Have a wonderful weekend!

Yay, it's finally Friday! This week has been long...the end couldn't have come soon enough! I don't know what you're all doing, but I plan to make this weekend a mixture of fun and relaxation, while also getting some things done.

I really want to organize my closet! I've seen so many blog posts lately about tips and tricks to master your closet that it's inspiring me to do something with mine. My closet's tiny, but good things come in small packages, right? :) If only my closet were as big and pretty as these...

*sigh* Tomorrow night, my and my best friend and my boyfriend and one of his friends are all going out dancing! Well, it'll be me and my friend dancing, and depending on how much we pester the boys,  they will too! Hehe, either way, it'll be fun. I bought this cute new dress to wear as well...

Sooo cute on! I'm excited to wear it :)

That's my weekend, basically, in a wrap. And it hasn't even started yet...so much possibility. Hope whatever you end up doing is fun! Have a great weekend!

The Digital Era

I don't know about you, but pretty much everything I do these days involves some kind of technology. A app for notetaking, various e-readers, everything seems to be going digital.

Now, even magazines are joining in. This probably isn't new, but you could say that it's new to me. I was reading Rue Magazine online last night, and it dawned on me: I wish this was available in print form. I kind of missed having something tangible to hold. I know it's the time where everything is online and accessible and all that, but it made me nostalgic for an actual paper magazine.

I think there are perks and pitfalls for both, but I have to say that I think I'm an old-fashioned gal when it comes to magazines. I like to read and re-read and scribble and fold corners of important pages. And just can't do that with an online mag. With that being said, though, Rue Magazine is an outstanding example of an online magazine, combining the best of fashion and interior design into one. It's definitely better than some print magazines available...I encourage you to check it out!

So, what do you think? Are you ready to embrace the e-readers and online mags? Or are you traditional and like to read your books on paper? Maybe you're somewhere in the middle? Please share!

In Honor of Elizabeth Taylor

I'm sure you've heard  the news, but in case you haven't, Elizabeth Taylor died this morning. Hollywood and the world lost a great person today.

I remember her in one of my favorite childhood movies: National Velvet. I would watch it over and over again, wishing that one day I could be just like Elizabeth Taylor's character, Velvet Brown.

Her talent goes without saying, and her beauty is unmistakable. Elizabeth, you will be missed!

Friday Fabulosity

Happy Friday everyone! I don't know about you, but I'm very ready for the weekend. Relaxing, catching up on sleep, having fun...all are on my informal list of things to do this weekend.

And now I can add experimenting with and waiting for the beauty products I ordered online today. It's actually just two things--a hairbrush and nail polish--but I purchased three different colors of polish today, and one I bought at the store yesterday! I think I'm going to give myself a mani/pedi tonight with this color:

Isn't it awesome?! It looks a tad more pinkish in person, but we shall see what it looks like on the nails...

When these colors come, I'm definitely going to have to experiment with them as well:

Can you tell I'm a purple/pink/red kinda gal? :p All these were purchased on Amazon, and they had a TON of other colors! I encourage you to check it out because they generally will cost you less (even with shipping) than if you bought them at Sephora or Ulta or wherever you buy your nail polish.

I've also been in the market for a new hairbrush. I wanted something that works and that would make my fine hair extra shiny and healthy. I'd heard a lot about the Mason Pearson brushes but really didn't want to through down 70 bucks for a hairbrush. And thanks to this blog post, I didn't have to. I was able to get a similar brush from Target for a mere fraction of a Mason Pearson...and from what I've read, it's just as great! Compare the two:

They are even similar in style...the Target one is on the right, costing $14.99, while the Mason Pearson's on the left costing $70-$100. I'm excited to get my new things and try them all out!

Anyways, have a wonderful weekend everyone! Hope you have fun doing whatever it is you do! :)

Yearning for the Light

A wise man once said:

"Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."

That man was Hans Christian Anderson. And while I love flowers and have plenty of freedom, what I'm lacking right now is sunshine.

I know Seattle winters aren't as bad as some, but enough with the gray and rain already! I want spring, summer, warm weather, funner clothes, cuter shoes, and everything else that comes along with sunshine. So until then, I will simply have to dream of this...

And of these...

Via Nordstrom

And maybe of this too...

*Sigh*

So, what about you? Sick of the winter weather in your neck of the woods? Ready for warm temps? Or is winter your favorite season? Please share!

My Friend Etsy

I don't know about you, but lately I've been loooooving Etsy. Everything is vintage or handmade, the things are absolutely gorgeous and all are relatively low priced. I'm not new to Etsy shopping, but lately I've been doing more often than usual.

I discovered a new shop (or new by my standards) with gorgeous yet simple/classic clothing. It's called Three Little Ducks and is located in Australia. All the items are handmade using exquisite fabric, and the simple, classic lines make me want to buy, buy, buy! Best of all, right now shipping is free!! Here are a few of my favorites:

 

I absolutely think either of the dresses would be completely adorable at a spring/summer wedding, engagement party, birthday party...heck anything dress-appropriate! The gray tank top is definitely something I'm probably going to be ordering next payday as well :). And although these pieces range in price from $60 (for the gray tank) to $160 (for the linen/silk light-colored pants), these are all truly unique. They are things you could wear to multiple occasions, and are made to last. Not to mention they are just fabulous! I'm exited to have found this shop!

What are some of your favorite Etsy finds? Do you have your own Etsy shop? Never shopped Etsy before? Please share!

Tuesday Inspirations

This Tuesday heralds the beginning of a new month: March. Kind of crazy that we're already in the third month of the year...I remember when January seemed sooo long.

Anyway, aren't these images inspiring? I was browsing Design*Sponge yesterday and spotted this kitchen...

I love the color scheme at the bottom (Design*Sponge consistently does that...yay!), as well as the exposed brick wall and pendant lamp from the ceiling. It would be amazing to have a kitchen this modern yet rustic at the same time.

I also am feeling inspired by this post, from blogger Daniel over at Manhattan Nest. It's a wonderfully entertaining blog, written very well and featuring things that are very do-able...especially for someone on a budget or without a ton of DIY experience. I recently purchased the bed he featured in the post--the IKEA Fjellse--and would love to turn into something this amazing. I'll probably have to wait until I move out and get my own place, seeing as the ceilings in my loft room at my mom's house are too low...but check out the before and afters:

Amazing right??? It looks like two different beds! I have yet to put my Fjellse together, but perhaps I will at least stain the wood until I can turn it into something greater...the possibilities are seemingly endless!

So, these are things that inspire me today...what inspires you? Do you have any fun plans to look forward to during this new month? Please share!

Broken Glass

Happy Monday everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I definitely did...more on that in a minute...but first, my Monday morning. I woke up on time, was getting ready, everything was going great...and then it happened. One of the glass shelves in my bathroom was loose, I grabbed something off it, and the whole thing came crashing down. The shelf didn't break, but the really cute apothecary jars that cotton swabs and cotton balls are stored in did. My bathroom looked something like this:

Similar, but it was clear glass, not blue...even harder to pick up

After spending about 20 minutes cleaning it up, I realized I was going to be late for work. So I shut the door and plan to go home for lunch to finish cleaning it up then. Not the best way to start a Monday morning, but I guess there's not much I can do except clean up and move on, right?

And now about the weekend! The weather did NOT cooperate, so I wasn't able to get anywhere on my nightstand I described Friday...hopefully I can make some leeway on it soon. But, on a brighter note, I finally got the duvet cover I ordered from West Elm! It's so cute and makes my room look all cheery:

I also ordered the Euro sham and bought some red pillowcases to match. It's amazing what new bedding can do to a room.

The Lack side tables I got from Ikea a few weeks ago have been just sitting around, looking for inspiration. So, using this post, I created this, using some wood glue (and the tables, of course). It looks eerily similar to the Parsons cube side table from West Elm, for a fraction of the price:

Can you tell the difference?? The one on the right is the West Elm version...the left one, the Lack tables. Pretty cool huh?

A lamp that I saw the blog Cucumbersome also arrived...it came from a home furnishings shop in Vancouver BC called Parliament Interiors. It wasn't for sale on their website so I emailed them about it and they were able to send me one! Here's a picture of it from Cucumbersome:

It's bigger than it looks and oh-so pretty!

A big thank you to Britt for giving me the information about where she purchased it, as well as the people at Parliament Interiors for being so great!

And of course, I spent lots of time with my boyfriend (Mat, I will refer to him by his name from now on :p) as well as just lounged around and relaxed, watched some of the Academy Awards...so all in all, a great weekend!

Oh, and here's a birthday shout-out to my mom: it's her birthday today! Happy birthday mom, I love you!

Hopefully your weekends were great as well! Feel free to share!

Fabulously Friday

Happy Friday to all! This week has gone by surprisingly fast...hopefully that means the weekend will linger a little longer than it usually seems to. :)

This weekend I plan to finally make some ground on a DIY project I've been working on for about a month now. I purchased a night stand off Craigslist that I planned to use as my first furniture project piece. It was painted an unsightly seafoam green when I first got it...

Like this color, only dirtier and with paint chipping

I've since stripped the paint off (twice--there was a yellow underneath the green that was even worse), have filled in any holes with wood filler and have just barely begun the sanding process. The plan is to complete all sanding this weekend, stain the stand a mahogany color, paint the drawers a soft white and attach gold knobs to the drawers. I'll have to see what Home Depot or Lowe's has in store as far as hardware...but in any case, I'm hopeful that the weather will hold and I'll be able to finish! *crosses fingers* I'll have an update on that on Monday.

And of course, I'll be spending time with the boyfriend :) and this little guy:

Introducing to you all...my dog, Bruiser! He's the sweetest, cutest, funniest little 10-lb Chihuahua ever!

So, enough about me...what are you doing this weekend? Whatever it is, I hope you have a fabulous time!

Snow, Snow, Snow

As a Seattleite, snow is not something we come to expect. And when it happens, everyone inevitably freaks out (then again, everyone freaks out when it rains too...don't know why, as we get rained on a lot more than snowed on). Anyways, it snowed here in Seattle last night and part of this morning. So I woke up to something like this:

Ok, it wasn't nearly that bad, more like an inch or two...but still, it conjured up images of what would be the perfect snow day.

For those of you who have pets, nothing beats a day in the snow with your dog. Even if he is a 10-pound chihuahua like mine:

That's not really him (he's bigger with tan colored fur). Photo coming soon!

 And of course, there's everyone's favorite cold-weather drink: hot chocolate!

Complete with heart-shaped marshmallows...how cute!

This sweater just screams snow, don't you think?

Via J Crew

And these make me happy just looking at them:

And yet with all this snow, I'm still happy (and hopeful) that it's almost spring. Though I don't know what that means in Seattle weather terms...

What about you? Do you like the snow? Wish it were summer already? Please, share your thoughts!                   

A Year-Long Vacation

So I'm finally getting around to finishing the book Eat, Pray, Love. For those of you who don't know what it's about, the author (Elizabeth Gilbert) gets a divorce and decides that for one year, she wants to travel to Italy, India and Bali (Indonesia) to embark on a spiritual and self-discovering journey. I started it about four months ago...everyone who I'd talked to who read it said it would be a quick read. Apparently for me it's taken me a little longer. I don't know if it's the pace of the book (it tends to read fast in some parts, and then reallly sloow in others), or just that sometimes I feel like the author can be whiny, but I'm really excited that I'm almost finished! You will come to learn that little things excite me...maybe because I'm an only child and am really good at keeping myself entertained, I dunno.

Anyways, I was reading last night, and began thinking about what I would do and where I would go if I had a full year to travel. A year where I didn't have to worry about work, money, responsibilities back home...a year where I could just be. It's kind of a daunting thing to think about...(but maybe that's because I tend to over think a lot of things :p).

I think I would begin my year in France. I visited France when I was in high school, took french classes in middle school, high school and college, and pretty much love anything french. Even though I had some experience with the language, going there and hearing it 24 hours a day as opposed to two was completely shocking and intoxicating. I want to go back and experience that feeling again.

So pretty...the Eiffel tower is amazing! I love the colors of the sky in this photo

Poland would be next on my list. My mother is Polish and my grandmother speaks Polish (and English, thankfully), so I've always wanted to visit and see where I come from. Plus, Eastern Europe, from what I've seen in pictures, is absolutely beautiful. I would love to see it for myself in person.

Looks so quaint and rustic...imagine walking around and window shopping there

And finally, the place I've ALWAYS wanted to go (at least since glimpsing a Today Show clip of Matt Lauer there) is the Seychelles Islands. Located off the coast of Madagascar, they are the epitome of what a tropical sanctuary is. Remote, warm, sunny, gorgeous...what's not to love? I mean, come on, the picture says it all:

Imagine walking up on this scene...OMG I would die!

*Sigh* Well now I've got myself thinking about vacations...I sooo want to take one this year with the boyfriend. Somewhere warm, sunny, where I can get a tan and wear a swimsuit...

Ok...now I'm just day dreaming. Where would you go if you had an entire year to travel? What did you think of Eat, Pray, Love? I welcome your comments! :)


(Oh, and for those who have a short attention span like me, the book is now a movie--even out on DVD already! Click here to view the trailer)

Bring on the Fab

Hi everyone. My name is Stephanie, and I've decided to start a blog. This blog will hopefully inspire, help and give those who read it their daily dose of fabulosity.

Everything from shoes to home interiors to food will be shared, as well as the stuff in between. Essentially it's a place to showcase the things that inspire me, and hopefully they will inspire you as well. I welcome comments and feedback, as well as suggestions (constructive, of course :p).

Thanks for reading and participating in this with me. I hope to be able to inspire you as so many other bloggers out there have inspired me.