Shabby Chic Love

My love for shabby chic is strong this week so I am letting out my inner shabby chic princess today by sharing some gorgeous pics I found recently off of Shabby Chic Mania's site.  They gave me the urge to make all things pink, yellow, and white! Just look at these beautiful peonies! GORGEOUS! 

Then of course there is this beautiful bedroom I found. Just makes me want to jump into the bed and take a nap! The sparkling white and cream linens look oh so comfy AND cute! :)

Last but definitely not the least of what I want to show you, is this shabby chic bathroom. So practical but yet sophisticated-ly shabby chic. I love chandeliers in the bathroom...they add so much character! 

I hope as Spring approaches you can incorporate some of the shabby chic elements into your home...esp if you love them as much as I do! 

TGIF my friends! 

Jennifer

Today I wanted to share with you one of my true loves....no, not chocolate, although that is a good guess LOL ...but antique/heirloom bowls. About 5 years ago I discovered beautiful antique bowls and I've been in love with them ever since! They intrigue me because I wonder who originally bought the bowl and what they used it for. I can imagine a scene from something like Little House on the Prarie and a lady in a long colonial dress mixing dough in the bowls or serving fresh fruit to her friends and family. After I bought a couple I decided to get a bowl rack to display my collection and I'm glad I did. I love it and I get compliments on it all the time. Here's a picture of my bowl rack displaying a hodge podge of bowls in all different colors and textures, and a few close ups of various bowls.

As I began collecting the bowls I quickly learned how expensive they can be. Real antique ones sell for hundreds of dollars, which is why I started buying replicas. I get the same look as the real antique ones for a fraction of the price. I discovered that Athome America has a really nice variety of bowls (no they did not pay me to say that), and their prices are just right. You can find their website at www.athome.com

This is a pic of the next bowl I plan to purchase from Athome America. I've been eyeballing it for a while now and would like to use it this summer for Memorial day thru the 4th of July. Its a perfect summer piece with the stars and all. I love it!

I use the bowls in the kitchen to serve food but I also use them to display potpourri, rose hips and cinnamon sticks in the fall, and I have even added them to my Christmas displays as a holder for pinecones, ornaments, and other things. Even a good holder/display for buttons or in a kids room to hold hair accessories or crayons. They are durable and one of my favorite things.

Thanks for stopping by...have a wonderful weekend!

Jenn

Saturday be-you-tiful YOU!

Hello all!
Its been a while since I last posted. With working so much over the holidays AND being sick in January I watched my blog die, which led me to my NY resolution to spend more time and attention on my blog this year, so you will definately start to hear from me a lot more in 2012!

Today I'd like to show you a few beauty items that I can not live without.  For those of you who do not know me let me inform you on a little secret...I am a product junkie! With that being said it was not easy for me to pick out only three items that I love since, lets be honest, I love them ALL! :) So, after giving it some thought and discipline, I made myself come up with the top three (and I'm not endorsed what so ever by any of these products) so here goes:

#1-Halo Illuminating Color Protector-
For those of us who hilight or color our hair this is a life saver! It is high gloss rinse that you apply to your hair mid way thru your color cycle to make your color last longer. It rejuvenates your color by adding a glossy shine to your hair and in the end saves you money since it extends the life of your color.

#2-Loreal Hydra Perfect Loose Powder-
Powder is a tricky beast. Some of us love it and others of us hate it. I for one love it but I have combination skin that is more oily in the summer and dry as heck in the winter so I have learned that I have to change out certain products as the weather changes-powder being one of them. In the winter I love to use this powder because it sets my make up VERY nicely without caking or drying me up. You end up with a velvety smooth finish to your face. KID you not folks..love this stuff!

#3-Aveda Beautifying Composition- (GRAND FINALE)
Oh yes! This baby ROCKS! When I was first introduced to it I thought who would slather oil all over their face....yes I was skeptical. Then, wouldn't you know it, I had a facial one day at an Aveda salon and to my suprise they used this oil all over my face! I thought oh no! Oil...on my face? That could only end with clogged pores and sludge all over my face, right? WRONG!!!!  This oil is amazing! It is made up of all plant based oils so there is NO PETROLEUM in it. All natural folks and your skin absorbs it without leaving ANY residue or traces behind and it laves your skin not only moisturized but nuturished. Its like a V8 for your skin! SERIOUSLY! And the best part is you can add drops of this to your bath water for all over loveliness or put it in your hair. This is a MUST HAVE in my weekly routine. (I use it about once or twice a week before putting on my makeup). Let it fully be absorbed before applying make up.

Ok so there's my top three products. If you have not tried any of them I encourage you to give them a try and if you DO use any of them please let me know what you think. I'm always open for suggestions and comments myself as I love discovering new things!

Have a beautiful Saturday!
-Jenn