Glitz & Glam New Year's Outfits

New Year's is one of the most exciting holidays. You feel like you have a fresh start and that anything is possible. You jot down your resolutions, make a pact to yourself to cross some things off your bucket list, and proclaim to the world that by God, this WILL be YOUR YEAR.

Of course, we all know that by March most of our resolutions are in the dust, even the thought of skydiving gives you extreme anxiety, and you now only have 8 months to make this the greatest year of your life.

Oh well, at least you can make New Year's Eve one heck of a party. And since it is indeed a party, you better dress like it.

I like to bring out my inner Gatsby, so you best believe I am a full advocate of dressing in sequins from head to toe. Here are my top NYE outfit ideas that are sure to have you sparkling.

Oh my heart, how I love sequin dresses. Funny enough, each of these dresses you can find on Daily Chic (well played, ladies, well played). I own the first dress on the left, and wore it last year. I can't even tell you how many compliments I got! I felt like a movie star in that dress (and isn't that what a great dress should make you feel like?).



If you want to forgo the dress route, rompers, leggings and skirts are the perfect alternative. This gold romper and skirt are also from Daily Chic (this boutique is seriously killing it) and those fabulous leggings are from Gianni Bini, which can be found at Dillards!

Don't feel like you can only dress up in sequins for New Year's though and can only wear these items once either! Why not for your birthday, date night, or a girl's night? Shouldn't we always dress up in gorgeously impractical things like sequins, glitter, tulle, and lace? My answer is YES!

As Lilly Pulitzer said,
LIFE is a party. Dress like it.

Keep Celebrating!

Another Tender Tennessee Christmas

One of the many reasons why I love living in Nashville is because there's always something to do and Christmas time is no exception. Whether you want to window shop down Historic downtown Franklin with a coffee in your hand, or get dressed up and go to a Christmas show, Nashville has got you covered. 

Here are my top ten things to do in Nashville and Downtown Franklin during Christmas:

Nashville:

Opryland Hotel- I guess if you're not from here, or have never been to Nashville, you're probably confused on why I said you should visit a hotel for Christmas. Three words: 2 million Christmas lights. Whether your inside or outside, you'll see lights everywhere you turn. And too add on to your Christmas cheer, its free and open to the public! To learn what else the Opryland Hotel has to offer, click here.

ICE! At Opryland-Want to enjoy something a little out of the box? Go to ICE! at Gaylord Opryland where you can hundred pounds of ice carved into intricate figurines. This year's theme is 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and to say that it is anything short of magical is an understatement. To learn more, click here. 

Photo from The Marriott

The Nashville Ballet’s “The Nutcracker”- If you feel like getting dressed up and enjoying a classic, go see "The Nutcracker" performed by the Nashville ballet. It will definitely leave you with sugar plums dancing around your head. For more information, click here. 

Photo from the Nashville Ballet

Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art- No matter the season, Cheekwood always feels like you've entered into some sort of magical Wonderland to explore. Winter seems like an odd time to visit a botanical garden since all the flowers have faded, but during Christmas you can visit live reindeer, Santa's workshop, or take a wreath or gingerbread house decorating class. There honestly is something for everyone to enjoy at Cheekwood. To find out more, click here.

Radio City Rockettes- Making it's home in Nashville for 13 years as America's #1 holiday show, their performance is, well, spectacular. If you've always wanted to go, be sure to attend this year since its the final year they'll be in Nashville! Buy your tickets and learn more, here.

Dancing Lights of Christmas at Jellystone Park- A favorite hobby for most families around Christmas time is driving around and looking at Christmas lights. One of the hardest parts about looking at Christmas lights is trying to figure out which neighborhoods or houses to go to. Jellystone came up with a solution to this problem with their two mile dancing Christmas light display, which lasts from November 7- January 4. You can even get a $5 discount on Mondays and Tuesdays! If you would like to know more and where the park is located, click here. 

Photo from Nashville Fun for Families

Ice Skating- I personally love to ice skate year round. This may be because I took figure skating lessons when I was younger and have just always enjoyed the sport, but Christmas and winter time have me itching to tie up my skates even more. If you're in Nashville, the  Centennial Sportsplex is probably where you'll end up going (its also home of the Nashville Predators practice rink!). To learn more about the cost ad public skating sessions, click here.

Franklin:

Downtown Franklin Theatre- Probably one of my favorite things to do is grab a cup of coffee and window shop in downtown Franklin. And what better way to end a day of window shopping then by getting dinner at one of the delicious local restaurants and going to the historic theatre to watch some old Christmas classics like A Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas, or It's a Wonderful Life? To see the theatre's full schedule click here. 

Photo from Southern Living

Dickens of a Christmas-Coming this weekend (December 13-14), enjoy running into Ebenezer Scrooge, little Tiny Tim Cratchit, and other beloved characters from this classic tale! Also be sure to check out the carolers, arts and craft vendors, or take a horse drawn carriage around the square for $2 a person. ! No need to yell "bah, humbug!" over the cost either because its free and open to the public! Want to learn more? Click here. 

Photo from Elm Street Life

Of course, there are a few more things that I could add to this list, like Christmas Village, which happened earlier this month, and not to mention the historic homes that are all over Nashville and Franklin that are decorated to fit the time period they were built (Like the Belle Meade Plantation and Carter house). Needless to say, Nashville is so much more than country music. It's made up of history and entertainers, tradition and art, good food and, of course, fun!

Keep Celebrating!

Emily M.'s Christmas Movie Checklist

I already know what I'm going to be doing for the rest of this month, and it involves a lot of movie watching.

I was originally going to give my top 25 Christmas movies, but soon realized that was an almost impossible task considering that my list seems to change by the day, so being the OCD (Obsessive Christmas Disorder) person that I am, I broke them into categories.

And what helps cross some of these movies off your list faster than ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas?! I've attached their full schedule here.



And no Christmas movie marathon is complete without hot chocolate and snacks! One of my new favorite Christmas snacks is a twist (peppermint twist that is) on classic puppy chow. I got the idea from Sally's Baking Addiction and tweaked it just a tad.

Peppermint Puppy Chow

Ingredients:

5 cups Rice Chex cereal

10 ounces melting white chocolate or vanilla flavored Almond Bark (I used Almond Bark)

1/2 teaspoon Peppermint extract

1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips

1 cup crushed candy canes

1 cup (or more) confectioners' (powdered) sugar

Directions:

Pour 5 cups of Chex Cereal into a large bowl. Melt white chocolate/Almond Bark according to the package directions. When melted stir in peppermint extract and pour over cereal, stirring and folding until the cereal is completed covered. Fold in Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips (they will melt and make your cereal look pink or swirled). Then fold in crushed candy canes.

In a large zipped top bag or covered container, add the powdered sugar. Pour the chocolate covered cereal/candy canes into the large bag or container. Seal the bag or container and shake until all the cereal is coated with the powdered mixture.

Discard excess powder. Store at room temperature up to 2 weeks, if it lasts that long!

So bake some cookies and make some snacks, and get all your friends or family together on the couch to watch a good movie or two! Did your favorite Christmas movie make my list? And do you have a favorite holiday snack or recipe that I need to try? I'd love to hear it!

Keep Celebrating!

Christmas Card Cheer

I know that Buddy the Elf would say, "the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!", but I would have to disagree with him (*gasp*) because:

1. If I was to sing as loud as I could for all to hear, the only people that would be cheerful about it would be the ear plug companies.

2.  You'd probably get pretty hoarse after awhile, and I'm pretty sure if everyone was going to be singing around each other we'd all be sharing the flu...or ebola.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas music and Christmas carolers, but one of my favorite ways to spread Christmas cheer is by sending out Christmas cards (shocker right? the girl that loves all things paper likes sending out Christmas cards).

 I love every aspect to sending out Christmas cards. Picking out the cards, the stamps, addressing them all, and of course, adding a little bit of sparkle to each one. It's just a small labor of love that I really enjoy doing. I also believe that it is one of the most personal and thoughtful things we can do that only takes a few minutes of our time.

A few companies that I like to card shop on are Rifle Paper & Co., Sugar Paper., and Kate Spade. They run a little pricey, so if you find you Christmas card list becoming longer and longer Target (obviously) has some adorable ones! 

When it came to sending out invitations to a little Christmas get together I'm having for the girls I've been in a Bible Study group with since Middle School, I went digital. Yes, in some circumstances I think its ok to send a card or invitation via the web. When do I think it's ok? Well for starters, it depends on the event. If its casual and short notice, I say go for it. Plus, I had to check with the girls to see which date worked best for all of us since a lot of people will be going out of town, so everyone had already marked the date on their calendar. 

My favorite site to use in these instances is the Paperless Post. They have tons of options, and a majority of them are free to send! 

If you're still going the snail mail route, I've given you a few tips on how I address my envelopes here, but a new found love of mine are the Sharpie Oil Based Paint Pens. These pens trump every paint pen I've ever owned. They come in a multiple colors and in metallics, AND you can buy them at a fine and extra fine point. Sold! I've also converted to using Scotch Expressions Metallic Tape to seal the envelopes, because they stick much better to paper than washi tape.

Oh, and I definitely got the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer stamps at the post office (Don't judge. It's the movie's 50th anniversary this year! and you can't tell me that you don't think he's cute)

Keep an eye out, because a little Christmas cheer is coming to a mailbox near you!

Keep Celebrating!

Dressing for Thanksgiving (and not the food kind)

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching (Where does the time go? Seriously? It'll be Christmas than NYE in a blink of an eye), I thought of a few outfit ideas that would be Thanksgiving day and family photo appropriate. Whether your family gets dressed up, or you prefer to dress comfortably so you can quickly descend into food coma (Congratulations! It's a food baby!) I think I've got you covered!

The first look is for those of you that want to wear a dress, but still be cozy and comfortable! A sweater dress is the perfect solution. I took inspiration from Caitlin Coving of Southern Curls and Pearls blog on this combination because I just love it so much!

You can find her sweater dress here. She's wearing red Hunter boots, but you can also purchase them in a variety of colors! I've heard mixed things about these boots. Either people love them or they say that you always need to clean them, so if you are interested in investing in these willies I'd do some research first. Her scarf is from Sole Society and the earrings are Aztec Drops from Bauble Bar. And I threw in the Gigi New York clutch because it's currently on my wish list hehe. 

The second look is for the girl who likes to keep up with all of the latest trends. Class up some pleather leggings with a large camel sweater, leopard heels and a faux fur scarf. This girl will certainly be turning some heads at the dinner table. Of course I included my favorite double back 360 pearl earrings and another item from my lust list was added with the Kendra Scott Naomi Double Ring.

My third look is for the classy and preppy girl. Mixing patterns and colors are a few of her favorite things and what better than gingham and green? You can find the blouse here and the green skirt (I want one in every color!) here. Throw on a great statement necklace to your outfit and you're ready to throw a pie in the oven.

The last look is for the casual Thanksgiving with close family. With it turning into snowvember, throw on some bean boots and head outside to play with your cousins in the snow. Pair with some comfy jeans, cute sweater and vest and you're ready to tackle on the weather!

What are you planning on wearing this Thanksgiving? Do you have a favorite look? I'd love to hear it friends!

Keep Celebrating!

Mini Pumpkin Pies, Oh My!

I'm getting my oven mitts ready and my oven turned on, because Thanksgiving is upon us!!! And although it isn't exactly time for me to be exchanging my laptop for a stove top, there are some recipes I've been itching to try this season, like these mini pumpkin pies!

I keep seeing them pop up all over Pinterest, and each time I have to just stop and  admire how cute they are (I'd also say I'm analyzing on how I could make some of my own!). I make the pumpkin pie for my family every year at Thanksgiving, so I'm not really doubting my pumpkin pie culinary skills (as long as I don't burn the little things, I'd say I'm doing alright)

(photo from Home is Where the Boat Is)

I'll probably just use the recipe that's on the back of the Libby's Pumpkin can for pumpkin pie filling and then follow the cooking directions from 'Home is Where the Boat Is' blog. I really hope these turn out! Just have to go on a quest for little cookie cutters now...

Are their any recipes you're wanting to try this Thanksgiving? (or have you tried to make these little pies? If so, I need all the advice I can get!)

Keep Celebrating!

Oh Goodie, Goodie!

I'm pretty sure that one of my love languages is gift giving.

Not only because it's a nice way to show someone that you're thinking of them, but it's also fun to think of gift ideas and pretty packaging (y'all know my love for paper and presentation!). Although most people associate gift giving with Christmas, I also think that Thanksgiving is an opportune time to show people that you are thankful for them and that you appreciate them.

And in my eyes, what better way to show this than by food.

Bake a loaf of pumpkin bread or banana bread! Its super easy to make, and will last quite awhile. I made pumpkin bread for my good friend Mary, and she said that she ate it for breakfast for a few days! As far as gift wrapping a loaf of bread goes, I bout the bread gift bags at Wal-Mart (they'll be located with the extravagant cake decorating supplies, usually close to the craft aisle and wedding aisle), which included the ribbon. I got the free 'Thankful for Sweet Friends Like You!' tag from Lil' Luna {all things good} blog, and wrapped it with white and gold twine that I found at Target.

If you don't quite feel like making bread, or feel like your on a time crunch, there is always that wonderful thing called Nestle Tollhouse Cookie dough. Buy them precut, slap them on a cookie sheet and throw them in the oven for about 10 minutes and voila, you're a domestic goddess.

Obviously, you still want to make it look like you put a lot of time into this gift. Presentation time! I like to find pretty little gift bags and tags to snaz it up a bit.

I found these mint and gold bags from the Oh Joy! collection at Target (I'm obsessed with her stuff and was tempted to buy everything in her little corner of Target!), I also picked up these gold glittered clothe pins from their craft aisle as well. I printed out these pretty little tags from She Wears Many Hats blog, and added a pop of color to them by painting over them with pink watercolor paint.

I hope my friends love how they turned out as much as I do!

Keep Celebrating!

Pumpkin Scones

I really, really, REALLY try to take one holiday at a time, and as hard as it is not to jump right into Christmas mode after Halloween, I don't want to skip over Thanksgiving and the last bit of fall we have left to enjoy either.

So, I am still lighting my pumpkin scented candles, ordering Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and baking everything pumpkin related.

 The most recent pumpkin recipe I've tried was a Starbucks Copy Cat recipe for Pumpkin Scones. If you want to make some of your own, I found the recipe from Cooking Classy with a Sprinkle of Fancy's blog! It was my first time to ever make scones and they turned out pretty good (especially paired with coffee filled with pumpkin spice creamer!). 

If you like that metallic arrow tattoo I'm wearing in the photo, you can buy them from Christen Strang's shop! (I love my girl bosses!) 

I hope you enjoy the last bit of fall we have left! Any pumpkin recipes that you've stumbled upon that makes your stomach happy? I'd love to hear them!

Keep Celebrating!

Classy in the Cubicle: Halloween Work Attire

Just because I’m an “adult,” (I use the term adult loosely since I still constantly ask my mom how to file my taxes and if anything ever  goes wrong with my car, my motto is “keep calm and call dad”) doesn’t mean I can’t get dressed up for Halloween, even if I do have to go to work.

I know what you’re thinking, how can you show up to work in a costume and it still be remotely professional?

I’ll tell you and give you a few ideas on how to remain classy in the cubicle, while still remaining festive.

Here’s the trick.

Wear what you would usually wear to work! Pencil skirts, dresses, and blouses are all perfect bases for any classy Halloween costume. All you need to do is jazz them up a bit with some colorful tights, nail polish, and some ears or a hat that you can pick up just about anywhere this time of year!

I wouldn’t go as far as face paint or dramatic make up, but if you need to meet with a client or have a meeting that day, you can easily take off your ears or hat and continue your day like any other (just make sure to pack a hairbrush to tame any flyaway hairs). 

Depending on your work place, you can determine what outfits you think are appropriate or not. Since Halloween has landed on a Friday this year, I know many work places that tend to be more lenient on dress codes (blue jean Friday anyone?) so have fun and be creative with your costume, and most importantly, don’t forget to bring in some sweet treats for your coworkers tomorrow!

What are you planning on wearing tomorrow? Emily C. and I would love to hear it! Comment below :)

Keep Celebrating,

Pumpkin Seed Recipe

Between work, going to my little sister’s soccer games this weekend, and doing piles upon piles of laundry, I was finally able to carve my pumpkin last night! (if you want to see how my pumpkin turned out, follow me on Instagram!)

One of the hardest (not to mention messiest things) about carving a pumpkin is getting all the seeds out. It’s slimy, cold, and there is a ton of it. What are else are you supposed to do with this goop than throw it away?

Stop what you are doing right now!

You are about to throw away perfectly good pumpkin seeds!

Pumpkin seeds are a good source of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. They contain Vitamin E, Vitamin K, copper, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium, along with some other great health benefits (basically this is one Halloween snack you won’t feel guilty indulging on!)

A new tradition I started with my family two years ago was flavoring and toasting the seeds. There are several different recipes you can find online, or you can even experiment with a few of your own favorite seasonings!

Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
1 egg white
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grained sea salt
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the egg white, sugar, cayenne and salt. Add the pumpkin seeds and toss well. Drain off any excess egg white (using a strainer) and place seeds in a single layer across a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until seeds are golden. Sprinkle with a bit more sugar and cayenne pepper when they come out of the oven. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Makes one cup.

If you want something sweet, you can try this sugar and spice recipe, or if you prefer something salty you can try one of these! My favorite are sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds. I found the recipe here.

If you’re having a pumpkin carving party, toasting everyone’s pumpkin seeds in your favorite seasonings and putting them in little bags for everyone to take home at the end of the night is a great (and cheap!) party favor!


 I hope you enjoy this healthy treat as much as I do!

Keep Celebrating!

A Wicked Good Halloween Playlist

Don’t you just love the holidays? It gives you something to look forward to, an excuse to get dressed up and buy a new outfit, cook some of your favorite foods, spend ample amounts of time with your friends and family, and of course, some much needed days off of school and work.

What better way to get in the holiday spirit than by an awesome playlist? (yes, I am that girl that will have Christmas music playing non-stop the day after Thanksgiving)

I compiled a few of my favorite Halloween type songs that you can howl along to! So grab your ghouls and witches for a fright of a night, because no matter what your genre of choice is, I think I got owl of you covered. Muahahahaha!

Keep Celebrating!