Bday shopping with my mom!

Every year my mom takes me shopping for my birthday.  Soo sweet of her!  She has done this since I was little and I love it.  It's really one of the only times I get with just my mom...that's huge in a BIG family!  I love where my birthday lands because I am able to get some good spring items to help out my wardrobe.  I chose to go shopping at the outlets this time.  I feel like the prices are so much better.  So we hit up J.Crew first.  My absolute fav :)

I made a list of everything I had been wanting so that I didn't vere when I saw pretty things (quite easy to do).

I wanted a high wasted skirt. J.Crew outlet had a great simple navy one that can be dressy or casual.  It looks somewhat similar to this one, but its navy and doesn't have the pleat down the front.  It also is not this short.  It's the perfect length for work and play!  I like my clothes to work in all the situations in my life :)

I got a navy and white thick striped cardigan to go with it.  I am learning to buy clothes in "outfits" instead of just pieces.  I think its similar to one from last season.  So sorry, no picture :(

I also found my fav pair of shoes on sale for $25 at J.Crew outlet.  In the store they are $89ish.  Score!!

These are similar, but not exactly the same.  Mine are flatter and silver!

I got a few other things, but that's not what the post is about.  I really wanted to talk about making a list before you go shopping.  It really helps to keep you focused on what you need for your wardrobe.  It's easy to get side tracked.  I like to add pieces that make clothes I already have go farther/look different.

 So that's what I focused on for this shopping trip.  I was glad I didn't let myself just buy things I liked.  We bought what I needed for Spring!  Let's not even mention that I usually spend more than I planned if I don't make a list :(  

Speaking of spring.   I am struggling.  I am so ready for Spring to be here and feel myself complaining about it a lot.  I don't want to be in a bad mood every day until then.  So I am trying, but its tough.  Especially when the winds in Atlanta have been aweful!!!  Makes no sense to even fix your hair in the morning!  The wind would probably dry it right up once I walk out the door.  Oh well.  I guess that's why I am rocking the bun look today ;)

So glad it's the weekend.  MR.P and I are babysitting tonight for some sweet girls.  Then tomorrow I am having birthday lunch with my mom and sisters.  Then we are headed to Athens for a fun birthday weekend!  We are pretty excited about that.  We LOVE Athens.  Have a happy weekend!

Baskets!

When MR.P and I moved into our house in April we loved all the space we had!  We even have a closet with shelving and such.  The previous owners did a great job making it into a functional space.  The only problem was that I couldn't find a space for our towels.  I didn't want to hang them all up...just a few.  So I was browsing through the Pottery Barn catalog for some ideas and it hit me!  I'll use a a basket instead!  I know, such a simple solution.  But I was glad I already had one.  Baskets can be expensive!  But it is an inexpensive solution to a problem.  I love it when that happens!  Here are some of the pictures that inspired me.

I figured my cute towels would make it pop!!

Here's mine.  Please excuse the dark lighting. 

I'd love to get a rectangular one for this area because it will hold more towels.  Also, because I stole that basket from another spot.  Oh well! 

The basket is an old basket that I spraypainted black...surprise, surprise.  The Solid color towels are from Pottery Barn.  The Floral ones are from Anthropologie.  I LOVE these towels.  They make our bathroom cute! 

I will be taking a break from blogging tomorrow because my mom is taking me birthday shopping!!  My birthday isn't until Sunday, but we like to go a little early :)  Whoohoo!  Hope everyone has a great day!

Our Difficult Wall

Do you remember this wall? 

Do you remember how I felt like it didn't really fit the style of our living room? 

So then I changed it to this?

Then I changed my mind on that too because it wasn't formal enough. 

(Don't get me wrong, this is a great idea, but for a different room.  An office?  A dorm room?  A play room?)

Oh and it's ok.  It only cost me a $1 to make that change.  It's ok to be fickle in a situation like right, right?

My brother gave me a giftcard to Pottery Barn so I promtly went and bought the shelf I needed for the final transformation. 

(photo via pottery barn)

I found some accessories at T.J. Maxx, took the covers off of some books (good secret to making your books look better and blend in with your decor), and add some frames to make this transformation complete!

What do you think? 

Here's the funny part.  Pottery Barn started doing a new way to hang their shelves.  MR.P was pretty excited about this since they are normally pretty annoying.  Well, we spoke too soon.  It was not so easy to install.  Here he is trying to find the studs in the wall...he's using my pink tools :)

Thankfully, he stuck with it and got everything hung!  Now our living room is mostly finished!  I am trying to add some more depth to the room, so I'll probably add a little color/prints to the shelf :) I love seeing things transform into my vision...even if it changes along the way!  Happy Monday!

Trunk Show Last Night

Last night I had a trunk show at my house.  It was a grand time had by all.  I'll share a video of my display later on today, but I wanted to share this precious picture of my niece sporting some Stella & Dot jewelry!

Isn't she soo cute??!?!

She is fashionable sporting the Sofia Pearl Bib Necklace.  This is one my favs for brides on their wedding day or for their rehearsal dinner.  It goes great with this bracelet. 

Ok, so really that's not suitable for babies.  But this cute bracelet/necklace is.  It comes in pink and teal.  And you add different charms.  My friend bought it the other day for her little girl and then my sister-in-law bought it last night. 

Ok, so really I just wanted to share the picture of my niece.  I just want to squeeze those little cheeks and legs!  Happy Friday!  Stay tuned for a video :).

Boxes From Ikea

This past weekend MR.P and I headed to Ikea.  That place can be a little overwhelming at times, but I still love it!  I usually try not to grab a cart because I don't always know what I came for.  That way I am not just grabbing things I don't need and putting them in my cart.  This time I knew what I came for as soon as I saw it.  These boxes!

They are $4.99 for 2 boxes.  You can't beat that anywhere.  I had been looking for some like this for a long time, but they were always too expensive.  We needed some extra storage in our book cases for DVDs, Wii games/remotes, and photos.  I wasn't sure if the size was right so I bought 2 extra to make sure we had enough.  I needed some for our office as well, so I knew I could use them there.  Thankfully they fit 3 across the bottom in both the book cases.  MR.P is very happy now that things aren't stuffed on top of the neatly organized DVDs.  I am happy about this as well because clutter stresses me out.  I love when functional things turn out to be cute!  I forgot to take a picture of the bookcases, but I will post one later and let you all know.

It's easy to find things for inexpensive.  It just takes patience in looking.  I do not display this all the time, but I am glad I did this time!  Happy Thursday!

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EDIT:  I remembered to take pictures!

We have another book shelf on the other side of the tv.  Looks just like this.  My iphone couldn't get both so you'll have to imagine ;)

I love how cleen and crisp this looks!  Exactly the look I was going for!  Just wish I had known they were at Ikea for sooo cheap!

Savannah @ Hearts of Style

Design A-Peele and My Stella & Dot Boutique have partnered with Savannah @ Hearts of Style.  

Savannah is one of my precious and sweet friends that I adore!  She is a Fashion and Image Consultant and started her own business back in 2009.  Savannah offers personal shopping, wardrobe consultation, and wardrobe auditing.  Her contact info is above.  Please visit her site let her know you came to visit!

In keeping up with my belief of being able to be fashionable for less, I believe that Savannah can save you a lot of money.  So many people waste their money on clothes they don't really love or that don't really fit.  Savannah will help you invest in some great pieces for your wardrobe and you'll feel like you have more clothes than before!

Ballet Flats + Clip on Earrings

Happy Monday morning!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day weekend!  Here in the ATL we got quite a bit of snow!  We took some great pictures of the house, but forgot to grab the camera today.  I'll have to share those soon.  MR.P and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the snow from our couch while watching a movie.  It was a great start to a really fun weekend!  We started out the weekend helping Matt's sisters move into their new house.  That was fun in the snow!  We had quite a few snowball fights in the middle of things.  Then we headed to do a little shopping at Ikea.  Once we made our way through Ikea we headed to Atlantic Station for some dinner and a little Vday shopping.  MR.P was soo sweet and got me these! 

(DSW is having a sale right now.  Free shipping on orders over $35...not bad!)

I don't know why I didn't have a pair of gray/silver shoes before!  I feel like they go with everything! 

I realized the other day that I am drawn more to cute flats.  Heels just aren't my thing.  So I was thinking about ways to make them a little more dressy.  Some days I feel like I want something casual and others I need a little flair!  Well clip on earrings is my solution.  You can find them anywhere.  Antique stores, Target, Macy's!  And I promise, they aren't expensive.  Etsy even has a bunch of vendors who make shoe clips. 

These are too cute from thegiltmuse.  Great for a wedding!

boldminimalist - I would wear these with a light teal or white short sleeve shirt for the spring.  I'd probably add these earrings to complete the outfit. 

starzselection - these clips are so different.  I love them!  You can wear them with anything! 

This is just another inexpensive way to spruce up an outfit.   I firmly believe you can dress well, while not breaking the bank! 

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Edit:
A friend and reader just emailed me a picture.  She just so happened to be wearing clip on earrings and the perfect shoes!  Look how cute her's look!!

Leigh @ Genesis Salon 124

Happy Friday Morning!! 

It's not only Friday, but there is snow in the forecast!!!!!!  Whoohoo!!  Although, I would love spring, I don't mind having a little bit of snow here in GA.  Can't wait!

About a year ago I started getting my haircut at Genesis Salon 124 over in Suwanee. 

I absolutely love this place.  I recently started highlighting my hair because lets just face it...blondes don't stay blonde forever.  Well Leigh is my absolutely FAVORITE new person.  I went to her last night and she did what no other hair stylist does.  She talked me through every single decision.  She made sure I wasn't making rash decisions to chop my hair off.  She told me I only needed partial highlights instead the full I thought I needed (saved me money right there!)  She even taught me how to fix my bangs the RIGHT way!  Quite impressive.  She is great.  If you are interested in scheduling an appt with Leigh call 770-271-7844 and tell her that Beth Peele (Design A-Peele's blog) referred you and you'll get $5 off. 

Their prices:  (then $5 off with the referral)

$32 for a haircut (level 3 girl)

$45 for highlights

She's great to talk with during your visit!  You'll walk out with a new friend!

Organizing + Decluttering

When I was little I used to clean out my closet for fun.  Or for stress relief.  Whichever was needed.  I would turn on my favorite Mariah Carey CD and go to town.  Isn't that odd?  Well, it just so happens that I LOVE to organize.  I think it does wonders for your home and for your family. 

Home:

  If you organize your home, you will be able to see the home for its beauty and not always feel the need to have new things.  It will be clear of clutter so that you can more clearly see the things you NEED vs. what you WANT.  Then you can use what you have and add things you need as you go!

Family: 

  If you organize your home, your family will be able to enjoy being at home more!  I find that clutter stresses me out as well as others.   So declutter your house and your family will probably get along a little bit better! 

I find that I am turning into my mother.  Not a bad thing because one, she is a great mother, two she is cute!

  She always made everything into an experience.  So, lets say we were cleaning the house.  She would make it fun by taking us to get a drink at QT (the best gas station around) then we would be able to enjoy cleaning the house more.  So yes, I am that woman now.  When MR.P and I are about to clean the house or do yard work I make sure to take him to QT and turn on a friends episode or two so that we can enjoy our time doing work.  I find that this has been some of our most fun times together!  We don't plan our house cleaning.  We find that spontaneous cleaning works better for us.  We do laundry and all of that randomly throughout the week, but the real cleaning just kind of happens for us.  I tried charting it out for us, but it just doesn't happen.  I've even found that having fun cleaning products helps!  Like Swiffers and such.
And having cute, fun things to wear.

Like this CUTE apron from Pamwares Etsy shop. 

Or this apron from BellaStyle's Esty shop

So that being said, make cleaning and organizing your house a family event.  Mom's can't take it all upon themselves.  So make it a fun time to spend with your family.  MR.P and I usually end up making some sort of mess with water or something, which requires more clean up...yet oh so worth it for the fun that is had!!  You never know, you might end up laughing and enjoying yourselves!

I Love Tutorials!

I absolutely love tutorials.  When I come across a great blog with GREAT tutorials I always save it as a favorite.  So today, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite blogs! 

My sweet friend Abby over @ Tales and Trials has some great tutorials, but this one is my fav!!   

She also has some great ideas for shopping with your kids and an eye for a bargain at Good Will and garage sales!  I am excited about my friendship with Abby for so many reasons.  We have been able to keep each other accountable in this crazy blogging world.  We don't want to get too caught up in it and she has been such a source of encouragement for me.  We are meeting next weekend to go to my favorite antique store!  Can't wait to meet you Abby...ok meet you in person I mean ;)

My next favorite is Erin over @ Sutton Grace.  She is amazing at sewing!  She refashions a TON of her stuff for herself and her kids. 

I will definitely be copying her...as I need some MAJOR help when it comes to sewing! 

Ok, another fav is Kristen over @ Grace Violet.  I have blogged about some of her tutorials on flowers before.  She does a great job on making the simple into chic!  She also gives a great tutorial on how to make coffee cozies! 

These would be GREAT gifts and pretty inexpensive to make.  I'll probably get going on these as soon as I can get some fabric other than ticking strip ;)  Although, it could be cute!  Ok, and lastly, she has a love for ruffles :)  Instant friend!!

So there you have it.  My favorite tutorial blogs.  I hope they give you some fun ideas on sewing and such.  Tonight I have a trunk show.  I am pretty excited about it.  I love girl time!  Hope everyone is having a lovely Tuesday!

Oh!!  I forgot to say THANK YOU so much for all of the sweet encouragement on my post last week.  It meant so much to me!  I love being a part of this blogging world :)

Shopping is tough

This weekend MR.P and I went to Chattanooga to see some of our sweet friends.  I have been friends with the wife since 2nd grade...ok more like 7th, but who's counting?  Well, we both like to bargain shop.  We found some GREAT finds.  Deciding to buy something or not is really tough.  I found 2 things that I wanted SOO bad, but sadly I already had something very similar. I just liked the newer ones more!  Isn't that the way it always is...we want something bigger and better??  I decided not to get them because I didn't want to start a trend in my life of needing something bigger or better.  That doesn't mean I didn't go back and forth about a million times on if I should buy them or not! 

I LOVE these Blue basketweave Curtains with metal Grommets.  I have been looking for some just like this to give our bedroom a different feel.  I already have green ones in our room :(  Oh well!
If you need them though, they are a great price!  Only $50 for 2 panels!

Then this was a a really tough decision.  I mean like REALLY tough.  These Nine West Boots were originally $170, now on sale for $129 now HALF OFF with free shipping!!!  My friend and I saw them in the store and they are SOO pretty!  She bought them, but I already have a pair...just liked these more ;)  Glad someone I know got them!!

I did let myself buy this great dress though from Target!  It was onsale for $20!!  That's my kind of deal on a dress I can wear to work AND in the summer with cute flip flps! 

My choice of flip flops are these ;) (mine are a gold/brown color though)

I found them a few years ago on ebay for $30.  What a steal!  Now, I won't tell you the story about the time I fell down a flight of stairs wearing these (no traction).  Yeah, it was painful and I had the bruise to prove it!!

So anyways, be a smart shopper.  Think about what you need, not what you want or you will walk away and be frustrated with yourself!  (or with 2 of something like what I almost did;) )  Make smart purchases or nothing at all!

Guest blogger - How to Plan a Fabulous Wedding For A Bargain!

Please welcome our first guest blogger! - Christin from A Classy, Southern Bride!  My blog is all about doing things on a budget, so I thought what is more appropriate than how to plan a fabulous wedding on a budget!

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As a bride-to-be planning an October 2010 wedding, Beth so kindly asked me to do a guest post on planning a (fabulous!) wedding as budget-conscience as possible. I have always been a bargain shopper and love finding ways to save. I don’t believe in compromising what you want for your big day, but with a little research and effort, you can find LOTS of ways to cut costs and still have the wedding of your dreams.


1. DON'T hire a wedding planner. This may sound crazy to some of you, but with the help of a relative/best friend/maid of honor, some wonderful wedding blogs, lots of magazines, and a detailed Excel chart to help you keep track of everything, you can plan a wedding on your own. Trust me, we are planning on having roughly 300-350 people attend our wedding, and I have planned every detail on my own. It’s definitely possible.

2. RESEARCH venues very thoroughly. One reception hall wanted 24K (yes, you read that right), but we ended up finding a more beautiful space for a very small fraction of that. It just took a little bit of time and patience.

3. Do some DIGGING for your entertainment. Most bands and DJs (at least in my area) are managed by an entertainment company. By finding a band or DJ independent of a management company, you can expect to pay about half the price (I did!).

4. FORGO the sit-down dinner. With as many guests as we are having, we decided to have a buffet-style meal. Not only are we doing it buffet-style, we decided to have dishes that demonstrate who we are as a couple. For instance, I’m having a shrimp and grits station since I’m Southern, and my beau is having a Philly sandwich station (his all-time favorite!). Not only will it save some major money, but it will be more “us.”

5. INCORPORATE lots of DIY projects. I definitely don’t consider myself crafty, but I’m doing lots of DIY projects for my wedding. Guests will love the personal touches, and in most cases, the projects will save lots of cash.

For anything you need printed (notecards, save-the-dates, thank you cards, etc.) I highly recommend Vistaprint. Check out their daily specials online and catch the product you need when it’s 50% off or more. Blurb is also a great site where you can design your guestbook.

6. BUY online. Find your dream dress and know what size you need in a brick-and-mortar store. Then, see if RKbridal(dot)com offers your dress/designer in their “No Frills” online ordering program. If you order online, the price is significantly less because they don’t have to provide in-store customer service or free alterations (several women I know have used this for their wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses and have been extremely happy). RK Bridal also beats any competitor’s price by 5%. I was planning on using this site, but they don’t carry the designer I ended up choosing.

7. SHOP sale racks. I found my blue Jimmy Choo wedding shoes on Jimmychoo(dot)com for over 50% off. I also found my bridesmaids’ shoes at DSW in the clearance section. For showers or engagement parties, Neiman Marcus has a last-call clearance section online. And of course, there is always The Outnet, where you can find designer clothes and shoes at a fraction of the retail price.



And... the splurges.

1. HIRE a day-of coordinator. The $200 or so you will spend on this will save so much headache and stress on your wedding day. Let someone else take care of the details.
 
2. PHOTOGRAPHER. My beau and I agreed that photography is EXTREMELY important to us. After the big day has come and gone, all we will have left are the memories and photographs. We chose Josh Malahy. Check him out if you need a photographer!If you have any questions, you can e-mail me at classysouthernbride(at)gmail(dot)com. Or if you want more budget-friendly wedding ideas, check out my blog jrandchristin(dot)blogspot(dot)com!

I have wanted to share this for a long time...

But, I had no idea how to start.  And am still a little nervous on how to share.  Being real and transparent is really important to me, so here goes!  (Although, there is a time and a place! )  I have always wanted to be a mother.  That's what I thought I was MADE to do.  My mom and 3 sisters are wonderful stay at home mothers!  I wanted to follow in their steps.  Can you blame me?

Lately, through a few hardships, I have learned that I was MADE to bring honor and glory to the Lord.  I was created to share the gospel.  Sadly, right now that doesn't include being a mother for me.  It's hard realize that my plans are different than the Lord's.  I thought I would get married, maybe 1-2 years later I would start having kids.  I didn't think I would be married for 2.5 years with a tough road ahead on figuring out what/why/when it can happen.  But you know what?  I am honest when I say this, although it has taken some time to get here, I wouldn't trade it for the world.  I have had 2.5 WONDERFUL years of marriage.  These years have been so great because we are learning and growing together.  We were able to buy our first house, join a new church, and have plenty of time with friends and family!  I have even had time to start this blog, venture out on different business ideas, and try new hobbies! 

I've worked at the same place for the last 3 years.  It has been tough and frustrating at times, but I know it is stretching and growing me so much!  I have been given the experience to work in the corporate world and to learn all about it.  If I had become a mother quickly, then I wouldn't be in this valuable position.  Even though my path has been different than my sisters, I am thankful.  It has awoken the Entrepreneur in me that I didn't know existed.  What a gift that almost slipped past me!! 

So my reason for sharing all of this is because God has a plan for you.  He has a perfect and wonderful plan that sometimes we don't know about.  We worry and fret about why we aren't getting our way (which I DEFINITELY did and still DO!!), but we forget to Trust in the Lord with all our hearts.  I can't tell you the amount of times that I worried and came out on the other side amazed that God gave us something better.  I hope this can encourage us to trust and believe that the Lord knows what He's doing.  He loves us so much and wants the best for us.  If only we could just believe that everyday!

I know this verse is used a lot, but I truly believe it.

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.

Sweet Pie Designs

I just wanted to share with y'all my friend Courtney's work!  Check her out on her blog Sweet Pie Designs.  She has such a talent and makes the cutest clothes, gifts, etc. 

Email her @ court3627@hotmail.com if you are interested!  She is so sweet and will help you with anything!

Here is some of her work!

A Classy, Southern Bride

For all of you engaged girls out there, hop on over to A Classy, Southern Bride!  Christin is a new friend and she has great ideas every Wednesday for planning your wedding! 

She also happens to be hosting a giveaway!

Girls...Vday is coming up! Hint to your guys what you'd like!

Alright girls, we all love to have that special piece of jewelry that we can wear with everything.  Well, Valentine's Day is the perfect time to hint at what you would like to be "surprised" with!  I am terrible at hinting to MR.P.  And even worse at giving him his presents early!  I just can't keep secrets from him!  Here are some pieces that I think are great additions to the everyday wardrobe.

Jasmine Filigree Earrings - these can go with everything!  I am thinking of getting them as well ;)

(goes great with this or this!)

Jasmine Filigree Necklace - this is a great piece that can dressy or casual! 

Charlize Teardrop Earrings - teal is THE color of the season! 

Glint Flower CZ Earrings - These are a definite favorite of mine.  I am actually wearing them today!  They can be worn with the everyday clothes or be as special as the earrings for your wedding day!  I am practical like that...2 uses for 1 thing!  These would be a really special vday gift!

MR.P and I are not big spenders when it comes to Vday.  My bday is also in February, so the prices on Stella & Dot make it affordable to do something special for both occasions!

Now, just copy the link and email on over to your husbands!  They'll get the hint!