Couture & Crayons

OOTD: Boots Made For Walkin'

2011-12-13T21:54:00.004-07:00

{Stripe Top: F21, Sweater: LOFT (old), Jeans: Nordstrom (old), Boots: Steve Madden Troopa}

This winter has proven to be a harsh one, for me anyway. You see, snow here in the suburbs of Denver doesn't really stick around. We have plenty of beautiful sunny days between random snow fall; the stuff melts within a day or so. But with the last winter storm this nasty stuff has stuck around way too long. Hence the oh so not glamorous OOTD. This is reality. Sometimes functionality beats out fashion. I'm doing my best to combine the two.

I bought these combat-ish boots last year, still available here. When I told my friend (that's you Brenda) about this purchase she just giggled. She knows that I am a 5" heel kinda girl. As much as I love me a fierce heel, they don't do so well on the slick walkways. So here I am Brenda, boots and all, giggle away. This is my interpretation of mountain wear.

OOTD: Wildcat

2011-12-08T23:38:00.002-07:00

{Sweater: Jcrew Jenna's Cardigan in Wildcat, Jeans: F21, Shoes Cole Haan
Cowl Neck Scarf: Cynthia Rowley (TJ Maxx), Pin: Channel, Acrylic Bow Cuff F21}

Long time no OOTD. Wow it has been ages since one of these posts! I was headed out the door tonight and thought I should snap a quick pic. I recently celebrated a birthday and picked out this cardi for hubby to gift to me. Aren't those the best kind of gifts?

A good animal print, like lace, is very hard to come by; a fine line between chic and trashy. When I saw this season's Wildcat pattern in JCrew's catalog I knew I had to have. I was immediately drawn to the scoopneck blouse, but @ $118 thought it was a little steep. The same pattern in Jenna's Cardigan was at a better price point and more functional. I pounced (tee hee) on it when they offered 40% off and free shipping.

The temps here have been ridiculously cold, so instead of going the standard route of the statement necklace, I opted for a warm cowl neck scarf adorned with a Chanel pin.

Let's talk about this pin for a minute. I've always lusted for a classic Chanel multi-strand necklace, but so out of my price range. This little pin was a good alternative, more affordable and more versatile. Most of the time I wear it on a long chain necklace. It would be cute on almost any hat or pinned on a classic cardigan. Just another "investment piece" you can add to the list of "must haves."

You might have noticed I did a little revamping to the family room. I've been busy, hence the absence from bloggerville. Sorry peeps I'm trying. Hope all my blogger friends haven't deleted me from your readers. Try to be back soon!

Jasper the Elf

2011-11-29T18:06:00.005-07:00

I am nothing but a tease. Promises of more posts and then poof gone again.

I've actually jumped on the Pintrest bandwagon and soo completely addicted! My crafting urges have been dormant until I discovered Pintrest. The little princess' birthday was earlier this month and I went over and above for a perfect princess party. That event deserves a post of it's own. I promise, promise, promise, promise to post. Just because I already have tons of pics and I must share because it was such a great little party.

Now that the holidays are upon us I am having a little fun in honor of Pintrest sparking my creativity flame. I bought this funny little elf when I was "scratching my itch" at Nordstrom last year. I actually helped out again this holiday, but it is very sporadic as I had already planned to spend Thanksgiving with my family in CA. My old manager was relocated to another store so it really wasn't the same without her. Her passion for styling was contagious. I was disappointed that I couldn't work with her again this year. The upside is that I still get the discount!!

But I digress. Elf on the Shelf was kind of an old tradition that resurfaced and now he is everywhere. Elf on the Shelf is Santa's eyes and ears, he reports back to Santa every night, and each morning he finds a new spot to rest. This year instead of just moving Jasper around the house, I am having a little fun with him. Take a look at his first two days with us.

Jasper is normally clad in a read suit with white collar. Since this was his debut for the season, he really wanted to make a grand entrance. Ken, Barbie's beau, generously loaned him this fabulous suit. Doesn't Jasper look dapper?

Jasper was having a little fun doing wheelies on a bike he found in the playroom. He saw a couple Xmas ornaments hanging out and asked them if they wanted to go for a joy ride.

OOTD: Déjà vu

2011-09-15T20:45:00.003-06:00

Different day same scene. This is soo my life...everyday.

{Tee: Miley Cyrus, Scarf: Missoni for Target, Vest: F21,
Jeans:Vigoss, Boots: Lucky Brand Hibiscus}

So this whole Missoni for Target turned to to be a cluster you know what. The only thing I was really pining for was the throw, which I did not get. I thought that nobody in Colorado suburbia would really care about or even know about this designer collab. I thought I could waltz into my local store anytime to pick up my lovely throw and take a gander at zigzag galore. Wrong. I, along with Target, underestimated the hype surrounding this line. My haul included the pumps (which I think are adorable, but seemed like one of the least desired items), a pair of tights, a couple silky scarves, and a skirt. I also ordered a sweater online. We'll see if that one is a keeper.

OOTD: No Pressure

2011-09-08T19:19:00.004-06:00

One of my BFF's mentioned that she missed my posts, so being a dear friend I am obliging. I'm not going to lie, it takes time for pictures and thinking of something to write about. As it is, I feel like there is not enough time in the day to get all I have to do done. For this reason, posting fell by the wayside.

Besides the lack of time, I started feeling like my posts were not up to par compared to other fashion blogs brimming with glamorous locale and artistic photography by semi-pro photographer boyfriends.

Then I realized that the blogs I looked forward to reading were the ones that were more personalized. So I am going to take the pressure off myself. I'm not going to care (as much) if I didn't get the best picture or if my post has multiple grammatical errors, run on sentences, etc. Not that my grammar in previous posts were 100% correct.

So with that said, I am here to warn that future posting may be more frequent and less wordy. And I can't guarantee that I won't disappear for weeks at a time.

Here's my OOTD. I didn't bother to shoo the dog away, nor did I wipe off the coffee table. No pressure right?

{T-Shirt: American Apparel, Vest: F21, Jeans: Old Navy Ultra Flare
Shoes: Kors, Chanel Pin worn on Banana Republic Tassel Necklace,
Purse: Rebecca Minkoff Flame Satchel (bought on sale @ the Rack)}

Labor of Love: Stenciled Imperial Trellis

2011-09-06T19:22:00.002-06:00

I'm here to do a phantom post. I make no promises to come back soon. I feel like a bad boyfriend who falls off the face of the earth and then appears only when convenient. I had to pop in just to show y'all a little of what I've been up to in my absence from bloggerville.

When I gave birth to the little princess, almost four years ago, I did two impulsive things: 1. chopped my hair to sport an angled bob and 2. painted my dining room wall a dark chocolate brown. Word to the wise, new moms stay away from scissors and paint brushes.

At the time I thought that a dark accent wall would be a good...um accent. This accent wall was a good idea in theory. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. It took me over three years to come to the realization that the dark brown wall was flat, it was lacking something. It needed texture and not the knock down drywall texture it already had.

I toyed around with the idea of painting tone on tone, flat/semi-gloss, thick horizontal stripes. I couldn't commit. Then I realized what I really wanted was the look of wall paper. I'm late to the Imperial Trellis bandwagon, but I luv it! The only problem? How does one wallpaper over textured walls? Oh and did I mention that Imperial Trellis wallpaper is $460 a roll and I would need about 10 rolls just for this wall. Jaw dropping I know.

Then I saw this. Stenciled Imperial Trellis. Brilliant. When I think of stenciled walls, what comes to mind is cheesy, grandma, and grape vines. Stenciling has come a long way and when I saw this DIY, I thought it was a daunting project. I was so sick of this boring brown wall that I just crazy enough to do it. It was a labor of love and I wanted to pop back in and show you the results. I even found similar fabric to make pillow covers for the chairs in the sitting area across from the dining room and valances for the oddly high dinning room windows.

When I finished the wall I ended up re-staining the dinning room table and captain's chairs. I also swapped out the the other four chairs with contrasting white french bistro chairs from Cost Plus. On the right side of the this pic is where I used to snap my outfit pics. Perhaps there will be more of that. No promises.

Close up of the pattern....

Even closer....don't look too hard, you'll see the flaws. I knew going in with the textured walls the outcome would not be perfect. I actually like the rawness of the finished product.

Pillow covers I had made for the club chairs. This fabric is hard to find, but you could catch a yard or two on etsy or ebay. The Hermes tray is a DIY. I had vinyl letters custom cut. It was one of the easiest projects I've ever done. The tray sits on an IKEA Rens sheepskin rug.

Another DIY project for the bar area. A floating wall shelf with wine glass rack, both from Lowes.

Ok, off to watch the premier of Rachel Zoe Project!!!

Back and on the East Coast

2011-06-25T19:32:00.003-06:00

It has been ages. My apologies for my disappearance. Life can get super busy. Though I am a stay a home mom, I help my husband run his business...technically I am a majority partner and so it goes without saying I am the boss. He does the heavy lifting and I do what he needs me to do keep the ship afloat.

Not only have I been super busy, but I lost my camera. ::bangs head on wall for leaving it behind on a flight:: That was a total bummer. But now I am back and armed with a new camera. Yay!

This week the princess and I traveled to PA embarking on an annual girls beach trip. This will be our first time on this all girls trip. I'll have to do my best to keep out of the drama. I will say it is kinda weird visiting the in-laws without the husband. I have a good relationship with the in-laws and living in a different time zone helps, but ask me again in 4 days. There will be 10 females on this trip and a 5 hour car ride to Rehoboth Beach, DE. Pray for me please.

We arrived a day early to give us a buffer in between travels. I spent part of the day breaking in my new camera. It is a Canon T2i. Canon has this great loyalty program where they offer 20% off of their refurbished cameras for sending in any old Canon camera (working or not). I took advantage of this program to take the sting off replacing my lost camera. If you are in the market for a DSLR or a point a shoot this is a great option.

Here is the link to their inventory. It changes daily, so check back if the camera of choice isn't available. Contact them at 1-866-4333-8002, option 2 for digital camera upgrade

For those of you existing Canon DSLR owners looking to upgrade your kit lens or add to your collection, Target has a decent zoom lens for on sale at good price.

The Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS retails for $300, Target has it on sale for $149 through 7/2/11. Check here for store availability by typing in your zip code.

I took all the pictures below on with the Canon T2i and EF-S 55-250mm. These pics snippets of my day today in PA.

{An adorable Amish boy. I am enamored by the Amish.}

These next pics aren't of a Bed and Breakfast, but of my mother-in-laws house. Don't they deserve a spread in Country Living?

{Only thing that is missing is a glass of ices tea.}

The picture below is of a Spring House located on their property. Water flows below this quaint little building. The flowing water maintains a constant cool temperature inside the building throughout the year. It was used for refrigeration many years ago before the advent of electric refrigeration. My husband and I were married next to this Spring House 8 years ago.

Accessory of the Day: Bib Necklace

2011-04-07T21:51:00.004-06:00

Doing a friend a favor and capturing images for her fledgling business. These statement bib necklaces are chalk full of lush layers of vintage buttons. She will be debuting them on Esty very soon.

Jessica Joy Rees

2011-03-28T21:48:00.005-06:00

Now that I am mom kids truely hold a magical place in my heart. I have to share with you, my dear readers, a girl with incredible such inspiring strength and hope. Her name is Jessica Joy Rees, she is my neighbor's niece and recently started treatment for an inoperable brain tumor. Please join me in me cheering her on and become a fan of Jessica Joy Rees. She would love to get to her goal of 10,000 fans.

If you have a second head over to her blog. She is the sweetest girl.

JessicaJoyRees.com

OOTD: Patty Pooper

2011-03-17T18:19:00.003-06:00

{Jacket: Tracey Reese Little Military Jacket, Shirt: Urban Outfitters,
Pants: Express, Shoes: Vince Camuto}

{Vince Camuto - Neven}

Hmm that title is kinda questionable now that I see it. Oh well! Pinch me because I didn't wear green. I am realizing that I need more color in my life. Take my outfit for instance. These are the predictable colors I would pick in a line up. A quick little shout out to Chloe for being the enabler that she is. Chloe dishes on deals like nobody's business on See Chloe Shop. I got my Tracey Reese jacket on super sale a couple months ago (seen on Chloe here) which I am surprised that it is still available here.

Moral of the story is that I need to break out of the black, white and beige that is my wardrobe. Here's a start.

We do not have an H&M here in Denver yet. My neighbor is traveling to a state where there is one, so I'm sending her on a mission. No guarantees, but I am crossing my fingers that she can find these two colorful pieces. If you have seen or tried either of these items on please, please tell me how they run and (going out on a limb here) what the item number is.

OOTD: To the Max

2011-03-16T21:51:00.004-06:00

{Shirt: American Eagle, Belt: JCrew, Dress: Target-Xhilaration}

For me accessible fashion equates to Target because I am there at least once a week. I've said this before, they do a great job at making the place a one stop shop. When you have a kid there is always a need for Target runs. I picked up this maxi dress the other week during one of these runs. Amazingly the dress is not super long on me, it's a XS in case you are wondering.

One thing that I find is that Target is horrible with their product pics. I can't quite pinpoint it, whether they need a new photographer or better models or both. The product pic for this dress does not justice for this lovely dress.

{Target Xhilaration Maxi Dress - $27.99}

OOTD: Vibing 70's

2011-03-09T22:09:00.006-07:00

{Vest: Ann Taylor Loft, Shirt: F21, Jeans: Paige, Shoes: Jessica Simpson}

{Watch: Fossil, Silver Bangles: David Yurman,
Pave Rose Gold Bangles: XIV Karats, Leather Cuff: Target}

I am sitting here decompressing and reflecting on the day that went by in a nano second. Sometimes I feel like there's not enough time in the day, but as I am in it and living it, it's like I can barely keep my head above water. Bare with me while I have a moment.

Ok, now that that's done with we can move on with the outfit of the day. My mood today (besides frazzled) was vibing 70's. I am secretly loving that flares are back, not that they ever left my closet. Flares just had a little hiatus and I "filed" them away for a later date.

Still vibing 70's and pursuing the daily flash sales I noticed that Gilt was hosting a fun contest to submit style boards. So my frazzled self decided to waste away valuable time to put together a little 70's glam look. My priorities are pretty screwed. There's always tomorrow....and probably be at it again, putting together another look for a different category. Ha! Take a lookie loo. I would beg you for votes, but it's not that kind of contest.

Could you not die for that cropped leather jacket?! How about that orange Celine clutch? Ugh why can't I just win the lottery?

On another note, just a quick shout out to a friend for making the Hollywood Reporter's Most Powerful Stylist list.

A big congrats to Nicole Chavez! She styles one of my faves, Rachel Bilson. If I was still living in L.A. I'd so be working for Nicole for free. What an honor to be ranked among top stylists such as Rachel Zoe and Jen Rade. Read about the 25 most powerful stylist here.

OOTD (Minimalist)

2011-03-03T19:55:00.005-07:00

{Sweater: Ann Taylor, Pants: JCrew,
Shoes: Nine West (Vintage America) Snowdrift, Necklace: Marni}

I feel like I have the winter doldrums. Spring can't get here fast enough, but at the same time I feel like I need to get more wear out of my favorite pieces and items that have yet made it out of the closet this season. This is me doing minimalist. Gah the winter doldrums is just sucking the energy right out of me. Sorry guys.

Last night we had a last minute house guest arrive. Last minute as in calling us at 3pm to tell us he will be arriving at 11pm. He is a good friend of hubby's and a bachelor so I'm sure doesn't mind staying in a house that has been turned upside down by a 3 year old.

This bachelor has a thing or two to learn. I found little princess sitting on the rim of the toilet bowl because he didn't put the toilet seat down. Needless to say I was a little mortified. I'll whip this bachelor into shape before he leaves.

Inspired By: Hermes

2011-02-26T11:51:00.004-07:00

A girl can only dream of owning anything Hermes.

This inspired by Hermes bracelet I picked up at Target...yes Tar-jay for $17. Nice find right?

This is a DIY creation crafted by yours truly. Had this on my running list of projects. The tray was purchased about a year ago and I finally got around to getting custom made stickers. Couldn't be happier with the way it turned out.

Sorry for the short post, but I have a little person shoving a Snow White book in my face as I am trying to type. As well as a hungry hubby asking for dinner. This is why I late night blog. Calgone take me away...

OOTD: Swingin' It

2011-02-24T18:50:00.003-07:00

{Capelet: Shyla, Jeans: SFAM, Purse: Luana, Shoes: Cole Hann, Bracelets: Forever21}

I thought I'd give a quick update to the capelet that I posted about here (you can buy it here.) I can't decide if it is a capelet or an ultra cropped swing coat. I will say that it is a darling little alternative for days when there is a slight chill in the air. Not a huge fan of the extra large buttons, I'm thinking about switching out the buttons to give it that military inspired look similar to the Ferragamo caplet Natalie Portman was rocking. (Just one more thing to my running list of projects.) With the length so short and the bell like sleeves it was hard to find something in the closet that worked with it. I played it safe and threw on a simple long sleeve tee. No muss no fuss.

Taking InvenTORI

2011-02-17T00:17:00.008-07:00

Our trips to L.A. usually consist of whirlwind tours of our favorite restaurants and visiting dear friends. While catching up with our friends, owners of the famed Mark's Garden, I couldn't help but notice an adorable little shop a few doors down called InvenTORI. It so happened to have just opened on the day before on Valentine's Day and the proprietor was the one and only Tori Spelling. I popped in for a quick lookie loo and vowed to return since hubs and I were already running late for a lunch date on the other side of the Valley.

I returned later that afternoon with BFF in tow. We first grabbed a drink and chitchatted at a new eatery called Sweet Butter Kitchen located right next door to InvenTORI. I was absolutely smitten with the decor. I would describe it as a modern Provencal, the entryway was adorned with all of my favorite garden herbs in rustic baskets and pots. I had to snap a few pics for inspiration. Now I can hardly wait for Spring to get a leg up on my English garden.

After a quick bite we headed over to peruse the antiquities at InvenTORI. Honestly this little store is a gem, regardless of who the owner is. It is a slice of shabby chic heaven. The space was not pretentious in any way. The price points were completely reasonable for chic vintage pieces. There was everything from furniture and wares from Tori's personal collection to new items, including soaps and lotions. I believe most if not all of the items in the store were hand picked by Tori, at least the vintage items anyway. There was a great variety of pieces from various eras, everything from primitive cutting boards to swanky bar-ware.

Tori and a camera crew happened to be filming a spot to promote the store. Um yeah, we weren't expecting to actually see Tori there! She was sweet as can be and even posed for a quick pic.

I ended up buying a lovely tray (I think from her personal collection) for $45, two vintage jelly jars for $7 each, and the cutest little cupcake stands at $12 a piece. Like I said, totally reasonable. I have a few weaknesses when it comes to decor items. For one, I can't resist a beautiful tray, it helps anchor random chachkies or even a stack of books. Another weakness is white dishware. I love that you can mix and match textures and as long as everything is white it will always somehow match.

I graciously thanked Tori for the picture and praised the store. I kinda wish I was better at small talk, I could have mentioned that I helped do the flowers at her first wedding! Maybe, it was better left unsaid, who wants to rehash previous nuptials?

All in all this place is adorable, I highly recommend! I know I'll be returning the next time I'm in town.

Sneaking Away

2011-02-16T22:32:00.004-07:00

The fam and I snuck away to Los Angeles for a week to visit my parents. With the Nordies gig I had to bail on out our annual Thanksgiving visit. It was a requirement to work Thanksgiving day (starting at 6am mind you) so I had to make it up to my mom for missing out on a major family get together. I made sure that this trip would be an eventful one.

The little princess got to experience a few "firsts" on this trip. Most memorable had to have been Disneyland and the Santa Monica beach! There really is nothing like experiencing these precious moments through the eyes of little ones. I'm not sure who was more excited, me or her.

OOTD (Heavy & Light)

2011-02-03T11:05:00.008-07:00

Although I have my look for less caplet on order, I decided to play off of the inspiration look from yesterday. I went though the my mental wardrobe catalog and remembered that I received this monogram Badgley Mischka silk scarf from Nordies as gratis.

Side note:for those of you who might be wondering, I am still officially employed by Nordstrom, more importantly I still qualify for their discount. ::whoop, whoop:: At the moment I am "on call" and potentially will be a roving stylist and back-fill for the three stores in the area. If it all works out this would be the ideal situation...crossing my fingers. I haven't mentioned anything to my hubby just yet. He's not thrilled with the idea but knows how happy and sane it makes me. No need to make waves yet.

On to the look, I played off of the lightness of the silk scarf against the heavy military coat. Pretty, simple and so classic.

I adore this Express coat, but would have loved it even more if I would have scored the deal I saw in stores recently. Don't get me wrong I bought the coat on sale, as I often try to do with all of my purchases, but now it is 40% of the $99 sale price....grrrr. I couldn't chance the coat selling out. I must way that it has been one of my go to coats this season.

What's Old is New Again

2011-02-02T16:48:00.002-07:00

The cape is everywhere this season. I sported a few several years ago. What is old is new again right? And of course when celebs are sighted rocking a trend we all pine for the look for less. I absolutely adore this Ferragamo capelet coat Natalie Portman is wearing. No clue on the price, but I wouldn't be surprised if the the price point was in the four figures.

The cape can prove to be tricky on most figures. Natalie has the proportions right with the long and lean flare pant. Love 'em or leave 'em the flare pant is back. I love this entire look from head to toe.

Shyla Wool Capelet $34 at Bluefly

Capes are hard to find for petites as many of them are one size. One size capes would basically look like I'm wearing a Snuggie. After a quick search I found this adorable capelet coat and it is conveniently an additional 15% off. We'll see if it works out.

OOTD (Everyday Errands)

2011-02-01T15:55:00.005-07:00

{Blazer & Necklace: Forever21, Tee & Ballet Flats: Nordstrom Rack, Pants: Banana Republic)

Getting back to blogging has proven to be difficult. I have no excuses really...well maybe one. This darn freezing weather! Today's high of -1 does put a damper on the fashion front. I mean, come on! How stylish can one look in below freezing temps? I barely even want to get out of cozy jammies.

I did take these OOTD pics a few days ago before the big freeze. Not a particular smashing outfit, just your everyday errand running outfit...comfy burnout tee, a Chanel-esque blazer, riding pants and a pair of nude ballet flats.

I'd like to point out that I scored these Banana Republic riding pants for $10. Doesn't read well in the pic, but they are super cute and look great on my non existent tush. And last year while everyone was on the hunt for the perfect nude heel, all moms should have been on the hunt for the perfect nude flat. The nude ballet flat is an ode to Black Swan. The shape of these flats mimic the shape of traditional Pointe shoes ballerinas wear. It appears that I am attempting a pirouette in that first pic....channeling my inner Black Swan.

Strutting the DVF Catwalk

2011-01-24T19:39:00.006-07:00

Denverites (no clue how or why Denver residents coined this term) had a very rare treat last Friday. We were graced with the presence of the iconic Diane von Furstenberg. Nary is Denver a mecca for fashion, but for an event benefiting Children's Hospital we were treated to a real live fashion show debuting Diane von Furstenberg's Spring 2011 collection. Not only did we get an official fashion show, but Diane herself was here to present it. Wowza!!

I was super psyched. What to wear? What to wear? I couldn't buy anything off the scanty stocked racks of our local Saks or Neimans. It would be absolutely tragic to run into someone wearing the same signature wrap dress at the show. As I predicted there was a sea of wrap dresses at the show.

I chose to wear the ultra feminine DVF Pintura blush colored blouse with a Forever21 fit & flare skirt. I polished off the look with an unexpected pop of color in a plum DVF Powerstone Belt. I would have loved to be decked out in DVF from head to toe but I couldn't pull the trigger on the $500 leather Bolo skirt that I was lusting after. I can't express how much I love, love, love this blouse. The subtle ruffle detail in the collar, shoulder and sleeves is just to die for. I wish I could have gotten better pics of the entire look. I didn't have time to snap any pics before I left. This is the best pic I've got and it is not my greatest moment due to the fact that I downed a mojito shortly before this pic was taken.

{Top: DVF Pintura Blouse, Belt: DVF Clarie Powerstone in Plum,
Skirt: Forever21, Shoes: Prada croc embossed St. Coco pump}

For such a special event I took it upon myself to make an appointment with a MAC makeup artist at Nordstrom for a full makeup application. If you don't already know, the artists at the counter will technically do this for free. Ultimately they would like you to purchase a couple of items, but if you choose not to buy anything you wouldn't be charged for the session. I showed up to the appointment, told the makeup artist what I was wearing and let her work her magic. I gave her free reign to do what ever she wanted. She ended up doing a smokey eye with a nude lip. The artist showed me her application process along the way and I manage to learn a couple new techniques. I loved the outcome. I'll do a separate post of what I came home with.

It was a fun night and all for a good cause. After the event was over (and a few drinks) we took turns strutting our stuff on the DVF catwalk. I read that a net of $250K was raised for the Children's Hospital. A big shout out to MAX Boutiques for hosting the event and being able to lure such a big force in fashion to the Mile High City. I'll leave you with a sampling of the DVF Spring 2011 line.

{A new take on the signature wrap dress.}

{Diane's bringing the fanny pack back!}

{One of my favorite looks of the night.}

Massive Reorg

2011-01-19T19:55:00.003-07:00

I know, I know I promised to get back on track, but the past week I've been in some kind of nesting mode and completely reorganizing, cleaning and closet purging. I have to confess that I am a total box and bag hoarder. I have a problem throwing away any type of shipping box, shoe box or nice department store bags. I am coming to terms with my sickness. I had an intervention with myself and forced myself to part with some of the boxes and bags. Never mind the basement full of boxes, I'll have to deal with that another time. It's a sickness I tell you.

Chores and housework had completely fallen by the wayside over the past few months. The reorg frenzy started when the little princess felt that she was ready for "a big girl bed." We had to do some rearranging in her room in order to convert the crib into a full fledged "big girl bed." Some of you may remember the bedroom before as the nursery.

I purposely decked this room out in serene neutrals (Restoration Hardware Silver Sage) so that I didn't have to re-paint and redecorate down the road. Three years later, my plan worked out famously. The only things I added to the room were cute wall stickers and a Shabby Chic balloon shade, both from Target. Here is the debut of the little princess' big girl room....sob...sob.

{I have a soft spot for cute owls.}

{An old fashion clock rests on top of a vintage glass pedestal.}

{A box of keepsakes.}

{And one of the best things about having a little girl...a closet full of pettiskirts.}

Settling Back In

2011-01-12T21:22:00.002-07:00

Whew! Working is...well, hard work. My time with Nordies has come to a close. Technically I'm hanging out on the sidelines. My manager really wants to get me in part time. There have been a few shifts with the current team so there is a good possibility of part time hours. But as I am settling back into life as I once knew, I'm not sure that I'm up for it. Not totally against the idea, just struggling with the decision. (At least I still get the discount in the meantime.) Three years ago it would not be a question, I'd jump at the chance. These days there is a guilt that hangs over me and an overwhelming feeling that there is something more important that is waiting for me at home...the laundry. Ha! Kidding. The importance of being present for my daughter has never been more apparent to me than now. Being a stay at home mom is trying, but now I can truly appreciate the opportunity.

Working as a visual stylist was on my bucket list and I am glad that I was able to pursue one of my passions just to say "I did it." Deep down being Sally Homemaker, a fashionable one of course, makes me pretty darn happy.

I'm getting back into the swing of things and looky what I made for a birthday party tomorrow!

{Princess Marshmallow Pops}

I'll be easing back into the OOTD posts just as soon as I can get the heaps of laundry under control. No joke. Back to the ol' grind.

Now that I've checked an item off my running bucket list I need to add one in its place. Give me some ideas. What's on your bucket list?

Lookbook (The Fringe)

2010-12-07T20:31:00.003-07:00

{Jacket: Ann Taylor Silk Ruffle Crop, Jeans: AG, Cougar Necklace: Forever21,
Gold Fringe Necklace: Forever 21, Leopard Patent Flats: Forever 21}

I love that I can help dress mannequins and help pull the looks. Heck I love that I can stare at clothes and shoes all day. In a way it keeps me from actually buying since I am perpetually "window shopping".

It is pretty amazing what goes into visual merchandising. You may not notice when you are in the store, but the way the store is set up and the layout of each department subconsciously lures you to shop. To keep things fresh each department's floor plans are changed often and this means moving tables and fixtures. I am constantly moving and this makes it hard to be as fashionable as I would like to be. I've gotten pretty creative in coming up with outfits that revolve around flats.

This fringy Ann Taylor number has been hanging in my closet for a few months. I loved it at first sight. I adore the texture and it is a perfect piece to throw over jeans and a tank. To spice things up I layered a big blingy cougar pendant over a fringy gold necklace, both from Forever21. Grrrr.

I'll try to get pics of the store and the windows to show you lovely readers what I've been up to. Thanks to those of you who are still hanging around and bearing with me through sporadic posts.

Checking In + Lookbook (Luxe Lounge)

2010-11-29T21:59:00.003-07:00

{Blazer: JCrew, Tee: American Apparel (Deep V Tee), Sweats: Merona-Target,
Shoes: Converse One Star, Scarf: Forever21 Mens, Ring: Target)

::WAVES:: Hi-eeee!! I'm still here, just working my little tail off. I can't believe I've been gone for so long! Life has been pretty grueling with the alarm sounding off at 4:45am five days a week. Every morning I literally pop right out of bed for fear that I'll close my eyes and over sleep. This J-O-B is hard work! The control freak in me wakes up a little early to help hubby prepare for the morning to ensure smooth departures to preschool and daycare.

I have to hand it to my husband, he is a saint. For the past 3 weeks he has taken over many of my duties so that I can play stylist. Even though I get off at a reasonable time, my day often does not end until 10pm. After errands that I would normally do leisurely during the day have to be rushed and methodical. I often don't get home until early evening. This gives little opportunity for lookbook shots.

Things are finally starting to slow down now that the holiday installations are finally in the store. I managed to get home at a reasonable time to snap a few pics today. You may think that I go all out in my attire a retail atmosphere, but it is almost impossible to wear anything but flats. I'm up and down ladders, do laps around the store, and constantly lifting, bending and reaching.

My style as of late has been edgy with a feminine twist. Today's look is luxe lounge, where ultra comfy (Target sweats) meets classic luxury (JCrew blazer). I'm still loving me some Forever21. I recently picked up this extra chunky circle scarf from the men's section.

I promise I'll be back with more lookbooks now that work has eased up a little. Hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving!