Tiffany and Co. Favorites

At least once or twice I've pointed out to my boyfriend, Ryan, that he's a very lucky man because I'm not typically a huge fan of jewelry. Sorry honey, that may not be entirely true. Over the past few years I have been coveting some of the simple sterling silver classics from Tiffany and Co. Every time I stumble upon their website I seem to find another piece of jewelry that I end up adding to my mental list of "wants". Luckily for Ryan there haven't been any diamonds added to this list (yet).

Slowly but surely I've begun building my jewelry collection, and it turns out that maybe I'm a bit of a jewelry-loving girl after all. Now I'm not saying that I'll ever be one of those of those ladies that has a dresser full of jewelry (yes, they exist), but a few everyday staples are definitely acceptable. As of recently, my daily jewelry consists of a few stacked rings, simple stud earrings, and an oversized watch. My motto is that if you're going to spend a significant amount of money on jewelry, make sure the pieces are simple and of a quality that will last. The pieces below can be mixed and matched, and will remain stylish for years to come.

Tiffany & Co. favorites by carlyahlman featuring chain jewelry

Tiffany Co sterling silver jewelry
$395 - tiffany.com

Tiffany & Co. sterling silver bow earrings
$325 - tiffany.com

Paloma Picasso sterling silver jewelry
$325 - tiffany.com

Tiffany Co sterling silver jewelry
$275 - tiffany.com

Tiffany Co chain jewelry
$275 - tiffany.com

Tiffany Co sterling silver jewelry
$200 - tiffany.com

Tiffany Co sterling silver jewelry
$185 - tiffany.com

Tiffany Co twist ring
$150 - tiffany.com

Tiffany & Co. knot earrings
$150 - tiffany.com

Tiffany Co beaded jewelry
$135 - tiffany.com

Tiffany Co chain jewelry
$125 - tiffany.com

Tiffany 1837™ Bangle
$475 - tiffany.com

Classic Bridal Lace

White lace wedding dresses will be a staple in the world of weddings for many years to come. Although the styles and silhouettes have changed over the years, many brides are attracted to the timeless and romantic look of a lace wedding dress for their special day. Below are a few of my favorite lace picks:

Photo: GoldWo

Photo: Jim Hjelm

Photo: Rustic Beauty

Photo: Style Me Pretty

Photo: Wedding Guru

Cool Kid Rooms

Growing up, my bedroom was decked out with lavender and white striped walls, colorful florals, and just the right amount of girly-ness. Although it was beautiful, it didn't quite have the "wow" factor that I've noticed in so many kid's rooms recently. With creative bunk bed ideas, indoor hammocks, and even a place for a magic show, nearly any imagination could run wild in these super-cool spaces.

Getting creative with paint, reclaimed materials, ladders, and loft beds can certainly lead to a child's bedroom that is far from ordinary. Take a look at these cool kid digs:

Photo: Habitually Chic

Photo: Pinterest

Photo: The Tumtum Tree

Photo: The Slow Life

Heart Your Home

Whether you're in love, looking for love, or neither of the above, Valentine's Day is almost here, so embrace it! Celebrate the spirit of Valentine's Day by bringing a little extra love into your home through some heartfelt decor. Although decorating with hearts can sometimes feel a bit juvenile, there are also some "grown-up" ways to bring this beautiful little shape into any space.

My personal favorite heart-decorating-idea is to arrange a collection of photos into a heart shape on your wall. Make it as little or as large as you'd like by altering the amount of photos. If you're up for spending a little extra time on this project, try cutting each individual photo in a heart shape before creating one large heart (these would also look adorable in little frames). Before you know it you'll have a unique photo display.

Create homemade heart garland out of fabric, paper, felt, or anything else that you can think of. Cut out hearts of the same size and string them along a piece of yarn, twine, or rope. Hang the finished product from a headboard, mantel, or shelf.

Add personality to a simple mason jar by decorating it with hearts. Back a paper heart with a delicate doily and attach to the outside of a mason jar with string, glue, or double-sided tape. Fill the finished jar with fresh flowers for the perfect Valentine's Day floral arrangement. Make a few extras to give as sweet little gifts!

Spruce up an existing pillow case with a few felt or fabric hearts. Cut out different sized hearts and attach them to a pillow case by sewing the center so that the sides of the heart float above the pillow (see photo below). Or, sew around the edge of each heart so that they lay flat. For a different look experiment with hearts in patterned fabrics.

Although these decor ideas are perfect for Valentine's Day, they may win over your heart and stick around all year long!

Photo: Joanna Goddard

Photo: Faith's Adventure

Photo: Urban Comfort

Photo: The Pleated Poppy

Photo: Etsy

Casual Color Blocking

During a recent shopping trip I came across the perfect red pleated skirt (on sale!), and had to have it. After showing it to my fashion-forward mom, she informed me that its solid red color was perfect for the upcoming season, because color blocking is so "in" (as are mid-length pleated skirts, I'm told). After gaining this tid-bit of fashion knowledge, I began to notice the color blocking trend everywhere!

Being that my outfits generally consist of mostly neutrals, figuring out how to adopt this colorful new trend posed as a bit of a challenge for me. I decided to pair my new red skirt with a palette of colors that weren't too bright. This allowed me to customize color blocking in a way that works best for me. Pairing the red (reddish-orange, actually) skirt with a yellow top seemed to form a great color combo. Adding casual leather boots, a hint of turquoise, and a whole lot of gold accessories, really tied the entire outfit together.

I'll leave you with this tip: When following trends, make sure to stay true to your style by wearing trends in a way that works for you.

Casual Colorblock by carlyahlman featuring stone earrings

Old Navy top
$30 - oldnavy.gap.com

Dorothy Perkins pleated skirt
$44 - dorothyperkins.com

Coach leather boots
$398 - coach.com

Jigsaw gold bangle
£39 - jigsaw-online.com

Michael Kors square watch
$250 - michaelkors.com

Max & Chloe stone earrings
$180 - maxandchloe.com

Rag bone leather fedora
$140 - stylebop.com

Ray-Ban ray ban sunglasses
€139 - impressionen.de

Perfect Little Reading Nooks

If you're as much of a book-lover as I am, then you probably have a go-to place to read. Whether it be in your bed or on the beach, most of us have a favorite place to break out the latest book that we can't seem to put down. My ideal reading space is cozy and comfortable; a quiet place where I can let myself escape.

A little "nook" created as a dedicated place for reading seems like the ideal space for any reader.
Whether you have a little space or a lot, create an area specifically designed for some one-on-one book time. Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating your own reading nook:

• Comfort is key, so load on the pillows. 
• Nearby shelves for all of your books are essential. 
• Keep in mind that a location near a window is best, because natural light is ideal for reading.
• Most importantly, make it a relaxing place where you can go to unwind.

After coming across these perfect little reading nooks, I'm inspired to create my own!

Photo: The Lettered Cottage

Photo: Katie Did

Photo: Maggie Lynne

Photo: Trendir

Photo: Elements of Style Blog

A Dream Craft Room

If you haven't already noticed; I love to do crafts. That being said, my dream home will definitely have a space where I can craft away whenever my heart desires. As any craft-er can probably relate to; you need a functional, efficient space to organize and easily access all of your crafting materials. Whether it's glue, buttons, or lace, each item has to have a neat and tidy home where it can live when it's not in use. This makes the whole crafting process a whole lot easier.

My dream craft space would have to contain the following elements:

• Organization! Labeled shelves, bins, drawers, and jars make organizing little crafty nick-knacks a heck of a lot easier. Tip: use mason jars for the small stuff. You'll see what is in each jar without even having to open them up.
• Make it a "you" space. A craft room should be a fun and inspiring space that you look forward to spending time in. Get creative with it! Paint a pattern or image on the wall, give the ceilings a little color, or keep it calm and simple; figure out what suits you best, and make it happen.
• A great work space. All these crafts have to be done somewhere right? Tip: pick up a used dining table at a local flea market or garage sale and use it as your crafting work space. It'll add character to your craft room and you won't be as worried about it experiencing a little wear and tear.
• Pin-up boards for inspiration. I don't know about you, but I'm constantly tearing pages out of magazines with the thought of, "I'm going to make this someday!" in mind. Or, finding scraps of fabric that I know will inspire some sort of craft in the future. Pin-up all of your inspirational items, because you never know which one will spark your next great idea.

Take a look at the amazing craft rooms below. As soon as I came across these spaces, I knew that I had to have a craft room of my own (someday!).

Photo: Martha Stewart

Photo: Decor8

Photo: Ish and Chi

Photo: Caitlin Creer

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens