busygirl

look book: showered with love

  

 dress - forever 21, tights - new york & company, flats (not pictured) - target

I went shopping for the first time since Christmas!  I know, you're amazed at my self-restraint.  But I did let myself peruse the mall the other weekend and came home with this lovely Sunday Morning dress, from Forever 21 of all places.  I haven't even stopped in there for a while, but figured it was worth a quick look.  And while I'm trying to not buy any clothes in 2011 (gasp), I couldn't help but snag this for a mere $13.50! 

It's the perfect mix of winter and spring with the floral print on a black background.  Paired with tights in a snowstorm.  And easy to wear in the summer with sandals.  I figured it was worth the small investment.  And it was my pick to wear to the lovely bridal tea we threw for my FSIL this past Sunday. 

wordless wednesday: uncle-jungle-gym

love is brewing.

Sunday we held a bridal shower for my future-sister-in-law.  It was simply lovely, an afternoon tea with an impressive spread of vegetarian nibbles.  The food was divine, the conversation was sweet and the bride was glowing.

 
 
 
 
 
 

in full bloom.

Gorgeous aren't they?  Hubby did awesome in the flower picking department.

 
I was so lucky to have these greeting me this morning, since things did not get off to a great start.

My car died.  Sob.

Seriously.  Is it just me or does everyone else think I'm unlucky when it comes to cars?  I went out to start him up (yes, my car is a boy, still nameless though) and was met with rurr ruurrr silence.  Go ahead, make fun.  But do you know how to spell the whiny sound the car makes?

After dragging Adam away from his slumber, I stood idly by as he hooked up the jumper cables and made smart comments such as: I hope you don't blow up my car.

Fail.

It wouldn't jump.  So my poor husband who was planning on going into late today had to hop in the shower and hightail it out of there so he could drive me to work.

But beautiful lilies brightened my day this morning.  And it's 60 degrees outside.  In February.  In Cleveland.  I know it's a fluke but let's enjoy the moment while it lasts.

peonies and springtime.

Have you ever been completely and utterly envious of someone's life?  Like the fact that they get to flit around the world seeing amazing and beautiful things?  It's so hard not to love them for it though when they bring such beautiful photographs back to share with you.

Sigh, everytime I look at Sarah's photographs I just want to be whisked away to Switzerland, Germany, Prague or even Panama.  How gorgeous!

  

I'm coveting that print of the peonies from Switzerland, it reminds me of springtime.  I think that one will end up on my birthday list.  And that I should spend some time scouring expedia for flight deals.  I think it's almost vacation time again.  Where to this time?  Switzerland to see our friends?  Spain to reminisce?  Prague for something completely different?

 
Love travel prints?  Stop by at Sarah Tucker Travel Photography :)  Everything is 15% off when you use the code FEBRUARY.

Or head over to Sogni e Sorrisi where Connie is giving away one of Sarah's prints!!

quickie photo edits.

For all my more serious, need-to-be-professional-looking photo shoots, I use Lightroom 3.0 (godsend) for all editing, organizing, creating art out of nothing.  But for everyday stuff, like most of the photos you'll see on this blog and anywhere else I guest post/contribute, it all lies in the magic of Picnik.

A free online service that optimizes your photos for the web and allows you to make the normal, everyday edits such as resizing, removing red eye, changing exposure settings, adding vignettes and playing which some sweet effects:

 

Plus you can add those coveted watermarks...that I'm phasing out because it just bothers me that it disrupts my everyday photos.  For the serious stuff it's a must, but really, who is going to 'steal' this picture?

 

Oh you were?  Was it going in your DIY handbook of how not to fix a dishwasher?  I expect a cut of the profits.

So there's my quick (and mostly free) secret to how I quickly take photos from camera to web.  The only downside to Picnik is that it isn't actually a photo-hosting site, so you can only access your last 100 uploads, but that's what my eight gazillion usb drives are for right?  Or am I the only one who's too lazy to consolidate everything onto our external drive.  Add that to the snowday to-do list.

Just as an FYI, this is not a compensated review in any sorts for Picnik, I just use the site regularly and thought others might want to use it too.  Plus I really like making myself look weird in photos using their effects.  Heatmap is not my best look, why does my nose have so much heat?  Must be this dang cold.

look book: red all over

Every week I post an outfit I wore over at All Things Chic along with the other contributors, but I thought I might post my outfit here as well from now on...kind of a record of random outfits throughout the year.  Or my own personal attempt to prove to myself that I do wear the same stuff over and over again, maybe I should spend some time cleaning my closet out?

 
 cardigan - old navy, dress - target, tights - new york & company, booties (not pictured) - charlotte russe

I felt blah since I'm coming down with a cold.  I felt dreary because well, it's winter in Cleveland.  Dreary is the norm.  I felt frustrated because my hair would neither straighten nor curl, but rather formed some sort of limp, wavy mess on my head.  And so you have it.  The colors, the tights, the braided hair.  But it was Valentine's Day and in an effort to get into the spirit without looking all rah-rah-look-at-me-I'm-wearing-red, I painted my nails cherry red and swiped on my favorite bright NARS lips.

Bright lips do make everything better.  I smiled every time I saw myself in the mirror.  There's something so theraputic about a splash of color on a muted background.

Too bad hubby wasn't around so I could leave bright red kiss marks on his cheeks! ::snicker::

lilies, day two.

Coming to life and starting to bloom.

 
Even their green, green leaves are pretty.  Life in the middle of winter, does it get any sweeter?

hearts and chocolate.

Since Adam wasn't going to be here for Hearts Day, I decided we'd celebrate a little early instead.  So on Saturday while he was out shoveling the last of snow, I quickly made one his favorite meals: homemade spaghetti and meatballs (a la lady and the tramp).  And of course threw some Texas Toast in the oven because the homemade kind never tastes as good as the frozen stuff.

And no romantic dinner is complete without champagne.  But my spur-of-the-moment plan didn't include a trip to the grocery store so I ended up raiding our wine rack instead.

   

 

And for dessert?  I recreated one of Adam's favorites from our honeymoon: chocolate molten lava cake.  Or as he calls it, 'the chocolate factory'.

Gooey and rich, it was the perfect finale to our impromptu Valentine's Day meal.

It might be untraditional, but a cozy valentine's day is just as good as a fancy night out.  And as for my Feb 14th?  Well, I spent it curled up in bed, with a glass of wine and a good book.  Absolute bliss.

not for the light of stomach.

We saw Sanctum this weekend.  Gulp.

Allow me to back up a moment and let you in on a secret.  Hubs and I have NEVER been to a movie together.  No joke.  Six and half years.  No movie.  Apparently we are the weirdest of the weird for this streak.

So we broke it.  And went to experience the hype of 3D with our friends Lauren and Joe.  The trailer for the movie looked decent, and although it was an obvious plot, we figured the 3D special effects might make this a blockbuster.  Not to mention it's a James Cameron film, that's usually a promising point.

But first things first, you get to wear these stellar glasses.  Be jealous, you know you want them.

Second.  If you have ever, ever, EVER felt like you might be the tiniest bit claustrophobic, do not go see this movie.  My head was spinning.  They're trapped.  In this cave.  Underwater.  With no air.  Oh, and the way out involves swimming through tunnels that no human could possibly fit through, but they do.

As for the 3D aspect, it certainly added to the movie, but wasn't as ah-mazing as I was expecting.  I'd spring for another one though, just to give it another go.

And we can't look past the fact that Adam actually sat through a whole movie.  Without getting up.  Another everyday miracle.

Anyone else get sick watching this movie?  Or an I the only wimp with a weak stomach?