Snow Day!

Winter finally decided to visit Utah...it snowed and actually stuck around for most of the day!  Emery (the husband) and I took the kids over to a big field and dragged them around on their sled for a while, then we came home and had some hot chocolate!  A perfect winter day if you ask me.   Since the snow made it look super bright outside, I figured I would dress in bright colors too!

 

Cardigan: DownEast Basics, Basic shirt: DownEast Basics, Jeans: Kohls, Boots: JCPenney, 

Necklace: Made Myself

Linking to: The Pleated Poppy WIWW, What We Wore and Made Wednesday, Things I Love Tuesday, Your Whims Wednesday

Scarves and Sock Buns

I have developed a love for scarves.  The only scarves I used to buy were the thick winter styles, but luckily Catherine introduced me to these wonderful decorative accessories!  A scarf can really add some pizazz to an outfit, especially fun patterned ones.  I recently made another scarf purchase and this one has a cute print with trees and animals.  I threw on an aqua blue shirt that matched, as well as a pair of bootcut jeans...easy peasy lemon squeezy!  It got really windy today, so I had to throw on a jacket too. 

I also tried a "sock bun" for the first time.  I had seen it on Pinterest, so I went to the YouTube page where the tutorial video is posted by Loepsie and followed the instructions.  It was pretty easy to do and it really makes the bun look more full!

Scarf: Soel Boutique, Shirt: not sure, Jeans: DownEast, Jacket: Old Navy (Similar), 

Earrings: Made Myself

Linking up to: G*Rated Sunday Best

Feminine Flowers

Is anyone else obsessed with Polyvore? Seeing all of the great outfit ideas gives me so much inspiration! This collection I created has such a feminine feel to it and I am loving floral prints for Spring.  Everything in this collection can be found at ShopRuche.com, which is one of our favorite online boutiques!  Sorry for the lack of real life outfit posts lately, I promise I will get working on that!

Dress, Cardigan, Shoes, Purse, Ring

My InPink Package

A while back I won a giveaway from one of my favorite blogs Le Quaintrelle for a gift card to the online jewelry store InPink.   It took me a while to decide what I wanted from the store, but I finally picked a couple things out and they just arrived!  I have to say, I was very pleased with the presentation of the package.  The items were carefully wrapped and it came in a cute gift box.  I chose a seashell necklace/earring set, as well as a fun rhinestone chain bracelet.  Sorry about the bad photos, I had to use my phone camera!

Thanks again LeQuaintrelle for the great giveaway!

Bow Neck-Tie Tops

Lately I have become obsessed with bow tops.  There is something about them that is so feminine and girly!  There are so many great options out there right now, so I figured I would share some of my personal favorites with you. 

Clockwise from top left: Ditsy Floral Bow Blouse-Piper Lime, Hunky Dory Dress-ModCloth, Tiny Cupcakes Top-ModCloth, Lost Memoirs Floral Necktie Blouse-ShopRuche, Lois Lane Necktie Dress-ShopRuche, Sheer Shirt With Necktie-Forever21

How do you feel about the bow blouse look...Love it or hate it?

My Valentine's Outfit

My Valentine's Outfit: Blouse-Kohls, Skirt-DownEast Basics (can be found at ShopRuche.com), undershirt-DownEast Basics, Shoes-Gianni Bini from Dillards

My Valentine's date was similar to Catherine's.  My husband got a babysitter and took me out to my favorite restaurant The Old Spaghetti Factory.  After we ate he took me to see "The Vow", which I highly recommend if you like romantic movies like me!  I admit I got teary-eyed a few times. 

Linking up to: What I Wore Wednesday, Whatever You Want Wednesday, My Girlish Whims, The Pleated Poppy

Manicure Monday...on Tuesday. Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!  I totally forgot about Manicure Monday yesterday, so today I am going to share my heart nails with you.  I thought I had a brilliant idea, which actually turned out just to be a mediocre idea.  I really wanted to paint hearts on my nails, but I didn't have a stencil and I am not the best at free hand, so I thought maybe I could try to make my own stencil.  Here is what I did:

Step 1: Paint nails a solid color.  I used Revlon "Valentine". (I thought it was fitting)

Step 2: fold masking tape in half and cut out a heart shape. There may be a better type of tape to use, but this is all I had on hand.

Step 3: Place tape on nail.  Make sure it is pressed down firmly so the polish won't seep underneath.

Step 4: Paint another color over the tape. I used white.

Here is what you will end up with!

Step 5: Repeat on the other nails.  I cut out a smaller heart for all the other fingernails and just used the big heart for the thumbs.

Overall this method worked alright.  I found that if I let the polish set for about 15 seconds before peeling the tape off it was smoother.  I wanted to try another method on my daughter, so I just used a toothpick.  Here is how I did her nails:

Step 1: Paint nails a solid color.  I used Revlon Plum Seduction.

Dip a toothpick into another color of polish.  I used Revlon Lilac Pastelle.

Gently apply polish to nails in a heart shape.

I think the stencil method turned out a little better, but the toothpick method was definitely the easier option.  I think next time I will just get one of those nail polish pens that make it easy to draw shapes!  But if you don't want to spend the extra money this is a decent option.

I love Valentine's Day and it was fun painting nails with my little Valentine!

What do you think?

Linking up to: Thrifty Thursday, Ginger Snap Crafts, Lil' Luna

New York City, Part IV (The Red Dress Fashion Show)

My favorite part of the whole trip was definitely The Heart Truth's Red Dress Fashion Show.  I had never been to anything like this and it was so fun getting all dolled up and being treated like a VIP!  Diet Coke sent had us taken to the show in a limousine and once we arrived we went into a special section of the building specifically set up for VIP's.  We were up on a balcony where we could look down and see the models getting their hair and makeup done, which was fun to see.  They also had drinks and appetizers for us.  The best part for me was being able to meet Minka Kelly, an actress on my favorite show "Friday Night Lights".  When it was time for the show we went into the main room and took our seats.  The show itself was surprisingly short, but it was exciting and entertaining.  The women who participated in the show were: Minka Kelly, Rose McGowan, Rebecca Romijn, Aisha Tyler, Jennifer Nettles, Elisabeth Rohm, Chaka Khan, Patti Stanger, Gloria Estefan and Christie Brinkley and Debbie Phelps (mother of Michael Phelps). 

 In the hotel lobby, all dressed up and ready to go!

 In the Limo!

 On the Red Carpet!

 The beautiful Christie Brinkley!

 In the VIP section

 With the other Diet Coke winners

The beautiful and talented Minka Kelly

 Overlooking hair and makeup

 With the P.R. ladies

 Mmmmm, Diet Coke...with heart straws!

 In our seats, waiting for the show to begin!

 Jay Manuel

 The women in their beautiful red dresses

Possibly my favorite picture of the night.  We wanted to get a photo in front of the limo, but it pulled away.  I was yelling noooo, and Catherine was laughing.

Thank you so much Diet Coke for this amazing opportunity!