Country Escape: Part 1

Life is never easy, but I must say that I have a pretty blessed one. My nannying job is done, probably forever. Sad as that may be (I miss those kids terribly!), it's left me open to new jobs and adventures, like visiting my mom and sisters in Olympia. A couple weeks ago, I stayed for a few days to help out while my sister was away at a crew tournament. These pictures were taken then. 

This is Donnie Dark Goat.

They are so cute! I wish they didn't all grow into big, stinky jerks.

 Tilly used to share George's lunch, but at 3, she's not so into sharing hers.

Fennel

My little sister with a ball of fluff and claws

 Speaking of blessings, these trips wouldn't be possible without my husband. He stays home and works while I get to go laze around and eat crepes. If that's not love, I don't know what is. Thank you, Mr. Jordan.

In Photos: Spring in Seattle

My favorite house in Green Lake. It's beautiful all year long.

The first day of Spring in Seattle was very windy and cold. Green Lake was much choppier than usual. It's warmed up a bit since then, but the weather is still unpredictable. We've had a couple days where the temperature was in the upper 60s, but then we also had a day where we got an inch of hail!

Moss and lichen are happy here, all year long.

The weather might be getting warmer and fairer, but that doesn't mean it doesn't rain! It just means it's more enjoyable :)

I live in a neighborhood full of cute early mid-century houses.

Forget-Me-Nots are quite possibly my favorite flower.

Well, that's Spring in Seattle. It's a pretty happy season and so full of color! Just when you start getting sad that the cherry blossoms are done, the apple trees burst into bloom. Never a flowerless moment!

Fleur d'Elise Personal Styling

I'm so excited to announce that I am now offering free personal styling services!

Thanks to Brand Backer, I've discovered an awesome new outlet for my fashion passion. The company is called Keaton Row and they specialize in 100% online personal styling services. It reminds me of Polyvore, but unlike Polyvore, it encourages me to be a bit more social. I actually have to interact with people and think about how they might feel about something. So hard in this age of "Me, Myself, and I", right? Just kidding! Styling is what I really want to be doing and this is definitely sending me in the right direction! I'm a bit shy in person and always worried about my mind going blank and my tongue going dumb, so starting my styling biz online is a great way to get some practice explaining to clients why I think this dress or those shoes would look fab on them.

Since my first two clients are people I knew, it's been easy putting together outfits, since I had at least a good idea of their personal style outside of the style profile they filled out. They're both lovely ladies with distinct tastes. My friend Jen cursed me for picking out so many things she likes, which I guess is a compliment, haha. 

My sister's lookbook was the most fun to put together since I didn't have to be super serious. It was exciting picking out clothes to go with her amazing post-baby body. She joined her college's crew team last year and deserves, at least, an entirely new wardrobe for all the hard work she's put in. Right now I'm working on another lookbook that just includes outfits for her trip to Hawaii after she graduates this Spring.

The best part about Keaton Row's program is that it's FREE. Yup, you don't have to pay me or them! I work on commission, so the only thing you have to pay for are the clothes, if you decide to buy them. So what's stopping you? Go sign up! I would love for you to be my newest client :) 

Beauty: Everyday Sun Protection

To start off on a depressing note, did you know Washington state had the 5th highest rate of skin cancer in the U.S. in 2008? Ugh. I'm not totally surprised, but it's still not a pleasant statistic. When it's cloudy most of the year, you kind of forget that the sun's rays are still making their way through the atmosphere. Then there's always that week in May or June where it finally hits 75 and everyone rushes outside to spend the day obvliviously soaking up the UVB. The next day we're like a city of cranky lobsters.

I've been trying to avoid both absent-minded errors by making sure all my make-up has SPF in it, as well as wearing a good lotion with added protection. My one problem I always seem to run into, though, is that most sunscreens make my skin greasy. It may be vain, but I just don't like walking around with a shiny face all day. Luckily, my partnership with SkinCareRx gave me the perfect chance to try out some higher end lotions. 

 My first choice was La Roche-Posay Rosaliac UV Fortifying Anti-Redness Moisturiser (woo, try saying that in one breath!) It's perfect for sensitive skin, soothes redness, and has a built-in sunscreen. I've been using it for a couple months now and I like it quite a bit. I don't notice a huge reduction in redness, but I have noticed that they dry, bumpy areas I attributed to a skin allergy have disappeared. It leaves a bit of a shiny residue, but that seems to soak in after 30 minutes or so.

The second lotion I tried happened to be a lucky occurrence in my first package of samples they sent for me to hand out to family and friends. It emphasizes its non-greasiness right in the name: Peter ThomasRoth Max Sheer All Day Defense Cream. It's packed with ceramides and anti-oxidants and all that jazz, on top of having a sun protection factor of 30. It's also fragrance free and suitable for all skin types. I haven't noticed any problems and neither has my mom, so I can vouch for its suitableness. It doesn't go on as sheer as I would like and takes a little longer to soak in, but it's still a great lotion

This is before I put any foundation on. See! No grease!

Now I just need to focus on my laziness when it comes to applying to the rest of my skin.

♠

Dinner Tonight: Power Salad

Grapefruit, kale, and avocados are all very affordable in April, since they're in season, so why not load up on all three! I've created this warm salad, which is loosely based on a delicious salad my BFF Katherine made for Thanksgiving. It features nutrient- and fiber-rich foods, is low-fat, vegan, and incredibly delicious!

Ingredients (2 salads):

1 bunch of kale

1 grapefruit

1 medium to large avocado

1 Tbsp olive oil

Juice of 1 lime, plus any leftover grapefruit juice

Red pepper flakes

1/4+ cup pistachios

salt & pepper to taste

1. Cut the avocado into slices or chunks; set aside. Cut the grapefruit in half and use a small knife to go around the edges. This will make it easier to scoop the sections out. Use a spoon to scoop the sections out and set aside with the avocado. Squeeze leftover juice from the grapefruit rinds over the avocado.

2. Heat a saute pan over low-medium heat. Chop kale and add to pan. Add lime juice, olive oil and pepper flakes and toss. If the kale starts to sizzle, the pan is too hot, so turn it down. Heat for 5 minutes, or just until the kale starts to turn bright green.

2. Divide the kale between two plates, making sure to top each with any leftover liquid from the saute pan. Now put half the avocado-grapefruit mix on each salad and sprinkle with pistachios. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Serve with Grapefruit Whiskey Sour :)

Lucky me!!

I got a fancy new camera! It's my anniversary present (which is not for another month and a half). I got a Fuji FinePix S2950. Got a sweet deal on it, too! More pictures to come :)

And now for even better news! I'm excited to tell all you wonderful readers that I've been featured on the Forever21 Blog AGAIN! Twice is pretty amazing :)

Here is the LINK


UPDATE: This was an APRIL FOOLS joke. The F21 spot is obviously not real. I would never try to Rick Roll anybody on a normal day! The camera, however, is real.

Look of the Day: neon spring

Spring is finally here! I'm so excited for warm weather. This past winter really made me want to move to California. Trevor absolutely refuses, though.

Look! I got a package! It contained two wonderful treasures I won from a giveaway. A big thank you to Mona @La Boheme and MochiBeaucoup.com

I absolutely love the bracelet! Sad that the ring doesn't fit :( Stupid tiny fingers. It is adjustable, but my fingers are so small I would have to bend it weird to get it to fit.

Oh! And I got a new purse! I am so in love with it. I found it at Value Village for $10. It's in perfect shape and the faux croc texture makes it look so expensive. I wish it were leather, but beggars can't be choosers.

Forever21 Tank Top (click to buy similar) - Sheer vintage blouse - J.Crew belt - Thrifted sunglasses (similar) - Faux Croc purse (similar) - Forever21 trousers - Xhilaration flats (similar)

This just in!

Got hitched!

Not yet married! Don't look at the bride!

...Ok,now you can look.

On the bride (me, duh):
American Apparel leotard, sheer skirt, and petticoat. Flower from H&M and hair piece cut off dog's tutu and fastened with bobby-pin.

I was so thrilled to find my entire outfit at American Apparel, mostly because I really wanted this skirt! The fact that it is completely sheer made me a little cautious to wear it to my wedding, but with the help of my lovely sister-in-law, I found the perfect fix for the see-thru-ness. And just a tip, white leotards from American Apparel are also see-thru! I tried pasties, I tried white stickers, and in the end I just wore a white bra :/ Regardless, I was beyond happy with the way it all turned out. The whole outfit was so fun to wear and made me feel so lovely and unique, and what bride doesn't want to feel like that??

On the groom:
Custom made Thick As Thieves suit, vintage wool tie, American Apparel dress shirt, Lucchese boots. He put it all together and looked so fantastic :)

My best friend and Witness #1. Her name is Katherine, too!


My sister has the best camera. It takes lovely pictures of everyone all the time!



My sisters from, left to right, Beth and Maddie, and my niece, Tilly.



Trying to escape.


My husband, me, and our dog, Frida. She lacked grace, to say the least. She peed on her tutu and wouldn't stop pulling on her leash. Her tutu looked like a bird's nest by the end; it was so full of moss and twigs!

#2 burgundy/maroon

burgundy/maroon by catiebeatty featuring bikini bathing suits

Maybe bright is the wrong word for this lipstick shade, but we can all agree, it is anything but dull! This bold look was seen at YSL's Spring 2011 show, as well as on the runways at Louis Vuitton.

Dark burgundy and maroon lips are harder to pull off, but can look amazing if done correctly. I think it looks best on very pale or very dark complexions. If you're pale and NOT a model (like me) try for a very simple eye. A little bit of eyeliner or mascara is all you need. I also use Clinique's Redness Reducing Powder to even out my skin tone and give me an even fairer complexion.

Try YSL's No. 151 "Sweet Dark" or MAC's "Velvet Teen". I own "Viva Glam" from MAC, but I'm not sure if it's still available in stores.

Side Note: OMG I'M GETTING MARRIED IN AN HOUR! WHY AM I BLOGGING?? Seriously, this is the most laid back wedding day ever. Thank you all for your warm wishes and kind words :) I'm glad I can share this day with such a great community!

gowns

Wedding attire was the topic of the day. I spent hours at University Village with my fiance's sister and even splurged on a British Vogue that is a special wedding issue.

I nearly spent $500 on a beautiful dream-gown at J.Crew, but opted for more casual, fun, and unique. All I have to say is that I will be wearing ALL American Apparel when we get married on Thursday. (Makes me laugh)

The dress I wanted at J.Crew looked almost exactly like the one I am wearing in these photos. Same color and length with an empire waist; same column style. The Taryn, as J.Crew calls it, is made of silk chiffon, though, and has a twisted bodice instead of a smocked bodice. Mine is definitely more casual, but you can't beat $10!


Everything is happening all of a sudden, but it's ok. I was a little worried I was missing out on the traditions of longer engagements, but this weekend we bought an engagement ring, so I'm happy :) Especially since it is my dream ring. Sapphire is all I wanted. I could careless about everything else when it comes to engagement rings.

I'm sure you noticed it's on the wrong finger, but at the moment it doesn't fit me! We need to have it for the ceremony, so we've postponed having it re-sized till afterward.

Back to writing announcements :)

In these photos:
Forever21 dress
J.Crew cardigan
Chloe flats
Sapphire & diamond ring from Alana Antique & Estate Jewelry

oh hi

Now that Blogger is back up, I will tell you my big news.

I am getting married in 6 days.

That's right, we are eloping. I don't even have a ring yet, sheesh.

Ok, bye.