Friday Favorites

July 29, 2016

After receiving some disappointing news about a job and the house this week, I'm more grateful than ever for the weekend. We're heading to Disneyland to celebrate my baby girl's third birthday (cue the tears!), a trip she's been anticipating since around Christmas. Seeing how happy she is to be turning three and how excited she is about Disneyland fills my heart with so much love--exactly what I need to help pick me up. Have a great weekend, and God bless!

Cubano sandwiches that I want in my belly right now.


This cool Palm Springs pool.


A wee elephant.


Nudes by Christian Louboutin


Peonies.

Wordsmith Wednesday: Ambrosial

July 27, 2016

Here's where I share my favorite words with you. Because savvy girls have impressive vocabularies.

Decoding the Farmer's Market

July 26, 2016

There's so much to love about a farmers' market; shopping in an open air market, smelling the handmade soaps, sampling gourmet honey or freshly baked goodies, and of course, all the healthy, colorful produce--it's the perfect way to spend a summer afternoon. If you've ever been confused by some of the signage at a farmers' market (e.g. organic and Certified Fair Trade), here's a quick guide to help you distinguish what's what. 

Artisanal: refers to a high-quality or distinctive product made in small batches, usually by hand or using traditional methods.
You might see artisanal cheeses or breads or even soaps. 

Fair trade: refers to the production of goods using strict social, economic, and environmental standards--no forced labor or poor working conditions, no GMOs, goods must have a "floor price" (meaning they cannot be sold for less than the floor price).

You might see coffee, cocoa, bananas, and tea.

Locally sourced/locally grown: refers to produce and other agricultural products (e.g. flowers), food,  and other items that have been grown, produced, processed, and then sold within a certain area, typically within 100 to 150 miles. 

Since you're at a farmer's market, it can be assumed that the produce is locally grown. You might see 'locally sourced' on handmade goods.

Organic: refers to produce and other ingredients grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge (yes, it is as bad as it sounds), GMOs (genetically modified organisms), or ionizing radiation. Any animal products come from animals that have not been given antibiotics or growth hormones.

You might see produce, cheeses and other dairy products, coffee, meat jerky, etc. You may also see clothing items, such as scarves, made from organic cotton.

Small batch: refers to the production of an item--from coffee to cookies--in small amounts (e.g. 9 lbs of coffee beans roasted at a time versus the 100 lbs a larger company would roast at a time).

You might see this on baked and handmade goods, or any item that has to be processed in some way (e.g. roasted, baked, crocheted, milled, etc).


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Friday Favorites

July 22, 2016

This week I started working on a back-to-school piece for a client and almost instantly felt a twinge of sadness as I realized that I'll be sending my oldest daughter off to second grade in about a month. Since we're moving, she'll be starting at a new school, which also gives me a little anxiety--I grew up a Navy brat so I know what it's like to start at a new school and I just don't want that for her. Still, she's very excited about it and I'm doing all I can to make it seem like it's going to be the greatest adventure ever. For now, I'm trying to enjoy these last few weeks of summer vacation and make the time as fun for her as possible. Our week was full, with swim play dates, trips to get fro-yo, and a visit to the street fair in downtown Palm Springs. 

Have a fabulous weekend, and God bless!


DIY paper utensil envelopes for a pretty picnic. 


This skirt!


Beachy home decor


An almost-too-pretty-to-eat ombré cake in the sweetest shades of blush.


This oh-so-dreamy spot to take a dip.

Summer Nail Art Inspiration from Julep (Plus a Free Gift)

July 21, 2016

6 pc beauty gift FREE when you join Julep
There's no better time than the summer to wear your most colorful looks (I feel like I haven't left the house all season without some shade of fuchsia, peacock, or poppy on my back), so Julep has created three nail art looks featuring four insanely pretty polishes in the boldest, brightest colors ever. Bonus, these same gorgeous hues are part of a six-piece gift when you join Julep Beauty Box (read on for the full deets).

Here are the colors used in the looks:

Look 1: Geometric Gems
Summer Brights GWP

Look 2: Vibrant Plaid
Summer Brights GWP

Look 3: Ocean Ombre
Summer Brights GWP

To get the polishes used in the looks above, plus a bold berry lipstick and luminous highlight powder, all for FREE, join Julep Beauty Box and add the FREE Summer Brights 6-Piece Gift to your cart by using code HEYSUMMER at checkout. And if you’re already a subscriber, you can Save 20% on your purchase at Julep.com with code LETSGET20.

Wordsmith Wednesday: Octogenarian

July 20, 2016

Here's where I share my favorite words with you. Because savvy girls have impressive vocabularies.


Friday Favorites

July 14, 2016

Summer is rolling along, and even though the days are longer, the hours just seem to speed by. We've already reached the middle of the month, which, sadly, means we've only got a few weeks left before we have to prepare to go back to school. But before that, we've got a birthday to celebrate--my baby will turn three at the end of this month (if you ask her when her birthday is she'll tell you, "July firdy-firth," and you will just absolutely melt). She's been talking about going to Disneyland to see Dale and Chip and Ariel for months now, and has requested a Minnie Mouse cake with pink frosting. I'm more than happy to oblige because I want my sweet girl to have the happiest birthday ever. In the meantime, I'm relishing the fact that I can still say I have a two-year old. 

Have a fantastic weekend, and God bless!

This wallpaper.


A gorgeous tablescape with DIY plant stands-turned-stools for seating.


Summer cocktails in the prettiest hues.


Another swoon-worthy office space. (I seem to be obsessed with chic home offices, no?)


All the rosé.

Wordsmith Wednesday: Besotted

July 13, 2016

Here's where I share my favorite words with you. Because savvy girls have impressive vocabularies.


Julep Friends & Family Sale

July 12, 2016

Friends and Family Sale
I simply love a good sale, and I like to share the love whenever I find a great steal! The Julep Friends & Family sale couldn't have come at a more perfect time for me--I've been wanted to refresh my makeup bag with a few summer beauty essentials, and getting them at a discount totally sweetens the deal. 

Right now you can stock up on all of your Julep favorites with 25% off your entire order through the end of the day tomorrow (just use code FRIENDSNFAM at checkout). And if you’re a Maven, you can use code MAVENLOVE to save 50% off your order! You have to act fast though, because when the clock strikes midnight on July 14th, the sale is over.

Promotional code FRIENDSNFAM must be entered at checkout to take 25% off of your cart value. Mavens are eligible to use code MAVENLOVE at checkout to take 50% on orders up to $500 through 7/13/16 11:59 PM PT. Offers may not be combined with any other promotional code. Promotion excludes the Jule Box, Savvy Deals, Julep add-ons, gift cards, gift boxes, Gift of Maven, or Mystery Boxes. All items purchased with promotional code are final sale, absolutely no exchanges or returns. No adjustments on previous purchases. Taxes vary by location. .

Love

July 8, 2016

This week was rough, and with the outbreak of senseless violence over the past few days, I found it hard to concentrate on finding beautiful and inspiring "things" to share with you. So in lieu of Friday Favorites, I wanted to share my feelings on this week (without getting too deeply into the politics of it because this is not the forum for that). 

My heart aches for the families of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and the four fallen police officers in Dallas, all of whom are the victims of ignorance and hate. My heart weeps for a country divided, after so many have fought for its unity. I'm struggling to find peace in the wake of these tragedies, but I don't have the privilege of simply ignoring that it's happened. I am truly, truly at a loss. 

Here's what I do know: we cannot let hate win. Love has to win; it just has to. Spread love this weekend. Spread it every day. Get on social media and combat every ignorant, hateful comment with a message of love and hope. Blog about love, put an inspirational bulletin up at work to encourage your co-workers, hug your children tighter. That is the only way I know how to fight this nonsense, because whether you want to see it or not, we are at war. Love. Has. To. Win.

God bless you.



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Wordsmith Wednesday: Zenith

July 6, 2016

Here's where I share my favorite words with you. Because savvy girls have impressive vocabularies.


10 Tips to Make Moving Easier

July 4, 2016

Moving into a new place is always pretty exciting, but it's also a sort of a drag--all that packing and heavy lifting, and then unpacking. Growing up a Navy brat, I've done my fair share of moving, not to mention the multiple apartments and houses I've lived in as an adult, so I've learned a few tricks that help to make relocating more tolerable. Here are my go-to tips to make moving a whole lot easier.

1. Purge, purge, purge.

Check closets, cabinets, storage units, and garages and get rid of anything you no longer need or use. Give away as much as you can and take the rest to Goodwill. The more you purge, the less you have to move; just make sure you're smart about what you get rid of so you don't have regrets later.

2. Pack early and often. 
Start boxing up as much as you can, as soon as you can, so you're not scrambling to get it all done in the two or three days before the moving van arrives.

3. Stay organized with labels.

Every box should say which room it is going into, as well as the contents of the box. So if it's dinnerware the label should read Kitchen: dinnerware. Labeling this way helps you see what needs to be unpacked immediately and what can stay boxed up until the next day (or the next weekend). And if you have something that needs unpacking right away, write "Open First" or something similar on the boxes.

4. Whether you've recruited friends and family or hired a moving company, have everything packed and ready to go before they arrive. Because there is nothing worse than showing up to help someone load boxes only to find out that you've also got to fill said boxes. Unless friends offer to help pack (which should still be done before moving day) don't assume they will be willing. 

5. Put your change of address form in two weeks before your move-in date. 

This is just one less thing to think about on moving day and will help for a seamless transition from one address to another.

6. Have realistic expectations. 
Even the most organized, Type A person may not be able to get everything unpacked and in its place in one weekend, especially if there are children to feed and keep entertained. If you have a garage, leave a few boxes of "non" essentials in there so the inside of your new home looks less cluttered, then one by one, as time permits, bring them in and unpack them.

7. Recruit help early, send weekly reminders, and offer incentives.

Nobody really likes spending their Saturday moving heavy boxes out of a hot van and into a house, but if you ask early enough and send reminders, you give your friends and family enough time to mark their calendars for moving day. And if you throw in cold beer and takeout afterwards, they may even help you unpack and put everything in its place.

8. If at all possible, arrange for a sitter so pets and little ones don't get in the way. 

Moving day is anything but fun for kids, so hire a sitter or ask someone to keep them occupied so you can get done what needs to be done. 

9. Try to get to the house before moving day to clean the place from top to bottom. 

You may have big plans for your new house that include painting and changing out hardware, etc., but first things first, clean the place up. You'll want to mop and vacuum, wipe down the insides of drawers and cabinets, and scrub all the sinks, toilets, and bathtubs. Get their early to do it yourself, or hire a service.

10. Make a moving day kit that includes cleaning supplies, toilet paper, garbage bags, toiletries, and a change of clothes. This way you can scrub down the new place, get all the trash out of the way, and then after a full day's work, have a nice hot shower and a fresh change of clothes. And you're covered if anyone needs to use the facilities during the unloading process.



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Monday

July 4, 2016



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Happy July

July 1, 2016
















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Friday Favorites

July 1, 2016

I love a holiday weekend! We had a late night at the street fair in downtown Palm Springs last night, and we've got a big 4th of July celebration with family planned for Sunday (so that we can sleep in and relax on Monday), and of course, the park on Monday night for a big fireworks display. Have a fabulous weekend. Happy 4th of July, God bless you, and God bless America!


The prettiest mini eclairs.


Another adorable bedroom for little girls. I'm finding so many gorgeous ideas for my girls' room.


Waves.


These cat eye sunnies from Le Specs that look way more expensive than they are (they're actually only $69!). Also, that yellow against her skintone--c'est magnifique!


Blackberry lemonade margaritas.
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