Wow! What a magical night! Attending the Grammys and being able to listen to a few of my favorite artists perform live was just surreal! Honestly, I still get goosebumps when I think about Adele's powerful performance! Special thank you to Olay for making my dream come true and of course for making me feel and look my very best for the Grammys!




As I have mentioned before, I partnered with Olay to get my skin in shape just in time for the Grammys, so I could walk that red carpet with confidence:) During my initial consultation we've identified some of the areas that needed improvement, specifically moisture levels and my skin's ability to retain water. To combat these concerns we went with the Olay Regenerist line. A simple 3-step regimen consisting of Regenerist Regenerating Cream Cleanser, Regenerist Micro-Sculpting cream moisturizer and Regenerist micro-sculpting swirl eye cream. At this point, I've been using these products for a little over a month and I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am with the way my skin improved! I've been battling those pesky little dry patches for years and I am happy to report I am finally completely rid of them! YAY! Also, another positive change I've noticed since I started using the 3-step regimen is my under eye area! To say that I don't normally get enough sleep is an understatement. Most of the time, I go to bed late and get up early, which of course leaves a girl with some major under eye circles! Pretty? Not so much! But I've had them for so long, I've come to accept them as a given. And yet... after using Olay's Regenerist micro-sculpting swirl eye cream I've noticed a significant difference. Barely noticeable, I finally look like I'm getting enough sleep ( even when I'm not ) so I'm pretty excited!:)







Definitely planning on using these 3 products continuously and keeping you guys updated on my progress!

It's hard to believe, but this month marks one year since we moved to the new (to us) house! It's only a couple of miles from our last house, so for the most part the transition was a simple one. Both kids remained in the same schools, and we still have the same commutes and everyday errand spots. And since buying the house happened so quickly and unexpectedly, it was like we blinked and woke up in a new house!
At least once a week Mr. SP or I will say, 'Can you believe we're here??' We lived in our last house for ten years, so it was a part of us...an extension of our family. But a day hasn't passed in the last year that I didn't feel so unbelievably grateful to call this one home. Just like finding Maggie, this house found us, and we're a perfect fit.

Today I thought it'd be fun to see what we've accomplished in the first year, and set some goals for the spots I hope to tackle next. Because if it's on the internet, it must really happen, right?
We actually closed on the house at the end of 2014, but we couldn't move out of our last house until early February (that whole BH&G thing!). But turns out, that monthlong leaseback allowed us time to make major changes to the new house before moving in...like new floors and remodeled Kitchen.

Kitchen Renovation


In the past, the Master Bedroom was the last spot we tackled...but this time around, I went with the 'If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy' mantra, and hit our personal space first! And thanks to the {One Room Challenge}, I got it done in six weeks, as opposed to my usual nine years months!

Master Bedroom
Then I lucked out, and was asked to participate in the {One Room Challenge} a second time, and Kristin and I whipped out a jewel box Living Room.

Living Room
Fortunately, this house has a pool...and if you've ever spent any time in Texas during the Summer, you know we're in it all the time! So we turned our attentions to the backyard, with first a new horizontal fence, and then an outdoor dining area.

Horizontal Fence

Backyard Patio
As for the rest of the house, we're fully moved-in, but mostly just the way the movers left it! Everything about this house is different than the last...dimensions, layout, and size...so some pieces fit perfectly, and others are still wandering around aimlessly. But working through the rooms slowly has been a good thing, since it allows us time to figure out how we use each space.
A year ago, I thought the downstairs family room would be the main hangout, but turns out, the kids spend more time upstairs. I thought the Pantry would be the best spot to create a Family Command Center, but actually, the laundry room is where everyone naturally dumps their stuff. If I'd jumped right in, these spaces wouldn't fit our lives and I'd be re-shuffling a year later!
But I'm extremely goal-oriented, so setting a plan of action will motivate me to conquer specific rooms this year, as opposed to waffling all over and not completing any. No guarantees, but I'd love to first finish the rooms we've already started (and I've begun blogging about!)...
Little Miss lucked out and all her previous furniture fit perfectly in her new room...albeit in a much different layout. So far she has bedding and art, and I recently added nightstands and a rug...I'll share that with you soon, and hopefully finish it up this year.
Project Little Miss
The Breakfast Room has proven to be a tricky space, and not just because it's three times larger than our last one! You've seen the wallpaper come down and the new floors go in, but you haven't seen the revolving tables and rugs I've brought in trying to make it work! This may be one of those rooms that has to evolve over time, but I hope to at least settle on a table and chairs, and a light fixture this year!
Breakfast Room
Since completing the Living Room design, every space around it feels really unfinished. They're also the first areas you see when coming in the house. I haven't blogged about them specifically, but you've seen peeks of them in other posts...like the Entrance.
Entrance Hall
And the Dining Room. I realize they don't look bad, but other than paint on the walls, I haven't done anything but move in the furniture. I've been scheming this room in my head for a year, but it's changed about five times, so I'm still waiting for the perfect inspiration to strike. I mean, our last Dining Room set the bar pretty high!
Dining Room & Staircase
As for the areas you haven't seen yet, I decided the rooms we should focus on next are those we use most, and will get the most enjoyment out of them being done! #theresaconcept
The first one is the upstairs Game Room...sometimes known as a Playroom...but now that my kids are older, it's more of a hangout Den for them and their friends, than a place to stash toys. And as luck would have it, I already tackled most of this room with the Ikea Home Tour Squad last month!! The talented, energetic, Ikea-loving crew came in, and together we overhauled this space.
In two days, we turned this blank slate into the neighborhood Peach Pit. #namethatshow I'm excited to share the process with you soon, but in the meantime, you can check out all the Ikea Home Tour Squad video makeovers here.

I positively swooned over the screened porch when we found the house, and I'm not quite sure how yet, but I know it can be a dreamy spot. With our climate, it's a space we're able to enjoy almost year-round.

This tiny powder bath is right off the Breakfast Room, and should be a fun and quick makeover. You know I'm thinking bold!

And finally, the Laundry Room/Mudroom. Since all the downstairs floors were ripped out (remember that goof??), we had to go ahead with new tile, but that's as far as it went. But I think we're off to a great start!

I don't know, maybe that's a bit ambitious. What do you think? My original intention was to share a floor plan and Before shots of the whole house, but turns out, drawing floor plans is beyond my skill set, so you've been getting Befores as we tackle each room. Do you like seeing them one room at a time as we go, or would you rather see the full house now? Which space do you think I should tackle first? Do you have big plans for your home this year?

I love all things magical and mystical. Unicorns, leprechauns, bigfoot. It’s fun to believe. Another mythical being that I have been fond of since my youth…fairies. They are just so fun. Tinkerbell is the best, right? This DIY is all about those fun little pixies.

I am loving these fairies in a jar. They would be the perfect night light for any little girl’s room. They are quite easy to make too. Your basic supplies are tea lights, twine, clear glitter, white glue, tissue paper, and glass jars and lids. You are also going to need these cut outs from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts. (Here are more details on how to make these.)

Needing more fairy crafts? These 10 DIYs from Babble should help you get your magic fix. I love the living room fairy door (number 7) and the fun wings (number 1). I’m going to be bookmarking these for later.

Here’s the video…Enjoy!

The best thing about cold weather? It’s the best excuse to make a big pot of soup or stew! This recipe is an Italian take on our standby cabbage soup. More a stew than a soup, it uses Savoy cabbage (you could also use Napa cabbage), which is milder than regular cabbage, Italian sausage, white beans, fresh parsley, and Parmesan cheese.

Continue reading "Italian Sausage and Cabbage Stew" »

Do you enjoy crochet projects? We found this wonderful tutorial on how to hand-crochet a huge circular rug with wool roving. Thanks to Chandi from Expression Fiber Arts, you can watch and learn step by step how she transforms 7.5lbs of wool roving into a classy and inviting rug!

You don’t need any tools because this is done by hand, but you will need:

• Yarn scrap or stitch holder to mark the end of each round
• Wool roving

Here’s an overview of what to do, and to learn more detail watch the video below:

1. First you’ll need to create a slip knot and chain 2
2. Next you are going to crochet six rounds, remembering to mark the end of each round as you go
3. You’ll be increasing six stitches per round so count to make sure
4. As you get more and more complete the pattern will become obvious

Check out the video below to get all of the details:

What is your favorite thing about weddings? Seeing the bride walk down the aisle? The dress? The first dance? Or the cake? I love everything wedding but especially the cakes. What was your cake like? Mine was a petite three tiered masterpiece. I don’t remember all the details. I think that tier one was chocolate with a raspberry filling. Two was something with poppy seed. Three was vanilla maybe. There was buttercream and fondant all over the place too. Yum. My cake was great but it wasn’t seven tiered, ten feet tall, and adorned with thousands and thousands of flowers like this one from Complete Deelite.

I have never seen a cake like this one before. It was a year in the making. Can it still be good to eat after that long? I don’t know. Mine was made a few days before my wedding and put together the day of with fresh flowers. I’m not sure how one would go about moving something like this. Very carefully I’m guessing! Wedding cake toppers are hilarious and one of my all time favorite parts of weddings too. They are getting so creative. This was ours.

Here’s the video… Enjoy!

Remember when I talked about just how quickly LA weather changes... Exactly 2 weeks ago I was wearing sweaters and boots, and today, well... I'm sporting a sundress in a middle of February:) Chances are, we'll go back to boots and coats soon enough, so I am taking full advantage of this lovely weather by breaking out some of my new Summer faves a bit early.








This dress is my latest find and newest obsession! It's one of those pieces that combine everything I look for in a dress from open shoulders, pockets, perfect color combination and feminine silhouette! Clean and simple yet decidedly elegant, I love the way this dress pairs with heels and flats. My perfect summer dress is every respect, I can see myself wearing it for day or night and everything in between!:)
ASOS Off the shoulder stripe sundress | CHLOE Gala small bucket bag { in black here } | ANCIENT GREEK Chrysso beaded leather sandals | EXPRESS sunglasses | NIALAYA bracelets