Can you believe that Valentine’s Day is just a little over two weeks away?! With or without a sweetheart, it’s about love for each other, and I can always get behind that.

My favorite ways to spend this day are typically simple. A nice meal, spending time in nature, or a lovely evening out on the town, whatever feels special for my husband and myself. I think a lot of us expect the day to look a certain way and that can be a letdown. I suggest you let your significant other in on your ideas, don’t expect him or her to know what you want or how you want to spend the day. It’s not fair to you or them.

I always love to drop hints for my husband about what I’m currently obsessing over. If he is going to buy me something or spend a bunch of time planning an evening, I know he wants to feel confident that he is going in the right direction. Of course, no matter what he does, I will love it because it's from the heart, but guys tend to go through a lot of stress to make the perfect plans, so why don’t we help them out a little.  

I also get ideas from him about what he wants. I want him to feel as special as he makes me feel, because everyone deserves to feel the love on Valentine’s Day.

PS. If jewelry is on your list this Valentine’s Day check out a few of my favorite pieces. Pass this along to the guys in your life that might need a little help, I’m sure they will thank you.

I read an article that said this week is the week most people fall off the resolution bandwagon, meaning they start slacking on the commitments from January 1^st.  In fact, studies show that more than 30% of people quit working towards the goals they made at the new year just two weeks after they made them.

I have included some of my favorite quotes that I hope can serve as motivation when you're feeling weak. I love to be inspired by words and beautiful images. My intention is that you share them as well. We all need a lift, or a kick in the butt, sometimes. 

Til next week,

Ahh January, the month for goal setting and radical changes. This month can be a tricky one for our confidence, because we make big lofty goals and sometimes we don’t follow through. I have been talking to some of my girlfriends and a lot of them are talking about up-leveling their career goals and really going for it in 2017. This makes me so happy, and I want to offer some of my personal advice around this topic.

But this won’t be advice about how to negotiate a better salary or different title. Today I want to talk about how we present ourselves in the office. I have always been a huge believer in dressing for the job you want not the job you have. If you want to be taken seriously, then show up for work like that.

I take a lot of pride in my appearance, I don’t think it’s superficial. Taking the time and energy to look and feel our best will pay off large dividends for our confidence, and don’t we all want to have more of that.

This doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment or cost a lot of money. I am talking about laying out your clothes beforehand, making sure they’re pressed and clean. When in a pinch I love to use my hair dryer to knock out any little creases. I also believe that lipstick is the ultimate upgrade. You will look immediately polished and professional in a shade that fits your coloring and style. It’s just about going that extra mile to show yourself and your boss you’re ready for the next step. You can do this.

All my best, 

My Favorites

Keep your morning rituals. Morning is the best time to take a few moments, and set yourself up for the whole day. I find that if I just take 5-20 minutes in my room before I head out to greet my family or friends, I feel so much better. I will spend this time doing any of the following: stretches, yoga, mediating or listening to soft calming music that inspires me. This has become my favorite part of any day. (Side note: I don’t always have room to bring my yoga mat in my luggage so I will use a bath towel instead, works like a charm.)

Now, I know a thing or two about women and their jewelry. I know that we're particular about what we like and receiving jewelry that doesn’t truly fit our style is always a bummer. I have so many of my clients ask me what piece of jewelry they should buy for their mother, sister, best friends, aunt, etc. and I have come up with an easy way to make gift giving easier for the ladies in your life.

It should be no surprise to you but the statement earring is huge this year. I have always loved gifting earrings because they fit everyone...perfectly. But even jewelry can be a miss sometimes if you don’t get the right style for the right person. Here is a little guide I created based on the style of that lovely lady you are shopping for.

Ask yourself, is she Minimal, Bohemian, Classic or Trendy?

Once you can answer this question look below and check out some great options I put together for you. Making the holidays easy and stress-free is what I'm all about these days.

Happy Shopping,

The Minimal

The Classic

The Bohemian  

The Trendy

As you know I’m in the middle of a renovation and my home is a bit of a construction zone, but that won’t stop me from decorating for the holidays. This time of year is one of my favorites because the simple beauty of nature shines the brightest right now.

I want to share my favorite (and easy) tips for holiday decorating to show you that it doesn’t have to cost a fortune or take a ton of time to make your house feel festive.

 The first tip isn’t necessarily a decoration but more of a sensory experience and that’s music. I love dedicating one genre to a specific day of the week throughout the year. During the holidays I tend to get tired of holiday music because I play it so much, I combat that by only playing holiday music on the weekends or only at night or in the morning, etc. I also love to go even more specific and create playlists for classic holiday music, these older songs really remind me another time and place when life was simpler.

Second tip is to bring the outdoors in. Go outside and start gathering anything you see, nuts, acorns, pinecones, leaves, etc. The trick is to get a bunch of the same thing and place it in a big bowl, vase or unique container to showcase the volume. You can do this with produce at the grocery store as well, like cranberries or red and green apples.

And finally, don’t forget about the bathroom. Bathrooms get neglected during the holidays and it’s important to put a little attention there. I love to add small tea candles and/or small glasses with a flower or two. I know that when I visit and someone as put fresh flowers and good smelling candles in the bathroom, I feel special.

I hope some of these ideas help you get in the holiday spirit without feeling overwhelmed, because if I have one over-all tip for you it’s to enjoy the moment. The memories we make with friends and family will last forever and the holiday decorations will be put away in January.

Happy Holidays!

First off, let me wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you're enjoying it with friends and family and a full belly, I am! 

Now, on to this week's topic, Black Friday. Many people love it, while others think it’s ruining Thanksgiving. I wanted to share my opinion, because Black Friday has been helping keep my holidays stress-free for years.

First off, I agree that leaving family dinners early or putting shopping ahead of spending time with loved ones, isn’t cool. It’s important to set priorities. Family First. 

Now, it’s important that you do your “Black Friday” homework so you know when and where you are going to get your best deals. I write down everyone on my list I need gifts for and set a budget for each. Once I know who I need presents for, I can get to work and see which stores and brands are offering the best deals.

I love online shopping and so much of Black Friday’s deals are online, which is making this even easier. I really focus on getting everyone done this weekend. If I devote this one weekend to holiday shopping I can really enjoy the holidays. It gives me the whole month of December to be present with my friends and family, and who doesn’t want that?!

Here’s to getting it done and enjoying the holiday season,