Friday, May 29, 2015

Weekend Wish List: Home Decor Accents

Happy Friday, friends!  When we first moved into our house last September, I burnt myself out real quick focusing on home decor 24/7.  While it truly is so much fun to start from scratch and completely furnish & decorate a new space from the ground up, it can be a bit overwhelming at times, and in my case, can lead to burnout {I still don't have any art or pictures hanging on our walls!}.

Lately, however, I've really gotten that urge to pick back up and continue the design process.  I just ordered these sheer linen curtains for our living room, to layer on top of our pull down shades, and am really hoping that they add the depth that my living room needs!

Decorating your home is definitely a labor of love, and if there's one piece of advice I could give anyone, it's to not rush the process.  Only select pieces that you truly love, and that you could see adding character to your home for years to come.

Below are some pieces that have caught my eye that I've either recently purchased or are currently residing in the bookmarks bar of my computer patiently waiting for me to pull the trigger.


Click on the plus icon next to any item that catches your eye to view product info.







I love those glass hurricanes with the natural rope detailing, and just ordered them a few days ago {the price was too good to pass up!}.  That mirror would be so perfect in our entryway, and is under $50!  How gorgeous is that hammered copper & teak bowl?  I definitely neeeeed that!  The linen bench looks like it could be from Restoration Hardware, but is priced much better, and I'm in love with the adorable natural ceramic pot - it would be so cute for herbs in your windowsill!



Have a great weekend! xx

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Baked Herb Frittata

For the longest time I didn't even attempt to make a frittata.  Just the word itself seemed intimidating, conjuring up visions of special pans, and way too much energy spent on an egg dish that would most likely result in overly browned/borderline burnt.  I ended up coming across a recipe on Pinterest that seemed too easy to be true - baked frittata using parchment paper.  I'm here to tell you that this method is 100% fool proof and couldn't be any easier!

The beauty of this basic frittata recipe is that you can use this as a base to add in whatever ingredients you have on hand.  Feel free to add in meat and/or any veggies that your heart desires.  The possibilities are really endless!  This recipe is my own, and is most often what I end up preparing since I have such an abundance of fresh herbs in my garden year round, but other favorites that I love to add in are sauteed zucchini, asparagus, mushrooms, tomatoes & spinach.

If you're looking for a tasty breakfast or brunch item to whip up on a lazy weekend, this is most definitely it.  This even makes a great light dinner, when served with some sauteed asparagus {as we have done several times in the past!}.

Hope you enjoy!







Ingredients

1 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. chopped onion
6 large eggs
Splash of milk {I used about 3 tbsp. worth of milk}
1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
2 tbsp. chopped chives
2 tbsp. finely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
Salt & pepper to taste
2 sheets of parchment paper, cut large enough to fit snugly in your pan with a 2-3" overhang


Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Using a 9" springform pan, or a deep dish pie pan, place 1 sheet of parchment paper diagonally in the bottom, and the other sheet vertically across so that they criss cross each other.   Press parchment paper down firmly.

In a small saute pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion, and saute until translucent, around 2 minutes.  Set aside and allow to slightly cool.

Next, in a medium sized bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.  Add in cheese, fresh herbs, and salt & pepper to taste.  

Once the onions have cooled, add them into the egg mixture.  Pour the eggs into the springform pan, and place in oven.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the frittata is golden & puffed up, and the center feels firm. 

Remove from oven, pull the frittata out of the pan by pulling up on the parchment paper and serve immediately.












Have a great week & thanks for reading! xx

Friday, May 22, 2015

Date Night Style

I really am such a casual jeans + t shirt kinda gal, but every once in a while I love to get dressed up for dinner dates with my husband.  Earlier this week was one of those occasions.  I really felt like taking a break from my normal jeans routine and getting a little more dressed up than normal.

I selected my most comfortable LBD, and paired it with an old white blazer {not gonna lie, I probably won't wear this blazer again until after I give birth.....it was like the scene from Tommy Boy 'fat guy in a little coat'}, and a comfy pair of black wedges.  I recently just purchased these wedges after seeing them on Somewhere Lately's blog, and am seriously debating getting them in another color because they are SO comfortable.

My dress is maternity, but I've linked an identical non maternity version down below that even features similar figure flattering side ruching :)  These types of dresses are extremely versatile, and can easily be dressed up as I did for this occasion, or dressed down with flat sandals + a denim jacket....the perfect summer uniform!








Wearing:

Dress - Isabella Oliver currently 20% off with code FF415 {identical non maternity version here} //  Blazer - Top Shop, old {similar here} //  Wedges - Halogen //  Purse - Chanel {affordable version here} //  Sunglasses - Ray Ban





Question:  Are you enjoying seeing more fashion posts like these?  While I never will be nor do I want to become a "fashion blogger", it is kind of fun to share my personal style with you guys....plus it's a great way for me to document my pregnancy.  Just wanted to hear a little feedback from you guys so leave a comment below and let me know what you think! 


I hope you have a wonderful long holiday weekend!  I'll be back on Tuesday, and will be kicking off the week with a new recipe! Make it a great one, guys! xx

Thursday, May 21, 2015

For The Love Of Flat Sandals

Confession:  I have been living in flat sandals + leather flip flops for the past month over here.  I never in a million years thought that I'd be trading in my heels, pumps, and wedges for the comfort of flat sandals, but my poor feet won't stop swelling and with the weather already creeping into the upper 80's - lower 90's every single day, I know that it's only going to get worse from here!






Slowly, but surely I've been working on building an arsenal of comfortable & affordable flat sandals in my wardrobe that can get me through the last months of pregnancy and until my feet go back to their normal state!  I've been living in Tkees leather flip flops because they're sooooooo comfy {perfect for running errands or just wearing around the house}, and are much classier than plain old rubber flip flops in my opinion.  I've also been on the hunt for anything that my foot can easily slide into, without having to lean over & tie or fasten any straps {this belly is only getting bigger from here!}.  

Luckily, there's so many cute options for perfect summer sandals right now, and since 'slide' sandals are so popular at the moment there are tons of cute designs that have caught my eye!


Below are my picks for comfy & cute sandals that won't break the bank!  Prices are varying across the board, but there are some seriously good steals mixed in there {under $20!}.











If you plan to do a little summer sandal shopping this long weekend, don't forget that there are some great shoe sales going on right now:

  • Nordstrom is currently running the half yearly sale with prices up to 40% off
  •  All of the shoes at Macy's are on sale, with an extra 15% off using code 'HOORAY'
  • I have a couple picks from Swell up above, and all of their sandals are 20% off using the promo code 'SHOPTHEWORLD' at checkout
  • And last but certainly not least, if you want to shop the mother of all sales, according to my past experiences, the Net-A-Porter sale should be starting on Tuesday! Holla!!

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Quick Weekend Recap

Hi babes!  Adam & I spent this past weekend visiting our friends who live in Hilton Head, South Carolina.  We had the absolute BEST time relaxing & catching up with our good friends who we haven't seen since their wedding last summer in New York.  For me, it was especially nice to share in some girl + pregnancy talk since my friend is also pregnant and is just a little ways behind me!  We were able to compare pregnancy symptoms, and chat about all things baby related without driving our husbands absolutely nuts :)

It was just a quick trip for us; we drove up from Miami Friday morning and made it into South Carolina about 7 hours later.  On the way there I kept seeing signs everywhere on the freeway for Chick-Fil-A {which I had never tried before}, and after a very serious discussion about how it's the absolute best chicken, Adam convinced me to stop and have lunch at the popular fast food joint.  This was my first time having any form of fast food in probably close to 7 or 8 years so I was a little hesitant at first but decided to indulge because a) I'm pregnant and was starrrrrving, and b) there wasn't a whole lot of healthy options on the road.  HOLY YUM!  It's a good thing that we don't have those close by us because those chicken strips were entirely too good! 

We arrived in Hilton Head on Friday evening, got settled in and went out to dinner.  On Saturday, our friend had to work {they own the outdoor furniture store, Palm Casual}, so we just had a lazy day exploring the area, looking at real estate, and eatinggggggg everything in sight {I ate SO bad this weekend!}. After he was able to sneak away from the store, we drove into Savannah, GA to hunt for antiques, and have dinner.  We ended up popping into the cutest little store, The Paris Market, which had the greatest little selection of baby clothing & toys {I bought some nursery decor for Isla's room}.  Sunday morning was spent brunching in the absolute cutest little area, Palmetto Bluff.  Seriously, this little town is legit exactly like Pleasantville complete with gas lit street lamps.  After our delicious brunch {I ate 4, count them, 4 jalapeno cheddar biscuits!  So so bad!}, we hit the road and drove home.

I completely intended on taking a bunch of pictures while we were there, but once we arrived it was one of those situations where you're just surrounded by good company & having such a great time that I forgot to photo document everything, and kind of took a break from my phone in general.  Those type of weekends are truly good for the soul!

Here's the few pictures that I did manage to take.....mainly just of the pretty scenery!






This area is beyond gorgeous!  I would love to have a second home here to escape suburban city life every once in a while.  Wearing: AG maternity jeans {here, exact non maternity version found here} //  Crochet tank top {here} //  Hat {found here} //  Sandals {here, extremely similar budget friendly option here}




Sooooooo good but soooooooo bad!




How pretty are these trees?  I was enamored by how beautiful the hanging moss was.




On Saturday, we had lunch on the beach.  Not a bad view ;)




Our friends have the cutest little dog, Rocco.  Kinda makes me want to add another furbaby to our pack!




Sunday brunch in Pleasantville aka Palmetto Bluff.  This area is absolutely darling - full of so much charm!










Hope you guys have a great week!  3 day weekend coming up!! xx

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Dressed Down Comfort

Dressing this bump + my new curves is starting to become more and more of a challenge.  A lot of the flowy tops & dresses that worked for concealing my growing tummy in the first trimester look frumpy on me now, and I've found myself becoming increasingly more frustrated when I stand in my closet trying to decide what to wear.  Enter my saving grace: Isabella Oliver.  Girls, this is the equivalent of maternity wear gold!  Their clothing is nothing but high quality, comfortable, stretchy pieces in classic silhouettes that strategically conceal all the right places, while allowing you to flaunt your best new asset - your beautiful bump!  

Almost all of their clothing that I've tried can be dressed up or down, and is made to be worn throughout all stages of your pregnancy {and even after the baby arrives!} making anything you purchase from the line a great investment piece.  If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably seen me wear this dress over and over again.  This is the absolute most comfortable dress; stretchy & soft {it features a built in bra} and I own it in 3 colors!  Yep, I love it that much.

A few days ago,  Adam & I were headed out to an early dinner with friends, and I threw together this casual outfit combining my beyond comfy Isabella Oliver Beck skirt paired with the maternity tank from their line.  The skirt could have been easily dressed up, but I chose to keep it simple with a denim jacket & baseball hat to match the laid back atmosphere of the restaurant we were visiting.










Wearing:

Skirt - Isabella Oliver c/o //  Tank top - Isabella Oliver c/o //  Denim jacket - J.Crew {old, similar here} //  Sandals - Valentino {extremely affordable version here} //  Clutch - Flora Bella //  Hat - Target //  Lip gloss - Stila {color Guava }

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Style Steal Of The Week

Ethnic clutches are a huuuuuuge trend this summer that I'm loving.  The intricate beading, gorgeous embroidery, and bright fun colors make them the perfect accessory to bring a basic summer outfit to life!

I'm always shocked, however, by how expensive some of those little boho ethnic clutches can be.  Really??!! $300 for something that, yes, is super cute but looks like I picked it up at a local flea market.  Enter this one from Target.  It's fun & bright, with beading, and tassels {another big trend}!  And don't let me forget to mention that this cutie rings in at only $16.99!



{click on the plus icon to directly be taken to product info}








....and a little inspo on how these fun clutches really punch up a basic outfit.








all images via Pinterest




Are you girls loving these fun clutches are much as me?  xx

Monday, May 11, 2015

Recently Over On Insta + A Few Pics That Didn't Make The Cut

Oh Monday......I have a serious case of the Monday blahs over here.  Anyone else with me?  This weekend just went by entirely too fast!

Since I know that not all of you are on Instagram, I like to share a few of my favorite snaps with you guys about once per month and allow you to see pieces of my little life; what I'm up to, what I've been cooking, new purchases that I've scooped up, and what I've been wearing.  In addition to sharing those pics with you today, I thought I'd also post a few pics that didn't make the Insta cut.  I have so.many.pictures on my phone that never get posted {thousands of my dogs that I share with Adam}, so I thought it would be fun to show you some of those as well!  

Here we go.....






^^ 22 weeks pregnant and this belly is poppin'!!  Wearing: Isabella Oliver dress {here} //  Tai evil eye bracelet {here} //  Stila lip gloss {color apricot here} // Dining room table & chairs {because I always get asked, found here}





^^ I've been really into making these acai bowls lately.  They're so yummy and beyond easy to whip up!  I can post my recipe for you guys if you want, it's reallyyyy simple....





^^ All about that casual comfort!  Wearing: Olive green cotton pants {so comfy! found here} //  Basic gray tank {here} //  Chloé Marcie bag {here} //  Dolce Vita sandals {old, but similar here & here}





^^ Summa sandal game going strong ;)  Valentino sandals {exact ones here}





^^ Taking Lulu for a walk around Key West wearing: Billabong dress {non maternity here} //  Rag & Bone denim vest {old, similar here} //  Panama hat {found here} //  Gold leather flip flops {here, similar budget friendly version here}





^^ Because what kind of blogger would I be if I didn't snap a pic of peonies?! ;)





^^ The best part of my weekly Pilates sessions is the smoothie bar outside of my gym.  I hit it up after every session!  On my nails: Sally Hansen Insta Dry polish {color Sonic Boom} //  Sofia Al Asfoor Shield Bag {info here}





^^ Everyday essentials.  Wearing: Striped tee {I LIVE in these lately! here} //  Leggings {my fave non maternity that still work found here} //  Distressed denim button down {here} //  Vince slip ons {here, similar budget friendly version available here}





^^ Pretty pretty palms in Key West.  





^^ I've never really been a flip flop type of gal until my feet started swelling recently.  I'll definitely get decent mileage out of these Chanel beauties this summer.  #TreatYoSelf 





^^ Staying hydrated with fresh coconut water - someone warned me that it might have an, ahem, laxative effect on me, but at this point I would welcome that with open arms {another glorious pregnancy symptom!}.  Wearing: Gap tank {on sale for around $10 here} //  TopShop maternity denim shorts {available here} //  Black leather flip flops {here} //  Gucci purse {exact one here} //  Purple shades {here, color gray mirror purple}





^^ We had decided on our little girls name before we even knew what we were having - Isla.  I've just loved that name for the longest time {middle name is still tbd}.  Other names that we loved included Mila & Sienna!  Personalized bunny rocker {here}





^^ Date night with the hubs wearing: Monrow maternity dress {here, non maternity version found here} //  Gold tie up sandals {here} //  Chanel purse





.....and a few pics that didn't make the cut.





A snap from our anniversary dinner at my favorite romantic restaurant in Miami Beach, Casa Tua.





When I found out that we were having a girl, my friend Jaqx {@fitbohemianblonde} sent me the cuuuutest little moccs.  I've made some amazing friends through the blogging world :)  Moccs are from Sweet n Swag.





Thank you so much to everyone who made great suggestions on strollers.  This girl is now the proud owner of a 2015 UppaBaby Vista {in black + carbon}.  I ultimately decided on the UppaBaby rather than the Bugaboo based off of it's extended sun shade {a must for living in FL}, the huuuuge basket underneath, the ease of collapsibility without taking any components out, and also the option to turn this into a double stroller down the road.





Shopping for photo props for one of my recent recipes at Crate & Barrel and I fell in love with this tablescape.  Would be perfect for dining al fresco.





Beach scenery at our hotel in Key West.





Brunchin' at the St. Regis in Bal Harbour.





A glimpse into what rainy season in So. Florida really looks like.  Sometimes our pool will overflow in a matter of a few hours!





What I woke up to yesterday morning!  Our air conditioning broke over the weekend, so we stayed at the Acqualina {82 degrees at night + preggo was just not happening}.  I forgot how much of a luxury it is to wake up to the sound of the ocean - kinda makes me miss condo life.





Have a great week everyone!  Thanks for reading! xx

 

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