FLIRTING WITH YOUR SENSES

This is my favorite scent for summer Acqua Di Parma!  The scent is unique and very feminine...best part is it lasts all day long.  I buy mine at Saks Fifth Ave for $105.


Picture provided by www.saks.com

SEEING STRIPES

So everywhere I go I am seeing stripes!  I love the nautical look right now... it is simple and classic.  When I came across this dress I thought it looks so flattering and chic!  I love how they play with the directions of the stripes.  Bonus... it is totally affordable at $69 and it's just in time for your summer vacay!  Picture & dress can be found at www.lulus.com

GLOW BY NIGHT

I LOVE these lights strung around an outdoor patio.  They remind me of a romantic Italian restaurant, a swanky wine bar, a casual summer wedding, vacationing on the beach, an outdoor bbq, or at a lake house!

I found these on http://www.napastyle.com/.  

WINK WINK

So I have ALWAYS wanted longer eyelashes & I used to spend 15 minutes a day strategically applying my mascara to make my lashes look longer and fuller.  Seriously ask my BFF's they will tell you how ridiculous I was especially since they shared a bathroom with me.  So just  before my wedding I ran across this product Neu Lash at the Chanel counter.  I was immediately skeptical but decided to give it a try....and I am so glad I did.  After 2 weeks I could totally notice a difference and I was so excited because after a few months my eyelashes actually touched my eyebrows!  You can find this product at Saks or Neiman Marcus  for $150 a bottle which will last you 3-5 months.     



Picture from http://www.neimanmarcus.com/

SUMMER FIREPLACE

These VOLUSPA candles are the best!  They come in amazing scents like Crisp Champagne & Italian Tangelo!  I have a scented candle burning at my house every night...it helps relax me and it obviously makes our house smell amazing.  I buy these candles from our neighborhood marketplace however, you can find them at http://www.bloomingdales.com/ 

LIGHT UP

So I went on a major search for a new chandelier for our dining room & what I learned was... lighting is EXPENSIVE $$$.  I would currently describe my design style as.....fresh, airy, clean lines, neutral, light & bright with a hint of color!  After a long and painful search I finally came across this chandelier that fit our room and the look I was going for perfectly.  It is reasonably priced at $149, however you also have to buy a converter kit which is sold separately for $18.  This chandelier makes me feel like I am dining at a chic restaurant & it even provides a little romantic lighting. wink wink

I also like this new chandelier, the texture makes it interesting

You can purchase either of these at www.westelm.com

BIKINI LOVE

So I have a small obsession with bikinis & I love buying new ones each spring/summer!  My absolute FAVORITE designer is Monica Wise the owner of L Space bikinis.  You might have seen her bikini's in my go to magazine US Weekly because lots of young stars are flaunting them.  Her bikini's are fashion forward in their design & the colors, styles, and patterns are always fun to play with.  The pieces are sold separately so you can mix and match solids with patterns and choose the style & size that fits you best! I buy mine from swimwear boutique or you can visit http://www.lspace.com/
Here are a few from her 2010 collection!

Pictures found at http://www.swimwearboutique.com/

CAKE POPS

Photos provided by http://www.bakerella.com/

Move over Cupcakes......Cake Pops are taking over!  These bite size cakes are POPPING up at weddings, bridal/baby showers, holiday & birthday parties, etc....  Since the 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays & it is only a few weeks away I thought these would inspire those of you entertaining guests!  You absolutely have to check out Bakerella to learn where you can purchase lollipop sticks, how to make cake pops, & to see all of their fabulous pops!



 

A TOAST TO SUMMER

Had a fabulous dinner with my hubby over the weekend.  We had a Margherita Pizza & a pitcher of White Wine Sangria at one of our local hot spots!  The Sangria was so refreshing and oh so good! I want to try the recipe below at our next dinner party!

Ingredients:
1 bottle Spanish white wine
1/4 cup sugar
1 lime thinly sliced
1 lemon thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith Apple cut into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cup green seedless grapes cut in half
1 cup apple juice
1/2 bunch fresh mint leaves
pinch of salt
1 12 ounce can seltzer water
Ice cubes

Directions:
In a large pitcher combine the wine and sugar & stir until sugar dissolves. Add the remaining ingredients, except the seltzer, and mix well. Put the pitcher in the fridge and chill 1-4 hours. Just before serving add seltzer water and mix well.

Recipe found on FoodNetwork.com
Courtesy of Brian Boitano

Image : Charles Maraia for Real Simple

MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH

Here is another DELICIOSO treat for your taste buds! These are great for Sunday brunch with the family! With Father's Day just 2 days away this would be a great breakfast addition!

Ingredients:
1 Package Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
1 Package Chocolate Chips
2 Eggs-Whites Only

Directions:
POP open the Pillsbury Roll Package
Follow the baking instructions on the package
Gently separate the triangle shaped dough
Put a spoonful of chocolate chips in each triangle
The widest part of the triangle is the top
Carefully roll the dough from the top with the chips to the triangle point
At this point it should look like a little croissant
Once you have them all rolled; place on baking sheet
Brush each one with the egg whites
Put in oven & bake!

Thanks Mom for this yummy & simple recipe!

MAKE IT STICK

What is Blik? Well let me tell you the people at Blik have brought a whole new meaning to our favorite childhood accessory... STICKERS! They have created decals/stickers for interior design use and they are FABULOUS! This company has caught the attention from Dwell, Cosmopolitan, & Entrepreneur Magazine! The art is easy to apply and will transform any space. The price point is $50-70 and the ideas/uses are endless!
Visit their website at www.whatisblik.com

ALL ABOUT FRINGE

Another fun accessory to swoon over. These Venus Fringe sandals are by Koolaburra & are all the rave! They are priced at $130 and come in chestnut (shown) & black. These babies would be HOT paired with your favorite cutoffs or a sweet summer dress! www.koolaburra.com for more details.
*Picture above of Kristin Cavallari provided by singer22.com.

CORK IT

I love collecting wine corks from our birthdays, vacations, anniversaries, holidays, a dinner party with friends, career achievements, etc..
So my Mom suggested that I write on each cork what we were celebrating and display them on our bar in a glass jar. So for the past 2 years we have been collecting & documenting our fun. Now that we have almost reached the top of our jar I can't wait to dump them out and read all of our corks! What a fun way to remember all of the good times & great memories we have had together!

I also love the pictures below because they show you other creative ways to use your wine corks!






place cards for entertaining





pin board for notes & pictures







christmas wreath

CAN YOU TAKE THE HEAT?

Here is a great appetizer to serve guests while heating up your grill this summer.

Serves 5

Ingredients:
5 fresh jalapenos
1 package of feta cheese (you can also use goat cheese or cream cheese)
1 cup salsa of your choice (mango, pico de gallo, Herdez, etc...


Preparation:
Cut jalapenos in half so it makes a little boat shape
Empty seeds and clean out center
Stuff each half with cheese
Garnish with salsa

Place peppers directly on the grill low-medium heat and cook until peppers have softened and cheese is melted. Approx 10 min

Serve and ENJOY!

CHEERS!

So I am not one for "fruity" cocktails, I am more of a red/white wine, dirty martini, champagne, vodka soda kinda girl! However, I am a huge fan of a good WATERMELON MARTINI. A girlfriend introduced me to the drink a few months ago at a Sushi Hot Spot in town and I immediately thought I need to learn how to make these at home! These martinis would be perfect for a BBQ with friends, a night out with the girls, & or sipping poolside! They are fun, light, & totally AMAZING!


*If you have time chill your martini glasses in the freezer for 30 minutes before serving.

Ingredients:
1 cup watermelon juice (press through a sieve or food processor/blender)
1/2 cup Vodka
ice
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
watermelon slices or cubes for garnish
drink/kabob skewer (optional)

Place the watermelon juice, vodka, and sugar into a cocktail shaker. Top with ice & Shake well.

Pour mixture through cocktail shaker strainer & into your martini glass.

Garnish with a wedge on the rim of the glass or skewer the cubes of watermelon and place in martini.

Bottoms up!

SUMMER TIME CRUSH

I have a MAJOR crush on these sunglasses. If you can find a pair consider yourself LUCKY! These sunglasses by Grey Ant are worn by EVERYBODY in Hollywood including BEYONCE pictured. These glasses are perfect because they have the Wayfarer look that is so popular right now combined with the oversized look I like for a reasonable price of $248. Just thought I would share my love affair with you!

MAKE A STATEMENT

Right now I am really into decorative pillows. They can really change the look of any room or space. I heart Johnathan Adlers initial pillows that you might have noticed if you watch the show Giuliana & Bill on the Style network. These pillows can be customized in any color, letter, size, and even fabric! Amazing right? I can't wait to order K&M pillows for my house.


Check out http://www.johnathanadler.com/

FORK GET ME NOT

So when my Hubby & I moved in together we had 2 sets of EVERYTHING! We knew very soon we would have 3 sets once our wedding gifts started arriving. So we decided to hang onto our old silverware in case we needed extra to entertain our rather LARGE families over the holidays! However, a few weeks later while shopping at my favorite local boutique I got inspired by the magnets they had for sale at $17 a POP! They had turned old antiqued spoons, knives, & forks into super fun magnets. So I ran to Michaels & purchased a package of tic-tac sized magnets. I plugged in my faithful glue gun & glued one at the top of a fork and one at the bottom. I also did the same to an old baby spoon that I found, I use it when we get baby's birth announcements! This project is beyond easy & I get lots of compliments on them! Have fun with this idea and let me know what other objects around the house can be made into fun artwork for your otherwise boring fridge!

WORK IT OUT IN STYLE

I just joined a FABULOUS spin studio by my house and I am totally addicted. So now I am on a mission to find cute workout clothes, new spin shoes, a workout bag, etc...
Well guess what I found while casually shopping on my lunch break today, my first purchase towards being a well accessorized spinner. A cute "workout towel" with a side zipper to hold all of life's necessities like your blackberry, id, keys, lip gloss, etc! I found it at Ross for $4.99 and it comes in white, blue and pink! See mine below in pink.
** Update you can also find these at Bed Bath & Beyond I believe they were around $12





Krissy

SPRAY AWAY!

Now that summer is here...I LOVE starting indoor projects! I am really digging chalkboard spray paint because it is super easy to use and there are so many creative ways to use it as you can see below. So get inspired and start spraying...several coats may be required! Grab a can at your local hardware store!

Pictured Left to Right

Serving Trays photo from Pottery Barn
Dining Room Border found on designsponge.com
Childs Table by TinyDecorblog.com
Herb Pots courtesy of Martha Stewart.com
Room by Christine Lane Interiors