Favorite Spring/Summer Casual Styles

I've always been a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. I love wearing simple, versatile pieces and dressing them up with fun accessories that bring the entire outfit together. Being in a city where you do a lot of walking on a daily basis (whether it be going down to one of the local markets, window shopping on Union Street or over to AT&T Park for a Giants game), having a comfortable yet stylish outfit is key for me. With that in mind, here are some of the casual styles I'm currently loving, worn by a few of my favorite fashion bloggers.

Layered with a Denim Vest

A denim vest is a closet staple for spring and summer that never goes out of style, and what I love most about it is that it can be worn with pretty much anything for a chic and casual layered look. I could definitely see myself wearing this outfit for casual Fridays in the office.

{Credit: photo courtesy of Crystalin of In the City with Crystalin Blog}

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Maxi with a Cap-Sleeve Tee

The maxi skirt is another piece that every woman should have in her closet.  I find them so comfortable to wear, and they can either be dressed up or down for a more relaxed look. They can also be worn in cooler weather (i.e. San Francisco year round) by adding a cardigan or a light jacket, which is a big plus for me.

{Credit: photo courtesy of Cara of A Fashion Affair Blog}

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Floral Romper with a Blazer or Cardigan

I really love the look of a cute floral romper paired with a blazer or a cardigan and a nice pair of wedge sandals or flats.  Rompers scream femininity and are perfect to wear for a date night or for a casual backyard barbecue.

{Credit: photo courtesy of Sarah of Lipstick and Ruffles Blog}

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Cutoffs with a Half Tucked Top

What can be more comfortable to wear than a classic pair of cutoff demin shorts with a cute loose-fitting top? Whether going out for brunch or running errands on a Saturday afternoon, denim cutoffs are the way to go. Why have one pair, when you can have two or three in a variety of colors. 

   

{Credit: left photo courtesy of Megan of Donatila Rose Blog; right  photo courtesy of Katie of Running on Happiness Blog}

                             

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What are your favorite casual styles for spring and summer? Thanks to all of my favorite fashionistas for allowing me to include their outfits in this post. I hope everyone's post holiday week is off to a great start!

Guest Blog: Totally Terrific Stand Alone Tubs with Joanna of Design Shuffle

Hi readers! Sorry I have been on such a long hiatus from my blog. With a recent job relocation from the East Coast across the country to the hilly city by The Bay, San Francisco, I have been one extremely busy woman! Anyway, when Kristen Crosby of Design Shuffle contacted me a few months back about doing a guest blog for Urban Sprinkle, I welcomed the opportunity. Design Shuffle is an awesome interior design website and blog, providing a platform for design professionals to market their portfolios and to interact with others on all things interior design. Here is Joanna's post, created especially for Urban Sprinkle on stand alone tubs, something which we all love:


Hi! I’m Joanna, a writer for Design Shuffle, the best spot on the web for interior designers to share their work and design enthusiasts to gather lots of home decorating ideas. Today, like all of my other days, I’ve spent my morning gathering some of the most appealing images of interior designs from the web. The fun part is sharing them with readers like you. Thanks a bunch to Urban Sprinkle for letting me share.

A nice, hot bath in a lovely bathroom is a wonderful experience, especially in a pretty stand alone tub. With a few bubbles, some scented soap and candles added, you've got a perfect bathing experience. Today, I’m sharing with you some of my favorite tubs in a rainbow of colors. Which do you like best?

                               

                       This colorful claw foot tub looks very Zen in a turquoise and crisp white setting. The silver feet

                       are a nice touch.

                              

                             I don’t know about you, but I would love soaking in a pink and white tub full of bubbles.

                             

This sophisticated clawfoot in black is perfect for a masculine bathing experience. Love the little mantel above the alcove.

                             

Oh my! What’s not to love about this bathroom/dressing room combination? With so many decorating ideas, it's hard to choose a favorite, but that cowhide does look lovely with the white tub.

                             

    How romantic this red tub feels in a Chinoiserie space. The chunky feet are so cute in this bathroom design.

                             

 A hot pink tub adds lots of color in this pale blue and white bath. The shower curtains offer the bather     

 privacy.

                             

This ethereal bathroom is romantic and feminine. I love the tub in the middle of the room. This room conjures all kinds of interior design ideas.

                           
A light filled bathroom is a lovely spot for bathing in a cream cast iron tub. The feet on this one are a sophisticated alternative to the traditional claw foot. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Do you like stand alone tubs or do you prefer showers? Don't forget to check out Design Shuffle to find great inspiration from Boston interior designers, San Francisco interior designers and many others!

Thanks again to Joanna at Design Shuffle for this fantastic post on stand alone tubs!

DIY Inspiration: Amy & Chad's Kitchen Redeaux

It's a new year, and I'm feeling extra motivated to get moving on home improvement projects that I  

started last year (and years prior) and never quite completed. To me, there is nothing more satisfying

than seeing the fruition of things that were at one time only an idea.

Several months ago, I stumbled across Amy and Chad's DIY kitchen remodel on Apartment Therapy

and was completely enamored with their newly redesigned kitchen. It quickly became the inspiration for

my own kitchen remodel.

I love all of the red accent pieces, adding bright pops of color in their kitchen. The mint green walls are a nice contrast against the red. The bamboo roman shades and butcher block counter tops were also a great choice to add a natural element to their kitchen.

A cozy work space near the kitchen, which also carries over the mint and red theme.

{Credit: All photos are courtesy of Amy and Chad @ Triangle Honeymoon}

They made such subtle changes that really spruced up their already decent looking kitchen and better yet, without spending a ton of money. See links above for more before and after pictures of their remodel. Pictures from my own DIY kitchen makeover will be featured in an upcoming post. Stay tuned....

All That Glitters: New Year's Eve

What I love most about New Year's Eve is that it gives me an excuse to get all dressed up and of course, to party like a rock star. Here are some of my picks to party the night away:

1) One Shoulder Dress - Dorothy Perkins, $29; Purple and Gold Open Toe Heels - Shiekh Shoes, $29.97; Sequined Flap Clutch - DSW, $36.95
2) Champagne Service Dress - Mod Cloth, $54.99; Peeptoe Slingbacks - AmiClubWear, $26.99; Bronze Sequin Clutch - Lori's Shoes, $32.95
3) Karen Sequin Dress - Alloy, $49.90; Farah Gold Metallic Pumps - Heels.com, $85.49; Lulu Townsend Embellished Clutch - DSW, $29.95
4) Black Cocktail Dress - Sung Boutique LA, $88; Faux Black Suede and Gold Sandals - Shiekh Shoes, $12.97;Rosendo Clutch - Aldo Shoes, $35
5) Black and Silver Sparkle Shift Dress - Dorothy Perkins, $79; Michael Antonio Women's Linney Pump -  Endless, $36.99; Le Regale Satin Rhine Ornament Clutch - Sears, $19.60
6) Grecian Glam Dress - Adabelle's, $54; Fioni Women's Platform Luster Sandal - Payless, $34.99; Le Regale Beaded Sequined Clutch - Sears, $21

Christmas Wish List

A Headband Organizer to keep all of my headbands in one place.

{Credit: photo courtesy of  Sunny Tuesday}

Cuisinart ICE21 Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream and Sorbet Maker

 (Yeah, I know it's the middle of winter,but I ave a serious addiction to frozen yogurt.) 

{Credit: via Amazon}

          It has great customer reviews, seems easy to use, is relatively inexpensive at $49.95 and

                 comes in my favorite color (added bonus). I am SOLD!

       Sony 32" 3D Sound Bar System

{Credit: via Sony}

       Theater sound without the bulk of a traditional home theater system; what's not to love...

Anne of Green Gables Trilogy Box Set

                                                                                                                                      

{Credit: via Amazon}

   Who can forget the love affair of Anne and Gilbert? This is my all-time favorite

 movie series, and I never get tired of watching it.

Black Cropped Trousers

{Credit: via H&M}

A polished look for work..plus, a steal of a deal at $14.95

Beige Blue Party Heels 

{Credit: via Kvoll Fashion}

These heels are a big hit on my Pinterest board and with good reason. They are perfection! 

So readers, what's on your Christmas wish list?

* Christmas stocking clipart via Webweaver

DIY Stamp Picture Collage

Ever since I was a little girl, my mother started collecting stamps for me. As I got older, I continued to save them myself  and before I knew it, I had a pretty extensive collection. When I saw this stamp picture in the West Elm catalog, it gave me the idea to do something similar to display some of my favorite stamps.

 (Credit: West Elm spring 2011 catalog)

A few months ago, I found this really inexpensive picture frame at Wal-Mart that cost me no more than $9 at the time. I knew this frame would be perfect for my stamp picture collage.

                                                 

First, I took all of the glass pieces out of the frame and traced around them on some sketch paper that I already had at home.

I then arranged all of the stamps I wanted to display in my collage on two of the pieces of cut sketch paper before using a clear glue stick to paste them.  For the center piece of my frame, I decided to display a collection of buttons, which I also accumulated over the years. Once they were arranged, I used a glue gun to glue them to the paper. For the other two frames, I used a picture which was given to me as a gift long ago (luckily,it fit like a glove) and an old post card I received, which I could not bring myself to part with since I am a lover of art.

and voilà... here is my version of the stamp picture

Fall Essentials - 20 under $20

Let's face it - times are tough and everyone likes to find a good bargain, especially when it comes to fashion. After getting some good (and much needed) feedback from friends, I decided it was time to do a budget friendly fashion post with fall pieces that are cute, but won't break the bank. That being said, here are some of my favorite finds:

1) Small Colorblocked Handbag, Forever 21, $19.80

2) Pom Pom Cable Knit Leg Warmers,Nordstorm, $14.00
3) OPI Gold Shatter Nail Polish, Amazon, $4.35
4) Sherpa Fold Over Boot, wet seal, $19.90
5) Colorful Zig Zag Scarf, Charlotte Russe, $5.99
6) Wrap-Around Pleather Watch, Charlotte Russe, $13.50
7) Button Up Plaid Top, Styles for Less, $14.99
8) Polar Fleece Self Tie Coat, Styles for Less, $19.99
9) YMI CharcoalWash Skinny Jeans, 15 Dollar Store, $15.00
10) Woven Tri-Color Belt,Forever 21, $5.80
11) D&Y Crochet Flower Headwrap,Von Maur, $18.00
12) Mossimo Supply Co. Perfect Sweater Dress, Target,$19.99
13) ALMOST FAMOUS Fairisle Womens Poncho, Tillys,$17.97
14) BKE Sole Savana Shoe, Buckle, $16.47
15) BCBGeneration Party Animal Owl Ring, Zappos, $17.99
16) Button Pleated Round Toe Pump, Urbanog, $18.50 (use code 17NOV at checkout for an additional 25% off)
17) Faceted Beaded Bracelet, Forever 21, $7.80
18) Metal Hoop Beaded Earrings, H&M, $5.95
19) Cable Channel Necklace, Mod Cloth, $9.99
20) Green Square Lock Wristlet/Clutch, Dorothy Perkins, $11.00

Now, I am going to finish my lazy Sunday with the Anne of Green Gables moviethon on GPB. Toodles everyone! Enjoy what's left of the weekend.