To start off the weekend, I finally started Christmas shopping. Surprisingly, going out and about wasn't as overwhelming as I thought it would be. I had a late lunch, and stopped by Anthro, Urban, & Crate & Barrel. I needed to re-stock on face goodies. So a visit to Lush was in order.


I've always had sensitive skin. I've tried various products and Lush seems to be the only one that compliments and works well with my skin. I've been using Lush for about 4+ years now. Aquamarina is my go-to daily wash. It seriously is a giant sushi roll. It contains seaweed, calamine, and irish moss.


I unfortunately did not do any Christmas shopping here. Although, these shampoo bars do remind me of macarons. This wouldn't be a bad gift idea to add a few in a box! That's definitely something i'll consider gifting.. Happy Friday! xoxo

Now that it's officially December, I don't even know where to start first when it comes to crafting, decorating, giving, and baking! Not to mention, I haven't started Christmas Shopping which is considered late on my end. I suppose the most important thing is that i've started a Christmas List.

I spent all of last week crafting for Thanksgiving. I wanted to make sure these handmade goodies were done as soon as possible, so I can mail them out at the beginning of the week. It was somewhat difficult for me to craft for Thanksgiving, as I was always gravitating towards Holiday crafting. Without using any Christmas card stock I managed to get these goodies done and sent out!


I was heavily encouraged by patterns this time around. I seriously had to sit there for a second and pull some patterns out since it was beginning to clash. I stuck with deep fall colors, many different shades of oranges and reds. Of course, I've had everything on hand. Believe it or not, the little pattern card stock with the floral is actually business cards, the ribbon i've purchased two years ago at Target during their after Christmas sale, the wrapping paper I used as the background is from Paper Source I purchased 3 years ago. As you can tell, I love to re-use and make use out of all the materials I have.

I've made it my signature to use the "I'm thankful for.." cards every year. This is my fifth year using them. I'm thinking for next year I should make some myself. I favor making thanksgiving cards, as it really expresses how thankful I am for the people in my life. Although, i'm thankful daily, this Holiday is just an extra step to show my gratitude and appreciation. xo

It's the simple fact that when the Holidays come around it's more of a reason to get together. I have been anticipating this time of year. I've been spending quality time with loved ones who are back in town. Prior to celebrating Thanksgiving, I got together with G, and we had our own little Friendsgiving.


I always adore G's space, and it's always so comforting and fun to spend time with her. Here is Penelope the infamous fabric mannequin. Which has a great collection of Jewelmint, and other great sparkles!


One thing I always appreciate about my friends, is whenever I craft something up and give to them, they always have it showcased in their space/bedroom. On the right hand side, is paper patterned flowers I made a few years ago. I used a Paper Source template I had, and added the handmade florals, in a vintage vase.


I brought over tea, along with Maple Cookies. We conversed and laugh over dinner. We indulged during dessert. It was a perfect start for celebrating the Holidays. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving! xoxo

Along with Fall festivities, another thing I did try for the first time was go though a Pumpkin Field and do a little pumpkin picking. It's amazing how many different pumpkins they are. Whether it's different shades of oranges, greens, and whites.




I fell in love with so many different ones. I should of thought to bring a truck or SUV so I can fit all the different pumpkins in the car. My most favorite ones where the white ones. Especially the small white ones. I wanted to buy a few, and have it as Fall decoration. Although I ended up sticking with my white porcelain pumpkin. It was all priced by size, and they also had different squashes. The variety was endless. I can't wait to go back next year, and actually buy all the pumpkins!

Finally, the holidays are in full swing this week! I spent yesterday celebrating Lill's birthday at the Micheal Buble concert. We all dressed in pencil skirts, black heels, and white collared shirts. I'd like to the make the assumption Lill's was inspired with the movie Pitch Perfect, or a 50's flight attendant. Regardless, it was a blast! I look forward to seeing Justin Timberlake on Tuesday!


Since it's chilly in the evenings now. I've been taking full advantage on having late night tea. Tonight, I brewed Vanilla tea and had a variety of yummy French Macarons. The other night I made Lemon Poppy Scones with a cup of tea. The pairings with Tea are endless. I wish every night was like this. Now, back to Thanksgiving Crafting, lets give thanks this week. Cheers!

As much as I loved being cozy at home for the past two days and enjoying the comfort of great company, & warmth. I wanted to venture out today especially since it was a sunny, but chilly day. I did plenty of catching up today with my talented cousin.

It's been such a pleasure to have rain here in Southern California. Other states are immune to it, but here in LA we fall in love with it over and over again, because it's so rare. I've spent my days cozy at home. Keeping the oven on to bake chocolate chip cookies, and for the dough to rise for dinner. The rain came such at a perfect time, as thanksgiving is next week, and holidays are in full swing. If only we can have snow.. xo

When summer was ending, the transition to fall was a bit difficult as we had the summer Southern California weather during October.. I thought the best way to embrace and be in the mood for fall would be going to a Pumpkin Patch. On the way to Palm Springs, I stopped by a place right off the freeway. They had fields of newly grown pumpkins, corn fields, and lastly, sunflowers.

Whenever there is someones birthday in the group of gals I hang with, I specifically ask if they have any requests. Yesterday was no difference as we celebrated my lovely friend and cousin Lills. Her request was to indulge a great breakfast, go on a shopping spree, and have drinks in the evening. We spent most of our days shopping, and just enjoying each others company. We'd like to call it a girls day out, instead of night!

Prior to Lill's birthday festivities, I did a little Sunday morning crafting. I got her jewelry from Kate Spade. I was heavily inspired with bright pops of color, so I instantly went to bright greens and blue. All the material I had was on hand, and it was actually fun working with green ink! I normally don't use colored ink pads unless it's the Holidays. It was definitely a good little pop instead of using regular black ink! It was also fun mixing up patterns as I used stripes in different directions, dots, and gingham. Maybe, that's something I need to do more often be a little more daring in crafting. This is a good start!

As summer was coming to an end. A dear friend squeezed in some major travelling. I was feeling heavily inspired with reds and navy blues. I thought a little crafting for my dear wanderlust would help her safe travels to Brazil run smoothly!

Always, I used materials on hand. Mostly all of these goodies are Martha Stewart Crafts I got throughout the years on sale (basically everything was $1.00 ea). The little Air Mail envelopes I got 2 years ago when I stayed in the Philippines for a month. Happy tape was a gift from an old friend when visiting Downtown.

One of my favorite things that I added on was the check list for packing. It's one of my favorite note pads. I purchased it this past summer at Target in the dollar section (as you can tell i'm for the deals!). I made the bon voyage card, and added two little travel checklist for my dear friend and one for her boyfriend. It was a quick thoughtful craft goodie to give for anyone who's going on an adventure!

I'm nearly over fighting this horrible cough/cold that I've had for the past few days. As many days as I didn't work, it did not feel like a vacation. Although, I did manage to see Smokey Robinson perform and boy ,was it a blast! It made me miss my love for Motown. Also, I took a trip to Sprinkles and indulge in a few sweets while drinking cups after cups of hot tea.

As you can tell, i'm such a sucker for table tops, kitchen necessities, and a good fabric with patterns/textures/colors. One of the things i've been wanting were oven mitts. I've been using his old Thanksgiving oven mitt set for years, and it was coming apart. I added Anthropologie oven mitts to my birthday list earlier this year.

Of course one of my dearest friends did deliver. She surprised me with these bright hues of blue oven mitts. Since then, I've been baking everything with them and it just compliments all of my dessert plates, dish towels, and cakes themselves.


I decided to try out the Marble Pound Cake again this time around, without using a Bunt Pan. I've also got down the "adding the fudge into batter" technique now. This cake could possibly be apart of the many baked goodie tin boxes for the Holidays. I still have a list to go thru and see! This gives me more of a reason to keep the oven on and fill the house with warmth!

All last weekend I was prepping, crafting, and baking for last Sunday's Birthday Brunch. The birthday girl loves owls, so the other girls and I decided to make this Birthday Brunch an owl theme. I wanted to incorporate festive Autumn colors, and use the materials i've had on hand. The only things I ended up purchasing was the ingredients to make the Owl Cupcakes. I got the idea of the cupcakes a few years back, when my little cousins and I would bake these little goodies during Halloween.

The place cards were very simple and only took about 15 minutes to make! Talk about quick labor. I used white card stock, Halloween ribbon from 2 years ago, and this owl stamp from Paper Source. The little owl cut outs we're easy printables one of my girlfriends made, it instantly made the setting much more fun and colorful.


Brunch itself was amazing. Endless mimosas with strawberries, on going conversations, and delightful laughter filled our table. Not to mention how impeccable the food was. I ordered the Lamb Hash, and had a bit of Ricotta Pancakes. Overall it was a Happy Sunday, and I can't wait to celebrate more this month! xoxo.

As things get busier, I find that sometimes rest is sometimes neglected. With little sleep, and the weather change, I found myself staying in today from work in need of rest. This morning, I thought the perfect remedy to cure my sickness would be plenty of sleep, relaxation, and endless cups of hot tea..

Instantly, I headed over to my collection and brought out one of my favorite cold trimmed burgundy tea set and brewed a tea pot of hot Honey Vanilla Chamomile tea. The timing was perfect as it was early in the morning, and everything was cold, quiet, and calm.


Trying my best to recover, I took medicine, and had cough drops on hand. As much as I wanted to roam around in the sun today. I strictly made it a point to stay home as much as possible so I can feel better. Crossing my fingers, I hope the rest of the week will be filled with errands, lunch dates, concerts, and galavanting.

Staying in bed is sometimes hard for a woman to do,
when there's so many places to go ad things to do!

Cheers to a grateful October. As much crazy-ness is going to occur here on out, the last two weeks of October was quite a Thrill. I took a trip to Palm Springs, Visited my first Pumpkin patch ever (believe it or not), had a successful work month, went to a few NBA games, and really get in the spirit for what's to come the next two months..

Btw, i'm not ready to put away my porcelain pumpkin just yet!

I hope everyone is dressed up, and feeling mighty festive. This year, I actually had a space where I can do a little decorating! I really wish I had more time as I was lacking paper cutouts of leaves and garland everywhere. I'd like to think it's not too late, and I can possibly incorporate that into Thanksgiving.


I brought out this vintage gold trim porcelain pumpkin that my mom has had for many years.. I paired it with this darling candle holder I got from a dear friend last fall! I kept it very simple, and somehow it matched with my sofa, pillows, and coffee table accents.


I've been bringing out my tea sets, and having friends over for evening or afternoon tea a few times a week. Oh how it feels so good to completely embrace Autumn. Have a great Halloween everyone, and enjoy the sweets and treats!

Yesterday after eating a delightful dinner. I wanted to make a quick stop to the new Kate Spade shop that opened close by a week ago! This new shop could possibly be the end of me as it is an outlet, and it's less than 15 minutes away! It saves such a trip, rather than driving nearly an hour and half. I'll spare the driving and get to shopping!

I spent a warm afternoon with my best friend in Downtown LA. We ended up at a bar near across the street from the Japanese Village. Little did we know how much refreshments we we're going to encounter. We spent an early afternoon enjoying each others company, and also the company of the bartender.


First off, I requested for every flavor of fresh fruits to be made into a Margarita. Within the hour I tried Blackberries, mangos, strawberries, pineapples, and kiwi. Surprisingly blackberries and pineapple we're my absolute favorite.


If you all know me very well. My hard liquor of chose is always Whiskey. I always have a glass of Whiskey, Jameson preferably at any social event. Before heading back to my place we drank a couple of these, walked around the city. Bought a bottle of wine and continued on with our afternoon at my place, doing what girls do. Drink wine, gossip, laugh, and play dress up! Cheers!

A while ago, I went out thrifting and came across a few goodies to gift to my little cousins prior to school starting.. My goodness, just typing out this post makes me missing thrift stores, and shopping around on Thursdays and Fridays. I've been trying to make it a day to go out to a Flea Market. I'm hoping when days cool down a bit I can anticipate to go to one on a Sunday.


Like always, I used materials I've had. I wrapped up each piece with Anthro tissue paper from years ago. Simple twine that I carry in various colors. Lastly, the "while you were out" tag was filled and put on with a little help of gold striped happy tape.


After wrapping up the great thrift finds. I headed over, and we had a picnic outside their backyard. We enjoyed catching up under one of their fruit trees. Ate sweets, and drank iced tea. As much as I didn't have enough picnics during summer. I anticipate to have more during Fall. Now all I need to look for are different sandwiches or small dishes to make. Oh how my mind is wondering now!

Whatever reason it was, I felt like today I needed to be around the house, especially in the kitchen. I left endless episodes of Sex & The City playing in the background, while I was in the kitchen cooking and baking away..


It was around noon already so I was instantly thinking lunch. I cut up baby eggplants from the farmers market. I sauteed the baby eggplants with fresh black pepper, garlic seasoning, extra virgin olive oil, and basil. I paired the vegetable with grilled chicken sprinkled with reggiano and sliced up avocados.


For dessert, I worked with everything I had in the kitchen, including a yellow cake mix and used this recipe to make a Fudge marble Pound Cake. The only struggle I had was when putting in the fudge. I tried to swirl it around, or add it deeper into the batter, but it came out all in one area throughout the cake. Regardless of that, it was still yummy and moist!

I seriously need to do this everyday, or to start every week!

After visiting Jack Spade in Venice. I knew that this would be my go to place for buying all my darling male folks' a gift. My closest cousin' s birthday was in the beginning of last month. I decided to get him a wooden phone case, and a little art book from Geoff.


I loved the simplicity on how everything was in that store. So I decided to keep the wrapping bare. I paired the goodies with a letter pressed type writer card from Target, and tied it up with bakers twine. It was a sweet little thoughtful surprise for my cousin, and I hope he enjoyed it!

I woke up this morning during sunrise, and absolutely fell in love. Rain is anticipated to come mid-week, so I hope the sign of cotton candy skies will assure raindrops!

Enjoy your week everyone!