Florida Fun! - Part 1

Well, I'm still in catch up mode after getting back from our trip and just now getting around to blogging about the trip itself! Suitcases are still yet to be unpacked... my house is a wreck... but it was a fun week and worth all of the disorganization going on around here right now!

The first part of our trip was in Orlando, Florida, and of course you cannot go to Orlando without heading over to Disney World!

Personal picture taken from the Ferry Boat dock

Personal picture of Mickey & Minnie in front of Cinderella's Castle

Cupcake was excited (albeit tired) going into the park on the tram, because she could tell that something special was going on today!

Mommy & Cupcake on the tram into Walt Disney World

Watching Cupcake take in all of the new sights and sounds at Disney World was an absolute joy! I have to say, I think that going to Disney World with a child, may be even more fun then what it was like to go as a child. (Maybe.) In either case, watching her reactions and seeing what rides she liked the best was good fun! Two of her grandparents that live in Florida (my dad and hubby's mom) were also able to go into the theme park with us and take part in seeing their granddaughter's first Disney World experience!

Cupcake's first Disney ride! The Tomorrowland People Mover

Unfortunately, we did go during Spring Break season and there were quite a few long lines in the park... so we opted to go on just a few "Cupcake friendly" rides this trip, and save standing in the longer lines for the rides that were more for the "big kids" (i.e. us). Luckily the grandparents on hand were more than happy to go find a shady spot and hang out with Cupcake for 45 minutes, while the big kids rode Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and so on.

We also took in a few shows while we were there... we went in 'Carousel of Progress' during Cupcake's first nap time and it put her to sleep!

Cupcake asleep on Daddy after the 'Carousel of Progress' Disney show

The highlight of the day though, was Cupcake on 'It's a Small World', without a doubt - it was her favorite ride in Walt Disney World. She giggled and danced her way though it.

Cupcake bouncing her way though 'It's a Small World'

All in all, it was a great day at Disney and we all came out exhausted.... Cupcake crashed on the monorail on the way back to the parking lot.

After a long and exciting day, Cupcake was ready to call it an evening!

The next day we went to Universal's Islands of Adventure... primarily to see the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter! In tomorrow's blog post I'll share the experiences we had there!

Louis Vuitton Vernis Color Comparison: Rouge Fauviste vs. Violette

I received this request via Facebook, so I figured... why not just go ahead and do a blog post on it!

Rouge Fauviste and Violette are two similar (yet strikingly different) Vernis colors released by Louis Vuitton in recent years. Violette was released around the 2007 time frame and is now discontinued (no longer available in stores), while Rouge Fauviste was released in 2010 and is still available in your local boutique and online at www.louisvuitton.com.

Violette Sarah wallet (left) vs. Rouge Fauviste Business Card holder (right):

Purple and pink are my two favorite colors, with maroon being my favorite "grown up" color. So of course, Vuitton Vernis is a big hit with me, because it is available in so many gorgeous colors - especially those in my favorite color groups. I've had Violette pieces for a few years and they've held up extraordinarily well. I've used my Sarah wallet daily for two years and just recently had my first issue with the edge chipping (on my trip to Florida actually) in a very minor spot. So although I've now finally experienced what people mean when they say by the "edges chipping" on Vernis, I still wouldn't hesitate to buy more pieces of Vernis in the future - because all in all, with daily wear it still looks great.

Violette is a shimmery true purple color, that looks darker indoors and is a brighter purple in natural or outdoor light. The flash helps to bring out it's true color:

Louis Vuitton Zippy Coin Purse, Sarah Wallet, & Cles - all in Violette Vernis

Rouge Fauviste is a shimmery burgundy color - that has red and purple undertones. When in darker, indoor light, these two colors look more alike - but when they are in natural light (or under flash) their differences really shine.

Louis Vuitton Brea MM, Zippy Coin Purse, & Business Card Holder - all in Rouge Fauviste Vernis

So which should you get, if you're deciding between these two colors?

Well, really it comes down to personal preference of course - and I do love them both... I have to say though, that Rouge Fauviste is currently pulling ahead as my favorite Vernis color. It is pretty to look at and a light enough Vernis color that it can easily be found in bags with a dark lined interior. However, it's dark enough that you don't have to worry about wear issues like color transfer or yellowing. I like that Rouge Fauviste is a more subtle and sophisticated shade than Violette, which is a playful color but you probably really have to love purple for it to appeal to you.

Exterior: Rouge Fauviste vs. Violette

Interior: Violette vs. Rouge Fauviste

So the bottom line is, they are both great colors and have a number of beautiful items available in each color. It really comes down to which is most appealing to you, and if you like both equally - then whether you want to have to search on the second hand market to find a Violette item (which is no longer in stores) or if you would prefer to be able to buy something new directly from LV. I recommend getting something in each color!

Spring makes me think light leather bags...

I'm currently lemming for something taupe... light gray... or light tan in color. I love a lighter colored handbag when the weather gets warmer. I'm fairly unadventurous to what I actually wear, I tend to stick with neutral colors... A great purple or pink handbag always catches my attention - but I've found that I just can't translate them into my daily life.

This leather shoulder bag by Juicy Couture has ladylike details and the cocobutter color could be dressed up or down...

www.zappos.com, Juicy Couture Cannes in Cocobutter, $298

The Treesje Luna has a bit more rugged look to it and the darker charcoal gray color would be more dirt resistant...

www.museten.com, Treesje Luna in Charcoal Gray, $385

The Coach Kristin elevated leather round satchel is a mouthful to say, but the extra details on the bag make it more than just a plain old boring satchel...

www.coach.com, Kristin Rounded Satchel in gold shell/pink, $698

I have to say though, that my absolute favorite is the Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Mini in Taupe - it is a fun style to use and the color is absolute perfection...

www.lunaboston.com, Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Mini in Taupe, $495

First Giveaway Winner!!

Congratulations to our first giveaway winner, Shelly B.!

She will receive a 6oz. Philosophy shower gel, two Zoya polishes, and a few extra goodies!

A winning entry was chosen using random.org - out of 48 entries, the winning entrant was #22! Thanks to all for entering and since we've now gone over the next giveaway goal of 100 followers, stay tuned for another exciting giveaway in the future!

Giveaway ends today!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway, which will close for entries tonight at 6pm ET! The winner will be notified via the email they submitted on the entry form and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. I will announce the winner here on the blog and giveaway page also!

Enter by visiting the giveaway post HERE.

In other news, I'm back from vacation and exhausted! It was so fun though, definitely worth doing again... here are the highlights from the trip - I'll be sure to share some pictures from our trip later in the week...

- Cupcake is a great airplane traveler! She slept on every single flight and was lulled to sleep by the sound of the engines. Whew! What a relief!

- We had an absolute blast at Disney World and of course will be going back... Cupcake's favorite ride was 'It's a Small World' and she danced all of the way through it!

- Cupcake also had her first tea party at her Nana's house while we were away... too cute! She even brought along her Fisher Price tea set to use while the adults had their own tea!

Hope everyone had a great weekend and I'm excited to be announcing the winner of the first giveaway very soon! I'm off to go unpack a suitcase or something...

For the Birds... Favorite Etsy Cosmetic Bag Finds

Searching through Etsy is great fun, because you never know what you're going to find. It's a great place to find whimsical things for kids (especially girls) and their rooms. I occasionally like to just do a random searches on there sometimes, where I just put in a string of words together and see what comes up.

One combination that I've found is particularly fun to search for is "bird" items, because there are all sorts of cute things that come up! Specifically, "bird cosmetic" has become a favorite to just search and see what is available.

This adorable cosmetic case would be adorable to carry odd and ends inside of a diaper bag:

Etsy.com, $16 - Seller: Linascorner

This cosmetic is a bit more grown up and would look cute for Mommy to grab out of the diaper bag to run into Starbucks or where ever she needed to go:

Etsy.com, $24 - Seller: vonicadesigns

I also love this little flat one to stash extra lip glosses or store loyalty cards...

Etsy.com, $6 - Seller: JPATPURSES

And this little frame pouch is unique, seems easy to use, and just makes me think Spring!

Etsy.com, $28 - Seller: fieldofroses

So if birds make you think Spring as well... head over to Etsy and check out the huge selection of adorable bird cosmetic bags!

You Tube Viewer Request! Louis Vuitton Totally MM vs. Neverfull MM Handbags

Today's You Tube video is a viewer request from a viewer that saw my Totally MM reveal video and was asking for a review since they were trying to figure out whether to get a Totally or Neverfull for their next handbag.

Since I own a Neverfull MM as well, I figured I would do a quick comparison between the two to hopefully help them make a decision. They are both great totes, the biggest differences are the zipper or non-zippered, and.... price. So really it comes down to deciding how important a zipper is to you - and how much you're willing to pay for a zipper.

Also, the Totally MM is not available in Damier Ebene, while the Neverfull MM is available in all three canvas options - Monogram, Damier Ebene, and Azur.

I've also gotten to use the Totally MM since I made this video... and let me just say - I love this bag! It's very easy to use and I really like that it is the same shape as the Neverfull, but has the zipper closure. I like the added security, and not having to worry if I'm bending over to do something with Cupcake about things falling out.

So overall, I think the Totally MM is the winner... truly, if they made it in the Damier Ebene color, it might possibly be the best LV tote handbag ever. (Please, Louis Vuitton - we beg you, make this bag!!) Actually, there's no "possibly" about it... the Totally MM in Damier Ebene would be the perfect LV tote bag.

Hope this comparison helps anyone out there that may be deciding between the two. Thanks for watching!

First Giveaway Ends March 28th!

No deal of the week this week since I'm off on vacation finding great deals! I will post up all of my finds when I get back!

Just a reminder that the first giveaway closes for entries on March 28, 2011!

Giveaway is for a 6oz Philosophy Shower Gel, two Zoya polishes, and a few surprise goodies!

You can find the original post announcing the giveaway and with official rules by clicking on this LINK.

*~* Click HERE to enter now! *~*

My handbag collection: Louis Vuitton

Actually not my whole handbag collection... but just the Louis Vuitton pieces. I haven't taken updated pictures since October, so my videos and pictures are slightly out of date - but until I can get new videos made and new pictures taken... I thought these would do.

Louis Vuitton became my brand of choice after I had Cupcake, as it just seemed like the most durable (and baby friendly) option. Prior to that I was deeply immersed in all that is Balenciaga, and while I still enjoy looking at bbags, they are just aren't as practical for my life right now. (That doesn't stop me from wanting a Pourpre GSH Part-Time though.)

I need to carry one purse a day with me, and only so much time to use the ones I have.... so I've narrowed my collection down considerably from what it used to be. Besides, the only places I go in a day are usually the post office and Target - with the rare special even thrown in, so I really don't have a huge need to have a massive collection right now. That being said, I do occasionally miss some of the bags I've parted with and wish I would have maybe kept... just a few more of them.

In any case, these are my most recent videos and pictures for my Louis Vuitton collection, I don't have any pictures of all of the brands together.

Showing my collection through video all started when one night I got the urge to try taking a video with my new cell phone I had at the time (a LG KS360, which was the European version of the LG Neon released a few years prior to when it was available in the US) - I just took it to show on a forum as a part of a bag collection thread, and never dreamed it would get as many hits as it has. Today it has over 32,000 views.

LV Bag Collection Video from 2009:

This is the updated bag collection video that I posted at the end of 2010:

And the LV accessory collection that I uploaded around the same time as the bag collection video from 2010:

I've also done a few "What's in my bag" videos on You Tube, as well as some handbag reviews - which I'll upload in a separate blog post. Just thought since my main love is bags - that it was time I shared some of my collection with you!

Here are some recent pictures in October 2010:

Collection as of October 2010 (2011 update in parenthesis): Damier Hampstead MM (sold), Damier Trunks & Bags Cles (sold) Damier Neverful MM, Brea MM Rouge Fauviste, Palermo GM (sold to get PM size), Montorgueil GM, Damier Toiletry 15, Rouge Fauviste Business Card Holder, Rouge Fauviste Zippy Coin Purse, Framboise Agenda (sold), Tapage Bag Charm, Luggage tag, Map bandeau in Cassis, Comete bandeau in Violette, Sarah Wallet in Violette, Large Cles in Violette, Monogram Pochette, Monogram Affiche Mini Pochette, Affiche Bag Charm (sold)

Favorite:

Louis Vuitton Brea MM in Rouge Fauviste

Most of which I still have - with a few deletes as noted in parenthesis, but a few additions as well:

Added: Palermo PM

Added: Azur Totally MM

Added: Leopard Bandeau in Marron

Added: Leopard Bandeau in Blanc Corail

Added: Violette Vernis Cosmetic

Hope you have enjoyed my LV handbag collection look book! I'll try to blog in the future a post with the other brands I have as well!

Perfume Atomizers...

I love when you open a magazine, to find something sitting in the pages that you were already hunting down or contemplating getting. It just kind of gives you that feeling of being on point, and honestly... it's also just nice because it gives you another store reference of where to find the item!

This happened to me most recently when I was flipping through (back to front, of course) my Lucky (shopping & style) magazine this weekend. I have no idea why I back to front - but for some reason it helps me take in the information better.

As I was flipping through, I found on page 113 of the April 2011 edition, something I had been on the hunt for over a month now - a perfume atomizer!

Available on www.smallflower.com (Currently sold out)

I love these things... they remind me of my childhood, when I would sneak into my grandmother's bedroom and stare at her vanity, knowing I wasn't supposed to touch anything on it. She had a small dainty ring box that played music when you opened it and was a shimmery golden color. From what I remember, the top had a mother of pearl inset that had a picture of a peacock... or a piano... or something majestic. Or maybe it was shaped like a piano... in any case, I just wanted to open it, and close it. And open it...

It was one of those traditional vanity areas, that had a mirrored tray that everything set on, a beautiful comb and brush that always sat on there, and I'm sure there were other bits that were on there as well. It's interesting how the mind always remembers the things that made the most impression on us.

I was most intrigued by a beautiful perfume atomizer, that had the long string that hung off of it, with a tassel on the ball at the end. (I obviously don't know the technical names for all of these pieces.) I wanted to be an adult, right there, right then. I wanted to brush my hair with the brush, put on makeup while looking in the mirror, and spritz on a dash of perfume with this regal atomizer before walking out the door to go somewhere important.

As best as I can recall, I don't think I ever did spray that atomizer - but it did make a lasting impression on me. It's been on my mind for the past month or so after seeing an atomizer during at trip to Hobby Lobby in February... and I've contemplated getting one for my dresser ever since. I know I want to get one, but I would love to find one that resembles the one that I have in my mind from my grandmother's vanity, a beautiful rose gold colored glass with a cream atomizer.

For now though, I may have to be content with the various reproductions that are available at retail outlets like hobby - for at very least an atomizer that I want to be able to use. I do remember while visiting antique stores in Missouri one time four or five years ago, then the one downside to vintage perfume atomizers is usually that had residual perfume leftover in them, and have an "old perfume" smell to them. So great for home decor, but not as great if you want to actually be able to use it to put your own perfume in them.

So maybe atomizers have been something I've always wanted to get as an adult, since I remember intently looking at them on that trip in Missouri, but always putting them back for some reason. I think it's time I finally gave in, and added a pretty perfume atomizer to the perfume area on my dresser...

We've created a labyrinth in our living room...

Since our downstairs was unusable (for Cupcake anyways) for a short period of time while we were waiting on our carpet to be installed. (If you haven't heard the full story, see my story about living in a construction zone.) We decided that it was finally time to order those long baby gates we had been looking at, to be able to block certain parts of our upstairs off.

We ended up deciding on this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00020L78M

It's the North States Superyard Classic XT Gate and we choose it based on it's simple design, good reviews, and decent price.

When it arrived, I took to blocking off our dining room from the living room (the room Cupcake was using as a main play area since the downstairs was out of commission) and cut off her route to the kitchen. Although she was none too happy about this change, she quickly adjusted. It made for a nice puzzle like labyrinth in the beginning...

We also tested out having it in a hexagon, and it still fit nicely in the room...

The final layout that we've used while the downstairs was completed is what my husband likes to call, "The Great Wall of Cupcake" - and we have the gate stretched out to block off her routes to the dining room and kitchen.

All in all, this has turned out to be a great buy for us and luckily we had the good sense to order two of them (one for upstairs, one for downstairs) when we placed our Amazon order.  I think this will be a really great thing to have in the Spring and Summer, when we're wanting to spend more time outside and it works great to keep her contained in one specific area. (While still giving her more room to move around than a play yard.)

Bottom line... This is a great product that I would recommend to a parent that has an active 8-9+ month old baby, they are great to keep areas of your house blocked off and are versatile since you can add and remove panels to fit the area that you want to use it in. It definitely has saved my sanity since Cupcake has become A LOT more mobile lately!


(This is an independent review, writer was not compensated and purchased the product themselves.)

Face of the Day Looks: Urban Decay Naked Palette

I ordered the Urban Decay 'Naked' eyeshadow palette when it came back in-stock January at Sephora. I'd heard lots of good things about it, and while I was a bit skeptical - still wanted to give it a try.

Wow! Now I know what all of the fuss is about! True, some of the colors in the palette are not exactly daytime appropriate for a professional or mommy - but there are lots of great colors to choose from and not to long after using it you find the ones that work the best for you. My most used colors are Sin, Toasted, and Hustle - and they combine to make a enhanced daytime look, with just a hint of shimmer.

Here's a few pictures of the typical eye look I've been going for lately, with Sin, Toasted, and Hustle:

After a visit to the Benefit counter in February, I've also been a fan of the double eyeline. One charcoal gray line that just goes along your top lid and blends into your lashes, and then a second bronze line on top of that, to make your eyes stand out. I really feel like it's been helping my eyes pop, so I've started doing it everyday!

They used the Benefit creaseless eyeshadow in Busy Signal applied with an angle brush on top of my charcoal gray liner, to do the bronze double line the day I stopped in there. (Which I've since purchased the Benefit product, but haven't gotten around to trying myself yet!) I have been using my Ulta brand charcoal gray eyeliner right along the lash line and then bought a bronze in the same Ulta brand liner that has been working just as well (I think anyways) to do the double line! The pictures above have the double liner with the Ulta brand liners... I will post up a version with the Benefit liner soon, to see if you can tell a difference.

Packin Smart Travel Food containers by Innobaby

I was at a birthday party in Chicago a few weeks ago, when a Mommy pulled a contraption out of her diaper bag and I practically lunged across the room at her to ask, "Where did your find THAT?!?!". (Making a good first impression as always, I'm sure she was wondering what hole I had been living in, ha! I was already the "crazy lady from the suburbs" that had decided to try to push my stroller down the barely plowed sidewalks to my friend's townhouse, and got the stroller stuck... embarrassingly, all those who were attending the party and lived in the city where familiar with the fact that trying to push a stroller after the area had just been slammed with about 2 feet of snow... probably wasn't the best plan in the world. And carried their children in sans stroller. Whoops.)

Anyhow, seeing as most of my friends in the area that I live in all have children that are older than Cupcake, I don't get to see neat things pulled out of diaper bags on a regular basis that could be useful in our lives too, and I was a little excited.

It was a great little organizer by Innobaby called the Packin Smart - that has five separate compartment to carry individual snacks, formula, or other small bits. Genius! I headed to Buy Buy Baby to get one as soon as we got home from our Chicago trip. I'm sure it will also be great for our upcoming vacation to Disney World as well.

This is available at Buy Buy Baby for $19.99 (don't forget they always have those 20% off coupons that circulate or take Bed Bath and Beyond coupons!) - and there are also smaller versions available with 3 compartments. The Packin Smart snack contains can be found online here.

A similar product can also be found at Babies'R'Us.

It's a handy little thing that can be made as small or large as you would like it to be and the top of each compartment comes off to easily fill them up. All in all, I'm glad I asked about it - because I think it's going to be a great little item to have...

(This is an independent review. The writer was not compensated in any way for reviewing this product.)

Reflecting on Wall Mirrors

After the carpet is finished in our family room, I'm going to be move on to being on the hunt for a good mirror to go over the fireplace. Mirrors seem to extend the boundaries of the room , and sometimes I feel like they are even more interesting to look at than a painting or picture. They are constantly changing and evolving with the room around them. Pictures in some areas of the house just feel too... flat.

Traditionally, mirrors above fireplaces tend to be rectangle shape.

Image courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

And I also had the idea of looking into a circle or sunburst shape for our family room fireplace, because it doesn't look as stuffy in a more casual room of the house.

Image courtesy of DecorPad.com

However, the idea of combining the images of a circle and a rectangle together to come up with a uniquely shaped mirror, has started to appeal to me as well. This scroll mirror available at  PierreDeux.com is one of my favorites:

PierreDeux.com - Salerne Scroll Mirror, $198

On my hunt, I've also found a number of traditionally shaped choices that are contenders:

HomeDecorators.com - Cassia Mirror, $189

Kirklands.com - Golden Links Mirror, $89.99

HomeDecorators.com - Rowena Mirror, $239

I'm also planning a few trips to stores like Home Goods, that have a continually rotating stock, to see what they have in store. I will be sure to post up my final choice after it's been found!

Spring is upon us...

... well, not technically weather wise where I live - but with the time change and our upcoming trip to Florida, I've started thinking about warm weather clothing.

This one is my absolute fav-or-ite! I want this. I need this:

Anthropologie.com - Antilles Tank, $68

You probably remember from my shopping wishlist post, that I've also been coveting this adorable Banana Republic silk halter top. (This falls into the, "need this, want this" category as well.)

BananaRepublic.com - Silk print halter tank, $69.50

This blouse from Banana Republic is also fun and seems like it would be adorable to go under a (yes, you guess it) cardigan!

BananaRepublic.com - Heritage silk butterflies ruffle shell, $79.50

I never have any shortage finding adorable and unique tops at Anthropologie, and this one is no exception. It's an interesting color to look at and the wrap detail on the front seems like it would hug your curves in all of the right places:

Anthropologie.com - Gathering Blossoms Top, $118

And if I had somewhere to wear this (but I don't) - this would be a fun, but still casual party look:

Nordstrom.com - Michael Kors Sequin Racerback Tank, $120