My Favorite Things

Snap, Crackle, Pop!

2011-11-28T22:47:00.001-08:00

I saw this article in the September 2011 issue of House Beautiful, and LOVED the bright, vibrant colors.

I adore the bright colors of this living room. How perfect is this for a beach house?!

And this kitchen, too...

Honey, I'm home!

These bedrooms are cozy and chic all in one

And who could have a gloomy day if she got ready in this bathroom every morning?

Stationery card

2011-10-03T11:04:00.001-07:00

Falling For Fall Fall Greeting

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Fall Colors

2011-09-29T21:57:00.000-07:00

I have to start off by saying that I LOVE nail polish. I love choosing colors...nearly every time I go to the beauty supply store for work, I pick up a new bottle. I don't actually polish my nails all that often, because of the amount of time it takes to dry (and I'm way too impatient to sit still). But I have to tell you, I went in the supply store this week to pick up a few things for the salon, and they had all the Fall colors out...so I had to grab a few. ;)

I've been on the search for a great 'Husky' purple, and have had a hard time finding one. This week, I picked up two shades of purple. One is a little to pale to be a true UW purple, and the other is a little bright, but I purchased both and am excited to wear them next time we tailgate!

Here's the polish that I think is a little too pale, OPI's Purple With A Purpose

{via}

And the 'bright' polish, Essie's Sexy Divide

{via}

I also picked up a really dark color that I can't wait to try, OPI's Light My Sapphire, which is a great graphite grey that I can't wait to try

{via}

And the polish I just put on tonight, which is a great fall color, OPI's My Private Jet. It doesn't look quite so fancy and sparkly on me...in my opinion, this photo makes it look more like a 'special event' color than a daily wear, but I really think it can be a daily polish.

{via}

What's your favorite color this fall? Can't wait to hear!

Stella & Dot

2011-05-02T13:23:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to announce that my newest favorite thing is a business that I've started! I'm now an Independent Stylist with Stella & Dot.

Stella & Dot is a social selling company that creates flexible, work from home, entrepreneurial, business opportunities for women everywhere.

Our irresistible, affordable line of boutique styled accessories is offered through independent stylists who sell online and through in home trunk shows.

Stella & Dot has been recognized in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and on The Today Show. It's so much more than a fashion and technology company, it's a people company inspired by and created for strong women!

If you're interested in purchasing any of our gorgeous products, visit my website here.

If you want to earn FREE jewelry, visit this part of my website.

If you're interested in joining my team and starting a wonderful business of your own, please email me directly at stefaniebakke81 at gmail dot com.

I look forward to hearing from you!!

Z Gallerie!

2011-04-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to one of my favorite stores...Z Gallerie. I recently went in the store while in Scottsdale, and honestly could have bought almost everything in there, if it weren't for the fact that it wouldn't all fit in my suitcase. ;)

Allow me to share with you some of my favorites........

Among the great assortment of pillows is the Asha Pillow, which I LOVE.

Love these Caprise Pillars...a steal at $10 each!

The Suzini Vase would be perfect on a white bookshelf or built-in.

The Brilliant Sconce would look great in an entryway or bathroom

Alberino Lanterns, on sale for just $9.99!

They also have a great assortment of art, furniture, and area rugs.

Oh, and I just have to share one last thing...the Cuddler Chair.

Wouldn't you love to curl up with a cozy throw and a good book and just sit there and read all afternoon?!

I urge you to check out this fabulous store!!! For those of you who are local, they just opened a new store at Redmond Town Center. :)

A Few Favorites...

2011-03-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

I have a few new favorites from this past week that I want to share with you... I stopped at Trader Joe's on Thursday to pick up some strawberries for Cameron, who was literally in tears at breakfast that morning because the few strawberries we had had gone bad. Upon walking in, I saw these gorgous basil plants. I've had a few basil plants in my day; usually the kind from the grocery store that come with the sponge on the roots that you just put in a jar. Never a real plant in dirt. ;) I saw these, assuming they'd be $10 or so (considering the above mentioned grocery store version is usually $3.99). I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that it was only $2.99!! I picked one up, and have enjoyed looking at it and smelling it for the past few days. I'll pick and use some basil soon! Next...my parents and sister gave me a Kindle for my birthday, and I'm in love. It's so light, syncs automatically with the Kindle app on my phone and computer, and has been a great addition to my 'library'. {via} While grabbing a few things for work at the beauty supply store this week, I grabbed a new nail polish, Essie's Chinchilly. It's a great neutral, different than the typical pale pink I've been wearing. It's a nice change. Essie polishes are great in that they go on nicely, with good coverage with just two coats. {via} Oh, and one other favorite....we're leaving for Arizona on Wednesday for a little over a week in the sun. I'm soooo excited and can't wait for a relaxing, warm, sunny week! Hope you all have a great week as well!

My Favorite Things, St Patrick's Day version

2011-03-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

I've compiled some fun, pretty things in the color GREEN in honor of St Patrick's Day...enjoy!

Trina Turk Mykonos Tote from Nordstrom

In The Wind Scarf from Anthropologie

Moda Spana Heloise Wedge

Marissa Ceramic Collection from PotteryBarn

Adorable Burp Cloth

Gorgeous Crib Bedding by Oilo

Oven Mitt by Jessie Steele

Jonathan Adler journal from Barnes & Noble

Thank You cards from Etsy seller CreativeGirlHeather

Is Spring On Its Way?

2011-03-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

I was looking through a previous issue of Coastal Living this afternoon and saw a page dedicated to gorgeous jewelry inspired by sea glass. I decided to take a look at a few of my favorite websites to see what I could come up with. There are some beautiful jewelry out there (at reasonable prices) that is making me yearn for Spring and Summer. Here are some of my favorites...

LOFT Long Twist Multi Chain Necklace

Stella and Dot Threaded Coin Pearl Necklace

Stella and Dot Camilla Necklace

Pretty Drops of Jupiter Aqua Gold earrings

Gorgeous Blue Quartz Dream Catcher Earrings

There was a beautiful necklace by Verre New York. For those of you that are local, they do have some local retailers.

Aval Kelp Necklace...isn't it gorgeous?! I love it.

Meri Meri Cupcakes

2011-03-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

Cupcakes, especially when adorned by a great cupcake topper, is one of my favorite party decorations.

A few weeks ago I was in our local (small town) drugstore, picking up a prescription. I love wandering around the drugstore, because they have all kinds of fun things to look at. Everything from the general pharmacy type goods, to books, puzzles, shoes, home decor....and these adorable cupcake kits from Meri Meri.

Love this 'Let Them Eat Cake' set that I saw...

And this pirate set...how cute would that be for a little boy's birthday party?!

If you can't find these locally, you can pick them up from this page of the Meri Meri website.

Practical vs. Impractical

2011-02-26T11:36:00.000-08:00

I received an email from Nordstrom this morning (I feel like that's how all of my blog posts start out lately, "I received an email from fill in the blank", ha ha!), showcasing Spring shoes.

I've always loved shoes...but with my line of work (hairstylist) and a suburban mom, the shoes I love are very impractical. So I decided I'd share a few of my favorites here and live vicariously through my blog. ;)

This Stuart Weitzman 'Kimbow' pump is gorgeous. But at $375 and a 5 inch heel, it's not likely I'll be rocking these any time soon!

I do love this Jimmy Choo 'Cosmic' Platform Pump as well...but $695 is a little out of my price range!

I really like this Enzo Angiolini 'Sully' Platform Pump as well, and at under $90, it's a little more practical for me. A basic color and fairly basic pump (with a little bling) is a reasonable choice. I'll let you know if I pull the trigger on this one!

ETA: I just tried to add the Sully platform to my shopping bag on Nordstrom.com and they don't have my size. :( Before anyone tries to tell me to check Zappos or anything else...of course the glitter version of this shoe is a Nordstrom Exclusive. Darn!!!

St Patricks Day 2011

2011-02-24T15:50:00.001-08:00

How Lucky Green St. Patrick's Day Card

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I received a code from Shutterfly this morning for 10 free cards. I didn't have any intention of purchasing any photo cards any time soon, but figured, what the heck! I logged on and saw this adorable card, and decided to use my most favorite recent photo of the little guy. In addition, I used another code from the website, for another 5 free cards! What would have cost me nearly $45 was FREE!! I'm so excited to share these cards with my friends and family!

For anyone who's interested, you can use promo code 5FREECARDS to get 5 of your own. If you do, be sure to post to your own blog for a $25 gift certificate to Shutterfly! Happy card making!

Vera Wang Bedding

2011-02-22T08:54:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I had surgery last week...which means this week has been very mellow for me. A lot of laying around resting, watching tv, and looking through my huge stack of magazines that I've neglected recently.

Last night I was looking through the October 2010 issue of Elle Decor and came across some Vera Wang bedding that looked lovely in the glossy magazine photos.

I looked at the Vera Wang site this morning, and wasn't all that impressed, to be honest. The website automatically links you to Bloomingdales' website to view the collections. Which is fine...but I didn't like the way the bedding looked all put together. I much preferred it in the pretty glossy pages of the magazine!

This is the Bloomie's photo

I decided to check her collection at Kohl's, and decided I liked it even better! And the price points are great, as well!

I love these Simply Vera Lagoon sheet sets as well. Nice and simple, but still pretty.

Merry Christmas!

2011-01-03T22:30:00.000-08:00

Greg totally surprised me this Christmas with a new laptop!

One of my favorite things about it is that it has a webcam built in, so Cameron and I can now Skype with Greg when he's out of town for work! Really excited about that!

If you're looking for a new laptop, Costco has some great deals!

I still haven't had much time to really play around with it, but I am liking it so far. Thanks, honey! :)

New Sweater!

2010-12-20T23:23:00.000-08:00

We opened Christmas gifts on Sunday with Greg's mom and older brother and his family, in an effort to make Christmas Eve a little less hectic. Greg's mom bought me this gorgeous sweater, the Side Zip Cardigan by Madison Lilly.

I cannot wait to wear it! It's mostly wool, so it will be so nice and cozy. Really excited about this one. Thanks, Pat!

Costco Photobooks

2010-12-19T10:05:00.000-08:00

We went to Hawaii over Thanksgiving, and had a fabulous time. I took a TON of photos, and I wanted a way to document our trip. My sister-in-law told me that Costco now has photobooks! I was thrilled, because Costco's prices and quality can't be beat.

If you're looking for a less costly alternative to some of the higher priced photo websites, I suggest checking these out!

And just because I can't mention our Hawaii trip and photos without sharing one, here's one of my favorite shots...

$99?!

2010-12-07T08:07:00.000-08:00

I just hopped on Target's website looking for something completely different (black leggings) and stumbled across this chair. I am smitten! If I had a place in my house for this chair, you can bet I'd be buying it. Regularly $169, currently priced at $99!!

It's called Avington Slipper Chair, in Whimsical.

It also comes in vine, if this suits your color scheme better...

Someone please buy this chair!!

Thom Filicia

2010-11-09T21:11:00.000-08:00

I'm looking through the September issue of Elle Decor and just love love LOVE this look by Thom Filicia for Kravet.

The colors, the patterns, the fabrics...all of it. Great look.

Anthropologie Sale

2010-11-06T23:46:00.000-07:00

I was browsing through the Anthropologie website last night and found a few fun items on sale that I wanted to share with you.

First, the Conduit Chains Necklace which is priced at a very reasonable $29.95. I think this necklace would look great with so many things and is at such a great price point!

Next, I found the Konnichiwa Sweater which is also pretty reasonably priced at $69.95. It comes in a few different colors and would be a really easy way to warm up any outfit.

And lastly, I found the Insouciant Tank, which is only $29.95! This also comes in a gorgeous yellow and a versitile ivory. Great on its own or with a cardigan over top.

Hudson at Costco!

2010-11-06T17:36:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Hudson Jeans, and was so thrilled when I saw these at my local Costco yesterday. What are typically $187 jeans are under $105 at Costco right now. If you're in need of new bootcut denim, I suggest checking it out!

Polyvore

2010-10-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

This is my newest favorite thing....It's a ton of fun.

Polyvore is a fashion website that allows you to make collages of clothing to create an outfit. It's so much fun!

Pumpkin Patch by stefb featuring a diamond earring

Old Navy Womens Stretch Crew-Neck Tees, $8
Women's Footwear - American Eagle Outfitters, $30
Princess Cut Diamond Solitaire Earrings at Shane Co., $8,325
Spun by Subtle Luxury Abstract Scarf, $20
Nine West Down Vest
Coach Sunglasses
Paige Denim Pico Boot Cut

Check it out! Super fun!

L.O.V.E.

2010-10-07T23:21:00.000-07:00

It's not very often that an article of clothing makes my heart go pitter-patter. I tend to be kind of a plain-jane as far as clothing goes. I don't like to spend a lot of money on trendy items; I tend to dress in a more 'classic' way than trendy.

However. However......

I just saw this jacket on the Antropologie website and I think I'm in love. love love love. :)

Galison Cards

2010-09-28T20:43:00.000-07:00

I was recently looking for some notecards to send out to clients. I went into our local pharmacy/gift shop (small town!) just as they were closing, and came across these lovely note cards by Galison.

I picked up a box of the Midnight Bloom cards...

and a box of the Dandelion cards.

These boxes come with 12 tri-fold cards and beautifully color coordinated envelopes, which are very cute on their own!

While looking at their website, I found a few more boxes I plan to get the next time I need cards.
Love these Origami Lane cards...

...and the Lucie Summers cards.

They are at a fabulous price point, and are great quality. I urge you to try them out next time you need some cards!

Salma Hayek + A Fall Look

2010-09-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

I picked up the June 2010 issue of InStyle with Salma Hayek Pinault on the cover (partly for my husband, who worships the ground she walks on ;)) and just love this image. I love the way the sunlight is shining through the trees, the beautiful color of her gown, and the way it is complimented by the dark greenery behind her.

In honor of today being the first day of September, I thought I'd try to pull together some of the colors in an outfit that I might wear (because as much as I love it, I'm probably not going to be wearing her gorgeous gown anytime soon!), and to carry the color scheme into Fall.

Kind of hard to tell in this photo, but this cardigan is actually a deep purple (and only $49.90!), and think it would look great with either a white or grey cami.

I kind of like this necklace and think it might be fun with the above...

Or if you wanted a lighter look, this necklace from Anthropologie would look great too.

Pair it with some skinny jeans and flats and you've got a great fall look!

Truffles

2010-08-31T16:07:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Greg, Cameron and I, along with my parents and sister, traveled to Victoria, BC for my cousin's wedding.

We were staying just off the Inner Harbour in a great hotel called Parkside Victoria Resort and Spa. All six of us stayed in a suite that was really nice. Decorated nicely, and quite spacious for all of us. They had a great kitchen, a living room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a pull out couch. It was perfect. I'd highly recommend staying there if you ever have the chance.

The day of the wedding, we decided to take a walk down to the Inner Harbour and show Cameron the boats, as well as walk through a small street fair/farmers market that was going on. It was there that I found these delicous truffles. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not much of a chocolate lover...but dark chocolate truffles that melt in your mouth are my weakness.

The particular flavor that I fell in love with isn't on the Terrible Truffles website, but they do mention to call for custom orders. I purchased a dozen of the dark chocolate with sea salt...which, I promise, melt in your mouth and are to die for.

I'd also really like to like to try the Espresso flavor...don't they look wonderful?!

If you're looking for a sweet treat, check out Terrible Truffles. Enjoy!

J.Crew

2010-08-25T13:09:00.001-07:00

We were on vacation last week and I didn't spend much time on the computer, so I apologize for the lack of posts!

When we got home and I started going through our HUGE pile of mail, I realized it was 'magazine week' while we were gone. Between my husband and myself, I think we received nearly a dozen mags and catalogs!

I just started looking through J.Crew's September catalog, and found these beauties.

If only I had a reason to wear $285 shoes!

I also love this shirt...I wish it came in a pale blue check.

I'm a big fan of this cami, too...

...which I think would look great paired with skinny jeans and a longer cardigan in a rich color. I think I need to go 'back to school' shopping!