Loving Right Now: Printed Sweaters

Guess, what, folks? I'm writing a book! I've always wanted to write a mystery novel, so in a surge of optimistic new year's goal setting I decided there was no time like the present and set to work. It may never see the light of day, but I'll have satisfaction of having something down on paper, and at least I'll have a chance to solidify some of the mysteries and murders always floating around in my head (wait, that sounds...bad).

What does that have to do with all these super cute printed sweaters? Absolutely nothing. I decided in lieu of more involved, crafty posts, I would start a shorter post series, since most of my creative energies are flowing in another direction right now (did I mention I'm also learning French and running a successful Arbonne business? Yeah, I've always been a bit overambitious).

So what am I digging right now, fashion-wise? I love the printed sweater trend.

Source: forever21.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Source: forever21.com via Rachel on Pinterest

I also like cute designs on sweatshirts. The whole trend is very preppy-chic with a dash of Bill Cosby.

Source: stylezen.net via Rachel on Pinterest

I could totally sew some sequins on like that. Not that I'll take the time, but wouldn't it be cute?

Source: Uploaded by user via Rachel on Pinterest

Isn't she the cutest in that horse-print sweater?

Source: forever21.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Hearts!

Source: chicnova.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Would you rock the printed sweater trend? Forever 21 seems to have a ton of inexpensive options if you're looking for somewhere to start - the hardest problem might be narrowing down your options!

What are you loving right now, fashion-wise? Or, do you have any great mystery novel ideas you're itching to contribute? :)

Make it so: quick & easy Valentine's Day craft

Need a quick little gift for Valentine's Day? Head over to Michaels and dig through their dollar bins. They have some great little frames painted in bright colors!

The frames have stands on them, but you could easily rip those off and attach a few heavy-duty magnets if you wanted to hang them on the fridge!

I printed out several vintage pictures of Paris since I'm using the frames for a Paris-themed Arbonne meeting in February (We're working on earning a trip to Paris this year and I'm SO excited!). 

You could also print out a family picture or a place that's special to you and your sweetie! :)

I love all the details on the frames - the flur de lis are especially appropriate for my Paris pictures! 

Viola! A super quick and easy craft for your Valentine. :)

What would you use these cute frames for?

Make It So: spray paint holiday projects

Ok, back to my obsession with spray paint. I love the super easy, keep-your-hands-clean way a can of spray paint can give a hum drum object a whole new lease on life.

I've tackled a couple of different spray paint projects over the past few weeks. The first was a quick update on some Dollar Store Christmas village houses.

I just bought a can of semi-gloss white and went to town. Be sure to do several thin layers so it doesn't drip.

The finished product! I think they're just a bit more retro and fun when they're all white, don't you? You could use this same technique with vases, rabbits for easter (paint them a bright, funky color?), mismatching pottery, etc. The whole project cost about $13, and brightened up my kitchen windowsill all December.

My next project was turning a pair of scuffed up shoes into some NYE-worthy stunners! These are the most comfortable pair of heels I own, so I hated to toss them, but they were really sad-looking on the toes and no amount of shoe cleaner or polish was working. I saw this tutorial on Pinterest (where else?) and decided to give it a go.

I measured where I wanted my cap toe to stop and marked it with a pencil. 

Then, I carefully applied clear packing tape along the line I had drawn. Press it down firmly so  you get a clean line! Next, I cleaned the area to be painted with rubbing alcohol. 

Next, I taped off the soles of the shoes (under where I wanted to paint) to keep things clean, and wrapped the rest of the shoe in paper and taped that up to, just to avoid any accidental painting (spray paint doesn't always go exactly where you want).  

I had some Krylon metallic gold spray paint left over from another project, so I gave the shoes a couple coats of that first. Go ahead and get the name brand paint, don't even bother with the off-brand stuff. It's just not worth it. 

I don't have a picture of the next step, but I also had some gold glitter spray paint (I got it from Walmart...it's almost a clear paint with gold glitter flecks in it), so I added a few coats of that as well. After letting them dry for a while, I peeled off all the paper and tape. I was actually really surprised they turned out so well!

I love them! The paint line is so nice and crisp thanks to the packing tape. I'm really glad I didn't use painters' tape like some of the tutorials I read said to do - that stuff never seems to work. 

I've only worn them once, but the paint seems to be holding up well! You could also add a clear varnish or coat of modge podge or something to give it a little extra protection. 

What are some DIY projects you made over the holidays? 

The Cinque Terre and Monaco

More adventures! An excerpt from our trip from Rome to Paris, via Monaco.

"We have arrived in the city of lights, and it's "tres magnifique!" We arrived late this afternoon via high speed train from Monaco - the train was a fun adventure in and of itself, weaving its way through the French countryside (from the arid Mediterranean coast to the green apple orchards of Northern France) at up to 160mph! It took about six hours to cross the whole country. The Eiffel Tower is only a few blocks from our hotel, so we took a brisk walk over in time to see it illuminated with a dazzling light show at 6pm - tres belle! Dinner is later here in Europe, so we'll head to a Rick Steves's recommended cafe for dinner around 8pm."

(Side note - that cafe became our favorite. Duck and Potatoes!! Enough said.)

"A quick recap of the last few days - Vernazza was a picturesque, rather remote fishing villiage on the sea, part of whats called the "Cinque Terre," or Five Lands. Five tiny villiages perch onto the rocks above the Medeterranean, and while bustling with tourists and hikers in the summer, was quiet and pretty much only locals and their families while we were there. I came down with a cold while en route to cinque terre, so I spent most of our time there lazily strolling or watching the sea."

Vernazza. 

Monterosso, the next town over. 

"While it was beautiful, I was excited to head for civilization (and proper Kleenex) when we left for Monaco yesterday morning. Monaco is a teeny tiny, extremely wealthy microcountry nestled within France on the Mediterranean. It is the cleanest, shiniest safest place I have ever been - there are security cameras about every foot, and it is said you could win a million dollars at the casino, walk down the street with it in the middle of the night, and have nothing to worry about. We only stayed one night in Monaco, but the hotel was fancy and beautiful and we ate a ton of amazing food there. We even ordered room service - soup and french fries - and had the tastiest breakfast of our trip at the hotel before we left this morning. Coffee here is amazing - even the tiniest train stations have espresso machines and make a better coffee than you can get anywhere at home."

"We will be in Paris for the remainer of our trip, and there is still so much to enjoy! La Lovre, shopping, Notre Dame, and I plan to visit the Eiffel Tower at least once a day!"

(I did manage to see the Eiffel Tower almost every day we were there. :))

Monte Carlo, Monaco. 

The casino in Monte Carlo. 

Monte Carlo harbor view from our hotel. 

Eventually I'd like to do a few-more trip related posts, on eating gluten free in Europe and recommendations on where we stayed...if there's anything in particular you'd like to hear more about, leave a comment! :)

Oui, Paris je t'aime

I've thought about it a lot since I've been back home, but it's really hard to describe why I loved Paris so much. It was just wonderful. Paris has wrought iron balconies, wide boulevards, an impeccably efficient metro and bus system, beautifully landscaped parks, and carefully preserved art. The city itself is beautiful in a poetic, romantic way, like one of the many smiling Venuses chiseled out of creamy white stone. But it's more than that.

Paris is the Eiffel Tower, shining and sparkling through the night sky. 

It's finding new purposes for beautiful old things, like the Musee d' Orsay beautifully housed in a defunct train station. 

It's the Louvre, once a palace that became the world's first public museum during the Revolution.

It's the opulence of Versailles, now on display for the masses. 

The dark, medieval alcoves of Notre Dame.  

And yes, the efficient and tidy subway and bus system. 

Paris is macarons and copious amounts of espresso. 

Window shopping on the Champs d' Elysee in the rain.  

Picnics in the park.

And more coffee in tiny cafes. 

I loved Italy and had a great time in Monaco, but Paris - even though it's been there for hundreds of years and has seen kingdoms rise and fall - Paris felt like it was built just for me. 

Oui, Paris je t'aime.

An American in Paris (and Rome)

Hey friends! So, blogging is the first thing to go when life gets busy, but it's for a good reason, I promise! 

Over Thanksgiving we went to Europe! Rome, the Cinque Terre, Monte Carlo, Paris - it was amazing! I'll be recapping little by little, but here are a couple summaries I wrote while I on the trip...accompanied by a few of the 700 + photos I took. :)

Day 1:

We're here in Rome!

After a long sleepless flight (at least for me - I read a whole book and watched two movies though!), we got into Rome about 8am local time, hopped a shuttle to our hotel/b&b, and met our very nice hotel operators Francoise and Melissa. Melissa is from the US, so she explained to us where we could find everything, gave us some restaurant recommendations, and off we went to see the sights! Cappucino, the Roman forum and ruins, tasty steak and veggies for lunch, more coffee, and the colosseum! Not bad for a sleep-deprived day! 

3,000 year old columns as benches. 

After a nap on my part, we're getting ready to head out and get a pinic dinner to bring back from a grocery down the street. Salami, anyone? Mmm...tomorrow, onto several more ancient things (fountains and markets, i think?), then the Vatican on friday!

Most of all today I was struck with how simiar things are to home here! Aside from the ancient ruins and collumns literally just lying around serving as 3,000 yr old benches, teenagers run around wearing leggings as pants, lots of people speak English, and the colloseum is basically the first giant sports stadium. They even had ticketed seating back in the day!

Colosseum. 

The Vatican.

Trevi Fountain.

Pantheon.

The Colosseum. 

Days 2&3: 

Whew! So much walking! :)

Walked everywhere yesterday, we calculated at least 10 miles!! Each morning we enjoy coffee (espresso or a cappuccino) and breakfast in a cafe down the street. They are very nice and made me eggs for breakfast in place of the customary pastry. "Io sono ciliaca" works wonders here - they're very educated on gluten intolerance and cieliac disease. Yesterday we walked to the Campio de Fiore, an outdoor morning market, then on to the Vatican. After a stroll through the Vatican museum, you end up in the Sistine chapel - it is truly amazing to think of all the years Michelangelo spent up on scaffolding painting that ceiling! After St Peters Square and St Peters basilica, it was off to find some gluten free pizza! It. Was. Amazing. We took the scenic route home through lots of piazzas and side streets - and the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, etc. the little side streets are my favorite, much quieter and less people! 

Today we went to a fun flea market, then had a picnic! I've eaten so much prosciutto and salami over the past 2 days I think I'm going to turn into a hunk of pork! But it is SO. GOOD. :) more wandering down side streets this afternoon, then we participated in the "passeggiata" - the evening walk! I have heard of this, when all the Romans come out each evening to walk their kids and dogs and chat - but it was amazing to watch! It seems every citizen of Rome was out strolling and chatting and "ciao-ing", and we got a little table outside at a restaurant to have gluten free pasta and people-watch. They even had gluten free tiramisu, and I'm officially stuffed to the gills. Good thing we walk so much!

Campo de Fiori.

Side streets are my favorite. 

Evening passeggiata. 

More passeggiata. 

The best gluten-free pizza ever. 

Tomorrow it's on to Vernazza, one of the 5 towns in the Cinque Terre. It's about a 3 hour train ride, then more hiking and exploring there! 

For now my feet are tired and my tummy is full, so I'm going to call it a night! 

From Rome it was on to the Cinque Terre, Monte Carlo, and Paris, so more recaps to come! :)