My Most Treasured Monogram

The most frequently asked question I've gotten since Monograms for the Home came out is "Where did you get that bracelet in your author photo?"

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me that question, I would be ordering a second cuff  right now!

The cuff came from my friend Hannah Ferguson's line.  She is so talented!  She used the W that is on the silver that my mother-in-law gave my husband and me as a wedding gift ten years ago to create the design for the cuff.

On the back, she added the birthdates of my two little ones!  We were thinking of doing my son's birthday in blue sapphires and my daughter's birthday in pink sapphires but in the end we ended up sticking to the yellow gold and diamonds.

I've worn it to all of my book events so far!

Here it is at our media launch with my sister, Krystal.

She can make any monogram, crest or custom idea come to life!

But she is certainly a talented designer beyond the cuff as well.  Here are a few of my favorite pieces.  

The collection will be on display at Stanley Korshak from November 2nd -8th and Hannah will be there making a personal appearance on Monday Nov. 2nd and Tuesday Nov. 3rd from 11-2 and during the week by appointment.   It is the perfect time to treat yourself or purchase a gift because, with the purchase of your Partner's Card for charity, you will enjoy a 20% discount! 

Saturday Steal: Elizabeth Showers Vintage

If you love a sale as much as I do, you will want to listen up!

I've been a fan of Elizabeth Showers jewelry for a long time and love it when she hosts a trunk show or sale but this one is even more special than most!

This time she is discounting a big batch of her vintage treasures that were discovered when she was moving her office!  Like these amazing earrings that are now only $58!

Imagine them against your new summer tan and at $58 they are not much more than the cost of bottle of sunscreen and a beach read! They are a must!

This stunner would be so pretty with a sundress or a tunic and white jeans.  Love it! 

And these golden mother of pearl ($68) or Abalone carved earrings ($74) would make a statement! 

Are you still looking for graduation gifts or in need of a birthday gift for a friend?  I love any of these pretty classics and at these prices you can get one for yourself too!

Happy Shopping! 

Don't forget to check out Elizabeth's blog.  She is always celebrating both inner and outer beauty and you will love following her!

Geode Love

My son and I went on a "field trip" to the Rock Barrell in Dallas yesterday to hunt for some fancy rocks and geodes - his latest obsession!  His awesome kindergarten teacher came along for a visit and we all searched and played together.  It was so inspiring and I wanted to buy everything!  Here is a little taste of the Geode trend in fashion and for the home.  Click on the photos to find the link to purchase or browse!

Giveaway: Turquoise with Navy

Today I am continuing our series on how to wear turquoise in the fall.  I'm having fun with it and I hope you are too!

Today the focus is on Navy.  I usually choose blue over black just because I think it is better on my skin but it can be a bit dark, right?  Add a pair of turquoise heels and the Elizabeth Showers Audrey Earrings that we are giving away and we have an outfit that packs a punch!  

Today is the last day to enter the giveaway!  I hope you will enter and I hope you will win!

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Giveaway: You can still enter to win the Elizabeth Showers Audrey Earrings

Hi Friends,

I still have the Elizabeth Showers Audrey Earrings giveaway on my mind.  It goes on all week so don't forget to enter today!  We will announce the winner on Monday.

I have been thinking more and more about how to wear my turquoise jewelry in the fall and I love the idea of wearing it with chocolate brown.  I have a lot of brown in my wardrobe but I always feel like it needs a bit of a punch with accessories.  I typically turn to gold for accents but this year I am going to use my turquoise instead!

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Monogram Monday: Monogram Necklaces!

Happy Monogram Monday! 

Monogram necklaces have been all the rage for a while, but we have recently been loving the more modern take on them!

Mrs. Polkadot / Von Eshna / Be Monogrammed

Katie, Krystal and Kim's picks are from Mrs. Polkadot's Boutique. Jessika's pick is from Von Eshna, and Paula's pick is from Be Monogrammed. They have everything from these fun monograms to name plates and crosses. Precious!

I am picturing these gorgeous Eddie Borga Lotus pieces with a black dress and an up-do.  How would you wear them?

Earrings - $215

Ring - $500

Bracelet - $2040

I Heart Blue and White - Greece

polka dot skirt / blue door / bracelet / greece / lofficiel / hotel lobby / sailing

Currently Obsessed: Bauble Bar Glacier Ring

Happy Friday Everyone!

I'm obsessing over this gorgeous Glacier Ring from Bauble Bar. Isn't it just to-die-for?

Bauble Bar Glaciar Ring

Take your favorite white t-shirt and add:

1. Earrings by Kendra Scott  2. Alice & Olivia Long Skirt  3.Natasha Babushka Ring 4. Pour La Victoire Jaclyn Espadrille Wedge Sandals 5. Andara Turquoise and Crystal Teardrop Bangle 6. Cleobella Mexicana Clutch  7. Ray-Ban - 3025 Aviator  

Guest Blogger: Shay Geyer, The Designer Detective!

Here are the amazing Shay Geyer's Five Tips for Creating a Unique Interior for Your Home:

1. Invest in great art. It doesn’t have to be a Picasso or cost millions of dollars. Be on the look out for local or up & coming artists. Buy pieces that you love & you feel a connection with. Art is a fabulous way to express your personal style in your home as well as bring in color.

2. Hand painted finishes on furniture are a marvelous way to add a unique touch. Whether you custom order a piece with a special finish or find a fabulous vintage piece & paint it yourself, a piece like this can add lots of style to your home. One of my favorite furniture lines, Hickory Chair, allows you to customize their pieces with any Benjamin Moore paint color.

3. It’s ok to mix & match. If you don’t fall into one of the traditional design style categories, it’s ok to blur the lines. Traditional looks are getting a fresh update these days with cleaner & more modern lines. The transitional style was born out of a desire to mix traditional pieces with more modern or contemporary looks. You do have to be careful though. A mixture of too many different styles can easily become busy & confusing to the eye. Some styles also don’t mix well. Shabby Chic & modern would not complement each other in the same space. There still needs to be a cohesive feel to your design. A neoclassical console table with a refined straight edge can be balanced with a more transitional sofa with a track arm and straight back. The straight angular lines of the pieces are what help tie them together.

4. Select pieces with designer details. Not every piece in your room has to be custom, but it’s nice to have some of your larger pieces tailored to your liking. Designer details such as tapes, nail head designs, contrasting welt cords & unique finishes help create a truly one-of-a- kind piece that will have your signature on it. Custom does not have to mean expensive either. It helps to work with an interior designer to create custom furniture so that they can help you stay on target with your budget.

5. Every home needs great accessories! Accessories are like jewelry for your home. Lamps are a MUST! There are so many gorgeous lamps in the market. This is such an easy way to add instant style & freshen up a room. I also love to pick up unique finds while I’m traveling. Displaying items that have a special meaning to you help tell your personal story & add character throughout your home. Less is more! Not every inch of your tabletop or bookshelves needs to be covered. Pick the accessories that have the most significance to your home. Use items that relate to your color palette & design style. My favorite must have accessory is coffee table books. You can stack them to vary the height of your other accessories. I also love to use geodes, hand blown glass & fabulous photo frames.

Win Wednesday - Bulgari Beauty!

One of our precious readers, Wendy, wrote in to me last week to ask me about the extra plastic lid that comes in all of the jars of beauty creams she is addicted to purchasing.  She wants to know why it is there, what it is for and if she should keep it on there!  To be honest, I had the same questions so I turned to my friends at BVLGARI who have developed the most amazing skin care line using their BVLGARI Gem Essence complex which uses fine and precious stones to help the skin resist external stresses.  It is  like putting all of the positive energies of gemstones on to your skin!  Can you think of anything more luxurious?  Here is what they had to say about the plastic lids in their products:


  “The plastic disks are on the jars of our skincare products to prevent contamination. Once the jar is opened, since it is not a pump, the plastic disk provides an element of protection.”

Sounds like a good answer to me!  I like anything that prevents contamination!  I like to keep my lids with my products because it makes me feel like there is a little bit of extra protection.  I hope that answers you question Wendy!

In addition to their helpful insight, our generous friends at BVLGARI have also put a special skin care treat aside in their Dallas boutique for one lucky reader!  

There are four ways that you can win.  For each of these, your name will be entered into the drawing one time.  Here is what you can do to enter:

-Follow our blog.

-Follow us on Facebook

-Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/KimberlyWhitman

-or leave a comment on this blog entry!  

Our winner will be announced here on Friday!   I have been using these products myself and I can't resist telling you how amazing they are.  There is something so special about opening the amazing BVLGARI jars with lids modeled after their signature jewelery pieces and then the fragrance of the products takes over and makes you fell like you are getting an incredible facial in a luxurious spa.  The best part, though, is the way your skin glows after you use the products.  Trust me, this is one big prize you don't want to miss! Good Luck!

Itty Bitty Bracelets

An old friend of mine, Dorie, wrote to me wondering how she can find bracelets for her teeny tiny wrists.  She is so petite and really has trouble finding bracelets that look right on her.
Here are a few of my little tips for Dorie and for all of the other petite ladies with the same problem!

• Shop Vintage!  It is amazing how small many of the vintage bracelets are!  Ladies must have been smaller in the past decades because the vintage clothing, jewelry and shoes are typically small sizes. I recently bought a vintage bracelet for a great price because it was so small.  My tiny friend, Janet, was about to have a birthday and I knew that it was meant for her when I saw it.  Check out The Revolving Closet on Main Street in Grapevine for a great selection of small sizes. 
• Shop Children's and Tween's Stores!  I adore all of the fantastic accessories at Crew Cuts (the children's line from J Crew.)  They have miniature versions of their grown up designs and I am sure they will have plenty for you to choose from.
• Shop China!  Many Chinese women are petite and the jewelry sold there is quite small!  YesStyle.com, a Chinese Fashion Site, has a very cool selection and Free International Shipping!
• Hit the Repair Shops!  Many repair shops will take links out of bracelets for you so that they fit properly.  Of course, that won't work for every style but it is great for link style bracelets.

I hope this helps!  Please let me know if you have any tips and tricks to help Dorie or if you have any other fashion questions of your own!  Write to me here.

Feather Your Nest with me on January 11th!

Please join me and my co-hosts, Ashlee Hunt Kleinert and Colleen Rickenbacher, for the first Feather Your Nest Luncheon and Speaker on the 11th January at the Ritz-Carlton. We are so excited to partner with the Ritz Carlton, Dallas to bring renounded designer and author Hutton Wilkenson to Dallas. His lectures are always amazing and his books are so beautiful. I can't wait to hear what he has to teach us, dine on a delicious Ritz-Carlton lunch, and have fellowship with my friends. I hope that you will be there! You can sign up by clicking here!