the writing's on the wall

images via pinterest

Shop the look.

1. candle 2. jugs 3. mug 4. canisters 5. paint 6. chalkboard 7. desk 8. office accessories

I have the jugs from Williams-Sonoma and love that you can write whatever you want on them. I plan on having fun with this over the holidays. I may keep some holiday cheer on my shelf!

What do you think these chalkboard walls + accessories?

The winner of the Sheyna giveaway is Simply Southern! Congrats! Please email me to claim your prize! Sheyna Jewelry is offering my readers 20% off. Just enter BAT20 at checkout!

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The milk glass lamp.

 Pottery Barn vs Layla Grayce

Pottery Barn: $129 with shade + $20 shipping 

Layla Grayce: $116 without shade + free shipping. Would purchase simple white linen shade.

Which one would you choose?

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She's back. And I could die over it.

Set your DVRs. The Rachel Zoe Project returns one week from tonight. Bravo. 10/9 central. Be there. It will be ba-nanas. I love RZ so much that sometimes I pretend I am the Zoe.

...for Halloween. D as RZ, Halloween 2010.

This is so major. Will you be watching?

PS - thanks for your help with my question of the day!

images of RZ via my pinterest

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Question of the day // hair

 This particular cut had me in tears. Sad day for me.

Ladies...I'd love a little advice. I don't know what to do with my hair. It is probably close to the middle photo below but needs to be straightened asap.  Photo on the right was taken right before I cut it all off. Photo on the left was taken when it's a bit shorter. Awkward almost bob. I'm there now and am not a fan. Excuse the cheesy iPhone pics. They were taken right after having my hair cut + sent to friends.

short + a little longer + shoulder length

help me?

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New to Restoration Hardware

Came across Restoration Hardware's fall 2011 collection while searching for office inspiration for Lesley + living room inspiration for my friend Jess. Lesley recently moved in to my building and Jess is about to move into a new home. Loving some of this new collection and wanted to share it with you.

Industrial stools. I have 2 vintage stools from Brimfield. Love this look.

Tufted bed and bench with nail head. Beautiful.

More tufting.

A little too much tufting, but I appreciate the effort.

Beautiful lighting!

Tres chic!

Those shelves!

Those arms.

Love the two tables on the left.

Spending the day shopping with some of my favorite girls. Have a great weekend! 

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The Top 10

10. Jessica Durrant is the fabulous artist who designed the girl in my banner + she has some gorgeous new prints available! Jessica is offering 20% off for my readers! Just enter breakfastattoast at checkout!

9. Nicole of Frankie Hearts Fashion sent my favorite votives off of my birthday wish list as a thank you for making the blog/logo design process so enjoyable. Such a sweet and thoughtful surprise! The following day the ebelskiver arrived from Williams Sonoma. Also from Nicole. Thank you, Nicole! Please fly to Chi for a visit. I'll make pancakes!

8. Guess what is finally on its way? I've been waiting a month for this. It definitely makes the list.

7. Girls night with Shari last weekend. Peanut butter Pinkberry {in the cute little mini size}. Walked around Chi, made dinner and redesigned her blog. We made these delicious grilled polenta cakes. Very light, healthy + low in calories.

6. J. Crew with Alaina, Sarah, Lesley, Shari, Liz, Alex + Audrey on Tuesday night. So. Much. Fun. I snapped these pics very quickly. Was too focused on the clothes. But -- the girls still look so pretty and chic! Such a great group of girls!

I am carrying my envirosax bag. Carry it with me wherever I go. + my hair is a mess. 
Taken with Alaina's iPhone

5. Air and Water Show last weekend followed by lunch at Tavern on Rush.

4. Giving away a pair of earrings on the blog. I purchased the little tray at Anthro last weekend. Oh. and this is that sneak peek of my apartment that a few people asked for.

3. Designed a logo + new site for Katie Parrish Photography. Love how it turned out. Definitely my favorite design project this week.

2. I have been working a lot. So glad I have this perfect little roommate to keep me company. Is it just me or is he not the most handsome little pup you've ever seen? And he's the sweetest dog in the world.

1. Looking forward to the weekend. Shopping, lunch + more shopping on Saturday. Going to spend time with Lesley, Sarah + Shari. Picking up some finishing touches for the apartment and hope for a little down time, too.

What's at the top of your list right now?

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Sheyna.com GIVEAWAY

I am really excited about this giveaway from Sheyna. This site is pretty fantastic! You can design your own jewelry or choose from their gorgeous collection! I chose the beautiful aqua earrings below and absolutely love them.

Thanks to the people at Sheyna, one of my readers has a chance to win these beautiful aqua earrings!

To enter:
Follow Sheyna on Twitter, Follow me on Twitter and tweet to us, letting us know that you entered this giveaway.

For extra entries:
Follow Sheyna on Facebook
Follow me on Facebook

Please leave one comment per entry!
You have until Tuesday night to enter!

The winner will be announced on my facebook page next week.

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easy as pie

With fall around the corner, thoughts of fall decor + treats are spinning around in my head.
And really...I just can't wait for all the Christmas cheer. But -- I am not ready for the cold!

1. Breville Pie Maker  2. Mini pie lifter  3. Apple pie pocket mold  4. Pie weights  5. Emile Henry pie dish  6. 7. Perfect pie crust  8. Mini pies cookbook  9. Apple pocket pie filling 10. Berry pie and cobbler filling 11. Cherry pie filling

Everything above can be found at Williams-Sonoma. My favorite store.

Apple pie has always been my favorite. What's yours?

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finishing touches

Decorating an apartment on a budget takes time and patience. Here are some finishing touches that I have my eye on. My place is almost done and I cannot wait to share it with you early next year. Quite the wait but it will be worth it. Trust me. You do trust me, don't you?! Can't wait to do a little shopping with Lesley this weekend!

 1. Mirror framed mirror, West Elm $149  2. Spoon rest, Crate and Barrel - $7.95 

3. Illume Boulangerie jar, Anthropologie - $16  4. Zinc letter, Anthropologie - $18  5. Suitcase journal, Anthropologie - $25  6. Charleston clock, Pottery Barn - $39  7. Capri blue jar candle, Anthropologie - $28

I may even take the plunge and do a little painting. Determined to make a statement that may have been inspired by Monday's color pop. Did you see that one? My apartment is very white so it will be interesting to see what happens with that one. I have been talking about painting for a year.  Alaina + Alex think I should do it!

Would you paint a black or charcoal gray accent wall?

Are there any accessories that you are wanting to purchase for your home?

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birthdays + narcissism

Today is great aunt Rose's 93rd birthday!! I would like to share a favorite late night chat with Rosie from October 2010.

Rose: Did you hang your new mirror?
Me: Yes.
Rose: Where did you hang it? Above your sofa or someplace else?
Me: In the entry.
Rose: In the entry? {said with shock + disdain}
Me: Yes. It looks pretty there, and you can look at yourself when you walk out the front door.
Rose: Boy, that's really narcissistic. You have to see how you look from the time you get up in the morning to the night.

She's a pistol. I. Love. Her.

Wasn't she pretty? + yes, that little tot is yours truly. I had a ginormous head.
+ according to Rose, I still do.

Some favorite mirrors, just for Rosie. Since she has never even owned a VCR, you can bet that she will not see this post on "the internet." She speaks of the internet as if it's some kind of cult.

 1. Wisteria $199  2. Ballard Designs $99  3. Anthropologie $198  4. Ballard Designs $269  Wisteria $279  5. Wisteria $2399  6. Wisteria $299  7. Wisteria $219  8. Wisteria $289  9. Pier 1 $149

And a favorite quote:
"You do miracle things. You talk to me and you work at the same time. I've never heard of such a thing." ~ Aunt Rose

A very happy birthday to the greatest great aunt in the world!

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Color POP Home // Black

Alaina's office. Taken during our Glitter Guide shoot.

1. Chair  2. Table  3. Chest  4. Chest  5. Trays  6. Console  7. Chair
Trays from Williams-Sonoma + everything else is from Wisteria

What do you think of these spaces? I love them!

Images via Lonny + Pinterest + Rue

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ready or not

The holidays are coming! Not ready for summer to be over...but I do love all the holiday cheer!

Are you ready? Excited? What are you looking forward to?

All images via Pottery Barn.

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The Top 10

10. Shared my birthday wish list this week. I will be 29 next month and like to prepare for these things in advance. I may have to treat myself to a few of these items from J. Crew. I have 25% off + fall is coming.

1. Clipper cardigan in black  2. Ruthie shirtdress  3. Saturday pant 

4. Solong sweatshirt tunic  5. Perfect shirt in leopard

9. My friend Liz of Sequins + Stripes is celebrating her birthday tomorrow! Stop by her blog to give her a little birthday love! Happy birthday, Liz! Hope you have a great one!

8. The blog has a new look and I am IN. LOVE. This new look also inspired a redesign of my website. A big thank you to the amazingly talented Jessica Durrant for letting me use her gorgeous art in my banner. I am her new no. 1 fan! Found her on Ashley's blog and contacted her to see if we could work together. She is sending some gorgeous prints my way and I am designing a new etsy banner + button for her. You have to check our her shop.

my banner + new buttons. what do you think?

more from her shop. GORGEOUS!

7. Had a great meeting at Whole Foods with Jess + Alaina this week. Looking forward to an upcoming project with them! Also looking forward to working with Alex of Things That Sparkle.

6. My canon speedlite 430EXII arrived yesterday! I haven't had much of a chance to play with it but hope it will help with those interior shoots! Excited to play. And I'm sorry, but it just looks fancy.

5. Sarah came over on Monday night and I have plans with Shari this weekend. I am actually redesigning both of their blogs soon! Can't wait to work with them! Love my blog girls ---> IRL friends. My other friends think it's insane that I've been working on my apartment for a year. But not my blog girls. They get me.

4. Pottery Barn has Moroccan poufs. Didn't see that one coming! Did you? The white on white is already sold out.

3. Shared pics of my mom's new rescue pup. Sorry to disappoint but Henry is not mine. He should be my #1 fan though. I saved him from a life of having people call him Willie. You're welcome, little Henry. Feel free to thank me with something off my wish list.

She settled on Henry because he is her 8th dog + his full name is {how embarrassing} Henry the 8th.

2. It is no secret that I love flowy tops, so I need to share my new favorite t-shirt with you. I bought this during the C&C sale and ordered 2 more, 30% off of the sale price.

1. Nicole of Frankie Hearts Fashion just announced the launch of Shop Frankie's! So excited for her. Anyone want to guess who she hired to design the logo? ;)

Have a wonderful weekend!

What is at the top of your list this week?

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