MIDWEST Meets WEST COAST....Look out, I'm Officially an LA Girl!!!

     



Hello all! It's been WAY too long since I last posted!!! So much has changed. Obviously, from the title of my post-you can see I have relocated. Literally, sold almost all my possessions, packed up my midget mobile, and drove a whooping 27 tiring hours to get here.
Moving from sweet old St. Louie to Santa Monica, CA-things have seriously changed. Change is good. I needed to prove to myself that I could make it in a "Big City," and get out of the bubble I was living in.

My thoughts on LA-after ONE month:

Likes:
-The beach-SUN, SUN, SUN
-Perfect Weather-especially living near the beach- it never gets too hot-and the fact that I can walk to the   beach whenever I want is AMAZING
-Lack of Humidity=Less frizzy hair=Me in a better mood :)
-So much to do-So much to EXPLORE (Next weekend Santa Barbara-with some fabulous friends)
-The possibility of seeing celebrities....haha, so dorky-But I LOVE it

Dislikes:
-TRAFFIC, people say you get used to it, BUT it makes me one very unhappy/anxious gal
-The overwhelming amount of people almost everywhere you go-NOT a place for the Claustrophobic!!!
-Homeless people are everywhere-no offense but it's gross
-The fact that EVERYTHING here costs money-and it's EXPENSIVE-Not good news for my already light pocketbook :(

So, time will tell- we will see how my views of this LA LA Land change as time goes by...CAN'T believe it's already been a month!!! It literally feels like 2 weeks. The thing I'm missing most is Cardinal Baseball (for those of you not into baseball-The Cardinals have a chance at going to the World Series) and being able to just stop by friends and family members houses whenever....

SO into CHINOISERIE!!!

Chinoiserie...a funny word-that is hard to spell...WHAT the HECK is Chinoiserie anyway??? That is what I thought when I first discovered this particular style of design. Well, the word Chinoiserie is actually a french term-whichs means "Chinese-Esque." The style is described as fanciful, asymmetrical, and whimsical. I personally think of anything with bamboo, rattan, elephants, monkeys, foo dogs, asian toile prints, etc. to be considered Chinoiserie. There is an awesome blog- that is solely dedicated to appreciating and adoring this style-it is called Chinoiserie Chic (www.chinoiseriechic.blogspot.com)! 

So, if you like what you see here- check out that blog, too!

Happy Hump Day!!!

BLACK and WHITE with PoPs of Color!!!

Here is a SPLASH of COLOR to brighten your day on this gloomy Monday...Enjoy!!!

                           

                                      

                                              

Loving Lucite!

Lucite is popular these days. It can be spotted in many elements of designs, such as chairs and tables and my personal favorite, TRAYS! Recently I purchased this AMAZING Lucite tray from Abby Barnett, of Flair Designery. Let me tell you, not only was it competitively priced at $140.00, but boy does it get compliments!

Coming with four custom-color designs, which can easily be swapped in and out to fit the occasion or fit my mood :) It is very versatile. Upon ordering my tray I had quite a time choosing only four designs (additional designs are available for a small up-charge) because they are all ADORABLE!!! My tray looks great on my coffee table. It adds color to the room and is also a great place to set drinks- acting as a huge coaster, which can easily be cleaned. It is not only a pretty piece, but it is practical!

If you have talked to me recently, you have certainly heard me speak of Abby. I discovered her company, Flair Designery, on Etsy and the rest is history! Her designs had me at first glance, and her wonderful personality and excellent customer service have kept me coming back for more. Check out her online store on Etsy today, www.flairdesignery.com. I promise you fall in love with her and with her designs, and if place an order you WILL NOT be disappointed!


Here are some pictures I took of my tray and the inserts I picked. My pictures don't do them justice!

Pink and Brown Perfection

Barbie meets the County Club-what a CUTE ride! Would love to put on my Lilly dress and my Jack Rogers and cruise around :)

One of my FAVORITE bedrooms ever! I can't get enough of chocolate brown-love the pops of pink in the flowers, and a chandelier always makes a room prettier 

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G chair-enough said

Really like the fabric canopy and headboard-not such a fan of the random small prints on the wall, but other than that-this room would be great for two little girls

I don't know why I like this image so much..I think it's all the white lacquer, maybe the pineapple lamp base or the gold mirror??? Don't know if I'd be brave enough to try such a big bold print, 

but it works here. 

Love when the interior of cabinets are shelves are painted a different color than the frame-it really defines the structure of the piece. Very old english-rustic country cottage look-cute!

Happy Tuesday!

SIZZLING Summer Days

This looks like a perfect place to plop down and sip on an ice cold beverage. I love the baby pink vintage look of the VW with the umbrellas :) Stay cool during this CRAZY heatwave we are experiencing in

St. Louis!

TUNICS and TOTES!

  

These tunics are my latest OBSESSION! I found these on Etsy.com. The designer, pictured below, in her hand made tunics is, Devon Baer. I LOVE them! The one thing holding me back from purchasing one is the price...the tunics run from above $170-250 each...not happenin' on this girl's current budget...but a girl can dream :) Check out her Etsy store today (Devon Baer Designs)-not only does she create amazing tunics-she also designs super cute jewelry, belts, and other fun accessories!

STUNNING SOLIDS: 

These totes are your everyday-"go-to" bags. Super cute, casual and comfy, but yet very stylish and functional. I'm especially loving the gold hardware on bags these days. I personally own several JPK Paris bags and Longchamp bags. I often receive compliments on them-they are amazing!

From the top Left clockwise: Lime JPK Paris Bag-$125.00,

 Navy La Plates Tote-$150.00, Purple Marc by Marc Jacobs Tote-$178.00,

 Pink Longchamp Tote-$125.00

 SEEING STRIPES:  

These totes are great for a day of shopping or a day at the beach. The stripes give each bag a nautical feel which is obviously perfect for summer! I'm digging the Tory Burch tote, but the Mudpie tote and Target tote are both a steal of a deal... Check them out!

                            

From the top: Tory Burch Tote: $225.00 (available in more colors), 

Navy and Lime Kate Spade Tote: $ 295.00 (available in more colors), 

Blue and White Mudpie Tote with Bamboo Handles $ 29.00, 

Target Navy Blue and Tan thick striped tote $19.99

 (very similar to J.crew's version BUT half the price), 

Navy and Tan J.Crew tote $49.50 (Coral and Tan available also)

FABULOUS Little Finds...

As the weather warms, my need for summer accessories sizzles. Recently, on one of my days off I ventured over to the Woman's Exchange in Ladue. The store is always packed wall to wall with great home accessories, children's attire, and woman's clothing (although, usually $$-$$$). Upon entering, I spotted them...so ME, so PREPPY, and oh sooo PERFECT! I was pleasantly surprised to find these babies pictured below, neatly displayed in their jewelry section. Wow...was I a happy girl!!! Obviously, I splurged as my impulses took over :) BUT the bonus is the pieces are priced very fairly- ranging from approximately $22.00-$55.00. 

For those of you who can't make it over to the Woman's Exchange-check out your local Lilly Pulitzer store or fornash.com-where you will find all of the pieces featured here and much, much, more!