O Christmas Tree

Whether you celebrate it or not, I want wish you a Merry Christmas, and I hope that you're enjoying the day with many friends and family members!  I love being able to spend hours on end with my family, and nothing beats the feeling of giving great gifts.  The best gift I gave today was to my dad, an 1896 map of The Netherlands courtesy of the Brooklyn Flea.

What is the best gift you gave this year? 

Homes at the Holidays

I skipped decorating for the Holidays this year due to a lack of tree space, and a lack of $$ to support a buying spree on all things festive.  But I deem this the last year that I'm willing to let it happen, there are simply too many cute ideas out there.  I found these ideas and many more on Pinterest and I have a feeling that I'll be pinning long after the Holidays are over!

 In case there's no room for a big tree, grab a mini and prop it up on a table.  This would have been the only way my roommate and I could have made a Christmas tree work.

 Love the use of neon ribbons to replace garland.

 Even without doors this beautiful, it's a super simple and easy decor idea.

 I love both of these ideas, no tree?  No mantle?  No problem, just paint one on and hang it up!

This is perfect.

Of course no Holiday season is complete without a few of your favorite Holiday movies.  I've already gotten my fill of Little Women, the Christmas scenes are my favorites from the entire movie.  And who could have Christmas without a screening of Christmas Vacation?  My family never misses it on Christmas eve!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Sartorial Compass: Drew Barrymore & the Holiday's

Unfortunately for Drew there have been many a momentous Sunday in the month of December.  The 2nd Sunday I spent at the Empire State Building & the airport, the 3rd at the Nienhuis family Christmas party (at which I got to mingle with 8 of the coolest kiddos ever) and the 4th Sunday celebrating the birth of baby Jesus. Luckily for all of you I am going to basically throw all of the rest of my favorite Drew B looks into the last Sartorial Compass of the year!

A queen of casual cool, she's one of the women I look to for the best of casual dressing.

 The leather jacket + white dress is so great, and the chambray shirt + skirt will forever be an outfit inspiration to me.  But her white and purple tucker top paired with that stunning chunky necklace is what led me to my love affair!  I <3 Tucker and I'm not afraid to say it.

These are all such beautiful classic looks.  The black and white Narciso Rodriguez dress in the center is fantastic!!

The black dress and arms full of bangles is a fave look!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE these looks.  The dress on the left she scored at a vintage store, the center she wore to a Chanel event (being not the biggest fan of all things Chanel I love that she can still show her style while wearing the classic brand) and lastly a shocking lil number that I adore.

I've gotta run, but I hope you enjoyed all of these pictures at once, I desperately need a new Drew rom-com in my life, and can't wait to see what 2012 will bring for her! 

Holiday Pinning

If any of you are lacking on last minute Holiday decor Pinterest is definitely the right place to look!  You can find people pinning Holiday photos and DIY decorations from all over the world.  Here are a few of my favorite Pinterest Holiday finds...

 A makeshift Christmas tree!

Love these!

So today I pretty much did ALL of my Christmas shopping...and am quite happy with the results!  But I can assure you that if I was throwing Christmas Eve party I for sure would not have anything fully decorated, which is why some of these ideas are so great!  Remember to pop on over to the right and check out my Holiday board on pinterest and give me a little follow!

photos via shop terrain, decorology, stil inspiration, french larkspur and holly mathis interiors

What I Wore & What I'll Wear

So I had an outfit issue on Sunday while getting ready for our family Christmas party when the perfect outfit I had envisioned in my head, but hadn't tried on until 10 minutes before we needed to leave, was a gigantic failure.  This is what I came up with just in the nick of time...monochromatic, not too Holiday but the green is the right idea, and of course some sparkle.  I guess I could have taken my own advice and worn this outfit...

gap sweater, jcrew skirt, jcrew necklaces

I've vowed to do it differently on Christmas Eve.  It's perfect for this unusually warm December that we're having, and I think I'll add some color to make it a bit more festive.  Our church is typically very casual, but for Christmas Eve I always try to get dressed up.

celebrity pink denim jacket, cynthia rowley dress, stella & dot necklace & vintage fur collar

I've been waiting to wear this dress since I scored it for $20 when the Cynthia Rowley sample sale rolled into Chicago.  Though I didn't get to try it on until about a month ago, because of the silk fabric the neck opening had no give and was way too tight to even try getting around my head (which is abnormally large mind you).  So I enlisted my mom to cut open one side and add the hooks and eyes, making it not only wearable but even more unique than it was in the first place.  The fur collar is a gift from my wonderful Grandma, and I can't wait to wear it!

More important than clothes though during this season is family!  My family and I are holing up for the rest of the Holiday season watching movie after movie, and throwing in a few games of Skip-Bo.  Last night we watched The Debt with Helen Mirren, it was phenomenal and I highly recommend it!