ruffle and curl

new beginnings

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Whether you've followed along for a while or just found me, thank you for reading! I am continuing my blogging adventure with a new site under a new name. I'm streamlining my content, focusing more on home and fashion, but you will still find the occasional DIY or random ramblings from yours truly. Please bookmark the new site, feathers and stripes. (This web address will continue to redirect for the next couple of months.)

See you at the new place!

see ya, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 19:30:00 +0000

If there's one word for 2013, it is challenging.

There were some really, really tough times, the largest by far being the impact on my family from the attacks on one of my favorite cities at a 117-year old Patriots Day tradition.
There were some great times, including my sister's wedding to her boyfriend of 10 years...

(see? I'm the runt of the litter- Britt's wearing flats and I'm in heels. Sad face.)

and, oh yeah, one of my besties was the photographer that day! (photos via Mary Costa Photography)

...and my best friend married a great guy from college in a gorgeous August Cape Cod wedding.

T and I got engaged (!), started planning our wedding, and took a vacation across the country.

But in all of the crap of this year, and there was a lot of it, I was reminded by the goodness of people, especially in the hundreds who supported my family in April and since then. From cards from schoolchildren on the west coast to baked goods left on the porch from close friends, people cared, and it meant a lot.

So, 2013, we've had good times and bad, and I can't say I'm sad to see you go.

Happy New Year, and Cheers to 2014!

recent obsession: gold dinnerware

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Thu, 26 Dec 2013 23:00:00 +0000

On this lazy Thursday, I've been doing important wedding planning like deciding how many dish sets I'm going to allow myself to register for. I had to share these beauties from Kelly Wearstler, first discovered a while ago via Alex's blog.

What do you think - how many dish sets is too many? :)

after-Christmas sales

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Thu, 26 Dec 2013 04:30:00 +0000

I hope that you enjoyed a fun-filled, magical Christmas, whether you celebrate the holiday or not. We traveled quite a bit, all in-state but we still logged quite a few hours in the car. I love being with my family during the holidays, as crazy as it can be sometimes.

Now, let me preface this post by saying that no, I do not think Christmas is all about presents. That said, inevitably, there will be something you really wanted that you didn't find under the tree. Take advantage of all of the sales out there this week! (Just avoid the malls - they are going to be insane.)

Sephora is giving an extra 20% off sale items with the code EXTRA20

Pottery Barn has up to 50% off holiday items. Pick up some cute glitter initial ornaments for next year or add this guy to your home for winter decor.

Macy's has dropped their free shipping hurdle to $75 with code JOY (normally you have to spend $99), plus get an extra discount on certain items. These Kate Spade dishes are an extra 15% off!

Nordstrom's half-yearly men's sale is on - or if you're like me, you're hoarding discounted (but still gorgeous) ribbon for next year's gift wrapping.

Find 30% off full-price items or an additional 40% off sale items at J.Crew with code GIFTNOW (get this gorgeous bracelet at 30% off!)

Merry Christmas from my home to yours!

homemade gift: lemon-vanilla body scrub

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I recently spent more than I'd like to admit on a scrub that I love, and I was thinking - why not make my own? During the cold winter months, the oil base is just what my skin needs. And it makes a great DIY gift alternative to the typical bottle of wine.

You will need:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup Sugar in the Raw (or other larger grain sugar)
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 cup olive oil
Jars (I used 8 ounce ball jars, typically used for canning)
Optional: Add small wooden spoons, tied to each with twine, for easy use

Note: This recipe fills about 3 jars. If you don't have Sugar in the Raw, you can use 3 cups granulated sugar instead. The consistency will be a little grainier, but the scrub still works well!

Mix your ingredients together in a large bowl and then scoop into your jars. Tie with something beautiful, add a label, and you're done! (This is almost too easy to make.)

Do you have a favorite DIY giftable? I'd love to hear about it!

Christmas card traditions

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Think back to when you were younger at this time of year: How many Christmas cards did your family get in the mail? One of my favorite traditions at Christmas is sending out cards to friends and family, but each year it feels like they're more and more being replaced by e-cards and Facebook messages (boooooo). Though mine will go out a little late this year (sorry, friends!), I plan to continue mailing them out year after year. If you were wondering, yes, I love getting Christmas cards!

Not sure what to do with the cards you get? Here are a few fun DIYs:

Christmas card ornaments from The Chaos and the Clutter

Christmas card holders from migonis home, mud pie studio, and Persia Lou

image via

sitting room reveal

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 13:00:00 +0000

For a while, I've been trying to find the perfect couch for our sitting room. It had to be tufted, it had to be in a neutral color, and - oh, yeah - I wasn't willing to spend thousands on it.

Here's what the room looked like before:

We were using it as an office, and (as you can see) storage for whenever we got packages. Because our house isn't huge, we needed the extra space for entertaining, so we decided to turn T's office into a sitting room.

The deer print on the right is one of T's family items that had to stay on the wall, so I went with it and made this the "deer wall".

Sprout's tree is up!

(Yes, that pillow on the floor is supposed to be there. Sprout is spoiled.)

Overall, I'm thrilled with how it came out.

2013 holiday gift guide: for the person who has everything

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:56:00 +0000

In this season of giving, it's very, very easy to get caught up in buying, especially during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday madness. Retailers scream deals at you, and you accumulate an incredible amount of stuff. Yes, you're giving it away (well, most of it... I won't lie, I buy a healthy amount for myself during the deal season), but there are things you can give that don't cost anything but your time. And for the sister or uncle who have everything, think about giving a donation in their name to a worthy cause that they would enjoy (in the past I've donated to animal shelters, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Red Cross).

If you're in the mood to give your time this season, here are some ideas on what you can do:

Host a food drive
For the past three years, I've done this at work with help from a couple of coworkers. With a little bit of effort, we have collected about 10,000 lbs of food for the local food bank. That's a year and a half's worth of feeding a family of four three meals a day. (Find out if your local food bank will pick up the items - most places are glad to do it for large donations.)

Send a card
There are a few organizations that send cards to wounded veterans or troops overseas. The Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes asks for cards to arrive by December 6th (so you still have time!).

... or a care package
One organization I'm fond of around the holidays is Adopt-A-Platoon, through which you can send a care package to troops overseas. We've made it a Thanksgiving tradition to involve family members in writing out cards to include in the care package.

Volunteer
Check a volunteer site like VolunteerMatch.org to see if there are soup kitchens in your area that may need help. Or read your local paper - they're bound to do stories on individuals who run charitable organizations this time of year. And if you can't find a place that needs help at the holidays, check back in the summer months when their volunteer numbers are low.

Do you have a favorite organization that you support during the holidays?

definition via dictionary.com

BaubleBar giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 02:45:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to be teaming up with four amazing bloggers to bring you a BaubleBar giveaway for the holidays.

There will be TWO winners, one for each necklace, randomly selected via rafflecopter. You have all week to participate, and the winners will be randomly selected at midnight on December 6th and announced on December 9th on Preppy Panache (and contacted via email). If you're contacted, you'll have 24 hours to claim or prize or another winner will be selected. We want to make sure that the winner receives it in time for most of the holiday festivities. Good luck, everyone! And now for the roll call of bloggers teaming up to bring you the bling:

Preppy Panache // A Sequin Love Affair

Penniless Socialite // Nightchayde // ruffle and curl

a Rafflecopter giveaway

cozy knits + Christmas tree shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Sun, 01 Dec 2013 13:00:00 +0000

We went Christmas tree shopping during yesterday's crazy cold day. It's a lot easier (and cheaper) to have an artificial tree, but there's something I love about walking around a tree farm to find the perfect tree and then bringing it home. I'm so glad I had hidden a new pair of gloves in my bag, but I do wish I had worn something a bit cozier, like some of these knit options.

girl gifting

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 02:30:00 +0000

One of the best things about having sisters - who wear practically the same size as me - is that shopping for Christmas is that much easier. Where I struggle with purchasing clothes for others because I can never figure out their size, it's rarely an issue with us. If I think the shoes are comfortable (in my size), chances are so will my sister.

And with all of the deals popping up over the past few weeks, and which I'm sure will be around for the next few weeks too, there's no harm in adding 2 to my cart*, right?

*This year I have vowed off any in-store shopping. It's all online shopping and packages galore!

Here are some sale items I'm considering (and some not on sale, just because):

giving thanks

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 19:37:00 +0000

If you haven't seen this list yet, you should check it out. It's very timely during this holiday week.

I'm so, so thankful for what I have and what I am able to give. I am continually reminded of the incredible people in my life, the opportunities I've been given, and fabulous things that are to come. Tomorrow we will be hosting a raucous dinner at our home - happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

recap: four week vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Your employer has given you four weeks to do whatever you want - outside of work - and you have to take all four weeks at once. So what would you do and where would you go?

See some gorgeous new places...

make some new friends...

and find some new favorite places...

What a great vacation it was. Two weeks on the west coast, including a beautiful wedding of two of our friends (complete with dolphins in the background - for real), followed by two weeks at home doing everything I don't normally have time to do (like go to the gym). I have a newfound love for kale (thank you, Lovely's Fifty-Fifty of Portland), determined that I need real help when it comes to packing for a vacation (we had to mail ourselves packages - twice - because we didn't have enough room in our suitcases), and decided that I would 100% love to have a job where I could bring Sprout to work with me every day (someday?).

Sidenote: I also added two states to my 50 before 50 list!

2013 holiday gift guide: shop local

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 16:29:00 +0000

one // two // three // four // five

six // seven // eight // nine

Small Business Saturday is coming soon, and this year I'm inspired to give gifts that are meaningful and support small businesses. A personalized dog bowl for my sister's new puppy, monogrammed jewelry dish for my newly married bestie, and an adorable animal print for our friends with a new bundle of joy, all supporting local artists and business ladies, are some of my top picks for this giving season.

Do you make a conscious effort to support small businesses?

beauty favorites under $50

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 22:16:00 +0000

Shop my favorites:

Whether you need stocking stuffers for the girls or a recommendation on a lipstick that won't break your budget, here are some of my favorite beauty items, each under $50.

Do you have a favorite that isn't on my list?

why I'm avoiding Black Friday 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I'm going to tell you a secret: I love giving gifts. I get all warm and fuzzy inside when I gift something that someone truly loves. But that can wreak havoc on my bank account, because no matter where I am, I tend to see something that reminds me of someone - and BAM - huge credit card bill.

That, my friends, is why I am avoiding Black Friday this year. Rather than grabbing items because they are a good deal (and figuring out who should get them later), I want to give meaningful gifts. Head over to my Pinterest board to see what kind of DIYs I will be tackling this year. The best ones may show up here next year!

image via

2013 holiday gift guide: for a lady who lounges

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Are you ready for the holidays? Ready or not, retailers have started a lot earlier this year than last year (or at least it feels that way). You can blame the one fewer week between Thanksgiving and Christmas than we normally have - and enjoy the 2013 gift guides!

This season I'm inspired by Scandal's fabulous loungewear aka popcorn-and-wine clothes that Olivia Pope wears often. Any lady would love a pair of luxe pajamas (or these or these - different price ranges available!) or chic loungewear (love these too). If accessories better suit her, go for elbow-length gloves, jeweled gloves, or a cashmere wrap. And what lady wouldn't love a bottle of your favorite wine alongside some new, red-specific glasses - and the promise of a girls' night.

Sunday sales

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 13:00:00 +0000

With so many sales happening right now, I'm having a hard time not spending too much on purchases I don't really need- so instead, I've already started my Christmas shopping! (And decorating, but we'll save that for another day.)

Old Navy's 30% off site wide sale makes these already-budget-friendly coats even more so (1 and 2). You can also find some great cozy knits that are also budget-friendly. Nordstrom's 40% off sale has these fab shoes and this gorgeous watch for much less than their normal prices. And J.Crew's 25% off sale (when you spend $100) has some great mixed media pieces, like this leather-sleeve top and this sweater. Happy Sunday shopping!

city style linkup

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 04:04:00 +0000

Today I'm linking up with four other Boston bloggers. You can link up with us below!

ruffle and curl // Style-Wire

Style Tab // Notes on Lifestyle by Georgina

Rules for the Modern Girl

outfit: for the birds

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 04:03:00 +0000

It has been a gorgeous Fall so far, but if you have been to Boston in November you know that it can get quite chilly. Enter the sequined sweatshirt: Comfy enough to wear for a while, but snazzy enough to pair with a faux leather skirt and heels for a more laid-back dressy outfit.

I recently bought this car coat to wear for the in-between seasons, and I cannot get enough of it. I'm waiting for it to get a little colder before I accessorize with elbow-length gloves.

Ann Taylor coat // Zara faux leather skirt (similar here and here) // FC Jeans sequined sweatshirt via ideeli (also like this and this) // Nine West pointed-toe pumps (old, similar here) // Alex + Ani bracelets

Monday notes

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 18:06:00 +0000

I have some fun things in the works, but in the meantime, I'm getting really excited for the holidays. We are hosting Thanksgiving at our house again this year, and then the day after will be a decorating frenzy. Few things get me as excited as decorating for Christmas!

In case you missed it, I'm back from a two-week vacation on the west coast: to Seattle, Portland, Napa, and photos from San Francisco coming soon. I'm spending the day snuggling with my Sprout before I get into cleaning the house and doing other chores.

The Everygirl has some great tips on how to do well at a meeting.

Don't miss Piperlime's 25% off items under $100 sale!

Some items I'm coveting this season: over-the-knee boots, a monogram necklace, elbow-length leather gloves, a dog bed with Sprout's name on it, and much more vacation time.

image via

leopard print in Napa

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I can't remember the last Halloween when it was ridiculously sunny and in the high 60s. But that's probably also because I've never spent Halloween in California, where such things are possible. We did two vineyard tours/tastings back to back, which made for a very full afternoon. At one of the vineyards, they let us eat grapes off the vine. Most delicious. things. ever.

(Yes, I always carry bags this big. If it can't fit half my life, I can't use it.)

The scenery was incredible. Occasionally this meant driving up very, very windy roads. I have a thing about heights, so that wasn't cool. But the wine and the view were spectacular once we got to the top.

leopard-print button down (old from J.Crew, similar here) // Banana Republic navy sweater (old, similar here) // Banana Republic jeans // nameplate necklace from Etsy // Ray-Ban sunglasses // Michael Kors watch // JPK bag (this one is another great option)

quick stop in Portland

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 12:00:00 +0000

After a few days in Seattle, we headed South to Portland, where we were greeted at check in with wine. Yes, please.

We took a trip back out of the city while we still had a rental car and checked out Multnomah Falls, which is so gorgeous in person.

Back in the city we saw a bunch of people lined up for a doughnut shop, so we figured we should be too. T ate two of these bad boys.

We found a street fair downtown, where vendors had everything from dog raincoats to wooden bowls.

I found these fun leaf-shaped copper earrings. I like supporting local artists, and these were too pretty to pass up.

The Oregon Ducks store was a playground of green and gold.

Then off to the Japanese Tea Garden...

3 days in Seattle

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:00:00 +0000

As I mentioned, T and I are vacationing on the west coast, exploring new cities. We spent a few days in Seattle, where these photos were taken. From the first-ever Starbucks to the aquarium to an underground tour of the older part of the city, it was a great few days.

Aquariums are usually one of my favorite attractions. The Seattle Aquarium did not disappoint, with some adorable resident sea lions and sea otters.

Our home team is in the World Series - go Red Sox!

Fall kitchen: baked apples

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 12:00:00 +0000

One of the easiest (and almost-healthy) desserts you can make this Fall is a baked apple. And if you've never had one, get in your kitchen right now. You'll need:

4 apples, cored
1 cup rolled oats
4 large marshmallows
1/2 cup brown sugar
teaspoon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
(you'll divide up these ingredients among the four apples)

Once your apples have been cored, place them in a grease-free baking dish and stick half of a marshmallow in each apple as a sort of cork. Then put a spoonful of brown sugar in each.

Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg into your apples, following with a spoonful of rolled oats. Top with the other half of your marshmallow. Optional addition: A drizzle of honey (or maple syrup) adds an extra sweet touch. Bake about 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven and serve alongside your favorite pork dish.

Do you have any family-favorite apple recipes that make their way out in the Fall year after year? I'd love to hear about them!