Plain White T-shirt

Sometimes I think there is nothing better than taking a very basic outfit and pairing it back to super fab accessories to really take it up a notch. It feels very JCrew-esque to me, which is pretty tough to beat. I also think its hard to beat a t-shirt and blazer with some skinnies and fun pumps. So easy, yet so sexy and cool (according to my hubby!!).

So, once again inspired by Pinterest, I decided to take one of my favorite boyfriend tees and style it back to my favorite Gap skinnies, a staple gray blazer, and finish it off with some pretty great accessories-including my new bright pink pumps which I can’t get enough of!!!

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Tee shirt: Forever21 (old)
Blazer: H&M (recent)
Jeans: Gap Always Skinny (sold out in stores)
Pumps: Jessica Simpson Waleo Pump c/o Macy’s
Necklace: Thai Pan Trading Company (Utah only)
Bracelets: H&M (recent)
Watch: Michael Kors c/o The Rack
Ring: Etsy c/o Decofox

Fortunately for me, I am all about the color pink which will no doubt be an asset as we move into a new season of fashion. But the good news is, if pink isn’t your color, pretty much every hue under the sun is in style this year, so you will no doubt be able to take your pick of a myriad of colorful baubles and accessories to spice up any outfit!! The key is to just HAVE FUN!!!

xx


Think Pink

Pink and yellow are my favorite colors-which if you know me at all is definitely no secret. So when I found these bright pink pants at AE a couple of weeks ago, I couldn’t wait to get them home and pair them back to my favorite yellow suede pumps. What I didn’t realize, however, was how tricky it would be to find the perfect top to round out the look.

Enter my favorite website EVER: Pinterest. I’m almost embarrassed to admit to the amount of hours I spend perusing this site-it is a sick, sick addiction. But I just can’t seem to stop myself from pinning and searching for inspiration (of which there is plenty). So I knew it would be the perfect place to find a resolution for my dilemma, and of course I was not disappointed. Thanks to Pinterest I was inspired to pair my cute navy and white striped off-the-shoulder sweater back to my yellow shoes and pink pants. I think I kind of love how the the look how it turned out, but I have to be totally honest, I’m even more excited to pair this top back my sunshine yellow skinnies-which I will definitely share in an upcoming post!! But for now, I’m thinking pink…

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Sweater: H&M ( recent)
Pants: American Eagle (recent)
Shoes: Steve Madden (sold out)
Watch: Michael Kors c/o The Rack
Bracelets: H&M (recent)

And if you couldn’t already tell, I’m so excited about spring and summer fashion trends that I can hardly stand it. So much so, I guess I’m getting a bit of an early start. Hooray for color (and warmer weather!!)!!!

xx

A Little Bird Told Me…

I am not usually a fan of ditsy prints, but have been on the hunt for the perfect little bird print blouse or dress since January.  Something about the cute whimsy and prelude-to-spring feel of it had me hooked and I knew I needed to add a piece of this nature to my closet.  For several weeks I looked high and low, but everything I found seemed to either be too expensive, or just not quite right (I should note that I think there is a fine line between tacky and cute with these types of prints so I have been pretty picky in my quest). 

And then it happened, as it often does, when I least expected it.  I was visiting one of my stores in Helena, Montana (of all places!) and happened to walk past the junior’s department (of all places!), and there it was, pretty and sweet, exactly what I had been looking for and for exactly the right price ($39.99 before my employee discount).  I tried it on expecting the worst, but the fit was perfect AND it is a fab little frock with or without a jacket or cardi, which makes it an ideal transitional piece from winter into spring.  And while it is oh-so-pretty and feminine, it is also perfect back to beat up boots and leather jacket, if you ask me!

Look at those cute little birds and that super subtle ruffle-LOVE it!!

Jacket zipped for to and fro on a chilly day…

Unzipped, showcasing a belt and cute necklaces…

Fab boots that I scored in San Francisco for an unbelievable price!

 

Dress:  Macy’s (in select stores)

Jacket:  H&M (sold out)

Belt:  Mossimo for Target

Boots:  Jessica Simpson c/o Ross

Necklaces: Tiffany, my personal collection of charms

iPhone Case:  Kate Spade $40.00

So, consider this post to be your little bird telling you that in this dreary transitional period from winter into spring, it is most likely time to invest in a cute little ditsy print to lighten and liven your wardrobe up a bit.  And remember, the early bird always gets the worm. 

Happy hunting!

xx

Before and After

I have so many amazing before and after photos from our recent remodel that I am dying to share and blog about that it is sometimes hard to know where to begin.  But as I was sitting in our sun room this morning drinking coffee and paging through the latest US Weekly, I couldn’t help but admire our fireplace and feel incredibly pleased with the makeover it received from me and my hubby.

It would be an understatement to say that our house was “out-dated” when it came into our possession last year, and the fireplace in our sun room was no exception.  The grey tiles and gold trim just weren’t doing it for us, nor did they go with the rustic feel we were trying to achieve, or really with anything in the 21st century, for that matter.  So, after a little research and multiple trips to Lowes and Home Depot to find just the right supplies, we decided upon our method of transformation.  An entire day was devoted to the project, but in the end, it seems a small price to pay as it has improved the look and feel of the entire room, which also happens to be the BEST room in our house.

Before…

Grey shiny tile, gold trim, and a mesh door-I don’t miss that one bit!

During…

Tiles popped off, and face repainted-starting to look much better!!

After…

Voila!  The finished product.  LOVE the colors of the slate, the glass doors, and the matte black finish-actually, the whole package complete with decor and the way it all looks back to our wood floors.  **Sigh** .  Pretty sure my hubby and I make an awesome team.  And as I already mentioned, I have a TON of before and after photos to share from our giant project-definitely many more posts like this to come!

xx

Thrill of the Chase

I LOVE me a good deal-might be one of my favorite things in the entire world.  Maybe it’s from years spent as a buyer knowing what things actually cost, but I have a hard time shelling out full price for anything.  So in truth, every time I make a purchase, it becomes a little game to see how great of I deal I can find.  And most of the time, the thrill of the chase can almost be more fun than the catch.  But not this time.

The Rack (Nordstrom Rack, for those of you who aren’t on a nickname basis) has been a tried and true place for me to find  many incredible fashion steals and deals over the years.  But a few days ago, while stopping in to see what treasures they have in stock, I might have stumbled upon my best find yet.  I have a great little arsenal of Michael Kors watches that I have collected over the last couple of years, but have been on the hunt for a dressy gold one for quite a while now.  But alas, gold watches are so popular, it has been nearly impossible to find a good deal on one.  So, when I popped by the watch case (purely out of habit), I was shocked to see it, hiding in the back.  A lone gold watch, exactly the same as my silver one, but with BLING!!  Yes, BLING!!  And what could be more perfect for me than a shiny gold watch with bling?  Pretty sure nothing.

So behold, my new, gorgeous, $350 Michael Kors watch that I scored for $80 and some change.  AH-mazing!!!

 

The collection (from left to right):

Silver and Crystal Watch:  Michael Kors c/o ShopBop

Silver Watch:  Michael Kors c/o Macy’s

Gold and Rhinestone Watch (new): Michael Kors c/o Nordstrom Rack

Gold and Tortise Watch:  Michael Kors c/o Nordstrom Rack

Black Watch:  Michael Kors c/o Nordstrom Rack

And did I mention that the true purpose for my trip to the Rack was to return a pair of boots that I didn’t end up wearing this year?  So essentially, with the return, I scored this rocking arm candy for about $7.  Now I just need to figure out how I’m ever going to top that!   Let the chase begin!!

xx

Back Where I Come From

Late in the summer, a friend of mine gave me a darling print of the state of Utah with a little heart around Salt Lake that she had gotten from a cute Etsy shop.  I knew it needed the perfect place in our home, and while I was deciding what I wanted to do with it, it dawned on me that it would be a fun idea to contact the Etsy seller (she has SO many cute things you can see here) and see if she would be willing to make me another print of Montana (my home state) and North Dakota (my hubby’s home state) so I could have a little memento of the three places that mean the most to our family to display in our home in the SLC. Fortunately, she obliged and I was able to select the colors that I wanted and ultimately decided to hang them in our colorful guest bedroom, which you can  catch a glimpse of here and here.

And while I love living in the great state of Utah, I think its important for everyone to know that I will always be a Montana girl at heart.

xx

Working for the Weekend

Let me tell you, it has been one heck of a week.  It might be only Wednesday, but I have already logged close to 40 hours at the office and might even be going a little cross-eyed from staring at my computer for hours on end.  Super early mornings and absurdly late nights have made me a bit somber the last couple of days, so when I got dressed (in the dark!) this morning, I was drawn to a more earthy ensemble complete with leopard wedges, suede elbow patches on a comfy jersey blazer, and some pretty vintage jewelry courtesy of my beloved Grandma.

Blazer:  H&M (sold out)

Blouse:  Forever21 (old)

Belt:  American Eagle

Leggings:  Nordstrom (old)

Shoes:  Aldo (sold out)

Watch:  Michael Kors c/o Nordstrom Rack

Jewelry:  Vintage

So happy to be on the downhill slide and that the weekend is finally drawing near.  Happy Hump Day!!!!

xx

Arts and Crafts

I love arts and crafts projects, but am usually so busy with work and tagging along on adventures with my hubby that I normally don’t have much time to devote to this favorite pastime.  But when I was preparing to head off to San Francisco at the end of the summer, I unexpectedly found myself with a bit of time to spare.   So, inspired by my friend who painted this amazing chevron rug, I decided to try my hand at oil painting, both free hand and stencil.  And while I like to believe that I am on the creative side, painting and drawing have never been my forte, so I was surprisingly pleased with my results (although I could definitely still use some work!).  And of course I also like the fact that I was able to contribute a little hand-made-goodness to our fun and whimsical spare bedroom.

Making my stencil with frog tape (please excuse my mess in the background!)

Finished gold chevron canvas (my edges bled a little, so I might explore another option the next time around)

Orange, turquoise, and gold free hand, could use some work, but not too bad for my first try!!

End result:  fun pops of color brighten up a transformed antique dresser (also seen in here)…

Happy weekend!!

xx

Closet Staple: Red Blazer

2011 was ALL ABOUT COLOR and I can tell you that 2012 isn’t going to be any different.  And while I have always been a huge fan of color and seem to have a bright and cheery wardrobe no matter the season (yellow and pink are my favorite colors, after all), I know that color isn’t for everyone.  So, whether you are a color person or not, the questions is: how do you decide which pieces you should  purchase in bold, bright colors?  And while I believe there are a lot of great options for giving your wardrobe a little flair, there is one thing at the top of my list that I think every gal should own.  And that, my friends, is a red blazer.

Red is all over the place, from lips to pants to nails, and blazers are, well, classic.  So really, how can you go wrong? I truly believe that  there isn’t a woman out there who doesn’t have the ability to seamlessly pull off a red blazer-it might just take stepping out of your comfort zone a little bit to try.

In honor of Valentine’s day, I decided to pair mine back to a few of my other closet staples for a festive, yet comfy ensemble-perfect to celebrate one of my favorite days of the year!

Blazer:  Forever21 (recent)

Striped Tunic:  Forever21 (last summer)

Belt:  Mossimo from Target (last summer)

Leggings:  Nordstrom (last year)

Bracelets:  H&M and Tiffany

Watch: Michael Kors c/o Macy’s (sold out in silver, but still available in rose gold) $250

Necklaces:  Tiffany and personal collection of charms

Boots:  Aldo Farmar (sold out online and in store)

Now get out there and find your perfect red blazer!  I promise you’ll be glad you did!

xx

Napa and Wine and Castles-oh my!

I was in Seattle for work this week and as I drove into the city on Monday night, I had a sharp and unexpected pang of longing in my heart for San Francisco.  I spent the months of September through December in the City by the Bay completing an intensive training program for work.  And while it was hard to be away from my family and home-sweet-home, I fell in love with San Francisco, and definitely left a little piece of my heart there when it was time to say goodbye.

And so, with my heart strings tugged, I decided to take a little stroll down memory lane and spent Monday evening curled up in my cozy hotel room over room service looking through all of the amazing photos I have documenting my time in the SF.  And while there are so many great photos and memories to choose from, I decided to post in honor of a fabulous weekend my hubby and I spent in Napa and Sonoma drinking wine, eating cheese, playing tourist, and fulfilling my dream of touring wine country-even discovering our  favorite restaurant of all time along the way.  And of course I also had to share because in the below photos I am wearing one of my favorite tops.  EVER.  But what an incredible time we had exploring and touring gorgeous, perfectly manicured vineyards-particularly this incredible Castle, which was the highlight of our trip, thanks to a recommendation by a dear friend.

My hubby and me when we first arrived…

In one of the many cool wine cellars…

Tasting…

Soaking up some sun…

Admiring the view.  What a day.

Tunic:  Forever 21 (thanks to inspiration from J over at J’s Everday Fashion!)

Leggings: Nordstrom Rack

Belt:  Mossimo from Target

Boots:  Preppie by Steve Madden (on sale now for $41.99!!!)

Sunglasses:  Steve Madden c/o TJ Maxx

Feather Earrings:  Forever 21

Gold Watch:  Michael Kors c/o Nordstrom Rack

Handbag:  Rebecca Minkoff Devote (sold out)

And with that, I am going to kick off my weekend day dreaming of San Francisco, balmy summer days, wine, wine country, more wine, and castles, of course.

Cheers!!!

xx