Living Room Re-Do

If you've been reading my blog, you know I've been struggling with my awkward little living room. It had an identity crisis for quite a while, since I just could not seem to stick with a theme. However, I think I finally got it! I had a mild painting disaster a few weeks ago - in a brave stupid moment, I bought two gallons of paint thinking FOR SURE this is the right shade of blue I'm looking for. Instead, I ended up with a hideous shade of minty-aqua highlighter blue that would have looked great in any 10 year old girl's bedroom in the 60's. After painting half the wall that color trying to convince myself it wasn't that bad and 6 other sample shades later, I finally found the right shade! Well actually, my boyfriend picked it out. I think the actual conversation went something like this:

BF: "Well... since everything is coming out too dark or too bright, why don't you just get a white with a blue tint to it?"

ME: "Oh... Yeah... Well, let me think about it. That might work, but I'm not sure..."

Because the LAST thing I wanted was for him to have that bullet on me! "Don't you remember when I had to pick the wall color because you couldn't figure it out??" Ugh! Eventually I conceded though, and I hate to say it, but he was right. It was exactly what I was looking for. So, yes, I'm a professional graphic designer and my boyfriend had to pick out paint colors for me... I am highly ashamed.

After the painting, I retired my old couches and brought these brown super comfy microfiber couches out of my boyfriend's storage. I bought a few pillows, moved my desk to the back corner, and voila! :) I have a few finishing touches to make (I need something over the sofa & some other decorations), but I think it's finally getting there!

Transition Pieces for Fall

Even though it is roughly 93 degrees here today, I have already started thinking about the fall! Here in the Deep South, we know fall is coming because there's a tropical depression in the Pacific and football season is right around the corner, but everywhere else in the country you can spot the impending season change at the stores who have begun bringing in their "transition" pieces. Let me tell you, I LOVE transition pieces! Mostly because they will actually become my winter pieces as well, since it doesn't get all that cold here - but also because they are so versatile and fun to play with! Mixing, matching, and finding new ways to incorporate these pieces can be like a fun little game every morning from here until the cold sets in! So here are some of my favorite new transition pieces and fall trends I've spotted - as always, let me know what you think!

1. The Stitched Bomber Jacket from Charlotte Russe ($32.99) would be a perfect transitional jacket to throw over any top as the evenings get cooler. Comes in Matte Faux Leather in Brown with a mock neck and 3/4 sleeves. So cute!

2. Throw that Bomber Jacket over a cute sleeveless top in jewel toned colors or patterns, like this Chain Strap Top for only $17.80 at Forever21!

3. Strappy caged heels are the perfect sexy way to transition your footwear into fall! Check out these great Python Gladiator Platforms at Charlotte Russe for $32.99

4. & 5. A skinny belt in a fun, eye catching color is a great way to hold an open cardigan together! Try this awesome Pleat Trim Sweater Cardigan in Black or Coral from Forever21 for $24.80 paired with this Teal belt on sale now at The Limited for only $9.99!

6. I think scarves are my absolute favorite accessory! Try one in bold, bright colors worn over a solid top to keep the summer alive a little longer! Here's a great Bold Paisley Scarf for $8.80 at Forever21

Quick & Easy Chicken Pad Thai

Last night for some reason I got this crazy craving for Chicken Pad Thai. Of course, I didn't have any of the ingredients lying around, nor did I have any idea how to make Chicken Pad Thai, so I started Googling. I found a recipe and made a list and headed to the grocery store. I was prepared to make my own Pad Thai sauce with Tamarind Paste, Fish Sauce, Chili Sauce, & Brown Sugar, but I found this amazing little concoction in the International section at Whole Foods:



It was much cheaper than buying all of those ingredients that I probably wouldn't use very often, and I made sure to check the ingredient list to compare it to the authentic Pad Thai recipes I found on the internet (they're all there!), so I decided to try it out. I was so impressed! My Pad Thai dish turned out just as delicious as any Thai restaurant I've ever been to! It was quick and easy, and it made a perfect 2-serving dish. I mostly followed the recipe on the back of the jar, but I added my own twist. Check out my recipe below, with my very scientific measurements. NOTE: I like my Pad Thai with a peanut-y flavor, so feel free to exclude the Peanut Sauce or Chopped Peanuts if you don't.


Quick & Easy Chicken Pad Thai (Serves 2)

1/3 Package (14 oz.) Stir-Fry Rice Noodles

6 Tbs. Pad Thai Sauce

About 4 oz. Cubed Chicken (feel free to substitute shrimp, pork, beef, or tofu)

3 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

3 Tbs. Vegetable Oil

1 Egg

1 Tbs. Peanut Sauce

2 Tbs. Chopped Peanuts

Bean Sprouts (to your liking - I put about a handful)

Chives, chopped (to your liking)

Cilantro (to your liking)

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (to your liking)

A few slices of lime for garnish

Start out by bringing about 4 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pan or small pot. Once water reaches boiling, remove from heat and immerse your noodles. You don't want to over cook the noodles - remember, you will be stir frying them later! Let noodles sit in hot water for 8-10 minutes. When they're done, drain and rinse with cool water. While noodles are sitting, Heat 1 Tbs. Vegetable Oil in a large non-stick pan or wok. Scramble egg and put to the side for later. Meanwhile, I chopped my Garlic, Chives, Cilantro, & Peanuts so all of my ingredients were ready to go for the quick stir-frying process. Once the egg is removed from the pan, add 2 Tbs Vegetable Oil and Chopped Garlic and heat on high until fragrant. Add Chicken and cook thoroughly. By the time the chicken is done, so should your noodles. Add the drained and rinsed noodles to the pan. Stir in 6 Tbs. of Stir Fry Sauce, and 1 Tbs. Peanut Sauce (if desired) and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add in Bean Sprouts, Chives & Chopped Peanuts to your liking and stir fry for another minute. If you like your Pad Thai with a little kick (I do!), add in some Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (the Pad Thai sauce is pretty mild). Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro and lime. Serve and enjoy!

Amazing Art

I saw these amazing paintings at a jazz bar in New Orleans last weekend and had to share. It may be difficult to tell from the photographs (it was pretty dark and smokey in there!), but the letters are created with duct tape that has been painted over in bright colors. Unfortunately, I don't know who the artist is, but I could not stop staring at the pieces' interesting texture and bold colors all night! Makes me want to pull out a fresh canvas and some duct tape ad get to it. It would make an amazing focal piece for my living room - I just need to find the right quote for it now. How inspiring!

Bargain Huntin'

Ladies, listen up! I found a great new website last week called Celebrity Looks for Less that's a must-bookmark for any girl who's a fashionista at heart but doesn't have the pocketbook for it. It inspired me to do some of my own bargain fashion hunting, so I've been online shopping for a few days now. Quick fact about me: I'm a compulsive buyer! To curb my shopping appetite, I often trick myself out of buying things by doing a little something I call "faux shopping." This is a little crazy, but bear with me - I'll spend some time browsing the website and adding items liberally to my shopping cart, but when I'm done I'll click out of the website instead of hitting the checkout button. It may sound a little nutso, but it works! Too many times have I cleaned out my closet only to find several items with tags still on them that I've forgotten about because I just picked them up out of impulse. However, I broke my no-real-shopping rule yesterday and went to the mall in search of some jean shorts and cute sandals for my beach trip this weekend. I remembered all the cute things from Charlotte Russe on Celebrity Looks, so I decided to stop in. I'll be honest with you - in the past I have not been a big fan of C.R. I found most of their fabrics to be pretty low quality and the items I would buy would not last more than a few washes. I am all for a bargain, but I'd rather spend a little more on a quality item than waste money on something that will fall apart! But don't rule them out just yet - I think they have turned over a new leaf! Let me tell you, I was really impressed with their new merchandise. They have some great new looks, awesome shoes, and the material seems to have vastly improved. They are definitely worth a second look! Here's some of my favorite finds and check back soon for more:


I had to have this Floral Flutter Top because it was oh-so soft and silky to the touch and has some great colors in it (I even see hints of Purple & Gold, so I may even be able to pull it off for LSU Football Season!) - great for day or night wear:



Almost bought this adorable Satin Floral Shift, but was turned off that it wasn't lined and was 100% polyester (sorry, I'm picky) - otherwise I loved the pattern and the black zipper down the back almost made me forget about the plethora o' polyester. I went back and forth on this one and am still thinking about it, so I may just have to go back for it:



And wouldn't these Strappy Booties look great with that dress?? So sassy!

Rompin' around

So, the one fashion trend I said I would never ever cave to is The Romper. I thought, how could this possibly be cute/sexy/stylish in any way or in any situation?? I had these when I was 9. Some had bad floral patterns that allowed me to seamlessly blend in with my grandmother's curtains. I had one that came with a cream crochet dress to wear over it, and I often accessorized it with a choker and jelly flats. Seriously. There is absolutely nothing fashionable about this!

But then...I started seeing them on the streets. Some were as hideous as I had imagined.... but some were kind of cute. They just started to look so COMFORTABLE and effortless... And then one day, I saw one labeled as a bathing suit coverup at a department store. It was made of a light jersey material in turquoise and it had a shirred tube top with pretty brightly colored embroidery across the top. And it was on clearance. I thought, hmmm... could this be a possible loophole to my no-rompers-ever rule?? So I tried it on. And I kind of liked it. I actually really liked it, but I didn't buy it because I felt bad about how much I had trashed them!! Now, I'm really regretting it and have been frantically scouring the internet for the perfect romper, which I think I just found at Net-A-Porter:





This Shay Todd white cotton romper would be PERFECT as a bathing suit cover-up, and could even be re-purposed for an afternoon on the town. What more could you want?? So what's your verdict on rompers - fun or fug?

OH. MY. GOD.

I want NEED this chair!!




Donations? Anyone?? :)

Image via Etsy seller ReclaimTheThrone, who has lots of other gorgeous pieces worth checking out.