Monday, April 30, 2012

The Shops at Target




Target's newest project brings us "The Shops at Target" where five shops will have their own spotlight within Target stores and on Target.com - these five shops include The Candy Store, Privet House, Cos Bar, Polka Dog Bakery and The Webster Miami.


The concept behind "The Shops at Target" is that Target will place products from select specialty & boutique shops for six weeks. It's a great opportunity for these small businesses to have a larger presence across the country and introduce us buyers to the brands that are not in our own hometowns.
You can see more about this venture in this video.



The Candy Store will brings us colorful treats ranging from $3.49 - $19.99
(see more sneak peeks here)



Privet House will bring us antique and vintage home goods (prices not found).
(see more sneak peeks here)



Cos Bar will bring us luxury bath care & accessories ranging from $1 - $20
(see more sneak peeks here)



Polka Dog Bakery will bring us stylish treats for the pets ranging from $1.99 - $14.99
(see more sneak peeks here)



The Webster Miami brings clothing & accessories ranging from $7.99 - $49.99
(see more sneak peeks here)




I am looking forward to this small shop feel within the retailer giant. I am usually not disappointed with any of the collaborations that Target puts forth.

"The Shops at Target" hits stores (and the web) on May 6th.


*Information & photos via.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Friday's Five



My five favorites this week...


#1 - How gorgeous would this look on your wall?!


#2 - Funfetti whoopie pies? YES please!



#3 - Not sure I will ever tire of his face. Or those dimples.



#4 - ...love Maegan painted her jeans. Is there anything she doesn't make fabulous!?



#5 - This just made me so happy especially after watching their journey!


Thursday, April 26, 2012

Baby Mamas



It seems as if springtime brings more than just flowers...it brings baby bumps!
And no, this isn't a pretense for some announcement of my own (one day!) but instead an acknowledgment of all the cute little babies on their way into stardom. 

Judging by my picks of glowing moms-to-be, my guess is that these babies will be superstars in their own right. :)













They look even lovelier with their growing bellies!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Put a Sock in It





This girl is a bit late getting aboard the sock bun train. I have heard of it countless times but have yet to investigate what it's all about. I finally checked out some pics online and scoured YouTube for a tutorial video to learn just what a sock bun is. And I cannot believe how easy it looks or how beautiful your hair can look just from using a sock!


Clearly Lauren Conrad has it perfected.




I don't think my hair is long enough to do the sock bun just yet but when it has reached my desired length, I will probably refer back to this video to get it right...




Wendy is just too cute! Not to mention, I kinda love her blog!



So tell me...have you tried out the sock bun?

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

For the Love of the Game





...or more specifically for the love of Yankee baseball, Derek Jeter & pinstripes :)


Plaaaaaaay ball!



*Photo via my Pinterest

Monday, April 23, 2012

J.Crew Jewels via eBay



eBay is one of those sites that I forget exists sometimes....until I remember it does. Then I am on a hunt for anything & everything under the moon, looking for the best deals & watching items to see how low I can pay for something that I really want. And don't even get me going on a bidding war...


I own a few jewelry pieces from J.Crew that I love so I decided to see what eBay had to offer. J.Crew pieces look so luxe and while sometimes they are priced accordingly, there are a few deals to discover in store and even on the web. I picked up these two neckaces for way under their retail value and couldn't be happier with my buys!




Black Stone Crystal necklace






Multi-Strand 'Hammock' Pearls necklace





Are you a fan of shopping eBay?
What treasures have you won?

Friday, April 20, 2012

Friday's Five



My five favorites this week...



#1 - South Florida sunsets. Gorgeous, right?



#2 - The Old Navy gold boat shoes I shared in my post here. Soooo comfy!


#3 - I don't give myself the best home manicures but using Essie's "Ballet Slippers" makes them seem prettier!



#4 - MyFitnessPal mobile app helps me keep track of what I eat when I am on the go. I have it on my iPhone & iPad...super helpful!


#5 - NBC's "Best Friends Forever"  :)


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Eats: Martha Stewart's Flower Sugar Cookies



Roaming the Martha Stewart website leads to countless hours gone by with a cooking to-do list that is out of this world. I would love to know what it's like to spend a week at her house. I bet everything looks perfect and your tummy would never be empty. Sigh.

Anyway, I came across this recipe and thought it was too cute for words...and just perfect for springtime!






Ingredients

  • 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Royal Icing

 

Directions

  1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium; add eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture gradually, beating until incorporated. Shape dough into 2 disks. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
  2. Place 4 or 5 skewers on a parchment-lined baking sheet, alternating the direction the tips are pointed. Repeat with remaining skewers.
  3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Let 1 disk of dough stand at room temperature until just soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out shapes using a 3 3/4-inch flower cookie cutter (kitchengifts.com). Transfer to baking sheets, placing each cookie on a skewer, covering 2 inches of the skewer end. Gently press cookies down. (Cookies will stick once they are baked.) Roll out scraps once, and repeat. Repeat with remaining disk of dough. Freeze until cookies are firm, 15 minutes.
  4. Bake in batches, switching and rotating sheets halfway through, until edges of cookies turn golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
  5. Spoon royal icing into a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip, and decorate cookies. Let stand overnight or until icing dries completely.



How cute is that?!


*Recipe via MarthaStewart.com

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

A New Mint!





By now, I am sure that you have seen JewelMint, StyleMint, BeautyMint & ShoeMint - item of the month clubs that offer you items each month based on the results of your  personalized style profile. With the aforementioned clubs, you have the ability to shop jewelry, tees, skincare & shoes every single month for one set price. And coming in May, we have a new addition to the BeachMint brand - HomeMint!

Just like the other Mint brands, HomeMint is backed up by a celebrity. Justin Timberlake (along with his own personal interior designer, Estee Stanley) will be the curator behind the newest addition to the BeachMint family. HomeMint looks to be only $10 a month with access to exclusive home decor items!

You can sign up now to be a part of HomeMint before its official release in early May!

Just sign up here - once HomeMint has launched, you will be set to shop!



And if you haven't checked the other members to the Mint brand family...

JewelMint - by Kate Bosworth & Cher Coulter ($29.99)

StyleMint - by Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen ($29.99)

BeautyMint - by Jessica Simpson & Nerida Joy (starts at $39.99)

ShoeMint - by Rachel Bilson & Nicole Chavez ($79.98)

Monday, April 16, 2012

The Latest from Old Navy


I have been to Old Navy twice this weekend and walked out with quite the bundle! Old Navy is such a great place to shop without breaking the bank - they usually have several coupons out at a time too! Check out my pics and see what I brought home!




Cropped Linen-Blend pants in black & wine




Polka-Dot Boatneck tee in black/pink*










I wore this dress to church this weekend & got a bunch of compliments!





Old Navy had tons of cute clothes in store paired up with some great sales! Check out your local store because the online prices are sometimes different than in store.


Have you shopped Old Navy lately?



*Marked clearance in store!

Friday, April 13, 2012

Friday's Five


My five favorites this week...


#1 - This inkblot mani from ...love Maegan


#2 - Stacy's Pita Chips + Sabra Hummus = yummy midday snack!

#3 - MAC Sheen Supreme lipstick in Fashion City

#4 - Easter cupcake made by my friend's daughter :)
 

#5 - "Ten Things I Want to Tell Teenage Girls" by Kate Elizabeth Connor. Wise words!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Getaway in Vero Beach






The weekend before Easter, the Hubs and I took a little road trip to Vero Beach for a quick weekend getaway. It was also was a delayed 5th anniversary trip. We signed up for the Disney Vacation Club back in December, so it made perfect sense to book our stay at Disney's Vero Beach Resort. The resort was right on the ocean and even with families abound, it was such a relaxing weekend!

 

 
Our first Disney pin!

Dinner at Shutters

 

 
Ready for the sun!

 
Our spot for the weekend

 

 
Mickey sprinkles make the ice cream even better :)

Our last night, last dinner


I cannot wait till our next trip to Disney's Vero Beach Resort!
Have you been there before?

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Luxe for Less - Sam Edelman "Gigi"



Today's Luxe for Less post is dedicated to the Sam Edelman "Gigi" t-strap sandal.





This flat sandal features a man-made upper leather with a t-strap construction and comes in a variety of colors & textiles. I have been lusting over the saddle color, shown above, for quite awhile now. But while I love the classic look to this sandal & imagined it paired with numerous outfits in my closet, I couldn't rationalize spending $65 on a pair of flat sandals. I don't know what kind of reasoning I could have told my husband to justify it.

But I didn't have to. Thanks to Express!




At just under $35, this sandal is close to the Sam Edelman's but for so much less!
And better yet, I snagged these puppies with their 30% off sale! Even sweeter!



*This was the post that Blogger deleted from yesterday. Better late than never, right?

Monday, April 9, 2012

Easter 2012



Easter Sunday is one of my favorite holidays. Because it is the foundation of my faith, I see beyond the egg hunts & bunnies that are so prevalent around this time of year. So as usual, my husband & I attended church service before heading to my parents home for a super yummy lunch! Here are some peeks at our day!


This year, our church (Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale) held just one service (as opposed to the regular four!) at Florida Atlantic University's brand new stadium! We arrived pretty early to avoid traffic jams & parking lot jams. ;)



We sat with two of our bestest friends, Cheryl & Isaac
(I totally missed out on a full-length pic, but I was wearing this dress with wedges)



The stadium was packed!



The worship team was pretty awesome as usual :)



Pastor Bob on the jumbo tron!



Then off to Mom & Dad's for LUNCH :)





I hope you & your families had a wonderful Easter!

How did you spend the day?