It's that time of year and thoughts turn (ever so briefly) away from wedding planning to gift giving. Since everyone else is sharing, I thought I'd throw my two cents in as well. For giving or getting, these are some of my favorite pretties around.
Festive Bouquet Gigi Purse - $49
KIT Gloves in Chartruese - $35
Drapey Bow Earrings - $30
Plant Fiber Basket - $52
Loop Scarf - $80

This week we are offering free domestic shipping on our lacquered wooden box sets.
They make great gifts! After the box is empty, it can be refilled with more Kenzie Kate note cards or you can use it as a recipe box!

All manner of sparkly things, ON SALE!
Triangle Bracelet from Bethany Cocco - 25% off until Wednesday, December 1st.
Dulphine Sequin V-neck from J. Crew - 25% off
Tiny Scallop Sequined Headband from Jennifer Behr - 30% off until December 10th with code SPARKLE.
Kiss Kiss Pumps from Badgley Mischka - 20% off today at Piperlime with code LUCKY20.
Gold Coral Ring, also from Bethany Cocco - 25% off until Wednesday, December 1st.
Happy sparkling everyone!

Leaving you for the week with these adorable shoe clips from Ban.do whom you may know from posts such as this. Via Oh Joy!
Have a great weekend everyone! I'll be raking leaves, planting bulbs and celebrating this week's major milestone of having reached my -15 lb goal since I started WW in September. I am at this very moment wearing size 4 pants. They are a big 4 but the tag says 4, and I couldn't be happier about it. Just in time for Thanksgiving! Three cheers for a solid week of skinny jeans!

Wouldn't this make a stunning daytime reception dress? Spinning Lace Dress from Anthro. Adorably chic with a rosy little wrist corsage and some dainty white gloves.

Holiday party to attend? Holiday wedding to attend? Even better! These are my picks for the party season. If money were no object and I got my pick of the litter, I would invest in the Without Equal Dress, bottom left. If money were an object (which it usually is) I might go for the slightly less extravagant With Only A Wink Dress, top right. Both would look smashing with a red lip. First three from Modcloth, last one from Anthropologie.

In the past week (where I have been woefully absent), the following things have happened:
*We hosted 8 extra people at our house for a toddler filled weekend of fun.
*I made dinner for 12 on Saturday night.
*I had the flu.
*My husband had the flu.
*Niko had the flu.
*Niko had Croup (not recommended)
*Our beloved babysitter got a great job and is off for greener pastures.
*We had to track down new long term daycare for Niko.
SO. For this reason, I am posting about caramels, because this is about all I can wrap my brain around right now. To be fair, they do look exceptional. From Fusion Sweets. Taro Butter Caramel? Rose Orange Blossom Vanilla Butter Caramels? Come on! I'm not sure candy could melt away a bad week but this something else entirely!

Lulu's is my new first stop for guest-of-the-wedding dresses, not because these dresses are EXACTLY my style, but because I feel that they are blank enough slates that they could easily be bent to my will. The prices are great, somewhere between $40 and $80 per, which is exactly how much I want to be spending on a dress I plan to wear only a few times. AND I really love that there are so many to choose from. Check them out!

A great idea for bridesmaid's gifts from Olive Manna at Wedzu (a well curated, handmade-wedding centric marketplace). Five personalized journals for $125. Love the colors and patterns!

Myra Kim, at it again. The photos of her new collection are really stunning. I love this leafy piece with the 60's bangs that so many of us (including myself) are sporting these days.

A friend of mine registered for all her dishes at Anthropologie. Every time I visit her or the Anthro website I wonder why I didn't think of that... SUCH cool stuff.

You know how I love my beauty gurus and this one's a keeper! I've learned some really useful tips from watching some of makeup artist Lisa Eldridge's videos. She also has a wonderfully classic bridal tutorial you should check out if you're going to do your own makeup for your wedding day. Even if you know what you are doing these videos are inspiring.

This summer I was all excited about this interview, but couldn't tell you guys about it. Now it's out and I can finally spill the beans! I went to New York for the day and did a photoshoot and an interview with New York Magazine for their Fall/Winter Weddings edition. I was chosen to be their stationery expert for this edition. So exciting! I am really happy with the end result, especially since both the writer and the photographer did a fantastic job conveying the relaxed yet professional spirit at Kenzie Kate (and my purple dress looks sassy in print!) This totally made my week.

Are hats back? I don't know. I do know that these pictures are blowing my mind. Hats? Anyone? From Topsy Turvy Designs.

This past weekend I went to a lovely wedding in Brooklyn at Steiner Studios. They film TV shows and movies there during the week, and have huge spaces to rent out for parties on the weekends. The venue was pretty great, with a more than 180 degree view of the Manhattan skyline as seen thru the slightly gritty veil of the Brooklyn Navy Yards. The space was almost all windows and the sunset was spectacular. Follow that up with random fireworks over the Brooklyn Bridge and you have yourself a show! I wore the ensemble above with fishnets, a black hair bow and a pair of pearl studs. The dress was from ModCloth, (I had it altered slightly, because the fit was too boxy for me). The shoes were from Charlotte Russe and were perfectly perfect for the price.
This weekend is my wedding anniversary and I am going out for a fancy dinner with the hubs here, so excited to try this place in Providence. I can't believe we've been married six years and we have a one year old son! It's like we're grown-ups or something!

Placecards shaped like animals from JonNi. The horses are my favorite, because they appear to be galloping when you look at it from an angle. There's also peacocks, french bulldogs, butterflies, elephants and a menagerie of other creatures.

Inspired by county fairs, swiss dot, seersucker, peaches and long afternoons on the porch, "The Marietta" is the newest addition to Kenzie Kate's collection. Contact me if you're interested, it's not up on the site yet. About $1875 for 100 sets (everything pictured is included).

Found this, here. Love it.

Fancy affair or garden picnic? Either way, there's ruffles coming and going! Both from BCBG, both pretty reasonably priced. No one likes a shocking price tag on a Monday, especially me.

Some cosmetic things I am really loving lately, all tested and approved!

Pixi's Nude Shade Wardrobe: Such a great combination of colors! They're all so very natural and soft. Everything you need for the "natural with definition" look is in this palette. I've used this every day since I got it. 'Nuff said!

Illamasqua Nail Varnish: This UK company really excels at gorgeous, unique colors. So glad this brand is finally available here. Check out "Alarm" and "Muse", my two favorites.

Korres Eyeliners: $32 gets you 10 eyeliners that retail separately for $16 each. They're creamy and go on very smooth. Easily the deal of the week!

Feeling cozy on a cool, sunny day. These sweaters strike the perfect note. From Sweet Knitting.

So pretty! I love these so much. The tiny diamond in the bottom left corner is my favorite, such a great idea for an engagement ring! From Scosha NYC.

Drool worthy hair accessories and photos over at Flo & Percy! Check out their Bohemia line. Amazing!

I'm so excited to announce the newest addition to the Kenzie Kate collection! Our bran' spankin' new Correspondence Sets! We've custom made these amazing limited edition wooden boxes and filled them with all our favorite note cards and a rainbow of envelopes. There's a total of 50 notecards and 50 envelopes in there! The ultimate desk accessory, if you will...
I'm so proud of this set, it's truly something I would love to give and (especially) GET as a gift. I couldn't be more excited to show it to you guys! I really hope you like it! You can check them out more closely here.

My kind of something blue! Love the little bows on the toes. Shoe clips from shop No. 114.

What to wear to a fall wedding? The ceremony is outside during the day, the reception is inside in the evening. I think a fancy cardigan might be in order! I picked these combos out, but there are so many to choose from. Mod Cloth, Anthropologie, and J. Crew are all great places to start.

Terrace House Jacket with Fashion Ink Dress
Waffle Weave Dress with Arlyn Cardigan
Million Dollar Smile Dress with Ciel étoilé Cardigan
Asymmetrical Trim Cardigan with Windy City Dress

I like the way The English Dept. deals with ruffles, understated and still very feminine.

Stay dry today all you fellow East Coasters! Batten down the hatches and hang to the riggin'!

J. Crew's new fall bridal lookbook is up on their website. Love the gowns, love, love, love... they are all a little quirky and adorably sweet. I'm not as enamoured with the hair, but they're not selling hair now are they? I suppose they get a pass.

This is more of a Friday afternoon type post than a Monday one, but I've got parties on the mind! Niko's first birthday is coming up on the 18th of September and we're going to have a little get-together outside on our new deck. How better to celebrate than with a cocktail? Kidding! But not really! There will be cake and balloons and all sorts of fun kid stuff, but among all those other things I thought I'd whip up a delicious cocktail for the grownups, something smacking of the coming fall, but still refreshing. What to mix, what to mix...? My search brought me to this delightful recipe from Dale Degroff (via kitchn), from what I read of the comments, the sum in greater than it's parts:

Whiskey Peach Smash
makes one drink

1/2 peach, cut into thick slices
3 or 4 fresh mint leaves
1 lemon wedge
1 ounce water
1/2 ounce simple syrup
2 ounces whiskey (Degroff suggests Canadian whiskey, but bourbon also works well)
1 sprig mint
1 thin peach slice for garnish

Muddle all ingredients except whiskey in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and whiskey. Shake and strain into an ice-filled old fashioned glass and garnish with a peach slice and a sprig of mint.

Just a smattering of my favorite lanterns for sale at Jamali Home and Garden. They have the absolute best selection (and great prices) for everything from the most random decor stuff (a bag of oak leaves?) to lighting and garden pots.

White Owl makes these gorgeous passementerie necklaces, among other things. I love the look of the gray, so chic!

I have been feeling just a slight chill in the air in the evenings lately, and it's made me excited for the coming fall, my absolute favorite season of them all!
What better for fall than perfect skin, a defined brow, gorgeous lips and a fan of incredible lashes? Don't we all wish?!

Make Up For Ever's Smoky Lash Mascara - I have really skimpy lashes and I have been secretly (secrets out!) been dying to try Latisse, the new prescription balm for longer eyelashes, but am (not so secretly) too chicken for no particular reason. So instead I've been addicted to this mascara which seems to create the appearance of more lashes rather than thicker lashes. Not sure how it works, but my lashes seem to look very natural, just darker and more numberous. Nothing worse than clumpy lashes! I absolutely hate it when mine stick together. It's going to be a bit of a MUFE love fest this post - so hang in there.

Make Up For Ever's High Definition Invisible Foundation - This is so good! The finish is fairly matte, but not at all dry looking. It's really true to it's name in that it's imperceptable when you have it on, both in person and on camera (something I think we are all searching for). The coverage is good, I'd say medium to high. Overall, this is my new favorite foundation - highly recommend trying this one out.

Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick - (the satin finish was my personal favorite). These are really not like any other lipstick I've tried. They're incredibly pigmented and they stay on like crazy, perfect if you'd rather not be reapplying your lipstick all the time. You need so little to create a really nice looking, lasting lip. I really love the intensity of color these offer - #33 was my favorite - but I was looking for a very 80's pink - so that one might not be for everyone.

POREfessional from Benefit - This reminds me a lot of a much more expensive primer, and it lives up to it's name. I have larger pores on my cheeks close to my nose, and this really helps the make up float over top rather than sink into my pores. Very nice. Love this.

Anastasia Brow Duo - This is a brand I've never tried before but their brow duo is a new part of my everyday makeup - it's so natural and soft looking.

Thanks for hanging in there, I'd love it if you'd share your favorites for fall, and I'm sure our fall bride's would appreciate it as well!

Oooooo. Succulents! Sold in collections of 100, 18 or 6, these are perfect for favors or centerpieces! From Succulents Galore.

Seeing's how it's Tuesday morning, I thought it apropos to post about this little shop, Tuesday Mourning. Illustrator Merrilee will do a custom portrait of you, our you and your sweetie, or say... of your two best friends on the occasion of their wedding! What an adorable engagement present! I love her style so much. I have illustrator envy.

Do I detect something of a trend? Bow necklaces seem to be every which way I turn lately! Here are a few of my favorites. From top to bottom, left to right:

1.. Anthropologie, Bauble Bow Necklace, $38
2.. Anthropologie, Tuxedo Accoutrement Necklace, $138
3.. Anthropologie, River Bow Necklace, $38
4.. Diament Designs, Gold Bow Necklace, $40
5.. Betsey Johnson, First Date Bow, $35
6.. Marc by Marc Jacobs, Long Bow Necklace, $160

I tend to shy away from the conventional, so it comes as no surprise that these brightly colored birdcages sing to me. I love the classic shapes and the color adds just the creative touch I crave. From Wedding Aisle.

Adorable! I love this idea, especially if you have no need for more mirrors in your house, (like me) but love old ornate frames. These would also make a great welcome sign or menu board for a reception or even a beautiful canvas for someone who is handy with a bit of chalk. Love it. From Revived Vintage, and very reasonably priced!

I guess it's just a wedding ring sort of week! Sarah Hood was a featured seller this morning on Etsy and I couldn't resist! I love the natural, casual quality these rings have. Everything from women's engagement rings to men's wedding bands have the same high quality/low glitz feel to them. She also has some beautiful non-wedding rings, you know... just for fun.

Love these! I looked for something similar for a long time when I was in the market for a wedding band. I hope you like! From Nurit Design, all the way from Isreal.

Fantastic favor idea from All Jarred Up - single serving pies in a jar! YUM!
Have a great weekend everyone!

Orchid drop earrings, from Ilexia Designs. Perfect gifts for the girls... or you!

Posts! They're the new chandeliers. Just in time, as Niko has just learned to grab for my earrings and PULLLL to get a funny reaction from mommy.
All from Anthropologie. The owl heads are precious, but I think the trefoil posts are my fav.

So (as you may have guessed), it turns out that I am not allowed to share my news. Suffice to say that I was very busy last week traveling for some exciting press coming out on Kenzie Kate this fall. I know, that was such a tease. You'll be the first to know when it hits the news stands.
In the mean time, please allow me to make it up to you with some Monday morning eye candy, perfect little treats to beat these summer heats.
Peruvian Chocolate Caramellows
Nutty French Nougat
Vanilla Fleur de Sel Caramels
and Assorted Macarons