Holidays in a pot

I love the holidays - mainly Christmas. When October is coming to a close I kind of start to panic because I am soooooo EXCITED about what is ahead of me! I love the smells, the cold weather, (which is extra welcome this year after my first southern summer), I love decorating, I love buying people gifts, I LOVE THE MUSIC, I LOVE it all. Today it is dumping rain, I got a tornado warning, our house is inches from being flooded but I am inside and warm; I am thankful. I decided no better day to sooth fears and relax by making my house smell cozy, Christmassy, and festive. I'm sitting here watching Top Chef, sipping coffee, listening to the rain and smelling heaven. I feel content. I hope everyone throws together this simple concoction! This isn't just a Christmas thing; it is perfect for Thanksgiving, too!

You will need:

4 cinnamon sticks

1 and a half oranges

1 1/2 cups of cranberries

1 tablespoons of cloves

drip of vanilla

 Combine all of the ingredients in a pot and fill 3/4 of the way with water. Cook until boiling then reduce to a simmer! You can let simmer for 4-5 hours adding water if you need it. Save overnight in fridge and bring it out the next day!

Our New Home.

As some of you know, Nathan and I moved to Austin! It has been our dream since getting married to move to a new city together.We decided to visit Austin and luckily for us, our first try we hit gold! We absolutely love this city; it is overflowing with culture, amazing restaurants, endless beauty, and the kindest people! We found the perfect little house that fits us nicely for our first home in this city; it is incredible to have our own yard to garden in and BBQ out back. Here are a few odds and ends of our new place, hope you enjoy!

Right after I took pictures of my place I went to Goodwill and found this amazing basket! I love its pattern and am obsessed with how it looks on our coffee table! 

This basket is the perfect home for our Austin book. :) 

Our faithful little fig. It took a beating on the road trip; luckily it is recovering. 

This 'Be happy my baby print' is special to me. Nathan and I got it on our honeymoon in Paris. The little keys are from our lock on the famous love lock bridge - also in Paris! 

Color coordinated bookshelf. 

I have wanted a Restoration Hardware lamp forever but they are SO expensive; I was overjoyed to find this equally chic cheaper Ikea lamp. 

Desert painting curtesy of my brother Jade.  

My Couch Four Ways

I am super indecisive when it comes to the style of my house. Some days I am in love with tons of eclectic pieces, and other days I will wake up wanting nothing but simplicity and lots of white. I know that my moods will always change when it comes to my home's interior, but there are a few things I am certain of. I know I will always be a fan of clean lines and lots of white. Rather than buying any trendy furniture, I invested in mainly white pieces with clean lines that will stand the test of time. This is the perfect solution because I can trade out accessories and totally change the vibe of my place without losing the integrity of my style! Plus, it is much cheaper to buy lots of different pillows and vases than a new couch every time I crave a new vibe. 

I love my couch its modern yet the tufting is classic. Here are a couple different ways I style my couch according to my mood. Silly enough, a simple pillow trade totally impacts my living room's look! I have to say look four is currently my favorite! After taking down of all the Christmas decorations, I am craving MAJOR simplicity! 

This chevron pillow and berry throw are for the days I feel cozy and laid back. This gives my couch a more approachable cozy look. 

I am in LOVE with these tweed yellow pillows. They give my place a cheery pop and mid-century modern vibe. The impact is large while remaining simple. 

I love these Pottery Barn pillows, they give out a total boho vibe which is a great balance for my modern couch. When I am feeling eclectic I will pull these beauties out! 

Finally my current favorite. This super inexpensive fur throw from Ikea gives my living room a fun pop of glamour and texture. While working with whites lots of texture is key. White can sometimes feel sterile but the texture gives off a luxurious comfortable vibe. 

Which couch styling is your favorite? Let me know! 

Christmas House Details

I love the way my house feels around Christmas. A strand of lights and a few simple pops of red, white and green make the house feel magical. This truly is the best time of the year!

Our Christmas Card

I have always awaited the day I could send my very own Christmas card. The month of December is seriously the most exciting time for mail, everyday checking it is a treat. Getting to see everyone’s family photos and the different styles of cards adds a little flicker of excitement to my day.

Since I am married, I finally get to join in on the fun and I could not be more obsessed with how our very first Christmas card turned out! We used Minted, which is absolutely great! Not only are our cards beautiful; they addressed each envelope for free! We used Minted for our wedding invitations, pictured below, as well. We could not be more thrilled!

(Photograph by Anna Joy)