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decor: dining room inspo

Wednesday, July 23, 2014




 
images: pinterest
 
 
we are currently house hunting (more like scoping out the market) to hopefully purchase our own home within the next year and one of my "must-haves" is a formal dining room area. or at the least a space large enough to comfortably fit a table for 6 people. reason being is I love entertaining and the dinner table has always been the center for conversation in our home. we spend a lot of time there as a family and with our guests. I pulled some images from my pinterest board to inspire when it comes to dining room décor. here is my list to create the perfect dining room:
 
1. must must must have upholstered chairs. they are just way more comfortable than the wooden ones we currently have. I'm on the search for the perfect dining table/upholstered chair combo. they do require more care but I'm willing to take the risk-(yes even with a toddler & baby on the way!)
 
2. chandelier/large light fixture. a beautiful source of light is a great focal point in the dining room and gives it elegance. overstock.com has awesome options at all price points.
 
3. centerpiece: a beautiful vase with flowers or candelabras (not sure if that's the right word!) complete the room and are an easy, inexpensive way to decorate. they can be switched out with the seasons to keep thing timely and new. call me crazy but I am not against fake flowers. there are some realistic and beautiful stems that can be found even at good old Target.
 
4. large mirror. this is especially important if there isn't much natural light coming in. a mirror hung up on the wall directly behind the light source will reflect any light and make the room brighter. there is huge, affordable mirror selection at tjmaxx & homegoods. (but who doesn't love their WHOLE home décor selection?)
 
5. curtains/rug: I put these together because they both add the softer, homier elements to the room. personally, I would go for a neutral, somewhat matching rug and curtain combo just to keep the room uniform. they shouldn't distract from the other décor but be used to keep the space cozy. plus, nothing completes a room better than a pair of curtains. it's the difference between "hi, we're renting" and "welcome to our home"
 
thanks for reading and if you're interested here is a link to my HOME board on Pinterest :)
 
p.s. I have found tons of inspiration on Dear Lillie. Her homes are so beautifully decorated! See the last image above for one small example. This woman reads my mind when it comes to décor especially the little girl's rooms :) 
 


lately loving & a review or 2

Thursday, July 17, 2014

lately loving

lately loving by glitterandtea featuring Sally Hansen

two posts in one day? the toddler tornado must be napping :)

here are some items I picked up recently or will be getting in the near future...

these loungewear items from old navy are cute enough to wear out of the house. there is currently an online sale (30% off) so I will be getting these asap.

browsed through target's footwear the other day and a lot of sandals caught my eye including these. I assume they will match with 99% of my closet. target also had some cute Birkenstock knockoffs for a fraction of the price if you want to try the trend but don't want to spend that much dough. I think birks are cute and super comfy but not everyone can pull them off-example: me. I have very flat feet and they just make them look flatter. ha no thanks!

I tried sally Hansen complete salon manicure nailpolish in a blush pink (#824) and I loved the thick matte formula and wide brush. new fave polish.

I have a picture of philosophy's hope in a jar lotion up there but what I actually tried was the moisturizing clay mask by the same name. unfortunately I could not find it online! it's a green thick cream that you apply after washing your face and it almost instantly tightens your skin as it dries. this doesn't sound very moisturizing but the miracle is that after I washed it off (you shouldn't keep it on more than 10 minutes or even less) my skin did feel much softer and the huge dry patch I had on my cheek was significantly less noticeable and my makeup went on much more smoother. love it.

some cute accessories from forever 21. though I rarely buy their clothes (I don't remember the last thing or last time I purchased something there) I do love their cheapo jewelry section. the necklace and headband are $2.80! hello! it's perfect for when I feel like buying something...anything.

all items are currently in stores mentioned.

heels+denim+buttons

1. Jessie




 
other images: pinterest
 
you cannot tell me this isn't the most perfect uniform out there. I won't listen. there is too much evidence. sexy heels, distressed denim and a simple button are a blank canvas waiting for a leopard clutch, statement bag or necklace that once put together, will be ready to go almost anywhere.
 
it's been chilly here in my neck of the woods and though I love summer and heat and humidity, the cooler weather (like 65-70 degrees) has been making me itch for fall. plus come September I will no longer be preggo and actually get to wear things I want versus whatever fits the big ol' bump. only 8 more weeks!



cobalt/turquoise

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

cobalt/turquoise

cobalt/turquoise by glitterandtea featuring Stella & Dot

you can see by the title that my absolute favorite color combo right now is cobalt blue with turquoise accessories. could it have been inspired by the beautiful colors of the ocean, a place I would LOVE to be right now? maybe, maybe ;) 

`I wore a blue maxi (all of these including mine are from old navy & current) with a beaded turquoise necklace (old from charlotte russe) to church on Sunday and loved it so much that I may or may not wear to my friends bridal shower this Saturday. hey, it's not a crime if no one saw you in it the 1st time :)  

blog links!

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

I haven't done a blog link up in awhile have since found some great ones that I hope you enjoy as much as I do. or maybe I've been living under a rock and you've already found these....
 
 

international: Jessie has such sophisticated but easy style that I am totally crushing on right now. She lives in Spain so it's also fun to see different locations and day dream about visiting one day. Fun fact: I took 5 years of Spanish so I like to read her Spanish translation to see what still clicks :)




mama like me: I found Jen B randomly on Instagram and glad I did. we are very close in our due dates, both having girls and both cravings waffles. There were many moments when I was reading her blog and saying to myself "ME too!" as she's totally relatable and hilarious not mention still looks fab (jealous!)

for the home (+ fashion & baby): this could fall under the "mama like me" category because Amanda is also very pregnant and already has a cute daughter...but since she lives in a fabulous NYC apartment and I do not we'll put her here instead. Her blog has tons of ideas on hosting, entertaining, cooking, decorating and more. Definitely worth browsing for inspiration. I for one am glad I stumbled upon it :)



how gorgeous is Amanda's apartment?! ^

mary kate and ashley-beauty

what would this blog be without the random posting of mary kate and Ashley? love their hair and makeup here!



1st image: pinterest 2nd image: olsens anonymous

life: 31 weeks update!

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

How far along: 31 weeks & according to Baby Center baby is size of 4 naval oranges-random.
Gender: baby girl! names are constantly floating through my head :)
Weight gain: don't know, don't want to know. at least 15?
Maternity clothes: leggings pretty much every. single. day. unless I'm in a dress. my goal is to never wear leggings after this pregnancy again! ugh! so sick of them. jealous of all the skinny jeans I see bloggers wearing but I don't want to buy any maternity pants especially in the summer.
Stretch marks: from previous pregnancy. and lots of them smack on the belly :(
Belly button in or out: in/flat
Sleep: it's ok but I wake a lot especially around the 5 am hour where I just sit up wide awake. I guess my body has started to prepare me for sleepless nights again though I would rather it not. can't I just enjoy sleep while its available? thankfully my little j is a good sleeper and lets me sleep in until 9:30.
Best moment of the week: taking some snapshots with my other 2 sisters who are also pregnant! we'll never know if that'll happen again. my younger sister is due any day and my older sister is due in January so it was now or never.
-also last week I went to a gym with my friend on a guest pass and we did some laps in the outdoor pool in the sunshine. it felt so good to exercise and not feel any pain in my back and feet like I do from taking walks. can't wait to get a membership again after I have the baby.
Movement: lots of movement and it's more visible. sometimes I even get a little self conscience wondering if people see it and think it's freaky.
Cravings: breakfast food all day every day. I always think I'm just going to have 1 waffle but end up going for seconds...and thirds... someone take it away from me! also cereal, toast and coffee though that has to be extremely limited :(
Looking forward to: sounds crazy but I'm looking forward to packing since we'll be moving in a couple weeks. I want to go through all our stuff (we really don't have to much since I went on a disposal binge few months ago) and getting rid of even more useless things that escaped my wrath the first time around. I'm all about uncluttering my life since less stuff=less to clean and I'm a clean freak so it makes me happy.
Nervous about: getting more stretch marks. I know if I keep giving into cravings I will gain weight really quick and stretch my skin to limits it shouldn't go. it happened last pregnancy and I really don't want it happen again. my self confidence took a huge hit due to stretch marks and I've just started to slowly regain it and don't want to backslide.
 

red, white and blue (lace dresses)

Friday, July 4, 2014



 
 
easy breezy boho beautiful. I could live in either of these.
 
happy 4th of july! yay America!

skin! clarisonic & estee lauder review

Thursday, July 3, 2014

skin!

skin! by glitterandtea featuring a clarisonic face wash

for mother's day this year I posted that I wanted to try the Clarisonic. I've always hesitated making the plunge because I was afraid it might be one of those over priced fad items and I didn't want to be duped. one day my husband and I were just browsing around Macy's when I stopped to show him the brush. He encouraged me to give it a try because believe it or not but he's a huge supporter of me having clear skin. sounds weird but he knows acne is something I struggled with in the past so he's always in my corner when it comes to my skin. he's a total catch and makes me feel beautiful and confident all the time :)

back to the brush. I bought it, used it that evening and instantly loved it. my skin just felt so clean! I recently got a sample of the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum and decided to try it after using the brush and the next morning woke up with-dare I say it-radiant skin! I believe the combination of the 2 is what really did it for me. the brush helped absorb the serum better because my skin was just cleaner! so now these are the only products I use at night and during the day I still love my Garnier Moisture Rescue lotion after using the brush. It's water based so I feel like I'm splashing my face with light moisture instead of slathering on a heavy thick formula. it's summer, who needs that?

extra side note: I got the mia 2 which comes with a timer but honestly gives me anxiety because I always feel like I need more time or it's taking too long. of course the whole purpose is uniform cleansing and to make sure you're using it not too much not too little but I could do without. that's just me.

the serum is a splurge at $62 for and ounce (!) of the stuff but the truth is it works and it does last a good amount of time. you need just a pea size for your face and you're good to go.

our future bedroom!

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

room

room by glitterandtea featuring a lumbar support chair

another day another girly room inspo featuring a bunch of ikea items.

we're moving soon so I've decided to follow my pinterest loving dreams and design our bedroom incorporating the above items. my husband thinks it's too feminine (it is) but add a gray wall and some black and white pictures of our babies (current and future) and I really think he'll love it. it's 100% not his style and frankly we don't agree on practically anything home design wise but he lets me do what I want because he's an awesome hubby :) I spend a lot of time at home and I clean every. single. day. (I do actually enjoy it) so living in a space I love is important. hopefully that doesn't sound too selfish...

some items not picture that will be included:
white curtains that I plan on painting gray stripes
2 lamps on each nightstand-black base, white shade
white picture frames w/b&w pictures
some kind of rug-have yet to find THE one
a laundry basket
 
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