Wednesday, January 28, 2015

In Love With Fabletics!

 
I recently signed up for the Fabletics VIP membership, and I was immediately in love! I know you've seen the ads - first outfit for $25. Here's how it works: Order you're first 2 or 3 piece outfit starting at $25. After that, they email you outfits they think you'll love at the start of each month. You can either place an order, "skip" that month, or do nothing, in which case your credit card will be charged, but that amount can be put towards a future purchase. No commitments! That's the best part! As a girl on a tight budget, I don't usually feel comfortable adding any new recurring expenses. That's what I love about Fabletics! I can order when I want, and if I don't want to spend the money, I just "skip" that month!
 
Since we're on the topic of finances, Fabletics is VERY reasonably priced. VIP prices on whole outfits start at around $50. That's crazy, especially if you're getting a 3 piece outfit. You really can't beat it. Well, MAYBE you could, but the quality would be questionable, and  Fabletics is not cutting corners on the quality. No see through pants here! The have the cutest selection of work out wear, so many different styles and colors to choose from, and it is super flattering. This is just my first order, but they seem to run true to size. I know I sound like an advertisement, but I'm just giving my honest opinion here.
 


I cannot wait to order my next Fabletics ensemble! Really, looking cute makes it so much easier to go to the gym, am I right? I've got my eye on a certain pair of camo leggings.....
 
 
 
 
xo,
Summer
 


 
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Monday, January 26, 2015

Easy Greek Chicken Bake

 
My favorite recipes are the ones that are simple and easy to put together and use the least amount of equipment. This recipe for Greek Chicken fits the bill! I found it on Pinterest, of course! It looked like there were several versions floating around, but I used this one from The Pinning Mama. She has a great site, and you can link to her original recipe post here. This is just my take on it. If you've read any of my recipe posts you know that I don't like to measure. I kind of just eyeball things or guess. Usually it works out for me, sometimes it doesn't. Here's what you'll need:
 
Chicken breasts
Olive oil
Diced tomatoes (I used one large)
Artichoke hearts (1can), chopped
Green onion
Feta cheese
Greek seasoning
 
Since my little one is such a picky eater I only used two chicken breasts for my husband and myself. I put a bit of olive oil in the bottom of the dish and then seasoned the chicken with a little bit of salt and pepper.
 

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl with a little olive oil.

 
Spread the mixture over the chicken.

 
Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is slightly browned on top.
 

So yummy! And so easy! We served it with wild rice, but pasta would be great with this as well.
 
What are some of your favorite easy dinners?
 
 
 
xo, Summer 
 
 
 
 
 
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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Serious About Stripes

I currently have a serious addiction to stripes. It's become a bit of an issue. You may have gotten a glimpse in a couple of my recent posts. But I want to buy EVERYTHING striped. Clothes, accessories, home décor, you name it. And you can see from the pieces I picked here, I tend to lean towards less color. Black and navy are my favorites, but I do like a pop of color now and then. These are just a few of the stripes I'm loving at the moment.....For more follow me on Pinterest!


 
 
xo,
Summer
 
 
 
 
 
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Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Holy Chic

 
 
 
I'm revisiting the Old Navy Holy Chic tee that has been everywhere for the last several months. It's still one of my favs! I usually dress it down with jeans and Chucks, but I had really been trying to find a way to style this vintage striped skirt, which I am totally obsessed with. Match made in heaven! I really love pairing more casual items like a tee, sweatshirt, or plaid flannel with something a little dressier, maybe a little glam. I loved this look, though I think a strappier heel would have been better, but I was in desperate need of a pedicure that day! ;) The tee has obviously been sold out for a while, but I'm linking you to a couple of similar styles below.
 
 
 
Old Navy Tee - similar here and here / Vintage Skirt - similar option here / Calvin Klein PumpsJ.Crew Inspired Necklace / Charming Charlie Bracelet and Earrings / Charming Charlie Clutch - similar here / Maybelline Lipcolor in Hot Plum / Essie Nail Color in Licorice
 
 
 
 
 
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Monday, January 19, 2015

Easy Pizza Bites

 
 
Back on New Year's Ever when I was racking my brain trying to come up with new appetizer ideas to try aside from my usuals, I pulled out a can of crescent rolls and stared at them for a while. You can make so many different things with them, I was hoping for some inspiration to strike. Then the little asked if we could order pizza for dinner, and the light bulb went off. Duh, why can't I just make pizza with crescent rolls? That didn't really mesh with the finger food theme I was trying to go with, so I turned pizza into mini pizza bites! This recipe isn't even a recipe, as with most things I make. I don't like to measure. I tend to just eyeball things. You can make these however you want. We kept it crazy simple.

These are the ingredients you'll need:

Pillsbury crescent rolls (or the sheet kind)
Marinara sauce (any kind you want!)
Mozzarella cheese
Pepperoni (or any other topping you like)


We made our pizza bites in a muffin tray, so start by spraying your pan with cooking spray, then preheat your oven to 425 degrees. You'll need to roll out your crescents slightly so that you have enough to make a dozen, and to seal any seams you have if you aren't using the seamless crescents.
 

Then cut your dough into 12 squares....


And press your squares into the muffin pan.
 
 
 We put our toppings into the cups before the sauce, but you could do it the other way around too. fun fact: a slice of pepperoni fits perfectly into the bottom of your muffin! Then add a spoonful of sauce, and sprinkle with cheese.
 
 
 
 
 Now you're ready to pop them in the oven! Bake at 425 degrees for about 12 minutes.


 Soooo delicious! And the kiddo LOVED them, which is a total bonus, because she is super picky. You could seriously make these so many different ways, which is what I love about them. Give them a try! You won't be sorry! :)
 
 
xo,
Summer
 
 
 
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Friday, January 16, 2015

Navy Stripes

 
 
I'm loving all the puffer vests that are out there right now. I missed the boat on the herringbone J.Crew last year (sad face), but I scooped up this striped, quilted zip-up from Old Navy as soon as I saw it. And it happened to be on sale at the time - bonus! And I love just about anything with a stripe. With a vest I prefer to keep the rest of the ensemble pretty basic.  
 



Sparkly details....


The boots were an amazing find as well, on clearance at Nordstrom rack. They're sold out now, but I've linked you too a similar style from the same brand that are equally as cute.


 
 
 
xo,
Summer
 
 
 
 
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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Wednesday Wish List - Work Out Wear

It's so much easier to get yourself to the gym when you look cute, am I right? This Wednesday I'm eyeing some of these pieces to make my work out a bit more stylish.
 


 
P.S. - I just joined the Fabletics VIP program as a birthday gift to myself, and it's awesome! My first outfit has arrived, and I LOVE it! The quality is fantastic, everything looks great, and the prices are AMAZING! Can't wait to order my second outfit. Those camo capris WILL be mine!
 
 
xo,
Summer
 
 
 
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Monday, January 12, 2015

My Golden Globes Red Carpet Rundown

Just thought I'd give you a quick rundown of my favs from last night's Golden Globe Awards Red Carpet. There were some definite hits, and quite a few misses, but these are my picks for best dressed. I'd love to hear your picks too!
 
 
The BEST of the Best
 
Sienna Miller
Awards season can just go ahead and be over now, because as far as I'm concerned nothing will top Sienna Miller in Miu Miu. I have always been an enormous fan of her style, and I am so glad she's stepped back into the limelight, because Oh. My. Gosh. I could not love her more! This look is PERFECTION! The hair, the makeup, the earrings, and that DRESS! I know I'm going a little gaga over here, but seriously y'all. It doesn't get any more gorgeous than this. Done. I don't even need to mention anyone else...........But I will! :) 
 
 
Runner up....
 
Emma Stone
 
Emma Stone in this Lanvin jumpsuit...seems like a lot of people hated it. I LOVED it! It was so her, and she is so cute. To. Die. For. I was freaking out over this last night. I would totally wear this by the way, you know, if I ever had to red carpet to walk on my way to an awards show. Again, obsessed.
 
 
The rest of the best....
 
Emily Blunt
 
Love the custom Michael Kors goddess gown, the cutout was just enough, and the braids and earrings are amazing. I always love her though.
 
Leslie Mann
In my humble opinion, Leslie Mann is underrated. I adore her, and for me she usually nails the red carpter. I love the yellow Kaufmanfranco dresswith the green accessories. Kind of obsessed with her really.
 
Jenna Dewan-Tatum
Another gorgeous yellow Carolina Herrera gown on Mrs. Channing Tatum. She is stunning. Love the hair. Maybe I'm loving all this yellow so much because I can't wear it. Totally washes me out.
 
Jennifer Lopez
While I do wish this Zuhair Murad dress on J. Lo did not show quite so much boobage (it makes me uncomfortable), she looked AMAZING! The cape is to die for, and her hair and makeup - OMG. On anyone else I probably would have said it was a bit much, and maybe even a little slutty, but it's J.Lo, so it totally works for some crazy reason
 
Ana Faris
Anna Faris is not usually someone you see on best dressed lists, but I loved this dress on her. She's so cute and funny, and I just loved her last night.
  
Lorde
You may all think I'm crazy for putting this on my best list, but I thought this Narcisso Rodriguez on Lorde was the best she ever looked, which is why I have to give her credit. The crop top was cute, hair was awesome, and this may be the first time I've seen her without the goth lipstick, and it looked great on her!
 
 
 
Now for the bad news....I am trying to go with the whole "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all", so I'll just share my worst in pictures, no explanation needed.
 
The Worst
 
Kerry Washington
 
 
Jennifer Aniston
I'm very sad to put her on this list. :(
  
Kiera Knightly
 
Rosamund Pike
 
 
 
There were lots of other memorable looks that I didn't mention, but I don't want to totally bore you. This was my final list. Did I mention how much I loved Sienna Miller? Just checking. Who were your best and worst from last night's Globes?
 
 
 

 
xo,
Summer





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Saturday, January 10, 2015

DIY Gold Skull

 

I have been updating the downstairs half of my house little by little for a while now.  I can't wait to share with you the end result when everything is completely done, but for now I will share with you my latest project (that has since led to an obsession with spray paint). This super easy, DIY gold painted skull is now by far one of my favorite things I own.

This skull started out at my brother's old restaurant on the wall, then made it's way to my parents house, and eventually wound up with me. I was thrilled to have him. I've been really digging the glossy, white faux taxidermy trend for the last couple of years, so when I got my hands on this I immediately had a plans. I initially wanted to coat it in a glossy white, but the rough texture made me decide otherwise. So gold was my next option. I'm loving everything gold right now, aren't yall? From my jewelry to notebooks and planners, to home accents, anything! Anyway, when I saw this spray paint at Hobby Lobby I knew I had to give it a try.
 

It's Krylon Premium Gold Foil spray paint, and I am now obsessed with this product. I promise I'll show you all the other random things I used this stuff on another time. It's amazing! It comes a couple different colors, but the gold color was exactly what I wanted. It had just the right amount of metallic shine to it. Also, bonus...it's only $6! Like I said, you can get it at Hobby Lobby, and I also heard Walmart sells it, but I haven't checked. When all else fails, there's always Amazon.

The first part of this project was sanding the whole thing lightly, focusing on trying to get the old restaurant logo off. The logo didn't completely disappear, but it did help a little. After I wiped it down I just dove right in!

Being that I had never used spray paint before, I did some research on the best way to apply it. Since I am far from an expert, I would recommend you do the same if you're thinking of trying it for the first time. I just tried to go back and forth to give it a light first coating. The cool thing is it only needs a short amount of time to dry in between coats, per the instructions on the bottle.



After 2 coats were applied, I let it cure for a couple of days before hanging it in it's new spot on our living room wall! I wasn't sure at first if I was going to try to sand it down more between coats, or put a polyurethane topcoat on it for more shine, but I really loved the way it turned out. I love that you can still see the natural texture under the gold. So cool!



Doesn't he look handsome? I'm obsessed!


xo,
Summer




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Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Marsala Wishes

I'm loving Pantone's color of the year, Marsala, aren't you? Here are just a few of the things on my wishlist in this beautiful, rich color. I already own the loafers (and love them), and Essie Wicked has been a favorite of mine for years. I'm dying over the moto jacket and Kate Spade tote!
 
 
 
 
 
xo,
Summer
 
 
 
 
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Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Bachelor Premiere: My Predictions



The new season of the Bachelor is upon us! I love this time of year! I did enjoy Andi's season of the Bachelorette, but I'm excited for this season of the Bachelor, partly because we all still need to stop talking about Juan Pablo, but also, Chris is adorable, so here's hoping for some entertaining Monday evenings to come! I'm not going to recap the entire episode, but I do have a few thoughts to share, and then I'll give you my predictions.

First off, I need to mention Chris Harrison's interview with Nikki during the red carpet portion of the premiere. Cringeworthy. It was actually quite painful to watch. I guess he had some time to fill and needed to stretch things out, but Oh. My. Gosh. How many times can you ask the same question, and how many different ways can she answer? Give the girl a break! I'm sure she's so over talking about Juan Pablo, and this was just so ridiculous. Stop it. Moving on though.....

The limo arrivals weren't actually as bad as I've seen in the past. The cruise ship singer was awful, and the fake heart in a cooler was gross, but I liked the note from students that Tracy read, and Britt was cute. The dresses this season y'all were atrocious! So so bad. Like really. Ew. I hope these girls step up their game on the fashion front in the coming episodes!

So, on to the girls. One of my favorites of the night was Tara, obviously. The drunk girl on night one is always the best, and she was hilarious. It's also hilarious that she still got a rose. Of course she wasn't the only crazy in the bunch. Amanda's eyes were freaking me out. But let's talk about the onion girl. I don't even remember her name, but holy cow. What was that? I don't know if she was drunk, or acting, or just totally weird, but she got a rose too! And I am totally looking forward to more cookoo from her this season!

I have a couple of front runners to mention, and I've got to throw in the hubs predictions as well, because y'all, he's never wrong! Yes, I make him watch with me, but he secretly likes it. :) Britt is an obvious choice. She's drop dead gorgeous, and she got the first impression rose. I don't think she's top four though. Chris and Jade seem to have chemistry too. The hubs thinks Megan is a sleeper and will make it to the end. I hope Kaityln sticks around for a long time, because she is too funny, and my number one favorite from last night. So here are our predictions for top four: 


Becca
My choice for Chris's final pick.
Kelsey
We both like her for the final four
Jade
We both thought it looked like she had chemistry with Chris.
Megan
Hubbies pick.
  
Jade, Kelsey, Megan, and Becca, with Britt and Kaitlyn close behind. Oh wait, I forgot about Tracy! Honorable mention to her as well!

Britt


Kaitlyn



Tracy

I'm not very good at picking the winner, but Eric is, so we'll see how we do this season! Hopefully Chris finds a good girl. He seems like a sweet, genuine guy. Can't wait to see what drama unfolds this season!

Tell me your favorite moments from last night's premiere and your picks for Chris's final four!

xo,
Summer




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