Color Obsession: Peacock Green!

During my lunch breaks, I scroll through the various sales on Joss & Main, looking for key pieces or accessories to add to my home.  There is always a ton of great stuff, and more often than not, I find that I was just a tad too slow and the items I truly adore are sold out. 

Today however, there was one particular piece that caught my eye, and while I won’t be shelling out the money for it, I’m pretty obsessed with it.  This Sutton Place Chaise in Peacock had me drooling at first site.  I mean just look at how gorgeous that green is!  The color alone makes the piece feel so rich and expensive.

Sutton Place Chaise

Green has definitely always been one of my favorite colors, but I am now on a mission to add more of this Perfect Peacock to my home and wardrobe.  Dark, jewel-toned greens are definitely going to be one of my top Fall colors this year.  

Here’s a look at some other fabulous peacock green finds!

Alexis Bittar Jewelry available @ Nordstrom

Tory Burch is spot-on!

Essie "Stylenomics" Nail Color

Sutton Table Lamp

ghd Green Peacock Straightener

Pleated Skirt - Cupcakes and Cashmere

10 Weeks to a Half Marathon

With Autumn right around the corner, I'm beginning to amp up my running routine.  I've been keeping my runs short and sweet this summer because the humidity and heat index of nearly 100 degrees everyday has been a little much.  I'm extremely excited for the temperatures to drop a bit, but I'm not necessarily excited for suffering I'll endure as I attempt to increase my mileage significantly. 

Whether you're a beginner or an intermediate runner, you probably haven't taken on the task of running a half marathon.  I have yet to run a competitive half marathon in my life, but its definitely on the radar in the next year.  The big question is, how do you get there?  Running 13 miles ain't no piece of cake!

I've known quite a few people who have used the 10-Week Half Marathon Training Schedule, and I've even been down the path myself for torture fun.  It's a daunting task every year and for someone who has never done it before, there's not much exciting about starting it.  So, I decided to change that.  Check out my calendar!

I wanted a fun little way to keep track of my progress and I created a simple, yet colorful calendar to help me and keep me motivated.  I recommend rewarding yourself every week with something small, and jotting it down in the calendar so you know what you're racing towards.  Cross off the days as you go, and try to have fun.  Hanging the calendar on the fridge or in a place where everyone can see it is an extra motivator as well.  I find that I'm more likely to complete a goal when someone else is holding me accountable. Want a copy of my calendar for yourself?  Click Here!

One last thing... A calendar will only get you so far when it comes to running a half marathon.  You need the proper gear, nutrition and other known-how, so check out this site for additional info if you're a newbie!

Pisces Dreamin'

While sipping a little green tea this morning, I decided to check-in on my horoscope reading for the day.  Now let me say, I am not someone who avidly reads or follows astrology, but every once in a while I find them interesting and like to indulge.  The truth is, I really try hard not to believe what I read about day to day events, but when it comes to my “Astrological Personality” as a Pisces, the description is right on the money. 

 Here's what Horoscope.com has to say about Pisces:

 I will definitely own up to the whole romantic, artistic, sensitive side of the Pisces, but what I can identify with the most is being a dreamer.  

I am too often caught with my head in the clouds, thinking up a wonderful, imaginary life for myself.  This isn’t to say that I don’t think my life is wonderful now but let’s face it, part of being human is trying to find a way to improve and make things better.   So, as I read my horoscope today, I began to dream, and as I dreamed I thought about how I could make some of it reality.

Thus I began my dream list.  NOTHING big.  These are just small, everyday dreams which may be a bit challenging but feasible.   The beginning of my list looks something like this:

• Go to the spa

• Train for a half-marathon

• Read 5 books by the end of the year (NOT including baby books!)

• Blog at least 3x a week

• Buy a house

• Take cooking/baking classes

I don’t know how well I’ll do with conquering my dreams, but having them written down feels like it helps.

So what about you?  Any small or BIG dreams?  Do you follow your horoscope and let it guide you?

Where have I been - July Recap.

I knew that July was going to be a busy month, but I never expected it to be so busy that I'd put blogging on hold.  After my 5K and my little one's birthday, things at work got hectic and sure enough it put a strain on home life.  I think I went two weeks without cleaning anything!

After the Fourth of July we went on vacation to North Carolina for a week and had a fabulous time.  I even caught my very first fish.  My man caught way more than I did, but it was my delicious beer batter recipe that really made everything come together as we fried them up for dinner one evening. 

After I got back from the beach, I expected work life to improve as I had a new hire ready to start my first day back, great right?  Yeah, until he changed his mind the day before, and I was left with piles of work.

The rest of July has been filled with an pretty tight workout schedule for myself, parties, lots of new healthy recipes, and spending time with my family.  But now I am back and ready to roll.  I have a lot of things to talk about and share with you!

Hamptons of the Chesapeake - Fashion Spread

It took me a day or so, but I finally opened up the latest issue of Capitol File that landed on my doorstep the other day.  For those of you who aren't familiar with Capitol File, it's a fairly new magazine based out of Washington DC which highlights all the happenings, hotspots, fashion, and people from and visiting the District. 

I'm not a huge follower of the magazine, its usually just something to flip through while I sip on my morning coffee, but I think that's about to change.  When I turned to a fashion spread shot at the Inn at Perry Cabin, I just about fell in love with the location and every outfit.  The Inn at Perry Cabin is located in St. Michaels, Maryland just across the Bay Bridge and is about 2 hours from the heart of DC.  While the location is stunning, I was really all about the clothes modeled on the beautiful landscape.  Every piece, every outfit, is totally something that I would love to have in my closet.  Check it out!

More details about the location and outfits can be found on the Capitol File Website here

Head Board Hunt

I've been searching for the perfect head board that will act as a beautiful focal point in my bedroom.  For months I sifted through the various options and always knew that I would end up choosing something upholstered.  I wanted something comfy and sturdy to sit up against while I read before bed and frankly, I think my boyfriend's shoulder was getting a little of me leaning on him.  But which one was I to choose and just how much was I willing to shell out for the perfect piece?  (Not much if you know me) 

I considered making one like this, that Centsational Girl did so beautifully for her master bedroom, but do I really have the time for all that?  Probably not, but her blog post did get me thinking about how much I love nail head trim..

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And as I explored the nail head options, I realized that most of the nails were brass, some had the tendency to rust, and truthfully I'm just more of a silver gal when it comes to decor.  So I think nail heads were nixed.

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 Ehh.. But the plain head boards were boring, and the patterned ones just weren't cutting it.. Alas, the tufted head board

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There are just so many options out there and I was beginning to worry that I'd never find the right head board.  However, today I finally made the purchase.  Which style you ask?  Well, you'll have to wait and see, because so do I!  It won't be delivered for a month!  Oh well, I've already gone this long right?

Father's Day Weekend

It was a very busy weekend for me, but I loved every minute of it.  Saturday started with a Costco trip, but we had to keep it short because we had a birthday party to attend at Noon.  I don't know about you, but I love a good Costco shopping trip and could spend hours browsing the aisles.

Aubs spent a few good hours at the party splashing around in a water table, but still refused to actually get in the pool.  One bonus that came out of attending the party (besides the amazing Carolina BBQ) was getting the baby over her fear of dogs.. I just hope it lasts.

While I didn't manage to give myself a manicure on Friday evening, I was able to squeeze it in after the party while the baby and daddy napped.  I even got to indulge in some "girly TV time" which almost never happens.  Once the nails dried, I whipped up my boo's favorite dinner:

Baby Scallops in a White Wine Cream Sauce over Linguini. 

As if Saturday's dinner wasn't delicious enough, we fasted through breakfast so we could eat our fill during a Father's Day lunch at Fogo De Chao in the city.  If you've never been to Fogo, or any Brazilian Barbeque restaurant, I urge you to go.  Nothing better than the finest all-you-can eat meats, salad bar, fried polenta, and these amazing little cheesy bread poufs!

Of course the best part of Sunday was celebrating my super amazing boyfriend's very first Father's Day.  He even humored me by agreeing to wear matching T's with Aubs.  I love it, don't you?!

Summer Nail Colors and Friday Nights

During the summer I tend to stock up on oodles of bright and fun nail polishes to keep my fingers and toes looking festive.  It's become somewhat of a tradition that I spend my Friday evenings with a glass of wine, and a couple cute colors, while I try to give myself the best mani/pedi session I can manage.  I'm pretty rough on my hands, so no manicure goes too long without chips or smudges... see what I mean?

But it certainly doesn't keep me from trying!  If I really had the time to do my manicures properly, I would follow the detailed tutorial from Kate @ Running on Happiness, which you can read here.  Unfortunately most of the time I can't follow all the steps and try to make up for it, by using a really good base coat (butter LONDON Nail Foundation) and top coat (Essie "no chips ahead").

A few of my recent polish purchases include the following:

Any polish colors that you're in love with or dying to try out this summer?  Any tips or tricks that you have to making your manicure last longer?

Ready, Set, Run!

I grew up with running as a method of exercise along with various other sports.  It was always sort of a family thing where my parents, brother and I would all go out for jogs on summer evenings.  While I haven't run competitively since high school cross-country, I'm begun to find an interest in running local 5k's and hope to soon push for 10k's and maybe even a half-marathon.

In a week and a half, I'll be running my first 5k since giving birth to my daughter and oddly enough, the race is actually the morning of her 1st Birthday!  I must admit I'm pretty excited and proud of myself for coming so far in the past few months.  It was definitely a struggle getting back into shape, and there were some key items that really made everything easier.  This got me thinking about the advice that I've given to several people who are starting out jogging for the first time or getting back into it after a long break.

These are some of the products that make or break my ability to run regularly as well as a few tips to keep you going.

1. The Shoe

Any avid runner will tell you that a good, quality running shoe is essential.  My advice: Go get fitted!  Without the proper shoe, your running adventures will be halted before they ever truly begin.  Find a local running store with professionals who will fit you and find the proper shoe for your foot type, running style, and concerns.  If you're not near a store, some online stores like Road Runner Sports have shoe finders that ask you questions to develop a shoe profile and help you find the perfect fit.  They also allow a 60-90 day test run of your shoes to ensure you're fully satisfied with your purchase.  Can't beat that!


2. Suit Up

For years I struggled with being comfortable during running.  Socks would slip, shorts would ride, bras would suffocate me.  It was only after I invested in some real running gear that I realized I had been suffering for no reason.  You don't have to splurge on expensive running clothes either (though I do recommend shelling out a little more $$ for a good bra if you're a bustier girl).  Stores like Target are coming out with some cute and affordable running wear!  Here are a few pieces of my running wardrobe I can't live without:

C9 by Champion Tank

VS Sports Bras with adjustable back

Athleta Presto Running Short

3. Prepare Yourself

I tend to have a pretty regular running regiment and there are rarely any impromptu runs during my work week.  That said, I plan most of my runs to occur before dinner time once the temperature has gone down a bit.  I try to get in a good snack about 2 hours before I run that will keep me energized.  This usually includes some peanut butter crackers, roasted almonds, a banana, or some dried fruit.  I also try to keep hydrated through out the day by drinking water and keeping track of how much I drink on a sticky note.  Being well prepared for a run can make all the difference in your ability to run 2 miles or 4 miles.

4. Turn it UP!

Music definitely makes running more fun for me and its pretty much the only time I get the chance to enjoy it.  Create a good running mix or download your favorite stations on a radio app to keep yourself motivated.  You'll be humming along to the music and be half way done before you know it!

Silver and Gray Summer

With the start of summer unofficially arriving this weekend, I've begun to think about how to make my room feel a bit cooler in the hot and humid weather.  I've always been drawn to the color gray and love the icy silver accents that I've seen in stores lately.  (I must admit that the popularity of Fifty Shades of Gray served as a bit of inspiration for my summer color choice.)

Here are 5 ways that I plan to transition my bedroom into a silver and gray summer that may be very hot.. in more ways than one!

What colors are inspiring you this summer?

1.Mercury Glass Lamp  2. Scroll Tile Rug 3. Frayed Edge Quilt 4. Dipped Porcelain Bottles
5. Royce Mirror

Photo Display Inspiration

For my first official Mother’s Day, I received the most darling picture of my daughter in a gorgeous frame from Pottery Barn.  I think you’ll agree that the mother of pearl and silver frame is the perfect accent to what is already a perfect picture (at least in my eyes). 

 This framed photo will most certainly be going on my desk, but it did get me thinking though.  I have so many pictures that I’ve never bothered to get printed, as well as plenty of prints that I’ve put off framing.  I somewhat attribute it to a lack of time and the expense, but mostly because I just don’t know how I want to display them. 

So, I’ve scoured the web in search of some inspiration, and here are some of my favorite picture displays and photo walls.  Enjoy.

 Distressed, white frames going up the staircase

Kasey Buick

Combination of black and white frames

 the style files

Simple 5x5 photo collage to create a minimalist look

Download the template here

paislee press

Black and white photos in painted frames, with vinyl lettering

 Lil' Luna

Clipboard Wall Art - Great for a playroom wall and easy swap out pictures

Crap I've Made

Floating shelves are a great way to display pictures and eliminates holes in the wall

 

Your Decorating Hotline 

Utilizing a small wall

Laura Winslow

A pop of color

BHG

Need more ideas for how to hang your pictures?  Check out some of these simple guides and templates for a little inspiration on how to to display artwork and photos in your own home.

 a day of play

You may also want to use this idea and map out your photo display with paper.  Simply measure all the photos or frames and cut out sheets of paper the same size.  Use painter's tape to attach them to the wall and move them around until you reach your desired configuration.

 Better Homes and Gardens via Centsational Girl

Hopefully you got some inspiration from these finds, I know I did.  Happy hanging!