Carrie Bradshaw Lied

Friday’s Five

– this darling TAudrey date plate necklace with our wedding anniversary –

– a scoop of coconut milk & pistachio almond from our neighborhood ice cream shop –

– the best blowout of my life at Drybar – hello Southern hair! –

– a sweet surprise from Willow Boutique – I had so much fun taking over their instagram! –

– Noticing the majority of Queen Lula’s hair has finally grown in since her surgery (it seemed to take forever), thank you to those of you who have asked for an update! We go back in two weeks for more x-rays to monitor the cancer to make sure nothing is spreading. –

Well here we are, days away from moving into our new space. I am surrounded by boxes, tape guns, sharpies, bubble wrap and dust. I am getting by…with wine and old school music playlists blaring. We are so ready to say goodbye to our little apartment and embrace a bigger home with more space for Bailey the beast, galloping through the house!

I was fortunate to spend a few days in Beverly Hills this week for some work festivities – a nice break from the daily unglamorous packing grind. A blowout and champagne so quickly takes you from feeling drab to fabulous, right!? But the countdown is on and you know my type A personality is ready to roll!

Tell me what your plans are this weekend. Let me live vicariously through you while I tape up boxes and listen to songs like this (singing like I own the place of course). Thanks so much for reading! XO –

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Bohemian Summer

I confessed my love on kimonos earlier this week here, but this is another drapey look that I’ve been wearing on repeat lately. It feels so retro and relaxed for summer and what can I say? California brings out a bohemian side that I didn’t even know I had.

This is our last week at our apartment before our move into the townhouse and I have to admit that I’m going to miss the palms and landscaping of these little apartments. I will not miss, however, the neighbors upstairs that I’m convinced wear wooden clogs. It will be interesting seeing where we might snap photos in our new town…with our new camera! I used to not embrace change so well but these days, I feel like we make big changes regularly so it’s taught me to roll with the punches easier than before.

Thanks so much for reading and don’t forget to enter the $500 Nordstrom givewaway! XO –

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Chambray Shirt Dress

A chambray jumper is not a dress that I would think I could pull off, but after seeing a friend look so adorable in a similar number, I thought I would give this affordable version a try. Turns out…I love it! It’s comfortable and the cinched waist manages to give it a little shape. Another plus – any variation of heels + accessories look good with basic chambray.

Thank you so much for reading and entering! XO –

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Friday’s Five

– the simplest strawberry smoothie – a handful of strawberries, some stevia, ice cubes and 2 TB of milk –

– and lots of extra strawberries Christian brought home from the farmer’s market by the hospital –

– playing with ombré on my toes –

– pesto pasta, pinot grigio and binge watching season two of Orange is the New Black –

– this hilarious shark from my nephews –

Welcome to the weekend! Christian and I will be spending the weekend loading boxes – oh the joys of moving! It’s hard to believe that this time last year we were loading our moving fan in Mississippi and making the 2.5 day drive out to California. Here we are one year later doing it again…but at least we’re moving a handful of miles away versus thousands.

I do need to take a break to go to the home store and get a few samples of some paint for our new place. I have gotten a few suggestions for neutral colors – Benjamin Moore “Mountain Peak White,” “Spring in Aspen” and “Linen White.” I think I just need to buy some samples so I can see them on the wall first, right? We are so excited to move into a new place to have more space and lots of windows (that’s when you know you’re getting older, when wood floors and windows excite you so much). I hope we’ll make lots of memories there and can’t wait to get started!

I also want to take the opportunity to announce the Burt’s Bees giveaway winner – Arena Thompson!! Arena – please email me at kathleen(at)carriebradshawlied(dot)com.

Thank you so much for all of you who entered and stay tuned for a fabulous giveaway next week!! Have a beautiful weekend – XO –

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Black & White & Red All Over

I’ve always loved wearing red and the textures in this Blush & Bashful Boutique dress had me hooked instantly. I love the beaded neckline and the texture contrast between the bodice and skirt, all incorporating some of my favorite colors to wear – black, white and red.

On the note of cocktail dresses, I have a wide collection of dressy little things that have been completely neglected since my move to California. In the South, you feel like you’re going to a wedding or engagement party every other weekend. On the West Coast, even weddings are casual occasions fit for maxi dresses or sandals – so my dressy numbers have been collecting dust (and quite a bit of unused closet space) for the past year. I’m seriously considering shipping them all to Mississippi or just selling them. Is this a bad move?

Thanks so much for reading! XO –

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Watermelon Juice Recipe

We’ve had a heat wave in Southern California and I’ve been melting! With summer bringing the heat, my girlfriend told me she had made some watermelon juice. It sounded so easy and delicious that I knew I had to give it a try.

You’ll need:

1/4 of a large watermelon, chopped OR one small 6-8 oz. watermelon
one lime
mint + lime for garnish (optional)

Toss your chopped watermelon (or a small 6-8 oz. melon) in the blender. Once blended (just a minute or two), add the juice of one lime. Blend for a few more seconds and then pour over ice and serve. Stays in the fridge for a few days, but always stir before serving!

Yum! This is the perfect morning juice or refreshing treat after a day at the pool. Of course, I prefer the latter. Thanks so much for reading and don’t forget to enter the Burt’s Bees giveaway! XO –

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Friday’s Five

– spending a few days with some fabulous people in Raleigh, NC –

p.s. – That’s fried avocado from The Oxford…not kidding. Amazing!

– a day at the beach –

– receiving quite an amount of shoes this week – now THAT’S a good week –

L to R front row: Cynthia Rowley | Blush & Bashful Boutique (c/o) | Nike

– getting to know the talented Sarah Wetergren of San Diego behind Bad Bad Jewelry –

Sarah is currently running a campaign to help fund her business and shop and the coolest part? Those who donate will receive a gift with their donation (gifts are determined by donation amount)! Learn more by watching a short video here and stay tuned for an exciting collaboration.

– Southern California palm trees that never get old –

Hooray the weekend is here! I was working last weekend in North Carolina, so I’m happy to have this weekend all to myself. Christian and I plan to hit up a local vodka bar (say what!?) with some friends tonight, and I plan to relax at the beach and have some me time. I will be taking over the instagram account of Willow Boutique (@WillowBoutique) on Saturday – so y’all be sure to check it out!

Sidenote: I am planning on selling my Canon Rebel T3. I purchased it a little less than two years ago and it’s in fabulous condition. I have the original packaging and warranty (even though it was only for a year…I can’t throw anything away – guilty) and am selling it for $300. It’s been a fabulous beginner camera and is very user friendly – part of my love affair with Canon. Email me if interested! kathleen(at)carriebradshawlied(dot)com.

Y’all have a beautiful weekend and as always, don’t forget to enter the Burt’s Bees giveaway and thank you so much for reading! XO –

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Pottery Barn Dorm

Today I’m excited to be teaming up with Pottery Barn to share how I would decorate my dorm room if I had the chance for a do-over! My own freshman dorm room is kind of a funny story. The summer before I began my freshman year at Ole Miss (August 8, 2005 to be exact), I competed in Miss Teen USA. My sister was also getting married the first weekend in September and my brother was about to return from a semester abroad in Australia. Needless to say, it was a busy summer.

My roommate was my childhood bestie and we were both the youngest of three. Therefore, our parents were kind of over it and dumped us off in Oxford with our siblings leftovers and a few high fives. While other parents gave their kids teary goodbye hugs, my mom was more like, “Is it hot in here? Is there central AC in these dorms? Ok honey we’ll see you in a few weekends – I paid your cousin Oliver to finish moving you in, bye.”

She wonders why I’m so independent. Keep in mind my sister’s dorm room (my mom is a very crafty and creative artist) won an award for most fabulous dorm room in her building.

SO, with that being said, I would be thrilled to have a do-over! If I had the chance to go back, I would go girly all the way. There are only a few times in your life that you can decorate everything exactly how you want it and with the help of your roommate, your dorm room is the perfect opportunity. I would keep the decor comfortable and neutral and let pillows, throw blankets, photo frames and artwork bring the color. These dorm accessories from PBdorm are the perfect way to share your favorite items with your roomie, even if you have to communicate via email!

PBdorm offers an exclusive collection of dorm furnishings and essentials designed to help turn your dorm room into your ultimate home away from home. They offer smart storage solutions and unique ways to personalize your space, providing dorm solutions such as multi-functional products and space saving items which are essential in making the most of limited dorm room space. Remember those closets?? That’s something I certainly don’t miss. Tragic.

What is your favorite item shared above? How would you redecorate your dorm room? Please share your funny move-in stories. Seriously, don’t keep these from me. Check out the pinterest board below for more dorm room inspiration. Thanks so much for reading and don’t forget to go check out Pottery Barn’s dorm collection! I think I need this trunk and rug for our new townhouse in a bad way. XO –

Follow Kathleen Barnes’s board PBdorm Style on Pinterest.

Thank you Pottery Barn for sponsoring this post and reminding me how fabulous dorm rooms can be and how not fabulous my freshman dorm room was. Can I go back!?

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Shop Prima Donna

Today I’m excited to be guest posting for Shop Prima Donna’s blog! Y’all probably know by now that I love my accessories from Shop Prima Donna. I’ve styled many of their pieces on CBL before and I could list them all but I’ll spare you the flashback overload.

It’s been such a privilege to work with the Prima Donna team and today you can hop on over to their blog for more photos and details on how you can snag the fabulous and affordable accessories in this outfit! Even better? Use the promo code CBL10 for 10% off your purchase.

Thanks so much for reading and be sure to check out the full post here. Don’t forget to use the promo code CBL10 for 10% off at checkout! XO –

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Friday’s Five

– beautiful strawberries at our local farmer’s co-op –

– the most perfect pair of vegan leather shorts 40% off –

– playing in jacaranda petals with Bailey in my Shop Bush python maxi –

– a date night to Lemonade –

– pink peonies and wine & cheese for a quiet night in –

I had a short week with the Memorial Day long weekend and leaving Thursday for a work trip to Raleigh, NC. This is actually my first trip back to the South since we moved out here in June of 2013 and while I won’t see any family members, I am meeting up for a dinner with my North Carolina blogger babe Amy of Coffee Beans & Bobby Pins. A long-awaited get together!

I’ve been looking forward to this quick trip back to the South to bask in the friendliness and “hey y’alls” that I’ve missed in Cali-land. What are your weekend plans? Thank you so much for reading! XO –

PS – if you have a few minutes, this article on 20 Things I Wish I’d Known in my Twenties is an incredibly inspiring read – my high school bff passed it on to me and I felt so personally touched by so many of the pieces of advice!

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San Francisco

Today we reach the finale of our fun-filled road trip along the California coast. Christian and I had the pleasure of spending three days in San Francisco visiting my brother’s family and playing in their city. Christian visited SF in college, but I hadn’t been since I was a sophomore in high school and it was so much fun to return to this unique and historical city with such a big personality.

I wanted to share some photos of our visit and my brother’s adorable family. I know they are going to miss the charm of SF when they move to LA this summer, but we are so thrilled to have them closer by! We love these three (you know I had to share a photo of their adorable pup, Miss Pollack)!

Ike’s Place sandwiches & soda – oh. my. gosh. Crazy delicious!

The prison cells in Alcatraz.

The view from the small windows in the hallways of the prison.

Thank you so much for reading and sharing your love and recommendations with us for our little road trip! Your support and guidance is truly so helpful and I can’t thank you enough. XO –

PS – You can see our other stops along the way here, here and here.

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Tie Dye Off the Shoulder Top

If you follow me on instagram you have seen some snapshots of this ensemble – possibly the most comfortable pairing in my closet! When I first laid eyes on this off-the-shoulder top I knew it had to be mine. I am in love with the relaxed feel of the off-the-shoulder look and can hardly ever find them, so I think this top might be on full rotation this summer.

These purple jacaranda trees are all over Orange County right now and I am so in love with them. We snapped these photos across the street from our apartment in the neighborhood park before going to Laguna to a Serene Sky Boutique trunk show hosted by my fabulous girlfriends behind Itsy Bitsy Indulgences – love those gals!