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Hello! My name is Cole (and I've got my dog Hairy with me). Simplicity Embellished is my special place. Please sign up for Sunday Tea and don't hesitate to say hello on Twitter or Facebook either.
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Travel & Style Archive
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2010 Garden Update
Posted on 8 July, 2010 | No CommentsBack in the spring, I posted in pretty good detail about all the items I was growing in my porch gardens this year. Everything you’re about to see is being... -
Haunting Orchids
Posted on 16 June, 2010 | No CommentsTo me, orchids are haunting flowers. Lovely, no doubt, and they are captivating in a spooky way. I’m not sure why they freak me out a bit—perhaps it’s the soft,... -
Flowering Foliage
Posted on 14 June, 2010 | No CommentsI love foliage. I love leaves. I love stems. I love being surrounded by greenery. I’m happier in a room with plants than in a room without. Are you? And... -
Tillandsias….in the rain?
Posted on 12 June, 2010 | No CommentsAlright, I know. I’m a big, giant nerd. I am obsessed with air plants and I understand if you decide to shun me. I understand if you assign me to... -
Fly Tying
Posted on 11 June, 2010 | 4 CommentsA hobby that I’ve had about as long as writing letters is tying flies. You know, like fly fishing. It’s an enjoyable hobby and for a hobby primarily dominated by... -
Blueberry Festival Coming Up!
Posted on 8 June, 2010 | No CommentsFor those of you in the Cincinnati area, I wanted to share with you details on the 2010 Blueberry Festival being hosted at Sabbath Song Farm in Brooksville. Are you... -
Greeting the Garden
Posted on 7 June, 2010 | No CommentsWhen the end of February rolls by, I set a date in my mind to enter the garden. To really enter it. With the intention of getting it ready for... -
Butterfly, Butterfly, Fly Away
Posted on 5 June, 2010 | 7 CommentsI had the pleasure of a Tuesday afternoon date with my husband, Victor, at the Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati, Ohio last week. The annual Butterfly Show was taking place and... -
We found a baby bird
Posted on 9 May, 2010 | No CommentsIt’s spring, you know. Birds tweet from sun up to sun down; flowers are in bloom and pollen counts are high. Spring, fabulous spring. Last night, my best friend called.... -
Tillandsia Stricta Hard Leaf | In Bloom!
Posted on 1 May, 2010 | No CommentsSeveral of my tillandsia’s are in bloom right now, and they are beautiful. My stricta, in particular, has been the most amazing to watch. First, a single pink bud appeared.... -
Tillandsia – How I Love Them So
Posted on 19 April, 2010 | 2 CommentsI received my first air plant (that’s Tillansia’s common name) when I was 12. I don’t really remember why I got it, but I believe my Mom picked it up... -
An Hour Spent Crocheting Baby Shoes
Posted on 14 April, 2010 | 10 CommentsDiscovering how to crochet shoes is pretty fantastic. All the sudden you go from wearing flip flops around the house to wearing uber-cute crochet slippers. I’ve made two pairs of... -
The Vintage Paris Hilton – Baroness De Guestre
Posted on 28 February, 2010 | 1 CommentI’d like to start out with three photos of the Baroness de Guestre, AKA “The Paris Hilton of her day.” Wow–risque? Not so much. But at the time, apparently so.... -
A Special Cake
Posted on 11 February, 2010 | No CommentsOne night last week, I was feeling rather…..motivated. Motivated to cook. Actually, I think, motivated to be distracted in the kitchen for a few hours–do you know what I mean?... -
My Daily Makeup Routine
Posted on 15 January, 2010 | No CommentsSimplicity Embellished | Simple Daily Makeup Routine from Simplicity Embellished on Vimeo. This is Cole’s tried-and-true daily makeup routine. Developed after years and years of mistakes, mishaps and mooching off... -
Family Heirlooms
Posted on 9 January, 2010 | 2 CommentsMy husband and I were in visiting my mother-in-law and family this past Monday. January in West Virginia is cold, just like January in Ohio is. We were all sitting... -
Lucky Fish Earrings
Posted on 1 January, 2010 | No CommentsIt’s a New Year. January 1. Here’s to it being a lucky one for you and yours. My sister gave me these little fishies for a holiday gift this year.... -
Shine Your Light
Posted on 18 December, 2009 | No CommentsA candle is a powerful thing. One that is lit can instantly turn a dinner party classy, or a table for two into something romantic. It can magnify the emotion... -
A Special Holiday Card
Posted on 15 December, 2009 | No CommentsNo matter what holiday you celebrate in December, I think they all have one thing in common. Light. Candles. Brightness. Perhaps that sounds sappy, but seriously, let’s look at some... -
Crocheting Coasters
Posted on 23 November, 2009 | No CommentsI’ve recently re-discovered crochet. I think it started when I found a book called “Lacy Crochet” and there was something about the addition of the word ‘lacy’ that suddenly made... -
My Favorite Hair and Body Products
Posted on 16 November, 2009 | No CommentsIsn’t it great when you find stuff you love? And when you use it; it actually works?! I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite products that I... -
How To Carry Less In Your Purse
Posted on 13 November, 2009 | No CommentsWhat’s in your purse? No really, I’m serious. Would you be proud of the contents? Maybe not so much? I think the fight against purse-junk build-up is one of the... -
Extra Special Cards You Can Make Yourself
Posted on 10 November, 2009 | No CommentsThere are times during the year when I buy an actual greeting card from the store. But mostly, I make one myself. Most of my gifts don’t require a big... -
How To Wrap Food With Stuff Around Your House
Posted on 9 November, 2009 | No CommentsMy previous post on this topic, How to Stylishly Wrap Baked Goods, has been getting a lot of traffic since it went up. I guess because you, like me, think... -
So, I have a thing for gold shoes.
Posted on 27 October, 2009 | No CommentsKind of a big thing for gold shoes. But the main problem is that I rarely find a pair I like, let alone a pair I love. And when I... -
A Little Piece of Magic | A Handmade Pin Cushion
Posted on 26 October, 2009 | No CommentsWhen I saw this at an outdoor arts festival, I was intrigued by the texture. There was an entire basket of these things and so I went over to them.... -
What’s Inside My Purse
Posted on 25 October, 2009 | No CommentsI’m going to do something today most people would be ashamed to do. I’m going to show you what’s in my purse. First, this is the purse I use every... -
My Favorite Earrings
Posted on 24 October, 2009 | 5 CommentsEarrings. I am an earring girl. You might be a necklace girl. Or maybe you’re married to a bracelet girl. Who knows. For me, earrings are like my icing. I... -
Golden Shoes | My LBD [Little Black Dress]
Posted on 23 October, 2009 | No CommentsThe Little Black Dress. We all have one; although it may not exactly be a little black dress. For men, it might be a particular suit, or a pair of... -
Great Beauty Books
Posted on 22 October, 2009 | No CommentsColor Me Beautiful by Carole Jackson I found this one at Half Price Books when I was still in high school, and although my version was about 15 years out-of-date... -
How To Put On Mascara; The Way I Learned
Posted on 21 October, 2009 | 2 CommentsMascara is a wonderful invention. It has this magic ability to make you feel better and more confident and all it does is lengthen and thicken teeny tiny hairs. Women... -
A Day With The Amish
Posted on 20 October, 2009 | No CommentsAfter spending two afternoons in Amish country in South Central Ohio in October, I learned a few things. First, the Amish are excellent at making money. They bring in dozens... -
Beautiful Beads
Posted on 19 October, 2009 | No CommentsThese photos were taken for a product catalog and I just had to share two of them. They just look cool. Both of these were not used in the final... -
How to Stylishly Wrap Baked Goods
Posted on 8 October, 2009 | 2 CommentsIf you’re like me, you don’t have very many dishes you’re willing to part with. OK, actually, I don’t have any dishes, platters or otherwise that I want to part... -
Nail Polish | It can become a signature
Posted on 5 October, 2009 | 3 CommentsMost women seem to go through phases where they wear nail polish for awhile, then they don’t. It’s bright pink shades for a few months and then deep, dark reds;... -
Our Hands
Posted on 2 October, 2009 | No CommentsOur hands tell many stories. You’d be surprised at how many people don’t want their hands photographed. They say ‘no, they’re ugly’ or ‘no, they look awful.’ Why is this?... -
My Wedding Band
Posted on 30 September, 2009 | 9 CommentsMy husband is a gem. He actually designed my wedding band for me. I receive compliments on it all the time; especially when I’m out and about at places like... -
When You’re Almost Home
Posted on 28 September, 2009 | 1 CommentTraveling in general causes many of us to exhibit certain behaviors. We are suddenly afraid of doorknobs. We might hold our wallets and purses much tighter than normal. We may... -
Style | How Wrap A Gift Elegantly and Affordably
Posted on 25 September, 2009 | No CommentsFor my Dad’s birthday this year, I got him a few really nice cigars from a local tobacconist here in Cincinnati. Upon arriving home, I realized I didn’t have an... -
Style | A Beautiful $6 Plant
Posted on 24 September, 2009 | No CommentsAhh, foliage. It has the ability to drastically improve our living spaces and an almost equal ability to make us feel like incompetent plant owners. How many of you just...
