Steals and Deals Saturday

Happy Saturday (enter flamenco dancing emoji)! I hope everyone has a wonderful long weekend and kick off the unofficial start of summer! Also remember to take some time to remember those who have served our country and give us this freedom everyday. Whether at the lake, beach or just chilling out at home (hello Disney Chanel Original Movie marathon, yes all the classics are playing for the next 4 days!) have a fantastic weekend!

On another note you may be doing some shopping since there are some fab sales going on so get to it! 

Credit: Pinterest

Nordstrom //  Half-Yearly Sale up to 40% off until June 5th. 

I love this tunic (under $30), this easy swing dress to dress up or down plus it has pockets, these Tori Burch sandals (33% off and will last you years), and this fun one-piece which is flirty (check out the back!) and flattering!

Anthropologie //  Extra 30% off Sale Items.

Loving this Plaid Tunic, this romantic Lace Dress, White Tee (so soft!), this Striped Peplum Top and these adorable Dinner Plates!

Wildfox Couture //  20% off sitewide with the code ' OMGREEN '. 

How cute is this tee!? Seriously want everything from the summer collection.

Target // Sales online as well as up to 30% off patio furniture with the promo code ' HERO '. 

I want this outdoor set!

ASOS // 20% off with the promo code ' HISUMMER ' .  

Hello Pom-Pom Two-Piece Set!

Old Navy // All tanks, tees, swim, and shorts 50% off! No code needed!

Saks Off 5th //  Up to 85% off! 

Want all of this! Especially this (perfect for brunch) and this! How cool is this for traveling?

Baublebar //  Fantastic sale to get you ready for summer!

Kate Spade // An extra 25% off sale items with the code ' SPEECHLESS ' at checkout.

Bloomingdale's // Up to 65% off with the code ' BROWNBAG ' at checkout.


Happy Saturday and have a safe holiday weekend!

Disneyland and California Adventure in a Day

As you can tell, I love traveling but with my schedule I stay busy and unfortunately can't take the time to spend long amounts of time away from home. However, I frequently make mini-trips and have become somewhat of an "expert" on these short on time, big on adventure trips. I'm going to show you how to take on both parks, Disneyland and California Adventure in one day!

For my first tip, if you can stay on site do so. We stayed at the lovely Grand Californian Hotel but if you are looking for the most budget friendly, check out the Paradise Pier Hotel.  It is known as the "value resort" of Disneyland and one I highly recommend. Unfortunately, it does book fast so try to nail down your dates as soon as possible and look for discount rates (for all Disney hotels) throughout all times of the year. However, you can't deny the Grand Californian is the most elegant and beautiful of all the hotels!

 

Grand Californian Hotel Lobby 

 

After you book your room, you need to figure out what you want to see and do. Are you traveling in a group? Friends? Couple? Family? Each situation brings a new experience to the table. Couples probably want to have a romantic dinner at least one night whereas families are looking more to find quick service restaurants that can accommodate large crowds and foods for all members. As for the parks? I can give you one word of advice...ARRIVE EARLY! Yes, little ones (and some not so little ones) will hate the idea of getting up early but they will be happy when they are riding Space Mountain when others are outside in an hour wait.

You can find a time schedule here (bonus of staying at a Disney resort, Early Admission Hours).
 

Wall Art at Disney's California Adventure park

Now as we were discussing restaurants, there is one must do for those venturing over to California Adventure, is the Cove Bar. It has the best seat in the house for the some of the most scenic areas in the park. Oh and adults, they have the yummiest drinks! They even have a secret menu that has some fun drinks you have to try!
 

Line around 10:30am for 11am opening of the Cove Bar

Word to the wise, this place fills up early! We got in line about 30 minutes before opening (11am) and there was already a bit of a wait in line. Disney parks are all about arriving early! Once you realize this the more you will accomplish in a short time!
 

Yes, there are drinks with cotton candy that exist here! Lunch is also a good time to plan out the rest of the day since you will have probably accomplished quite a bit so far. Especially since you have been up early and arrived when the parks opened :)
 

On this particular trip we went to California Adventure first since there were more things we wanted to do at Disneyland and knew it would be easier to cross our must-do's off at California Adventure. Then we would be able to spend the bulk of our day at Disneyland. Luckily both parks are an entry-way from each other and withing walking distance so you can easily park-hop if you choose to. Here is a breakdown of park hopping ticket options here!
 

Disneyland is more compact than it's bigger counterpart over in Orlando so it is easy to cover lots of ground in one day but you will be walking ALOT so wear your comfy shoes! If you have younger kids, tackle Fantasyland first always. The rides are slower to load thus make the lines move at a snails pace at times. Now if you are touring with older kids, teens, adults, etc. then you can pretty much start wherever. Star Wars is a hot commodity right now and the newly launched "Hyper Space Mountain" is one you can't miss! That is if you like roller coasters (no, it does not go upside down) however, you can check out all the Star Wars Summer events here no roller coaster necessary.
 

Mini-trips also mean you can budget your money a little better without the week long stay. One of my biggest tips is food choices. I do not care about eating at sit-down restaurants each meal, there are so many snacks that we love and some we still need to try that it is sometimes better to forgo the large meals (and price tag) and snack your way around the parks. Choose one restaurant for your "big meal", I recommend lunch, dinner is automatically more pricy. No, snacking on churros, ice cream, pretzels,etc. is not the healthiest option but one day is ok to splurge a little! I also love getting fresh fruit at the snack stands and substituting fruit for fries with chicken fingers. Little cuts along the way can be healthier for you and easier on your wallet!
 

I do advise hitting some of the classic attractions like The Haunted Mansion (pictured below), the Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World (yes, I know annoying but a classic), and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Also, if you frequent the Florida park then try some of the rides that are not offered at Disney World like the fantastic Indiana Jones Adventure and Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin. Check out a map of Disneyland attractions here and Disney's California Adventure here!
 

While you may want to go, go, go all day and the parks are fun so you may not want to take a break but you need to! Take a short nap for an hour or two, catch some pool time, explore the Downtown Disney District. You will feel refreshed and ready to tackle the parks (and crowds) again! We love going to the parks after dark. There seems to be less people, cooler temps and it's fun to see the parks at night! Even though you are only there for a short time, still take your time to enjoy yourself!
 

I hope you all enjoyed some of my tips on conquering the Disneyland parks in a day! Any tips I missed? What's something that you want to share? Let me know!

You can find all the information on Disneyland, California Adventure, rides, restaurants, hotels and more right here! Oh and Disneyland is still celebrating it's 60th Anniversary so there is lots of cool stuff happening, it's summer, you need a vacation, why not go to the "happiest place on earth"?

Happy Travels!

xoxo,


 

Currently: Totally Tuesday Edition

Happy Tuesday! Hope everyone is having a lovely day even though we are on our third day of rain here in Bham. The good news? It's officially May! May means summer is practically here with warm weather, road trips, cook outs, sunshine, baseball games, ahh so much to look forward to! I live in sundresses during the warm months so this (under $25) little yellow number is a current fave!

 

The beginning of May also means Cinco de Mayo! Tacos and frozen margaritas? Go ahead and put me down as a yes! Here are a few fun options to get you ready for Thursday. I love the pairing of a festive off the shoulder top with denim cutoffs! Oh and how great are these Pom-Pom gladiator inspired sandals!? Plus they are under $45! Here are a few more favorites to oh-ley in!

 

 

(from left to right): 1. Trim Top (also comes in black!) 2. Printed Romper 3. Could Shoulder Top 4. I Heart Tacos tee (I have this and it is sooo soft!) 5. Tacos and Tequila Tank (wear with fun printed shorts like these cacti inspired ones) 6. Embroidered Dress

 

 

I'm also currently loving decorating my home with cozy, bright colors. I found the cutest watering can then filled it with some beautiful fresh flowers! I also bought this little round, woven tray then added a little pink gnome (found at Target in the under $3 section) and a candle. A few colorful outdoor throw pillows then voila a newly decorated deck on a budget! It's a great spot for Saturday morning coffee and reading as well as summer nights for cookouts. You can also find this adorable mug at Kate Spade!

I have done a little traveling and have some exciting trips lined up all summer. I'm actually going to sunny Cali this weekend for the Tinkerbell Half-Marathon (Disneyland!) then NYC, Orlando, San Diego and LA are all on tap for some weekend fun in the upcoming weeks and months. One of my favorite places to plan day trips is Atlanta, GA. It's a short drive (about 2 1/2 hours) and I love the shopping, art, food, everything in the city! I was there a few weeks ago for the Justin Beiber concert (yes, I went and it was amazing) and most recently this past Sunday for the Beyoncé concert (incredible btw). I'll have a full trip report on what to do and see in Atlanta in a day coming up this week!

 

While I love traveling, I am also quite the homebody at times. I don't mind only being gone for only a day or two on vacay because I miss people at home. I also miss this little cutie! Formally introducing the newest member of the family, Lucky! She is the sweetest little mini Australian Shepherd puppy. Currently we are working on learning to walk on leash and that has been...interesting. At least she has a fun collar and leash to practice with!

 

I am also trying to make a summer reading list. I love writing and reading is just so soothing and relaxing. If you have any suggestions let me know! I recently finished this book, a very good and easy read! Last night I started this one and I can already tell it's going to be good!

 

That's about it! Thanks for catching up and I have some fun posts coming up so stay tuned!

 

 

Monday Sale Alerts

Hello all! I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend and spooky Halloween! How nice is it that we have an extra hour of sleep again? I'm up early for work and it's a little dreary out so what better way to get over the Mondays than with a few sales? It's holiday season and winter coming up, you know there are a few necessities you'll need!

Shopbop : up to 70% off sale items. No code needed!

Old Navy : 25% off  your order. Use the code ' COOLSTYLE '

J.CREW : up to 30% off fall sale styles. Use the code ' SHOPSTYLE '

TOPSHOP : up to 70% off sale items. No coded needed!

Nordstrom : tons of new fall sale items! No code needed!

Vineyard Vines : additional 30% off sale items. Use code ' SAIL2015 '

Wildfox Couture : lots of new sale items posted from one of my favorite brands. No code needed!

Free People: beautiful fall dresses and tops on sale, perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up! No code needed.

Enjoy the sales! I will be posting new fall looks, travel posts and some more special posts soon so be on the lookout!

Happy (sale) Shopping!

xoxo,

Tori Burch Private Sale Picks

Hey babes! In case you missed the announcement earlier there is a huge, "private" sale (70% off some items!) going on at Tori Burch! This brand is one of my favorites, their classic ballet flats have always and will always be a staple for your wardrobe no matter the season. In addition to the flats, there are clothes, bags, jewelry, and accessories. Things are going super fast so get shopping and here are a few of my picks to get you started!

First off, here is the site link you need to enter for access to the sale.

Ok, now my picks! There are so many so it's hard to choose but I love this T-Hinged wide cuff and this romantic dove cuff. I also really like these stackable ring sets and adorable fedora. You also can't go wrong with striped flats, or this classy ballet flat or these snakeskin ones (obsessed!) or these amazing booties which I'm shocked were included in the sale. Tori Burch has some great bags and this clutch is classic Tori. The color of this clutch makes me smile and how great is this bag for everyday wear and/or traveling? Love the leopard print!

Hurry get to the sale NOW before everything sells out! The sale officially ends on Monday, October 26th but things are already gone so get to it!

Happy Shopping (and Saving)

xoxo,

Easy, Fall Living

 

 

Hello all! We are almost in TGIF mode...but not quite yet. I hope everyone is having a lovely Thursday and has some exciting plans in store for the upcoming weekend. I've mentioned here that I absolutely love weekends in the fall! Football, movies, haunted houses, hiking, it just seems like there is always so much happening in October. I have found the most perfect fall outfit that can take you from work or class to pumpkin patch picking (seriously how many people did that last weekend?) or a scary movie date to even a concert by just adding a few fall details.

 

First off, by now you know I live in t-shirt dresses. They are so comfortable and with a little bit of styling, can make you look like you've pieced together a look that would make Reese Witherspoon jealous. T-shirt dresses are a great base piece, kind of like a blank art canvas that you can add to create a look of your own. With today's look I started with one of my all-time favorite wardrobe colors, blush pink. It's soft and feminine and the color looks good on everyone, what more could you ask for? It looks a little to basic solo so I add a chambray denim shirt to tie around my waist. Now, some people like to tie an actual jacket around their waist but I prefer denim or plaid shirts. The shirts are less bulky and don't add heaviness to your look or frame, it simply cinches the waist plus if you actually do get cool you can always untie it to use! I get most of my shirts at Old Navy or Forever 21, just size up to get the effect.

 

Another item big on my fall wardrobe staples? Hats! I love them and think they are the perfect way to add a unique touch or if you aren't feeling your hair that day. Add some fringe booties (I also love this look with converse sneakers or ballet flats), a unique necklace and your favorite fall bag then call it a day! Oh and you don't like the blush color, maybe you are someone who hates pink? Don't worry this dress comes in so many color options, you are bound to find one you like! Can't choose which color? They are under $20 so go ahead and get two...or three. You will be wearing these on repeat all season and then some!

 

Shop the entire look below and pick out your next fall must-have.

 

T-Shirt Dress// Necessary Clothing  Chambray Shirt// Forever 21  Wide-Brimmed Wool Fedora//  Forever 21  Wood Bead Tusk Pendant// Accessory Concierge  Grey Fringe Booties// Sam Edelman  Tote// have had this Burberry bag for years. Definitely a splurge item but check here to find really awesome designer bags that won't break the bank!

Happy Shopping!

xoxo,

It's Fall Bar Cart Season

 

 

 

Hello all! Tomorrow officially kicks off my favorite month, October! I'm not just saying that because it's my birthday month. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, I love all things spooky! We will see how well this theory holds during my visit to Halloween Horror Nights this weekend in Orlando (bets on if I keep my eyes open in any of the houses?). It also unofficially kicks off the holiday season in my book. There's just something special about October. As much as I loved my bright pink flamingos and pink motif I had previously going on with my bar cart, I knew it was time to switch for fall.

Bar carts are perfect for adding a touch of sophistication to your home and they come in all sizes and price ranges. Anyone can have a bar cart even if they don't physically have the cart. You can just as easily have a bar area set up on a table or a certain section in your kitchen, dining room areas work well also. Having your bar area on a table is a great way to incorporate this idea into your home, especially ideal if you live in an apartment. All you really need is a chic tray. Updating your bar cart and/or tray is super easy for the changing seasons.

I start off with the surrounding area where I keep my cart. Put a few pictures above the cart area if you please. They can be changed from season to season or can be left year round. The components of the bar area stay relatively the same just with a few updates. For instance, instead of lemons and limes in a small vase for summer just replace those with some fall looking pinecones which can also work for winter (I plan on changing the bar cart to a hot chocolate cart in Dec!). I just picked up a few fake mini-pinecones in a bag via Hobby Lobby. I also got the small vase and two of the pictures. Hobby Lobby is awesome to find details for your cart. Make sure you check or ask for the 40% off coupon that is usually available each week. You can often find it online!

The other items were found at Target and just things I had from previous seasons. You can check the bottom to see where I purchased most of the items and please let me know if you have any questions on decorating your cart or anything else you see here. I love hearing from you all!

Go get started on your cart now!

Happy Last Day of September!

xoxo,

 

Golden Bar Cart// Target  Decorative Pumpkins// Target  Chalk Sign// Target  Bloody Mary Cocktail Glass//  West Elm  Mini-Glitter Pumpkins// Hobby Lobby  Oh Dear Wall Art// Hobby Lobby  Gold Décor Wall Art// Hobby Lobby  Labrador Painting// Shoptiques  Shut Up and Dance With Me Print// Design Darling  BAR Marquee Sign//  Nordstrom

Fall Flapper

Hey babes! We are officially in fall mode so say your final goodbyes to summer 2015! I for one am ready for a bit of a temperature change but since it's still a bit toasty here in the South we can't abandon all summer apparel. The key is to find items that still have that fall flair but won't cause you to have a heat stroke when it reaches 80 degrees out. Today's outfit fits that bill perfectly!

 

I saw this dress from the super adorable Gigi's Boutique and knew it was a fall must-have. The look reminded me of a modern flapper, 20's meets the 2000's with a bit of a boho western twist. The blush colored fringe dress has the suede look which is great for fall and gives it that rich look. I may live in the South but that doesn't meant I want to dress like a cowgirl. Too much fringe can make you look like you are late for a rodeo or a Woodstock revival concert so I like to limit my fringe to one piece. For instance, I love this dress but it may look too over the top with fringe booties and a fringe bag. Mix it up, the strappy platforms bring in that 70's vibe which is big for this season and makes the dress the feature.

 

Throw in a few accessories such as this Jackson and Hyde clutch and my pale beaded arrowhead necklace and you have fall look to dance the night away! This is by far one of my favorite looks I've posted on the blog and I hope you enjoy it too. Stay tuned for more fall fashions and shop the entire look below!

 

Happy Shopping!

 

xoxo,

 

Have to Have Fringe Dress// Gigi's Boutique  Crossbody Clutch// Jackson and Hyde  Strappy Faux Suede Platforms// Forever 21  Beaded Arrowhead Necklace// Brantley Cecilia  Bangle// Bourbon and Boweties