stay warm by wrapping your mitts around a hug mug

before moving to austin i was lucky enough to live one block from max brenner's east village location in NYC. max brenner, also known as "the bald man", is a store/restaurant dedicated to eating and drinking chocolate. it is the perfect place to go with a group of chicks on a cold winter day to gossip over hot chocolate, chocolate fondue or a chocolate martini or two (rhyming not done on purpose).

my MIL knows my desire for anything sweet and/or chocolate and gave me a set of max brenner hug mugs with a hot chocolate kit for christmas. hug mugs are just genius - shaped like a cacao bean, the mug is designed to keep your hands warm while drinking your hot chocolate. the only thing i'd change? make that puppy bigger!!!

find them here for only $8.90. comes with saucer.

last call sale at neiman marcus was a huge [alice + olivia] success

i went up to neiman marcus with my friends andrea and taylor on friday. i thought i'd tag along just for fun (considering i have no job and no income) but what did i find? possibly one of the best sales i've ever come across at neimans. i fell in love with this alice + olivia puff sleeve dress...and it was on sale for 65% off - $84 marked down from $242! i resisted buying it but woke up the next morning and made nick go back with me to get it. afterall, he is my sugar daddy.

below: front of the dress

below: back of the dress

below: lo bosworth wearing the dress

only sad thing is the dress is sold out online. also seems that the online prices aren't as good as what i saw in store. if you have the time and a neimans near you, it's worth the trip for some affordable designer duds.

good luck!

ps. buyer beware, they only accept cash, check or the neimans credit card when you shop in-store. MOST. RIDICULOUS. RULE. EVER, neeeeeeeeimans!

don't eat yellow snow. wear this cardi instead.

AE cardigan jacket by american eagle. $49.50; available in classic navy heather, yellow rose (pictured), vermont heather and chalk.

isn't this sweater so cheery? i thought it would be a fun item to blog about considering the only thing yellow most of you have seen lately is yellow snow. i'm dying to get all cozy in it and bring a little sunshine to these freeeeezing winter days (it's in the 20s in austin right now, wtf?!). and the double pockets are cute to boot.

repurpose and reorganize with a ceramic egg crate

i don't know about you, but i'm 100% sick of all of my jewelry getting tangled and earrings getting separated from one another. i think i've found a solution...use a ceramic egg crate (or two) as a jewelry storage mechanism. i've seen this done a few times before but i think now i'm ready to implement it. this one comes in white for $12 and blue for $14 at anthropologie (the white one is smaller). i've also seen them in plenty of kitchen and housewares stores. here's to organization in 2010!

mudhouse = my favorite wine in the whole entire world

i have to start with the disclaimer that i am by no means a wine connoisseur..but i do drink enough of it to know that i LOVE sauvignon blanc by new zealand winery mud house. i first found it on the wines by the glass list at houston's on park ave and it's been my go-to wine ever since. i fell in love with the 2008, a rare find these days, but the 2009 is just as delicious. i can usually find it between $12 and $14 a bottle (don't pay the $18 whole foods is asking for it) but my favorite trick is to buy it by the case - most liquor stores offer a discount when you do it that way.

here are the notes from mud house's website: a crisp, fresh sauvignon blanc with ripe flavours of passionfruit and gooseberry. these tropical flavours blend beautifully with citrus and nettle notes and the zingy acid gives way to a long balanced finish.

is it wrong that i want a glass RIGHT. NOW.? click here to find it at a store or restaurant near you.

below: my glass of mud house sauvignon blanc at houston's on park ave

below: me enjoying my mud house. please pretend i don't look tuuurrrible, it was pouring and freezing that day.

diy: refinishing my big ugly metal star

i bought this big metal star at homegoods a few years ago for a mere $24.99 (the price tag is still on the back). well, i don't like it anymore. i like the star concept but i don't like the way it looks and i really need something to put above our bed. so i decided to refinish it. i knew i wanted to make it silver/nickel to match the drawer pulls on the furniture and i also wanted to add a little texture to go with the nailhead trim on our bedframe. here's my step-by-step process to making the star match our bedroom decor a little bit better.

step 1:
gather all of your tools. i got all of mine at hobby lobby...krylon brushed metal spray paint in nickel for $5.99, sandpaper in medium grain, and a roll of pearl string for $6.99.

step 2:
sand off the top layer of sheen. it came off really easy and the sanding only took about 5 minutes. you don't have to get the old paint off, just the top layer of whatever makes it shiny since spray paint probably wouldn't stick to that.

step 3:
wipe down the star to get all of the loose dirt and grit off. let dry.

step 4:
lay down plastic sheets, grab the glue gun and adhere the string of pearls around the outside of the star.

step 5:
spray away, using long broad strokes to avoid dripping. mine needed two coats and a little extra here and there.

below: this is the star before starting the process...

below: the materials

below: voila! finished.

below: the finished product...

monthly mood board: january

jeez, it feels like just yesterday that i posted my december mood board. january's is dedicated to polka dots. you guys know i love 'em...i can't believe it's taken me this long to do a mood board about them!

clockwise from left:

• floreat's scalloped dots skirt, anthropologie, $98 (thanks jenni)
• blue and white spots clutch, etsy seller chidesigns, $69
• pearl embroidered sheet set, pottery barn, $24-$129 on sale for $19-$99
• red polka dot cosmetic bag collection, jimeale, varying prices
• iphone cover, amazon, $10.99
• dancing dots gathered bandeau top swimsuit, j.crew, $78
• polka dot frill umbrella, topshop, $30
• floreat's sun dot dress, anthropologie, $148
• tintoretta's diamond dots tights, anthropologie, $28 on sale for $14.95