Recent Etsy Buys

I've purchased things on Etsy before, but recently Pinterest has been steering me toward Etsy more.

Here are some of the things I've purchased recently.

Letterpresss print of California. So cute and just my colors!

 

Here

California Love necklace. They place the heart where you want it. Will be perfect for USC games.

 Here

This "Latchy Catchy" as gift for my Sister-in-Law for her nursery. Did I mention that I'm going to be an aunt in less than three weeks?!

Here

Gold Filigree earrings.  Perfect for every summer occasion.

Here

I wanted to buy this. But I think I can make the 5x8 version myself in Photoshop Elements. Little craft project maybe?

Here

What have you bought on Etsy lately? What are your favorite Etsy shops?

December Life Tips and Tricks

I feel like December is always such a crazy busy month for everyone. Shopping, decorating, parties, and more! But I have a few tips and tricks to make the month of December a little bit easier.


1) Clothing

Every December turn the hangers around "backwards" in your closet like this...


Then as you wear the clothes put the hangers back "the right way." If you get to the next December and there are still hangers "backwards", remove those clothes and give them to Goodwill before January first to get one final tax write-off and make room for the new clothes you get for Christmas.

(Don't you love the mismatched hangers in my closet?)


2) Shoes

With the holidays usually comes a slew of holiday parties - work parties, church parties, friend parties, etc. And if you're a girl, you'll be in heals for most of those parties.

To find a pair of heals that don't kill your feet, shoe shop at DSW.


Why DSW? At DSW you can try on any shoe in any size without the help of a sales person. And then you can walk around the store in the shoes you try on. I always put on the shoes I want (with socks or footie stockings) and then walk around the store while I shop for more shoes. I figure if I can wear shoes while walking around a store for 15-20 minutes and they still feel good, I can wear them to a party or night out.


3) Weight Management

I always gain weight around the holidays. But this year the Mr. and I are tracking our calories on the "My Fitness Pal" app (available on iPhone and Droid for free!) and we've actually lost weight this month!

The interface is super easy to use. It has the calories thousands of food items stored in the app and you can create your own favorites too. And there's a social aspect to it as well so your friend/friends can keep you honest.

We've also kicked up our number of workouts per week because My Fitness Pal calculates your workouts and gives you more calories for the days you work out. We need those extra calories for cookies and wine!


4) Shopping

I don't do Black Friday shopping but I do do "Day after Christmas" Shopping. There are some GREAT deals on clothes but also on holiday decorations for next year.

My favorite place to "Day after Christmas" shop is Crate & Barrel. I always stock up on holiday candles and decorations for next year for SUPER cheap. Then when I open my Christmas boxes next year I already have new stuff!


I think Crate & Barrel opens at 9:00 AM the day after Christmas. Get there early to get the best stuff. It runs out by later in the day.

What tips and tricks do you use to make your December easier?

Fun Weekend: Birthday Dinner, Antique Market, & Cooking

You know those fabulous weekends where you feel like you had a lot of fun and got a lot done. That was this past weekend.

Friday night we celebrated the Mr.'s birthday at JiRaffe in Santa Monica. It's a French/American gourmet restaurant that's Zagat rated, but we've never tried it.


It was amazing! We ate burrata and tomato salad, mushroom ravioli with truffle oil, apple pork chops, and coq au vin. And we drank Stag's Leap Petit Syrah. Loved it.

For dessert we had this lemon bread pudding, which was divine.


For a birthday present I got the Mr. a Lacoste Polo and a new Magic Wallet (he wore his old one out) and he liked both a lot.


On Saturday we went to yoga and then I planned out the meals I wanted to make for the week since I'm working from home most of the week. Then I hit Trader Joe's and Albertson's to get all the goods. Friends, this is as full as you'll ever see my fridge...


On Saturday night we watched The Social Network on Blu-Ray. I was surprised at what a great movie it was! I wonder if Zuckerburg is really that big of a jerk.


On Sunday I went with my blog-friend turned real-life friend, Brittney (from Our Poverty with a View), to the Long Beach antique flee market.

There was all kinds of trinkets and trash. But definitely a few treasures. Brittney and I kept commenting that if we were crafty like Young House Love or Brooklyn Limestone we'd able to turn a piece of china + a ceramic bird + a candlestick into some amazing centerpiece with the help of a little spray paint. :)

Brittney bough a cool old seltzer bottle to go on her bar...



And I bought some seashells...


After the Antique Market I went home to start my first cooking project of the week, making my own version of the Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti. I made this recipe last year but thought I could make it bit healthier. So I cut down on the spaghetti, cream of chicken, and cheese. And I really increased the veggies (adding mushrooms, squash, and upping the peppers and unions) and lean chicken.


Here's how it looked, ready to be frozen!


I was able to get three casserole dishes out of the recipe. We're going to eat one tonight, so I will let you know how it is!

How was your weekend?

Doing a bit of shopping...

Something about Spring always makes me want to go shopping -- maybe it's the bright happy colors in the stores, or the fact that it's so fun to enjoy the California outdoor malls in the sunny weathers.

Whatever it is, I've been doing a bit of shopping!

First for our Europe trip I bought...

This jersey maxi dress from Old Navy.


I thought it would be great for touring, day or night - dress up or down with belts and scarves.

This Kenneth Cole Reaction Luggage from TJ Maxx.

We needed a new piece of mid-sized luggage for our journeys.

And this sweater from Macy's in black.

I have so many cute sundresses, but this little sweater will help them to be more modest for touring churches, etc.

Question for you all -- what cute shoes do you recommend for walking around and touring all day? I don't want to look all grubby in my running shoes, but I don't think I can walk all day in my stylish sandals. Advice is needed!


Also, for work....

I bought this Calvin Klein dress at TJ Maxx (50% off!)



And for around the house...

The nice people at Playful Threads gave me this adorable cami/boy-short sleepwear set!

A definite improvement over my winter sleepwear!

You can read more Playful Threads and their collection of sleepwear, dresses, lingerie, and more on my Reviews and Giveaways site.
http://newlywedsnextdoorreviews.blogspot.com.

What items are on your list for this Spring?

Tax Refund: Dreams & Reality

This year instead of owing money to the IRS, the Mr. and I actually going to get a pretty decent tax refund. Woo hoo!

If I was a single, non-home-owning, spendthrift, 20-something gal this is what I'd buying with my tax refund...

Top row:
White Dress from Nordstrom, Yellow Dress from Nordstrom, Work Outfit from Banana Republic, Coral Dress from J. Crew, Juicy Swimsuit,
Second row: Marc Jacobs Wallet, Joan and David Shoe, Betsy Johnson Sunglasses, Tori Burch Sandals

That's right, I'd be going on a huge shopping spree for me!


But instead I'm a married, home-owning, decently-frugal, 20-something gal.

So this is what we're doing with our refund...

Donating the "first fruits" to our local Church


Installing a tile backsplash in our kitchen

(I'm hoping this is actually an "investment" and ends up paying us back when we sell our condo.)

And paying down some higher interested school loans we have.

Pretty boring and practical, huh?

But don't worry there are a couple of fun things that we're going to buy...

Like an Apple iPad!

(I'm so excited to bring this to Europe with us!)

This swimsuit from Victoria's Secret


This dress (or a similar one) from Nordstrom to wear to my friend's wedding



This is our first tax refund we've ever gotten as a couple, so it's kind of fun discussing how we'll spend the money together -- balancing priorities, etc.

Are you getting a tax refund this year? If so, how are you going to spend it? Or will you save it? If married, are you and your hubby on the same page as to what to do with your refund?

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

I've been on kind of a nesting spree lately! Ben Bernanke, you cannot blame low consumer confidence on us!

The latest obsession? A sweet mirror for our dining room.

As you may know, in our Condo the living room and dining room are one big open room.

I've been on the hunt for a cool mirror to go above our dining room table for a while. But now that we found our living room art, I'm ready to buy something for that part of the room to really complete it!

Here is how the room will look once we get the art.

You like how I superimposed the image of our art onto that living room picture? Yeah, I'm crafty like that.

I decided that a round mirror would be best for the space above the table, so I scoured the internet to find mirrors that would fit the bill, and I now present to you my "mirror round-up."

{click to enlarge}

I love #3, but that's an outrageous price for a stinkin' mirror. #6 doesn't really fit the clean lines and feel of the room. So those two are pretty much out at this point. That leaves the remaining five in the running.

I really like #7 but it's the smallest of them, and I'd really like it more if it was six inches bigger in diameter.

Which one do you like?

Art Found!

How's this for timing? I blogged on Thursday about our hunt for art, and this Sunday there happend to be an art fair right by our condo in Long Beach! The Mr. and went over to it, met a great artist from San Diego who paints beaches and water scenes, and purchased one of her pieces!

In a just a few weeks, this beautiful scene will be hanging over our couch!


I love it! The water is abstract and the boats make it tangible and nautical (this image does not do the water justice).

Thank you all for your great ideas and a special thanks to the Introvert Wife and Carey for volunteering to paint something for us! You guys rock!

Now I just need to buy some couch pillows! Any suggestions for ones that would go well with this piece?

Art Hunt

We've lived in our condo officially as a couple for over one year now.

When we moved in we had NOTHING in terms of furniture. I think I had a mattress and the Mr. had a desk chair. We've spent the last year buying furniture, art, frames, and other decor items.

I'm happy to report that in terms of major furniture/decor items we're only missing a few things. The most glaring missing item is a great piece of art over the couch.

Exhibit A:


This area is just SCREAMING for some art. So a few months ago the Mr. and I officially started our "Art Hunt."

(BTW, as soon we get the art, I'm changing out our couch pillows which I hate!)

Our wall is too big, and our ceilings are too high for a cluster of art like this:

(from The Nest)

I've thought about doing 3 panels of art like this:


(from The Nest)

But I really think our space needs one big bold piece.

I've thought about a print of old Long Beach.


But ideally I want something a bit more artistic, more modern and abstract, yet relates to the beach/water. (Note: I may want something that does not exist, ha!)

I've looked online and in some local galleries and nothing really fit. I feel kind of stuck.

Where have you bought art for your home? Have you ever commissioned a piece?

Since we're talking about home decor... a couple of months ago I "met" Mrs. Limestone when our custom blog URLs went down. But since then I have fallen in love with her blog. Her Brooklyn Limestone home is SO amazing. I just look at it and drool. It makes me want to run out tomorrow and buy an old home to fix up and modernize . She has such a great sense of style, is an amazing photographer, and definitely seems to know her way around tools. Basically, I want to be her.

And for fun... a new blogger, Brittany is doing a fun giveaway over on her blog. Go over there to check out!

Black Tie Optional?

I just got the beautiful invitation to my friend's summer wedding. On the bottom it of it read "black tie optional." Now, I know for a wedding this really means optional, but I'm guessing that a lot of men will wear tuxes. And since I'm a sucker for guys in tuxes, I told the Mr. that I think it's time that he invest in a tuxedo. Plus we're probably going a cruise for Christmas and New Years and he'll need one for that too (more on that later).

Do any of your guys own tuxes? Do you have any tux buying advice? Like where should he look to buy one? Men's Wherehouse? Macy's? Boutique? What brands are good quality for a good price?

Shoe Dilemma and "Look Natural"

In June I will be a Bridesmaid in my friend C's Wedding. We have adorable Bridesmaid dresses from Aria that look like this:

Except our pink is lighter (this is from the Aria website).

She requested that the Brideamaids all wear gold shoes. I currently have three options that I purchased from Endless.com. I will return two. I need your help deciding which to choose!

Option #1
Pros: Only $30!! Super comfy. Decently cute.
Cons: Lower heal. Not as "hot" as other options.


Option #2
Pros: SUPER cute. Looks hot!
Cons: High heal. Not as stable. Could be pretty uncomfortable after a while. $70.


Option #3
Pros: Still cute and hot but less expensive the #2 ($60)
Cons: Highest heal. Could be pretty really after a while. Too strappy?



So what do you think. #1, #2, or #3?

I really tempted to go with #1 because they are inexpensive, won't hurt my feet, and I'm already 5 ft. 8 inches, so I don't need the height. But I don't want to look lame next to the other girls if they have higher, sexier heals. Please help me decide! Leave your vote in the comments!


Also, here is fun Friday treat for you guys. A video of the Newlyweds Next Door! My dad thought he had the camera on "picture" but it was on "video"...


This video is hilarious. So much going on... I tell the Mr. to sit up straight, then push him and tell him to not be "retarded". He then shoots me a look like "wtf is wrong with you" that I don't even see. Finally my Dad tells us to "Look Natural" and our first reaction is to frown and the smile huge! So "us".

Happy Friday everyone!

Oh Costco

Dear Costco,

I love you so much, but why can't I visit you without spending over $100?

Yesterday I went to you for a:


and some:


And a couple of gallons of:


Yet somehow spent $130??!

I'm torn because I feel like I'm saving money shopping at you, but I also feel like spend MORE money when I shop at you. I even made a list this time to avoid the $200 boondoggle from a couple of weeks ago. But alas the siren call of your amazing/gigantic products sucked me again. This needs to end.

Yours truly,
The Newlywed Next Door

Summer is Here!

It's going to be 95 degrees in Long Beach today -- shattering heat records for late April in Southern California!

Thanks goodness I just invested in these:


Last week I picked up this great patio furniture set from Bed, Bath, and Beyond for our balcony deck! It's really comfy, looks chic, and it was all 20% off.
(On a side note: those 20% off coupons for BB&B that you get in the mail/in magazines never expire and you can use them in combination, even though they say you can't do that! Isn't that cool?)

Can you believe I fit all that furniture in my tiny Toyota Solara? I was quite the sight, driving down the 405 freeway with the chaise lounge sticking out of the truck and the deck chairs hanging out the passenger window. I can't tell if the Mr. was impressed or scared when he saw me pull up to the condo. Ha!

I want to pick up a planter box to go on the window that opens onto the balcony (see below). Any ideas of where to get a good planter box? Also do you have any ideas for some pretty and heat-resistant plants to plant in it?

\

I love summer!

Coffee Table He's Coveting

Our condo is almost fully furnished! (I'll give you a house tour in the future) One key thing we're missing is a coffee table...

I'd been hunting for a glass coffee table with clean lines that doesn't look cheap or ornante. Then while we were at Crate & Barrel the Mr. spotted this table and wanted to buy it right then. I balked at the idea of a $600 acrylic coffee table and we left. However, he still wanted it.

A few weeks later I was online on CB2 and found its cheaper, sleaker cousin and it got my wheels turning...

Some pictures:


Description: This transparent new surface floats in the room without taking up permanent visual residency. Thick half-inch molded acrylic adds clean mod edge in one seamless turn.

Our living room is not huge and the furniture is already dark, so we need something clear/glassy. Our style is very clean and modern so this definitely fits that. I'm really temped to buy it!

But I'm still not sure about acrylic... Have any of seen an acrylic coffee or side table in someone's house? What do you think about this table?