Piper Ellice : Holidays

Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts

Valentine's Home Decor

Valentines Day has become one of my favorite holidays as an adult. I don't remember much fondness of it growing up, but since I met Mr. Right, it's always been a special day for us. At home I'm working on growing my collection of V-day décor. While we have a lot of great florists and other places to shop for wonderful items to fill your home, I have to say that I really miss having a Target/HobLob/Michael's/etc. during the "off season" holidays. And maybe it's just me but I feel like the only Valentine's décor I do see is "galentines" focused which is great, but I kind of love the traditional xoxo, be mine, and sweetheart pieces personally!

I stopped into Classic Florist here in town, and saw this precious garden flag. It really kicked off this next round of holidays for me. I missed decorating for Valentine's last year because we moved that same week, but I intentionally began pulling my pieces as I was putting away Christmas a few weeks ago. Transitioning straight into another season of celebration has definitely helped with the post-Christmas blues.

A lot of my pieces are from my very first bridal shower which you can check out here. And if you'd like to see how I styled them in my last house, read this post.

What do you love most about Valentine's Day? Do you have any fun traditions or memories?

Love to you all!

Southern Style Deviled Eggs

As I'm getting ready for our first family dinner in our new home tonight, I realized that I needed just one more dish to round out my dinner menu of one dish pork tenderloin, cheesy spinach, and yeast rolls. So I whipped up my tried and true, and often requested, delicious deviled eggs.

So easy, and so yummy, I wanted to share with you ahead of Easter and a spring season of get togethers! To start, fill a pot of with however many eggs you desire, covering the eggs with cold water. Be sure to sprinkle a little salt in the pot before bringing the water to a rolling boil on the stove. Once the eggs start bouncing around in the boil, remove them from the heat and cover for at least ten minutes. Then, submerge the eggs in an ice bath until they're nice and chilled.

Once the eggs cool, slice them in half, setting aside the whites and putting the yolk in a mixing bowl. Now here comes the really technical part: mix together a two large spoonfuls of mayonnaise {only Blue Plate or Duke's will do!}, a fork-full of sweet relish, a generous squirt of mustard, and a large dash of salt and pepper.

Mix together on high with a hand mixer until smooth, and a beautiful, pastel yellow. Be sure to taste test... I like mine a little more "mustard-y" and yellow than some folks. Fill a sandwich bag with the mix like a piping bag, trim the tip, and fill the hard boiled egg white with swirls of golden filling. I like to top mine of with a generous sprinkle of paprika, and occasionally half of a green olive!

I use this same "recipe" to make egg salad, except I chop up the whites and include in the mix. Then I like to toast some whole wheat bread to complete the sandwich. What a steal...two recipes in one blog post!

Valentine's Day Gifts for Him

This post contains affiliate links. If you click and/or make a purchase through certain links on this site or any related social media platforms, I may make a commission from it. I will always disclose if a post is sponsored.

Boys, boys, boys. I refuse to refer to the "mens" in my life as anything other than boys, which is something the ladies in my office love and have already mentioned that they will miss hearing me say it. But seriously, boys. Why do you have to be so difficult to shop for? The main boy in my life likes to just go ahead and buy whatever he wants, taking away the sheer joy of gifting the gifts! #RUDE. So I usually have to put a freeze on any boy-buying in the weeks leading up to a holiday.

First up, technology. Usually, I'm feeling lost at the mention of anything tech-y. I did manage to get a gifting win with last year's Xbox at Christmas, but overall, I have no clue what to get in this department. The easy thing is, Beats by Dre are cool and every boy I know would like some. Also, with the new iPhones using wireless headphones, there's now more of an actual reason to buy such tech-y {and kinda pricey!} gadgets.

Overly-lovey gifts may not be your guy's things, and these "skunks in love" boxers are hilarious. Who better to wear clothing with skunks on them than boys! Albeit, they are kind of cute skunks, but still. And for only $8, it's okay if they become a true joke gift.

This fabulous marble clock was actually a Christmas gift to us, that was picked out with CJM in mind! Marble is super "in" right now, and the cool, streamlined design is very modern and masculine at the same time. A great way to add your personal touch in a more subtle way to the man cave.

Another techy thing, but something I actually really want, is this cool speaker. It's spherical in nature, and can be put together or separated into two wireless speakers depending on the need. Indoor or outdoor, this is great for the movie fanatic, the outdoorsman, or the entertainer!

So for Christmas, I thought a good couples gift would be a nice luggage set. We travel a bit, and hope to go places more frequently in the future, so I picked out what I consider to be a neutral, hardside set of luggage. Let me point out, they are beautiful pieces. Santa brought them to me, and they were literally glowing by the Christmas tree. But they might be a little too "pink" or "girly" for my manly-man's taste. Since his favorite color is carbon fiber, I found this piece covered in the stuff! How much manlier can you get with luggage? I have to admit, it is pretty cool.

But the coolest of all cool gifts, is the gift of gin. Or the gift of scotch, or whatever the preference! There are a variety of tasting sets, personalization options, and other really unique gifts for the adventerous drinker in your life. And the tasting set starts at only $20--what a deal!

Last year, CJM told me after seeing this post, "Now I know what you got me!" While not totally true, it was kind of accurate. So guess what...none of your gifts this year are on this list! Prepare to be surprised, sir!

Valentine's Day Gifts for Her

Valentine's Day is a little less than a month away, and I'm already seeing some jewelry designers and monogram places posting their deadlines for delivery! That got me thinking; I've done a little bit of scoping out for guy gifts, but hadn't give girl gifts too much thought. So today I present to you, my Valentine's Day Gift Guide for the ladies, featuring gifts to fit in any budget.

First up, La Marca Prosecco personalized bottle. For only $15 more, you can get a bottle personally engraved with a sweet message to your loved one. Maybe an important date, a special phrase, or a funny nickname that is just between the two of you. This really takes the gift of wine up a notch.

Usually February is still cold, although if you've been living in the South this year, it looks like spring may already be here...I had pollen on my car this morning! Valentine's Day is the perfect time to pamper the lady in your life, so wrap her up in this super soft Turkish Terry Cloth robe. It comes in white, red, or this beautiful raspberry pink, and has a monogram option, too. And...it's on sale!

One product I consistently buy from Avon {shop with me! www.youravon.com/piperellice} is perfume. Their newest scent is Little Red Dress, after releasing the super popular Little Black Dress in 2016. I love Little Red Dress. It's light, feminine, and a little fruity with top notes of yummy raspberry. And, it's only $25! The perfect V-day gift for your gal pals, mom, etc.

Looking to be a little more sentimental? Why not splurge a little on a really nice frame and picture of the two of you from a special day: a wedding or engagement, first photo, or any picture of your significant other that you truly love! The Kendra Scott collection of frames includes super trendy marble styling, and a variety of colors/metals to match any decor.

Of course jewelry is always the way to a girl's heart, and I love this rose gold and sterling silver linked bracelet. It has just a hint of sparkle, and would be a great daily wear to stack with other bangles and bracelets. The "bolo" feature allows you to put it on using just one hand, which is super convenient. There are so many other styles and metals in this "bolo" look which would be a great go-to "collection" kind of gift for future holidays and occasions.

It just wouldn't be Valentine's Day without something sweet to end the evening. Champagne gummy bears are a fun, unique treat that will make your Feb. 14 memorable and delicious!

What gifts are you giving your girls this year?

Trimming the Tree with Walker Boutique

Everyone knows that my absolute favorite place to shop in Statesboro, and maybe in the whole world, is Walker Boutique. They have the absolute best selection of clothing, jewelry, and home goods, that are totally unique. It's one of my favorite places to shop for game day clothes, wedding gifts, birthday surprises, and anything monogrammed, too.

So of course I was thrilled when Walker Boutique approached me about collaborating on a post for the blog! I knew they would be getting some great holiday gear, and was so excited to showcase a piece for them. When I spotted this beautiful Buddy Love tunic, that comes in white or black with the gold polka dots, I knew it would be the perfect top for any Christmastime celebration!

I recently went way out of my comfort zone and ordered these faux leather leggings. I wasn't sure how I would feel about them, but they turned out to be an awesome investment! They're super long, {and make a weird noise when you walk...that's something other "fashion bloggers" won't tell you!} but I was able to just tuck them under to work with my flats. I like the ability to control the length depending on the shoes!

This shimmer top paired perfectly with my favorite Lisi Lerch gold tassel earrings, which would be a great Christmas gift for the fashionista in your life! The length of the top works great for any kind of leggings, and is loose and flowing, and would be a great top to wear to any party.

Walker Boutique is a one-stop shop to fulfill all the items on your Christmas list! Give them a call today to order my Buddy Love gold polka dot shimmer top, or stop by their website to find the perfect something for everyone on your list. And of course, thank you to Walker for sponsoring today's post!

Outfit details: Buddy Love gold polka dot shimmer top | Faux Leather Leggings | Studded Flats | Lisi Lerch Tassel Earrings | Kate Spade Bow Bracelet

November Recipe Review | Thanksgiving Favorites

I think I broke my newlywed resolution last month. I can't remember cooking a single new recipe! We were just so busy all month that the nights we cooked, it was just easy favorites.

This past weekend when I was home overnight, my grandmother cooked Thanksgiving for us so I thought I'd share a couple of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes! I'll be cooking the mac & cheese for Christopher's family's Thanksgiving next week like I did last year, and it was a big crowd pleaser along with the yummy green bean casserole.

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I love green bean casserole. I love green beans, but I especially LOVE the french fried onions. The hubs thinks it's super gross, but I'll snack on them straight from the bag while making this dish, so I always buy the extra large bag. I usually follow the recipe straight on the back of the bag, but if it ever calls for soy sauce, I substitute it for Worcestershire instead, and add an extra pinch of black pepper. I also like to mix this dish up ahead of time to give it plenty of time to soak up all the flavors in the fridge prior to baking.

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Our family is a marshmallow and crunchy topping kind of family. We want our diagonal rows of flavors so we can get a mix of both toppings in each bite. Just marshmallows, and your sweet potato casserole is too mushy. Just crunchy topping, and you're left missing the sticky goodness of the mallows. You shouldn't have to choose on Thanksgiving!! But we have come to one decision: no nuts, please!

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This is by far the absolute best macaroni and cheese recipe I've ever had, but what else do you expect when it comes from Paula Deen? Creamy in the middle with a crunchy top {we like our crunchy/creamy mix, okay?!} if you bake it in the oven, but this recipe also works in the crock pot, which is what I do for the large crowd at Christopher's family gathering. Also, don't skip on the dry mustard and black pepper. It really makes this dish a savory one to remember.

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No meal at my grandmother's would be complete without her chocolate pie. An easy but so delicious recipe, I like including this on my holiday recipe list because it can be made the day before, and "iced" with Cool Whip right before serving. I think it's my favorite because it kind of is a s'mores pie, which is one of my favorite desserts.

I hope these recipes might make your holiday meal planning a little bit easier. They're definitely tried and true, and I'm incredibly thankful for each one of you!

Monday Memories: Halloween

Happy Reformation Day! Or as some say, Happy Halloween!!

While Halloween may not be my favorite holiday {come on, Christmas!}, I have had some cutesy and quick Halloween costumes in the past that I thought I'd share.

By far, my best Halloween costume to date. Pig in a blanket! Wear lots of pink, make a pig nose and ears {glued onto a plastic headband} out of a styrofoam egg carton, wrap yourself in a blanket, and get ready to "oink!"

A witch is one of the easiest costumes. I had the black dress and pink cardigan on hand, and just picked up a feather boa and matching pink witches hat from the party store!

I don't like to invest too much in these costumes, so I re-wore a formal dress, and bought a plastic crown and princess gloves from Wal-mart for this beauty queen get up!

This year, I'm going as Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's, a.k.a. it's Monday and I have to work and it's going to be 86 degrees today so I wore a black shift dress and pearls.

Happy Halloween!

Fall Home Decor

Last Thursday was the first day of fall, and I put the final touches of decor throughout the house this weekend. Fall decorations have never been my fave, as I much prefer Christmas glitz, but the more neutral fall palates I've seen growing in popularity the last few years have grown on me. Throw in a little glitter and some mellowcreme pumpkins, and I'm all set!

My lovely tea towels were a gift from a sweet friend, and I know, I know, I need to put pictures in some of my frames. But I wanted to share a few pics of our home {once it was cleaned over the weekend!}.

Now if it would come out of the 80's and give me some crisp and cool 60 and 70 degree temps, I'd be really happy. I've got stacks of sweaters just waiting to be worn!