Lazy Long Weekends

Sunday, May 29, 2011

I hope you are all having a great weekend! To my American readers, I hope you are enjoying an extra day off this long weekend however you choose to spend it. I've been filling this past week with lots of new sights here in NYC. So, this weekend I'm giving hubby some time and space to clean out his apartment here, do some laundry and also help him put some items in storage. It will be a  pretty mellow Memorial Day weekend in the big city for us. How about you?

Here's how I typically spend a long weekend.....


{A bike ride in a quaint town or along the beach.}


{a picnic in the park filled with our favorite yummies & a good book or magazine}


{Trying a new recipe or just enjoying some sweet treats.}


{A weekend at a cottage or lake house.}


{Quietly reflecting and daydreaming as the waves crash around me.}



I hope you have a restful and rejuvenating weekend surrounded by those you care about the most!




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9 Months Down, 9 More to go!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Hello Lovelies! Sorry for my absence, no sooner do I find myself excited to be blogging again after some time away, I have to pack up and jet set to another city for a while. These plans weren't part of the program a few months ago but I'm embracing the spontaneity nonetheless. I thought I'd share a little update with you since some of you have e-mailed me with questions about where I've been and how Paul and I are doing.

Recently, I took a week off to visit family in California and then attended a beautiful wedding after finding out about it just a few weeks before, the happy couple didn't want to waste any time in planning an elaborate wedding and I was happy to be a part of their day.

Before coming home from California I started to get a really scratchy throat which the recycled airplane air just perpetuated. With the dry air, many late nights and the timezone change, upon arriving back to Orlando I had a full blown cold on my hands at the precise time that several new staging and design clients were starting to contact me. Thankfully they were willing to work with my present crazy schedule. As for my cold, it was winning up until yesterday when my homeopathic remedy called 'Coldcalm' as well as my extreme raw garlic intake and loads apple cider vinegar and honey finally started to fight back, I still have a ways to go though.

I was finally able to work on some designs plans and get all of my laundry ready and am starting to pack for yet another trip, this time to see my hubby in NYC! This will be my first visit there since he began his Master's program at NYU 9 months ago. Do you remember back when I wrote this post about this new chapter in our life? That first full year of school just seemed so far down the road that today I can't believe it's over, on May.11th Paul handed in his final assignment and his first full year officially ended, only 9-12 more months to go!



In March hubby started entertaining the idea of summer classes to speed up his graduating time frame. I'll admit it was really stressful and difficult for me to even think about because he had promised to come back home for those 3 months in the summer so we could reconnect and spend more than 2 weeks at a time together. I know how hard he's worked to get to where he is today but I started to feel as though the distance was too much for our marriage. We've gone though so much together these past 9 months including planning for some home improvement work to be done to our home while at a distance. We were starting to become disconnected seeing each other every two months so I proposed to move to NYC for the summer if he went ahead with the classes and he was excited about the idea.

For the past month I've been thinking about the move and we've looked at furnished apartments together online in the city that we can afford. I also love the idea that I would be a very short flight or even a drive away from family and friends in Toronto too. Hubby told me he's still waiting to hear whether he'll get approved for financial aid during those summer months. We both decided that if he does, I'll be moving north to experience life in the big apple and if he doesn't, he'll be flying home for a couple months which isn't a bad thing because it's our least expensive option. He'll be spending next month in Vietnam where he'll complete one of his classes that he's already begun to make his course load easier next year. Either way, the plan is to spend the summer together and I'm very excited about it! Again, if I'm slow on the e-mail responses or you don't see me popping by your blog for a bit, that's why.

That is what's been happening around here for me. What new changes have been happening where you are? Is anyone else currently in a long distance relationship?




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Be an Original

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Aren't some of the most intriguing people you know the ones who do things just a little bit different? Fear of what others might think or how they may judge us often keeps us from living in the fullness of who we were truly created to be. It's the little quirks, habits, passions and skills that make you uniquely you. So why not embrace them all and forget about other people's opinions?


"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day,
to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle
which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting."

~ E.E. Cummings

When I think of my favorite blogs and the bloggers who write them, it's their originality, creativity and how they are unlike any other that keeps me going back for more. It's our authenticity that attracts others to us.




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Weekend & Weddings

Saturday, May 7, 2011

I hope the weather is just as amazing where you are as it has been here. Today was stunning! I'm told tomorrow is going to be a steam bath of a day for Mother's Day so I've just been soaking up the sunshine and cool evening breeze until then. It was the perfect day for a wedding! A friend of mine got married today and I celebrated with her as she said "I Do" and  married the man of her dreams.

On this same day 5 years ago, I took an exciting and new step in my life also. I said "yes" to spending forever with my hubby.  During the wedding ceremony I was reminiscing about that day and our own wedding day and am still amazed at how fast time flies by.

I have another wedding to attend this coming week which is out of state so I'll be away from the blogging scene and taking some time off. If I don't respond to your e-mails or comments right away, that's why.  :)

I want to wish every mom a very Happy Mother's Day tomorrow!

What to Wear: Elegance isn't about Excess

Monday, May 2, 2011

When it comes to the many attributes that our appearance is comprised of, less is truly more. The classy woman understands that elegance isn't about excess. In fact 'more' or too much of anything usually equates to tackiness and often an overall sloppy look. Last week we discussed perfume etiquette and how fragrance can overwhelm others in a way that detracts from your overall appearance.

Today we'll be discussing clothing, accessories and makeup.

4 Appearance Areas to Consider

1. Jewelry- When it comes to the finishing details, there is nothing lovelier than seeing one beautiful statement piece like a necklace, cocktail ring or a beautiful scarf to polish off an outfit. A woman should never appear as though she's wearing the entire contents of her jewelry box at one time with rings on every finger, you don't know where to look first. When in doubt stick to one statement piece and let the other accessories be present but blend in and complement the overall outfit without being too prominent. For some, it may be your engagement ring and/or wedding band. If you choose to wear a cocktail ring, you don't want it to compete with your engagement ring/set so it's best to wear any fashion rings on your left hand and leave the valuables at home.

2. Makeup-When it comes to makeup, it is meant to be a tool to enhance your existing natural beauty. An excess of makeup can look thick, caked on and anything but natural. Opt for spending your time and money on proper skincare, this way you'll spend less time covering up your skin and more time letting it shine with a hint of color here and there to create a natural glow. Be careful to only play up one particular feature. If you want to wear a red lip, go easy on the eye makeup. Likewise, if you plan to make your eyes pop and be the star of the show for a night on the town, you'll want to go a bit more neutral or nude for the lip, keep blush light also.



3. Accessories-Similar to jewelry, when it comes to accessories, it's best to only have one statement accessory. It could be a beautiful pair of red pumps, in which case, competing colors and even patterns should be kept to a minimum. A gorgeous hat will really stand out if everything else you are carrying is minimized. If you like to keep your accessories minimal most of the time or for a daytime look, make the star of the show one really awesome investment handbag that you love that can take you almost anywhere. Your keyring is also an accessory, there is nothing more juvenile looking than a key ring of a couple keys taken over by charms and dangly things as if one were in a Vegas casino.

Hair is also an accessory, be sure to keep it neat, soft and well cared for. Shades close to your natural hair color are best. Going platinum blond when you're a dark brunette may be a fun adventure but it can be excessive and appear too artificial and is hard to pull off if you want to be taken seriously.

4. Clothing- Some people overdose on a good thing. A top with ruffles and a pair of shoes that pick up on the same element can be very pretty, but having head-to-toe ruffles is nearly impossible to pull off and would look too over the top. Patterns should be kept to a minimum. If you are wearing a dress that is in a busy pattern or floral, everything else needs to be neutral and very minimal as to not compete with the dress. Layering works best when you use solids so everything doesn't appear so bulky.

*A word on labels. We all have brands we prefer over others, we just don't need to be a slave to these brands wearing many items all in one moment, otherwise you'll appear as a walking billboard instead of a polished professional. Classy women invest in quality basics that don't have brands or logos advertised all over them.

Do you have a new statement piece or clothing item that you are excited about right now? Please share!

I also wanted to announce the winner of the $20 worth of Pear Tree Greetings' goodies, it's Kelly of the blog 'I'll be back' . Congratulations! I'll be in touch shortly with the details. You're going to love their stationery! :)



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