Style Lush

Giveaway: Adorable matching wristlet and key fob

by Emily

We have a fantastic giveaway this week courtesy of a fabulously talented mother and daughter team. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post to enter to win a diaper clutch/cosmetic bag from the Keeta Collection (we featured the shop's original, stylish and GORGEOUS diaper bags here) and a matching key fob from the owner's daughter's Puppy Dogs N Polka Dots Etsy store.

 

Is anyone else a total sucker for matching accessories like I am? Especially in funky, eccentric prints? I am especially loving the fact that the bag can be used as a diaper and wipes clutch, a cosmetic bag, or a wristlet for your essentials, which gives it major longevity. I mean, at some point, our children stop with the diaper thing, won't they? Or yours will. Mine may be a lost cause.

Contest will run through Sunday night at 11:59pm. Please limit yourself to one comment (as hard as this may be, because SQUEEE SO CUTE) and we'll choose a winner at random and announce it next Monday. Good luck!

Really, there is nothing wrong with Velveeta

by Emily

We spent New Years' Eve with some friends, and I made this queso recipe and took it over in my trusty glass chip and dip serving bowl that was a wedding gift more than six years ago. Let me first say: that queso recipe? You should make it, and then try not to eat the entire thing, if, you know, Velveeta doesn't creep you out. Velveeta doesn't creep me out in the LEAST, but I know it must creep some people out, because Safeway has started stocking it in the refrigerated section of the store, which is COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY. Velveeta is shelf-stable! It can be stored at room temperature! But it is also "cheese," and the idea of warm cheese makes people feel funny. Like Spam does. (I fear NEITHER.)

Anyway, I left my serving bowl there, and my dear friend washed it in her dishwasher like I have done a bazillion times in the last six years, except it cracked this time. And I don't have to go into how AWFUL she feels and how TOTALLY FINE I am about it, but I am a little panicked that Superbowl Sunday is occurring in just a few days and I would like to eat this queso again, and I would like to take it to a party in a very nice receptacle.

Crate&Barrel still sells the one I had that broke, but I don't think I want to buy it again. The glass was thin and felt very delicate. That said, I think it's a wonderful piece as long as you are committed to handwashing. Apparently I am lazy.

2-piece chip and dip, $34.95

Here are some other options I'm considering, and a few I'm drooling over but would be forced to return if my husband found out how much I'd paid. But they're ALL lovely.

 
Clockwise from top left:
Great White Chip & Dip, $45; Acacia Chip and Dip, $26.95; Chip and Dip, $95; Green Bean Plate and Three Bowl Set, $48; Large Whirl Serving Plate, $200; Nito Chip and Dip Tray, $49; Chirp n Dip 2, $55; Recycled Green Glass Oval Set, $19.98

{photo credits: potterybarn.com, crateandbarrel.com, etsy.com, walmart.com, williamssonoma.com}

Handmade Kindle covers

by Emily

Well SOMEBODY must have read my Birthday Wish List post. Last Friday I was both surprised and thrilled to receive my VERY OWN KINDLE. Now, don't get me wrong, I still firmly believe there are some books that should only exist in hard copy form, but there is nothing quite like the rush of deciding you want to read something and having it right in front of your eyes sixty seconds later. Especially if you are already IN BED.

I wasn't expecting that thing to be such a slippery little sucker, though. It's thin and lightweight and smooth and I am probably going to drop it. I don't particularly like putting it down somewhere, as I'm always worrying that it will get knocked off a surface or - because of its adorably small, elegant stature - overlooked. Things I don't want on my Kindle: THAT GLASS OF ICE WATER.

I found a bunch of delightful Kindle sleeves and covers on Etsy, and now I just have to decide among them.

Clockwise, from top left:

by SeaSideSew, in Green Leaf, $38; by EliteElishi, in Retro Flowers, $14; by sleevy, in dark grey, $40; by SeaSideSew, in Mod Dot, $38; by kimoleybags, in Golden Dot, $30; by ho-bop, in County Fair Dottie, $29.99; by BorsaBella, in Green Asian/Orange Dot, $25; by BorsaBella, in Green Peony, $25

Birthday wish list of the (mostly) practical variety

by Emily

My 32nd birthday is tomorrow, but it turns out you can't order and pay upfront for an entire year of sleeping through the night (not even at Amazon!) (I KNOW!) so I have a backup wishlist prepared. I don't actually NEED anything, truth be told, and I don't EXPECT anything for my birthday (except a night out with my husband sans children, which I have already been promised) but it's awfully fun to look at shiny things on the Internet, isn't it? I'm pretty sure it is, but then again, I've been up since 3am with a fussy baby so things are a bit hazy. WHY CAN'T I PREORDER SLEEP, AGAIN? And Amazon, WHY don't you carry night nannies?

Top row, left to right:  Banana Republic Heritage draped top, $79.50; Amazon Kindle, $259; Target stainless steel mixing bowls, $24.99

Middle row: Pier1 Sand Buttons pillow, $22.46; The North Face women's Padda hiking shoes, $80.96; esdesigns Pool Necklace, $46

Bottom row: Coach Madison Op Art Maggie shoulder bag, $298; Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS Receiver, $134.75; Photojojo fisheye lens, $85

Reader Question: Diaper bags for an older baby

By Emily

Reader Erika (hi Erika!) recently wrote to Style Lush with a request for an updated diaper bag. Now that her son is 10 months old, she doesn't need all the space her Skip*Hop messenger bag has to offer (nor does she likely need the backache - I had a black Skip*Hop messenger bag myself, and in addition to being the Black Hole of diaper bags, it was heavy and bulky) but she still wants a dedicated baby bag, just a smaller, more stylish option.

The good news, Erika, is that I found nine bags I think you'll love: they're semi-reasonably priced, they all have some sort of closure at the top to prevent spillage, and all of them are true diaper bags with room (and pockets!) for all your essentials inside. I don't know if you'll agree with my taste in patterns, but rest assured that each bag shown here comes in many different colors. Here's hoping you find something here that you love!

 
Top row, left to right: Sally Spicer small baby messenger bag, $96 (shown in Leilani); Fleurville Re-Run, $60 (shown in Hana Ogo); OiOi hobo, $99.99 (shown in Chocolate on Cream Dot, and 50% off!)

Middle row, left to right: Keeta Collection baby messenger bag, $89 (shown in Little Brown Bird); Ju Ju Be BeTween, $98 (shown in Perky Perennials); Sally Spicer baby tote bag, $80 (shown in Verona).

Bottom row, left to right: Reese Li Lexington tote, $150 (shown in green/black); JP Lizzy tote, $72 (shown in Ditzy Kiwi); OiOi hobo, $60 (shown in Pink Herringbone and VERY ON SALE!)

(Jennie can personally vouch for the awesomeness of the Keeta Collection, and I am a big fan of my Reese Li and Ju Ju Be bags. I was also a huge fan of my Sally Spicer tote until someone barfed on it and rendered it... well, let's just say it was dead to me after that.)

Three easy, delicious pasta recipes

by Emily

I am a big - no, wait, actually, ENORMOUS - fan of pasta. Who isn't, really? But for me, it's more than just how good it tastes. I love pasta because I can usually make a family-sized meal in record time, and a lot of times, I can make a big enough batch that we can either eat another full serving for dinner the next night, or freeze a portion to use a few weeks later. SAVING MONEY EITHER WAY. Win!

I thought I'd share my three most-used pasta recipes, all of which I found in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine, which I have subscribed to for two years, going on three. I LOVE THIS MAGAZINE. I have the Everyday Food: Great Food Fast cookbook as well, which is comprised of back-issue recipes and it has made my life so much easier and tastier. I think that cookbook was the turning point for me: I went from being the person who had no idea what or how to cook, to someone who likes cooking and is pretty confident that she can churn out SOMETHING that SOMEONE will enjoy on a regular basis. As an added bonus, I rarely set the smoke alarm off anymore.

 

[photo credit: marthastewart.com]

Pasta and Easy Italian Meat Sauce
If you can, simmer this for at least an hour, although you don't absolutely HAVE to. Even better is if you can let it simmer for a few hours, then let it cool and sit overnight in the fridge and reheat it the next day. The sauce will have thickened and congealed and the flavor is really intensified, and then it is HEAVEN. This freezes really well, too, which GOOD THING, because it makes A LOT.

Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-dried Tomatoes
This one is creamier and heartier, but still absolutely delicious, and perfect for mid-winter when you could use a big, painfully stuffed belly to keep you warm at night. My favorite thing is that the recipe is scaled for TWO DISHES, one of which you can eat right away, while you freeze the second. Goes perfectly with a big salad and some fresh bread. But I don't think it serves four. Unless you're capable of that little thing called "portion control," which apparently I am not.

Linguine with Turkey Sausage and Peppers
This recipe is on rotation at our house every two or three weeks, and has been for, oh, THREE YEARS or so. We love it. It's a little lighter and healthier thanks to the turkey sausage, and it's simple to make since it only has a handful of ingredients. Most of the time, I leave out the arugula, but that's because I forget to buy it. Truth be told, I refuse to use linguine noodles with this recipe. I think short noodles (rotini or campanelle are my favorites) work with the sausage and strips of pepper much better. That just means I can shovel it in my mouth faster.

Jewelry catchalls

by Emily

Jewelry is awesome, isn't it? I don't even WEAR a lot of jewelry, and yet, I have a bazillion different pieces of it, from big plastic beaded costume necklaces to Tiffany sterling silver hoop earrings to handmade artisan pieces to pearls imported from China. Sparkly stuff is just so pretty to look at and so TEMPTING to buy. But when it's time to get ready for a special occasion, I often find myself pawing through my jewelry box, unearthing things I'd forgotten I'd ever owned, and it makes me sad that I don't take more opportunities to wear them.

One solution? Don't tuck it away in drawers and boxes, display it with a gorgeous catchall instead.

Here are nine of my favorites:

Clockwise from top left:

Butterfly Jewelry Tree $49 (potterybarn.com); Sculpted Jewelry Catchall, $34.95 (redenvelope.com); Vintage Metal Necklace Stand, $39 (potterybarn.com); Cherry Blossom Earring Tree, $39.95 (redenvelope.com); Metal Tree Jewelry Holder, $29 (ironaccents.com); Baby Giraffe Ring Holder, $29.95 (redenvelope.com); Sculpted Jewelry Tree, $89.95 (redenvelope.com); Little Birch Jewelry Stand, $28 (urbanoutfitters.com); Jewelry Tree Stand, $49 (huremovic.etsy.com).

Cupcake toppers

by Emily

I don't know if you've heard, but I'm throwing a birthday party. (You: Oh trust us, WE DID.) Anyway! I'm trying to keep it relatively simple and cheap. This is DECEMBER, after all, the month designated for spending way more money than you ever intended to spend in the first place. But I also want my daughter's birthday to stand out from the overwhelmingness of the holidays. (I know, I know, never EVER wrap her birthday gifts in Christmas paper. You have my word.)

This means I just want small, memorable touches for her party. Her invitations turned out beautifully, and I made a banner that I hope can be used year after year. A few days ago I stumbled upon some delightful cupcake toppers that I couldn't pass up. (And I am hoping that perhaps the cupcake toppers will detract people from wondering which grocery store chain I purchased the cupcakes at.) (Shut UP, I am SAVING MONEY here. And saving myself the hassle of making them myself.)

I ended up ordering these:

[photo credit: sweettashie.etsy.com]

I know, are you DYING from the cuteness? They're from an Etsy shop called SweetTashie and can be personalized with different skin tones, hair color and eye shape. They're also FREAKING ADORABLE. I cannot WAIT to use them to overshadow the taste of my mediocre, store-bought cupcakes.

Of course, I had to pass up a lot of other adorable options listed on Etsy as well. The runners-up, in no particular order:

Cute as a Button Pinwheel Series for Cupcakes

[photo credit: cupcakesocial.etsy.com]
$7 for 12

Millalove Paper Flowers

[photo credit: millalove.etsy.com]
$28 for 12

Personalized Cupcake Toppers

[photo credit: maryhadalittleparty.etsy.com]
$4.50 for 6

And my husband would probably kill me for spending $38 on a cake topper (I chalk this up to his being a MAN and not understanding the importance of these things), but wouldn't this be adorable to use year after year, changing only the flag to reflect her age? I'm STRONGLY considering it. 

[photo credit: weecutetreasures.etsy.com]
$38

DIY: Cute occasion banner

By Emily

For some reason, I feel the need to put way more effort into the first birthday party we're throwing for my daughter than we ever did for my son. I'm not exactly sure why this is. Is it because she's a girl? Because her birthday falls nine days before Christmas and I want it to stand out? Because I'm trying to make up for the fact that we have taken approximately one-third as many photographs of her in her infancy as we did her older brother?

At the party stores in our area, there seems to be an obscene amount of First Birthday paraphernalia sporting princess slogans and sparkling crowns and tiaras (not exactly what I had in mind). So instead, I'm going to be buying a few things from Etsy and doing a few do-it-yourself projects, the first of which is a Happy Birthday banner. I saw some adorable inspiration while browsing Etsy a few days ago and thought I might be able to replicate them for myself.

 

The only things you'll need for this project are:

Colorful, coordinating papers and white cardstock
A printer
Glue
Scissors
Ruler
Hole punch
Ribbon
Between two and three hours of your time (some of mine were shared with Modern Family and Glee)

The first thing you'll need to do is print out the letters on white cardstock. Choose your font (I used Didot) and color (I went with a chocolate brown instead of black) and use a pretty big point size (I went with 575). I ended up with four letters on each page of my cardstock, because I only had 8x10 sheets, but you could use smaller pieces of cardstock and save yourself a lot of scissor time. I ended up using a small clear coaster to trace a square around each letter (so they would be a uniform size) and then I cut them out.

I mounted the letter on a solid color paper and trimmed it into a nice border, then glued that square onto a coordinating paper and trimmed that one to a nice size as well. I used a book of Martha Stewart papers I bought at Michael's so that I knew they would coordinate well. I used two whole books, which were $5.99 each. I also spent about $5 on ribbon.

After that, I simply used the hole puncher to punch a hole in the top two corners of each letter and threaded my ribbon through. Simple!

I love how it turned out and am pretty sure I'm going to make a Merry Christmas one to hang over our fireplace.

(Sorry for the very DIY photography; I don't have a wall big enough in my house to display them properly!)

Photo birthday invitations

by Emily

My daughter's first birthday is coming up in five short weeks. Part of me can't believe it; the other part of me totally can, because I think I've actually been awake for the entire last year. FUNNY HOW THAT WEARS ON YOU. 

Frankly, I throw terrible parties, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to give people the impression that it's going to be the farthest thing from lame. Even if it never turns out that way. My favorite way to fool people - I mean, to do that - is by sending the cutest invitations I can find. The downside is that I also have to be able to afford them. The new trend in invitations seems to be the inclusion of adorable baby photos, a trend which I can totally get behind. 

I ended up ordering this adorable Year in Review invitation from Pear Tree Greetings and I absolutely love it.

I was able to personalize it with a photo from every month of the past year, and I LOVE how you can instantly see how much she has changed. From a little sub-six pounder to a chunky opinionated baby. And I love that everyone nearest and dearest to us will be able to see it too.

$9.99 per eight invitations

{photo credit: Pear Tree Greetings}