white out

Its gonna get into the 90's today here in Boston which means time to break out the summer dresses! Is there anything more summery than a breezy little white dress and some great sandals??? I think not. I prefer when a warmer weather dress is more flowy and less fitted. It keeps your look effortless but also comfortable. I always pair my white dresses with a tan sandal, my favorite denim jacket, big tote, ray bans, gold hoops and a neutral lip gloss to keep the look natural.

Check out more white out goodness over at Long Distance Loving!

Have a great weekend everyone & check back in tomorrow for a colorful weekend wear!

Thirsty Thursday - Mimosa Punch

A few weeks ago I made a mimosa punch to bring to a friends house for an early afternoon lunch and it was a big hit which made me think it was worth sharing with you! It's pretty much the easiest cocktail to make and affordable which is an added bonus when entertaining. You can make it in a giant punch bowl, a chic drink dispenser or a small pitcher as I did below for a party of two. Of course I had to have a little garnish, mostly because the drink needs color and I like having a little fruit in all my cocktails. Check out all the delicious details below. 

Ingredients

{makes 4 cocktails}

3 cups orange juice 

{I used orange mango} 

1 12 oz bottle of ginger ale

1 half bottle of prosecco

1 nip of cointreau

garnish with strawberries, oranges or rasberries

to make for a punch bowl bump of the portions to the following

2 quarts orange juice 

1 2 liter bottle of ginger ale2

1 bottle of prosecco

1/2 cup cointreau

garnish with fresh fruit 

Directions

Mix all the ingredients, stir & serve over ice

Bottoms Up!

DIY - Neon Planters

I have been on a bit of a neon bender lately. First there was this post featuring my favorite fluorescent color and this post showing how to decorate with these bright hues for a fun fiesta then I was shopping yesterday and picked up these sandals and this pair of denim to add some color into my wardrobe. Finally, I end my neon spree with a little DIY.  While I was doing some grocery shopping spotted the most adorable cacti in my local Whole Foods and knew I needed to do something easy but fun with them and their natural colors led me right back into the world of neon.

All supplies purchased at Michaels for $10. Cacti were $5 each at Whole Foods.

pick a trio of colors you love, I selected three that coordinated with the colorful cacti

tape out the area you want to paint neon
{I ran out of painters tape & had to use duct tape}

spray paint the exposed area white to help make the neon really pop

paint the dried white areas your neon colors and let dry

as you can see mine didn't come out as straight lined as they should have be - damn masking tape but I sorta dig the less perfect look!



Have a great day!

frayed

I first fell in love with the fringed look when I laid eyes on the beautiful creations made by Confetti Systems and Geronimo Balloons. However their price points can be a bit high for party decor, which is why I was thrilled to stumble upon the queen of DIY, inspiration for all things fringed and frayed in stylish party decor. Everything from balloon tassels, backdrops, cake toppers, bouquets and more, there are numerous options to use this shredded tissue in chic ways.

Are you as obsessed with this look as I am??? 

This cake is insanely gorgeous.

 

A natural looking wrap for your bouquet would be perfect for a garden wedding.

I love photo-booths, this neutral backdrop is simple yet stunning.

You know I love me some cocktail adornments. Love.

Escort card display is simple yet elegant and the tissue colors can be coordinated to match your soirees color palette. 

Package your favorite treats with these amazing favor boxes. They are perfection. 

A playful invitation suite that can be used for any occasion, especially perfect for new years!

While I am completely smitten with this twiggy design I still prefer fresh flowers as a centerpiece  I would instead use this for a dessert or gift table. 

A very unique way to fold your napkin and give your table setting an extra pop of color.

images via Martha Stewart Weddings

life's a beach

We may not have been graced with beach weather this memorial day weekend but the warmer temperatures aren't far from my mind. Ever since I saw these Tory Burch beauties in Nordstrom I have been coveting a new beach bag for long days on the seashore. I always gravitate to a classic straw tote for my beach bag and love all the new little stylish details now available on the bags below. 

one // two // three // four // five // six

A day for me at the beach means packing the essentials like a great beach blanket, a refreshing spritzer, tunes for listening, a stylish hat to shield the sun and of course a great bag to carry it all in. 

fedora // sunnies // swimsuit // evian spray // sunscreen // beach towel // iphone // headphones

// lip balm // sandals // beach tote

Hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend with your friends & family!

Memorial Day Weekend

Happy Friday friends! Hope you all had a great week and have some fun plans for the long weekend. John & I are heading back to Shelter Island with the family. It is going to be a total zoo as we are puppy watching this cutie pie and these two adorable trouble makers will also be visiting and then last but certainly not least the queen bee will be on her couch thrown lounging per usual. So that makes 10 people and 4 puppies under one roof - let the chaos begin!

When it comes to packing for a weekend home I always bring way to much and then wind up living in my beach cover up and bathing suit. I however know one outfit I will be bringing for brunch at our favorite island restaurant. The below look is easy breezy and perfect for rain or shine {just add a classic trench for wet weather}. Our weekend usually consists of a little lounging by the pool, scootering with my husband and then attending the small island parade {so small it goes around "town" twice} on Monday where we pay tribute to the people who this day is really for. 

Kate Spade Gramercy Watch // Social Anarchy Gold Hoops // Stella & Dot Bracelet // Ray Ban Aviators //  Splendid Chambray Top // Mango White Denim // J.Crew  Etta Pumps {DNS favorite} // Aerin Beachy Beige Lipstick // Graf & Lantz Clutch {more colors available} // Deborah Rhodes Placemat

  

What are y'all up too for the holiday weekend???

p.s. there will not be a weekend wear post tomorrow but check back on Monday for regular programming - have a great weekend everyone!

Check out more memorial day inspired ensembles over at Long Distance Loving!

almond joy milkshake

When it comes to sweets there is nothing my husband loves more then a frosty milkshake. So much so that we were gifted an enormous restaurant quality milkshake maker this past Christmas. Since this substantial machine takes over some significant real estate on our countertop, I thought I would put it to good use. Inspired by the almond joy flavored ham radio grooms cake {image below} that I surprised my main squeeze with on our wedding day, I thought I would create a tasty treat using the same flavors. However this time around I couldn't resist making a spiked version for a really indulgent creamy milkshake that we both could enjoy. Check out all the details below to make one for yourself!!!

Ingredients

3 scoops vanilla ice cream

1/2 cup chocolate syrup 

1 oz baileys {optional}

1 oz amaretto {optional}

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup shredded coconut

Directions

toast shredded coconut in your oven till golden brown 

blend ice cream, syrup & liquor till creamy 

{add sliced almonds & coconut for a more textur & added almond joy flavor}

pour into glass, garnish with sliced almonds & toasted coconut

soda fountain glass // napkins {on super sale} // straws 

Cheers!!!

boutique crush - Lindsay letters

I love coming across an online boutique that makes me stop in my tracks and has me giddy as I browse through their site oohing and ahhing over all the prettiness they offer. This is exactly what happened when I stumbled upon the charming Lindsay Letters shop. This site is chock full of beautiful items from prints for your home, wedding, or baby along with unique invitations, stationary and stamps. I selected a few of my favorites to share with you but do visit the shop as there is lots more to covet. 

adore this monogrammed print, would work in anything from a nursery to a gallery wall or office

this nautical canvas print would be perfection for a seaside wedding

adorn your stationary with some pretty stamps in your favorite ink colors

dying over this wedding suite, the gold & pink color combo is swoon-worthy

a darling gift for an expecting mama or mama to be

Happy Shopping!

a neon fiesta

Cindo de Mayo may have come and gone but that doesn't mean you still can't throw a colorful celebration for that special someone or for that upcoming special occasion  I personally am still smitten with the neon trend and especially love it in party decorations. The bright hues are instantly cheerful and uber festive, it just screams lets have some fun! Inspired by my for the love of etsy post I created a style board that is almost entirely available by fabulous etsy sellers. Check out all the neon goodness below and where you can purchase for your next fiesta!

tassel balloon // tassel hello banner // mini pinata // pink heart stickers // "for you" goody bags // neon napkins {more colors available} // fringe spoons // mini succulent planter // cocktail party invitation // rainbow drink pennants // colored drinking glasses // flag cake bunting 

Oh and just for fun, a little neon outfit inspiration too!

dress // sandals {own & love} // bracelet // clutch // earrings 

Want more neon party inspiration, check out some pretty over on pinterest!

Bombshell

I was literally stopped in my tracks when I saw Kate Upton on the cover of Vogue this month. This American beauty first stood out to me when she graced the cover of Sports Illustrated and the fact that so many critics said she was a "heavier" then some other SI models of the past left me flabergasted. This clearly infuriated me as this was the furthest thing from the truth. What I saw was an all american bombshell who resembled another style icon of the past. Then Vogue got their pretty little hands on her and created a stunning photo-shoot with incredible fashion and the correct heading. While she wears some of my favorite designers in this issue like Matthew Williamson, Stella McCartney, Givenchy and so on. I thought I would create some looks inspired by the shoot to help recreate this fabulous style without going bankrupt. 

cardigan // shorts // sunnies // bangle // sandals

sunnies // tote // sandals // tank // skirt // jacket // watch // bracelet

glasses // blouse // shorts

dress // earrings // ring // dress

sandals // swimwear // lipstick