Neutral Zone

Shirt- Forever 21

Jeans- Target

Sandals- Issac Mizrahi for Target

Sunglasses- LC Lauren Conrad

Purse- Forever 21

     I love mixing neutral colors. Even more so, I really love mixing browns and blacks. I think it lends the perfect backdrop for fun accessories and is a way to make a statement, without being too loud. While I am loving neons for summer, I always go back to these colors season after season. 

     We happened to go enjoy milkshakes at the Shake Shack one afternoon. It is adorable and bright yellow but so easy to miss if you don't know what you are looking for, and I love places like that! I got the Peanut Butter shake and boyfriend got an Oreo. Nothing is better in the summertime then sitting on the top of Pacific Coast Highway, enjoying a sweet treat overlooking the Ocean, taking in the breeze and salty air. 

     I think this might become a new summertime tradition... I might even have to squeeze one more visit in before fall is upon us!

Home Sweet Home

     Well we did it! Friday, we closed escrow on out first home. Our sweet little house on a charming street in my favorite city and I am beyond excited. It was up and down the whole week as to what would happen, leading to sleepless nights and feeling so anxious. But all of our patience paid off and now, we own a house! Crazy! There is so much work to be done and so many ideas floating around in my head and I absolutely cannot wait to begin working!

     To celebrate, boyfriend brought home a lovely bouquet of white lilies, daisies, and carnations and a super cute (and very potent!) bottle of white wine. There was also a pizza involved, but that was gone in seconds. Little unexpected gestures like that just make me feel like the most special girl in the world and I cant wait for our many adventures ahead!

(Good job, babe!)

Going Postal

     Last week I came across what I will now refer to as the "Best iPhone App ever". I have been thinking of updating our photo wall for awhile and knew I had been primarily been using my phone as my camera for the better part of two years. Well one little search and I came across Postal Pix. This App is free people... FREE! And so utterly easy to use. You can print off your Instagram photos as little 4X4 squares (perfect for Ikea photo frames!) or blow up your prints, and you can even print them on aluminum. So for a few dollars I ordered 20 of my favorite prints and I was thrilled when they arrived in the mail!!

     The photos were great quality and my mind was already racing with ideas of what I could do with them. Since we are moving soon, I decided to string them on some hot pink twine with clothespins and hang them to our bare walls for a little oomph! For so little (and I am telling you... it is affordable!) you can transform a wall in your house, your desk at work, or even put your favorite photos right on your fridge for old times sake (I think my mom still has my senior picture on the side of hers!). 

Since I loved my prints so much I contacted them and asked what they could do for my lovely readers!! So Friday until Sunday evening (at 11:59pm!) they are offering you guys 20% off all orders with the code 'theweekend20'. So sweet huh? I know I am going to order more!!! Enjoy!

Cobalt

Blouse- Forever 21

Jeans- Target

Flats- Target

Watch- Burberry

Jewelry- Edor Jewelry (Necklace), Forever 21 (Bracelets)

     I am drawing a blank on something to say today. There is so much going on, it is hard to find time to sit down and organize all of my thoughts! But it is easy to find time to spend on Pinterest. How does this happen to me? That website is like the bermuda triangle for me, once I am in, I am in for hours! 

     I wore this outfit out to dinner a few nights ago. Pizza and Fried Mac and Cheese. Classy right? I needed that extra little detail in the front to disguise any over eating. No really, I love the cobalt color and the asymmetrical shape of this shirt. I have never tried to wear it with anything buy skinny jeans, but I'm thinking a pencil skirt could work too. It doesn't matter, any time you add fuzzy leopard print flats to any outfit... I will like it no matter what.

Weekend Scenes

A great little collage app that will turn your iPhone photos into fun little shapes. This is my heart right here... puppy, boyfriend, and good memories from good times. I wish I could get one of these for my wall!

An incredible trunk I came across. It has a really cool texture and a faded union jack so it appears to be more vintage and antique then it really is. Plus it doubles as a good catch all to hide all of the puppies toys! The only problem is the dog has become obsessed with it and tries to get inside all of the time!

Nothing beats a long day of picking out cabinets and couches then a big burger and a nice cold beer. One of my favorite burger joints opened a new location in Newport and boy was it good! I plan on being there many more times! 

Happiness. Sometimes I feel like an old maid for not going out and partying on the weekends, but when I can hang out at home with this guy and be totally comfortable and content... it is so worth it. Look at that face! 

Sunday errands. Doesn't everyone wear bright lipstick to Home Depot? It gets the job done let me tell you! Boyfriend kept saying "Woah Lips!"

Cleaning out the Closet

I pulled out a couple of my favorite items that I want to sell and I wanted to share them here on the blog! Cleaning out ones closet happens every few years and it was traumatizing and difficult! I see cute things I just don't fit in anymore (or may never have) and well, my loss is your gain! So please if you see something you like, send me an email right here! 

DRESSES- $10 EACH!

1. Old Navy Mint Green Chiffon Dress (with tags)- This dress is dreamy and flowing and has cute ruffles around the neck. In perfect condition. Would look great with a brown braided belt and sandals!

2. Old Navy Striped Dress- Loose on top and then has a wide band and a straight skirt on the bottom. Worn a few times. Burnt orange in color. Gathered to one side, looks very flattering on!

3. Old Navy Heather Grey Cotton Dress (with tags)- I have this in black and love it! Looks so cute with colored tights and knee high boots! Ties right under bust to highlight natural waist. 3/4 length sleeves. 

4. Mossimo Black and White Striped Dress- SOLD!

5. Forever 21 Emerald Green Dress- Cute ruffle detail along shoulders. Ties behind back to give flattering silhouette. Ultra soft cotton! Also has cute striping detail on front and along the trim of dress. Looks very cute as beach cover up or with tights in the fall.

6. Forever 21 Black and White Silk Dress (with tags)- Has V-neck detail in front and back, Modest knee length skirt. Pretty bursting graphic print. Has wide black waist tie that ties into a pretty bow in the back. 

DENIM- $30 EACH

Seven for all Mankind "Roxanne" Dark wash Straight Leg Jeans, Originally $210 

I love these jeans they are so, so comfortable. 2% Elastane for stretchy comfort. These just don't fit me anymore! Can be seen in my "Up on the Roof" post!

Citizens of Humanity "Avedon Stretch" #133 Skinny Leg Low Waist Jeans
Light denim wash, one of my favorite pairs of casual jeans! Very stretchy and comfortable.  Looks great dressed up with heels or down with tennis shoes! Can be seen in my "Casual Sunday" post!

I am thinking $4 for shipping on the dresses and possibly $6 for the denim since they have to be sent in a larger box! Not to bad for a cute new outfit right? And if you buy it... you better send me a photo of how smokin' you look in it! 

Lewis and the Cupcake!

So remember how we took a little visit to Sprinkles Cupcakes? Well they had puppy cupcakes, and of course I couldn't resist bringing one home for little Lewis! 

They were so cute, and made from real ingredients that even you could eat!

Even though the treat lasted a total of two seconds, he totally loved it... 

(Excuse the poor quality I didnt feel like photo editing all of these.. but you all get the idea!!)

Happy Puppy!

Happy Weekend!

September Sponsorship

I am going all out and offering my small ad size for only $3 if you book for the month of September... and I will honor that price for multiple months if you pa in advance!

September is looking like it is going to be one of the craziest and best months yet! It is the Puppy's 1st Birthday (yes there is totally going to be a party!), we will be beginning renovations and moving into the new house and it will be the close of the first year of this lovely blog! And I would love to celebrate it all with you! 

To get this special rate just send me an email to secure your spot! I still have 1 Large Ad, and multiple medium size ads available as well!

Surf, Sand, and Scrambled Eggs.

Sweater- Forever 21

Shirt- Gap

Jeans- LC Lauren Conrad

Sandals- Havianias 

Bag- Forever 21

Sunglasses- Kate Spade

     I was drawing a blank so I let boyfriend name this post. Cute, if you ask me. But let me tell you this. The other day I ask him "Where is your favorite place in the whole wide world?" And he looks at me, and smiles really big and says "Breakfast." Whaaaaat!?! I was expecting "Paris" or "New York" but no. My total boyish boyfriend says his favorite place (not even meal or thing) is breakfast. These were taken that morning we ventured down to Crystal Cove and at breakfast at the Beachcomber. It was 8am... I wasn't going to get much dressier then this. I am really loving this mustard colored cardigan. I see it being a vibrant and great layering piece for fall. 

     On another note for those of you who have moved before (I only have moved twice and still have stuff at my parents house) do you have any advice for finding the motivation to start or get organized? I am so ambitious when I think about cleaning out drawers or packing boxes, but then when the time comes I am totally lacking the motivation! Any tips or advice are more then welcome! 

A Lovely Bride Feature

Today we have our last solo Sponsor feature and it is a good one. Rachel is my BFF and a totally amazing makeup artist. Here she is sharing one of her favorite looks, and offering you locals a pretty sweet discount. Also featured is Andrea, who also is a doll and has a lovely blog you should check out! Enjoy!

     Hello lovely Weekend File followers! I’m so happy to occupy advertising real estate on such an adorable blog. Anyhow, you might recognize me from a guest post here and there. My name is Rachel, I am an Orange County based make-up artist and I absolutely LOVE what I do and I LOVE making brides beautiful. As a matter of fact, I love what I do so much that I’m offering a 20% discount on any bookings made this month for events taking place by February 2012. Just mention that you are a Weekend File follower when you schedule your consultation.  For more information on pricing and services you can head to A Lovely Bride.

     I’ll tell you a bit about one of my favorite bridal experiences. I was called by an old college friend to make her dreams of a vintage inspired super-glam wedding happen. Andrea is a woman of impeccable taste and style, the fact that I was able to participate in such a glorious affair was, not to sound too Golden Globes, but an honor just to be nominated. The wedding took place at the Millenium Biltmore hotel in downtown Los Angeles and we started super early to get everybody through make-up (I believe it ended up being 19 people total). The look was classic retro elegance for the bridesmaids- glowing skin, perfect red lips and lashes, Andrea’s look was a more modern take on the classic vintage beauty, we decided on a plum-red lipstick, flawless skin and a softer smoky eye with gorgeous lashes.

     Feeling a bit glam? Want to recreate Andrea’s classic bridal look at your next soiree? Here’s the breakdown: 

I used with Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation in #117 (1) and Benefit High Beam (3) to create luminous points on her face- I recommend adding a dab to the top of cheekbones, the inner corner of the eyes and on the cupid’s bow of the lip. 

I dusted Andrea’s cheek with MAC Powder Blush in “Cheek” (2) starting at the apple and working back toward the temple. 

For the soft brown smoky look I used Chanel Quadra Shadow Palette in Spices (6) and the classic retro liner on the top lid using MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack (4). 

The finishing touch on the eye was adding Make Up For Ever Faux Lash #157 (7) and a double dose of L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Waterproof Mascara (8). 

The final touch to any inspired-by-yesteryear look is the lips! I recommend finding a color that suits you best, Dubonnet by MAC (5) is one of my long-time personal favorites.

Color Splash

Dress- Forever 21

Jacket- Nordstrom

Purse- Vintage

Heels- Payless

Necklace- Forever 21

Sunglasses- Kate Spade

     I remember buying this little purse at a thrift store in Arizona about 8 years ago. I had totally forgotten about it until this past week when I headed to my moms house to clear out some stuff from my old room. It even had this cute flower I remember putting on it so of course, I snatched it up and then what do you know? It looked perfect with this outfit! I LOVE this dress. I have been loving this Ikat print all summer long now (haven't you?) and to pair it with these pops of color I was smitten, and I knew it could be played up so many ways. Plus as many of you agreed last week with your fondness for elbow patches, dresses with pockets are also right up there on my all time favorite list. 

     For my friends who have been interested in sponsoring, Just Lovely Things blog is offering a discount on my small ads. Head over here to check it out. Trust me, its good! 

     And finally, I am just bad at getting this closet shop up and running but it currently has 30 items in it, all really cute and it is time for me to part with them so I am officially opening it up for business. I think instead of overloading you guys with tons and tons of stuff, I will do it in small amounts and fill it up when things sell. So here ya go, please buy some stuff I really, REALLY, need to get rid of it (boyfriend is nervous about the move and my closet!!)...

Click Here to SHOP THE WEEKEND FILE!

Sponsor Feature: Time To Shine

Happy Weekend friends! Today we have Nadine,our first of two sponsor features for the month. This will be the last month they will be individual posts, so give some love to my fabulous sponsors! Check out that last photo of her... crazy cliff hanging! So cool!
  
     Hello there, readers of The Weekend File. I'm Nadine, I'm 26 years of age and I'm happy to be here today. Usually I blog over on Time To Shine about my daily life, music and movies I enjoy, books I read and whatever comes to my mind and keeps me going.

Last October I started university and I've been studying English Studies and Media-communication since then. Tho' I sometimes struggle with the neverending workload and the scarcity of money, in general I'm happy that I made this decision. But since I worked in a bookstore for six years after finishing school, I'm still very passionate about literature and everything connected to books.

In other news, if you want to get with me on the roller coaster ride called 'my life' (ha, sounds really intellectual, not? No, unfortunately my life isn't THAT exiting all the time)... join me. I love to meet new friends, discuss everything from Harry Potter to Vampire Diaries and glamorous Indie Rock 'n' Roll and also to send some good old postcards from time to time. There you have it. Amen.

blog // twitter // tumblr // pinterest

Awkward and Awesome

Awkward-

- Getting run off the road (well, almost) by an old man who thinks your honking is trying to wave... uh, no. There were two turn lanes, not three.

- Dog dingleberries. Every. Single. Day...

- Having delicious Reese's Puffs cereal (which we eat for dessert) and running out of soy milk.... more then awkward this just makes me feel sad!

- Realizing boyfriend and I are both hoarders. Me with clothes and boyfriend with old receipts and magazines.

- Buying stuff for our house we don't have yet, totally awkward but oh so fun! I have my eye on an art deco chandelier from a thrift store that I hope no one snags before the weekend!

- Hearing people doing construction, or landscaping or something totally loud and obnoxious at 12:17 in the morning!!

Awesome-

- I have been looking high and low for a pleated skirt and I found the perfect one... and it has polka dots!

- Meeting our soon to be new neighbors.. they all seem so nice! They even offered us eggs from their chickens.

- Jersey Shore in Italy.... I don't even care, I am admitting that I wake up Friday morning totally looking forward to toast, coffee, and watching that train wreck!

- The posts I have coming up for you guys in the next week or so. I am genuinely excited!

- Finding 3 Lotto tickets in my desk that each tell me "I'M A WINNER!"... of another ticket! Woohoo! 

- Getting a check from your work for being apart of a Class Action Lawsuit. Thanks for the extra cash, and I didnt even have to do anything!

- The fact that Thursdays are really my Fridays so I don't have to work for 2 more days... Yay!

- Flipping Out. I love Jeff Lewis and his crazy team. If I could hire them I would in an instant.