DIY New Years Decorations & the year’s best engagement photos

This week, we’re reflecting on the year that’s almost past, and getting excited for all the change and possibilities to come. Check out our Facebook page, we’re loving all the engagement ring selfies our brides to be have been sharing.

Have a great weekend, and take a few minutes to enjoy our list of links we’re loving!

This series on raising kids around the world is a fascinating read, whether you have kids or not.

New year, new couch? We loved these.

Want to get off the couch and throw a bangin’ soirée? Here are 51 DIY ways.

What do you think? Here are Green Wedding Shoes’ favorite engagement photos of 2013.

These glamorous luxury caftans make us want to book a flight to somewhere tropical immediately! A must for a beach honeymoon, don’t you think?

Is it too soon after Hanukkah and Christmas for a cookie recipe? Meyer lemons are the epitome of fresh and light, so it’s fine.

No? Okay, here’s a refreshing grapefruit cocktail, then.

Our penchant for rose gold is well-documented, so we love this “Blush Bride” mood board.

And lastly, a wonderful little photo essay on Love, Marriage and Second Chances.

Have an amazing weekend!

Featured photo via Iris and Light.

a Sailing ship kite & seasonal sweets

Last list o’ links before Christmas! Here’s some end of week fun to get the holidays started right, and we’ll see you next week!

Tomorrow is the last day to view the legendary Yayoi Kusama’s art show in NYC.

We love these pops of pink. What a beautiful break from winter grey, right?

Great sophisticated party dresses for New Years Eve. 

On our reading list, Jacques Costeau’s The Silent World.

We love this date idea: learning to play pool!

This sailing ship kite is so magical!

And if you have some time (and calories) to spare, here’s seasonal sweets galore.

Featured image, Yayoi Kusama.

pippa middleton engaged

The most famous lovely bridesmaid of all time is soon to be a bride! Pippa Middleton, Kate Middleton’s spotlight-stealing sister, became engaged to banker boyfriend Nico Jackson early this onth during a trip to India.

The couple was on holiday at Oberoi Amarvilas, which is a very posh resort with Taj Mahal views, and he popped the question in a manner that friends described as “very romantic and grand.”

And we can’t wait to see the ring. Congrats to the glamorous jet-setting couple!

The best Celebrity engagement rings: 2013

We’re convinced that there’s a soul mate ring for every bride, but every year we do enjoy a few favorite rings in the media.

This year, we’ve been especially smitten with halo rings, and so has Hollywood!

Natalie Portman, Kaley Cuoco and Naya Rivera from Glee wear princess cut halo rings, which have proven to be one of the big trends in 2013. Here’s one we love, by us.

Kelly Clarkson wears the insanely popular halo style with a big yellow diamond, which we also love. Customize anything and everything, so it totally fits your personality!

Jennifer Aniston and Kim Kardashian inspired their men to give them epic diamonds. As did one lucky Jeff Cooper bride, just last week!

Lauren Conrad and wear a classic round solitaire, which is sweet, simple and timeless.

Every bride is special and it was a great year for engagement rings, but we think that halos and mixed metals stole the show.

What are some of your favorite rings of the year?

we love: Feel Good Friday

This week we’re making room for freshness and joy in life. It’s going to be a snowy weekend where we live, so this week, we’re all about chilling out, and blissing out.

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.” — Joseph Campbell

We’re sharing links about humor, small indulgences and being festive. It’s about feeling good!

Care to start the weekend with a beautiful breakfast?

This is fun. A French cafe charges more for rudeness.

This chandelier is cool and unexpected. Stay tuned, because Apartment Therapy is giving away this and other designer home accoutrements all next week.

An instant pick-me-up, and a must for a ring finger manicure for the newly-engaged: glittery nail polish.

If you want someone to propose, forget engagement chicken, make these. Gluten free, but simple, but decadent. What more can you want in a peanut butter chocolate chunk cookie?

Eat it snuggled under here with someone special.

And watch Beyonce’s 17 music videos she released last night.

And finally, here’s something unique and amazing to dream about tonight. Our featured image—a custom marquise cut Tara Engagement Ring.

Have a spectacular weekend!

simplicity, sparkle & shine: the christmas gift guide

Happy holidays! Each year we do a little shopping, focusing on the witty, thoughtful and elegant things that we’d love to give and receive.

Of course the best things in life aren’t things at all, so we’ll begin with a link to our favorite charity, Cycle for Survival.

Secondly, can we agree to forget ugly Christmas sweaters? Instead let’s start a gorgeous holiday sweater trend.

Here’s one for him. One for her. For the girls. And for the boys. This proves once and for all that adorable and elegant can totally coexist.

We love gifts with a cause, so check out this stationery that benefits Sanctuary for Families.

Is someone you know getting engaged? This Kate Spade ring holder is perfect. We can imagine a hopeful boyfriend wrapping it up and when she opens it, he’s down on one knee with the ring to go with it! Lovely.

Got kids on your list? Nothing feels as special as a personalized gift. Make it easy on yourself, and go here.

Got a fashionable lady-who-has-everything? Light up the room with these message candles by Kate Spade. They’re the real deal: witty, sleek and soy!

Know any at-home mixologists? These cocktail napkins take it to a whole other level stylewise.

This is intriguing: it holds your technology on your dashboard, so it’s perfect for using your phone as a GPS. Very budget-friendly and who wouldn’t want one?

And lastly, there are a few more charity-based gifts that caught our eye. Kiva gives loans to women to develop businesses, and when they pay back, you get to invest in another woman entrepreneur. Amazing!

And World Bicycle Relief gives people wheels, who really need them. Very cool charity, don’t you think?

We love gifts that make the world a better place, don’t you? Keep spreading the joy and kindness everyone, it makes a difference!

Ask Jeff cooper: Engagement Season

Did you know that 33% of all proposals take place between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day?

December is the most popular month for engagements, and the term “engagement season” is suddenly in the media because of this hilarious web meme that’s going around. Guess somebody is experiencing “engagement fatigue.”

All kidding aside, this time of year can be perfect for a romantic proposal.

Do you love the idea of giving the season a little extra sparkle and fire? Here’s Mariah to get you in the mood for planning (or dreaming of) a beautiful holiday engagement.

Featured image via.

Stay warm and cozy, everyone!

we love: red anemones & the best holiday cocktails

Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are over, leaving us with Christmas and New Year’s ahead. So mull some cider, grab a throw, and cozy up to some fun links that will (hopefully) inspire a glorious weekend!

The psychology of color! So much fun to ponder.

Use it to design your own Jonathan Adler. Fun!

Is your Christmas aesthetic ambitious? Or relaxed?

We’re in love with the Christmas-y pop of color in this wedding inspiration from 100 Layer Cake. It would be amazing for Valentine’s Day, too.

Need a breather from all the holiday bustle? These de-saturated photos of cloud forests are the perfect meditation.

Need more? Yuji Obata’s snowflakes will clear your mind if you look long enough. So lovely, refined and simple.

Cropped tops aren’t for everyone, but the rest of this holiday party uniform is so perfect, it works whether you’re 20 or 80. Worth an investment, we’d say.

The best holiday cocktails from NY Mag.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

And please donate to Cycle for Survival. Our David Cooper does it every year, to help win the battle against rare cancer.

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