Champagne Rain

I am never indecisive. I always know what I like & usually I make decisions quickly, with little effort & without second guessing myself. Well not lately! With projects galore & more on the way, our home, backyard & lives are a little on overload. I've literally been wanting to paint my fingers for the past two weeks but between being exceedingly sick for over a week & attempting to get the house ready for Thanksgiving that didn't happen until tonight. 

:: Playing with Colors ::

When I was finally ready to sit down for what I had anticipated to be a quick manicure at 12:30am I suddenly found myself unsure of what color I wanted to paint my nails. I didn't even have an idea of if I wanted to choose a light color or a dark one? 

:: I literally painted ALL of my fingers before deciding on a color ::

Why not try them all & every combination in between? What I love most about fashion & style is the ability to take mainstream pieces or products & transform them into your own. I've always had a propensity for mixing & layering nail polish & tonight was no exception. I like to be different than others, not in a I need to dye my hair black and rebel against everything kind of way, more of I've just never been one to follow the crowd. And so tonight I finally settled on a color...

:: Champagne Rain | An Original by Lady Grace ::

:: 1st Color | Drops of Champagne | OPI Bring On the Bling ::

 I had painted my nails a soft gray earlier in the month and the tone suited me then but I either wanted to go dark or keep things on the lighter side. I'm kind of in love with this delicate creation. What I fancy most about it is it's depth. It completely changes colors with the light. In bright light it is exceedingly demure, appearing sheer and literally like the bubbles in champagne. In quieter lighting it transforms into a metallic heather gray. 

:: 2nd Color | Slick the Champagne with a Light Sheen of of Rain | Essie Mochachino ::

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Love, 

Friends

One of the things I cherish most in life are my friends.  I think to be a friend and to have friends is such a special relationship. I absolutely love sharing my life with my friends and being privileged enough to share in theirs. 

The past six months have been some of the hardest months of my entire life. I've been really hurt and disappointed by a couple of friends, especially because I felt like when I needed them the most in my life they just sort of disappeared. I know how busy and crazy life can be and I wasn't expecting much. But a phone call, an email, a quick text or just to have grabbed a cup of coffee would have meant so much. 

On the other hand I have some truly remarkable and amazing friends who have shown me more love, compassion and kindness than I could have ever imagined. Who check in and call or text just to say. Some days simply hearing their voices or seeing their messages made my entire day.  From boozy dinners, to great catch up sessions, crazy glitter art adventures, Skype dates from afar, and hikes in flip flops these friends have been and are incredible. It's truly hard for me to find words to properly express my gratitude, my love, my respect and the loyalty I feel for these beautiful souls who I am so lucky to call my friends. 

 Thank you for making my life better. 

Thank you for making me a better person. 

Thank you for making me laugh. Thank you for making me smile. 

Thank you for listening to me. 

Thank you for ensuring my glass is always full & for making nearly anything better with you & a bottle of wine.  

Thank you for loving me and showing me such kindness. 

I value you all, your actions and your presence in my life more than you will ever know. 

With love & gratitude, 

Looking Back..

1. What do you miss most about being a kid?

Ignorance, that whole saying ignorance is bliss, well I think it's true. I miss the time when I was unaware of all of the challenges of life and my biggest decision was what to play for the afternoon. 

2. Did you have a nickname growing up? What was it?

Not so much a nickname but my family has always called me a variety of names, Pumpkin Pie, Toots, Sweet Pea...

3. What was your favorite thing to do at recess?

Play four square

4. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I've always loved medicine and from very early on I thought I wanted to be a doctor. Once I got older I realized I didn't have the acumen to be a physician. I still love medicine and health but I'm confident that medicine, at least becoming an MD was not the path for me. 

5. What was your favorite toy?
My power wheels Jeep, boy did I love that!

6. What is the funniest thing you did as a kid that your parents still remind you about?
One time when I was very little and just learning to speak my Dad was driving and he told us he was going to went the  wrong way with my entire family in the car. From the back of the car in my car seat.

*FOR SOME REASON BLOGGER WILL NOT LET ME CENTER MY POST!?!?!?!

xo, 

Another great Sunday Social Linkup thanks to our gracious hosts, check them out below :)

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo...

I know I am a little behind the times on this show, however to say that I don't know where to begin is such an understatement! I guess I will start with their names, Mama June, Sugar Bear, Pumpkin, Chubbs, Chikadee & of course Honey Boo Boo. 

Holy hell! I don't think a show has ever caused me greater emotional conflict. I find myself disgusted, laughing to the point of tears, literally unable to grasp that people live this way and yet strangely attracted to the endearing love they obviously have for one another all at the same time. To top it all off I cannot understand a word these people say, and obviously TLC knew this would be an issue as well as they have wisely added subtitles. 

:: Lessons from Honey Boo Boo ::

::Vocabulary::

This old barn - Your face

S'mage - a facial or massage

Forklift Foot - "When you get your foot run over by a forklift and you get your toes all mangled, I guess?"

The BamBam Look - Apparently an outfit worn without shoes

Biscuit - A vajay jay

Shack 'em up dates - The relationship Mama June and Sugar Bear have had for 8 years

Guess Who's Breath - A family game where one member is blindfolded and the remaining family members take turns blowing their breath into the blindfolded persons face to match the breath to the person. * I simply do not have words, I am at a loss for them and cannot believe what I am currently witnessing.

Ew - poop

A Dear Call - When someone hits a deer with their car and the family then goes and collects the remains for food.

Sassified - How Honey Boo Boo feels when she is in her pageant dress

Bingo Face - What occurs when Mama June squints in an attempt to see the numbers called for Bingo

Uncle Poodle - A gay man who help Alana with the finer points of pageants who may or may not be her uncle? TBD

Smexy - A man considered to be sexually desirable when dressed in a Santa Claus costume

:: Words of Wisdom ::

"Alana thinks Elvis is an elf!" Not going to lie I just spit out my granola bar as I heard and watched Mama June utter these words...

"When June sat on my lap she didn't really ask for nothing but I couldn't feel my feet!"

"The girls did my makeup to begin with, I looked like a damn rodeo clown!"

"Ill be honest I don't brush my teeth except for special occasions"

"Kaylin's coming out of Anna's biscuit" Honey Boo Boo describing what will happen when her sister has her baby.

"We have a connection to deer cause we like roadkill, we like to kill it, clean it, grind it and freeze it up...June didn't like the deer but I actually like the deer...I gotta figure out a name for him." This was made in response to the gift of a bronzed deer Sugar Bear gave to Mama June

"June used a fork this time, I guess to try and be a little more romantic - but it didn't work!" 

"Anna starting having contractions and that's when you start to pull your baby out with your biscuit" Honey Boo Boo describing childbirth

" Mama I'm gonna look like a steetwalkin..." Honey Boo Boo to Mama June

"Mama better stick to cuponing and stay away from the makeup table." Honey Boo Boo to Mama June

"Bingo is Mama's sport." * I'm pretty sure Bingo doesn't count as a "sport'


"The table manners, I don't really enforce them." Mama June

"Alana's short and chunky and I'm short and chunky so who the hell cares it is what it is...she gets the short from me and the chunky from her Daddy." Mama June

"I love em, I hope we never take down the Christmas decorations,  for serious, when all the Christmas decorations are up it's easy to find your house." Honey Boo Boo

:: Recipes ::

Lemonade - 5lbs of sugar 2 gallons of lemon juice and MORE sugar!

Sketti - Butter, Sketti, Ketchup : "A little bit of butter with a little bit of ketchup melted in the microwave and poured over sketti."

Sugar Bear and Mama June Muddin it!

If you haven't had the opportunity to watch "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo," watch it! I've never seen anything like it and the bottom line is they may lack manners, healthy eating habits or a strong sense of personal hygiene but one things is clear they all love one another very much and at the end of the day they seem to have exceedingly warm hearts and a great deal of kindness not just for their family but for others as well. 

Cheers to "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo!" I dare you to watch it and not laugh & cry at the same time!

Love, 

Time Out!

Everyone needs a time out every once in a while and I found myself in serious need 

of a little peace & quiet ...

My peaceful place...

Things with my sweet boy are great and I could not ask for a better friend or partner but sometimes life can get a little crazy. I knew that my love had a long week ahead of him at work and would only have a single day off so I didn't feel too guilty about leaving him. Not to mention the fact that I left the house cleaned from top to bottom and finished all of the laundry so I knew he would be more than set for the week. (For the record, my husband has not done laundry in 5 years) Back to my "time out," I packed the puppy in the car and we drove up to our home in the mountains...

Eagerly waiting to head to the beach...

I've mentioned before that this home has always been a sacred place for me and from the moment I exited off of the freeway I began to simply appreciate the beauty I found myself surrounded by. I had no plans for the entire week other than to do whatever I wanted. I fully recognize that all of the craziness of life awaits me when I return home but for this week I've been doing my darnedest to forget about it...

My shadow in one of his favorite spots, my bathroom floor...

My sweet Mom knew more than anyone just how frazzled I have been lately and she surprised me with a massage for my first day up here with one of my all time favorite masseuses...I tacked on a few more treatments as a treat for myself and have been truly resting, relaxing and trying to heed my own advice and just breathe...

I'm not going to lie, this morning after taking the dog out for his morning walk I crawled back into bed and read my book for a while...

I hope you all are doing well, and I look forward to posting more regularly again. Don't forget to take time for yourself and find moments when you can to just breathe!

Much love, 

Catching Up & Linking Up!

1.Five items you can't live without on a daily basis: water, food, shelter, and clothes don't count!

iphone

iPad

Amex Card

Car 

Face Wash & Moisturizer (I can't stand the feeling of a dirty face!)

2. All time favorite book? Why?

This one is tough because I've read so many great books...I don't think I have a favorite book...so here are a few I've loved!

Roses by Leila Meachan

Mrs. Kennedy and Me by Clint Hill

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Anything by Mary Kay Andrews

Lady Blue Eyes, My Life with Frank Sinatra by Barbara Sinatra

What Remains by Carole Radziwill

3. Something you'd like to accomplish before the end of 2012?

peace, love, lots of laughter and joy EVERYDAY!

*and getting this posted before Sunday is technically over!

4. If you could go back and relive any year of your life which year would it be? 

In 2007 my Grampsie passed away in February and I met my husband in August. I would do anything to go back and have more time with my Grampsie, and there's nothing like falling in love!

5. What do you wish people knew about you without you having to tell them? 

Even though I may appear to be very outgoing I'm a very intimate person, from dinners to the number of friends that I consider to be close I have always and still do prefer to keep thing small. 

* I apologize for not adding pictures but as I mentioned I'm easing my way back into the blogging world, see #3 above :)

Better Late Than Never...

Forgive me if this post seems a bit mundane, but I'm easing my way back into blogging...

Generally I would consider myself to be someone who is usually ahead of or at least on top of the latest  fashion trend or curve. But, I have to admit I have fallen dreadfully behind on the fashionable trend and phenomenon of Tom's shoes. 

I recently received my FIRST pair of Tom's as a birthday gift from my mother in-law and I have to admit she could not have chosen a more perfect pair. They are not only adorable and comfortable but I love that a child in need received a pair of shoes as well. 

I hope everyone has had a restful & peaceful weekend. 

Love, 

Grace Interrupted...

I apologize for having been missing in action, however life has thrown it's fair share of curve balls my way these past few months and I simply have not had the energy to write...

One thing that has always spoken to my soul, especially when things are challenging, is music. This is one of my favorite quotes from Mumford & Sons and I find it to be so true. Where we invest our love is truly where we invest our lives...I've certainly come to  realize who my true friends are and I have been so touched by their kindness, support and generosity. They will never know how much their love means, and I know it's cliche but it truly has been the little things...from text messages to phone calls, dinners and drinks - the smallest of gestures have meant the world. 

To those of you who follow this blog, thank you for your love, support & patience. 

I hope to be posting more regularly again! 

Love, 

Crazy for Color : Orange!

I've always loved color and this season bright & bold colors are front & center. This Summer my color of the season is Orange! It's bright and fun and easily adds a little spice to any outfit. Here are a few of my favorite pieces this season :)

 Tory Burch Reva flats in "Habanero Pepper"

The latest addition to my handbag collection, my Milly "Andie" satchel...

I've been looking for an orange handbag for quite a while, when I spotted this one I knew it was the perfect shade of orange! 

One of my favorite persimmon colored dresses with turquoise nails...black, white and turquoise are beautiful with orange and pop when set against or with it. 

I'm so excited to try both of these bold colors. "Orange, It's Obvious" matches my Milly perfectly & "Fear or Desire" is a fantastic tangerine orange.  

Even my adorable Mommma has taken a liking to orange :)

I hope you all are enjoying the beauty of this seasons bold & bright colors! 

Much love, 

The Next Dynamic Duo

Yesterday an article in the Wall Street Journal announced that Neiman Marcus and Target will be teaming up this holiday season. Both stores will carry the same items designed by some of the most well known Fashioneers. (Yes, this is a new word, I do believe I just coined it: Fashioneer - One who pioneers-designs within the Fashion Industry) The Fashioneers include Diane Von Furstenburg, Tory Burch & Derek Lam.

The Next Dynamic Duo

When I first heard about this seemingly unmatched pair I was surprised, however once I understood the strategy and logic behind this new duo I understood the brilliance of the relationship. I have often described how I mix & match high end pieces with more common place ones and here in lies the genius of this plot. 

Mixing & Matching

A favorite pair of Tory Burch flats paired with bright yellow skinny jeans from Target

The practice of mixing & matching has become the savvy survival technique of today's fashion forward and minded society. The Neiman Marcus-Target relationship comes on the heels of the wildly successful Missoni-Target branding adventure. Having successfully conquered my Missoni-Target mission I am already strategizing for this next great event! 

My favorite Missoni-Target piece.

One of the facets of this next endeavor that I will be closely watching will be how the higher end brands execute and transition into a lower price point. When Missoni launched their branded apparel for Target they did a truly beautiful job of maintaining the identity, signature styling and quality construction of their brand. Missoni has always been about fine detailing and not a single detail escaped their Target line, down to the labels they nailed it. The new challenge: can and will these designers carry off and achieve the same level of success while maintaining the strength and status of their brands? 

Much love, 

The Sunday Social - The 4th Edition

   What is your favorite store to shop at?

Nordstrom, it happens to be really convenient and they carry many of my favorites :) 

     If you could afford anything and everything, which designer

    brand would you covet? 

Chanel 

Must have closet staple?

A great nude heel

Favorite kind of shoes? 

I must give Mr. Stewart Weitzman some major credit, of all of the wonderful shoes I own, his tend to consistently be the most comfortable. I love, love, love any heel 4" and higher :)

Best clothing deal you've ever gotten? 

I have to admit I have never had incredible luck at finding wonderful things on sale, but I did fall madly head over heels in love with my Valentino coat and dress! 

Style you'd love to try?

I like to vary my style, somtimes I lean to boho chic other times I like to keep it simple and conservative. If there's a style I fancy I give it a go, that's the FUN of fashion!

Sassy, classy & colorful :) 

Much love, 

www.acompletewasteofmakeup.com