Obsessed: History in the Decorating

While I am not a dedicated fan of decorating with tons of knick-knacks, gold tones, or opulence everywhere, there is something about the historical influence inside fashion designer Andrew Gn's Paris apartment that has me googly-eyed and obsessed.  The richness of the color palette in each room lends itself to creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.  The displays of porcelain and portraiture from throughout the ages is inspirational in its own right to giving one a profound sense of respect and pride.  The gold and crystal elements found in the chandeliers as well as the metallic effect provided by other lighting and decor features in each space add a sense of glamour that seems to be entirely comfortable.  All in all, Gn has amassed somewhat of a museum-worthy collection of antiques and surrounded himself with this collection in his home in a personal and totally livable way.  After all, isn't this the best way to live- surrounding ourself with the things we love?

Hope you have a great weekend planned for yourself, filled with the things you love!

* All images via ElleDecor.com *

Seize the Day

Dinning out with friends is one of my favorite treats in life.  Let's face it- a meal prepared by someone else always tastes better, and its a great thing when you are not responsible for meal clean-up, right?  That being said, know that I greatly appreciate all of the staff that put so much work and effort into providing fine dining experiences.  I thoroughly enjoyed time with friends at Carpe Diem, where much laughter was had and delicious fare was enjoyed.  In the event that this week was too busy to cook any of the fall recipes I am wanting to bake and make, I thought that the treats enjoyed at Carpe Diem would make for a fine food post today.  I hope you aren't too hungry when you read this, because looking at these pictures makes me hungry!

< Great wine but not what any of us ever want to be! >

 < The tipsy peach >

 < House fries- my new most-favorite fries ever! >

< The Mediterranean Flatbread- anything with artichokes is great in my book! >

Daily Dressing

Busy, busy bee- that has been me for this whole month so far!  Everyday there has been so much to do that I have been thinking of renaming myself 'Go-Go-Gadget...' not sure if this would be a completely fitting moniker for me- what do you think?  Today in this post you can enjoy a somewhat more usual weekly style post than the outfit post which was posted last week.  Most of these outfits are for my busy work days this week, and the other few are from some of the other awesome events that have been a part of my life recently. Can you guess that fall has still not fallen in my neck of the woods?

 - Above photo -

Occasion: work
Shirt: F21
Skirt: BR (old)
Belt and heels: Nine West
Jewelry: BR (necklace), Citizen (watch), LOFT, F21 (bracelets)

 - Above photo -

Occasion: casual day
Dress: BCBG (old)
Belt: ON
Shoes: LC Lauren Conrad
Purse: Nine West
Jewelry: Citizen (watch), F21, The Limited (bracelets and earrings)

- Above photo -

Occasion: work conference
Navy Sheath: Calvin Klein
Belt: BR
Heels: Nine West
Jewelry: Kenneth Cole, RL (necklaces), Citizen (watch)

 - Above photo -

Occasion: casual Friday
Dress: BCBG (old)
Vest: BR
Shoes: LC Lauren Conrad
Purse: Target
Jewelry: The Limited, F21, BR

- Above photo -

Occasion: dinner out
Shirt: ON
Skirt: LOFT
Heels: Calvin Klein
Purse: Nine West
Jewelry: Citizen (watch), BR, ON, RL, vintage (bracelets and necklaces)

- Above photo -

Occasion: evening meeting with community group
Polka-dot shirt: F21
Tank: BR (old)
Jeans: Sevens
Shoes: LC Lauren Conrad
Purse: Target
Jewelry: ON (necklace), The LImited, F21 (bracelets)

- Above photo -

Occasion: afternoon in wine country
Dress: LOFT
Belt: F21
Wedges: BCBG
Jewelry: Target, ON, F21

When fall falls...

The cooler mornings that have randomly appeared recently are tempting me to wear (my long lost!) fall clothes, but the warm-as-summer afternoons are really preventing any additional layers besides a light cardigan.  With harvest events right around the corner, I really cannot wait for fall to be falling (and I know that I have posted about fall below, as seen here and here).  When the weather actually carries me into this next season, below are the types of cooler-weather items I cannot wait to wear...

Tell me, what fall items trends and favorites you be wearing this year?

< Faux fur vest to transition summer dresses into fall and fancy up a jeans and t-shirt outfit >

< Scarves to accent any outfit and add the perfect amount of warmth > 

< Warm, knit sweaters to wear with skirts, dresses, shorts, and long pants- will be the most versatile pieces in my wardrobe this coming season! >

< Lace tights will add a fun, somewhat edgy affect to short skirts and shorts transitioning into fall >

 < And of course, boots, boots, boots!  Love everything from a flat boot to a high stiletto- adds the perfect cool-weather touch! >

* All above images via Google

Wonders from the Weekend

< A lovely afternoon in wine country >

Is it really Monday already?  The busy-busy days last week transferred over to my weekend schedule, which was also pretty busy with events each day and evening.  However, the activities were filled with time spent with wonderful women, good friends, loads of laughter, and great food.  And even though I love traveling and keeping a busy schedule, there really is no place like home.  This week is also going to be fairly busy due to all of my growing commitments, so this fall is shaping up to be as impacted as my fall quarters were in college!

Tell me,  did your weekend fly by as quickly as mine did?  Whatever you are facing this week, I hope it's a going to be a great one for you!

 < Cute heels on some college women I love working with >

 < Tigger chillin' in the back yard >

 < Black and gold jewelry: my current favorites >

< An overcast, slightly rainy day turned into a perfect fall evening sky >

Obsessed: New site treasures!

Happy Friday, everyone!  What a busy, long week this has been!  I feel like I have been walking around like a zombi for the past couple of days, but thankfully chai and smiles have helped me make it through successfully.  Some exciting new treasures arrived in the mail during this crazy week (and they really cheered me up!), so be sure to keep an eye out on my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter for some fun updates.  As we head into the weekend (thankfully!) I am happy to share with you a few new websites I have recently discovered which have drawn me back time and time again (this definitely equals a new obsession or two).  Many of these sites were revealed to me thanks to fabulous bloggers and wonderful friends.  Hope you have as much fun as I did perusing through these pages!

 < The totally drool-worthy necklaces from Spike the Punch >

 < Romantic plate from Paloma's Nest- great place to score loving gifts >

< I would beg, borrow, (but not steal) for any one of these beautiful Katherine Kwel handbags! >

< For the thematic-obsessed decorators like my self, The Macbeth Collection has many options for personalized patterns on great storage and decorative items >

Birthday Party Inspiration

There are several very special people in my life who have birthdays this month.  Although distance has separated most of us, it is great to know that sometimes a simple call or some Skype time can cause you to feel like you are there in person, celebrating your friend.  I love planning and hosting parties and other events, so in lieu of throwing a birthday bash for my family and friends who are celebrating birthdays this month, I thought I would find some inspiring birthday party pictures to collect as inspiration for future milestone celebrations.

All of these pictures are making me crave some craft time!

And lastly, this is not really a tent idea that I would use for any birthday party, but I just thought it was adorable!

All above images via Google

Madly

Are you a Mad Men fan?  Have you heard of the Mad Men Collection from Banana Republic? Well, my friends, to be completely honest I have never really watched a full Mad Men episode, but I am still very curious about this award-winning cast and their story line.  The release of the Banana Republic Mad Men collection reaffirmed my love of cheetah print (read more about that here), and allowed me to drool over the sweet Mad Men Collection deals many of the awesome bloggers I follow got to enjoy courtesy of Banana Republic.  While I would love to own a few items from this collection, I have yet to locate them on sale in a local store.  In the meantime- and because I love creating my own inspired fashion at a decent price- I have concocted several ready-to-wear-in-a-normal-life outfits inspired by Banana Republic's Mad Men creations.

Let me know what you think- fun outfits for everyday wear or save them for a theme-party office day?

Go Girl Gadgets!

In life, its always the little things that count!  Because this is a busy week, I thought it would be a great time to share some of the small things that make my life run more smoothly and help keep peace in my life- especially during busy days!  A few of these things travel around with me in my purse, others live in my kitchen to be useful when they are needed, and others are lucky enough to travel with me when I hit the road.  Thank goodness for all of these little treasures!

Tell me, what kinds of gadgets do you own that make your life easier?

< An awesome shelf and drawer unit stores mail and random odds and ends.  The bowls on top hold keys, serve as a stash place for sunglasses, and corral small notes. >

< Kitchen goodies: a can opener that eliminates any sharp edges, a tomato saver that is perfect for keeping tomato halves fresh, and a cucumber saver that will keep the cut end of a cucumber fresh for days. >

< A small iPod speaker that travels well and provides great tunes in any home away from home. >

< An arm band that carries my iPod on an outdoor run. >

 < Nail clippers with a magnifying glass ensure a perfect cut. >

< A purse-sized straightener that is great for midday touch-ups. >

 < Jewelry tools that come in very handy for repairing earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. >

< Miniatures that make me feel like a well-prepared woman: a hammer that stores screwdrivers in the handle, small binoculars, and a miniature measuring tape. >