The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

So it is the day after Thanksgiving and all I can think about is left-over turkey, pumpkin pie, Christmas music, and of course, CLOTHING FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

I don't sound too excited, do I?

I have made a concept board of my ideal holiday party or work-wear outfit (I tend to get a little festive with my holiday dress at work, too!).  I used a few trendy pieces to pull the whole outfit together.  I especially like the sequin and beaded jacket--way too fun!  What do you think?

All of these pieces shown above can be found at Piperlime.com.  

Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving!

Poster

"People who love to eat are always the best people"- Julia Child

Well if Julia Child said it, it must be true!

All my love to you and yours for a relaxing, happy and safe Thanksgiving weekend.

Five things I am truly thankful for:

1. A supportive, loving family
2. Creative, fun-loving friends
3. A cozy, loyal puppy dog
4. Chocolate and other delicious treats
5. Magazine subscriptions, access to blogs, salmon, gold-hued things, sunny sunshine, an education, PBS documentaries, floral print, leather, flashy jewelry, the great outdoors, cozy coffee drinks, music, high heels, a great job, and really stinkin' sweet boyfriend....

Strictly Budgetary: The Big Day

The True Cost of a Wedding

In light of a handful of friends and family tying the knot in 2012, I found this diagram to be a interesting representation of how to budget for The Big Day.   I can appreciate the money saving tips at the bottom of the diagram; especially the suggestion of booking off-season and involving creative friends/family to help with wedding preparations. 

Do you think the average cost of a wedding, $27,000, is out of park or accurate?  What elements of the wedding (photographer, venue, dress, etc.) are you most willing to splurge or penny-pinch on?

Sited sources: theknotinc.com, www.smartmoney.com, and money.cnn.com.

Scarf Season

Scarf fashions

It's officially scarf season.  Here's a fantastic visual of how versatile a scarf can be!  Keep your neck warm using one of these fancy styles.  

I wore Number 9 today, how about you?

Yogi Tea

Egyptian Licorice Tea, $3-$5 at your local market

Really, Wednesday... why'd you have to chew me up and spit me out!  Geesh!  

Yogi Tea, has been my saving grace today!  As I am trying to fend off what may be the third sinus infection over the course of two months, I am doing everything in my power to beef up my immune system.  In the mean time, I just trying to take a breather and hope that tomorrow will bring a new, healthy day.  Here's to feeling healthy in the mind and body in days to come!

Bonus: the Yogi tea bags come with a cute quote similar to below...

"Those who live in the past have nothing to look forward to in the future"-- Yogi Tea Bag

26 and Counting

Liz, from Twenty Six and Counting Blog

One of my favorite fashion blogs is 26 and Counting and today Liz (the creator) is looking exceptionally cute.  I love Liz's daily fashion blog because of her sense of creativity and her dedication to "remixing" outfits which already exist in her closet. 

Liz makes a conscious effort to construct both budget-friendly and stylish work wear outfits.   Most of all, I enjoy her sense of honesty, humility and her commitment to posting daily entries.  I always look forward to seeing what she pulls together!

Don't be fooled.  Liz is a hard working and ambitious young professional.  It is astonishing that she manages to maintain a full-time job, a successful blog and pursue a masters degree--all at the same time!  Keep inspiring and keep up your great work, Liz!

A Flash Sale!

Ideeli Boutique: Designer Faves

I was first introduced to the world of online discount boutiques when a sorority emailed me an invitation to join Ruelala.  I was a die-hard Ruelala fan for about a year and a half until another friend referred me to Ideeli.  Ideeli's boutiques boast incredible designer products at discounted prices.  Each day a multitude of product offerings are featured.  Ruelala also offers daily product offerings but their daily offerings are limited to just a few designers in comparison to Ideeli's.  

How to join?  It is simple.  All you have to do is provide Ideeli with your email address and you can either opt in or out of receiving daily notifications that provide information on the newest sales and discounts. 

Ideeli's return policy is very transparent.  However, you must be aware of the return policy for each product because policies do change in variation from one item to the next.  Ideeli allows you to keep tabs on your favorite designers and seasonal trends.  

My two cents about the whole thing... Don't get too caught up in the urgency of the sale.  The online discount designer boutique phenomenon remains a successful business tactic by creating a sense of urgency for online shoppers to make a purchase immediately. I say this with all honesty: it is okay to just look and still be satisfied by the sale.  If you are not ready to buy now, surely they will have a similar item to purchase when you are comfortable spending the money.   

A taste of Ideeli brands: BCBGeneration, Paige Denim, Betsey Johnson, Steve Madden, Burberry, Sienna Rose, London Times... and a million more to mention!

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Paula Dean's Sweet Potato Biscuits

I don't know if it is just the change of season but I am feeling the impulse to bake... a lot!  I'm feeling inspired by all of the amazing holiday recipes and I recently ran across a sweet potato biscuit recipe that sparked my interest.  Needless to say, I ended up making the sweet potato biscuits and they tasted phenomenal and were no chore to make. It is helpful if you have mashed sweet potatoes prepared prior to baking this recipe-- great for using left-overs! Just a few ingredients and a few dirtied dishes later make for a worthwhile baking experience!

Paula Dean's Sweet Potato Biscuits 

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 heaping tablespoons sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter
• 2 to 4 tablespoons milk (depending on the moisture of the potatoes)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate, large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes and butter. Add the flour mixture to the potato mixture and mix to make a soft dough. Then add milk a tablespoon at a time to mixture and continue to cut in. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and toss lightly until the outside of the dough looks smooth. Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits on a greased pan and coat tops with melted butter. Bake for about 15 minutes. (Watch your oven: If the biscuits are browning too fast, lower the temperature.)

Subsitutions & changes to the recipe:  I did not use a biscuit cutter to form my biscuits.  I just rolled my hands in flour, formed a ball of dough in between my hands, placed the biscuit on a non-greased pan and flattened the top out a little.  I also didn't cook my biscuits for the full suggested cooking time of 15 mins.  Cooking in high altitude sometimes can be tricky but my biscuits came out SUPER moist.  Make sure you don't forget the drizzle of butter on top before you bake, it adds sweet texture and yummy flavor to the end product!  Forget about adding extra butter for serving--the biscuits are super rich on their own.  Dollop a bit of honey on top--presto!

Yummo.

Lucky Magazine: A Holiday Party-Going Guide

Outfit: Meeting friends at the bar

Happy Saturday!

So I was casually reading my December 2011 issue of Lucky Magazine this morning and I must say that this issue was really fun to read.  

Highlights from the publication: the "How to Dress for a Party" article.  The article is exactly as it sounds, how you dress *appropriately* for specific holiday occasions (i.e. cocktail hour, dinner party, drinks with friends at the bar).  

Not only does the article suggest valuable information on how to construct the perfect holiday outfit, but it suggests tips which prepare you to be on your best game for your big night out.  

Some valuable highlights being: how to transition from day to night in a flash, pros and cons to carrying clutches vs. shoulder bags, quick fixes in case you show up to an event either under or over dressed, easy hair up-dos, holiday event going emergency kits and how to rock the seasons most trendsetting fashions without going overboard.  Again, all relevant and highly useful information.  

What to do if you are...

Overdressed

Pull a few strands out of your updo and mess up the hair around your hairline

Wipe off your lipstick and any heavy eyeshadow

Take off anything flashy like earrings

Push up or roll up your sleeves to the elbow

Underdressed

Go into the bathroom, dampen your hands and slick you hair straight back

Dab red wine on your bottom lip for a quick lip stain

Show more skin by undoing the top few buttons of your blouse

Keep your overcoat on

Bring on the festivities!  It's time to party!

LORAC Cosmetics

Oh hello, LORAC. 

LORAC cosmetics wear like gold and have a way of making you look polished, day in and day out.  The products are packed with rich pigments and the color blends and lays flawless.  The shimmer ends up appearing more like a sheen glow; not a glob of glitter mess.  The LORAC cosmetics line is probably best compared to the MAC cosmetics line.  So, if you are a fan of MAC cosmetics, LORAC could be a great alternative for you!

I would highly recommend buying the "Little Black Palette" as a starter piece from the LORAC line.  This product is a great value.  The palette comes with four stunning, bronze-hued eye shadows along with a tube of their fantastic eye primer.  

If you are looking to try out a few other products I'm also a huge fan of the oil-free luminizing powder, $32 (similar to a bronzer but not is more or less an illuminator) and the fabulous 3D lashes volumizing & thickening mascara, $22.   

Top-Secret Beauty Secret: Mix the TANtilizer instant bronzer with your daily body lotion and poof--instant bronzed goddess!

Little Back Pallete, $33 Sephora

TANtalizer Instant Body Bronzer, $32 Sephora