Whether it’s your partner, your mom or your BFF, everyone enjoys receiving a little something special on Valentine’s day! I’ve curated a list of some of my favorite things to give (and get!), all under $50.
I own that little vintage-looking speaker and it is just about the cutest thing ever. And the travel blow dryer? I have one in pink and it works so well! Oh, and if anyone wants to get me the soft cardigan for Valentine’s Day, I would be totally OK with that! 😉
There is still a whole lot of summer left and as we near July, it’s time for summer sales! I love a good deal, especially deals on top of deals (designer styles at discounted prices? Yes, please!).
The Saks Off 5th summer sale starts Thursday, with items up to 80% off. There are so many styles to choose from but don’t worry, I’ve already scrolled the site and done all the heavy lifting for you. I’ve linked my top picks from the sale, including easy summer dresses, sandals and sneakers, the cutest shorts and tops, as well as jewelry (think tassel earrings and layered necklaces!).
Using my links, click the heart and you can favorite the image to save it for later – but don’t wait too long, with these great deals items are sure to sell quickly. Happy shopping!
Are you as excited for Memorial Day sales as I am? We usually head up north to the cabin for Memorial Day, so I’ll be doing my shopping online. One of my favorite retailers for attainable designer styles is Saks Off 5th! I put together my own personal wish list of all things pretty and chic that I will be scoping out next weekend – everything from shorts to flowy dresses to platform espadrilles and fun jewelry – and I linked them up for you!
Did you know that you can now save your favorites and get email alerts when your items go on sale? Click on the images below to shop! Waiting for something to go on sale or just want to buy it later? Simply click the heart icon and enter your email address. You’ll receive a confirmation email (to shop products you favorite anytime from your inbox) and notification email when the price drops!
When I started working in the corporate world, I fell in love with Ann Taylor’s classic and elegant styles. Now, as a mother, I also appreciate that the styles are comfortable, well fitting and stylish. If you follow Ann Taylor, you know that they have great sales, including the current Friends of Ann event for 40% off your purchase (use code FRIENDS40). Today is the last day so get clicking! 🙂
I’m sharing my latest finds and my wish list here for you, and if you are in the Twin Cities area, come join me at the Ann Taylor Ridgedale Center pre-holiday shopping party for style, treats and fun! It is taking place Tuesday, November 13 from 5-7pm.
I love a soft, neutral sweater. I’ll be wearing this one all winter long, dressed up with a skirt or with jeans for a casual vibe!
This A-line skirt is a best seller and dresses up any outfit
This grey sweater is so soft and cozy but and still looks classy. I sized up for a bit of an oversized look. And the pants? Stretchy for a perfect fit – need I say more?
How adorable is this ruffle dress? It is gorgeous, fits like a dream and is the perfect length for a 30-something mom!
Early access to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is on and sizes are already selling out! The pre-sale started this morning for Nordstrom cardholders (if you don’t have a card – you can sign up any time for access to the sale! Non-cardholders have access to the sale on July 20 and it runs through August 5, when prices go back up.
The unique thing about this sale is it is not based on old items that the store is clearing out – it is all fall/winter items from the newest collections! I am super excited to head into the store to shop in person tomorrow morning and I have already made several purchases on-line. Below, I am sharing with you my top picks. Click each photo to take you to the Nordstrom website to purchase. I get credit when you shop through my links so I appreciate when you support my blog by using my links. Thanks lovelies!
Nine years ago, my now husband proposed to me on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean at sunset. It was a beautiful moment at a beautiful restaurant called Sunset Monalisa. Since then we bought and renovated a 100 year old house, got a dog (a.k.a. my BFF, Henry), and were later blessed with two precious babies.
Back in those days we had the time and freedom to be more adventurous. On that first trip to Cabo we went with a group of friends, rented a car and found our way up to Cerritos beach in Todos Santos. We spent the day there surfing, swimming and making friends with the locals.
Casa Dorada
In contrast, this most recent trip was all about relaxation. Our resort, Casa Dorada was the perfect place for relaxing and the weather was glorious! We had a spacious suite with a kitchenette, living room and large bedroom with two balconies overlooking the pool and the ocean. Most of our time was spent at the pool or the beach and eating great food. The scene at the pool was low-key and relaxed (don’t get me wrong, we did go out dancing downtown one night too which was fun!). I also did a little shopping at Puerto Paraiso and Luxury Avenue when the sun got to be too much.
The Office
A highlight of the trip was heading back to Sunset Monalisa for dinner (insider tip: pay the extra fee for a premium seat out on the cliff for a fabulous view of the sunset). We sat almost in the same spot as the night we got engaged and it was fun to reminisce on the past nine years. Another favorite spot was The Office. It is a restaurant right on the beach with tables leading down into the sand. We loved to go there and grab a drink at the end of the day. We did take it up a notch one night and hit up a couple popular dancing spots like The Giggling Marlin and Cabo Wabo. I love to dance and my husband does not, so this was a special treat for me. 🙂
Outfit highlights!
I brought way too many outfits and way too many swimsuits on this trip – I had to pay extra for my extra-heavy suitcase on the airplane. :'(
Growing up and becoming a mom means some days I’m in the mood for a swimsuit with a little more coverage. My favorites right now are from Kate Spade and Albion Fit. What I can say about both of them is that they are great quality, comfortable, modest, but most importantly they are totally fashionable (definitely not your average “mom” suits)! I highly recommend both of these brands. I also went the two piece route and my fave was a ruffly top from Nordstrom that I bought just before we left.
Overall, the trip was low-key and relaxing and I was happy to come home to my babies even though we returned home to frigid temperatures! Spring is finally here and I’m enjoying being outside here in Minnesota again!
For Christmas I received a generous gift card for Nordstrom. Some people think gift cards are an impersonal gift but for me, they are the best gift because I love to shop! Nordstrom has a selection of clothing from J.Crew which is perfect because I spotted the J.Crew ruffle v-neck sweater online in white and went in to the store to scope it out. I’m all about girly details! I was disappointed to find they didn’t have it in stock. However, I did find the same sweater in the prettiest shade of pink! It is soft, versatile and beyond adorable! Below are three ways I style the sweater.
If you’re going for casual, I think it looks so cute with distressed jeans and a pair of converse sneakers. Add a simple necklace and you’re good to go!
This sweater is just so versatile. It also looks incredibly cute dressed up with a skirt and heels. I couldn’t resist working in this amazing faux fur leopard print jacket. I get compliments on it every time I wear it!
Back when I used to work in an office I was always cold, so I love a professional layered look. This sweater looks adorable with with a blouse underneath and a blazer on top. I love it tucked in to a pencil skirt and paired with my favorite Tory Burch pumps.
Outfit details: Not including the sweater, everything in this outfit is old, but I linked some similar options. The blouse is from United Colors of Benetton and I have had it since high school! Talk about standing the test of time! It is cream with a small floral print all over. I found a couple similar options at Forever 21: this button-front shirt and this  top. | The blazer was from Dry Goods and I found one almost identical at Modcloth.com. | The skirt was from J.Crew. It is wool with a cute zipper pocket detail. They don’t have it anymore, but they do have a couple options for pencil skirts in wool and cotton | I looked everywhere and as far as I can tell Tory Burch doesn’t make these stacked heels with the logo on top anymore, but these pumps are a similar shape and super cute.
There you have it. A girly, ruffly pink sweater that can be styled for almost any occasion!
Some of my favorite Athleta looks for being active (or not!)
I was a cross country runner for six years throughout high school. I was never super into it. Mostly it was just something to do since I was never very good at team sports like soccer or basketball. When I started college I got lazy stopped running and pretty much all other forms of exercise.
It was several years later when I picked up running again and I decided I needed to set a goal and go for it so I signed up for a half marathon. I set a time goal and found a training program online at trainingpeaks.com. It was HARD. There were countless workouts when I regretted signing up and wanted to quit.
The day of the race, I had to get up very early to get to the starting line (my sweet dad dropped me off – thanks Dad!) I didn’t have anyone running with me so even though I was surrounded by people, I felt all alone. It was still dark out, cold and raining. I questioned my sanity for signing up for this. When the gun went off, the rain had stopped and the sun was coming up over the lake. The sky was pink and there was steam rising from the water. The beauty was breathtaking. I felt strong. When I crossed the finish line I knew I had surpassed my time goal by several minutes and I felt proud. Really proud. And happy.
Half marathon finish line 2017
My husband met met at the finish line with our new baby puppy. Several years later, I ran another and he met me at the finish line with our son. After the birth of my daughter, I felt my body had been through the wringer so I wanted to train for and run another half marathon to prove to myself that I was still strong. The training was more difficult this time. With a baby and a preschooler, I didn’t have as much time to train properly. My finishing time, while respectable, was my slowest yet. I felt sick and drained by the end of the race (although you wouldn’t know it by my finish line photo to the right – I was just so happy to be done!) but I did it.
If there is one thing I have learned from all of this it is that you have to push past the tough stuff to get to the good stuff – to accomplish things, to be proud. I discovered the beauty of nature again in my early morning runs – the quiet, the sun rising, the birds and animals. What a wonderful way to start the day!
I am a firm believer in the saying “if you look good, you feel good.” In my first two races, I wore a skort from Athleta, because why not be a little girly? In the finishing photo above, I’m wearing some adorable running shorts I found on the clearance rack at Athleta in the prettiest shade of coral. I love Athleta so much because of the diversity of its styles. I’m covered for everything from running to hiking to travel to just being lazy. I have a GAP Visa card which I use for a lot of my shopping and earn points which I can use toward future purchases at all the GAP brands, including Athleta and I take full advantage.
I’ve linked my outfits from the photos above and a lot is on sale right now so check it out!
This post is not sponsored. I love Athleta. And as usual, the pup had to get in on the action. Did you know Athleta also sells shoes online? This photo is a favorite pair of Asics I bought last fall. My next purchase might just be these rose gold Metallic 2750 Sneakers by Superga!
I have been looking for over the knee boots for some time now. They just look so cute with skirts and dresses and are perfect for staying warm in the winter. The problem is that I have very slim calves, and there aren’t a lot of options out there that fit me. Rumor has it that Stuart Weitzman has some options for slim calves, but even on sale they are nearly $500, which is a bit over budget.
I knew I needed something custom so I called a cobbler nearby and they said they don’t do this type of work because it doesn’t ever turn out quite right, so I decided to take drastic measures and put my amateur sewing skills to work! I have never done anything like this before, so it was a total experiment. I found some adorable and comfortable faux suede boots at Target: the Women’s Journee Collection Maya Faux Suede Over the Knee Boots in Taupe Brown. At $47.99 they were not cost prohibitive. I thought if I could tailor them myself I might finally have some boots that fit.
First I tried on the boots and pinched the back to get an idea of how much I needed to cut out. Then I turned them inside out and ripped off the strip reinforcing the back seam. I folded along the back seam and sewed a line down the back about an inch parallel to the existing seam to make the boots fit more closely to the leg. At the bottom, I merged my seam with the stopping point of the existing back seam to produce an even transition. Last, I cut off the excess fabric and reinforced the seam with a zig zag stitch on the edge of the hem.
You may notice in the last picture above that the presser foot has been removed. Well, that’s because I broke the needle on my machine. I used a heavy duty needle as needed for such thick fabric, but apparently it wasn’t heavy duty enough. Oops! The end result isn’t perfectly straight or pretty from the inside, but it looks great from the outside and you would never know the boots had been tailored by an amateur like me. And now I have a pair of awesome over the knee boots that fit me. If there is one thing that can ruin a look, it is clothes that don’t fit properly.
I learn something new from every project I do and it prepares me for the next. I think I need some more practice sewing heavy duty fabrics and this was a great start.
P.S. The pretty top and skirt are from Madewell, which is having 30% off in stores and online right now with the code LATEBIRD. You’re welcome. 😉
It is important to have a peaceful work space. For me, this means clean, uncluttered and pretty. I have a desk where I do my “real” job (aka the one that pays the bills) but I needed something else for my creative work. When my sister told me she was getting rid of this desk, I jumped on the opportunity to make something new out of it. You can see the before picture below.
The original desk
After stripping and sanding
This was no small undertaking. I had never refinished furniture before. I scoured Pinterest for tutorials, bought the chemicals and got to work. The stripping involved painting on toxic chemicals and then wiping/scraping all of it off. It smelled horrible and it was majorly messy. Once that part was done, I sanded the whole thing (see the lighter color version of the desk above). Then came the fun part! I decided to stain the top a warm brown color and paint the base of the desk off white, inspired by the Whitney Desk at Pottery Barn. It turned out better than I could have imagined and I’m glad I was brave enough to go for it.
Before
After
A pretty desk needs a pretty chair, so I grabbed an old chair from our basement that had been handed down from my in-laws and got to work. I wasn’t interested in going through the work of refinishing again, so I went with chalk paint which supposedly you can paint over anything. I didn’t even sand the surface. It went on a little clumpy, but I sanded it in areas to give it a weathered look and it turned out pretty nice. The fabric on the seat was old and stained, so IÂ ripped it off and re-covered it with some adorable fabric from Ballard Designs. Ballard is a go-to for home decor and they have so many awesome fabrics you can buy by the yard. I used the Dodie Beige, which is sort of a leopard polka dot print. I think it has kind of a Kate Spade vibe to it.
So now I have a lovely work space that cost very little to put together. I love it. This is where I sit to sew, create and dream!
If you’re going for casual, I think it looks so cute with distressed jeans and a pair of converse sneakers. Add a simple necklace and you’re good to go!
