole. It has become a favorite for many.

What Did You Eat?

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

Crust Topping:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 stick of melted butter

Sweet Potato Mixture:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, well beaten
1 stick of melted butter

Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into buttered baking dish. Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture. Bake for 30 minutes.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Mallory's Christmas Traditions

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  Yes, I truly believe that.  Christmas is a great time for making memories and remembering old traditions.  We thought we spend this week sharing a few of our favorites, including the recipes for our favorite dishes we look forward to each Christmas!   

Favorite childhood Christmas tradition(s):

We went to a Christmas tree farm and cut down our own tree.  The hunt for the tree and the hayride were fun, but the best part was getting it home and decorating it as a family.  We'd turn the lights down and turn up the Christmas music, and it was like my own little heaven.  I also loved having a mini tree of my own to decorate in my room.  I'd fall asleep each night just staring at the lights.  I can't wait for my girls to get to do the same.

Me (left) and my sister in our matching PJs.

Favorite new tradition:

We attend the candlelight service on Christmas Eve and go driving around looking at lights and listening to Christmas music as a family afterward.  It's truly a night of lights!  There's not much more beautiful than being in a room full of candlelight with everyone around lifting their voices to the King.  I also want to start hosting a Wrapping Party for me and my friends to get together and enjoy food, drinks and making our family's presents look beautiful. 

Image via Inspired By This

Favorite Christmas movie:

Prancer, circa 1989.  I still like to watch it every year.  The small town living, childhood love of Christmas that Jessica has, the cleaning up of the old lady's attic (weird I know, but I seriously LOVE cleaning out and organizing other people's spaces), restoring Christmas joy to so many and of course a sweet reindeer---ahhh what's not to love?  

Favorite decorating tip:

Pick a color or theme and run with it, from the ornaments to the wrapping--keeping a similar palette helps everything be cohesive for a well-thought-out look.  Also, incorporate lights in indoor decor wherever you can.  Everything looks more magical when it's glowing :)

Favorite Dish:

Christmas morning we always had a yummy breakfast on my mom's Christmas china consisting of cinnamon rolls, bacon, grits and and breakfast casserole to name a few.  I now make the breakfast casserole for my family as well, and I love that it can be made the day before and just popped in the oven the next morning.  There's enough going on Christmas morning to worry about any major baking!  

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
Ingredients
1 pound sausage (I use Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage)
6 eggs
2 cups milks
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard (optional)
8 slices white bread, cut off crust and cut into 1/2 cubes-scissors or a pizza cutter work great
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Black pepper, to taste

Directions
In a skillet, brown and crumble sausage; drain and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs; add milk, salt and mustard. Place bread cubes in bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Add cheese and then cooked sausage. Pour egg mixture on top. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!