Flashback Week- A Peek At Our Condo

     Since we are moving this week I decided to take a blogging week off. Have no fear though, I am going to share some of my favorite posts from the last year (some when I barely had 20 followers) so they might be new to you! If you really miss me you can check in with me on Twitter (imhayley) or Instagram (im_hayley). Here is a little peek at our style and what our condo had looked like.

    

     Right now, I'm blogging, the boy is watching football and the puppy is asleep on the couch! Perfect Sunday if you ask me! Too bad that little thing called a job is going to get in the way soon and I will have to go sling lattes later. 'Til then I wanted to show you a few of my favorite things around our house! Enjoy!

1. Vintage movie marquee letters we picked up at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Sometimes we spell 'EAT' sometimes 'TEA'!

2. Orla Kiely jars holding spatulas and wooden spoons, and all of our cookbooks arranged on our counter give our white on white kitchen plenty of color.

3. Extra, extra large coffee cups saved for really serious caffeine situations!

1. Our new wall full of frames. Photos taken on vacation, of the puppy, and prints I have purchased off of Etsy. I can stare at these forever. Such great memories!

2. The boy loves Legos. Enter the Lego Architecture series. We usually get one a year of somewhere we have been and he builds away. These live on our mantel next to framed photos, vases and another lego Ferrari.

3. Authentic Danish furniture inherited by family, and my Orla Kiely pillow brought all the way back from London!

4. Wallpaper city guides, Anthropologie candles, and a Ceramic White Owl piggy bank sit atop my desk in our living room.

Flashback Week- Lewis, The Puppy

     Since we are moving this week I decided to take a blogging week off. Have no fear though, I am going to share some of my favorite posts from the last year (some when I barely had 20 followers) so they might be new to you! If you really miss me you can check in with me on Twitter (imhayley) or Instagram (im_hayley). This was a photo shoot we did with Lewis when he was so little, and I just had to share his sweet puppy face!

     Lewis has hit the three month mark and is getting bigger and even more adorable by the day. I feel like I am becoming one of those people who want to show off tons of photos of their kids. Except in my case, my kids are actually just my dog. But when I look at his face, I really, truly have never seen a dog this dang cute!! He is doing so well and is already so spoiled. He had so many presents for Christmas he ended up getting the same thing twice! Lucky dog! Anyways, I'm thinking I need to add him on a calendar of cute puppies or something so everyone can share in on this face! Good Idea, no?!

Flashback Week- Daily Makeup Routine

     Since we are moving this week I decided to take a blogging week off. Have no fear though, I am going to share some of my favorite posts from the last year (some when I barely had 20 followers) so they might be new to you! If you really miss me you can check in with me on Twitter (imhayley) or Instagram (im_hayley). I shared my daily makeup routine and it is still the same today, so in case you ever wanted to know... here you go!

     When it comes to makeup, I am a girl that uses whatever works regardless of price. I always love reading about what other people use and what they feel works best so I decided to share my basic daily routine with everyone.

1. E.L.F Hypershine in Vixen- It only costs $1, it is not too sticky and has the right amount of color. I stock up each time I go to Target!

2. Mark Eyemarker in Java- I have read this is discontinued but I love it. It doesn't smear to the upper eye lid and the color stays bold throughout the day.

3. Smith's Rosebud Salve- I have these in my makeup kit, purse, car... everywhere!! It is my favorite and you can use it anytime, anywhere! Not to mention the tins seem to last forever and the minted flavor is to die for.

4. Nars Eyeshadow in Nightstar- This color has the lightest amount of sparkle, I use it all over my eye lid to get a even base color before putting my darker colors on top and in the crease.

5. N.Y.C. Color Wheel- I just dab my blush brush in, swirl, tap, apply and go!

6. Amazing Cosmetics Concealer in Light- My friend (who is a makeup artist) gave me this awhile ago and told me "a little goes a long way" and it does... and covers blemishes flawlessly. You will have this little tube for a long time.

7. Make Up Forever HD Foundation- I like using just a dab of this with a foundation brush all over my face. It doesn't get greasy or disappear as the day goes on which is a plus for anyone with oily skin.

8. MAC Eyeshadows- I use various shades of brown and gold, and all different combos everyday! You cant go wrong!

9. Fresh Cosmetics Mascara Duo- Small enough to travel with or throw in your purse, one of these really separates and defines, while the other really coats the color on. I usually just use the black one for everyday and then add the green tube for an extra punch!

Flashback Week- 25 Facts

     Since we are moving this week I decided to take a blogging week off. Have no fear though, I am going to share some of my favorite posts from the last year (some when I barely had 20 followers) so they might be new to you! If you really miss me you can check in with me on Twitter (imhayley) or Instagram (im_hayley). Here is a little post I did with some silly facts about myself nearly a year ago!

Here is a simple list with 25 facts about yours truly. We want to be friends right? Well you might want to jot these down for future reference! 

1. Clearly, I like to entertain myself in the passenger seat by taking photos of myself!

2. In 2004, I did s study abroad program and lived in Oxford, England for a semester.

3. I have never broken a bone (knock on wood).

4. Secretly, I know most of the lyrics to most Ludacris songs.

5. As a child, I used to watch Beaches and Top Gun... every single day!

6. I've never drank a soda in my life.

7. I also will not eat anything made with or smelling like oranges. They make me gag!

8. I was once an extra in a movie. It is too embarrassing to say which one.

9. I was named after Hayley Mills.

10. The worst part about my job, is that we are not allowed to wear nail polish. Kills me every time I see a girl with pretty nails!

11. I have traveled to USA, Canada, Ireland, Great Britain, Italy, Czech Republic and France and I still have never been to Mexico!

12. I am deathly afraid of roller coasters. Space Mountain is about as wild as it gets for me!

13. Lately, I cannot fall asleep until I win a game of Solitaire on my phone.

14. My favorite thing to do in the summer is to go to baseball games! 

15. I've never seen the Atlantic Ocean.

16. My celebrity crush is Jimmy Fallon. 

17. I had to have serious dental work when I was younger and they had to widen my jaw thus causing my front teeth to have a huge gap in them my entire 8th grade year. Totally mortifying.

18. I have no idea how to drive a stick shift.

19. No matter how old I get, I think I will forever love and idolize Gwen Stefani. She was the first "cool" girl I ever saw. 

20. Most of my purses look like small luggage. I just don't understand how you can fit everything you need in a small bag. The bigger the better!

21. My mom is my BFF. 

22. Comic Sans is the worst font ever. EVER.

23. I was once on the Dean's List for High Academic Achievement in College. That only lasted 1 semester though...

24. I buried a time capsule (okay, coffee can) in my childhood back yard. I really badly want to go dig it up!

25. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up!

Flashback Week- Early Outfit Photos

     Since we are moving this week I decided to take a blogging week off. Have no fear though, I am going to share some of my favorite posts from the last year (some when I barely had 20 followers) so they might be new to you! If you really miss me you can check in with me on Twitter (imhayley) or Instagram (im_hayley). Today we have one of my first outfit photos that actually came out good! I still think this outfit is cute, too!

Sweater- Forever 21, Shirt- Aeropostale, Jeans- 7 For All Mankind, Boots- Old Navy, Belt- Forever 21 (came attached to a dress)

     So boyfriend and I are starting to breakout of our shell and we actually left the confines of our neighborhood to get some outfit photos. These have to be some of my favorite. We snuck up to the 6th floor of a parking garage in our downtown. I think the people in the 10 story office building next door were probably typing away on their computers, looking out their windows, wondering why this girl was making her boyfriend play model with her so early in the morning. Oh well. We gotta get creative and lets face it, I cant keep taking all my photos by our creepy tree in the backyard. 

     I really need to see some movies. I want to see Blue Valentine, Country Strong (yeah, don't laugh), Black Swan, and even that lovey dovey one coming out with Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher. We managed to see The Fighter on New Years Eve and it was so good. Different then what I thought it was going to be like but good. Apparently one of those sisters is in real life the sister of Conan O'Brien so we played the game "spot the look-a-like" and trust me if you see it, you will find her! Any other movie suggestions? Should I skip any of these? Let me know, movies are like $12.50 so I have to pick and choose wisely!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you guys! 

     Our celebration starts tonight, opening gifts and having dinner with my boyfriends parents, then breakfast and presents with the rest of his family Christmas morning! Unfortunately, my mom has come down with that horrid sinus infection I had all of November (and everyone else seems to have currently!)  and has cancelled our Christmas plans, but I think I am still going to surprise her with presents and homemade desserts to cheer her up!

Hope everyone enjoys time with family and friends this weekend!

Tiny Umbrellas

Umbrella Print Dress- c/o eShakti

Denim Jacket- AC

Chartreuse Scarf- Forever 21

Oxford Heels- Payless

Watch- Urban Outfitters

Bracelets- Forever 21

     I might be a little off in saying it has been freezing lately, but I am from So Cal, and anything under 60 is considered frigid! I have been dying to wear my new dress from eShakti, so I slipped it on this weekend prior to some last minute Christmas Shopping and quickly realized I should have put on some tights too! BRR! If you haven't heard of eShakti let me tell you- they have a ton of cute dresses and coats  and not only are they affordable, they are customizable! Say you want the sleeve longer, or the hem shorter? They can do it! I chose a standard size, but for this dress I think I could have customized it around my waist and hips a bit more since it is kinda loose! But isn't this little umbrella print cute? I couldn't resist! Right now they have a 60% off sale AND free shipping until Christmas, so it's the perfect time to try them out! Oh, and on another note how cute is this watch? I am smitten with anything that has an 'h' on it, and this watch is no exception. It was an early Christmas present to myself!

Newport Beach Boat Parade

     One of my favorite Holiday activities is to head down to Newport Beach to see the Christmas Boat Parade. We try to go every year because it is so fun and festive and so overwhelming gorgeous, and makes for a pretty good date night. This year we went on Friday evening. We headed to dinner at one of our favorite Italian restaurants, Il Dolce, grabbed a Red Velvet Hot Chocolate at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (Have you had this? It is to die for!) and headed down to the pier at Balboa. Normally this takes about an hour to get to but since we left from our new house, we were there in under 10 minutes!

     We usually take the Ferry ($1 ride) over to Balboa Island, so you get a quick second of being out on the water, and walk the permitter of the Island, where all of the houses are decorated to the nines and the gorgeous boats of all sizes are twinkling by in the harbor. It really is magical, and gorgeous and there is nothing else like it.

Candy Canes and Peppermints line the walkway to one home.

View of the Balboa Pavilion, boats in the harbor, and even decorations on the private docks!

I have an obsession with vintage Christmas decor. I will be online Dec 26th looking for C7 lights like these, and stocking up for next year!!

The Costa Mesa City Hall, renamed Snoopy Hall for the Holiday. They let this man who has been decorating his home (which was foreclosed on) for more then 20 years, set up his handmade display on the lawn. He sits on a bench every evening, with a Santa Hat, enjoying watching everyone come see his decorations! SO NICE. And they are trying to accept donations to save his home. I love my new city. 

Life size Gingerbread Houses on a private beach!

One of my favorites houses. Twinkly and classy!

Nothing like decorating your sailboat and kicking back on a slow ride through the Harbor. 

A New Winner!!

I tried to find the winner of the Karen Kane Gift Card giveaway but they went missing so I decided to draw another winner...

So, the new winner of a $50 Gift Card is...

Congrats, Jess_TIB!

Please email me ASAP so we can get your gift card over to you!!

In The Spirit

Black and Blue Striped Sweater- Nordstrom

Jeans- LC Lauren Conrad

Flat Black Boots- Old Navy

Necklace- Anthropologie

Glasses- c/o Glasses USA

     The past few days have been full of Christmas shopping, wrapping presents and finally doing a tiny bit of decorating. Being between houses, the boy doesn't want to set up our tree or lights this year. I was okay with it at first, but the house just didnt have that warm and festive feeling! So today I strung some vintage Christmas lights on a large mirror, set our Snowman on a table and found our stockings. It isn't much, but it makes me happy. 

     When shopping for others, I always end up finding great deals I can't pass up. Does this happen to any of you? This sweater was a steal at Nordstrom so it had to come home with me! I had a gift card from my birthday, so it didnt feel like I was "shopping", technically! I also received these glasses in the mail this week. I need to get used to them, they are huge! But more on those next week!

     This weekend I am looking forward to a date night with the boy at one of our favorite, local italian restaurants and going to see the Newport Beach Boat Parade (a tradition of ours!). Hope you all have a fun and festive weekend!

Winning!!!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Karen Kane Giveaway, and a big thank you to everyone over at Karen Kane for being so generous! Now on to the winners.... 

The Winner of the $100 Gift Card (as chosen by a random number generator) is...

Melody-Mae! 

The Winner of the $50 Gift Card (as chosen by a random number generator) is...

Amanda!

Congratulations ladies! Please send me an email ASAP to hlynnedwards(at)gmail(dot)com!

Simply Green

Sweater- Forever 21

Shirt- c/o Karen Kane

Pants- LC Lauren Conrad

Flats- Target

Bracelet- Forever 21

Sunglasses- Kate Spade

     Remember when I couldn't participate in the EBEW "Colored Pants" edition because I was the lone soul that didn't own a pair? Well, I caved.  When I found these that fit well, were not too loud, and not too expensive... I knew they had to be mine. I like how they add contrast to an otherwise simple outfit. This blouse is from Karen Kane and it is gorgeous. I wish the detail photographed better. Lovely 3/4 length sleeves, fabric covered buttons and a front tie... all in the most amazing fabric. Really, it felt like Christmas opening up the package! 

     I found this wall near our new house (if anyone knows where it is, you are awesome!) and knew I had to take photos there one day. Well, I picked the windiest day ever. Not to mention it was starting to drizzle so it gave me mega frizz hair flying in my mouth. Super fashionable, huh? Boyfriend promptly took me to Wahoo's and fed me lunch... tough life of a blogger! 

     Check back tomorrow to see if you are the winner of the Karen Kane Giveaway! Im jealous, I wish I could enter! 

Adding Sparkle

     Having this blog has definitely helped me think outside the box when it comes to my personal style. I love the sequin and sparkle trend that is all over right now, but I can't help but think that if I wore a bright glittery dress, I would look like a gigantic disco ball! Instead, I want to share some of my favorite sparkly items from my closet that I wear to feel a little more dressed up around the holidays!

These multicolored sequin flats have got to be at least 5 years old, but they ad the best pop of color to an otherwise drab tee and jeans or all black outfit. Think of it as a statement shoe, instead of a statement necklace! 

A gorgeous necklace that belonged to my Grandma, that I really never appreciated it until recently. I love that it has a bit of sparkle, and a bit of vintage charm.

This shift dress ads sparkle without being too over the top. It has a very 1940's quality and is perfect with black tights and heels. Maybe my New Years outfit for this year?

A dainty gold scarf looks surprisingly polished and put together when paired with a black blazer. This is an older piece from the Gap, but still manages to be current and trendy today. 

This little cocktail ring is incredibly affordable and the prettiest shade of blue. It is perfect for winter because it kinda resembles a snowflake! 

Don't forget! 

Today is the LAST DAY to enter the Karen Kane Giveaway! 

Win either a $100 or $50 gift card! 

All Wrapped Up

Sweater- Old Navy

Dress- Old Navy

Leggings- LC Lauren Conrad

Leg Warmers- H&M

Boots- Payless

Belt- Thrifted

Necklace- Commissioned 

     This sweater was a wardrobe staple last year and I decided to pull it out again on Thanksgiving. It feels like a warm, yet chic, blanket! After working in the morning, being under the weather all month, and knowing I was just going to lounge around all day and eat, required comfortable clothing. At the time I thought the browns in my belt and boots matched, until I saw these photos. I blame the sweet potatoes and green bean casserole that was controlling my brain. And for the record, the food was gooood and I fell asleep at 7pm that night! 

     Speaking of the boots, they are from Payless and at first I didnt expect much, but they have taken over my feet! They are comfortable, warm, easy to wear, lightweight, and have a nice little heel. I get compliments on them all the time and I paid under $50. Honestly, people stop me to ask about them!! 

     If you haven't noticed, I am hosting a giveaway to win a gift card to Karen Kane valued at either $100 or $50. They have some incredibly flattering pieces and they are all made to perfection so I suggest you check them out and then enter the giveaway! You still have time!