Happy New Year from Pixels & Pumps

Happy New Year to all my friends and family! Thank you for your support and interest in my blog, and stay tuned for bigger and better things in 2012!

Bringing in the New Year, 2012!

1. Forever 21, Sequined Racerback Dress, $24.80
2. Forever 21, Chain Fringe Necklace, $12.80
3. Overstock, 14K White Gold Cubic Zirconia Earrings, $29.99
4. Coach, Occasion Sequin Framed Large Wristlet, $128
5. Dormify, Flameless Silver Iced Candles, $22
6. Forever 21, Two-Tone Sequin Skirt, $24.80
7. New Year's Eve Black Tie Affair Deluxe Party Kit, $27.59
8. Aldo, Multi Metallic Mcintyde Platforms, $100
9. Express, Assorted Dresses
10. Chanel Rouge Allure Laque Luminous Satin Lip Lacquer, $32

Warmest Wishes

Big Hearts

Little Hearts

This is my first Christmas spent away from home, and I'm grateful to be spending the first one away with Shayne's friends and family. This is our third Christmas together and we'll be busy enjoying lots of good food and hopefully not freezing in the New England weather! I wish all of my PA friends and family a joyous weekend and a happy holiday! Above are some shots I took of my tree at my parent's house in PA with a few camera tricks I picked up here.

Warmest Wishes,

Leah

Last Minute Gift Guide

1. Nike + iPod Sport Kit, $29
2. Kendra Scott, Kelli Earrings, $70
3. Elago S4 Slim iPhone Covers in multiple colors, $10.99
4. Rebecca Minkoff, Neon Lizard Little Louie Coin Pouch, $65
5. Ameico MITOS Champagne Couple, $55
6. Hershey's Poured Sweetly Scented Chocolate Candle, $14.95
7. Sony PIIQ Headphones, $29.99
8. T3 Veloce Dryer, $99
9. Forever 21, Denim Blazer with Faux Fur Collar, $29.80
10. Forever 21, Patent Leatherette Bow Flats, $15.80

Airport Style

Today Shayne and I will be up and headed to the airport around 5 AM for New Hampshire where we will be spending Christmas.  In honor of our journey, I thought I'd post about some of my favorite stars airport styles.  As embarrassing as it is to say, those of you who know me know, I could spend all day on people.com or watching E! News just to see what the stars are wearing - and airport style is one of my obsessions because I love to see the two extremes of what celebrities wear to travel.  It's obviously important to be comfy (especially when you have those really early or late flights) but I always think you can look stylish doing it! Some of my go-to pieces for plane rides include a baggy cardigan, a scarf and a BIG purse (to jam those odds and ends that wouldn't fit in your suitcase, oh the perks of being a woman!). Here are some of my favorite looks that hit the "cool but comfy" scene from the stars. All pictures are photo credited to People's "Stars' Airport Style" columns.

Eva Mendes, love the accessories - even though SHE'S probably
trying to disguise herself, I think sunglasses & a hat can hide
your unruly hair or makeup-less eyes!

This is my favorite look!
Hayden Panettiere in a comfy grey tee, jeans & flat boots

 

Lauren Conrad in all black with a colorful open blouse and flip flops
(easy to take on and off through security!)

This is probably as "Dressy" as I would go, but it is Miranda Kerr
we're talking about here! Love the black and white with the red pants

Big scarves can serve as an accessory and then turn into an
extra blanket on the plane! Rosie Hunington-Whiteley

Demi Lovato - you can never go wrong in ALL black.
Love her big purse too - probably the biggest advantage
of being a girl and flying - you can never tell me my purse is too big!!

Cameron Diaz. A structured jacket over a soft look - like jeans
and a cotton tee - can make you look a little dressier.
I also like that her outfit coordinates with her bags.

Lisa's Milltown Deli

Lisa's Milltown Deli in Milton, PA. Greyson is my restaurant spokesmodel.

Where I grew up in PA, we're surrounded by a lot of small towns filled with delis, restaurants, and little gems like this one, but Lisa's Milltown Deli is new to my hometown of Milton, PA and I'm so glad there's a delicious place to frequent right down the street when I come home. Everything is fresh, homemade and absolutely mouth-watering. As you can tell from some of my posts, like this and this, I'm a bit of a soup lover so when I go to Lisa's Milltown Deli, I always order one of the daily homemade soups and a sandwich (usually one of the irresistible paninis). The deli is filled with a lot of our hometown history, fresh plants, and a rustic/warm-hearted vibe that breathes comfort and makes you want to go back for seconds. Check out their facebook page here and if you're ever in or passing through central PA it's worth the stop; it's never a disappointment!

Tomato Basil... which we all know is my favorite!

Italian Panini - love the big slices of roasted red peppers!

Last Saturday's soup specials (two of three):
Cream of Asparagus & Shrimp on the left and Cream of Cauliflower on the right

Elyse's Mexican Chicken Salad!

Tomato Caprese Panini

Another view of the Tomato Caprese

They also have a kid's menu with multiple options - mac'n'cheese & pudding for G!

The decor is warm and makes it feel like home! O Christmas tree!

DIY: Teacup Candles

In efforts to be creative and have a little fun (and of course save some $), my sister wanted to do as many DIY projects as possible for Christmas gifts.  She stumbled upon this idea a few weeks ago and we went this past weekend to get all the supplies for teacup candles. It was SO easy, and I think it would be a great  project for Mother's Day in addition to Christmas. All you need is teacups, wax & wicks, and a scent (and optional color).  We bought a container of what we thought was red dye for candles but it turned out to be coloring for homemade soaps - and if you're wondering if it works for candles too, it doesn't, and since food coloring is water based, that wasn't an option either. The color wasn't too much of a disappointment because we bought gel wax so the bubble effect was appealing as is. After we finished our spice scented teacup candles, I added little tags since the presents will all be signed "from Greyson". Definitely a project worth trying out!

Wax, wicks, scent and color (which you can see says Soaps - oops!) 

Our vast array of teacups picked up at a local antique mall

Pour your block of wax into a pan on low heat and wait for it to melt

Hot glue your wicks to the bottom of the teacup

Add your scent and CANDLE coloring to the wax when it's completely melted

Add Tags if you're giving the candles as presents

Snow White

Zara blouse, Express leather leggings, Forever 21 necklace, H&M cocktail ring,
GAP clutch, Blake Scott platforms, Via Nova watch, gifted diamond earrings

I found these gorgeous blouses at Zara made out of a heavy polyester; perfect for cold weather. It's dressy enough for work but with the long length it could be paired with leather leggings to go out or with jeans and a fur vest for an everyday look like in these pictures. I paired both outfits with the same black accessories and loved the finished product. It would also go great with some bright colored accessories in the Spring or Summer. I'm tempted to go back and buy more shirts similar to this one, but I'll wait to see if there is any post-Christmas sales! Also while I was at Zara, I scooped up some of these contrast button-ups for work. You usually see men in these at work, but a woman can rock it too!

Forever 21 Faux Fur vest, GAP jeans, Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses

Stocking Stuffers

My favorite part of Christmas morning is opening up our stocking stuffers. My mom always lays them out in front of all the gifts so my sisters and I open them first. We can always count on the essentials: lip balm, razors, deodorants, mascara and candy - and a pile of lottery tickets from Dad. Here are some "small" ideas for stocking stuffers for a friend or family member, or pass along to the beau in your life so he has some ideas!

1. Philips Sonicare Brush e-series, $37.82
2. Essie Mini Mega Jewels Set, $8
3. Forever 21, Argyle Knit Tights, $8.80
4. CoverGirl Lashblast Volume, $6.59
5. Burt's Bees, Beeswax Lip Balm, $3
6. Voluspa, Goji & Tarocco Orange Mini Tin Candle, $9
7. Women's Health Magazine Subscription, 2 year $19.80, 1 year $9.90
8. Forever 21, Socialite Stretchy Ring, $5.80
9. Kerastase, Bain Satin Shampoo, $36
10. Tiffany & Co., Return to Tiffany Heart Tag Pendant, $125
11. Mark by Avon, Juice Gems Lip Gloss, $6.50
12. Reese's Minature Peanut Butter Cups
13. Venus Embrace Women's Razor, $9.47

Hosting Part 1 - Planning

As mentioned in previous posts, my oldest sister Lindsey recently celebrated her 30th birthday, and I was lucky enough to host the special even at my house. It was pretty intimate group of girlfriends, whom I knew very well, so planning the menu and drinks was fairly easy since I knew what each of them liked. Below is a step-by-step process I followed for planning the big day.

#1. Write it Down.

I'm a huge advocate for writing everything down or storing an electronic list on your phone. For some reason I feel like I remember it better if I physically write it down but whatever works for you, be sure to store a list somewhere so you don't forget all your ideas. Real Simple offers this party planning checklist which lays out what you should do week by week before the day.

#2. Pick a theme.

This was an easy choice obviously since it was a 30th birthday party. After you pick a theme, make an invitation and decide how you're going to invite your guests. Since ours was a smaller party size, I opted to make this electronic invite using Picnik and uploaded it to a Facebook event. 

Find a template you like and upload it to Picnik. Add text and graphics and there you have it!

#3. Plan a menu.

When you know your party size, plan the menu and drinks. Like I said, I knew the group pretty well so I was able to decide on a menu. If you have an open group of friends with ranging tastes, plan some fun/different dishes (but make sure you test drive them before serving to your guests on the special day!) I planned my menu around my sister - it is HER day - and opted for an array of appetizers she liked - all with different dips (who doesn't love to dip?!) Also, if you can plan to prep some of your dishes the day before, it will relieve a big headache the day of.

Incorporate some classics into the menu! These Middleswarth chips are a hometown favorite. I had my sister bring some down from PA.

Here's one preview of a menu item: Pumpkin Trifle. I modified this Paula Dean recipe. I prefer to search on Food Network's site for recipe ideas!

#4. Prepare the House.

Make sure your rooms are prepared for the party.  We got our tree a week before so I had already rearranged the furniture the way I wanted, but if you think there's a better layout for guests - try it out! Since most of the girls stayed the night, I also stocked up the guest bathroom with a basket full of essentials - razors & shave gel, face wipes, first aid, and lotion! Most blogs, websites, or people I've talked to prepare to clean a whole week before - which I will do for the guest room and bathroom - but with our hectic schedules of school & work, the living room never stays tidy so I'll clean two days before.

A more comfy layout for guests to sit and chat

Guest bathroom essentials - basket from Target.

Summer into Winter

LC by Lauren Conrad tie cardigan, Fire LA dress, H&M cocktail ring, gifted diamond earrings, target headband

Just because summer is over, doesn't mean you can't have a "warm" day inspired outfit.  I've officially tucked away all my summer clothes, shoes, and pieces that can in no way be converted or worn in the winter months.  But, there are some pieces like this Fire LA dress that can stick around for all the seasons if paired with other pieces the right way. The dark jewel tone colors keep it muted and not too flashy and the dress has 3 layers which can keep your legs pretty warm. The print is pretty "summer-y" so I obviously wouldn't wear it with snow on the ground but on those days where you get a random heat spurt and don't need a heavy coat - this dress pairs perfectly with a black cardigan, flat boots and a chunky scarf.