finally!

I've long been jealous of iPhone users and the cool, just-for-iPhone apps {I'm an Android user}. But today I'm so excited because one of my favorite lust-from-afar apps is now available for my phone's operating system.

Hello, Instagram.

I think we'll be great friends.

follow me @modernlovely

a post about love, and about a blog about love

I've been reading lots about love and marriage lately. Not sure why these things keep popping up on my radar, but they have been, so I'm embracing the knowledge being showered upon me.

One of my favorite bits of advice is to hang out without other couples {double dates!}. Experts {i.e. authors I've been reading} say that you can learn a lot from your friends' relationships. Watch how they interact - do they hold hands? Are they quick to apologize to each other? Are they polite to one another? Even if they're having a not-so-wonderful night, you can learn from that, too - how not to act, perhaps. Either way, it can strengthen your relationship, and it's fun to spend time with friends!

Another thing I've learned? Appreciate the little things. And make sure your partner knows you appreciate and love them.

One of my new favorite blogs - A Blog About Love - posted on that very thing recently. It's too good not to share with you. While in the story, the author had originally written the advice as six things to always say to your spouse, I think it's applicable to your friends and maybe even yourself, too.

~via~

some of my favorite things : around the house

This weekend, I picked up a few things to add a little whimsy to the house. 

~spooning leads to forking. new art in the kitchen - a giant spoon from my mother-in-law~

~first spotted this little piggy at sur la table. found it on discount home goods.~

~daffodils : the perfect way to welcome spring~

~this little piggy will live in the garden, glowing pink at night after soaking up the sun all day {it's solar!}~

bikinis to fit any body

Spring is in the air, and in Arizona, that means summer {and bikini season} is not that far behind. 

I've struggled with finding bikinis that fit my shape - and more specifically, my bust. I envy those girls who can walk around in itty bitty string bikinis without a care in the world. I strap one of those babies on and the outcome borders on vulgar. 

Suffice it to say, while most people find bathing suit shopping difficult, I find it always unpleasant and disappointing...until now. 

Freya offers bra-sized tops! I picked up this style and am completely in love.

Ok, ok. Sure there are plenty of places that offer bra sizing, but these bathing suits from Freya offer sizes from C to GG. And they're adorable!

Find more styles here. 

all images via amazon.

 

sleeping beauties

A few weekends ago, I invited some of my fave girls over for an old-fashioned sleep-over, filled with lots of food, movies, popcorn and an adult twist {besides the wine and beer, of course} - spa treatments.

I discovered some great kitchen esthetician recipes for face masks and decided to make two, one for ladies with combo/oily skin, and one for those with dry skin {I bought raw honey, but the recipe actually called for organic honey - which, thankfully, I had in my pantry. Phew!}.

~i picked up this clay at a local farmers. mix with water et voila!

We whipped up the masks, slathered our faces {or hands, in some cases} with the treatments, painted our nails and enjoyed girls-only conversation and fashion and gossip magazines.

We then headed down to the theatre room for popcorn and movies.

The next morning, we enjoyed bagels, coffee and OJ.

As a party favor, each girl left with a homemade, all-natural lavendar vanilla sugar scrub.

a mini Oscars party

To celebrate the Oscars, I invited my mom and dear friend, Diana, over for a little impromptu party - complete with pizza, popcorn, ballots and bingo.

My mom took first place by correctly identifying the winners in 10 of the 24 categories. And she won bingo. I hope she buys a lottery ticket or two and keeps her winning streak alive.


I found the Oscars bingo and ballots via Pinterest at this website. Such a fun idea!

a diy project : anthro-style letters

Have you seen them at Anthropologie? Maybe on Pinterest or maybe in a friend's home. These zinc letters all the rage.

~via~

And I found a way to get a similar look for significantly less thanks to this DIY tutorial {isn't this blog just the cutest?}.

I picked up my papier-mache letters {$2.50 each} and spray paint at Hobby Lobby. They have a weekly coupon you can access from your smart phone and it's usually 40 percent off!