Thursday, January 31, 2013

Loafer Face Off

Why pay more when you can pay less? The new shoe "body" that seems to be trending is the casual loafer. Nothing fancy, pretty simple in fact. Lets take a look at two similar shoes for two very different prices. 

JCREW

Yes, these are very exciting and extremely cute, but they are also $150.00! I'm not about to open up my wallet for that price, especially on a pair of flats. Lets look at some competition.

Wal-Mart

At only $12.00 these will do! I was browsing online and found a few pair of cute flats from Wal-Mart. For a cute pattern you will only wear on a rare occasion this is the way to go. These are still super cute and will not break the bank! 

Be inspired and create!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Save Money Eating Healthy

Yes, I said save money eating healthy! I saved almost $100.00 on my grocery bill last month! My grocery bill also includes consumable items like toothpaste, paper towels, and pet supplies, which I do use coupons for if applicable. I'm not a crazy coupon lady, just one coupon for one item. There's only two of us in the house, but we've stuck to a planned diet and have seen a positive outcome in weight and our budget! So what did we do and what have we been eating?



The first thing we did was go to Sam's Club and bought the following.

Sam's Club List 

Granola Bars: 60 Ct.
Tilapia
Mixed Vegetables
Green Tea Bottles
Almonds
Tuna: 20 cans
Canned Chicken Breast:5 cans

It's been a month and we still haven't gotten through all of these items. We still have left overs of all the above items except the green tea. We should be able to make the rest of what we have last through February. 

So,what do we get from the grocery store?  For the past month the below items have been regulars on my shopping trips.

Grocery List 

Thin cut chicken breast: Buy the 4 lb packages and bag portions before freezing. 
Steak: Be smart about your steak, you can find really good deals. We've been eating steak as our Sunday Meals. 
Red Potatoes: 1 package will last you a couple meals. Only eat these once a week.
Sweet Potatoes: Buy a few a month. 
Low Fat Turkey Breast
Cucumbers
Grapefruit, Apples, Bananas
Low Fat Yogurt
Egg Whites
High Fiber Cereal 
Black Beans
Green Beans
Lettuce: Keep in Mason Jars to preserve freshness.
Almond Silk
Low Carb Bread
Pickles
Frozen Cauliflower 
Cottage Cheese
Lite Laughing Cow Cheese

You will need to get a feel for how often you will use these things. This will determine how often you will need to buy them.

Meal Suggestions:

Breakfast
High Fiber Cereal with Almond Silk
Egg White Omelet 
Fruit and Yogurt 
Oatmeal

Lunch
Tuna Sandwich with a Pickle
Cucumber, lite laughing cow cheese and low fat turkey breast
Turkey Sandwich with Mustard
Canned Chicken Breast and Green Beans
Salad with Chicken and Vegetables

Dinner
Tilapia with brown rice and vegetables
Chicken Breast with black beans and cooked cauliflower 
Egg White Omelet 
Turkey Sandwich with Cottage Cheese
Steak, red potatoes and vegetables 

Snacks
Almonds
Almonds and Raisins
Granola Bar
Yogurt
Fruit
Banana with Peanut Butter
Pickle
Cottage Cheese: Add fruit if you would like
Rice Cakes


Be inspired and create! 

Monday, January 28, 2013

Inspirational Dining Decor

I, like most people, daydream about my fantasy house. I found the most beautiful bowls and plates and decided they were going to be my dining room inspiration!I've picked out tables, chairs, rugs and accessories based on the color and details of these pieces. 

The Inspiration



From: Vietri.com

Aren't these gorgeous? Light blue and white are two of my favorite colors to decorate with. I love cottage chic decor and these fit in perfectly. I pulled together high level inspirational products that could pull the look I want together. Here's what I found! 

Table Options


From: Williams Sonoma 



From: Pottery Barn


From: Williams Sonoma

Vases 


From: Pottery Barn


From: Pottery Barn



From: Pottery Barn

Rugs


From: Zgallerie


From: Zgallerie

Dining Chairs


From: Ballard Designs


From: Pier One




From: Urban Outfitters


From: Urban Outfitters

Draperies


From: Urban Outfitters


From: Anthropologie



Sunday, January 27, 2013

Crock Pot Pasta and Garlic Rolls

I normally don't share recipes, but thought maybe I would give it a shot. We made a delicious crock pot pasta and garlic rolls for dinner tonight! Yum!

Crock Pot Pasta


You will need:
1 package Tortellini
1 lb Pork Sausage
1 package spinach (1/2 the bag)
1 box chicken broth
1 box cream cheese
2 cans of Rotel (Regular or Italian style)

*Cook on low for 4-5 hours

Add shredded Parmesan and enjoy!


Garlic Rolls


You will need
1 package Kings Hawaiian Rolls
Butter
Garlic Salt

I love Kings Hawaiian rolls! They are so soft and have that edge of sweetness. I decided to try something new and turn them into garlic rolls to accompany our pasta. 

Cut the rolls in half and add your butter and garlic salt.  


*Bake at 350 for 5-6 minutes.



Hope you enjoy! Be inspired and create!

Friday, January 25, 2013

Fashion Inspiration


This week its all about color. I've pulled together a few pictures that have inspiring color stories. 



Neutrals
Source: Lookboo.nu


Gold and Coral
Source: Nordstroms



Seafoam and Citron
Source: Lookbook.nu


Cobalt 
Source: Unknown


Be inspired and create! 

Monday, January 21, 2013

Basic Essentials

Every once in a while I get so frustrated because it seems I don't have enough basic layering pieces.  I found some essential basics that need to be a part of any wardrobe. All of these items came from Target so they are sure to not break the bank. 


The Basics



Windbreaker/Rain Jacket


V-Neck Tee



Neon Racerback Tank: Great for working out. 




The Boyfriend Cardigan






Crochet Scarf


The Jegging


Be inspired and create!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

DIY: Tab Dividers

I finally found the planner I've been looking for my whole life! All I've ever wanted is a place to write my meals and my grocery list for each week. When I found this one I knew it was a keeper, the only thing it didn't have were tab dividers for each month. So, I made my own. 

The Planner

Grocery Hot Spot


No Tab Dividers


The Project
You will need cardboard, washi tape, paper cutter or scissors, and some glue. 




Cut your cardboard to the size you want your dividers. Mine were about 1.5". 


You should have 12 tiny pieces. 


Wrap your divider with the washi tape. 


When your done wrapping you will have a colorful collection of tabs. 



Finally, glue each tab to each month. 



I love the cute patterns washi tape comes in. You will have way cuter tabs than what your planner would have come with. Be inspired and create! 

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Fashion Inspiration

Here are a few looks I love. 


Source: Unknown


Source: Unknown


Source: Lookbook.nu


Source: Unknown


Source: Lookbook.nu

Be inspired and create!