Saturday, January 8, 2011

An absolutely attainable *dream* closet...

This is just fantastic!

Something comfy & beautiful to lounge in while picking out my shoes... ;)

I have a weakness for white shag...

A breathtaking chandelier for soft lighting...

A simple, yet elegant full length mirror...



If I could design my dream closet in a split second...
this is what it would look like...
how fabulous is the shoe and purse storage unit!!! 
aahhhhh....
A girl can dream...{and maybe...just maybe...save & put together!}


Friday, January 7, 2011

Spring sneakpeek at Anthropologie...

how simple and easy to throw on with some strappy heels...
hair up haphazardly...

so fresh & fun...
I would pair it with the top below for something a bit funky and unexpected

adorable with skinny jeans or white linen pants...

LOVE for over a bathing suit
or
with some super short shorts!

super comfy...super cute
great with leggings...& tall, flat boots

LOVE this top!

I have these in grey and let me tell you...
they are the PERFECT lounge pant
covers your whole butt!
fitted. long. & so comforable

I can picture this with some sandals in the summer...sipping some lemonade...& watching the kiddies play
ahhhhhh

This just might be my new suit!!
the thick top part is so fabulous...

In my opinion...the perfect cover up.
Light...airy...sheer...deeep v (love this part)...and not too short!




Thursday, January 6, 2011

Slumber Designs GIVEAWAY!!...

While catching up on my daily blogs that I LOVE
I stumbled across a fantastic giveaway from http://slumberdesigns.blogspot.com/.
Jen is a fantastic blogger who lives in Minneapollis and has such a great eye for fashion and design...

Her giveaway is for a $75 EmersonMade Gift Certificate.
If you have not checked out http://www.emersonmade.com/ you are missing out! 

I am personally loving their oversized flower pins (stunning), custom monogrammed linens (my next purchase), & their new Spring line is so darn breezy and beautiful...





This is your chance to spend $75 anyway you want on their website!!

To enter:
Be a follower of mine: http://thesequinedlobster.blogspot.com/
Be a follower of: http://slumberdesigns.blogspot.com/

AND

either follow EM http://www.emersonmade.com/ on Twitter OR like them on Facebook

Please leave a comment on Slumberdesigns blog and let  her know how you choose to follow EmersonMade.

The giveaway is running until midnight on January 12th.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!









A is for adoption...

I can't deny that it hasn't crossed my mind a time or two...
I want so desperately to bring another child into our home...a brother or sister for Ethan...
another child to love into our family...

but, a child that didn't come from us...how do I feel about that?
Most parts of me feel absolutely at ease with it...
part of me feels very natural at the thought...
like, maybe it was my destiny to bring a child home that otherwise might not be born...

maybe I can't have one, because we are supposed to do this another way...

because if that is true, I thank God everyday that I was able to experience what it was like to carry a child...to feel them inside you for 9 months...
to talk to it...to plan...to dream...to sing to your belly...to watch your body grow and know that a baby was developing all it's parts, right in your belly...
& to (somewhat painfully;) feel your child come out of your body...the place you kept them safe and protected...and into this world...
for that, I am thankful.

but, there are sooo many questions that come up.
Mainly...where the hell do we find the money...?  It's something like $15,000!  YIKES!
& that makes me a bit mad.
If I was able to conceive, then it wouldn't break us...wouldn't stress us out even more...
money.  yuck.  capitol yuck.
cause when you don't have it...it really affects your life (& not in a good way)

& I know that in a decision like this, money shouldn't be a factor...
but, it is.

that, and, will we love it the same?
I don't know.
How can I?

Because it just isn't fair to bring a child into our home and have it not be loved the EXACT same way as your other child. 
That.  is not fair.
I could NEVER live with myself if I felt any less for this other child, then I do for the son I carried.
But...these are questions that I can't possibly know the answer to until I am put in the situation.
& that scares me to death.


Wednesday, January 5, 2011

From Hemingway to Barefoot Contessa...an inspiration...

I adore Hemingway...
the way he describes his surroundings is exquisite...
you can actually picture...taste...and feel the things he is describing...

Hemingway, from A Moveable Feast
"The pommes a l'huile were firm and marinated and the olive oil delicious. I ground black pepper over the potatoes and moistened the bread in the olive oil. After the first heavy draft of beer I drank and ate very slowly. When the pommes de l'huile were gone I ordered another serving and a cervelas. This was a sausage like a heavy, wide frankfurter split in two and covered with a special mustard sauce."

"We had very good snails, with a carafe of Fleurie to start with. ... ate the snails finally, dipping up the butter, garlic and parsley sauce with broken bits of bread, and drank the carafe of Fleurie."

all of his books involve quite a bit of eating & drinking...
{which is no secret, 2 things I LOVE to do!}
so this got me thinking about food and drinks and new recipes that I want to try out this new year!

Here are a few that just make my mouth water...

Lemon Chicken Breast (Serves 4)
Copyright, 2010 Barefoot Contessa, How Easy is That?

1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)
1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don’t allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 X 12-inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn’t browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S TOMATO & GOAT CHEESE TARTS
MAKES 4 TARTS


3 tablespoons good olive oil,plus more for brushing
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme plus sprigs for garnish
1 package (17.3 ounces) puff pastry sheets, thawed overnight in the refrigerator. Use cold.
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces garlic & herb Montrachet goat cheese
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.  Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned.

Unfold each sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11-by-11-inch square. Using a six-inch-wide saucer or other circular object as a guide, cut 2 (six-inch) circles from each sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry.

Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, score a circle 1/2 inch inside the edge of each pastry. Prick the pastries all over with the tines of a fork and place them on the sheet pan. Sprinkle a tablespoon of the grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edges. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart. If the pastry is warm, chill for 15 minutes.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Garnish each with a sprig of thyme and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm.

CAPE COD CHOPPED SALAD
Ina Garten

Serves 4 to 5


8 slices (8 ounces) thick-cut bacon, such as Niman Ranch
8 ounces baby arugula
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup toasted walnut halves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled

For the Dressing:
3 tablespoons good apple-cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup good olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and lay the bacon slices on the rack. Roast the bacon for about 20 minutes, until nicely browned. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, apple, walnuts, cranberries, and blue cheese. For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, mustard, maple syrup, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.

Chop the bacon into large pieces and add it to the salad. Toss the salad with just enough dressing to moisten. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss well. Serve immediately.

& believe it or not, there is a Hemingway Cookbook!!! 
I found it in my searches recently. 
Haven't tried any of the recipes, but sounds pretty interesting for all of you Hemingway lovers out there!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Putting NYE together...

Ordered this in November...strictly for New Years!
{whether I was going out or not!}

My beautiful & {very stylish} mother-in-law got me this
fabulous faux fur for Christmas!!!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE!



Had my eye on this Super sassy clutch for a while...


a little jet black nail polish to finish it all off...
&
here ya go!  I was pretty pleased!
Comfortable, decently warm, and VERY festive!


Terrible picture...
but, here is my hubby & I at my sister in laws house before hittin the town!

Had a wonderful dinner with a few friends...good food...great drinks...fabulous conversation...
and a lot of laughs!
Then downstairs to this little dance club with great wood high top tables...sparkley chandeliers...
loud music...& this perfect little dance floor!
  
After that, we managed to push our way to downtown Royal Oak, where they were having this
"mini New York ball drop"! 
It was great!  
The Gin Blossoms and The Romantics were playing on this great big stage outside
(whether you like them or not...it was fun!)

& the weather was BEAUTIFUL!  (well...for Michigan anyway!) 
it was 50 degrees, which, believe me, when you are outside on NYE and the weather was just days before in the teens...you really really appreciate a 50 degree NYE!
granted, this meant no perfect snowfilled eve...but, it worked great for us!

Anyway, we had a great time!
Friends, food, drink, laughter...& the "perfect" NYE outfit!
{...I was a happy girl}


source:  www.asos.com

To new beginnings...

I am sad to say that I have been a bit lazy when it comes to blogging lately...
to be honest...I found myself a little afraid to write my feelings down...my thoughts...my wishes...
my dreams...my day to day...
and other times, a bit overwhelmed at how to incorporate all my ideas into a piece that anybody would want to read...
I never wanted my thoughts to sounds materialistic...or uninteresting...or God forbid, just plain useless...

I am not an interior designer...{although I would LOVE to be!}...or the mom who has a million creative ideas and wants to share them with others {I have a few brilliant blog friends that can do that! yes, jaimie, I am talking to you!}...
I don't read every fashion magazine, so any pics I post are just plain late in the rest of the fashion world's eye...& although I love to cook, I certainly don't have the time or energy to cook up amazing dishes for all to taste either...

I am simply a hard-working mom that has some thoughts to share...some beautiful pictures to swoon over...& an occasional piece I write that comes straight from my heart...
Every day I strive to be the best mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister, aunt, co-worker, neighbor, and human being that I can...

I do know that I love to blog...it satisfys me in a weird kind of way...
even though I know I open myself up to God knows who...{or maybe no one at all}...
it makes me happy...
so.  I have decided that I am going to do my best to keep up with my blog...
no matter what the heck it is all about!

So, thank you to all who come visit...thank you...
it really makes my day ;)




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