YORK RIVER TRADERS GIVEAWAY + Cyber Monday Roudup

Happy December readers!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your family!

My break was wonderful, but I am in no way ready to be back at school. Just 3 weeks stand between me and Christmas break and I am counting down the weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds!

Today I am excited to bring you another awesome giveaway from York River Traders!

You may remember them from this giveaway. Their mariner rope belts are truly one of a kind and Bryce wears his all the time.

Well friends, if you're a fan of their belts, I've got good news! Now, your pup can now have as much style as you, just in time for the holidays! Ted, one of the YRT founders, reached out to me to share their newest product Mariner Dog Collars: I automatically knew a giveaway was in order!

The collars are available in two sizes: Medium (Jack Russell size, 12-15") or Large (Lab/Retriever size, 17-21") and are currently available in blue and red on the site. Green will also be available in the future!

The collars are made in the USA and to the same high quality standards are the belts.

To enter to win one collar of your choice, use the Rafflecopter widget below! The giveaway will close at midnight on December 10!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In addition to today's exciting giveaway, I couldn't end today's post without a roundup of Cyber Monday sales, listed alphabetically! Get your holiday shopping done now, early, and at a discounted rate! (Several things in my Holiday Gift Guides are currently on sale!)

• Ann Taylor is offering 50% off now through 3pm on 12/3
• Anthopologie is offering free shipping today plus 20% off sale with code EXTRAJOLLY
• Baublebar is offering 20% off now through midnight tomorrow with code CYBER20
• Brooks Brothers is offering 30% off select items + 10% off your entire order
• C. Wonder is offering 40% off sitewide
• Design Darling is offering 20% off with code MANYTHANKS
• Furbish is offering 25% off orders of $75+ with code HOLLADAY
• J. Crew is offering 30% off several items and 40% off sale and free shipping with code MONDAY
• Kendra Scott is offering 15% off sitewide and free shipping with code BFCM2014
• Lilly Pulitzer is offering free gifts with all purchases and new presents with purchase every hour!
• Nordstrom has up to 40% off TONS of items
• Piperlime is offering 30% off sitewide + 40% off markdowns with code CYBERSALE
• Serena & Lily is offering 25% off today only with code HAPPYMONDAY
• Shopbop is offering up to 25% off with code GOBIG14
• Tory Burch is offering up to 30% off with code LUCKY
• Waiting on Martha is offering 20% off orders of $200+ with code CYBER20
• Zhush is offering 25% off through tomorrow with code BFRIDAY25

And last, but not least, worth mentioning is the Zappos Charity Promotion: For every order placed from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, Zappos will donate 10 meals to families in need, in partnership with Feeding America. Their commitment is to donate up to 5,000,000 meals ($500,000). That many meals would feed the entire state of Kentucky! Through Feeding America’s bulk discounts, subsidies, etc. they’re able to use $1 in donations to generate 10 meals. Feeding America is a national top-rated charity with a network of over 200 food banks, and supporting 61,000 local charities in all 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico.

Have a great day!

Black Friday Roundup + 26

Happy BLACK Friday friends and Happy 26th Birthday to me!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday.

First things first....are y'all shopping today!? I have never gone out to brave the crowds. I mean, really, why would you when everything is online these days?  Today I am so excited to share my favorite round up of Black Friday sales and picks! Happy Shopping!

• Anthopologie is offering 25% off sitewide with code HOLIDAY25
• Banana Republic is offering 50% off 1 item with code BRFIFTY and 40% off sitewide with code BRFORTY
• Baublebar is offering 15% off 2 items with code FRIDAY15 or 35% off 4+ items with code FRIDAY35
• Boden is offering 30% off sitewide + free shipping and returns
• Brooks Brothers is offering 15% off + free shipping
• C. Wonder is offering 40% off sitewide
• Design Darling is offering 20% off with code MANYTHANKS
• Gap is offering 50% off sitewide with code BLKFRIDAY
• J. Crew is offering 30% off several items and 40% off sale with code HOLIDAY
• Kendra Scott is offering 15% off sitewide and free shipping with code BFCM2014
• Lilly Pulitzer is offering free gifts with all purchases
• Nordstrom has up to 40% off several items
• Piperlime is offering 25% off sitewide + a chance to win a trip for 2 to NYC Fashion Week with code IHEARTNYC
• Shopbop is offering up to 25% off with code GOBIG14
• Tory Burch is offering up to 30% off with code LUCKY
• Zhush is offering 25% off with code BFRIDAY25

And now, for the rest of today's post and my birthday, I thought it might be fun to share 26 random facts about myself with y'all. This list has no rhyme or reason, literally it's just an assortment of facts (and several quirks) that popped into my head!

1. I'm a lefty, but I play sports right handed.
2. I have 0 musical talent...I can't sing, play instruments, or dance well.
3. I love shopping. Hold on, I know y'all are all thinking..."Duh, we knew that!" But I really love it. I enjoy shopping for just about anything and to this day, my dad and I enjoy going to the hardware store together.
4. I have always used mnemonic devices to remember things. For example, my makeup bag, has two pouches and I could never keep up with which side to open first. Eventually after close inspection, I realized that the side I use first has green on it and the other doesn't, so I came up with "Green means go" and literally think that every time I do my make up now.
5. Halloween and Christmas are my favorite holidays, but I always feel like the actual day of holidays is a let down; I prefer the anticipation and preparation leading up to holidays.
6. Green beans are my least favorite vegetable and as a kid I would swallow them whole to avoid having to fully taste them.
7. I am 1/8 Pueblo Indian and my grandpa actually grew up on the reservation in New Mexico.
8. I have a bad habit of talking very loud at times. My dad is really loud, so I blame him.
9. I am a total SUV girl. I have only ever driven SUVs and feel a bit claustrophobic in cars.
10. I have major wanderlust for Nashville. In high school, Vanderbilt was my first choice for college and I think I may have accepted my Teach for America offer had I been placed in Nashville rather than Memphis.
11. I have a horrible time picking favorites. I like too may different things to pick just one favorite.
12. I never buy Tory Burch full price. She has good sales every few months, so I usually wait for a sale to order what I want. Every now and then I miss out on something I've been really wanting, but usually waiting pays off.
13. I'm a numbers person and constantly find patterns or relationships in numbers around me.
14. I drink chocolate milk almost daily and always keep chocolate syrup in the fridge so I can make it.
15. My biggest fear is someday not being able to have kids. I have no reason to be scared about this, other than the fact that I want kids above all else.
16. I feel naked when I'm not wearing earrings.
17. Fall is my favorite season, but summer is my favorite time of year.
18. One of my favorite joys is getting into a freshly made bed. If I ever had a full-time maid (ha!), I would have her put fresh sheets on the bed daily.
19. I can be painfully shy at times, but love public speaking.
20. Growing up I always wanted to be a teacher and transformed my playroom into a classroom.
21. I'm only 5'3, but I rarely wear heels...probably less than 5 times a year.
22. I think little boys are way more fun than little girls, but I must someday have a little girl so I can put giant bows in her hair!
23. I love, love, love pasta and Bryce jokes that I'm never allowed to go to Italy for fear that I wouldn't come home.
24. I can be a little OCD, for example, I only like to use black pens and don't like to use different pens in notebooks, calendars, lists, etc because it looks messy.
25. I can be a huge homebody and love days spent on the couch in my pajamas.
26. Ever since traveling to Charleston, I've imagined living there. Bryce and I regularly talk about when we're going to make the move, partially joking and partially serious.

Have a great day!

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving to all you turkeys!

via

I can't get enough of this Thanksgiving tablescape!

Today (and everyday), I have a lot to be thankful for. As y'all know, 2014 has been a particularly rough year for me. I've griped, whined, and cried a lot over it. I've wallowed in self-pity. That being said, this Thanksgiving, I am trying to be especially mindful and grateful for those things that I have that are taken for granted on a day to day basis. While things have been hard for me this year, they certainly could have been harder; and despite the challenges I have faced, I have always had the basic necessities in life.

First, I am thankful not only to be able to feast and stuff my face today, but to be able to eat every day. I read in this article just last night that "1 in 4 children lives in a food-insecure household."

Second, I am thankful, not only to have clothing, but to have a closet full of pretty things to choose from. As I debated what to wear for today's festivities there are women in parts of the world who don't have that luxury. Women who are required, due to social code, to cover up, to not be seen nor heard.

Third, I am thankful for my literacy. I started reading at a young age and since then, haven't stopped. I feel like something is missing when I don't have a book. Clearly, I also love to write or this blog wouldn't still be around more than 3 years after its start.  Literacy is improving globally, but according to UNICEF (here), there are still 126 million illiterate youth and in parts of Africa, literacy rates fall below 50%. I learned in a training last year, that 3rd grade reading proficiency is a predictor of prison populations. Nelson Mandela said "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nuanced and flawed as it may be, one cannot deny the power of free public education in America.

I could go on and on and on. One can always find something to be thankful for, but that's enough seriousness for one day!

And finally, lat but not least, I wanted to take some time to thank all of YOU, my readers, today! This blog has become a passion of mine, a fabulous creative outlet and a place to be completely me. I have been so excited by its growth in 2014 and I can't wait to see what the future holds.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with the people you love!

And finally, I figured I'd close with some Thanksgiving funnies after a more serious post!

What are you most thankful for this year?

Be sure to stop by tomorrow for details on all the best Black Friday sales! (Trust me, the irony of that announcement after this post is not lost on me!)

GOBBLE, GOBBLE!

Holiday Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers

Happy Monday readers!

I can't believe that Thanksgiving week is here!

That means Christmas is right around the corner and I've already started my holiday shopping.

Today I bring you the last of my Holiday Gift Guides: Stocking Stuffers!

Stocking stuffers are always one of my favorite things to shop for. Everything is a little cuter in miniature size and I like to use the stocking as a place for an unexpected or silly gift.

Below you will find 4 guides for stocking stuffers:

keychain/coasters/hair clip/bottle stopper/bracelets/sugar tinted lip balm/socks/cocktail napkins/candles/hand lotion/perfume rollerball

wax seal set/cologne/card set/rosewood tape measure/iPhone camera lens/monogrammed swiss army knife/sriracha to go/growler/copper mug/cuff links/coasters

bobby pins/tights/cupcake ornament/puzzle/mason jar light/wand kit/bubble bath/elephant

reindeer ornaments/socks/harmonica/mini animal set/ecosphere/animal hands tattoos/lego watch/nanoblocks motorcycle

So there you have it!

Do you fill stockings with gifts, candy, or a mix of both?

I also am excited to say, I now have all of my Holiday Gift Guide Pinterest Boards set up. I have spent hours searching the internet for fabulous presents and have put together 3 virtual catalogues for you to browse. I will continue to add to them throughout the holiday season, so be sure to follow on Pinterest too:
Holiday Gift Guide: Ladies Board
Holiday Gift Guide: Gents Board
Holiday Gift Guide: Kids Board

The kids board has been by far my favorite to put together, so I am feeling envious of all my readers that have kiddos to shop for this year!

Finally, be sure to check out my other two Holiday Gift Guide posts if you've missed them:
Holiday Gift Guide: Ladies
Holiday Gift Guide: Gents

Have you started holiday shopping?

Have a great day!

Holiday Gift Guide: Gents

Happy Friday readers! 

We are so close to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and hopefully some R&R! 

Today I am excited to bring you my holiday gift guide for the gents! I've got you covered with lots of finds to please the men in your life! Some of these picks are among Bryce's personal favorites and others include things he might even find under the Christmas tree this year!

The Southern Gentleman...swoon!

feather bow tie/vest/watch/Garden & Gun subscription/needlepoint belt/leather catchall/boots/log carrier/bottle holder

Keep your athlete happy with sporty gifts for on and off the court!

book/headphones/dan leather head football/sneakers/sports movies

If your man is all about the finer things in life (aka expensive booze & cigars), I've got ya covered!

rocks glasses/cigar tray/booze hound flask/copper tray/bottle opener/coasters/matches/humidor/book

Please the grill master in your life and you're guaranteed a full belly!

book/monogrammed tool set/bacon kit/sriracha pepper sauce/cast iron skillet/infrared thermometer/wood chips

And finally, for the little man--spoil him with gifts that scream fun and playful!

justice league bendables/vest/snowball launcher/zebra pillow/arx blocks/book/boots

I have also created a Pinterest Holiday Gift Guide: Gents board. Follow to see even more gift ideas now and throughout the holiday season!

What men do you have to shop for this year?

Do you have a favorite guide?

I'm partial to the Southern Gentleman (surprise, surprise!), Debaucher, and Little Man boards myself!

Be sure to check out my other gift guides, as well:
Holiday Gift Guide: Ladies
Holiday Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers (coming soon!)

Have a great weekend!