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“The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.”--Audrey Hepburn

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Weekend at Home

This weekend I am home in Minnesota, spending every second that I can with my absolutely perfect nephew, M.  I am definitely in love.

On Friday morning, I woke up early and decided to try making some buttermilk chocolate chip scones.  They were amazing and I may make some for my baby bro to bring back to school tomorrow.

Hope you're enjoying every second of a fabulous weekend.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Friday's Fancies Blog Swap with Emmy!

Hey Glitterista readers, I'm Emmy from Sprinkles on Everything. I am so excited to be blog swapping today with Danielle. Before linking up with {av} for this swap, I was unfamiliar with Glitterista and boy was I missing out. After reading Danielle's blog for all of ten seconds I knew we would get along, Lilly Pulitzer, Gossip Girl references and gorgeous fashion...yep..that's everything I need in life. I'm so excited for this weeks Friday Fancy and want to thank Danielle and {av} for this fun swap! Do stop by my blog and say hi!

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I thought I was excited for the Will and Kate, then I thought I was excited for Kim and Kris (epic fail) but nothing compares to my excitement for the Gossip Girl Royal Wedding taking place on Monday. Now, let me be clear, I am 100% team Chuck and Blair and have a sneaking suspicion this 'wedding' to Louis is not going to actually happen.

With that said...I can't wait for the fashion. Gossip Girl already nails it week after week with their lust worthy threads and I can only imagine this epic event will be no exception. Had I been invited to this soiree, I would hope to wearing something like this:




Thanks again, Danielle!!

XO

Emmy

It was so fun to play along with Emmy and {av} this week!  To see my picks, visit Sprinkles on Everything here. Have a great weekend, loves!  I'll be enjoying some serious cuddle time with my baby nephew and logging some serious family time as both of my brothers will be home and I am having a mother-daughter day on Monday.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Queen B Bedroom Inspiration

During Monday's ah-mah-zing Gossip Girl episode, I was very distracted by the divine bedroom of Queen B.  I've been searching for some inspiration as I'd love to redo my own bedroom and the sumptuous satins and silks, the divine drapes, all the metallic accessories, and of course the statement wall, make Blair's room a perfect place to start.  And of course any respectable royal must have a bedroom chandelier.


Is there a bedroom you are lusting over?

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Vow

I am going to see the new movie, The Vow, starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum tomorrow!  I am so excited to go to a sneak preview with my bestie, L.


This movie was at the very top of my must-see Valentinesy movie list.  I am also hoping to see The Descendents, and The Artist within the next couple weeks to prep for Oscar Season.  Any movies you are dying to see?

Monday, January 23, 2012

Snowy Weekend

My weekend started off very snowy.


But I managed to brave the snow (and trade my ballet flats for boots) for a wine tasting on Friday.


And then the bf surprised me with coffee and macarons Saturday morning before an afternoon out with the bf's nephew that lives here and walking around cool neighborhoods in the snow.


Saturday night I put on my favorite Lilly top, a cozy black Babs wrap, and some fun Lilly bracelets for a dinner out at my favorite French restaurant with the bf.


Oh yeah, and I also watched the entire first season of Homeland.  I'm not sure how I felt about the finale, but I am excited to see how everything plays out in season two, and I do think Claire Danes does a very good job, and Sgt. Brody is pretty cute.  Does anyone else watch this show? 


How was your weekend?

Friday, January 20, 2012

I've Been Tagged!

Yay! Sweet, Sassy, Southern and Classy and KAH tagged me in a very fun blogger game. Their questions were so perfect and I loved playing along!


The rules:
1. You must post the rules.
2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've been tagged.
4. Tag eleven people and link them in your post.
5. Let them know you've tagged them!!


Eleven fun facts about moi:

  1. I am flying home next week to finally meet my baby nephew and Godson, M. I just adore babies and am so excited to meet him and give him plenty of kisses.
  2. Maybe it's the fact I went to college in Wisconsin, but cheese (especially strong stinky cheese) is my absolute weakness other than sweets.
  3. My college bestie was actually in a different sorority than I was, and I always talked about her during recruitment to ladies as a great example of choosing the best chapter for yourself, even if it's not the same as your friends. This way I got twice as many friends as we got two chapters of well-rounded women to meet!
  4. An acquaintance recently introduced me to her friend with the line, "and she REALLY likes Lilly Pulitzer." Ha! I guess the Lilly lovin' isn't that subtle. . .
  5. In high school I either wanted to be a high school art teacher or a lawyer. Both are very far from my current job.
  6. I love taking notes and even take them sometimes while watching TV shows.
  7. I always wear jewelry. The joke in college was that you may see me without makeup on, but never without earrings.
  8. There were at least a couple years where I only wrote with pink RSVP pens.
  9. I wear dresses or skirts at least four or five days a week. In warm weather the number is probably closer to seven.
  10. I had the same teacher three times--kindergarten, fourth, and fifth grade.  I always joke now that she just couldn't get enough of me.
  11. The first time I took my driver's test I didn't pass because I didn't know what hazard lights were!


The questions from Sweet, Sassy, Southern and Classy:


  1. What is one thing on your bucket list you're dying to do? There are lots of places that I'd love to travel to that I haven't been to yet--topping that list would probably be an African safari or a trip to London/Scotland/Ireland.
  2. Are you a "glass half-full" or "glass half-empty" type of girl? Half-full for sure!
  3. What's your favorite perfume? I wore Benefit's Maybe Baby in college and my friends still say it makes them think of me.  Now I switch it up more but most frequently wear Lilly Beachy or Wink.
  4. Tell us something super embarrassing... a story or a trait you have! At work I get really horrible cell phone reception, so the bf, my parents, and both brothers have my direct line and call from time to time.  Last week I glanced at the number and thought it was my baby brother.  I answered in a very weird, super deep voice (think dweeb from an 80s teen movie mixed with a raspy Hannibal Lector) "Why--helllllloooooooooooo?"  Of course I don't need to tell you it was NOT my brother.  I hung up when they said hello because I was so embarrassed.  Definitely not my most professional moment. 
  5. What is one of your favorite quotes? There are so many!  The Audrey quote above is one that I think is always a great reminder to all to be kind and generous.
  6. What's your favorite beauty tip? I don't know if it really works, but I always warm up my eyelash curler with a blowdryer for a few seconds before I use it, and I think fake eyelashes are a Godsend for any event where there will be a lot of pictures.
  7. Describe your idea of the perfect day. I'd definitely get up early and run out for coffee and a chocolate croissant, watch morning tv while slowly getting ready for a day of shopping.  After shopping with girlfriends or my mom (and possibly an afternoon nap) I'd get a mani/pedi and a haircut before a fun dinner out with the bf and friends before heading to a fun lounge for champagne and cocktails.
  8. What are you scared of? Spiders for sure. Nothing gets me screaming like a creepy bug or spider.
  9. What's one of your favorite memories from your childhood? For one of my birthdays I got to fly out to see my Nana and Pop pop.  While I was gone, my parents made over my room and I returned to a pink princess room!  I had a castle border up for a very very long time. ;)
  10. Tell us one of your favorite beauty tips! I slather on the moisturizer all the time, but especially in the winter with extra vaseline around my eyes.
  11. What's your favorite Disney princess/movie? I love them all and have gone as Snow White on many Halloweens, but I know The Little Mermaid by heart.


Questions from KAH:


  1. Blackberry or Iphone? iPhone all the way. I hardly remember I have a work Blackberry and usually leave it off. Oops!
  2. Favorite accessory? Jewelry of all kinds, but I wear a lot of long necklaces.
  3. Chapstick or lipgloss? Both? I recently bought the Maybelline Baby Lips and I really like it in addition to my usual drawer full of glosses, and you can't beat a fun bright lipstick for days when you're feeling blah.
  4.  If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your life what would it be? Top three would probably be: the bf's guacamole, pumpkin cheesecake, and the mango salad from a mexican restaurant near me.
  5. If you could move to any place in the world, where would it be? Paris! Oui oui oui!
  6. What is your favorite thing to do on the weekends? Fridays I love to do happy hour or something similarly low-key like a movie and take-out. Saturdays I love shopping, crafting, and having friends over or going out to dinner. Sundays I love to do errands (and go to TJ Maxx) and cook.
  7. Do you plan your blogs or just post when you feel like it? I really really wish there was a bit more planning that I did. I'm working on doing some more posts in advance, but often I do them the day before or the day they're posted.
  8. What's your favorite movie theater snack? Sour Patch Kids, Twizzlers, Milk Duds, Charleston Chews or pretty much any other candy. What can I say? I love sugar.
  9. If you could be on any game show on TV what would it be? I always loved Double Dare and The Newlywed Show.  I'd love to say I won Jeopardy.
  10. Who's your style icon? There are so many! Audrey, Blair, Reese, Jackie, Lilly--many beautiful women from the past and present that are very true to their own signature look.
  11. Why did you start blogging? I had so much fun reading other blogs and was excited to have an outlet in graduate school that focused on lovely things.


My questions for you:
1. What is your favorite month?
2.What children's (or young adult) book would you like to re-read now?
3. What song do you play on repeat?
4. If you had to dress head-to-toe in one color for the next month what would it be?
5. What celebrity do others say you most resemble?
6. What is the quality you most value in a significant other?
7. What language would you most like to learn?
8. If you could be any one character from a movie, tv show, play or book, who would it be and why?
9. Where would you like to go for your next vacation?
10. What's your favorite all-time Halloween costume?
11. If you had to change jobs tomorrow and could do anything you wanted, what would you do?


I'm tagging:
Classic Annie
Lindsey
Alexandria
Sara
Sundresses and Smiles 
SHF
Little Miss Can't Be Wrong
The City Boy
Posh Peach
MCW
Emily


...and anyone else who wants to play along!  What are your answers?

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

An Ode to Funny Face

In Monday's post, I commented that I adored Natalie Portman's Lanvin dress and that it was something that I could imagine Audrey wearing.  I couldn't stop thinking that maybe it was modeled after something that Audrey had worn.

Natalie Portman, gorgeous in Lanvin at the 2012 Golden Globes.

Audrey Hepburn, stunning in Hubert de Givenchy in 1957's Funny Face.
I think I spot a resemblance! ;) 

Also, if you haven't seen Funny Face, especially if you're a fan of Paris or Audrey, you simply must add it to your must-see list.  It was my favorite film for many years and is simply the best for daydreaming about European vacations.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Confetti Art

I've seen so many gorgeous art pieces around the blogosphere and on pinterest, that yesterday's day off was the perfect time to finally do some crafts and try my own glitter confetti canvas.

First, I went to a craft store (Michael's) and bought a canvas, two sheets each of three different kinds of glitter paper (often found in the scrapbook section--choose whichever color fits your vision!), craft glue, and a circle craft punch.

 I bought two glitter "colors"--a true gold and one with gold and silver together.  This white paper with gold polka dots was so fun that I couldn't resist it at the last minute.

Next, use the circle craft punch to punch around the sides of the paper to make many circles.  I started scattering them across the canvas as if they were being thrown from one corner and raining down the canvas.

After adding a few more, I started to glue the circles, attempting to keep the look scattered and random.

I added a few more, being careful to make sure any overlapping circles had a bit of extra glue.  Finally, I stepped back and let the glue dry while I thought about if I wanted to add more.

And it was done!

Now the question is--where will I hang it?

Monday, January 16, 2012

Golden Globes 2012--My Best Dressed

I was very excited to sit down and enjoy the Golden Globes last night with a glass of wine and the bf.  I haven't gotten to spend much time with him recently due to a big work project he's on, so it was really nice to have an amazing meal of seared scallops with shrimp truffle risotto before watching the awards.  I love guessing the winners, and definitely need to get to more movies as there are quite a few I'd love to see (The Artist, My Week With Marilyn, and The Descendents) before the Academy Awards.

My Best Dressed List often includes my favorite Hollywood leading ladies, and sometimes despite adoring the dress, some ladies I'm not as enamored by don't really have a chance to make it on the list.  My favorite looks often involve a bit of tulle or beading, anything sparkly and my favorite colors.

Wow, Elle Macpherson continues to be a true supermodel.  Her Zac Posen gown was a true confection, and fit her perfectly.  I generally go weak at the knees for that much tulle.
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The lavender color was a perfect complement to Octavia Spencer's skin-tone, and I loved the beaded gathering.


Sofia Vergara is clearly one of the most stunning women in Hollywood.  The Vera Wang dress and Harry Winston jewelry were gorgeous, but I would've loved to see a bit more volume for her hair.

I thought Nicole Richie's 60s high pony was super fun and great with her sparkly stunner.
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Brad knocked it out of the park with Jessica Alba's "magical" Gucci gown.


Reese explained, "I'm from Tennessee, we like a little camo" while commenting on matching the carpet. She looked like she was having so much fun, and a smile is always the perfect accessory.


It was a little shocking to see the star from The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Shailene Woodley, looking so sophisticated in Marchesa.  I agree with Kathie Lee, very age-appropriate and pretty.

I would vote for Salma Hayek (in Gucci) Best Hair any day.


I think Claire Danes' J. Mendel dress was the best detailing--what a dazzling exit!
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Natalie Portman wore a custom Lanvin dress I could imagine on Audrey. Love the red and pink combination!

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Who made it to your best dressed list?

Friday, January 13, 2012

Friday's Fancies Color Crush

I was so excited for this week's Friday's Fancies post, Color Crush.  As you may be able to tell, I adore color and wear a lot of it all year round.  My recent color love is all shades of blue, especially bright cobalts.  While I'm gazing out my window at the snow falling, a few of these gorgeous pieces would be such a bright pick-me-up.

This gorgeous Gucci bag would be the perfect hint of cobalt that would surely be very versatile.

Cobalt is such a stong color that you can either let the dress do the talking. . . 
Let the dress do the talking



I was very excited for the chance to pair those gorgeous Kate Spade earrings with sparkly bow peep toes and the glasses I am dying over with an Issa dress and imagine popping some macarons.

Or let a few cobalt wonders jazz up some classic pieces.
Cobalt Wonders



Those gloves and those shoes. Wow.


Hope you all enjoy your weekend!  What color are you crushing on lately?