Merry Christmas

I LOVE this old style santa :) I just couldn't resist

and the font? also obsessed

you can get it here: Santa's Sleigh Font Download

Happy Holidays everyone!!

I spent this past week in Winter Park, Colorado

which just so happens to be one of my favorite places in the world.

fat flakes of snow were falling

and it was that perfect crisp-cold. HEAVEN.

I stayed at the ski-in ski-out, Iron Horse Inn this time.

it's a great place to stay if you ever find yourself in Winter Park :)

one of the nights, I went to Sombrero Stables at the YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch.

it was GORGEOUS.

I went on a horse-drawn sleigh ride with my family,

followed by a little steak dinner.

the sleigh ride was amazing.

there's no better way to get into the holiday spirit than hearing bells jingle on the giant friesian draft horses pulling your sleigh through mountain snow.

I highly recommend the ride to anyone and everyone.

be sure to dress warm!!

Wise Words

found this quote nestled deep in the web

I couldn't help but share.

I love snowflakes :)

QUOTES

Frosty the Snowman Costume

being a part of a sorority, you learn a lot. gain a lot of skills, if you will.

one of those skills:

the ability to throw together the most random yet amazing costumes out of nothing in less than a weeks notice. 

meet frosty:

yes, that man lurking in the back is dressed as a present ...
trooper ay?

the frosty costume was a big hit at my sorority's latest themed party.

a lot of my friends at other schools were obsessed with the costume too, 

and when I started seeing pictures pop up of them ripping off my costume, 

one thought crossed my mind:

if you're gonna do it wrong, do it right.

don't rip off my costume in a mediocre fashion?! go big or go home!!

so here is my next how-to ...

DIY cute frosty the snowman costume

most of it is pretty self-explanatory.

the only part I've been asked about A LOT is the hat.

how to make the hat:

we lucked out and found glittered, foam, drink cozies at Michaels

but we also made one hat out of the glitter foam sheets as well.

if you can't find a cozy, get an extra sheet of plain foam

just cut a strip as wide as you want your hat tall,

roll it, glue it, top it with an appropriately sized circle.

for the rim of the hat we cut a large circle out of the glittered foam.

glue the hat cylinder on top, and BAM

the base of it was sticky so we covered it with black glitter,

that took care of the stick.

then we just cut some poinsettias off of fake stems, hot glued them in, done.

I absolutely loved our costumes and they were definitely a hit at the event.

maybe this will inspire your attire at your next holiday party,

because let's be honest,

sexy santa is just getting old ...

Happy Holidays

the Christmas cards are starting to arrive in the mail

and I always see these adorable family pictures of everyone ...

#swag

yeah, my family isn't really about that.

Sooo, Happy Holidays from us :)

Etsy Finds: Winter Wonderland

I have always been obsessed with snowflakes,

and when I tried to pick my etsy favorite, it was kind of overwhelming

soooo here are 12 :) Enjoy!!

1. snowflake tie tack 2. modern snowflake ornaments 3. custom initial snowflake necklace 4. letterpress holiday card 5. mini snowflake necklace 6. eatable rice paper snowflake 7. baby snowflake bow tie 8. let it snow necklace 9. set of 5 snowflake necklaces 10. pearl and monogram snowflake necklace 11.engraved snowflake necklace 12. snowflake cupcake toppers

Etsy Find: Nature Favors

Another fun Etsy find :)

Nature Favors

This fun little shop is full of adorable green gifts and favors.

They are so cute

and I just had to share.

check out the shop HERE.

There were too many precious things to share them all!

New Artist Alert: Timeflies Tuesday Wayward Son

I was totally paying attention in class when I came across this video.

YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT.

Why isn't this guy famous??

I'm a huge fan. Happy weekend everyone :)

Wise Words - Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

I love Thanksgiving time.

I love my sorority sister's Facebook statuses even more.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone :)

I love you Oliver

So this is not my usual posting content ... 

but it was a must.

My favorite cat in the whole world passed away yesterday :(

I am so sad.

It was definitely his time, but it is still so hard losing a pet.

He was so fat and cuddly and quite frankly non-cat-like.

He will be missed.

RIP Oliver

I'm Back

Forgive me ... I have done the unthinkable:

disappeared from the blogging world this semester.

I'm so sorry, but I'm back!!

And this time I'm packin ... I have been bookmarking and saving like crazy and have so much to share I don't even know where to begin. 

I'll start with this new shot from the boss man:

Cary LaCouture.

I'll even add in a cute little poem out of guilt :)

ENJOY!

Yellow: 

The color of happiness, 

wisdom and imagination, 

Yellow is chosen 

by the mentally adventurous, 

searching for novelty 

and self-fulfillment. 

Yellow usually goes with 

a sunny and shrewd personality, 

with a good business head and a 

strong sense of humor. 

It is the color of intellectuality 

and all things to do with the mind. 

Yellow folks are usually clear and precise thinkers

 who have a good opinion of their own mental capacities 

and who have lofty ideals. 

They may at times tend to shun responsibility, 

preferring freedom of thought and action.

Remember me??

Yeahhh, I know ... I've been bad lately.

Can you blame me??

Vista Del Sol, Tempe Arizona.

aka my apartment pool ... 

I know what you're thinking ... 

that is college?!

Yes, yes ... this is what happens when you go to ASU.

But before you say I don't deserve it, 

remember that I moved all of my stuff inside in 111 degree heat.

That's where I've been ...

Moving, getting settled, starting class.

As of Lately

Sooo, my life has been absolutely consumed lately ...

I know, I know, that's no excuse to disappear from the blogosphere. 

Forgive me.

Work, weddings and the last few beloved weeks at home before school.

Who wouldn't love living HERE?!

But I will make it up to you all.

I will share the most amazing blog with you ...

it doesn't make stupid jokes 

or write a lot of wanna-be-funny stories ...

just photography.

BEAUTIFUL photography.

Three times a week ... Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

You say oooh ahhh and you're done. Inspired.

LaCouture Photography.

Check it out ... it's worth it :)

See you Monday!! I have a very special wedding to attend!!

Summer Salad Recipe

I love salads ...

especially in the summer.

Loving salads is a magical thing you see.

Or it would be, if I didn't also love chocolate. 

RECIPES

Wedding Ornament

I recently went to a beautiful wedding,

and well, the invitations were about as nice as the event :)

I saw this craft and HAD to make it for my newly-wed friends.

It isn't hard at all and is SUCH a cute gift.

It is a wedding invitation ornament :)

All you'll need is the invitation you wish to use,

a clear ornament

some crystals or crystal beads (optional)

some ribbon or a bow (I used the one from their wedding)

and a couple charms (optional)

Start by cutting each line in the invitation into separate strips.

I chose to cut out the graphic detail as well.

Curl the strips around a pencil so they look like this!

You'll need some finishings. I chose crystal beads,

and for the bow - I actually took one off my napkin from the reception.

That just adds another nice piece of their wedding to the ornament.

Using hot glue, cleanly glue sparkle to some of the strips.

This way it will catch the light when hanging.

I chose strips that were either entirely word free with graphic detail or I framed important lines like the names and dates!

Once they are all blinged up, put the strips into the empty clear ornament. 

You can finish the ornament with charms!

I LOVE this project.

I think it makes for an adorable gift.

Such a great way to remember a special day

and a great use of an old invitation!!

Christian Dior and Greece

I really want to go back to Greece.

And that's all I can think about today.

The End.

ETSY FIND: Magnolija Dress

Today I came across the handmade dress and bridal accessory shop

MAGNOLIJA DRESS.

I fell in love with this lavender bow dress,

which just so happens to be on sale right HERE.

Check out the shop, it's a good one!

Wood Crate Designs

I LOVE the super traditional,

and the super non-traditional. 

Lately I'm obsessed with crate furniture.

It is just the greatest idea ...

perfectly rustic, affordable, and (when made correctly) cute!!

Crates can be picked up for almost nothing.

A little sanding and designing and you have yourself a piece!

I plan on making one of these soon,

when I do ... I'll post the DIY. 

If you make any crate furniture, please share!! :)

Weddings Are So Happy

Today I am going to my lifelong neighbor Lauren's wedding.

Look how beautiful she is :) 

I can't even wait!!

And how great are these engagement photos??

Check out the photographer:

Kathryn Bacalis.

HAPPY WEDDING DAY LAUREN :)

I LOVE MY ...

I love to cook!!

Ok, that's not completely true.

I love to design. And create things. 

Cooking is creating something.

I would like to cook a lot more if I didn't have to clean afterwards, ya know?

But I LOVE to bake. 

Baking is designing.

Sometimes I pretend I'm a professional frosting artist :)

HA ... like I did this? Seriously??

I'm not THAT good ... this was my birthday cake last year!

Anyways ... 

Cook or not, I love recipe books. Cute little stashes of future and past meals.

I'm one of those losers who has a trillion recipe books, and still rarely cooks.

Oh well.

Today, one of the blogs I follow - How About Orange

shared some downloadable recipe cards with the world.

(if you like cute downloads, it's a great blog to check out).

The recipe cards are ADORABLE.

I already printed them all ... yes, ALL.

You can get the pdf files for yourself HERE.

Enjoy!! Feel inspired!! Go cook!!

(hopefully my boyfriend doesn't see this ...)

Wise Words

QUOTES

17 Inch Heart

Today I am guest posting on my dear friend Hannah's blog.

CHECK IT OUT! :)

Radiant Reds

Finally home from the mountains.

It has been fun ... kind of ...

I have a pair of adorable red heels

which I can't wear for 6 weeks

(worst part about knee surgery ... seriously)

but in the mean time, 

I can still obsess over red :)

Elie Saab Dress

Cary LaCouture Photography

At work I came across this flower photo,

and I immediately thought of the dress pic I had saved from before. 

High fashion meet nature ...

BEAUTIFUL!!

Etsy Find: LuxeMutt

One of my biggest and only pet peeves:

when people dress up their pets.

Your poor dog HATES that ok? 

Unless it is completely necessary for the pets well-being, 

like they are a poor little naked puppy who needs a sweater to survive the cold ...

PLEASE don't dress up your pets.

On that note ... a cute collar is ok :)

LuxeMutt on Etsy has some adorable pet accessories.

My personal favorite ...

these leather bow collars. I love the canary yellow and the baby blue.

You can find the shop HERE.

Need a pet to put this adorable stuff on?

Adopt a great dane!!

(sorry, I'm obsessed with the gentle giants)

Rocky Mountain Great Dane is a wonderful place to look if you're in the region.

A lot of rescues have the reputation of giving out damaged pets 

but RM Great Dane places a lot of pets that just need a new home. 

Since Great Danes are just so big, 

some people have to move, and can't keep them,

or have kids that the size endangers,

or maybe are too old to handle the leash themselves.

They are still great dogs.

Whatever kind of pet you may want

CHECK OUT A RESCUE.

Save a poor little furry friend.

Then get them this collar :)

Photo of the Day from Vail, Colorado

Vail, Colorado:

the winter brings you here

the summer keeps you here

4th of July in Vail, Colorado

I had a great 4th of July in Vail, Colorado!

The morning parade is fun; I would definitely recommend it.

It's a little random, but what the heck.

I love parades.

They remind me of being little ...

when you only liked the floats that threw a lot of candy :) 

The most pleasant part of the 4th of July in Vail was the fireworks.

The show was a good ten minutes long, and a lot bigger than I expected. 

Very worth while.

We watched from the Lord Gore restaurant.

I try to keep my reviews positive,

but I have to be honest:

I didn't love Lord Gore.

If you know what to expect, I'm sure you could have a nice meal there,

but I was a little disappointed.

The restaurant was a lot smaller than I expected, with a menu to match.

I had a hard time choosing something to eat,

and when I finally chose (the Bison Rib-Eye), 

I felt I was contributing to the high rent the restaurant must pay for its space in Vail.

My food was good ... but I don't know if it was $40 good.

My table also got the chicken

(yes I can say "the" chicken ... there was only one dish of any particular food group available).

I have to send you away from this chicken though.

It was plain, dry, and nothing more than what a college kid could whip up in his George Foreman. 

The service was great,

and when it came time, the view for the fireworks was definitely great.

My recommendation?

If you're going to give the Lord Gore a try,

reserve a seat by the window,

order a steak of some sort,

and go with someone who will be paying your bill for you.

Fourth Fly Over

This morning at the Vail parade.

This shot couldn't wait.

Happy 4th Everyone!!

Happy 4th

Happy 4th of July everyone!!

I'm still in Vail, Colorado and will be enjoying quite a spectacular fireworks show this year

as well as a Darius Rucker concert!

1. cupcake recipe  2. chair art print  3. eagle decor  4. firework art print  5. handmade purse  6. handmade earing necklace set  7. patriotic art print  8. flag art print

Etsy Find: Mon Cadeau

I am in love

Mon Cadeau

Talk about less is more.

I love so many things from this shop,

I'm still piecing together my order. 

This tiny heart necklace will be on my receipt for sure though.
I love it in silver.

And what a cute bridesmaids accessory idea?

Or a best friend gift. Or sisters. Or girlfriend gift (hint hint)

A LOT more where this came from.

If you place your order this weekend,

the same necklace in a tiny star shape is on sale for $10 HERE.

And P.S. no, I am not a sponsored blogger (yet)

I just truly love this store :)

Etsy Find: Milo Creative Studios

I was stumbling around on Etsy

(always a great use of time)

and I set aside some fabulous finds to share.

So be ready ... there is more where this came from.

Milo Creative Studios

I found some pretty cute stuff from this shop,

but this is my favorite.

I love living in Arizona, but man do I miss New York sometimes 

and primarily because of things like THIS.

I can't wear this adorable ruffle capelet in 105 degress?! :(

(this just means a NYC visit is now on the agenda)

but hey, maybe you can. 

Quick, buy it before I do ...

New Blog

Hello everyone.

So I have made a decision.

I will stop polluting your daily reads with knee nonsense.

Epic ... I know.

But seriously, I will no longer be posting about my knee surgery on here.

I got a ton of hits on the posts, and wanted to keep writing about my experience for anyone else who is out there seeking information,

but a design blog is not the place to do it.

It was cramping my style.

So here it is ...

my new, additional blog about all things gross and joint-surgery-ish

http://myleftkneehatedme.blogspot.com/

I will still post here.

I'm a cripple in Vail ... what else do I have to do?

But if you're looking for knee information ... allow yourself to be redirected.

Now for just a small taste of the good stuff:

Window shopping in Vail Village ...

life is good :)