planning, packing, dreaming

Ever since purchasing my ticket yesterday morning, visions of China have been dancing in my head. These children have a huge piece of my heart and I'm so honored that I get to spend a month with them.  It's hard to think of anything else!

xo, 
e.m.

p.s. I'm still raising funds to offset some of the other costs associated with the trip and also to give directly to the orphanage. If you're interested in donating, click here!

b-b-b-brrrr'd to the bone

redhead, studded collar, fringe, bangs, grunge, liquid eyeliner, surya brasil, mahoganybrooklyn brewery, studded collar, boots, redhead, grunge, surya brasil, mahogany, henna, dyesurya brasil, mahogany, redhead, henna, dyeI love winter coats, I think I have about 15 of them. Living in the Northeast it's actually not so crazy to have so many. I love the cold weather because it means that I get to dress in a million layers and go skiing and drink hot tea with every meal. It's wonderful. Snow is wonderful, mittens are wonderful, it's all so great.

In other news, I bought my ticket to China this morning! Having said that, to offset some of the costs of the trip as well as to raise some extra money for the orphanage, I'll be holding an online auction next week with a few cool items including (drumroll please...) A WEDDING! Yes, I am auctioning off an entire wedding package. It's not limited to folks on the Northeast either, so... if you're planning a wedding and want the money you spend on your photographer to go towards adorable little awesome Chinese orphans, definitely think about that! (You can email me if you'd like more information!) This is an exciting time in my life and I've said this before but I'm so excited for you guys to be a part of it.

xo, 
e.m.

coat/ old navy, blouse/ forever 21, sweater & boots/ thrifted, jeggings/ juicy couture, hat/ brooklyn brewery

a christmas playlist


I'm a lover of all things Christmas and Christmas music is one of my favorite things. Honestly, a great deal of time between December 26th and the day after Thanksgiving is spent dreaming of the times when Christmas music will be able to be listened to. Here are some of my favorites. There are so old classics and some new soon-to-be classics on here. Enjoy!

  Christmas by E.M. Ricchini on Grooveshark
 xo, e.m.

when the air becomes a little chillier

Remember how when September rolled around you couldn't get me to stop talking about how much I love the fall? Well, it is now post-Thanksgiving and I will be singing the praises of Christmastime nonstop until December 26th. Despite the days being a little shorter and the breeze being a little nippier (or a lot nippier here in the Northeast) there is a certain joyful spirit abounding everywhere one might go. Everybody seems cheerful and the sweet sounds of Christmas begin traveling through the airwaves. I. Love. It. Here are some pictures from when Allie and I hung out last week. Props to Collingswood for nailing the perfect amount of pre-Thanksgiving Christmas shenanigans. (Any less would result in a less-cozy Thanksgiving eve and any more would be just annoying.) 

xo, 
e.m.

a little something for my local friends:


Come out to this show! It's a benefit for Shepherd's Field Children's Village and my trip there to help out. It's also the first time that my band has played out in two years so you don't want to miss it! 

xo,
e.m.

diy glitter cards

Alright, I wouldn't consider myself to be "cheap," but I do think that $6 is a bit much to be spending on greeting cards. (Can I get an "amen?") I love making my own and lately I've been trying out some new methods. These glitter cards didn't come out as magnificently as I thought they would but they definitely have a soft of homemade charm to them which is why I'm still going to share!

What you'll need: Thick paper (I used watercolor paper because I love the texture), Elmer's glue, a paintbrush, and glitter.

Use the paintbrush to create a design on the front of the card with the glue. Immediately sprinkle with the glitter, wait 40 seconds or so and shake the glitter off. 

So incredibly easy, right? Have fun making your own designs! 

xo, 
e.m.

giving thanks

Any holiday in the Ricchini household is guaranteed to be a great time. We had a "Friendsgiving" this year with some close friends and it was full of laughter, deep conversation, and reminiscing. Here are some of my pictures from Thanksgiving morning. I love waking up to holiday cheer and all of the sounds and smells that go along with the season. More than anything, however, I'm BEYOND EXCITED to listen to Christmas music from now on! What's your favorite part of the holiday season? Hope you all had a great holiday and didn't eat too much!

xo, 
e.m.

frannie style

Yesterday, I had the honor of hanging with my bestie, Allie. I only see her a few times a year since she lives all the way in the middle of nowhere in Virginia. She was home for the week and I stole her away from her boyfriend and her family for a few hours and had some much-needed girl time. Isn't she a peach?


Jeffrey Campbell, Lita, Litas, denim, mustard, fashion, redheadJeffrey Campbell, Lita, Litas,
 I couldn't ask for a better best friend. Check out her blog, she's WAY cooler than me!

xo, e.m.