Wrapping Up...

Today's post is going to be a bit longer than normal because I have just so much to tell you! 

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It's been three and a half years since I started this blog. In that time, I have sold one house and bought another, gotten married for a second (and final) time, and watched my littles grow into bigs -- in fact, as of yesterday, I am now officially the mother of a teenager!

Over the last three and a half years, I have also taken a lot of chances with my decorating, learned some new skills while honing others, and shared my favorite interior designs with all of you!

In July I began working with my friend Erica, who is the most brilliant and compassionate professional organizer I have ever met, doing interior decorating for local clients. It is the most fun I have ever had!!! 

All of which leads to today's announcement: Cosy Carolina is done. Over. Finito! 

I'm working on building a more comprehensive website to feature my portfolio and services. It will also have a blog because I think this is a fun way to communicate. Ultimately, though, my heart yearns to decorate, not blog. *I will put this message out into the universe, though: if the Better Homes & Gardens team wants to bring me to NYC next fall for the Style Maker Event, I'm totally open to that.

It's sad and a little scary to end this phase of my life. So many good things have come from this blog. But I'm hopeful that even better days are ahead!

Sequin Pants / Leather Jacket / Sweater

Before I sign out, I have a fun NYE outfit to show you above. No shoes because we're not actually going out for the holiday... As I always say, creating an outfit is a lot like designing a room. I did recently sign up for Stitch Fix and LOVE it. Why not have a personal stylist dress you and avoid the craziness of the mall?!

I also have a quick review of Apartment Therapy's latest book Complete + Happy Home. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review (getting free books from them is at the tip-top of my list of "perks" from this gig).

Complete + Happy Home, by Maxwell Ryan and Janel Laban, is everything I aspire to be: pretty on the surface but full of beauty and practical information on the inside, too. It is their largest book to date and really comprehensive.

The book is separated into three sections: setting up your home; living in your home; and maintaining your home. The text is all straight-forward, no nonsense advice, much like their website, but without the annoyingness of their "cures." The images are a mix of regular people's houses (who are the Castellis of New Jersey? Gorgeous house!!!) and the homes of the ultra-stylish (Ruthie Sommers, Christiane Lemieux, and Erin Williamson). This gives the book an across-the-country feel, with no specific region or style left out.

One of my favorite rooms is "the Scandinavian living room" of Anne Ziegler and Scott Mason of Los Angeles, which includes throw pillows and an armchair in crazy-fun Josef Frank fabrics.

There are also some handy checklists like: 5 (semi-) indestructible houseplants; 8 ways to supercharge your style; and 8 ways to make a small room look bigger, among others. And tips on art, window treatments, flooring, and lighting. Everything you could possibly want to know about making a home homier.

Erica and I popped in at the Bloom Workshop for West Elm last week and a copy of Complete + Happy Home was prominently being sold there. It's definitely a good resource, whether you are a design professional or a homeowner.

Anyway, follow along on Instagram to keep in touch. Happy holidays!!! Thanks for all the love! Xoxo ~Carrie