Site to Love: Fame & Partners

One of this year's holiday parties called for black tie and I have been wanting to try the site Fame & Partners for awhile. It is semi custom formal wear with tons of fun, modern styles. Even though it is winter, I spotted this pink gown and loved it's simplicity and perfect pink hue. 

            

I got it in the recommended color and did not make any changes to the design, but most of the dresses can be made in a variety of colors and tailored to change the design to fit you best. I was totally surprised at the quality given the price tag and will absolutely use them again. Would make a great resource for bridesmaids dresses, too. They also have a pretty impressive amount of two piece options for any size. 

                       

I was obsessed with my earrings by Elizabeth Cole that I found 60% off on the Outnet. And I never wear anything by studs. Not pictured is the black and white plaid clutch I used since there was a plaid theme. Loved that it was a modern take. 

And shout out to Rachel for my make up. If you are ever looking for a make up artist in Chicago or the suburbs, she is the best. 

                            

Matt will hate that I posted this, but he looked so handsome in his green jacket. Such a fun night for a great cause. 

Fame and Partners has a buy one dress, get the second half off right now. So if you need anything for New Years Eve, weddings, or upcoming trips, now is a great time. Easy returns too! 

xo

Erin 

PS: This is a totally unsponsored post! I really just loved my dress so much. 

PSS: None of my posts are ever sponsored and all content is my own, if I have not made that clear before! My only link to retailers is a small commission should you ever purchase anything. And there is no influence on what shops I use, just what I truly like. xo

Custom Holiday Gifts

I know, I know. Christmas is a dirty word when we are still not even to Halloween. But, when you consider how long some gifts take to get, it is not a bad time to get going on your orders. Who doesn't love a monogram or something special with the thought of those you love incorporated? Hint to men, the ladies love it! Feel free to just forward to your hubs, ladies.

First, something that you can wear forever...

1. Thea makes things rings as custom as you would like. Starting at $600

2. Your name and a diamond necklace. Perfect. $148

3. Real diamonds and the ring comes in yellow gold and silver too. $330

4. This bracelet comes in other metals and has a great shape.  $179

5. Incorporate an initial, monogram, and a name in one necklace. $390

6. Gold initial earrings. So cool. $196

7. I worship the asymmetry of this three initial necklace. $360

8. A bracelet to remind you of a special place. Your home, your wedding venue, your childhood home $149

9. Your three names, your kids' names, family names, lots of options for this. $150

10.  This ring would be a great little stacker or delicate all on its own. $89

11. An elegant little rose gold number. $98

12. I have one of these with my two kids' names on it. $100

13. Love this sweet little love gesture with a couples' initials. $135

Put a stamp on your bag game...

1. The original Claire V. oversized clutch looks amaze with a monogram. $339

2. A big tote that comes in other colors. I have long loved this one. $139

3. This Cambridge satchel can be a crossbody too. $310

4. A slouchy tote that comes in a ton of colors. $398

5. A zip wallet that could almost be a clutch. $245

6. You can completely customize this weekend bag. Even comes in a cute buffalo check. $298

For the home and beyond...

1. Custom pillows in a classic greek key. Love $45

2. A turkish towel for beach or bath. $34

3. This copper ice bucket doubles as a beautiful vase. $129

4. A jewelry roll is a travel essential. Love the seersucker $49

5. A monogram can be added to this nightshirt. Total classic. $68

6. Love a catch all. $154

7. Custom dinner napkins make any dinner party extra special. $54

8. This glass bowl can be customized with any monogram style. $49

9. This scarf can be made for adults or kids in many different colors. 

10. Your favorite yogi will swoon for this mat. $45

And for the kiddies...

1. Obsessed with these custom family watercolors that you can have framed, then use for products like stationary and iPhone cases. 

2. A sweet custom book for your little one. $34

3. Already got my order in for these cute Christmas PJs. $19

4. My favorite custom store (check out the entire site) has lots of melamine plate options to make meal time more fun. $26

5. Love this modern update on the wooden puzzle. $30

6. A small family company that makes the best hats and sweaters. 

7. How cute are these custom dolls? 

8. Maybe if they hear their name in the book, they will go to bed right away? $34

I want everything. 

xo

Erin 

Weekend Getaway

Even though I am not going on any type of trip this weekend, I got really inspired by this fantastic weekend bag to pack for one. 

This bag is from Barrington gifts (no not that Barrington) and you can customize with a fabric choice (there are many) and add a monogram. Love them. And at $275 it is a good price for the quality and size. How great would this be as a wedding present, too? 

So if I was going away this weekend, this is what I would pack. Would be perfect for a little coastal getaway or a quick B&B visit on the lake. 

1. An effortless white dress for dinner out. d.Ra $100

2. Black wedges that go with everything. Seychelles $95

3. So you do not have to bring a blow dryer. Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray $26

4.  J. Crew has a new mix and match tool for bikinis. Love this combo. 

5. A silky tank to wear for brunch. Tibi $160 

6. A breezy beach cover up that you can wear all day. ONE by Pink Stitch $84

7. A versatile bag that goes from tote to cross body. Foley & Corinna $139

8. The best denim shorts. Ever. J. Crew $79 (buy a size down)

9. Leather espadrilles for walks along the coastline. Mint & Rose $139

10. Because it is kind of the only make up you need on vacay. Nars the Multiple in Orgasm $39

Are you off to somewhere fun this weekend? I am next week and can't wait to share. 

Happy weekend. 

xo

Erin 

Early Custom Christmas

I feel like there are such cute monogram gifts to give, but that I am always shopping past the date to when they can be ready for the holidays. If you want something done custom, now is the time. 

I have this bracelet with my son's initials and would like this one with my daughter's name from.  

Bauble Bar

This is a fun way to update the traditional monogram ring. 

Bauble Bar

These totes look identical to the Celine one I have. But this one comes in more color choices and a much lower price tag. Bonus is you can monogram it. 

Mark & Graham

Also comes in this shape, kind of perfect for Mom. 

A super soft throw with a cute icon and monogram is great. In stripes, even better. 

West Elm (on sale) 

More colors available

I received the sweetest hat with Mary's initials on it from this small shop. I will be ordering more from them as the kids get bigger and stealing the idea for new babes. 

1 2 3 Exclusively

Not a monogram, but easily one of those perfect gifts that you always wish you had when you you are writing notes and sending cards. A gorgeous return address stamp in fun calligraphy. 

 Etsy Shop AngeliqueInk

Tons of gorgeous styles available

This pillow is a nod to Hermes, you can pick the initials and from over a dozen colors. 

Butterscotch Blankees 

What are some custom gifts you love giving? Would love some more ideas! Trying to get my Christmas shopping done early. 

xo

Erin 

Sarah + Abraham

I came across the cutest site for kids stuff last week. Am thinking of ordering everything....

Sarah + Abraham has the cutest personalized graphics for kids and adults. And after further review, I found out that Sarah is local and started the business on her own. Love that. There are tons of options for graphics and colors for each item. The plate and bowls are just adorable, how cute is Charlotte? That little book with Emma on the front is a journal, perfect for summer story writing. She has a lot of options for art prints and note cards that you can personalize with how many kids you have and their names. There are also some cute gifts for teachers. 

Glad I found this gem. The place mat and plates are going on order as soon as I can get Tommy to stop throwing food on the floor. Thinking it will happen in the next ten years. 

xo

Erin 

Rifle Paper Co.

Why do girls have such a soft spot for paper? Pretty calling cards, loopy monogrammed stationary, letterpress greeting cards, we love it. Guys could care less and usually rely on office supplies and gifts from Mom. Too bad for them that would not get as excited as us for this ridiculously sweet paper shop, Rifle Paper Co. I am totally obsessed with their illustrations and the ability to customize it. The style is vintage with a bit of kitsch, in a good way, and pretty. I came across them when I saw this adorable family portrait on Pinterest. 

It is their stationary that was framed for their house. How sweet is that? 

The floral prints slay me. I worship these calling cards, thinking about getting them as my new business cards. 

A bright citrus print would be cute in the kitchen. 

Love this cowboy invitation for a little boy's birthday party. Doesn't it remind you of Wes Anderson movies a bit? 

The different ways you can monogram stationary is lovely. The little portrait ones are amazing. The floral monogram would be perfect for a wedding gift to the bride. 

The wedding invitations are so pretty. I would have died to have any of them as mine. 

How perfect would this be for a shower invitation? 

Maybe the most perfect valentine cards ever. 

Might be doing some damage on this site today. I can't help it, just like how you might not resist either. 

xo

Erin 

Baking for Good

Are you a big baker? It is hard not to feel bad over the holidays because baking is just not something that I am into. The eating of the baked goods I am super into, so I always find myself buying things or cramming in a sugar cookie assembly session a few days before Christmas. 

There are so many amazing local bakeries here in Chicago, but this one in NYC has me thinking I might be ordering from the East Coast this year. Baking for Good is an amazing small business run by a lovely girl named Emily. She uses local products, makes delicious goods, then gives 15% of the proceeds from your sale to a cause of your choice. Perfect idea for the holidays, right? 

They have some fantastic products, too. 

Who wouldn't want a box of a dozen photo cookies? I am Instagram obsessed, so I am super excited to order those. There are varieties of brownies, sandwich cookies, traditional sugar for every occasion, and even gluten or vegan options. 

When you check out it gives you options of what charity to donate to. A sugar rush and that warm fuzzy feeling of giving back. Perfection. 

xo

Erin 

Skirting the Issue

We have the an enormous TV. Like an obnoxious one that is every man's dream. It was purchased before I was around and used to live in our master bedroom, where it's size (kind of) made sense. Now it is in our great room until we can figure out where to put it. It hovers above a side table I actually love, and below it is all the junk that it takes to work it and the network through out the house. I love how it takes this many wires to actually be wireless....

That sweet little table hiding underneath is actually an antique from my grandmother that I have been dying to repaint. 

Anyway, I needed to figure out a solution to hide all this junk, because honestly it was driving me crazy. Because we watch this TV the most, I have been forced to watch those wires as much as every show on Bravo. 

Lucky for me I found a solution. A table skirt. But before you judge, because the only person you know with a table skirt is your grandmother, take a look....

 A lovely lady from the Etsy shop HomeLush made this for me. I sent her the measurements, a picture of what needed to be covered, and what fabric I wanted from her collection. No less than a week later it was on my doorstep. 

This may be a temporary fix for a bigger problem, like where is this monstrosity going and what will be put in it's place? But it is a fix I am loving and I have something so much nicer to look at while I hang out with Andy Cohen. 

xo

Erin 

Pretty Little Things

As a complete sucker for monograms and initials, I have fallen for these sweet (affordable) pieces from Jennifer Zeuner. 

A scrolling initial ring...

A sweet love necklace...

An old school, chunky initial ring...

And customizable horizontal bar to say whatever you are thinking...

xo

Erin 

Gut Job

Since doing a full gut job in the basement, there have been workers here every day. That was over a month ago and even though you cannot see much progress from these photos, there has been so much done. From electric, plumbing, dry wall, etc. I really had no idea how much work this was going to take. The good news is that a lot of the fun stuff is coming. In the mean time I can share some photos so you can see where we began and where we are now. 

Before and not quite after photos...

We decided on lots of built in storage to get ahead of the toy situation that is in our future. Plus, a nice spot for the tv. This room will be a nice family room and play space. 

We will have a half kitchen with another washer and dryer in this space. There will also be a bar in the cut out. We also decided to do a ton of storage in this space, you can never have enough. 

This bathroom is hard because it is dark and only has one window in the shower. White cabinets, white subway tile and dark floors should keep it light and bright. 

If you have ever done a full renovation like this, you know it seems never ending. But I am hoping that in the next month I can post some much more fun pictures of how this space is coming together. I also do not want to move onto other rooms of the house until this is done. 

Oh and let's not forget that we added a walk out door in the middle of this project just to keep things interesting. It is very nice to have an entrance to the backyard. It makes this space also much more like an in-law suite. Perfect for grandmas and grandpas. 

Any advice from those that have gone through projects like this is much appreciated! 

xo

Erin 

Wedding Dress Illustration

I wish I could take credit for coming up with this gift idea for your favorite bride, but instead I will just share how adorable it is. After seeing it on the wall of my favorite bride/new mom I had to find the Etsy shop that it came from. It was a present from one of the other chic bridesmaids from her wedding and I only wish I would have known about it sooner. It would have made some after-wedding gift giving a lot easier. 

This Etsy shop makes customized illustrations of the wedding dress and will incorporate any other elements you might like to add. From bouquet flowers, to a quote, to an accessory, she will make it happen. The above is the exact print of my friend. 

I can say from seeing it first hand, that it looks great as part of a gallery wall of wedding or other favorite moments. It would be the perfect gift to send a month or two after the wedding madness so that your friend can enjoy her dress every day in a totally different way. 

xo

Erin 

Sealed With A Kiss

There has been a lot of thank you note writing going on around here and I just happened to run out of my stationary. So I hopped on over to my favorite paper store and had something made that would brighten up the recipient's winter day. 

This Kate Spade card stock can be easily customized for you. I love the red stripes, the simple design, and the cheeky kiss that seals each envelope. It is hard to tell in the photo, but my name is printed in hot pink, which as I wrote in this post, is part of my new favorite color combo. 

I even got a couple of hot pink pens in different points to write with. Just a small way I can make this winter seem a little brighter. 

xo

Erin 

The Sweetest Thing

This is the sweetest way to start off a Monday I can think of. These customizable fortune cookie necklaces from Etsy seller Christina Kober are absolutely adorable and can you think of a more lovely gift to someone? 

Fortune cookie in the front and a customizable message from you to the lucky recipient in the back. 

This would be perfect for  a newly engaged friend, a new mom, someone going through something rough or anyone you want to send off with a fortune to make them smile. 

What would you want yours to say? 

xo

Erin 

One Stop Bling Shop

BaubleBar is such a great resource for your holiday shopping. They have tons of fantastic jewelry options at great prices. I like the vintage feel of some of the costume pieces and the modern takes on classic designs. They have something for everyone on your list and I have pulled some of my faves from their collection. 

1. Orchid Color block bangle $30

2. Turquoise enamel stacker $32 

3. Swedish Maze cuff $32

4. Royal Bengal cuff $34

5. Black mesh cuff $32 (obsessed)

6. Evil Eye bracelet $38

7. Twisted swirl gold cuff $175

8. Emerald Cabochon bracelet $185 (obsessed)

9. Honeycomb bangle $36

10. Circle Evil Eye bracelet $32

11. Pave link ring $92 (obsessed)

12. Lapis Quad ring $76 (obsessed)

13. Glacier Crystal cocktail ring $90

14. Black Block ring $82

15. Mixed shape mother of pearl drops $6

16. Aqua Boho drops $28

17. Serpentine Drop earrings $172 (obsessed)

18. Gold Pave studs $22

19. Honeybee Burst studs $65

20. Mixed metal lariat $125 

21. Circle Evil Eye charm pendant $46 (obsessed)

22. Monogrammed pendant $105

23. Maasai motif Seaside Strands $32

24. Zelda Sautoir $102

25. Bold Gold Cascade necklace $176 (obsessed)

26. Wishbone charm pendant $32

xo

Erin 

Etsy Find: PaintMeAPicture

As someone who has lived a few different places and believes that she belongs in a couple other countries, this Etsy shop had me charmed. If you are lucky to have lived or spent time in a place you no longer are, but you are always missing, this shop has something for you. The artist will hand paint the hearts wherever you request them on the country and state pieces. I could not help but love the mustache and camera print as well. With prices from ten to forty dollars, they would also make a great gift for someone coming or going.

xo
Erin