Pink n Red

Skirt: H&M (old), Similar // Top: Loft (old), Similar // Belt: Steve Madded, (almost identical and less expensive) // Shoes: Cole Haan (old), Love these // Purse: Kate Spade (love this) // Watch: Michael Kors //

This might be my new color combo, I am obsessed with it and how spring it is.  So when I was looking for something to wear this morning I couldn't pass up mixing my red top I got from loft 3 years ago and this pink skirt from H&M.  Finally spring has decided to arrive here in the Big D so midi skirts are super appropriate!  

I can't help but feel a little like Blair from Atlantic-Pacific in this combo since she seems to always rock it so well.  I love how affordable this outfit is too.  The skirt was under 30.00 and the top was around 20-25.  I hit up TJ Maxx for the accessories, these Cole Haan shoes were a steal at around 30.00, and can we talk about the cuteness of this gold Kate Spade bag I picked up on clearance for under 100!  The one thing I miss most about my no shopping is getting to shop my local TJ Maxx, they always have the best finds!

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday Everyone! I hope that you all had a great weekend.  If you follow me on instagram then you are sure to have seen little snippets from my weekend.  Saturday I joined a work out class with my co-worker and it pushed me past my limit!  I mean seriously, the 45 min of cardio vs. strength training did me in, but the feeling I felt after the work out made it all worth it.  After class we headed to the Dallas Farmers Market downtown.  There is nothing better than some organic eggs and fresh fruits to go along with a killer work out.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous too, and all I wanted to do was be outside in it, so after our morning out I went home and planted a few potted plants for my patio.  I also gave my lemon tree some much needed TLC (let’s hope my neighbor doesn’t pick my lemons off my tree this year).

Coffee!

There were rows and rows of Veggies/Fruits like this!!!  Yum

That night we went to Bishop Cider Co. in the Bishop Arts district.  My good friend Taylor is leaving the great state of Texas to embark on a new journey in his life and since Saturday was his last night as a bartender we got a small group together to celebrate over delicious drinks. If you are a cider drinker I totally recommend trying it, and even if you aren’t you should totally give it a go!  I am a huge fan of the Cinamango and Suicider.  After a few cocktails and nothing in our tummies we got to the point where we needed food, so the boys made a quick walk over to the Dallas Grilled Cheese Cofor the most AMAZING grilled cheeses ever!  I went simple with a classic GC but some of the concoctions they came back with were mouthwatering (Peanut butter and jelly GC, Ham and Bacon GC).  I honestly can say that cider paired with cheesy grilled amazingness was one of the best combos I have had in a long time. 

Sooo Good!

After our stop in Bishop Arts we headed back to our old stomping ground The One Nasty for some quality time with our best couple friends.  We had a few drinks, long talks, and a little karaoke singing to end a pretty great Saturday. 

Sunday was our day of rest and doing adult things.  I had to recuperate from my workout, every muscle in my body hurt and still hurts today.  So laundry, naps, and a little cleaning were all in order to prepare for the week ahead!  Have a great week everyone!

Ava being goofy and destroying the house as usual

stripes and spring

//Dress: Jessica Simpson // Shoes: Joie // Sweater: Banana Republic // Necklace: DIY // Earrings: Kate Spdae, watch: Michael Kors, Rings: Coach//

Have you ever had a day where things just couldn’t go right?  That was me today.  First I woke up late (not that that’s a surprise) then I dropped lotion on my dress, nothing like a nice stain across the front of your dress to start your work day off right.  Surprisingly I got to work on time so I was immediately able to start my day.  After a few calls, and emails I headed to the kitchen for some caffeine, that’s when my coworker was like “is your sweater on backwards?”  Yep it sure was, instantly my mind went to how many people realized that it was inside out… And didn’t tell me, WTF?  So after my embarrassment/sweater fixing I got back to work, only to realize after an entire morning of hard work I had to redo my bid for a target account because it was missing part of the quote, Awesome!

Thankfully lunch was right around the corner and a much needed break from my hectic work schedule.  It was so pretty outside that Ryan and I had lunch on the patio of Whole Foods, sometimes something as simple as that can put me right back on track. 

So minus the inside out sweater (I mean seriously how did I do that and not notice for like 2 hours, especially when it had pockets) dress stain, and my mini flashing incident in the whole foods parking lot to a few innocent bystanders my outfit was a success.  I am obsessed with this dress…so much so that I have it in 3 versions the one pictured, a ball gown, and strapless version.  I scored this baby last year at Nordstrom’s on mega clearance!!  What isn’t to love, chevron and twirl worthy!  I added a little pop of fuchsia here and there and topped it off with my DIY Druzy necklace for a fun affordable outfit, perfect for this warm spring day! Here’s to hoping you have a much better day than I did!

Amelia B,

Weekend Recap

Finally Ryan and I had a free weekend to do whatever we wanted...and that is just what we did.  Saturday we were lazy most of the day, except for when I went out and ran a few errands.  I've been dying to make a flower crown to wear with this really nice dress I purchased a few years ago and since I needed a trip to Hobby Lobby for something else I figured why not!  I found some great flowers and the note pad of wall art I had been eyeing, seriously have you seen these a whole pack of wall art for your gallery wall!  Talk about easy.  Next was a stop at Michael's for some beads to finish a necklace I was working on and lastly Ulta.  I swear I run in for one thing and come out with 5!  If you know me you know I am a makeup junkie.  This mostly comes out of necessity since I have pretty oily skin, I am always on the hunt for a new product that can hide my midday shine.  I really wanted to try NYX mattifying spray, and their HD powder and since they were on sale I went for it.  Also Ulta had the Urban Decay shadow primer 1/2 off, this is my go to product so I figured I would stock  up since it was on sale.  My last purchase was the OPI infinite shine nail system.  Ive been dying to try it for weeks now.  It boasts a shiny finish that can last up to 10 days!  I really hope it lives up to the OPI standard as it was kinda pricey!  So far I am loving it, we will see if it can last up to 10 days on my hands!

 Saturday night rolled around and we met some friends for dinner.  We have decided that once a month we want to do a dinner at a "new to us" restaurant in Dallas!  We opted for Meddlesome Moth, and it was very good.  I had the special which was awesome (coffee rubbed steak with a butter sauce all over brussel sprouts and purple potatoes).  I love the concept of this place, it has lots of share plates so you can order a few things to try and share, I looked that most of the dishes were reasonably priced too (12-18.00 per plate).  Of course we had to have a cocktail, and my Moscow Mule did not disappoint.  Ryan went with a beer flight so he could sample a few local brews.  All in all it was a great dinner, we will totally come back for more.

Sunday was another lazy day, I made poor Ryan hang up my gallery wall and I cannot wait to show you the finished detail.  I think it turned out really well!  After that I finished my necklaces and painted my nails.  There is nothing more satisfying then finishing a few to do's on your list!

Here's to a great week!!

Amelia B

Lilly Love

I was never a Lilly Pulitzer lover until I joined my sorority Delta Gamma.  I think that there is just something about her bright colors and patterns that screams southern sorority girl!  Last year my friend Meghan (and yes DG sister) asked me to go to the LP store in South Lake with her to find an Easter dress.  Once we arrived I was in heaven, all the colors, details, and prints, what wasn't to love...besides the price tag.  Being the savvy shopper that I am I headed straight for the clearance rack.  I instantly spotted this dress and had to have it.  It's a little out of my norm, but considering nothing in my closet is even close to this I figured it would be the perfect addition.

Fast forward to a year later and I am just now taking the tags off!  Seriously how did I get through summer without wearing this dress at least once, and why did I never wear it, it's so FUN?  That meant I had to wear it now.  Since Mondays are usually boring why not add a little pep to my day.  I added a light cardigan to make it work appropriate and my favorite gold heels since the dress is really long.  Not going to lie, it made Monday a little bit better!

Speaking of LP have you seen that they are the next Target Collaboration?!!  Too bad this girl isn't shopping, I have a few items on my wish list, so unless someone hears my cry for help or gives me a gift card looks like I will be missing out this year.  I am swooning over the espadrilles and the pink tote, and maybe crushing on a few swim pieces!  Head over to the @lillyfortarget IG page for a peak at the line launching April 19th (A day after my Birthday...coincidence, I think not).  So all I want for my birthday are Target gift cards..lol just kidding, but seriously!

Happy Hump Day Y'all!

Dress: Lilly Pulitzer (old), Similar // Shoes: BCBG (real old), love these // Rings: James avery, here and here // Watch: Michael Kors (on Sale) // Earrings: Kendra Scott (on sale) // Cardigan: Loft (old), similar //

No Sew Pillow

I have been searching for a way to recover one of Ryan's old pillows he had from college (you know the one that comes with the 5 piece comforter set).  Since it was a 20x20 I knew it would be easy to cover.  I hopped on over to Etsy for a cute cover but they were really expensive $25.00-45.00 for a simple cover.  That got me thinking that I could easily make one myself.

So earlier this week I made an Ikea trip to pick up some frames for my gallery wall.  As I navigated the store I saw the cutest pillow cases for $5.00 and instantly I knew one of these would be coming home with me. Since my room is full of color, I opted for the black and white striped one but there were several options if this won't fit your decor.  I knew my gold Texas would look perfect on it!  I personally love the way it turned out, and the actual project cost under $15.00 and took less than 30min to complete a super easy and inexpensive way to spruce up your home!

What you need:

20 x 20 Pillow (I had mine, but this Ikea one is $3.00)
Pillow case
Iron on appliqué Similar (I got mine at Joann's for 1/2 off, however that sale has expired I linked a similar one)
scissors
Printable (Texas)
Iron/Ironing Board
Pen


Step 1
Choose your appliqué shape.  I choose Texas since that is where I live and where Ryan and I met.  Here is the free printable I found online, but you can use whatever you like.  Once chosen print it out to your desired size (mine is 12"x12") and cut it out.

Step 2
Now that you have your template, place it on your Iron on appliqué.  Make sure that the glitter side is facing down and that you flip your template over so that when you trace it the right side will be facing out.  See Below image.  Trace the template and cut it out.

Step 4
Iron out your pillow case, getting any creases or wrinkles out.

Step 5
Remove the film from the appliqué and lay the appliqué onto your pillow case in the desired location.  Once in place follow the directions on the package and iron it on.  After I ironed on mine I opened the pillow case and ironed the inside to ensure that the appliqué was secured.

Step 6
Slip in your pillow and you are finished!

Amelia B.

Maximizing my Maxi

Did you know I have had these shoes since I was a senior in HS!  First time wearing them!

I'm not as glamorous as Beyonce with this wind blown hair thing!

I had to add this pic in, my photographer (Ryan) who is over 6 foot tall  got down in the most hilarious position to shoot this pic and it was clearly hilarious!

Dress: Jessica Simpson, similar//Shoes: Express (old), similar//Sweater: Old Navy (last season), similar

I had visually planned my Friday outfit in my head Thursday night, but when I woke up Friday morning that idea quickly had to change, the cold rain was going to make wearing this halter maxi dress a little bit chilly. Per usual I was running late, so I had to think fast on how to make my summer frock transition to this cold and rainy day. That’s when I decided to make my maxi dress a maxi skirt. I folded the halter part down, and since the waist was elastic with a draw string I just tied it tight (to avoid any wardrobe malfunctions). I threw on a black sweater and some gladiator sandals to complete the look. Instantly I was warm put together, and still late.
The best part about this outfit is that my dress now serves double duty, dress or skirt. I love that it opens up my closet to new possibilities! I really wish that the wind would have been a little more cooperative...I was hoping for a glamours natural windblown look...instead I got hair in my face!



Amelia B.

Pretty Potted Plants

Omg guys this week has seriously been so freakin long... and it's only Wednesday!  We have had some of our pricing managers in town so as a sales rep you are busy busy running around to accounts and dinners!  Today was the first night I got home before 7:00!  Now don't get me wrong that isn't all that bad, but when you have a DIY you want to do all you can think about is getting home when the sun is up to craft your little hear out.

Now I first found this little DIY on Pinterest... here is the pin.  I searched for a tutorial but never found one.  After I came up with mine I did find the original owner of the Pin, and she made these for a bridal shower.  You can see the full shower here, and the creative behind the original idea was Courtney Ortiz!  Love these I just had to make my own for my spare "girly room"!

What you need:

Spray Paint (I used gold)
Terra Cotta Pots and Saucer ( I got mine at Michael's but they are cheaper at Home Depot)
Plants (I used succulents and a Cactus)
Potting Soil
Aquarium rocks, (for teal I had to pick it out of the multi colored bag) my rocks are actually from PetSmart but these are much less expensive!

Step 1
First thing you want to do is spray paint your pots to your desired color.  Make sure you do this in a well ventilated area, and cover your work area so that the paint does not go on any unwanted area.  Now let dry.

Step 2
Inspect your pots to ensure they are covered to your liking.  Once that is done fill your pot with some dirt and plant your plant.  Make sure to leave a little room at the top to add the rocks.  I left between a 1/2 and 1/4 inch.

Step 3
Add the aquarium rocks to the top, a thin layer to cover should be fine.


Step 4
Enjoy!  I love how simple this DIY was and it is perfect to spruce up any office, room, or even give out as a cute party favor!!

Amelia B.