Guest Post - What to Wear to Summer Parties

By Lizzie | Published: July 14, 2014

What to Wear to Summer Parties

Here’s to summer fun! We all need this season to help us let loose and enjoy ourselves a little bit. That is why summertime is the perfect time to host or attend a great summer party. But before you start dishing out the potato salad and mixing up your margaritas, you need to figure out just what you are going to wear to this joyous event.

Don’t wait until the last second to get some great summer party options. Part of what makes you so fabulous is that you are ready to go at the drop of a hat, no matter what the occasion, so make sure you look good while doing it! Dust off the horseshoes and follow this advice for what to wear to summer parties this year.

Make sure that you are comfortable

No matter what, you should always be comfortable in what you are wearing. No, this does not mean that you can go to the parties in sweat pants, but you can find options that make you feel beautiful, comfortable and free to do whatever you please (doge ball in the backyard anyone?). Instead of a skirt, consider a great patterned romper to make your look more fun and versatile. Get great fitting designer bras that will keep everything in place without you having to readjust every 5 seconds. There are always comfortable options for summer that are still stylish.

Take risks that you wouldn’t normally…

As you begin to let loose for summer fun, try out some new risks in your style that you were too afraid to try out before. Take some tips from the celebrities who you admire to find some inspiration. Some popular trends this season include the bra peeking out from a low cut shirt, bright and bold patterns and of course, super short shorts. This is the time to branch out and maybe find a new style that you will fall in love with.

…but keep it classy

Don’t get over excited and through all the etiquette rules out the window. You should still stay true to your personal style and the preferences of the people hosting the party. If you are unsure what your hosts would want you to wear, you can think about the type of party that they are planning to throw. If it a casual outdoor BBQ potluck style, you can probably be a little more lax with the fashion rules. However, if it is a poolside cocktail party at an elegant venue, you will want to dress appropriately and leave the ripped denim jean shorts at home.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match

This season, there are bright color combination all around you, use them to inspire your outfit ideas. You can be a little bolder than you were in the winter. Try pairing two bright solid pieces together, or putting two colorful, bold prints side by side. You will look fashion forward and be able to express your inner wild child without taking so many shots of tequila.

Image: http://sizzlingmagazine.com/7-great-summer-outfits/summer-party-outfits/

Author Bio:

Tina Hamilton is a journalist, blogger and social media guru. You can usually find her online or walking along one of Southern California’s beaches with her dog, Joey. You can find her on Twitter.

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Guest Post - Tips to Convert a Tiny Space into Your Dream Kitchen

By Lizzie | Published: July 3, 2014

When considering your dream home, original thoughts tend to focus on a big, cozy kitchen. In is fact, the house or apartment we’re on the verge of choosing can often be practically perfect; but if the kitchen is small, it’s often a deal breaker. The images of friends and family gathering in a warm space full of bright light and the aroma of baked goods or fresh coffee is just set too firmly in our brains to budge. Unfortunately, finding your perfect kitchen right off the bat without having deep pockets and a team of amazing contractors is just a dream for most. However, there are some serious tips to transform the dull to dazzling.

Image source: Eat Well 101

Color

Everything about a room begins with color. Repainting is an easy, inexpensive and effective way to freshen up a small kitchen and make it look larger. Use a light, fresh color and keep it flowing throughout the room. If your cabinets are small or minimal, paint them as well with the lighter shade. Whatever light shines into the room will reflect on the new palette, making the space look larger. If you have an obstruction such as an ugly corner pipe or oddly placed textured wall, simply paint that with a contrasting shade or bright color for an instant pop.

Shelves and Glass

The fact that you have limited cupboard and counter space does not mean you can’t have a glorious kitchen. Think outside the box. Utilize empty vertical wall space by adding shelves. The addition of simple wood slabs painted in the light new kitchen paint, or metal brackets to hang items, can allow you to display your knickknacks, personal touches and even smaller appliances with ease. If your landlord or manager permits simple changes, or if the cupboards aren’t essential, consider adding glass doors instead. You’ll be able to see what’s contained within the cupboard, it’ll encourage you to keep the room tidy, and it’ll make the room seem larger due to less visual blockage.

Image source: Jennifer Field Real Estate

Compact and Shine

A smaller kitchen can benefit from smaller appliances. Not only are they often less expensive than the jumbo versions, but they’re often more aesthetic, offer better energy conservation, and even provide as much power and enjoyment as their counterparts. Consider investing in steel and chrome to improve the spacial awareness of your small space. Not only is it a modern and chic look, but the mirror-like qualities give the room extra depth. On top of that, compact steel and chrome appliances are easily cleaned and retain temperatures well.BacksplashIt’s almost unheard of to not see a backsplash used in larger kitchens. So, it may haunt you to consider not using one in your tiny space. Well, the good news is, you can get away with adding a backsplash to your small kitchen. Simply make sure it compliments your new appliances and helps reflect the light. If you continue the glass or stainless steel approach, it will help reflect all of the surfaces within your kitchen and make it seem as though you’ve hung mirrors on your walls. The more light reflected, the bigger your space will look and feel.

Image source: Sudoper

Walls and Floors

A small kitchen contains two main focal points, the walls and the floor. If you’ve painted or planned to paint your walls a light shade, you’re already halfway there. Don’t play victim to over-accessorizing, though. A small, cluttered space is just a small, cluttered space regardless of how you look at it. Keep the patterns to a minimum at best. Keep towels and rugs tucked away and out of sight. As for floors, if you have the option to lay hardwood or a cheaper version opt for a blond or honey wood tone. Wood flooring reflects more light, it’s easy to clean, and the delicious texture is a dreamy addition to any sized kitchen.

Image source: Nicespace

You don’t need to drain your savings, enlist a designer, or hire a construction team to get results. By following the above suggestions and relying on their own creativity, anyone can transform a tiny space into their dream kitchen.

About the author:

Romeo Demes is blogger and DIY handyman who is known as the guy who can fix everyhing in his circle of friends and family.

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Remember Me?

By Lizzie | Published: July 2, 2014

Probably not. I’m Lizzie and I used to write a blog, but I kinda fell off and now I’m trying to reingratiate myself into the hearts and minds of my followers. That’s A LOT of people (probably 10) to woo. So, I’ll start off big.

Ryan’s worked out of town for the entire month of June. He came back on weekends which caused us to do things like take schmoopy selfies like this:

Ryan and me

I arranged a long weekend at The Saguaro which is super cool hotel in Palm Springs. It’s basically a Ramada Inn that they painted fancy colors and did things like hire a DJ from 12-6 at the pool. Ryan gave the hotel clerk a “$20 handshake” and we were whisked away to a poolside suite. Here’s are some pix.

SaguaroPretty sweet. And you can’t really tell from these pictures, but they’ve painted each balcony (and room) a different color. We had a blue room. It was relaxing. I even allowed my pale, out-of-shape self to slip into the pool for a bit. Mainly because it was core-of-the-sun hot (and because I’d been drinking). I also bought a fancy kaftan which was a big hit.

While we were there, my sister-in-law asked me to be in her wedding! I was so touched that I actually teared up and was then extremely embarrassed. I mean, people are in weddings all the time. But besides my two sisters’ weddings, I’ve only been in one other person’s wedding and…IT’S EXCITING, OK?! PLUS, I’m helping her plan some decorations for the wedding and reception which, obviously, caused my heart to flutter. I’ve got so many ideas that I told her that she is allowed to tell me to dial it down or if she feels bad saying it to my face, she can tell Ryan to rein me in. I might become bridesmaidzilla.

CrossFit Santa Monica

We also started a new CrossFit box (I so hate the lingo - it’s a GYM) which I think I’ve told you about. It’s run by two Navy Seals (is it SEALS?) and it’s been interesting. That’s me in the blue shirt in the back. I basically look like that after every workout. Fit people are a little enraging. Stop walking on your hands all over the place and doing a ton of butterfly pull-ups after class for S’s and G’s! I mean, I got so tired doing hand stands against a wall that I fell and bruised my shoulder so badly that it was equal parts embarrassing and awesome. I would show you a picture, but that leads me to my next crapfest.

angry cell phone

MY IPHONE BROKE! At first I was like “SCORE!” because it was still under warranty and that meant a brand new phone. But because it wouldn’t turn on, I couldn’t hook it up to the computer and back it up which means…I lost a lot of stuff. Like 9 months worth. The reason - I thought that hooking your phone up to the computer and syncing it meant it was backed up. It doesn’t. You have to actually hit a button that says “back up your phone.” So…that was depressing. I mean, even my text messages are gone. I’ll admit - one of the first things I said was “MY CANDY CRUSH PROGRESS BETTER NOT BE LOST!!” It’s not. That all just happened yesterday, so it’s a bit raw.

Blah, blah, blah, the entire month of June pretty much consisted of me puttering around the “house,” mumbling to myself that I hate doing Charlie work. I also realized how I lost so much weight while I was single. I hate going to the grocery store so much that I would just eat popcorn and drink bourbon for dinner. I’d rather eat just my saliva than go shopping. And I kept telling myself that I was gonna get SO MUCH DONE while Ryan was gone - quilting, cleaning, blah, blah, blah. Nope. Just watching TV and moping. And when Ryan came home on the weekends, I really didn’t want to bust out the sewing machine. I wanted to take schmoopy pictures on the beach. So…do you forgive me yet??

I’m gonna try harder to get back in the swing of things. I need to map out some good projects to work on. I mean, I’ve got wedding projects, but I can’t show you those. Shhhhh…ancient Chinese secret. But I’ll get some “regular” stuff going, even though Ryan is going to be working out of town quite a bit over the next couple of months. It sucks, but it’s putting all that Maker’s Mark on the table.

In the meantime, here’s what Ralph and Ted have been up to:

Ralph and TedWe’ve realized Ted is able to do strict pull-ups and has a very angry/homeless face when he wakes up. And Ralph is still hiding.

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