so chanel....

Sadly, I will be off attending my dear uncle's funeral tomorrow in Florida so will not be posting until next week...  Hope you all have a wonderful remainder of the week....

I just love Chanel and these photos reminded me of how much.  My style is so eclectic.  It depends on my mood....some days it's classic Chanel and others its very bohemian.  I guess that is why I have so much fun designing pieces for trunk shows because depending on the day I could be designing something that could be worn by the likes of Audrey Hepburn and other days its a fun piece made to be worn with jeans, a lace flowy blouse and a black leather jacket!  I have a big trunk show next Thursday, September 8th so I will post a few of my new pieces next week!

thought for today....

This quote is actually a poster available from Grace Hester Designs and is 11 x 14 and available on Etsy for $23.00....  just wanted to share with all my creative, thoughtful readers out there....

hydrangeas....

Well we braved the hurricane that hit us here on the east coast and so many people had damage and lost power.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of you still cleaning up in the aftermath and hope power is up and running for you soon!  We take for granted so many things every day.  Hopefully this storm taught us that we are all very blessed here in America with clean running water at our disposal,  power to light our homes and cook but most of all that what really matters in the end is that the people we love are with us!

It's only a matter of a few weeks and the days will be getting cooler and crisper...  I love the fall weather and look forward to yummy comfort foods, apple pies, the colors of the changing leaves and decorating my house for the season.  I also recently planted some hydrangeas and just love them!  It will be a few years before mine are big enough to really make bouquets or wreaths but some quality silk flowers from Micheals Crafts or other craft stores will have everything I need.  Just make sure you use really high quality flowers, otherwise it will look tacky!  This little do it yourself wreath is so pretty!  I am going off to make one of these for my front door... You can find the complete instructions (and they are really easy!) on V & Co.

If anyone makes this or other fall decorations I would love to post photos of your creativity!  You can email the photos to admin@laurenhamptondesigns.com and I will post them...  let's inspire each other's creativity!

faith....

storms a brewing.....

Well it's Friday, and that is always a good thing, but here on the East Coast, we are prepping for Hurricane Irene to blow it's way through here this Sunday.  I won't be posting tomorrow since it is hubby's birthday and we will hopefully be celebrating after getting prepped for the storm.  I am a "just in case" kind of girl so I will be making sure to have on hand the following...

Battery operated Television or radio (hopefully my ipad will serve as my television..love that thing!)

Lots of batteries

Flashlights

Fully charged cell phone (people don't think of this but if we lose power you wont have a home phone!)

Extra pet food

Bottled water

Filled propane tank for the grill (hey, if we lose power for a few days or a week in the case of Hurricane Gloria, I am grilling out!)

Extra food (milk, eggs, bread..etc)

Medications or prescriptions

Let's hope this storm is minimal and we pray for everyones safety through it all.  Safe weekend everyone!

organize yourself.....

Get organized for the fall season with this "Little Black Dress Hanging Jewelry Organizer by Umbra", available at The Container Store and on sale for $17.99!  You can stash your earrings, necklaces, rings and more in 39 clear compartments and there are 24 fabric loops on the back.  You can take advantage of every bit of space using this hanging storage solution!

Perfect for lingerie, scarves, socks, tights or belts, this three section silk drawer organizer from The Container Store is $19.99 and will have you organized in no time!

Love, love, love these Boot Shapers by Austin Abbott with hook.  These are also available at The Container Store for $9.99 per pair.  Keep those boots looking perfect all year long...

Park your purse in it's own little cubbie.. Love this idea for organizing purses in your closet.  These cubbies are available at hsn.com and Amazon a quite a few other sites.  You can price compare but most seemed to be in the $26.95 range..

Happy organizing!  

nothing like a sale...

There is nothing like a good sale...  Well starting today, Barneys in New York City is having their warehouse sale with 50-75% off!  If you are going to be in NYC, check it out for some unbelievable savings.  I am sure there will be mostly lighter weight clothing but remember you can transition many of those items right into the cooler weather and layer them in the winter...  Get shopping!

thoughful thursday....

birthday wishes...

It's my hubby's birthday this weekend so I decided to borrow this awesome idea from Shannon Brown's blog, Find Joy In The Journey.  It's a year's worth of date nights!  Get some envelopes and put the month on each one and inside each is a specific date you have planned for that month!  With busy schedules and us both having so many material things (like way too much stuff!) I thought this would be a wonderful gift to give him.  Each month he will have something special to look forward to and it will be a bit like celebrating his special day all year long!  Shannon shows you on her blog what she put in her envelopes.... scroll down and I've listed some of mine!

12 Months of Dates...

1.  Cooking class for two..  so much fun and you get to eat too!

2.  Picnic for two at this beautiful spot here in New England, complete with champagne and yummy eats!

3.  Accomplice NY... Okay have to explain this one but I absolutely cannot wait to do it!  I know he wants to do this so bad and it is so unique...  Here is a bit from the website but you can go to Accomplice NYC to read all about it...   Basically you get tickets and the day before someone calls you and tells you where to meet in NYC.  From there its a scavenger hunt/adventure/journey through the streets of NYC!

4.  Brunch date at our favorite spot

5.  Dinner date

6.  Movie date

7.  Winery tour.... we have a whole bunch of vineyards around us so we will be off for a day/overnight to explore the wineries, eat and stay overnight for a fun and romantic date!

8.  A do it yourself class...  My hubby loves Home Depot (especially since he is in the construction business..) and I love learning new things and although I am really creative I am not too great with a drill or saw so I thought taking a class together on something he is interested in too would be fun.  He may not learn any new techniques but watching me with a drill or saw could be a bit like watching an episode of I Love Lucy!  It may be comical!

9.  A date to see a play at a local theater...

10.  Mini Golf Date

11.  Tickets to see live music and cocktails

12.  Day road trip to flea market and wander... He really is one of the only guys I know who loves going to flea markets and digging around for treasures or things we can fix up... it is sooooo much fun!

So there you have it... hubby's year long birthday bonanza!  I just love the idea and hope he is as excited to get this as I am to give it!

for the birds....

I have a big collection of antique teacups and love every one of them.  Each one has different patterns and colors and are all handpainted.  I loved this crafty, creative idea!  Not only do I love teacups but I also love birds and have a ton of birdfeeders in my yard (hubby is a bit obsessed with birds...)  This idea would be so cute but I wouldn't use one of my expensive antique ones... Homegoods or other off price stores have some really nice ones.  This idea is from Rockies Craft and she explains just how to make these little cuties...

thoughts....

seeing red....

There is something so fierce about the color red.  I don't often wear it myself but am drawn to it on others and in objects.  These photos were just beautiful and showcased red so well.  Not to mention that red is a really hot color for this coming Fall season...  just a little inspiration for what could be a dull Tuesday!

Photo credits;  W Magazine, lookbook.modnique.com, flickr.com, Jasmine-marie.tumbler.com, lovelyindeed.com, bohemianprints.com

thoughts....

creative corks..

What do you do with all those unique wine corks?  Here are some creative and crafty ways people have come up with...  

A really cute, unique idea for all those wine corks laying around are these wine cork ornaments from Lavender Clouds blog where she has a step by step tutorial (one of many) and also some fabulous recipes..  click the above link and get creative!

Wine corks as place card holders!

If you are a big wine drinker you could probably make one of these!

Wall art from High/Low Food/Drink

Totally cool wine cork bath mat...from Crafty Nest

thoughts....

loving peppermint....

For any of you who have never heard of Peppermint Park, I will fill you in!  Peppermint Park is a website where you can save up to 90% off of retail and I'm talking on high end fashion!  Here are some of the deals on there right now...

PRADA BAG WHICH RETAILS FOR $1,450 IS $550.00 TO MEMBERS

A $418.00 BCBG DRESS FOR $67.00!

JUST HAD TO SHOW YOU THE WHOLE VIEW OF THIS ONE!

JUST CAVALLI.... ALMOST $700 DRESS FOR $127.00!  I'M JUST DROOLING!

TAHARI DRESS WHICH RETAILS AT ALMOST $400 FOR $43.00!

THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PRESS AND ALL OVER TELEVISION SO WHY HAVE I NOT HEARD OF THIS??? OH MY GOSH....MY SHOPPING OBSESSION JUST GOT WORSE!

They have clothing, shoes, accessories....oh my!  Head on over and check them out.  There is a membership fee of $9.99 a month but you can cancel anytime.  SHOP SHOP SHOP....TILL YOU DROP DROP DROP!

And here is a few of their shoes.....

hale bob..

Hope everyone is having a good weekend....  A very cool label, Hale Bob has just come out with some great new arrivals to their fall collection.  You can check out more at Hale Bob.  Here are just a few....

Black cashmere - like short sleeve cardigan 

neutral silk chiffon botanical bliss tunic 

"Vintage" black tribal boat neck dress

"Vintage" black jersey cut out shoulder dress

beauty.....

Happy Friday to all!  If you have had a tough week as I have I thought I would post some beautiful photos of the nature that surrounds us.... Take some time this weekend to really appreciate life...