- Part 111

June 19, 2014

Baby Blue

Versatility is a big factor when I consider clothing purchases. When a dress that can be worn with heels, sandals or as a tunic comes my way, and it’s in the softest shade of blue nonetheless, I’m basically sold. I was invited to a CAbi party (personal shopping via homeshows in case you’re unfamiliar) by a girlfriend a few months ago and this dress had my attention. I finally broke it out of my closet for my sister in laws baby shower last weekend. She happens to be having a baby boy hopefully next month and I’m ecstatic to become an Aunt! Parenting is amazing, but having a nephew where my sole purpose is to love and spoil him, is something I’m very much looking forward to!

Details: CAbi dress / shoes (similar) / JCrew Factory necklace / Tiffany necklace / Stella & Dot ring

June 18, 2014

Pardon my absence…

(photo credit)

I was trying to be Super Woman and have all of my posts lined up for this week while I am out of town, but alas it did not happen. I may or may not be able to get my act together for the rest of the week, you’ll just have to check back to see ;) In the meantime I am with my sister in this beautiful city working on a super fun collaboration that I can’t tell you about just yet. Don’t you hate it when bloggers do that to you? I do. In the meantime, you can follow along on Instagram for some sneak peeks of our trip, and as soon as I am allowed, I’ll fill you in on all the fun I’ve been having!

June 17, 2014

To Birk or Not?

Birkenstocks are back in full force and I can’t get over the array of colors and styles that are now available. They are certainly not limited to the boring shades of brown I sported in high school, that’s for sure. I’ve been watching them grow again in popularity, but I continue to put them in the category of “oh, they look so cute on so-and-so, but they’re just not me”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for trying new things and getting out of my comfort zone, but if something doesn’t feel right you may just want to let it pass. Well, a few weeks ago I saw the cutest girl at church who was dressed in an outfit that I could have easily been wearing (what I mean is that we had similar style taste). As I was taking note of her outfit, I was totally drawn to her bright white Birkenstock’s that completed her ensemble. She looked adorable and the white looked so fresh and crisp, perfect for a summer tan! I don’t know why I’m having such a hard time making this decision. What do you guys think? Would you (or do you) wear them?

PS the kids sandals are adorable too!

June 16, 2014

Navy + Pink

I’m sure I’ve mentioned before the love I have for the pairing of navy and pink. They just seem to compliment each other in such a beautiful way! Navy always seems to keep an outfit feeling classy, regardless of what color it’s paired with. This top has been a staple in my closet for a while now and you can see here how I wore it before dressed down with boyfriend jeans. This time I wore it for my cousins’ baby shower, so I dressed it up with my pink trousers (I told you they’d be getting much use!). Super girly and feminine, just the way I like it.

Details: French Connection top (similar) / Zara trousers / shoes (similar) / Stella & Dot tote / JCrew Factory necklace / Anthropologie bracelet / Rayban sunglasses

June 13, 2014

Top It Off + Fab Favorites Link Up

I know you’re all thinking, it’s Friday isn’t it? Where’s the High Five for Friday?! Well, today I happen to be co-hosting a fantastic link-up with Lauren of Style Elixir and Alicia of The Dumbbelle. To all of my fellow bloggers, feel free to link-up below! And to all of my readers, please check out some of the inspiring other bloggers that link-up below. There are so many good ideas being shared, you never know what you may find!

I mentioned a few weeks ago in this post how I tend to rely a lot on tops to carry my outfit during the summer. Since layering isn’t always the best option in the heat of summertime, I often find myself searching for cute tops that have enough interest or detail to them allowing me to wear as few layers and accessories as possible. This way I can keep things simple and cool without lacking in style. I gathered a few of my favorite tops, a few of which I have and a few which I’d love to have, and pieced together some basic outfits for you to see how easy it can be to look cute and stay cool this season. The tops vary from t-shirts to tanks and blouses, but all outfits could easily take you to a variety of summer outings. Which outfits do you see yourself in?

Outfit 1: top / shorts / bag / shoes

Outfit 2: top / pants / shoes

Outfit 3: top / pants / hat / shoes

Outfit 4: top / skirt / hat / shoes

Outfit 5: top / skirt / shoes

(more…)

June 12, 2014

Mint + Chambray

You guys know about my love of pastels and chambray, that’s likely a given by now, so you can understand my excitement about these pale mint shorts! With the slightest bit of tapered detail and a structured shirt that feels a bit more put together than a t-shirt, this outfit can carry you right through summer. What’s also great is the versatility of it all. For example, this same afternoon I later switched out the bottoms for white cut-off shorts, untucked the top and threw on a pair of flat sandals and carried on the rest of my busy afternoon with the kids. I guess the point I am trying to make is that it’s nice to have great basics in varying styles on hand. That way you’ll have no problem throwing something together whenever it’s needed!

Details: JCrew top / JCrew shorts / JCrew shoes / Stella & Dot necklace / Rayban sunglasses / bracelet gifted

June 11, 2014

Pressed Italian Sandwiches

When you’re hosting a party or a picnic this summer, it can be tempting to just order a tray of sandwiches for your guests and be done with it (well, that part of it). That’s what I always did, until I came across this recipe, that is. I always feel like Joey from Friends when I think about my love of sandwiches. They just may be one of my favorite foods! I was intrigued when I saw these on Pinterest and gave them a shot for my children’s birthday party that we hosted. I was so impressed with how they turned out and had a hard time putting them down! There’s no magic to the recipe other than giving them the time to set and letting the flavor to sink in. I highly recommend!

There are a ton of ways you could vary this sandwich. I chose to use salami, prosciutto and pepperoni, but the possibilities are endless. I only wish I had a constant supply of these in my fridge!

Here’s the recipe which I found on Let’s Dish:

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 ciabatta loaf
1/4 cup prepared basil pesto
1/2 pound sliced Italian cold cuts (salami, pepperoni, sopressata, mortadella, capocolla, prosciutto, etc.)
1/2 pound sliced Provolone cheese
1 cup fresh spinach, arugula or basil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional toppings:

Finely chopped olives (black or green)
Roasted red peppers
Sun dried tomatoes
Roasted garlic

Instructions

Slice ciabatta loaf in half horizontally.
Spread desired amount of pesto over the bottom half of the bread. Don’t over-saturate the bread.
Layer the Italian meats over the pesto. Top with the sliced cheese.
Layer the spinach or other greens over the cheese.
Optional toppings can be added to either the top or the bottom of the sandwich.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
Place the top half of the loaf over the sandwich fillings.
Wrap the sandwich thoroughly with plastic wrap. Place a heavy cutting board or other flat object on top of sandwich and weight it down with a 2- to 4-lb. weight (such as a cast iron skillet or six-pack of soda).
Let the sandwich sit for at least 6 hours, but preferably over night.
Unwrap, cut into 8 pieces and serve.

June 10, 2014

Loving Lately: Crochet

When I hear the word crochet it immediately makes me think of grandma. Not my grandma, per say, but just grandmas in general. I’m going to have to let go of this misconception because that’s certainly not the case these days. I’ve found myself gravitating towards crochet detail on everything from shoes to dresses, bags and swimwear. Take a look for yourself and let me know what you think!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11

I’d sure wear it! Would you?

June 9, 2014

Bandana

Outside of hats, it’s not typical for me to wear any accessories on my head. Head bands often give me a headache and short hair doesn’t give as many options as long hair does when it comes to varying styles (ie ponytails, up-do’s, loose knots etc). I wasn’t on the hunt for a bandana, but I came across this one at JCrew a week or so ago and the print and colors had me. It’s such a fun accessory and in cases like this can totally make the outfit. After my husband referred to me as Aunt Jemima at home, I continued to get positive comments from friends and strangers alike. And just another little perk, it’s great for days that you don’t have the time to wash your hair!

Details: Calvin Klein top via TJMaxx (similar) / JCrew denim / JCrew bandana / Sandals via TJmaxx (similar) / Stella and Dot necklace / Clutch via TJMaxx / Rayban sunglasses / Marc by Marc Jacobs watch

June 6, 2014

High Five for Friday

Happy Friday, all! The celebrations continued in our household this week. My son turned 5 years old on Wednesday and today is his last day of preschool. I’m being hit with too many emotions to handle! 5 used to seem like such a scary age to handle, but here we are, diving right in. Next week will be quite the adjustment as we situate our lives into summer mode, but I’m looking forward to some pool time with my munchkins!

Here’s a glimpse into my week:

1) This girl sure loves her accessories. My grandmother gave this hat to her for her birthday and she’s been putting it to good use!

2) The cool kid on his new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bike. After the Power Rangers t-shirt I figured I may as well join in! Apparently I don’t know what cool is anyway ;)

3) Lunch on the go. We’re officially on the smoothie kick and I’m amazed at how much nutrition can be packed into these things!

4) I had wanted these Salt Water Sandals for my daughter last year but her feet never got big enough. She’s finally into a size 5 so I couldn’t wait to get them for her. A perk is that she can’t rip them off in the car as she does with all of her other shoes!

5) It’s rare to capture a sweet moment like this (I’d be much more likely to capture him tackling her), but when I do it just melts my heart.

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!!

a lovely living

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