A Few of My Favorite Things, Part 1

My favorite things change constantly. A new shampoo, a trendy nail color, a popular book...they're different almost every month. But, Kelley and I are going to take turns letting you know what we're currently loving. 

So, here are some of my favorite things (for now)...

1. Boxwood everything: I'm totally obsessed with Boxwood. I love the wreaths, the topiaries, the trees, everything. I just think they're so cute and really freshen up a space. These cute little trees are currently sitting on R.B.'s mantle. I got them from a local shop in Montgomery called Quite the Pair. If you haven't checked them out yet, be sure to do so soon! They have adorable home decor, baby gifts, jewelry, and clothes! 

2. Social Dress Shop: This is a new favorite. I'm not really sure how I stumbled upon this site, but I'm so glad I did. They have great party dresses, jewelry, bathing suits, and more. And, they feature several designers that you may not have heard of yet. I recently purchased a Camilyn Beth dress, and I can't wait to wear it. Their service is great too. I accidentally ordered the wrong size, and they were so responsive and easy to deal with. It's almost like you're shopping in a small boutique in NYC with really attentive and fashionable salespeople. 

3. Marie Claire magazine: I've had a subscription to Marie Claire for years, and it's the only magazine I subscribe to. Of course, they cover the current fashion and beauty trends, but they also feature stories on strong women around the world and in the workplace. It's a great magazine if you want some fluff, but also crave some more serious features. I will say, most of their features on women (especially those in politics) and women's issues lean pretty far to the left. So, if you're a staunch Republican, you may not agree with some of the viewpoints. But, I think it's important to learn from every side.

4. DevaCurl 3-Step System: This is also a fairly new favorite. I have super curly hair, and I've never really been loyal to one shampoo brand. But, I think that has changed since finding DevaCurl. The shampoo, called "No-Poo" (totally awkward name), doesn't lather at all. At first, that was kind of weird, but I got used to it. It's sulfate-free and high in natural botanicals, so it doesn't strip your hair. I follow the shampoo with the "One Condition" conditioner, and then finish with the "Light Defining Gel." The total system works so well with my hair. My hair curls better, is less frizzy, and isn't crunchy from the gel. I purchased mine from Birchbox, so if you decide to try it out, use my referral link!

5. Gone Girl: This book has lived up to the hype, so far. I'm about 3/4 through and loving it. From the author: "Gone Girl opens on the occasion of Amy and Nick Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary. (How romantic.) Amy disappears under very disturbing circumstances. (Less romantic.) Nick and Amy Dunne were the golden couple when they first began their courtship. Soul mates. They could complete each other's sentences, guess each other's reactions. They could push each other's buttons. They are smart, charming, gorgeous, and also narcissistic, selfish, and cruel.They complete each other--in a very dangerous way." It's totally not predictable and keeps you on the edge of your seat. There's also a movie coming out soon. So, be sure to read it before! There is some coarse language and sexual scenes, so be advised. 

6. Steel City Pops: I LOVE Steel City Pops. I can't go to Birmingham (or Tuscaloosa) without stopping by one of their locations and grabbing a Buttermilk pop (I know you're thinking that sounds gross, but it tastes like frozen cheesecake!). They opened one store in 2012 in Birmingham, but are expanding rapidly. I'm leading the campaign to bring them to Montgomery. I even have the perfect location (so, if any City of Montgomery folks are reading, call me. The perfect location just so happens to be within walking distance of my apartment). Next time you're in Birmingham/Tuscaloosa (and soon, Dallas/Ft. Worth), be sure to check out all of their delicious flavors and let me know your new fave!

So, those are just a few of my (current) favorite things. 

I'm also fairly fond of these cuties.

They're two of my forever favorites.

Let us know what you're loving these days! And, be on the lookout for Kelley's favorite things tomorrow!

Wishing for a Foyer

So, if there's one thing I wish we had in the house we live in right now, it would be a foyer.  To me, a foyer sets the stage for the rest of your home giving your guests a feel for the flow of the rest of your house.  Plus, who doesn't love a pretty vignette that you can change up every now and then?  Whether it's a table or dresser with a lamp or two...

via Houzz

via Lonny

via Vogue

via decorpad

Or maybe just some beautiful vases...

via adore magazine

via 6th street design school

via sweet chaos home

Or a pair of chairs or a bench to draw people in...

via Atlanta Homes

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via lauren leonard interiors

via matters of style

I simply love a good foyer!  One day I'll get one back, but for now I'll just have to day dream with these images.  Do you decorate your foyer for each season?  Or keep it the same year round?

2014 Mother's Day Gift Guide

Mother's Day is just around the corner (Sunday, May 11), so we've put together a list of some unique gifts for your lovely mothers that they're sure to adore. 

1. Blooms by Heinau: Why give your mom flowers that are sure to wilt in a matter of days? These beautiful, natural flowers will stay fresh for over 6 months, and they're not even silk! The flowers absorb moisture from the air in order to stay fresh for months on end. A gift that keeps on giving!
2. Nautical Cheese Spreaders: Does your mom love to entertain? Then, get her these adorable nautical-themed cheese spreaders from C. Wonder. Bonus - you can take them on a picnic to the beach and be the trendiest family around!
3. Henri Bendel Candles: I absolutely LOVE these candles. My favorites are the Firewood and Mint Julep, and when they're burned at the same time, the smell is just divine! I have given these as gifts in the past, and they're always a hit!
4. Agate Coasters: Give your mom a beautiful AND functional gift! These coasters from High Street Market serve a functional purpose during parties, but also look great just sitting on your coffee table every day. 
5. Farmers' Market Herb Wreath: Isn't this wreath beautiful? I love it so much, I added it to our wedding registry! But, I know your mom would also love receiving this gorgeous gift. 
6. Yoga Mat Bag: With this handy yoga mat bag from Red Envelope, your mom can go straight from the office to yoga with Salvadore (Couples Retreat reference!) and look great doing it. 

And, if you want to get crafty, you should take a page out of Kelley's book and make this cute tassel necklace. Not only will your mom love her stylish gift, she'll feel extra loved knowing you spent time making the gift yourself. 

What are you planning to get your mom for Mother's Day? Is there anything you would add to the list?

Whether it's a gift, card, phone call, or combination of the three, we hope you'll be sure to let your mom know how much she means to you on Mother's Day and every day!

Happy Friday!

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Hello, lovies!  We made it.  It's Friday.  Time to put on your dancing shoes (or stretchy pants) and enjoy the weekend.  This week has been so great with the launch of this blog. We've had more than 1,000 page views since the launch on Monday!  Woop woop!

Our Facebook Page hit 100 followers today!  If you haven't liked us on Facebook yet, head on over!  Another good way of keeping up with Zelda + Madeline is on Twitter (@ZeldaMaddie)!

Have a wonderful weekend!

DIY Tassel Necklace

So we've all seen those adorable tassel necklaces around, right?  So cute.  I die.  But I didn't want to spend $30 on one necklace that I knew I could easily make myself.  When I saw these tassel necklaces at Furbish, I knew I could make one nearly identical for less than half the price!

via Furbish

So, I set out on gathering my supplies...

• (2) Embroidery threads (Cotton Pearl #5 in Placid is the blue color I used)
• Jump Ring (I used a 15mm heavy gauge jump ring in Gold from Hobby Lobby.  I couldn't find the exact one online, but these are the same size, same brand and nearly the same color.)
• Wooden beads (I used two packages of these, but feel free to get creative!)
• Scissors
• Tape (Scotch tape or any sort will work.  This makes threading your beads easier.)

Instructions:

Start by taking your first embroidery thread and unwinding it, but keeping it intact as shown below.

You'll want to remove about 5-6 strands, still keeping the bulk of the thread intact.  After removing those few strands, take the larger piece and place it through one of the jump rings like so:

Then, cut through the loops at the ends of the embroidery thread of the larger piece (the one with the jump ring in the center).  You'll now have these two separate pieces:

Fold the piece in the jump ring in half making sure the ends match up...

Take the few strands you removed and tightly knot them around the base of the jump ring securing the larger strands...

Pull the strands so that half of them face downward and blend in with the other strands in your newly formed tassel (and excuse the fact that my manicure is a little cray-cray):

Snip off the top bits of thread from the one you used to secure the tassel, trim your tassel ends and fluff them up a bit!  The shorter your tassel the fluffier it will be (fluffier = technical term).

You can stop here and use your tassel on an existing chain OR continue on to create your own!

Next, you'll want to take your other package of embroidery thread and make it the length you desire for your necklace.  I started out with mine really long to ensure that I had enough thread to create little knots in between each bead.  You can also simply make it the length you'd like and add the beads to they touch back-to-back.  

Then take that thread and move it through the jump ring, making sure to tie it and knot it so that each side is the same length...

Now, you're going to make yourself comfortable and grab a glass of wine. And you're absolutely going to want to make sure there's a Law and Order SVU marathon on.  Okay, maybe that's only what I did.  We can't all be perfect.

Add a little tape to the end of your thread strands and start by putting one bead through.  Then make a knot after and continue with another bead.  Keep this going until your entire strand is finished.

And here are the two I made:

Oh, hello there.  Why yes, yes I am wearing two necklaces I made.

Super easy and super cute, right?!  So, now you can make one!  Be sure to let us know if you do.  We'd love to see yours!

Fashion Forward or Fashion Faux Pas?

Some runway fashion trends are totally wearable. Take the 2014 spring florals trend that you're seeing everywhere, for example. 

Via

Via

No matter your age, skin tone or body type, florals can work for you. It's just a matter of finding the right fit. 

But what happens when a fashion trend becomes more of a faux pas? For me, the 2014 fashion trend faux pas is the flat, wide strap sandal (think Birkenstocks). In my opinion, there is just no way to make your feet look good (read: narrow and pretty, not fat and flat) in a wide strap sandal. 

Via

Via

Seriously, socks with Birkenstocks? Hello, 1995! I just can't make that look work as a 28 year old in 2014. 

So, if you want to be in on the Birkenstock trend this year, may I suggest an alternative to the Birkenstock Arizona? Say hello to the Birkenstock Gizeh.

Via

They come in tons of fun colors, but my personal fave is the liquid gold, which has proven difficult to find in stock online. 

Via

So, if you're like me and want to be trendy without looking like you've reverted back to your 5th grade wardrobe, try a spin on the Birkenstock trend. Runway styles are definitely not one size/style fits all.

DIY Gold Feather Art

A few months ago, I got a wild hair to redo R.B.'s guest bathroom. Unfortunately, I didn't take many before/after pics. But I did document a DIY project that I'm really excited about!

I wanted something inexpensive, and I couldn't find anything worth purchasing. So, I decided to make something myself. 

I ran across these DIY Gold Paper Feathers on Pinterest and discovered Lia Griffith's awesome blog. She has tons of free printables, DIY ideas and crafty tutorials. You should definitely check her out. 

Here's what you'll need:

• Lia Griffith's downloadable paper feather template
• Inexpensive black wall frames (Mine are from Walmart)
• Photo matte (I got mine cut at Hobby Lobby after I had finished the project because they're a weird size)
• Black poster board (I got one sheet and cut it into squares to use in all 3 frames)
• Rubber cement to glue the feathers to the poster board
• Gold spray paint
• Clear gloss spray paint
• Scissors

I followed Lia's steps for making the feathers look a little more realistic. She has a great graphic at the bottom of her post on how to do that. But I basically folded the feathers in half to create an indentation down the middle and "fringed" the edges. 

Instead of using gold foil like Lia, I decided to use gold spray paint because it dries faster and I had some at home (use what you have on hand!). I also sprayed a clear gloss over the gold.

Here's the finished product:

I also sprayed a clear gloss over the black poster board I used for the background.

And because I was so happy with how it turned out, I decided to do a grouping for the bathroom...

This was such an easy and inexpensive project, but it looks really great in our space. R.B. was super impressed. 

Of course, this project is totally customizable to your space. You can use different colors and different frames. Or you can use these to decorate gifts like Lia, create a feather garland...the options are endless!

Let us know what you create!

Welcome, y'all!

Welcome to Zelda + Madeline! We are beyond thrilled that you've made time to stop by our little blog.

We are Kelley and Maeci, and we're the owners, operators, creators, writers, picture takers and everything else for Zelda + Madeline!

Wondering where we got the name of our blog? Meet Zelda and Madeline (Maddie).

Zelda Lurleen

Madeline (Maddie)

They are the loves of our lives (not to be outdone by the men in our lives, of course).

Allow us to individually introduce ourselves.

I'm Maeci (pronounced like Macy). I am a lifelong Southerner (Roll Tide!) who loves traveling, karaoke, laughing, dessert, Reba McEntire, sleeping in, and Coke (Coca-Cola Classic for all you non-Southern folk).

I am currently engaged to a real peach of a guy named Rochester Butler, but we just call him R.B. We are getting married on June 28, 2014 in Birmingham, Alabama, and I'm sure there will be a few wedding related posts on this very blog at some point.

I'm not as well-versed in the blogging world as my counterpart, Kelley, but I am so excited to dive right in. I hope that you'll read along with us as we embark on this journey. We're looking forward to getting to know y'all, and we hope you enjoy a peek into our lives!

Hello, I'm Kelley! I live in Montgomery, Alabama, with my husband, Zach, and our dog Madeline (Maddie). I started my first blog, The Eclectic Owl, in 2009 and I am so excited for Maeci and I to share our adventures in home decor, cooking, lifestyle and more with y'all here on Zelda+Madeline!

I love shopping, Alabama football, decorating, fashion, design and DIYing (not necessarily in that order)! I'm a nine-to-fiver, but have to have an outlet outside of my daytime job to get my creative fix in. Maeci and I are so excited to get to share all of that here!