Easter Decorating Inspiration

I needed some inspiration for my Easter table and turned to Martha Stewart.

You can click here to view more Martha Stewart Easter decor.

For those of you who observe the day, Happy Easter!

Black & White with Yellow

I stopped into Old Navy today looking for a denim jacket.  I came away with three dresses.  A $10 reward card, 20% discount card and dress sale for a grand total of just under $30 (for all three dresses!!)

Old Navy

Black and white is such a big trend for spring I knew I could have some fun with this 3/4 sleeve striped dress... & it has side seam pockets.

Kate Spade Saturday features lots of black, white with "on trend" yellow.

This is how I'm thinking of wearing the dress and the trend.

Black & White with Yellow by spiralstyle

Dress / Orla Kiely leather handbag, $280 / Kate Spade jewelry / Kate Spade stud earrings / Printed scarve, $68 / Neon yellow shoes

Have a sunny day

Midweek Musings

I didn't post Tuesday because I just didn't have anything to say.  But I got a haircut which alway makes me feel good and then spent the afternoon poking around shops at the mall.

lululemon 

I love the bright colors of workout clothes at lululemon.  Their clothes are the best and I wear them everyday to workout.  They last forever and don't need any special care in the wash.  

Bobbi Brown  Rich Color Gloss

A new, pretty lipstick is a great way to lift your spirits.  The Rich Color Gloss has more pigment than a regular gloss and more shine than lipstick but not sticky.

Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate

My current obsession is this product from Kiehl's.  It is 10.5% pure vitamin C.  My skin texture has improved and it reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  Nothing short of surgery (maybe lasers) will get rid of wrinkles.

Powerful Wrinkle Reducing Cream and Eye Cream

These two products contain copper.  Putting these on top of the product above and you've got a real team working to improve the elasticity of your skin and reducing the appearance of wrinkles.  My skin feels smoother and appears more hydrated and youthful.  I'm hooked.

I can't get enough of this Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter.  It smells and feels so good and I'll bet it would even taste good.

A little pampering makes a body feel good.  

Monday Inspiration

some things I'd like to do today ...

Walk through a field of lavender.

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See a kangaroo in the wild.

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Witness the aurora borealis.

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Take a cooking class with a real chef.

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Take a riding lesson.

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Read a book on the beach.

What would you rather be doing today?

Kate Spade Saturday

Kate Spade Saturday has finally arrived and just in time for the weekend.  Saturday.com is the little sister and lower priced version of Kate Spade New York.

Kate Spade Saturday by spiralstyle 

Top / T shirt / Jeans / Shoes / Necklace / Jewelry / The Small Weekender Bag in Signature Zig Zag

Shipping and returns are free in all 50 states!

Saturday.com by spiralstyle

T shirt / Pants / Shoes / Jewelry / Sunglasses / Oh, Snap! Shell / Extras

Earn points to redeem for free stuff.  Check it out here.

Kate Spade Home by spiralstyle 

Slim Notebook in Signature Zig Zag / Home / Home / Saturday Morning Mug in Signature Zig Zag / Slim Notebook in Signature Zig Zag

Lots of fun stuff...

...like design a weekender bag.  This is my design.

Check out Kate Spade Saturday and have a wonderful weekend.

Friends of Finn: Shoes with a Mission

It isn't too early to start thinking about espadrilles. Many people are headed for warm spring-break destinations and summer really will be here before we know it although it is snowing outside as I write this.  

I received a very thoughtful gift of Soludos espadrilles.  Not only are these very well made and comfortable shoes, this particular pattern benefits "Friends of Finn".  

Who is Finn and why would I want to be his friend you may ask?  Finn is a dog belonging to  Amanda Hearst (yes, that Hearst family).  Amanda purchased Finn as a puppy from a pet store and most pet stores acquire their puppies from puppy mills.  Since then she has become aware of the inhumane manner that puppies and their "parents" are treated in puppy mills.  Friends of Finn is a committee founded by Hearst, who has gathered her friends and joined with the Humane Society to educate people about the abuse in puppy mills and this .  Click here to view a video of a puppy mill raid.

Soludos supports the efforts of Friends of Finn by donating a portion of the sales this pattern of their espadrilles to the cause.  Look carefully at the pattern.  Do you see dog bones?

I love my Friends of Finn, Soludos espadrilles and can't wait for a warm day to wear them outside.  You can buy your own pair by clicking here.

Spring!! Plant a Jar Garden

The calendar may say SPRING and that is encouraging but it is quite cold in Michigan.  We are about two months away from being able to plant outside.  But I can't wait.

Last week I "pinned" a post from poppytalk describing how to make a jar garden.  (A  terrarium would  be a sealed container)

I assembled the materials.  The tutorial called for charcoal chips to help filter the air in a closed container.  If you choose to keep your jar garden sealed, be sure to include this step.  You can purchase the charcoal from a pet shop or where aquarium supplies are sold.

Since I chose succulents for my garden, I used soil suited for these plants.

• First layer:  pebbles
• Second layer:  charcoal
• Third layer:  sheet moss to prevent soil from falling into the charcoal and pebbles.

Plants are next.

Surround the plants with sheet moss to retain moisture

Voilà! The garden is complete.  

If using succulents, do not water the garden for two weeks.  That will encourage the plants to send out roots, searching for water.  Watering your jar garden/terrarium will depend on the plant material you choose.  You can easily find watering guideline on the internet.

Happy Spring and Happy Gardening

Pie Worth a Double Workout

I was craving chocolate pie over the weekend and now I am paying for it.  I did back to back classes at the gym today to compensate for my indulgence.  It was so worth it and I'm about to have another piece.  

This is one of my favorite pies, chocolate with a bit of espresso powder which intensify the chocolate flavor.

It isn't a really beautiful pie but the texture is gooey, rich and dark chocolate.  

You'll know the pie is finished baking when the surface begins to get cracks around the edges.

Top with whipped cream if you wish.  A 10 inch pie serves 10.  This is a very simple dessert to make.  Make your own pie crust or purchase a pre-made, unbaked crust.

Recipe:

1 10 inch, unbaked pie shell

8 tablespoons butter

2 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 oz semisweet chocolate

1 tablespoon instant coffee or espresso

2 tablespoons sour cream

3 eggs

1 1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

If making your own pie shell, roll dough and fit into 10" pie pan and then refrigerate.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

Melt butter and 2 chocolates and let cool (melt in microwave or on top of the stove)

Dissolve coffee in sour cream and beat with eggs, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla until well blended.  Stir in chocolate and butter mixture.  Pour into prepared pie shell. Bake until filling puffs and forms a crisp, deeply crackled crust, 35 - 45 minutes.  Cool to room temperature. 

Chive Wall Dots

Color! I am craving it right now as it is still very gray here in Michigan.  Chive Wall Dots are just the answer.   

Wall Dots are 6 inch X 1 inch deep round ceramic vessels. 

The "dots" are available in 13 hues.

Dots have rubber cushions to protect your walls and a hole for hanging on a nail or hook.

This side view show that the vessels can be filled with water to hold flowers, or instead of water and flowers, use it to hold pencils or something creative.

A vessel with a tulip.

I mentioned that I was painting my powder room.  I used Benjamin Moore suntan yellow on the walls.  The glossy dots really pop on the sunny walls.  I really like the 3D quality of this wall art as well.

The wall color make the hardwood floors look very rich.  

I used some Bahama beach finds on the glass shelf above the sink.

I'm very pleased with the powder room now and I may just find a few more places in the condo for a "dot" or two!

Lovely Week

I had a lovely week.  How about you?  Some of the things that made me smile...

...the fig tree I brought inside to winterize has started to sprout new leaves.

Eileen Fisher

I found jeans as comfortable as my Lululemon yoga pants.

Purchased this Anthropologie necklace on ebay. 

Daffodils poking through the ground.

A stack of new magazines to read by the fire.

How you had a great week.  

Make your weekend splendid.