Valentine's Gift Guide: For the Mrs.

scented candles/ Victoria s Secret victoria secret lingerie / Victoria s Secret thongs panty / Tory Burch ballet flat / Kate Spade crossbody handbag / Kate Spade stud earrings / Jo Malone body cleanser / Opi nail polish, $19 / OPI nail polish, $19 / Nearly Natural artificial flower / Eclectic by Tom Dixon scented candle, $105 / The Paris Wife

"Let me treasure you…" Sorry, Bruno Mars' Superbowl half time performance is still in my head. I kinda have a thing for him. That smile…

Anyways, Happy Monday! There are only 11 days until Valentine's Day, and I thought I'd create a gift guide filled with romantic picks. Last time I was in San Francisco I stumbled upon a quaint little chocolate shop in the Haze Valley. It happen to be my husband's birthday weekend, so I hand selected a box of their interestingly-rare chocolates. They carry unique flavors such as: jalapeño, pistachio, rose water, and salted caramel. Sooooo good! In my opinion, no guy can go wrong with the good 'ol box of chocolates and long stem rose pair. But, if you want to take it a step further, throw in a little something extra. 

Cropped

You might have noticed that shorter hair has been trending as of late. But hair is not the only thing getting shorter; Tops are too! Crop tops that slightly expose your mid drift seem to be everywhere! It's true, trends always come back to life. 

My thoughts: I kinda dig it! There is something so carefree and relaxed about the look. In my opinion, crop tops pair best with pencil skirts, or long flow-y ones. Now, I just gotta be bold enough to put one of these babies on!  

It's Been Awhile

This post comes after many, many months of evolution. My evolution. This past September, I walked down the aisle to greet my fiancé, and walked back down as his wife. It's been the most joyful day of my life, thus far. I never imagined myself this happy, nor could I have ever predicted the soothing sense of security marriage could offer. I love us so much.

After coming back from our honeymoon, I fell back into the grind of things. To be honest, work became work. For a moment, I lost sight of that balance I had always prided myself for incorporating into my life. Frankly, I was pooped! After a couple of months of working my buns off, I realized something…I needed to stop, smell the flowers, and continue to focus on them. My goals were going to be achieved, just not within that moment, and that was okay. Ahhhhh…*sigh of relief*

As of late, I have been carving out more time to do simple stuff. Stuff like: watch the Bachelor (I know, it's horrible, but hey, at least it's not the Kardashians!), delve into new books, not set my alarm on the weekends, listen to Maxwell's greatest hits on YouTube, dedicate time to friends, and walk around unfamiliar areas of San Diego.

Isn't it funny how not really doing anything "huge", can have such a rejuvenating and satisfying impact? 

Bridal Shower Attire

Bridal Shower Attire by sheilaho featuring a nail polish

Vero Moda short dress, $54 / Ted Baker studded high heel shoes / Cole Haan / Forever New chronograph watch, $27 / Forever New flower earrings, $9.06 / Burberry / Rosebud Perfume Co. sugar lip treatment / Essie nail polish, $17

Hello Plummies! Tomorrow is my bridal shower, and I kinda figured I'd give ya a sneak peek at my outfit. Simple, monochromatic, and most importantly: comfy.  

The wedding is about a month away and I am surprisingly not feeling stressed (yet). Let's hope this smooth sailing lasts. Alrighty, well, I am off to the Del Mar horse races with my co-workers. What an awesome day at work, huh? I gotta say, my boss is pretty amazing. 

Have a blessed weekend, and remember to focus on things that bring you happiness. Xo

Mint Meets Nude

Evening dress, $30 / Ann Taylor multi colored high heels / Teardrop earrings / Biba real leather belt, $44 / Jo Malone fragrance, $57 / MAC Cosmetics beauty product, $20

I had the pleasure of attending one of the most beautiful weddings this past weekend. We flew all the way to Michigan and celebrated Heather and Tyler's marriage. Heather was a picturesque bride; something you might find on the cover of The Knot, or on the latest Wedding Chicks' post. She was absolutely stunning, as were the details of the day. From the wooden hand-held fans during the ceremony, to the locally-prepared chocolate truffle favors; it was all so beautiful. 

As for me, I had fun dressing for the occasion! A few weeks back I snagged a minty F21 dress for nearly nada, and paired it with suede Ann Taylor heels. I wanted something that a) was comfy, and b) helped make my pasty self look somewhat tan. I kinda loved how the combo turned out. 

It was great to be around such loving people. I am excited to soon be a part of such a considerate, supportive, motivated, and adventurous bunch. 

Cheers to Love, and Cheers to Family! 

Chop-chop?

Ok, I have been seriously contemplating chopping the mane. Honestly, I will probably wait until after the wedding, but right afterwards I wanna liberate myself from my long locks. There is something to be said about the effortless style and convenience that comes with shorter hair, and I want in! I am thinking: shoulder length, and plenty of long layers. If all goes well, I may perhaps ditch the granny bun, and actually style my hair every once in awhile. 

Have a fabulous, beginning of the week, Plummies! Xoxo

Wedding Series: Bridal Makeup

Lancôme highlighter makeup / Bobbi Brown Cosmetics , $44 / Bobbi Brown Cosmetics / Bobbi Brown Cosmetics , $37 / Bare Escentuals lip gloss / Eye makeup, $26

Morning Plummies! The big day is only about 4 months away. Ahhhhh!!! It's crunch time now. In an effort to get organized, I printed blank monthly calendars and posted them up on my office wall. After writing down all the wedding to-dos and important dates on the calendars, I realized that nearly every weekend leading up to September 14th is going to be dedicated to wedding stuff. This week my goal is to print all the invites and rehearsal dinner invites. I have found some beautiful free printables here. 

In terms of makeup,  I have decided to pull a Kate Middleton, and do it myself (with the help of my lovely friend, Vanessa). I went into Bloomingdales a few weeks ago and purchased a few Bobbi Brown products. Why haven't I used her line in the past!? It's quite effortless-looking! The look I am going for is: rosy pinks and corals, with dramatic lashes, and bold brows. I can't wait for you guys to see!