Making iPhones Bright

This is just a little idea that goes a long way. I wish I could take credit, but I found it on Pinterest a couple years ago and have kept the tradition alive. If you have all those Holiday cards still lying around or hanging up. Take a quick second to add those pictures to your contacts. The pictures are the person's favorite and making them their profile picture brings a lot of love to that address book of yours. It's so fun to get a call on my phone and a cute pic of that person/their chubby baby/their new puppy pops up on the screen. 

To do it on an iPhone, just go to your contacts, find the person, then click edit. In the left hand corner, click add photo. Take the photo right there or choose from your library if you already snapped it. 

Just a little cheer for your Tuesday. 

Xo 

Erin

Bringing Back the Photo Collage

Remember the good old days when you would take pictures, bring the film or disposable camera in to be processed and pick up the images with so much anticipation you could hardly contain yourself? I miss those days. I miss them more for the the fact that I had honest to goodness pictures around to frame and pin onto a photo collage. 

And though those days are long gone, there are some creative and chic ways to bring back the photo collage, just like the days of dorm room living. 

Check out this amazing piece by photographer, Annie McElwain. 

She simply pulled some of her favorite images and made a collage for her home. I love the scale, the different colors and I am sure she gets so much satisfaction seeing her work in this fun way. 

And though your work may not be professional, you certainly have some fun images to display. Not to mention this helps you decide how to display all the amazing photos you have from that trip to Europe, your three year old growing up or even wedding pictures. 

I found a couple of options to make this work for us that do not have access to a professional photo display designer and printer. Snapfish offers a 20 x 30 that you can make yourself. Choose the pictures you want and the background (skip through the cheesy themed versions) and simply order. 

If you are an Instagram user (If not, and an iPhone user, visit your app store and start playing), this service is perfect. Printstagram will make you a 20 x 40 poster with up to 400 images from your Instagram app. They also have some other fun printing concepts to check out. 

I need to seriously start using my Instagram, because I am obsessed with this homemade art. For sure an upgrade from my beloved college photo collages still hanging out in my basement (priceless). 

xo

Erin 

Bringing Home Some Upper East Side

I have been watching more television than I would like to admit. Between being sick and the colder weather, I am well caught up on my DVR and have embarrassingly got pulled into watching some really bad reality TV via VH1. You know who you are Basketball Wives. 

Luckily, there are new episodes of some of my favorite shows waiting in my DVR box each morning. One of which is Gossip Girl. 

I have been a loyal fan from the beginning. And while the story lines are getting a bit redundant and possibly cliche, I love tuning in to see what Blair and Serena will be wearing, what NYC spot they are hitting and how the set will be decorated. 

Truly, between the fashion and the decor, there is always a ton of fun inspiration each week. And let's not forget the life lessons we learn (ie: try not to hook up with your ex right before being proposed to by a prince). 

Take a look at this snippet of set and the beautiful painting. 

Gossip Girl lets us into a fantasy world, which is why we love it. My fantasy is that I own that painting and it sits above my four poster bed in my Manhatten penthouse, where I eat macaroons in bed and online shop all afternoon. 

While we can all dream, a piece of Manhattan's elite is probably not in the cards. What we can do is look to Etsy and see what artists that we can afford might be able to contribute to our own sets at home. 

I found some great paintings...

1. afiori $30

2. EmmaWalshDesign $25

3. AustinMScott $30

4. FreeArtStudio $80

And some beautiful photographs...

1. ParisPhotographer $27

2. GeorgiannaLane $25

3. ElleMoss $40

4. PettyPetalStudio $8

5. MetOperaShop $80 (LOVE)

And you can bet your Blackberry that these price tags are ions lower than anything Lily has on her fab walls. 

Can't wait for next week's episode and some more inspiration (ie: Is Blair having Chuck's baby?!). 

xoxo

Erin 

Mom Pride

My weekend wish is for all the Mom's to have a relaxing and pampered weekend.

Whether a new Mom,  those of you with an empty nest, or somewhere in between, I hope that you are spoiled rotten with love and kisses this weekend. You deserve it.

My own Mom is a long way away, and feels even farther on weekends like this. So I went through some photos of us over the years to help me remember what an amazing woman she is.

And what I have learned... is she really loves a hat. Are you dying over the beret? Because I don't know anyone else that could look that sassy in it.

Mom, your style, grace, and creativity is the reason I do what I do. I can only hope to be a sliver of who you are.

PS: Can we dig that pink Laura Ashley out of storage because it is amazing.

xo
Erin