Nautical Style

With summertime around the corner, beach days are near and it's time to get fashion-ready for the season. One of my favorite summer styles is the classic navy and white nautical look. Pair a striped top with simple dark wash jeans (I love the button detail on the pair below) and accent with stripe or anchor-printed accessories for an instant nautical feel. From the beach to a barbeque, you can't go wrong with a classic look like this.

Nautical Style by carlyahlman featuring teardrop earrings

Juicy Couture wide leg flare jeans
£145 - harveynichols.com

Dorothy Perkins wedge sandals
$110 - dorothyperkins.com

Wanted ballet shoes
$39 - endless.com

Summer handbag
£30 - awear.com

Nautical bag
£12 - awear.com

Anne Klein white watch
$55 - macys.com

Spring Street teardrop earrings
$28 - nordstrom.com

Floppy beach hat
£12 - debenhams.com

Chiffon scarve
£10 - bankfashion.co.uk

Beach House Decor- Pelican Photograph, Nautical Beach Photography-Fine...
$15 - etsy.com

Jewel necklace tee
$138 - jcrew.com

Fancy Ice Cubes

The weather is getting nicer and summer is officially on its way (hooray!). Along with this lovely season usually comes a calendar full of fun gatherings with family and friends. Get creative and impress your guests with these fancy, homemade ice cubes. Add small pieces of fruit, flowers, or mint to an ice tray and fill to the top with water. Or skip the water altogether and fill an ice tray with tea for a unique way to keep iced tea cold without watering it down. The finished result will be the coolest ice cubes that your guests have ever seen.

Photo: Everything Fabulous

Photo: Martha Stewart

Photo: Whole Living

Photo: Cupcakes and Cashmere

Photo: Bright Nest

Stylish Shutters

Believe it or not, shutters can be used for a lot more then just a window covering. Used shutters often turn up at flea markets or garage sales, and with a little love they can be turned into beautiful accessories for your home. Here are a few of my favorite transformations:

1. For an instant headboard, create a row of shutters behind your bed. You'll probably need about four or five depending on the width of the shutters and the size of your bed. Keep the original paint for a more rustic look, or change them up with a fresh coat of paint.
2. Create a screen by connecting multiple shutters with hinges. Hang photos or greeting cards from the screen for a unique display.
3. If you can't find a group of shutters, create a simple mail holder or photo display with a single shutter. Hang the shutter on your wall with the slat openings pointing up. This will create a convenient place to hold mail or display photos.
4. Create a shelf or coat hanger with two shutters. This one-of-a-kind piece will add unique personality to a mud room or foyer.

Check out these examples for a little inspiration:

Photo: Blog A La Cart

Photo: HGTV

Photo: Terramia

Photo: Scrap Hacker

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

Peaceful Porches

A front porch is my favorite part of a home. Not only do porches boost curb appeal, but they provide a calm space where you can enjoy a little fresh air in the comfort of your own home. Some porches are spacious enough to host a small get together, while others have just enough space to put a chair or two. Big or small, all porches can be turned into a beautiful place to relax. Here are a few of my favorite porches:

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

Photo: Mary Elizabeth Inspire

Photo: Coastal Living

Photo: Southern Living

Photo: The Berry

Photo: La Dolce Vita

Dog Days

If you have a dog then you probably agree that dogs are very important members of a family. So why should their bed be any less comfortable or stylish then ours? It shouldn't. That's where these good looking dog beds come into play. Whether you're all about pattern or can't live without monogramming, there's certainly a dog bed out there that's perfect for your home.

Photo: Frontgate

Photo: Garnet Hill

Photo: Harry Barker

Photo: LL Bean

Photo: Orvis

Bright White Bathrooms

When in doubt, bright white is the way to go when it comes to a bathroom. White is a color (or lack thereof) that will never go out of style. Accent an all-white bathroom with touches of black, natural wood, or pops of color. With a backdrop of white, it's easy to make updates without spending a ton of money. Switching out accessories can give the space a whole new look.

Photo: Architectural Digest

Photo: Ashley Whittaker Design

Photo: Design Sponge

Photo: House and Home

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: Houzz

Photo: Nine and Sixteen

Photo: The Style Files

Egg-cellent Decor

With Easter right around the corner, it's time to create some egg-cellent decor. Dying eggs has always been a fun Easter staple, but recently I've come across some great variations on the classic craft. Try dying eggs with natural ingredients for a lighter, less vibrant look.

After painting or dying your eggs, decorate them with paint and a very fine paintbrush. Create patterns and shapes, or spell out a word across multiple eggs. If you're looking for a more dazzling approach to egg-decorating, cover your eggs in glue and roll them in glitter. You can never go wrong with a little glitter.

Not into decorating real eggs? Create your own eggs from scratch using fabric scraps and a little stuffing. Pick some fun colors or patterns and sew strips of fabric together to form an egg shape. Before sewing them closed, stuff your eggs with batting. The great thing about these eggs is that you'll have them year after year.

Fill a glass vase or bowl with your newly decorated eggs for instant Easter decor!

Photo: Better Home and Gardens

Photo: Design Sponge

Photo: Martha Stewart

Photo: Retro Mama

Photo: Bower Power