Misc: OOTD, Nails, Recipe, Martha, Eyebrows, Kenra

1.  My new, new favorite nail color.  Essie's Skirtin' the Issue.  I love it's shiny deep burgundy wine red (don't let the bottle color fool you), a great accessory to my OOTD of black and white (below #7).  Gives a little extra zing.

2.  Speaking of nails, Lallie would LOVE this glow-in-the-dark nail polish.  Might put some in her stocking for Christmas for a little extra fun!

3.  Last night we tried a new chicken recipe, Lemon Chicken (think Chinese lemon chicken, but healthier) and it turned out SO yummy!  I found it on Disney Family (20 ways to make chicken) and served it with Basmati rice and organic squash and zucchini.  It was a hit with the whole family.

Cut up three chicken breasts (1 lb.) into bite size pieces and marinate in 1 tsp. of soy sauce for 30 minutes.  In another bowl, mix one egg yolk with 1.5 tbsp corn starch and make a thick batter.  Add to the chicken to coat.  Add chicken to pan with 2-3 tbsp. canola oil (I used canola/olive oil mix) and cook on each side 3-4 minutes until brown and done.  In the meantime, in another pan, combine one lemon zest and juice (1/4 cup) to 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp. cornstarch and 2 tbsp. sugar.  Cook down until you have a thick(ish) sauce.  Pour chicken chunks over white rice, top with a little lemon sauce and mix together and top with scallions.  Yummy!

4.  There is a new show on PBS called Martha Stewart's Cooking School.  Totally needed in my house as I am not the best cook.   There are a few things I cook well but I could really brush up on technique.  I'm still not a fan of cooking, but Martha makes it look so easy!  Her first show was on how to cook eggs (scrambled, fried, omelet, frittata, hard/soft cooked).  Husband and I are absolutely making the Frittata with Fingerling Potatoes on Saturday morning.

 

5.  You know when you're sitting at a traffic light and you look to see another woman plucking her eyebrows right there in the car?  I always thought that was strange. Until I started waxing and plucking my own brows a few months ago.  I totally get it now!  For some reason (maybe the small confined mirror and daylight), I can completely see my brows and that one left over hair that I missed but couldn't see in my bathroom mirror.  So yes, I'm going to become that woman (though I will likely do in the comfort of a parking lot where no one is looking and not at traffic light where I'm distracted).  

6.  Thank you Hannah over at Sweet Tea and Stilettos for recommending a Kenra hair product.  She recommended the Platinum Hot Spray 20, but I went with the Thermal Hot Spray 19 for my needs.  I had been looking for a good thermal spray to use with my Chi flat iron but was not happy with the Chi thermal spray (left a funky residue in my hair).  So I picked up some Kenra and tried it out this morning.  So far so good!  I'll let you know the results after a few uses.

 

7.  And, last but not least, two work OOTD's for you!

Shirt (TJ Maxx find $5); Pinstripe pants (old, Tahari); Heels (Nine West, similar HERE); Jewelry (necklace, tear drop earrings, bangles, all Stella and Dot).  Nails: Essie Smokin' Hot

Shirt (elastic belted): Forever 21 (old); Cropped Pants: Ann Taylor similar HERE , Shoes: Tory Burch Reva HERE; Jewelry: Stella and Dot Necklace HERE and pearl stud earrings; Nails: Essie Skirting the Issue

Happy Wednesday Y'all!

Fall Fashion Wishing

Here's what y'all are blogging and pinning.

Here's what I'm wearing. (Yes, it reached 88 degrees here yesterday while all y'all are talking about cooler weather.  I'm dreaming about boots, pants and sweaters while sweating in my car with the air-conditioned seats blowing on my rear!  Fall can't get here soon enough!)

   

 

Source: Uploaded by user via Jennifer on Pinterest

From Traditional to Coastal...

The first thing Husband and I learned about decorating a home is that you have to have a flow color.  One accent color that flows from room to room and ties everything together.  Red has always been that color for us.  We've decorated with pillows, vases, accent rugs, paint, pictures etc. and etc. from the dining room to the bedroom to the living spaces.  I guess you could say our home has always been decorated very....well, traditionally, for lack of a better term. 

We've started to get a little tired of the red and are ready for a change.  We're ready to indulge in the brighter and more coastal colors that we've grown to love over the past twelve years of living in coastal south Florida.  Blues and yellows and lime greens (okay, Husband's not so much for the lime greens, but if tasteful, he's up for it).  We also want to start working some more beach items into our home without going over the top in coastal living (we'll save those decorations for our beach house....when we own one....in the future).

If you look above, our kitchen was already decorated in a blue-gray color when we moved into the house 3.5 years ago.

At the same time, we don't want to give up our traditional styles either and we certainly can't afford to change out entire rooms of furniture!  Maybe one of our couches and a coffee table, but that's the extent.  We're thinking of changing out the accents, along the lines of new area rugs, pillow covers, bedding, drapes etc.  Small, inexpensive details.

We could also pull out the LOADS and LOADS of knick knacks and baubles hidden away in various closets and drawers and use them.  And the pictures, paintings and mirrors in the closets and on the floor of my bedroom (see picture above)....I guess we could find places to hang them as well.

Here are some lovely rooms from Pinterest (mostly House Beautiful....I LOVE that magazine).  I love elements in these pictures and not necessarily the rooms themselves.  I like the traditional elements of each room mixed in with the coastal themes (a traditional coffee table or a piece of coral).  I like the pops of bright yellows and greens with the use of flowers and pillows next to antiquities.  These are just a few of the rooms I've found that give ideas for our home.  I especially love the tall drapes in the last picture and the French Country blue (cornflower blue, rather).  We have two story tall windows and these would look beautiful against our paint color with our Bahama style interior shutters.

I love the denim couch with the pillow accents and more traditional coffee table in the picture above.  The picture below shows a piece of coral among traditional elements, so it can be done!

Source: housebeautiful.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: nowserveme.wordpress.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

 

Source: coastalliving.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: housebeautiful.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: housebeautiful.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

What are your thoughts about decorating with blue?

Happy Friday Y'all!

Smokin' Hot!

I've taken pictures with Instagram before but have never really played with the picture enhancements.  So the other day, I got bored and decided to have some fun with Instagram and take pictures of my fun shoes and fun new nail polish :-)

(What?  I was in my satellite office, all by my lonesome, waiting for a client with a slowly booting up computer and no music)....This girl knows how to make use of her time!  ;-)

These are super fun shoes that I've had forever.  Cute little Mary Jane style heels in black and white polka dot satin (who doesn't love polka dots?).  I don't wear them often (because they hurt....ouch blisters!) but I certainly get compliments when I do!  They were a Target find from before Lallie was even born! 

The fingers are my newest Essie color, Smokin' Hot.  I LOVE this color.  I never thought I'd be one for a dark polish, but this one suits my fancy just fine.  It's a dark gray, Smokin' is the perfect name (hot, hot, HOT!).  I won't venture to blues, greens and purples though.  Just not going there.

Speaking of nail polish.  What is your favorite clear topcoat?  I'm in serious need of help here.  I've tried dozens (okay, like 6) but all of them dry at a snail's speed and then they get dull after they dry, not shiny at all.  It takes away from the shiny nail color.  So I don't use it.  But then I end up chipping my nails after 2 hours.  Help!

Happy Thursday Y'all!

Wish List: Fall 2012

Yes, I know it was just my birthday, but Christmas is right around the corner!  And a girl can always hope.  :-)

I have tried to jump on the smoothie bandwagon.  They are:

(a) so good for you

(b) forces me to eat breakfast (which I despise)

(c) there are TONS of easy recipes with product I almost always already have on hand

(d) Lallie loves them.  Every time I've made one, I take it on the go and Lallie sips right along with   me (kale and all!)

Two problems with smoothies as I stand now: (a) it's messy and I despise having a bulky blender on my counter and (b) my stick blender is inefficient not to mention loud when crushing the ice.  At 6 am with a tired 5 year old?  Not cool.

Enter the Magic Bullet.  I've heard wonderful things and it's not very expensive.  Should I add this to my list?  What are your thoughts?

Photo Credit

Next up, See Jane Work.  My office could use an upgrade (in all pink of course) and I'll take one of each of these please!

I am a sticky note freak (these above are Kate Spade too....lovely!).  I have notes all over my computer screen and my monitor tray which I sort through weekly to file the notes in my database and throw anything no longer pertinent away.  This way they never pile up too much on me.  It's how I take messages and keep notes.  It works for me.  AND, I put sticky notes on everything!  So, for the person to which I'm putting this bug in their ear....be sure and buy me double, mmmmmK?  Good.

I would like to read J.K. Rowling's new book geared towards the adult audience.  You remember her right?  The Harry Potter author?  Of course you do!  It's not a Harry Potter book at all, the critics say, so if you're looking for young adult, stick with the witches and wizards.  I'm looking forward to picking up my copy.

This won't happen.  These gorgeous boots from Tory Burch.  The Calista.  Drool.  But at $495 and considering I'll wear them for maybe 2-3 weeks a year because my feet would completely sweat otherwise, I think I'll have to find something comparable (seriously, how the teenagers wear Uggs down here, I do not know.  My feet would stink.)  Maybe these from Target?

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

That's all for now.  Should get *you know who* started on his gift ideas.  :-)

Happy Wednesday Y'all!

Happy Birthday To Me!!!

Well, not today, but September 24th was my birthday!   Happy you-don't-want-to-know-how-old-I-am birthday to me!  Let's just say I'm now considered in my upper-30's. 

You may remember this post  (the last part of it) where my car became stranded in Tropical Storm Issac.  Well, my car was totaled and here is my new car (yes, silver again for the 4th time since owing vehicles!)  I love my new car plus it's a Lexus, which means barring any future car floods, I will have this car for a long time.  My MIL has had an RX350 for 13 years and it's still gorgeous and purrs like a kitten!  This car is nice and big too, while fitting my demands for a sedan rather than an SUV, which is perfect for our family!

Poor Lallie, if she drops something, she has to wait until I stop for me to pick it up, I can't reach it.  I LOVE IT!  And Lallie does love it too.  She loves how she can see out of the back seat (not something she could do in the BMW) and the doors open and shut easily which means Miss Independent can finally get in and out on her own.  Husband says it's my birthday gift (it's a replacement).  :-)  I love you, Husband.  :-)

My REAL birthday gift was this, my new Tory Burch Amanda Dome Tote.  Isn't it pretty?  :-)   Yes, I picked it out and yes, Husband purchased it well before my birthday and yes, I swindled it out of him early.

Tory Burch Amanda Dome Tote.  Credit Here.

But not until after he pulled this on me.  The box arrived and I saw him intercept it at the UPS truck.  He proceeded to put the box in the trunk of his car.  After 24 hours, I said, "Honey, I know you bought a handbag, I saw the charge on our statement.  It's really not good for it to sit in the heat of the car."  So he retaliated by taking it out of the box and sitting the bag within reaching distance for about an hour.  I tried so hard not to look at it.  Well, by the end of the night, I had it in my hands.  :-) 

 

Happy Tuesday Y'all!

Winter Work Wardrobe

I'm slowly moving into my winter work wardrobe.  This weekend, I'll be transitioning my closet and putting my summer Lilly away to pull out the bright winter colors (I don't do all black and brown).  Of course, it's still pretty warm down here and usually is through most of the winter, so I have to get creative in looking fall-ish without sweating like crazy.

This weekend, I headed to White House Black Market.  I love how a majority of their clothes suit my figure and body and are perfect for a professional setting, while keeping a little color in the mix.  Here's a few of the items I picked up.

Purchase HERE.

See HERE.

 

I didn't purchase the shorts, but I think I'll head back and get them.  On sale and still cute for these still hot days.

See HERE.

LOVE this cardigan!  Purchase HERE.

Purchase HERE.

I didn't purchase this romper, but I love it and might head back!  And it's on sale! 

Happy Monday Y'all!