Today’s guest was one of the first to turn in her submission, which on many occasions I had to resist not posting earlier. Plush Palate has quickly become a go-to blog for all things stylish. It’s author, Crystal, always gives off happy vibes. The girl must know a thing or two about living an everyday beautiful life! Let’s get on to her post, shall we?

Coffee *This is quite possibly my favorite little pleasure in life 🙂 It’s what gets me out of bed in the morning and ready to face the day ahead. For me, it represents that quiet time I have with myself before all the noise of the day kicks in.

Journaling * My most prized possessions are my beloved journals. They document the beauty, pain, hope, fear, and growth in my life. If ever I lost a journal, it’d be like losing a vast library into my heart. I treasure the catharsis and companionship writing has always gifted me with.

Traveling * It’s in my blood, it’s in my veins, it’s in the depths of my soul 🙂 Perhaps that’s what ultimately led me to move to Italy after college, without a plan, without a job, without anyone, but armed with hunger and a dream! I fell in love with the place the same way you fall in love with a person – passionately and wholeheartedly.

Fresh Flowers * They never fail to put a smile on my face and make me happy. That’s why I always have fresh flowers in my apartment. I buy two bouquets every Sunday to get me through the week. They add instant life and joy to my life.

Food+Wine * Some of my best memories were made over shared meals. Good food and wine bring people together and feed the soul. Food should be enjoyed in all its raw and natural deliciousness (so none of the low fat, low carb stuff for me!)

Beautiful Spaces * I am of the breed whose happiness and productivity is very affected by the environment in which I am. For me, good design is not incidental, it’s a way of life. Being in a fabulous space makes you feel fabulous in return. When you are surrounded by beauty, balance, luxury and comfort, you can’t help but channel that same energy inside.

Running * This is my best medicine. It helps me feel strong and powerful. I love to run long distances, breathing in the fresh air, slowly drifting away from stress and into that wonderful thing known as runner’s high. I feel at my most beautiful after a long run – glowing skin+radiant eyes!

Sunbathing * Feeling the warm sun on my skin, on a beach, in a swimsuit makes me feel beautiful 🙂 There’s something very nourishing about soaking up the sun and sexy about sunbeams dancing on your skin.

Friends * I am blessed to have so many loving friends all around the world! They have been my joys, my rocks, my partners in crime, my sources of laughter, my counselors, my shoulders to cry on, my mirrors, my party pals and my sisters. They have been there to challenge me, love me unconditionally and compassionately, and to always make me feel beautiful!

Love+Passion * All we need is love! Being with someone who makes you feel beautiful on the inside and desired on the outside is what every woman deserves!

Photos: 1. Simply Seductive, 2. Irene Lamprakou 3. unknown 4. Carolyn Barbar & Reed Davis, 5. Reed Davis, 6. Haute Design, 7. David Sheilds, 8. Kate Young, 9. Phil Poynter, 10. Valeria Lazareva

Could I be luckier? Really, I’ve had such fabulous guests in this series. Today our guest is Lynne of Tea for Joy. Lover of tea shops, typewriters, sustainability {yay!}, and design, Lynne is a writer based in the UK. Her list is simple and personal, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. {Am jealous about this whole Wandsworth Commons walk though!}

1. Wandsworth Common Walking through the common on the way to the train station everyday is an incredible blessing. I love being able to absorb some of nature before I start the working day. When I work at home, I try to go for a walk on the common every morning.

2. Small styling touches. I love to buy one bunch of flowers and divide them into lots of tiny arrangements – one flower in a milk bottle, another in a vintage teacup in the bathroom, and others in jam jars. It makes me a lot more cheerful. These flowers are out of season – but any yellow flowers are my favourites.

3. Shiny shoes. Anything glittery or shiny makes me happy – I love patent shoes and my favourite handbag is in a cracked silver.  I just bought these. and I recently saw this Nicole Farhi bag – just my style, if not my budget.

4. Good food. Although I still have a lot of progress to make, I try to eat healthily using seasonal food. When I’m working at home, I often make a Friday soup with any leftover vegetables. I am working hard on reducing my food waste.

5. Challenging myself about what is really important.  I recently watched an incredibly inspiring interview with Jessica Jackley of Kiva. She is the same age of me, but has co-founded an organization which makes $5 million loans a day to small entrepreneurs all over the world living in poverty. Shiny shoes and fresh flowers make me happy – but they are pretty insignificant.  Life is not worth much unless we help others make their lives more beautiful too.

photographs: {via} Lynne Robinson and weheartit

{Other posts in this series}
+ I am a Greedy Girl
+ Frou Frou Fashionista
+ Woolgathering & Miscellany
+ Life in a Venti Cup
+ Coco & Kelley
+ Sweet & Low
+ Design Crush
+ Daydream Lily
+ Concrete & Honey
+ Simply Seductive
+ How to be Sensual at Home
+ 6 Ways to be a Wild Thing
or click on the category at left to enjoy them all.

Today we have Caroline of I Am a Greedy Girl as our guest. Her blog is full of bright, unique, fun items she finds. You can see her style and eye for design in her selections. Visit! Just be sure to put your credit cards away before you do. Her site really makes you want to buy stuff.

1.{sleep} This sounds really un-beautiful, but without a very decent amount, I’d be a mess. I love getting in bed each night, plugging my ears and slipping on my sleep mask. Something about it seems so glamorous and is my favorite way to relax.

2. {mail} To me, there’s no better surprise than a good piece of mail. I love getting postcards, from near or from far. And, then there’s the undeniable joy in receiving a package, even if it’s something I knew was on its way.

3. {travel} My wanderlust is going to be the death of me, I swear. If it were possible with our pugs, I’d convince my boyfriend to be homeless for a couple years while we see the world. In the meantime, I’ve got trips in the works. First up, back to Paris and New York. Then i’d really love to see Asia… Tokyo, Taipei, Hong Kong & beyond.

4. {design} Typography and color. Beautiful design can make my heart skip a beat. That’s really all there is to it.

5. {nail polish} Having fingernails and toenails that pop is an instant pick-me-up. It makes me feel feminine and pulled together when I’m feeling less than beautiful. And lately I’ve been experimenting outside my standard red-only polishes. Green and orange, namely, you know, for the season.

Photographs: 1. Still from Breakfast at Tiffany’s {via} fashion fling, 2. Caroline Duke,  3. Element 62, 4. Gavin Potenza, & 5. Unknown

{Other posts in this series}
+ Frou Frou Fashionista
+ Woolgathering & Miscellany
+ Life in a Venti Cup
+ Coco & Kelley
+ Sweet & Low
+ Design Crush
+ Daydream Lily
+ Concrete & Honey
+ Simply Seductive
+ How to be Sensual at Home
+ 6 Ways to be a Wild Thing
or click on the category at left to enjoy them all.

Possibly one of the prettiest blogs around. Seven-Eight is a past {i heart} pick and run by Mimi who runs Mika78 stationary shop. Mimi has any eye for all that is pretty and inspiring. As our guest, she shares 5 things to make her and our lives everyday beautiful. {I love 4 & 5.}

1. {Old photos and letters from friends & family}

I’m preparing to move right now, so in the middle of all my crazy packing, I came across old photos, letters and cards I received throughout the years from friends and family. It was so nice to look back at my life through these mementos… it made me realize the importance of living a FULL life.

2. {Being inspired / the creative mind}

When I see creativity at its finest (design, packaging, photography, fashion, art, a movie, music, you name it), something inside of me just melts. There’s nothing quite like being inspired… it makes me deliriously happy!

3. {High heels}

Enough said. 😉

4. {A smile}

Sometimes when I walk down the street, someone will smile at me. Not in a weird “I’m about to kidnap you and sell your organs on the black market” kind of way, but a genuine, friendly smile. Strangely enough, it lifts my spirits. I don’t know why, but I guess it’s just that human connection. Now, whenever I see someone who looks down or sad, I try to smile at them (hoping they don’t think I’m about to kidnap them).

5. {Remembering to be better}

I love this quote. It’s so easy to get caught up in our own lives, huh? I’m definitely a victim of this, and I’ve found that the more I focus on myself, the unhappier I become. It’s so true that when you live for others, life has meaning far beyond what you could ever realize on your own. I think there’s so much hope and beauty in that.

1. week twentysix, 2. jennipenni 3. creature comforts, 4. marjchun

Today’s EBL guest is Alison of Frou Frou Fashionista. You might also know that she and her mom own an incredible lingerie store call Faire Frou Frou. It’s girl heaven! Her store recently sustained some water damage from a water main break and they are in the process of recovering, but there is always the online shop. Please support her wonderful shop by going online and buying yourself some lovely lingerie. Afterall, a girl can never have enough!

1. My mom and I own a business together (Faire Frou Frou)…a beautiful, inspiring business that makes me proud every single day. I love our bright space filled with the finest lingerie in the world, and scented of Diptyque rose spray. It’s a long way from my days as an accountant in a gray cubicle. It’s so important to spend time in a space that inspires you.

2.  Put me in a space with sunlight and a lovely bouquet, and I’m set! There’s a certain time of day where the lighting in my house is perfect…and to top it off I found some pretty roses in my yard. It’s such a simple look, but so profoundly beautiful.

3.  I think every woman can understand the importance of amazing shoes making you feel good. Though I wear ballet flats most of the time, there’s something empowering when you slip into something as stunning as these heels!

4. I just love pretty details and fun colors, and this photo captures it all. These are detail shots of several handmade panties in my store (by Strumpet & Pink). The ruffles, the buttons, the bows…perfection!

5. Just a quick spritz of your favorite fragrance, and you feel like a million bucks. Carrying the scent of a beautiful fragrance on your skin seems like such a luxury to me. I’ve always loved my perfumes, and still feel glamorous each time I wear it (which is daily!). It’s a simple, quick thing each of us can do.

6. Everyday beautiful life means surrounding yourself with little indulgences that make you feel special. For me, pretty shoes and lingerie are so special, and this little vignette captures the essence of what I enjoy. Colors, textures, scents and styles are the things I look for to create everyday beauty.

{Other posts in this series}
+ Woolgathering & Miscellany
+ Life in a Venti Cup
+ Frolic!
+ Sweet & Low
+ Design Crush
+ Daydream Lily
+ Concrete & Honey
+ Simply Seductive
+ How to be Sensual at Home
+ 6 Ways to be a Wild Thing
or click on the category at left to enjoy them all.

1. Gail & Alison Faire Frou Frou; photo by Robert Evans photography, 2. Alison Rubke, 3. { via| Browns Fashions website, 4. Alison Rubke 5. KristyBee photography via This is Glamorous blog, 6. {via} Young Mind Blog

Grace of Woolgathering & Miscellany and her awesome chihuahua, seen above, are our guest today. Well, actually, just Grace, but I like to imagine that the adorable little pup was sitting next to her while she put together her list.

1. Drink ordinary liquids from wine/champagne/martini glasses. Don’t just let your fancy stemware gather dust, they can make even the most mundane beverages taste like a party in your mouth. I like to do this with EmergenC & OJ.

2. Make the bed every morning. I’m still trying to condition myself to do this. It only takes a minute, and it’s so nice to climb into a neat bed when you’re dog tired at the end of the day.

3. Write a letter. There’s nothing like showing someone that you’re thinking of them with some old fashioned correspondence. A little ray of sunshine beaming out from under a pile of bills and advertisements will surely brighten anyone’s day.

4. Stop to count your gratitudes on a regular basis. It is such a great way to put things into perspective & remind you of the things that really matter.

5. Leave a lasting impression. Hug your loved ones as if it’s the last time you’ll ever see them again.

All photos edited by Ms. Jenn found {via} 1. ffffound 2. the daily bed 3. audrey hepburn complex 4. simply photo 5. le love

Woo-hoo! It’s Thursday, tomorrow at this time I’ll be stepping off my plane and today’s guest is a rather amazing blogger. I’d love to meet Franki of Life in a Venti Cup some day. She also writes Life in a Sippy Cup, is an entrepreneur, and a mommy. She’s obviously a very busy woman, but she still has time to slow down and enjoy life. Here’s a few things she enjoys:

Bouquets of fresh flowers. This is likely to top every woman’s list, but I do have certain requirements for mine. For maximum visual impact, I adore a tight bouquet of a either one variety of flower or many flowers boasting a uniform color. I love the punch of color from a cluster of bright pink Stargazer Lilies or a compact bouquet of delicate pink roses. Classic. Simple. Beautiful. How can anyone help but smile when they see a perfect bouquet on a side table? It is the epitome of feminine chic and adds elegance to any space.

One of my daily pleasures is spending time outdoors in the sunshine. I love walking in the sun, paying attention to the beauty of nature around me. It centers me and grounds my appreciation for the many wonders of my life. Granted, I’m a city girl, so my idea of “outdoors” is a well-groomed neighborhood with tree canopied streets and well-maintained landscaping. But if I lived on the coast I would spend time on the beach every single day. I love the fierce power of nature that is all around. Even in a concrete jungle you can appreciate the way the sunlight falls on your face and the wind moves your hair. Nature is all around you and it is infinitely beautiful.

Fashion. I really do love it. As a woman, I feel it is my God-given right and responsibility to celebrate my femininity. Pretty heels, dresses, ruffles, lip gloss. I believe beauty really does come from within, and getting ready each day allows me to celebrate that beauty. I love the transformative powers that only a frilly dress can deliver, the mood-changing powers of the perfect pair of heels the feeling of glamour that only the perfect lip gloss can deliver. I absolutely love being a girl and strive to exercise my right to be feminine and frilly every single day. To me, feeling beautiful is at the very core of seeing the beauty around you.

And finally, being playful, happy and adventurous is to me, the real key to everyday beauty. Happy women are radiant. They live, they love, they laugh. They celebrate life. I see people out there waiting for life to begin. This is it! This is your moment! You have to seize it. Spend it with people you love. Try new things. Act a bit crazy. Go on an adventure. Go on an exotic vacation. Try new things. Celebrate living. People that “do” see the beauty and miracles all around them. If you over think life you’re going to miss out on the beautiful little moments around you every day. Grab someone you love and tell them how you feel. Hug more often. When you kiss the one you love, kiss them passionately. Stop waiting for life to happen. It IS happening and you won’t want to miss a single, beautiful moment.

So that’s it. That’s how I see and create beauty in my life every day. I hope this inspires you to make your life more beautiful!

{all images discovered on ffffound.com}

I’ve been stoked about this post since the day she said yes. Today we have the amazing Cassandra of Coco & Kelley for our {Everyday Beautiful  Life} guest post.  I’m especially appreciative because she was able to get her post in to me despite a very busy schedule and speaking engagement at Blog Out Loud this past week. Cassandra’s blog led her to open a creative styling business that offers consulting on personal style, interiors, wedding design, and merchandising. A little bird tells us she’s working on a wedding blog, too.

{1} Handwritten notes are so rare these days, so I love giving and receiving them! Of course, the most beautiful part (besides the message) is the gorgeous stationery. I have boxes and boxes full of letterpressed cards that make me so happy every time I pull them out.

{2} I love a well set table. and, why wait for a special occasion? I enjoy putting together a table for two for no reason at all – a small bunch of flowers, a few candles, and linen napkins. makes a Tuesday night feel much more fabulous!

{3} When all else fails to cheer me up, my girlfriends can always make me feel thankful for their friendship and all the little things. Of course, a cupcake picnic would make things even better!

{4} I am a dress addict. I think half my closet is taken up by purchases that I simply couldn’t resist because nothing makes me feel more fabulously feminine than a well cut dress! And when I can’t afford them, i still love to drool over them – especially if they happen to be as gorgeous as these pieces from the Lanvin bridal collection!

{5} Flowers & books should always go hand in hand. I love creating a quiet little corner of my home for a small library and fresh florals. They create instant tranquility and a little escape from the madness of daily life.

{6} One of the things that makes me happiest is treasure hunting! Flea markets, thrift stores, antique malls… I’m like a kid in a candy store. the unique little pieces I find always bring new life to my home, and I love the idea of finding a new purpose for old pieces.

{7} No matter who they’re from, random acts of love never fail to make life more beautiful, especially when they’re unexpected and creative!

{8} Sometimes what we really need when life gets crazy is silence… and what better place to seek refuge than a hot bath? Those little indulgences and moments of getting away from it all are rare, so its important to make time for ourselves to be still and breathe.

{Other posts in this series}
+ Frolic!
+ Sweet & Low
+ Design Crush
+ Daydream Lily
+ Concrete & Honey
+ Simply Seductive
+ How to be Sensual at Home
+ 6 Ways to be a Wild Thing
or click on the category at left to enjoy them all.

image credits: tanja lippert, sunday suppers, corrie bond, coco+kelley, kate french, coco+kelley, coco+kelley, unknown.