I'll be back

Due to the fact that i havent had my computer (lightning thing), the home remodeling project, and starting a new job (one of those little lovelies where all good sites are blocked from access), I have severely slacked on blogging. BUT. I WILL BE BACK. I promise. So hang with me & I'll get back to posting soon. (Note: I havent even SHOPPED lately (online or in person), so you KNOWWWWW something is up!)

Casa Nueva (ya know, in honor of cinco de mayo.)

There will be more to come but for now, here is a sneak peak of the outside of our new *first* home! Oh. and thought you might like the cheesy little one of us posed in front, which my mom was dying to take! :) I will post the room pictures as we finish them. That way I can do a 'bef0re' & 'after' in the same post!

Life under the sea is better than anything they got up there...

Little mermaid was definitely one of my favorite childhood movies. Top 5, for sure. I think that's why I'm so drawn to the jewelry below. I am obsessing over the beautiful coral/gold/turquoise combinations and the fabulous sea-life charms. While the Target pieces are pretty affordable, I'm still going to be on the lookout for a cheaper version of this trend. We all know Forever21 will come out with an imposter soon and we will all jump at it's less-than-$10-price tag!

{Details}

The first two necklaces, two earring sets, & octopus ring are by Betsey Johnson. The 2nd two necklaces are from Target. The coral reef bangle is BCBG.

Spectrum of Sundresses

{the details}

I am definitely a "colors" kind of girl & I am lovingggg all the vibrant colors out this season. I say 'yes' to them all (okay, except the pale yellow but that's just because it and my skin/hair don't mesh well). I'm also a sucker for an aesthetically pleasing presentation & I find anything put into color spectrum form even more appealing (i.e. my closet!) Best part? All of these dresses are under $50!

alice + olivia for payless. Yummy.

New Alice + Olivia's for payless= to. die. for. I am always drooling over a+o stuff anyway, but I always seem to miss the boat when it comes to their 'for payless' line. Like, by the time I hear about it, they are sold out. But noooo, not this time! the black & white ones...they're MINE! :) Hurry, before they run out and you have to swoon over them via those losers on eBay who are trying to charge $99 for a pair of shoes that were originally $40. Horrid, Horrid People...

Heavy on the accents

These are just some ideas I have come across through all of my searching for home decor inspiration! Since I'm using gray as the primary color in several of my rooms, colorful accents are key to making a room pop!

{As you can see, I'm obsessed with the idea of grouping multipe vases in different sizes/shapes/colors}

{I L-O-V-E this dresser. I can't decide if it's the fabulous purple color (probably) or the dresser, itself}

{really creative + chic way of storing/displaying jewelry. I would probably replace the antler-looking things with some type of hooks though.}

{On the lookout for a thrifted or cheap mirror I can use to re-create this amazing flower mirror.}

Lightning Crashes...

So I've been working my butt off like my butt's never been worked off before this past week, since closing. We have been busy bees, re-sanding floors, ripping up tile, re-building the bathroom floor, sanding walls, etc etc. My body aches & so does my mind. I've got lots of "before" pictures to post on here but see, this beyond crappy thing happened this past weekend, which has prevented these pictures from making their debut on here...

{Lightning}

Saturday, while we were at the house working like mad men, storms rolled through & lightning struck & fried all of our electronics. Two TVs, the computer & printer, the Wii, & the stereo system--GONE. Sad, Sad day. Seriously. However, we have plent of blessings to count, seeing as 12+ people lost their lives in Mississippi from these same storms, and all we lost was a few possessions. SO, when we settle with insurance & I can replace my computer, I will upload photos. Until then, imaginations will have to be put to work, concerning the progress of out little fixer-upper. :)

eDdicted to eBay...

{It started out innocent enough...}

{One thing led to another...}

{This is totally me at work, waiting on my packages...haha}

I'm going to go out on a limb here and rank eBay in the top 5 most useful tools of our generation. It's like bargain shopping, but with your shoes kicked off. Not to mention, it cures a number of ailments, including, but not limited to: boredom, shopping withdrawals, finding hard-to-find-items, & did I mention, boredom?

Lately I have found all kinds of little goodies & most of the time, I end up paying more for shipping than I did the item itself. I've become quite the eBay-aholic & I find myself getting terribly irritated when I receive a notification on my phone that says I've been outbid. (Yes, I said notification on my phone---do you think there is a 12-step program out there for this?) But hey, at least I'm not spending that much!

Some of my sweet finds lately:

{Old Navy Shoes-approx $12...including shipping}

{Floral Ballet flats-$8...including shipping}

{fabbbb Green sateen jacket-$10...including shipping}

{black bow belt- $2...free shipping!}

{floral stained glass earrings- $.99..free shipping}

((addicted to ebay Barbie photos courtesy of www.dancetc.com))

To Do: Adorable DIY Skirt

On one of the blogs I read, Freshly Picked , I came accross the most adorable & easy DIY elastic waist skirt & am very much looking foward to getting started! Because my hips are so big, I have the hardest time finding this style of skirts that I can wear. Once you throw that elastic on, it automatically finds its way to my natural waist line, which then decreases the skirts length by about 3-5 inches. Boo! But now, I can pick the material AND the length! YAY! You should definitely check out This Project & this fabulous blog!

Oh, and when I do finally get around to this project (amidst all the house renovating...), I will proudly post pictures!

It's CLOSING DAY!!!

{Note: these people are not us...haha}

Today is Closing Day (Finally!) & we are so excited! Once the keys are placed in our hands, we will promptly be taking "before" photos so that we can document our 'fixer upper-ing' adventures! Stay Tuned!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

To most, the title of "the most wonderful time of the year" is usually reserved for Christmas or maybe even the first day of summer. To me, it refers to one thing: college football season. And while it's not here yet, the next best thing is upon us, and that is A Day (or media day). This is when the football team (both returning players & new signees) all come together for their final spring scrimmage & give the media and fans a little preview of what's to come (hints the most wonderful time 0f the year part). Most every year, my dad & I go to this together & this year is no exception. So tomorrow, we will make the trek to Mecca (aka Auburn) for this pre-season treat of a little orange on blue action. Ahhh, I just love my Auburn Tigers. And although this post is not fashion or home decor related, it is a huge part of who I am and what makes me happy :) So, I promise, next week, I will get back to posting that fashion stuff we all love, but for now....

Spirit, one of the mascot's in his pre-game ritual of flying around the stadium. Goosebumps.

Phillip & I at a game last year. Happiest place on earth.

{Photo of eagle courtesy of Flickr}

Owls. Cute or Creepy?

I don't know if you all have noticed how big the 'owl trend' has gotten lately, but it seems like the cute little birds are popping up everywhere! --Everything from jewlery to pillows, shirts and even this quite hilarious dress (posted below). While I find them adorable (in most cases), it dawned on me last night, when I showed Phillip my new, cute little (big) owl necklace, and he laughed hysterically, that maybe everbody doesnt find them as cute as I do. I guess they could get a little eery-looking if used too much (ie- like those freaky porcelain dolls people like to place all around a room). So what do you think? Whimsical owl details, cute or creepy?

This is what the necklace I got looks like. See, cute right? :)

{Details}

Owl Tee, ModCloth- $28

Owl Charm Necklace, ModCloth- $15

Multi Owl Pendant, ASOS- $14

Plastic Owl ring, UO- $10

BKE Owl Ring, Buckle- $8

Owl T ote, Loungefly.com- $35

Owl Journal, Paper-Source.com- $18

Owl Lamp, Thefrogandtheprincess.com- $120

Owl decorative pillow, Target- $18

Now this is just RIDICULOUS!

Derby Worthy

The Kentucky Derby is almost here and I, for one, cannot wait! I went last year & had oh-so-much fun! Even if you're not a 'horse racing' person, the Derby is an experience that I recommend everyone attend at least once! From the sound of the bugle player announcing the next race to the beautifully colored silks on the Jockeys backs, the Kentucky Derby is a fabulous extravaganza of luxury, excitement, and tradition. All you need is a cute little dress, a big fancy hat, and a few dollars to throw on whichever horse strikes your fancy :)

Everyone from Celebrities, to Regular People, and even the Queen, herself, loves the Derby!

Here are a few Derby worth dresses (all under $50)

{Details}

Floral strappy dress, Delias- $50

Peplum Dress (goddiva.co.uk)- $25

Flutter sleeve dress, Forever21- $25

Teal Prairie dress, Shopruche.com- $47

Floral Stripe Dress, Missselfridge.com- $49

Crimson pleat dress, FredFlare.com- $50

Plum Perfect!

Here's the new duvet I ordered today! Yay! My vision is coming along quite nicely :) (see vision below)

Two of my favorite words-- "For Target"

It's that time again...when another amazing designer makes their creations available to we commoners. As if Liberty of London weren't enough for one season, now Cynthia Vincent is bringing her fabulous shoe line to target! And all for under $30. Hallelujaaahhhh :)

Best part? Most of the styles she's doing for Target look verrry similar to her true label stuff.

<--- $350 @ Bloomingdales

$29.99 for Target --->

<--- $195 @ Bloomingdales

Under $30 for Target --->

<--- $29.99 for Target

*Cynthia Vincent for Target will be available in stores & online, April 18th. {Mark Your Calenders}