Summer Happy Hour Must Haves| Guest Post | Christina The New Mrs.

Hi, everyone! I'm Christina from The New Mrs. where you can find me talking about anything from everyday life including my husband and new puppy as well as travel adventures, marriage and relationships, a little bit of fashion, a pinch of home decorating and some recipes.   

Let's face it - happy hour in the summer is more fun than many times of the year.  There's just something about being able to enjoy a cold drink outside on the deck in the beautiful weather.  There are also so many fun essentials that can go along with this activity and I've highlighted a few of my favorite below!

I'm a big fan of accessories - I always love the "little things" so I like to have on hand some fun items in case an impromptu happy hour comes up or even if it's just me sipping a glass of wine on the deck - there's no reason that it can't be fabulous right?!

I am dying over the "Let's Have a TUD" cocktail napkins - first off, I love a totally unnecessary but totally needed (in my mind) item like a cocktail napkin and I love the (new to me) term TUD - Totally Unnecessary Drink. Too perfect!

We meet friends for happy hour a lot or visit BYOB's and the "Break the Ice" tote would be the perfect way to pack up your beverages and bring them along in style.  The two bottle wine bag would do just as well - especially if you're like my husband and I - we always want to bring a different bottle (red for him, white for me) so a bag that fits two is essential.

Speaking of toting your cocktail accessories around, a Kate Spade "happy hour" flask is the only way to go if you need to pack up your ingredients and take them on the go and a gold bottle opener is a great way to dress up your bar.

I'm a sucker for Lilly accessories and the stemless wine glasses mixed with the adorable coasters would be perfect to hold a nice fruity cocktail.

I've shared my obsession for anything pineapple/flamingo related this summer so the wine stoppers as well as ice tray would add the perfect little something "extra" to your night. 

The "fancy another?" drink tray and "I'll drink to that" koozie provide just a fun vibe.

The fruit highball glasses have such a summer vibe and any drink is better with a cute straw.

Summer Essentials | Guest Post | Pink and Fabulous

Hi ladies! I'm Lindsay and I blog over at Pink and Fabulous about fashion, food, fitness, and more! I'm stepping in today for my girl Amanda to share my Summer essentials.

Since we are in the throws of Summer and I have two little ones, I feel like I have narrowed down my essentials that I use regularly and could survive on a deserted island with (ok, not really, but you get the idea.)

A great pair of statement earrings in a fun color (I always go with turquoise) that matches almost everything can get you through the entire season and add a little punch of color to any outfit.

I love trendy sunglasses, but with kids and a budget I don't want to spend a ton of money on them.  A fun, on trend pair that doesn't break the bank to get you through the sunny days are a necessity!

I am all about a great neutral flip flop.  The color matches anything in your closet and will probably get worn more than any other shoe.  This pair is my go-to and it offers sun protection as well as being super comfy!  I usually go through a pair a Summer.

I also invest in one of these maxi dresses each year.  They are timeless and insanely easy to wear.  It can be dressed up or down - I have worn them to weddings and the pool.  One great maxi dress is all you really need to get you by, but a few make things fun!

I am a firm believer that you only need a couple of great staple shorts to get you through the Summer.  I have tons of pairs I have hoarded over the last couple of years, yet I stick to the same couple of pairs while the rest gather dust.  These relaxed chambray shorts are great because they are an unexpected and ridiculously comfortable twist on classic denim.  Also, surprisingly versatile, are these pale pink cut offs (see them here.)  The color matches almost everything and you can roll them or unroll them to change the length.

You can shop my Summer closet essentials below!

Earrings //  Sunglasses  // Flip Flops // Chambray Shorts // Denim Shorts // Maxi Dress Not pictured includes:  giant iced coffee with almond milk, air conditioning, wet wipes, and tons of sunscreen!  

Have a fabulous day and thank you for having me Amanda!

Guest Posting

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Happy Thursday everyone!

Today is going to be full of party preparation for our Superhero Bash, but I wanted to let you all know that I'm guest posting over at Wife, Mommy, Me today - hope you'll come and say hi!


I hope you all have a great day, I'll be back tomorrow!

Nordstrom Sale Favorites $50 and Under

As much as I love clothes and shopping, I love a good bargain.  I am not a person that can drop $200 on a pair of jeans, I just can't.  Don't get me wrong, I know they're awesome, and probably fit like a glove and yada, yada - but it would pain me to spend that much on one article of clothing.

I have always loved Nordstrom, I shop at their Rack whenever I have the opportunity - I also love when they have their half yearly sales, because they always have great buys.  Here are a few of my picks of $50 or less:


Kate Spade 'One In A Million' Initial Pendant

I'm all about dainty jewelry and layering - this pendant fits the bill and is so pretty!

DV by Dolce Vita 'Poise' Bootie Wedge

These booties are perfect and at such a steal!  Sadly, I got to these too late, they no longer have my size!

ASTR Wrap Front Jumpsuit

This baby is in my shopping cart, I'm in love with this jumpsuit!

Kate Spade Square Stud Earrings

Another shopping cart item - I've been wanting these for way too long, but always get stumped on which color to buy.  Any suggestions?!  I think I'm leaning towards the pink/gold... but then again there's a good chance I may change my mind again!

Free People 'Wildfire' V-Neck Tee

 

As  mom, I can never have enough tee's and I'm loving this one - it falls so nicely and looks so soft.

Sleveless Slit Maxi Dress

Such a pretty dress and love the way it ruffles on the bottom!

Kendra Scott 'Elle" Drop Earrings

Another great buy, I've been swooning over these earrings for a while!

Max &Mila Crewneck Lace Pullover

I've been very into lace pullovers lately and this one is great for cooler months, it can be dressed down or up very easily.


These are a few of my favorites, there are so many great things!  Have you bought anything from the sale yet?


I also wanted to let you know I'm posting over at East Coast Chic while Natalie is enjoying her new beautiful baby boy, sharing my favorite room in our house, come on by and say hi!



Linking up with:
Pampers & Pearls
Tucker Up
Fitness Blondie

Table Decor {Lovely Life Styling}

Hi Friends! I'm Lindsay from Lovely Life Styling filling in for Amanda while she's on her Dominican Republic getaway! Let's all let out a sigh of jealously at the same time...

Can you believe we are only a few weeks away from Thanksgiving?! 

If you are planning to host this year, there are a lot of easy ways to incorporate a 'Thanksgiving' theme to your dinner table. 

gold flatware | mercury pumpkins | pumpkin wine stopper | metallic ikat plates | pumpkin place card holder | pumpkin candle | turkey serving bowl | thankful napkins

If you are not hosting, any of the above items would be a great gift to bring to the hostess' home!

I'm loving these metallic ikat plates from West Elm. And you can carry these into Christmas!

Thanks for having me, Amanda!

Enjoy your vay-cay!!

Tried and True Beauty Products {East Coast Chic}

Hi!
While I'm away this week, I'm going to have a few of my favorite bloggers fill in for me - I know you'll enjoy their posts as much as mine!

I hope you all have a great week.  Be back on Monday!


Hi Everyone! I'm Natalie from East Coast Chic.  Thanks so much to Amanda for having me here today!  I blog about  motherhood, fashion, beauty, recipes, etc.  You get a little bit of everything with me!  I decided to share my tried and true beauty products with you all today. These are products I've been using for years that I continue to come back to time and time again.

1. Redken Color Extend Shampoo and Conditioner- I have fine blonde hair which means my hair maintenance is important to extend my color as long as possible. I've tried pretty much every color treated hair shampoo out there and this is the one I continue to come back to. It does a great job keeping my color looking good but doesn't weigh down my fine hair.

2. Aveda Phomollient- I swear by this product! I have fine thin hair and this is the only product I've  found that gives me body and texture without weighing my hair down and making it greasy.

3. Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer- This is my summer go to. I don't like to wear heavy make up in the summer but still need a little something. This adds the perfect sheer glow while also brightening my skin and giving me some SPF protection.

4. Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque- This is the best face masque for anyone with acne prone skin.  I swear it works 10x better than some of the harsher treatments. If you've never used it before you need to give it a try. It dries up acne and shrinks your pores but leaves your skin feeling smooth. I even use it as a spot treatment as needed.

5. Skintimate Baby Soft Shaving Cream-  I have been using this shaving cream pretty much ever since I started shaving my legs and haven't found anything else I like as much. I will also only use the baby soft since I think it handles my dry sensitive skin best.

6. Urban Decay Naked Palette- I love everything about this eye shadow palette if you haven't tried one of the Naked ones yet I highly suggest it. Plus there are some great you tube videos out there about how to make the most of all the colors on your palette.

7. Essie Topless and Barefoot- This is my favorite neutral nail polish. It blends in with most skin tones and looks natural without being too bare or looking like you don't have any polish on.

8. Neutrogena Grapefruit Oil Free Acne Wash- As I said before I tend to have acne prone skin and this face wash is one of my favorite drugstore options. It can be drying so I tend to use it mostly in the summer but it helps keep acne and oil prone skin at bay.

Now it's your turn! What are some of your tried and true beauty products?

Fall Acessory: Purses {B~Loved Boston}

Hi there Kids & Cabernet readers - I'm Biana and I blog over at B~Loved Boston! I'm so excited that Amanda has invited me to guest post for her and today I'm talking about one of my favorite things...purses!! The start of a new season is the perfect excuse to get a new fall of accessory! Whether it's neutral or a statement bag, structured or slouchy - it's still can be the best way to show a little personality!! Check out some of my picks for this Fall Season!  Structured Love

This Sole Society bag is a great substitute for those of us who can't quite afford the Celine Trapeze, just yet!!  

Rebecca Minkoff may be known for her quilted and cross body bags, but when I laid eyes on this charcoal grey satchel I was in love! I can't tell from the description if it's real suede...but faux suede wouldn't be bad either! 

While I certainly love the Tory Burch Robinson Double Zip tote - I'm not a fan of the price tag and this Michael Kors Jet Set bag is a great alternative - it also comes in a sleek grey! 

Ann Taylor is not regularly my go-to for purses - but when I saw this signature tote and then found out the gold chain can also be worn as a cross body I was sold! It also looks quite similar to the Phillip Lim bag that is still really popular! 

Slouched to Perfection

This deep green asos tote has me really interested especially because it has a fun zipper compartment on the bottom. For some the shoulder strap might not be long enough - but it can also be worn as a cross body! 

The color on this pretty Sole Society bag is called "Nutmeg" - doesn't it just scream fall!? Not into that color - they also have a cognac that would probably match those riding boots you've been eyeing as well! 

The look of this MZ Wallace satchel might appear to be structured, but the material actually is slouchy and the color is a real stand out!! I don't think the brand is too mainstream yet, but their collections are really great! 

I've never owned a Kate Spade bag, but what I like about the design of this one in particular are the inside pockets - everything has a little place and for an organized girl like me, that's a win! 

So there you have a few of my favorite bags this Fall? Do you like to switch up your bags by the season?  Thank you guys for reading and feel free to stop by and say hi to me!!

Fall Decor {Recent Somethings}

Hi! I'm Shelby from over at Recent Somethings. Although we're still braving 80+ degree temperatures here in Charleston, who doesn't have fall on the brain? I thought I would round up some decorative touches that add a little fall flair around the house, without going overboard in the spending department (that's what Christmas is for, #amiright?).

Mercury glass pumpkins / $24.50+ at Pottery Barn

Dried fall arrangement / $19.99 at Target

 
Fall throw pillow / $23 on Etsy

 Faux garland / $29.50 at Pottery Barn

 
Monogram pumpkin flag / $10.99 from Kirkland's

 
Hanging block sign / $22 on Etsy

Gold fall figurines / $22.99 at Target

 
Burlap table runner / $12+ on Etsy

 
Pumpkin doormat / $14.99 at Kirkland's

A bonus to fall decorating is that you can find a few items at good prices and use them from September through November. Let's get our money's worth, right? Thanks so much for having me guest post, Amanda. I hope y'all are having a wonderful time on your vacation!

Gym-tastic Fun

I can't remember if I have mentioned it yet or not but we enrolled the kids in gymnastics a few weeks ago. Since we are most likely homeschooling (I'm doing preschool from home with E right now and loving it) we wanted something where she was with other kids and was with a "teacher" and gymnastics was perfect because I'm not with her -  it's just her, her classmates and a teacher.

Once I enrolled E, I thought putting J in a mommy and me class would be fun for him.  I mean, it would be an hour that the monkey in him is allowed to climb, jump, and do all of the crazy things he tries doing at home; I knew he'd love it and sure enough he's having a ball!  He loves the trampoline and all of the bars - his favorite using the slide to slide down into a pool of foam pieces!

The kids always look forward to their class and it's so cute to see them learning all of these new little tricks and gaining confidence, especially E because she's so cautious in everything.  One of my favorite things of the mommy and me class is I get to watch E from across the room as she learns, and interacts with everyone - it truly is the cutest thing.  If we ever lock eyes she gives me this huge smile and waves at me and it melts my heart every.single.time.

I'm so happy we have them in something that they both like and have so much fun doing... and that makes them sleep really well at night ;)

Do you have your children in any actives?  Would you recommend anything else that your kids enjoy?


PS - I'm posting over at Down With The Dearmore's today taking part in her All About Mommy Series and talking about what us mamas can do to relax - I hope you'll pop over and say hi :)

   

Five On Friday!

Happy Friday to you all.  It's been a fun (and very rainy) week for us which has been nice.  It's always good to have those weeks where things go pretty smoothly and the family has fun together.

I'm linking up for Five on Friday today

one:  This Cucumber Cooler looks like the perfect summer drink cucumber, gin, lime and mint?!  I'm in!

two: I know I'm probably late to the Espadrille trend, but I'm loving them.  I'm a sucker for stripes and these are so cute!

three:  We finally finished our playset this week and the kids are so excited.  Now if only it would stop raining so they can play with it a bit.

four:  I saw this 10 Tips For Better Living on Pinterest and I thought it was an interesting thing to try and go by daily.  The only thing that will be hard for me is going to bed 10 p.m.  That's so early and I so cherish my alone time at night, although the extra couple hours of sleep would be nice!

five:

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Have a great weekend everyone!!  By the way, I'm guest posting today at Believe In The Sparks talking about my oh so exciting hurricane wedding and honeymoon.  I'd love for you to pop over and say hi!

*also linking up with High Five for Friday , Friday Favorites, Rebecca and Casey 

The 5 Minute Face {Katie Elizabeth Guest Post}

I thought it would be fun to switch it up a bit this week and have the adorable Katie from the Katie Elizabeth blog here to share some makeup tips.  Katie's blog is a must read for great recipes and beauty tips!


Hi everyone!  I'm Katie from the Katie Elizabeth blog.  I write about a variety of topics including my life as a newlywed in Chicago, my favorite recipes and my love for any and all beauty products!  I'm so excited to be posting here on Kids and Cabernet today as I share my on-the-go 5 minute face.  A big thank you to Amanda for having me!

We all have those days where the morning escapes us and we don't have the time (or want to put in the effort) to get ready.  I'm a girly girl to the core and you'll never find me leaving the house without makeup on... so this 5 minute face is my perfect solution.  Even if you are just leaving the house to run errands, I believe putting on a bit of makeup can brighten your day!

After splashing some warm water on my face to wake me up (I have super dry skin so I don't wash my face in the morning, only at night), I apply an under eye cream and moisturizer.  Now I'm ready for my makeup!

I always, always, always wear primer.  I have a lot of redness in my skin so I use Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting primer.  Primer helps to fill in the fine lines on your face and provides a smooth, even finish that is noticeable even if you don't have any other makeup on.

Next up is a swipe of Benefit's Fake Up concealer under my eyes, around my nose and around my lips.  When I'm in a rush, I just use my ring finger to blend it in.

I then use a big fluffy brush to apply my MAC Studio Fix powder plus foundation all over my face and neck.

I don't look alive if I don't have some color on my face so I brush Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer onto my hairline and cheekbones.

For my eyes, I line the top lid only with Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner in Espresso.  I find that a brown color is much softer for a daytime, minimal look.  I then use Benefit's They're Real mascara.  One swipe is all it takes to really open up your eyes when you're short on time.

To finish off is one swipe of Buxom's lip gloss in the color "Katie" - so appropriate right?!  It's the perfect everyday light pink gloss.

And that's it!  It may seem like quite a few steps but I'm so used to this 5 minute face that I could do it with my eyes closed.  You always deserve to look your best and taking the 5 extra minutes to throw some makeup on is always worth it :)  Thanks again for having me, Amanda!

[Guest Post] Decorating With Lucite

I'm so excited to have one of my fellow wino bloggers Freckles Chick here guest posting for me!  I have read and loved her blog for as long as I can remember.  She's pretty much the bomb.com when it comes to anything decor related, and have I mentioned how cute her daughter Quinn is?!  

Hello, Kids & Cabernet readers!  I blog over at Freckles Chick (not my real name, ha) about life as a mama, DIYer, decorator, renovator & all the little moments in between.  I like sarcasm.  I love wine.  I'm excited to be here guest posting for my fellow wino blog buddy who is on a much deserved vacation :)  

Today I  thought I'd chat about a decor element that's been on my radar for a while: clear acrylic accent pieces (sometimes referred to as Lucite).  Though acrylic in home decor is nothing new, the pieces have been re-imagined in so many ways.  They really are versatile; visually light & almost chameleon-like in their ability to slip into modern, retro or traditional settings. 

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Over the years, we've incorporated acrylic pieces (big & small) into our home & haven't looked back.  Yes, some of the pieces do see lots of wear & tear with a toddler running around, but they're still standing despite it all.  The thing about clear acrylic is that it does get scratched/shows dust & grime constantly.  So if you're someone who's more of the out of sight, out of mind camp...clear acrylic might drive you crazy.  We're fine with the quirks of acrylic as nothing's too precious around here in our toddler tornado zone, errr I mean, home.  And I personally want to see dust/grime so I can address it asap even if it means wiping peanut butter & little fingerprints off an acrylic chair or table daily (using a microfiber cloth).  Long story short: worth it!

CB2 Peekaboo table scored on Craigslist for our living room 

(despite Quinn's expression here, she loves it too):

Ghost chairs in our dining area:

Book shelves in Quinn's room:

Teardrop chandelier from our old office turned Quinn's room:

Tray in our guest bedroom:

Magazine holders in my office nook:

I've joked that our house is where acrylic goes to die ;-)

That being said, I know this look isn't everyone's cup of tea!  

What are your thoughts on clear acrylic pieces?

Thanks so much, Amanda, for having me!

You inspire me with every blog post & it was a pleasure to be here.

xoxo