My NYE Outfit - Casual with a hint of bling

Since I'm doing the more low key things this year, I'm actually not planning to wear a dress! I can't believe it!  Here's what I plan to wear...

Loft sequin top with a velvet black blazer, my Gap skinny jeans and black booties.

Tonight the weather is suppose to get pretty bad (even though yesterday was 68 degrees), so who knows, I might be in snow boots! :)  We'll see.  I hope you all have a great and safe evening. Talk to you in 2011.

DIY 2011 (with tinsel)

Happy new year everyone!! This year I'm taking it pretty easy.  Hubs and I are going to a nice dinner with good friends and then spending the rest of the night chilling at our home with more friends.  Playing wii, watching movies, having a few cocktails and just being around good people.

If you have some time today, and are, too, having people over to your home and need a quick little banner... I made this in about 15 minutes:

I found this idea via Miss Martha Stewart - of course!  She has the numbers in a template you can print out, but I just free handed it.  Here's how I did it:

Started with a cardboard box (from Christmas gift) and cut along the creases and got 4 equal size pieces to free hand the numbers in block letter form onto:

Then I cut out the numbers (if using cardboard, sharp scissors help!), get some tinsel garland (I got mine from Target on sale for $1.50, or you can piece together whatever is left from Xmas) and a stapler:

I used about 1/2 of the 25-ft package of this gold Garland to make my 2011 sign.  I just stabled the garland to the cardboard.  Then I stapled twine to the back of each number to hang from my fireplace.  Next year I'll just need to replace one number and can reuse this for years!

So tomorrow is 2011.  What are your plans tonight to celebrate the year change?  What about tomorrow - anything special?  I'm starting my January 100 mile goal tomorrow.  Going to hit the gym and aim for 4-5 miles on the treadmill (walk/jog).  You can still join the 100 miles in 1 month fitness challenge for some fun motivation along with all these other great people!

Happy New Year to you ALL! xoxox, MeggyD

Christmas Gifts Galore, Part 2: Glitz and Bling

Jewelry!  The best thing to give and get - never  can have too much, doesn't take up much room and always fun to open up something sparkly or shinny.

I got TWO watches this year!  Both very different, and much needed.  It's been years since I've worn a watch and I felt it was time.  So I got a fun, glamorous one from my hubby...

This has been on my wish list since finding it November and posting about it here. That hubs is a smart one...always consult the blog. :) It's from Nine West and I love it even more in person.

Then my parents also gave me a watch!  Something else I've been wanting.  A more casual, fun, white watch that is a bit more "mens-inspired".  I love it.  It is similar to this one by Adidas:

And then I got some ear bling - you might have seen these from my "Dear Santa..." post.  These pretty things, from the hubs' parents, can be dressed up or down! I have already been wearing them non-stop. :)

I got my sister a simple, yet glitzy bracelet (one I owned myself and loved - why not give others what you love yourself?).  It is similar to this one, yet ours is navy with silver metal.  I love wearing mine layered with other bracelets or with one of my new watches!

Banana Republic and currently for a steal! Love the hanging delicate chains at the clasp.  It's fun. :)

Did you get any fun bling and glitz this season??

Red & Turquoise

I put this summer dress to work again, and wore it around the Holidays.  Felt a bit festive in it. :)  I love turquoise mixed with almost any color - like red!  Just made the necklace pop.  Fun color combo.

Outfit Deets:

Dress - Loft from the summer

Necklace - J.Crew via Ebay

Cardi - Simply Vera via Kohl's

Boots - Chinese Laundry via DSW

Navy and Gold

Helllllooooo lovelies!  How was you Christmas/Holiday weekend?  I had an amazing fun-filled, family time!  And the fun is still going.  I'm off work all week!  I have friend events and home projects galore to get done.  I'll keep you posted...and I'll for sure keep following up with some of the fun gifts I got and gave  You can check out the first batch (part 1) here.. :)

In the meantime - here is a little outfit ditty for you.  I just loooove these gold tights, and they are so fitting for the season.  Last worn with gray, this time I wore with a navy cord dress:

So probably this outfit is way too similar to the last time I wore these tights... buy oh well.  I promise next time I wear them I'll do something more different. Ok! Thanks for understanding! :) 

Wanted: Anthro Look

When this outfit appeared in my inbox yesterday, I swooned. I immediately clicked on it and was taken to Antro site.

I want it all.  Great, I can shop this look.  Perfect.  Ah, there is the dress.  Done.  Love. Want.

 
Super versatile boots - they are actually tall boots scrunched down to create this look:

I love these, but have enough tall boots (and for $400....), I'm looking for some grey ankle boots that look more like the scrunched down version!

Miss Me Women's Olen Riding Boots in Grey

Last Call! New Year's 1 month Challenge!

Hey all!!  Does it sound crazy?  Does it sound too hard?  Don't think you can do it?  Ah!  Through all those thoughts OUT the window!  I'm looking for more participants in the New Year - 1 month ONLY challenge.  You can read all the details here.

But the here's the gist: commit to running or walking (indoors or out) 100 miles in the month of January (or one month - if you have to get started a little late, just add the days accordingly).

100 miles in 1 month.  An average of 3.22 miles a day - however, can be done any way you want.  And yes, I get it that 100 miles is a lot.  But it's meant to be a challenge.  One month only!  You might have to do some two a days, you might have to work out 7 days in a row, you might not quite make the 100 miles - but you'll try and you'll work your butt in the time doing so!  And it's only one month.

Purpose? Kick start your new year and work out regimen.  And work off the holiday fun.  Ya.  You know what I'm talking about...

Oh and what's in it for you?  For those that reach their goal and follow the rules (just keep us posted on progress) will be entered to win something...TBD. :)

So email me, comment to this post , or here to let me know you're in.  Then I'll add your name (and link if you have one) here.

Then Jan. 1 - we'll start a group booty kickin' challenge and keep everyone motivated and posted.  So join me... me and Lulu, Ang, Tai, Bre, Kitty, Laurel, Jordyn, Sarah, Peggy, Diana, Lady Dove, Courtney... Rock Stars!

Christmas Gifts Galore, Part 1: For My Kitchen

I was lucky to have such a great holiday full of giving and getting!  It's always so fun to exchange gifts with loved ones.  I love giving just as much as I love getting (both are pretty sweet)!  So I will share some of the gifts I received and gave through out the next few days!

New, already beloved kitchen appliance...Keurig Mini Brewer and Keurig K-Cup Carousel Tower with a 60-pack variety coffee, tea, & hot coco pack of K-Cups!  I've already tested out several and love it!

My little coffee station. :)

I got these 4 sweet bowls from Anthropologie.  They are so cute and will be perfect for table settings and apple sauce (among lots of other things):

I got two blue and two chartreuse.  Not avail online...

I also got two really cool cookbooks.  I'm a sucker for cookbooks.  Not only are they pretty, but these particular ones contain some pretty great recipes I cannot wait to try!

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

The Cook's Book of Intense Flavors
This particular one is written by local restaurant owners and contains unique combination of foods to mix. You can read about their story, and if you are ever in Lawrence, KS - check out their restaurant, here.

Then on top of all these great gifts that will help me through the kitchen - the hubs got us a gift certificate to the Culinary Institute of Kansas City to take a cooking (and eat what you make) class.  I'm really excited about that, and to do it with him!

2011 just may make me a better cook! :)  We'll see.  Did you get any fun kitchen gadgets, tools or such from Santa?

Coral and Ice

I am loving fiery coral right now.  And mixed with this printed skirt, and an loose jacket, I really loved this outfit.  Plus the bright color made me feel really cherry. :)

And I must show you a close up of a newer necklace of mine!  It's very J.Crew bling-esque, but actually from a very unexpected store for me!  I found it while holiday shopping for others, and had to pick it up...

Can you guess where it's from?

Ok, well I won't make you...it's from Talbots!! I can't find it online, but they do have some other great pieces.

Other Outfit Deets:

Jacket - Simple Vera via Kohl's

Turtleneck - J.Crew

Skirt - Gap (last worn here)

Tights - Merona via Target

Wedge Shoes - Merona via Target

Have you ever found something you love at an unexpected place?

DIY Wreath: Christmas or Not

I hope you all had a GREAT holiday!  I am still celebrating - but hope to be back to my normal blogging routine soon. :) I hope you all can continue to spend a little family time cozied up next to a fire or out doing something fun.  And if stuck inside, I have a DIY project you can make all year around!  A yarn wreath.

 It doesn't need to be Christmas to make this!  I made a couple that can be hung year around, or simply edit the yarn & felt colors to coordinate with any upcoming holidays.  I'm just LOVING my yarn wreaths, so thought I'd share what I made and how to make them for an easy, fun project.

To make something like this:

 or 

What you need:

Yarn - I used Jiffy sweater yarn (it's a little fuzzy)

Straw wreath (made a couple with various sizes) - keep plastic wrap on

Felt (for flowers to adorn the yarn wreath)

And a little muscle...

Get comfy and just wrap the yarn around and around and around the wreath.  You will use at least one package of yarn (for small - medium wreath sizes).  The fuzzier yarn helps to hide gaps - but use any kind you want. To start and finish, just wrap the yarn around and with the end, tie a knot.  The knot will blend in to the rest of the yard - but I put mine in the back.

Once the wreath is covered in yard, you can adorn anyway you want!  I chose with felt flowers. I added red ones in there to be a little festive, but mixed with white and gray and the green/teal yarn base can be hung year around!

I started with a cut square of felt and then trimmed the edges in a wave motion:

The bigger the square (or rectangle in my case), the bigger the flower.

Then I cut in a circular to make a long ribbon, leaving an "eye' or little round/oval part in the middle, like so:

Then you take the end (non-eye end) and start forming the center of the flower - just continue to roll the felt up! I found this tutorial and idea for the Yarn Wreath at Take Heart.

They seem a little Anthropologie to me!  Enjoy!

Maggie's New Year's Resolutions (Guest Post)

Hi all!  Today you are lucky to have Maggie here to guest write about her take on New Year's Resolutions and such.  You can find some of my same thoughts over at her blog today, as we're doing a little swap.  


Hi everyone! I’m Maggie from Things I Love. Meggy and I are blog swapping today,
so I’m here to chat with you about New Year’s resolutions. I’m so excited and
honored to be here, and glad she’s on my blog today chatting with my followers.

First I want to wish you all a (belated) Merry Christmas (or Happy Holdays)! I hope
you all had a fabulous 2010, and that 2011 will bring even better things for you and
yours. 2010 was a complete whirlwind for me –my man came home after a year long
deployment to Iraq, we got engaged, I graduated from college, got a big girl job, got
married and honeymooned in Hawaii. Kind of a lot, hey?

While 2010 was amazing (and crazy!) I’m really looking forward to 2011. I’m
looking forward to a few more home remodeling projects with my hubs, continuing
to further my career, running my first half marathon and some surprises – who
knows what’s going to happen!

So about those resolutions … to be honest, I have mixed feelings about them. Don’t
get me wrong - I am a big believer in goal setting, but I get a tad bit irritated with
the frenzy that happens this time of year. The gym is always super crowded, new fad
diets pop up (and generally they are terrible ideas!) and people are so gung ho about
making changes that they typically burn themselves out after a few weeks.

However, it’s also a great time to start fresh. You start out with a clean slate – it’s
a whole new year! My advice is to set small, achievable goals. Saying “I’m going to
go to the gym every day this year” is setting yourself up to fail. Instead say “I will
work out for at least 20 minutes 3-5 days each week”. And don’t beat yourself up if
you miss a week or two. These are goals, long term changes - sticking with it is what
matters!

So, are you wondering what my resolutions are this year? I chose several of the
larger goals on my 101 in 1001 list as my “resolutions” for the year. Read on!

1. Stick to a monthly budget for at least 6 months. This is a goal my husband
and I discussed quite a while ago. Our wedding threw our finances totally out
of whack. And to further confuse us, I got a new job about 4 weeks before our
wedding and my student loans entered repayment in December. Our finances
were as much a whirlwind as our year was! So we’re using www.mint.com to
track our spending starting January 1st.

2. Run a half marathon. I’ve slowly built my running repertoire, starting with
my first 5K in May of 2009. At this point, I’ve done lots of 5K’s, a 5 miler and a
10K – I’m ready to add a ½ marathon to the list- I’ve already signed up! I’ll be
chronicling that journey here. Feel free to follow along!

3. Lower my BMI by two points. I’m so close to dropping it one point already – I
just need to hang in there. In addition to exercise (which I’ll be getting plenty
of once I start my marathon training), I also like Weight Watchers online
quite a bit. I don’t work for them or get paid to endorse them, but they’re
based on real science, they support slow, achievable weight loss and the
online version is completely affordable.

4. I have one other resolution but (shhhh!) it’s a secret. It’s on my 101 in 1001
list, but I listed it as “Private”. You’ll have to stay tuned to my blog if you want
to know what it is! Gotta keep a little mystery alive!

Are you setting resolutions this year? If so, I’d love to hear what they are and see
if you have any advice for me! If you have your own blog, leave the link in the
comments section and I’ll pop over and say hi. Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ll
come visit me on Things I Love. And I’ll conclude with a big THANK YOU to Meggy
for hosting me today! =)

Orange Bedding... Guest Bedroom Transformation Part 1

So after a great response on this post through comments, twitter and email - I chose to go with the Navy and Orange Mood Board for my Guest Bedroom Transformation Project.

It'll be a slower project than anticipated (or hoped for ignorantly), as we have some BIG things to the room that has to be done first:
- Stain and refinish hardwood floors
- Remove wall paper
- Paint trim/woodwork white 
- Then, finally will I get to pain the walls Navy

In the meantime - I'm starting to collect the decor pieces!  Starting with the Orange Bedding.  I have been looking online and at stores for orange bedding for DAYS!  Orange bedding is not easy to come by.  But finally I found the perfect shade of orange (not too faded, not to melon, not to neon)...

ISAAC MIZRAHI LIVE! Solid Hemstitch 400TC Cotton Sheet Set in Burnt Orange, sold at QVC!

ISAAC MIZRAHI LIVE! Zebra Print Quilted 36"x9" Bolster Pillow in Burnt Orange, sold at QVC!

I think this bed set will look fab with the West Elm Duvet I've asked for from Santa for Xmas.... 

And the area rug that I've been drooling over for awhile now from Ballard Designs (and currently on back order...boo). 

Remember as you're making ANY online purchases to use Ebates!  Cash back for purchasing online.  I keep forgetting to sign in first and open the site through it to get credit, so just a reminder to all you. :)

Inspiration from the pages: Neon

I've dabbled with neon before, and to tell you the truth - I kinda love it.  Obviously in moderation, but it can be so fun to mis with duller (neutral) colors for a pop!

I got this outfit inspiration from the the pages of my magazines...

So I played with the lime/yellow neon color and wore with grays and black.  For the spring, I will pair this blouse with the army green colors as seen in the above inspiration page.

I even wore vibrant blue heels.  Just for fun.

Outfit Deets:

Neon blouse - Loft

Stripe Shirt - Banana Republic

Black Pants - H&M

Heels - Blowfish via DSW

Beauty Review: Clinique Redness Solution Makeup

I have blotchy skin with red undertones.  It's especially sensitive in the winter...most make up I apply just makes it itchy and even redder!  So I saw ads in all the latest magazines for Clinique's new redness solutions line and I was excited to try it!

This does not just do a great job of covering up blotchy skin without looking cakey - but it actually works to even out skin tone (without wearing make up!).

Just a small amount blends over my whole face - acting a little like lotion, a little like foundation and even a little sun protection. I wear this daily now and it'll be my go-to "foundation" or base make up from now on.

Have you tried this stuff?  What is your go-to make-up finds?

For the Love of Camel (the color, not the animal)

I'm not a very neutral person, but lately I've been loving camel.  Here are two outfits where I incorporated camel and in two different days!

Camel mixed with black and white (all neutral colors - aghast!)...

Charlie loved the black and white - those are his favorite colors!

Camel with more stripes, but a pop of red...

All bundled up...and more lil' Chuckie.  Loving camel, too, I guess!

My Outfit Deets...1st Outfit:

Camel Sweater Cardi - H&M

T-shirt - Gap

Skirt - Anthropologie

Black Tights - Target

Boots - Chinese Laundry

2nd Outfit:

Coat - North Face

Scarf - San Fran Market

Sweater - H&M

Skirt - Banana Republic (years ago)

Red Tights - H&M

Shoes - Aubrey Brooks (Sasha Heel Booties) via DSW (seen here)