Carrie Bradshaw Lied

Holiday Red Lip

When December rolls around, there’s one beauty item that is a necessity – the perfect red lip. I have been swearing by Urban Decay lipsticks for years, but their most recent matte collection is hands down, the answer to my lipstick prayers. All three of their lipstick collections – Revolution, Sheer and Matte – are available at Nordstrom in so many different shades, a girl can never have enough.

I’m wearing Bad Blood here, but other matte lip favorites are After Dark and Tilt. When rocking a red lip, I usually pair it with a neutral eye using my Naked Basics2 palette and amp up my lashes with Subversion lash primer and Big Fatty mascara. The other go-to beauty look would be a soft smoky eye using the Smokey Palette and what my makeup artist friend calls “the brown girl nude lip,” Revolution Lipstick in Liar.

Nordstrom carries so many beauty items now, you can shop for anyone from the shoe lover to beauty lover and in between. With free shipping and free returns – there’s no risk and it’s one stop shopping just in time for the holidays!

One of the four eyeshadow palettes above is a great Christmas gift for any girl who likes makeup! They last years and are all available at Nordstrom. Naked1 is for the girl who loves bronze shades, Naked2 is taupe-based, Naked3 is rose-hued and Naked Smoky can create any smoky eye you’re going for.

What’s your go-to holiday beauty look? I just ordered a gigantic makeup organizer (featured in yesterday’s gift guide), so I’m ready to roll over here! Thanks so much for reading – XO –

Sponsored by Nordstrom.

7 Comments|See Comments

Stocking Stuffers Under $50

stocking stuffer ideas under $50

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

In my family, we got to our stockings last and I was always so shocked at all the amazing stuff my mom would manage to squeeze in there. An unexpected surprise year after year!

Ok, maybe a few of these are too big to shove in a stocking, but still… this makeup organizer must be mine!! I actually went to the Container Store recently to try to put together a large makeup organizer for myself and was shocked at how expensive it was adding up to be. For plastic. A friend told me to check online and I couldn’t believe this contraption only cost $20! I added a few extra drawers for additional storage.

I have this eyeshadow palette and it’s my daily go-to for neutral, matte shades – plus it’s small and really easy to travel with. These slippers come in three colors and seriously – they’re so cute!

What are some of the best things you’ve gotten in your stocking? Mine are probably jewelry and beauty products (I love getting those individual face masks!). Thanks so much for reading, and don’t forget you can see all of my holiday gift guides here and at the top of the blog under the page titled “Holiday Gifting.” XO –

9 Comments|See Comments

Office Holiday Party Outfit

carrie bradshaw lied blogger

I’ve shared with you guys before, but for three years I worked in a very corporate setting. I’m talking no leggings, men in suits, banking corporate. Then I moved to California with the most casual workplace setting ever, and my entire closet changed! BUT, my best friend back home works in a formal workplace (she inspired this post), and I’ve thought of her when thinking of holiday outfit inspiration to share with you guys!

This Alice Hope blouse and skirt are great mix-and-match separates that can be dressed up with a fur scarf, vest or trimmed blazer. Some sparkly earrings and fab heels and you’re looking both festive and appropriate.

gray foldover clutch julie brown designs coat celine cateye sunglasses kathleen barnes black fit and flare skirt

Thanks so much for reading! XO –

8 Comments|See Comments

7 Holiday Decorating Tips

I’m so excited to invite you guys into our home to share my 7 Holiday Decorating Tips with Seven Daughters Wine! I love getting festive without totally interrupting the decor of our home, so today I want to show some subtle accents I’ve added to achieve that.

Most years I wait until Thanksgiving weekend to pull out the Christmas decorations, but I admit this year I put up the tree a little earlier than that. I think it’s because this King of Christmas Flocked Tree made all my tree dreams come true! I was amazed at how easy it was to put together, and a pre-lit tree is seriously as dreamy as they come. Last year we had a real tree, and while I loved the smell the cleanup was never-ending. I have chosen to go with the artificial tree and light a pine-scented candle instead!

SO, let’s get started. Some of my holiday decorating tips –

1. Have a visual in mind before you start decorating the tree.

I’ve made the mistake of just going for it in years past, and while that’s not a bad thing by any means – if you’re looking to achieve a cohesive look, having a vision always helps. This way you can place your ornaments strategically. Last year our tree was much more colorful, and this year I chose to keep it more neutral – all with only adding 10 more ornaments and hanging them mindfully.

2. Get creative with stockings!

My family’s tradition is to put pins on the Christmas stockings. You know those pins you receive for various accomplishments or trips and you think…. “this will look great in the kitchen drawer until it inevitably gets thrown away!” We always put these little charms on our stockings, and it’s always a hit for guests to check out when they come over.

And one day, when I’m a “grown up,” hopefully I’ll have a mantle to put them on!

3. Add some festive pillows for a quick (and easy) holiday touch.

The fastest and easiest way to add some spirit – toss in some pillows! This sequin pillow and reversible “naughty or nice” pillow always come on in December.

4. Make use of the free resources around you.

You don’t have spend a ton of money on flowers. I like to cut a few sprigs of greenery outside and use pinecones to decorate and brings in that touch of nature that brightens a room.

5. If you have a bar or bar cart, use those wheels to your advantage!

Our small bar cart has wheels and I roll this baby all around the house for different occasions. Add some white candles, gold accents and Seven Daughters Wine and you’ve got a Christmas cart that you can move anywhere you’d like! And I had to include Bailey’s photo-bomb… those eyebrows!

This bar cart is currently sold out, but when it becomes available again I plan to do an entire post about it – stay tuned!

6. Stay true to some traditions.

So I realize they might look a little creepy, but growing up these Byers Choice Christmas Carolers were always placed on the dining room buffet at Christmas time. My sister and I would always argue over which little girl caroler we were, and I’ve started a little collection myself (and added a Lula and Bailey)! My mom of course gave me the daughter caroler without thinking that I don’t have a daughter, but that’s ok… tis the season!

7. Wreaths aren’t just for the front door.

I love a wreath and place them all over the house! This little sparkly one (with matching garland) is placed in a different place every year. Last year I used it as a centerpiece, and this year we decided to hang it on the ladder with some leftover burlap from our Christmas tree topper!

Cheers to one of my favorite times of year! This year I plan to spend plenty of time curled up on the sofa with a big fur blanket and a glass of Seven Daughters Pinot Noir (cue “these are a few of my favorite things“). What are some of your favorite ways to decorate for the holidays? I’d love to hear your traditions and home touches.

Lastly, this framed print is from Minted (has totally transformed our living room), and I want to share that they are giving one CBL reader a $250 credit toward anything from their site. Just visit here to enter!

* Update: our winner was Cassandra! *

Thanks so much for reading and Happy Holidays to all of you – XO –

PS – If you didn’t catch Saturday’s post, it’s a fun one! I’m sharing some of our holiday photos and how we designed our holiday card!

16 Comments|See Comments

Designing Holiday Cards

It’s Christmas card time! A few weeks ago, Christian and I got together with the beautiful and talented Taylor Cole Photo at sunset. With someone like Taylor, it only takes about 15 minutes to get over 100 frame-worthy photos. She gives great direction (which is essential for someone like me who can look like a robot if no one alerts me), and having worked with her one-on-one, this experience made me realize what an incredible wedding and engagement photographer she is (check out some of her couples work here). She created this incredibly comfortable, intimate scene and created the kind of pictures that make you want to wallpaper your house – you know what I’m talking about!

So once I selected the photo I wanted to use (no easy feat), I teamed up with Postable to create our third holiday card, and I’m so excited to send them out to our family and friends. Beyond the unlimited amount of designs, I was most impressed with their ability to mail the cards for you. This year I won’t be getting hand cramps from addressing cards, and I’m fine with it. I just loaded an excel spreadsheet with addresses and voila! They handle it from there (update on this process at the bottom of the post).

First I want to share some of my favorite photos from our mini shoot –

After days of trying to choose which photo… we ended up choosing this one! I was able to upload the addresses for all of the people who were on our Christmas list last year, and I ordered 20 cards for myself so I could have a few to keep as well as have some extras for last minute sending.

Am I the only one who loves holding onto a few cards from every year? Even though we clearly look exactly the same as we did a few years ago, it’s so fun to watch the journey year by year. I love that these photos were taken in Malibu, Big Bear and Newport Beach, and I look forward to seeing where next year’s might be from!

Thanks so much for reading, and if I could send a card to each and every one of you I would in a minute! Lots of love to all of you – XO –

*1/3 Update: I do want to share that I had Postable mail our Christmas cards, and unfortunately not all of the recipients received our cards. I cannot say that I am completely certain that this was a Postable issue or USPS issue, but in the future I would gladly have Postable print our cards but would choose to mail them myself. I always want to be completely honest with you guys and wanted to share this experience as I felt it was important!

18 Comments|See Comments

Easy Holiday Party Look

You know those parties you go to where you aren’t sure if people are going dressy or casual, so you try to dress in between and hope for the best? This is the perfect example of what I would wear to that kind of party. A skirt or dress, styled down with a bootie and loose sweater or tee. For a little touch of glam a draped blazer or coat adds the final touch (and of course I add faux fur accents because I am who I am).

There’s something about a loose sweater with a leather skirt or fitted skirt that I always gravitate toward. The same thing with a great pair of faux leather leggings or wax jeans (my current favorite pair). Feminine, edgy, glam – if I can combine all of those elements in an outfit I’ve hit the sweet spot where I always feel confident.

photos by Jason Huang

Thanks so much for reading! XO –

7 Comments|See Comments

Painting a Drop Leaf Table

If you follow along on Snapchat (CBLied), you may have seen me painting this drop leaf table a few weeks ago. I have been considering painting this piece of furniture for years, but have always been afraid that I would mess it up and regret it. It’s a sentimental piece because my mom bought it in Nashville when she was pregnant with me. When I got married we didn’t have a breakfast room table and she was considering getting rid of it, so it was meant to be!

If anyone could help me take the plunge to transform this table into something that’s more “me,” it’s Deborah and her team at Peinture Studios in Costa Mesa (check her out here – seriously, she’s the coolest). I met her at her store (and classroom if you’re interested in taking one of her workshops!), and together we looked at photos of this table and paint samples. After taking two paint samples home and mulling over them… I ended up deciding to combine the two!

This table is one coat of Country Grey Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, followed by a coat of Old White. Afterward I applied a layer of Annie Sloan Clear Wax and voila! Done. I couldn’t believe how easy it was – three coats and it was done in less than a weekend. I’d heard chalk paint was easy but this was like, really easy. And yes, I had to stage these photos because no one really needs to see me in sweatpants and dirty hair watching Friends on Netflix and splattering paint around my kitchen. So I’m doing your eyes a favor.

I used an old plastic mattress cover as a drop cloth (because we’ve moved 1389473x) and because the paint is practically odorless, I was able to paint it in our kitchen. No stripping, no sanding, no paint fumes and it practically dries as fast as spray paint. I’m telling you… easiest.

sweater c/o | pants c/o | mug c/o | monogram pillows | lilyless lily – oh wait, you probably don’t want that

Because I had extra paint, I also chose to repaint our breakfast room chairs to match the table and used some super quick and fabulous gold leafing to accent the table feet and medallions on the chairs. I love this setup more than ever now that it feels like my own, and I’m seriously tempted to repaint every piece of furniture in my house.

If you’re in the Orange County area and interested in refreshing a sentimental piece or even a piece you’re considering tossing – you’ve got to stop in Peinture Studios and take a peek around. Trust me, you’ll be inspired!

Have you revamped a piece of furniture in your home? I want to hear about it! Thanks so much for reading – XO –

20 Comments|See Comments

Gift Guide Under $50: For Coworkers + Hostesses

hostess gift ideas

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 also love these | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 also love these – classic! | 13 | 14 | 15 comes in 2 colors | 16 comes in 2 colors

I am the kind of person who tends to forget about a hostess or coworker gift until the last minute – guilty! This is one of the many reasons I always have extra nice (and by nice I mean in the $20 -$30 range) bottles of wine and champagne on hand in case I need to grab one before heading to a party. I also forget about coworkers until I see a nice card or gift on my desk and think, “oh no! I need to get them something before they leave for vacation!”

So I wanted to share some of my favorite gift ideas for these scenarios. I think we can all agree that a nice candle or bottle of booze is always a good choice. A bottle of wine with a cute dishtowel tied around the neck, a cute decanter with a bottle of whiskey or some Moscow Mule mugs and ginger beer is almost always well received. I think everyone likes a fancy candle, but no one enjoys spending the money on them – so I love receiving nice candles as gifts!

Another idea I love is fresh flowers in a pretty vase (like this one or this one) or planted herbs in cute jars. The gift that keeps on giving! This is great for a coworker or boss for their desk or a hostess for her breakfast table – a win-win.

Nice cooking salts, oils or edible treats (everyone likes peppermint bark) is great for the person who enjoys cooking or is having guests over for the holidays and could use some extra snacks around the house. Get bakin’ and give a baked good with a recipe attached – more fudge, please.

Have you given or received great little gifts like this before? I’d love to hear! I think succulents, wine and good spices/seasonings are my favorite. Thanks so much for reading! XO –

7 Comments|See Comments

Cabin Cozy

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Payless for IZEA. As always, all opinions are my own.

When it comes to experiencing more than one season in Southern California, I’ve felt the best way to do that is to hop in the car. I was amazed that in only two hours we were in a cabin in the woods in Big Bear, spending quiet mornings on the deck sipping coffee in slippers. And when it comes to slippers, the warmer the better.

I found this pair at Payless for less than $13, and I love that they have soles so I can be that lady walking her dog in slippers outside the house. It happens, I am not ashamed.

Personally I move through slippers pretty fast, and once they’re a little too ~~worn~~ loved, it’s time to move onto the next pair. That’s why I love how affordable these are, and when it comes to the holidays, you can’t be without a great pair of slippers!

slippers c/o Payless | plaid shirt | pants c/o | necklace, bracelet c/o | scarf c/o

Thanks so much for reading! I’d love to hear what item you can’t get through the holidays without!

For more Payless style inspiration, you can check out Payless on Pinterest. XO –

14 Comments|See Comments

Navigating Cyber Monday SALES

All of the sales since Thanksgiving have been amazing, but TODAY is the day it really goes down! The same retailers are offering sales but even bigger and better.

Below are some of my favorite sales going on (will be updated as I scout new ones!) AND my picks are below all of the sale info:

Ann Taylor: 50% off site wide with code EVERYTHING

Anthropologie: 25% off everything + free shipping with code XTRAGOOD

ASOS: 30% off everything with code BLESSED

Bag, Borrow or Steal: 25% off site wide with code JOLLY25

Banana Republic: 40% off everything with code BESTCYBER

Bloomingdale’s: 25% off regular-priced items AND sale items

boohoo: 50-70% off everything + free shipping

ChicWish: 15 – 60% off + free shipping AND extra 10% off orders $80+ with code CM10 | extra 15% off orders $150+ with code CM15 | extra 20% off orders $250+ with code CM20

DL1961: 40% off everything with code DLCYBER through 12/2

Express: 50% off everything

Forever21: 21% off your purchase + free shipping with code CYBER21

Furbish: 20% off site wide with code CYBER

GAP: 40% off everything with code BESTCYBER

Gigi New York: spend $125 save 20% | spend $250 save 25% | spend $350 save 30% | spend $500 save 35%

H&M: 20% off purchase over $25 + free shipping with code 2020 | 30% off purchase over $50 + free shipping with code 3030 40% off sale items with code 4040

Henri Bendel: 30-50% off select items

J.Crew: 40% off 500+ styles and 30% off everything else

Kate Spade: 30% off everything with code SHINE through 12/1

Kelly Wynne Handbags: 20% off site wide with code getplentywith20

Kendra Scott: 15% off everything with code SALE15

LOFT: 50% off everything + free shipping with code CYBER20

Lulu & Georgia: 20% off $250+ (CODE GIVEME20) | 25% off $500+ (GIVEME25) | 30% off $1,000+ (GIVEME30)

Macy’s: 60% off select items

Modcloth: 25% off everything

Nastygal: up to 50% off items + 30% off markdowns

Neiman Marcus: Earn up to a $500 gift card with your select regular-price purchase online with code GC4YOU

Nicole Miller: 30% off site wide + free shipping

Nordstrom: Save up to 50% off select top brands + free shipping and returns

Old Navy: 40% off everything with code BESTCYBER | additional 10% off with code GIFT

Paige Denim: 20% off site wide with code CYBER20

Rebecca Minkoff: 25% off all orders site-wide

Revolve Clothing: up to 85% off + 50% off final sale items with code CYBER50

Sephora: discounts on value sets – perfect for stocking stuffers!!

Shopbop: Spend $250+ and save 15% | Spend $500+ and save 20% | spend $1,000+ and save 25% with code GOBIG15

Show Me Your Mumu: 50% off select styles with code 50FORMU

Sigma Beauty: 20% off site wide with code

Topshop: up to 50% off items

The Frye Company: up to 40% off select styles

Target: 15% off orders with code CYBER15

Tory Burch: 30% off site wide with code THANKS

Urban Outfitters: $15 off orders over $75 | $50 off orders over $150

World Market: 20% off site wide with code INTERWEBZ

Below are some additional items I have my eyes on:

Happy hunting! And you can find all of my sale picks and holiday gift guides so far under the “Holiday Gifting” page at the top of this site! Thanks so much for reading – XO –

10 Comments|See Comments

Gift Guide under $50: For the Kids

1. Dr. Seuss books – a classic that every parent can agree on.

2. String Light Knit Tights – my nieces always have cute tights for cooler weather. Love all of these!

3. Kids Laptop – my sister’s kids have one of these and she says they are always playing on it.

4. Melissa & Doug Cutting Food Set – so cute if your niece or nephew likes to help in the kitchen! I love this line of toys, so cute and classic.

5. Crayola Mess-Free Markers and Coloring Books – my four-year-old niece Harper is obsessed with coloring. These markers are everything for kids like her!

6. Stay Wild Pajamas – Old Navy has so many great kids pj’s at 30% off!

7. Constellation Night Light – my two-year-old nephew Wilson loves his turtle night light that projects stars all over the room.

8. Melissa & Doug Magnetic Car Loader – I bought this for my 12-month-old nephew Rowan and he plays with it nonstop!

9. Kids Keyboard – doesn’t even need an explanation.

10. Little Einstein – I think Baby + Little Einstein is a hit for everyone’s kids.

11. Kids Drum Set – my brother plays several instruments and he and my sis-in-law love musical instrument toys for their kids!

12. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse – my sister’s kids can’t get enough!

13. Striped Pajamas – on sale!

I have eight nieces and nephews between four months and eight-years-old, and honestly – shopping for them is the most difficult for Christian and me. We don’t have kids, I don’t have many friends with kids, so I have no idea what a four-year-old wants or what’s a good gift for a newborn! Because this is always challenging (and I have a lot of little people to shop for), I had my sister and sister-in-law help me with gift ideas that their kids love.

Their four kids range from 12-months to four-years-old, but I also included some older kid options below! I have two nephews that are six and eight, so I thought of them for some of these:

Some great sales going on right now that apply to kids:

Amazon: 30% off select clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, and watches with code 30BLACKFRI

Anthropologie: 25% off everything through 11/30 with code SHOPTOIT

Gap: 50-70% off everything with code EXTEND

H&M: deals up to 60% off and prices as low as $4.99

J.Crew: 40% off select items, 30% off everything else

Neimen Marcus: 20% off sale items for up to 50% off online

Nordstrom: Up to 60% off new sale styles

Old Navy: 60% off hundreds of styles, 50% off even more, 40% off everything else

Urban Outfitters: 30% off sale, 40% off sale for Urban On Members

World Market: 50% off toys, mugs, baskets, ornaments, bath items and more!

If you have kids or know of any great kids gift ideas – I’d love to hear! I’m always looking for some help in this area. Thanks so much for reading and happy hunting! Stay tuned tomorrow for some AMAZE Cyber Monday deals! You can see all of my gift guides so far by clicking on the “Holiday Gifting” page in the navigation bar at the top of this website. XO –

2 Comments|See Comments

Gift Guide Under $75 for Him

the best mens gift guide

1. Wool and Cashmere sweater under $60 in 6 colors – a mens staple

2. Poplin PJ Set 30% off – bought these for C last year and he always travels with them

3. Andrew Marc Boots 62% off in 2 colors

4. Classic Luggage Tags under $16 in 3 colors – you can never have enough of these in my book

5. Swell Water Bottle $35 and a great gift for anyone – LOVE these

6. Shawl Collar Cardigan under $50 in 3 colors – C has one like this in navy blue and LIVES in it

7. Wrinkle-free, Slim Fit Oxford $55 in 3 colors – these are C’s favorite and we always have them monogrammed

8. Knit Henley under $30 in 4 colors – I think these fit so nicely, a favorite of mine on C

9. “B” ball cap – so I’m partial because my last name starts with B, but it’s just real cute

10. Lambswool Striped Scarf 40% off in 2 colors – I love a classic mens scarf, so cute!

11. Happy Holla Days Sweater under $35 – doesn’t need an explanation, A+++

I bribed Christian with pie and football to sit beside me and help me with a mens gift guide for you guys with stuff that he really wears, likes or tells me he would use. Guys can be challenging to shop for because they don’t want 6 pairs of jeans, they want 2 pairs that fit perfectly. SO, above we picked out some of our favorite gift ideas under $75 and below I’m sharing more picks that have different price points along with the Black Friday sales going on that apply to mens clothes, accessories and gifts!

Don’t forget you guys can check out all of my gift guides at the top of this website under “Holiday Gifting,” and you can get the full Black Friday sales list in yesterday’s post!

Amazon: 30% off select clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, and watches with code 30BLACKFRI

ASOS: 30% off everything with code BLESSED

Banana Republic: 40% off with code BRFRIENDS + 50% off sweaters

DL1961: 30% everything with code DLBLACK

Express: 50% off everything, ends today at NOON

Gap: 50-70% off everything with code GAPFRIDAY

H&M: deals up to 60% off and prices as low as $4.99

J.Crew: 40% off select items, 30% off everything else

Neimen Marcus: 20% off sale items for up to 50% off online

Nordstrom: Up to 60% off new sale styles

Old Navy: 60% off hundreds of styles, 50% off even more, 40% off everything else

River Island: 30% off everything through 11/30 with code BFRIDAY15

Urban Outfitters: 30% off sale, 40% off sale for Urban On Members

West Elm: 10% off when you spend $100 or more | 15% off when you spend $250 or more | 20% off when you spend $500 or more | 25% off when you spend $1000 or more with code MOREISMORE

World Market: 50% off toys, mugs, baskets, ornaments, bath items and more!

Happy hunting – and if you have any great mens gift ideas, I’d love to hear them! Thanks so much for reading – XO –

4 Comments|See Comments

Explore The Blog

Shop Around

Holiday Red Lip

Stocking Stuffers Under $50

Office Holiday Party Outfit

7 Holiday Decorating Tips

Designing Holiday Cards

Easy Holiday Party Look

Painting a Drop Leaf Table

Gift Guide Under $50: For Coworkers + Hostesses

Cabin Cozy

Navigating Cyber Monday SALES

Gift Guide under $50: For the Kids

Gift Guide Under $75 for Him