Holiday Monogram

This post is brought to you by Coca-Cola.

Everyone has a different way of decorating their home for the holidays. Your choice of a green tree or a white tree is a personal expression of the celebration of the season. A great way to make your decorating even more personal is to use monograms.

My last name is Evjen, so the letter 'E' has a lot of significance in our home. It's also the first letter of our daughter Elle's name. I found this metal E that was once part of a neon sign at a vintage market. It has been sitting in my closet for almost a whole year collecting dust. This year I thought I would use it to attempt a Pinterest inspired DIY I saw a ways back. It was a letter filled with succulents, and I thought it was the coolest thing.

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With the help of my friend Malori from Hoot and Holler we schemed up an idea to put holly berries and pine into this metal E. It turned out great. All you need is your metal letter, floral foam, and your choice of greens. Rosemary and herbs would smell and look amazing too. I like the pop of red the berries bring, but you could choose white berries if you don't use red too much in your home.

1| Cut the foam blocks to size so that they fit snuggly in the letter

2| Wet the foam

3| Start placing your stems of greens tightly packed together into the foam

4| Fill until you are happy with it.

Photos by Melissa Jill, Florals by Hoot and Holler, Art Direction by A.V.E. Styles

Holiday Style with Junk in the Trunk

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What happens when you combine sequins, three girls and the holidays? This...

It's a party when the Junk in the Trunk girls are around. Coley (above middle) and Lindsey (above right) started a vintage flee marketing in Arizona a couple of years ago called Junk in the Trunk, and it has grown into one of the biggest vintage markets in the southwest. They recently have ventured into apparel design, and created the most comfortable and stylish tank and pullover with the saying, "This is my party dress."

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I love the humor and whimsy of it, and they asked me to help them style theirs for their holiday promotions. I obviously said yes because I am a big fan! I wear my tank to the gym. I sleep in it. I wear it with jeans (like Coley is below). I also love to dress it up with a tulle skirt like Lindsey is above. You can get yours here.

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The off-the-shoulder pull-over is perfect for any occasion as well. I'm loving the pullover trend this fall. You can find it all over Pinterest with flouncy skirt or distressed pants. I paired mine with a fair isle knit skirt from H&M and a knit beanie. (Get yours here).

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While on the shoot we got to pretend that this amazing home renovated by My Rafter House was ours. How much do you want to cozy up to that fireplace, especially when it's complete with a festive banner by The Banner Shoppe. Um...Yes, please!

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After this fun photo shoot for JITT's new apparel I had a blast rockin' out the coolest up-do I've ever had thanks to Jenny Strebe of The Confessions of a Hairstylist. She does these amazing, pin-worth hair tutorials. This is one I think I can actually replicate. Go check out her site for more inspiration.

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Photos by Sarah Gray Portraits

How to Spruce Up a Fake Wreath

This post is sponsored by Coca-Cola.

Decorating for the holidays is one of the best traditions of all. Growing up in Wisconsin we always bought a real Christmas tree and had real wreaths hung on our doors, but living in Arizona when the temperatures can still get into the 80's during the day, real greens dry out quickly. So, for the past 8 years I have opted for faux evergreen, and I must say it's a lot easier, less messy, better for the environment and more cost effective. However, there's just something missing when you know it's fake. So, here's a little DIY process on how you can spruce up our fake wreath to get the best of both worlds:

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Materials Needed: One fake wreath Two to three different bundles of real greens or berries Florist wire Shears Ribbon to hang wreath

Steps:

1| Choose a simple fake evergreen wreath. I found mine at Ikea.

2| Buy a couple bunches of greens and berries from your local grocery store or florist. (You can even include air plants). We used eucalyptus and red berries. I've seen magnolia leaves and rosemary used as well. You want to add different textures than the evergreen to give dimension and color. It will help the wreath appear fuller.

3| Clip a small spray of berries, poke it through until you can see the stem in the back of the wreath. Then fasten the stem to the wreath using florist wire (you can purchase it at Michael's).

4| Repeat step three with the other live greenery you purchased. Alternate around the wreath.

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5| Once you have gone around the whole wreath, select your ribbon and tie it to your door or place your wreath around your dog for a picture perfect photo. (Our golden-doodle, Wendy, was a real sport).

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Photos by Melissa Jill Photography; florals by Hoot and Holler; art direction by A.V.E. Styles

Winter Date Idea

This post is sponsored by Coca-Cola.

Our schedules get packed with extra events and gatherings during the holiday season, and it's easy to let the important things like date nights, family time and alone time fall by the wayside. Here is a sweet holiday date night idea for you and your special someone that will put you in the holiday spirit and keep you connected through the hustle and bustle of the season.

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Pack a winter picnic in a cooler such as this American Retro Cooler from Coca-Cola. I included popcorn, a baguette, cheese, a pear, two candy canes and two bottles of Coca-Cola. Grab two cozy blankets to help you stay warm, and head to the ice rink. Skate until you are tired and hungry, and then enjoy your winter picnic as you watch the other skaters. If you plan your date in the evening, you can take a ride around and look at the lights to finish your date.

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If you want to look special for your date, try wearing a sequin top with jeans. It's comfortable and festive. You can even paint your nails a metallic color to complete your look. I used Coca-Cola's OPI "My signature is DC" color.

Photos by Melissa Jill Photography; Styling by Alex Evjen of A.V.E. Styles

Modern Holiday Table Design

This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Coca-Cola.

It's the most wonderful time of the year. The season of parties and entertaining is upon us, and I'm sharing with you a simple, modern table design that you can put together in 20 minutes. You don't want to have to spend hours crafting away and stressing over details. You just want to create memories that will last a lifetime in a beautiful space.

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I'm the first one to admit that I get anxiety over entertaining. My insecurities rise to the top, and I start thinking about all of the things that I need to do for my house to look "perfect." Here's what I have learned, fresh greenery and candlelight is really all you need. You don't even need to pick a trendy color scheme. Stick with neutral shades and metallic accents, and you will have yourself a picture perfect set up.

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Here's what I did:

1| Buy linen fabric at your local fabric store. Fold it and lay it across your table. It's okay if it has raw edges. To clean up the ends of your runner, slide a napkin ring through the fabric and place some greens for a pretty touch.

2| Lay branches cut from your trees or nearby woods about a foot each. I used a mix of magnolia branches and evergreen branches. I even placed them in my chandelier.

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3| Buy some sprays of berries at your local grocery store and place them in small vessels or votives along with some more evergreen or fresh herbs like rosemary. Place the vessels throughout the centerpiece. I used four.

4| To add some height, place candles through the centerpiece as well. I used some vintage brass candle holders I found at Modern Manor.

5| Forget the placemats. Just place simple white dishes on your table.

6| Roll up your napkins and place them in your napkin rings. I found vintage brass napkin rings that matched the candlesticks.

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7| Place water and wine glasses on your table. I really love these Coca-Cola Reidel glasses. They have a beautiful shape, and they are so comfortable to hold. I even placed a classic Coca-Cola bottle on the table to add a pop of holiday red.

If you want to get crafty and go the extra mile without getting super stressed, try a couple of these personal touches:

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1|  Write out the names of your guest on a tag and glue to cinnamon sticks on either side. Just hold tight for a few seconds after you glue them and start on the next.

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2| You can also take a piece of black construction paper and write a special word with a chalk pen and pin it to the back of your chairs. Cluster any leftover greens you may have or cut some more off of your trees. You'll see a mix of the magnolia branches, rosemary and berries in this bundle. I found burlap ribbon at a local craft store and glued the paper to it.

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Don't miss out on the special moments by putting perfection ahead of your family, but don't feel like you can't have a beautiful experience for your guests either. Share, connect and enjoy the process. Work with what you can find in your yard or at your local grocery store. If you want to get crafty that's great too, but go the extra mile after everything else is set.

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So glad my dearest girlfriends could join me for this special moment. Each one of these women has helped support me in my career as a stylist, as well as my other roles of a wife, mother and friend. I am so thankful for each one of them.

Styling by Alex Evjen, A.V.E. Styles Photography by Melissa Jill Photography Florals by Hoot and Holler Calligraphy by Katie Sterbenz Design

Get the look: Drink glasses from Coca-Cola Vintage glass rim glasses from Modern ManorWhite plates from West Elm Dinner napkins from West Elm Napkin rings from Modern Manor Vintage candlesticks from Modern Manor Chandelier from Restoration Hardware Linen chairs from Cost Plus Wold Market White faux fur from IkeaVotives from West Elm Table from Chairish.com