Belle on Heels

Guaranteed to Make You Smile

2012-02-15T04:25:00.000-05:00

all photos courtesy of tandem still + motion

Have you seen these INCREDIBLE shots of dogs underwater? They're the work of pet photographer Seth Casteel and I absolutely adore them. Like, squeal out loud everytime I look at them adore them. Don't you think a giant print of one of these would be a super cool piece of artwork for the house?

After visiting the Little Friends website {Seth's photography company}, I am now obsessed with the idea of having him do a photo shoot with our dude. He is SO talented! Unfortunately, that's not in the ole newlywed budget right now, but hey, a girl can dream.

And I'm not gonna lie, I totally teared up when I read about his work with rescue dogs {a cause near and dear to my heart} through the Second Chance Photos organization. Amazing stuff!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T03:51:00.002-05:00

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Aren't these vintage Valentines just the cutest?! I wish I could send each of you one.

Hope you have a wonderful day showering your loved ones {and being showered yourself} with affection.

"Life's a fact, people do fall in love, people do belong to each other, because that's the only chance anybody's got for real happiness." - Breakfast at Tiffany's

Menu Monday

2012-02-13T09:38:00.000-05:00

Last week was not the healthiest of weeks, what with Super Bowl leftovers {groan} and M's birthday dinner {double groan}. So for the meals in between, I tried to stick with salads and vegetarian soups. You better believe this week we are eating very light!

French Frisée Salad with Bacon and Poached Eggs {Cooking Light July 2009}

Forgot to take a picture of ours.

This was just OK. We are big French bistro food fans in our house and a classic salade aux lardons is one of our favorites. This recipe was pretty close, but I just wasn't a fan of the dressing. WAY too tangy. Next time I would make a Dijon vinaigrette instead. I would also wilt the frisée in the bacon drippings first.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup {Junior League of the Roanoke Valley Oh My Stars! Recipes That Shine}

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Yield: 9 cups
Three 15 1/2 ounce cans black beans (about 4 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
1 cup drained canned tomatoes, chopped
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup minced shallot
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
4 cups beef broth
a 16-ounce can pumpkin puree (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup dry Sherry
1/2 pound cooked ham, cut into 1/8-inch dice
3 to 4 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
Garnish: sour cream and coarsely chopped lightly toasted pumpkin seeds

In a food processor coarsely puree beans and tomatoes.

In a 6-quart heavy kettle cook onion, shallot, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened and beginning to brown. Stir in bean puree. Stir in broth, pumpkin, and Sherry until combined and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Just before serving, add ham and vinegar and simmer soup, stirring, until heated through. Season soup with salt and pepper.

Serve soup garnished with sour cream and toasted pumpkin seeds.

This recipe comes from my hometown Junior League. It is SUCH a great cookbook, but I hardly ever use it. I'm so glad I tried this recipe! So healthy and I love recipes where you basically just dump everything into a pot and stir.

My modifications: I used chicken stock instead of beef broth, since I already had it on hand. And I used red wine vinegar instead of sherry vinegar and omitted the ham.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cake with Ganache and Reese's Cups {Vanilla Sugar}

I saw this on Pinterest a few months ago and knew immediately that this would be M's birthday cake. The boy is a Reese's freak. This did not disappoint. Please heed Dawn's advice and make sure you have a tall glass of cold milk nearby. This stuff is decadent with a capital D.

I realized after I had already made the batter that one of my 9-inch cake pans got lost in our move, so I just used a 13 x 9 pan instead. It needed to bake a little bit longer and I had a little bit of ganache leftover, but otherwise, the change in size was not a problem.

Pollo Frito {Giada de Laurentiis Everyday Italian TV show. RIP. Far superior to Giada At Home}

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M requested fried chicken and mashed potatoes for his birthday dinner. And this is THE best fried chicken recipe. The coating isn't too thick. It's just the right amount of crispy, and the lemon really brightens things up.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes {Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa At Home}

I had big plans for making homemade mashed potatoes, but a two-layer chocolate cake and fried chicken were enough to undertake on a weeknight. So I cheated. And it was delicious. But for reference, this is the mashed potatoes recipe I use when I make them from scratch.

Triple Orange and Avocado Salad {Iowa Girl Eats}

Yummy!!!! IGE never lets me down. Never. My modifications:

*Our grocery store was out of pomegranates. So no pom seeds for us. Sadface.

*I was feeling too lazy to make the lemon poppy seed vinaigrette so I used bottled that I had in the fridge {Brianna's Creamy Poppyseed Dressing}. Huge mistake. Next time I will use the homemade stuff.

*And I'm married to a man from Maryland. The only seafood seasoning that will ever be in our house is Old Bay. The end.

My New Cocktail Hour Go-To

2012-02-10T03:31:00.000-05:00

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Having last-minute guests this weekend and need something to serve them? I've got just the thing.

When M and I were in Middleburg a few weekends ago, we got to know one of the other couples staying at our B&B. They were the most charming people and we discovered that they were long-time devotees of our B&B. In fact, they go several times a year and have become good friends with the owners.

Each night, there was a cocktail hour and on our second night, the wife, Lou, brought out an appetizer she whipped up in the kitchen. We quickly learned that this appetizer is a favorite of Nat, the owner, and that Lou makes it for him every time they visit. He claims it's the best thing he's ever eaten. And this is a man who grew up in Manhattan and spends quite a bit of time in New Orleans. After we tasted it, we had to agree.

Lucky for y'all, I got the recipe from Lou. What is this culinary delight you ask?

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A wheel of grocery store gouda wrapped in Pillsbury crescent rolls and baked.

That's it. Isn't that just the WASP-iest thing you ever heard?

Lou whispered the recipe to me, as if she didn't want anyone to know the secret of how easy it is, and said knowingly, "It's the perfect thing to serve with drinks when you have friends over for work night cocktails." And she's right. It takes maybe 30 minutes to make and it is so. freaking. DELICIOUS!

Here's the "recipe":

Buy Gouda in wax at grocery store. Buy crescent rolls in a can at grocery store..

Take the wax off the Gouda and wrap it in the crescent roll dough completely covering it. Bake according to the crescent roll directions and serve warm with apple slices.

Enjoy the praise heaped upon you whilst gloating over how comically simple it was to prepare.

Bon weekend, sweet readers!

Happy, Happy!

2012-02-09T03:00:00.001-05:00

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Happy Birthday, M!

Remember how awkward it was that your birthday was just 4 days after our first date?

Me neither.

Thanks for being awesome. Here's to another year of adventures, laughter, and many Cash Cab viewings.

I love you big time.

Every House Needs...Powder Room and Makeup

2012-02-08T02:27:00.013-05:00

Welcome to the second installment of the Every House Needs... lists! {You can find the first installment here}. Today is Bobbi Brown's list of makeup essentials and Meg Braff's list of powder room essentials. Enjoy!

Make-up Essentials by gesshoo on polyvore.com

Bobbi Brown's Makeup Essentials:

1. A good set of makeup brushes. I just ordered some of these brushes, per Shasta's recommendation. Can't wait to start using them!

2. Moisturizing balm. This is my miracle cream. I have super duper dry skin, which is made worse by the Retin-A I use. But as long as I slather my face with this stuff every night, I wake up with soft, dewy skin.

3. A flattering light source and white lightbulbs. Bobbi recommends placing your vanity near natural light, which is best for applying makeup, but she says the next best thing is white lightbulbs.

4. Blistex. I prefer Burt's Bees or Chapstick, but whatever. You get the idea.

5. Goody Ouchless Hair Elastics.

6. Customizable makeup palette. My college bestie always had theeee most flawless makeup {still does!}, and I largely credit that to her customized Bobbi Brown palettes. I've always wanted one, but yet to actually do it. Maybe 2012 is the year?

7. Pictures of family.

8. Blush. I've always been a NARS girl, but on Sally and Molly's recommendation, I've just ordered Tarte Amazonian Clay in Blissful. Here's hoping it's as great as they say!

9. Concealer. "It's the secret of the universe", according to Bobbi. I couldn't agree more!

The only thing I think she's left out here is mascara. I have blonde eyelashes and small eyes, so if I don't wear mascara, it's just not good. What about you? What are your essentials that Bobbi left out?

Powder Room Essentials by gesshoo on polyvore.com

Meg Braff's Powder Room Essentials:

1. Hand soap. If it's liquid, be sure it's clear! {Rumor has it that Kiehl's Coriander is Tory Burch's fave.}

2. Vintage hand towels to add a personal touch.

3. A Charlotte Moss "Left Bank" candle.

4. A tall mirror, to make ceilings seem higher and give the space grander proportions

5. Disposable white or ivory hand towels. Personalize them with a monogram in the color of the room.

6. A beautiful tray to put everything on.

7. A bowl with simple, fresh flowers.

8. Ample lighting.

9. Luxury hand cream in chic packaging.

10. If there's a window, sheer cafe curtains, with a tiny gimp on the bottom, to add privacy and style but maximize natural light. {not pictured}

I'm not sure I'll be providing our guests with La Mer hand cream anytime soon, but I sure would love to get a whiff of that Charlotte Moss candle!

What I Want My House to Look Like

2012-02-07T03:34:00.003-05:00

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As I've mentioned previously, after a whirlwind fall and holiday season, we are just now finally starting to settle into our condo. Finally unpacking, organizing, and decorating! I've written about the Downton Abbey- inspired fancy-schmancy British meets Virginia country house look I'm going for, but it's a challenge not to make it too masculine/hunting lodge.

Enter the inimitable Phoebe Howard and her design for this mountain home in Cashiers, North Caroline. It. Is. PERFECTION. Rustic and country, yet feminine and chic. The guest bedroom with the green Laura Ashley window treatments and bed skirt is EVERYTHING.

Plus, the accompanying article includes one of my all-time favorite quotes. Says Mrs. Howard, "There are certain things a Southern woman always has in a house. Number one is monograms. You cannot beat monograms out of a Southerner."

Amen.

Menu Monday

2012-02-06T09:31:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to make an effort to cook more out of the cookbooks and magazines I have and not so much from recipes I find online. This week was a success! Four recipes from cookbooks/magazines and two from online. Another of week of meal planning, another week of delicious meals.

Pot of Beans {from January 2011 Martha Stewart Living}

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*Can anyone tell me how to stop Blogger from rotating this picture? It's sideways!*

I made these in the crockpot so it was ready for us when we got home from work. This was a yummy, inexpensive, hearty meal. Bonus: totally vegetarian. We had kale instead of escarole, since that's what I had in the house.

Hot Nicoise Salad {Gwyneth Paltrow My Father's Daughter}

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If you like salad nicoise, you'll love this. If you don't like it, then you won't like this. I love it, so I loved this. M loved that it was basically a one-pan meal, which meant very few dishes for him. Win-win.

Lemon Chicken Breasts {Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That?}

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This is a new go-to for us! It was so flavorful and the chicken was unbelievably juicy. I served it with couscous with toasted pine nuts and sauteed green beans, per Ina's suggestion. SO good.

Spinach Lasagna Rolls {The Girl Who Ate Everything and Gina's Skinny Taste}

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I thought these could have used a little bit more oomph. Maybe a little more salt and more Italian seasoning. They were good, but they were a tad bland. Either way, they were super easy to make and very filling.

Bourbon-Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin and Garlic Chive Mashed Potatoes {February 2011 Southern Living}

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Forgot to take my own picture.

Meh. This was the one thing I made that I didn't love. The pork was just not that flavorful. The mashed potatoes were a delicious side, and the pork marinade reduced to a yummy sauce. But the pork itself? I was take it or leave it.

Glazed Pear Muffins {Weight Watchers}

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Again, forgot to take my own picture.

These were easy to make and really yummy. They didn't taste like a "diet" recipe at all. Word to the wise: they aren't very sweet, so if you have a sweet tooth, you may want to double up on the glaze. Granted, that would probs make them un-Weight Watchers. But just saying. I don't like super-sweet things, so these were perfect for me.

Bon appetit!

First Date

2012-02-05T01:03:00.007-05:00

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Two years ago today, I went on my first date with a boy I had met at a bar a few weeks earlier. It was in the middle of a snowstorm, and we went out to dinner with friends at the only restaurant in town that was open. We ate pasta, drank wine, and then piled into a car to go to a house party. When we left the party, we kissed in the driveway with the snow falling around us.

We were engaged 10 months later. And got married just over 3 months ago.

Best first date ever.

Love you, M.

Whew!

2012-02-03T07:04:00.000-05:00

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This week has been one of those weeks that's left me seeing spots. I've been pulled in a million different directions, it felt like there were never enough hours in the day, and no matter how much I accomplished, it seems like my to-do lists {both at work and at home} are still a mile long!

I wish I could say I had some downtime this weekend, but we've got lots to do to get ready for the Super Bowl party we're hosting. Here's hoping I can squeeze in a bubble bath and a glass of wine at some point!

What are your weekend plans? Who are you rooting for? Since our beloved Ravens aren't playing and I grew up with Ah*mad Br*adshaw, we'll be rooting for the Giants.

Look at Those Legs!

2012-02-02T03:33:00.000-05:00

Cabriole legs, that is.

Last week, M and I went on a Craigslist adventure. {Yes, I realize how creepy that sounds.} I had been searching for the perfect sofa table to make-over and this Queen Anne-style beauty popped up a mere 90 minutes from our town. And for only $80! You can't beat that with a stick.

Martha Stewart French Bulldog

Farrow & Ball Hague Blue {a much darker, inky blue than appears here}

Now the real question is: what color do I paint it? Originally I was leaning towards navy blue. It's my favorite color, and our new living room curtains are this fabulous oversized navy buffalo check pattern. But now I'm starting to love the idea of painting it a glossy black. Or maybe just staining it to be a darker cherry color.

Decisions, decisions! What do you think?

Every House Needs...Kitchen

2012-02-01T03:33:00.010-05:00

Ina's Kitchen Essentials by gesshoo on polyvore.com

As part of my ongoing organizational efforts, I've been sorting through boxes and bookcases and suitcases {no joke} FULL of old magazines. I tear out the articles/images I want to save and file, and the rest goes in the recycling bin.

I came across a House Beautiful article from May 2009 that I just had to share with y'all. The article is entitled "Every House Needs" and they interviewed people who they consider experts to share what their must-haves are for each room of your house.

I found these lists to be extremely helpful; in fact, it was a guideline of sorts for me when I was registering for our wedding gifts. But these lists are also helpful for recent college grads setting up their first apartment, newylweds setting up their home, or for anyone who's looking to fill in the gaps in their home.

I'm going to start sharing one or two of the lists each week {there are 16 in all!}. This week's is Ina Garten's kitchen essentials:

1. KitchenAid stand mixer. We registered for one but didn't get it. Luckily, we got enough gift cards to purchase one. I just haven't pulled the trigger yet.

2. Chef's Choice knife sharpener. This is on my when we have the space list. Nothing worse than a dull knife.

3. KitchenAid 12-cup food processor. Ina and I differ here. She prefers Cuisinart. I did a lot of food processor research when we registered, and in almost every head-to-head test, the KitchenAid won. And they're made in the USA. Cuisinarts used to be, but are now outsourced to China.

4. LeCreuset dutch oven. I have an unhealthy love affair with my dutch oven. It stays on my stove from October-March.

5. All Clad pots and pans. We're slowly building our collection. Emphasis on slowly.

6. Boos cutting boards.

7. Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch bakeware. Alice turned me on to these; they really are amazing.

8. A set of stainless steel mixing bowls.

9. Williams-Sonoma set of 10 glass mixing bowls. We have 2 sets of these. I got my first set in college and it's still going strong. I just wanted a second set for backup.

10. Black oven mitts.

11. All Clad roasting pan. We don't have one, but it's another one that's on the when we have the space list.

12. Meat thermometer.

13. Whisks, spatulas, and wooden spoons. Get the cheapies at Crate and Barrel. This is not where to invest your kitchen money.

14. Wusthof knives, specifically: a chef's knife, paring knife, bread knife, and slicing knife.

15. Measuring cups and spoons. We received the All Clad cups and spoons as wedding gifts, and they're lovely, but again, this is not an area where you need to spend a lot of money.

What do you think? Did Ina leave anything out?

How Charming!

2012-01-31T03:33:00.004-05:00

all images from amazon.com

I've recently become enamored with the idea of getting a charm bracelet, and I do NOT mean one of those Pandora charm bracelets. I just love the idea of a wrist full of jangling, dangling charms to remind you of trips taken, memories made, and milestones celebrated.

I was feeling like maybe I'm a little late to the game, like you're supposed to start collecting charms as a child, but then Camilla gave Princess Shinylocks a charm bracelet as a wedding gift. If the Duchess of Perfection can wear a charm bracelet as an adult, then so can I.

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What do you think? Should I go for it? Do any of you have charm bracelets? Do tell!

Menu Monday

2012-01-30T09:06:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I did a Menu Monday, but it doesn't mean that we haven't been meal planning. Here's what we were munching on last week:

Mushroom and Provolone Patty Melts {from October 2010 Cooking Light}

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And of course I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. We really liked these, especially M. Next time, I would season the patties with some salt, pepper, and a little Worcestershire sauce; I thought they were a little bland.

Broccoli-Quinoa Casserole {recipe from Eating Well...Living Thin}

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This was SOOOO good. Even M, who claims to not like quinoa, had two servings. I honestly thought this was BETTER than the original broccoli-rice casserole. It's just perfect cozy winter comfort food.

Crockpot Italian Turkey Meatballs {recipe from Gina's Skinny Taste}

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Another home run recipe from Gina. I've always been afraid to make meatballs, since M is Italian and worships his mother's meatballs. But this recipe is so different from hers that I knew I had to give it a shot. HUGE success. M ate multiple servings and had the leftover for lunch. I liked that the meatballs stayed really moist and the sauce was perfectly seasoned. I have a feeling this is going to become a regular for us...

Bon appetit!

My New Favorite Lunch

2012-01-27T04:33:00.002-05:00

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Y'all. Seriously. You need to make these noodles IMMEDIATELY. I made these to go along with a ginger-poached salmon for dinner last week. The salmon was meh; the noodles were insane!

The recipe was just ridiculously fast and easy and it made enough for M and I to both have a full serving with dinner, plus enough for me to eat on for lunch for 2-3 days in a row. I'm thinking they would be extra delicious with some diced cucumber and scallions thrown in for a little green...

Claire Robinson's Chilled Peanut Soba Noodles

Kosher salt
8 ounces soba (buckwheat) noodles
1/4 cup natural crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 to 3 teaspoons Sriracha

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add a generous amount of salt and stir in the noodles. Cook according to package instructions; drain and rinse well under cold running water.

Meanwhile, whisk the peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce and chili sauce in a large bowl until smooth. Add the drained noodles, and with tongs, toss until coated with the dressing. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Note: If chilling noodles, toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons water to loosen them before serving.

Valentine's Day

2012-01-26T08:17:00.002-05:00

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I know it's not quite February, but all of the pretty pink goodness going on at Target right now has got me in a Valentine's Day mood.

Honey, if you're reading this, I would like any and all of the above come February 14th. Please and thank you.

I also wouldn't mind...

A box of truffles from the Cocoa Mill

A beautiful arrangement from The Floral Studio

And this gorgeous letterpress calligraphy card from Parrott Design Studio.

The Jockeys of Vanity Fair

2012-01-25T08:28:00.002-05:00

photo by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic

Ever since I read Heather of Habitually Chic's fantastic post on Louisville interior designer Lee W. Robinson's store, I have been chomping at the bit over this jockey print. It is the perfect wall accessory for my dream British-meets-Southern living room. I had to investigate.

After a bit of sleuthing, I quickly found that I'm not the only enthusiast. The jockeys were originally published in Vanity Fair, a British weekly magazine, over the span of 30 years in the late 19th-early 20th centuries. A full-page caricature of some contemporary celebrity, athlete, politician, or other notable appeared in most issues. These caricatures are the lasting legacy of Vanity Fair. Produced by a collection of artists from all over the world, many of the originals can be seen at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

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Nowadays, it appears there are many collectors and enthusiasts of the Vanity Fair caricatures. There are polo players, judges, criminals {!}, and foxhunters {my second favorite group}. Best of all, they're actually easy to find and quite affordable. The best resource is The Vanity Fair Print Company. They deal in original prints and have an incredible selection. The problem now is trying to narrow down which prints I want. They're all so colorful and quirky!

Middleburg

2012-01-24T08:17:00.000-05:00

Our weekend was...

Decadent.

parmesan truffle fries from the fox's den tavern

Adorable.

sleeping hound dog in the library of the home where we stayed.

Refreshing.

the most unique arnold palmer i've ever seen in my life at julien's.

Delicious.

a saturday breakfast treat from home farm store.

We had such a wonderful weekend in idyllic Middleburg. Cozy, fireside dinners. Delicious, Southern breakfasts. And the most delightful company in our hosts and fellow weekend guests. I highly recommend a trip. It's only an hour away from D.C., but it's a different world.

Picture Perfect

2012-01-23T03:47:00.001-05:00

*My blog got a makeover! If you're in Google Reader, click out to see the gorgeous blog design by Marina at Penny Lane Designs. I can't say enough wonderful things about working with her, and I'm so thrilled with the new look!*

M and I spent the weekend in Middleburg at a cozy B&B. Middleburg is such a charming little town, with the most incredible restaurants and vineyards and shops. Being in a place like that is SO inspirational that I couldn't help but want to document it all. Only problem?

We don't have a camera. Well, technically, we have 2 cameras. But mine is a college-era relic {and I'm celebrating my 5th reunion this year} with a busted screen. Battle scar from a fraternity formal. M's camera works, except the drive for the memory card is corrupt. So we can't actually store any of the pictures it takes. We're taking all of these fun trips and making all of these wonderful memories with no way to record any of it.

So the time has come for us to purchase one. But there are SO many options out there. I don't want a DSLR. That will come in time, but right now, it's just not the best option for us. Here are the current contenders:

At this point, the top 2 contenders are the Panasonic and the Canon S95.

Martha {if you have to ask "Martha who?", we're probably not friends anymore} raves about the Canon G12 and says it's a great blogger's camera, but since a lot of the reason I don't want a DSLR is the size, the G12 doesn't offer enough size downgrade to tempt me.

Same deal with the Nikon. The size is just a bit too bulky for what I'm looking for. But it's the only Nikon in the bunch, and I've always only used Nikon. I'm a little scared to brand deviate.

Which leaves us with the top 2. And I am having the hardest time picking! They're about the same price-wise. The Canon is a little smaller and it was also recommended by Martha. It looks like they both take lovely pictures. And I love the slightly retro stylings of the Panasonic.

So, dear readers, which do you recommend? Do any of you have one of these cameras? Do you love it? Hate it? Recommend something altogether different? I consider a good camera an investment, so I want to make the right choice. Help!

Crazy Fabric Lady

2012-01-20T03:20:00.002-05:00

As one of my 2012 goals is to get our condo pretty-fied, I've been looking at all sorts of different fabrics recently. What started out as a hunt to find the perfect oversized gingham to use for bedroom curtains turned into an hours-long session on the Thibaut website that ended with me trying to figure out a way to wallpaper and reupholster every surface.

The Netherlands Check in Wheat is exactly what I was looking for.

Geraniums

Hydrangea

And I'm thinking either the Geranium or Hydrangea pattern would be fabulous for our guest bedroom, a la this Meg Braff-designed room.

Carnival. Isn't this the most charming toile for a child's room? It also comes in pink and in green.

Wolverhampton would be perfect for a custom dog bed for my Jake.

Equestrian. Very similar to the elusive Schumacher Tally-Ho.

Oriental Toile. Fun fact: this is the wallpaper in the downstairs guest bathroom at the Robert E. Lee President's Home at Washington and Lee University.

Which one is your favorite?

Papeterie

2012-01-19T03:29:00.001-05:00

Our wedding was a fantastic excuse to drool over lovely paper products, and we were so thrilled with our beautiful save-the-dates and invitations from Ashley at Lemon and Lavender.

Now that the wedding is over {insert sad face}, I've decided that my new monogram is theeeee perfect excuse to indulge my love for pretty paper. I'd love to have some gorgeous, grown-up, but slightly quirky personal stationery. The only problem is that there is so much loveliness to choose from!

I could go the pretty, girly route:

sincerely yours paper // linda & harriet

Or the classic:

crane and co.

Or I could indulge my love of all things hunt club/horse and hound/Garden and Gun:

preppy cards // felix doolittle // happy hound

And of course, I'll have to have a custom calligraphy return address stamp to tie everything together

paper pastries // castle calligraphy

Which one{s} would you choose?

What's Cooking Wednesdays: The Pinterest Edition

2012-01-18T09:53:00.000-05:00

I know I rave on and on ad nauseum about how fabulous Pinterest is, and if you're a reader of this blog, you probably feel that way about Pinterest, too. But I'm going to rave a little more.

One of the ways Pinterest has been most beneficial to me is in the meal planning arena. I have an entire board devoted to yummy-looking things and, to date, I've made just over 11% of the recipes I've pinned. Here are some of the ones we've loved the most:

Egg Florentine Quesadillas

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato-Basil Cream

Mar-a-lago Turkey Burger a.k.a. Oprah's Favorite Burger

Tortellini and Heirloom Bean Soup

And here are some that I am just dying to make:

A Cup of Coffee Cake (in under five minutes)

Caramel Budino with Salted Caramel Sauce

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cake. I'll be making this for M's birthday.

Cheesy Cauliflower Puree

That Cup of Coffee Cake is just calling my name!

Back in Business

2012-01-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

I wasn't anticipating being out of computer-commission all day yesterday, but alas, some spyware took over my computer. Which means today I am busy, busy, busy catching up on the work I couldn't do yesterday when my computer was being naughty.

I'll be back tomorrow with regular posting, but in the meantime, here are some snapshots of our weekend:

We were off to Baltimore for the AFC playoffs. Well...M was there for the playoffs. I was there for moral support. But, hey...we won!

I got our darling The Dahl House ornament that I won in EAS's giveaway. Thanks, ladies! I can't wait to put one of our wedding pictures in there and hang it front and center on our tree next year :)

I finally managed to get to a watch repair store to have links taken out of my new watch. It's big and bold and I just love it!

At last! Reunited with my old friend. I had to send my Barbour out for rewaxing, and this time of year it seems EVERYONE sent theirs in for rewaxing. I've been separated from my jacket since our wedding, so I'm so glad to have it back and in like-new condition.

Back tomorrow!

Why I Watch the NFL

2012-01-13T14:37:00.000-05:00

To be more specific, why I root for the Baltimore Ravens:

1. I married a Baltimore boy. It's not optional to be a Baltimore sports fan.

2. Head Coach John Harbaugh. Hubba hubba. I think he is SUCH a dreamboat. This is probably because M looks like him. Whatever. He is serious sideline eyecandy.

So come Sunday, while M is at the game with his family cheering his lungs out, I'll be on the couch hoping for a glimpse of the coach. Either way, GO RAVENS!

Happy weekend!

images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Goals and Objectives

2012-01-12T15:05:00.000-05:00

Yay! It's another resolutions/get organized post! I'm sure you haven't already read dozens of these in the past week or two, so here are my super duper original thoughts on the topic.

*all pictures can be found on my "house pretties" and "home office" Pinterest boards

Growing up, making our resolutions and reading them out loud to the family was as much of a New Year's Day tradition as was black-eyed peas and collard greens.

Now I'm more for goals and objectives than resolutions. Resolutions are typically just broad, general statements of what you would like to do. Goals are specific statements of what you are going to do; objectives are how you go about accomplishing your goals. Setting goals and objectives vs. resolutions gives you a much better chance of success, since you're plotting out your roadmap to achieve those goals.

One of my tippy top goals this year is to get my sh*t together. The past 6 months have been an absolute whirlwind and our condo shows it. M started a new job and moved in July. I had two bridal showers in August. In September, I had another bridal shower, went on my bachelorette weekend, moved, and started a new job. October brought one last {surprise} shower and our wedding. November we were gone every single weekend. December brought a HUGE work event, our honeymoon, Christmas and New Year's.

So now here we are in January and we still haven't fully unpacked. And what we have unpacked? Is a disaster. They say that they key to being organized is "A place for everything and everything in its place." Judging from the below pictures, I'd say we don't have a place for anything.

This is our guest bedroom. This morning. You can't even get to the bed!

Yep, still haven't found a place for the Christmas tree. Or the vaccuum. And yes, that's a Fancy Nancy book. She's awesome.

So. Much. Crap.

So this weekend I am working on objective numero uno: dealing with our crazy paper clutter and finding a managable solution. We are drowing in a sea of paper! So this weekend I will:

*purchase a paper shredder and ditch all the documents we no longer need.

*purchase a filing cabinet and file folders, sort all of the documents we need to keep, and create a space for future documents that we need to keep.
*go through my stacks and stacks and suitcases full {seriously} of old magazines. I will tear out and file the pages I want to keep and the remaining magazines will go to recycling.

For those of you dealing with the same mess, I've found Everything LEB, Honey We're Home, and Deliciously Organized {duh} to all have super helpful posts. Anywhere else that you've found to have helpful hints for taming the clutter?

Speaking of which, I mentioned this on Twitter and Facebook, but I have 11 issues of Brides magazine for sale. I have almost every 2011 issue + the current 2012 issue. Now that I'm PW {post-wedding}, I don't need them anymore, but they're in pristine condition and would be a fabulous resource for a recently engaged gal. I'm selling the lot for $10 O.B.O + shipping. Please let me know if you're interested or if you know someone who is!

Weekend in C'Ville

2012-01-11T02:08:00.001-05:00

After a quick trip to the Goodwill Saturday morning, M {I'm going to start calling the hubs "M". Less typing.}, the pup, and I headed off to my beloved C'Ville for the rest of the weekend.

M and my mother both love college basketball, so my dad got us all tickets to the ACC home opener. We won! Naturally.

First order of business when we got to town was to head directly to Christian's. Their avocado feta pizza speaks to my soul. The current students don't know how good they have it to have one on the Corner! Back in my day, we had to hike all the way down to the Downtown Mall for a fix.

On the way out of town on Sunday, we had to stop at Bellair for sandwiches. Yes, it's a gourmet sandwich shop. Yes, it's inside of an Exxon. Just believe me when I say that there isn't a bad thing on the menu.

And looky what I found! The much-sought-after Bulgari-edition Pellegrino!

Somebody was wiped out from his first hotel experience. Between walking all over Grounds, providing a shoulder to lean on for Mommy's emotional outbursts of "GAH, I miss this place!", and patiently waiting for Daddy to drop a bite of his Littlejohn's Nuclear sub...it was just more than the little dude could handle.

Special thanks to my parents for facilitating our little weekend jaunt. Xx.

our honeymoon: part 2

2012-01-10T02:25:00.001-05:00

I would reckon that 95% of you will find this post completely dull. But for those of you who are like me and just love travel food porn, this post is for you. For me, the food on a trip is one of the most important parts. And the food at East Winds Inn? Some of the best I've ever had. So it warranted its own post. With LOTS of pictures.

Consider yourself warned.

Afternoon tea was served everyday by the pool. The birds loved it and so did we.

pineapple granita {the first night's amuse bouche}

my first steak of the week

At lunch one day they had a cookout on an open pit BBQ. We had the fish with homemade BBQ sauce and it was amazing. There's also a green banana and whitefish salad on that plate. I realize it sounds horrifying, but it was so yummy I went back for seconds!

Toasted coconut chips. One of the little snacks served at the nightly cocktail hour.

Fish fritters with pineapple chutney.

Chocolate raspberry mousse.

There was a selection of cheeses at lunch everyday. which is my idea of heaven. I ate a LOT of brie.

On Thursday night, they set up a private dinner in a gazebo on the beach for the two of us. This was our menu.

Sauteed pork with jerk seasonings

Oh. Em. Gee. This is the glazed potato with raclette cheese. UNREAL!!!

Squid Ink risotto. The hubs had never tried squid ink before and he ended up loving this even more than I did.

Hubs got the blue marlin in pink peppercorn sauce. So pretty.

I had the roasted duckling. I love duck.

We both got the Bailey's cheesecake for dessert. We don't turn down cheesecake.

Every Friday night, there's a cookout on the beach. They have steak, fish, lobster, and veggie kabobs. We inhaled our lobster {I got mine with lime butter, hubs got his flambed with whiskey} and veggie kabobs before I could take a picture. So here you have steak with bernaise and fish with green curry.

Friday night desserts: Baba au rum, banana cream pie, coconut cream pie

Honey roasted pork belly {the hubs' favorite}

Amazing cappucino foam

lots of yummy fresh fruit at lunch, along with carrot slaw {another hubs' favorite} and the most amazing stewed okra

This was our expression after most lunches. So much food and so much wine made us quite sleepy and a bit uncomfortable.

Every night was a different four course meal, with several selections for each course.

Salmon pasta

Asparagus veloute

Grilled tuna with mustard sauce

Cheese souffle

Aaah, I love how kitschy and retro this banana flambe is!

White and dark chocolate mousse

Paella for lunch on our last full day. It was so unbelievably beautiful in real life that I was almost afraid to eat it. Almost.

That pasta right there? Is a mystery to me. I'm pretty certain it was only pasta, a little parmesan, a little garlic, and a little lemon. But it was the best pasta I've ever had. HOW?

Carrot ginger soup. I NEED to recreate this at home.

Some sort of fish stew for lunch.

Salmon with chanterelle cream sauce and sauteed okra.

More of that delicious lunch BBQ!

We felt like all we did on this trip was eat. And we loved every second of it. What we really enjoyed was that the food was all incredibly fresh {the seafood was whatever was caught that day and the produce was all purchased from local, organic farmers} and incredibly local.

We didn't want to go to the Caribbean and stay at a resort with non-Caribbean food. Without naming names, there is a certain hotel chain in St. Lucia that features Italian, Chinese, and cheesburger restaurants. Not for us. We wanted something slightly more "authentic" {although, admittedly, I doubt everyone on the island has 4-course meals every night!} and we got it.

happy birthday, princess shinylocks!

2012-01-09T02:46:00.001-05:00

*Princess Shinylocks was coined by Mrs. I Pick Pretty.
**I also like to call her the Duchess of Perfection. That's a me original.

Either way...

Happy 30th Birthday, Crowned Royal of all things Svelte and Chic!

Since your slender figure doesn't lead one to believe you indulge of lots of cake, here is some celery with a party hat that I made in your honor.

Just as an FYI, if I were a princess, this would be my birthday cake.

*all images via my Pinterest

my guru

2012-01-05T04:00:00.001-05:00

I really went back and forth on whether or not to write this post because, well, it's a bit embarassing.

the shit.

image via

See, like many of you, I just adore Ina Garten {a.k.a The Barefoot Contessa}. She's my lifestyle guru. Seriously. I mean, who wouldn't want to live in the Hamptons with a bevy of gay best friends, an adoring husband, a party barn, and an apartment in Paris?

image via

funny cause it's true

One of the things Ina is famous for {and that many people hate her for, including my MIL} is reminding people to use "good" butter, mayo, chocolate, wine, etc. So I always try to figure out what brand of something she uses and then that's what I buy. {Except the olive oil she uses is cray-cray expensive. So I don't go that far}.

image via

kindergarten-eque drawing and writing via moi

BTW, not sure what bothers people so much about the "good" ingredients thing. I don't want someone telling me to use "bad" ingredients. And some ingredients are, indeed, better than others. Does that make me Ina a snob? Maybe. But I'm OK with it.

I digress.

Anyhoo, several of Ina's recipes that I've been wanting to try use cognac. And I don't know anything about cognac.

chicken with forty cloves of garlic

image via

red berry trifle

So...um...here's the creepy-fangirl confession:

I e-mailed her.

I e-mailed her to find out what cognac she uses. Because I am terrified to buy cognac not approved by Ina.

Yep. I'll just let that sink in for a few moments.

Now I realize this is not Ina's personal e-mail account. And that every response is probably a fill-in-the-blank type of deal.

But when I got the following response, I may or may not have squealed out loud:

Dear Sarah,

Thank you for your email. Ina was thrilled to read that you are a fan of Barefoot Contessa and asked that I respond on her behalf.

I checked with Ina and she uses Francet cognac. Hope that helps.

Thanks again for taking the time to write. Ina sends her warmest regards and we hope you continue to enjoy Barefoot Contessa.

Sincerely,

Erica Katz

Barefoot Contessa

I added the highlighting for emphasis. Ina sends her warmest regards.

I die.

image via

Francet cognac it is.

P.S. Can we talk about the irony of the fact that yesterday I posted about green smoothies and clean living, and today I'm posting about what booze to use in butter/salt/sugar-laden recipes? Yeah. That's me.

Candy Colors

2012-01-04T13:56:00.000-05:00

I know Amrita Singh is not a new discovery in the blog world, but I am drooling over these options featured on Gilt Groupe today.

I'm not much of an accessorizer; most days I can be found in my standard pearl studs, Grandmother's locket, UVA class ring, wedding bang, and a Yurman bangle. I rarely deviate.

But these candy-colored beauties may be just the shot of sunshine that my winter weather wardrobe needs!

andra spring metallic double drop earrings

katharine bib necklace

oversized east hampton teardrop earrings

*all images via gilt groupe

Green Juice Journey

2012-01-04T11:09:00.000-05:00

This morning I started green juicing. Well, not juicing actually. Green smoothie-ing.

In an effort to eat healthier and get more fruits and veggies into my diet, I started researching the whole juicing trend. As it turns out, although homemade juices are very healthy, smoothies are the way to go. Juices aren't "complete" foods, meaning that since all of the fiber has been stripped from the fruits and veggies, you're missing out on a vital component of what you're ingesting. Also, I think smoothies are easier. You just put all of your ingredients into a blender or food processor and whir away.

There is a wealth of information to be found online about green smoothies; I used this website and bought this book.

Some of the benefits of green smoothies are:

Increased energy
Brightened, "glowing" skin, hair, and eyes
Fewer mood swings
Increased metabolism
Weight loss

Sign me up!

So today I started my own green smoothie revolution. I'm not giving myself deadlines or goals. I know this isn't going to be an every day thing {although it will probably be an every week day thing} because, um, I live for Sunday brunch. But I really want this to become a lifestyle thing so that when I'm hungry and need something fast and on-the-go, my automatic response is to make a green smoothie, not to run through a drive-through or heat up a frozen pizza.

looks like something from the swamp, right? tasted pretty yummy!

I used about 1 cup of spinach {maybe a little more or less. I eyeballed it.}, one Fuji apple, one banana, the juice of half a lemon, and 2 cups of water. I used a food processor because we don't have a blender. But the texture was similar to lawn clippings, so I think I'm going to have to invest in a blender. Any recommendations?

Do any of you do green juices or smoothies? I'd love to hear about your own experiences and recipes!

Farm Livin'

2012-01-03T03:06:00.002-05:00

The quickly-approaching premiere of Downton Abbey Season Two {are you as excited as I am?!} and the hub's and my upcoming weekend away in Virginia horse country have me thinking of all things British and bucolic.

My major goal this winter is to get our house decorated {or at least our bedroom and living areas} and I'm going for the fancy-schmancy British meets Virginia country house look. Here's what's inspiring me:

inspiration board by snippet and ink

Lots of ginghams and toiles, and lots of greens, blues, browns, and purples. And LOTS of pheasant motifs.

We're having shams custom made from the green toile {it's Laura Ashley Tally-Ho pattern} and the pheasant pillow already has a place of honor on our master bed. Now if only I could find the perfect shade of green paint for our nightstands...

*all images can be found on my Pinterest

Our Honeymoon: Part 1

2012-01-02T01:16:00.001-05:00

Upon arrival, we were greeted with rum punch and this adorable sign outside of the reception building...

We were then escorted to our room. We stayed in the ocean-view suite and loved it, although we really didn't need the extra space, it was worth it for the view and the privacy.

Pathway to our room

The ocean-view building

The open-air terrace that divides the ocean-view suite from the ocean-view rooms. There were board games and books in here for guests to borrow.

Our suite

The ocean-view rooms

Our bed.

Our outdoor shower, which came in handy for rinsing off sandy feet.

Our sitting room.

Our terrace. Definitely our favorite place to be. We liked to enjoy pre-cocktail hour beers here and I spent a decent amount of time reading in these chairs.

The view from our terrace.

The Bamboo Lounge, site of the aforementioned nightly cocktail hour.

Our room was near the yoga pavilion, so I took advantage of some early morning yoga classes.

The pool bar. We definitely didn't spend any time here at all, *wink wink*.

Ah, the glorious beach. Heavenly.

The dining room. Easily our favorite place on the property just because the food was so unreal.

View from our table. Sigh.

We arrived on Dec. 12. The traditional day to decorate for Christmas in St. Lucia is Dec. 13, so we got to see them put up the Christmas trees.

I love that they tie bundles of cinnamon sticks to the trees. We normally buy an ornament anywhere we travel together, but instead of buying one here, we're going to tie a cinnamon stick bundle to our tree every year from now on.

All lit up. In a very crappy picture.

The sunsets were incredible. Like something out of a painting. These pictures don't even being to do them justice. Sunset was our favorite time of day. Everyone would grab a drink and head down to the beach and grab a spot to watch. So peaceful and lovely.

Back tomorrow with lots of food porn, if you're into that kind of thing.

Goodbye Twenty Eleven...

2012-01-01T01:09:00.002-05:00

...and hello Twenty Twelve!

We're in Atlanta for last night's Chick-fil-a Bowl to see my Hoos play. This is a scheduled post, so depending on the outcome, today I'm either celebrating or consoling myself with a chili-cheese dog and onion rings from the Varsity.

Happy New Year to you, sweet readers!

*all images via Pinterest

christmas loot

2011-12-30T01:43:00.001-05:00

It would appear Santa is a follower of my blog and/or Pinterest, because just about everything I got was mentioned on one or both places! Sneaky, sneaky...

Super Soft blanket from Orvis. The hubs is now obsessed with this blanket. He said {and I quote} that it revolutionizes the way he sleeps. Hyperbole aside, it is very snuggly.

Pheasants Afield needlepoint pillow from Orvis. I've been lusting after this pillow for years, so my mom finally gave in and bought it for me. It's going to look fab on our bed.

Southern Living Our Best Christmas Recipes cookbook. This was the big surprise for me. My mom has had this cookbook for years {since it was published in 1994} and every year I attempt to steal it from her. It has some INCREDIBLE recipes in it, and most of them can't be found on the Southern Living/My Recipes websites. She found a copy on Amazon for me so her copy would be safe. I love it!

center point touch gloves from echo. Soft and warm and iPhone friendly. Enough said.

Nixon The Time Teller watch. I've been wanting a big, gold watch for awhile now, but the Michael Kors version is a little too "done" for my taste. This one is just perfect.

The Pioneer Woman Food from my Frontier cookbook. My sister pre-ordered this for me and I can't wait until it arrives {sadly not until March.} I met Ree at a book signing for her first cookbook. I'm hoping I'll have the opportunity to have this one autographed too!

J.Crew schoolboy blazer. I have wanted this for years and could never bring myself to buy it. Thanks, hubs.

Disclaimer: This was purchased before I found out about J.Crew's horrible practices related to wool. You can find out more here at Danielle's blog. Since her post, I've signed the petition and made a promise to myself not to purchase anything from J.Crew until they end this ridiculous cruelty.

Knee-high Double Buckle Boots. Technically not from Santa, I ordered these with Christmas money. At 50% off, they were quite the steal.

Amazon Kindle Fire. I was so jealous of everyone on our flight home from St. Lucia with an eReader. Now I have one of my own! The hard part? Picking out a gorgeous Graphic Image cover to go with it!

Santa was incredibly generous this year, and I am feeling like a very lucky girl!

Now come on and spill...tell me what you got! I love to see people open gifts, so this will be like a virtual Christmas with bloggy friends.

Our Honeymoon: Preview

2011-12-29T02:25:00.001-05:00

Prepare yourselves for picture overload!

This time 2 weeks ago we were about halfway through our wonderful honeymoon in St. Lucia. I am still daydreaming about the perfect weather, beautiful crystal-blue water, and the unbelievable sunsets!

We did a lot of this

A lot of this

the hubs is much less grumpy than he appears in this picture, i promise

And a lot of this.

We stayed at the East Winds Inn, and we could not have been more thrilled with our choice. This place was just so "us". {Not sure what that says about us since we were the only non-British guests there!}. East Winds is NOT for you if you need to be waited on hand and foot and have showy displays of luxury. You won't find Bulgari bath products or beach butlers or opulent decor. What you will find is simple luxury and what they describe as "timeless seaside elegance." The staff was friendly and attentive, the scenery was unparalleled, and the food...oh WOW, the food. We absolutely loved this place and are already planning our return trip with my parents!

I took SO many pictures, all of the highest iPhone quality {we're still trying to pull the trigger on a digital camera purchase} so I'll bedividing our honeymoon into several posts. {Don't worry, I won't post ALL of the pictures!}

Until tomorrow...

what's cooking wednesday

2011-12-28T13:54:00.000-05:00

I'm back from a *wonderful* Christmas with my family. We certainly enjoyed our first Christmas as newlyweds...perhaps a bit too much! There was lots of overindulging in, among other things, cookies, cakes, and Chinese food {a Christmas Eve tradition in my family} and my pants were feeling way too tight this morning.

For dinner last night, all we wanted was something light, fresh, cool, and crunchy. Basically, the opposite of everything we've gorged on for the past week. So I whipped up a homemade version of CPK's Miso Shrimp Salad.

credit

Sorry I don't have a picture of my own to share. We were starving, so we started eating out of the bowl as soon as it was ready.

1 bag of coleslaw mix
1 bag of shredded red cabage
1 package of steam-in-bag edamame
1 avocado, diced
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
8-12oz. frozen salad shrimp, thawed
Sliced radishes, to taste
Shredded carrots
Diced cucumber
Chopped cilantro
Miso dressing {I used Organicville Miso Ginger vinaigrette}
Wonton strips {I used Fresh Gourmet Wasabi Ranch Wonton Strips}

Then all you have to do is dump everything into a big salad bowl, toss, and enjoy. Easy peasy and SO refreshing! This recipe makes a ton of salad, but the good news is that it hold up beautifully in the fridge. I had leftovers for lunch today and it wasn't soggy at all. {Except for the wonton strips, so I added an extra handful of fresh ones}.

Bon appetit!

25 days of ornaments: day 25

2011-12-25T03:05:00.000-05:00

the kneeling santa

My favorite ornament of all. It always makes me a bit emotional when we hang it. Such a beautiful expression of what the season is truly about.

Merry Christmas to you, my wonderful readers!

25 days of ornaments: day 24

2011-12-24T03:09:00.004-05:00

christopher radko seasonal sleigh ornament

Oh, you better watch out,

You better not cry,

You better not pout,

I'm telling you why:

Santa Claus is comin' to town!

The beau and I are hitting the road this morning and headed to my childhood home to spend Christmas with my family. Safe travels to all of you who are on the road as well.

25 days of ornaments: day 23

2011-12-23T03:01:00.000-05:00

silver-polished milkbone ornament

It's an ACTUAL Milkbone that has been preserved and polished in silver. Crazy. I want one.

25 days of ornaments: day 22

2011-12-22T02:58:00.000-05:00

wedgewood teapot ornament

So dainty and beautiful and sweet.

25 days of ornaments: day 21

2011-12-21T02:37:00.001-05:00

QVC mercury glass candle ornaments

I love the old-fashioned tradition of putting real candles on trees, but obviously that's kind of a fire hazard. These lovely mercury glass candles give the same look and would be SO pretty and shimmery when they catch the tree lights!

25 days of ornaments: day 20

2011-12-20T14:35:00.000-05:00

terrain cotton stem

Not technically an ornament, but I think it would be tres gorgeous to have the cotton boll sprays sticking out all over your tree. Kind of gives that flocked/snowy effect, right?

Wow, wow, wow!

2011-12-20T09:54:00.000-05:00

Hello, sweet readers! Or at least to those of you still remaining. I haven't posted a "real" post since December 1st. Crazy!

In addition to all of the usual Christmastime to-do's, I had a huge work event on the 8th and 9th and then I left for our HONEYMOON on the 12th! We had the most wonderful time in St. Lucia and I can't wait to share pictures and details. Suffice it to say, I am going to be preternaturally bronzed in all of our Christmas pictures.

Sadly, those will all have to wait until next week. Since I was all business the first week of the month and then out of the country, it is now a mad dash to purchase and wrap all of our presents, bake a zillion Christmas cookies, and take care of all the other little details so that we can enjoy our first married Christmas together. No posting this week for me {other than the ornaments}. I'll be back next week, pinky swear!

I'll leave you with a peek at our first married Christmas card.

credit

25 days of ornaments: day 19

2011-12-19T02:45:00.000-05:00

crate and barrel drink ornaments

My mama LOVES her a dirty martini {she's partial to the ones I make using GP's recipe}. These would be so perfect tied to the top of her gifts.

25 days of ornaments: day 18

2011-12-18T02:38:00.001-05:00

Lenox 2002 Annual Ornament from Replacements, LTD.

My grandmother started a collection of Lenox annual ornaments for me, starting with my first birthday. I have them all on their own special tree now, and it is by far my favorite Christmas tree. The above ornament is one of the prettiest of the bunch.

25 days of ornaments: day 17

2011-12-17T02:27:00.000-05:00

Shopko Diet Coke ornament

I mean...Best. Ornament. EVER.

25 days of ornaments: day 16

2011-12-16T02:21:00.000-05:00

etsy seller sevenbc vintage indent christmas ornaments

I LOVE vintage ornaments. Wouldn't this set be stunning on a white or flocked Christmas tree? And they would be fabulous in an ornament wreat!

25 days of ornaments: day 15

2011-12-15T02:10:00.000-05:00

Target rooster glass ornament

For those of you who just die over The Bloggess. This is Beyonce the chicken in ornament form. I gave one to my sister-in-law, because The Bloggess is her personal hero.

25 days of ornaments: day 14

2011-12-14T02:07:00.000-05:00

DIY jingle bell ornament. Photo by moi.

Super simple and added a lot to our tree {at least I think it did.} I just bought a big plastic sleeve of jingle bells at Hobby Lobby {$4.95 for the whole thing!} and a couple of yards of navy blue ribbon. Then I just tied the bells to random branches.

I love the way they catch the light and the bell tinkling whenever the pup brushes up against the tree!

25 days of ornaments: day 13

2011-12-13T02:03:00.001-05:00

wisteria ready for winter handcrafted ornaments

Love the bright, primary colors and I think the snowshoes are just darling!

25 days of ornaments: day 12

2011-12-12T01:11:00.002-05:00

glass glitter seahorse ornaments

I picked these little dudes not only because they are lovely and sparkly, but because they are very appropriate for my mood today. You see, as you read this, the beau and I are on a plane headed to St. Lucia for a week!

I can't wait for a few days of sunshine, rest, and drinks with little pink umbrellas in them. Oh yeah, and some quality time with my hubby.

Have a fabulous week, sweet readers!

25 days of ornaments: day 11

2011-12-11T03:51:00.000-05:00

williams-sonoma aluminum kitchen ornaments

These would be so cute tied on top of a package.

25 days of ornaments: day 10

2011-12-10T03:45:00.002-05:00

pottery barn music sheet pick ornament

Not technically an ornament, but I bought several of these for an ornament swap. My recipient is a music professor, so these are just the ticket!

25 days of ornaments: day 9

2011-12-09T03:40:00.002-05:00

DIY wedding invitation ornament found on Pinterest

This is such a fantastic idea. I'm making several of these: one for our tree and one each for my parents, my in-laws, and both of my grandmothers. Also a great idea for any newlywed couples in your life!

25 days of ornaments: day 8

2011-12-08T15:40:00.000-05:00

terrain bristle brush fox ornament

I just love this little guy!

25 days of ornaments: day 7

2011-12-07T03:03:00.002-05:00

orvis dog breed christmas ornaments

Perfect for the dog lover in your life! You can order any of these ornaments in just about any breed and have your pet's name added for a sweet, custom ornament. My favorite is the red truck!

one year

2011-12-06T15:54:00.000-05:00

One year ago today, the beau asked me to marry him. I was in yoga pants and a crappy old tank top and doing the dishes. No bells and whistles, just a wonderful, private moment of pure emotion and love. And lots of happy tears. Thank for making me the luckiest gal alive, hubby!

25 days of ornaments: day 6

2011-12-06T04:52:00.001-05:00

etsy seller LittlePunkinMunkie cupcake ornament

I mean, how creative is this?

25 days of ornaments: day 5

2011-12-05T13:34:00.000-05:00

mackenzie-childs large tartan christmas ball

This would be SO perfect in multiples on my our tree.

25 days of ornaments: day 4

2011-12-04T03:34:00.000-05:00

urban outfitters budweiser ornament

25 days of ornaments: day 3

2011-12-03T03:31:00.002-05:00

anthropologie glitter hedgehog

25 days of ornaments: day 2

2011-12-02T08:47:00.001-05:00

jonathan adler giraffe

25 days of ornaments: day 1

2011-12-01T08:59:00.000-05:00

Happy first day of December! Can you believe it's already here?

I've found so many adorable ornaments online and in stores recently, so I thought it would be fun to post an ornament a day between now and Christmas. I'll start with one that I bought for my own tree!

Little red wellies! Aren't they darling?! I found them in my local Target store; they are Smith & Hawken brand. I'm having trouble finding them on the website {surprise, surprise...something not easy about the Target website}, but I believe it were less than 5 dollars.

And here's our first married Christmas tree!

It's not quite finished yet. It needs a topper and a few more strands of faux cranberry garland {and the garland needs to be redraped}. Since I took this picture, I took off 6 of the matte red ornaments and added 6 crackle-finish champagne ornaments to lighten things up. I was going for a Ralph Lauren chic look for our tree {with all of our cheesy, sentimental childhood ornaments thrown in for good measure, of course!}, inspired by these tartan colors.

With just a few last finishing touches, I think we'll have it pretty close!

I'd love for y'all to play along! Please post or let me know about any fun ornament finds you have. I can't wait to see all the Christmas pretties out there!

one month

2011-11-30T04:10:00.001-05:00

One month ago yesterday, I married my beau. And it has absolutely flown by! In honor of our month-iversary, I thought I'd share a few pics from our wedding weekend. We're still waiting on our professional pics, so these are just ones from assorted friends and family. Enjoy!

Bridesmaids' Brunch:

Moi + Mimosa

My mama and I talking to high school bestie, A

Moi and one of my college besties

Getting Ready:

Diet Coke in hand, J.Crew shirt on. Typical.

Ceremony:

Vows! Please disregard what appears to be the blue alien lights in the background.

Reception:

Toasts.

As my sister-in-law said, our faces are saying, "We really should've rethought the guest list."

It's my wedding and I'll double-fist if I want to.

This was at the "a little bit softer now..." part of Shout!. Also, one of my favorite pics of us.

Yummy cherry pie! We have a whole one in our freezer for our one-year.

And this one is a sneak peek from our photographer. I can't wait to see the rest!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

2011-11-29T09:41:00.000-05:00

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I'm playing along with Hopsy's DIY Holiday Gift Link Up today! A few months ago, I pinned an idea I found on Pinterest {duh} to save as a Christmas gift idea: homemade vanilla extract. I just thought it was such a lovely idea. Definitely something I would use and love to receive, and it's easy to pair it with a range of items to make it either an affordable hostess gift {maybe with a set of monogrammed spatulas} or a way to spoil the baker in your life {pair it with some Williams-Sonoma gold touch pans and/or a KitchenAid stand mixer!}

So a few weeks ago, my mom and I got to work. I don't have many pictures of the process, because I made these before I even knew about the link up. For step by step pictures {that are MUCH better than anything I would've taken anyways!}, visit Bethany Actually's post.

Basically, you need 2-3 vanilla beans and a 1/2 cup of vodka for each bottle. All you have to do is put the vanilla beans in the bottle, pour the vodka in, and screw the lid on. Et voila! In a month, you have delicious homemade vanilla extract!

I saw on an episode of Barefoot Contessa that after the vanilla has steeped for well over the one month period, Ina will take one of the beans and squeeze out all the paste inside to use for ice cream or vanilla butter. Ummm...YUM!

Here's a picture of what ours look like after one week:

It's been three weeks now. I'm not posting a picture of after three weeks because I don't think it looks different enough to tell.

Now I've just got to come up with some cute labels for them. Any of you gals who are way more creative than me want to come up with some? Hint, hint.

I'm so excited to be giving these as gifts, but I will definitely be keeping one for myself!

Happy Baking!

hopping on the bandwagon

2011-11-28T15:30:00.000-05:00

I've read ad nauseum about the many bloggers who looooooove Ebates. Don't ask me why I'm just now getting on board; I have no idea what took me so long! Thanks to a tip from soon-to-be Mrs. Polka Dots and Protein Bars, I hit the motherload when I signed up this morning.

For a grand total of $14, I got:

$25 to The French Hound, our current favorite brunch place. EVER. These are pics from our inaugural trip. Best Bloody Mary I have ever had in my life!

all pics courtesy of moi.

$25 to The Goodstone Inn & Estate. I'm hoping to parlay this into a weekend getaway.

pic courtesy of the goodstone website

Two $25 to Village Square Restaurant, by far our favorite place in our new town.

pic courtesy of beyond the yum

and $50 to La Nicoise Cafe, a totally kitsch and surprisingly authentic French restaurant in town. The beau is obsessed with their homemade chocolate mousse.

i couldn't find a pic of the restaurant, so i'll just let you drool over ina's chocolate orange mousse instead.

ALL of that for only $14! And I get 30% cash back through Ebates, so when all is said and done, less than $10 for $150 of date nights.

Plus, I got a stocking stuffer for the beau at 20% off and 5% cash back. I am loving this.

Again, what on earth took me so long?! If you're not on Ebates, you need to join now! Here's the link to my invite: http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=mc0pEEzkPqF%2FbEZYXy%2B21w%3D%3D.

Happy shopping!

no. just no.

2011-11-22T14:52:00.000-05:00

stylish. you're doing it wrong.

Can I be honest?

2011-11-18T14:23:00.000-05:00

I normally try to keep things nice and upbeat here because, well, I like reading nice and upbeat things so I like to think my readers do too. But today, I need to go a little Eeyore on you. Feel free to immediately move on to more worthwhile pastimes {i.e. mindlessly pinning and tweeting, my two new favorite time-suckers}.

I am not particularly happy right now. And I should be. I married my best friend 3 weeks ago. He's my favorite. We are both gainfully employed and make a comfortable living. We have an adorable dog who worships us {when he's not busy eating brownies out of the trash and sending us to the doggie ER}. We have our health and our family. Life is good, right?

Except we really do not like our new city. We are very lonely here. He doesn't have any guy friends and I don't have any girlfriends. I know, I know...the old "just put yourselves out there" routine. Except there are very few young people here. And even fewer young people who we share anything in common with. And it sucks. We adore one another and spending time together, but honestly, I need someone to go squeal their way through "Breaking Dawn" with. He needs someone to play squash and hoops with. I need a shopping buddy. He needs a college-basketball-watching buddy.

Also, the city itself is....blech. I was super-excited when we moved here about the close proximity to D.C. Surely moving somewhere an hour away from our nation's bustling, stylish capital would mean moving somewhere somewhat bustling and stylish by proxy. Nope. Despite my access to shiny new things like 3 Targets, 4 Chick-fil-a's, and multiple Starbucks and Sonics, we have actually moved somewhere significantly less bustling and stylish than Small Town, VA. We have taken to referring to our new city as "fake nice" or "strip-mall fancy". You know the type...those restaurants with tons of fake plants and twinkle lights and plastic "street lamps" to make you feel like you're in Italy or France when really you're next to a KMart. That's our city.

I love blogging and all of the people I have "met" through it, but recently, it's been putting me down in the dumps. Because I read all these posts of people going to charming dinner parties and planning Christmas get-togethers and hanging out with their equally fun-and-fabulous friends and I'm jealous. I want that. A life that I am living online. Ugh, that is so lame sauce! But so very true right now.

I realize that in the grand scheme of things, this is small potatoes. I feel terribly silly complaining about this, especially right now in the season of Thanksgiving. I am grateful for all of the positive, wonderful things I have in my life, and I know there are many. I don't want to be so preoccupied with the life I don't have that I don't enjoy the one I have. I know I need to focus on making the best of things; we're most likely going to be here for awhile. So I've got to work at it. Right now, though, I just needed to vent.

Thanks for listening, all two of you who slogged through my self-indulgent whiny pants musings.

I'm looking forward to a visit from my parents this weekend {putting them to work with sorting and organizing weddings presents!}, a sushi date with my husband {squeeee! so not tired of saying that yet.} tonight, and getting this sweater for 75% off on Sunday.

Happy Friday, sweet readers!

NEED

2011-11-17T09:51:00.000-05:00

staub pumpkin covered casserole

it's orange. it's brass. it's shiny.

that is all.

p.s. martha stewart's j.crew wish list. love.

anglophilia

2011-11-10T16:57:00.000-05:00

During one of my pinterest marathons {which are becoming more frequent, BTW}, I discovered the darling shop Joules, a British lifestyle brand started by a father of two in Leicestershire. Think a cheekier version of Boden. And just like Boden, they offer USA shipping and pricing! Here are the items that automatically went into my basket:

wickmere tunic dress

Those are little flying ducks!

winfarthing tweed coat

belmont padded coat

so cute and cheery. it make take the place of my sought-after toggle coat.

phaedra knitted jumper

And the piece de resistance. This will be on its way to me as soon as possible. I've got a real thing going for all things pheasant right now. Don't ask me why.

And apparently they are famous for their wellies. It's not hard to see why!

ribble wellies

welly print wellies

evedon wellies

ZOMG. So adorable, I want it all!

Have you ever purchased anything from Joules? I'd love to hear some firsthand feedback on quality and customer service!

Pretty Posting

2011-11-08T02:38:00.001-05:00

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I'm so thrilled to be guest posting over at I Pick Pretty today. I'm sure you're all followers of Melissa's witty and fabulous blog anyways, so click on over and read as I try to fill her beautiful shoes for a day! If the above picture doesn't entice you, then I haven't a clue why you're reading this blog...

crazy little thing called lunch

2011-11-07T15:11:00.000-05:00

Yes, I acknowledge that this may be the worst blog post title in history. But I'm on day three of some heavy duty cough syrup, so I'm excused.

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In the beau's and my shiny new legally merged household, I'm in charge of the moolah. The beau is, um, not great with money. Not that I'm a pro {see: all past posts on credit card debt}, but both of my parents are accountant, so I grew up in a household that loved a good budget. And due to said upbringing, I actually really enjoy the world of household finance. No, seriously. I do.

One of the areas of concern for me is how much we're spending on weekday lunches. I am all for spending money on meals out, but I generally prefer those to be of either the gourmet date-night or the Chick-fil-a Friday lunch splurge varieties. We're eating out for lunch right now at least twice a week and it's got to stop.

Here's the problem {and here's where you come in, sweet readers!}:

I have no idea what to make for lunch.

I am all for grocery shopping and saving money and eating lunch at home. I love sandwiches and soups and salads. But I got nothing. I seem stumped to come up with anything outside of the chicken/ham/turkey + cheese and assorted condiments realm. I've searched high and low {read: Pinterest} for ideas, but most of what I find is geared towards the lunchbox-to-school toting crowd.

What are y'all eating for lunch? Really, I'd love to know. Any great, go-to quick salads? Delicious and easy but not boring sandwiches or wraps? Or something totally non-lunch traditional yet fabulous?

Do share!

friday randoms

2011-11-04T11:00:00.000-04:00

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*I am searching for the perfect sqaush soup recipe. We had a roasted squash soup as a first course at my bridesmaids' luncheon and I've been obsessing over it ever since. Sadly, it is NOT Ina's recipe. Too sweet and too much curry. This one was just sqaush and chicken stock and cream...I think. Does anyone have a wonderful recipe they care to share?

*Have you all seen Dear Lillie? I found this adorable blog/shop through Pinterest and am now obsessed with their darling holiday pillows. Cute, right? And SO reasonably priced!

*The beau and I are off to the sparkly land of upstate NY this weekend. Syracuse, to be exact. Anyone out there in blogland have any recommendations on what to do to entertain myself there tomorrow? Anyone close by and want to be my tour guide? Then it's off to Charm City for some shopping with my mother-in-law. This could be interesting...

*I'm thinking of buying this vest. I know it's a little girl's vest, but an XXL would totally fit me, and honestly, it's the only fur vest I've seen this season that is exactly what I'm looking for and not over $200. Thoughts?

*After months of conscientious eating, all I can think about anymore is FOOD. Currently occupying most of my brain real estate are these blueberry cinnamon rolls from Beantown Baker and this Thanksgiving panini from Williams-Sonoma. Note to self: getting married is not an excuse to get fat....is it?

*I am most certainly NOT a Mariah Carey fan {minus every song she sang in the 90s. Those were pure gold.}, but I'm kind of obsessed with what I can see of her twins' nursery in these pics. Those caramel gingham + floral custom crib draperies? SWOON. Where can I find more pictures? Help!

One week ago today I was picking up one of my sweet bridesmaids from the airport and kicking off our wonderful wedding weekend. Time flies when you're having fun! Happy Friday!

new bird on the block

2011-11-03T02:36:00.008-04:00

In my effort to ~~stalk bloggers who are cooler than me~~ grow my blog, I have finally given in to peer pressure at joined twitter. Might I entice you to follow me? If only to help me figure this whole thing out. I took to Pinterest like a fish to water {no, this is most certainly NOT a shameless plus to have you join me over at Pinterest as well}, but I'm taking to twitter more like a fish to...some situation that fish don't do well in. So please follow me and make me feel special and allow me to learn from all of your masterful tweets. I'm begging you.

On a separate and much less desperate note, sweet Tina from The Enchanted Home awarded me the Versatile Blogger Award a few weeks ago. If you're not reading Tina's blog, you must hop over there immediately. Tina is building my ~~our~~ her dream home and sharing all of the juicy, behind-the-scenes details with her readers. Think French chateau, de Gournay wallpaper, marble EVERYWHERE, and Ralph Lauren fabrics. Be still my heart!

In accepting this award, I'm supposed to list 7 things about myself and pass it on to 15 other bloggers.

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1. I don't have much of a sweet tooth at all, but I recently discovered pretzel M&M's and I am OBSESSED. I think it's the salty/sweet thing. Have you tried these? They are SO good.

2. We have officially entered my favorite time of year. The time period between Halloween and New Year's is the best. As much as I adore Christmas, I refuse to listen to Christmas music, watch Christmas movies, decorate, or drink any peppermint Starbucks drinks until after Thanksgiving. Christmas needs to chill out with trying to butt Halloween and Thanksgiving out of the way too soon.

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3. I won my first marriage victory this week. The beau has awful taste in clothes {sorry, honey, it's true!} and I have been making fun of his jeans for ages. They are poofy and one step away from acidwashed. I call them A.C. Slater jeans. This week, I managed to get him two non-awful pairs of jeans, one pair of khakis, and a V-neck merino sweater. Granted, I had to pay for them. But still...baby steps.

4. I scored a pair of snakeskin Gap ballet CityFlats this week for less than 5 dollars. I am now on a mission to fill my closet with more. They are SO comfortable and look so much chicer and more expensive than they are.

found on pinterest

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found on pinterest

5. My ultimate dream is to have a sprawling, slightly delapidated farm in the English countryside where I have sheep and chickens and horses and nothing to do but eat scones and clotted cream, wear Barbour and Hunters, and giggle with my BFF, the Duchess of Cambridge.

courtesy of orangette

6. My sister and I accidentally developed the most amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe using half whole-wheat flour and half all-purpose flour and for the life of me, I can't remember how we made them. I think it's a version of Orangette's recipe, but I'm not sure. It's killing me.

7. I've just started a blog design with Marina at Penny Lane Designs and I couldn't be more excited. My blog design has never really come close to accurately reflecting my aesthetic and I can't wait to see what loveliness Marina creates. Stay tuned!

Instead of tagging 15 other bloggers {I'm just too lazy}, I'd love to see anyone list 7 random things. I always think it's so fascinating to read what you come up with. Have fun with it. Thanks, Tina!

hooray!

2011-11-02T09:42:00.000-04:00

It's official: I'm a Mrs.! And unlike another certain newlywed, I feel confident our marriage will make it past the 72 day mark.

We had almost 20 guests who were unable to make it at the last minute because of the freak Nor'easter that hit the East Coast on Friday. Our entire bridal party {groom included} was an hour late to the rehearsal because of a 4-car pile-up in Friday traffic 2 miles from the church. The entertainment company didn't give our DJ the timeline so he had to wing it. Our cocktail hour table and bars had to be moved under the tent and we had to bring in two ginormous propane heats to keep guests warm. I ended up wearing my Hunters instead of my Louboutins for 99% of the day because it was so darn muddy. Four days later, I still have no voice from talking and laughing non-stop for 3 days.

I wouldn't change a thing. It was perfect. We DID eat at our own wedding {not much, but the honey BBQ meatballs were totally worth it!}. We danced. We drank {the signature cocktail? Best. Decision. EVER.} We celebrated into the wee hours of the morning and started all over again a few hours later. Most importantly, we declared our love in front of our friends and family and committed our lives to each other. Now the real fun begins.

Here's a sneak peek of our pictures: http://www.cramerphoto.com/2011/charlottesville-wedding-photography/sarah-mike-married/. I can't wait to see the rest!

A HUGE thank you to all of the fabulous bloggers who guest posted while I was away:
Elizabeth of Pretty Pink Tulips
Melissa of I Pick Pretty
Kate of Nautical By Nature
Angela of Sweet Tea Diaries
Trish of Pink Preppy Lilly Lover

Thanks in advance for understanding that it make take me a few days to get back into my blog groove. I'm looking forward to catching up on all your wonderful adventures that I've missed over the past week and a half!

Honeymoon Bliss

2011-11-01T06:00:00.001-04:00

Hello to all the Belle on Heels readers!

Elizabeth of Pretty Pink Tulips here to welcome Sarah home as a MRS! The wedding bells have rung and a new life has begun!

Though the honeymoon will be happening later this year, the romance of being newlyweds will be in full swing! So, bring on the pretty lingerie, bubble baths, candlelight and champagne for two.

You'll be basking in the sun before you know it!! Best wishes to you both as you begin your life together!!!

images: inspired design tumblr

today's the day

2011-10-29T03:14:00.000-04:00

i'm marrying my favorite person in the world today. and i can't wait.

Three Royal Wedding Lessons for Brides

2011-10-28T13:36:00.000-04:00

Hello there, darlings! I'm Melissa of I Pick Pretty. Belle on Heels, whom I've long consider a sort of blogging sister wife (except that she's marrying her own personal husband - SQUEEEE - this weekend, not mine), kindly asked me to talk weddings here while she's away. Over at my mish-mash of a blog, I don't focus on weddings per se, but I've been married for nearly five years in a row to the same person (!), so obviously I'm an expert on the subject.

Obviously.

Anywhoo, while we anxiously await snaps of soon-to-be-Mrs. Belle's wedding, let's do a show of hands - did anyone else stay up late / early to catch the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton aka Princess Shinylocks this spring? No, just me? Whether you did or not, the hoopla surrounding those stunning nuptials was difficult to miss, even here on this side of the pond (all photos via Pinterest unless otherwise noted):

You may be suspicious that I've cooked up this post in order to relive those magical wedding moments. Duh. You may be right, but I ALSO believe there are three - yes, exactly three, aren't these things supposed to come in threes? - lessons any future brides and grooms reading this can take away from the Royal Wedding. And no, "Marry a Royal" isn't on there, though I certainly wouldn't discourage that:

LESSON THE FIRST - Take Your Time: If we were to believe the media, poor "Waity Kaity" was just sitting around waiting for her Prince to propose. While we've all known those couples where the man just kept draaaaaaging his feet, isn't it equally likely they were just taking their time about things, doing the stuff that young college grads in their 20s do (happy hour, travel, career, and quarter-life crises, if memory serves)?

I just object to the societal & media expectation that there's a magical timeline that this is all supposed to happen along. My only mandate is that a couple go through at least one knock-down, drag out fight to see how you cope when things aren't all first date hormone fizzy wonderful. My guess is that the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge had plenty of time in those eight years to have a doozy or two, and so this particular "waity" has my blessing - since, you know, of course I'm close personal friends with them and all, my good opinion surely means a lot to them.

For what it's worth, my own personal Anonymous Husband and I clocked in at two years from first date to wedding date - we dated for one year (during which I moved to Texas so that we could test things out in person), then we were engaged for a year. By Texas standards we were on the old side of getting married (each 28 years old); by my count I wouldn't have been ready sooner. A girl has to date the wrong guy or thirty to get things sorted sometimes.

I know, I know - it's like the AH & I are long-lost cousins of Wills & Kate, right? Except that might make us married cousins which, though legal in many states, isn't our thing. Oh, Hell - where was I going with this again? (Photo credit Winfield Little Photography)

LESSON THE SECOND - Look Like Yourself: My favorite weddings I've attended have been a like a personal extension of the bride and groom - it might not be the venue or dress I would have chosen, but it was so very *them* that something just felt at home about the proceedings. Whenever the bride decides to morph into Bridal Barbie, especially when that isn't her usual look, that same something just feels off. Like she - or her mother, usually - are trying to put on a show to impress versus celebrating the bride and groom as they are.

I suspect we can agree that our Princess Shinylocks here looked every bit herself, but even better, from this . . .

. . . to this . . .

. . . similar hair, similar makeup, similar style - on her wedding day, she looked like her (gorgeous) self, but somehow better. Longtime readers know that I stand for being Prettier Than Everyone Else; perhaps I need to rephrase for wedding purposes - let's strive to be the Prettiest Version of Yourself.

LESSON THE THIRD - Take a Moment for Just the Two of You: My absolute favorite bit of the Royal Wedding was the getaway car . . .

. . . not only because I dearly want an Aston-Martin when I grow up, but because it was such a sweet moment between the two of them. Sure, they were surrounded by crowds and on their way to entertain hundreds of friends and family, but they had a few seconds there where it was just them as new Mr. & Mrs. in that car - as apparently decorated by the world's most eligible ginger, Prince Harry.

One of the biggest challenges to planning a wedding is making sure you have a minute between the two of you to enjoy the day. Well-meaning people will not let you eat a bite nor dance a step without barging in to congratulate you, so if you don't proactive carve out an opportunity to have a minute to yourselves, you may not get one.

For our unfortunately non-Royal wedding, the AH & I got our moment by having a dinner table just to ourselves and designating a server to act as dual bouncer / waiter so that we could have a few seconds to chat and eat the catering we'd just spent too much on. Even a five minute ride from ceremony to reception venue can provide this sort of moment, though. Whatever you do, I encourage you to find a way to make a space for the two of you during the day itself.

What do you think - is my next career move wedding planning? Any questions for the expert here? Or should I just stick to obsessively pinning Princess Shinylock photos?

PS - BEST WISHES to you, Ms. Belle, on your nuptials this weekend!

Set sail on your wedding day!

2011-10-27T00:19:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to be guest blogging for one of my favorite blog friends (I actually met Sarah when she visited California in 2009). I can't believe her wedding day is almost here!

I dream of a nautical wedding (not surprising if you read my blog). I especially love the idea of incorporating nautical flags (using the bride and groom's monograms of course!). I fell in love with the nautical flag idea when I saw the idea below (use nautical flag matches to light sparklers for the send off!)

via

via

Programs (also match the invitations)

via

More placecards:

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via

via

I think sailboats make the best favors (functional and cute)

Source: ritzybee.typepad.com via Kate on Pinterest

Source: zofiaphotoblog.com via Kate on Pinterest

To match our nautical flags and sailboat placeholders: a sailboat cooler! I love the idea of smaller boats on a table too (to hold other drinks, favors, etc).

Source: sunshineandpearls.tumblr.com via Kate on Pinterest

I think the possibilities are endless! You can never go overboard with a nautical theme ;)

Sarah, I hope your wedding is everything you have dreamed of and much more! I know you will look just gorgeous and I can't wait to see all of the photos when you get back. Congratulations to you and the Beau!

Anchors aweigh!
Kate of Nautical by Nature

Wedding Pretties

2011-10-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Wednesday, Belle on Heels readers! I want to thank Sarah for having me over today to guest post while she is busy getting ready to marry her Mr. Right!

Even though I've yet to get engaged (hopefully this will happen sooner rather than later!) I still spend far too much time perusing wedding blogs, getting ideas, and planning my big day! This is perfectly acceptable, right? I thought so... :)

I picture having a small and intimate wedding. I also picture it being outside in the early summer. Right now I'm really loving rustic touches like wooden signs, mason jars, and perfectly placed bunches of wildflowers. Today I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite images from my inspiration board (aka Pinterest, the best invention EVER). I hope you enjoy!

(all images can be found on my pinterest board,

the embed feature wasn't working.)

Congratulations, Sarah! I hope that everything is going flawlessly and that your wedding day is perfect! More importantly, I want to wish you and the Beau a lifetime of love and happiness!

Please join me in showering Sarah in best wishes!

xoxo

Angela (Miss Sweet Tea)