Brutus Update!

You may remember a few months ago that my husband and I got a sweet puppy bulldog, Brutus. He is now four months old (what?!) and got his last puppy shot yesterday.  While my family was visiting for Easter, my dad snapped some shots of him I thought I'd share with you so you can see how much he is growing!

LIKES

• Taking long naps
• Snoring
• Chewing on bones
• Playing with other dogs
• Climbing up and down the back of the sofa like a cat
• Climbing up and down people
• Being held
• Chewing on cardboard
• Eating…. anything
• ALL people
• The Vet
• Riding in the car
• Baths

DISLIKES

• Aluminum foil…he is TERRIFIED
• Clapping. He puts his tail between his legs and runs away
• Being left alone, although he is learning to love his crate
• Getting his ears cleaned

My sister visited us for over a week last month and brought his sister, Rosie, with her! They had a great time playing and being reunited.

AND don't forget to check out my exclusive storefront for the Global Premiere of Standfor Below!

Style Art and Grace Standfor Storefront

xo,

Grace

Lent!

Since Ash Wednesday two days ago I've been really trying to figure out something meaningful for me to do this year for Lent. Every year I do give something up (usually food related), but this year I felt like I needed to do something that would really and truly challenge me and apply to this quote that is my lenten guide this year--

So I gave myself some time to think about it, read this article which gave me a lot of inspiration, and decided on doing a two part 40 day preparation for Easter this year-- the first focused on preparing myself on the interior, and the second on helping others. I struggled about whether or not to blog about this but have decided to mostly to give myself motivation to stick to it! If you all know about it, you can help me stay on track!!

Part 1 (Interior): I am "giving up" being uselessly negative or critical about people, circumstances, or things in my life. I notice myself too often complaining about things, which really means doing nothing about them except sitting around and talking about them. Being negative or complaining fruitlessly just ends up making me feel bad. If there is actually a serious issue that is upsetting to me, I will do something proactive about it -- sitting around lamenting about things that are trivial does no good.

Part 2 (Exterior): I saw people doing this last year, and I think it is perfect for this season… the 40 bags in 40 days Challenge! So everyday from February 18- April 5 (Easter) I have to fill a bag with things to give away to charity (I'm going to give to my favorite, Goodwill). It doesn't always have to be a big bag or anything like that, it can be a sandwich bag! But the act of giving something that we don't need anymore to someone who will appreciate it, every single day, I think will be a great reminder about how we should be living our lives.

I really credit my Mom and Dad for, as long as  I can remember, encouraging me to give old toys, books, clothes etc to charity multiple times a year-- as it became something I love doing-- that is definitely something that Ben and I want to instill one day in our future children!

*I know that not everyone practices a religion or Christianity but, regardless, I hope this can be of interest to you! It is always fun to challenge yourself and give to others! 

Have a great weekend!!

xo, 

Grace

New Puppy!

As I mentioned last post, my husband and I just got a new puppy!! His name is Brutus and he is a 9 week old English Bulldog. Picking him up and bringing him home was a huge process as he was in North Carolina and we live in Florida, so we ended up driving 8 hours after picking him up… he did great though!!

Here are some pics:

There were two puppies in the litter, and my sister ended up buying Brutus's sister! Her name is Rosie and she is a sweet little princess!

So far, Brutus sleeps a lot, likes to play with toys, and is definetly teething. He loves to snuggle, and enjoyed going for walks for a grand total of two days when he decided he hated walking. Anytime we try to put a leash on him now he just sits down and whimpers! Hopefully it is just a phase. 

We love him so much!! If you want to see more pics you can follow the pups on insta: @brutus_and_rosie or me if you're not already: @gracie_mcd

Have a great President's Day and I'll be back Wednesday!!

xo,

Grace

Thankful!

The amount of things, and most importantly, people that I have to be thankful for is too immense to even attempt to describe in words. So much has happened in the past year for me, and I am so thankful for this adventure that we call life. It may be unexpected, but it ends up to be beyond my dreams. Thank you to everyone who makes mine shine.

As you enjoy your Thanksgivings, I want to leave you with my most favorite quote from my most favorite film:

I firmly believe that love is smiling through all things.

Let's not find reasons to be unhappy! Happy Thanksgiving!

xo,

Grace

One Lovely Blog Award!

Happy Tuesday! I don't normally post on Tuesdays, but a few days ago the lovely Novelette nominated me for the One Lovely Blog award. Thank you so much Novelette; I really appreciate it! I love following her blog; you should definetly go on over and check it out.

"The Rules:
1. Display award logo.
2. List 7 Facts about yourself.
3. Nominate other awesome bloggers and follow the person who nominated you."

So, here are my seven {really random} facts:
1. I will eat literally anything, and probably really like it. I am the least picky eater I know.
2. I love dogs, especially boxers and bulldogs. Whenever I am around them I feel like a better person.
3. My favorite color is pink.
4. I have one older sister and thankfully we have always been really close.
5. Touching paper napkins gives me the sensation of nails on a chalkboard.
6. I never match my socks.
7. If something has hearts on it, there is a 99% chance I will buy it.

I nominate…
Anyone who reads this who wants to participate!!! Let me know if you do and thanks for stopping by my blog!

xo, 

Grace

Take a Breath!

With lots going on last week and in the coming weeks, its easy for me to get lost in my to-do list and start inventing more and more stuff to be thinking about.  This image made me really happy when it popped up on my Pinterest homepage.  So simple, so true …  Hey, it's OK.

You made it to another weekend! I hope it is a great one!

flickr

xo,

Grace 

Favorite Charleston Restaurants!

Hi again from Charleston! I hope you all have been having great weeks so far. My mom and I are having an incredible time here in South Carolina. Today we went to our future wedding reception venue and got to do an extensive tasting of possible food options, and then went to the bakery our wedding planner (A Charleston Bride --check them out) suggested to do a cake tasting! I am sad that my fiancé "missed out" on this, but at the same time I'm excited because he will get to be surprised by the deliciousness!!

By the way, the bakery we are using, Ashely Bakery  is fantastic and I really recommend them if you ever need a bakery in the Charleston SC area!

AMAZING cake tasting! So hard to pick just a couple! 

Anyway, today I want to feature three of my favorite restaurants in Charleston.  There are so many incredible restaurants here, but these three would definitely be in my top 5! Here they are (in no particular order)

1. F I G 

 (Food is Good)

Fig

Incredibly warm, inviting, comfortable, unpretentious and cozy, this is a Charleston MUST-eat. I remember the first time my parents took me here (circa a decade ago) and thinking it was like no restaurant I'd ever been to before. I was right! I love that they use only local produce and ingredients, serving eccentric food with wholesome ingredients you can be confident are only the best. 

I ate: 

-appetizer-

ricotta gnocchi with sea island grass beef bolognese (and my mom's salad of GEM lettuces)

-entree-

freshly caught mustard amberjack fish (and my mom's fish stew in coquette) 

2. C R U    C A F E

Cru

Classic low country comfort food, served in a historic yellow Charleston cottage with quaint porches, this restaurant exudes the spirit of the city.  It is extremely small, but also extremely comfortable. The menu has a wide amount of variation and the portion sizes are small enough that you can order multiple things (which I love!)

One of my favorites….

-small plate-

peaches n' cream: grilled balsamic peach, honey cream, and bacon jam

3. I N D A C O 

Indaco

This very new (for Charleston) Italian restaurant is absolutely delicious. It is only a year old, but has been thriving in its upper King Street Location. My mom and I had heard great things, and we were NOT disappointed! They have a superior selection of pastas, pizzas, appetizers, fish, veggies, wine, etc. 

The ambiance is also really fun, with exposed brick and beams creating an industrial-italian-comfortable-southern fusion look. I don't know how they pulled that off, but they really did!

I ate…

-entree-

black pepper tagliatelle, carbonara, pork tesa, egg yolk, chives, peccorino romano (and my mom's roasted and pan seared summer vegetables)

Do any of you have any favorite Charleston restaurants?? Or do any of these sound good to you? I am going to go to sleep and dream of food tonight!

xo,

Grace

5 Favorite Beauty Products: High End!

When it comes to buying beauty products, I definitely prefer getting products at drugstores or Target simply because of the cost.  Whenever I go into a higher end cosmetic store like Sephora, I am sucked in by all the beautiful packaging and colors; it makes it so hard for me to resist picking up a few things!

There are, however, five higher end products that I absolutely love and consider to be totally worth the higher price because they work so well and last for an extremely long time.  I consider these five to be totally essential in my beauty/makeup routine. They're irreplaceable!

The first, Philosophy Purity Made Simple Face Wash (8oz bottle $23), is what I've used to wash my face for as a long as I can remember. The smallest amount goes a long way, which makes the bottle last forever. It doubles for me as a makeup remover, and I can honestly say it gets EVERYTHING off my face, including waterproof eyeliner/mascara, heavy eyeshadows, etc. It is super gentle, and has no fragrance. I cannot sing its praises enough… its seriously the best and absolutely worth the price. If you want to try it out without committing to a big bottle, Sephora has the small "travel" size ones available in the check out line for about $10.

Second, bareMinerals Well Rested ($18), is another daily go-to for me. I use it as under eye concealer and also as concealer for any blemishes I may have. This is hands down the best concealer/brightener I have ever used. It makes me look wide awake after even the earliest of mornings (not a morning person here). 

Next, Diorshow Mascara in Catwalk Black ($25) is another favorite of mine because it lasts forever without drying out.  Its always so frustrating to me when I buy a new bottle of mascara and its crusty and dry after only a week or two. Not the case with this one!! Its a very dark black which I love, very wet, and smells like rosewater! The brush makes application really easy and gives my short lashes an added boost of volume and length. I've been using this for about a year now, and I don't think I could give it up!

Number 4, the bareMinerals Ready Foundation (SPF 20) ($29) is my trusted do everything foundation. I used to use it in the loose powder version (also great), but have been getting the ready compact recently and am loving the fuller coverage it gives. I tend to have some redness on my face around my nose and on my cheeks, and this absolutely neutralizes it and makes me look fresh-faced in seconds. Also, because it is a powder and made of minerals, it allows my skin to breathe all day, and even at my sweatiest (I know, gross) I never feel like I have stuff on my face. The SPF 20 is an added bonus because I know I have that extra boost of sun protection. 

Finally, I received the Clarisonic Mia 2 ($149) as a gift three months ago from my fiancé, and I am obsessed with it. I use it every night and my skin feels incredibly smooth and radiant afterwards. It's definitely gentle, but the feeling of deep clean it gives is like nothing I've ever seen before. I've seen a clear difference in terms of acne trouble spots and highly recommend this to anyone who struggles with acne too. 

I hope you enjoyed and let me know what your favorite beauty splurges are!

xo,

Grace

The Liebster Award

Yesterday I had the beautiful surprise of learning that Emily from Novellette nominated me for the Liebster Award. Novellette is an incredible blog that I, as a fellow literature, style, film, and travel lover have loved following… she basically covers it all!! Thank you so much for the nomination, I am so appreciative! 

Even though I am fairly new to the world of blogging, to me, the most rewarding aspect of it is the ability to connect with amazing people all over the world. This award is a wonderful reminder for me that blogging the perfect opportunity to create community, be inspired by others, spread love, and pay it forward! 

The rules of the award are: 

1. The nominee has to answer the 11 questions posed by their nominator.

2. The nominee has to nominate 11 other people.

3. And then, the nominee must write 11 questions of their own.

My answers to Novellette's questions:

1. Who’s your celebrity crush?

Viggo Mortensen or Chris Hemsworth because both seem like great people in their private lives.

2. If you could learn another language, what language would it be?
Definitely Italian.  I love everything about Italy… the food, the culture, the beauty of it all. I took it for a few years in college but could really use a refresher!

3. Who’s your favourite author?
J.K Rowling.  Her writing was very much a part of shaping me into who I am today, and every time I re-read the Harry Potter series I take something new away from it. I can't imagine growing up without her! I also love Gillian Flynn and will read anything she writes.

4. Besides blogging, what’s one of your favourite hobbies?
I love to paint and create art in general. It is something that has always been a big part of my life. 

5. If you could only eat one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pasta! no question. 

6. What or who made you start blogging and why do you do it?
I spent last summer working and living in New York City, and I documented my experience in a blog I updated daily. It was basically only for my family and friends, but I loved writing it so much that I decided it was something I wanted to continue doing more seriously.  I continue to do it because I get to connect with incredible people and I love having the opportunity to express myself.  As an artist, it has always been essential for me to have an outlet for my creativity and passion… blogging is a wonderful channel for exactly that!

7. If you could play a character in a movie, who would you play?
This is such a great question! I would love for there to be a film about artist Helen Frankenthaler and I think it would be really fun to play her and get to dive into the art scene in 1950-60's NYC. 

8. Fantasy or sci-fi?
Fantasy.

9. What’s your favourite Shakespearean play and why?
Hamlet because his tragic flaw is his inability to decide and act. I can relate to that as I, too, can be indecisive and it sometimes leads to negative consequences. 

10. You’re stuck on a deserted island and can only bring one movie or TV series, what do you bring?
Everybody Loves Raymond. It is my favorite TV show and would remind me of my loved ones when I would presumably be very lonely alone on an island! Plus, it has 9 seasons, so there is a lot of material to pass the time with!!

11. If you got the opportunity to do blogging as your full-time career, would you take it?Absolutely! 

My Nominees: Check out each of these blogs! They are all great!

1. Annie Lynn's Favorite Things
2. Dolce and Gabriella 
3. Dahj by Daynne D.
4. WTF Is The New Black 
5. Chic in Academia
6. The Garment Rack
7. Rompers and Room Service
8. My Tulletorial
9. San Francisco Bay Style
10. Style Journey
11. Ruffle Tuesday

My questions (if you choose to participate, no pressure at all!): 

1. If someone gave you unlimited funds right now to re-decorate your home or re-vamp your wardrobe, which would you choose?

2. What is the one fashion accessory you could never give up?

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and why?

4. What made you decide to start your blog and what is your favorite thing about blogging?

5. You're running late getting ready in the morning and have to decide between doing your hair or your makeup. Which do you decide to do?

6. Do you have one go-to beauty product you couldn't live without?

7. What is the fall fashion trend you are most looking forward to trying?  

8. Who is your style icon and why?

9. Where is your favorite place to shop when looking for fashion on a smaller budget?

10. Would you rather shop online or in an actual store?

11. Describe your style in one sentence: 

For those of you who respond I look forward to reading your responses! And a big thank you once again to Novellette! Have a wonderful Saturday!

xo, 

Grace

Favorite Coffee Table Books {Currently}!

Hi guys and happy half-way through the week! Hope its been good to you so far. Today I want to share a few of my favorite coffee table books. My mom has always decorated with and collected coffee table books, so growing up I was always surrounded by the glossy pages of far away locations, beautiful art work, or cozy decorating ideas. Just like her, I love books and I love to decorate with them as well!  They are a great way to show personality in your home as they are a fantastic opportunity to showcase your interests or passions.

Here are my current favorites:

1. Hue by Kelly Wearstler // 2. Will Cotton Paintings and Works on Paper by Francine Prose // 3. Houses in My heart: Carleton Varney by Carleton Varney // 4. Contemporary Classical: The Architecture of Andrew Skurman by Andrew Skurman // 

Hue was introduced to me by a woman I used to babysit for who loved interior designer/fashion designer Kelly Wearstler's style. It definitely rubbed off on me and this is such a fun book for colorful inspiration, decorating outside the box, and looking at cool modern art. My only complaint is that I have the smaller version and I wish I had gotten the larger book so that it has more presence, but still, one of my favorites for sure.

Will Cotton by Will Cotton is like looking through dreamland. His paintings and drawings mainly feature women dressed up in all kinds of candy or cakes, or landscapes of candy-worlds. His work is seriously amazing (you may remember him from Katy Perry's teenage dream album cover/artwork). 

I purchased Houses in my Heart while on vacation with my family at the stunning Greenbrier Resort. I have always loved The Greenbrier and the way that Dorothy Draper decorated it with bright colors and fun florals (check out In the Pink: Dorothy Draper).  Carleton Varney is now the president of Dorothy Draper and Co. Inc and is active in decorating many hotels including the Greenbrier. This book has beautiful images of his bright and vibrant decorating.

Finally, Contemporary Classical was a gift from my parents and I find it very relaxing to look through. Skurman's clean lines and classic aesthetic are refreshing in a world where there is so much stimulation.  This book is fantastic for the interior decor and the architecture alike. 

What are some of your coffee table books? Have a great afternoon!!

xo, 

Grace

Why Boxers are the Best!

First of all-- my apologies that tonight's post is a bit random! Going through old photos in my iPhoto app, I am simultaneously embarrassed, proud, and amazed by how many pictures I have of my dogs.  I've had boxers for basically as long as I can remember (so yes, I am a bit biased…) and believe wholeheartedly that they are the world's greatest dogs.  I could go on forever , but here are just a few reasons why..

1. They don't mind when you make them pose for cheesy Christmas Card photos.

2. No matter what the age or size, they always believe they are lapdogs.

3. They will always find something to cuddle.

4.  They love to give kisses to their human family...

5. … and they love each other too!

6. They are the perfect companion for play, work, or travel.

7. And finally, they are ALWAYS happy to see you, giving the best "Welcome Home" in the world.

Happy Monday! I hope you've had a great start to a fresh new week :)

xo, 

Grace

Nobody's Perfect!

Sorry for the late post toady! I hope that you all had amazing holiday weekends! I thought today  tonight I would share one of my cherished pieces of jewelry that has a fun story behind it!

My mom and I have always loved going out shopping together, especially going to antique/vintage stores and searching for unique finds.  When I was about five years old, I remember being at a antique furniture store with her in Mint Hill, NC.  While we were there, an elderly man came up to us and placed a necklace in my hand that says "Nobody's Perfect"with the N written backwards.  He told me to always remember that, and I have!

Circa 20 years later, I still have it and think of that day often!! Its amazing to me how such a transitory passing moment can make such a lasting memory and help to teach such a great lesson. I am definitely NOT perfect and welcome this little reminder everyday :)

Have a great evening! 

xo, 

Grace

July 4th Cocktail Recipe!

Hi everyone and Happy Fourth Of July!! I am so proud to be an American and thankful everyday for the freedoms this country grants.  Thank you to everyone who has served in the armed forces to keep our country the safe and secure place that it is… forever grateful!

In honor of the USA's birthday, I crafted up a delicious and refreshing July 4th themed "cocktail" with items I already had in the fridge.  I used sparking cider for mine, but I am sure that it would be amazing with Champagne as well! I think that it turned out to be delicious!

Ingredients + Brands I used: 

Cranberry Juice (R.W. Knudsen Organic "Just Cranberry)- 1 cup

Sparkling Cider or you can sub for Champagne (Martinelli's Gold Medal Cider)- about 3.5 cups

Ginger Ale (Diet Canada Dry)- 1.5 cups

Fresh Blueberries - .5 cups

Fresh Strawberries - Sliced into halves, 1 cup

Fresh Lime Juice- 1 whole lime

Directions:

1. Combine Cranberry Juice, Sparkling Cider or Champagne, and Ginger Ale into a medium sized pitcher. Mix well.

2. Wash blueberries and add in a few at a time.

3. Wash strawberries and cut into halves (by keeping them in halves and not quarters, I find it adds more of a saturated flavor to the drink). Count the number of glasses you are using, and set aside that number of whole strawberries for garnish later.

4. Drop strawberries into pitcher a few at a time.

5. Slice lime into Halves and squeeze each half into the pitcher. 

6. With remaining whole strawberries, cut an X shaped slit onto the bottom of the berry and wedge onto the edge of glass. 

7. ENJOY! 

I love how fruity and crisp it turned out and will definitely be making this easy and tasty summer drink again.  Let me know what you think if you make these, or if you have any other fun summer drink recipes to share-- Happy 4th!

xo, 

Grace

**All serve-ware and accessories featured are from Target, except for the coasters from Anthropologie**

Collecting Things in my Car!

I got a new car in February, and promised myself that I would keep it clean and neat.  With my previous car, I had a bad tendency to use it as a second closet.  By the time I turned it back in, I dragged out 4 pairs of shoes, three cardigans, an extra set of workout clothes, a linen dress I hadn't seen in three years, and a whole lot of other random things.

So, ever since I've been in my new car, I've been trying SO HARD to stop myself from just leaving things in it "in case I ever need them."  

Although I did notice that I had three T-shirts in the trunk today (whoops), I have to say I've been doing a lot better and I am pleased with my progression….

These are the essentials I am currently keeping in my center console:

1. Legally Blonde CD-- absolutely a must

2. Target Umbrella-- crucial for the out of nowhere Florida storms

3. Sunglasses

4. Sharpie Pens

5. Sour Ice Breakers-- SO good

6. Various Bracelets in case I forget to put on jewelry 

7. Listerine Strips 

8. Aquaphor Lip Ointment-- nothing works as well as this does

9. Mini Lint Brush

10. "Well Kept" "Everything" Wipes

Hope you had a great Monday!

xo, 

Grace

Bachelorette Weekend!

This past weekend, my amazing bridesmaids surprised me for a bachelorette weekend on Dafuski Island, SC. I was so surprised and loved every single minute!

Here's how it went down:
About a week and a half ago, one of my bridesmaids, Claire, called me to tell me she and her sister (also one of my bridesmaids), were going on a last minute girls weekend trip to their family beach house in South Carolina because of their grandmother's 80th birthday earlier in the week.  Since Claire is interning in New York, this would be a great time for me to see her since the beach house is only about a four hour drive from Florida.

I was so excited about these "last minute" plans, and with my fiancé's encouragement to go for it, I told her I was all in! I didn't even pack until the morning I left, unconcerned with what I would be wearing on this lounge-y weekend.

I left earlier than I planned (classic Grace), and to get onto the island where the house is, you have to take a ferry that only runs at certain times.  I was planning to take the 3:30, but since I was making such great time, I started to try and aim for the 2:30. Little did I know, the rest of my bridesmaids were all racing me there!!

I ended up pulling up at the ferry house right at 2:40 and calling Claire that I had gotten there.  Much to her relief, I had missed the boat that my sister (maid of honor) was sailing over on! Phew!

When I got off the 3:30 ferry onto the island, Claire was waiting for me and I was so excited and happy to see her!! She drove me back to the house in their golf cart (there are only golf carts on the island-- how cool is that!?), I started telling her some really detailed story and was totally oblivious to my surroundings.  We pulled up on the beach road to behind the house, and I was facing away from the house looking at her and talking.

Suddenly, she yelled "LOOK!" and I spun around, shocked to see my bridesmaids (minus one who is in Kenya-- love you Stu!) holding signs that say "Grace's Bachelorette Weekend" and "Surprise"-- sorry for the bad I-phone pic-- but here you get the idea:

 It was such a great surprise and I was so overjoyed to have my favorite ladies in the same place for such a perfect and thoughtful weekend. They truly are the best!

We had such a blast, and here are some shots of the lovely decor set up by my lovely ladies (Mary Rives is an excellent crafter and party planner)!

- Personalized Cocktail Napkins-

- Printed Totes and Koozies-

-Handmade Paper Banners-

- And of Course, a Hashtag Canvas- 

Thankful for such wonderful friends!! Love you all!

xo, 

Grace