Fireplace Upgrade-From Drab to Fab Part II

After making over the inside of my fireplace and killing yet another plant that sat in front of it, it was time to give the outside a makeover as well. In keeping with the collected eclectic feel that I have been trying to incorporate into my apartment I began searching for different items to group together. The first piece I came upon was the large orange Buddha head. I spotted it at the Home Goods in St. Peters and had to have it. I loved that it was a unique conversation piece with a great outside the box color that wouldn't clash with my red curtains. I also found the lime green urn there as well that played off perfectly with the orange of the Buddha. I found the large purple vase at the Home Goods in Ballwin and I found the last piece in my house. I took the vase from the table centerpiece that I had put together with glass bottles from Hobby Lobby. The combination of colors not only went with the room but they play off each other to perfectly frame the fireplace making it a centerpiece of the room. So next time you are trying to decorate a room or just a small area of a room don't worry about finding everything right way. Take your time and find pieces from different places and throughout your own home to combine to form the perfect look that is tailored to your personality.

Party Perfect

Superbowl is right around the corner. Regardless of whether or not you care about the outcome, the game is a time for feasting on comfort food of all sorts and gathering with friends that you may not have seen in a while due to hibernating from the cold. This year instead of bringing the same old dish to your Superbowl party of choice why not try something a little different like these two delicious takes on potato skins.

First up is the ever trendy mini version. Miniature versions of everything are becoming a huge trend in food right now. I for one am a big proponent of this trend since it allows you to try a little bit of everything without stuffing yourself. And they are just so darn cute!

Rachel Ray's Sinfully Stuffed Potato Skins are a super easy miniature of a twice baked potato. I made these for a Halloween party and they went over great.

You start by brushing red potatoes with olive oil and baking them until tender. Once they are ready, take them out of the oven, cut them in half and remove the centers with a melon baller.

When removing the middles be careful to leave enough on the sides and bottoms to allow the skin to hold up. If you accidentally remove too much you can just sort of spackle the hole back with some of the removed center (as you can see I had to do on a couple of these).

Next, mix the centers together with the cheese and sour cream and then stuff the potato skins with the mixture. Bake until golden and viola tasty little bit sized morsels of potatoey goodness!

If the guests at your party are big eaters you can go with the opposite end of spectrum with these bbq stuffed potato skins.

(photo by Food Network)

I made the these grilled bbq potato skins from The Food Network's super cute couple Pat and Gina Neely a couple of years ago for a Superbowl party and they were sooo good. Beware though, they are also sooo filling. I made them a tiny bit healthier by using pulled chicken and omitting the sour cream. To save a little time you can pick up already mixed pulled bbq from the grocery store or let your favorite bbq joint do the work for you and pick some up to go.

Happy feasting!

Looks to Love- For men and women

This past Tuesday was the season premiere White Collar. One of the main reasons I enjoy this show is for the style of the impeccably dressed conman turned FBI agent Neal Caffrey (played by Matt Bomer). I am fairly certain that there is not a man alive that can wear a hat better then he can. Of course that may have more to do with his gorgeous eyes, phenomenal cheekbones, dashing smile and confident swagger then it does the actual ability to pull off a hat but oh well.

In this scene from the season premiere Neal is seen wearing a light grey suit with a lavender (one of my absolute favorite colors on a man ) and white striped button down and navy with white hem pocket square (pocket squares really need to make a mainstream comeback, love them), a red and white striped leather and canvas belt, cream dress shoes and a navy fedora with a dark bluish purple band. When you hear all of this together it sounds like a train wreck but obviously when you see it it looks ahhhmaazing! This goes to show that with fashion, just like interiors, sometimes you just have to play around with things you think won't go together to get perfection. Doing away with the matchy matchy gives you a look with actual style as opposed to something that looks like you plucked the whole thing right out of a catalog. (Sidenote: For more great men's fashion tips from Mr. Bomer check out his casual side in the February issue of In Style. Great casual looks that any man would wear and any woman would drool over.)

The great thing about this episode was that not only did it showcase the usual great men's fashion it also showcased great women's fashion with Sarah Ellis (played by Hilary Burton). Seen above Sarah is shown in a blue jersey dress with a faux wrap bottom. I love that the bottom is a little more dramatic then the traditional slit. The dress was complemented with red accessories (shoes not shown, belt and clutch).

This photo shows the front of the clutch (which I am in love with and must track down) as well as a sliver of the gold accents on the side of the belt. Sarah's look, as opposed to Neal's, was quite matchy with the red and the blue but the boldness of the accessories with the size of the clutch and it's bright band and the shiny gold metal accents on both the clutch and belt give the look a personal style and interest. So next time you go to throw on the same old outfit you always wear, take a minute and play around with what you have in your closet mix and mismatch accessories and layers and come up with something new with a style all your own.

Look for Less-Halston Heritage Batwing Dress

Halston Heritage high-waist batwing dress

I have always been a lover of green, so when I saw the cover of the January issue of Elle magazine I about died over the Halston Heritage dress shown on Sarah Jessica Parker. I was so in love with it that I immediately started searching for a more affordable version of the dress and the belt.

French Connection sleeveless v-neck dress

While not exact, this French Connection dress is pretty close and for $151 it's almost half the price as the Halston. Plus, if you order it through Lord and Taylor's website you can save an extra 15% by using the code FINAL. This dress is pretty on its' own but I went ahead and found affordable options for the belt too.

Twenty8Twelve Kara leather waist belt

This belt from Twenty8Twelve will allow you to get the edgier look from the Elle cover and also cover the sash lines from the French Connection dress. It is available at theoutnet.com for only $34.50 down from the original $115. Can't beat that!

Rachel Rachel Roy perforated belt

This Rachel Rachel Roy belt has a more feminine look and allows the color to peak through while still covering the sash lines. It is available through the link above at Rachel Roy online for $26.20.

Product of the Week

eos Lip Balm Smooth Sphere in Summer Fruit

Unfortunately, as much as I try to wish it away, winter is still here. So with today's weather forecast predicting frigid temps and lots of snow I figured I would share with you one of my favorite winter must haves. eos lip balm is a saving grace for dry cracked winter lips. The balm contains shea butter and vitamin E to keep your lips soft all winter long. Plus, it's also 95% organic and 100% natural, so you won't be slathering your lips in a bunch of chemicals that are actually drying them out even more. The fun sphere shapes come in summer fruit, lemon drop with spf 15, honeysuckle honeydew, medicated tangerine and sweet mint. I personally like the summer fruit and sweet mint the best. If you are not down with the spheres they also come in stick form in vanilla bean, sweet mint and pomegranate raspberry. The big plus is it's only $3.50 and is available at Walgreens!

Look For Less-Pierre Hardy

 Pierre Hardy laser cut out sandal

Remember these??? I last posted these Pierre Hardy's, that I am love with, over the summer and I have not been able to stop thinking about them. Sadly, they are now sold out so even if I had the $500 to spend on them I couldn't. However, on a recent trip to the shoe department at Dillard's at the Galleria I did spot a couple of look-a-likes. While they don't have the exact look, for almost $400 less they will do.

Gianni Bini Giselle pumps

These Gianni Bini's are only $99.99 and come in tan (shown above) and black.

Vince Camuto Norda pumps

For those of you who need a sturdier heel or want something a little closer in color to the original, these should do the trick. Look for them at the Dillard's at the Galleria where they are on sale for $99.99. If you can't find your size you can pay a bit more and find them online for $129 through piperlime.com.

Dazzling Dessert

This time of year always brings with it great excuses for dinner parties such as New Year's, Valentine's and all of the awards shows. With that in mind I thought I would share this recipe for chocolate "mousse" since it is super easy, delicious and looks like a million bucks. The recipe came from Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Desserts cookbook, you can find the recipe here , but I adapted it slightly to make it a little healthier. Trust me it's so good you won't even miss the extra fat I promise. Instead of using Handi-Snacks pudding cups and regular Cool Whip, I use chocolate fudge sugar-free, fat-free Jello pudding mix and fat-free Cool Whip. Just prepare the pudding as directed, let it set, then fold in the tub of cool whip until mixed thoroughly. Spoon the mixture into martini glasses and top with a few raspberries. It's as easy as that. Decadent, delicious and dazzling in 15 mins. Your guests are sure to be impressed.

Golden Globes Fashion-Worst Dressed

We've gone over the best, now it's time for the worst. I didn't really think anyone deserved the title as worst dressed, since I don't think Helena Bonham Carter and Tilda Swinton count since they always dress that badly it's just part of who they are (I still had to feature Helena in the list though) and everyone else was equally terrible in my book. And yes there were others that were worse then the ones featured here (Jennifer Love Hewitt, Christina Aguillera, Gabourey Sidibe, etc.) but most of the picks on my list were chosen not because they were the worst but because we expect so much more out of them. As for Julianne Moore, who I normally loove, her outfit pained me so much I could barely look at it let alone post it. (All photos by Wonderwall)

 January Jones

Even though I am not a fan of January Jones, I got behind her blue Versace Emmy's look that most people trashed. I thought it was gorgeous and avant garde. This, however, is a look I absolutely cannot get behind. Avant garde is one thing, dressing like a stripper from the '20's is another.



 Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman would have looked beautiful in her Viktor and Rolf gown...IF it didn't have that atrocious cartoon looking flower on the boobs. Not only did the flower look bad, but it lead her to coordinate with the red accessories which made the look resemble a cheesy Valentine's Day get up. And I know she said she chose her look for comfort, but come on what about those shoes says comfort to you.

 Diane Warren

Diane Warren, please get yourself to a tailor stat! Enough said.

 Emma Stone

Emma Stone was one of those that fell into the bad but not horrible category. Her Calvin Klein gown was a little dull for the Globes especially when compared to her Critic's Choice Awards dress. The worst part about it was the color. Her new hair color, which thankfully is temporary, combined with the dress and fair skin made her look one color from head to toe, or should I say floor since the dress could have stood a little hemming in the front.

 Halle Berry

From what I hear Steven Cojocaru ranked this as his winner for best dressed. With all due respect Steven must be blind. This dress reminded me of one of Madonna's Gaultier bustiers circa the '80's on top and my homecoming dress circa the 1998 on the bottom. Terrible. Halle you can do soooo much better!

 Helena Bonham Carter

Sadly the gown is not nearly as offensive to me as the accessories and the hair are. When Carrie Bradshaw wore mismatched blue and pink strappy sandals on her trip to LA it was trendy and cute, unfortunately when Helena did it at the Globes it looked like she got dressed in the dark.

 Jennifer Lopez Exhibit A

This was another look that was bad but not terribly offensive. If she would have lost the cape and the straps it might not have been that bad.

 Jenifer Lopez Exhibit B

This look she wore to the after parties, however, is offensive. What was she thinking?!?! This looks like a cross between the wardrobes for Auntie Mame and Black Sawn. Awful. The shoes are fab though!

Michelle Williams

Michelle, Michelle, Michelle. You looked so great and glam at the Critic's Choice awards and then you turned around and wore a potato sack that was adorned by a commune of hippies to the Globes. Next time save the glam for the awards show that everyone watches and save this look for Goodwill.

Golden Globes Fashion-Best Dressed Couples

Some of the celebs at this year's Globes not only looked stunning themselves, but they also came with stunning better halves. These are my picks for best dressed couples.

Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas

(Photo by Just Jared/Getty)

Michael and Catherine were like the king and queen of the Globes. Zeta Jones looked impeccable in her green Monique Lhuillier ball gown and Michael looked healthy and dapper in his first red carpet appearance since beating cancer.

Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon

(Photo by Starpulse)

This is one couple that I always love to see on the red carpet. They take the usual red carpet style and make it their own and it always works.

 Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt

(Photo by Just Jared/Getty)

Jon Hamm looks handsome as always and Jennifer Westfeldt has never looked better.

Odette Yustman and Dave Annable

(Photo by Just Jared/Getty)

Always stylish newlyweds Odette Yustman and Dave Annable made for one hot couple at In Style's Globes after party. I love that Odette's Pamela Roland gown shows that grey can be glamorous and Dave shows he can wear a suit extremely well.

Golden Globes Fashion-Best Dressed Men

The women weren't the only ones wowing on the red carpet, the men didn't do too bad either. These are my picks for best dressed men. (All photos by Just Jared/Getty)

 Ryan Gosling

Black velvet if you please? I am sure after seeing Ryan Gosling at the Globes most women (and I am sure some men) are saying yes please! Gosling looked handsome and sexy in his black velvet Ferragamo tux. I love how Ryan always thinks outside the box when it comes to his red carpet looks and always manages to pull it off. He's definitely my pick for best dressed man.



 Chris Colfer

Chris Colfer of Glee seemed to be the man of the hour at the Globes, not only did he give a great acceptance speech for his Best Actor award, he also managed to look great doing it.

Matt Bomer

As he proves every week on his show White Collar (new episodes start tomorrow!), Matt Bomer knows how to rock a suit and in this case a tux.

Golden Globes Fashion-Best Dressed Women

This year's Golden Globes red carpet fashion had a lot of ups, a lot of downs and a whole lot of in the middles. Here we take a look at the ups.

 Olivia Wilde

(photos by Wonderwall)

In a sea of straight, fitted one colored gowns Olivia Wilde stood out as a definite frontrunner for best dressed of the evening as soon as she stepped onto the red carpet. In my opinion, and the opinion of many others, she walked away with it hands down. Her chocolate brown sparkling Marchesa gown was a stunning example of glamour done right. The gown was flawless, her hair while plain allowed the gown to shine and kept her from looking to princess-like, and jewelry was at a minimum due to the crystals on the dress. Everything was perfect...except for (and it pains me to say this) the shoes!!!

They were awful and did not go with the dress at all. And that is coming from a person who loves the the combination of soft and feminine with hard and edgy. Terrible. The dress was one of the best but the shoes were one of the worst. Thankfully the gorgeous dress covered the hideous shoes.

 Carrie Underwood

(photo by Just Jared/Getty)

Carrie Underwood once again proved her knack for red carpet dressing, if she could only transfer that knack to her concert wardrobe she would be a fashion force to be reckoned with. Underwood was fabulous in her Badgley Mischka gown. Where she went wrong was her hair, which is normally the thing she gets soo right. I couldn't really tell which was worse the beehive or female version of Elvis's mutton shops.

 Jennifer Lawrence

(photo by The Daily Beast)

Jennifer Lawrence is becoming one of my red carpet favorites this awards season. Her looks manage to be sexy and edgy while maintaining an air of spohistication. Lawrence's black and grey Louis Vuitton gown definitely puts her her on the list of Hollywood's young trendsetters.

 Amy Adams

(Photo by Wonderwall)

Nominee Amy Adams looked elegant and sophisticated in her navy Marchesa gown. The laser cut bodice was beautiful and the fitted bottom showed off her fabulous post-baby body.



 Nicole Kidman

(photo by The Daily Beast)

While not the most exciting look of the evening, Nicole Kidman's cream colored Prada looked great on her.

 Mila Kunis

(Photo by Wonderwall)

Mila Kunis worked the red carpet in an elegant deep green Vera Wang gown.

 Hailee Steinfeld

(Photo by Wonderwall)

In today's world of teenage celebrities dressing like strippers, seeing 14-year old True Grit star Hailee Steinfeld looking sophisticated and age appropriate on the red carpet was a welcome sight. The actress's white Prabal Gurung dress is versatile enough to look good on women from 14-40.

 Anne Hathaway

(Photos by Wonderwall)

Rachel Zoe does it again. The stylist's long time client Anne Hathaway looked ahmazing (as Rachel would say) in her bronze Armani Privé gown. From the front the dress looks great, but once you see the back it turns into a complete stunner.



Critics' Choice Awards-Best Dressed

While I didn't actually watch the Critics' Choice Awards, I still had to check out the fashion. Most of the red carpet choices were just ok, but there were a few of standouts.

Emma Stone

(photo Wonderwall)

Not only did Emma Stone win an award for Best Comedy for her film Easy A, but she also got the award for best dressed in my book. Stone dazzled in this gorgeous gown by Balenciaga. The dress managed to be glitzy, glamorous, fun and edgy all at the same time. The only bad decision she made with this outfit is wearing it to the Critics' Choice Awards instead of the Golden Globes where she wore a terrible monotone look.

 Jennifer Lawrence

(photo Wonderwall)

Jennifer Lawrence may have come out of nowhere to star in this year's indie hit Winter's Bone (which if you haven't seen it yet you must) but she is definitely making a name for herself as both an actress and a fashionista. In a far cry from her baggy flannel and denim wardrobe in the film, Jennifer chose this form fitting, sunset colored, ombre sequined dress by L'Wren Scott. Fashion choices like this are sure to make her a fixture on all of the best dressed lists this awards season.

Mandy Moore

(photo Just Jared/Getty)

Tangled actress Mandy Moore looked stunning in a gorgeous Monique Lhuillier dress and Ben Amun chandelier earrings.

 Michelle Williams

(photo Just Jared/Getty)

Blue Valentine (which is another fabulous movie if you haven't seen it yet) actress Michelle Williams had a few things in common with fellow best dressed actress Emma Stone: both wore Balenciaga, both looked great and both followed their Critics' Choice Awards look with terrible Golden Globes looks. Although in Emma's defense Michelle's Globes look was much worse.