Jane by Kling

I forgot to share this awesome coat I've been wearing today. The winter weather here in Nashville, much like most of the US, has been strangely warm. A simple cardigan is the most that has been needed in the way of coverup, but I've gotten a bit of use out of this sweet little coat nonetheless. Lauren at Emerging Thoughts sent it my way and it's kind of dreamy. Granted I look a bit more squished in mine than the model below, but it's so very very comfortable. The jacket has a detachable breast piece which is kind of fun, too. It's a bit much to button and unbutton if you're apt to be taking your coat on and off, but if you're in the mood to wear your coat as a dress (!!!), go for it! I love statement coats like this which look totally chic and pulled together no matter the ensemble underneath. It's also a really cute coat when it's worn open! I totally appreciate coats that are more skirted at the bottom to accomodate these hips! Still, nothing beats the mint + white houndstooth and ribbon bow detailing. It's currently 20% off on the Emerging Thoughts website, too! Thanks for such a sweet gift, Lauren! I get so many compliments on it when I wear it around and about town!


What does your favorite winter coat look like?

PS; The lining is cotton candy pink! Seriously... it's so fun to swish it open and see the bit of color peeking out!

Cranberry Parfait

I was totally not feeling these pictures when we took them yesterday as I was feeling a wee bit "blah". I've found myself back in the habit of not getting in "real people" clothes until about 3:30 or 4pm... if at all! I'm not the happiest to roll out of bed and get to work on the computer when there's not a lot of natural light. Can't wait to have so many windows in the new place! My hair is looking all kinds of frazzled lately, too. But then again who am I kidding? That's my hair's permanent state. I wonder how long until I get unsolicited emails pitching hair care and basic grooming! I promise I'm holding it together! 

This dress and these Jeffrey Campbells are some other goodies I grabbed from ModCloth's Cabin Fever Haul. I'm really glad I got the shoes on mega clearance because I wasn't totally sold on them upon their arrival. They're cute and comfortable (they remind me a lot of my Blowfish Garrens!), but the craftsmanship on the woodwork left much to be desired! Something about this dress and cardi combo makes me feel like a teacher. The dress is the perfect length though so I'm in love with it! It'll be one that can last through Spring and Summer sans tights. The title is inspired by not only the color palette, but my  favorite breakfast food... lately I've been loving yogurt with blueberries, grapes (!!!), and maple pecan granola. You know, just incase you were curious about my usual morning habits haha 

Not a whole lot is going on in our world. Lots of design clients and daydreaming about decorating the house. I'm trying to avoid wasting my entire day on Pinterest, but it's really hard! We're finishing up the last 2 episodes of Sons of Anarchy tonight and I'm totally pumped on it. We've taken a bit of a break to watch 2 full seasons of Parks and Recreations since Mike had never seen it before. It's been nice to veg out with a homecooked dinner and Netflix each night, I won't lie. But somethings telling me I be a bit more pumped to burn the midnight oil after we finish our favorite tv shows! 

That about does it for me today, Honeybees. I'm going to leave you with a creepy picture of my rendition of "pigeon toes"... the blogger favorite! (Disclaimer: I'm totally guilty.) 

Did any of you pick up anything in the ModCloth sale? I know a few gals snagged this dress, so I'd love to see how you styled it! Leave a link below if you post about it!

My So Collared Dress via ModCloth
Target cardigan
Target tights
Jeffrey Campbell platforms

Reminder...

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I needed this reminder yesterday, so very badly. 
I thought some of you might, too.

Today I vow to treat myself by giving myself a pretty manicure,
curling my hair and dressing up even with no place to go.
Sometimes that's all it takes. 

Have a beautiful Sunday, friends! xo

Pink Truffle

I'm normally not really into pink, black + white combinations (I feel like I've said this before?!) but this poofy little number is kind of a new favorite. I snagged this dress during ModCloth's Cabin Fever Sale a few weeks ago for literally pennies on the dollar. I was so excited to open it up and see the petticoat and lining underneath were briiiight yellow! I should've photographed it! The cardigan is one from Forever 21 a few weeks ago and the bag, too. The bag is seriously the most perfect size for me. I can fit practically everything in it! Plus, black + studs = awesome. The black velvet shoes are Jeffrey Campbell, and they match the blue ones I wore here! I really want to get my hands on the wine colored pair again! But only if I can get them for $30 like I did these.

Nothing too exciting has happened in my world lately. Mike and I built a coffee table on Thursday night. It was rainy and gross outside but we headed to Home Depot anyway. We took an old reclaimed window we snagged at the flea market and decided to get crafty with it. We put the legs on it yesterday and painted it, too. Today we just need to touch up the paint in a few places and she'll be ready to use! You can see what it looked like before the paint here. We're thinking about scouring for a smaller window to make a taller side table, too. If we do that then I'll definitely photograph the process for a DIY. It's so painfully easy! I'm slowly but surely winning the "shabby chic vs. modern" war in our house! Just don't tell him I said that!

What are y'all up to this weekend?!

Forever 21 cardigan (also available at ModCloth)
Target belt via Goodwill
Forever 21 bag


Going With Your Gut...

I mentioned a few times this week on the blog that we were playing the waiting game, waiting to hear back about the little tan cottage from a few posts ago. That raised some questions with some as they wondered what happened with the green bungalow that we applied for + got. By now I forget what day all of this happened, but we found out from our neighbor (whose friends lived in the green bungalow until just recently) that they moved out because a neighbor had broken into the house while they were out of town. She went on to tell us that the house directly across the street is a halfway house and while that's all fine and good, one of the tenants was the one who broke in through the back window. (Cue me to remember seeing all of the dirt and scratched on the window sill of that window, too!) I already had my reservations about East Nashville simply because it's still far from the best part of town. It's "hip and fun" but it's still on the upswing. Anyway, our neighbor put Mike in touch with the girl who just moved out and while she was a little less than friendly, the wheels started turning in our heads. And by our I mean mostly mine. We laid in bed and all of a sudden I started having these crazy thoughts of what if someone broke in while we were home, what if they had a gun (then a totally craaaaazy senario played out. I'll save you the details, even though it would be totally possible.). It got to the point to where I almost started having a panic attack. We were set to sign the lease the next day. I told Mike to call the landlord in the morning and reschedule while we talked it through. I was terrified that something might happen to the girls while we were out and about or gone for work. It just started to feel like more trouble than it was worth. Other little things popped up here and there that gave me the feeling that perhaps the bungalow wasn't the best choice for us. Had it been the same rental price as the cottage, I may have overlooked most of them, but it was a huge (!!!) house with little insulation and a hefty price tag. I didn't want to stress about gas bills, our security alarm going off or if that sketchy neighbor still lived there. Something in my gut told me to keep looking.

We scheduled another showing of the 1920's cottage on Wednesday and we realized how much we loved the inside. It's a lot smaller than the bungalow, and it doesn't have quite the curb appeal or fenced yard, but we liked it. We liked it a lot. So we applied, was approved, and signed the lease last night. We're going to build a chainlink fence in the backyard for the girls, and we're going to manicure the bejeezus out of the front. It's going to be our little pet project. We're giving up a ton of room, but we're getting a sense of peace. The cottage is less than a stones throw from the bungalow, so things can still happen. They can happen anywhere. But at least now I don't have this overwhelming feeling in my stomach that it's wrong. 

We took measurements and laid out the house in our heads. I'll have my own studio/office which will be so nice for my productivity. We'll also have an entire room for Honeybean/Hive + Honey. We're on the hunt for a washer and dryer to paint pink (yep!) and we've already started delving into the other projects around the house. We'll be moving in in just 2 weeks (!!!) so that should give us plenty of time to cart our Xterra back and forth filled to the brim with boxes before saying so long to the loft. I'm really looking forward to it.

If anything, this experience has simply taught me that sometimes it really is best to just go with your gut instinct. We fell in love with the bungalow's charm but the inside left a bit to be desired. The cottage is cute on the outside, but the inside is beyond adorable. So many people pointed out that we should go with the house that's nicest on the inside as that's the part that'll be our home. Never thought I'd actually look forward to having walls and no brick in my house! We'll miss this little loft so much, but we're ready to move into a family home!

And finally I'll leave you with this picture (because it's the only one I have!)... It's the closet (!!!) in my office! It's ten feet wide! A whole 2 feet wider than my current wardrobe bar! The shoe shelves will fill the walls, but can I just tell you how excited I am to have French doors to my closet?! I'll miss my hanging wardrobe that we built, no doubt, but this is the perfect mix of function and style! Eep! Alrighty, emails are calling! Happy Friday! xo

Things I Love Thursday



these piranha plant wine glasses... what! ♥
♥ this amazing hair dryer! ♥
this fantastic quote + illustration ♥

these rollerskates (holy- you can buy them in pink/leopard, zebra, purple, etc!) ♥

this cute drawing ♥
these crafty hot dog sugar cookies! ♥
♥ these gloves. ♥
this incredibly inspiring workspace ♥
♥ these unicorn cookies... c'mon! ♥
♥ this amazing dreamy-worthy ombre cake... ah! birthday cake plz?! ♥

Other Awesome Things:
♥ // Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday (I know, I know) but I'm trying really hard not to turn our entire loft into this... Fighting the urge, y'all!

♥ // Speaking of fighting the urge... I'm suppressing my need to sand and paint absolutely every piece of furniture we own after seeing this awesome makeover. We did some major work to 2 dressers and a side table in summer '10 and I think we're still recuperating! (But man alive it looks gorgeous!)

♥ // Since we're moving in the next 2-2.5 weeks (hopefully!), I've been glued to Pinterest in my down time and I can't help but find a million and seven things I want to do. We're going to try and procure a cheapo stackable washer + dryer for the new house for the time being and I kind of want to give this a go. The dials are really shoddy, but it could be so cool! $10 appliance makeover?! Nice!

♥ // Penny over at Poorly Drawn Things just released new silk screened pouches in her shop! Proooobbbbably worth checking out. Just sayin'.

♥ // This DIY postcard calendar journal on Design*Sponge has got me wanting to make something soon! It's such a fun and minimalist approach to journaling. It'd be fun to look back and see what I was doing (in a jiffy) several years ago. 

♥ // I'm going crazy with wood pallet DIYs and I'm already dreaming up a headboard, bed platform, coffee table and maybe even this if I'm feeling reallll crazy. We want a raised bed garden in the backyard but this could be rad for some herbs maybe?

♥ // Things I'd really like to add to my closet: these (SWOON!), these (!!!, and in black... and maybe aztec). And even though I never wear watches, I'd totally give in for this black + gold lion watch or the white + gold skull watch from Betsey Johnson. Srsly... I'll take both.

♥ // I'm totally loving the prospect of moving into an actual house in a couple of weeks and I'm hoping today brings us good news about the little cottage. Cross your fingers! I promise to delve more into our decision later if we're able to rent it! (but I'm totally not loving the waiting part!)

What are you loving this week?

Like Day... and Night

This outfit post contains two "versions"... one meant more for day time wear and the other for a night out on the town... if that's your idea of a good time. (Spoiler alert: They're actually the exact same outfit with a different coverup... Whoops!) Enjoy! xo
For the day...
I picked up this pretty lace + tulle dress at Pangea one day in Hillsboro Village because I seriously couldn't pass it up. (It's by Moon Collection, if you're wondering!) It reminded me of a childlike faerie dress or something. Like everything else white/off white I own, I may have put a hole or two in the skirt upon it's first wearing. Still, tulle is one of those materials where a rip here and there is easy to hide. I knew I wanted to pair it with my new Senso Diffusion shoes as soon as they came in the mail! I kept it casual with a cotton ruffle cardigan (one of my trusty favorites) and an off white zipper-embellished clutch. I never would've carried a clutch in the past.. I'm one of those girls who needs a purse that would break someone's back! I've been really digging how lightweight and minimalist a clutch can be! 

For the night...
I have to admit the "night" version is definitely my favorite. I felt so classy wearing this! I wore this version yesterday to meet with the landlord on the green Victorian bungalow! It's not all that often I dress in really classic pieces like a blazer. The boyfriend cuffs on this one is my favorite though! The peeking pinstripes are so fun. I opted for a black leather + gold stud fold-over clutch with this ensemble. I'd feel confident wearing this out to dinner + drinks with some girlfriends on a weekday evening... not that that ever happens haha! I'm more of a mid-day coffee shop type of gal, but still! The nipped waist of the buttoned blazer helps show that I actually do have a waist. That's one flaw with full tulle skirts... they definitely balloon out! I have so many black + silver studded belts but none with gold... that's officially going to the top of my "must have" list! Maybe Goodwill will turn up something awesome soon! (Please ignore my awkward lapel! I didn't realize it was acting up until the very end!)

Moon Collection dress via Pangea Nashville
Target cardigan
Assets by Spanx tights via Target (favorite tights EVER!)
Senso Diffusion ankle boots (similar)
Urban Expressions ivory zipper clutch 
Charlotte Russe boyfriend blazer (similar)
Akira leather studded clutch (similar)

What would you wear these shoes with? (Srsly... I need some inspiration!)

Kaelah's Closet is Restocked + Open!

Just wanted to pop in and let y'all know that I restocked + reopened Kaelah's Closet yesterday! Over 30 new items listed (pages 1-4!) and ready for new homes! All orders placed today will be shipped out bright and early tomorrow so feel free to check it out! It'd be nice to move a lighter load come February!

In the shop you'll find: Betsey Johnson shoes, ModCloth dresses, and new-with-tags/never-been-worn pretty things! 

CLICK HERE to shop!

Also - I still have some February sponsor spots open if anyone is interested! Feel free to email me (kaelahbee at gmail dot com) or check out the sponsorship page to snag your spot! xo

Sale Shopping 101: Hunting the Bargains

I've been wanting to write a post like this for quite a while, but I've yet to give myself the time to sit down and do it. But here it is! It's absolutely no secret that I enjoy shopping. A lot of bloggers do. And even though we tend to showcase our new purchases like our pride and joy, most of us still have adult bills and responsibilities to handle. Whether we get our money from working a job or two, blogging, parents, whatever, delegating how you use it can be tricky. Most people enjoy fancy new shoes or splurging on their favorite magazine... I'm no millionaire (ha! To dream...) but I like to treat myself to things like that, too. I get asked almost daily via Tumblr how I afford so many shoes or dresses or the things that I buy. My trick: buying almost everything on sale. The sale score I'm probably most proud of is my Jeffrey Campbell shoe collection. All but 2 pairs were bought on sale. It makes a big difference to snag a pair of $160 shoes for only $35 (or $8 like my most recent prize!)  Okay, so a lot of people don't want to spend their hard-earned money on Jeffrey Campbell shoes... I know their appeal is lost on a lot of people. But for those of you who do want your own pair, hopefully this will help! This isn't just about shoes though! I'm going to share some of my absolute favorite sites below where I grab my biggest deals.


Karmaloop.com
Karmaloop is one of the only websites I've seen that drastically marks down their Jeffrey Campbell shoes. I'm not sure why they do it, but they're also sneaky about it. Jeffrey Campbell is one of the only brands they carry that they routinely add the disclaimer "Promo Codes Do Not Apply" to. (The others being brands like Nixon and Burton). However they sometimes lift that disclaimer and allow you to purchase them with discount codes... they just don't tell you that. I have the Karmaloop app on my phone so I check it every so often to see if it's lifted or not, and if they have a stellar discount code on top of it, I go for it. Sometimes the codes are as much as 50% off. They don't let you stack your discount codes online most of the time, but I had an issue one night and I called Karmaloop's Customer Service number and the associate was so incredibly helpful. He said that they often let you stack your coupon codes if you call, but some associates won't. It's really just a trial and error. He saved me $70 with that simple phone call one night! The easiest way to stay on top of their deals is to just visit the site daily and look at the top part of the page (in red)... they always have their biggest coupon listed there. Right now it's slow since it's post-Christmas but the holiday sales were out of this world. Pay extra close attention around holidays (of any kind!) because that's what they usually use! (PLNDR is a flash sale site that is a derivitive of Karmaloop. It's mostly street-wear which I'm not crazy about, but I've managed to snag some insane deals on Wildfox, Betsey Johnson and Free People! You just sign up and check out the daily sales. PLNDR also gives you a $10 credit after your first purchase.) -- (disclaimer: I am a rep for karmaloop and have my own discount code to give to my readers. i accumulate "points" if you buy things. [read: i earn 50 points for every $10 spent using my rep code] Everything below is honest + would be whether or not I had a rep code!) Note: Karmaloop also carries brands like Free People, Betsey Johnson, Senso Diffusion, and Sam Edelman... their discount codes are always valid for these brands! -- You can save 20% off your order with the repcode KAELAH. It's also valid for 10% off of PLNDR gear!

Shop It To Me
Shop It To Me is a great resource if you're picky about what you're looking for but you don't actually want to do the looking. You set up your account and choose the brands you love (Anthropologie, Steve Madden, Marc by Marc Jacobs, etc) and they send you alerts any time something from there goes on sale. The great thing about SITM is that you don't have to ever go looking for those coupon codes or discounts. They do all of the dirty work for you. You can also choose the frequency of emails (or none at all!). You have complete control over the price range, brand, category and even retailer! I've scored some serious shoe deals from SITM. The discounts are as much as 70% off, too! You can sign up here if you'd like, and shop away! Don't forget to invite your friends because you can rack up giftcards to your favorite stores like Sephora!

Ideeli + Fab
Ideeli is a great resource for people hunting deals up to 80% off of professional attire + designer apparel, but my favorite section of their site is Home! Ideeli is where I snagged my pretty pink Kitchenaid mixer and lots of really cool bamboo utensils! I also got the Babycakes mini cupcake + pie maker for only $11! If you love nesting and making your home efficient, I definitely suggest Ideeli. Sign up here if you want to check it out! // Fab is kind of like a designer's dream... no matter what kind of design you do. It's almost like shopping from a museum (at least in my mind). Almost every single art print we have hanging in our loft has come from Fab. The only complaint I have is that the shipping is sometimes really slow, but the savings are so so so worth it! They always have really cool lighting, furniture, and accents for your home. // Both Ideeli and Fab are invite-only sites but you can sign up for each one here: IDEELI + FAB!


Other sites that I check frequently: Haute Look (think more upscale, designer stuff. But the site is huge!), Gilt Groupe (7 for all mankind, Helmut Lang, Elizabeth + James... trendy urban designer stuff), Beyond the Rack (sales on items up to 90% off!), Ebates is a great place for extra stacked coupons and it gives you rebates on places like Target.com too!

and last but most certainly not least, no matter where you shop online, always always consult RetailMeNot! 

Retail Me Not
It's the mecca of every coupon code you can imagine! Comes in really handy when you'd like to snag free shipping or an extra 10% off. Just search the website name and see what pops up! If you're feeling friendly you can upload some coupon codes that you know of too! You don't even need to sign up to search the database. Win/win!

Other things to keep in mind: Online sales are all about timing. Flash sale sites are really great if you can get there first. You'll have your pick of the offerings and you won't feel guilty about saving some cash. // It's worth saving any credit you might accumulate to purchase something big and awesome that you otherwise may not have spent your money on. // Stay ahead of the game by always checking the "Upcoming Sales" pages. // Do you holiday/birthday shopping throughout the year for family and friends. See a deal that you know your sister might love? Snag it when it's available and store it away. The savings really add up if you're smart about it! // If you have a specific item in mind, a quick Google Shopping search could save you mega moolah! Amazon is a great place for stuff, too! Especially if you're looking for electronics.

I've even had someone ask me if I had a shopping addiction lately! I promise I don't, but I like to stay on top of sales so that I can snag something I'm really coveting without having to shell out an arm and a leg. My Jeffrey collection wouldn't be possible without them! It's like Extreme Couponing of the Internet... and I'm not the least bit ashamed!

Do you have any sites that you find helpful in scouting sales? How about tips for finding the best deal possible?