Growing your Halloween collection with Yankee Candle

It's no secret that I adore Halloween. In fact, on my list of favorite holidays, it ranks at the tip top and well surpasses Christmas. What can I say? I was born just two days before All Hallows Eve, and as a certified Scorpio through and through, I can think of no better holiday than one where strangers gift you with free candy and Hocus Pocus airs on repeat all season. 

Because I love Halloween so much, I usually get a head start on decor around my house. I start small with displaying pumpkins here and there, and before you know it, there are witches and ghouls all over the place. This year, I scoped out the Halloween home decor at some unsuspecting places and found a few favorite new items at Yankee Candle. Halloween candles inspired by treats like candy corn? Say no more. 

The beauty of Halloween decor is that the color scheme is always consistent, so you can build your collection over time. With shades of purple, green, orange, of course, black, you can mix and match everything without creating a hodgepodge look. I was able to pull out a few old favorites like the chalk-board wicked sign and complete the look with a few new finds from Yankee Candle. I paired my Deadly Diva tea light holder, who is described as "a sultry songstress with cold-hearted intentions" (too cute), with an adorable Steam Punkin hat, a watchful sequined owl, and a beautiful mercury glass pumpkin. These items look great together, and I love seeing my collection grow over time. 

For a limited time, Yankee Candle is offering you the chance to get a buy one, get one free coupon just for taking 30 seconds to watch this freakishly good video all about decorating your home for a frightfully fun Halloween season. Just click the image below to watch! 

I love the silhouette haunted house seen in the video and will most definitely be adding that piece to my decor, too! After all, Deadly Diva has to have somewhere to sing her soulful songs. 

Naturally I had to give my collection of travel ghost story books some air time in today's posts. I've been collecting ghost stories from all over the world at each haunted location I visit. While I'm the first to admit that I'm a total scaredy cat when it comes to stories like these, I also appreciate folklore and history behind the tales. I have an entire shelf dedicated to ghastly tales on my office built-ins...which is exactly where you'll find the rest of my Yankee Candle Halloween decor as Halloween continues to approach. 

As you start to see Halloween items here and there in stores, don't hesitate to head to Yankee Candle for all of your decor needs. After all, you have that buy one, get one free coupon practically burning a hole in your pocket, right? 

Check out my other Halloween decor posts here, and learn how to host a bewitchingly fun Halloween wine tasting party here. In the meantime, enjoy prepping for Halloween! 

Halloween Home Tour

If you've been around me for longer than 5 minutes, you probably know that my favorite time of year is fall, my favorite month is October, and my favorite holiday is Halloween. It started when I was a kid, probably because my birthday is just two days before, and I never really let it go. 

My mom did Halloween decor big in our house - she even hung yards and yards of black trash bags in our garage one year to create a spooky spot for my birthday party. One of my favorite Halloween decorations was an enormous blow-up pumpkin. Not the ones we have now - more like a giant beach ball. This thing had to have been a few feet big, or at least it appeared that way to me when I was under 10. The enormous pumpkin signified that Halloween was officially here. 

This is the first year that we've really decorated for Halloween, and it's the first year I've allowed myself to buy decor that will be with me for a while versus just for the season. I've been scouring unique spots for home decor since September 1st, and I just wrapped up my purchases this week. My goal was to buy things that would be fun for Halloween, but I could easily shift into Thanksgiving, and I think it worked great! 

We have truly had so much fun gathering things. Yes, I said "we." Hunter has really enjoyed helping me choose (and hang) things too. He's a trooper. I think I'll keep him! 

Outside, I chose to go all in with pumpkins of all shades of orange. Orange pumpkins have gotten a bad reputation over the past few years. Don't get me wrong, I love a white pumpkin too, but the orange ones look great outside and will look even better once the leaves start to change. 

We also picked up several cheap spiders from Amazon to hang on the house. I've never done anything like this before, and I think the effect is chic but fun. Tons of neighbors have them, but I was most inspired by Tierney's house (we live in the same hood!). Oh, and I can't forget about the Shop Josie B doormat. If you get the quote, we are BFFs. 

Inside, it was all about little details. One day I would love to have Halloween art and pillows, too, but we're starting small, y'all. I created little vignettes all around the house which makes every corner interesting and playful. 

I went to HomeGoods on September 1st (literally) and scooped up several mercury glass pumpkins and gourds and the wooden pears. This set-up on my dining room table will stay until it's time to decorate for Christmas. Well worth the $40! 

My bar cart got a little Halloween fun, too. I have a cocktail napkin obsession, and when the "Squad" ones from Target run out (gifted by a friend), there are several more styles underneath. All from the Dollar Spot! 

These three little items might seem like they don't fit with everything else, but they're probably the most meaningful decor items I have. My college roommate's mom gave me the witch ghost (so me), the little plush pumpkin is from my mother in law (she gave me two others, and Ryan ate them both...), and the pink skirted witch with the crazy hair is from my dad. When I was a freshman in college, he had my grandmother go pick up a basket of Halloween snacks and chocolate covered strawberries for me. This witch was in the basket. I still remember my Nana dropping it off for me. 

And now for my favorite purchase to date: these hand made tealight ghosts from Mollie Jenkins Pottery. Y'all, I have been stalking Mollie Jenkins' ghosts since this time last year. I think I checked her shop every day in September, and when she updated her shop on Monday, I purchased two sets immediately. They are even better in person than I could have imagined. I hope to add another set or two to my collection. They're just so dang cute! 

I have a few more little nods to Halloween here and there: pumpkins on our breakfast table, a bat night light in our powder room, a gilded pumpkin on my bedside table. I love it all. 

Happy Halloween! 

Happy Halloween!

First of all, Happy Halloween!!

I have two Halloween treats for you today. First up, a spooky drink for adults and kids alike. Use champagne or prosecco for the grown-ups and sparkling grape juice for the youngsters. Here is what you'll need: 

- Red sugar sprinkles

- Strawberry syrup

- Bouncy eyeballs 

- Champagne flutes

- Bubbly 

1. Begin by preparing your "dunking" bowls. Add syrup and sugar just enough to cover the base of the bowl. 
2. Then, take your champagne flute, and dunk it in syrup. Turn it over and allow the syrup to drip down the outer edges of the glass (if it drips inside, that's okay, too - you'll just have a hint of strawberry in your drink). 
3. Next, lightly swirl the flute in the sugar. 
4. Add your eyeball. Then, let the glass chill in the refrigerator to solidify the syrup and sugar. 
5. Finally, add your bubbly of choice to create a simple yet spooky cocktail! 

Next up, imagine my delight when I found these carving kits catered to SEC & ACC hearts. Even if it might be too late for Halloween this year, I honestly think this would be so fun as part of Thanksgiving decor. Everyone watches football Thanksgiving weekend, anyway! Find yours below.

UGA / Auburn / Clemson / Tennessee

 South Carolina / Alabama / University of Florida

/ Kentucky

Kate Spade Inspired Halloween Party with Kate Aspen I

As you know, I've been prepping for a very Kate Spade inspired Halloween party with my friends Kate Aspen for the past few weeks. I spent tons of time prepping, pinning and planning for this event, and I am happy to say that it came together beautifully. Instead of giving you everything at once, I am going to break down the party into several posts. I hate when bloggers give one detail at a time starting with the smallest one, so instead, I am going to work backwards and give you the full spread first with smaller details later. Up first: the place settings & table decor! 

Our wedding china is Kate Spade's Larabee Road, so it worked perfectly for this event. I paired my polka dotted salad plates with some cloth napkins from Anthropologie I scored on major sale several years ago. Then, I topped each one off with an all that glitters is gold favor box from Kate Aspen. 

One of the things I knew I wanted was to create an intimate dining experience for my friends, so plenty of candlelight was required. The damask tea light holders were a great addition to a few pumpkins I found at Trader Joe's. I then added a few taper candles to these little bottles (more on this later this week), and I had instant height and glow. Win win! 

Finally, I made sure to include a few subtle details here and there. A quick spray paint to these wine charms gave instant glam to otherwise kitschy decor. I also added a black and white straw from Kate Aspen to continue the theme. Who doesn't love sipping from a paper straw? 

Stay tuned for the next several days as I unlock more and more of this Kate Spade inspired Halloween affair! And thanks so much to Kate Aspen for supplying me with a lot of the goodies you see here.

Liebster Award: Nice to Meet You!

Bloggers are the best: they host giveaways, encourage each other, talk about great products, and give awards! Big thank you to Mackenzie over at Mackenzie Pages for nominating me and my little blog for the Liebster Award. 

 

According to Mackenzie (and those who have gone before her): The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The Meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcoming.

Well that's me to a T! ;)

Here are the rules for receiving this award:
1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves
2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.
3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.
5. Remember, no tag backs!

So, without further adieu...

11 Things About Me: 

1. Once I started kindergarten, I never moved to a new town. I was always the "Welcoming Committee" instead of the new kid. 

2. I absolutely love Halloween and start celebrating it as soon as October 1st hits. I even have a Halloween quilt made especially for me by my grandmother. I put it on my bed every year for the entire month. Some of the fabric even glows in the dark!

3. Southern Living is basically the bible. Or at least, I read it with absolute silence on a Sunday in a peaceful and serene state of mind. It's the only way. 

4. I despise olives.

card via etsy

5. Speaking of food, I have a slight obsession with bacon. So much so, that my boyfriend actually gave me a subscription to the Bacon of the Month Club last Christmas. Best. Present. Ever. I also love pickles. Always order extra.

6. As a typical southern belle, my favorite movie of all time is Gone with the Wind. And Scarlett is my favorite character. She has gumption, sass, and a killer sense of style.

7. I have seen the Backstreet Boys at least 9 times - twice of which were during adulthood. NKOTBSB, what?! No shame.

8. I recently realized that I won't spend a lot of money on a nice pair of shoes, but I do not hesitate to spend it on a bag. Example: I've been eying TB Revas for over four years, but won't bite the bullet. But I did purchase, just last week, a Lo & Sons bag with a greater price-tag without much consideration at all. 

9. My favorite kind of shopping is not at a boutique or mall, but at a flea market. 

10. I love old people so much, that I actually tear-up when I see them being sweet to each other.

11. I wish I had majored in journalism, so I could follow my dream of writing for a magazine. Luckily, I'll get a shot at it in the next issue of Poppy! 

Questions from MacKenzie:

1. Three of the best places you've traveled to: Paris, Mykonos, Florence

2. Three places you're dying to see: Paris on NYE, Napa, Santorini

3. Your go-to meal (that you can cook): Not a meal, but my favorite app: My friends call it "Evil Corn Dip." 2 cans corn (drained), 1 can rotel (drained), 1 block cream cheese, garlic powder, ground red pepper, & cumin to taste. Heat in microwave until melted, creamy, & hot - about 3 minutes total. Take this to a party. Trust me.

via 

4. Favorite movie interior (set design) or fashion (costume design)? Movie Interior: Sex & the City II Carrie & Big's Apartment & Fashion: Sex & the City Pt. 1

5. How would you describe your decor style? Classic with a twist!

6. If someone gave you $1 million and you could only spend it on your wardrobe or interiors, which would you choose? I actually think I'd choose interiors - and anyway, don't you put your wardrobe on the INTERIOR of your closet? Is that cheating? ;)

7. What do you hope to achieve from blogging? I hope to continue to explore my love for writing and hopefully make a few new friends along the way.

8. If Annie Leibovitz (or another famous photographer of your choice) was going to spend all day taking pictures of you and someone in your life, who would you choose? It may sound shocking, but I'd actually choose my little sister, Maggie. It's so fun now that she's grown-up. 

9. What era/decade most represents your style? Tough one! Late 1950s-60s in a Holly Golightly, not Mad Men, sort of way.

10. What's your most prized possesion? My antique ring that was my great-great-grandmother's. I wear it every day and only take it off to shower.

11. Who is your style doppleganger (real or fiction)? How about my dream one, instead? Kate Middleton! 

Questions for My Nominees: 

1. What's your favorite restaurant in your city?
2. What blog inspired you to finally start writing your own?
3. What is one thing you've tried from Pinterest & it succeeded? 
4. On the flip-side, what is one thing you've tried from Pinterest that was a complete fail?
5. What is your dream career?
6. Admit it: What is your favorite guilty pleasure tv show?
7. What one color appears again and again in your home? 
8. If you could splurge on one designer piece (fashion or furnishings), what would it be?
9. Name your favorite vacation spot. 
10. What is one new to you blog that you can't get enough of?
11. Where is your #1 place to shop? 

My Nominees: 

This Looks Good on You

Oh My Owls!

Forever81 

Party of One

In the Queen City  

Pearls & Pugs

Peach Gingham

The Way I Shop

Adventures of a Type-A

After Adornment 

Kelsey Nicole 

 

Monday, My Day

Happy Monday, friends! I am actually looking forward to this week. For one, I've got a super busy schedule which for some might be overwhelming, but when I am crazy busy, I am crazy productive. For another, we've got a three day weekend coming up which leads me to another reason I'm excited about the week ahead: the 4th of July! The Fourth is my second favorite holiday (right behind Halloween), and I am looking forward to celebrating the stars and stripes. In the meantime, here are a few links to get you through the week:

Favorite Links & Happenings

404 Proud launched last week, and their cheeky Atlanta t-shirts have me smitten. Pretty sure I'll be picking this one up soon (even if it is for a dude). 

Have you seen the apartment that's INSIDE the Eiffel Tower? Yes, you read that right. Find all the deets on the digs here. 

I'm a sucker for linens, and I especially love the idea of using cloth napkins. Maybe one day we'll make the full transition, and when we do, I'll be purchasing mine from Dot & Army. 

The Today Show had an excellent piece on what they've dubbed the "Gig Economy." As a one-woman show, I actually think I might be a part of this, and I totally think you can make a full-time living (like I do). My only issue is that they refer to it as a "side gig" until finding a "real" job. 

Have you heard that SJP is back?!

I got the Fancy Pants Start Planner in the mail on Friday. If you missed my unboxing on Snapchat (nicolemelv), there will be a blog post soon, so stay tuned! 

We met with an architect last week to start really planning for our home renovation. Even though we have a lot city hoops we have to jump through, we should be starting soon! Follow along on Pinterest to see some of my ideas. Any home decor mags I should definitely pick up?