Bathing Suit Weather

It's time for bathing suits.  Right?  What, no, not really?  Well, I would normally agree.  It's cold here in Florida.  But spring break is just around the corner and I need a suit.  I am hopeful that by spring break it will warm up enough for me to wear a swim suit.

I know there are college kids here now on their spring break and I feel kinda bad for them.  The lows have been in the 30's and 40's though some days it has warmed up to low 70 but people it is cold at the beach when it is windy and only 70.  I would be the one sitting in a coat while there are people swimming in the ocean.  They must be from Canada, seriously!!

Well, I have found a few suits that I really like.

I am partial to the starfish pattern on the bikini but I don't know if I feel like a bikini this year.

I usually go for a tankini (with the bikini hanging in the shadows for those "good" days)

But I really love the gray dot in the one piece. Sophisticated!!!

Maybe I will try them all on to see which I like best.  So hard to buy suits off the internet!  But this year I want a nice suit so I am going to give it a try.

If you are interested, hurry, Garnet Hill is offering 20% off thru today.

The trends for less

I love things J Crew, but, I am not crazy about their prices.  It's just way out of the league for this stay at home mom, besides, I just can't see a reason to spend that much money on clothes.

I do like nice things but have found that you can find just about anything for less.  I do a lot of shopping at TJ Maxx, Target, H&M, Old Navy.  I occasionally hit Ann Taylor Loft and Anthropologie.  Anthropologie being a favorite right up there with J Crew.



I found this outfit on J Crew.com that is so in right now.  A classic pencil skirt and stripe top.  Who doesn't have that in there closet right?   Well if not, here is a look to get inspiration from and then go shopping some where else.





I found some great pieces at Ann Taylor Loft that I love.

Classic stripe boatneck tee here.

Floral Pencil skirt here

Color block sling back pump here

The look for less.

Leslie

Sweet Vignette

I love this little vignette outside of my daughters room.

I found these sweet heart lights in the "dollar" bins at Target.  There was only one set and they were $3 but I had to have them.  I love how they illuminate so sweetly just outside her door.  You can't tell but they illuminate a pink light and I just LOVE them.  So simple and sweet.   I wish you could see it, the picture just doesn't do it justice.

Valentines is her favorite holiday so I love how perfect they are for valentines day.  I might just have to keep them up year round though.

Just pretty.

Creative baking

While I took a break from blogging I got busier with my baking business.

I love being able to work from home especially doing something creative.  This little idea has been such a great one.  I get to feed my creative side while being able to be the mom that I want to be.

I made some beautiful cakes and cookies and some fun ones.

The most recent were these Police Academy Graduation cookies I made for a customer yesterday.

I thought they turned out really cute.

I thought I'd share a few other things that I have done recently

These lovely hearts were for a "pink" party.

I love daisies and this was fun to do.  I made this for a 50th surprise luncheon.

I love how simple and sweet this two year olds birthday cake turned out.

I saw these on Pinterest and thought they would be fun to recreate.

These almost look like real lollipops.  These were for a candy land themed party.

I really loved how these paint palette cookies turned out. 

I made these cookies during Christmas time along with a lot of other cookies.  I couldn't believe it when I counted the angels that there were 26.  This was just a few days after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary school.  Twenty Six Angels for twenty six lives lost.

A busy Christmas season.  This was just two orders.

Love this sweet kitty cat cake for a "little" that was turning five and loves cats.

I am so lucky that I get to do what I love.

Leslie

Shabby Chic Party

I love the look of a shabby chic party and this one is just adorable from Kara's Party Ideas.  You can see the entire post here .

We are beginning the planning  of my little girls 7th birthday party, we are going with a vintage ballerina theme, and I think some of these elements would be perfect.

Leslie

Creating off of Pinterest

We had a few little friends over yesterday and we decided to do a little Valentine craft.  I saw a post in Pinterest where you use a pencil eraser to create polka dot paint projects.  It looked like a lot of fun and something that five to seven year olds would be able to handle.  They did a great job.

Here is the original post on Pinterest .  We decided to do Valentines Cards which are going to be for teachers and parents, and I did a t-shirt for my little girl.

I thought they turned out quite nicely.  I hung them in my window to let them dry and decided they looked so cute as Valentine decorations.  I plan on having the girls back over to finish their cards but might have to wait until just before Valentines day.


I also made this cute garland to hang on my mantle mirror.  I'm not a big fan of the colors red and pink so I don't go crazy with decorations for this holiday in spite of the fact that it's my daughters favorite holiday.

I love how this turned out.  I have seen them in all of the party blogs and then a friend made one for a photo shoot.  I just loved how simple it looked.  I think it looks great here and might have to make another one for Easter.

Leslie

Happy New Year!!

So, it's already the end of January and I am just getting around to wishing a Happy New Year.
Better late than never.

I took a long break from writing.  I was trying to decide what to do.  I wasn't really engaged.  When you start a blog you start for many different reasons.  For me, I thought it was a way to document anything and everything.  I love to be creative, I love interiors, I wanted to have a journal of family events, I wanted to document my baking business, and so on.  I didn't start this blog hoping that it would have financial reward, but more for myself, and having readers was a bonus.  When I took the break I realized I was a bit tired of writing a blog.  I found myself having to search for things to post about.  I just wanted to disconnect from technology for a while.

I decided, quite recently, that I really missed this blog and wanted to start posting again.  I found myself recalling past posts and it made me realize that I did enjoy it.  I am going to post at my pace and not feel compelled to put something down every day.

I also plan to post about and combine my baking business, Leslie's Flour Shop, with this blog.  I might make some changes to my blog name down the road but for now it will be a melting pot of all things me.

If you were a past reader and you are still with me, Thank You!  If I gain new readers that will be a plus.  There really is something to this blogging thing!  I've missed you.

Leslie

Cute looks for the little lady

I just felt like this would be a fun post.  I know I am not keeping up with this little blog but with the holidays right around the corner I thought a post about some cute looks would be fun.  Most of these items are on clearance which I love.  And most importantly, I get the stamp of approval from my little lady.  She has become quite particular just recently so I have to go through her before I buy.  I guess I can't complain.  She gave me seven years and is just now forming her own style.  Have to say though she has good taste.  I love all of these items.

Gymboree

Gymboree

Cargo pants, Mini Boden

Getting ready!!!

Leslie

Bring on Fall

Happy Friday.  We are enjoying a cloudy morning and my little one has a day off from school so I thought we would start decorating the house for fall.

I love these pictures from BHG for inspiration.

Bringing in some twine, berries, white pumpkins, burlap, and plaid and I am set.

Have a great weekend.

Leslie

Great Tones and Textures

I love this room featured in Atlanta Home and Lifestyle Magazine, you can visit their site here.

I love the wood tones, the dark wing back chairs and the white walls.  

It's a bit masculine right now, but if you added a few vases of flowers and a colorful throw it would be just enough to soften it up a bit.

I love finding interior inspiration to model my home after.

Leslie

It's Fall And I Am Ready For A New Outdoor Space

I just watched the show HGTV'd with Genevieve Gorder where she did an outdoor room for a couple in Texas.  I fell in love with the space and have decided to get started on putting together some ideas.  

Hanging Lantern - World Market 

Wood Carved Table - World Market

Sectional - Pottery Barn

Hand Made Pouf from Ikea floor rugs via retropolitan.blogspot.com

Side Table/Stool - World Market

Pendant Light - West Elm

Floor Pillow - Pier One

Outdoor curtains - Potterybarn

Throw Pillows

teaoliveliving - etsy

sayitwithpillows - etsy

vintage tins -etsy

I can't wait.  We love our home, but feel the need for an extra room, especially as our daughter gets older.  We are definitely not moving any time soon and the idea of being able to create another living space is very exciting to me.  

I'm off for a sugary sweet concoction to celebrate my birthday,

Have a great day!!!

Leslie