Fashion's Maven

Friend Friday - New Trends

2012-01-27T00:00:00.059-06:00

Friend Friday

The Fashion Beauty Friend Friday group was created by Katy over at Modly Chic.One week each month Katy puts together a set of questions and on Friday if you want to participate, you answer them on your blog and link back up at Modly Chic.

This week we're talking about new trends.

image via Google

1. With Fashion week just around the corner, we are all beginning to focus on the upcoming trends for fall. But what about the trends hitting stores now? What are you coveting?

I loved everything about the Chanel Spring/Summer 2012 show. The underwater theme, the colors, Florence singing - absolutely everything.
2. How do you incorporate new trends into your wardrobe?

I don't know that it's something I really spend a lot of effort on. It's not about trying to stay on top of trends, for me it's more trying to use things I already have and not buy something I'm going to be tired of in 2 weeks.
3. What trend are you seeing and not loving?

Is trying to hard a trend? Probably not. It's still my answer.
4. Do you feel the pressure to constantly update your closet with the
latest trends?

Not at all. I buy things if I love them and think I'll get a lot of use out of them.
5. Where do you find inspiration that takes the trend and makes it accessible to you and your personal taste?

Everywhere. Fashion shows, magazines, even just seeing a color combination somewhere that I love. I use Pinterest, my inspiration board in my closet and just try to remember the things that I love then try to find a way to integrate them into my wardrobe, either with pieces I already have or adding some specific pieces and accessories to my closet.

If you're interested in FBFF, go to Modly Chic for more information then e-mail Katy if you want to join the group.

What I'm Wearing...

2012-01-26T00:00:00.016-06:00

Shirt - J. Crew, Cardigan - Express, Jeans - Old Navy, Boots - BCBG Max Azria, Necklace - Express, Ring - YSL, Watch - Michael Kors

Well, I'm wearing the YSL ring again. See? When I make goals I try to stick to them. I guess I should probably focus on something slightly more important. Not that getting use out the YSL ring isn't important. Yeah, it's time to end this post because I have nothing else to say and I've written 4 sentences about a ring. Now 5. This could go on for awhile.

What I'm Loving...

2012-01-25T00:00:00.034-06:00

Hey, you know how I used to do What I'm Loving... posts? Then I stopped for like a month? Well, they're back. You're welcome. And also, thank you all so much for the sweet comments yesterday. I haven't had a chance to comment on blogs this week but hopefully that will change soon.

Here's what I'm loving:

Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo

Every time I post about dry shampoo, 10 people tell me I have to try the Oscar Blandi version. When I was in Ulta a couple of weeks ago spending a Christmas gift card, there was a set on sale. It was a full size bottle and a travel size bottle for less than the full size bottle normally costs. Yeah. Sold. I like the scent and it's more lightweight than my beloved Rockaholic. That means it's not quite as volumizing, on my hair at least, but it's pretty good stuff.

OPI My Private Jet

During the same Ulta trip, there was a huge number of nail polishes on sale. I don't question things like this, I just go with it. My Private jet is dark and shimmery, with some flecks of glitter in it. So basically, it's gorgeous. Apparently the old version, before they re-did, was entirely holographic. Why would you change this? I have no idea. But now it's more like a duo-chrome, meaning it looks one color when you put it one, then because of the shimmer and glittery flecks in it, it flashes another color when light hits it.

Moneyball

There aren't a lot of movies that Jared and I both want to see. Something like this works, though. Baseball movie? He's happy. Brad Pitt? I'm good. Marriage is about compromise, people.

Bossypants

This is one of the first books I bought for the Nook and it's absolutely hilarious. I think I read it in less than 2 days. Don't read it in public unless you don't mind people looking at you for random laughing. (I'm serious. Lesson learned, there.)

Ok, so that's What I'm Loving right now! What about you?

Lucky.

2012-01-24T00:00:00.002-06:00

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When I posted the picture of Coco hanging out in my closet Sunday night on Instagram, I didn't know we would all be taking cover in the closet for far more serious reasons hours later. Severe weather started in Alabama during the middle of the night. After the tornado sirens went off twice, the power went out, the radar was showing a tornado headed towards our city, and my in-laws texted Jared to make sure we knew what was going on, it was time to go to the "safe place". An EF-3 tornado touched down in virtually every place I've lived around Birmingham, but luckily our house and my parents house (and everyone I know here, actually) are fine. It's beyond eerie to drive home and pass search and rescue trucks. It's strange to keep hearing that roads you drove up and down daily are closed and entire subdivisions you know are demolished. I didn't fall asleep until about 7 this morning and I don't think I realized how close it literally had hit to our home until I woke up to phone calls, text messages, Tweets, etc. asking if we were ok.

We're ok.

We're lucky.

Many people aren't though, so please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Coco, Closets, New Shoes

2012-01-23T00:00:00.014-06:00

If it's not obvious from the above picture, Coco is staying with us. My parents went to visit Abby in Nashville, then they're going to the mountains for an undetermined amount of time. Ever since they both retired, they go on vacations with "no schedule", ie, they won't tell me when they're coming home. Anyway, I thought it was funny Coco was just hanging out in my closet. We have that in common.

Also, on Sunday I did some unusual for me shoe shopping. I've got to get back to working out, and it needs to be more than occasionally, so here's some motivation. We'll see how that goes.

How was your weekend?

Vogue Wisdom

2012-01-20T00:00:00.006-06:00

"Fashion isn't a nevessity. It pulls at your heart. It's a whim. You don't need it. You want it." - Marc Jacobs, Vogue

My thoughts exactly.

Have a good weekend :)

Essie Luxeffects Glitter Top Coat

2012-01-19T00:00:00.025-06:00

Last week when I was in Ulta, one of the first things I knew I wanted to look at was the Essie Luxeffects line. I'm pretty sure it was the holiday collection, or went along with it. Anyway, they are these 3d glitter top coats. Hard to explain but basically they're glittery and shimmery and gorgeous and I need more of them.

From L to R:

As Gold As It Gets - glided lame sparkles

Shine of the Times - scintillating opalescence

A Cut Above - shattered pink diamond glitz

Set in Stones - disco mirror ball chaos

Pure Pearlfection - decadent iridescence

So far I have Pure Pearlfection. I definitely want to pick up Shine of the Times, which I'm sure is sold out everywhere. Go figure.

They say that the world was built for two...

2012-01-18T00:00:00.016-06:00

It's better than I ever even knewThey say that the world was built for twoOnly worth living if somebody is loving youBaby now you do
A couple of weeks ago I heard this Lana Del Rey song on Sirius and I was immediately obsessed. Has anyone else heard Lana Del Rey yet? She was on SNL last week, which seemed to get mixed reviews but I don't care - still obsessed. I bought the few songs that were on iTunes, and the whole album is supposed to be released on the 31st. I can't wait!

YSL Arty Ring

2012-01-17T00:00:00.009-06:00

When we went out this past Saturday, I wore my YSL arty ring. What's weird about that? Nothing, except I've had it almost a year and it barely gets worn. I obsessed over this ring. I adore it. It's one of my favorites. So why doesn't it get more wear?

Yeah, I don't have an answer to that. I seriously don't know why. Since the big goal last year was learning to get my closet under control, this year the focus is going to be on getting more use out of the things I have and love. There's just no good reason for it.

Anyone else have this problem? What's one thing in your wardrobe you're in love with and don't wear enough?

Urban Decay Naked2

2012-01-16T00:00:00.016-06:00

A few days before Christmas, I got the Urban Decay Naked2 palette. The Naked palette is my most used eyeshadow palette, so I was excited to get my hands on Naked2. There are 12 shades, a double ended brush, and a mini lip gloss. Personally I liked the double ended 24/7 liner in Naked, but the quality of the brush is nice and I've used it several times.

Of the 12 shades, 5 are completely new and 1 is a repeat from the first Naked palette. I wish there had been no repeats, would have made more sense to me but hey, I didn't design it. Naked2 is more beige/grey colors so more cool toned than the gold and bronze colors that dominate the warm toned Naked palette.

This has been my go to ever since I got it. I'm getting as much use out of it as I did Naked. Do you need 2 neutral eye shadow palettes like this? No. Having 1 is more than enough for a normal person. I'm not normal. I'm happy to have both and am loving Naked2 :)

HANAair Professional Hair Dryer Review

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-06:00

When Missiko contacted me about reviewing a Hana hair dryer, I of course said yes. When have I ever not wanted to try a new makeup or hair product? But I digress.

I was immediately impressed by the gorgeous packaging and couldn't wait to try it as soon as it arrived. The dryer has 2 fan speeds, 3 heat settings and a cold shot - pretty standard. It came with a concentrator, and the cord seems longer than any other hair dryer I've had.

The Hana certainly will cut your drying time down dramatically (probably in half), which would benefit anyone, especially people with lots of hair. I have thick hair but I've always let it air dry for an hour or so before blow drying it to avoid excess heat. Not something you really have to worry about when you can dry your hair in 5 minutes, though. Another thing I noticed immediately was that my hair had no frizz and no static. Pretty remarkable for December!

You can purchase the HANAair Professional Hair Dryer from Misikko. I always recommend buying the best flat irons and hair dry ers you can afford - it minimizes the damage that heat can cause and your hair will definitely be much healthier.

What I'm Wearing...

2012-01-12T00:00:00.011-06:00

Top - Gap, Cardigan - Express, Jeans - Old Navy, Shoes - BCBGeneration, Earrings - c/o Guy & Eva, Ring - House of Harlow, Watch - Swiss Legend, Bag - Michael Kors

For the first date night of 2012, Jared and I decided to go to Melting Pot. It has the 3 C's - cocktails, cheese, and chocolate. What's not to like? Nothing. Nothing I tell you. The purse was a Christmas present from my in-laws and when I had my infusion last week, the first thing one of the nurses said is "You got a new purse! I always notice your purses." The other nurse then had a 10 minute conversation with me about my nail polish and Sephora. On one hand I guess I could find it depressing that the nurses at the neurologists office know me so well but, hey, you if you're gonna be known for something those aren't bad things. Not to me, anyway.

Camera Recs - I'm always asking for help, aren't I?

2012-01-11T00:00:00.014-06:00

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It's come to my attention recently (and by recently I mean about a year ago but I'm lazy) that my digital camera needs to be replaced. It's been even more obvious lately, and probably would have been smart of me to ask for one for Christmas but when have I ever done things that make sense? Never, that's when.

Anyway.

So, I need recommendations. What do you use, what do you wish you had, all of it. Both point and shoot and DSLR recommendations are appreciated. If I can find a reasonably priced point and shoot that a lot of people love, I'll probably go ahead and get one. I'd love to have a DSLR so if I can figure out which one of those I should invest in, it'll go on the birthday list and I'll make do with what I have now.

Thanks, and I promise to try and quit asking for advice so much. Except I kinda don't because this is such a good way to get lots of opinions on something and I love that. :)

D-ONE.

2012-01-10T00:00:00.001-06:00

We did it.

#14.

Off to rest since it's essentially a National Holiday in Alabama now.

Oh yeah - Roll Tide.

Roll Tide

2012-01-09T00:00:00.027-06:00

Tonight the Alabama Crimson Tide is in New Orleans playing LSU for the BCS National Championship. It will hopefully be Bama's 14th National Championship. I know that if you aren't raised around it, it's hard to grasp how big a deal football is in Alabama.

Like most people in Alabama, I've been a fan since birth.

Always have had plenty of Bama gear.

Graduated from UA and was in ADPi while I was there.

Dress my dog up in Bama gear. (That's his sweater, he wears his jersey for game days as you all know.)

And have been to more Bama games than I can count, starting from when I was 4.

So, basically this is a big deal. The biggest deal. If you don't hear from me tomorrow, it's hopefully because I'm celebrating.

Roll Tide.

Suggestions?

2012-01-06T00:00:00.009-06:00

Since it's a new year, I want to make some changes to the blog. I have some ideas, but I need some input. What do you want to see more of? Any ideas for series? What kind of posts are your favorites to read?

I appreciate all comments and feedback! :)

Closet Clean Out 2012

2012-01-05T00:00:00.021-06:00

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Anyone else like how for the Closet Clean Out posts I put a picture of a ridiculously unattainable closet? Me too. Anyway.

This time last year I was making post after post about my after Christmas shopping. It was shortly after that I decided to do the Closet Clean Out. The only real purpose to Closet Clean Out was to better utilize all the things I already have and not just accumulate items without integrating them into my wardrobe.

Easier said than done.

I wouldn't have said I really felt like I made a lot of progress until I realized it was the first of the year... and I don't have 2 weeks worth of posts about shopping to do. I haven't quit shopping, of course. Not at all (pretty obvious if you read often). But I do stop and think about how much I need something and how much I want it. It's a balance I haven't completely figured out but I have figured out you have to mix the 2 somehow. Do I need a drawer full of eyeshadow? Nope, not at all, but I love it and use it, so I'm just careful now about what I add to it.

Am I the only one who struggles with this? Anyone else been doing their own version of this, and have you made any progress? One thing that really, surprisingly helped was doing 30 for 30 last year. I might try to do another version of that sometime this year. I'll have to think about that now...

I'm well versed in how I might be cursed...

2012-01-04T00:00:00.011-06:00

Never mind how you've rationed your time
And the battle is underway
Maybe times are gonna change
Don't just hide in the silence behind

What you've really been trying to say
What a skill, baby, aiming to kill me
With words you don't mean

Maybe nobody loved you when you were young
Maybe, boy, when you cry, nobody ever comes
Will you try it once?
Give up the machine gun

One of several gift cards I got for Christmas was an iTunes one. It's alarming how fast I can burn through an iTunes gift card (seconds, really. I mean just a few clicks and poof, no more gift card, but that's another story...). Anyway, one of the things I got was Sara Bareilles' "Kaleidoscope Heart" album. From start to finish it's quickly becoming one of my favorite albums, and Machine Gun is my absolute favorite track. The melody, the lyrics, everything about it is completely amazing. I love how piano driven all her songs are - makes me want to hurry up and get serious about buying one for our house.

New Years Eve

2012-01-03T00:00:00.028-06:00

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you know we were in Nashville for New Years Eve.

We came into town on Friday because Friday night was the Music City Bowl. Mississippi State was in the bowl game, and that's Jared's alma mater. They won!
(Side note: You'd think 2 years of blogging would have taught me something about what angles to have my picture taken at. Nope. Not a thing.)

The game was in downtown Nashville at LP Field, where the Tennessee Titans play. I loved being at a football game and in the middle of the city at the same time.

Had to give myself a quick NYE mani on Saturday before we went out. I used OPI's Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous, and the silver accent nail is a Revlon polish of my sister's.

We had dinner with Abby's friends at one of their houses. It seems like whenever people meet both of us we get extreme reactions - that we look exactly alike or we look nothing alike.

We headed out to Cabana to ring in 2012. Things like this make me feel old, but oh well.

How did you spend New Years Eve?

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T00:00:00.009-06:00

Happy 2012!

Yeah, I'm a little late - but oh well.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year's. Thank you to all of you for helping to make my 2011 a good one - here's hoping this year is amazing and prosperous for all of us!

Friend Friday - New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-30T00:00:00.009-06:00

Friend Friday

The Fashion Beauty Friend Friday group was created by Katy over at Modly Chic. For the first and third week of each month Katy puts together a set of questions and on Friday if you want to participate, you answer them on your blog and link back up at Modly Chic. On the other weeks, FBFF will be doing a Visual Friend Friday.

This week since we're talking about our New Year's resolutions.

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I can't say I'm all that big on New Year's resolutions. I'm too obsessive. I'll put pressure on myself, then if it doesn't go exactly how I want I'll be way too hard on myself about it. That's a pretty boring answer, though. Let me think. Ok, since I have the Nook now I'll try to read more.
Yep. Still boring.

If you're interested in FBFF, go to Modly Chic for more information then e-mail Katy if you want to join the group.

What I'm Wearing...

2011-12-29T00:00:00.014-06:00

Shirt - Old Navy, Jeans - Old Navy, Scarf - Paula Bianco, Boots - BCBGeneration, Bracelet - Chan Luu, Earrings - House of Harlow, Nail Polish - Essie Mint Candy Apple

You know how Tuesday's post was pictures before all the Christmases? Well, this is after. That's why I'm strategically standing in the only square of space in the living room not completely covered. What? There's stuff behind me and beside me? Oh trust me. It's much, much, much, much worse everywhere else. I can't put things up immediately or I'll forget about them and never see them again. I mean, that happens to me enough already so can you imagine if I just put things up immediately? Me either. So I'll live with this madness a little longer then find homes for everything. Maybe. I need a nap first.

What will be we'll be...

2011-12-28T00:00:00.011-06:00

Well are you such a dreamer?
Put yourself in my shoes
Careful what you wish for love

I heard this song the other day on TV. I reached to grab my iPhone to Shazam it, but Jared had his new iPad in hand so he was able to find it first. Less than a minute later I'd bought it on iTunes and was listening to it happily on repeat. Technology amazes me. Now I just to find a way for it to not be so simple to spend money by tapping on my iPhone, or the iPad, or the Nook, or the Macbook...

What I'm Wearing...

2011-12-27T00:00:00.016-06:00

Tunic - Old Navy, Jeans - Old Navy, Cardigan - Express, Shoes - Missoni for Target, Bracelet - Chan Luu, Earrings -Melinda Maria, Nail Polish - Essie Mint Candy Apple

I wish I had something clever to say, but I'm too exhausted to come up with anything. This was... I can't remember what night it was, but it's before the Christmas Madness really started. Thursday? Friday? Who knows. Who knows what day it is now?

No, seriously. I need an answer to that one because I have no idea.

Still Christmas?

2011-12-26T00:00:00.006-06:00

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What? Aren't you still celebrating? Still going strong over here! Jared has to go back to work tomorrow, but there will still be more Christmases.

Is it the same in your house?

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T00:00:00.009-06:00

Merry Christmas!

I know it's not actually Christmas yet, but by the time I post again it will have been, and we're definitely in the middle of all things Christmas around here. Hope you are, too - and that you're getting a minute or two to enjoy it :)

Christmas (Fake) Baking

2011-12-22T00:00:00.000-06:00

I know what you're thinking... I don't cook. So I certainly have no business baking, where you have to be precise about measurements and... and... know stuff about cooking. Yeah. Anyway, don't worry. If you've seen my pictures on Instagram, you know I'm a fan of the Christmas Fake Baking. What's that you say? It's where you make stuff without ever actually making anything:

Chocolate dipped Oreos. Just like it sounds - Oreo, dip it in melted chocolate, add sprinkles. Easy enough.

Milk and white chocolate dipped pretzel rods. Seriously, just melt some chocolate and start dipping stuff in it. Easiest thing ever. I've done regular pretzels in the past, but I thought these looked better. Plus it's easier since you have something to hold on to where as with regular pretzels, you're digging it out of the chocolate and making a big mess. That could just be me, though.

Carrie's Peppermint Bark. This was actually the 2nd round of this. The 1st time the bark would never harden. Turns out you shouldn't add milk to chocolate to make it melt faster. (What? It was clumping. Milk sounded logical to me.) I can screw up even the easiest sounding tasks in the kitchen. Whatever, the 2nd round worked!

Between bloggers and Pinterest I've seen a million gorgeous, homemade snowflake cookies. I don't know how to do that. I rolled out already made dough (pretty thin so the cookies wouldn't get too puffy), used the snowflake cookie cutter, let them cool, spread white icing on them then decorated with the little pearls. I'm sure plenty of people would tell me I could make cookie dough and icing from scratch but 1) you must not have been paying attention to how easily I screw things up in the kitchen 2) why would I do that when Pillsbury and Betty Crocker make it for me and do such a nice job?

I have to say, I'm pretty pleased with the results. Taking shortcuts with things like this equals less stress but you still get somewhat homemade goodies sitting around in your kitchen. If cooking isn't your strong suit, it's a pretty perfect compromise! It makes entertaining pretty easy, too. When we had both families over on Sunday we had a lot of these sitting out!

What I'm Loving...

2011-12-21T00:00:00.040-06:00

Has the holiday madness started in your house yet? Ours is starting to kick up. My sister is in town, Jared is off work, and I'm trying to watch Christmas Vacation as many times as possible. Let's be honest - that last part has been going on ever since Thanksgiving was over.

Here's what I'm loving:

Starbucks Caramel Brulée Latte

White Peppermint Mochas will always be my first love when it comes to the holiday drinks, but the caramel brulee latte is coming in at a very close second. So delicious!

Slatkin & Co. Twisted Peppermint

This isn't just a traditional peppermint scent, there's vanilla mixed in (I guess that's the twist?). Anyway, it softens the scent and I'm regretting that I didn't buy more.

Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 2

I have to admit I probably love the first Glee Christmas album a little more, but this is pretty good. It has "River", which should definitely show up on more Christmas albums.

Meiko - Maybe Next Year

And I took his heart

I tore it apart

I left him outside in the cold

Another reason to like the Hotel Cafe Christmas album. Definitely not a traditional song to be on a Christmas album. That's probably why I love it.

Ok, so that's What I'm Loving right now! What about you?

What I'm Wearing...

2011-12-20T00:00:00.015-06:00

Shirt - Gap, Jacket - Gap, Jeans - Old Navy, Shoes - Tory Burch, Necklace - Limited, Earrings - Limited

This is what I wore Sunday night when we had both families over, but since it also happens to work for Collette's "Bloggers Rock the Colors of Christmas" I knew I had to post it today. Now, Collette chose the colors red, green, white, gold, silver and blue, and said to pick the color of your choice.

You know I don't do well with decisions. Since the shirt is green (greenish-blue, actually) I guess that should be the chosen color. But the pendant on my necklace is red, and my nail polish is blue.

Oh well. I love the outfit and think it works pretty well :)

Early Christmas Present...

2011-12-19T00:00:00.010-06:00

I'm not big on collecting things, but the past few years Jared has given me a couple of Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments in my stocking and I completely love them all. They're always so adorable! This year he gave me 2 Snoopy ornaments - the one pictured above (go to the link to see the video of what the ornament does), and Snoopy Claus. You're probably wondering why I already have them if they're this year's ornaments. After last year, I asked Jared if he bought me anything Christmas-y for Christmas if I could have it early so I wouldn't have to wait a year to use it. I'm impatient like that. Plus, it was nice to already have it on the 2nd tree when both families were over last night so everyone could enjoy it. Ok fine, that's a stretch. But it was nice for me...
Do you collect anything?

Friend Friday - Christmas

2011-12-16T00:00:00.089-06:00

Friend Friday

This week we're answering questions about Christmas and holiday traditions.

"Family is family. Whether it's the one you start out with, the one you end up with, or the family you gain along the way. Which makes every day - December 16th."

- Modern Family

Did anyone see the Christmas episode of Modern Family? I loved it - as usual. I figured the quote was appropriate since today happens to be December 16th, or Express Christmas :) Ok, now the questions!

No holiday party is complete without: If it's a company party, they should all be like the ones on The Office. I doubt they are, but in my head that's true. And this is why I'm sad Jared's company doesn't have a Christmas party. I'm probably the only person in the world who wishes for something like that.
My favorite Christmas song/album: Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer. Seriously. I used to play it constantly when I was little kid. Pretty sure that drove my family crazy, but isn't that what Christmas is all about?
My favorite seasonal recipe: My Mom's Christmas brunch. Sausage and biscuit roll, cheese and garlic grit casserole, quiche - good stuff.
The perfect New Year's Eve outfit includes: Sequins. Sparkle. Lots of jewelry. Champagne.
At the parties, I'll be drinking: See previous question.
Eggnog, good or bad? No one in either of our families makes it.
Did you ever take pictures on Santa's lap at the mall?

Yep.
Gingerbread Latte or Peppermint Mocha: White peppermint mocha, please.
Worst gift I ever got: Nothing I can think of. I was a very lucky kid and always got what I asked for, minus the year I tried to be tricky and asked Santa for a puppy and didn't tell my parents. So that didn't show up.
Best gift I ever received: A lot of things stick out from when I was little. The year I got my first Cabbage Patch Doll, all the Barbie stuff - house, Corvette, Barbie and the Rockers (someone better remember this stuff).
My family has this weird tradition: My family plays Showdown Yahtzee on Christmas Eve. I'm not sure how this started, but it has to happen now.
My best bargain find for a gift this year: I can't talk about what I've bought people this year! I'm not sure who all is reading this...
If I could only buy all my gifts from one place, I'd shop at: Despite how long it's taken this year, I'd still say Amazon. I can knock out so much shopping at one time.
Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer or Frosty the Snowman: Rudolph.
My favorite holiday memory: Waking up on Christmas morning. My parents had to make a rule that we couldn't get up or wake them up before 5am. I don't know what time we woke them up at to necessitate that rule.
My favorite Christmas movie: Christmas Vacation
The best part about holiday decorations is: Decorating the trees! I love pulling out all the ornaments and getting to go through them.
Rip off the wrapping paper or neatly pull off the tape: Rip it off!
Miracle on 34th Street or It's a Wonderful Life: We used to watch the remake of Miracle on 34th Street when I was little, and I always watch It's a Wonderful Life on TV as an adult. So... both I guess.
It doesn't feel like the holiday season until: I can listen to Christmas music 24/7. Except I guess that's really, like, the beginning of November now - so that, plus Thanksgiving being over.
All I want for Christmas is: like I keep saying, I want to be able to remember to slow down and enjoy everything. So far I'd say it's going pretty well.

If you're interested in FBFF, go to Modly Chic for more information then e-mail Katy if you want to join the group.

What I'm Wearing...

2011-12-15T00:00:00.018-06:00

Sweater - J. Crew, Cami - American Eagle, Jeans - Old Navy, Boots - Chinese Laundry

I don't get to wear these boots nearly as much as I'd like. I don't have a good reason for this at all, so I'm going to make an effort to change that. Call it an early New Year's resolution. I think one thing is for certain here - I have my priorities in line. Still need to work on wrapping presents. I suppose that should be pretty high on the priority list at this point...

What I'm Loving...

2011-12-14T00:00:00.038-06:00

If the fall makes me think I can cook (I can't), Christmas-time makes me think I can bake (I can't). My version of baking is buying something already made, dipping it in chocolate, and dumping red and green sprinkles on it. You'd be surprised how many things you can do that with...

Here's what I'm loving:

Yankee Candle Sparkling Cinnamon

I can't count how many years I've bought Sparkling Cinnamon candles and tarts from Yankee. It's the perfect spicy blend, and cinnamon is just a great winter smell so you can keep using it a couple of months after Christmas.

A Very She & Him Christmas

Love Zooey Deschanel. Love She & Him. Great, kinda quirky Christmas album and I'm happy it's now in my collection!

Butter London - Big Smoke

When I bought this I was worried I'd purchased a dupe for my beloved Essie Midnight Cami, but it's not. This is a gorgeous royal true, not a deep navy like Midnight Cami. I paired it with Zoya Trixie on the "accent" nail and I'm in love with the combo.

Brandi Carlile - The Heartache Can Wait

Silver bells and open fire
And songs we used to sing
One more chance to be inspired
Is what I'm offering if love is not enough
Then stay with me because
The heartache can wait
This is why I love The Hotel Cafe Presents - Winter Song. It's such a great mix of traditional Christmas songs and amazing originals like this.

Ok, so that's What I'm Loving right now! What about you?

Gift that keeps giving...

2011-12-13T00:00:00.014-06:00

we♥it

I'm sure everyone loves opening presents on Christmas day, but sometimes it's nice to get something as a gift that you can look forward to after Christmas - ie, a magazine subscription. (I know. Shocking I'd recommend this.) You can find something for almost everyone on your list, and usually at a pretty nice price. (Example - Vogue is $10 on Amazon right now.)

I know there are tons of other gifts similar to this, where you can look forward to getting something every month. So what's your best idea for a gift that keeps on giving?

What I'm Wearing...

2011-12-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

Sweater - Gap, Jeans - Old Navy, Boots - BCBGeneration, Earrings - Express, Ring - Express, Nail polish - Butter London Big Smoke and Zoya Trixie

I figured when I uploaded these pics the most obvious thing to say would be "Look how much darker my hair is!". At my last salon appointment, I had the dark brown put back all over and just kept the hi-lites close to my face. After uploading these pictures it's pretty clear that it's not as drastic of a change as I'd though. Oh well. It's keeping my hair healthier through the winter since it's closer to it's natural color and that's what I was going for. And I get bored easily.

So this makes the most obvious thing that there is not 1 wrapped present under the tree. I'm OCD and do all the wrapping at once, so I can't wrap until I'm done shopping and everything has been delivered. I'm done shopping. And I'm done ordering. Amazon.com - I'm looking at you here.

Deep breath. Remember the true meaning of Christmas. Go eat another sugar cookie. Rinse and repeat.

That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown...

2011-12-09T00:00:00.022-06:00

At some point every December, the Christmas Craziness kicks in. The Christmas Craziness is the part where it stops being fun and you start getting annoyed and overwhelmed at all the things you "have" to do. This year, I decided I'd just start doing stuff earlier. The music, the "baking" (we've been over how I just melt chocolate and pour it on things since I can't cook), the Christmas movies - just enjoy it all month long instead of "saving" things for later, when life just gets busier as the month goes on. Tuesday night I was making batch of Carrie's peppermint bark, dipping Oreos in chocolate and sprinkles ("baking"), and trying to figure out how on earth to make an apple crisp (ie - make a dent in the 1/2 a bushel of apples Jared brought home - follow me on Twitter if you want to try and keep up with the random madness like 75 apples in my house). It didn't take me too long to reach my usual level of annoyance when trying to do 5 different things at once (this is why the Christmas Craziness happens). I had Charlie Brown Christmas on in the living room, and I overheard the speech Linus gives that ends with "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

Nothing like a little perspective, right? Even if does come from a cartoon character. Take it where you can get it, take a deep breath, and try and remember what Christmas is really about - because it's not the craziness.

Little Things...

2011-12-08T00:00:00.009-06:00

It's hasn't been a bad week by any means, just one of those blah weeks where a lot of things aren't quite going just right. Last night I noticed the new Glee album was available on iTunes and I purchased it and within about 30 seconds of the first track, I forgot about all that. Funny how the little things can make a big difference sometimes.

What's the last little thing that made a big difference in your day?

What I'm Loving...

2011-12-07T00:00:00.056-06:00

Anyone done with their Christmas shopping? I think I've bought everything, but now I'm waiting daily to see what UPS will bring. I buy almost everything online, but as you all know I refuse to pay for shipping - so I have to wait. And wait. And hope it gets here by the 25th. Maybe I should cough up more money for shipping...

Here's what I'm loving:

Sephora by OPI in I'm With Brad

Sephora calls this an "opaque metallic wine over dark coffee". I call it a dark reddish brown. I guess their description is catchier. Moving on. I don't normally gravitate towards red nail polishes, but this one is making me change my stance.

Slatkin & Co. Winter

"A festive holiday blend of shimmering pine, orange clove, crisp bay leaf and warm winter woods." Basically - good. It just smells good, and relaxing, and like Christmas.

Over the Rhine - Nothing is Innocent

We'd wake the dead with the voices in our head

We've gotten used to ignoring the truth

We close our eyes and breathe and eat the lies

That tell us we're so much better than you

I found this via Shazam and immediately bought it off iTunes. Such a simple and gorgeous song.

New Orleans

There are a lot of things to love about New Orleans. Hurricanes are yummy drinks. Cafe du Monde has amazing beignets. Bourbon Street is a lot of fun. What else is there? Oh yeah - The Alabama Crimson Tide will be playing in the BCS National Championship in New Orleans on January 9th! I'm so, so happy we held on to the #2 spot in the BCS and will get our rematch against LSU. Now, if about $4000 could magically appear in my bank account, maybe I could go... (Seriously. Go to StubHub and you'll see how ridiculous the ticket prices are. We're trying to figure something out.)

Ok, so that's What I'm Loving right now! What about you?

Christmas Time Is Here...

2011-12-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

It took longer than usual (and Jared had to do most of it), but we did get all the Christmas decorations up.

August was a big help, as always.

I can never get good outdoor pictures. Oh well. The lights in the tree and the presents are new additions this year. I saw those light up presents EVERYWHERE last year so of course they were hard to find this year. Of course.

Some of my favorite ornaments. I like buying an ornament when we go on vacation. Now if I could just always remember to do it...

The guest bedroom

Kitchen

Living room

The living room tree

Most of this was done during the height of the bronchitis debacle, meaning I was passed out on the couch most of the time. I wish I'd been feeling better since I love decorating for Christmas, but I'm very thankful Jared didn't mind doing most of the work this year (ok, he might have minded but if he did he kept that thought to himself). Oh, and I'm totally lying about August being a big help. He was asleep on the couch keeping me company and probably worrying about when I'm going to pull out his Santa outfit. Don't worry. That's coming soon enough.

All pictures taken with my iPhone then edited in Instagram and Diptic.

All I Want For Christmas...

2011-12-05T00:00:00.025-06:00

Ok, so I might have thought of a few more things I want for Christmas.

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb

I smell this every time I see it in a department store or Sephora. I've wanted it for over a year so I think it's safe to say I really, really want it.

Mink Faux Fur Throw (in white)

Throws for the living room are always needed, especially once it gets cold. A faux mink throw? Yes, please.

VS Pink Sweat Pants

Maybe you look super cute and 100% put together all the time, even when you're just hanging around the house. I don't. Bring on the VS sweats.

Gift cards. Starbucks, Sephora, Barnes & Noble, etc. If I like to shop there, I'll like a gift card there.

Ok, so I didn't post this just as a list of things I want (although it obviously is). You can tweak this to be a pretty good idea of a gift to get almost anyone. Favorite perfume? Something for the house? Lounge wear? Gift cards? Somewhere in there you can find a gift for anyone.

See? I just did your Christmas shopping for you. You're welcome.

Friend Friday - Christmas Wish List

2011-12-02T00:00:00.025-06:00

Friend Friday

This week since we're talking about what's on our Christmas wish list.

NOOK Tablet

I decided a couple of months ago I wanted an e-reader for Christmas. When it comes to technology, I'm only concerned with how it looks so Jared was put in charge of researching which one would be best for me and this is what he came up with.

Jonathan Adler Pink Circles Cover for NOOK Color / NOOK Tablet

See, this is the part I was more concerned with. Getting a cute cover for it. (And I wanted to know if the Nook came in different colors. It doesn't.)

And... I haven't really come up with much else. That's a pretty nice gift, though. Maybe this whole Closet Clean Out/streamlining and simplifying my life thing is finally starting to sink in. Or maybe I'm still hopped up on all the medicine from the last week and I'm not thinking clearly. Anything is possible. What do you want for Christmas?

If you're interested in FBFF, go to Modly Chic for more information then e-mail Katy if you want to join the group.

What I'm Wearing...

2011-12-01T00:00:00.020-06:00

Shirt - J. Crew (Buy it here), Jeans - Old Navy, Shoes - American Eagle, Earrings - Banana Republic, Watch - Michael Kors

Hey, remember when I used to post outfits on the blog? Yeah, me either. Anyway, this is what I wore on Thanksgiving and I did end up getting to wear one of the new J. Crew sweaters I picked up the weekend before. It definitely wasn't cold on Thanksgiving (rarely is in Alabama), but at least I could wear 3/4 length sleeves. That's relatively appropriate for late fall. Right?

It's been so long since I did an outfit post that when I went to upload the pictures, I grabbed the USB cord that goes with my iPhone instead of my camera. True story.

What I'm Loving...

2011-11-30T00:00:00.035-06:00

Even though the long weekend didn't go exactly as planned, I started feeling a lot better pretty quickly with all the medicine so I don't feel too behind on Christmas decorating - can't say the same for shopping though. Oh well. There's still time.

Here's what I'm loving:

Sophia Grace

My Mom sent me this link a couple of weeks ago and it cracks me up every time. Basically this little girl's parents made a YouTube video of her and her cousin performing Super Bass, it went viral, and they ended up on Ellen a few weeks later (they've been on several times now). It's hilarious, and I guarantee it'll make your day better.

Shazam

I had Shazam on my BlackBerry and like most everything about the BlackBerry, it sucked. Now that I have my iPhone it actually works and is pretty useful. I'm constantly hearing a new song on TV or in Starbucks and I don't know what it is. Problem solved now. It's also good if you hear a song on the radio and want to remember to buy it later since Shazam saves the songs you've tagged. Love!

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill

This was one of my purchases at Neiman Marcus when we went to Charlotte last month. I've been wanting to try Eyes to Kill for awhile and so far I'm pretty impressed. Great mascara and hands down the best packaging I've ever seen.

Rumour Has It/Someone Like You Mashup

There were a several mashup's on Glee a couple of weeks but this is far and away the most amazing. I've put it on repeat in YouTube for days and am still obsessed with it.

Ok, so that's What I'm Loving right now! What about you?

Shopbop $100 Gift Card Winner

2011-11-29T00:00:00.000-06:00

Thank you all so much for enter the Shopbop giveaway! Shopbop is going to give one reader a $100 gift card.

The winner is:

Laura from A La Mode et Plus!

Congratulations Laura! Thanks to Shopbop for sponsoring the giveaway!

Sick Day

2011-11-28T00:00:00.018-06:00

we♥it

How was everyone's long weekend? Ours was going well (double Thanksgiving on Thursday, houseful of people to watch Bama win the Iron Bowl on Saturday) until I got sick. A sore throat and cough during the game very quickly turned into a fever and shortness of breath Saturday night. After the 2nd episode of gasping for air and not being able to catch my breath, we landed in the ER in the middle of the night so I could get a breathing treatment. Ahh, bronchitis. Fun times.

Look, frankly the weekend had been low key and my immune system just won't stand for boredom of any kind. Plus Jared, my aunt, uncle and now my Mom had been sick and it just gets jealous when there are germs around. I can't help this.

Anyway, now I'm stuck laying around which results in the Christmas decorations being put up at a snail's pace. Should be done by New Year's. Maybe. If you don't mind, cross your fingers that the breathing treatment, steroid shot and 5 (yes, 5) prescriptions knock this out. I have a bad history of things getting a lot worse before they get better and I'm not in the mood for that right now.

Black Friday

2011-11-25T00:00:00.009-06:00

Did everyone have a good Thanksgiving yesterday? Anyone start their Christmas shopping at 10pm when the stores opened? Not me. Black Friday terrifies me. As a safety precaution I won't be leaving my house until Monday.

Go enter the Shopbop $100 Gift Card Giveaway! You have until midnight CST tonight and I guarantee you won't get trampled. The same cannot be said if you're at any major retailer right now.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T00:00:00.018-06:00

images via we♥it

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hopefully you're getting a few days to take a break from life and enjoy some down time with family, friends, and food. If you're not, give yourself a few minutes today and have a little mini-Thanksgiving :)

Go enter the Shopbop $100 Gift Card Giveaway! Tomorrow is the last day to enter :)

What I'm Loving...

2011-11-23T00:00:00.038-06:00

I'm sure almost everyone is loving that it's a short week, right? That's what I figured.

Here's what (else) I'm loving:

Revlon Facets of Fuchsia

I'd seen so many rave reviews for this new polish I figured I'd have trouble finding it, but it was right there in the Revlon section in Target. It's a gorgeous color that's packed full of glitter, but not in an obnoxious way.

Watch What Happens Live

If you watch any show on Bravo, you need to be watching this, too. It's always hilarious!

Kelly Clarkson - I Know You Won't

Get More: Kelly Clarkson, VH1 Unplugged

This is a cover of a Carrie Underwood song I'd never heard. I'm not a fan of country music, but I really like Kelly's take on the song. She performed this on Unplugged and I'm hoping it shows up on iTunes soon!

I usually have 4 things in my What I'm Loving... post but there's no way to put a title or picture with this. I'm loving everything about the next few days - Thanksgiving, family coming into town, lots of family meals, get togethers, watching big football games - all of it! I hope you're all getting ready to have a few days off, too :)

Ok, so that's What I'm Loving right now! What about you?

Go enter the Shopbop $100 Gift Card Giveaway! There's still time :)

Shopbop Wish List

2011-11-22T00:00:00.049-06:00

It's pretty impossible for me to spend more than 5 minutes on Shopbop without adding to me never ending wish list.

Jennifer Zeuner Cursive LOVE Necklace

Paula Bianco Chunky Knit Wrap Scarf

Bird by Juice Couture Magic Stretch Leather Leggings

Diane von Furstenberg New Lips iPhone Case

That's just a small sample of the many things catching my eye right now. I think my Christmas list is growing longer by the second. Lucky for one of you, there's $100 up for grabs courtesy of Shopbop (as I'm sure most of you already know). Go enter the Shopbop $100 Gift Card Giveaway if you haven't and then you can make some progress with your own wish list :)

Enjoying It...

2011-11-21T00:00:00.024-06:00

The weekend was spent...

picking up our houseguest on Friday since my parents took a last minute long weekend to the beach...

heading to Tuscaloosa on Saturday for Bama's last home game of the season...

drinking caramel apple cider (so yummy)....

and doing a little shopping at the J. Crew sale on Sunday (plus an additional 30% off - fab deals)...

Basically soaking up the last "quiet" weekend before all the craziness starts.

How was your weekend?

Go enter the Shopbop $100 Gift Card Giveaway!

Friend Friday - Thankful

2011-11-18T00:00:00.037-06:00

Friend Friday

This week since it's the week before Thanksgiving, we're listing what we are most thankful for right now.

we♥it

When I was in the hospital for the last eye surgery I had to go over my medications with everyone there. No one, even most doctors or people in the medical profession, recognizes the name of my infusion drug so I always have to spell it out and explain why I take it. Once I'd done that for the anesthesiologist and he realized I was taking it because it treats both MS and Crohn's (since I have both) he said "So are you able to live a normal life?" I've been asked variations of that question before and it borderline offends me. Why wouldn't I have a normal life? (And what is normal, anyway?) Yes, I have more doctors appointments than an average 20 something. Yes, I value and use my health insurance more than an average, well, person. There have been plenty of things in the past couple of years that weren't all that fun, but I have never not considered my life to be normal.

So, I am most thankful for my normal, every day, generic, boring life - even if it seems abnormal to other people :)

If you're interested in FBFF, go to Modly Chic for more information then e-mail Katy if you want to join the group.

Go enter the Shopbop $100 Gift Card Giveaway!

Thankful Thursday

2011-11-17T00:00:00.014-06:00

we♥it

Today I'm guest posting over at Elleinad Spir for Thankful Thursday. The post will be up there in a few hours, so please head over to Danielle's blog to read and comment on it. I wrote about something that is very important to me and my family, so please check it out.

Go enter the Shopbop $100 Gift Card Giveaway!

What I'm Loving...

2011-11-16T00:00:00.031-06:00

I can't believe it's a week until Thanksgiving. Doesn't it seem like time is flying by? I was basically out of it for a couple of weeks, so that could explain why it feels like it was just October to me... moving on.

Here's what I'm loving:

Butter London Victoriana

After I bought this, I said I'd been drawn to it because it didn't look like any other nail polish in my collection. After having it on my nails for a week I stand by that statement. It's a shimmery blue/green that is gorgeous to look at, and of course I love the fact that it lasted a solid week on my nails.

Tarte Lip Service Limited-Edition LipSurgence™ Collection

This set has 5 full sized Lipsurgence's for $29. Ok, now what's the big deal about that? Regularly priced, 1 is $24. Did you get that? 1 is $24, and in this set $5 are $29. I told you I love this time of year. Deals like that just make me giddy. It's sold out on Sephora.com right now, but I picked it up in a Sephora store so I'm sure some of them still have it in stock. Run out and get this set!

Paula Bianco Wrap Scarf

I got this during the Shopbop Friends & Family Sale and it is quickly becoming my most worn scarf. I like the versatility of deciding how many times you want to wrap it, and it's light weight enough that I've been able to wear it even though it's been in the 70's lately. (Gotta love that November weather in Alabama...)

Tory Burch Reva Patent Ballet Flats in Fig Plum

Why did it take me so long to get these gorgeous patent Reva's? No seriously. Someone tell me. Because I have no idea.

Ok, so that's What I'm Loving right now! What about you?

Go enter the Shopbop $100 Gift Card Giveaway!

Listen.

2011-11-15T00:00:00.037-06:00

After nearly 2 weeks of barely leaving the house, I was starting to go stir crazy by Friday. We did get out of the house for a date night, which was great, but it only made me make endless lists of all the things I needed to do and places I wanted to go over the weekend to get caught up on everything I feel so behind on right now. When I woke up Saturday at 7am in 'whenisthisevergoingtoendjustripthedamneyeoutofmyheadkthanks' pain, plans were changed. The weekend ended up more like this:

The dogs* are big fans of a lazy weekend, so I followed suit. We laid around, napped, watched football, then napped a little more. Is it what I had planned? No. But sometimes you should listen to what your body is telling you to do. And sometimes when you're stubborn and try to ignore it, it'll force you to listen. So there's that lesson for the day. Enjoy :)

*You all know August, and the black and white dog is Coco - my parents dog. They were visiting my sister so Coco was here for a couple of nights. Coco has popped up on the blog before, and is the dog that some of you asked about who was in the pictures last Friday :)

Go enter the Shopbop $100 Gift Card Giveaway!

Shopbop $100 Gift Card Giveaway

2011-11-14T00:00:00.003-06:00

Clearly I've had a lot of time on my hands the past couple of weeks, and I've spent a good amount of that time doing a little online window shopping. You all know how often I'm looking at Shopbop, as well as the Shopbop blog. Boots are always, always, always an addiction of mine once fall gets here (or the calendar tells me it's here since it rarely feels like fall around here...) Here are some that have caught my attention:

These Jean Michel Cazabat boots are the perfect black leather, and they're 30% off right now.

These Dolce Vita boots are perfect for every day. Flat, gorgeous leather, go with everything - yep. Perfect.

Platform boots, like this pair by Rosegold give you the extra height without the extra pain of heels. Works for me.

Ok, you all know what's coming, right? Shopbop is offering one of my readers a $100 gift card, which will be perfect for some upcoming holiday shopping (for you or for someone else - I'm not judging).

Mandatory:
Be a follower of Fashion's Maven on Google Friend Connect. If you're not already, just click over to the right.

How to enter:
To enter, leave a comment letting me know you're a follower and your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.

Additional Entries:
Follow me on Twitter
Tweet about the giveaway including @fashionsmaven and @shopbop and provide a link
"Like" Fashion's Maven on Facebook

Leave a comment letting me know you want to be entered and for each entry to guarantee it counts. The giveaway is open internationally, but unfortunately not to Pennsylvania bloggers (Shopbop's rules, not mine!). The giveaway will run until November 25 at midnight CST.

Thanks to Shopbop for sponsoring the giveaway, and thank you to everyone for reading, commenting, etc. while I've been recovering from surgery. It really means a lot to me and I truly appreciate it. Good luck! :)

Friend Friday - No Makeup (!!!)

2011-11-11T00:00:00.035-06:00

Friend Friday

This week's Visual Friend Friday is a picture of you with no makeup.

Ok, so the point of this week's Visual Friend Friday was probably to take an up close picture of yourself with no makeup and post it, but I don't have a picture like that on my computer and if a camera flashed in my face right now I'd scream bloody murder and attack whoever took the picture. (I'm still in a slight bit of pain from the surgery if that wasn't clear.) So I thought I'd use this post to make the point a different way. I'm not wearing makeup in any of the above pictures (obviously, hence the title of the post). It's not weird for me to leave the house with no makeup. Yes, I love it. Yes, I have a ton of it. Yes, I love to sit at my vanity and put on makeup. But I don't do that every day and I have no desire to. And I don't think you have to. You can look entirely put together and ready to face the world without a bit of makeup on. Put on something that makes you feel good, throw on some accessories, wear some big sunglasses and you're set. Victoria Beckham is famous for saying that big sunglasses cover a multitude of sins. You want to argue with that? Because I don't. And if anyone tries to take my big sunglasses away from me I'll also scream bloody murder and attack them.

If you're interested in FBFF, go to Modly Chic for more information then e-mail Katy if you want to join the group.

Gift Guide - Mix & Match

2011-11-10T00:00:00.044-06:00

I know what you're thinking. Gift Guides? Already? Are you crazy?

Um, no. I've just had an exorbitant amount of free time the past week or so to do nothing but sit around and start coming up with things like ideas for Christmas gifts. Ignore the crazy and just reap the benefits of my OCD tendencies, ok? Ok.

The gift sets that Sephora, Ulta, etc. come out with this time of year are insane, and a great deal. Take a look:

Sweet Kisses & Merry Wishes™ Set ($70 Value) - $36

Buxom Mix & Mingle ($72 Value) - $39

Stila Lip Glaze Set ($110 Value) - $25

Pacifica Magic Carpet Ride ($50 Value) - $25

L'Occitane Hand Cream Confections ($50 Value) - $40

Sephora by OPI Four Piece Full Size Nail Colour Set ($38 Value) - $28

Since gift sets are always packaged so cute, they're great as gifts just on their own. Since you usually get several things in one set though, I like to break them up. Buy a couple of sets, take a couple of things from each one, add in something like a Starbucks gift card and you can make several gift baskets/bags for presents.

Not a bad idea, right?

It's always darkest before the dawn...

2011-11-09T00:00:00.014-06:00

And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues strong
It's always darkest before the dawn

And I've been a fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I'm always dragging that horse around

I'm still getting back into the swing of things, so no full blown What I'm Loving... post again this week. One thing I am absolutely loving and am obsessed with is Florence + the Machine's new album which was released last week. I bought it off iTunes immediately and I've listened to it a lot already. Shake it Off has been on heavy repeat so far. When you look at the video and listen to the lyrics, I'm sure you'll understand why.

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off

Sephora Friends & Family Sale

2011-11-08T00:00:00.028-06:00

I think the fact that Sephora, Saks, and Shopbop had Friends & Family sales within days of each other nearly killed me. But I'll make the sacrifice. The Sephora sale was going on around the time of my surgery, so what's a better way to spend the night before surgery than a little Sephora shopping? Exactly. I only made one purchase this year, but I think it's a good one:

Clarisonic Plus Floral Print with Philosophy Set - Coral
What it is:
A kit that pairs the Clarisonic Plus with skincare and body products from Philosophy.

What it is formulated to do:
Now with a pretty floral print, the Clarisonic Plus cleans, softens, and smoothes skin on the face and body. Combine its sonic cleansing technology with a skincare routine from Philosophy, including the purity made simple cleanser for the face, aloha girl shower gel for the body, and the antiaging serum when hope is not enough.

This set contains:
- Clarisonic® Plus with three speeds
- Universal Voltage Charging Cradle
- Sensitive Brush Head
- Body Brush Head
- 3 oz Philosophy purity made simple® cleanser
- 16 oz Philosophy aloha girl™ shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath
- 0.375 oz Philosophy when hope is not enough® serum

I've wanted a Clarisonic literally for years now so getting it at 20% off and in a gift set seemed like a no brainer. I'll do a full review later once I've had the chance to use it for awhile.

Oh, and don't worry you missed out on the Sephora Friends & Family sale. If you're a VIB, November 10-14 you can use the code VIBDREAM for 20% off your purchase. Happy shopping! :)

Easing Back In...

2011-11-07T00:00:00.019-06:00

we♥it

It's been a week since my surgery and I'm gradually trying to get back to normal. The past week has consisted of a lot of sleep, laying around, watching TV, reading magazines, doctors appointments, and napping. (Not the same as sleeping. You sleep at night, you nap during the day. Glad we could clear that up.) This week I'm aiming for a little more normalcy - writing blog posts, actually sitting at the laptop so I can read and comment on blogs, getting out of the house for more than errands and doctors appointments, and generally feeling a little more human.

So basically - the posts will probably still be a little on the short side, and I'm not 100% yet, but I'm trying. Thanks for sticking with me :)

Welcome to North Carolina

2011-11-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

Last week I went to Charlotte, NC with Jared on his business trip. It was good to get away for a few days before I had surgery and it's fun to see a city you've never been to before.

I spent part of an afternoon at the Mint Museum since they have a Chanel exhibit right now. Definitely worth seeing :)

More surgery shopping/souvenirs. A Chanel magnet from the museum, Sephora goodies, and Armani Eyes to Kill mascara from Neiman Marcus. South Park mall was an excellent recommendation, so thanks to everyone who told me I should go there :) The last thing I need is makeup, and I fully intended to get nothing from Sephora this month minus one purchase from the Friends & Family sale (I'll post about that later), but all the gift sets they start putting out this time of year suck me in. The prices are too good.

PS - Dear Birmingham (or state of Alabama in general),

Get a Nordstrom. Or Neiman Marcus.

Seriously.

Love,

Me.

The lovely hotel Jared's company paid for did not have any adequate space for me to put on makeup. (It also didn't have decent WiFi or a TV made in this century, but I digress). No worries. I can make a vanity out of a clean (I hope) hand towel and 3 pillows. I'm like MacGyver that way.

Our last night we had dinner at Black Finn - another recommendation from the blog. (Thanks Ashleigh!)

So you might be wondering why there's not more pictures. Well, I forgot my camera. Yep. So this is what I got with the iPhone and Instagram. Luckily those 2 things are a decent substitute for forgetting your camera. That's what I'm telling myself, anyway.

And just like glass...

2011-11-03T00:00:00.000-05:00

And now we pass and just like glass
I see through you, you see through me like I'm not there.

You could make my head swerve.
Used to know my every curve.
And now we meet on a street,
And I am blind.

I can not find the heart I gave to you.

I love it when I accidentally discover a song. I bought Ingrid Michaelson's album since there were several songs I loved, then this came up on iTunes one day when I had it on shuffle and I discovered this one. Just reading the lyrics, you'd assume it's a sad song but listening to the melody it doesn't strike me as being as depressing as the lyrics would lead you to believe. Maybe that's just me. You should probably listen and decide for yourself.

Saks Friends & Family Sale

2011-11-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, the Saks Friends & Family Sale was going on so logically, I felt like I should buy something. With so many brands that never go on sale, when you can get 20% off, you have to. I think it's a law.

I picked up the Tory Burch reva patent ballet flats in fig plum. I love my Tory Burch flats so it's a given I'm going to grab a pair if I can get them at 20% off. I also convinced Jared to let this be "surgery shopping". See, I figure if you have to have surgery twice in 3 months, you should get to do a little extra shopping.

What did you pick up at the Saks Friends & Family sale?

Happy Halloween (a day late)

2011-11-01T00:00:00.016-05:00

Since I knew I wasn't going to get to enjoy Halloween we "celebrated" ahead of time. We got both pumpkins carved over the weekend (took longer than expected, but whatever), and on Sunday night took pictures of the pumpkins and August in his Halloween attire.

First, the pumpkins:

The Alabama A with a football etched behind it.

For the second one Jared etched out an elephant and Roll Tide, then I filled them in with glue and glitter. For both pumpkins I did a combination of drawing the designs with dry erase marker (it wipes off) and outlining the design with an x-acto knife, then Jared did the carving. Teamwork.

August in the Halloween shirt (that you can't really see - it has a pumpkin on the back that glows in the dark). It's a small miracle he actually sat there and let me take a picture.

...then the bumblebee costume! He won't cooperate to let the hood of the costume stay on his head. Animals. Difficult to work with.

How was your Halloween? Also, thank you all so much for all the comments, Tweets, etc. yesterday and throughout everything with the surgeries. Yesterday went really well, and I'm home and so far not having to take anything but Tylenol. I'll see the eye doctor in a few hours for the first post-op appointment then it's back to the couch for a day of resting :)

Honey Badger Don't Care

2011-10-31T00:00:00.005-05:00

So a couple of months ago I had to have eye surgery and I decided to follow the sage advice of Barney Stinson and stop being sad and be awesome instead.

That's good advice. Until you have to have eye surgery AGAIN 3 months later. (Yes, I knew this would happen. Doesn't make it any less sucky.) Well, I'm taking some different advice this time. The advice of Honey Badger.

Honey badger don't care.

Honey badger don't give a sh*t.

Works for me.

Like last time, I have posts scheduled for the week but they're short and sweet, I doubt I'll be around to comment much, hopefully I'll be back in action soon, blah blah blah. You know the drill. I'm sure you all know where to find me! Hope you're having a better Halloween than I will :)

Friend Friday - What Inspires You?

2011-10-28T00:00:00.030-05:00

Friend Friday

This week is a pictorial review of what inspires you.

I think that pretty much sums it up :)

If you're interested in FBFF, go to Modly Chic for more information then e-mail Katy if you want to join the group.

Shopbop Friends & Family Sale

2011-10-27T00:00:00.011-05:00

Because the world has a cruel sense of humor, Shopbop's Friends and Family sale was last week, too. With Shopbop you barely get 2 days to figure out what you want, so not a lot of time to agonize over items. It's like a high pressure shopping situation. I'm ok with that.

I picked up the Tory Burch reva tonal flats in bordeaux. Gorgeous color, am I right? I might be slightly partial to red shoes. I'm ok with that, too. And like I said a couple of days ago, Tory Burch at 20% off? Order quickly, kids.

The other item I got was the Paula Bianco wrap scarf in light grey. I first saw this last winter and loved it, but couldn't justify it for the price. Since I still liked it a year later and could get 20% off, suddenly it was justifiable. Life is funny that way.

What did you pick up at the Shopbop Friends & Family sale?

What I'm Loving...

2011-10-26T00:00:00.029-05:00

It doesn't look like I'll get to really enjoy Halloween seeing as I'm having surgery that day. So that just means I can eat a lot of candy this week, right? I thought so.

Here's what I'm loving:

Butter London Yummy Mummy

You expect that beige-y neutral nail colors can end up looking boring (I do anyway). Not the case with Yummy Mummy. Maybe it's the pinkish undertones or the slight shimmer, but this is neutral enough to be worn to work and not at all boring.

Ghiradelli Pumpkin Spice Chocolate

I'm sure you all heard Carrie talk about these on her blog, so when she had a Facebook giveaway for them of course I entered. And it may or may not have made my week when I won (it did). And I'm not revealing how fast you can go through a bag. Let's just say every thing Carrie has said about them is true. Go find some.

Friends & Family Sales

I find it a little mean that multiple companies have their Friends & Family sale at the same time, thus causing significant damage to my bank account. But it's not like I can pass up 20% off...

Apple Cider

Apple cider at night once it's finally chilly outside = perfection. Caramel apple cider = even better. I have a tin of caramel apple cider right now that is rapidly being depleted, but once it's gone I think a pump of caramel syrup from Starbucks in a mug of apple cider will do the trick. Anyone else love this?

Ok, so that's What I'm Loving right now! What about you?

Change of Plans...

2011-10-25T00:00:00.017-05:00

So, there's been a last minute change of plans. Jared is leaving for Charlotte, NC tomorrow for a business trip and I decided last night I'd tag along. I never go on his business trips because 1) he never goes anywhere interesting (except the time he went to Italy and I was still in school and had 5 tests over the 9 day trip so I had to stay behind) 2) he usually flies, and his company isn't going to pay for me to fly so why would we pay for me to go somewhere when it's usually boring? Well, he drives to North Carolina and 1) I've never been to Charlotte 2) I can have the rental car during the day to drive around and entertain myself 3) I think a change of scenery and an impromptu getaway is needed since I'm about to have surgery. AGAIN.

(Tired of my numbered lists yet? I'll try to stop.)

Got all that? Basically I'm off to Charlotte, NC for a few days and I know nothing about it so if you're familiar with the area, give me recs! Things to go, places to see, shopping, restaurants, the usual. It's a short trip, but I still need entertainment :)

New Motto

2011-10-24T00:00:00.008-05:00

‎"If I'm going to be a mess, I'm going to be a glamorous mess." - Rachel Zoe

When I heard this on last week's Rachel Zoe Project one thing popped into my head...

...new life motto.

What's the best thing you've heard lately?

Friend Friday - Halloween

2011-10-21T00:00:00.040-05:00

Friend Friday

This week we're answering questions about Halloween.

1. Do you have plans for Halloween? What will you dress up as this year?

I'm having surgery. On Halloween. Again. When I had the eye surgery back in August, I knew I'd need one more operation to finish it up and this is when the doctor scheduled it. On Halloween. Because my life is hilarious.

2. Where do you go for costume and makeup inspiration?

No costume or makeup this year. The surgery should be outpatient, then I'll be home, in my sweats, hopefully on some good pain meds.

3. What was the best costume you've ever donned?

I was Punky Brewster one Halloween, I think when I was 6 or 7. I frequently wore 2 different colored Converse high tops to school, so I'm not sure how different it really was from my every day attire. I was a pretty awesome kid if you haven't picked up on that.

4. What's the most creative costume you've ever seen?

Yeah, I'm drawing a blank...
5. No holds barred if you could dress up as anything, what would it be?

Last time after the eye surgery I had to wear a big plastic eye patch. This time I'm going to take a plain black eye patch and ask them to use that one instead. Get it? I'll be a pirate.
My life is hilarious.

If you're interested in FBFF, go to Modly Chic for more information then e-mail Katy if you want to join the group.

Nail Polish Tip

2011-10-20T00:00:00.004-05:00

I love glitter nail polish. I hate removing it. When I saw this video on YouTube, it seemed entirely to simple to actually work.

Basically you apply a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover to your nail, wrap foil around the nail to hold it in place, leave for 5 minutes, then remove it. When you remove it all the glitter nail polish will be gone.

I know. It sounds like it won't work. But I did this the other night, and it completely does. I'd much rather do this than spend the 5 minutes scrubbing at my nail with the nail polish remover and swearing I'll never wear glitter nail polish again (which obviously will never happen). Yes, it looks ridiculous but I don't care. I'm happy to have found an easy way to get glitter polish off!

Any good tips or tricks you've heard lately?

What I'm Loving...

2011-10-19T00:00:00.039-05:00

You know what's great about Alabama? One day you wake up in October and it's 85 degrees, then 2 days later you wake up and it's 55. And by great I mean it's impossible to dress for and I'd like it if someone could decide what season we're in. Could we do that, Alabama? Thanks.

Here's what I'm loving:

iMessage

I'll admit I haven't really used most of the new iOS 5 features on my iPhone, but I am loving iMessage. One of the only things I missed from having a BlackBerry was BBM, which iMessage has effectively fixed. Thanks, Apple!

Essie Smokin' Hot

This piqued my interest when it was compared to Chanel's Paradoxal (one of my favorites). There are similarities, but this is definitely different. Smokin' Hot is much more of a creamy, easy to wear color than Paradoxlal is. Don't get me wrong though - I'll wear Paradoxal anytime! This came out in the Winter 2010 collection and I don't think it was permanent, but I saw it recently at Ulta so it's easy to find.

Pinterest

I joined Pinterest months ago, but for some reason it took me awhile to get into it. Maybe it's more fun now that it seems like everyone in the world is using it? Follow me on there if you're not!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Love them, have seen a couple of recipes to make them at home, and definitely need to start doing that. My bank account would thank me.

One more thing - Shopbop is having the Friends and Family sale right now! It's only 2 days, so it ends tonight. If you use the code INTHEFAMILY20 you get 20% off - make good use of it and be sure to tell me what you buy :)

Ok, so that's What I'm Loving right now! What about you?

Fall Scents

2011-10-18T00:00:00.001-05:00

Like everyone else in the blogosphere, I have an obsession with all things fall. Unfortunately, living in Alabama I barely get to experience it. I joke that sinse I don't get to experience fall, I at least make my house smell like it. Hey, it works for me. I know you've all noticed my love of candles and fall scents so I'm putting them all together in one post.

Candles

Slatkin & Co. candles are my hands down favorites. My only complaint is that you can't get a bigger size than 14.5 oz. They always have a great, lingering scent though. Leaves and Creamy Pumpkin are my fall favorites. A couple of things - make sure your wicks are about 1/4 in long so they don't burn too fast, and if you buy the Slatkin & Co. candles from Bath & Body Works wait for the 2 for $20 sale! They have it every few weeks so just sign up for the emails so you'll know when it's going on. The candles are regularly priced at $19.50 so getting 2 for $20 is basically a buy 1 get 1 deal.

Tarts

Burning tarts is an easy way to fill a room with a smell you love. I get my tarts from Yankee Candle but I'm sure other places sell them, too. The ones from Yankee you can burn several times (you use a tea light), and the tea lights burn for about 5 hours so you get a good bit of time out of them. My favorites are Pumpkin Buttercream, Cinnamon Stick, Macintosh Spice, Pumpkin Pie and Harvest. If you get the ones from Yankee, once again, sign up for the emails because while they retail from $1.99 they frequently go on sale for $1 and Yankee emails coupons, sometimes up to $15 off. Makes for a pretty good deal when you combine it. (Hey, you have to look out for these things when you like to go shopping as much as I do...) Also, just get the big pack of unscented tea lights from Target. Much cheaper than getting the scented ones and I don't notice any difference.

Ok, so those are some of my favorite fall scents and a few tips on how to save a buck if you want to keep a constant stream of candles and tarts burning in your house like I do :)

What are your favorite fall scents?

"I'm never going to be taken down by the first person..."

2011-10-17T00:00:00.031-05:00

We had another busy weekend, this time traveling to Nashville to visit my sister.

We ate at Burger Up Friday night (really good and apparently Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have been seen there. Not on Friday night, though)...

Spent Saturday afternoon shopping at Anthropologie and Nordstrom...

Watched Alabama roll over Ole Miss 52-7 on Saturday night...

Helped my sister find shoes for the wedding she's in next weekend (these are the ones she picked)...

...then headed back to Birmingham Sunday night. Overall, a very good weekend - especially a nice 52-7 victory over an SEC school. Ole Miss scored their 7 in the opening drive. When we played Florida a couple of weeks ago we won 38-10 and they also scored 7 in their opening drive. Next week we play Tennessee and a reporter asked the Tennessee head coach how they were going to prepare. His response? "Don't score first. It pisses them off."

How was your weekend?

*Post title is a quote is from Alabama player Trent Richardson, a Heisman Trophy candidate. He says his strength provides him with the ability to "run folks over", "I throw them off of me", and "I'm never going to be taken down by the first person".

I like that.

Friend Friday - The Quintessential Fall Outfit

2011-10-14T00:00:00.015-05:00

Friend Friday

This week is a Visual Friend Friday of the Quintessential Fall Outfit.

Well, I guess this is looking more like winter - especially for the South. Chunky knits, long infinity scarves looped multiple times, tall boots, piles of jewelry - I'd love to be able to dress like that in the fall. Of course, then you'd have to rush me to the hospital for the heat exhaustion I'd be suffering from which is why no pictures exist of me wearing my Quintessential Fall Outfit.

Oh well. I'll continue to dream.

If you're interested in FBFF, go to Modly Chic for more information then e-mail Katy if you want to join the group.

*all images via Pinterest

What I'm Wearing...

2011-10-13T00:00:00.024-05:00

Tunic - Express, Leggings - Express, Boots - Rockport, Earrings - Melinda Maria, Ring - House of Harlow, Bracelets - Express and House of Harlow, Nail polish - Essie Smokin' Hot and Butter London No More Waity Katie

After almost a year of owning this "dress" that I refuse to call a dress from Express, I've decided on what to call it - a tunic. I'm calling it a tunic. I don't know why, but it sure as hell isn't a dress so that's what I'm going with. I'm sure you've been losing sleep over this.

The nail polish didn't go quite how I planned. No More Waity Katie looked so nice next to Smokin' Hot, I figured it'd be gorgeous over it on the "accent nail". The base in No More Waity Katie is too similar so it basically blends in, except when a camera flash goes off. Oh well. Still love both. Just not working together like I'd thought they would.

Love, love, loving the new boots! I should have taken a picture with no flash because this isn't showing the true color of them. Oh well.

Like I mentioned earlier in the week, this was my outfit Friday night when we went to Tuscaloosa. We went to dinner and planned on going to the bonfire, but the wait at the restaurant was too long. We still walked around on campus though and it's not like a bonfire changes from year to year.

What I'm Loving...

2011-10-12T00:00:00.037-05:00

Alabama is away this weekend, so we're planning on going to Nashville to visit my sister. Apparently there's a UA Alumni bar in Nashville, so we'll have a place to watch the game with fans. Bama fans. You can find them anywhere. It's a beautiful thing.

Here's what I'm loving:

Zoya Trixie

I've tried out the 3 Zoya polishes I ordered a couple of months ago and they've all been great, but Trixie is my favorite. It's a gorgeous, silver foil but what's even better - you get full coverage in 1 coat. 1. I can't think of any other nail polish I have that'll do that.

True Blue Spa Supremely Smoothing Face Scrub with Apricot & White Tea

Another of the 3/$10 mini's I got at Bath and Body Works. This is pretty gentle for a scrub which is good for my skin since it's sensitive. The ginger and white tea scent doesn't hurt, either.

Mums

We went last weekend and bought our mums to go out front. We do this every year and never plant them but Jared promises that'll actually happen this year. We'll see. I love seeing them out front though. Makes it feel like fall!

Pumpkins

You can't go buy mums and not pick up pumpkins. You just can't. I got the 2 to go out front, plus several little ones for indoor decorations. I think I love the tiny ones as much as the big ones. Everything is cuter when it's tiny, right? Now I just have to decide how I want to carve mine. Suggestions?

Ok, so that's What I'm Loving right now! What about you?

Tigi Sale at Ulta

2011-10-11T00:00:00.014-05:00

Last year 3 of Tigi's hair products - Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo, Masterpiece Hairspray and Hard Head Hairspray went on sale during October with proceeds going to benefit Breast Cancer Awareness. The same thing is going on this October with Manipulator added into the mix. All are on sale at Ulta right now so I picked up 2 Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo's and a Masterpiece Hair Spray since I'd been wanting to try it.

Oh yeah - besides being an eye catching shade of pink, and donating to charity, there's one more benefit - each bottle is $7.50 (I think - don't remember the exact price since I bought them a week ago). Anyway, since they're regularly $19.50, with the $5 off coupon on this month's Ulta circular I got all 3 for about $21 after tax.

Not bad, right? Oh, and Butter London is on sale at Ulta for the whole month, too. It's Buy 2 Get 1, so if you missed out on the Buy 1 Get 1 I posted about, that's still a pretty good deal! And even better if you get the $5 off coupon, of course.

"This is not the end, this is the beginning..."

2011-10-10T00:00:00.048-05:00

If you follow me on Twitter, Facebook or anywhere else, you already know we were in Tuscaloosa a lot of the weekend for homecoming festivities. Friday night we went down for dinner and the bonfire (which we missed, but anyway) then Saturday we headed back down for the game.

Homecoming ticket sitting on my new houndstooth shaker. All the tickets this season have a phrase from the fight song. Don't know the Alabama fight song? For shame. You should.

Perk of a night game (and my in-laws seats in the upper deck) - getting an awesome view of the sunset from Bryant Denny.

Extra point kick after a touchdown. I was actually able to get a picture of the touchdown thanks to the iPhone camera being super fast, but someone in the row in front of me jumped up just as I took it. Oh well.

Yeah, the game is still going on. We won 34-0 so it wasn't exactly a nail biter. And yes, I know I apparently look like hell but football games make for long days. This would have been, like, 9:00 at night. There's my excuse.

Definitely a fun weekend! I'll have a What I'm Wearing... post later in the week from Friday's outfit. I always love going down for homecoming, seeing the decorations (the sororities do lawn decorations - hard to explain, but always worth seeing), and just being in Tuscaloosa :)

Getting to see that in person in Bryant Denny is always a plus, too.

Roll Tide - hope everyone else had a great weekend :)

"I want everybody here to know, this is not the end. This is the beginning." - Nick Saban after Alabama won the 2009 BCS National Championship.

All pictures are from my Instagram.