Dear...

Dear Southern California,

You’re the keeper of the most desirable sunshine in all the land. I’d appreciate it if you could shine a little less over my windows at work. We both know I desire to be on the other side of the glass so stop the teasing me already! I need to make money for all my future sun dresses, pool parties, and time lounging/running around with friends. Wait…that last sentence sounded a lot like yesterday….

Dear Yesterday,

Thanks for giving me a taste of my coming summer. Will it be one for the record books? Oh and Thanks for the tan, sausage and pepper pizza, champagne, sweet fruit, laughter, and a cute boy who made me dinner. Yesterday you spoiled me!

Dear Gym,

Stop making me feel like I’m 70 years old and in need of a lung/heart/knee/hip (Am I being dramatic enough?) transplant/replacement. You’re a vital component in operation skinny bride. The sooner we see eye to eye the better.

Dear Passport,

I have big plans for you and me! In the next 11 months how about we visit Canada, the Bahamas, and a take a Mediterranean Cruise?

Dear Matt,

Thanks for being the bee’s knees!

The END!

Meoooow!

The heavens opened up and out popped this purrrrrfect dress!

I received a number of thoughtful engagement gifts (a big thanks everyone - XOXO), but none quite like this

 dress from my dear friend Katie. We both share a love for animals and a passion for thrifting, so as you can see she nailed it! Thanks Katie for being so thoughtful and giving me such a great laugh. I have a feeling

I'll be breaking it out sporadically to keep things interesting... perhaps at a crowded bar or a fancy dinner?

Katie, you've created a wardrobe monster!

Rocking my official cat lady gear!

It is only fitting I include my cat daughter in this photo shoot, and luckily she didn't

mind. Besides snapping photos with her I came across a cute cat contest which I am entering my

little honey into. The contest is being hosted by Reinventing the Ordinary, a cute blog I found while surfing the web. Wish us luck!

A quick look at my Sunday!

I'm blue da ba dee da ba di da ba dee da ba di ! Do you remember that song? Haha!
(Dress: Sale H&M $10, Necklace $2.50, and wedges: Sale Ann Taylor $30)

                                           Not bad for $32.50!
                         I've been on a hot strike with my sale finds.

 I love Sundays, cupcakes, and these pretty ladies! Yesterday we all got together at a 

Mexican restaurant to celebrate Lindsay birthday. We laughed, stuffed our face with salsa, and

enjoyed the live band complete with a singer who danced around like a young Elvis. 

.

Lastly, I got an unexpected look into my future wedding. My friends and I stopped by the location and witnessed a nearly identical step up! It was treat to see all my ideas and planning come to life. I took a million pictures but I'm only going to share one spolier.

  

Love is...

Love is....waking up early to shop yard and rummage sales with your lady.

I know this Maxi is super wild  but I adore it and only paid $5 buckaroos for it at a yard sale. It has all it's original brand and care labels so I was able to discover it was a high end piece manufactured in Hawaii during the 70's. I recently found a website/message board where people can post and discuss  information about yard, estate, and rummage sales. Thanks to the website and Matt being a good sport we were able to pick up this dress, a brand new Kate Spade bowl for $10 when I just saw it at Macy's for $130, DVDS, and a fancy egg shaped jewelry box.

Winning!!

Now that my life is a little less cluttered I look forward to more shopping adventures like this!

Little Duck

I'm 24 years old and I'm in the middle of the most crucial week of my little life. The past 24 years of experiences, choices, successes, hiccups, and efforts will shorty mean so little or so much. For the past year I've lived in a personal purgatory where I limboed back and forth between a self defined/over exaggerated heaven or hell like existence. My life isn't "hell horrible" but having your goals in close reach but coming up an inch short can feel just the same. I have changed so much in the recent years and have redefined my goals, morals, love life, friendships, faith, personal worth etc. While trying to understand it all I've been operating and posing as a duck... appearing clam and graceful at the surface but under water my little feet are always moving a mile a minute (which on a lighter note could be because Twistlers and energy drinks are a main food group of mine). 

I know life isn't easy and all that shabang. I believe in working hard and creating my own luck even if it's in exchange for gray hairs and shed tears. I'm just ready to get my piece of the pie and my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Thanks for everyone who has continually supported me and you for listening to my rants. 

I can't sleep and decided to make myself a nightcap and had to get resourceful with my mixer.

Do you like my Star Trek cup?

Beam me up!
Live long and prosper!

Humble Pie

Matt and I recently had lunch at The Cheese Cake Factory. The food and service was great but unfortunately we were seated next to a table of girls who all wished they were Blair Waldorf. As I was excusing myself to use the restroom so did half of the clan (Lucky me). These girls had no filter or volume switch so I was subjected to their complaining and "I’m better than everyone else" rants. Once in the restroom one the girls would not stop complaining about how there was only 4 stalls, how their architect should be fired, and who she should write a letter to. The same girl happened to wearing a dress I saw at Nordstrom Rack for 19.97 early that week and I could tell she was trying to pass off at a much higher price point. How do I know this? I’m a girl and I just doJ. At this point I decided to serve her a piece of humble pie by way of a complement.

Me- (In my best valley girl voice): OMG! OMG! I love love love your dress!
Girl flips her hair over her shoulder and replies in a disinterested voice "Ahh ya, me too"
Me-"19.97 right? Isn't that such a steal? I just love meeting other bargain hunters."
The girl’s jaw dropped and she was absolutely mortified like I had revealed some deep dark secret.
Girl- "Ugh umm...ugh well..."
Me-"Well it was nice meeting you all, Bye Ladies!"

I told Matt when I got back to the table and he was overtaken with laughter and near spat out his drink. He complemented my tactic approach and we left.

Lesson of The Day: Don't walk around acting like your the Queen unless you can deal with being humbled by a commoner.

**For the record I'm not a person who seeks to embarrass others I just think this person needed to taken off her high horse and in this case by an admiring bargain hunter.

Party Part 1

I attempted to replicate some of the beautiful and crafty tables I drool over on Pinterest. I'd like to think my efforts are at least worthy of a gold star and a pat on the back. My engagement party was yesterday and everything from the decorations to the food (which I'm currently eating) and our guests was perfect.  We are so fortunate to have so many dear family members and friends to share our happiness with. We were gifted so many sweet cards, gifts, and booze (It looks like we robbed a liquor store) than we know what to do with.

It's a tradition of ours to take pictures with our mommas.

This one is from two years ago. It's crazy and sometimes comical how much we resemble our moms.

Matt and I with our Grandpa's who happened to really hit it off. I loved being able hear them laugh and joke from across the pool.

If a picture is worth a thousand words...

I thought it would be fun to fill Matt's pinata with candy and let him smash it open... until I realized I forgot to buy a blind fold (insert towel), didn't buy a rope (insert balloon string and tape), didn't have a place to hang it from (insert friend in very small tree and very close to the bat).

We had the best time and I promise to share more once I get the pictures from my mom's camera.

As for tonight we'll be heading to Staples Center for game 4. Lets see if the Clipper's can pull something magical off!

News

Birthday News

On Monday the man of the condo celebrated another glorious year of life.

He is a huge Clipper fan so it was only appropriate to celebrate his birthday and their victory together. I tracked down some special (cough cough expensive) decor. When I found out the price of the pinata I nearly fainted before handing over the plastic. I'm certain I was riped off but where was I going to find another?

Love can be expensive:)

Fashion News

I love the colors yellow and blue together. In my book they make the best of friends. The combination of these two colors are so cheery and bright. Below are my five favorite finds of  the day. I'm especially digging the first two dresses.

Upcoming News

Love Alert: Our engagement party is this Saturday. Yaaaaaaaa! I can't wait to celebrate with

 our friends and family.

Nerd Alert: The California Science Center is opening a Cleopatra exhibit on May 23rd!
It's the largest Egyptian exhibit that has ever visited the United States. What can I say, I like History.

Cool Kid Alert: For Matt's birthday I got us tickets to see Pepper on a beach in Catalina Island. What says summer better than a boat ride, sand, sunsets, and music?

Dressing up a dress

Layering clothes is a easy and creative way to update your wardrobe.

You can add a blouse, t-shirt, vest, chunky bobble or a scarf to spark up the average dress.

(I.E. Floral button up, green wooden bead necklace, white lace dress, open toed boots, and my new Cole haan bag.) Even my man was impressed with my new creative attempts.

I'm all about contrasting colors (yellow and royal blue or purple and green), fabrics weights, and bold patterns. I dress peeps for a living and have a growing passion for merchandising. This is what I truly love and I want to share more of it with you.

(Date night outfit: Simple lace long sleeve over a purple cotton dress)

 

 Lastly I thought I'd share some of my creations from this summers Free People collection.

All these pieces make me beyond trilled for summer bonfires, barbeques, and parties.

I want all of them.

Mom

Happy Mother's Day and Birthday Momma!

Tomorrow I'm having an early lunch celebration with my mom and grandma. I'm ready for some much needed girl talk and possibly a glass or two of champagne. I don't know if time will permit but I'm hoping after lunch to brush the cobwebs off both their wedding dresses. If it isn't already apparent I'm HUGE on holidays, traditions, pictures, and all things sentimental. I volunteered and nearly begged to fish them out for their dusty resting places.

 Below is a picture of my grandma's larger than life wedding.

Do you see the bling around her head and the length of her veil?

I've always loved her style and the more is better attitude:)

Have a wonderful weekend and make sure to kiss your momma not once but twice!

Happy Mother's Day!

My Weekend

My weekend began with a public rendition of Shakespeare's most famous "Hamlet" in the aisles of Costco. I haven't been to one of these stores in don't know 10 years? I swear it is an amusement park for grocery store enthusiast. I was a tad bit over whelmed with the all people scavenging towards the sample carts and the employees yelling  out deals over their head sets. The possibility of being trampled to death over a free nibble of pizza is more than likely. Also, did you know Costco sells wedding dresses? I can't image wheeling a cart filled with a life supply of fruit roll ups, a mega man bulk of 100 toilet papers rolls, a gallon of ketcup, and a wedding dress through the check out. I already have my wedding dress but Matt cracked a joke that if I were to purchase from them I'd probably be required to buy in bulk and would be left with three spares.

Happy Cinco de Mayo friends! On Saturday my work hosted a salsa cook off and thanks to my friend Carmen's recipe I had a standing chance. The salsa was full of favor and a spicy hidden kick that everyone loved. I'm super weak to flaming hot salsa but it was completely worth all the water I drank afterwards.

Lastly, I rounded off the weekend with a Sunday hike. My friend, Vanessa, came out to my neck of the woods and we hit the trail behind Griffith Observatory where I took my engagements. It was far more of a challenge than I had anticipated. I was huffing and buffing something sorry and straight up embarrassing. It is really difficult to stay motivated at the gym while running on the never ending treadmill (hamster in the wheel status). I've decided to start hitting the outdoors and have been compiling a list of trails I plan on conquering. Wish me luck.

I hope you all had the best weekend!

Me in All My Glory

Sexy... kinda?

My life is one big mumbo-jumbo of stress, laughter, text books, apocalyptic traffic, processed food, and mismatched clothing (some combinations more tragic than others). I happen to reside in a lanky "Jack and the Beanstalk" 3 story condo with a carport/dungeon located beneath it. Yesterday, much like everyday, I left something in my car. I pouted for a minute and began  the 4 story descent. Since I was in a rush the above outfit was born: The socks were already on my feet,  I pulled the festive Valentine's day pants out of a pile on level three and my shiny flats from level 1. When I got to my car there was a large Asian family unloading their car. They began turning to each other whispering and pointing at me while talking in their language. If I could translate, I suspect they said "That girl is cray cray", "How did that homeless lady get in", and "Someone needs to get that girl a mirror".

On a brighter (and more fashionable) note...I have an amazing Cinco de Drinko, fun in the sun, shake it like a salt shaker kind of a weekend planned. I vow to look presentable and have a cute outfit or two to share.

May 1st

Three years ago I started dating my fiance, Matt and in 1 year and 2 days I will have the privilege calling him my husband (Boo ya! Holla! Woot woot! Get it girl!). I'm grateful to have someone who brings such joy and meaning to my life. I feel that there is nothing we can't conquer and accomplish together.
He is the peanut butter to my jelly.

 Last night we celebrated our anniversary by cooking up a feast, exchanging gifts, sipping champagne, eating cake, and cuddling in front of the TV.

Do you see the box in the right corner? It's a slip 'n slide! Matt fondly talks about how much he enjoyed them and I thought it would be the perfect nostalgic activity to beat the heat in the coming weekends. I swear our wedding registry will contain everything from silverware and bedding to legos and snow cone makers. We are kids at heart and like what we like:)

Lastly, I'll leave you with a few things about my main squeeze:

• Chivalry is alive and well in our house. Matt always opens my doors, offers his coat, holds the umbrella, walks on the side closest to the street etc. It's just who he is.
• He is a great singer, loves to entertain, and frequents karaoke bars. He will sing anywhere and in front of any size crowd.
• He owns more clothes than me! I cross my heart this is true! I guess it is only right that two hoarders found one another.
• He doesn't like cheese or eggs. They freak him out.
• This is a rough estimate but he owns somewhere around 1,400 cds. Music is a huge part of his life and he use to spend hours buying, selling, and trading music at Amoeba Records.
• Lastly, I love him to pieces and thank you for reading!