Safe travels, fashionistas!

Between the wedding whirlwind I told you about in my last post, you won’t believe this. But. I. Went. On. Vacation. This. Summer. Miracles do happen! Not only was this a MAJOR feat because I was successfully able to sneak away for 7 days and not miss a wedding, but my little retail-working self has not vacationed during June or July since… high school?! You all know I love my work, but this is the first summer that this Nordy girl wasn’t slinging sales and clocking 13 miles a day during the Anniversary event (trust me – I wore a pedometer last year and it was SCARY. You don’t want to see those things when they are reading double digits after your regular day at… work!). This year, fear not – I am still a Nordy girl, tried and true (duh), but after 7 summers, I have a new home on the 4^th floor that I LOVE. I am in Human Resources, recruiting and hiring, and this position comes with a wee bit more work-life balance. This makes the husband happy! I thought he would be even happier when I invited him to go on vacation with me, but not so much.

When I say I invited the husband to go on vacation with me, it’s because I did. I extended a personal invite (actually more than one), and I got declined! We did take a lovely week-long vaca to Maui with my family (and yes, I absolutely bought and sent vintage postcards like the one above because they are SO cute and make people smile when they get their mail), but a couple weeks ago, I decided I needed one more mini-trip. I like using “mini” when I want something, because it seems like I’m asking for less. One of my frequently used phrases is “Can I have a mini massage?” This implies that I want him to give me a massage equivalent of service I would pay $100+ for in a spa, but I throw “mini” in there so it seems like a quick and easy request! Try it at home and see what happens!

Back to my mini-vaca. We usually go with a group of friends on a (wild and crazy and not G-rated) house boat trip every year. Last year, 6 couples on the trip were engaged. This year, guess what? They all got married. Not that married people aren’t allowed at Lake Shasta – I proudly pioneered that trend! But, with all the weddings and honeymoons, we took a hiatus and will resume Shasta 3.0 in 2013 (get excited for that post, people)!

Thinking this would be the perfect opportunity to go on a 2^nd honeymoon (ok, more like 3^rd or 4^th but who’s counting? Those things should be endless, right?), I suggested several genius ideas to the husband. First, I generously offered to take him to Lake Chelan, where I could conveniently lay out all day and wine taste all night. Who wouldn’t want to spend a few days with the happiest version of Erin? After I spent 3 days researching places to stay, he informed me he was not interested in going.

No problem! Me and my “mini” requests will not be deterred. I quickly changed pace and invited him to a romantic getaway in Mexico. We love Mexico. It’s inexpensive and guacamole is one of my favorite foods. What’s not to love? When the only “serious” decision of your day is choosing the beach or the pool, life is pretty grand. We went to the Riviera Maya last year and spent 8 days in paradise for practically pennies! We literally NEVER left the resort. I read 9 books on my Kindle, and the husband kept busy refilling our travel mugs with adult beverages. We were both in heaven.  This is why I was confused when he AGAIN dissed my invitation! I was all hot and bothered to go to Puerto Vallarta  and even found an all-inclusive resort that was definitely calling our names. This time, he says we shouldn’t spend the money (or some stupid excuse like that). Would have been nice to know that BEFORE I devoted a week of my life to Travelocity.com! Oh well.

After all that, me and my mini vaca are ON! The moral of the story is – I’m (oh, i mean we) are going to Newport Beach. This place really IS calling our names – frequent flier miles at the ideal days and times, friends to visit, and by that I mean free places to stay? Yep, California sunshine, here I come!

You know I have plenty of dresses to bring. But what else will I pack in my suitcase for along weekend full of fun in the sun? Here are a few of my current faves:

• ring necklace – the husband got this (in mixed metal) for me as my “mini-present” when we were in Maui, and I absolutely worship it. It goes with so much. Easy to layer or wear on it’s own, casual or formal.
• iPad with cute Dodo cover, made especially for J.Crew (here is the chambray one, but I obviously have leopard, which is in-store only - totally won't be offended if you copy me)
• long black maxi dress – I found a strapless, wrinkle-free one and have worn it for many an occasion this summer. It’s ideal for travel and can be quickly accessorized to dress up or down.
• rompers! Love these little guys. I have yellow, blush, and my favorite – leopard! Perfect for swimsuit cover up or just with gold gladiator sandals and some gold bangles for a day out and about.
• big hats! The only problem with the extra large wide brim hat is that it can be challenging to navigate with, especially while driving (warning: danger!) so just beware that looking good really does come with side effects (see big hat PLUS leopard romper above; that's my mom with me, embracing her own visor-hat-hybrid trend. I do appreciate, however, that she is rocking a black maxi. Whew, since she often refers to your truly as her "mini-me!") 

Safe travels, fashionistas! 

27 dresses (or might as well be)

If you're looking for me this summer, there are 3 potential parties I have been at nearly every weekend since March - a shower, a bachelorette, or most often, a wedding. Between the husband and I, we have gotten our groove on at 7 bachelor/bachelorette parties, made paper plate bouquets at 5 bridal showers (that would be me- he is a mess when it comes to ribbons and bows, but he is surprisingly gifted at flower arrangements!), practiced our (very important) parts at 2 rehearsal dinners, and dressed to impress at 11 weddings. And you know what that means - 11 different dresses! I would never, ever repeat. This also means 11 different shirt/tie combinations for the husband, all of which must coordinate with my dress (obviously). All in all, being a wedding invitee has been my part time job this season, and my other part time job has been wardrobing the two of us! Luckily my real full time job is still around to fund all of the above.

Are you too a professional wedding guest? Does your refrigerator look a little scary like mine (see left!)? I'll give you some helpful hints- I spent a lot of time, but not a lot of money, at Nordstrom Rack (which is now online, PS!). I stocked up on dresses when our brand new Rack opened (conveniently RIGHT next to my Nordstrom office) in March, and successfully avoided those dreadful times when you run into someone wearing YOUR dress at the same party (the WORST). Here is where I conveniently bought the husband a new shirt hours before not one but two weddings. I also scoured other low-price/high fashion places like Forever, H and M (website now has new fall collection- go take a peek!) and TJ Maxx. I wasn't AS successful at these locations, but picked up a few solid pieces to get me through the wedding event whirlwind. 

Fashionistas, we must get creative! I made different combinations out of some oldies but goodies for showers and bachelorettes. I picked up accessories (like a gold clutch from H and M) that I literally used at every wedding. I used old(er) shoes that I knew I could dance the night away in. Ok, and I also bought some new shoes! (I always be grateful to Jenna for "making" me buy gold shoes for her wedding- best bride request ever!)

Last - this is where I reveal my true OCD - I planned. I made a little list at the beginning of the season with what dress matched up with what wedding. There was major coordination (and onset insanity) at this point, but my system worked and that's all that mattered!

Here a few recent dos and donts I acquired during my endless summer:

• do not ever, ever drive to a wedding alone. What did people DO before cell phones? Better question- what do people DO when cell phones have no service in foreign (and by foreign, I mean Hood Canal) locations? Three forms of directions later, fellow wedding guests found me in the side of the road, lost and in tears! Google maps and I are no longer friends.
• do learn how to curl hair. Do always bring a curling iron and straightener. Do realize that if you have a pixie cut, you are automatically the official hair-curler for every other head in the bridal party. During my dear friend's torrential downpour wedding, I recurled 6 heads probably 6 times. Note: rain wilts curls! But it will be OK if you bring a little pixie along to save the day.
• Bonus points- learn to do an up do! I took my friend's Rapunzel- length strawberry blonde hair and transformed it from a knotted hairspray nest to a loose, elegant updo - all in less than 15 minutes! I probably should have charged her but was feeling generous that day, you know, with the love in the air and all.
• do make sure the bride and groom have (proper) champagne. There is nothing worse than making a gorgeous bride drink Cooks on the best day of her life.
• dont forget to count your drinks!  One per hour is plenty! I don't think I need to go any further on this one. Or I just don't want to. ;)
• (please) do iron your significant other's ensemble. I have seen way too many wrinkled boys this summer to count. Boys - if you don't have significant other, invest in an iron!
• do follow proper wedding etiquette- RSVPs and gifts are not optional. And that's that.

Until next summer, that is...

Leave the Fendi's on - I'm not riding!

Last week, I traded my sky high heels for flats and my Prius with the built-in chauffeur (the husband) for a city bus with a much less attractive driver. This bus driver did not provide the door-to-door service from home to work and back that I have become accustomed to. In fact, our time together took so long, I could have gone door-to-door almost 3 times - and stayed in my gorgeous heels! (I got the fabulous numbers to your right on Designer clearance and I never want to take them off, especially for something so tragic as the bus. However, it is imperative they are protected so they can remain perfect forever, since i told the husband these are yet another "investment" of mine.) 

The first day, I mostly missed my cup holder and heated seat. Ok, I'll be honest - I even missed the soundtrack of life that seems to constantly accompany my wannabe-DJ husband, who either fist pumps to "Baby I like it!" or sings along to Disney's "Lilo and Stitch." Instead, my Sukey (by our friends at Gucci) bag (isn't she lovely? She would actually be great to commute with but you will soon learn that is not her future) and I were victims of uncontrollable temperatures and  atrocious prices ($3.50 - that's an absurd amount of money to pay for these conditions). The first attempt at Erin-tries-the-bus-2012 was also conveniently the day the President visited Seattle. I am seriously reconsidering my vote after the traffic induced by Mr. President this fateful Wednesday caused me to miss yoga.

The second day, things went from bad to worse. After 45 minutes at one stoplight and another 45 on one block, I seriously contemplated leaving the bus for a bar! As I looked out the window and wiped the tears from my eyes, my plan continued to formulate - maybe I could get off, buy a bottle of wine, and bring it back on? I always have a wine opener in my handbag. I consider it very Indiana Jones of me, and it has saved the day on numerous occasions. Back to this one: I was confident the bus would be in the exact same spot (probably for another hour at this rate) and other passengers would probably be grateful for this 911 errand. I should probably share with these fellow victims! How else do people survive this? I had a hair appointment to get to! The odd thing was that no one else even seemed concerned... As i was in major meltdown mode--freezing to death, envisioning the diseases spreading from the seat to me, clutching my oversized Gucci to my chest (setting it in the floor would have really ended me), trying to distract myself with Emma Stone's life story in Vogue (read it here - I love her) -- the dude next to me was checking out Sportscenter in his phone like we were relaxing on the beach in Cancun or something! Really?!

After the first hour and a half (and realization that I could not leave the bus to purchase an adult beverage), I started rationing my water. I also continued my irate (and maybe slightly profane) texts to the husband, since obviously any form of traffic or inconvenience in my life is 100% his fault. Thinking of him driving my sweet little Prius while I tortured myself on this slug of an automobile...it was just too much. I made a promise to myself that I would never do this again. Mission Erin-becomes-a-commuter-2012 was officially over. I gave it 2 tries and frankly, 2 tries too many! People (bus riders who say I should try again - apparently my health and wellness means nothing to them) later told me that this was the worse traffic they have seen in Seattle in years. I DO NOT CARE. I am confident it happened this way for a reason. And that reason is God does not want me to ride the bus.

So, see you on the road, bus! I'll have my Fendi's on my feet and the chauffeur will be sure to give you a fist pump as we whiz by.

M stands for Mudroom

I know... I'm a terrible blogger! I've left you out of nearly two years of my oh-so-fascinating life and let me tell you - a lot has happened. New job, new car, obviously new clothes, shoes and handbags, but who's counting those? My fellow fashionistas, of course! Don't worry - photos of my favorites to come in future posts. (I can't wait to introduce you to some new delicious friends named Gucci, Fendi and Prada...) I will point out I do have the same husband, and we have recently worked on his wardrobe as well, so that's a win-win for everybody (alleluia that he is not so chummy with my friends mentioned above, or else we would really be in trouble).

But I'm back (for now) and am going to try harder to "commit" this time. If you're still here, thanks for reading and thanks for waiting for me. Sometimes sticking to something is hard to do... Like when remodeling the smallest room in your house turns into something much bigger. Bigger project, bigger budget, bigger marital dispute, or just all of the above!  Mini Mudroom definitely turned into major endeavor.

Yes, this near-clinical type A person recently allowed a DIY home improvement project to take place in her home. Actually, "DIY" is the wrong term; the husband is a general contractor, so this was hardly a little craft project from the Real Simple magazine I pretend to read each month. We took the tiny room off our kitchen door and frankly, made it a (teensy) masterpiece! But not without a pretty price (from both my checkbook and my sanity). I'll share my findings during this super special time in our marriage.

Here's what I learned:

• deadlines are my obsession. They are not, however, a friend of the husband's. Actually, I think until he married me, he maybe did had never heard the word.
• one more difference between us: I always thought "1 weekend" meant 2-3 days; he apparently interprets it as 4+ weeks. Is this kind of like a fortnight where no one really knows what that means?
• painting is way harder than it looks and makes my arms tired.
• if you paint while drinking wine, it just gets harder and looks worse. Dang.
• men should never select paint alone. This creates a mean(er) wife and multiple trips to home depot.
• I am always right. (Funny how this seems to be a recurring lesson in our marriage.) What color did we paint the tiniest room in the world? Creme brûlée. EXACTLY what I said from the beginning. Spotted it amongst a million little paint samples and it matched the kitchen perfectly.
• just because the room is literally 3x3 does not mean the mess can't spread across multiple floors and multiple rooms. This is simply torture for someone who can't sleep unless the house is dusted almost daily.

Take all of the above plus 5 weeks of my gentle "reminders" (aka psychotic ranting and nagging), and wa-lah! There is a darling little room that I come and go through every day. Yesterday, I learned how much the whole thing cost, and if there is such thing as "designer" mudrooms, I've got one! It's functional, and of course it's fashionable...

This handy set of hooks holds my my aprons (that I have never worn, but they look adorable, don't they?). They're  both from Anthropologie - check out the darling new ones here . (I must say - they are great gifts for brides-to-be who have aspirations to be great housewives - like I once did!)

The white hooks (steal of a deal at Target) also house my reusable totes. Yep, I am "green" now! (Don't even get me started on the annoying bag ban in Seattle though.) This is my favorite shopping bag, so I keep it on display and stuff the others inside. I found this one and a few others with fun prints at TJ Maxx - only $3 each and they hold a ton! (Just remember to tell your bag boy at Safeway not to FILL the bag - holy smokes - you could throw your back out when the bozo packs it full of bottled water.) It is so much more fun to be green when you can look good doing it (obvi). 

Last but not least - here is a great shot of the Creme Brûlée shade of paint! Isn't sweet? My vintage milk sign and bottles are from Cost Plus World Market (LOVE that place!), but I feel like they definitely look like an antique store find. I'm sharing my secret with you though, so you too can have cute accent pieces without spending your weekends trolling dusty, overpriced antique warehouses (that can be fun, but who has the time? Especially when World Market is right by the mall).