getting closer

I broke the rule that I had set for myself when I started this blog. I missed a week of posting! Boo. I was sick last week, and did not feel motivated to do anything. {Of course I did paint my nails a few times, but I don't feel like any of these manis were blog worthy.} I am working on a little tutorial that I hope I can have posted shortly. 

So, I just wanted to share with the blogging world that Mike and I got our marriage license the other day! I didn't really have any expectations going in, but man that was easy! We were in and out in fifteen minutes. I double checked with Mike when the guy there asked, "Are you going to be getting married here?" Apparently an elopement is off the table for suresies. I guess I should get this show on the road then, and really start planning. 

weekend relaxing

This week was a little hectic at work with meetings, an event and a new delivery. All of this means one thing, I was in need of a relaxing weekend. Friday night started out with relaxation in a glass, nothing like a tropical drink!

  

 After work on Saturday was time to head out for GIRLS NIGHT! The beautiful weather that we have been having was wonderful, we were not the only ones enjoying... what an outfit! You know that these people were going to have a fun Saturday night!

Then it was off for appetizers and wine tasting... yum!

 And and nice lazy Sunday with the puppy {who just had a birthday and is now two years old}. Mike decided that she needed to be a little fancier, so now she is rocking the bandana look.

Now, I am getting into the wedding planning mood by finding any and all wedding related movies on Netflix. It is definitely working!

polish please | valentines

I went a little crazy this year, and put my Valentines decorations up two days after I took down the Christmas ones. This year you know I had to do more than just red nails. So I did some nail art to wear this week to help celebrate. I have used all of these colors before in a mani that could have been worn for Valentines, but I really wanted to make this scream love, romance, and all that crap. 

Here is what I have been wearing this week...

Like other manis from the past {like this, this and this} I used tape to create both the stripes and hearts on my digits. Instead of using scotch tape like I usually do, I opted for washi tape after viewing a tutorial on The Beauty Department, and I really liked the way it worked out. The great thing about washi tape {masking tape would work just the same} is that I could use the same heart "stencil" multiple times without having to worry about it ripping. I also cut small strips of washi tape for the stripes. I wanted bigger stripes than what striping tape can offer. 

After it was all said and done, I liked it, but would do it differently. In really life, as opposed to blog life, the heart on my ring finger does not show up well unless it is in the right light. My thumb on the other hand {who talks about a thumb like this?}, my thumb heart is AWESOME! I think that I would have painted light pink and dark pink stripes with a glitter heart for better contrast. Oh well, there is always next year! 

Tomorrow Mike and I actually have the same evening off at the same time! Nothing big this year, just dinner and greeting cards, we are saving for a wedding after all. 

What are you doing this year to celebrate?

wedding planning | cake tasting

Last Saturday Mike, my mom and I tried out some delicious cakes at A.J.'s Fine Foods, and we decided on the best three awesome choices. 

Marita is the cake decorator at the A.J.'s that we went to, and she was the best! Super friendly, excited, and talented. She also... got me. Something that I think may be very hard to find. Through this process, I have found a lot of different people with a lot of different attitudes. Thankfully there have been a few more good experiences than bad ones {a win in my book}. Marita, and the cake tasting was a great experience.

We ended up deciding on not one giant wedding cake, but three delicious cakes. Let me tell you all about them:

1. Raspberry Champagne: white cake, light and fruity, covered in a butter cream and whip cream frosting blend.
2. Cannoli: white cake, cannoli filling with mini chocolate chips, same frosting.
3. Chocolate Cannoli: chocolate cake with the same cannoli fillingm and same frosting. 

The amazing thing is the cost of three cakes is much less than the price of one "wedding cake." Who says you need to have just one traditional wedding cake? As with all things "wedding" cake is no exception, you get charged more, because you'll pay it. For those wanting a traditional cake, A.J.'s really did have excellent pricing, but Mike and I were looking for something a little more informal, and non-traditional. The three cakes that we picked were a third of the cost of a traditional cake. 

Here are some inspiration images for the style of cakes Marita is going to create for us.

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polish please | atomic orange

I don't know about everyone else, but I had a lovely day today. Super Bowl Sunday is one of the SLOWEST days that you can get working retail, and today was no exception. If the the bowl didn't keep people in, the the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and the afternoon rain sure did. I always volunteer to work every Super Bowl because, let's face it... I am NOT a football fan. I would much rather watch the puppy bowl! 

It is nice knowing that you are going to have a slow day heading into work, you can map our your day, and get SO MUCH DONE. This year was made even better when we finally had a guest walk into the store around six p.m. and say, "There is almost no one out their shopping, I guess someone said that there is some sort of big sports game on today." I kid you not, that was real! 

After my leisurely day at work, I decided to head over to Target since I needed some more nail polish remover {something that I can go through quite quickly}. Target was nearly EMPTY! I love a nice relaxing stroll through Target to wind down after work. I had planned on just getting the remover, but couldn't help but make a pit stop over in the women's clothing. I resisted, and was very proud that I didn't pick ANYTHING up, but then... the shoes. It's not my fault that I was just thinking that I don't have any "Spring-like" ballet flats, and flats happened to be buy one get one 50% off! I picked up these two beauties:

I know they are totally adorable, comfy, and completely necessary in my life!

After I picked up these cuties, I thought that I should end my evening with some new polish. So I grabbed OPI Atomic Orange, a polish that I picked up last week when Ulta was having a polish sale.

How awesome is this color?!? I think that it is even prettier in person. I am not a huge "orange person." But for some reason I really love this color. I also got a chance to try my other latest purchase, Essie First Base Coat. The top coat that I use {and love} is Essie Good to Go, and I love it. I have tried a few different top coats, and just really love the consistency, and true rapid dry quality that this top coat has. I hope that I like the base coat just as well.

I never knew that safety orange could look so good!

 

polish please | Logan

I wanted to show off one of my free Zoya polishes, this one is called Logan {also the name of my little bro}. I had been looking for an emerald green, and I just had to get this one because of the name. I am really glad that I did, because this color is gorgeous.

Emerald is Pantone's "Color of the Year" for 2013, and is in the color trend report for spring seen here:

  

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