I am so into short wedding dresses right now. It may just be because I am desperate for some warmer weather, and looking at short wedding dresses makes me feel like it's springtime. Well, sort of. Ugh, so ready for spring. But, anyway. Short dresses are fun, flirty, sassy and sweet -- all at the same time. They're just the ticket for a chic city affair, city hall nuptials, a casual backyard bash, a rustic farm fete...I could go on. Plus, a short wedding dress lets you show off some really cute shoes, too. Score.
from left to right 1. How cute and classic is this Pinwheel Tea Dress by BHLDN? You could swing dance all night long! $1400 2. This technically isn't a wedding dress, but I feel that this Parisienne Dress from Piperlime is just perfect for a casual springtime wedding celebration. $99 3. I just love the details on this fit and flare Dolce Vita Dress from BHLDN. The Swiss-dotted tulle overlay, key-hole back, and belt make this dress just oh so pretty. $300 4. Wear this classic Jenny Woo dress at a fun and quirky barnyard wedding. Perfection. $1200 or less 5. Another beautiful dress from BHLDN! (I'm obsessed.) This Sequin Sash Dress has a beautiful sequined underslip -- just the right amount of sparkle! $350 6. Again, this dress isn't technically a wedding dress. But who says you have to buy an actual wedding dress? I say, bend the rules! This sleeveless brocade dress is just perfect for city hall or a chic city soiree. $207 7. Oh my gosh, I am so in love with this Agata Swing Dress. It's flirty, vintage-y, bohemian-y, and so chic all at the same time. Perfect for a casual backyard bash or a fashion-forward museum affair. $420 (And, if you love this dress, H+M has a similar dress for just $29.95. Why not?) 8. This sweetheart neckline dress from Jill Stuart is adorable and perfect for spring. I love the bow on the side; it's sweet, but not too girly. It's somewhat modern which keeps this dress from being overly cutesy. Love. $248 9. This fringed Nicole Miller dress is the epitome of chic and sassy. Kick off your heels and dance the night away in this little white dress! Price not available. Not sure about wearing a short dress? These are also perfect for a reception dress if you love outfit changes. Thinking about an all-white bridal party? Well, these dresses also make super cute bridesmaids' dresses!
0 Comments
I started watching a few episodes of the new show Something Borrowed, Something New on TLC, and I have to say, I'm a little disappointed with the re-worked wedding dresses. I really like the idea behind the show and was super excited to see the old wedding dresses updated and revamped. Ever since reading Meg Cabot's Queen of Babble series a couple of years ago, I've been obsessed with the idea of reworking old wedding dresses. I think it would be so much fun and so cool to do! I just wish I knew how to sew. That would help. Anyhow. I don't know if my expectations are just way too super high -- I mean, I really know nothing about restoring and working on wedding dresses -- but I haven't been all that taken with Kelly's re-worked and re-imagined wedding dresses. They're pretty, but they just sort fall a little short for me. I think one of the problems is that some of the dresses just don't have enough structure, and they end up looking a little nightgown-ish. I'll still watch it though -- I'm holding out hope that one of these reworked wedding dresses will be ah-mazing and blow the new one out of the water! Okay. These macaroons. Well, I guess they're not really macaroons, technically, since there are no eggs in them. But they kind of are. They're sort of like oatmeal cookies, but soft. And spherical. With coconut and raspberries. And they're super delicious. I just love the combination of coconut and raspberry -- it's so tropical and spring-y, which is just what we need right now. Sigh.
Let me tell you, I went through a lot of trial and error and recipes before I got to these macaroons. After making these, I swore I would never make macaroons again. But, now I kind of want to make them again. And I really kind of want to attempt traditional macaroons again. With Easter coming up, I'm feeling all macaroon-y. Initially, I used frozen raspberries with making these macaroons. Did. Not. Work. I highly recommend using fresh raspberries if you can. The results are oh so much better. No matter how much I rinsed and dried off the thawed raspberries, they continually just turned to mush in the dough, creating a weird purple-y macaroon that didn't look at all appetizing. And that spread out all over the baking sheet. No good. Use fresh raspberries. I know they're expensive, but they'll make an amazing macaroon. Trust me. Raspberry Oat Coconut Macaroons gluten free, vegan adapted from Healthy Food for Living Ingredients 1 cup of coconut butter 1 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut 1 cup of gluten free old-fashioned rolled oats 3/4 cup maple syrup 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 6 ounces fresh raspberries Directions Preheat oven to 300 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the coconut butter and all of the ingredients, minus the raspberries, in a bowl. Once the ingredients are well combined, gently fold in the raspberries. Mash the raspberries slightly while folding them into the "dough," but don't fully mush them in. Using a small spoon (I used a melon baller, which worked great!, scoop out the dough onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the bottoms of the macaroons are slightly browned and toasted looking. The macaroons will be really soft, but don't worry! Take them out of the oven and let them sit for about 30 minutes -- they'll firm up. Placing the macaroons in the refrigerator will also help firm them up. While you're enjoying your macaroons, close your eyes pretend that you're sitting in a lovely park and that it's sunny and 70 degrees. Ah, perfection. Who watched the Oscars last night? And, is it just called the Oscars now? What happened to the Academy Awards? Well, I missed the Oscars (or the Academy Awards. Or the not Academy Awards) because I was catching up on the Downton Abbey finale (WHYYY, Downton??? Whyyyy??? I think I'm going to need some counseling.) I haven't fully caught up on the Oscars and its shenanigans yet, but I have perused all the gorgeous gowns (not going to lie, definitely one of the best parts). I couldn't resist sharing my top picks for best dressed!
from left to right 1. I love, love, love Amanda Seyfried and her Alexander McQueen gown. I know a lot of people have been saying that the dress seems a little too big, but I still love it and think that she looks amazing in it. 2. Catherine Zeta Jones looks absolutely stunning in this golden Zuhair Murad dress. 3. Naomi Watts is simply gorgeous in this form-fitting, gunmetal sequined Armani Privé gown. I'm a sucker for anything shiny, glittery, and/or sequined! (clearly!) 4. Jennifer Aniston always looks so effortlessly beautiful, and last night was no exception! This bold red Valentino gown was perfect for the Oscars. 5. Love Octavia Spencer and her flowy, ethereal Tadashi Shoji gown! Classic. Gorgeous. 6. Jessica Chastain is perfectly stunning in this sparkly, form-fitting Armani Privé dress. Love the old Hollywood glam look! (All images via People.com.) I have to admit, I really love the color pink. I do. I used to have this bright pink desk chair that was amazing. Sadly, during a maybe-I-don't-like-pink-so-much phase, I tried spray painting it white. Didn't work. The chair was plastic, and I followed the proper procedure for spray painting plastic. I sanded the chair with a fine grit sandpaper, cleaned it up, and bought spray paint that was specifically for plastic. Unfortunately, the spray paint peeled and got all funky. Not the desired result. I haven't tried spray painting anything plastic since then -- it was a traumatizing experience. Anyhow, I am no longer in a maybe-I-don't-like-pink-so-much phase. I love pink. It's just so happy and cheerful. And paired with red, the two colors are just so vibrant and lively. So, because tomorrow is Valentine's Day, here are some ways to add some cheer and loveliness with pink and red! 1. I absolutely adore these dusty pink pants from Piperlime. They are the perfect shade of pink; not too in your face, but still pink. And, if you're not too fond of the $230 price tag, Old Navy carries a similar pair of pants. The light pink color isn't quite as nice in my opinion, but my bank account much prefers the $12.97 price tag. 2. Mornings would be a bit easier with this cheerful, bright pink alarm clock. Okay, well I'd probably still hit the snooze button a few times. 3. This colorful Marimekko pillow adds an instant pop of color and lots of pep to any space. 4. How cute are these coasters? Best of all, it's a do-it-yourself project! Love. It. 5. I love all the peaches, corals, and pinks in this springy poppy print. It's pink without being overly pink if you're a pink-doubter. 6. I am so in love with this red polka dot dress from Forever21. 7. Snuggle up with this red and pink Ikat throw and watch Under the Tuscan Sun. Or 300. Whatever floats your boat. And because I love pink so much, here's a few more items that I couldn't leave out! 1. I need these faux suede pumps. So. Cute.
2. This pink and red houndstooth patterned mouse pad is just fantastic! 3. I absolutely love pretty much anything Kate Spade -- and this pink and red bow patterned clutch is just so adorable. 4. Plaster these happy pink heart stickers over everything for Valentine's Day! Okay, well maybe not everything. Now, go forth and spread the love with red and pink! One of my favorite things ever is to pick up old pieces of furniture from thrift stores or salvage places and fix them up. I love it. If I could, I would do it all the time. Unfortunately, I would probably run out of space real fast. There's something so satisfying about taking an ugly piece of furniture and completely turning it around. This summer, I decided that I needed some storage in my bedroom. Since I moved back to my parents' house, I now have like double the stuff. The stuff that I accumulated while living in Savannah PLUS all the stuff that had been sitting in my room. So, I needed some serious storage. So, the search began. I looked at antique places. I looked at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I went to the Brimfield Antiques Show (stuff was way overpriced if you ask me. But I did get a really cool old-fashioned picnic basket for half price! I'm not sure what to do with it yet, but it's cute!) Finally, after what felt like eons of searching, I found the piece at a second-hand furniture place in Holbrook. It wasn't pretty, as you can see. The hardware had to go. It was actually already falling off. And I wasn't crazy about the wood tone. But, the amount of storage was perfect. And it was a really solid piece. Dovetail joints, solid wood back, drawers slid without protest, and the cabinets opened nicely. Check, check, check and check! So, I trucked back home and got to work! I hit up True Value for some paint and scored with a reject can of paint for $4. I was looking for a really dark charcoal and when I showed the paint sample to the paint lady. she told me that someone had returned a can of paint that was similar to the paint sample I had picked out. Bingo! $4 for a can of paint? Yes, please! I believe the color was California Paint's Dark Engine in a matte finish. PLUS, this paint was a paint AND primer in one. YES. Score. I have to say, I love the look of the matte finish, however, it scratches really easily. If you decide to use a matte finish on a piece of furniture, use it on something that won't see a ton of use. So far, the scratches on this piece of furniture aren't too bad. I can deal with it because I just love the matte finish so much. I decided to only paint the exterior because a) I'm lazy, and b) I really like the contrast of the warm wood tone with the painted black. Why not save yourself some work? The interior was in really good shape and only needed to be wiped down and vacuumed (there were a few spiders that decided this buffet would make an excellent home). So I figured, why not leave it as is? And, as you saw, this piece seriously needed some new hardware. Anthropologie to the rescue! I absolutely adore their knobs and hardware and have been dying to use them somehow for years. I knew straight away that I was definitely using some Anthropologie knobs for the doors, but I wasn't sure what I was going to do about the upper drawers. I looked at Home Depot for handles since I really didn't feel like filling in the holes and drilling new ones. But nothing really spoke to me at Home Depot. Plus, the distance between the existing holes in the drawers was weird. None of the standard handle sizes fit. And the handles in the weird middle part there were smaller than the other two. Enter wood filler, sandpaper, a drill, and some more paint. Then came the new knobs. The upper drawers have the white ceramic melon knobs and the lower cabinet doors have the caricature knob. Omigosh, how I love these knobs. I love, love, love the hand-painted detail on the caricature knob. So pretty! And, while we're talking about Anthropologie knobs, I'm itching to use these gorgeous knobs on some future project. Or these. Check out all that storage. And please ignore all the dust on my floor. Thanks. Voila. The perfect piece for storage!
|
CATEGORIES
All
ARCHIVES
September 2015
|