Vintage + Modern + Links

Two spaces that relax me just by looking at them. I love the little collection of vintage pieces in the first pic and the modern little chairs in the second. Just lovely I think...  

Well, it's been a super busy work week for me, so aside from the usual errand running, I am looking forward to a little down time this weekend. I also hope to tackle a few projects around the house, but I wouldn't be surprised if napping and this book get in the way of that... Here are a few links for you to check out over what I hope is a fabulous weekend for you... :)

What your favorite Instagram filter might say about you...

For those of you who, like me, don't wear makeup and sometimes get stressed about making sure you have the perfect brows, perfect skin care products, perfect manis and pedis and the perfect wax job, then read this post - and the comments. I could so relate!

This interview is probably my favorite Everygirl interview to date. I'm so inspired by this girl. 

The perfect white kitchen. Absolutely perfect.

Why you should never give up...

I bought this $30 H&M top last night during an "unplanned because I had a crazy day" shopping trip. It fits perfectly, has beautiful detailing and just happens to be the same color of the wine I plan to drink tonight to celebrate the start of the weekend.

J.Crew is having a 25% off sale on orders over $150  + free shipping. Perhaps I will have another unplanned shopping trip this weekend. Ha. 

Images via

Lust List #10

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 

Just a few things that are on my radar right now... I LOVE the design of the grey Gianvito Rossi pumps. Very sassy... I think that H&M top would be perfect with a pair of skinny black or burgundy pants. And I would love to have that chair for my home office. It would be perfect.

See anything here you need in your life?? My credit card says I can have them all, but my mind says I need to chill out. Why can't they ever be on the same page?? :)

Everything Here Is Wonderful...

I LOVE totes, so I was smitten when I ran across this one by Best Made Company. It's cute, versatile, extremely durable and serves as a great reminder that everything really is wonderful if we think of things the right way. 

They also sell these simple little inspirational notecards. I love the C.C.G.F card, which stands for Courage, Compassion, Grace, Fortitude. I love it. Don't you?

Plum Skillet Cake

Back in the day when it was super safe to play outside on hot summer days without adult supervision, my friends and I would spend hours riding bikes and playing hide-and-go seek. Then we would snack on my parents plum tree. I remember how they tasted so sweet and how I loved the tartness of the skin just as much as the flesh. When the street lights came on, my parents would call me inside (because everyone knows you had to go inside when the street lights came on) and I would have stained red lips and clothing...

Now every time I eat plums, it takes me back to those simple days when the most I had to worry about was getting good grades and if my mom would be upset if the plum juice didn't come out of my clothes. So when I found this seemingly beautiful, simple plum cake, I knew I had to make it... 

Week In Review...

Well, I must say people, a week off from blogging does a body good!! Things are looking up! Thanks for all of your well wishes... Work is still busy, but I do feel a little more alive! I went to bed every night by 10:30, met with my doctor to discuss a new regimen to battle my migraines and best of all, my mom came for a visit. I planned to take some pics with my big girl camera, but my Instagram photos pretty much give the best details on my time off...

I also got lots done around the house. I worked on my guest bedroom, worked on the details of my kitchen remodel and layered some rugs in my living room. The zebra print rug is from Walmart, a place I try to avoid (I heart Target), but I do shop their home section every now and then. I also finally started decorating my entry. I framed some of my photos and "hung" them with a rope. I'm still working on the look, but I love how it is looking so far. I'll be sure to give you the details once the space is finished! 

I ate some really good not-so-good-for-me food and had a Crispin cider or two. Then I went to Pilates yesterday for the first time in a few weeks. It may or may not have been difficult and I may or may not be sore...

 If you are a blogger and are looking for a little direction, I highly recommend Joy Cho's book, Blog Inc. I read it last week and loved it. She perfectly breaks down the mechanics of blogging and gives some fabulous advice. Her blog is amazing, so I knew the book would be good, too.

Then yesterday afternoon, I sat on the couch in my pj's while reading mags, watching the Emmy red carpet and eating my mom's good cooking - oh and an awesome cake I made that I will share with you tomorrow.

It was just the perfect week and the perfect weekend. Amen.

Note To Self...

Hi there... I hope you had a lovely weekend. Due to a dysfunctional A/C and a few migraines, I didn't have quite the weekend I planned, but it's ok. I'm actually thankful. The lack of air circulation causes you to be still and being still allows you to think. I came to the realization that I'm a bit exhausted. Well, actually a lot exhausted. My blog is my happy little place, so I won't dwell on how really long hours of work, managing my house, running errands, exercising, grocery shopping, paying bills, migraines, and lots of other things may have contributed the way I feel. I'm sure many of you can relate to all of that. So I'm going to take this week off from blogging so that I can rejuvenate myself, read a book, get to bed by 10PM a few nights this week and have more than a 5 minute conversation with my mom every night this week. A more relaxed me will see you here next week. :)

xo,

Just Stunning...

If you saw yesterday's post, then you might know why I think these photos are STUNNING! I love shades of brown and gold together and Jamie Beck wears it well! Gorgeous...

So how was your week?? This week has been the insanely busy for me! I have circles under my eyes to prove it, so I certainly look forward to a little down time this weekend. Down time like sleeping in, eating oatmeal, fruit and toast in bed on Sunday morning while watching shows on my jam-packed DVR and some online shopping. And yep, I plan on buying that bangle I posted yesterday. It must be mine... I hope you have a great weekend and I will see you here next week. In the meantime, here are a few links I loved this week...

Gwyneth Paltrow makes J.Crew look amazing...

Did you know you could schedule pins on Pinterest?? Thanks to Victoria for the tip...

Oscar de la Renta and stripes. Love.

Five things you might want to add to your cleaning list this weekend...

A very sophisticated nursery design that I absolutely love...

I love what she did to spice up her business cards...

Weekend online mag reading list: The new issues of Rue, Lonny, House of Fifty, and Sweet Paul. Can't wait to dig in...

Lust List #9

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

I had absolutely no intention of this being a color-coded lust list. It just kind of worked out that way. But it makes sense because shades of gold, cream and brown are kind of my faves in the fall. These colors together are just calming to me. Know what I mean?? So I could pretty much use all of these in my life, but that Chloe bag would have to be first place. It just screams "class" and I adore the color. The J.Crew leopard bangle would be a close second. After the busy week I have had, I just might have to reward myself with it over the weekend...



Summer Recipe Rewind...

The one thing I really heart about summer is the fresh flavors of fruits and the crispness of fresh salads. But as you can tell from this recent recipe, I really, really love warm flavors like cinnamon and nutmeg and I can't wait to taste more of them in the coming months. Since summer is coming to a close, I thought I would do a little rewind of some of your (my lovely readers) favorite recipes that I have posted over the last few months. I have only been cooking, like for real cooking, and photographing food for a few years now. Your support each week motivates me to continue to learn more about both and I so appreciate it! 

Asian Chicken Salad

Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Almond Pound Cake

The Perfect Summer Salad

Juice of A Few Flowers

........................................

I recently added a "Recipes" link at the top of my blog, so click on it to get a full listing of links to of all of my recipes!

xo, 

Happy Little Moments...

Happy Monday my friends... I hope you had a good weekend. My weekend went just as planned, except I didn't get to sit and watch Bradley Cooper for a few hours (see Friday's post). A nap after a five mile walk on Sunday morning seemed much more important! Did anyone go see The Words over the weekend?

I've got a little Instagram update for you today. It covers a few things that have made me happy over the last few weeks, like the vignette in my office, sweet potato fries and a bison burger at my favorite burger restaurant and talking with a good friend over chips, salsa and grapefruit margaritas. 

My lovely brother took that pic of me in the fedora. He's ready for a new blog photo and thinks that might be the one...

Have the evening skies been incredible lately or is it just me??

I spent the last few Sunday afternoons reading mags and working on a diaper cake for a friend. Making diaper cakes is the only DIY that doesn't terrify me! You can see more of my diaper cakes here.

If you would like to see more of my happy little moments, I'm @savorhome on Instagram! I hope you have a great week!

Happy Weekend...

Well, can you tell what's on my agenda for the weekend? Yep, you guessed it. Rest!! This has been another super busy work week and I swear my eyelids feel like they weigh 100 l-b's. I will have to put in some work this weekend, but will otherwise plan to rest, take a long walk with one of my besties and maybe catch a movie. I'm dying to see The Words. Well, I'm really dying to sit and watch Bradley Cooper for a few hours, but that's neither here nor there...

I hope you have a happy weekend and restful my friends...

Images via {Long Distance Loving}

Five Lovely Little Things...

Just five little things that I'm loving at the moment that I must tell you about... 

1. I don't know what it is about gold prints these days, but I'm into them- especially when the print is simple. The ampersand print by Sugar Paper is just "me." 

2. I'm loving the simplicity of that Bauble Bar ring, too. It fits me to a "T." Ha. 

3. This is the second time The Sprouted Kitchen has made an appearance on my blog. I received it in the mail earlier this week and trust me, it deserves a second apperance. The recipes are healthy and the photos are so gorgeous that you will want to make every single thing in it whether you are in to the healthy thing or not. 

4. So let me tell you about Soul Owner Exfoliating Foot Cream by Philosophy. I have it. I love it. It has transformed the texture of my feet. It's very concentrated, so I just apply a small amount before bed every night. It also has a spa-like smell that I love. Try it...

5. Ok so that Alexander McQueen bag might not be "little" in size or price. I know.  But isn't it lovely? :) 

Inspired By: Tessa Proudfoot

I was pinning in line at the grocery store the other day (something I do all the time) and ran across that first image. I'm from the south, so I love a good porch. I found that one to be quite lovely. I immediatly looked up the designer when I got home. It was designed by South African designer Tessa Proudfoot. Her portfolio will make your eyes happy. I love her attention to detail and how she marries different textures to create a comfortable, yet sophisticated look. Just stunning...

 

Mussels In White Wine

Hi there... I hope you had a great holiday weekend. My weekend was just fab. Work has been super busy lately, so the weekend was fab in the sense that I watched hours of Sex And The City in my pj's, napped, shopped online, ate some fabulous food and watched my college football team trample their opponent (Roll Tide!). Those are the important things in life ya know...

Speaking of eating good food, I made my most favorite dinner in the world (at the moment), Ina's mussels in white wine. I made it while watching the movie Julie and Julia, which somehow made the whole process somewhat even more enjoyable...

This succulent, delicious, one-pot meal only takes about 20 minutes to make. That includes prep time. That makes this hard-working girl happy, which means I make it often. :) I eat it straight out of the pan with a glass or three of wine. I also eat my weight in crusty Italian bread dunked in the sauce, but it's fine. Finger-licking fine. :)

And yep, those are orange mussels. I didn't do it. The saffron did. The flavor it gives this dish is amazing, so saffron now has a permanent place in my pantry.

Here is what you need and what to do:

3 lbs of cultivated mussels

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup of chopped shallots

1 1/2 tablespoons of minced garlic

1 can of diced or chopped whole tomatoes, drained

1/2 teaspoon of saffron threads

1/3 cup of chopped parsley

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme

1 cup of good white wine (this is my favorite)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Add the mussels to a large collar and throughly rinse them. Make sure all of the beards are trimmed and that they are all closed. Discard any mussels with chipped shells and those that don't shut when you attempt to close them. Set aside. In a large pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes or until the shallots are translucent. Add the tomatoes, parsley, wine, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Add the mussels to the pot, cover the pot and cook on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until the mussels are open. Discard any mussels that didn't open.

Serve hot and don't forget the crusty bread. Or the wine. :)