Easter is one of my favorite times to gather with family and celebrate both Jesus’s resurrection and the arrival of spring. With my children still young enough for Easter bunny visits, it’s also a bit magical, so I really love going all out. I want their memories of holidays to be special and full of tradition. Plus, I love menu planning and table setting and all that goes along with entertaining! BUT I also want to enjoy the day myself…
Just before Thanksgiving, my sister traveled to NYC for a few days on a work trip, and I decided to join her for a little girl time. Our sister trips to the Big Apple usually consist of staying Uptown and schlepping all over to our favorite spots. What we’ve realized, though, is that many of our fave haunts are in Lower Manhattan, far away from much of the hustle and bustle, so we switched it up this time. At the risk of sounding like SNL’s Stefan, I’ve put together a guide of our go-to places to eat, stay, shop, and play in lower Manhattan. I have no clue about “New York’s hottest nightclub,” but I’m well-versed in shopping and eating!
The Fourth of July is a mere week away! Are you red, white, and blue-ready? If not, no worries…we’ve got you covered. We’ve put together an inspiration board filled with all of our favorite patriotic pieces, including cool sundresses, chic baubles, and accessories perfect for the Fourth. Check out last year’s Independence Day post for a little playlist inspiration to keep your party all American! Happy birthday to the great U.S. of A!!!
ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN | EIGHT | NINE | TEN | ELEVEN | TWELVE | THIRTEEN | FOURTEEN TOP and BOTTOM | FIFTEEN | SIXTEEN | SEVENTEEN | EIGHTEEN | NINETEEN
Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not depart from it. — Proverbs 22:6.
Happy Father’s Day to all of those wonderful guys “training up” our littles! To show our appreciation, we have put together a fun gift guide to provide some ideas for tokens of your love to your fave dads!
ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN | EIGHT | NINE | TEN | ELEVEN | TWELVE | THIRTEEN | FOURTEEN | FIFTEEN | SIXTEEN | SEVENTEEN
Michelle Patrick built her brand, Michelle Patrick Designs, on the concept of organic elegance. One look at her hand-crafted designs and you know that each piece was inspired by the inherent wonders found all around us. Simply put, her jewelry is refreshing. Chastiti met Michelle 18 years ago as a brand new (very green) lawyer and knew even back then that Michelle was not only the most stylish legal assistant in Houston, but also the most artistic. Like her designs, she is one of a kind. Michelle is stunningly beautiful, and her soul is poured into her work. Her designs exude Michelle’s hard work ethic, her tenacity, and her spirit.
Looking to the earth for elements and inspiration, Michelle uses a neutral pallet of such unique stones and materials, that rarely does she has enough left over to create a second piece. As a result, her jewelry is truly one of a kind. What we find most interesting about her line is that she uses not only vintage elements, but reuses what nature leaves behind. On some of her lariats you will find naturally shed antlers, driftwood, and sea glass. You will find an oxidized gunmetal jasper arrowhead on chocolate moonstone beads with pavé accents alongside an antler focal piece with dark grey leather fringe and small silver freshwater pearls. Right now we are so in love with her lariats accented with antler pieces and her unique horn necklace. These pieces make the most simple of outfits shine. These strands of pure delight lend a very sophisticated, yet subtle elegance to your wardrobe.
Drawing from the wonders of Mother Nature, MP Designs has a line of cuffs that will make you swoon. For her leather cuffs, Michelle had the vision to reuse and recycle to minimize her carbon footprint. By using leather scraps from shoe and handbag manufacturers and designers, she ensures that she is doing her part to protect the environment from where she draws inspiration. Michelle brings the unwanted scraps back to life, and by adding geode slices or antlers, she creates a visually intoxicating cuff. Our favorites happen to be made of the very eco-friendly mermaid leather. Everyone loves mermaids, but note, none are harmed in the making of these amazing cuffs. 🙂 Mermaid leather is, again, Michelle’s way of shielding nature to the ravages of mankind. Mermaid leather is simply the cured and vegetable tanned skins of fish. Fish skins are a by-product of the fish industry and are usually dumped back into the sea. Michelle turns what some believe to be trash into a treasure. Mermaid leather has the strength (and smell) comparable to commonly used leathers. But, the true appeal is the softness and durability (not to mention environmentally friendly nature) of the discarded fish skins. Each skin is unique and each species has a different scale pattern (like our fingerprints!), so you will never have to worry about showing up to a party wearing an identical cuff to another party goer.
This up and coming jewelry designer is taking the custom jewelry world by storm. Even so, Michelle is still making everything by hand and painstakingly creating pieces that are, without a doubt, exquisite. She has continued to stay true to her early visions and her passion. We seriously cannot get enough of her creations. If one could OD on the love of a fashion jewelry line, we would already be in rehab. We also love that despite her success she is still the same down-to-earth, sports-loving girl. She is a friend, an artist, a mother, and yes, an inspiration for all women to follow their dreams. Michelle took a leap and she landed on the moon and is doing what she truly loves. Her hard work and dedication to her craft paid off, and the results are undeniably spectacular. We hope to find several pieces from her collection in our stockings this year (please, Santa, please!). Michelle Patrick Designs is now a featured product in several on-trend boutiques in numerous states. Locally, you can see Michelle’s handiwork at Abejas Boutique, which carries many of her pieces in store. Abejas is also hosting a Michelle Patrick Designs trunk show this Friday and Saturday (December 18 and 19), so pop in and shop for those last minute gifts or treat yourself to her designs.
Chandra
Top: Isabel Marant Etoile (similar here) | Jeans: Madewell | Belt: J. Crew | Boots: Dolce Vita, sold out (similar pair by Dolce Vita)
Chastiti
Ecru Sweater: Autumn Cashmere | Leggings: Spanx | Booties: similar by Sam Edelman and Aerosoles | Gray Sweater: Tory Burch