Share the Wealth Giveaway

I have been very lucky this past year and feel that I should share some of my luck with my readers. That brings us to 2012's first giveaway! You will all have the chance to enter, and one lucky reader will win the Nine West bag I got from Marie Claire as part of my prize package. The winner will also receive the January issue of UK Glamour. My dad brought this back from England :) Ok, so if you're from the UK, it won't be that exciting, but it's still a free magazine!

So about the bag. As you can see in the picture above, it's a tote with a silver woven exterior. The interior is lined with fabric and features a large pocket, small zippered pocket, and a magnetic snap closure. It's an all-around great bag!

You can enter several different ways:
1. Follow me via bloglovin' or Google (Click "Follow" on the right side of the blog) +1 entry

2. LIKE Fleur d'Elise on Facebook +1 entry

3. Post a link to the giveaway on your blog +2 entries

Remember to leave a comment telling me which one you did and post a link if you mentioned me on your blog!

Giveaway ends January 25th, 2012

Holiday Gift Guide: Ladies

gifts for ladies by fleur-d-elise featuring a cotton beret

Buying for the ladies in your life probably isn't as hard as buying for the men, but just in case, I've come up with a list of things I think would make great gifts (i.e. I want them all).

1. Kate Spade Rain or Shine Mug $20
This is my favorite thing on the list. Who wouldn't want one of these?! They're made by Lenox (ooh la la) and at only $20, it's waaay cheaper than what the tote bag version of this design costs.

2. J.Crew Edie Purse $238
Ok, so I imagine at $238 this isn't something you are going to be buying for all your best girl friends, but maybe put it on your own Christmas list...

3. Diptyque 'Roses' Scented Oval $45
This would make a great gift for a special lady, like your mom or grandma. The loop makes it perfect for hanging in a closet and the scent lasts for 3 months. Visit the Nordstrom website to find matching candles and other scents.

4. Weleda Everon Lip Balm $5
I am wearing this lip balm right now! It's my favorite. All-natural, high quality ingredients leave your lips soft and healthy. Real vanilla and rose oils give it a delicate scent and at $5 it makes a great gift or stocking stuffer!

5. American Apparel Beret $20
This cotton beret comes in 4 colors and the wool version comes in 13 colors! The cotton version isn't quite as stiff as the wool and has a more relaxed fit. Both are adorable, though!

6. American Apparel Turtleneck Crop Top $28
This gift is especially perfect for any fashionistas you may know. The cropped style pairs perfectly with high waisted garments. Made from spandex jersey, this sleeveless top is also great for layering. Comes in 8 colors.

7. Kate Spade Hinge Bangle $88
I will never have this kind of money to spend on gifts, but I'm kind of obsessed with everything at Kate Spade right now, so it's on my list.

neighborhood

The good news:
The duplex behind me has all these lovely flowers that sprout up everywhere. They're all well established and come back year after year. Two of my favorites, iris and poppy, are the most notable. There is one giant pink poppy that has probably a dozen buds on it. Then there are these little orange Icelandic poppies. They grow along the rockeries in the front and back. They are day-glow orange and so papery and delicate; photos don't do them justice. The irises bloom like clockwork every May.

The bad news:
Crime is getting more noticeable in my neighborhood :( I was actually interviewed by one of the local news channels today in regards to safety at the park where I got married. Then last Wednesday, I was awoken at 3am by ADT, because our office had been broken into. It's two doors down from my apartment, which made it easy to go talk to the police when they arrived. *Sigh*

Luckily, nothing was stolen; they just broke our door knob and smashed one of our windows with a HUGE rock. Honestly, the flood we had in January was worse than this.

Ok, enough of about that. I have decided to go on a clothing fast. No shopping for the month of June! No malls, no thrift stores, no boutiques, nothing! The past two months have been so spendy (wedding, after wedding,after wedding), that I will be in serious financial pain if I do not take a break from buying clothes.

It's time to work with what I have (which is about 5,000 skirts). For instance, I just bought this mini at H&M. Isn't it a cool color? It was $6. I also bought a great little lacy top that I hope to style soon.


Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

In these photos:
H&M mini skirt
Nordstrom Men's Shirt (cropped)
Cooperative wedges
Aldo bag
Vintage resin and shell pendant

COVET.

Green Tote Bag by catiebeatty featuring a pearl beaded necklace

I would like to own everything in this Polyvore set, but most of all I want the beautiful green Longchamp 'Roseau' Tote that floats in the midst of all the other lovelies.

The deep, forest green of this bag may, at first, bring to mind Christmas, but for me it's the color of Spring here in Washington. Everything is such a deep, saturated green, and will stay that way until July. Despite all the rain we get, we have strangely dry summers. The grass dies every year, but at least the Douglas Firs keep their color.

This tote bag covers two of the categories on my Spring Wish List: Forest Green and Tote Bags. It's available at Nordstrom.com and costs a mere $400! Completely out of my budget. Forever. I will see you in my dreams, Roseau Tote.