Things that inspire me on a Monday morning...

Making your backyard swing-set shake violently like it hasn't in ten years (at least, ours always did), while hanging upside down for a change of scenery. And maybe letting go in mid-air just so that you can get a taste of what it feels like to fly.

And if you're wearing a Louis Vuitton dress and designer heels... all the better.

More than just one solid color on the walls. Make the ordinary... unforgettable.

This dress from the Carolina Herrera Pre-Fall 2011 collection. I love the look of different fabrics merged together into one piece... This would be a holiday show stopper.

Furniture that is so creative and just amazing that is makes me look twice. I would have these "Stump Stools" in my home. :)

Looks inspired by the seaside and the navy, including stripes and dark blue, wide-leg jeans. The latter are so vintage-inspired and glamorous. And you can make your own.

More stripes... especially when they've got the Eiffel Tower for a background.

Hard boiled eggs for breakfast. Am I a fantastic cook, or what? ;)

What inspires you today?



P.S. I hosted a Narnia party on Thursday evening to celebrate the opening of "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," complete with costumes, themed food and a trip to the theater for the first (midnight) showing of the film. I don't have a ton of pictures from the evening, but I'll try to get some up later this week. :)

Images: Dustjacket Attic / Head Over Heels / The Style Files / A Glamorous Little Side Project /  Simple Nourished Living

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A Touchstone Jewelry Party - Online!

I've always thought that parties are a lot of fun, especially when they include some shopping and yummy treats. If it were possible, I'd invite all of my readers over to my house for an evening of festivities. We'd talk and laugh, and maybe play dress-up. And I'd serve up some of my ill-fated Lemon Cranberry Bars, made properly this time, with French Vanilla Ice Cream. ;)

Since logistically I can't have you all here, I'm doing the next best thing; an online jewelry party! Yay! :)

My aunt recently became a consultant for Touchstone Crystal (which is a brand new, pretty rad  company) and has been sharing all the pretty, fashion-y goodness with me over the past couple of weeks. She's even lent me a bunch of the jewelry for  some of my recent "What I'm Wearing" shoots (like on Thanksgiving day) and suggested the neat idea of "hosting" a jewelry party online for my readers!

One of the things I love about this jewelry company is the blend of simplicity and classic designs, with pieces that are more funky and modern. And there's a lot of vintage-inspired lovelies... some of them look really Art Deco, which I'm crazy about. Also, the company uses Swarovski pearls and gems, which are gorgeous, high quality and you've most probably heard of them before. I've used Swarozski crystals in jewelry projects in the past and they are beautiful.

Anyway, let me share with you some of my favorite pieces... that I've been lucky enough to wear over the past weeks...

1. Be still my heart. The South Beach Necklace is so sweet. I've got a bit of a love affair with Cape Cod and this sparkly starfish is at once whimsical and elegant. It puts me in the mood for a Cape Cod Christmas. I've never had one, but it sounds dreamy. ;)
2. The Smoke and Mirrors Earrings feature pearls, which have always been favorites with me. They're a simple, classy addition to any look.
3. I love Art Deco. And this Show and Tell Bracelet captures the mood of the era beautifully. The blend of the circles, squares and diamond shapes are stunning, and this piece has a really nice weight when worn on my wrist.

Here's what I wore in my Thanksgiving ensemble:

1. One of my favorite instrumental pieces from the World War II era of music is A Sleepy Lagoon  and the Blue Lagoon Necklace brings it to mind. It's also got a simple, Art Deco-ish feel to it. And you know how I love blue...
2. These Icy Violet Earrings can be worn with or without the detachable purple gems. I wore them plain on Thanksgiving to match the necklace. It's fun to have pieces that go with anything!
3. Of course, I already admitted my great love for this Blue Diamond Ring, and it's the piece I'm planning to get for my very own. When I first saw it's turquoise/teal glitter, I fell under its spell. 

Join in the party!

So, if you want to do a bit of Christmas shopping for your mom, sister, friend, or just pick up something special for yourself, go to Touchstone Crystal and visit the Online Shop. There you can browse the separate collections or view pieces by category (earrings, bracelets, et cetera). You can simply add whatever you like to your cart.

Important: Once you've completed shopping, before you complete your transaction, click on the shopping bag link and enter my name (Amanda Flynn) into the brown bar you'll see just above your order. When my name shows up as a hostess, make sure you click on it and see the confirmation that your order is attached my party. Otherwise, I'll lose any credit from your order, which would be a little sad. :( (Oh, and btw, that Chelmsford town listing is a lie, so don't bother stalking me. I don't really live there. ;) If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: amandabethboutique{at}gmail.com . You can also send your order to me through email and I'll get it all set, if that's what you prefer. :)

Your order will be shipped directly to your address, in time for Christmas. How easy is that??

The jewelry party will be open through this Saturday, December 11th. I hope you'll consider shopping through my online jewelry party. And that you're having the most wonderful time of the year!!

 

Friday night we went out to see a local production of A Christmas Carol and had a great evening. I decided to take my re-fashioned denim skirt into winter with the addition of boots and leggings. I know it's already made two appearances on the blog, but it's pretty much my favorite piece right now. :)

I hope you're having a great time getting ready for Christmas. We're decorated our tree today! Love it.



P.S. Just for the record, I am not being paid or reimbursed for writing this post. If you decide to join my jewelry party and pick up a few things, I'll get some credit towards a piece or two of my own (blue diamond ring *hint hint* ;), which would be lovely, but that's it. :)

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