minted art print giveaway.

When we moved into our house nearly a year ago (where does time go?), I always knew I would have some trouble filling certain "holes" in our decor. One such hole? The large space above the tub in our master bathroom! It took me months to finally decide upon a solution. With the help of Minted, I was able to fill this blank space with something beautiful and perfect for the space!

In case you didn't know, Minted now offers large scale art prints which help make those mysterious voids in your decor history! The print I chose (Savannah Lands by the uber-talented Emily Jeffords) was the ideal solution to our window-less master bathroom. Since much of our bathroom is gray and white, I needed a pop of color without completely overdoing it. I couldn't be more pleased with the final look! (FYI: I chose the 54" x 40" framed print, which filled the space without a hitch.)

Minted is incredibly generous and is offering to give one long distance loving reader an art print of their choosing. The winner will be able to choose one framed print of the size and scale that will fill their "hole" on their own wall -- up to $325! From photography to modern art, there is truly a print for everyone. See their complete collection of fine art here. 

To enter the giveaway, hop over to my Instagram for two easy ways to win! Best of luck! xoxo {av}

Please note: This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States, 13 years old or older. Entries will be cross-referenced. The giveaway will end promptly at 8:00pm EST on Sunday, November 1st. The winner will be shared on the original giveaway post on Instagram. Should you have any additional questions, please email me.

This post was made possible by Minted. In agreement with sharing information about their brand and promoting their products, I was provided with this art print. As always, I only share about brands I truly love and support on long distance loving. Thank you!

nursery needs.

True life confession: {jv}'s nursery is still not done and he is three months old. There, I said it. While many mothers share their nurseries before their little ones arrive, we didn't have that same luxury. With the move into our house just before {jv} arrived, I opted for a wait-and-see mentality. Finding out the gender of baby {v} on delivery day was one of life's best surprises, but it did make baby prep a bit more difficult.

While I enjoyed buying gender neutral clothes, I will admit defeat when making decisions about the nursery. I committed to a few pieces which could be easily shared like the crib and glider, but I held off on nearly everything else. (As a funny aside, I did find a navy blue campaign dresser on Craig's List -- and bought it without a second thought. It may have been mother's intuition, but I decided navy was a neutral.)

Once {jv} arrived, I knew the direction I wanted to take the nursery immediately: grey throughout with healthy doses of red, white, and blue. A few years ago, I found an antique American flag (seen here) while decorating our last apartment. The flag used to hang proudly in our dining room, but I was having a hard time finding the right place to display it in our new house. A lightbulb went off when I realized it would be perfect behind his crib. It served as the anchor for the rest of the room -- and paired perfectly with the navy dresser I preemptively purchased last fall. I am now on the hunt for a few final goodies to complete the nursery. The items below are high on my wish list...

clock: this clock is a necessity for practical reasons -- when I breastfeed, I like to keep track of how much time {jv} spends on one side or the other and this would be a simple solution when I don't have my phone.

custom art print: I have a weird obsession with stamps (evidenced by our wedding invitations), so this print caught my eye in a flash. Minted is offering 15% off sitewide through Monday, March 16th, so I may finally pull the trigger on this one...

handpainted globe: it is very difficult to classify this beauty as a "need", but {cv} and I had a funny moment on our first date that involved the topic of globes. (While perusing a Brookstone, I saw an interactive globe and excitedly confessed my love of globes. {cv} told me I was destined to have nerdy children. See the full circle here?)

hinged hanging picture frame: this frame would be perfect to display some of {jv}'s masterpieces down the road. For now, it would be great for special mementos from his first year.

stuffed animal: chosen mostly for his color, this handsome elephant would be perfect for display or fun ;)

whale bookends: these are definitely not in my budget, but they would be so cute holding up a few colorful children's books.

white toy box: from what I'm told, there is no such thing as too much toy storage. I love the simplicity of this toy box. Long after {jv}'s nursery days are gone, this piece would still be in use for storage (or seating).

Aren't some of those goodies so dreamy? I only wish my budget made room for them all. I promise photos of the nursery when it is finally done -- hopefully sooner rather than later ;) Do you have any other favorite shops or sources for nursery knick-knacks? xoxo {av}

P.S. If you had any magical sources for great curtains or window treatments (preferably blackout!), I would be forever grateful if you shared them below!

pantone color report: spring 2015.

A few weeks ago, Pantone released their annual color report. This invaluable resource holds their annual predictions for the hottest colors in fashion for 2015. (You can download it here!) Compared to the last few reports, the hues of 2015 look to be a bit muted -- and I'm not complaining. I personally love that they included Classic Blue. You can call me boring, but it is one of my all-time favorites. It may be the impending holiday coziness, but Marsala is another hue which is catching my eye. 

After the holidays are behind us, I plan to put my gift cards to good use with these 16 hues in mind. If you pin this graphic, you'll have an easy point of reference too ;) Do you agree with this subdued color palette? Which colors stand out to you this year? xoxo {av}

P.S. You can see my translation of the 2013 report here and the 2014 report here!

hunters alley.

find them here: Faux Bamboo Mirror | Bulldog Poster | Porcelain Elephant | Brass Ribbon Hook | Beer Signage | Hand-Knotted Runner | Zebra Pillows | Crown Votive Holders

 

(Before I introduce you to the magic of this new website, I want to let you know I'm sharing this without any sponsorship or affiliate benefits. I just love what they're doing.) With that out of the way, my little history-loving heart is so excited to introduce you to Hunters Alley. I've always loved the vintage selections on One Kings Lane, but Hunters Alley wrangles all of this goodness together in one place. It should come as no surprise then that the fab folks behind OKL are also behind Hunters Alley. Every detail of the website is incredible--and I'm not exaggerating.

Antique lovers and sellers alike can browse their website and "love" certain items. In the end, you get a curated collection of the goodies you'd love to make your own. {See the start of my treasure hunt here!} I know the collage above is a bit random, but it is only indicative of the wide variety of items available on Hunters Alley. I also love that you can easily browse the other items from shop owners you love and follow other "hunters" in the process. 

From a girl who would spend hours digging through her local antique mall at age 16: thank you for simplifying my life, Hunters Alley.  I love finding items which have a story behind them, especially stories which reach back a few decades. While the clearance aisle at HomeGoods is a hotbed of fun, the 100-year-old flag I found at the Rhode Island Antique Mall wins every time. What items do you have in your home with a story behind them? Happy hunting! xoxo {av}

P.S. If you want to follow along with my hunt, click here. My taste may be eclectic, but I promise plenty of fun!

vintage love.

Happy Thursday, friends! My post today is dedicated to my love of all things "vintage", including old time travel posters. Since we're Miami bound for the weekend, I picked a few of my favorites featuring this sunny city! Don't you just love the bright and bold colors? I think I'm in love...

{source: flamingo - palm tree - sun hat}

In digging for some great old posters, I noticed a common theme--killer one-pieces. I'm a recent convert to the one-piece, after a nearly two decade year hiatus. With my history of skin cancer {specifically in my tummy region}, there is no use in tempting fate and inviting new spots to appear. I may wear a two-piece from time to time, but I'm loving the look of a classic one-piece like the ones below:

{find them here: red - yellow - green - blue - polka dots}

Though I spent one night back in college on South Beach, I haven't been back since. {cv} has never been--and I'm so excited for a little r+r :) I'm curious what destinations are on your list these days. Have you ever fallen in love with old vintage posters like me?! I sure hope I'm not alone! Have a phenomenal Thursday and I will "see" you all back here tomorrow with another round of Friday's Fancies...I cannot wait to see your date night looks :)

P.S. Any + all advice for Miami is welcome!

fall brights.

With two days until the holiday weekend, I thought I'd give you something special to help you get through today...a little something in the form of a guest post from Meg at MIMI+MEG! {You can also find her as a regular contributor on the Glitter Guide!} I love her beautiful collages and her spot-on fashion sense--and it doesn't hurt that she's a Midwestern girl now living in DC ;) 

Here is her take on how to take brights beyond the summer...

Hello ladies, it's Meg from MIMI+MEG here today! Inspired by the art in this image taken by Jamie Meares of Furbish Studio, I put together some bright items out for this fall.

1. Diane von Furstenberg Whitman stretch-silk blouse / 2. Dannijo Lulu Bracelets 

3. Scotch Naturals Velvet Kilt Nail Polish / 4. Wanderlust Tray 

5. Jil Sander Leather ballerina flats / 6. ASOS Suede Mini Grab Bag

pitter patter.

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon LilyGene Prints on etsy. Suffice it to say, my heart {immediately!} went pitter patter. I would love to plaster our apartment walls with these prints. With total freedom to pick the color scheme for the print you choose, you can easily match the print to your decor, which is exactly what I plan to do ;) I'm super excited to be offering one of LilyGene's prints as a part of my {ode to france giveaway}--but my love of her shop is much deeper than just the country prints!
Here are just a few of my favorites from her shop...

{LilyGene Prints: Beatles Collection}

{LilyGene Prints: City By The Bay}

{LilyGene Prints: Home Is Where The Heart Is}

{LilyGene Prints: Bicycle}

{LilyGene Prints: Love at Home}

{LilyGene Prints: Japan Earthquake Relief -- all proceeds go to Japan relief}

{LilyGene Prints: Color Scheme}


What are your favorite prints from LilyGene?  

I'm so blessed to have LilyGene Prints sponsoring the giveaway running right now at {long distance loving}! I was absolutely overwhelmed at the response from the first day of the giveaway--and trust me, if I were a rich woman, I'd give you all these goodies. For as much love and support as each of you give me daily, you certainly deserve it!  

{By the way, be sure to leave a comment for each entry--I noticed a few people were missing out on a few entries yesterday! I want to give you every opportunity to win!} 

Have a phenomenal Wednesday and keep those entries coming! Can't wait to share a few pics from
Charleston tomorrow! xoxo {av}