Trend Alert: Hot Pink Perfection.

1) Zara thong sandals, $100.  2) Madewell denim jacket, $290.  3) Flamingo Pillow Cover, $39.  

4) Michael Kors leather shoulder bag, $149.  5) Kate Spade leather strap watch, $175.  6) Acrylic monogram necklace, $58.  7) City Bike, $249.

DIY: Chair Inspiration.

When we first moved into our apartment a year ago in the UES we had hardly

any furniture. I didn't spend much time hunting for the perfect set of
chairs for our living room but the ones I found I couldn't pass up
because they were only $25 each! Not to mention, I found them at
Housing Works in my neighborhood so they were an easy lugg just a few
blocks. They def could use a good paint job and a reupholster job but
I still think they have potential.
With my upcoming move on my mind, I've been constantly thinking about
all the little projects I need to finish before the big day... And
redoing these chairs is first on my list. I've already been
brainstorming what style I want to go for but it's so hard to make a
decision when I'm not sure how the room is going to be decorated. So
below I put together a few inspiration boards to collect my ideas. So
far my direction is a classic fabric (gingham, plaid, check or stripe)
with either a white, black or natural finish. I figure however my roomie and I
decide to decorate the living room, classic styled furniture would fit
right in. Before and after pictures to come!

PAINT IDEAS:

FABRIC IDEAS:

Deck Stripe Black - Indoor/Outdoor - $9

Gotcha Blue Twill - $7.50

Deck Stripe Red - $8.50

Gingham 1" - $3.50

Gingham 1" -  $3.50

Please leave comments... I would love to hear your feedback!

Book of the Week.

I Brake for Yard Sales: and Flea Markets, Thrift Shops, Auctions, and the Occasional Dumpster - $25.00

By: Lara Spencer (Of My Favortire Morning Show: Good Morning America)

Yesterday on my way to the MET in the UES I passed by Jonathan Adler  and of course had to stop in... While browsing all of his colorful wacky decor, I noticed they had Lara Spencers new coffee table book for sale. Little did I know, Lara is a huge Jonathan Adler fan and a friend of the geometric genius.  Ive been wanting to get this book since the day they announced its release on GMA. To my surprise, its actually amazing and helpful with tips and tricks for the thrifty creative mind like myself. I had no idea Lara was so talented and even into interior design-- I love watching her on GMA every morning; I think she is such a doll. How could you not love this girl?!? She thrifty, stylish, sucessful, down to earth, and so cute! I'm a huge fan... You go Lara! Anyways here is a little back ground on her book and a few pictures. You should pick up a copy, I read the whole book yesterday on the MET steps and didn't even walk in the museum--- thats how good it is! Enjoy!

ABOUT...

Lara Spencer fesses up about shopping on the cheap and filling friends' homes with her fabulous finds in her new coffee table book "I Brake for Yard Sales: and Flea Markets, Thrift Shops, Auctions, and the Occasional Dumpster." Its spin-off HGTV series airs 8 p.m. Fridays. The book offers tips on scoring deals and refurbishing flea market finds.

Though most of you know me from seeing me on the red carpet with celebs and as a GMA anchor, hunting for wonderful secondhand finds has been a passion since I was a small girl. My mom used to take me "sale-ing" every weekend. That spelling is intentional, since yard "sale-ing" was exciting, adventurous, and, best of all, didn't require a boat-just a car with enough space to haul our finds home. In fact, my book's title comes from the bumper sticker on my mom's station wagon: "I Brake for Yard Sales" (and boy did she!). My mom has always been known to do an illegal U-turn if she spotted a good sale, and she was instrumental in teaching me to get high style for low prices by using the three R's - Rescue, Recycle, and Reinvent.

Weekend Snapshots.

 

Look of the Week.

Olivia Palermo

Similar Dress - $100 (Here at JCrew)

Book of the Week.

My roomie Kristen gave me this book for my B-day last weekend: The Homesick Texan. This past year I have been learning how to cook via google and lots of practice and experimenting and of course I love some Southern food and miss it so much in NY-- I honestly couldn't think of a more perfect gift! It has everything I grew up eating and after I read the Introduction I know why. The author literally grew up a few hours away from my hometown of Nacogdoches before moving to New York. Anyways, I won’t spoil the introduction, I’ll let you read her story and how her book came about  for yourself.  It definitely hit close to home for me and I can’t wait to experiment in the kitchen with her recipes.  From just browsing through the pages her instructions seem pretty simple and the illustrations are amazing-- I think you will like! And hey if I fail in the kitchen, at least it will look nice on a shelf! Also don't forget to check out her blog... where the book came to life.

THE HOMESICK TEXAN BLOG (Click Here)

BUY BOOK (Click Here)

MMMM....WHO'S HUNGRY NOW?

Strappy Sandal Showcase.

For the past week I've been on the lookout for a flat neutral sandal for summer.  I wanted something that was comfortable (flat), easy to dress up or down, and reasonably priced since they will most likely end up in the trash after a season of wear in NYC.  I put together these boards below of my favorite finds  so you can shop the looks too. I know I said I was shopping for a neutral color sandal but as you can see I got a little distracted by other glorious sandal trends that I could not help but post. I ended up purchasing style 3 on my neutral board from Zara-- For $50, I've got nothing to lose. Also, Zara has Free 2-4 day Shipping, plus free returns... Can't beat that!  Happy shopping!

1) Pour La Victoire block heels, $240.  2) Steve Madden flat gladiator sandals, $69.  3) Zara jelly shoes, $50.  4) Madewell shoes, $60.  5) Steve Madden Ankle Strap Sandal, $60.  6) KORS Michael Kors ankle tie sandals, $125.  7) MICHAEL Michael Kors michael kors sandals, $125.  

1) ASOS flat leather sandals, $64.  2) Nude sandals, $56.  3) Topshop roman sandals, $60.  4) Armani Exchange leather sandals, $68.  5) KORS Michael Kors flat sandals, $350.