THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

Do you know who's blowing it out of the park with their furniture campaigns?

Dedon! I'd love to know who the creative director behind these shoots is. Better yet, I'd love to switch jobs for a day. If only for an excuse to travel to Southeast Asia!

P.S. For the first time ever, we're asking Rue readers to help us pick the cover for our upcoming issue, out on Monday! If you'd like to weigh in, we'd love to hear from you!

AT LONG LAST, FRIDAY IS HERE!

What do you have planned for the weekend?

Date night with a cute boy?

Fun in the sun?

Getting rowdy with friends?

Precious alone time at home?

Whatever it is, have fun and make it count! See you back here on Monday!

Hugs & Kisses,

Crystal

*photography: Ellen von Unwerth for Guess

COLORWAYS

Gorgeous, no? This plushy editorial from Lynsie Roberts makes my heart jump. I'm not naturally a color girl, but I'm endlessly fascinated by the ones who can make tone on tone color and bold pairings look this easy. A punch of fuchsia never looked so good.

ROADTRIP READY

I'm headed to the OC today for a fun little Royal Wedding celebration at the Von Hemert showroom in Costa Mesa. Word on the street is there will be big hats, gorgeous gowns, and lots of tiaras on hand...

But truth be told, half the fun of today for me is getting there. I decided to ditch the flight and grab a car to spend a few hours to myself driving down the beautiful California coast and be out on the open road. There's something so restorative about a roadtrip and I'm thrilled I get to sneak one in right in the middle of my work week.

I'll be listening to The Avett Brother's latest album and jamming to lyrics like "The highway sets the traveler's stage. All exits look the same..." when this song comes on.

*image via but does it float

LEFT ALONE...

"I don't want to be alone. I want to be left alone." That Audrey, she was full of good quotes.

Wishing you a lovely weekend, my dears. I'm going to savour my first one home in weeks and keep it quiet and simple. Thanks for stopping by this week. Your visits and comments mean so much to me. See you on Monday.

xo,

Crystal

*images via Denise Crew

The Dreamer In Me

This room kind of takes my breath away...

I'm not sure if it's the sunkissed yellow in the sofa, the perfect curve of the fireplace, or the opulence that oozes from the chandelier. But I know it wakes something up in my heart and brings out the dreamer in me.

But who lives there? A hopeless romantic who wanders around in her heels with a spritz of Chanel no. 5 on her skin alone at night?

*image via oh hello logan and Bardot in Blue

Home Bound

Today I'm traveling back from Europe to Chicago after an amazing vacation! Just quickly popping into to say a heartfelt thank you to the wonderful bloggers who filled in for me while I was away:

Erin of Design for Mankind

Samantha of Pretty Lovely

Lynne of Tea for Joy

Jane of Ill Seen, Ill Said

Julieann of CreateGirl

I'll be back tomorrow (jet lagged) with regular postings and more details about my trip....maybe even some pictures!

*image via Dress Design Decor

Happy Birthday To... Me!

Today, my dears, is my 27th birthday! I plan to enjoy a blissfully relaxing, totally pampered day... To buy that expensive bouquet of flowers just because the colors are pretty. To have ice cream for lunch because I'm celebrating. To splurge on something I love because today I'm a princess. To indulge in everything that makes me happy because for one day only each year do we truly get to celebrate being us!

And, apparently April 20th is the best birthday ever because I share it with these two fabulous stylemakers! Pop by and wish Eddie and Ronda a happy birthday, too!

*image via coco+kelley

Daydreaming...

I'm daydreaming of renting a little place in Sardinia for the summer... Living in flip flops and sundresses during the day. Long dinner parties with wine and cheese at night. Frolicking in the Mediterranean. Getting lost in books. Trips to the market. Slipping into Italian gestures without even realizing it. Conversing with the locals. Being sun kissed...

*image via Haute Design & Dress Design Decor

Flowers + Thoughts

Something inside me is needing flowers to start off my day. They're little reminders of life and new beginnings. Of color (not darkness) and growth (not stagnation).

Here's to hoping your life is filled with lots of life, and if not, a little reminder that it will be!

*image: Max Mara S/S 2010 via Everything Fabulous

Little Black Dress

As a girl, I know you can never have enough LBDs. They're always in style and there's always a last minute occasion to pop up when you're glad you have one.

So, as I build my own LBD collection, I'd like to know what your go-to style is and your favorite shop for finding these fantastic little dresses!

*images via Fashion Gone Rogue

Renee Zellweger in Glamour

Do you know what I love? When the setting of a photo shoot is just as gorgeous as the model and the dress...

I'm digging the space Renee is in. The silvery couch, the bulbous lamp, and that horse are so doing it for me this morning.

*images via Glamour Magazine

2009: Going Out In Style!

This year marked a lot for me. Lots of personal growth, self discovery, and change. It challenged me to really listen to myself and understand my heart. And for that, I am grateful.

Whether you're ringing in the new year with a big night out or cozying up in the comfort of your own living room, let's go out in style...

...and by style I mean the inner kind. True style is all about knowing who you are from the inside out. It's about being confident in your choices and secure with what makes you unique.

Glitz and glam and sparkles and sequins are always fun. But the most beautiful statement piece of all is a strong sense of self! As we say goodbye to 2009 and welcome 2010, let's remember to cloak ourselves in it!

Happy New Year my dears! I'll be back tomorrow with a special "2009 End of the Year Wrap Up!" I hope you'll join me.

*images courtesy of Vogue via Moodboard

Jennifer in Black + White

From everyday mom without makeup to glamazon with an edge, I love the way Jennifer Garner transforms for this editorial out of the pages of W magazine.

I'm so into this off the shoulder Lanvin jumpsuit in black - and even more so when accessorized with another layer of black. My favorite part? That fantastic Erickson Beamon bib necklace!

Classic in Chanel, I adore how the lines of Jennifer's skirt are echoed in the shoes. It's the perfect little detail and such a stylish touch. 

Of course, dripping in Dior, Eddie Borgo, Lanvin, and Rachel Leigh jewelry never hurts!

*photographed by Craig McDean; styled by Lori Goldstein

Exhausted!

Last night I got back to Chicago after my 6th trip in 30 days! To say the least, I am exhausted from all the travel! But, I had some great trips along the way and some special things happen in my life :) The travel has caused me to fall a bit behind on blogland so I am looking forward to being home for awhile to finally catch up. I can't wait to visit all of your blogs and see what I've missed! As always, thanks for your generous comments to let me know you've been here! 

xo,

Crystal

*image via Sugar Pop Tarts

Simon Watson Photography

Recently I rediscovered my love for the talented work of Simon Watson. He's one of my favorite photographers so I thought I'd share one of his shoots from Elle Italia with you today. Of course, my favorite images are always those where beautiful fashion meets beautiful interiors. Enjoy!

Sparkles + Late Nights in...Seattle!

Happy Friday, lovelies! I'm especially excited about this one because next week I'm treating myself to a week-long vacation in Seattle!! It's where I grew up and the place I still call home. I can't wait to be back in the beautiful Pacific Northwest!

The week's events are already booked with sparkly outfits and late nights! On the list is dinner with Cassandra, Erin, and Sarah, a stylish wedding, girls night out, coffee and lunch dates, and a slumber party with high school friends! And of course, a shopping marathon and some quality time with the BFF.

I've also got some pretty exciting stuff planned for the week here on the blog! When I took a poll on twitter to find out what you'd most want to know about your favorite bloggers, the answer was unanimous: To see the inside of their homes! So, I'm bringing you sneak peeks into 5 fabulous ladies' homes for the entire week! You won't want to miss this one (these are ladies I'm sure you already read)!

xoxo Crystal

*images via julia.

Happy (Spooky) Halloween!

Wishing you all a safe and happy Halloween weekend! Many thanks for another wonderful week in blogging. I am forever grateful for all your lovely and generous comments. To new followers, welcome!

{Plus}:

a Halloween tabletop brushed in gold

so gorgeous and chic, yet perfectly haunting

irresistibly cute

*Harper's Bazaar UK via Fashion Gone Rogue

Guest Blogging: Favorite Color Combination at Simply Seductive!

Simply Seductive was one of the very first, if not the first, blogs I ever read. Linda made an instant and loyal fan out of me with her enormous library of beautiful images. I don't know where she finds so many, but for selfish reasons, I'm sure glad she does! Right now, Linda's hosting a 'Favorite Color Combination' series, which I'm thrilled to be a part of today! Stop by to see which colors I picked and let us know what you think!

*fashion is marc by marc jacobs via julia

Fall in (love with) D.C.

Did you have a lovely weekend, friends? I certainly did! I'm still in D.C. and have quickly fallen in love with this city!

On Sunday, I met D.C. bloggers Sam, Jenn, and Abby for brunch! The place was perfect, the food was delicious, and the girls were sweet as can be!

Afterwards, I walked off my french toast by exploring the magnificent city monuments and markets by foot.

What I'm loving most about this city are the beautiful autumn colors this time of year. The tree-lined parks and walkways with splashes of red, orange, and yellow make me so happy!

Today I have something new planned. By far my most exciting blog opportunity yet! Thanks to a little serendipity, some helpful people, and a gracious individual, another little dream is coming true. Stay tuned!

*images via W Magazine