simple pleasures

In the middle of a very hectic day, in the midst of a very hectic week, I glanced over at the tissue box on my desk. I had always known the box was covered in pink flowers, but it never registered that they were garden roses - which are to be the main flowers in my bridal bouquet. This simple realization made me smile.

Remember to never be too busy to take delight in something small.

photos from the week

As is usual these days, my week was hectic. I spent the first two days in Phoenix before hoping a plane to Houston for an event at the end of the week. Everything went smoothly, but I was up for nearly 48 hours straight. Saturday, I spent some time with my mom and Stephanie doing some wedding stuff, and I used Sunday to rest with a bit of yoga, some much-needed loads of laundry and a 90-minute massage.

Here are some images from the week...

birthday bouquet

Today is my friend/coworker's birthday and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to test out a new recipe. Maybe you've heard of them or seen them or even tasted them, but it's the first time I've tried making them.

Cake pops!

I got the recipe from Bakerella and made them on Sunday. I can definitely perfect some things, but I think they turned out well.

~ i borrowed my mom's candy maker...thanks, mom! ~

~ first finished. second one dipped. ~

~ cake pops and cake balls ~

~ a cake pop bouquet. happy birthday, sarah! ~

up in the air

This weekend kicks off a jet-setting three weeks for me. First up : I'm off to Los Angeles to spend some quality girl time with one of my besties and MOHs, Stacey. Then, I'll be catching a flight to Houston for work and following that, I'll be heading down to Tucson for another work-related special event I'm coordinating.

~from a work trip to seattle~

Have a wonderful weekend!

christmas in the office

This weekend's cookie-making madness was so that I would be able to share yummy treats with my coworkers for Christmas. I used my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, wrapped six cookies in cellophane and tied each with Christmas ribbon.

A little something extra : if your recipe calls for room-temperature butter and you forgot to pull it out of the fridge in time {like me}, cut the butter into small cubes and let it sit out at room temp for 10 to 15 minutes. While you wait, pre-measure the rest of your ingredients.

a sweet shower

I love baby showers. My colleague and friend is having her second child {due on Thanksgiving day!}, a baby girl, and earlier this week, we threw her a surprise baby shower at work.

I enlisted my mom's help in creating a diaper cake and thanks to Trader Joe's, I was able to recreate the salt water taffy skewers that were such a hit at Christine's baby shower.

cardi party - updated!

update : J. Crew is offering 30 percent off all women's sweaters until Monday! This offer is only valid in their stores, so stop by your nearest one.

I'm throwing a cardigan party and you're invited!

I love the look of cardigans - they can jazz up an ensemble or subtly complement a look.

Pair this pretty cardi with a high-waisted black pencil skirt for a Mad Men-inspired office look.

Snuggle up to your sweetie and keep warm in this comfy oversized cardi

Whether you choose to wear it for casual date night or girls' night, this cardi elevates a cute jeans-and-t-shirt look to a new level of style

Add some color to your wedding look and slip on a cardi to keep the chills at bay

What's your favorite way to wear a cardi?

working it

It's the end of the workweek and the weekend is almost here! Whether your week felt long or short, have you stopped to think about how much time you spend at work? Wait, don't calculate it - it is Friday, after all. But it's pretty safe to say that we all spend the majority of our time at work. So why not make your space as welcoming and fun as possible?

And if you love to be organized like me, it helps to have things that are more colorful than plain ol' manila.

Perfect Planner
From Bob's Your Uncle, this planner is bright, fun and broken down hourly. Not only do you get Monday through Sunday, but you also get Someday, which is essential for all those home projects you keep putting off.

a little something extra : it now comes in mini!

Writer's Block

I take lots of notes. I jot down story ideas, reminders, to-do lists, contact information. I love this big pad from Target. It's not available online, so you have to go to the store. Dangerous, I know - it's like Costco or Ikea, you always come out with something you didn't know you couldn't live without. 

It has four different layers, each one is a different color and design.

Pretty Pens
Sure, most of us use computers day-in and day-out, but that doesn't mean you can't have some old school writing utensils. And these are so fun.

Fashionable Filing
Jazz up your filing system with fancy file folders. These make me smile.

Happy weekend, lovelies!