Give With Purpose | Justice Warehouse Sale

If you live in Southern California, we'd venture to say you've heard of or have been to The Lab in Costa Mesa...a local favorite for great food and great shopping.  Well tomorrow, December 1st they are hosting the Justice Warehouse Sale, selling products from Krochet Kids, 31 Bits, Remnant Uganda and International Princess Project!  All companies whose products are used to benefit those in need around the world.

  So if you live anywhere near the area, what better way to kick off the month of December than to get some of your shopping done by purchasing wonderful gifts for a cause?  Stay tuned for many more great gift ideas for your friends and family (or maybe even a treat for yourself!) this holiday season!

XOXO,

Suz & Jenn

Comfy Christmas Chic

We're back! We hope your Thanksgiving holiday was amazing! Both of us enjoyed the four day weekend to the fullest with concerts, dinner parties, wayyy to much turkey, beach volleyball and walks in the harbor --  and the only thing that is transitioning us back to normal life is that the Christmas season is upon us!! 

Sweater: Urban Outfitters  Necklace: Forever 21  Leggings: H&M  Boots: Target

For this outfit, Jenn is wearing a chunky knit sweater with leggings and lace-up boots. The top-knot bun gives the whole look a chic touch and the hint of plaid in the boots, ties in the red from the sweater also adding a cozy/rugged feel. The necklace creates a central point for the eye and adds some metallic sophistication.

This is a great outfit for the chilly Christmas season ahead!

 XOXO,

Suz & Jenn

Happy Thanksgiving!

This past Sunday we enjoyed a fantastic Pre-Thanksgiving dinner with all of our closest friends joined under one roof. With rain coming down outside and tables full of good food and amazing friends, it really started to feel like the holidays. 

Today we're looking forward to a relaxing day with our families, enjoying all of our Thanksgiving favorites. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Suz & Jenn

We're So Thankful For...

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, we just wanted to take some time to share some of the blessings in our lives that we're so thankful for...whether they're the big things in life, or the seemingly small.  We hope you're enjoying all the things that make the holidays so fun and memorable.

Thankful for our readers!

Suz & Jenn

Anthropologie Giveaway Winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who became a member and entered to win one of these adorable Anthropologie Monogrammed Mugs!


AND THE WINNER IS...

Congrats Lindsey!

Please send us an email with your mailing address so we can get your adorable L mug to you right away.  Email: info(at)amethystblog(dot)com 

To many more fun giveaways!

Suz & Jenn

Harvest Brunch

This weekend was filled with so many wonderful Thanksgiving festivities and quality time with amazing friends! 

On Saturday morning, we had a lovely harvest brunch with the girls (hosted by Suz). The tablescape incorporated a remnant of fabric from the fabric store, a mix of different fall wild flowers and pumpkins of different sizes and colors. For the brunch, we all enjoyed a spinach, cheese, bacon and bell pepper quiche, pumpkin muffins and individual fruit parfaits - and to top everything off, pomegranate mimosas (is it really brunch without these?)

We hope you are enjoying this holiday week with your family and friends!

XOXO,

Suz & Jenn

Just a reminder - this is the last day to enter the Anthropologie mug GIVEAWAY!!  Be sure to check back tomorrow to see if you're the winner!

Rainy Days

Welcome to our first (of many) real life outfit shots! We were pretty nervous to start these and then on top of everything it rained the day we decided to shoot, but everything happens for a reason....

 

Umbrella: TJMax  Scarf: Nordstrom  Top: BB Dakota  Jacket: H&M  Pants: H&M  Shoes: Dolce Vita

Photos by Jenn

Suz got to pull out her patterned umbrella which was a part of the inspiration board a couple weeks ago (see here) and it was overall really entertaining to see Jenn juggle her umbrella with the camera while still taking pro shots.

We hope you have fun with these outfit posts and take some tid bits of inspiration for your everyday looks! 

Have a great weekend!

Suz & Jenn


*Only a few days left to enter the Anthropologie mug GIVEAWAY!!*

Product with Purpose | 31Bits Wedding

A few months ago, we featured 31Bits and since that time, they have released their lovely, whimsical Wedding Collection. Through all of their collections, 31Bits is providing a way for Ugandan women to rise above poverty through monthly income, English lessons and other training courses.

 

With options of making a statement through a multi-strand necklace, or even just using a delicate rose tinted Bits bracelet to wrap your bouquet, you can add an extra touch of Purpose to your wedding.  So for all of you in the middle of planning for your spring/summer wedding (or even if you just love these styles), consider adding some 31Bits...on you, your bridesmaids, or anywhere else you can think to use them!

XOXO,

Suz & Jenn

(Just a reminder, only a few days left to enter to win an Anthropologie mug! Click here!)

Warm and Cozy

It's definitely that time to get warm and cozy! Gray is making a statement in both apparel and interior design and we think it translates nicely as a substitute for the usual brown earth tones for fall. Taking a more modern twist in decor with the graphic branches pillow and the yellow throw ties in autumn themes without  having to re-do your entire decor. Tis' the season to curl up on an over-sized chair and snuggle up with some delicious tea.

How do you spend your chilly fall evenings?

XOXO,

Suz & Jenn


P.S. Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY (scroll down to the previous post or click here)!

GIVEAWAY : Anthropologie Monogram Mug

OK everyone, here it is: our first GIVEAWAY ever! First of all, anything from Anthropologie...we want it. Second, who doesn't love fun prints and monogrammed items for your home? And last but certainly not least, everything seems sweeter when you've WON it! Read on to see the simple way you can win.

1. On the right side of the page, in the box that says 'Members', click "JOIN THIS SITE" and become an Amethyst member.  It just takes a few seconds!  Make sure you include a picture when you join as well. 

2. Leave a comment on this post that says you joined, and tell us the letter you would want if you won (we chose our first name, but it's your choice if you'd like your last name initial).

You must do both to be entered, so if you were already a member make sure to comment. That's it! We'll randomly choose and post the winner on the blog next week!

Good luck and Happy Monday!

Suz & Jenn

The Blues

 

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Letʻs start off by pointing out the obvious - Today is all about blue! Different colored pants are everywhere right now and we love them (click here to see more color options)! Here are two ways to wear a bold blue pant. For day, calm the pants down with a warm hue like a yellow cardigan and brown boots. The intense color from the pants will be perfectly balanced with the warmer tones in your accents. For night, embrace the saturated color by letting them stand out with neutral gray, white and black accents. Avoid looking bottom heavy by throwing on a top that can hold its own - like this great sequin number.

We hope you have an amazing weekend!

XOXO,

Suz & Jenn

The Voice Project | Andrew Bird

This week we wanted to bring you another Voice Project session, because they have so many gems hidden in their library.  Andrew Bird, with his hypnotic voice and effortless whistling ability delivers a song we could listen to on repeat while relaxing by the fire with a good book and a cup of tea.  He chose to cover a song by an artist he once toured with, Cass McCombs: Meet Me Here at Dawn.  What's more, his accompanying female vocalist, Priscilla Ahn was called in the day of their shoot, having never met Bird before and only practicing with him moments before the video was captured.  Her voice is angelic, to say the least.

We are continuing to feature the Voice Project, as we did here, because of their commitment to seeing peace among the women of Uganda amidst the 20 year war raging around them.  Through these videos, they collect donations and sponsorships to support programs on the ground in Uganda.  Please watch the video, share it with your friends and help spread the word about The Voice Project!

XOXO,

Suz & Jenn

Girls Can Dream, Right?

Fashion Gone Rogue

We are pretty much obsessed with this Free People editorial for obvious reasons... 1) There are two friends who happen to be blonde and brunette 2) Everything Parisian is perfection 3) Whimsical, feminine clothes. Seriously, fly us there right now. One day we would love to travel to France and traipse around with our men all the while biking around Paris and lounging on the Riviera... sigh...one day.

XOXO,

Suz & Jenn

DIY: From Magazine Page to Wall Art

Whether you're artistically gifted or not, inspiration for your own personal work of art can be gathered from anywhere, even a seemingly random magazine picture.

A fun painting that's all your own can be made from even the simplest techniques. This one was just circles, some straight lines and a few leaf shapes here and there. 

 While professional pieces are great too, it's so fun to be able to look at things in your home knowing you spent time creating it all on your own! 

To Creativity (in all it's wonderful forms)!

Suz & Jenn

Odds and Ends

Todayʻs style post is all about the odds and ends that add interest to an outfit. None of these items are necessities in a closet, but they add the perfect touch to a possibly plain look. Take an (1)umbrella - yes, it is something we all need one from time to time (usually in black), but add a great stripe or fun print and all of a sudden, your dreary/wet outfit has a splash of style. For this fall, instead of just having a regular brown pea coat, pick up an adorable (2)cape to spice up your outerwear. For the next two, decorate your hands with a great (3)cocktail ring and subtle (4)nail color. Now onto legs, if you are bored of all your pants in your closet, switch it up -  put on some thick, textured (5)tights with a sleeved dress and you have yourself a new versatile outfit. A new trend this fall (which may be hard to branch out to) are (6)felt hats  - if you are having a bad hair day or can't find your umbrella, throw one on and you are suddenly right on trend with the perfect touch of style. 

We hope you are inspired to mix some odds and ends into your wardrobe! Have a fabulous weekend!

XOXO,

Suz & Jenn

Fishtail With a Twist

We love simple ideas that can sass up your everyday hair styles. This half-up style is low key enough to wear to school or work, but curl the ends and tease the top before getting started and you'll have a more dramatic look for a night out. Follow these few simple steps: 

Part your hair as usual. Take the front section of one side and lightly twist backwards until it is at the back of your head. Then, repeat on the other side until your two twists meet and pin into place. Cross the hair from one twist over the other and keep a tight grasp on the hair gathered from both twists as close to your pins as possible. Now you're ready for your fishtail! 

Holding your two sections take a tiny piece of hair from the far left, cross it over it's own left section and gather it with your right hand. Take a tiny piece of hair from the far right and bring it over to the left. Repeat with tiny pieces until you reach the end and secure. 

We think it looks great a little teased and messy so you can pull the sides of the fish tail as much as you'd like. Remove any pins from your twists that are visible and voila! Enjoy your new fab hair style! 

XOXO,

Suz & Jenn

Product with Purpose | One Hope Wine

One Hope Wine is an organization that allows you to support a cause just by enjoying a glass of wine. Offering award winning selections, One Hope will donate 50% of their profits to one of it's partner charities! That's a huge percentage that has allowed them to raise over $420,000 to date for their various causes. 

They have partnered with organizations based on wine type, meaning buying a bottle of Chardonnay will support Breast Cancer, Merlot will go towards AIDS awareness, profits from Cabernet Sauvignon will go to an organization having to do with Autism, Sauvignon Blanc is donated towards an environmental cause and Zinfandel supports the troops. A bottle of wine is the perfect thing to bring as a gift to any of your holiday parties, why not buy one that will support the issues you care about? Check out One Hope's website to order! 

XOXO, 

Suz & Jenn