{TGIF Peeps}

{word}

{Rue Magazine: Issue 6}

The July/August issue of Rue Magazine is out and in a few words I would sum up as rustic, exotic, eclectic, and ethnic-chic. Editor in Chief Crystal Gentillelo says it well "Today's global society allows us to read blogs from countries around the world and connect with designers and tastemakers in far-flung locales through email, Facebook, and Twitter. And though we love to see our favorite American designers inject their spaces with eclectic allure, this issue goes straight to the source and casts the spotlight on the international design scene".

To flip through the lovely pages of this new issue - click here and enjoy!

{Blazing Hot...}

{Summer Weather Blues}

Morning Peeps! It's easy to start thinking about Fall with the type of heat we've been dealing with. I don't know about you, but I'm so looking forward to cooler weather. Over the weekend, while out shopping with the girls, many stores are starting to bring in their fall pieces and I'm excited about what I'm seeing:

While skinny jeans are still in, you'll be seeing lots of the flare and wide-legs. Also - feminine blouses {which I adore} are here to stay this fall.

Last winter I purchased a fur vest that I love, and was hoping this trend was sticking around. This specific one is from Nordstrom, and I love how they paired it with that Bohemian dress...and it's on sale until next Monday!

Color blocking will still be in, and I'm sure we'll be seeing lots of warm oranges and fushias...don't you love the leopard print with this J.Crew outfit?

Ahhhh....hurry up fall and get here. What trend are you excited to see sticking around? Which one could you do without?

{TGIF Peeps}

Check out a few links that I've been lovin' on this week:

- Clay bangles...why didn't I think of this - and I have a ton of clay laying around...
- Today you are YOU - word.
- If you really know me, you know that I'm a movie buff. So what movie did this come from?
- Lovin the final cover of the Design*Sponge book - can't wait to get my hands on it...
- Love this pillow combination...and add in these as well
- Isn't this vintage ice cream cone canister the cutest??

Enjoy your weekend Peeps!!!

{10 Things I'm Diggin' This Summer}

1. D&G 3 L'Imperatrice perfume - my signature scent for the summer

2. Trader Joe's raspberry, lemon, and strawberry fruit bars are AH-MAZING! Try em...

3. BE Beautiful hair, nail, and skin supplement from GNC. After my stylist decided to chop my hair off, I've been on a mission to grow it back as quickly as possible, and these are definitely helping {my nails are also growing like crazy}

4. Pineapple coconut water from GNC - so refreshing after a good workout! Click here to read all of the benefits

5. Frou MAC lipstick - my everyday go to

6. Mad Cap MAC lipglass - another everyday staple

7. Words With Friends in general - but especially on the iPad {if you want to play, send me your username}

8. People Style Watch magazine - I'm like a kid in the candy store when I see this in my mailbox every month. Lovin the Play Up Your Shape spread...

9. My new Michael Kors oversized watch - best purchase this summer BY FAR

10. Lots and lots of bangles - I never leave home without them.

What are some of your favorite things this summer?

{What works good is better than what looks good}

I've been a fan of Charles and Ray Eames for many many years and believe that perhaps they are one of the most famous design partnerships of the twentieth-century. One day....one day, I hope to own one of their infamous Lounge Chair and Ottomans, as they are so iconic - have the ability to stand on their own, and owning one is enough to make an entire room complete. I love how masculine, luxurious, and sexy their pieces are - I can't wait {one day} to have a piece of my own...

To make your own Eames drinking glass - click here. To purchase the Eames Three Serigraph - click here.

{Chocolate Covered Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches}

Some of us need chocolate daily, some need it at a specific time of the month, others can completely do without - regardless, you have to admit that this looks ah-mazing...right?

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a quarter sheet pan (a small jelly roll pan), or a 13x9inch pan. Place a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom, spread with butter, and dust with cocoa powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. When the mixture is creamy, and all lumps are gone, add in eggs, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Add in vanilla and chocolate chips.

With the mixer on low, add in flour and salt. Mix until just combined. Spread into prepared pan and bake until shiny on the top, 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to cool completely.

Remove brownie from the pan, and cut in half. Spread ice cream on one half, and top with the other half. Freeze for 2-4 hours, until firm.

Cut the large ice cream sandwich into smaller sandwiches. Insert wooden popsicle sticks, and freeze for another hour.

Melt the chocolate with the oil in the microwave in 30 second intervals, until chocolate is smooth. Dip each ice cream sandwich in the chocolate, and let set on a sheet of parchment paper. Wrap in parchment paper and freeze until ready to serve.

Enjoy! {as much as I want to come home tonight and make these...I'm going to be good. sigh...}

{Retail Therapy For The Soul}

Over the weekend, I was in the mood for a little retail therapy {see below for the damage}, so I did what I do best and went shopping. I went to the Nordstrom Anniversary sale first, then headed down to Anthropologie and Crate & Barrel, until me and my friend Ros left with a bunch of bags weighing us down and decided that we should go on a spending strike for a couple of weeks. So as of Saturday evening, I am not allowed to purchase a thing. I can pin and drool away, but I cannot purchase {oh Lord, what did I just agree to?}...so let the strike attempt begin...

1. Jeffrey Campbell orange suede peep toe heels (Nordstrom)

2. White boyfriend jacket (Gap)

3. Gold teardrop earrings (Nordstrom)

4. Voluspa Suede Blanc Candle (Nordstrom) I'm usually a lover of fruity and fresh scents, but this one is masculine leather blend and I LOVE it - like... LOVE IT!

5. Shiny hammered gold bangles (Nordstrom)

6. Ceramic berry colander (Crate & Barrel) - I also purchased these popsicle molds - can't wait to use them!

How was your weekend? What did you do?

{TGIF Peeps}

Per the usual - here are a few links that I've been lovin this week - enjoy!

- Ok I want one of these so....I'm getting one
- These Pop Pies {or fancy Pop Tarts} look ah-mazing.
- Super cute summer outdoor concert outfit...
- Have I mentioned that I really want these Tory Burch boots, or these, or these???? Prob not gonna happen, but a girl can dream right?
- The perfect date night...
- If this were the case they could bite me all day and night long...lol!!

Enjoy your weekend Peeps!!!

{Holes In My Throws}

{Throws can be found here:1/2/3}

PS. My tables arrived yesterday - that was super quick right - pics to come next week! 

{Street Style Done Right}

Shala Monroque, socialite, Pop magazine editor-at-large, and art maven was photographed in a sweet yellow skirt, chambray blouse, and snakeskin heels as she was walking to some of the 2011 Paris couture fashion shows.The great thing about this outfit is I have part of it - a chambray shirt, some amazing Cole Haan snakeskin shoes {I have yet to wear}, a black leather bag...I just need to find a pleated yellow skirt. I love how casual and chic this outfit is and definitely plan to rock the look as soon as I find a skirt. Loveliness...

{Lonny Mag Helped Me Find My New Table}

As you know I've been scouring Craigslist, Ebay, thrift and department stores to find the perfect glass table for my living room, but unfortunately, after over a month of looking, I've come up with nothing. The summer issue of Lonny Magazine came out yesterday - so with excitement, I poured a glass of my famous strawberry lemonade and sat down to slowly look through the pages. I finally got to page 184, and instantly the heavens opened, the angels sang, and I knew I had found the perfect tables. I figured they would be a fortune, so I didn't get my hopes up. However, once I found out they were from the Nate Berkus HSN collection, a smile appeared on my face, my credit card slipped into my hand, and I purchased 2 of these lovely tables...

I truly feel they are perfect for my space as they can be paired together so I can place a large piece of glass on top, I can lose the glass and simply position them as pictured above, or I can separate them and place them in different spaces in the room... honestly the possibilities are endless. The tables will be delivered on the 20th, and of course I'll be sharing pictures so you can see how they look in my space and how I've accessorized them {I'm still working on my table styling skills, a few ideas that I'm thinking about are shown above}. 

Did I make a wise choice?

{I Love Thrifting Event Find}

So the I Love Thrifting event was so much fun on Saturday - I got to meet lots of people who love to shop, thrift, decorate, and watch HGTV just like me! We met early in the morning at the flea market and then traveled to several thrift shops around the area. While shopping, I found a few amazing finds: a brass container that will be set on my coffee table {come back tomorrow to see the table I purchased this weekend}, a lovely vintage canary yellow Pyrex bowl {Pyrex - another obsession of mine}, and this amazing vintage tool tower {below} that I scored for only $8.00!! At first glance I thought, "what a cool nightstand this would make - or it could be a great table to use in my foyer, put a lamp on it, store magazines, candles, etc - or I could use it in my office space to store all of my jewelry supplies".... so I bought it! Needless to say, I have great intentions for this little guy...

To top off the day, out of all participants in the national I Love Thrifting contest, I won the big Giveaway. I never win anything, so I'm ecstatic to see what I've won - I'll be checking the mail daily for my prize. I'm sooo looking forward to the next event - I had a blast - THANKS Mr. Goodwill Hunting!

{TGIF Peeps}

Check out some of the links that I stumbled upon this week, and love:

- To take part in the "i <3 thrifting" event - click here
- Courteney Cox's Malibu home - yea, I think I could live here...
- BL (slow-roasted) T - with basil mayo - omg!
- Places In America Map Print - I love this, and would need lots of pins!
- Word. Word. Word. - just sayin'

 Enjoy your weekend Peeps!

{Tell Me This Doesn't Look Amazing}

I am on a HUGE goat cheese kick these days, and this snack looks like something that is right up my alley - and I challenge you to come up with a more perfect combination than sweet and salty. All you have to do is top a crostini with some goat cheese to add a little saltiness, sliced pear to add a touch of sweetness, walnuts to add some crunch, and a drizzle of honey to bring the whole thing together. Yummmm-o!

{July Must-Haves}

It's the beginning of the month and you know what that means - time for my July Picks!

1. I've been looking for a chambray romper, but if I could afford this gold one - it.would.be.mine!

2. Same goes for this dress - if I could afford it, I would have already worn it. There's gotta be a look for less out there right?

3. Why is finding the right glass table so hard? I'm still on the hunt, but if you happen to come across one that looks like the one above - let me know!

4. I love this outfit - I need to find a white skirt and orange sandals to pull this off though...I have the rest!

5. Now that I've purchased {finally} my Michael Kors oversized gold watch, I need more gold jewelry - starting with this ring!

6. I love little clutches and cute bags to organize my purse - this one is more than I would spend, but {per the usual} I'm looking for the look for less...heck I could probably make it!

7. Tis' the season - I can't get enough of ice cream and those amazing build your own frozen yogurt shops

8. I purchased these espadrilles over the weekend and they are honestly the most comfortable shoes I own - love them!

What are your current must haves???

{Back to the Basics}

I found this while flipping through the pages of Matchbook Magazine and thought it was too good not to share with all my readers. Take a look...do you have any missing pieces?

{TGIF Peeps}

Just a few links for you to peruse throughout the weekend...

- The summer issue of High Gloss Magazine is out - check it
- My new favorite DIY-er - Just B
- Decorating mantras to live by...
- Want to read a hilarious story about a chicken named Beyonce? Click here
- I kinda love this umbrella stand...I need to make a trip to Z Gallerie
- 1 short 3 different ways on the Glitter Guide
- Random but I like this bone box...
- Enjoy thrift shopping? Well join in on July 9th for a fun filled day of shopping in a city near you - I'll be participating in the Raleigh events next week

Enjoy your long weekend Peeps!!!