Elle Apparel

Army Green

2013-05-20T07:47:00.004-07:00

Jacket: Chicwish c/o, Top: me, Pants: J.Crew, Shoes: Shoemint c/o, Glasses: Firmoo c/o, Jewelry: INPink (here and similar) c/o

This jacket works great for the summer. It's lightweight so I always grab it when heading out in the evening because it's just too chilly at night to go without one. Happy Monday everyone! (that just sounds like an oxymoron to me though...)

Leather: Day to Night

2013-05-17T08:09:00.001-07:00

Day Look: Jacket: Choies c/o, top: Forever 21, Jeans: J.Crew, Belt: H&M, Shoes: Target (sold out, similar here), Sunglasses: Nordstrom, Necklace: Nashelle

Night Look: Jacket: Choies, Dress: me, Sunglasses: Nordstrom (similar), Bag: Tory Burch, Shoes: Seychelle (similar), Watch: Michael Kors, Earrings: Vintage

I have been obsessed with this jacket since the day that I got it. It is the perfect fit and great quality for not being real leather. Faux leather can be tricky because it can look real fake real quick. But not this baby. Dress it up with a simple white tee and jeans, or throw it on over a little black dress for dinner.

Happy Friday everyone!

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Check out if you won the Shoemint giveaway by clicking here!

Mint Lace Skirt Tutorial

2013-05-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

With stretchy lace and some jersey knit, this skirt may look dressy, but is so easy to pull on (no zipper!) and stretches with you as you move. Perfect for church, where you are dressed like you plan on sitting still for multiple hours, but end up bending, squatting, lifting 30 lb children, and sweating. All while trying to keep your knees together and your heels on.

I snagged this lace down in LA for $2 a yard. For a year it just sat in my fabric closet being stared at and caressed (serious), but never cut into and sewn. I needed the right color to wear under it. Finally I just decided to dye some white jersey myself to get the color that I needed, using this technique.

If you are trying to achieve this color, only use the teensiest bit of the Sunshine Orange. Like, 1/4 tsp. If it needs more, add a few drops at a time because it switches to a dark green very quickly. (always test a swatch first)

Materials:

1 yard of stretchy lace, prewashed (you can usually find a good selection here)
1 yard of jersey knit, prewashed (find lots here)
Tracing paper (if needed)
Matching thread
Double needle (optional)
Dye (if needed)

STEP 1:

Start by using an existing pencil skirt as a pattern and trace all pieces to the skirt using some tracing paper. Make sure to leave room for seam allowances and length for hemming.

Cut out the pattern for your skirt twice, with the lace and with the knit.

(if you need to dye any fabric, now is the time to do it. The thread won't dye, so get the fabric dyed before sewing)

*word to the wise: I ironed my pieces flat, seam allowances flat, when hemming, etc. Make sure that your iron isn't too hot! Test out on a section of extra lace before ironing because if it is too hot it will melt the fabric.

STEP 2:

Lay the top and underlay waistband pieces on top of each other, then stitch up the sides, right sides together.

Stitch up the sides of the lace and underlay skirt sections separately. Slide the lace skirt section over the underlay.

STEP 3:

Take your waistband and fold it in half all around (see picture 2). Pin right sides facing out to the outside of the top of the skirt, with raw edges all matching up (see picture 4). Serge or zig zag stitch. (you need this stitching to stretch)

STEP 4:

Fold the bottom of the skirt under (mine was 3/4") and stitch with single or double needle. Make sure to do this to the lace and underlay sections separately.

Enjoy! Comment or email me with any questions!

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Don't forget to enter the Shoemint giveaway! It ends tonight!!

May Flowers

2013-05-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Top: The Impeccable Pig c/o (worn as a top, and currently on sale!), Skirt: Me (tutorial coming!), Shoes: Nine West (similar), Clutch: Melie Bianco c/o, Sunglasses: Fossil (similar), Earrings: F21 (similar), Watch: Michael Kors, Bracelets: Glam Grab c/o

I have been on a big floral kick recently. Normally I wouldn't put two different floral prints together, but since the skirt is more of a muted floral lace all one color, I figured it didn't go too overboard with the floral top. In the past I've been much more of a solids/stripes girl, but there are so many great floral prints out there, they are sucking me in!

Speaking of flowers, one of my favorite moments of Mother's Day was my sweet little Bradley bringing me a flower he picked himself (most likely from the neighbors yard). He really gets a kick out of picking flowers for me, and I get a kick out of it too. Flowers are one of my favorite things to get, especially when most of the stem has been plucked straight off and the petals are slightly crumpled due to a toddler death grip. Flowers that don't stand a chance of lasting past the afternoon....those are the best kind of flowers.

Shoemint GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

2013-05-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ja Ja / Lori / Appolina

I have an amazing giveaway for you all today! I teamed up with Shoemint and they will be giving away a gorgeous pair of Shoemint shoes to 3 lucky Elle Apparel readers! And YOU get to pick the shoe! I am seriously obsessed with my Shoemint shoes. They are great quality and have so many cute options! The only downside the winners will have is trying to decide on which pair to pick. (They just came out with some amazing summer sandals)

I will select TWO winners from the comments on this post, and ONE winner via Instagram

CONTEST ENDED
~~MUST BE AN ELLE APPAREL FOLLOWER TO ENTER~~

~~(open to US and Canada followers only)~~

Requirements |

(2 winners selected via comments)

Sign into Shoemint's site here and leave me a comment letting me know which shoe is your favorite

One Additional Entry |

Share this giveaway on your Facebook or Twitter
Leave me a second comment letting me know the usernames associated with your FB and Twitter accounts, for verification if you win

Instagram Entry |

(one winner selected via Instagram)

Follow @leannebarlow and @mintsider and regram about this giveaway using #ElleApparelShoemint

Giveaway will run through 5/16, winners will be announced 5/17. Good luck!

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And the winners are......

Congrats Tina and Ally! Shoot me over an email to get your shoes!
Check out my instagram to see if you were the third winner.

Nude and Leather

2013-05-08T11:08:00.000-07:00

Top: Chicnova c/o, Cardigan: Me (similar, similar fabric), Leggings: Chicnova c/o, Shoes: Appolina in black via Shoemint c/o, Bag: Chicwish c/o, Sunglasses: Forever 21 (similar), Watch: Nordstrom, Bow Ring: T&J Designs c/o, Leather Wrap Bracelet: INPINK c/o (similar), Necklace: Nashelle

I've been on a bit of a leather kick lately, and I love how these ones just add a bit on the side. It doesn't scream 'I'M WEARING LEATHER PANTS GUYS!' too much. Throw in some subtle nudes and a patterned cardi and it balences out the leather even more.

Home.

2013-05-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

top: The Home. T c/o, pants: Fidelity c/o (in the Hampton rinse), shoes: Steve Madden (similar), Bag: Massi c/o, hat: husband's, Jewelry: INPINK (similar) c/o, Jewelmint c/o, necklace: Maya Brenner c/o

We did it. We made the move to California. Not just temporarily for an internship like the last two summers, but for a real, live, J.O.B. The hubs and I are both from here (same city...same high school....each other's prom dates, you know the drill), so we have been dreaming about ending up in Southern California since forever. We were welcomed home by these lovely fires. But other than that, we can already tell we are going to love it here. California has always been home. And I do believe this tee sums it up quite nicely.

(It is also the most comfy slash soft thing ever, and a portion of the profits are donated to multiple sclerosis research.)

But there is this twinge of sadness knowing we won't be making that drive back to Utah once the summer is over. I think back to the many moons I spent living there, and it really became my home. Some of my favorite parts of good old Utah can be summed up in this list:

The park across the street that was super convenient, except for when it rained. Then it became the community swimming pool.
The breathtaking view of the valley from our balcony that always included some form of snow-capped mountains.
This list could entirely be made up of food places, lets be honest, but I'm just going to say: The Awful Waffle, Station 22, The Communal, Brio, Gurus, Malawi's Pizza, La Jolla, Groves. That city knows how to do FOOD!
Seasons. Summer to Fall- glorious, Winter to Spring- heavenly. Let's breeze right past Fall to Winter, shall we?
Running down Provo canyon. A constant slight decline right along a river. And every time I ran down it it was like I was running a half marathon because of all the other runners around me on that trail.
The people. Never in my life have I been surrounded by so many talented, generous, genuine friends. We've made many dear friends up there. Lots of them have since moved away, and lots of them we had to leave behind. My sister-in-laws, who are the closest thing I'll ever have to real sisters, were the kicker. Those two are the cream of the crop, and I will miss them every single day.
I can't say that I will miss all the bad driving that comes with living in a college town, but there is something fun that comes with being around students. People don't bat an eye when they drive past a Spiderman waiting at a bus stop, or walk past a student heading home from the library belting out The Phantom of the Opera like he is on his own personal Broadway stage.
A real live white Christmas. I'm converted, I'll admit it.
How you can hit up a story time at the library on the hour every hour 5 days a week. Standing room only if you are 5 minutes late.

The Graduate

2013-05-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

These past two weeks have felt like I have been running a constant marathon. Hence...the posting drought that has been happening up in here. Last week Garrett graduated from law school. What WHAT?! It's been a long time coming and I couldn't be more proud. While the past 3 years have been very much a joint effort between the two of us, this guy has worked his tail off. He is seriously one of the smartest people I know. We party-hartied as much as we could for a few days and then got hit square in the the jaw with packing up our house for a long awaited move. Now that the dust is semi-settling, I'm looking forward to getting back to more of a normal routine. I feel like we finally get to be normal adults and not students. SO READY for that!

Stripes and Spikes

2013-04-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

dress: me (similar dress, similar fabric), shoes: Shoe Mint c/o, Bag: Massi c/o, necklace: INPINK c/o, watch: Michael Kors, bracelets: Jewel Mint c/o (get 2 for the price of 1 here for new members!), Glam Grab c/o

I made this dress a while back and it is one of the most versatile pieces ever. It can be dressed up or down, and the thick knit makes it super comfy. I paired a little navy and gray today....sometimes I have a hard time wearing neons and pastels when it is cold and rainy. But the trees are starting to blossom and I. can't. wait. Pretty soon I won't have have to backpedal on my promises to go to the park due to the sporadic rain and snow. It's like some annoying ex-boyfriend that just won't leave you alone. But I think a move to California will do just the trick. The snow and I just need a clean break.

Leather Jacket Roundup

2013-04-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

I have been on the hunt for the perfect leather jacket for a while. Most days I gravitate to the feminine pieces in my closet, but there are just those days when you need to embrace your inner rocker.

Now I'm off to clean the tornado that is my house and start packing. We are California bound in less than 2 weeks.....I should probably start this dreaded packing sometime before then, right?

Fabric Swap Recap

2013-04-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

Miriam, Melissa, me, Diana, Sunny

The fabric swap that Melissa and I hosted was so much fun! We each brought massive amounts of fabric (as you can see from the picture). We are so grateful to everyone who came and brought fabric to swap or came to stock up. It was great to reconnect with old friends and meet some new ones! I got rid of a lot of my extra striped fabric, so that was nice. I'm definitely going to have to do something like this again.

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See if you won the Phytomer giveaway here!

Phytomer Review + GIVEAWAY!

2013-04-02T07:54:00.001-07:00

I had the amazing opportunity to test out some of the most luxurious skin care products I have ever used. If you haven't heard of Phytomer, you are in for a real treat. Headquartered in France, Phytomer invented marine cosmetics, which use the most precious ingredients from the sea to strengthen and recharge the skin with energy. Over the past month, I set aside my normal skincare routine and used only Phytomer skincare products. In other words, I got to pamper myself morning and night.

Here is the line-up. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven with all of these products. Let's break them down by groups and I'll tell you a bit about each product...

Perfect Visage Gentle Cleansing Milk (available here): LOVE this! Very gentle and very effective and smells like a day at the spa. This bottle is HUGE and will most likely last me about 3 more months! One of my top pics! Great price for the amount that you get. I would recommend this to anyone.

Rosee Visage Toning Cleansing Lotion (available here): Do you like the smell of roses? How about the smell of roses on your face? It smells positively heavenly and is really calming on the skin.

Hydrasea Ultra-Moisturizing Polarized Water Serum: This was great for the dry winter months. I put it on before applying my makeup and it held the moisture all day long without feeling heavy or greasy. I probably won't need it during the summer as it isn't quite as dry.

Hydra Original Thirst-Relief Melting Cream (available here): AMAZING. This was great for dry weather, but I will continue to use it all year long. Again, massive bottle. I barely even made a dent in the 30 days and I really feel like this is worth every penny. My skin was perfectly dewy and my make-up went on nice and smoothly. One of the best moisturizers I have used, hands down.

Night Recharge Youth Enhancing Cream (available here): I switched off between this and the Initial Youth Cream at night. This is a thinner feeling cream that felt my skin soft and supple in the morning. Great bang for the buck too!

Initial Youth Multi-Action Early Wrinkle Cream (available here): Amazing. It is a much smaller bottle, but I have probably 2 months left of use out of it. I loved the slightly thicker consistency and the fact that a little goes a long way. It smells wonderful without being too perfumey. AND I could see the results! This cream is geared more toward 25 and up so it was perfect for me. If you have the budget, I would highly recommend this!

Youth Contour Reviving Wrinkle Correction Cream Eye and Lip Care (available here): Thick and luxurious. Again, a little goes a long way. I used this baby every single night and loved how soft and smooth the skin around my eyes was in the morning. It also helped with any puffiness or dark circles.

Vegetal Exfoliant (available here): I used this mask twice a week and it did wonders for my skin! I didn't think my skin could get any softer after washing it with the cleansing milk, but this did it. It is very gentle and mild. One of my top picks!

Hydra-Matifying Control Cream: This stuff is pretty close to magic. It is a daytime face lotion that gave my skin a matte finish and minimized the look of my pores. It isn't super hydrating, but will be a lotion that I use on a regular basis in California where the weather is a lot more humid.

Acnipur Blemish Solution Fluid (available here): I used this lotion every night before my nighttime cream. It helped keep my skin nice and clear without drying it out. It is very mild, so you might need something a little stronger for already existing larger blemishes.

Seaweed Soap (available here): I didn't think much of the soap when I got it, but after one use I was hooked! The seaweed in the soap exfoliated my skin and I didn't dry up like a prune the second after getting out of the shower! The smell is to die for. I kept it up high in my shower out of the water when I wasn't using it. It will last me at least another month and I seriously look forward to using it!

Dietary Supplement (available here): I took 2 everyday along with my normal vitamins after eating a meal. It helps keep your skin healthy and clear from the inside out.

Moisturizing Body Milk (available here): I don't consider myself very picky when it comes to body lotion.....but after using this I am! I know I've said it before, but you guys, the smell! It just smells luxurious. I don't know how else to describe it. It is thin and lightweight and any skin it touches instantly feels like my baby's face. Magic lotion, I tell you!

Sea Water Bath Packets (available here): I'm not a huge bath person. Mostly I just sit in the bath and think about how many feet have stood on the surface that my body is laying on. But these bath packets are awesome. I have been doing the Insanity workout program for the last few months and adding these packets to my bath have helped my muscles relax and helps my body de-stress.

I have teamed up with Phytomer to give one lucky Elle Apparel reader my three favorite Phytomer products! I am so excited to share what I have been obsessing over for the past month!

~~To enter to win the Phytomer Vegetal Exfoliant, Gentle Cleansing Milk, and Thirst Relief Melting Cream (a $140 value!!):~~ GIVEAWAY CLOSED

MUST BE AN ELLE APPAREL FOLLOWER TO ENTER

(open to US followers only)

Requirements |

Like Phytomer on Facebook
Follow Phytomer on Twitter
Leave a comment letting me know your favorite Phytomer product (if you've used it before) or which one you would like to try from their website, along with the usernames you used to like Phytomer on facebook and twitter for verification if you win

One Additional Entry |

Follow me on Instagram
Follow Elle Apparel on Pinterest
Share this giveaway on your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram
Leave me a second comment letting me know the usernames associated with your Instagram and Pinterest accounts, for verification if you win

The giveaway will run through Sunday, 4/7. Winner will be announced on 4/8.

Best of luck and thanks for reading!

*The Phytomer products were provided by Phytomer, but all opinions are my own.

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The winner of the giveaway is Aeron Green!!

Congrats Aeron! Shoot me over an email to claim your prize!

Easter

2013-04-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun Easter weekend! I can't say that it was relaxing, but the kids had fun. This year I wanted to get the pictures out of the way as soon as possible so that we could just enjoy the rest of the day (why do family pictures always stress me out?). So we got up and dressed and headed over to the library to snap some pictures first thing in the morning. Then they got to run around, eat candy, and get messed up as much as their little hearts desired.

Spring Spree

2013-03-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

Just a little day dreaming of what I might splurge on if I won the $1,000 Grand Glam Giveaway . Not that I can even enter....but it might give the winner a few ideas! This amazing giveaway ends tonight so get your booty over and enter if you haven't already!

Also, I hope to see some of you at the Fabric Swap that Melissa and I are hosting tomorrow! Head over to here to register and get all the details. The goal is to leave with less fabric that I brought...we'll see if that happens.

Happy Easter weekend everyone!

Buttoned Up

2013-03-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

top: me (pattern & fabric c/o fabric.com), pants: J.Crew Factory, shoes: Shoemint c/o (get 20% off your first pair here!), belt: J.Crew (old), necklace: T&J Designs c/o (currently sold out, but crushing on this beauty), sunglasses: Forever 21, watch: Michael Kors, bracelet: Juicy

I fell in love with this fabric the moment I saw it. I knew it would make a perfect button-up. The problem is, the last time I made a button-up shirt it was at 3am my sophomore year of college in the sewing lab. I was frantically trying to finish it for my final. It was out of this very baby girl nursery-esque print that was the best they had at Joanns and I knew I would never wear it. Since then, I have avoided button-up tops like the plague (and you'll find how much I like purchased patterns here). But gosh danggit, that fabric. So I went for it.

The pattern assumes that you know how to apply a placket. I wasn't even totally sure what that was, but I figured that wasn't anything Youtube couldn't fix. The pattern was actually pretty straight-forward. The directions were entertaining ("Told you you needed to mark all those stitch lines!"). I took my time with this one and actually made a muslin first. A muslin you guys. I have as much patience as my 3-year-old when it comes to sewing, so sewing the shirt with practice fabric before actually sewing the shirt was a real feat for me. But it was a smart move. I mastered those dang plackets, and made a few adjustments to my final pattern. I took in the sides and sleeves in a bit, and had the shirt button all the way down instead of just half-way like on the pattern. And I am totally pleased with the result. Now I have an altered pattern that I know fits me perfect that I plan on recreating probably more times than you want to see. And that mint and pink check have Easter weekend written all over it.

Fabric Swap Event!

2013-03-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Melissa and I have been talking about putting together a big fabric swap for months now, and we are thrilled to be hosting this fun event! If you are in Utah County, head down to Provo this Saturday to buy/sell/or shop fabric and mingle with us! I have way more fabric in my office than is socially acceptable and need to do a little destashing before our move to California.

Space for the event is limited, so go sign up here to reserve your spot. Once you are on the list we will be emailing you directions to the event and fabric tags for you to label your fabric size, contents, and price (if choosing to sell your fabric vs. swap).

You don't need to bring fabric in order to come! Head over if you are in the market for some great fabric. There will be plenty to go around. See you Saturday!

Glam Grand $1000 GIVEAWAY!!

2013-03-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

I've collaborated with a group of fabulous bloggers to bring you something special today. One very lucky reader will have the chance to live glam with a grand - you'll win a $1,000 Visa Gift Card!

To enter, simply use the Rafflecopter below. Points will be earned for each item completed - the more you do, the closer you'll be to winning this amazing prize! The $1,000 Glam Grand Giveaway will run until midnight Friday 29th March 2013 and is open to participants worldwide. After this, the winner will be announced and contacted via email.

So, now all you have to do is enter, go meet these other fantastic bloggers and start thinking about how you'd spend a grand. I'd love to know your ideas, share them in the comments and let's start dreaming of how to live glam!

Kelsey Bang | Style Elixir | Moiology | Casey Leigh | Elle Apparel

Ivory Lane | Pink Peonies | CaraLoren | Shannon Hearts | The Chiffon Diary

Twist Me Pretty | Dont Quote the Raven | Barefoot Blonde | Crazy Style Love | The Daily Tay

Jessica Who? | MessyDirtyHair | Glossy Blonde | Glam Hungry Mom | A Little Dash of Darling

Merrick's Art | In Honor of Design | Coast With Me | Plane Pretty | Mix and Match Fashion

Get Your Pretty On | The Shine Project | Fashion and Tea | Crowley Party | Along Abbey Road

Style With Shannon | Love Chugs | Dreaming In Cashmere | Sincerely Arizona | Kacie's Kloset

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms & Conditions:
The Glam Grand Giveaway is for one USD $1,000 Visa Gift Card. This giveaway is open worldwide to people aged 18 years and over. It will run from Friday 22nd March 2013 to Friday 29th March 2013. Entries will be verified, so please be honest in completing items. Once the giveaway closes, the winner will be announced on this Rafflecopter and also contacted via email. To claim your prize, please respond to the email within 72 hours, failure to do so will result in a re-draw. Once the winner has been selected, this decision is final and no further correspondence will be entered into regarding this matter. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with Visa or any other social media platform. Good luck!

Leanne Barlow Pre-Orders Available!

2013-03-15T17:05:00.001-07:00

Leannebarlow.com now has the option to pre-order any of the sizes that are currently out of stock! We will be getting a new shipment in May and if you have pre-ordered your skirt, yours will be the first orders filled. Thank you so very much for your patience!

Any size that doesn't have (Pre-Order) listed next to it is still in stock and will be shipped right away.

P.S. We might be adding some new colors to the store as well...!!!

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Click here to see if you are the winner of the Jose Eber Trio Wand Giveaway!

The Momiform

2013-03-13T09:38:00.000-07:00

cardigan: Chicwish c/o, top: Forever 21 (old), pants: LOFT, shoes: Target (similar), sunglasses: Steve Madden (via TJ Maxx, similar), necklace: Nashell

Getting all dressed up is one of my favorite things in the world. But life as a mom doesn't usually allow for a lot of time to spend on make-up and hair, or call for many silk tops and heals. Most days when I have exactly 13 minutes to get ready before the baby wakes up, I tend to gravitate to a few of the same staple pieces. Leggings, a comfy top, and some kind of cardigan, preferably over-sized. Then I throw on mascara (or sunglasses.....same thing) put my hair in a bun and grocery shop till I drop.

But I gladly trade in all the time I once had to actually "get ready" to spend my time with these dudes. They are worth all the minutes in the world.

Jose Eber Review + GIVEAWAY (closed)

2013-03-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today I am excited to be teaming up with Jose Eber to be reviewing and giving away the Trio Clipless Curling Wand. The best part about this wand is that it comes with 3 interchangeable barrels to give you different size curls.

I was thrilled with how easy this wand is to use and to change out the barrels. It heats up in about 30 seconds, with a temperature gauge to tell you exactly how hot it is, so you know right when it has been fully heated. It gets really hot, and my hair kept the curl for days!

I have always loved the kind of curls that can be achieved with wand irons, but was anxious to see what a difference the size/shape of the different barrels would make. The wand comes with three barrels sizes:

25 mm
19 mm
tapered barrel

And here are the different kinds of curls you can get with the Trio.....
(with a hair color change in between. Spring calls for light blonde hair!)

I'm pretty partial to the largest barrel that gives me the perfect long loose curls, but I was surprised with how much I liked the smaller 19 mm barrel, especially on the 2nd day. (and 3rd. and 4th. I'll just stop there.)

So, you want to win this Trio with all 3 wands? (a $170 value!)

~~MUST BE AN ELLE APPAREL FOLLOWER TO ENTER~~
GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Requirements |

Like Jose Eber on Facebook
Share this giveaway on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or blog
Leave me a comment saying which curl you like best, along with the usernames you used to like Jose Eber on facebook and to share the giveaway with, for verification if you win

One Additional Entry |

Follow me on Instagram
Follow Elle Apparel on Pinterest
Leave me a second comment letting me know the usernames associated with your Instagram and Pinterest accounts, for verification if you win

The giveaway will run through 3/14. Winner will be announced on 3/15.

Best of luck and thanks for reading!

*The Trio was provided by Jose Eber, but all opinions are my own.

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The winner of the Jose Eber Trio Wand Giveaway is:

Congratulations Tobi! Shoot me over an email to claim your Trio!

And for those who didn't win, use code LEANNE15 to get 15% off of your purchase!

Mint + Yellow

2013-03-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

top: Old Navy, skirt: Chicwish c/o, shoes: Nine West, bag: Melie Bianco c/o, belt: H&M

It finally felt a little like Spring around these parts yesterday. We soaked up every last ounce of the sunshine by taking a long walk/bike ride to the park. The PARK people! Bradley asks to go to the park every single day and after months and months, he got his wish. Which is a good thing because we are back to snow and rain by the end of the week. This Utah weather is killing me! I am counting down the days till we move to California.

So I decided that if Spring won't come via weather, I'll just bring it with my wardrobe. Mint and yellow are one of my current color combination crushes at the moment. I just added a few neutral touches (yes, leopard is a neutral in my book) and let the skirt and bag do the talking.

Pattern Magic

2013-03-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

I received this beautiful Pattern Magic book from Laurence King publishing and am dying to try my hand at some of the amazing dresses they have tutorials for. It is a pattern-cutting book with many geometric designs that really involve "sculpting" fabric. The tutorials are quite advanced, but the book gives very specific measurements and lots of step by step pictures. That bow skirt above is gorgeous and is the first item on my list to try. Now to figure out what kind of fabric to make it in.....

It may seam a little quiet on the blog-front, but I have some fun projects in the works for my store that have kept me designing, drafting, and sewing like a mad-woman. Stay tuned!

* the Pattern Magic book was c/o Lawrence King, however all opinions are my own.

Shades of Pink

2013-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

dress: old (similar / altered by me, tutorial here), cardigan: J.Crew, bag: Parazul c/o, shoes: Target (on sale!), watch: Michael Kors, Jewelry: J.Crew, Nashelle, Lipstick: Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart (thanks for getting me hooked Alycia!)

Happy Valentines Day! Today we will be busy eating heart-shaped pancakes, delivering sugar cookies to neighbors, and enjoying a yummy dinner sans kids. First time we will actually go out to dinner on actual Valentines day in years. Usually we just make a crab dinner at home, but I thought we would celebrate our last V-Day in Utah in style. Follow me on instagam to see what we end up eating, cause you know I'll be gramming some food pics.

Sewing Basics Series:: Shortening a Slit

2013-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

I have had a dress in my closet for years that I haven't worn. It fits me like a glove, but the side slits are pretty high. Like,"back when I was single" high. Ok, so it might even be like, "back when I was in high school" kind of high. For some reason I just never could part with this dress. I knew there was a way I could wear it again (I even created a pattern out of it to make this dress). So finally, after many moons, I just altered the slits to be a lot more "married woman chasing after my baby boys....not teenage boys" kind of slits. So here you have it. A short sweet tutorial that will let you wear all those gonnamakeitworkeventually kind of slit dresses.

Stop by tomorrow to see this dress in action.

A little inspiration for Thursday...

2013-02-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

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