Real Simple: Flower Arranging

Back in February I was reading an article in Real Simple, "Keep Flowers Alive Longer" and thought it was quite a useful idea. Two days later I received the beautiful flowers below from Elon and realized that I could put the article to use.

Day 1

Day 8:

The article encourages keeping all the flowers together and just changing the vases, but instead I just broke up all the flowers into different vases so I could have fresh flowers all over the house. I made four different arrangements.

Using the pretty Sophia Coppola Sparkling Wine bottle we drank on my birthday, I placed the three freshest roses I could find. I placed this new arrangement in the bathroom to brighten things up a bit.

I picked up this dandy little vase for $9 at Harmonie Boutique on Abbot Kinney in Venice. What I adore most about this vase is the self help grid for flower arranging novices like me. You just cut and stick, and magically the vase arranges the flowers beautifully for you. A great house warming gift!

I received this adorable vase from my best friend Cassie. It is a tricky vase to arrange flowers in, but once you find the right style, the color and shape really pop.

So go ahead, divide and conquer those flowers!

Have a Swanky Weekend!

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Forever Frugal Friday

While you are tending to your Spring cleaning, why not spring some of those nasty, thin workout tanks that you still are wearing the gym from your closet and pick up some new ones in various colors.

These Comfy Ribbed Tanks from Forever are just begging to head home with you. Trying to catch that special someones eyes at the gym? Well my friends, holey, stained wife beaters or your old over sized sorority/fraternity t-shirts probably won't get the job done. If not for the gym, they are perfect for layering or throwing on to take the dog out.

Wedding Inspiration Board Carnival Style

Snippet & Ink has done it again! Providing me with some much needed wedding inspiration heading into the weekend. I am not a fan of carnivals at all, but I am a fan of everything in this board. The colors, the pictures, the waiters tie...EVERYTHING! I especially am in love with the china ball lanterns, as Elon and I are trying to figure out right now what color we want to go with. All white? Some pink? Some yellow? Help?

GO COUGS!!!

We're taking on the Tar Heels today, and hoping to make it into the elite eight.

GO COUGS!!

Wino Wednesday

I picked up this bottle of Belvedere Chardonnay at Trader Joe's for $4.99. I am always on a hunt for a cheap, yummy Chardonnay. Unfortunately, this bottle was cheap, but not yummy. It was very acidic, overly tart and crisp and not for this lady. I would say spend the extra $5-$7 dollars and get the Cupcake Chardonnay :)

The Truth about Cupcakes

I was checking out my new favorite blog Cupcakes Take The Cake, that I was introduced to by my girlfriend Marge (still following me?), and laughed outloud when I saw the picture below.

photo by: Baked & Wired

Point taken

Short Wedding Dresses

I had the pleasure and honor of joining my girlfriend Jaime and her mom Kay, try on wedding dresses this past Saturday. Seeing as I purchased the first wedding dress I tried on, it was fun for me to see her try on some fabulous dresses. She ended up finding "the dress" and I cannot wait to see her in it on her wedding day! We found the winning dress (along with some other INCREDIBLE dresses) at an adorable bridal shop called The White Dress in Corona Del Mar. The store is bright and airy and the sales people were wonderfully sweet and helpful.

Upon entering the store my eyes were immediately drawn to the Melissa Sweet Mari dress below:

If money wasn't an object, I would have bought this dress to change into after dinner. Luckily for me, a future bride tried the dress on and I got to enjoy the fabulousness of it.

The White Dress had some other spectacular shorties, which had me recalculating my budget...at least in my head :)

Melissa Sweet Style: Nell

Melissa Sweet Style: Billie (I can soo see SJP sporting this number)

Platinum Style: P1218

Vineyard Style: Ricki

Although it is not a possibility for my wedding, I absolutely love the idea of a short wedding dress. It adds a little fun, flirti-ness and dare I say innocence? What do you think? Short wedding dresses, thumbs up or thumbs down?

Tasty, Tasty

I just tried the Apple Pie Larabar the other day and was quite impressed. It is a hearty bar, so I broke it up between two days. It's a perfect afternoon snack between lunch and dinner, and is just full of goodies. The bar has no added sugar, is also vegan, soy free, kosher, dairy free and gluten free...it is not however flavor free! I picked mine up at Trader Joe's for $1.29 and am venturing on to cherry pie this week.

Happy Easter

oldbones

I happen to be one of those people who loves peeps! Happy Easter!

GO COUGS!!

We're hoping we make it into the sweet sixteen, and here's hoping the Irish used all their luck up on St. Patty's Day!

GO COUGS!!!

Forever Frugal Friday

My latest favorite purchase from Forever are these fun Yellow/Gold Beaded Diamond Earrings . I fancied them so much that not only did I buy them in yellow, but also in the khaki. These earrings are seriously a fantastic buy, because they look a heck of a lot more expensive then $4.80. I love that they are a dressier earring... but paired with jeans, a white tee and flip flops you are totally casual glam, which is one of my favorite styles.

Winning Shoes!!

I have found them! Actually I found and purchased my wedding shoes two weeks ago, and aren't they just fantastic? I am absolutely head over heels (pun intended) in love with my Stuart Weitzman 'Solitaire' Pumps !!

These shoes were quite the splurge for myself, and I felt guilty for like 5 minutes, but after trying my wedding dress on with them, I knew that this Cinderella had found her glass slipper. The first time I tried them on at Bloomingdale's I had four women tell me I HAD to have them. And really, who am I to be arguing with strangers, that's just rude! So after some begging and pleaing with Elon, and a Nordstrom's credit card...they officially belong to me! YEAH!

Be sure to check out my fellow bride-to-be (and friend) Shelby's blog for San Diego Magazine, My Exquisite Wedding. She is planning an incredible extravaganza and asking for your input. Plus she has some fantastic ideas and she really breaks down all the components that make up a wedding. Happy reading!

GO COUGS!

Dean Hare/AP

The Cougars take on Winthrop today at 4:20 PST. I am hoping that Coach Bennett will be wearing this smile at the end of the game!

GO COUGS!!!

Wino Wednesday

I gave a less than stellar review to last weeks wine posting, so I thought since the sun is shining and Spring is in the air, I would share my latest favorite Chardonnay.

I like to head to my local Ralph's in the Marina and look for a wine in my price range ($10-$15) that has the biggest difference in normal to sale price. For some reason it makes me think that the wine I am about to enjoy is going to be REALLY good, because it used to be expensive. Sometimes that logic doesn't really pan out well, but other times you find a diamond in the rough, and that is exactly what the Magistrate 2006 Napa Valley Chardonnay is.

Normally priced at $21, it was marked down to $11. A $10 savings and priced at $11, within my range for a casual evening of Oscar watching with my good friend Christy. The label promises, flavors of fresh apple and pear mix with beautiful aromas of vanilla and creme-brulee... Well my friends this label was right on, and had me racing back to Ralph's to pick up additional bottles while it was at this price. Incredibly smooth, flavorful, toasty and just plain yummy.

Bob the wine Seward informed me that this is a limited edition wine and won't be available for long. So if you want a good, buttery, yummy Chardonnay....look no further than Magistrate.

Gorgeous Formal Sandals

These Alessandro Dell'Acqua Robot Sandals are not only elegant and worthy of any formal event, they are also an absolute steal marked down from $528 to $158. Now I know that $158 is still pricey for shoes... but if you are gonna spend some money on shoes, a metallic pair of sandals is a good place to do it. If I hadn't already purchased my wedding shoes, these babies would definitely be an option.

Any Occasion Dress

I was at Target last night picking up some cleaning supplies for the house, and happened to "accidentally" wander into the clothing section. I was immediately greeted by this sunny, fun, floral frock!

Now I should also mention, that I had just come from meeting with a florist so bright pink and anything floral were fresh on my mind. I immediately grabbed the Isaac Mizrahi for Target® Floral Chintz Wrap Dress and headed to the nearest dressing room.

I had visions of Easter Sunday, or my upcoming bridal shower in Seattle running through my mind. The dress was a fantastic length (not easy for a shorty like me), light fabric (although not sheer), and contained two of my favorite features, a tie waist and pockets!

Unfortunately for me, the dress was not a perfect fit, but at $39.99, it is bound to be a superb addition to any ones closet. Trust me when I say that the picture does not do the dress justice and I highly advise checking the dress out in person.

Also, I know that my posts have been a bit saturated with dresses lately, but with Spring arriving on Friday, and the wedding just around the corner, I just can't help it! (But will try)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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Happy St. Patrick's Day to all! Also a very Happy Birthday to Marge, as well as Happy Anniversary to my parents!

Forever Frugal Friday

After reading/seeing Shelby's tribute to our trusty Cougs, I felt inspired to dedicate today's forever frugal find to the Washington State Cougars myself.

I imagine wearing this adorable Striped Empire Sweater Dress around town in Pullman, while grocery shopping for the perfect tailgating necessities. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE crimson and gray together and this dress allows me to show my school spirit even if it isn't a T-shirt.

Fantastic Basketball Team-Check....Love for anything Crimson and Gray- Check....Rooting on the Cougs while looking fantastic shopping around town....done and done.

GO COUGS!

Confession

I almost purchased this book yesterday. I love 90210 and I like Tori Spelling, but do I like her enough to purchase a book written by her also? Turns out yesterday I wasn't quite sure. Today however, I really think I might need to purchase it... as the inside flap promises insider gossip about the 90210 days we don't know about. Pretty much sold me right there...

What do you think? Am I crazy? If you are crazy like me and considering buying it, Amazon has it the cheapest I have seen yet.

Like a Virgin...

If you can't actually go back to being a virgin, the next closest thing is smelling like a trip to the Virgin Islands. I first experienced Creed's Virgin Island Water Eau de Parfum in New York at Bergdorf Goodman. I am a bit picky when it comes to scents and generally when a store is sampling a scent I hate it. But seeing as it was my first trip to New York and first time at Bergdorf Goodman's I decided to take it all in.

Well...the good news is that this perfume is scent-sational and absolutely fabulous. The bad news, like almost everything in that store, this perfume is WAY over my budget. At $110 for an ounce, this perfume would have to be saved for very special occasions and I would need to make do with one spritz.

To describe the scent is tricky...described as a fragrance that both women or men could wear (I think it is more on the feminine side), with notes of coconut and lime, hibiscus and rum. It is definitely tropical, but not overly sweet. My best advice is to experience it for yourself. As an added bonus, a portion of all Virgin Island Waters sales will benefit charities protecting the world's oceans. Creed has many other fragrance options if this scent isn't your cup of tea.

This scent will definitely leave you feeling touched for the very first time :)

Wino Wednesday

I generally am overly cautious about wines that contain Grenache grapes as they make the wine overly tannic and as you know I am not such a fan of tannic wines. So when Elon brought home this 2006 Ridge Vineyards "Three Valleys" Sonoma Zinfandel Blend I was a bit skeptical. Elon assured me that it was only 5% Grenache and mostly Zinfandel which I adore. Well...unfortunately my tongue is extra sensitive, cause the bitterness of this wine immediately stood out to me, versus the jammy yumminess that is Zinfandel. It was very dark in color, and perhaps in a couple years it will be an incredible wine. Personally, not a fan.

I have heard wonderful things about Ridge wines, and I am not going to shoot this vineyard down just yet. I think Elon paid around $20 for the bottle and I personally would have enjoyed a different bottle for that price. Judge for yourself :)

Cute Dress, Better Price!

I love Tracy Reese's dresses, I think they are so cute, fun and flirty. This 'Jenny' Strapless Sharkskin Dress does not disappoint. I haven't seen this dress in person, but I am imagining the color would be fun because it might look grey, silver, or lavender depending on the lighting. Plus, the style of this dress looks good on almost everybody. Worth checking out if you ask me!

Congrats!

A big congratulations and best wishes goes out to my friends Erin & Steve who just got engaged Wednesday! The picture above is from their trip to Hawaii and their early wake up call to see the sunrise. Steve proposed as the sun rose, and she said yes. Too perfect! Can't wait to see these two in a month!

Yellow Wedding Inspiration

Snippet & Ink always does an AMAZING job creating beautiful wedding inspiration boards. These boards are not only helpful in providing ideas, but also inspirational for when you need a kick in the pants to remember you have wedding stuff to do...

This Sunshine Fix Board #148 is EXACTLY what I needed to see going into this weekend. Elon is away in Tahoe for his bachelor party and I have the house all to myself to plan, organize and finish some to-do items on my list.

Yahoo!

Forever Frugal Friday

I love how this simple Bella Dress from Forever 21 can be worn with some flip flops and a denim jacket for a casual Saturday afternoon, or paired with some great heels and some dramatic jewelry transitions easily into girls night out or a great evening date.

At $19.80 and available in navy, coco, light olive and blue, you would be silly not to purchase one for the days of Spring ahead. Also, it is a cheaper alternative to the Empire Dress from the Gap, which on sale is still $49.50.



Whichever dress you select, you are sure to look fabulous!

Swimsuit Time....

With Summer just around the corner (especially in LA) I had the urge to start browsing some suits. I think this Check Knot Bandeau and matching Check Side-Knot Hipster bikini from Delia*s is so fun and preppy. It reminds me of something I might find at JCrew but at half the cost. Sizing could be tricky though.....Worth a try for sure.

Tim Gunn Carries On...

Sadly, no more Heidi, Tim, Nina, and Michael for awhile :( However this video should help you get through your withdrawls!

Carry On!

Project Runway: The Winner is Fierce!

And the winner is.....

CHRISTIAN!!!! It was quite a fantastic finale and rather sweet to see Christian humbled by his win. I loved seeing all the judges soo happy for him and seriously could the pic above be any cuter? (Also aren't Heidi's shoes FAB?)

I was way off about Jillian but must confess that her collection was my favorite. Below are my favorite looks by the final three.

I adored Jillian's entire collection, but especially loved this dress. Cute, sexy and fun all summed into one. I also liked the model wearing the dress...perhaps you remember Jaslene as the winner of America's Next Top Model: Cycle 8. Girl worked the runway well, Tyra would have been proud.

Even though Rami showed this piece to make it into the final three I still think this dress is so amazing and so beautiful. I love the texture and the cut and everything really. Rami has always been a talented dress maker and as Nina pointed out, he really shines in evening wear. I would love to see this gown on a celebrity for an awards show or gala.

Christian's winning collection was beautiful, dramatic and edgy. His execution was fabulous but as the judges all pointed out, his collection was a bit monotonous. Even so, collectively through the entire show his pieces were incredible and he deserved this win for sure. Loved the ruffles, loved the colors, loved his models and honestly LOVED him. He is truly fabulous!


Until next season...auf Wiedersehen!

Wino Wednesday

I apologize for the quality of this picture but that is what happens when you are not a professional photographer and have a shiny wine bottle label. I picked up this bottle of Gruet Methode Champenoise Demi-Sec at Bacchus Wines in Manhattan Beach. It was a treat to myself for my birthday and pretty reasonably priced at $16 a bottle.

This Demi-Sec was light, sweet and ever so bubbly. It was fruity, but not overly acidic and went down so smoothly. I would definitely buy this bottle again, but do not recommend serving this to guests who prefer Bruts. It is more of a dessert sparkler, which went wonderful with my mini cupcakes from Vanilla Bake Shop.

Project Runway: Final Three

Oh my goodness, I cannot believe that it is already the season finale of Project Runway tonight. I am super excited to see the collections (although I must confess I already checked them out weeks ago - exciting stuff!) but also sad to see my favorite reality show end so soon.

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I must bring to your attention that after the 1st episode of Project Runway I posted who I believed the top four designers to watch out for and who I believed would make it far (not that it wasn't sooo obvious). Guess what! I predicted right. Tonight Christian, Jillian & Rami will have a fashion walk off with their twelve piece collection at Bryant Park.

Christian has had me laughing this entire season with his fierceness, and mad shit-talking skills. He is a wonderful example of walking the walk and talking the talk. I have been so impressed this whole season with what he has put together (and how quickly he sews!) and his sheer creativity. Expect to see this fella as a major designer in the next couple years. I don't think he will win (not sure why, but I just don't), although if he does win, it is well deserved.
Although all the judges have labeled his style as predictable, his finished pieces are flawless. He already has his own store front, has clothed the likes of Jessica Alba and is pretty much established as a designer, which makes me think he also is not going to be crowned the winner. He pieces are incredibly beautiful and very feminine, again his name will not be lost in the near future.
Which leads me to the last contender Miss Jillian. I think that the final two will be her and Christian and she will just beat out Christian by a hair. She has been very strong this entire competition, and her ideas are always different, yet classy, yet fun and flirty. All the things a fashion designer needs to be. Plus the girl has been sharing her fashion ideas with the Ralph Lauren team and it is time for her own ideas to shine under her own name.

The judges (joined by special guest host Victoria Beckham) have a tough decision ahead of them and I can honestly say that all the designers deserve it. Tune in tonight and judge for yourself. I am super excited!

Steal of a Deal

This Anne Klein Halter Dress w/ Full Skirt in Eggplant is a steal of a deal at $57.90. It is also available in Nut/Nut for the same price. The colors may be more appropriate for winter time, but all the more reason to pick it up now for next winter. This dress would be great for a cocktail party, bridesmaids or as a wedding guest. Love it!

Favorite Flip Flops

A few years back, I spied this lovely Leather Carpri Sandals at JCrew and instantly fell in love. Not only were they super comfy and required zero breaking in, they also were dressy enough to pair with a sun dress for an evening dinner. I was super excited when I found a wonderful knockoff of them at Target for $4.99.

Well Summer came and went as did the shoes, and when I went to pick up some additional pairs for the following Summer, I was saddened to see that Target no longer carried them. I have stalked ever local Target and even online with no prevail. I am in desperate need of a pair and about ready to give in and buy them from JCrew. However, I figured I would put a last minute request out there to anyone who has seen anything similar to these at a fraction of the cost.

Help a sister out!

I LOVE Origins!

I have been a big fan of Origins for quite some time now, and no matter how often I try out another skin care line, I always come back to Origins.

I have been using the Origins Modern Friction™ for over a year now as my "tough" facial exfoliant. It's prety gritty, and it leaves your face as soft as a baby's bottom.

Everyone knows that LA has awful pollution in the air, so this little beauty comes in handy to protect my skin from the further woes of the environment. I use the A Perfect World™ White tea skin guardian daily after I wash my face in the morning. It leaves your skin feeling silky and it also makes your daily moisturizer go on smoother.

This has been my favorite moisturizer for the last five years, I even got Elon hooked on it. How can you not love a facial moisturizer called Have a Nice Day™ Super-charged moisture cream - SPF 15? It is so important to wear SPF on your face everyday that is at LEAST SPF 15. I love this one because it has a slight citrus smell to it and also a little goes a long way.

My new favorite Origins product is the Youthtopia™ Skin firming cream with Rhodiola. I use it as my night moisturizer because the scent kind of makes you smell like a hippy who just put mushrooms on their face. Elon always laughs when I kiss him goodnight, and calls me his little hippy. I can seriously say that this cream has worked wonders for my skin. I don't think I have the most wonderful skin in the world but this cream definitely gives my skin a little glow when I wake in the morning.

So if you are looking for a new skin care regime, or have a special event happening soon, or you have sensitive skin and always need to try before you buy....Origins has created this nice collection that includes everything (except the Have a Nice Day™ Super-charged moisture cream) called the Firming Experts. Smaller sizes so that if you love it (which I think you will) you can buy the full size, and if you breakout or have an adverse allergic reaction (my mom) then you haven't wasted all this money on the full sizes.

All these products are available at your local department store or you can get them here. They are sure to be a win for your skin!