Soludos Embroidered Espadrilles, $45

The Memorial Day weekend sales are some of the best around, so I thought I’d share a few of my favorites (a.k.a., those I’ll be shopping myself) … and cheers to the three-day weekend!

Shopbop, a personal fave of mine, just added a ton of new items to their sale section!  This little black dress by Cheap Monday on sale for $35 is a must-have in my book; I’m crazy about these Current/Elliott
patchwork boyfriend jeans; and my favorite Rag & Bone Newbury booties are also on sale … torn between the classic black pair, this perforated pair, and this funkier floral print version (which I utterly perfect for Summer!)

J.Crew is offering $30 off your purchase of $150, $50 off your purchase of $200, and $75 off your purchase of $250!  (Be sure to enter code SHOPNOW at checkout.)  I have my eye on this gorgeous statement necklace and this Tortoise iPhone 5 case is a steal at $19.99.

ASOS is offering a clean sweep – 20% off absolutely everything on the site with code TAKE20. This River Island beach dress ($33.94, less 20% = $27.15) is darling.

Rebecca Minkoff is holding their own Memorial sale with discounts between 30% and 60% off select handbags, accessories, and apparel, a.k.a., the perfect time to snatch up a M.A.C. clutch for Summer travel.

Les Nouvelles, a newfound love, is having a big Memorial Day weekend sale with 20% off most items with code SPF20 (plus, if you join their email list you’ll get 15% off your first purchase.)  I’m pulling the trigger on these Karen Walker Super Duper Sunglasses in Crazy Tort – hope they get to me in time for our big vacation!

C.Wonder is offering a whopping 25% off all full-priced orders over $100, and I can’t stop fantasizing about these Golden Stripe Highball glasses ( … the Golden Chevron glasses are equally awesome.)

And last but certainly not least, Nordstrom is having their huge women’s half-yearly sale with up to 40% off select items!  I love these striped Tory Burch Espadrilles; there are some gorgeous women’s sunglasses on major markdown; and I’ve had a long-standing crush on these Vince heeled sandals.

Yesterday was tough. Really tough. I spent the day in the hospital, pretty unexpectedly (I had about two days notice plus a few less than great bloodwork results).  I’m okay now, I promise.  A bit defeated, maybe a bit more shaken than before, but I’m used to this. I’ve had a surgery and at least one major procedure every year of the first three years of my marriage.  I’m actually bizarrely chipper once I’m in the hospital – this time, post piña colada on IV drip, I waved like a prom queen and said goodbye to every staff member on the floor.  I’m so unbelievably grateful for my family and husband.  Everyone in my family has gone above and beyond; even my sister read me Harry Potter last night … (Which, by the way, I have never read!  I’m a weirdo.)  I could not do this without them.

And I know sometimes love seems tough, but it’s so worth it. I love my husband in a way that almost hurts. We’ve been together more than a decade, we met and began dating as kids, but to this day, I miss him when he’s gone (and we’re barely apart, so I’m talking the hours before he’s home from work.) Yesterday he had to run to the lab to finish last minute details for his thesis, because in addition to moving into a new apartment on Tuesday, surgery on Wednesday, recovery today, attempts at unpacking our new apartment, packing for Europe, and getting all of my own posts and legal work done before next Wednesday when we get on a plane headed for a trip I won to London, the day we get back hubby starts rotations so his PhD work has to be done before our trip.  To say this week has been crazy is an understatement.

Ahhh, yes, to the point: last night, hubby shows up to my parents house, where I basically spent my afternoon post-hospital buried in blankets, with six bags of frozen yogurt and toppings.  I could have burst with excitement, pride, and so much love.  (I really really really like frozen yogurt … in a big way.)

I guess what I’m trying to say is, I know things get tough, and crazy scary sometimes, but it’s the people around you that back you up, make you tougher, make you smile, and feed you endless frozen yogurt.

After spending many holidays in France, either renting an apartment in Paris or a house in Provence, the owners of this magnificent farmhouse (located in Abbotsford, Johannesburg) began looking for inspiration everywhere from Paris bistros, grand chateaus or simply on the streets.  The couple read French architectural books and spoke to local interior designers, but also quizzed French friends and women she encountered laying out a table for lunch in a remote village.  ‘I scoured the quaint antique shops of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and competed with the locals on winter mornings at Vanves flea market on the south side of Paris. I became friends with all the antique dealers at Clignancourt on Paris’ northern outskirts and wherever I went I seemed to be followed by containers of authentic and original pieces, each with its unique story.’

They added three extra fireplaces and a wine cellar, French white oak floors in a reverse-herringbone pattern and a luxurious yet homely kitchen complete with a marble counter brought in from a Parisian patisserie, to the already warm and expansive house.

That’s dedication, and oh is it gorgeous.

I also love this line from Karen, one of the owners of this gorgeous home:

For me luxury means being in a position to travel; to live like a local, soak up the culture and personally search for what feeds my passion.

Via House and Leisure {Originally featured in the August 2011 issue of House and Leisure.} // Styling: Leana Schoeman // Photography: Elsa Young

Tomorrow we’re moving into our new apartment and my list of DIY’s to try for the new place is a mile long.  But alas, we’re renting, so I’m trying to reign in my DIY obsessions, targeting only those DIY’s that I can pick up and move to city number two in just under two years. I put together a list of the projects that are musts … here’s to hoping I get around to them all!

1.  Gold-dipped jars + bottles.  Really I want to gold-dip everything, but I’ve been keeping my obsession at bay in the last few months because I knew we were moving. But come summer, I’m dipping and spray-painting errythang.  {Image via Style Me Pretty}

2.  DIY Jewelry Display.  This jewelry display, created by Lulu Frost and the girls of Honestly WTF, has been on my “wtf, I must have that!” list since I spotted it back in early February.  I made a good and proper pouty face at hubby the other day, batted my eyelashes, and handed him a just-baked cookie, and voila – he promised to help me drill and glue and put one of these bad boys together for our new place.  Success!  {Step-by-step instructions via Honestly WTF}

3.  DIY White Frame Gallery Wall.  I’m dreaming of a clean space – probably on a bedroom wall – where I can fill in inspiration, shoot blog photos, and practice my spray-painting skills.  {Via Cheetah is the New Black}

4.  DIY Mix-and-Match Dining Space.  I’m dreaming of a much funkier dining area.  Though the space will be small, we love to eat and entertain, and I’d love an eating space that really represents us.  I’d love to mix-and-match the chairs and possibly re-finish our ordinary brown dining table.  {Check out more of my eclectic dining room inspiration on my Kitchens + Dining Pinterest Board; Image via Design Rulz}

5.  A well-organized entryway.  Because we’re moving to a smaller space, I want to make the most of the room that we have.  And our new place actually has a cute little entryway that we could use for storage.  {This entryway was created using products from Ikea, making it a budget-friendly design … a.k.a., my kind of project!}

What DIY projects for the home have you seen and fallen in love with as of late?  Any tips or tricks for decorating a small space?