Adding Pizazz to the Patio

I am so ready for the spring and summer months... not so much the rain, but the sunshine and BBQS... which I suppose sounds a bit more like summer!  Currently, my patio looks very drab and quite sad... dead plants from the fall and no real color scheme.  A storm took out our umbrella so there are possibilities to change it up!  I do have some teal chairs from Target and teal cushions for the furniture so that must stay.

I went to Target and thought pairing the teal with black and white might look really sharp.  And, I think I'm going to go with simple green plants this year.  The kind that completely fill a pot... with succulents and perhaps a pot of white hydrangea.  Simple and clean.  The rest of the decor will be anything but.

Here is my inspiration board:

Umbrella, pillows, blanket, "It's Always Happy Hour Rug", string lights, and teal stackable chairs can be found at Target.

This year my goal is to spend less on plants and more on the actual investment of pieces.  My plants tend to die, so the lantern, outdoor rugs, and stools can be used year after year.

Now, don't get me wrong - I'd love to get an outdoor couch, but there isn't room for one, so what I have will have to do.  Maybe in another house we'll go crazy with an outdoor living space.  But for now, adding a little pizazz to the patio will suffice!

10 Days in Europe

This past summer I took a trip to Europe & I feel like when it comes to packing, it's always helpful to share what you brought and if it was enough or too much.  So, below is a list of what I brought and then some reflections....

The trip included visiting Budapest, Vienna, and Venice - when I checked the weather, it shows that it will remain in the 70's and it appears to be a bit rainy...

THE LIST

• Comfy Shoes (I'm bring black Tom's for walking & flip flops)
• Dressy Shoes (1 formal and 1 semi-formal)
• Sundresses 
• Swimsuit
• Swimsuit Cover-Up 
• Jeans (1 black, 1 blue)
• Leggings (1 black, 1 gray)
• Shorts (black flowy) 
• Faux Leather Jacket
• T-Shirts (3)
• Tanks (2)
• Evening Gown 
• Light, inexpensive jewelry (gold, silver, a black suede wrap necklace, & stud earrings)
• Cross body bag/evening bag for gown
• Pajamas (5 pairs) 
• Socks (2 because none of my shoes require, but by feet get cold)
• Undergarments (14 pairs of undies)
• Make-Up 
• Skincare 
• Travel Shampoo + Conditioner 
• Razor
• Body Wash 
• Tooth Brush + Tooth Paste 
• Wet Brush <-- best thing ever 
• Deodorant 
• Curling Wand
• Bobby Pins
• Elastic Bands
• Flat Iron
• Hair Dryer 
• Hat
• Sunglasses 
• An Umbrella 
• A Camera
• First-Aid Kit (includes band-aids, tweezers, anti-bacterial gel)
• Contacts Case + Solution / Glasses / Extra Contacts
• Any Medications 
• Ear Buds
• Eye Mask
• Neck Pillow
• Pen + Journal (I'll Instagram this, it's cute)
• Book
• Charger 
• Kleenex
• Gum
• Snacks

Essentials:

• Passport <-- Don't forget this, once my husband and I grabbed my unmarried one and it was a $1500 mistake.  That's not an exaggeration...
• Travel Documents 
• Driver's License 

I was actually able to fit everything listed in a carry on, with the exception of my makeup, dressy shoes, and evening gown.  I am sure there are a ton of Pinterest articles on it, but what I did was roll everything and then stacked the rolls of clothes on top of each other.  The nice thing about having almost everything in my carry on is that if the bag we check somehow gets lost in translation, I'll have *almost* everything with me.

My husband and I in Melk, Austria.

THE VERDICT
I actually wore everything that I packed.  I know that is pretty crazy.  I think the most important thing to keep in mind is SHOES.  Wear comfy shoes in Europe!  Also, bring extra converters.  Though that wasn't on my list, my husband brought his.  Lastly, the hair dryer... make sure the watts are okay for international use.  Mine... not so much!


I hope this post helps others when it comes to packing!

Re-imaging?

So, I love my little corner of the internet.  I've pretty much created everything myself and my photographer, Meri Valentin is amazing (Check her out here!).  For the graphics, even though I'm not a graphic designer, I like to think I have a good eye for what is aesthetically pleasing (at least in my mind).

My current images are about 2 years old, but I love them so much!  The blush pinks are so pretty and the dress I used is very whimsical.  However...  I do like to change it up from time to time and was thinking about what I could do differently here.  I don't know though...  is it time?!

I came across these images as a sources of inspiration...

I would definitely keep my color scheme, but I think the images would make great Facebook/Twitter banners, and I could update my head shots so they're a little more current... What do you think?  Any other ideas out there?

Holiday Wishes

It's so exciting to see that the make-up holiday gift sets are already out.  Below I have pictured three holiday make-up gifts that I hope to pick up and give (or receive!)....

Grande Hotel Cafe - $49

I am a sucker for cute packaging and holiday scents.  This has it all - three Christmas coffee eye make-up palettes in one set!  This could be given as a gift to one individual or can be broken a part into several gifts!

Everlasting Mini Liquid Lipstick Set - $49

When it comes to a matte lip, I do love the Kat Von D Everlasting Lipsticks.  They are long-wearing and moisturizing.  This gift pack has so many great minis- it makes me want to try them all!  This is another set that could be broken up into several gifts.

Burberry Festive 2016 Beauty Box - $35 

This gift I feel is just so glamorous!  I usually create my own gift boxes, but this is one that is so chic, I would gift this just as it is!  The only stipulation is not everyone feels comfortable wearing a holiday red lip, but I think it is the perfect time of year to try it!


Hope you found a set that inspires you -- more to come this November...

Stella & Dot Sylist?!

August-October is always a busy time for me, but I truly love it.  I thrive off of supporting my friends and colleagues, and find so much joy in problem-solving with them or simply engaging in conversation.  Supporting my colleagues so that they can be at their best is a huge part of my role and career.  When I'm not working up at school, you'll find me at home - playing with Ellie or spending time with my husband, Matt.  In between that, I'm doing laundry, helping with dishes, and writing papers for my course work... (side note: only 2 more years left!).  Notice I didn't mention cooking... My hubby has a special talent for that.  Okay, I'm rambling.

Besides maintaining a work-life balance, keeping my friendships is also a priority for me.  When I can, it's so nice to get my nails done, go shopping, or have lunch with the girls (and blog too!)  With the holidays around the corner, I decided it would be fun to host a HUGE shopping event at my house this year for all my friends... And, so many of friends provide access to amazing products (I'll write a blog post on that later).  So, for this event, I have everything from clothing for adults, kids, door decor, cleaning products, skin care, make-up, essential oils...   This is when it dawned on me - why not be a part of the event?

I've been toying with the idea of becoming an official Stella & Dot stylist for a while.  And, I genuinely adore the pieces created by the company (See a blog post here from a few years ago!).  As I contemplated this idea, there were a million reasons why I wanted to get involved with the company....  and, why not?  Fashion and creativity are a inherently a part of me; and Stella & Dot will allow me to connect with that.  So, I  decided to take the plunge and go for it!  You'll find that I will not be approaching friends to host a party; rather - I plan on keeping my online boutique open and if a friend wants to host a party (on his/her own accord) I will gladly oblige.

You can shop my boutique here: http://www.stelladot.com/sites/jewelsbyjen

One of my favorite pieces that I have purchased for myself and as a sample is the Embroidered Emme Necklace...

If you want to keep up my Stella activity, please feel free to follow my Facebook page here.  I'll post updates there - but I'll update here whenever there is a new collection.  

Thanks for your love and support!

Ecoflower

Sometimes I come to find that I have more in common with friends than what I thought... especially when it comes to taste in home decor.  So, this particular item of home decor is flowers.  Who doesn't love flowers?  They're pretty... they smell nice... but, then they die.  My friend Lynsey has this beautiful bouquet of flowers, and they don't ever die because they're made of recycled materials.  And, I personally think they're gorgeous!  She introduced me to a company called, "Ecoflower".  The cool thing about Ecoflower is that everything is made of 100% recycled materials and the flowers don't ever die.  The company was even featured on "Shark Tank!"  

After stalking the website for a couple of weeks, Lynsey shared a coupon code with me.  Naturally, I went shopping!  Tonight I ended up purchasing this beauty:

These flowers are made from wood pallet, book pages, as well as vintage jewelry.  They can also be customized to your choice of colors and vases - and come scented or unscented if you choose.  

How cool would it be to use these "forever" flowers in a wedding?!  Anyway, as I mentioned...  Lynsey shared that Ecoflower is always posting different coupons and things to their site - so be sure to use them!  Also, check them out on Instagram for their latest designs...  

And, I have to be honest, I'm kind of hoping I receive one of these bouquets for Valentines Day instead of typical flowers!  

Suede Jewelry

Lately, suede is everywhere...  First, I noticed it in skirts this spring... then dresses, and jewelry too.  I think suede jewelry is offers awesome texture to any look, and it doesn't have to cost a fortune.  I'll be honest though, I purchased a suede wrap necklace from a local boutique (Be Yourself) and love it... Of course, I could have definitely created it myself (just no time right now!).  I'm planning on creating a suede necklace (or two!) this summer from some suede and pedants I picked up from Michael's Craft Store (you can find this in the jewelry section).

Here are some necklaces that I discovered online that can be purchased or may offer you some inspiration as you create your own suede necklace(s)!

BP Suede Choker Bolo Necklace, $18

Cara Layered Suede Choker $38, $15

Faux Suede Bow Choker, $6.90

Mixed Pendant Layered Necklace, $8.90

I think that there is so much that can be done with suede.... tassels, seashells, mineral pendents, arrows, and feathers are all so popular that the possibilities are endless.

I hope you found this inspiring & let me know if you create any suede jewelry or find some great deals on suede jewelry!