Ma Nouvelle Mode

And so I am in California...

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:19:00 +0000

And I thought I wouldn't be writing any more traveling posts for a while Well, as it turns out I must be crazy and I decided to do it again. With both boys. By myself. International flight. Why don't we back up a bit, it's kinda a cool story...

So it's Tuesday evening in France which is Tuesday morning in LA. I decided to call my dear, dear cousin to wish her well on her wedding this weekend. This is kind of a bittersweet situation because I love her so much and cannot wait for her to marry her man. And yet on the flip side I am here in France and only get to see pictures when they are loaded on Facebook. Talk about a bummer.

So as Marissa and I are chatting, I texted my husband, "Oh, man. I really wish I could have gone to this wedding." I think subconsciously I was hoping he would text me back saying, "There's still time, Babe. Let's get you a ticket!!" However, my husband, being the ever-so-practical man that he is texted back saying, "I told you we could have tried if you wanted to." Past tense. Dang it. It looks like my chance has passed. So I wished Marissa well trying to accurately express how much I wanted to be there without making her feel bad that I wasn't. I think she was doing the same thing.

I hung up the phone and tried to get a hold of myself. I have a very large, very close-knit family and it physically hurts when I have to miss important things like weddings and babies being born. (I missed my niece being born a few weeks ago.) However, I didn't want to express this emotion to my husband because, one, he already knows the way I feel. There is no reason to rub it in. And, two, I don't want him to feel bad that I didn't make it. After all, it isn't his fault.

I walked out of our room where I was talking to Marissa and into the living room where he sat on his computer. I plopped down next to him with a big sigh. He already knew what I was feeling. He repeated his text, "I told you we could have tried to go. You wait until now to want to try?"

"No, we don't have to try. I understand. I waited too long and it's too expensive." I picked up my computer thinking 'I am just gonna check if there are cheap flights. What if by some bizarre chance we could do it? Crazy, but worth a try.' As I was picking it up I glanced over to Var's computer to see what he was doing. Expedia.com. What? He was already checking flights for me! Now I might have a husband who is adamantly against celebrating Valentine's Day and rarely (if ever) brings home flowers, but that man loves me practically. And I couldn't ask for a better way to be loved.

So we started our search. We checked airline miles, Travelocity, Expedia, CheapTickets, Air France and for some reason Var checked out Lufthsana. Now remember, this was Tuesday night. I closed my eyes and said a little prayer. Lord, if this is from you, make it a reasonable, doable price. If not, please give me peace about not going and settle my heart.

He found tickets for all three of us leaving Thursday (now just a day away) for about $1500. Now, I don't know if you know much about international flights, but that is an incredible price. While he was checking all the ins and outs of the ticket and confirming everything I was having a freak-out session via Twitter DM's with my dear friend Gina. Honestly, I feel like God put here there to talk through things with me at that very specific point in time. And it was a blessing.

the happy couple

So here I am. In California. Surrounded by friends and family and loved ones to celebrate my cousin's marriage and to rejuvenate my soul with the blessings that are these people to me. God is so good and this is a gift from Him. The wedding was a beautiful day and I can't wait to show you some pictures of the day. As you can see, the bride was radiant and oh-so-happy to marry her man.

me and the bride

And, needless to say, Christie and I are going to have so much fun actually working together, like in person, getting ready for April re-launch!! Oh, so much fun!

Have a great day and God bless!!

Oversized Rustic Paper Flower Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:15:00 +0000

Ok guys, here it is! Just as promised. If you missed my previous post about the baby shower I hosted, go check it out so you can see how amazing these flowers can look as a backdrop!

So the first step is to go to Trader Joe's a million times and start collecting brown paper bags! (or you could always use butcher paper) You will want to make a couple different sizes of semi circles (see step 4) since the petals should get a little bit smaller towards the middle of the flower.

It is easiest to just knock this step out of the way and make a million petals at once. These petals SHOULD feel very rustic. In fact I had made a huge pile of them and my husband threw them all away because he though they were trash!

You will be using a lot of hot glue! The great thing is you can manipulate each petal as you glue it in to form the shape you like best. It will all start making sense once the petals are layered on each other. Use the largest petals for the base and then add the smaller sized petals as you layer.

You're almost done! Just time for the finishing touch....

And here a couple of pictures of how they were displayed. I personally LOVE the rustic brown because it grounds any colors you decide to use for other decorations.

Go ahead and comment if you have any questions and I will be sure to answer them!.

XOXO- Christie

St Patrick's Day Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I'm thrilled that once again Natalia invited me to share a recipe. My name is Tracy and I love to cook! On Tracy Cooks it Right, I share quick, light, and easy recipes, hoping to convince people that it is not hard to eat healthy.

With the ever-popular St. Patrick's Day "holiday" approaching, I created a soup with just the right color. When I begin to think about a new recipe, I ask myself: will it be delicious? Will it be simple to make? Do I have most of the ingredients on hand, and if not, will they be easy to find in a local store? Will my husband approve? Well, this soup is a yes, yes, yes, and yes!

This ol' blog world has many green beverages, green snacks, and green desserts this time of year. I wanted to give you something out of the norm but still delicious. Please warm up with this soup, come visit my blog sometime, and have a fantastic St. Patrick's Day!

Green Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 quart vegetable broth or stock
1 large (about 9-ounce) russet potato, peeled and cubed
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 pounds any mixed greens, like spinach, Swiss chard, bok choy, etc., torn into pieces
2 tablespoons dry sherry or dry white wine
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Packaged crispy onions for garnish, optional

In large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Increase temperature to high, add vegetable broth and potato, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Stir beans and greens into pot. Continue to simmer 5 to 10 minutes more, until potato is fork-tender and greens are wilted. Pour soup into blender container, in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth. Return soup to pot and stir in sherry, salt, and pepper, and warm through. Serve in bowls with parsley and/or crispy onions sprinkled on top, if desired. Makes 8 (1-cup) servings, 2 points plus for Weight Watchers or 125 calories each.

Note: Like many soups and stews, if you have the time to make it a day ahead, the flavors will meld together and the soup will be even tastier.

Thank you Tracy! Now go check out the rest of her awesome, easy, and healthy recipes over at Tracy Cooks it Right!

Spring Trends I'm Looking Forward To

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Well the sun finally showed her beautiful face this last week in beautiful France and I was so excited. It is funny something as small as the weather can change your attitude so drastically! I would be a complete wreck if I had to live in Alaska. Oh goodness, that wouldn't be pretty...

So needless to say, I am looking forward to spring and summer. Probably most likely for the clothes. It's hard to try and look cute when you have to wear huge jackets over every outfit. Most of my clothes are for spring and summer anyway, so it works out perfectly! Here are some of my favorite trends coming up this season.

Orange and Blue. I saw this a ton when I was in Sweden and I love it. It is a florescent or bright orange with a navy blue. It's a fun combo and a bit different and apparently it is all the rage this season. I am definitely gonna give this one a try. (Both images from kendieveryday.com so if you're gonna pin them, pin them from her site!)

Floral. Isn't this just the definition of spring? Flowers in bloom, beauty and colors everywhere? Yes, yes it is. And I have a beautiful flowery top that will work just fine. Try a floral dress or top paired with some skinny jeans. Beautiful way to brighten up your outfit!

source

Pastels and Brights. Now I am not a huge fan of pastels, I'd rather have bright orange or pink, but this spring it's trendy. Think Easter on your clothes. Brights work for spring as well and are a perfect transition to summer. You can go full out color blocking with orange, pink, and purple or if you are a bit nervous about being too bright item with a neutral or pastel for a perfect transition.

Bust out the skirts! It's time ladies. It's time. We can start wearing our skirts and dresses that have been stuffed away for these cold winter months. If you're like me you might need to start with some nylons, you know, to not scare people and all. Or start with tea length-ish skirts, showing just a little leg at a time! Either way, it is nice to be able to switch it up a bit.

How beautiful is this skirt and top?

That's it folks! Of course there are more trends this spring, but these are the ones I am most looking forward to. In fact, next week I am sharing some spring trend 'how-to' over at The Sits Girls. Be sure to check it out.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!!

Pregnancy Update and WIW End of First Trimester

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

OH.MY.GOSH......I am done with the first trimester!! Happy Dance...Hallelujah chorus..."ahhhhhhh" sigh of relief! Now that I have done the first trimester thing 3 times, I am pretty sure I can say it is my least favorite part of pregnancy! I will be doing more pregnancy updates now that I am through the first 12 weeks. Trust me, you would have been bored to death if I had been updating you thus far. It would have looked something like this: "Still feeling queazy, my boobs are a little bigger, I am bloated but not showing yet, wish I could sleep all day, etc etc etc."

I am currently 13 weeks

Here is a brief recap of my first trimester:

What I ate- Fruit, Panera Bread French Toast Bagels, Turkey Burgers, Snicker Bars and Pepsi

Fitness- Kickboxing, Corebar, StairMaster and Spin

What is different about this pregnancy so far?

1) With Elinor I was VERY sick, with Charley I only got Migraines and this time I have both but not as bad....boy or girl!??

2) I have been feeling the baby kick since 11 weeks (maybe even sooner but I can't be sure). Last night the baby kicked so hard I could see my tummy move! I didn't feel Elinor until 20 weeks and Charley at 18.

3) I am MUCH less focused on being pregnant this time around, mainly due to my other two children and their high demand of my attention. (no worries, I am remembering to take my prenatal Vitamins and not drink wine)

4) I have not "popped" yet! I was definitely showing by now (and not in a little way) with my second pregnancy. So I am pretty excited to be holding that off for a little bit.

And to celebrate being done with my first trimester, I would like to draw special attention to my What I Wore outfit this week and and the fact that I am still in my normal jeans!! (Don't worry, I will explode here soon, and you cuties out there will all be laughing!)

Outfit: Jeans- Kohl's Elle Brand, Tank- Kohls, Shoes, Kohls, Sweater, TJ Maxx, Cowl- Avery's Loft

I know my I look angry in this picture but I posted it anyways because I am loving my hair right now!

I am STOKED about these shoes because they are stretchy in the back and I know they will continue to fit if my feet grow during pregnancy (yes a strange side effect of pregnancy is temporary foot growth!?)

Xoxo- Christie

Linking up at The Pleated Poppy and The Letter 4.

Every Day is a New Adventure!

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Hey there, readers of Ma Nouvelle Mode! My name is Alyx, and I blog over here. I'm just tickled pink to get to know all of you and tell you a little bit about myself and my little corner of the internet. Let me start of by showing you who I am, okay? Okay. This is me:

Some things you need to know: I'm married to a totally awesome guy. We're both abnormally tall. We live in Europe (beautiful Germany, to be exact). We don't have any little rugrats [yet]. I love to blog.
This might have gotten you to wondering what it is that I blog about.
Well.... life. I'm not amazingly crafty [I somehow manage to botch the simplest of crafts]. I'm not the best cook in the world, or the most creative [I turn to Pinterest or Hamburger Helper for most dinners]. I don't have super cute kids that I post pictures of [again, yet]. I'm not a super newlywed [anymore]. I'm not a: race car driver skydiver fashionista supermodel photographer or anything else exciting.
I am simply a 23-year-old girl wandering around Europe with her husband.

I teach English to Germans [which results in some funny anecdotes]. I share my feelings on Europe [like what's up with them not having Wal-Mart?]. I like to think I'm funny [ha ha]. I try to come up with a new way to greet my readers each and every day [this has resulted in some rather... interesting greetings].Sometimes I ~~can~~ attempt to drag a cute outfit out of my closet [generally this happens on Wednesdays].

Basically, I'm a big believer in keeping it real. I don't sugar coat my life. I share who I am with my readers, and this has resulted in some amazing friendships. I like to think that I have the best readers in all of Blogland, so here's where I say to you:

Thanks for sharing Alyx! Seriously, one of our favorites to read! You can read her blog here, 'like' her on Facebook here, and follow her on Twitter here! Have fun!

A Belated Valentines Day Post

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:31:00 +0000

Well, I will be honest, we are still kind of in a fog after Charley's surgery. It seems the more he heals the more miserable he is getting! So I am sitting here still in my pajamas watching Disney's Enchanted (what can I say, my son likes musicals!) and writing this post.

Seems like and eternity ago that Joe and I enjoyed our Valentine's dinner!

Do you remember voting on these?:

Well, the winning look was: Ensemble #3 with Hair and Makeup from #2. So that is what I wore on our Romantic night out!

We went to The Melting Pot, which is a fondu restaurant and it is REALLY yummy!

We didn't get any full body shots because I forgot, and quite frankly I looked way better in this dress in the earlier photos I took. I had to stuff my pregnant body in this little size 4 and my ta-ta's were screaming to be let out!

See what I mean!? I was risking total humiliation every time I moved my arm....Joe didn't seem to mind.

I am looking at these pictures and I am jealous of myself! This food was so delicious!

So let this post be proof that I followed through with my Valentine's day "get out of my funk" challenge! And I thank you for participating in it!

Let's recap this year...

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:19:00 +0000

Welp, it's been a year. A whole year since I have had this little bloggy blog. And quite honestly, I am no less excited about it as when I first started. It has been the most amazing journey, opened up doors I didn't even know existed, and made friends from around the globe. I have every intention of staying right here and I hope you do too!

Here is my blog a year in review. No big grand giveaway or anything just yet because we have some super awesome exciting things going on in April!

February is where it all began and I wrote my very first post.

In March I added my very first but one of many Makeup Tutorial.

In April I had some people interested in hearing more about our crazy lifestyle. So I started the My life in France series with a post about our back story and being married to a basketeur.

In May this was my favorite post. I wrote about loving my husband. He hates it when I write about him, and I don't do it a lot, but the man works hard and deserves a shout out every once in a while!

In June I feel like I had a lot of fun posts, but one of my favorites was writing about having interracial kids. It got a lot of feedback and some wonderfully encouraging comments. Love this blogging community!

In July I posted about 'no heat summer curls' which got a big response, because let's face it, everyone wants beautiful hair in no time at all!

In August I had the first photo contest, which I loved so I am sure it will be the first of many. I also redid the blog design to what you see now. And it will soon be changed again by ByAimee and I am so excited about it!

In September I did my own fashion week with a ton of hair tutorials. I also got pinned from the photo shoot I did.

At the end of September I moved back to France and in October wrote a bit about dealing with jet lag and adjustments.

In November I bought this big poncho. I didn't know if I should keep it or not so I asked you all! Great pieces of advice, loved it. *update on the poncho* tried to take it back and they wouldn't let me. Now it's mine...

I got rid of my GFC in December! It felt good to have it gone and haven't missed it since!

In January I held the second photo contest which featured some lovely Christmas photos. (The lovely winner was Alyx from Everyday is a New Adventure, post from her coming Monday!) I also posted a piece I had written about wearing bold lip colors that was featured on SITS Girls back in December.

And here we are, February! I was so excited to introduce Christie to this lovely blog and think what we have coming is going to be excellent. I can't believe it's been a year.

Thank you for reading, commenting, and encouraging me throughout this last year. You are really one of the main reasons I do this. I hope you stick around and it only gets better than this!

Happy Anniversary to Ma Nouvelle Mode!

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:13:00 +0000

Good morning, everyone, and Happy Friday!

Today is a special day to me -- it marks one year I have been writing this little blog. It is special for so many reasons. For one, it marks a year. That's probably the longest I have stayed committed to one thing (besides my husband, of course!) I have a little bit of an attention span problem and tend to get tired of things easily. I have not, however, gotten tired of this blog and most certainly not you!

This space has given me the opportunity to meet so many new people, from all over the world, and I feel like I have genuinely developed relationships with a lot of you. And for that, I say thank you! Tomorrow I am going to recap this last year, but today I am going to take a second to tell you a bit about what is coming up for Ma Nouvelle Mode.

First of all, I wanted to give a little background as to why I wanted Christie to start blogging with me. I realize I kinda sprung it on you. Well, I have a love for all things creative and beautiful. I love hair, makeup, crafts (although not my forte) travel, cooking, you name it. However, I work best when I am able to bounce ideas off people to create the best possible version of my idea. When living in France, I can be pretty isolated from true, good, creative friends. And let's face it, the husband's resources are... let's say... limited.

I also have some very big ideas of where I want to go with this blog and I just knew that I couldn't do it all. I felt overwhelmed with my ideas and the amount of time and effort that it takes to make them work. I gave plenty of thought about getting someone to do it with me, and honestly, when it came down to it, Christie was the only person who came to mind. I love who she is as a person, her humble, real confidence, I love how cute she is, and I knew she could bring a lot to the blog. I have already been impressed her with ideas, motivation, and organization (which I was in desperate need of). And as you know, she is also a mom and pregnant so she can relate on that end as well!

From both of our photo shoots - after the redesign, you will see less of these particular photos, promise!

Second of all, I wanted to give you all a peak into what will be coming up on Ma Nouvelle Mode. The last week of March we will not be posting at all because April 2nd we will be relaunching our blog with beautiful new branding, a move over to Wordpress, and a lot of new features & cool posts for you! Christie and I are so very excited about it. We have quite a few giveaway prizes already secured and are doing a big giveaway a day.

Would you like to be involved? Maybe donate something from your blog/shop for one of the giveaways or host a guest post from us during that week? We would also very much appreciate any retweets and Facebook shares you can muster up! :) We would really love to work with you! Please send me an e-mail at Natalia@manouvellemode.com and we can chat about it!

Once again, thank you, thank you, thank you for so much love and support over the last year. I am incredibly thankful and Christie is so excited to delve into this world of blogging because of people like you!

Have a fabulous weekend!

A very unglamorous day

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:56:00 +0000

This is the first time I am going to let you into a very REAL, very IMPORTANT part of my life. The moment my first born baby girl came into the world, this is who I became at my very core. What did I become you ask? I am a MAMA BEAR, the kind that is ferociously protective, unapologetically emotional, and unconditionally loving. Did I choose to be all these things? No. Did I ever imagine how it would feel, before I had kids? Not in a million years. Do I think it is always appropriate to defend and protect my kids from all turmoil and discomfort? Not even a little bit. But on February 14th, 2012 I allowed my "Mama Bear" to rear it's God-given head for the sake of my little 2 year old son and here is a little documentation of this event

****WARNING**** If you would like to believe I am a glamourous person, turn away now! This may be a little shocking.

At 6 am on Valentine's Day we took our son, Charley to Los Robles Hospital to have a simple procedure (tonsillectomy). He was very suspicious of everything that was occurring

The Part that my husband and I were MOST dreading was when they would take Charley away from us in the OR. We imagined Charley screaming and crying for his parents. Well, they think of everything these days! They gave him something to make him feel "drunk" (their words, not mine!) And boy did it make him drunk!

And if you have any doubt as to why they would intentionally make a 2 year old feel drunk here is your answer:

He just calmly let this nurse take him away from his mommy and daddy!

Because of his age, he was admitted overnight for observation. I think these pictures sum up the definition of Pathetic

The long, agonizing night Charley and I spent together will be ingrained in my memory for the rest of my life. It was spent comforting my weeping babe, looking into each others eyes as he stroked my face while nodding off, and holding my pee until he was asleep deep enough to allow me a moment. This was bonding at it's best and, now that I am better rested, I am able to look back at the memories with sentiment and not horror.

At about 9am the next morning, I was finally able to fall asleep while my boy slept next to me and of course this is when my husband walked in and embraced the moment

Your welcome........

And here are some of our final moments at the hospital before being discharged. (This hospital offered "pet therapy" to its patients)

And now we are back home and doing quite nicely. Charley refuses any food but Mac n Cheese and Chocolate Almond milk and my daughter is kind of ticked of that we are allowing such a thing while she continues to eat what I serve her. But other than that and some horrid moments of administering charley's medicine things are getting back to normal!

Thank you for joining me into a very REAL glimpse of my life. My next post will be back to feeling fabulous (which I am anxious to do) but for all of you who want to know what keeps me motivated....you just got a small taste of it. I love you all!

XOXO- Christie

Boy Baby Shower Decorations and Menu

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I really do love to entertain. I love to have people over and make them happy, comfortable and well fed! Recently I had the pleasure of hosting a baby shower for my beautiful, adorable friend Lisa. She is the kind of pregnant that makes one excited to be in one's 3rd trimester only to realize that she is, in fact, the exception not the rule...

I REST MY CASE! Ok posting that picture of Lisa was kind of a last minute decision....I hope she doesn't kill me :) But doesn't she look fabulous!?

Aaaaannyways, I am excited to show you what we did for the shower! (And when I say we I am talking about myself and my two friends Rachael and Anna who are simply fabulous)

I am not huge on themes when it comes to my own parties (though I do love them when other people host them!). So this is what we came up with. I will be doing a tutorial for the giant flowers on the backdrop in a post next week!

So as you can see our main flower was Babies Breath scattered throughout the house in lovely vases. This really tied everything together. We also had Cherry Blossom branches that were absolutely stunning on the table (Thank you Anna!!) Everything else you see on the tables were random pieces from each of our own homes and I think the effect is just gorgeous.

For the menu we had an assortment of cheeses, cured meats, breads and crackers. Red Velvet cupcakes for dessert (thanks to my fabulous Mom!) And these unbelievably delicious salads (seriously I am starving looking at these pictures)

Salads left to right: Italian Pasta Salad, Fruit Salad with Pomegranate seed and Mint, Asian Cabbage Salad, and Arugula salad with herbed feta

Are you drooling??? I am!

Thanks for tuning in! XOXO Christie

What I wore, Night out with Family

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Ok, so here's the deal: My son is having surgery tomorrow to have his tonsils and adenoids taken out and he has to stay overnight because he is so young (No it's not a big deal, but it feels like a big deal!!!!) So of course, we are all celebrating Valentine's Day today! Yes, my hubby is taking me to a fabulous dinner and Yes, I will be wearing the ensemble that won the highest votes in my previous post. However, my Vday post and pictures will have to wait until I get home from the hospital.

So as a substitute, I am posting a cute, wintery outfit that I wore for a family night out a few weeks ago. Layering is my favorite thing to do on a cold night. That way I don't necessarily have to put a coat on and cover up my whole outfit (disclaimer: I LOVE coats). I like to feel cozy and warm, but not all bundled up. So here is my Cozy Fun Night Out Outfit:

Headband: Avery's Loft, Cardigan: Anthropologie, Top: Kohl's, Jeans: Joe's Brand, Leg Warmers: Kohls,

Boots: Steve Madden

See you post surgery! Hope all you fabulous women have a fantastic Valentine's Day whether it is spent with someone or not! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! Xoxo - Christie

SITS Day

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:53:00 +0000

Welcome to Ma Nouvelle Mode!! Thank you so much for stopping by. We are so happy you are here! Without further adieu, let us introduce ourselves!

We are Natalia & Christie, the dynamic duo of Ma Nouvelle Mode. With Christie in Southern California and Natalia in France, we have come together to give you our best! Want to know a little more about us? Here ya go!

My name is Natalia and I live in France with my husband and two boys. I started this blog when I had been feeling pretty dumpy being a mom and not taking a lot of time for myself. My kids had been sick for something like 4 weeks and I hadn't left my sweats in probably the same amount of time. I thought, "Wait! I used to be creative! I used to wear makeup! I used to get out of my PJ's and occasionally do my hair!! There is no reason having two kids should stop me from doing just that!" So that is where 'Ma Nouvelle Mode' came from, meaning 'my new style' in French. I am reinventing myself in a way. I have come to a point where I am learning to embrace the woman God made me to be and trying to use his gifts to the best of my ability. You can read a bit more about me and my family here.

My name is Christie and I live in Southern California with my husband, my daughter and my son. I am also currently carrying my third baby! My hands are full with my family and I LOVE them more than I can ever express in words. But just like Natalia, I was losing sight of who I was and the strengths and passions God had given me. So I joined in on this FABULOUS blog and it has been a great motivator for me as a mom, as a wife and as a woman in my own right! Always working on the beauty within, so that whatever beauty exudes externally is genuine, confident and secure in who I am. You can read more about me and my family here.

Our mission at Ma Nouvelle Mode is to encourage, motivate and inspire women of all walks of life to discover {or rediscover} their own fabulous panache. (We thought it was a fun word too!) We want to see women build the confidence to embrace who they are through the modes of fashion, beauty, home décor, travel, and other creative passions. Here we are building a community of supportive women who cheer each other on throughout it all.

How do we work our magic? With fashion we share ideas of how to shop your closet, build a wardrobe on a limited budget, and find new ways to style old items. We like to have photo shoots featuring different styles and eras so there is something for everyone. In the beauty department we have a plethora of tutorials from smoky eyes to red lips to help our readers gain the confidence to be able to create these looks themselves. We love sharing do-it-yourself techniques for the home to inspire creation of a space that fits the style and feel of our readers. We both have traveled quite a bit, with and without our kids, and we love to share our stories and photos. We also include plenty of recipes for the culinary inclined!

We would love for you to come on this journey with us! You can subscribe through RSS feed here. You can also follow on Bloglovin' if that's more your style. Our Facebook fan page is chock full of cute posts about which shoes to buy, which outfit to choose, and sometimes even some fun giveaways! You can often find Natalia chatting away on Twitter (haven't convinced Christie just yet!). And if you're like almost everyone we know and you love Pinterest, check out our Pinterest page. It's just so much fun!

And please, please, please reach out to us if you have a chance! We love meeting new people and to us it isn't about how many 'followers' we can get; it's about making friends and building a community. We hope you will become a part of ours!

Have a great day and thank you so much for stopping by!

- Natalia and Christie

Before the Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:48:00 +0000

Winter is in full swing here in St. Etienne, France. Like full swing. Snow everywhere that.will.not.melt. Last week it snowed and snowed and snowed and there was a minute there that I thought I would never go outside again. The temperature is lower than I have ever seen in my life. It was 8 degrees last night. EIGHT.

Anyway, enough with the whining. I am instead going to post a pictures that was taken before the massive snowfall to give me hope that I will indeed see the grass in my backyard again! I bought this sweater in Sweden and I love it. It's comfy, cute, can be casual or fancy and most of all it keeps you warm!

I also bought the tights there, but I don't love those. Well, I love the way they look, but they already have a run in them! Cheap, I guess.

Here are some pictures of my makeup. I did a purple smoky eye just for fun. You can see the tutorial for it over at 30 Handmade Days where I'm a beauty contributor. Hopefully, I will have some fun makeup tutorials coming here soon!

This was in the running for a Valentine's Day outfit, but another one won out. We went on a date last night because we gotta take what we can get with limited time & babysitters.

Are you going on a Valentine's Day date? If so, I want to hear what you will be wearing! You can post your favorite look, whether from Pinterest, Polyvore or something you put together on our Facebook page! Need opinions on which look to try? Post that on our Facebook too! We do it all the time and love the feedback everyone gives us!

Have a great day!

Oh and if you have a minute, could you click the circle of mom's top 25? We are in the running for Fashion & Beauty blogs! (we're not really in the running, we're like #40, but I thought I would give it a try!)

White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Boy have I got something special for you today. I made these cookies for the first time a couple years ago and I was in love. I don't have to explain much, it's in the name - White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies.

Well, let's get to it then!

They are actually really simple, like a glorified sugar cookie. Start by chopping a bar of white chocolate. Try not to eat all of it, but you know, you're allowed to eat a few. After all, you're the one doing all the hard labor!

Melt half of what you chopped in a double broiler. Don't have a double broiler? Neither did I. Check out this make-shift one below. The good thing about not having a lot is you gotta get creative sometimes!

Cream the butter first, then add the sugar, salt, and baking soda and cream together. Then the eggs (full recipe will be at the end) then you add the cooled melted chocolate. Not entirely cooled, but it must be a little so it doesn't cook the eggs! Add the flour then the rest of the chopped chocolate bar for white chocolate chips!

Plop them down and bake them just like that until they're nice and fluffy - about 7-9 minutes. After you bring them out of the oven, make an indent in the middle of each cookie where you are going to put the jelly. You can just use the back of a spoon and not too big, just a little hole.

For the jelly. I used a mixture of raspberry and strawberry because that's what I had. I think I prefer all raspberry. In a saucepan heat until runny. Add powdered sugar, and some cold water and cornstarch to thicken it. For the drizzled white chocolate, in the same double broiler heat the chocolate with some shortening and cream if so desired and drizzle on top. Yummy - right!

I think they are perfect for Valentine's Day! If only my husband liked sweets. He saw that and immediately asked what we were going to do with all these cookies! I said give them to teammates since me and the boys can't eat them all. Well we could, but that just wouldn't be pretty...

I hope you enjoyed and give them a shot this V-day! You can fund the recipe here which says it is originally from Better Homes & Gardens. I found it somewhere else but can't remember where. Just want to give credit where it's due! Here is the recipe for your convenience:

8 ounces white baking bar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
3 ounces white baking bar
1/2 teaspoon shortening

Chop 4 ounces of the white baking bar; set aside. In a heavy small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 ounces white baking bar over low heat while stirring constantly; cool.

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until softened. Add the sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and melted white baking bar until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in the 4 ounces of chopped white baking bar.

Drop dough from a rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around edges. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Remove cookies from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

About 1 hour before serving, melt the raspberry jam in a small saucepan over low heat. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of jam onto the top of each cookie. In a heavy small saucepan combine the 3 ounces white baking bar and shortening. Melt over low heat, stirring constantly. Drizzle each cookie with some of the melted mixture. If necessary, refrigerate cookies about 15 minutes to firm chocolate. Makes about 48 cookies.

Make-Ahead Tip: Bake the cookies as directed; cool completely. Do not add jam and melted mixture. Place cookies in a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Before serving, thaw for 15 minutes. Decorate as directed.

In other news - Christie and I are up for the Top 25 Fashion and Beauty Moms over at circle of moms. We would love love love if you could give us your vote!! It's super simple, all you have to do is click the icon below and give us a thumbs up! (It's under my name because it only allowed one name) And because they recently reset it, we would actually have a good chance! It would mean so much to us, thank you!!

Have a wonderful day!!

Sweden

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I am back with another travel post! It's funny how I hadn't done one in sooo long and now you can't get rid of me! But don't worry, it will all die down after this one, I promise.

So a couple weeks ago I went to Sweden. I went to visit a friend who lives in there. Her husband also plays basketball, so it was nice to hang out with some one who kind of understands this crazy sometimes awesome, sometimes miserable, lifestyle. It was super cold, but little did I know it was preparing me for what we are going through now here in St Etienne, so stinkin' cold!

So here are some pics from Stockholm.

The buildings were so pretty. It's funny, because I know that Sweden has a long history and everything, but it didn't look old. It wasn't like what I have seen of the rest of Europe. Sweden had nice big streets, new buildings and everything! And an H&M on every corner - no joke!

This was yummy, little hot chocolate break was much needed to get out of the cold for a few minutes.

My sister-in-law would love this. Organizing stuff all organized by color! It was like an organized person's heaven. Even I liked it, and trust me, I am not an organized person... right Christie?

Did you know that Sweden has tons of lakes? They are everywhere and they were so beautiful as you can see from the pictures. Some of these are making me cold just looking at them! Some of the lakes were frozen over, which to this so Cal girl was absolutely crazy. I knew it happened, I had just never seen it before.

Beautiful musuem. So now when I am done with my Marie Antoinette history book (almost there!) I can start on something about Sweden! Did you know that Marie Antoinette's lover was a Swedish aristocrat? Fun fact of the day. You're welcome.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

What I wore, Sweden Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

While I was visiting my friend in Sweden, I only got 2 outfit pictures. Just be assured I looked cute everyday, okay? :) Thanks!

First we started snapping pictures by one of the great lakes in Stockholm with jackets on and everything. It was just so cold! But then I decided to brave the weather and take off my coat for a few pics. Granted I had on quite a few layers underneath.

I had bought this lipstick at the MAC in Stockholm, it's called paramount. It's like a dark brown-red. I like it! It is always fun to add to my bold lip collection! You should be thankful, I was thiiis clooose to buying orange. It will be added in the spring, you just wait!

We found this beautiful blue gate, such a vibrant blue, it was awesome! It was Stacy's idea to take some cute pictures throwing up snow underneath. So cute!

It's so fun to hang out with people who not only understand 'outfit posts' but agree to take them for me and do a few of her own! I loved it. Although my husband understands why I do them, he most certainly is not that into taking them. Oh well, I'll take what I can get!

Happy Tuesday lovelies!

Oh and don't forget to give your opinion of what outfit Christie should wear for a fun Valentine's Day date with her husband!!

3 Valentines Day Looks : You Chose!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

It's time to vote! But first, let's review and breakdown

Hair:

Left to Right: Messy and Piecey, Teased with Headband, Smooth and Pinned

Here is a list of recommended products to achieve these looks:

Big Sexy Hair brand Thickening Spray (All 3 looks)

Chi brand Styling Cream (All 3 looks)

Bumble and Bumble brand Surf Spray (Messy and Piecey look)

Big Sexy Hair brand Spray and Play hair spray (Teased with Headband look)

Redken brand Glass (Smooth and Pinned look)

Makeup:

Top Row Products:

Loreal Colour Riche Sea Fleur (Left)

Loreal Colour Riche Fairest Nude (Middle)

Loreal Infallible Refined Ruby (Right)

Bottom Row Products:

Bare Minerals Foundation in Medium/Matte as base (All 3 looks)

Victorias Secret Shimmer Eye Shadow in Make Out (Left)

Melaleuca Sei Bella Shadow in Slate (Middle)

Melaleuca Sei Bella Shadow in Ink (Middle)

Victorias Secret Wet/Dry Eyeshadow in Crystal Ball as Highlighter (all 3 looks)

Melaleuca Sei Bella Intense Liquid Liner in Black (all 3 looks)

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Very Black (all 3 looks)

Ensemble:

For a full descriptions of all the oufits: Left to Right- Rocker Chick, 60's Fab, and Girly Glamour.

Now it is voting time! Go ahead and mix and match any Hair, Makeup and Ensembles. Can't wait!

-Christie

Valentines Day Option #3, Red Dress and Lace Tights

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Well it's time for my final Valentine's Day look....so sad :( I had so much fun with the challenge and I totally feel like I have accomplished my goals. Let's review:

My objectives for this challenge were as follows:

Try new hairstyles- I did! And I got great feedback. It sounded to me like the Rocker Chick Hair was the favorite

Experiment with makeup- I tried 3 totally different looks and I loved them all!

Put together a hot outfit from my own closet- Not only did I get to wear some of my items I rarely put on, but I mixed up my accessories and shoes and came up with 3 totally unique outfits.

GET OUT OF MY FUNK! - Done and Done!

And I haven't even revealed my final outfit! So here it is (and I'll be honest, this may be my favorite).

I call this look Girly Glamour:

Dress- Anthropologie, Shrug- Francescas, Belt- Urban Outfitters, Tights-Vera Wang at Kohls,

Shoes- Coach (from Flea Market)

Hair- Self explanatory: Volumizer while wet, blown straight, bangs pinned back

Makeup- I like a very light eye and cheek when I wear bright red lipstick. So I went with a light pink eye highlighted with a pearly white shade at the brow and in the inside corner of my eyes. I used a deep true red on my lips.

ANNNND...here is a closeup of the hair and makeup

Ok that is the final look! I want your opinions! And tune in tomorrow where you can vote on your favorite. Mixing and matching allowed! The winning look will be worn out with my hubby for Valentine's Day!

Valentines Day Option #2, 60's Makeup and Hair

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I am having a ton of fun with this challenge! I am already starting to feel more like myself. I was so excited to hear all your comments from Look #1. I LOVED my first look, but I am even more excited to bring you this second option. I am sure that is because I happen to be vintage obsessed!

Here is the look I affectionately call , 60's Fab!!

Dress-Forever 21 (old), Tights- Kohl's Vera Wang, Shoes- Coach (bought at a flea market for a steal!)

I, again, used volumizer and styling cream on my hair, teased up the hair on the top of my head and smoothed it back. I topped it off with a plain black headband.
For the Makeup I chose a light neutral eyeshadow and then amped the eyes up with my toned down version of the "Amy Winehouse" liner (I am sorry I forgot to take a picture with my eyes closed so you could see the extreme wing- you will probably see this look again since it is a favorite of mine). I used neutral lip liner and lipstick to keep with the 60s theme.

And here is a close up of hair and makeup!

What do you think? Better than look #1? Too era specific? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Lauren Conrad Braided Bun

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:41:00 +0000

Good Morning everyone!

I have been in a little bit of a funk this last week. Maybe it's because I just got home from a vacation, you know the post vacation slump, like 'what?? I have to do stuff? This is real life now?' kinda thing. Or maybe because it hasn't.stopped.snowing. for like three days straight and I'm from southern California. The way our house is situated, it makes it hard to leave without your car literally sliding down the hill. So maybe I have cabin fever. Whatever it is, I need a little pick me up. I shared this tutorial over at 30 Handmade Days a couple weeks ago, where I am a beauty contributor, and I thought I would share it with you all as well. Hope you enjoy!

Although the pictures don't exactly match, it's the same hairstyle!

Start with parting your hair to one side. Leave out a section in the front to use later and bring the rest of it over to the side of your choice.

Braid to your side of preference and secure with an elastic. I would suggest using a clear one or a color that matches your hair color.

Starting at the top of the braid, loosen the braid. Don't pull pieces entirely out, but enough to give your braid more volume. It's the same idea I used in my big poofy french braid here.

Then wrap the hair up and around, bringing it forward first.

Once it is wrapped around and in a pretty little bun, secure it with bobby pins. Try to make sure that you elastic isn't showing.

Then take the remaining piece of hair that you originally left out and lightly twist it back and around the bun, securing with bobby pins. Mine looks a tad bit different than Lauren's because I have bangs so it didn't hang down as much in the front. If yours wasn't curled a bit already like mine was, add a few big barrel curls away from your face so it will smoothly go back. And if any hair falls out of the front, they are nicely curled!

That's it! Apply a little hairspray if you need it, but otherwise, voila! Isn't it easy? I hope you give this a try next time you're out and about. You might recognize the picture. I wore this hairstyle with my green Zara shirt outfit.

Inspired to try a new hairstyle? I hope so!! Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Now if I could just get out of my pajamas....

Valentines Day Option #1

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:00:00 +0000

So for my first Valentines Day Outfit/Hair/Makeup Option, I came out with Guns Blazin'! When my husband saw me (he is my photographer) all he said was "woah" lol.

My objectives for this challenge are as follows:
Try new hairstyle
Experiment with makeup
Put together a hot outfit from my own closet
GET OUT OF MY FUNK! (see my previous post if curious about said funk)

So without further ado, I reveal to you what I call my "Rocker Chick"

Dress: Elle brand at Kohls Shoes: Target

This was Fun! Certainly not your average everyday date outfit.

For my hair I added volumizer and styling cream while it was wet. I parted as far as I could to one side while drying. Then I finished it off with a good dose of Sea Spray to make it messy and piecey.

For makeup I went with a heavy lined smoky eye and hot pink lipstick!

I would love to know what my neighbors were thinking......"Wow that couple is sort of kinky"....."are they really doing this in broad daylight?".....

And here is a closeup of my makeup and hair

So what do you think? I will tell you my favorite after I have posted all 3 options. But for now I want to hear your opinions!

What I wore, Sweden

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:09:00 +0000

Guys, I went to Sweden.

I mean, how cool is that?? But please, no comments like "you're so lucky, I wish I had your life!" Because you don't. Although I am very blessed to do some of the things I do, along with it come some very hard things as well. And I'll just leave it at that. Grass is always greener folks!

But for now let's pretend it's always this cool. Okay? Thanks.

Scarf & jeans: Zara // Boots: Nordstrom's Rack // Coat: Gap // Headband: my friend's!

So as much as I loved the beautiful country of Sweden, oh my land it was cold. Probably a normal winter for those of you who are used to it, but for this southern Californian born baby, it was fra-eezing. I had every intention to take off my coat for outfit pictures, but ya, it didn't happen.

I am aware that the snow looks like it is coming out of my nose. You just can't plan these things. I thought about keeping it out, but then thought, I'm sure a few of you need a good laugh so I'll supply that for ya.

Is this the white stuff they talk of and call snow? Incredible!

Let's twirl! As all girls should do in the snow!

But probably not in these boots. I slipped and fell on my tookas (like all the way down, people!) and I am blaming the boots. Because it just couldn't have been me...

All in all the cold isn't so bad if you're prepared and layer the heck out of your outfit. I actually enjoyed it. Sweden is a wonderful country, if you ever get the chance, GO, it was incredible. I was trying to talk my husband into playing there, but then I came back to France, the weather was about 10 degrees warmer, sun was out, I could communicate with my French friends and I thought 'aahhh, this is home.'

(just come here Stacy!!!)

Have a great day!

Two Romantic Valentines Day Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:02:00 +0000

In anticipation of Valentines Day I have put together two DELICIOUS recipes for you all. One for the kid in you and one for the adult :) However, BOTH of these recipes are elegant and special, perfect for a romantic night at home or for a dinner party.

Chocolate Souffle Lava Cake with Fresh Raspberry Puree:

A shout out to my dear friend Lisa for introducing me to this decadent dessert!

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter

• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

• 2 cups sugar + 2 Tbs

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 Pint fresh raspberries

• 2 TBS raspberry or strawberry preserves

• Heavy whipping cream

• ¼ tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.

Make raspberry sauce by combining berries, preserves and 1 TBS sugar in blender or food processor. Set aside

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow.

Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder, flour, and salt together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla, 1 TBS of the raspberry sauce and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined.

With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into a 2 1/2 quart oval pan and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour.

A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked.

Whip whipping cream and add 1 TBS of sugar

Allow to cool and serve with whipped cream and raspberry sauce

French 75 Cocktail:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

2 ounces gin

3 ounces plus 1 tablespoon chilled Champagne

lemon peel for garnish

Combine Lemon and sugar in Champagne Flute

Add Gin

Top off with Chilled Champagne

Garnish with Lemon Peel

(No pregnant women were harmed during the making of this recipe)

I Hope you enjoy!!!

Free Valentines Day Printable!

noreply@blogger.com (Natalia Lynn) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I am very exited to introduce a guest with you today. For quite a few reasons actually. For one, they are very talented, amazing women. Secondly, one's my mom and the other one is pretty much my second mom. So needless to say there is a little bit of an attachment there. Thirdly, and probably most fun, they have created something beautiful to share with you all today. Something beautiful and something free!!

First of all, let me introduce them. Tammi (my mommy) and Rachelle make up the dynamic duo of The Pomegranate Basket! They create custom invitations for a multitude of celebrations from your baby's first birthday to your grandparents 50th wedding anniversary! They really are a unique and beautiful talent, if you want to see more of their work, you can check out their website.

Today they are here to give you something. Just because Valentine's Day is coming up and you should have pretty things to give to others! So below you will find a free Valentine's Day printable just for you. All you have to do is print them, cut them, write cute little love notes on them, and give them away!

Click the picture or here for your free Valentine's Day Printable!

Aaaaannnnnddddd because the beautiful ladies at The Pomegranate Basket are so lovely, they are going to give away a beautiful set of note cards to one winner! All you have to do is go 'like' their Facebook Page and share a status about them!

Aren't they darling? Head on over and try and win some!

Hope this is a great start to a wonderful week.

Bises - Natalia

I am linking up to all the fun parties in my linky page and some other great ones here.