#83: Monogrammed Shoes

The other day, I gave you a little update on my 101 Things Before 30 list.  Today I am marking #83 off the list!  

I have been dying for some monogrammed Chuck Taylors.  Now, normally I not really a Chuck Taylor kind of girl, but monogram them and it is a completely different story.  So I was SO excited when I discovered that 9th & Elm had them!  

Cutest things ever, right?  

9th & Elm is a really cool website for anything "handmade, independent or otherwise cool." They feature handmade and independent artists that make products geared toward fashionistas (like you and me).  They have a really amazing selection - jewelry, clothing, handbags, home things… Plus they have LOTS of monogrammed things which makes it even better!  

And these shoes are FABULOUS.  You pick your color shoe, the color thread for the monogram and the monogram style.  Needless to say, I am obsessed.  

Dress: LC Lauren Conrad for Kohls; Shoes: ℅ 9th & Elm

I've recently been on the hunt for a really amazing (monogrammed) door mat.  So I am thinking my next purchase from 9th & Elm will have to be one their cute door mats (like maybe this one).  

So make sure you go check out all of the amazing things on 9th & Elm, and have a great Monday! 

Linking up for How I Summer 

Fashion + Fitness Friday

Happy Friday all!! I don't know about you, but it has been a really long week.  I am ready for the weekend!

You know, I believe cute work out clothes can make a workout so much better (also, worth doing).  And I always have a long wish list!  I love printed pants, bright colors, fun tops… And there are a lot of really cute pieces out right now!

Here are just a few fashionable workout pieces that I am wanting right now...

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Have a great day and a fabulous weekend!

Check Mate

You know, I am quite the fan of layering.  When it is cooler outside (and even when it isn't) I love to layer.  I layer under, I layer over.  I layer any way I can.  

So what do I do when the temperatures rise and I can't stand any more clothing than necessary?  I layer my jewelry of course!  

I've always liked stacking my bracelets, but I have really been into layering necklaces recently.  I love the mix of a bold statement necklace with pearls.  The kate spade pearls I have on are one really long strand that I just tripled around my neck.  

Shirt: J. Crew (this blouse would be so cute with the skirt); Skirt: J. Crew (on SUPER sale); Shoes: Shoemint; Necklaces: statement (similar), Pearls (similar)

So do you layer your necklaces?

Have a great day!

Linking up for Spotlight of the Week, Summer Style

#3 + List Update

You may remember a while back I made a 101 Things to Do Before I Turn 30.  So today I thought I would update you on my list.

#1 is complete - make the list.  Believe it or not that was really hard.

I completed #3 on my list… Buy a House.  To be honest, I didn't think that would happen for a LONG time.  But the house across the street from the house we were renting went up for sale, and we knew it was a large lot (almost an acre, which is unheard of around here).  When we found out the price, we decided to take a peek, and fell in love.  So now, it is ours.

In a very un-blogger like fashion, I am going to show you a few picture of my in no way perfect home.   These pictures aren't even very good.  We still have tons of boxes to empty, but I plan on doing a bunch of projects (like painting), so I am not going to unpack and then just have to move it all.  As I complete my projects, I am planning on sharing my before and afters.

Entry Hall

Living Room

Living room

This will be the first room that I paint.  The pictures don't show how dark the paint is.  Also, see the chair rail?  I am going to do breadboard down below it.  I am really excited about it!  This room also has a big built in bookcase that I love.  Once this room is done, all of those bookcases will be filled with books.  We like to read… a lot.

Kitchen

Someday I want to do a built in bookcase and window seat on the wall with the window.  My mom did something similar in her house and I love it.

The Bedroom

Our bedroom is huge… Like twice the size of our bedroom before.  It is CRAZY.  I have big plans for this room, including some amazing wallpaper that I have been wanting for 2 years.

My HUGE closet

This is my huge closet.  It will be gutted and redone soon because it is really poorly done.  That is why it is a hot mess.  I didn't bother to organize anything because my dad is coming in a few weeks to help me with this project.  You will be seeing more of this soon (and having a big organized closet is also #20 on my list)

Backyard patio

Next spring, we are going to screen in the patio.

The deck

(If you look closely, there is a dog in almost every picture).  

So that is a little home tour.  Not pictured - the dining room that I will be turning into an office once Charlie gets done with law school, the guest bedroom, and Charlie's current office.

Other news from the list:
I am on book 3 of my 50 books (I may need to increase that number).  I am currently reading:

via

I have finished:

via

Let me tell you a bit about this one.  It is about a teenage girl who murders her mom.  It is a true story and I actually went to school with some of the people in this book.  It happened right after I graduated high school, and these kids were juniors.  Bizarre, crazy story.  I was really into the case when it happened, and the book was really well written.  (There was a Dateline or something on the case).  I realize that this might not be the kind of book you might want to read if you didn't know or know of the people, but it was really good and really bizarre.  I seriously could not put it down.

via

This one is much lighter than the previous book, and also not a true story to my knowledge.  It is about a family that goes on vacation to Spain, and all of their issues.  It was really good too.

If you have any good book recommendations, I would love to hear them!

And I have a mason jar that I started for me to put my $10 for every item accomplished.  Right now, it has $20 in it.  I hope someone will decide to make their own list (and tell me) so I can add $10 and mark it off!

And if you want to see the full list and check my progress, you can visit the 101 before 30 tab at the top!

Have a great day!

Tuesday Shoesday Week #103

Welcome to Tuesday all!  Hope you survived Monday without too much damage.  My Monday wasn't the best (it also wasn't the worst).

So, I know you all know by now about the Nordstrom Anniversary sale.  I even blogged about it here.  But I have decided to dedicate this week's Tuesday Shoesday post to the shoes you should be getting from the Nordstrom Sale.  Why?  They are all amazing, that is why.  Plus there are so many great fall styles that you can get now and wear into fall!  When are you going to get brands like Frye, Kate Spade and Tory Burch on sale (all in this post, by the way)??

I mean, why pay full price for them in a month when you can get them on sale now?  Smart, right?  It is called fashion math. (Another subject in fashion math is cost & cost per wear, but that is for another day).

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 

Have a great day!

Boots and Dresses

When I met my husband, I had never owned a pair of cowboy boots.  Even though I was born and raised in the south, I had never even tried on a pair.  They just weren’t my style.  I was much too girly girl for those kinds of boots.  Cowboy boots were for Ellie May Clampett and Daisy Duke and girls who liked to be outside (not by the pool).  

My husband, a cowboy boot wearing gent from toddler age, taught me the error of my ways.  After a few months of dating, he bought me my first pair of cowboy boots.  I quickly realized that wearing cowboy boots didn’t mean I had to forfeit my girly girl style.  I also learned how incredibly comfortable they were!  I now love wearing dresses with cowboy boots.

My favorite look is a flowy, feminine dress paired with a slightly tougher looking boot.  And this is a look that can be worn all year (you know in the South we wear cowboy boots all year).  
I prefer shorter boots since I am shorter (5’4”).  In my head they make me look taller.  (I have no idea if this is true, but I choose to believe it).   

Dress: Old Navy; Boots: ℅ Country Outfitter

So how do you like to wear your boots?

Have a great day!

This post is sponsored by Country Outfitter. All opinions are my own.

Linking up for How I Summer, Style Sessions, Trend Spin, Random Wednesday

#NSale

If you haven't heard already, the Nordstrom Anniversary sale started today!  Technically those lucky people with Nordstrom cards could shop early, but I don't have one.   This sale is pretty much their biggest sale of the year.  

So why all of the excitement?  It is new, fall merchandise on sale!  This isn't end of summer stuff or last season's leftovers, but what will be big for fall and on sale NOW.  Shoes, bags, clothing, jewelry, make up… you name it, it is in the sale!

So I put together a few of my favorite things that will be included in the sale!

kate spade gramercy grand watch

Halogen Dress

Treasure&Bond Moto Jacket

Michael Kors "Guiliana" Bootie

Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote

Vince Camuto Clutch

Sam Edelman "Palma" 

kate spade branton square - mills satchel

Dolce Vita Over the Knee Boots

I don't know about you, but I am going to be spending a lot of time this weekend perusing this sale!  I will be posting some items I love up on the facebook page and twitter (@nikkihodum) so make sure to like the Facebook page and follow me on twitter!

So what are you loving from the sale?  Or were you lucky and got to shop early?  What did you buy if you did??

Have a great weekend!