By Janet This week, I'm dlelighted to introduce you to Ashley of Our LIttle Apartment. Ashley runs a photography and design business, Little Leaf, where she creates all sorts of beautiful things. She loves warm slippers, homemade granola, and cardigans. Welcome Ashley! How would you describe your personal style? Bright, functional, and tailored. I don't wear much of black; I love jewel tones and earthy tones. I favor cute flats over stilettos. I am quite petite, so clothes that fit me are super important. I am a big fan of belting dresses, tops, and cardigans to flatter my shape more.... Continue reading

By Janet Christina recently introduced me to today's stylish blogger and I knew immediately that I wanted to interview her here. I'm so delighted to introduce you to Sarah from Fibro Feist. Fibro Feist chronicles Sarah's journey with fibromyalgia, her adventures in style (both home and fashion), and life with her husband, greyhound, and house cat. She loves color, a great pair of pajamas, and living fuller. Welcome Sarah! How would you describe your personal style? Classic with a side of quirky. I tend toward simple shapes and clean lines and then throw in some unexpected elements—an extra layer, an... Continue reading

By Janet Here is my annual friendly reminder that thank you notes for holiday gifts are due (or, if you ask Emily Post, long overdue--the standard is to acknowledge Christmas gifts before New Year's Day)! Here is some inspiration to get you writing. Whimsical Forest Thank You, Rifle Paper Paper Fox and Flower, Papyrus Wood Grain Thank You, Elum Letterpress Thank Yous, Lilikoi Letterpress Red Thank You, Hammerpress Happy writing! P.S. 11 Amazing Thank You Notes from Famous People Continue reading

By Janet December brings some of my very favorite things--pepperminty treats, eggnog, and super sparkly nail polish. My nails are already painted a subtle sparkling silver, but the closer we get to New Year's Eve, the sparklier I go. Here are some of my favorite sparkling polishes (ask Santa to put some sparkles in your stocking!): It's Real 18k Gold Top Coat Sparkplug - Glitter Crushed Diamonds Good Tidings We Bling Shifty - Illusionary Opalescent Micro Glitter And, finally, for a seriously rocking New Year's Eve shindig, this: Sequined Manicure Kit! Have a sparkling holiday, friends! Continue reading

By Janet This week's stylish blogger is the lovely Rebecca. Rebecca is a fellow Californian, fellow Style Lusher, and fellow lover of lip glosses. In her Style Lush biography, Rebecca shares her love for wine tasting and guacamole--which happen to be two of my great loves in life, too. Rebecca also blogs about stylish things (including her style confessions) at Style All Over. Welcome Rebecca! How would you describe your personal style? This is a hard question for me to answer, because honestly, what my personal style actually is differs from what I sometimes wish it was! However, the clothes... Continue reading

By Janet Today, I'm delighted to be interviewing fellow Style Lusher Elizabeth! In addition to her fabulous content here at Style Lush, you can find Elizabeth at her blog, Princess Nebraska, where she regulalry posts about what she wore (some of my favorites include her Banana Republic striped dress in this post and her bright orange pants and canvas Land's End dress in this post). She loves dark chocolate, heirloom tomatoes, and lemon Pledge. Welcome Elizabeth! How would you describe your personal style? Hmmm. I would describe my personal style as classic preppy, with a little West Coast casual thrown... Continue reading

By Janet This week I'm delighted to interview one of my favorite bloggers and fellow style lushers, Christina from Rockin' the Suburbs. In addition to raising two children (in the suburbs), Christina runs her own business--Haute Hause, an interior styling consultancy (you must go check out her beautiful portfolio). Welcome Christina! How would you describe your personal style? Accessorized Casual. I wear a few hats per day, the mom hat that drives to school, grocery shops, cleans and cooks. I work out a few times per week, so there's that look. And I also run my own business, Haute House.... Continue reading

By Janet My book club just finished reading a book that elicited more discussion than any of our previous book choices. The book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (which was on the 2010 Style Lush gift guide!), tells the true story of a poor Southern tobacco farmer whose cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. The book was interesting on so many levels: political, ethical, legal, medical, plus it is a... Continue reading

By Janet This week in the Stylish Bloggers series I'm featuring our very own Style Lusher, Jess. In addition to writing on her own blog, Just Expressive, Jess writes at Style Lush and Food Lush. She's also a fabulous photographer (I'm loving her sunflower photos) and talented artist (check out her Etsy shop full of beautiful handmade accessories). Welcome Jess! How would you describe your personal style? Is it lame to same evolving? Because, even if it is lame, that's my answer. I dress according to my mood, most of the time, so me on any given day at any... Continue reading

By Janet In this week's edition of Stylish Bloggers, I'm so excited to introduce you to Melissa. I absolutely adore Melissa's style including the turquoise Kate Spade open toe heels she wore at her wedding, her perfect side-swept bangs, and (since it's almost Halloween) her adorable and creative costumes. Welcome Melissa! How would you describe your personal style? My personal style, I would have to say, is pretty simple and mostly comfortable. In the summers I tend to wear lots of dresses because there really isn't anything easier. For the rest of the year, I have a closet full of... Continue reading

By Janet This week's stylish blogger is the wonderful RA of Definitely RA, one of my longtime blog friends! In May, RA coordinates Mission: Put Together, a month-long fashion challenge to be PT everyday. She also contributes at Style All Over. RA loves used bookstores, puns, and rollercoasters. If we lived in the same town, I would make her take me shopping on a regular basis--the girl is pro at finding stellar bargains. Welcome RA! How would you describe your personal style? My style is mostly preppy but with a twist. I wear a lot of classic clothing (A-line skirts,... Continue reading

By Janet I'm just delighted to introduce to one of my favorite everyday reads, Janssen of Everyday Reading! Janssen loves books, good food, and putting together lovely outfits (with lots of stripes!). Welcome Janssen! How would you describe your personal style? Young mom with a little flair. I stay at home with a toddler. The fanciest places I go all week is church and bookclub. You wouldn’t be wrong in guessing that jeans play a major part in my wardrobe. I like comfortable, fairly basic clothing, and I tend to branch out a bit more with shoes, jewelry and accessories... Continue reading

By Janet On Jenna's website, you mostly get to see her fabulous art, including her beautiful fashion illustrations, but she's also one of my best-dressed in-real-life friends. I can attest to the fact that she looks truly stylish every day of the week. Jenna loves all things art (in addition to being an artist, she's an arts administrator), mixing up fancy cocktails (hello!), and shopping at Anthropologie (more on that below). Welcome Jenna! How would you describe your personal style? I’m the creative girl who keeps it classy. And pretty much devoted to anything Anthropologie. Growing up with the style... Continue reading

By Janet Whenever I see a stylish gal, I always wonder: Where does she find her style inspiration? What beauty products does she splurge on? What important pieces does she think every woman should have in her closet? How does she get so gorgeously groomed? Well, instead of just wondering, I've decided to start asking--and I figured y'all might like to hear from these fabulously stylish ladies, too. I'm delighted to introduce you to my truly fabulous friend Megan, a New England girl living in sunny southern California. Megan loves brunch, statement necklaces, Kendra Scott earrings, and the color blue.... Continue reading

By Janet Whenever I see a stylish gal, I always wonder: Where does she find her style inspiration? What beauty products does she splurge on? What important pieces does she think every woman should have in her closet? How does she get so gorgeously groomed? Well, instead of just wondering, I've decided to start asking--and I figured y'all might like to hear from these fabulously stylish ladies, too. My first interview is with the lovely Stephanie of Big Mario Life. Stephanie is a talented photographer and a lawyer (in fact, we attended law school together!). She loves pumpkin spice lattes,... Continue reading

By Janet Holy cuteness, y'all. I am in l-o-v-e with the Walnut Animal Society. They are the most darling little stuffed animals, handcrafted in the United States by Lauren Bradshaw. So cute, right? These darlings aren't cheap, but if you are looking for an extra-extra-extra-special present for a little one in your life, these are just too adorable not to consider. Continue reading

By Janet Here's a simple idea that will result in tons of great photos at your next event. A little bit of rope, a tree branch, and a large frame--a perfect photo opportunity for weddings, birthday parties, family reunions, or just for fun! If the back drop isn't pictureseque, like the one above, hang fabric several feet behind. Then, simply provide a digital camera or some throw-away cameras--or just let people use their smartphones. {Photo by 1313 Photography} Continue reading

By Janet Peplum, at least according to the Fashion Week runways, is back. I've always associated peplum with bad floral prom dresses and those bridesmaid dresses you'll never wear again, but if Kate Middleton is wearing peplum, perhaps I ought reconsider. I've done some research and found some peplum options that are less shiny and, um, less architectural than those on the runway models. Sonia Peplum Blouse, Anthropologie Gathered Mesh Peplum Tee, Anthropologie Vince Camuto Printed Sleeveless Peplum Dress ALICE + OLIVIA Stephanie Ruffle Peplum Cocktail Dress Will you embrace peplum this fall? Continue reading

By Janet I found these reusable gift bags in a cute paper shop and absolutely had to share. They are made to be reused over and over: Each bag comes with a nifty write-on gift tag stating "The more we share, the more we have" with space for five giving opportunities. Fill out the tag (to, from, event, date) and pass it on to the next person on its journey. In the end, we think you will find that it tells the unique story of friendship celebrated. So clever! {Image via: MIXT Studio} Continue reading

By Janet Packing perfume for airplane travel always poses a bit of a dilemma, particularly for those of us (like me) who prefer to carry on. When space is a valuable commodity, here are a few ideas for packing perfume: 1. Pack sample tubes of your favorite fragrance--but pack those in a medicine (or similar) bottle with a tight seal. 2. Purchase a small solid perfume, like these fragarance pencils from Anthropologie or these tins of solid perfume from Pacifica. 3. Buy a refillable atomizer bottle. The Sen7 Fragrance Atomizer is compact (about the size of a cigarette lighter) and... Continue reading

By Janet I don't have kids, so I'm not the most qualified person to write on this topic, but I'm totally enamored with these subscription activities boxes for kids. Kiwi Crates are designed around fun themes and filled with all of the materials and inspiration for hands-on projects: arts & crafts, science activities, imaginative play, and more. BabbaBox is a monthly subscription box that is delivered to your home with all the physical materials plus know-how content to really engage with your kids. There are four major components in each monthly box: creative projects, a theme-based exploration product, curated books,... Continue reading

By Janet I first noticed the manicures on the Olympic Swimmers. And then the volleyball players. The Olympic athletes are taking not only their sport, but their nail art seriously. Archer Alison Williamson of Great Britain Weightlifter Luz Mercedes Acosta Valdez of Mexico Beach Volleybally Player Laura Ludwig of Germany Are you watching the Olympics? Have you spied any great nail art? (Photos and lots more Olympic nail art at Stylist and Hello Beautiful.) Continue reading

By Janet Sometimes I go to Pinterest and am inspired by all the wonderful and amazing recipes and crafts and do-it-yourself projects that I find. On the other hand, sometimes I go to Pinterest and am completely overwhelmed by the projects, which often require all sorts of tools and ingredients and items that I don't have on hand or that will cost more than the project is ultimately worth. When I saw these Tin Can Summer Lanterns, they brought me back to the pre-Pinterest (pre-Internet even) summer days of my youth when a hammer, a nail, and a tin can... Continue reading

By Janet I am head-over-heels for this "Welcome to the World" baby shower. Full of map and globe themed details, the shower seems like such a lovely way to welcome a baby into the world. Wouldn't it be fun to scour vintage shops for old globes, maps, and atlases? The atlases could be dismantled and used to make napkin rings, bunting, wrapping paper, and other fun crafts. Speaking of welcoming babies to the world, the traditional baby shower concept is apparently being replaced (or added to) with parties that occur a couple weeks after the baby is born. These events... Continue reading

By Janet There are hundreds of amazing things happening in San Luis Obispo (it is the happiest place in the United States, after all), but one of my very favorite is the annual Open Studios Art Tour. The Open Studios Art Tour is the largest visual art event in San Luis Obispo County, and is organized by the SLO County Arts Council. The self-guided tour takes place each year over two weekends in October and features work from several hundred artists throughout the county. Simply grab a map, get in your car, and try to visit as many studios as... Continue reading