trendy thursday.......

You know what I love about getting older????  Nothing!!!   No, really,  there are some things that are great about it!  Like not giving a crap what anyone thinks about you!  That is probably my favorite but I also love knowing for sure my fashion style and how to dress.  I have been wearing hoop earrings forever and especially the last couple of years.  They are such a no-brainer accessory!   I have a pair of 14k gold hoops which have to be about 30 years old and just adore them!  A pair of silver or gold hoops (I prefer gold since I am a blonde!) go with everything and are my go-to earring every day.  They are one of this season's hot accessories so go grab those hoop earrings that have been collecting dust in the back of your jewelry box or head out to buy a gorgeous little pair for spring!

Above photo from:  Who, What, Wear (one of our favorite blogs!)
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Earrings top row (left to right):  Marc Jacobs hoops $63 at couture.zappos.com, Brooks Brothers Half Link Earrings $48 at brooksbrothers.com, Kate Spade Bar None Hoop at couture.zappos.com 

Earrings bottom row (left to right) Blue Nile Byzantine Hoop Earrings $870 at bluenile.com, Alexis Bittar Diamond Dust Thin Hoop $125 at alexisbittar.com, Blue Nile Hoop Earring $39 at bluenile.com

My dream hoops from Chanel (vintage) $1,499.00.  Didn't win the recent Powerball so they remain just a dream! 

all meshed up.....

I've been a bit busy lately so have been a little lax in posting because my daughter is home from college!  This past Saturday we had a wonderful mom and daughter shopping day in NYC!  We had so much fun doing my two favorite things.... shopping and eating!  Every time I go down to Little Italy and eat my way down the street, I wonder why I don't come in more often!  Oh, that's right.... none of my pants would fit if I did!  I seriously love food and we ate an amazing meal of freshly made Lobster Ravioli and Linguine with Clam Sauce.  After that we headed to get the best Cannoli's ever at Cafe Palermo!  Good thing we had done all our shopping prior to eating because I don't think the clothes would have fit the same!

Speaking of things fitting, I think the reason I love jewelry so much is because you never have to worry about being too thin or too fat to wear it!  Now, don't be jealous, but I do fit in all my jewelry from high school!  I did do a bit of damage buying some great new earrings in the city and noticed a trend out there this season of mesh and fringe chain jewelry.  Loving the chain tassels and hitting the local flea market this coming weekend for some vintage tassel finds!

xoxo
Lauren

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a little bit of nashville.....

springtime pastels......

Well we are officially almost into Spring!  This week it will be official even though the weather here is supposed to be more winter-like!  That's okay because we are busy creating all kinds of beautiful one of a kind springtime pieces here in the studio!  We love the pastel trend this year!  It's so soft and feminine and nobody does that better than Blumarine!

erin go bragh.....

Happy St. Patricks Day!  Hubby and I are up early getting ready to cook our Irish dinner for the kids today!  Well, actually, I am cooking and he will be on dish duty and doing some beer tasting with the boys!

My favorite way to make Corned Beef is to slowly cook it in the crock pot or to boil it.  I won't have time today to do the crockpot method so I will be doing it on the stovetop.  There are people who bake it but I find it comes out way too salty in the oven.  I like this recipe which has it cooked till tender and then glazed and finished in the oven.  The glaze is so yummy and sweet and contrasts well with the saltiness of the meat.  Of course I make cabbage with this -- all buttery and so good!  Then instead of the traditional boiled potatoes, my kids like the oven fried potato chips that I make.  The chips come out nice and brown and crispy!

xoxo
Lauren

Recipe from Louann's Kitchen

Speaking of beer....I am one of those women that just do not like the taste of beer!  Give me a nice glass of wine or champagne and I am a happy camper!  But believe it or not, I found a beer the other night when we were out that I really loved!  It's called Leffe and it's a blonde beer from Belgium.  I'll still stick to my wine for today but am looking forward to a Leffe on a hot summer day soon!  The boys and hubby however will be with this cool Belgium blonde!

get your green on.....

maxed out........

Happy Friday!  It's the beginning of the weekend and St. Patrick's Day is Sunday which has me making my traditional Irish dinner of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes!  I'm not even Irish!  But I have three great kids (all grown now) who's dad is 1/2 Irish so it has become a tradition every year!

Corned beef is one of those things that is like bacon, you know it's bad for you, but it tastes so damn good!  Oh well, once a year it won't hurt and that kind of leads me into today's post (follow me here...) of maxi dresses!  I'm sure right now you are totally lost!  Don't worry, so am I!  No seriously, my Irish dinner got me thinking about maxi dresses!  Why?  Because they can look so pretty and hide a multitude of sins!  Got a little extra in the middle?  Get a maxi!  Got a little extra in the tush?  Get a maxi!  Gonna eat a big dinner?  Get an empire style maxi and hide the belly!  So you see, it is actually a woman's best friend!  Pair it with a great high wedge for some height and voila!..... you can satisfy your  desire to be stylish and your tummy cravings all at once!

Happy St. Pattys to all -- even if you're not Irish... Come on, we are all a little Irish on St. Patrick's Day!

very first to......

Good Morning all you lovely peeps out there!  It is a beautiful sunny day here in the good old Northeast and we may even hit the 45 degree mark today!  Speaking of beautiful things, I have come across a really cool site called Very First To which offers little ol' you and me a chance to be the very first to know, have or do things (and we are talking beautiful and sometimes extravagant things!) nobody else knows about yet!

What kind of things you ask?  How about waking up to a million rose petals scattered about your front and back yard?  Or maybe a mission into space?  Or how about starring in your own marriage proposal on national TV?.......

Here are some of the things I am talking about!

Really cool, but for this price (we are talkin 70,000 in pounds!), George Clooney better be serenading me outside my window standing in those rose petals!

Call me tainted... but after a couple failed marriages I'd be more tempted by this if I could hand him the divorce papers on TV!

A really unique experience I am sure!  For $105,000 there better be a Nordstroms filled with free clothes in my size, a gorgeous beach and a huge tropical drink waiting for me!

This is more my speed!  Love knowing about new makeup out and Bobbi Brown is one of my personal faves!

How long have I searched for a decent iPhone case?  Hmmmm.... in one word what I have found out there is hideous!  Like right now, my poor, sleek, gorgeous little iPhone is housed in a masculine Otter Box!  Love, love, love DKNY so will be ordering this fancy little number!

Preppy goes boho?   The structured shape lends itself to prepster-ville but the pattern is so fun!  I love Dolce & Gabbana no matter what!

Check out Very First To and you will be pleasantly surprised at all the wonderful new-to-the market products are out there,  not to mention the unique experiences you can do if you've got a fat wallet!

xoxo

L

black and white

Black and white is a huge trend for Spring 2013 and we are just loving it!  Here is a little inspiration and humor for you this lovely Wednesday morning!

Black and white swirls.....  not my thing but maybe if I were in my 20's?

So pretty and feminine.... would look adorable on my daughter!

Love the black and white tribal print....can I have her hair too? 

Not a fair thing to see while I'm posting sans makeup and sporting major bedhead!  

Love the hat....

Love the western feel.  Love the laser cut wide belt too.  Ditch the scarf and hat!

Why I am all screwed up!  This was what I was given as a role model!

Happy Hump Day!!   

xoxo

Lauren