Tuesday, January 31, 2012

looking back on January...


It's the 31st of January...phew.  For a variety of reasons, this January has literally felt like the longest month of my life.  The longest.

An odd combination of feeling restless, helpless, emotional....like I could just not get my $hit together.

Let's just say I'm looking forward to February 1st. :)

Some random tidbits I discovered during this longest month:

  • Even at 41, you get shaken up when something happens with/to your parents
  • Close friendships need to be tended to (i.e. - make time for them) 
  • Some days you will get nothing done, and you just have to be ok with that 
  • Laughter is still the best remedy to most any situation
  • Honest conversations can be hard, but almost always worth it in the end
So, we move onto February...a month with a whole extra day...since it's leap year!

This month I vow to.... 

image

talk soon
cp

Monday, January 30, 2012

style crush

It's Monday....how on earth did that happen already?!!

Anyway...style crush.....

Olivia Palermo...New York socialite..and former mean girl on the MTV reality series, The City (admit it, you watched it too).

Mean girl or not, she can put together an outfit like no other.  And her accessories are fantastic (ie the lucite clutch pictured below).

Raise your hand if you watched The City...

talk soon
cp

images via olivia palermo tumblr

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Sunday snapshot

Big snowflakes falling outside......and this is how I'm spending the early morning inside....


happy Sunday everyone.


talk soon
cp

Thursday, January 26, 2012

tie......clip

B and I finally sat down last weekend and watched 'Friends with Benefits'......I know, I know..we're way behind.  

Anyway, although I wasn't a fan of the movie (I preferred 'No Strings Attached').....there was no denying that Mr. Timberlake was dressed impeccably well in nearly every scene (granted his birthday suit probably doesn't count, but whatever ;) ).

The one little detail I loved about many of his outfits....the tie clip:

"friends with benefits"

























and look who else has been seen sporting the tie clip............




I love that the tie clip works fantastically in a suit and tie scenario.....but is equally as sharp in a more casual setting too:














































What do you think?  Fan?

talk soon

cp


images via GQ + tumblr

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

essie love

Happy Wednesday!

Essie does it again!

I love this color combination.


image via tumblr





































What colors are gracing your fingertips these days?

talk soon

cp

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

to gallery wall...or not to gallery wall....

that is the question......

I want a gallery wall in my house.  Badly.  My original thought was to have one trailing up the wall along our staircase....then I decided to do another project there...so, where will my gallery wall go now?

Possibly above our couch in the living room, surrounding an oversized picture we currently have there (it looks a tad lonely, and would likely completely change the feel of the room with additional pictures surrounding it).....

What's your opinion on the gallery wall?

talk to me.

cp











Monday, January 23, 2012

pop of color - unexpected place

Good morning and happy Monday!

A pop of color.....green shoelaces.....


image























































I love everything about this picture...the setting (a charming street in Italy) and a couple that is not only stylish, but looks to genuinely enjoy one another's company.  Ah, the little things.

Have a great day!

talk soon.

cp

Saturday, January 21, 2012

saturday snapshots












































































































saturday snapshots:


new magazines to indulge my addiction


inspiration for a new project I'm hoping to do in our house


ice cream for 3.....on a cold, cold night (why not?!)


happy weekend everyone!


talk soon


cp

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Sundance

Today marks the official start of The Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah.

I have forever wanted to attend.....maybe someday. :)

Founded in 1978 by Robert Redford, The Sundance Film Festival is the world's largest showcase for independent film.  It has grown from a small fest into one that now attracts A-list celebrities/actors appearing in these small films.  The festival is considered to be the premier showcase for new work from independent film makers.

This year will be no different.  10 of Sundance film's with major buzz are as follows:

Arbitrage
Bachelorette
Black Rock
Celeste & Jesse Forever
For a Good Time, Call
Lay the Favorite
The Queen of Versailles
The Surrogate
West of Memphis
The Words

film details here

Park City itself looks so quaint, and is famous not only for its skiing, but also the restaurants and small independent shops.




I don't know about you, but it sounds like a fantastic festival.....it's in a ski town, has great movies, music, food and shops.........sign me up!

someday.  someday.


talk soon
cp

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

sweet, sweet baby.....





















Today's post is dedicated to one of my best friends, Erika.  She gave birth to her 3rd baby this morning....a baby boy (3 boys now!!) named Jacob.  So sweet.

I can't wait to meet this amazing little boy, and to give her a huge hug.  We've known eachother since our early 20's, and have been through a lot together.  She is an amazing woman, mother and friend.

In the words of Bill Withers.........it's a Lovely Day..........





cp

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

sweet young thing


Elle Fanning


images








































Meet Elle Fanning......younger sister to Dakota.  I recently saw her in the movie 'We Bought a Zoo', and I thought she was very charming. 

She's quite stunning, and you can tell that she loves fashion........but still manages to look like a young lady, which is quite rare these days.

cp

Monday, January 16, 2012

I'll take....

this whole room.


please.

 
I'm in desperate need to change things up in our house......last night had me moving furniture around in our living room at 9pm, and asking the bestie if it was crazy to move one particular chair next to another chair.....I feel like I get this itch to restyle things every winter.


Anyway...I saw this room and I love that it's simple, yet has a lux feeling to it.

What about you guys?  Changing anything up in your place lately?


talk soon.
cp



image via jessica helgerson


Friday, January 13, 2012

blog series: pop of color

In honor of Brad Goreski and his love for the 'pop of color', I've decided to start a new blog series.  Today we feature a big favorite of mine....orange!  I hope you enjoy the beautiful pictures which feature this wonderful color.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

talk soon
cp


































































































































































































images via tumblr

Thursday, January 12, 2012

it's.....

snowing outside.......


Pinned Image
image via pinterest























kind of excited about it....

cp

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

brad who?

Raise your hand if you've never heard of Brad Goreski..................shame on you!  ;)

Brad is the former Style Director to style maven Rachel Zoe....and is now out styling celebrities and editorial shoots on his own.

I fell in major like with him when he was on the Rachel Zoe show....and Bravo was smart enough to give this quirky guy a show of his own...'It's a Brad Brad World'..and it hasn't disappointed me yet. 

The show follows Brad as he attempts to build his own business (after departing from the Zoe camp)...and the frustrations and the victories that go along with that... and  also shows his longtime relationship (10+ years) with his partner, Gary.

The 34-year old Canadian has a unique sense of style, and is incredibly endearing, and I've really loved getting to see him with his friends (non-celebrities) and family...so, it's really a winning combination for me.

The bowties, the ties, the shoes, the pops of color....fantastic!

Check it out!

talk soon.

cp






























A quick video which gives a glimpse of Brad's new show...


Tuesday, January 10, 2012

worth the read....

I stumbled upon this yesterday, and thought it was worth sharing...... I personally could use some work in some of these areas....what about you?

I know it's a lengthy one, but it's worth it...I promise.
talk soon
cp



“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”  Nothing could be closer to the truth.  But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
  1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
  2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on.  No, it won’t be easy.  There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them.  We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems.  That’s not how we’re made.  In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall.  Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time.  This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
  3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself.  Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves. 
  4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.  Yes, help others; but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
  5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else.  Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
  6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
  7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.  Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
  8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us.  We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.  Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
  9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
  10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else. 
  11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.  Evaluate situations and take decisive action.  You cannot change what you refuse to confront.  Making progress involves risk.  Period!  You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
  12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
  13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.  There’s no need to rush.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
  14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.  But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
  15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you.  Concentrate on beating your own records every day.  Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
  16. Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.  Ask yourself this:  “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
  17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.  You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough.  But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past.  You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  So smile!  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
  18. Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself!  And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too.  If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
  19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
  20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway.  Just do what you know in your heart is right.
  21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it.  If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.  Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
  22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
  23. Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done. 
  24. Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Don’t take the easy way out.  Do something extraordinary.
  25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.  You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well.  You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
  26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
  27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out.  But making one person smile CAN change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.  So narrow your focus.
  28. Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy.  One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time?  Three years?  Five years?”  If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
  29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
  30. Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

Monday, January 9, 2012

oddly wonderful

A quick post today....to share 2 things I'm loving......a piece of art from cb2 that I think would look great leaning up against the wall in our house .....

artwork

and a little box.......

jewelry box








































talk soon!
cp




Friday, January 6, 2012

blog series: fashionable friend Friday!










































Happy Friday everyone!  I'm so thrilled to introduce you to Elizabeth (or Lizzie as I call her) Pontarelli. :) 

We used to work together a few years ago, and have remained friends since.  She has this infectious laugh, and you can't help but adore her. 

A couple of weeks before Christmas I invaded her condo and took a ton of pictures (several of which I'm sharing with you here) and we did a little interview...

Age:
31

Profession:
Bridal Director at Beauty on Call

I love....:
Vogue magazine, sour patch kids, paper stores and wallpaper, long cashmere sweaters, weddings, Nars cosmetics, luxury hotels, handwriting, and being poolside.

Most interesting place you've traveled to:
Snorkeling in underground caves in the Riviera Maya with my husband.

Biggest style influences:
Olivia Palermo, Mila Kunis, Rachel Bilson, Camilla Belle, Blake Lively

How would you describe your style:
Classic with a flair!

Favorite thing about living in Chicago:
Walking to Michigan Avenue, the variety of restaurants, the boutiques in Wicker Park and Lincoln Park.

Favorite tv: Homeland and Gossip Girl
Favorite books: The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, Sarah's Key
Favorite music: Mix of everything - Phoenix, Wilco, Lady Antebellum...I like it all...

You're expecting your 1st baby, describe what your style will be like during your pregnancy:
Cozy chic - leggings with long sweaters and great accessories....big earrings, great scarves, cocktail rings, large bags, and riding boots.

Funniest thing that's happened to you in the past 6 months:
Ice skating with about 20 of my friends was pretty entertaining.....although, I haven't been drinking, so things have not been as comical these days!
thanks Lizzie!  I had a fun time hanging out!

talk soon
cp

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

New year....new style crush....

Meet Taylor Tomasi Hill, artistic director for Moda Operandi.  Her style is feminine with a touch of edgy.....effortlessly cool.

And fashion aside, can we talk just a second about her skin?.....flawless.....and her hair?...gorgeous.


Enjoy the pictures...and tell me, who is offering you style inspiration these days?

talk soon

cp







Tuesday, January 3, 2012

New Year

image via pinterest











































































What new things will 2012 bring for you?

talk soon

cp