Happy New Year, Last Chance to Enter my Giveaway!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year!!
Enter my giveaway by tonight, because I will be drawing the winner tomorrow!!

J.Crew Sweater

I am just wondering if anyone has tried this sweater on or seen it reviewed somewhere. . . I ordered it and am trying to adjust my expectations (i.e. will I like it or not)

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!!

Please enter my giveaway! You have until December 31 to enter!!

http://chanelfashionista.blogspot.com/2009/12/its-almost-my-blog-versary.html

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays with their families!!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!!!

Blog Birthday Giveaway!!

I didn't label my giveaway post appropriately, so I am doing another post to advertise my giveaway!!! Here is the post: http://chanelfashionista.blogspot.com/2009/12/its-almost-my-blog-versary.html

Enter by December 31!!!

The Sugar Doll Award

I was nominated for the Sugar Doll Award by Lily Lemon Tree! I am supposed to list 10 interesting things about myself, so here goes:

1.) I am addicted to gum. I am a gum addict. My favorite is Orbitz Bubblemint.

2.) I love to shop. I love all things J.Crew, Kate Spade, Tory Burch, and Diane von Furstenberg.

3.) I love dogs. I am so happy that the hubby and I finally got a little labrador of our own!

4.) I could watch The Office, Keeping up with the Kardashians, What Not to Wear, and Saved by the Bell all day long.

5.) I am addicted to Starbucks

6.) I hate cleaning. Absolutely hate it. I would rather go to work than clean.

7.) Christmas is my favorite holiday

8.) In the next year I plan to finally purchase my Chanel bag. I've been saving for that one FOREVER!

9.) I absolutely love Mexican food. I could eat it everyday of the week.

10.) This list was so much harder than I expected it to be

It's Almost My Blog-a-versary

I started this blog in January 2009. . .which means it's almost my 1 year anniversary!! Plus I am getting awfully close to my 200th post. Which means I think I'm due for another giveaway!! Since it's the holidays and everyone is super busy, I will announce my giveaway now and give everyone until the end of the day on December 31 to enter. So leave a comment on this post to be entered once, leave a comment and be a follower to be entered twice, and leave a comment, be a follower, and post about this giveaway on your blog to be entered 3 times.

And now for the prize. . . . . . . .

2 Mark by Avon Juice Gems

Mark Making Eyes Eye Shadow Duo in Down to Earth (the brown)

And Mark Kissink Lip Tintmarker in Berry Bitten

Less than a week until Christmas!

Can you believe it's almost Christmas?! I can't!! Time around the holidays always flies by so so quickly. Are you all done with your shopping? Luckily I finished early this year, so I can relax this weekend and avoid the malls. Here is a little sneak peek at some of the giftts I bought my loved ones this year:


for my hubby, the Wii:






For my sister and sister-in-law, the J.Crew Always Cardigan








For my brother, some Old Navy jeans and polo shirts





For my Aunt, a snuggie and the book Marley and Me:






What are you giving your loved ones this year?

Mr. Winston

This isn't the best picture, but it's the most recent one I have of my "puppy." He is growing soooo quickly! He is already weighing in at about 35 pounds! I love him so much and can't really imagine not having a dog now.

Fact: I've been a bad blogger

I am so sorry that I've been a bad blogger lately! Holidays are hectic, so I apologize! I promise to do a catch-up post and post updated pictures of Mr. Winston (you won't even recognize him, he is getting sooo big).
I have a fun birthday dinner to go to tomorrow night. I may have to go straight from work, so I am trying to think of something I can wear straight from work to dinner. Here are my two options for now:

Option 1 is a banana republic tweed skirt, a J.Crew ruffle top and a black cardigan, with black Nine West peep toes. Option 2 is a DVF plain black wrap dress with my lovely Kate Spade blue pumps. Any thoughts? Thanks for your help!

Could it rain more here, please?

So I can justify these babies?

http://www.katespade.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3496695&cp=2632454.3124611

Some inexpensive yet chic gift ideas for. . .

Your sister/sister-in-law/friend:

1.) Kate Spade 2010 Spiral Desktop Calendar, $20
http://www.katespade.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3777727&cp=1981009.1855190.1866720

2.) J.Crew Always Cardigan, $30

http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Shop_By_Category/weekendlounge/topsandhoodies/PRDOVR~21423/21423.jsp

3.) Tory Burch Flip Flop, $45

http://www.toryburch.com/toryburch/browse/productDetail.jsp?icProduct=32098639&icSort=&icCategory=cat160010

4.) Trina Turk for Clinique make-up set, $25 (spend $25 on Clinique make-up at Nordstrom and receive the free gift!)

http://shop.nordstrom.com/C/6023592/0~2376780~6009391~6015950~6023592?origin=leftnav

Sucker for Christmas music

I LOVE Christmas music. Absolutely love it. Then combine it with country music, and you have perfection in my mind. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw this last night at Kohl's:


It was only $5, and it's for charity, so what more do you need! I've been listening to it nonstop already. I highly recommend it!

My girl crush

I am not going to lie. . . Carrie Underwood is my girl crush. I think she is adorable and always looks great. And I would love to have her hair! She hosted the CMAs last night with Brad Paisley. I believe she wore 10 different dresses. Here are some of them:



Which do you like? I think I like #2 and 5!

Neiman's 40% off sale

Did you check out Neiman Marcus's 40% off sale today? Well I did :)
I picked up the Tory Burch Simone cardigan in black. I am already planning outfits with it! I can't wait for it to arrive. I am really loving all the sales going on (even if my wallet isn't).
Friday we are going out to dinner for my hubby's b-day - so I will be asking for your help with my outfit!

Items in this set:
Tory Burch top, $225
J Crew jeans, $125
J Crew top, $88
Tory Burch flats, $235
Louis Vuitton Neverfull GM in...

The hubby's birthday

So next weekend is my hubby's birthday. He is very difficult to shop for because he never gives me any ideas. He says he doesn't want anything. I always have to pick my brain to come up with gift ideas. And it doesn't help that Christmas is only about a month after his b-day.

Well, after much brainstorming, here is what I decided on for his b-day:

1.) Burberry tie

2.) Season 1 of The Office

I guess I will find out in a week what he thinks of my gift :)

I think I have an addiction

If shopping were my job, I would be oh so great at it! :)

1.) J.Crew blushed tweed pencil skirt

2.) Banana Republic Helena Peep-toe Wedge in Mahogany

3.) Tory Burch Julianne Peep-toe Wedge

4.) Old Navy Jacket

5.) Tory Burch Simone cardigan

Over The Top!

The wonderful Kathy and Seashell at Two Hands Full of Daisies gave me the Over the Top award today! Thanks so much, you two are great blog friends!

1. Where is your cell phone: Now it is in my purse. It's usually in my purse or next to me.

2. Your hair:Is a mix of curly and wavy. If I do nothing to it, it does not look good. I have to either straighten or scrunch it with gel.

3. Your mother: the best!

4. Your father: quiet. . . but still the best!

5. Your favorite food:I love everything. . but Mexican is my fav!

6. Your dream from last night: Don't remember it at all

7. Your favorite drink:I drink water, unsweetened iced tea, coffee and wine. . that's about it normally :)

8. Your dream/goal: to find that sought after balance between family and work.

9. What room are you in: the living room

10. What is your fear: losing someone close to me

11. Where do you want to be in 6 years: settled down where we want to live permanently, enjoying life with my family

12. Where were you last night: getting my hair cut

13. Something you are not: Clean, organized (at least at home. at work I somehow hide these traits)

14. Muffins:a big waste of calories

15. Wish list items: ha there is a very long list. . . . a Chanel bag, every Tory Burch shoe ever made, many J.Crew pieces, a Marc Jacobs bag, Burberry trench coat, etc. etc. etc.

16. Where did you grow up: Portland, OR

17. Last thing you did: ate a Snickers, played with the doggie

18. What are you wearing: Hubby's t-shirt and sweat pants

20. Your pets: a 12 week old chocolate lab puppy named Winston. When I was young I had a cat named Tiger

21. Your friends: love them! I do wish I saw them more

22. Your life: perfect for me right now :)

23. Your mood: Good mood, but a little tired from a crazy work week so far

24. Missing someone:No one at the moment

25. Vehicle: Nissan Altima

26. Something you’re not wearing: socks and shoes

27. Your favorite store: J.Crew, Banana Republic, Nordstrom, Diane von Furstenberg, BCBG, Nine West, Tory Burch

28. Your favorite color: Blue and pink

29. When’s the last time you laughed: now - I am watching Big Bang Theory

30. When’s the last time you cried: hmm I can't recall but I'm sure it was pretty recently

31. Your best friend: my hubby of course

32. One place you go over and over:Vegas, Palm Springs, Portland

34. Favorite place to eat: Chevy's, The Ivy, Koi. . . . I love trying new places!

I nominate all of my friends who haven't received the award yet!

Happy Weekend

Happy Weekend everyone! Not only is it the weekend, it's also Halloween AND Daylight's Saving! You know what that means. . . . an extra hour of sleep! I'm sure we can all use that. Winston also wanted to wish everyone a Happy Halloween!


Any fun plans? Winston, the hubby and I are going to watch scary movies and hand out candy.

Thank God for raw hide bones

So we gave Winston his very first rawhide bone, and it's probably the best thing we have ever done! DOn't get me wrong, I love my puppy. But he is a handfull!! We have to constantly monitor him and watch our feet so he doesn't bite us. It's like having a baby! Once we gave him a bone, it kept him busy for hours! It gave mommy and daddy a break! So while puppy was occupied, I was able to snap some picture of some new outfits:

I got this top at the Ann Taylor outlet. It was on sale for buy one top, get one half off. I got another basic black turtleneck. I am wearing a Gap black cardigan over it.

This is the Tory Burch dress I got. This could be my Easter dress, who knows :)

Ann Taylor Loft Sweater dress in grey. Love this. Please get cold so I can bust it out.

Ann Taylor Loft ruffle top (got this a month or so ago) and Trina Turk skirt.

Black Gap cardigan, J.Crew frances top and Banana Republic high waisted pinstrip pencil skirt.

My Weekend: Outlet shopping, puppies & baking

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I spent Saturday doing some outlet shopping. My biggest score of the day was this Tory Burch dress:

It was originally $295, and I got it for $70!! It is very flattering on, and it will definitely be worn come spring/summer.











I spent the rest of the weekend playing with Winston and baking (see post below).
I can't believe how fast my puppy is growing! He is heavier everytime I pick him up! Here is a current picture:





I hope you have a great weekend!

Pumpkin Baking Spree

So in honor of fall and Halloween coming up, I decided to go on a little bit of a pumpkin baking spree. I LOVE pumpkin. Like seriously love everything that is made with pumpkin. So I researched some recipes and gave them a shot this weekend. Here are my top two:

1.) Pumpkin Cheesecake:

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham crumbs
5 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. sugar

Filling:
3- 8oz.pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
Whipped Cream

Mix crust ingredients together, just till coated and crumbly. Press onto the bottom and 2/3 up the sides of an 8" springform pan. Bake for 5 min. at 350. Set aside.
Combine cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl, mix until smooth with an electric mixer. add pumpkin eggs, and spices, beat till smooth and creamy. Pour into the crust. Bake for 60-70 min. or till the top turns a bit darker. Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature, then refrigerate. After it has thoroughly chilled, remove the pan sides and cut. Serve with whipped cream.

This is yummy! I have to admit, I cheated a little and bought a crust instead of making this one. But it's delicious. The cheesecake doesn't really look pretty, but it tastes delicious! This one won't last long in my house!

2.) Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp clove

Mix flour, salt, sugar and baking soda together in one bowl. Mix pumpkin, oil, eggs, water and spices together in another bowl. Once completely blended, add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Mix all together and then pour into a well-greased bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minuts.

I also highly recommend this recipe. YUM!

Enjoy!

I <3 sweater dresses

I picked up this sweater dress on Sunday, and I am really loving it!! I got it at Ann Taylor Loft:

It doesn't come with the undershirt - just a short-sleeved sweater dress. It comes in grey and black I believe. I will definitely be sporting this soon, with my new tall black Uggs! This is one of the reasons I love fall!

My current J.Crew wish list

Since I've been so busy with the new pup, I haven't been doing a lot of shopping lately (which, of course, is good for the wallet). Today, however, Winston has been pretty mellow, so I took this opportunity to browse around online (while he naps in my lap :)). Here are some of things of my wish list now:





J.Crew Dapple Dot Cardigan. I haven't seen it IRL yet, but it looks super cute online. Anyone tried it on?

J.Crew Minnie Pants. I tried these on and love them. I'm waiting for them to come down a little. . . or for a discount code.

I have also decided to invest in another pair of Uggs. I have the short ones in the chestnut color, and I am thinking of getting a pair of the tall Uggs, in either black or chocolate. Any suggestions? I am leaning toward black, only because I can wear them with black leggings this fall.

Weekend with the Parents

So my parents are in town this weekend to visit "the grandpuppy" (well, they say they came to visit me, but I know better), and my mom and I decided lunch at The Ivy was a must. So today we headed over to Robertson for a nice lunch at The Ivy. I think The Ivy is a fun place to go every now and then. Many people think it's overrated, but if you go there knowing it's a touristy place, it's not bad. It has been hot here (like 80-90), so here is what I wore:

It's a casual restaurant, so I was dressed appropriately for sure. We had a great time, even though there were no celebrity sightings. Tomorrow I think it's time for some football and maybe some shopping!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. My time and attention has been spent on the below:


I mean, look at that face, how could I resist! My new puppy has been really good so far. He is smart and is learning quickly. He is also growing so quickly! He feels heavier everytime I pick him up! Needless to say, he is keeping the hubby and I SUPER busy. Other than that, I have been decorating and preparing for fall, my favorite season. Today it was actually chilly out, which made me super happy!
On another note, my hubby's birthday is about a month away, and I am trying to start brainstorming early. Why are hubbies so difficult to buy for???? I have already done the wallet, watch, etc. things. So now what do I get him??? I need your help!
I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Short but Sweet

Hey guys, this post is going to be short because I am pretty pooped from a weekend of puppy training and playing! We picked up the puppy on Friday afternoon and then started introducing him to his new home. He seemed to adjust quite well! He caught on to the whole potty training thing verrrrrry quickly. He goes right to the door when he needs to go out. So smart! For now, that is a good thing, but he may get too smart rather quickly! Here are some pictures of my new baby:









I am loving my puppy, even though he is a lot of work!

Oh how I love the internet

Yesterday I had a really funny conversation with my mom. She called me to tell me that she and my dad had found a sink online that they really wanted to buy for their bathroom. Why would she call me to tell me just this? She didn't. Next she asked me if I thought it was safe to buy it online. I had to pull the phone away for a minute while I hid my laughter. I didn't want to tell her that I order things online ALL the time, like 2-3 times a month! Maybe it's a generation thing, but I just thought it was a given, Internet Shopping = Okay. I told my mom it should be fine, and that was that. However, this conversation did get me thinking. . . what would I do without the internet????? Especially:

- Mapquest. I seriously have the worst sense of direction. EVER. I would never get anywhere on time without Mapquest. I do remember when my dad used to look up directions in his Thomas Guide. Ah the good old days.

- E-mail: I can't remember the last time I wrote an actual letter and stuck it in the mailbox. And I am not exaggerating. E-mail is a fast, easy means of communication, and I swear by it. I should count the number of e-mails I sent today, because it's ridiculous.

- Chatting/AIM: I was glued to the computer in high school and college thanks to AIM. I think it's how I learned to type! Chatting with friends via AIM was the thing to do.

- Google: I google EVERYTHING. Questions, restaurants, store hours, recipes. It's my go-to research tool. And I get really excited when the question I am typing pops up, meaning someone else researched the exact same thing!

- Fandango.com: I remember having to call the automated number for a theater to get movie times. And if you missed your movie, you would have to hang up and call again. Very inconvenient. Now all I have to do now is look online. Much easier!

- Online banking/bill pay: Talk about making paying bills easy! You don't have to worry so much about getting checks in the mail. Or running out of stamps. All you have to do is enter the payment amount online in your account and ta-da. . bills are paid!

- Online retailers: Online shopping saves me at work when I am bored! Bad for my wallet, but good for curing boredom! I definitely remember my first ever online purchase: a sweatshirt from American Eagle. Online shopping makes it easy to find your size, color, etc. and it prevents you from having to sit on the phone, calling stores looking for the product you want. And it can keep you out of crowded malls during the holidays. Love it!

- Instant Information: You can find basically anything and everything online. You can find it at 1 a.m. or 7 a.m. You can find restaurant hours, directions, recipes, how many quarts are in a gallon, etc etc etc. I mean anything. Before the internet, how did people solve debates? I know I have definitely searched for answers when in a large group and everyone is arguing over the answer. It has settled many bets.

There are many more things I love about the internet, these are just a few. I really don't know what I would do without internet. I don't think I would survive! Seriously. What do you love about the internet?

A quick catch-up post

Sorry I haven't posted much, but the hubby and I have been very busy prepping for the arrival of our very first fur baby Winston. We get to pick him up this Friday, and we are very excited! I can't believe I will have a dog starting Friday. I have wanted one forever, and we are finally doing it! Here is another picture of my gorgeous pupper:

I have a feeling I will be quite busy once we bring him home, but it'll be worth it. I will keep you all updated with recent pictures once he is ours.

In honor of becoming a puppy parent, I figured it was only right to treat myself to this:

Yes, it is the J.Crew puppy tee. I felt it was necessary, and the hubby agreed (don't you love it when the hubby encourages purchases?!)

I plan to do one more catch-up post soon, because I received an award from the lovely Kathy at Two Hands Full of Daisies. I hope everyone is having a great Tuesday!

I won my first giveaway!

I just won my first giveaway by Park Avenue Princess!!!! If you haven't checked out her blog, you definitely should! Here is what I won:

Thanks for hosting a great giveaway!!!!

The Verdict: J.Crew Deco Skirt

So I made it to a J.Crew today after work to try on the deco skirt. I was warned by multiple people that the skirt is on the short side, so I didn't get my hopes up. I went into J.Crew expecting not to like it. I tried it on with the Frances cami, which I own. The store only had a 2, so the top is big, but I tried it on for looks anyway. Here it is, size 0:


The lenght is actually perfect!! I am 5'6 and the zero worked for me. Maybe the top half of my legs are short ? ? But as you can see, it falls a few inches above my knees, so definitely appropriate. And I do like it with the Frances top. I tried on the 2 as well, and I could make it work if I needed to, but it was a little big in the waste, so I stuck with a 0.
What do you think??

Happy Friday!

We made it to Friday! Well this is my last weekend before the puppy arrives, so I have a lot of work to do. A trip to Petco is definitely a must this weekend. I can't believe we get to pick him up next Friday, a week from today! I am very excited. And next Saturday night, the hubby is going to a baseball game, so Winston and I will be able to bond all night! I will post pictures and give you updates of how quickly he grows! I think I will want him to stay little forever! It's safe to say we will be busy parents for a while, training him!

Other than that, I will be cleaning up the house, watching football, and maybe do a little shopping. My mom showed me this Fall hand soap she picked up at Bath & Body, and now I MUST go get some! It's Pumpking Spice scent! YUM! And right now, they are 3 for $10. I also think it's time to decorate the house for Fall, so I think I have a fun weekend in store. I hope you all have a great one!

I think I love this skirt

Anyone bought this skirt yet? I need to try it on I think.