BITS + PIECES

/ / / / / photo's by the fashion gal / / / / /

last weekend the fireman, Charlie ((the Frenchie)), and i hosted a little engagement party for a few of our close friends + family. we ate, we drank, we may have smooshed a little cake in each other's faces (!!!), and most importantly we celebrated! parties always go so quickly... so it was nice to go through my photo's and remember the funny moments (& people) that made the night. i hope everyone has a wonderful weekend... and hopefully you get a little sunshine too!

*want more fabulous wedding fun(???) just go here!

 you know it's love when he doesn't smoosh the cake right back in your face

... even though, i totally deserved it!

RED + WHITE + BLUE

/ / / 4th of July outfit via / / /

can you believe that the 4th of July is just next week?!! i don't know where this year went, but it's half way over. soon we're going to be talking about gift-guides for Christmas!!! but for now, let's chat about what to wear this 4th! whether you'll be sipping champagne in the Hamptons, kicking back at a BBQ in San Fran, or sneaking beers onto the beach in LA... i have some outfit-inspiration for ya! 

*want some more outfit inspiration? check out what to where on a Bachelorette Party weekend, here!

where will you be celebrating this year???

what i wore...

/ / / photo's by the fashion gal... taken by the fireman / / /

this week was the fireman & i's 4 year anniversary! so on our big day we did a couple of our favorite things... walked our French bulldog {Charlie!} to a local breakfast hot-spot, went stand-up paddling in the Redondo Beach harbor, and then ate some delicious food at our favorite restaurant Tin Roof ((in Manhattan Beach)). our fun-fulfilled day was a little sneak-peek of our relationship. it was filled with good food, quality time spent, and a bit of adventure too! so for our romantic night out, i wore my favorite new chambray shirt paired with this summer-y tulip mini skirt! 

**check out more "what i wore's" here!!!

{the goods:}

chambray shirt: Levi's // tulip skirt: H&M // ballet flats: Vera Wang (similar to) // clutch: vintage Gucci // sunnies: Ray-Ban // watch: Nixon

check out more coral + denim outfits on our facebook page!

... i'll be posted those pics later today. xo!

TUESDAY-HOW-TO: wall art

// photo + DIY by the fashion gal //

today's HOW-TO is all about decorating your house on a budget! like art work for a $10 budget! not bad right?! this project is also great if you have a large wall to fill, but want want something simple and tonal to the colors in your room. i had a big empty wall ((in our office)) that needed a little somethin-somethin. so i scored a couple wood panels that my neighbor was throwing away, picked up some tonal paint samples, and went to town! 

**want more HOW-TO's??? go here to cover a chair, or here to learn how-to do a messy bun!

YOU'LL NEED: (above) a paint tray, painters tape, a yard stick, roller brush, & two sample paints.

(below) recycled wood panels or store bought wood.

let's get started...

STEP 1: draw out your geometric design on a piece of paper... then draw the same design onto your wood panel. use your yard stick to make your lines as straight and consecutive a possible.

STEP 2: using your roller paint brush, go over the straight lines in your design... 

you will want to do two coats of this paint.

STEP 3: once your second coat is dry, tape off where your original lines were. 

STEP 4: once your tape is secure, use your roller brush to paint over the tape...

you'll want to do two coats of this too. once the paint is dry, GENTLY pull the tape off...

and voila! 

i used a light grey & white for my $10 wall art... so my now the accessories ((pillow n' props)) in my office can really pop!

will you be making some wall art any time soon???

we like food: lunch

/ / photo's by the fashion gal / /

do you remember your very first friend? well, i do... and that's because we are still super close! Katy and i we're born 18 hours apart ((me on december 10th & her on the 11th))... our mom's {being good friends} were even pregnant together. SO, who better to go wedding dress shopping with then my very first friend. the four of us went shopping in Beverly Hills & then had lunch at the gorgeous Villa Blanca... ya know the one Lisa Vanderpump from the Beverly Hills Housewife's owns! even though there was no Giggy sightings... we still had a lovely lunch & a very memorable day!

*we shared a ton of apps, champagne, & even desserts... and let me tell you, the food was good!!

**check out more "we like food's" here!

for the record: we didn't find "the dress" yet

...but we came pretty close and had a fabulous time looking!

do have a long-time friend like this???

HAPPY friday!

/ outdoor garden party via /

this week was full of a few moments i hope to remember for the rest of my life. ok well at least one big one. it was trying on a wedding dress for the very first time with my mom. it was special... and i have a feeling that there will be many more special moments to come. now it's time to clean + prep our house for a {little} engagement party that we're hosting at our home this weekend!  photo's & a little recap to come next week. have a wonderful weekend...

...and check out a few fabulous links before you go!

a fresh PEACH cobbler smoothie!?? YUM!

is this the coolest GIVEAWAY you've ever seem? i think so!

these printed totes are the perfect SUMMER bags. 

((i love the one with the brown leather pocket.))

this farro SALAD looks like a go-to dish for a picnic.

this is kinda GENIUS.

i love this LIMIE-YELLOW Tucker dress

check out these deep fried GADGETS... is that a game boy?

i wish this was in my CLOSET.

and i may have fallen IN-LOVE with a table cloth. yup, i did.

have a happy happy friday!

SUMMER ESSENTIALS: bathing suit

/ tyler rose bikini via /

oh yes, it's true. summer = bathing suit season. i'm sorry i didn't make up the rules! it is what it is. so let's suck it up and find the cutest suit POSSIBLE that flatters what we're working with!!! that is unless you look like the girl in the photo above... and if that's the case, well good for you (damnit).  okay okay, all jokes aside... let's shop for a major Summer Essential, the good ole bathin suit! i'm psyced!

*here are a few suits from Target and H&M... to Vitamin A and Tyler Rose!

{left to right/ top to bottom} 

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9

how to YOU feel about bathing suit season this year???

what i wore...

/ / / / / photo's by the fashion gal... taken by the fireman! / / / / /

summer is {officially} in full-effect! yesterday i had to get 100 things done... but instead spend half the day working working working ((like a crazy person)) and the other half shopping for wedding dresses with my mom! whoa. this wedding stuff is getting pretty real now {and i couldn't be more thrilled!}. so i wore something that was super easy to slip in & out of for the dress trying process.... a maxi it was! ((good old maxi, always comes through in a pinch!))

*a little side-note: i think a colorful maxi dress is the perfect staple to any summer wardrobe!

**another little side-note: this week i've seen a couple great maxi dresses at Target, H&M, and Urban Outfitters.

{the goods:}

maxi dress: Forever 21 (!) // denim jacket: vintage // bralette: Cosabella // necklace: Hinu // watch: Nixon // sunnies: LF // fringe bag: Brandy Melville // sandals: Havaianas 

do you have a go-to maxi in your closet???

if not... i'm telling you, Target is holding. 

a POP OF PINK.

/ / / killer kicks via / / /

mid-june seems like a great time of year to start thinking about all those bright colors that are hiding  in the back of your closet... that are dying to be worn! it's the ideal time to take another look at your living room and think... where can i add a bright pillow for a little pop? so june seems to be the perfect time to take a look in the mirror ((or at your home)) and ask yourself "do i look summery!?" if you're leaning on the side of no... then this bright-fuschia-pink is a great color to bring you right up to speed! are you in???

**check out more pink pops here!

/ / / a pink wall via / / /

/ / / owning the pink via / / / / / / summer pink via / / // / / the perfect pink tub via / / /

/ / / a dress i could love via / / / / / / pink n' stripes via / / /

/ / / the perfect POP of pink via / / /

have you been wearing your birghts this summer???