Your Holly Yashi Earrings?

Holly Yashi earrings embody the 80's for me.

I picture my mom - short feathered hair (highlights of course), scooping me up after school with these dangling from her ears.

Niobium, the company's signature material, is a lightweight natural element that changes color with the light.  The design takes on different hues depending on how you hold it.

I'm pretty sure I used to give my mom a hard time about how many pairs of these earrings she owned.  But the other day when we were sorting through items to post online (check out our Etsy store link below!) I pulled these aside and just could not let them go.

I love that the earrings I so fondly associate with my childhood have crept back into my adult life.  I find them surprisingly modern considering when they were made, and I love their simplicity.

You can find vintage pieces on Etsy or eBay:

Vintage Holly Yashi from For Sadie's Sake

And I love the new collection.  Beautiful pieces that retain the company's signature look (plus they're affordable!):

Holly Yashi Fleurette

Have you brought anything out of hiding lately?  Have you heard of Holly Yashi?

A Thanksgiving Recipe?

Sometimes I wonder how my mom got to be such a great cook.  My grandmother was a great cook, so I'm sure that has something to do with it.

She also has a bunch of cookbooks.  More than I would even know what to do with. But each one has its purpose.  Pages are flagged, jackets worn, favorite recipes splattered from years of use.  If you ask her for a specific recipe she goes directly to the right book, and on instinct flips immediately to the right page.

I've started my own recipe collection - digitally.  It's easy to search, add and follow preparation instructions.  I can even add ingredients to my shopping list and sync it with my phone.  Whoa.

But there's something about those books.  The made-of-ink-and-paper, loved and used year-after-year books that make them digitally irreplaceable.  After all, you can't fold down a page on your computer.

A few years ago my step-mother gave me one of my dad's mother's cookbooks for Christmas.  She included a note inside the front cover with her memories of Nana's cooking and some of her favorite recipes.  It's one of the best gifts I've ever gotten.

I'm hoping my mom will one day pass her "great cook" title down to me, along with her collection of cookbooks.  Maybe one day I'll share them with my children.  They'll probably be a little worse for the wear then. I know they'll have a few more splatters (I'm pretty messy). Until then, I'll borrow what recipes I can and try not to burn anything.

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Happy thanksgiving!

A Bit of Whimsy?

Why relegate "flower power" to Halloween-only?  If your mom embraced the 60's like mine did, she may have some groovy pieces just waiting for a reason to be worn.

These pieces really speak for themselves so make them the focus and accessorize around them. A simple shift, turtleneck or high-neck dress or shirt in a neutral color is the perfect backdrop, and will prevent you from looking like you're headed to a costume party.

Dig?

A Little Sparkle?

It's getting colder here in the Northeast.  Closets are turning over and winter coats are making their first appearances of the season.

Lots of people hoard shoes, maybe handbags.  I love my coats.  Black, red, green, tweed.  My mom says it's a family trait.  

Sure, a great coat can be an accessory in itself, but who's to say you can't accessorize your coat?  

My mom has been offering her collection of pins and brooches to me for years.  I admit it, I was a brooch snob. But these little charmers can instantly update your coat, your scarf, even a knit hat and make them totally your own.  

This brooch belonged to my great aunt Sylvia.  My mother's aunt.  Every time I reach for my coat it sparkles back at me out of the corner of my eye.  

And I smile.

I'm sure you have some brooches tucked away inside a drawer or jewelry box wrapped in tissue right now.  If not, head over to the nearest thrift store and go crazy. Either way, avoid the urge to be a brooch snob like me and enjoy a little sparkle!

J. Crew photo from Atlantis Home

DIY fridge magnets from The Bella Life

Brooch bouquet from The Budget Savvy Bride

How do you wear your brooches?

Your Timeless Sense of Style?

Growing up, I used to hate being an only child.

I desperately wanted a sister - a best friend, partner in crime, someone to share everything with (including clothes. Especially clothes).

Now I realize she's been there all along.

My mother, like most mothers, has taught me many things. About life, love. Style.

I could spot cordovan before I could spell it. And I inherited her uncanny ability to spot the best deal in the store within seconds of entering.

I have also inherited many things from her closet. Only child = first dibs.

I'll tell you about my favorites here (the things I've borrowed). Part bauble, part heirloom, part how-to, part just-for-fun. And I hope to hear about the things you've borrowed and who you've borrowed them from.

I've learned a lot from my mom, and there's still much to learn. We may not always agree on what to wear or where what should go, but good taste and an eye for style do not come easy, and she has them both.

And I'm happy to borrow what I can.