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Saturday, November 29, 2014

It's Officially Christmastime!

Thanksgiving 2014 was a success! I'm still full three days later!

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Today my family and I got our Christmas Tree and had so much fun decorating it while blasting Christmas music throughout the house!  

This wall of wreaths was so pretty! I wanted one for each door in my house! Decorating for Christmas is one of my favorite things to do! 

Who says wreaths are just for doors? ;)


Last Christmas Santa brought my siblings and I lots of Vineyard Vines goodies! Our dogs Hank and Holly make this picture look like something out of a catalog...


 Speaking of a catalog... Vineyard Vines asked for the rights to a photo my family and I took this summer wearing our favorite Shep Shirts and they put it in their catalog! We got it in the mail today!
How funny is that?


My mom always does the nicest job decorating our house for Christmas and making it look so beautiful! 

Monday is December 1st which means that my Lust Lists (aka Gift Guides) will be in full swing! I will be posting different gift guides every day for five straight days. If you're looking for ideas for all the people on your list you know where to stop by! 

There's plenty of gift guide idea's for everyone! 

I've made the perfect guides for the hostess, the guys in your life, the kiddos, the monogram lover as well as perfect stocking stuffers that will make holiday shopping a whole lot easier! 

See you MONDAY! 


Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Thanksgiving memories, more to come!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays! Our house is always FULL with tons of my favorite people like my siblings, my nieces and nephew, my cousins, aunts, uncles and friends. I just LOVE it. Everyone comes to my parents' house around noon and for the rest of the day we eat, eat, eat!

On Thanksgiving, our house runs like clockwork:

  • By mid morning my brothers have all gone into the kitchen and messed up the "Happy Thanksgiving" letter blocks that my Mom puts on the mantle. They each have come up with multiple ways to move them around to say inappropriate things. 
  • By 1pm, my Aunt Kat arrives, with bags full off stuff including lots of fun surprises for the little kids.
  • By 2pm everyone's already had a few drinks and is ready to go on the front lawn and play some football. My role: stand out of the way and take pictures. 
  • By 3pm we've brought out the vodka slush which is made by my Dad to "cleanse the pallet" before dinner. This is NEVER a good choice, but in my family if someone hands you the drink, you TAKE the drink :)
  • By 4pm we're normally ready to eat. Depending on the year, there is usually the long dining room table along with two smaller tables that we all eat at. I have slowly moved away from the "kids' table" which is totally exciting, yet totally scary because that means I'm a real person now. 
  • By 6pm we've winded down with dinner, have gone around and all said what were thankful for, are starting to clean up, and the food coma is quickly setting in. 
  • By 6:30/7:00pm we've all crawled to the couch and the stories and belly laughing really begins. This is usually when Catch Phrase gets whipped out and things get heated. 
  • For the rest of the night the drinks keep flowing, we make room for pie and dessert, and the memories continue to form. 
My favorite part about Thanksgiving is probably that the majority of the people who come for the day also stay the night. This means lots of filled up beds and slumber partying going on. I love it! There's nothing like a good ole sleepover with your cousins! It's the BEST.

Here are some picture from past years:

The block letters that my brothers so annoyingly move every year!

My Mom always makes the cutest bulletin boards for every holiday!


A few of our beautifully set tables 

I make fun of them, but I love these three guys to pieces! (Taken in 2011)

My brother's sweet girlfriend :) (Taken in 2013)

The greatest lady I've ever known. My best friend, my Mama! (Taken in 2013)

They take this Thanksgiving Day football game to a whole new level (Taken in 2013)

Our family has grown quite a bit since this picture. So crazy how much has changed in three years! (Taken in 2011)


What are your Thanksgiving Day traditions? What are you most thankful for this season?

Make sure to follow @MsCourtneyLeighB on Instagram to see all the pics from this year!

xx

Tuesday Pick Me Up

So I wasn't going to post anything Christmas related until AFTER Thanksgiving, but I just can't help myself. I need a little Tuesday pick me up, and all these beauties are just screaming my name... Especially this Phillip Lim look alike bag for $88!!!!! 

Next Monday (December 1st) the blog will enter full blown Christmas mode with five days of gift guides that will knock your socks off!

And don't forget to check back tomorrow for a look at what Thanksgiving is like with Ms. CourtneyLeighB and see some family pics from previous years! I'm so SO excited to have some time off spent with all the ones that I love! 




Goodnight Macaroon Small Satchel Bag (Looks JUST like Phillip Lim bag!) 
L.L Bean Christmas Trees 
J.Crew Factory Vest (50% off!)
J.Crew Factory Union Suit (50% off!) 
J.Crew Factory Crepe Drop Waist Dress (50% off!)
J.Crew Factory Denim (50% off!) 



Monday, November 24, 2014

At Home With Ms. CourtneyLeighB!

After reading my post on upholstered headboards a few of you asked to see pictures of my Target headboard. Voila! 


What do ya'll think? 

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Weekend Look








The sweater, the turtleneck AND the booties are all on sale! You can also get 15% off the Kendra Scott earrings when you sign up for emails! 
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This weekend went by way too fast!  On Friday afternoon my roommate and I got manicures and pedicures, which is my idea of a perfect start to any weekend. On Saturday I got a fun surprise in the mail from Old Navy (you know you have a shopping addiction when you forget you ordered stuff online and get excited when it magically appears outside your apartment door.) 

I am totally obsessed with this gray poncho sweater and have a feeling I'm going to be living in it all winter!

Happy Monday! 
xx


Friday, November 21, 2014

Happy Friday Ya'll!

TGIF! 

This week, unlike last week, has flown by! 

Every morning on my way to work I have been jamming on the T to this song

I have also been swooning over these pj pants all week long. 

I am getting super excited to have another perfect Thanksgiving break spent with all my cousins after reading this hysterical article

Have you seen this trailer. YUP.

I found that trailer when I was creeping on the internet. Have you ever creeped just a little too hard?

Have you heard of Baked By Melissa? They're amazing, and I'm thinking of ordering some of their Thanksgiving cupcakes to bring to my parents house next week! 

Nancy Frates gave an absolutely amazing Ted Talk about her son Pete, and ALS research.

In my opinion you can never have too many monograms. So this ring, this bracelet, and this necklace are definitely on my radar. 

Happy WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!


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Thursday, November 20, 2014

Thanksgiving Prep

Don't think for a second that I'm missing out on the Holiday Gift Guide blogger memo. Everyone's posting them, but for me, it's just a little too early. I've got lots of gift guides coming your way very soon, but first, let's get through Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. For my whole life, my mom has cooked Thanksgiving dinner for twenty, and in some years, fifty plus people (she's a saint!) I have always envied her ability to plan ahead, get everything set up perfectly, and prepare and serve a meal for so many people with no issues, disasters or stress. Like I said, she's a saint.

This year I'll be traveling to my parents house a few days before Thanksgiving, so I look forward to being able to help my Mom with some of the behind the scenes stuff like baking pies, setting the tables, and decorating the house. 

I wanted to do a post about some amazing recipes I have found on Pinterest over the past few weeks. This weekend I'm going to be going to a "friendsgiving" and my roommates and I are in charge of desserts. Looks like I know where to look for some amazing ideas! 

Here are just a few of my Thanksgiving favorites! I'm starving just looking at them! With Thanksgiving exactly one week away it's time to start planning (don't worry mom, I know you've had your menu set for weeks!) 

What are your turkey day favorites?


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Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Cold Weather Essential: The Scarf





Marley Lilly Monogrammed Scarf // Old Navy Black Tee // J.Crew Skinny Jeans // 
J.Crew Coat // Lauren Conrad Booties

I have lived in Boston my entire life so you can say that I am used to the cold. Us Bostonians aren't afraid of a little winter, some low temps, and a whole lot of snow! Some of us actually embrace it! 

You can always tell the "out of town-ers" from the true Baaah-ston natives. We tailgate by choice, freezing our bums off at Gillette Stadium for hours on end before going to watch Tom throw a few amazing passes, we live for the days in which school or work may be cancelled due to a massive blizzard, and we hit up the local bars even when we're told it is too treacherous out to leave our houses. Us Beantown kids may be nuts, but we're always, without a doubt, dressed and prepared for the cold temperatures that inevitably find us. 

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When Marley Lilly asked me to be a part of their blogger review program, I practically squealed with joy. I have been a ML fan for years and thanks to them I have an embarrassing amount of monogrammed products.

Marley Lilly's Monogrammed Cashmere Feel Scarf is one of my new wardrobe staples. I have found myself with this scarf around my neck since the second it came in the mail. The camel plaid pattern goes with SO many different fall outfits and is so easy to just pop on and complete any outfit. Not only is this scarf $22.99 (YUP!) but it also comes in five other adorable colors with unlimited monogramming possibilities! 

Already dreaming of all the people on your holiday list who would LOVE this scarf? Me too! Pop on over to Marley Lilly's new website to see all the many monogrammed beauties they have to offer and make sure you use the "customize it" feature in which you can actually see your monogram on the product before you buy it! For more of my Marley Lilly favorites from last month you can look here! 

As always thanks for reading!
xx
Courtney


This post was sponsored by Marley Lilly. All opinions remain my own.  

Getting Rid Of Anxiety with Ms. CourtneyLeighB


Monday, November 17, 2014

Gold vs. Black: The Party Shoe

With the holidays coming up I have been on the hunt for a new fun, sassy and unique party shoe! I love me some super high heels, and Nordstrom has such a huge selection right now of amazing pumps and sandals! Check below to see all my hand picked gold and black favorites that I'm currently swooning over. And if you're in doubt remember that ALL these beauties are under $150, most of them under $100! Treat yourself to something fun! Happy Monday!



Vince Camuto Fantin Sandal 
Jessica Simpson Caldas Quilted Pump
Lauren Lorraine Jennifer Pump 
Steve Madden Artist Pump
Steve Madden Stecy Sandal

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Bloomingdales FRIENDS & FAMILY TIME

I LOOOVE me some Bloomingdales. I'm a loyalist member, so I get lots of perks that FORCE me to shop there.The Friends & Family sale is going on now through 11/16 with 20% off AND free shipping.

I know, it's awesome.

If you're looking to get your holiday shopping done before the rush, here are some perfect ideas for the ladies in your life! Just use the promo code HOLIDAY at checkout!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

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Instagram Update

Okay, here's the deal. 
Every morning when I'm on the T riding along with my commuting "buddies" as I call them, I have the desire to post on Instagram. I'm usually sitting down and have the time, but don't have any photos or "lust lists" to put up because I have yet to do my blog post for the day. A couple different mornings I have, however, put up an inspirational quote and people seem to really like it. 

All of my family and friends know about my "quote book." Ahh the Courtney quote book. I whip it out all the time to try to bring clarity in moments of need as well as laughter in times of struggle. The many pages of my mint green spiral bound notebook have been filled with my favorite quotes from books, movies and Pinterest, as well as many song lyrics and thoughts of mine. I have been filling the pages of this notebook for almost two years and love being able to refer to it when I need a pick me up, some powerful motivation, or a reminder of my many blessings. 

So, a new tradition is going to be formed on @MsCourtneyLeighB! Each morning during the work week, I will put up a quote of some sort on my Instagram account. I will use the same hashtags each day so that my followers can see all of my many #WeekdayWordsFromCLB whenever they want! Cool, huh? It's like ya'll have a Courtney quote book of your very own! 

Check out today's #WeekdayWordsFromCLB and follow the fun! 

xoxo

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

iPhone Tips & Tricks

Everyone in my family makes fun of me because I've had about 94739874 cell phones in my life. I'm always breaking them, losing them, or deciding that I just have to have the newest version or model. I currently have an iPhone 5c and I have yet to break, scratch, dent or drop it. Although my contract is up soon, I must say I'm pretty proud of myself that I've made it this long, considering my past track record with cell phones.

Here are a few tips and tricks for making the most out of your phone and getting that Apple gadget that we all can't live without to last a little longer!


Don't want scratches, nicks, bumps and bruises? Put a dang case on the thing! Above are some of my favs!

The iPhone can be confusing, but only if you let it! Read up on all the shortcuts you may have otherwise not known about. There are SO many tips and tricks that I have found throughout my Pinterest travels! A great site for iPhone shortcut secrets can be found here and here

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I go to do something on my phone, like download an app or take a picture, and there is not enough memory or space on the phone to do it. Here is a great site for tips on what to delete and what to save on your phone. You'd be surprised at all the useless junk you have which is eating up storage space.

One thing I love about the iPhone is all the cool apps that allow you to customize and personalize your phone. To find some fun new apps that will spice up your home screen and make it look ADORABLE, you can look here.

Everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE taking pictures. Although I used to always bring a camera out with me, the times have changed and now everyone just uses their phones to take pictures. Although this is convenient, it can sometimes produce poor quality pictures with bad lighting, funky coloring, and red eye. This site shows eight must-have photo apps that will enhance your photos and make them Facebook worthy. I also couldn't live without Instagram and InstaSize (not pictured.) 



I hope you've enjoyed these iPhone tips and tricks and that you've learned something new! If you have any tips of your own I'd love to hear them! 

As always, thanks for reading!
xx





Monday, November 10, 2014

Six Bedrooms that will make you want an upholstered headboard

Upholstered headboards are everywhere on Pinterest and I just LOVE them. After swooning over them for quite a few months, I decided to take the plunge and invest in one for my new apartment. I looked and looked and couldn't decide on a color, a size, a shape OR a place to buy one. I didn't want to get one that was too cheap, but I also didn't want to spend a fortune because I probably won't have the same size bed forever. I ended up getting one from Target and I absolutely love it. 

I got the Roma Tufted Wingback Headboard in the color slate, but there are TONS of different colors and styles to choose from. Below are just some of headboards I have come across throughout my Pinterest travels. To see more of my favorite home collection pieces you can look here.








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Friday, November 7, 2014

Friday Thoughts

Commuting to work is a funny thing. Everyone has their schedule and their plan. People run like clockwork. Myself included. We leave our homes at the same time every day. We stop at Starbucks and order the same drink EVERY day. We arrive at the platform to wait for the T at the same time EVERY DAY. Because of this you start to see the same people over and over again and begin to recognize them. You don't know their names, where they work or what their story is. So although you're not "real" friends, you are however, commuting "buddies."

Every morning, I wait at the platform next to this woman who is pregnant. She is like REALLY pregnant. Probably eight or nine months. Most mornings the train is somewhat empty (we both leave for work pretty early and before the rush) so she sits right down and never has a problem finding a seat. Yesterday however, she got on the train and there were no empty seats.I kept looking around and everyone was clearly clueless to the fact that this pregnant woman was standing up on a packed train. 

After about three stops, and right before I was finally going to butt in and saying something, someone stood up and said "I'm so sorry, would you like my seat, I didn't see you were pregnant!"

I then thought to myself "okay, phew, not everyone is a piece of SH** like I thought they were." It was a simple mistake. OBVIOUSLY no one would intentionally ignore a nine month pregnant woman... 

And then this morning happened...

This morning I got on the train, with the same pregnant woman, at the same time, holding my usual Starbucks coffee. When we got on, the train was packed once again! As this woman walked down the aisle with her winter coat open because she can no longer zip it because she is very,VERY pregnant, no one flinched. Everyone could easily tell she was pregnant, yet no one moved. I waited three stops. I waited three stops and kept thinking that someone will move. Someone will realize, like yesterday, that she is pregnant and she will get a seat. I wasn't going to say anything because I didn't want to cause drama, especially at seven in the morning. And then the word vomit happened. 

I tapped her on the shoulder and said "I'm sorry, but both of my sisters have had babies recently and I know that they too, would never ask for someone to give up their seat. I, however, would want someone to speak up and do it for them. So I am asking for someone to give this woman their seat."

No one moved. NO. ONE. MOVED. 

After a couple really awkward seconds of me gesturing to people to move while also clenching my fists with anger, the pregnant woman looked at me and said "that is so sweet of you, but I feel bad asking, I'll be okay." At that moment, a woman stood up and said "you can absolutely have my seat, I have been trying to catch your attention." A few other people looked around as if they too were juuuust about to also offer, but let's be honest, they weren't. 

As if this situation isn't infuriating enough, guess how old the woman was who gave up her seat? If I had to guess, I'd say she was about 65-68 years old. YUP. 

I'm sorry for this Friday RANT, but this totally upset me. Like I said, I have watched my sisters go through multiple pregnancies and I know how difficult it can be, so I'm definitely hypersensitive to this, but the fact that all the young people on that train were totally unaware of their surroundings just agitated me. 

Let's turn down the music volume, get headphones that don't cancel out every noise from here to the equator, look up from our books and stop liking photos on Instagram for long enough to realize that a nine month pregnant woman who is about to bring life into the damn world probably should have priority seating over a hungover college kid who went out drinking last night. 

What would you do if this was your mom, your sister or your friend? 

"Black Friday" Ms. CourtneyLeighB Style

I'm a few weeks early, and not all of this is on sale, but I found myself lusting over all things black this week so I figured I'd create my own version of Black Friday! Happy shopping!

1.  // 2. // 3. // 4. // 5. // 6. // 7. // 8. // 9. // 10. // 11. 

1. On sale, $40 off!
3. 15% off when you sign up for emails!
4. On sale AND an extra 30% off with code GETWARM!
10. On sale AND an extra 15% off with code ONSAVENOW!

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Thursday, November 6, 2014

Thursday Lusts

I don't know about you guys, but I feel like this week has been going by super slow. While I dream of the weekend and wish desperately that I was still in my bed, I figured I'd also gather up a list of some items I'm currently lusting over. If you're like me, and you'd had a hard week, it's time to indulge! 

Start off small by buying yourself a new nail polish! There's nothing better then having freshly painted and pretty nails! Here are some of my current favorites!




You could also pop on over to your local Bath & Body Works and try out all their new soaps, gels, lotions and mists! Their winter collections are all out and I've been dying to try some of the new scents. Sometimes doing something small for yourself like getting nicely wrapped and beautifully scented products can really turn your day (or week) around! Here are some scents to try! And the best part is that they're all under $15!
Holiday Traditions Collection (top & bottom row)
Foaming Hand Soaps (middle row)



No comment needed. Go get something from Starbucks. You'll feel better.



I have been OBSESSED with candles recently. I don't know why, but there's something about a pretty candle burning while you're making dinner or lounging around the living room that just screams winter time and serenity. These are some of my top picks for fun, adorable and divine smelling candles!
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Have you had a REALLY bad week? Like really bad? If so, I think it's time you head on over to GiGi New York. If you have been hiding under a rock for the past year and haven't visited one fashion blog or scrolled through Instagram, let me introduce you to a friend of mine. GiGi New York makes the most adorable bags, clutches, wallets and accessories! You can personalize all of their products (you know I'm always down for a good monogram) and they have TONS of colors and styles to choose from. Here are just some of my favorite GiGi New York products including the new Jenn Bucket Bag which Jenn from Haute Off The Rack created!
Splurge with some GiGi New York. Go on. You know you want to. Everybody else is doing it!






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