Baby’s First Easter Basket

Posted on March 20, 2018March 19, 2018 by SimplyStyledEmily

It’s an early Easter this year, so fingers crossed we have some resemblance of spring weather and our Easter outfits aren’t hidden under thick coats! While I am still trying to decide on AB’s outfit, I did start putting together some ideas for our baby’s first Easter basket!

Her main basket that I plan to use each year for “what the bunny brings her” will be a basket my grandmother had made (since we named AB after her, it already says Annabelle on the bottom… so perfect, right?!). But when I was in Target and saw the adorable little bags in the dollar spot section I couldn’t help but snag one, and of course put her name on it! I mean how cute will this be for when she goes to her cousin’s Easter egg hunt themed birthday party!

Since the sweetest treat AB has had has been prunes, candy isn’t quite an option for her Easter basket this year so I got a little creative with some fillers and wanted to share a few ideas.

I saw this adorable Church Rattle Book on another blogger’s Instagram stories from her little ones Baptism and thought it was too cute to pass up. AB can take this little rattle book with her to church on Sunday’s!
As AB tries new foods, thought this Silicone Nibbler would be perfect for her to enjoy some fresh fruit and veggies.
A new little spring outfit covered in bunnies?! Little girl’s clothes are so adorable!
I have never met a baby who doesn’t love their Sophie doll! This is a baby essential! And if your little one already has a Sophie, check out the super cute toys that the Sophie La Girafe brand has (This Sophie bath toy and this Sophie Teether Ring are going on Annabelle’s wish list!)
Can’t go wrong with a colorful board book
The Jellycat brand of animal books are the cutest and have the softest little animal tails!

What are you putting in your little one’s Easter baskets this year?

Planter DIY – Mother’s Day Gift

Posted on April 27, 2016May 8, 2016 by SimplyStyledEmily

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and I have a simple weekend DIY gift that would be a perfect present to have your mom ready for spring.

For Brandon and I’s Christmas card 2 years ago we had included a potted plant with our house address since that year’s card doubled as our “we moved” announcements. My mom commented how she liked the planter with the address and it would be nice to have one on their porch since their house address is only listed on the mailbox. She is a tough one to shop for, so when she mentions something she would like, I take the hint. And since I seem to be incharge of all gift giving in our house, I thought my mother-in-law may want one too. For hers, I went with a simple “Welcome” since their house sits back in the woods, and the address is less important (and if you make it all the way up their drive-way, I would assume you know what the address is).

To start, I wrote the words myself and scanned them into the computer. I used photoshop to separate the lettering and saved it as a PNG file to be able to open in the silhouette software. I used my Silhouette Curio to cut the vinyl to create the lettering and simple transferred the white vinyl onto a simple black self-watering planted pot.

I wanted to add a fancy little pop to the planter so I grabbed a beach spike and multipurposed it to add a smaller planted flower to the pot. Again, I drew the design, scanned it in and created the silhouette file.

Then it was outside to plant the flowers! I added ferns and these pretty purple flowers to finish off the look.

Self Watering Pot | Spikers | Vinyl c/o

Now the hard part is to keep these pretties alive till Mother’s Day!

Simply Six… Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Posted on April 26, 2016April 23, 2016 by SimplyStyledEmily

Mother’s Day is May 8th so I am wrangling a little shopping list of great gifts for your mother (or the mother of your little ones)! Take a peek and follow the links below to knock this shopping trip off your to-do list!

Pretzel Pool Float | A pretzel in honor of my mom’s philly-roots but I know any float and a lazy day in the pool should do

Watch | A pretty and simple piece of practical jewelry

Robe | To slip on after breakfast in bed

Mug | Who doesn’t love these cute little message mugs from Ashley Brooke Designs

Owl Vase | Because beautiful bouquets should come in adorable vases

Cosmetic Pouch | A pretty pouch she can throw in the diaper bag that isn’t covered in baby drool

Like more personal gifts? Check back tomorrow for a simple DIY planter perfect for the garden loving moms!

Simply Six… things for a picnic!

Posted on April 22, 2016April 23, 2016 by SimplyStyledEmily

Happy National Picnic Day! The weather here has me dreaming of sunny days in the park and I can not wait to take my favorite fancy picnic cooler for a day out! Our basket isn’t too girly so the husband doesn’t mind carrying it around and is an easy go-to for road trips as well (a few hotel breakfasts have been eaten on those plates).

So grab this picnic basket and a few of the other picnic must-haves I have been lusting lately below. And a picnic would not be complete without a delicious food, so check out this caprese sandwich with pesto from Jessica in the Kitchen… yum!!

What is on your picnic packing list?

New Year, Best You

Posted on January 4, 2016January 3, 2016 by SimplyStyledEmily

I don’t think a New Year calls for an entirely New You, but setting up a plan for the upcoming months can make this the year of the Best You (super cliche… I know, but anything to make life better can’t hurt to try).

Happy New Year

Some of my favorite bloggers talk about a word or phrase they use to define their new year and Simplify and Produce are what I am setting my intentions on for 2016. Instead of spending my time reorganizing and planning, I want to simplify the processes and create the content I spent all those hours “planning” for. Now organization and processes are the only way things will be accomplished, but those steps can’t be the main focus. Setting aside time each week to plan for a productive week will help keep this year on track.

I found these great resources on Pinterest to help. Now to find a simple way to be more productive!

www.eatnakednow.com | wonderlass.com | thefinancegirl.com

byrdie.com | xosarah.com

Now the major thing to remember is no amount of reading and planning can help if you don’t start making things happen!

Outfit Idea {Thanksgiving}

Posted on November 17, 2015 by SimplyStyledEmily

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I am so excited. It is definitely my favorite holiday and I can not wait to pack my bags and head to Pennsylvania for a family-filled Thanksgiving with my aunts, uncles and cousins (and the newest adorable little member of the family). Now PA’s weather is a bit cooler so I am planning on packing some cozy layers. As I start my packing list with my favorite blanket scarf I thought a little outfit planning couldn’t hurt…

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Vegas Vacation

Posted on November 10, 2015November 11, 2015 by SimplyStyledEmily

As a little birthday get-a-way, Brandon and I headed back to Dover Downs Hotel and Casino for a day date. The morning of the trip we woke up early, got right on the road and swung by the first Starbucks we came to on the way. We listened to podcasts, chatted and jammed out to music on the long drive to Delaware. Once there we played blackjack together, lost a few dollars in the penny slots, grabbed a big lunch and when Brandon went back to the game tables, I headed over to the mall to do a little birthday shopping. We ended the night with a delicious meal of oysters and champagne and a few more hands of blackjack (where I won back the money I spent on the new sweater and shoes I bought… winning!).

The ride home had me thinking that while Dover is a great casino option close-by (well… within driving distance) a trip out to real-deal in Las Vegas may need to be on our travel list! Brandon and I have been to Las Vegas in the past and had such a great time. It was a long drive home from Dover so a little planning started happening. And of course, when planning any big trip, mentally outfit planning is completely necessary too!

So here is the dream day plan (and coordinating outfits… obviously) for our next trip to Vegas!

Morning: Breakfast together at a local café to start the day of right.

Afternoon: While Brandon heads in to the casino I would head to the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian (The Palazzo) because I would rather lose my money to a new dress than to the card table! We would meet up for lunch to grab a bite and do a little of our favorite Las Vegas pastime, people-watching. Then we’d take a stroll through the casino lobbies to see the amazing displays.

Evening: We would head to our dinner reservations at the Top of the World at the Stratosphere to take in the breathtaking view. After dessert we would catch the Bellagio Light Show which is one of my favorite things. Lastly, the night would end with a few more dollars on the card tables before we headed to our hotel suite at the Bellagio Hotel.

While Brandon had some eye rolls as I planned our itinerary down to the 15 minute mark we would hit the Bellagio Light Show I found the Vegas.com site to be the greatest tool for my over-planning self. Not only did it have all the detailed information you would need, like “what time can you see the Bellagio Light Show”, but also things such as the dress code for all the local restaurants (now I know there is a strict business casual code for the Startosphere) and of course all the tools you need for reservations for dining, sleeping and activities all over the city.

Now back to planning the rest of our trip to City that Never Sleeps! How would you spend the day in Vegas?

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Fall Favorites

Posted on October 27, 2015November 11, 2015 by SimplyStyledEmily

I am loving fall here in the country. The leaves are all turning the most perfect shades of orange, red and purple and the cool nights have us sleeping with the windows open. I can’t help but get in the fall festival spirit and picked out some of the best items around this fall.

Boots, scarfs and pumpkins oh my!

Second Anniversary Gifts

Posted on October 20, 2015November 11, 2015 by SimplyStyledEmily

This September Brandon and I celebrated our 2^nd wedding anniversary! We wanted to make this year fun so we scheduled a ‘kick off to fall’ trip. We started in Pennsylvania to visit my extended family. My parents are high school sweethearts and grew up in south-eastern PA, the military moved them and while we have lived in Virginia for 29 years, Downingtown, Pennsylvania was what they always called “home”. My grandmother, and most of my aunts, uncles and cousins all live close-by the same little town. We spent our time there visiting the apple orchard for their famous apple-cider donuts, shopping around town, grabbing lunch with my sweet grandmother and dinner with my uncles and cousins at the local brewery. It was the perfect visit! We then made our way to Dover, Delaware to go to Dover Downs Casino. My husband is a big fan of blackjack and they had a nice little spa for me so it seemed like a great little overnight spot. We gambled and enjoyed anniversary massages, Brandon gambled some more and I treated myself to a mani-pedi, marriage is all about compromise, right?!

I never thought we would really make a big ta-do about anniversaries, but I have to admit it was so nice to celebrate with a little get-away from the normal day-to-day routine. And to finish out the trip I surprised Brandon with my anniversary present. I wanted to stay traditional and year two is cotton.

The cotton anniversary gift was a hard one for me. I wanted something special that he would keep for years and actually use. So while I searched to find the perfect gift for my husband, I thought I would share the ideas I found along the way if you are stuck on traditional gifts for second anniversaries as well!

one| Wifey & Hubby tees: just too cute and would be a fun gift (I am guessing more for the wife… but still so cute!)

two| Dressy Attire: a perfect couple gift, husband and wife pick out the dressy outfit for the other to wear on a fancy anniversary dinner date

three| Monogrammed Bed Linens: a couples gift to brighten up your bedroom

four| Tie: a gift for your husband to wear to on a nice date or to the office

five| Hammock: this is the gift I picked for Brandon, I look forward to spending lazy afternoons with my favorite guy in our yard cuddled in this hammock

six| Beach Towels: pair these with a beach trip getaway for a sweet surprise

seven| Robe: a special gift for your wife

eight| Monogrammed Towels: a gift more on the practical side but a nice addition to the master bathroom

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Simply Styled Emily

A Life & Style Blog

Category: Inspiration