Lady Elizabeth Grace

So Long for Now...

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 01:16:00 +0000

“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.”

J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

After contemplating this for quite some time I've decided not to continue to publish my blog. I began my blog nearly three years ago and for a very long time it provided me with a wonderful creative outlet and enabled me to share my passions for fashion, decorating, traveling and many other aspects of my lifestyle.

I don't regret for a single moment what has come from this adventure, what I've shared or what I've learned. The posts that I've written will remain...and as Mr. Barrie so eloquently penned this is not goodbye, it is simply so long for now.

I wanted to leave you with an excerpt from a post in June 2012 as I think of it often and with great fondness...

How did you come up with your blog name?

To many Lady Elizabeth Grace may appear to be some silly moniker but it's actually a name with deep and personal meaning.

Lady : My Grampsie was the most influential person in my life. He was a quiet gentle man, whose voice still guides my life and whose virtues I strive to make proud. Our family lineage can be traced back to English nobility and so my use of the title "Lady" is my way of honoring my Grampsie and our family's rich heritage.

Elizabeth: A family name as well as my middle name.

Grace: A lovely attribute to possess and one of my favorite names. I have a dear friend whose name is Grace who embodies and personifies not only grace, but style and elegance as well. She is one of the muses of Lady Elizabeth Grace.

*Grace passed away this year, her iconic legacy of style, class and elegance will not be forgotten and I will forever carry her within my heart.

With love & so long for now,

For those who may be interested you can still find me on

Instagram, Twitter & Pinterest.

My Cozy Corner

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 07:57:00 +0000

Lately it has been raining in California and nothing makes for a better rainy day than curling up with a great book in a comfy spot. Between my bathtub, our bed and my latest cozy corner I've been relishing in the time I have been able to spend quietly reading some wonderful books.

My sister recently moved and has generously "loaned" me this beautiful vintage leather chair that she found a couple of years ago at a local consignment shop. I've always loved this chair and I have to admit that not only does it fit as if it were made for our bedroom it seamlessly blends with our dark furniture and bright white linens.

The tufted curved back of the chair and the slopped crescent shaped ottoman give this chair its charm and character. Paired with a pillow from Target and a Pottery Barn throw we've had for ages the combination of textures and the inversion of the colors on our bed make this chair come alive in its cozy little corner.

A simple side table with a white top and artistically shaped dark base provide the finishing touches and practical working space for my new favorite nook. And, yes I am writing this post while comfortably curled in my chair.

xo,

Love. Love. Love.

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 19:45:00 +0000

In 7th Grade we had to select a single word to write a research report on, I chose love. It's no secret to those in my life that this word and all that it carries with it plays an integral part of my daily life. I learned through a tragedy very early on how exceedingly important it is to love those you hold close to your heart, to tell them so unabashedly and often and to never miss an opportunity to say, "I love you!"

To know love and to be able to give and demonstrate love to others is one of life's greatest riches.

Yesterday was Valentine's Day and I was truly spoiled. I spent the day with friends whom I love and my girlfriend and I enjoyed a beautiful dinner at our house made by our boys. We're both incredibly lucky as the boys are exceptional in the kitchen!

I was so excited for our evening together! Our place settings were simple but festive, red place mats with red and white seersucker napkins...

The flowers were two of my favorites, white hydrangeas and delicate light pink roses, surrounded by candles...

It was a perfect evening!

A stunning reminder of the incredible amount of love in my life and how grateful I am for those whose friendships and presence enrich my life on a daily basis.

With love,

Well Color Me Pretty!

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 06:56:00 +0000

My incredible girls night out turned into an even more fantastic sleepover and girls day together! Complete with morning coffee, movies, pouring rain & of course doing our nails together.

:: For Our Sweethearts ::

With Valentine's Day around the corner we both wanted to paint our nails pink, but we couldn't decide on a shade. After giving several colors a try we decided what could be better or more fun than painting our nails ombré.

:: Our "carpet picnic" and colors ::

I have to say our nails turned out to be quite adorable!

I've never painted my nails like this before but I can easily see doing this again with some beautiful pale blues and shades of mint or with lighter shades of pink. More than anything I love the color combination we came up with, the time we got to spend together and that what we ultimately chose is classy and sassy all at the same time!

xo,

Girls Night Out!

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 06:43:00 +0000

Friday's are fast becoming one of my favorite days of the week!

I have been royally spoiled and have had the opportunity and pleasure of enjoying some much needed girl time over the past few weeks. Last night was no exception!

It's hard for things to go wrong when they begin like this...

A bit of closet surfing, some hair & makeup & we were on our way...

All smiles after one awkward Uber ride & our second bottle of champs...

Love. Love. Love.

Two of the kindest and sweetest ladies I know!

I am so thankful for the friendships that I have, I find myself filled with love, surrounded by incredible people and continually amazed at the beautiful life that unfolds before my eyes.

With gratitude & love,

Give Yourself A Break!

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 04:34:00 +0000

Our lives are crazy!

Everyone's are, but ours are well, let's just say crazy enough that a reality TV show has been put on the table. Not going to happen, btw! I enjoy my privacy far too much to pop the top on that bottle of bubbly. And, when things are crazy sometime you need to escape even it's only for a couple of days. On Saturday night I made the decision to surprise my husband with a little break from reality in Napa.

:: snapped while driving, no filter, just sunshine and fresh air for miles ::

So far it has been stunning and exactly what we both have needed.

We haven't had a schedule, don't know which vineyards we were going to visit and have simply gone wherever the days have taken us.

:: Even if we need a break from our day to day lives, one never needs a break from fashion! ::

One of our stops along the way...

:: A great reminder of how important it is to stop and just breathe ::

Today we are going to meet up with some of our closest friends and I can't wait to enjoy another incredible day.

Never under value the power of giving yourself a break!

Cheers,

A Day In My Life...

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 08:16:00 +0000

I've always been fascinated to see how other people live and what goes on in their day to day lives. I've shared glimpses of my life here and there, moments, outfits, accessories that I love but I thought it might be fun to share an entire day from start to finish.

9:00am

Sleepy head crawled out of bed, brushed my teeth, made the bed and got dressed for my first appointment of the day.

My favorite Nike hoodie, Zella workout pants & a plain white tank.

10:00am

Grabbed my Venti half-soy, half non-fat, triple shot latte from Starbucks and dashed to my 10:30 appointment, messy hair, yoga pants and all.

11:00am-1:00pm

My saving grace and glamour on the go arrived! Hair, makeup and a little work while getting my pretty on! Yes, I know it's a bit crazy but my days tend to be pretty jam packed and I end up on the phone, working, typing and hysterically laughing all while my makeup is being applied and my hair is being styled.

It's hard not to laugh when you look like a Who from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and did I mention that my stylist continually cracks me up and entertains me. She's the absolute best!

1:00-2:00pm

Prepared for 2:00 meeting.

Not too exciting, but I actually just sat at my bathroom counter with my laptop and worked before I got dressed for my meeting.

2:00-3:00pm

Four hours later I'm out of my sweats and on my way to a quick business meeting.

3:30-5:30pm

Dashed to a birthday Celebration, no time for an outfit change!

6:00-10:00

Off to a charity gala for an exceptional organization that I am so proud to be a part of.

Did I mention it was cowboy themed!

:: My Boots ::

:: My Buckle of Love ::

:: And the incredible women from whom I learned that it is far better to give than to receive ::

10:30pm

When I saw this at the gala I just had to have it! It's Champs, says "couture," looks like Louis and was for an excellent cause so of course this cutie came home with me.

I also got to come home to my husband! We Caught up on our days since he left before I woke up and I washed my face because as much as I love being pretty and pulled together I actually hate to have anything on my face!

11:30pm

Time for my beauty rest. Night night, sleep tight, don't let those bed bugs bite.

Hope you all had a great day!

xo,

OOTD | Happy Colors!

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 06:49:00 +0000

It had already been a long Friday but I had the chance to actually have dinner with my husband and go to an event that I have been meaning to get to for months now. I dashed home from the gym, jumped into the shower and then my closet and came out with this...I kind of really like it!

I cannot live without this Oatmeal cashmere wrap, it goes with everything, keeps me warm, folds easily into my purse and I can style it a countless number of ways. Tonight I made it into an infinity loop by tucking and hiding the tasseled ends into the wrapped layers. I picked up this adorable cream quilted jacket with gold accents today while at Target. Not the best quality piece but cute and I am sure I can get a season or two out of it.

One of my favorite colored tops. I've had this forever, it is such a versatile, happy piece.

I just love pairing complimentary colors, blue and orange are my favorite!

Accessories...my staple Stuart Weitzman nude pumps, Hermès belt with hammered gold buckle, and my Louis Vuitton makeup case that has never held makeup but is the heart of any handbag I carry and my go to clutch when I'm lazy and need to crab something small on the go.

I just love the COLORS of this outfit. The belt feeds off the reds and oranges of the top while complimenting the rich blue of the jeans.

This was a great outfit because while I felt cute in it, and I was comfortable it didn't feel at all fussy. I didn't have a stitch of makeup on, and I there my wet hair into a ballet bun and ran out the door. Another post on the go!

I hope you all had a good Friday night.

xo,

OOTD | BLD

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Sat, 25 Jan 2014 07:07:00 +0000

Lord I know it has been forever since I have done a fashion focused post! I have no excuse. I have been busy and capturing my outfits in detail has just not happened. If I had a dime for every time I've run, not walked, but run out the door and thought I should snap a few quick pictures for my blog I would have gotten myself a really great handbag or pair of shoes by now! This outfit is the one and only exception when I actually stopped for 3 seconds and took a few pictures.

:: BLD | Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner ::

My days and activities vary greatly and so often times whatever I throw on in the morning is going to have to get me not only through the day but sometimes through the evening as well. I call these days BLD's because they have to take me from breakfast to lunch and straight on through to dinner! This was one of those days...

:: An effortless pop of color ::

Comfort is paramount on busy days!

I remember throwing this outfit on in about 3 minutes. The key to this outfit is accessorizing. I tossed on a pair of plain skinny jeans(J.Crew) and paired them with a simple black top(?). The belt is an easy and effortless bright pop of color, comfy classic flats enabled me to stylishly scurry about for the entire day, while my go to-never let me down Céline sunnies hid the fact that I am not wearing an ounce of makeup and my well tailored favorite leather jacket kept me warm and added a little texture.

:: Delicate bows, comfortable and adorable::

The great thing about an outfit like this one is that I will wear it or a version thereof hundreds of times in my life!

A flip of the belt, a change of the top, swap the flats for heels, toss in some colored jeans...While how I wore this particular outfit was rather basic it can easily be transformed into something sassy and far more fun. Experimentation is my fashion muse, you never know how incredible something may be until you try it!

xo,

My Life in Music

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 02:45:00 +0000

Many people document their lives in journals or diaries. I've never been any good at that, I've started a few over the years but I've never kept one up. The one thing that I have done consistently over the years is to create playlists of music. One of my favorite movies is Almost Famous directed by the very talented Cameron Crowe. In the behind the scenes interviews he discusses how he has kept tapes of music throughout his life and how he has been able to go back to those tapes and quite literally replay his life.

My playlists are titled simply with the month and the year and I too am able to replay various moments of my life with the simple click of my mouse or tap on my iPod. From songs of my childhood to when I first left home to go to college, trips with friends, breakups, parties, when I met my husband, even when loved ones have passed away these playlists and their songs transport me back to moments and memories of my life.

Most of them make me laugh, some make me cry but all make me smile.

November 2013

Young & Beautiful Lana Del Rey

Stand Up Five for Fighting

What If Five for Fighting

At This Point In My Life Tracy Chapman

Bruises Train

Love Somebody Maroon 5

Let Her Go Passenger (still on repeat)

Wait for Me Kings of Leon

Wake Me Up Avicil

Oklahoma Sky Miranda Lambert

We All Need Saving Jon McLaughlin

Hero Family of the Year

God Gave Me You Blake Shelton

Demons Imagine Dragons

Bleeding Out Imagine Dragons

Nothing More The Alternate Routes (also on repeat!)

This playlist has been on repeat since I created it. In fact I'm still playing it and last night my husband came home to tell me about this great song I just had to listen to! Funny thing, it's on this playlist and I've been listening to it nearly non-stop, good news he was happy to listen to it more with me.

These playlists are one of my most treasured possessions because they are quite literally my life in music.

xo,

The Beauty of Kindness

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 06:40:00 +0000

This evening I was touched by the beautiful kindness of an absolute stranger. I was at the gym and had just finished a workout that was intended far more for my mind than for my body. I was quietly stretching by myself, there was no one around me and yet as I sat on my mat and rested my body over my leg to stretch there was a smile and wave from across the way. I didn't recognize the face, nor did I understand the gesture, in fact I was not even certain that it had been a wave at all, but I quickly and warmly smiled back because that's how my heart and head responded. I went about my stretching and finished my workout. As I was beginning to leave the young man approached me. He very politely said that he didn't mean to disturb me but that he just wanted to let me know that he felt I was a very positive person and that he could feel the presence of my positivity.

That was it. That was all. He smiled again at me and we parted ways. It was just a moment, a brief one at that, but it was a moment that I will never forget and one in which the true beauty of kindness revealed itself.

It was a moment that made me stop.

It was a moment that reminded me to be grateful for all of the blessings in my life and it was a stunning reminder of how touching and meaningful the smallest of gestures can be.

"We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do!"

In that moment all of my worries slipped away, I realized that whatever challenges I may be facing will work themselves out and that the power of my positive presence is palpable.

What a remarkable reminder of what a gift a simple smile can be.

xo,

Oh What a Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 01:46:00 +0000

I have never been more excited to see one year end and another begin!

This year has taught be some wonderful life lessons. It has revealed to me those who are truly my friends. It has made me a stronger person and has demonstrated to me that grace and dignity always prevail. It has reminded me time and time again how incredibly grateful and thankful I am for the remarkable people I have the honor and privilege to have present in my life.

I chose the words above with great care for to me they are not simply words, they are action and values.

:: presence :: grace :: gratitude :: loyalty :: authenticity ::

These are the values that define my character, my friends and my life. I know they're strong and powerful and that sometimes it may require more work for me to embody them, but I also know that when the day is done these qualities are who I really am and I am proud of that.

I recently came upon the song, Nothing More by The Alternate Routes. It is a poignant song that seems befitting as this year draws to a close.

To be humble, to be kind.

It is the giving of the peace in your mind.

To a stranger, To a friend

To give in such a way that has no end.

We are Love

We are One

We are how we treat each other when the day is done.

We are Peace

We are War

We are how we treat each other and Nothing More

To be bold, to be brave.

It is the thinking that the heart can still be saved

And the darkness can come quick

The Dangers in the Anger and the hanging on to it.

We are Love

We are One

We are how we treat each other when the day is done.

We are Peace

We are War

We are how we treat each other and Nothing More

Tell me what it is that you see

A world that’s filled with endless possibilities?

Heroes don’t look they used to, they look like you do.

We are Love

We are One

We are how we treat each other when the day is done.

We are Peace

We are War

We are how we treat each other and Nothing More

I wish you all a happy, safe and healthy 2014!

With love, gratitude & kindness,

Domo Arigatou Gozaimasu

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 08:01:00 +0000

My husband and I have a wonderful gentleman as our neighbor. A few years ago his wife passed away and ever since he's become part of our Thanksgiving family. He is a former Captain in the Navy and his presence over the past few years always adds a little extra warmth and depth to our Thanksgiving celebrations. Today I arrived home to find this package on our doorstep.

A treasure from while he and his wife lived in Japan...

Each one is individually and delicately wrapped...

Within the box is a set of five beautiful hand painted chopstick rests. I love that that they are still in their original box and that our sweet neighbor haa saved several sets of chopsticks with them for all of these years. I am so touched by this thoughtful gift, it is always so special to have him join us for Thanksgiving and I will always think of him and his lovely wife whenever I use them.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

xo,

Shockingly Yummy!

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 08:00:00 +0000

** I wrote this two weeks ago and forgot to post it! **

I am constantly trying to be the #bestwifey to my sweet husband and lately he has been a little under the weather so I thought I would attempt to make him some soup for dinner. He asked me to make chicken tortilla soup and since I am on this new adventure of learning to actually cook I decided this was the perfect opportunity for me to get in some practice. I also decided rather than looking for or using a recipe I was just going to wing it and get creative on my own. I'm not going to lie, I'm really proud of myself, it turned out quite well and best of all my husband loved it!

:: The Beginning ::

Again, this is all from my head so excuse the lack of proper measurements. The following made enough to feed approximately four people.

Ingredients

2 enormous chicken breasts

2 boxes or 3 cans of chicken stock

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 large jar of salsa

1 can of black beans

1 small can of tomato paste

1 large red pepper

1 large bunch of fresh basil

4-5 Serrano peppers

2 carrots

2 avocados

1 bag of frozen white corn

1 medium block of Monterey Jack cheese

tortilla chips for garnish

:: The Base ::

I began by adding the a can of diced tomatoes and salsa and let it simmer over low heat. Meanwhile I had the chance to practice my knife skills as I finely chopped the entire red pepper, the Serrano peppers and most of fresh basil and then added them to the simmering mix. I allowed this to continue to simmer for about an hour and then simply dropped the whole chicken breasts into the mix. I covered the pot and let this cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes.

:: Simmer Down ::

Once I was sure the chicken was most of the way cooked I removed the breasts and simply shredded them and then added them back into the pot. About an hour before my husband arrived home I added in the corn and black beans and just kept it all simmering on the stove.

:: Yummy ::

Once my husband was ready for dinner I garnished the soup with fresh avocado, cheese and crushed tortilla chips. I had no expectations for this little adventure but I'm happy to report that my husband and I both thought this was really flavorful and turned out well. Not to mention that I made this all while watching football so it truly made for a great Sunday!

xo,

Falling in love...

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 23:54:00 +0000

This Fall has been absolutely breathtaking, one of the most stunning that I can remember. The trees have changed colors and the leaves have begun to fall but in California most of our days have remained in at least the 70's. Because of the warm weather I have just not felt like wearing the darker typical shades of Fall. That was until I discovered Zoya's Pixie Dust Collection.

:: Dahlia :: London :: Godiva :: Electra ::

This special edition textured nail polish is simply divine! My three favorite colors London, Godiva and Dahlia, are each as rich and decadent as they sound and they look incredible.*Electra is a discontinued color but I've been combining it with these and it sort of fits right in. I've been wearing them or a combination thereof for about two months straight now and I have never gotten so many compliments on nail colors.

:: London & of course my trademark pink toes ::

This past week I created a color I've named Paved in Gold. It's a combination of layering London and Godiva. The Godiva brightens the already stunning London and adds just a touch of warmth.

:: Paved in Gold ::

One of my favorite things about this collection is that it is like super glue and lasts for a good two weeks! I wore Godiva for our entire trip to Hawaii and it stayed looking incredible even when being slathered in sunscreen, and going between the beach and the pool!

xo,

In the Box!

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Sun, 28 Jul 2013 18:15:00 +0000

Some things are more difficult than others to organize.

:: One Hot Mess ::

For me I've always struggled to keep my bras, socks and hanky panky's well organized in a way that they can easily stay like that. When I designed my closet I didn't want to have drawers because I wanted to see my clothes! But, I did want to have daily items easily accessible and organized of course. I found these great crates at The Container Store and I have to say I am in love with how they keep me organized while also allowing me to easily access everything.

:: All Together Now ::

:: The Light & Bright Ones ::

:: On the Shelves ::

:: All Tucked Away ::

Whatever the project may it's always important to keep an open mind about the organization process and how things ultimately come together. It took me a while to figure out what would work best for me. A lot of times it comes down to just trying something, rearranging it, moving it or thinking a little outside of the box :) Or in this case thinking and keeping it in the box!

xo,

#HappyLife

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 03:21:00 +0000

Some Happy Things

:: The Beverly Hills Hotel :: My Latte :: Curling Up with Kindle ::

I love having little reminders of moments, trips, people, memories and favorite things throughout my surroundings. They are what make our home, our living spaces and my life uniquely ours, and they make me incredibly happy!

On a recent trip to Color Me Mine with my little cousins I happened upon an enormous coffee mug that I knew would accommodate my double latte vice. And so, I decided to fashion my cup after one of my favorite places, knowing that it would hold my one of my favorite beverages and that typically I would be enjoying said drink whilst doing one of my favorite things.

I am so in love with my cup!

Signature pink stripes and green accents :)

The inaugural filling!

My seat at this very moment, surrounded by some of my favorite things!

#happylife

xo,

Tidying Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 01:39:00 +0000

I may not be able to cook very well but I can clean like it's no body's business...I love to clean! Maybe it's my OCD, maybe it's that it's always been oddly calming for me, whatever the case may be I really love to not just make things clean but organized too!

All of my nail polish is in a drawer organized in stackable plastic bins by color...

The funny thing is I don't really care what I'm cleaning, it's the act of taking something dirty or disorganized or both and being able to make it neat, tidy and fresh that makes me satisfied.

My "daily" drawer has all of my essentials...I used small mercury glass votives from Pottery Barn to separate and organize my hair ties, bobby pins and hair clips...

I washed my face the other evening, and happened to have been wearing make-up. You would think I would wear makeup far more often than I actually do, but typically I go sans makeup. I've been using Dermalogica's pre-clense for years to take off my makeup, and like any other evening I used it to wash my face. I finished washing my face and didn't bother to wipe the counter clean (I thought it was just water) and so I went to bed, only to awake to multiple dark stains on my pretty gray granite!!!

My pre-clense was the culprit but it made me realize that I also need to be careful with my Moroccan Oil as well...

Thanks to Pinterest and Google I quickly learned that the best way to remove an oil stain from granite is to make a pumice out of acetone and baking soda. I know this sounds crazy, but let me tell you it really works. I should know, because while attempting to clean the original stains I managed to stain my counter three more times. So let me just tell you, I've really put this one to the test.

My life savers!

Many tutorials advise against using nail polish remover as it may not be pure acetone. This one happens to be pretty pure and worked well for me. After allowing the mixture to sit it would sometimes look darker than before so I simply covered it in a pile of dry baking soda and allowed it sit and it pulled up the stain and whatever remained EVERY time.

Hope this might help you too!

xo,

To Love, Laughter and Friends...

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:56:00 +0000

Today I was surrounded by love.

It was a quiet love, the type that is unspoken but simply present. There have been a few great men in my life and today it was an incredible gift to be surrounded by those who have always been there for me. After an early afternoon with family my GH (gay husband) and his BF joined me at our house for an evening of love, laughter and friendship.

My GH, the third generation of some truly incredible gentlemen and gentle men...

A simple but sweet afternoon...

...

I have many loves in my life, these however are some of my greatest...

Nap time...

The greatest compliment a guest can pay me is to demonstrate that they feel at home in our home. I just love when people can relax enough to really enjoy themselves and I truly mean it when I say, "Please make yourself at home!"

I feel so privileged to have such incredible men in my life. My sweet, amazing actual husband joined our posse after work and my day became complete. I hope your day was also filled with love laughter and friends.

xo,

An Afternoon of Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 06:40:00 +0000

My "gay husband" produces events around the world for some really incredible clients. At a recent event with Anthropology they had the adorable activity of creating miniature succulent gardens that guests were able to create and then take home. If you follow me on Instagram you know I'm just about useless in the garden, but I've always thought succulents were cute, and I've always been drawn to their varying textures and colors. Not to mention my GH told me they are nearly indestructible.

What we began with...

We've been talking about creating some miniature gardens of our own for several weeks now and just hadn't found the time. As time went on we decided this would be the perfect activity to surprise my mom with as she loves gardening and I knew this was something she's never done before! And so on an unassuming Tuesday, with what my mom thought was a BBQ dinner at our home my GH came and surprised her with this little project.

First step, make sure you have good drainage...

Add soil nearly to the top...

Make sure to get the proper type of soil, a mixture made especially for cacti, succulents and desert plants will make your succulents happy little plants.

Be creative and have fun as you plant your micro-garden!

GH helps Mom to neatly pack her gravel...

Use the remaining gravel to fill in the gaps between your succulents.

Make sure to give your new garden a hydrated start...

The succulents will only require a few teaspoons of water a couple of times a week! Check the texture of the leaves to know if your plants are thirsty, they'll loose their firmness when they need water.

My boy and I were great helpers throughout the process!

Hope you enjoy!

xo,

Onward & Upward!

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 05:35:00 +0000

It's been a while...a long while since I've posted anything of substance and there has been a very good reason as to why. My privacy and my family's privacy were violated.

Obviously, I fully understand that when blogging any information one chooses to share should essentially be considered public. To this day I have no regrets about anything I've posted.

Never in my wildest dreams did I expect or even consider that the content of my blog would be used against my family. What would have appeared, and what I am sure did appear as a typical and seemingly innocuous post was used as fodder against my family in an outrageous and totally inappropriate way. This malicious act was committed by a couple of very close family friends, and I'm truly disappointed in them.

My decision to take a brief break from blogging was an easy one, you simply do not hurt my family. The good news is that I've never lost faith in my blogging family. After giving this blog a lot of consideration over the past several months, I have made the decision to begin blogging again!

Why?

Because I have truly missed blogging and it is something important to me.

I don't let people keep me from what I love and I am certainly not going to begin now.

And, while I have always known that I was awful at keeping a journal I came to realize that this blog quickly became a beautiful way for me to chronicle my life, interests, travels, friends....

To my friends and family who have supported me, thank you!

To my fellow bloggers, I am sincerely sorry if we've lost touch, I truly look forward to reconnecting!

And so with love, gratitude and perspective, I look forward to what's next.

Pink!

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 03:40:00 +0000

Who doesn't love a little freshening up, especially with Spring right around the corner. There's something about this time of year that makes me loves reorganizing, tidying things up and making changes. I recently decided that I wanted a touch of delicate pink in my life and now I just have to decide which lovely shade of pink suits me best. I've narrowed it down to a few...

:: pouf of pink ::

:: sweet memories ::

:: rose hips ::

:: calique ::

:: rose point ::

:: spring rose ::

:: her majesty ::

Any favorites?

xo,

Heart to Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 23:49:00 +0000

:: Disclaimer | I had planned and still will post a much lighter piece in the coming days ::

The last two weeks have been a humbling reminder of how fragile life can be. They have also been a stunning demonstration of love, friendship and family. Nearly a year ago my life began to change. In some ways things have changed for the better, in some ways things have become more challenging. Some changes were more foreseen than others and some have been downright shocking and painful.

:: truth ::

Last Sunday my best friend and I had a wonderful evening together. We said good night to one another and I began to get ready to crawl into bed. Then my phone rang, it was him. In an instant my heart sank and I knew he needed me and that I needed to be with him through whatever the coming hours would bring. Ultimately, a patriarch passed away; a husband, a father, a grandfather and one incredible man. It was sudden, unexpected and heartbreaking. I was fortunate enough to have witnessed Max's incredible love, devotion, affection and kindness. His presence and energy were such that by proximity alone you could feel the warmth, love, and gentle manner of his soul.

:: my everything ::

I returned from Sunday evening mid-day Monday. Only a few hours later my husband received a phone call from his mom. His cousin had passed away. This was also a sudden and unexpected death, he was only 42. To say that my husband and I felt overwhelmed at this moment does not even begin to touch on the emotions of disbelief, emotional exhaustion and sadness that we both experienced.

Yesterday we gathered to celebrate the life of an amazing son, brother, uncle, friend and person. Following the funeral we returned to the family home and were surrounded by his closest friends. His brother, sisters, nieces and nephew's all jumped into the pool in his honor. There was laughter, there were tears, wonderful memories and shared stories but above all there was what matters.

:: love. friendship. family ::

As I write this I am sitting in the warmth of the incredible sunshine, looking at the deep blue sky and there is an overwhelming sense of peace. My peace is not the result of a perfect life but rather the acknowledgement of a life fulfilled.

And while some people have come and gone from my life I realize that those who matter remain. And, that through it all there is love, there is friendship and we are all family.

With incredible gratitude & love,

Parabal Gurung

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:28:00 +0000

A few days ago the Parabal Gurung collection for Target launched. Following the incredible success of the Missoni | Target launch there have been a handful of of designers that have attempted to follow suite. I'm not including the entire Neiman Marcus disaster, I think it's just best if we put that behind us and pretend it never happened.

Personally, I am not sure if there will ever be another partnership like that with Missoni. To date not a single collection has maintained their brand with the quality and level of design that Missoni clearly invested. Not to mention the Missoni collection was insane with the number of incredibly diverse products they offered.

I'm not sure if anyone else feels this way, but I've certainly lost a great deal if interest in these pairings. I shop at Target at least a few times a week and so I figure I'll stop in and see the collections when I can.

I perused the collection online nothing had jumped out at me. Yesterday I stopped by and found two cute items!

At first I wasn't so sure about this dress. I was initially drawn to the bold colors and thought it could be a cute dress for Spring and Summer. I tried it on and it is cute! It will be great for running errands or having lunch with my girlfriends. The dress is mostly made out of cotton and is sort of like a t-shirt dress except that it has fun ruffles at the bottom. The ruffles are actually another much lighter weight material which gives them a bit of bounce and movement in person.

My next little discovery was these! I love shoes especially colorful shoes and these fit the bill. They are actually comfy too! I can already see pairing them with jeans, tailored shorts, skirts and dresses. They are a great accent piece for any outfit and since they have nearly every color in them you can choose whichever color you like and they will really make it pop! I even bought my sister a pair for Valentine's Day :)

Overall, I think this collection fell into the rut as well :( Most of the pieces were not well designed and the quality of construction was poor. I think like with most of Target it's really about finding those few pieces that standout from the rest. What did you think of this latest collection?

Vine

noreply@blogger.com (Lady Elizabeth Grace) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:37:00 +0000

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xo,