Hilarity at the hands of my little sister.

Days are long for the next 2 weeks while I'm transitioning between my nanny gigs and my new job. It's a very happy tired though! Imagine my delight when I came home to find this little gem from my sister sitting in my email inbox tonight. I heart you sissy!

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subject: what mom & i saw at nordstrom today...

Guess what this is --













If you guessed 6 colorful meercats standing in a lineup then you are a winner. However, you do not win this $78 Marc Jacobs tee. You get a pack of chicklets.

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Peace. Love. Lipgloss. & Me

A few weeks back I was the LUCKY winner of Prep School 101's Peace. Love. Lipgloss gift certificate giveaway. Offering a fabulous selection of skincare, makeup, and bath and body products, I faced a daunting decision. Exactly what products to choose?!?

While perusing Lucky & InStyle magazines on a trip to get my haircut I read about the cult following LA skincare maven Kate Somerville has accrued. I was ecstatic to find Peace. Love. Lipgloss offered her skincare line! The next big decision was what to try? Proprietor of the shop Madeline was extremely helpful in some e-advice on what products would work best for my skin type.

We decided on Goat Milk Cream

and Purifying Cleanser.Upon receiving my package, I couldn't wait to try my new goodies. The cleanser is gentle enough for my sensitive skin, has a refreshing scent, & left my skin feeling "clean and tight" in one step. After my evening washing I applied the Goat Milk Cream to find a thicker-than-lotion but not greasy hydrating cream. Best part: it left my skin feeling hydrated and it didn't cause any reactions. The packaging allows for a perfect pump amount that leaves no waste.

I also love the Paul & Joe lipgloss recommended. It's sheer enough for daily use, but is great for layering for a more dramatic evening look as well. Peace. Love. Lipgloss filled my package with a body butter, exfoliKate, and foot cream sample as an added surprise. And what girl doesn't love a surprise?

All in all I HIGHLY recommend that you check out Madeline's blog and the Peace. Love. Lipgloss. online store for your beauty needs. It truly is a "beauty haven for the make-up maven!" Another bonus? PLL is offering free shipping the month of December!

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Employed.

10 months after loosing my job in the design industry I am happy to announce I am an employee again! While I wont be in a similar position to what I was doing previously, I am excited for a new challenge that is still within my field. I'll have a commute and different hours to get used to, but I am very excited to be in the working world again.

While scary at first, I have come to love my time as a "free-lancer at life." Multi-tasking my way through the past 10 months has shown me that I can be creative and make things work, even when it seemed like the rug had been pulled out from beneath me. Keeping your faith in "what's meant to be will be, your chin up, and a positive attitude even when things look bleak, will serve you best in the end. I end my stint as a part time nanny with bittersweet emotions. I have loved getting to know my families and kiddos. I will really miss seeing the weekly changes of the infant I kept and the daily discoveries of the toddler. I'm sure my Wii skills (or lack there of) will wain without the constant practice I got from the tweens. The smallest feats, potty training for example, brought me great joy, and I'm sad to leave the little ones behind.

I know the time is right to move forward in my career and I am excited to embrace this new opportunity. Many thanks go out to each and every one of my readers out there for their kind words throughout my unemployment journey. Here's to a new adventure!

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Mission Accomplished: Party Success

The Stella & Dot party I hosted was a glowing success (and my house looks great after all the frantic cleaning!) The girls enjoyed playing dress up with the sample jewelery and got ahead on a litle Christmas shopping to boot! I highly recommend finding a stylist in your area.

Vino, important for any event!


The goods. It was very tempting to have so many cute pieces on my table.


I forgot to take a picture of the food, but the caramelized onion and rosemary flat bread and the pumpkin spice muffins with cream cheese filling welcomed rave reviews. I did snap a quick pic of the adorable (and super tasty) cupcake pops Alison provided for market research. (If you live in the triad area of NC and are interested in her creations I'll be happy to pass along her contact info!) The cupcakes on a stick were a huge hit!

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Fancy Feet

After a frustrating shopping trip to find some comfy flat shoes, I've turned to the Internet. I have very narrow feet and thus have problems with any shoes with backs. Upon reading the reviews on llbean.com that their skimmers offer support and customers think they run narrow I decided I had to try. Fingers crossed they fit!

On top of the free shipping code & $10 gift card LLBean is offering with a $25 purchase, I clicked on the site though Ebates for an additional 3% back! Haven't heard of ebates? This free service allows you to click through their site for special member only deals and cash back bonuses. Sign up here!

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A party (for you too!)

I'm hosting a Stella & Dot jewelry party at my house this week. I'm very excited to see some girlfriends, drink some vino, & try on some jewelry! I just realized that I don't have to just invite my real life friends, but my blog-friends can shop too! Just click this link, then click "can't make it to the show, find your hostess" link in the top right hand corner of the page, type in "katie," then peruse the fabulous and fun pieces!

I am loving these Garden Party Earrings.
The burnished teardrops necklace caught my eye, and it's even on sale!
Don't you think this Happy Flower Necklace could dress up any basic tee and make it fab?The Sofia Cluster Ring just screams holiday cheer.
I'm off to finish primping my casa and cooking for the non-virtual party!

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Howl-o-Ween

First off, I'd like to thank each and every reader out there for their thoughts and prayers regarding my employment situation. I hope to be able to share some great news with y'all soon! Now on to the fun ...
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Pete got to choose from 2 looks this year for his howl-o-ween party:

He embraced his spots and went for "the cow." (The badger corrected me all night in saying he is a steer: details, details.)


Or embracing his inner fire dog. He went with the cow and rang all the way through the park on the way to his girlfriend Gracie's house.

After a quick change, we went to party #2.

Our friend Kate always outdoes herself on Halloween. An always favorite in my book: these adorable cheese balls, covered in seeds with blue corn wings to create edible bats!



Scary table scape that would meet Sandra Lee's approval.


The flamingo and I embraced big hair, airbrushed press on nails, and animal print to reveal our inner New Jersey Housewife. The badger was the Swedish Chef, a la the Muppet show; the beaver played (a creepy) Ernie to another friend's Burt.

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