Friday Favorites

Things always look different in the night of day. After a great night that took a turn, I woke up this morning and all is well again. I'm looking forward to a fantastic weekend with my family, and I hope yours is equally fabulous. God bless!

This roasted strawberry, brie, and chocolate grilled cheese. Roasted. Strawberries.

A super cute cookie jar.  

  

Totally creative Halloween desserts. 

 Lessons in wearing high heels.

A girly mantra.

image via Pinterest

Must Have: Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Yes Please by Amy Poehler, $18

It's hard not to love Amy Poehler--she's smart, funny, sassy, and she seems like a real girl's girl. Her new book promises to be as smart and funny as its author, with page after page of Amy's personal experiences in love, friendship, and motherhood. Plus, if I haven't mentioned it before, I'm a sucker for any book cover that has a bit of pink in it.

Monday

image via

Friday Favorites

October has been an absolute whirlwind of a month, and it's not even over. We've had a blast spending time with friends and family, but honestly, I'm pretty beat. This weekend we've got our annual trek to the pumpkin patch and then--and then--I've got an appointment for a massage and facial. And since I've got my little girl's 5th birthday, classroom Halloween party, kindergarten carnival, Halloween, and a trip to Disneyland planned next week, a little pampering this weekend will totally energize me for what will surely be a fun but exhausting few days. I hope you have an awesome weekend planned; take some time out to do something nice for yourself. God bless!

The secret to perfectly swirled frosting. 

Stunning black and white bathrooms.

Pretty pajamas that look way more expensive than they are.

 

The Oh Joy! for Target holiday collection; these darling mugs in particular.

Audrey and Oscar (with a plate of pasta).

11 Genius Beauty Hacks

I'm all about a brilliant beauty hack (see here, here, and here) and I love discovering new ways to use what's in my makeup bag, or in some cases, whatever's around me. Here are eleven genius tricks that have saved me lots of time and money, and always help me feel my best.

1. If you swipe too much eye cream from the jar use the excess around your mouth to help keep away laugh lines.

2. Run your fingers through hair after applying moisturizer to your face--it'll give strands an extra shot of moisture and help keep frizzies at bay. 

3. Instead of shaving cream, slather legs, bikini area, and underarms with hair conditioner and shave. 

4. Save your old toothbrushes and use them with gel or hairspray to tame unruly eyebrows and flyaway hairs.

5. After your morning cup, take the used coffee grinds to the shower with you and use as an exfoliant.

6. If you run out of eyeliner, simply make your own by dipping a liner brush in your mascara tube.

7. After applying a coat of mascara, use a cotton swab to dust baby powder on your lashes, then add another coat; the result is fuller, longer lashes that actually look like falsies.

8. To keep your at-home mani neat and tidy, smear Aquaphor or Vaseline on the skin around your nail. Any polish mistakes will clean right off.

9. Use eye drops to take the redness out of a pimple before covering it with concealer. 

10. Those little paper toilet liners also make great blotting papers. Don't be too proud to stuff a few in your purse next time you hit the ladies. (My husband was amazed when I did this last weekend.)

11. A trick I learned from my Nana: dot cheeks with lipstick and blend well for a natural-looking flush.

Must Have: Heart Blackboard

Heart Chalkboard, $19.95

Nothing makes me happier than making my little girls happy; putting together sweet little moments that put smiles on their precious faces. This chalkboard is perfect for writing love notes, drawing a silly picture for them, or sharing a birthday message. And I love the idea of sending my 5-year old off to school with a good morning message that'll make her entire day.

Oscar

"I design clothes for women to wear. I'm not interested in shock tactics. I just want to make beautiful clothes." -- Oscar de la Renta (1932 - 2014)


image via

Monday

image via

Friday Favorites

And just like that it's at least fifteen degrees cooler in Southern Cali. I won't even pretend to understand weather patterns, but I'm certainly grateful for the reprieve from the energy-leaching heat that has plagued SoCal for the past few months. It's still warm enough to fire up the grill though, and if my husband has his way we'll be doing exactly that this weekend. I hope you have an amazing weekend. Be safe, and God bless!

This stunning picture from Hannah Magazine's Instagram.

The 22 best desserts in L.A. And yes, I'm determined to try them all...for research purposes, of course.

A beautiful setting for dining al fresco with friends. 

An adorable photo shoot with adorable littles wearing adorable costumes from Pottery Barn. 

A super luxe-looking DIY with a table from IKEA. IKEA!

5 Ways to Wear a Scarf This Season

Even though scarves are rarely a necessity in Southern California, I definitely have a strong affinity for them and have acquired a pretty sizable collection over the years. Since the weather has cooled, even if only slightly, I'm starting to plan my outfits around my scarves and trying to find new ways to wear them. I'm loving the way these ladies styled theirs.

I love the grunge-meets-glam look of a fur scarf layered over a plaid shirt.

This snuggly look will be perfect for a casual night out, when it's much cooler.

Head scarves seem to have a summery feel, but paired with a fur stole and maxi dress, this one totally works for fall.

Layered over a sweater, as opposed to a coat,  is ideal for the mild SoCal weather. 

Wrapped and tied--a classic look. 

images via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Shopbop Friends & Family for Mom and Baby

1. Books With Style This Little Piggy Went To Prada   2. C. Wonder Animal Coaster Set    3. Gift Boutique Rablabs Aro Photo Frame    4. Gift Boutique Crowned Bear Head Container    5. Kate Spade New York Cheetah Ikat 17 Month Agenda   6. Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit For Moms    7. Lesportsac Ryan Baby Bag

It's the Shopbop Friends & Family Sale time, those precious three days when you can take an extra 25% off your purchase! Now's the time to stock up on winter essentials, or pick up that handbag you've had your eye on. Since I've got a couple of friends who are pregnant or recently had a baby, I'm looking at possible gifts for them. Here are several sweet ideas.

1. A book of nursery rhymes for a tiny fashionista.
2. Adorable animal coasters that are perfect to hang on a wall in the nursery.
3. A frame to house the little angel's first photo.
4. Something whimsical and fairytale-like to hold the wee lamb's treasures.
5. A fabulous way for new mommies to keep track of baby's doctor's appointments and play dates.
6. Emergency provisions for moms on the go.
7. A stylish, practical, and gender-neutral baby bag.  

What's on your shopping list? Hurry, the sale is over tomorrow! And don't forget to use code FAMILY25 at checkout.

Must Have: House of Harlow 1960 Chevron Ladder Earrings

 

 House Of Harlow 1960 Chevron Ladder Earrings

Even though it's nearly impossible to wear earrings around my 14-month old--she's always grabbing and tugging and trying to put them in her mouth--I'm obsessed with these danglers. They're simple and sleek, but special enough to dress up jeans and tees. I wouldn't dare wear them every day, obviously, but they'll definitely make an appearance for date night.

DIY Pumpkin Facial Mask

Pumpkin, besides being the star of a variety of seasonal baked treats, is loaded with all sorts of good-for-you vitamins and enzymes that exfoliate, brighten, and soften skin. When combined with an egg, which nourishes and tightens skin, and honey, an antibacterial, pumpkin becomes a beautiful-skin-revealing facial mask.

DIY Pumpkin Facial Mask
¼ cup pumpkin purée

1 egg

2 tablespoons raw honey 

Mix all ingredients well and apply to your clean, dry face. Leave on for fifteen to twenty minutes to let the pumpkin work its magic, then rinse with warm water. Follow with your toner and moisturizer as usual. 

* This mask can't be stored and reused, so make sure you use it all at one time. I like to apply to my décolletage as well to help use it up.

Monday

image via Instagram

Friday Favorites

October is always filled with anticipation--my firstborn's birthday is this month (and I literally spend the bulk of my days thinking of ways to make her special day the most magical it can possibly be) and we're that much closer to Christmas (for which I also spend my days thinking of ways to make it as magical as it can possibly be). But this weekend, instead of dreaming of ways to make my sweet girl's fifth birthday the best yet, I'll be feteing a couple who, after a decade of trying, are having a baby girl this fall. I'm beyond thrilled for them, and so excited that I get to share in their joy. I hope your weekend is equally fabulous. God bless!

The perfect chunky heel.

Quite possibly the dreamiest bathtub ever. 

Holiday party inspiration. 

Incredibly adorable and easy DIY storage boxes.  

One of the cutest pictures I've ever seen.

5 Convenient Beauty Wipes to Try

1. Bite Beauty Lush Lip Wipes     2. Indian Coconut Nectar Hand & Body Lotion Wipes    3. Borracha Pearly Wipes    4. Ban Total Refresh Cooling Body Cloths    5. Ted Gibson Hair Sheets 
  
Since having my daughters I have a greater appreciation for the things that save me time and energy, and beauty wipes have become one of my favorite conveniences. I love that they're portable and compact--a must when you've got a diaper bag full of bits for the little ones--and they're far less messy than the bottles and tubes of products they're meant to replace. Here are a few beauty wipes I'm looking forward to adding to my arsenal.

1. These not only remove every trace of lipstick, no matter how dark, they also hydrate and soften lips.
2. Lotion that doesn't leave a sticky mess in my bag and has a gorgeous scent is kind of the best thing ever.
3. I love that these whiten teeth and freshen breath--perfect for coffee dates.
4. These will come in handy for day trips to the zoo or Disneyland. Or days when I've got endless errands to run.
5. A wipe that pretty much guarantees a good hair day? I'm all in!

Must Have: Stila Cosmetics Best of Kitten

Stila Best of Kitten, $65 

I love a good collaboration, with the operative word being good. This one from Stila and Baublebar, two of my favorite brands, is truly good--it's got everything you see here (a $147 value for $65!!) and it's available now, just in time for the holidays. I'm particularly excited about that gold clutch; it's going to look fabulous with whatever I'm wearing come New Year's Eve.