Bird Themed Baby Shower

A few weekends ago, I hosted (along with a few other friends) a baby shower for my sweet friend, Hailey. She is expecting a little girl in April. Her nursery is decorated in a bird theme, and it is absolutely beautiful.

We decided to stick with the bird theme for the shower. Everything turned out so cute, and I had such a fun time decorating. As always, please excuse my horrible picture taking.

The flowers were pink rose arrangements with a little bird accent.

I also had an arrangement of daffodils. These flowers come with a cute story. I have been working with Budget Blinds of Athens on installing blinds in my house. They are so helpful and so super sweet. I really enjoyed working with them. The last day of installation, they brought me the daffodils.
The drink table was decorated with my hurricane egg arrangement. We served champagne punch with sugar rimmed champagne flutes. We also had water and sodas available.


I didn't get a good picture of the food table, but you can get the idea from the picture below. The centerpiece was a tree with paper birds. As guests arrived, they wrote wishes to Hailey and the baby on the birds and hung the birds on the tree. This picture was taken before the guests arrived. The tree was full of birds by the time the party was over.


Instead of a cake, we decided to have cupcakes and mini-cheesecakes. Publix made the cupcakes, and I decorated them with candy eggs. I also used a nest with candy eggs to decorate the top tier of the cake stand.


We had a huge crowd at the shower, and I think everyone had a good time. I know I had fun visiting with friends and cooing over tiny baby clothes!

A Heel of A Deal

Sorry for the corny title post. I couldn't resist! I have been so busy and I have so much to tell you, but I couldn't let today pass without sharing this coupon code and a cute pair of shoes. I have definitely been on a shoe kick lately!

Payless has a coupon code that is valid until April 4th. Use code 32120 at check out and receive 20% off your purchase. There are so many cute Spring styles to choose from. Here's the pair that I have my eye on.

Happy Shopping!!!

My Favorite Things

Last week and this weekend was spent scrubbing my house from top to bottom and hosting a baby shower for a sweet friend. With the scrubbing and the baby showering out of the way for right now, I have a little more time to devote to my blog. Yay! I promise baby shower pictures are coming soon. My sweet friend loved the shower, and her soon to arrive baby girl received some very sweet gifts!

Speaking of showers-rain not baby. Georgia has experienced more than its share of rain this year. These rainy conditions have left me with a need for a pair of rain boots (any excuse to buy a new pair of shoes), but every time I try to find a pair they were either ugly or too expensive. Thankfully, my local Target just started carrying the cutest line of rain boots. Target on-line also has a huge selection of rain boots.

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to purchase these precious houndstooth rain boots. They are cute, fun, and functional. I haven't worn them a lot, but I have loved them the times I have worn them. They also get great reviews on-line.


My friend, Heather, snagged these cute fish rain boots on one of our lunch time outings to Target.

Here's a peek at a few more cute pattern that are available. I really wanted the pink and black houndstooth, but they were out in my size.
Most of the rain boots are currently on sale for $20. There are a few patterns that are still a little more expensive at $24 and $29. Rain might make for a gloomy day, but these fun rain boots are sure to add a little cheer to it!

Pottery Barn Inspiration

I (and several friends) are hosting a baby shower at my home next weekend. I am so excited about the shower. My sweet friend is having a girl and has chosen the Brooke bedding from Pottery Barn Kids. The bedding is so cute with trees and birds and cute little owls. Wanting to stick with the theme of the nursery, we decided on a bird theme for the shower.

While searching for shower ideas on the internet, I found the cutest arrangement using speckled eggs from Pottery Barn. I thought it would be perfect for the baby shower and also cute as regular home decor. The price wasn't too bad, so I thought I would splurge a little and order them. However, the bad news struck when I realized that the product I loved was not available until April. (Pottery Barn arrangement pictured below.)

The larger eggs are $14 for a set of 8. The smaller eggs are $14 for a set of 12. The vases vary in size and come in medium for $29, large for$39, and extra large for $59. You can find them here.

The search began for a suitable replacement. I searched the internet, Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Wal-Mart, but never found what I was looking for. On my way home from work yesterday, I decided to run in Pier One and I hit the jackpot. Here is what I created.

It's not exactly like the ones from Pottery Barn, but I still think that they are cute and absolutely perfect for the baby shower. I was also able to save some money. The carton of 12 multi-colored decorative speckled eggs was $7.95. The small hurricane was $8, and the larger hurricane was $12. I think I am going to use these to help decorate the drink table. I also thought about using a decorative bird house or bird cage as part of the decor.

Stay tuned to see other creations for the baby shower. I am currently working on a wish tree centerpiece. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I am crafty enough to pull it off! :)

A Peek into my Shopping Bag

A much more accurate title to this post would be "a peek at my wish list" since I am on a clothing spending hiatus until the end of this month. However, I have been having fun tempting myself by spending a little time on-line looking at some new spring clothes.

I am absolutely in love with an outfit from Target. I noticed it thanks to the wonderful banner (which I stole) they had on their page when I clicked on the women's clothing tab. I adore the shirt/jacket combo, and think it would be perfect for the office. Even better, the shirt is cute enough to wear without the jacket.



It's definitely love, so as soon as my spending hiatus ends I am definitely going to purchase the shirt (possibly in coral instead of green) and the lovely jacket. I may even spring for the funky metallic heels!

My Favorite Things: Hair Care Edition

I recently developed an allergy to my favorite shampoo and conditioner. Booo! Since my nice little allergic reaction, I have been on a hunt for new hair products. I am still trying out a few different brands, but I thought I would share my favorites so far.

Coincidentally, my top two shampoos and conditioners are both from Bath and Body Works. My first favorite is the Fekkai Hair Care Line. A great way to try out these products is by purchasing one of the kits. The kits offer a shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask. I tried the color care kit, and I absolutely love it. The glossing and volume kit are also on my "to try" list. The kits retail for $29.

I also love the Energy-Orange Ginger Aromatherapy Body and Shine Shampoo and Conditioner. It smells wonderful, and it leaves my hair soft and manageable. You can usually find the shampoo and conditioner on sale for 2 for $20.


I'll up-date you as I try new shampoos and conditioners. Until then, I would love for you to help me on my quest for new hair products and share your favorites with me!!

Birthday Celebration Creation

We are going out to dinner tonight to celebrate the birthday of a very sweet and wonderful friend of mine. I wanted to do something special for her, so I decided to make her mini cupcakes.

I added special decorations to three of the cupcakes and packaged them in a cute paint can I purchased at Michael's. I added some pink shred and cute ribbon to complete the look. I also packaged the "cupcakes to share" in Gladware and tied them with a cute ribbon. I thought it turned out so cute! I hope she likes it, and I hope it helps make her birthday special!


If you notice you can't see the cupcakes in the paint can. I forgot to take a picture of them before I put them in the mini Gladware containers. I plan on taking them out of the Gladware containers and displaying them in the paint can before I give it to her.

I love how the paint can turned out, and I thought it would be super cute way to wrap gifts or be perfect for a fun Easter basket or gift. I am definitely going to stock up on these when they go on sale! Happy Friday!!! Have a wonderful weekend!

A Wrinkle In Time (or at least under my eyes)

I always thought I would be one of those women that aged with grace-accepting wrinkles and all. However at the age of 31, that is definitely not the case! As my pores become more visible and my fine lines start to show, I am fighting them kicking and screaming! My worst enemy-the fine lines and wrinkles around my eyes!!!!

Recently I came across a wonderful article in the October 2009 issue of ShopSmart magazine (from Consumer Reports) that tested different eye creams. I loved the article, so I thought I would share its highlights with you. I haven't tried any of the products, but they are definitely on my shopping list!

Out of the 16 creams they tested, they deemed 4 of them "worth a try". They are listed below.

• L'Oreal Paris Dermo-Expertise Revitalift Double Lifting Eye Cream-Price $40-Available at www.chemistdirect.com.au

• Nivea Visage Anti-Rides Q10 Plus Soin Contour De L'oiel Avec Filtres UVA/UVB-Price $34-Available at www.amazon.co.uk

• Dr. Brandt Lineless Eye Cream-Price $60-Available at Sephora, sephora.com, and www.drbrandtskincare.com

• Olay Total Effects 7-In-1 Anti-Aging Booster Eye Transforming Cream-Price $20-Available at Drugstores, supermarkets, discount stores, and on-line

The article also out-lined 7 Ways to Prevent Eye Wrinkles.

1. Use a daily moisturizer with at least 30 SPF.
2. Shield your face with a hat and sunglasses when outdoors.
3. No tanning beds.
4. Don't smoke.
5. Try not to rub your eyes.
   
6. Sleep on your back.
7. Get an annual eye exam. If your vision is weak, you are more likely to squint.

Here's to keeping those pesky wrinkles at bay! Have a great day!!!

My Favorite Things:Great Jeans for Curvy Girls

I once again need to apologize for my absence! Things have been so busy lately that I have neglected my blog and my blog friends. From now until mid-June is my busy season at work, but I am going to try my best to keep a regular blogging schedule. Thanks so much for your patience and for sticking with me! Now-without further ado-on to another installment of "My Favorite Things".

I always love a piece of clothing that can accentuate the positive and reduce the negative when it comes to my not so perfect figure. That's why I instantly fell in love with Target's Merona Fit Solutions line. I currently have two dresses from this line, and I adore them! Recently, I purchased a pair of dark wash jeans from this same line, and I couldn't be happier! The jeans are pictured below, but they are much cuter in real life!


These jeans are a perfect fit for curvy girls. They don't stretch out and leave you with that saggy booty look. They also have a hidden panel that gives you a nice flat tummy. The only thing you might not like is that they are very high-waisted. I get around this by not wearing tuck-in shirts with this particular pair of jeans. The legs are also very long for me since I am on 5'3", but they are perfect with a pair of cute heels!

If you are interested in checking out these wonderful, magical jeans, you can find them at your local Target or on-line here or here.