A Subtle Golden Touch

Lately (for far too long actually) I've been crushing on glamorous little pops of metallic gold on everything from home accessories to fashion. I especially love it when the gilding is done in an understated or unexpected way...like a sprinkle of gold studs on the heel of a pair of black flats or a gold stapler on a desk. Pretty! 

For Any Room: Love Print by Jennifer Ramos - Twine

For the Dining Room: Rose Gold Flatware | Ceramic Heart Mug - West Elm

For the Washroom: Gold Frosted Linen Makeup Clutch - Gift Shop Brooklyn | Nail Varnish - Sephora | Gold Eye Pencil - Sephora

For the Living Room: Hand Painted Pillow - Me Longings Studio

For the Office: Acrylic Clip Board (via) - Russell + Hazel | Gold Floral Pattern + Painted Stripe Cards by Rifle Paper Co. - Greer Chicago | Acrylic Stapler (via) - Russell + Hazel

For the closet: Superstar Bobbi - Ban.do | Eternnal Flats - Zappos

Pinterest Picks: Mint to Emerald

It's probably been more obvious than I'd like, that I've been having a bit of a struggle getting back into the swing of things here on this good ol' blog of mine. Things are picking up and getting better, but it's a slow process. Thank you all again so much for your support and encouragement (both through comments and emails) over the past two weeks. It has meant more to me than I can ever express!

Anyhow, for today I figured what better way could there be for me to spark an interest in finding pretty things to share in the coming weeks, than a quick little virtual toe-dip into a pond of my favorite hue. Ahhh! Come on in the water's fine! xo Ez

P.S. You can find an entire Pinterest board that I've devoted to this color right here! You can also find past posts in my Pinterest Picks series here...and/or follow me over on Pinterest too!

Credits: One (via) // Two (via) // Three (via) // Four (via) // Five (via) // Six (via)

Giveaway: Win a 2013 Laurel Denise Planner + Necklace

We are are into our third week of 2013 friends, and so with a little bit of time passed, you too may have come to the same realization as I have: that I need a legitimate way to keep track of all my goals and plans for the year! There is so much to stay on top of!

Well today you are in luck! The lovely Laurel Denise would like to give you the chance to win one of her famous 2013 Planners, in the color of your choosing (a $35 value)! The genius of these organizational books is how Laurel Denise has designed them so that you can see daily, weekly, and monthly goals all at the same time! I love that!

And to help keep your New Year's intentions close at heart, Laurel Denise is also giving away an inspirational necklace of your choosing from her Simply Stated and Silk collections (a value of up to $90)! There are so many beautiful pieces to choose from! Which is your favorite?

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU!

• Visit Laurel Denise and decide which planner color and necklace you would like to win. You can choose any necklace from the Simply Stated or Silk collections.
• Come back here and leave a comment on this post sharing your selections (both planner color and necklace) and why they are perfect for you/your new year.
• Be sure to include a valid email address and your first name and last initial with your comment or I won't be able contact you if you win.

• For a second entry, pin an image of the necklace or planner that you'd like to win over on pinterest. Include the hashtag #laureldenise and @laureldenise in the pin's description.
• Come back to this post and leave a second comment with the URL of your pin. Be sure to include your email address, first name, and last initial with this comment too.
• The giveaway will close on Monday (1/21) at midnight (Central Standard Time). The winner will be contacted by email and I will update this post with the winner's name as well on Tuesday (1/22).

Now hop on over and make your selections! Best of luck to all of you! xo Ez

Update on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 by Ez

The original winner did not confirm/claim their prize, so a second drawing was done. Congratulations to the new winner: Christine Ho! It was wonderful reading all of your thoughtful comments. Thank you for playing everyone! xo Ez

High + Low: The Reclaimed Wood Mirror

Something about a new year creates a desire for all things new; a new haircut, a new style. Rearranging things in my home would typically suffice, but I'd love to inject something else into the mix. The trouble with objects for the home is that they can be quite costly. I love this salvaged boat mirror from Restoration Hardware but I don't love the price. Surely reclaimed wood comes at a better price somewhere! With a little research, alternatives can be found at a fraction of the price. (Even more options available if you feel like a little DIY!)

Salvaged boat wood mirror $395 - Restoration Hardware | DIY Distressed mirror $ Price of materials - Ucreate | Reclaimed wood mirror $80 - Etsy: Rustic Renaissance | Distressed wood framed mirror $179 - Etsy: Kenneth Dante

Art in My Home: A Good Reminder

I first saw this Screw Perfection art print via Pinterest last year, and since it marries my obsession with brushed hand-lettering with a sentiment I could stand to remember more often, I decided to treat myself to it this holiday. I know it's not for everyone, but I love it! It hasn't found a permanent room to live in just yet, but I'm thinking that my office (for those times when I'm in the midst of blogger's block and being too hard on myself) or the washroom (to kick negative thoughts to the curb while getting ready every morning) are the most likely spots.

I love how even though the art is a print, it has great dimensionality. It looks like actual paint on the paper. Look at that droplet on the C! One negative that I feel like I should point out is that the shop name is printed on the lower right portion of the piece. It unfortunately detracts a bit from the overall look of the print, but since we're embracing things that are not exactly perfect...I suppose I can't mind it all that much, right?!

Oh...and the other art print pictured here (that I also adore) is Landscape Painting 2 by Russell Leng. I picked it up from Mammoth & Company a while ago. It's even more gorgeous in person!

Do you have any motivational art in your home? I'd love for you to share in the comment section below. I'm always looking for new and wonderful things to be inspired by. xo Ez