back to school ~ pencil shavings studio

still on our back-to-school series, today we have the talented and simply amazing Rachel of pencil shavings studio dishing on more back-to-school essentials ~ this time, the grownup's edition. i am obsessed with Rachel's shop and every single thing she has for sale there. so, it's no surprise that i'd be in love with all her great finds showcased today and i know you will be too! thanks so much Rachel for being with us today!

I don't know about you, but I've always had a secret thrill at shopping for school supplies. There's nothing better than getting organized with a fresh arsenal of pens, pencils, and notebooks. Here's my top 6 picks for back-to-school, adult edition.

  Wall Pops Frame dry erase board / Jonathan Adler Woven Strings Duchess Tote 

  Eiffel Tower bookends / Russell & Hazel binder / Network Pencil Cup / Storage boxes

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back to school ~ a blissful nest

this week was a busy week for us as our little man started kindergarten last tuesday. i wished we had a little party to celebrate back-to-school with his best buds but i think it's not too late to have a little gathering and party in style using my talented friend Rebekah's (of A Blissful Nest) back to school party printables. she debuted the adorable new line this week and we're lucky to have her today to feature them along with the a lovely fun party display (and the most gorgeous daughter model!) she styled and photographed. you can check out the back to school party printables here. thanks Rebekah for joining us today!



I always seem to find a good reason to throw a party and what a better theme than Back To School! I love celebrating those milestones in my child's life and there are a few simple things to do so.
   

 First pick a theme. Ours was a "Smart Kids" back to school party. We were pre-celebrating how smart our little one's were going to be this year.

  Next select your menu. For small parties like this one, a few simple baked goods and drinks is all you need. I am on a caramel kick this year so my goodies all had a caramel ingredient.

 

I selected 3 "smart" drinks - smart water, smart juice and some smart milk.

   

 Lastly, have fun with some personalized decorations. As we have seen over the last few years, party decorations have really evolved that now they do not have to have that commercialized store bought look anymore. With so many online party shops popping up you really can create a custom party different from your friends.    

 

  I absolutely love the personal touch printables can give a party and find so much joy in creating these custom pieces. Back to school can be so much fun celebrated in style! 

 Vendor Credits Party Printable Decor/ Styling/ Photography: by A Blissful Nest Paper Medallions: Party City Paper Straws: Target School Desk: Thrift Store Baskets: Thrift Store Green Table: Marshalls

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back to school ~ a thoughtful place

we're in for another treat today as Courtney of a thoughtful place stops by and shares her back-to-school preparations with her family. she needs no introduction ~ a mom with mad DIY, organizational and interior design skills ~ i've followed her blog for like forever. i am so excited for this post, i am stealing her schoolwork organization ideas. thanks Courtney for being a part of this back to school series!  

Hi! I'm Courtney from A Thoughtful Place and I am so honored to be hanging out here today! We are gearing up for back to school around here. I have one entering first grade and one that will be starting his second year of preschool. To be honest, it's all about having many systems in place over here. That is the only way I function. I may or may not be obsessed with organization! The one thing I do know is that I just really like things to run smoothly so there is more fun time with my family. So here is a collection of things we do to get ready for back to school!



Organized Artwork

The crazy thing about starting school up again, is preparing for the onslaught of artwork and papers. We have a system in place that makes it much easier to get a handle on that. 

Organized Medicines and Important Phone Numbers

I also take the back to school time to clear out our family medicines and first aid supplies. This year I created a board with all of the kiddos' school numbers and other important information. 

http://www.athoughtfulplaceblog.com/2012/08/organized-kitchen-cabinet-under-500.html

The Homework Box

The homework box is one spot where we put all of my daughter's homework for the week. It also has pencils, crayons, and a sharpener. She pulls out this homework box while I work on dinner and I am available to help her if she needs it. 

The Rainbow Cake

Last but not least, our favorite part of back to school! We make up a giant rainbow cake {in honor of fresh crayons!} to dive into after the kids have had their first day. 

Wishing you all an amazing back to school season! Here's to loving school and staying organized!

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back to school ~ your style scout

good morning everyone! i'm glad to be back blogging from a weekend of end-of-summer vacation with the family. i am thrilled that Melanie of blog, scout ~ a mom's guide to stylish living and personal shopper/stylist with style spies shares her favorite fall pieces here today. mel is one of my favorite stylish moms out there and i always read her blog for the latest baby gear, new makeup finds and latest fashion trends. with a handsome boy getting ready for school, a new beautiful baby girl, tv appearances and  styling gigs ~ she is one busy mama and a no-fuss daily uniform is a must! let's read on......

Thanks Lili for having me guest post this week! My favorite part about back to school is getting to wear my favorite fall clothes again! Here are just a few key pieces that are part of my daily "uniform"

Back to school: Mom Style by stylescout1 featuring leopard flats



SHOP THE LOOK:

thank you Mel for visiting!  

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currently coveting

1 // tiffany bangle

2 //  gap pink shirt 

3 // 3.1 phillip lim bag (similar here and here)

4 // OPI nailpolish germany collection

5 // miu miu loafers 

enjoy the weekend! 

topiary love

topiaries are beautiful accents to your home. they are elegant on their own and lovely grouped together in various shapes and heights. i have a couple in our master bath and i am determined to bring them out and incorporate them in our holiday decor this year. let's take a look at some of my favorite home interior images and the star of the room, the topiaries :

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you can shop for them here

moroccan oil for the skin

i stumbled on these new body skincare line of moroccan oil when we were in vegas a month ago at the hotel's salon and spa. more known for their highly popular with-a-cult-following haircare line, moroccan oil introduced a new luxurious skincare line only available at high-end salons and spas. 

i picked up the intense hydrating treatment gel ($27) for dry skin in anticipation of winter. it is in gel form so it stays longer in skin but does not lend a sticky residue. i kicked myself for not picking up another tube and for not trying the body souffle (but i sniffed it). both have heavenly light scent, not strong and heavy at all. 

they are pricey but i think it's really worth the splurge. i've been snooping around town to see if any salon carries it but to no avail. the complete line also carries a hand creme, a body exfoliant and moroccan oil soaps. anyone else tried these products? if yes, where did you purchase it? 

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fall fantasizing

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whether it's the smell of pumpkin pie, the feel of smooth cashmere on my skin or the sweet smell of crisp fall air --- i am officially fantasizing fall!

bring on the cold weather!

high vs low

good morning, friends! happy monday!

let''s start the week with some high end vs budget find pretties for your feet. i have those jcpenney bow wedges in nude and it doesn't feel like it's $ 17!

  1/ valentino vs jcpenney

2/ stuart weitzman vs jcpenney

3/ jimmy choo vs jcpenney
4/ christian louboutin vs jcpenney

bright, bold and beautiful

looks like the bright-colored pants are here to stay. i'm glad to hear that because i have acquired quite a collection of them this past spring and summer. although the fit may have switched out to the boyfriend or slouchy silhouette (in cords and khakis too), i'm sure the fashion police will forgive you for wearing your bright skinnies through the fall season. i surely will and i'm happy to have invested in them! 

first row : orange / yellow / fall beige

second row : fucshia / coral / green

shop more colored denim here : 

saturday starters

pinterest finally had me prepare something i've pinned for the longest time. a few months ago i made these easy caprese bites and it has become one of my favorite appetizer to prepare. not only is it easy to make, it only requires a few things to put-together. here goes : 

grape tomatoes/cherry tomatoes

mozarella balls

fresh basil leaves

toothpicks

balsamic vinegar

like in the picture, i just assemble them as it looks. then, drizzle with balsamic vinegar. 

it's light, refreshing and very tasty. a perfect appetizer for a summer soiree! 

 

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND, FRIENDS!

insta-week

wow. hours and minutes go fast but the days seem to last longer although the week is almost over. we are looking forward to another weekend and hopefully, getting most things done on my to-do list including a back-to-school tax free weekend shopping that kicks off today! 

before i head on out the door, let me just dump a few iphone photos here from the past week including some shots from the past weekend! 

are you fantasizing fall? i do. i busted out my fall nailpolish colors to get some inspiration! 

oh and pink was the color past weekend! 

our little guy enjoying a ride later in the evening. it's still too hot outside and it's totally brutal. 

we also enjoyed a fantastic sunday brunch at our favorite mexican restaurant, escalante's and we shared a huge plate of french toast cooked the mexican way. i can't say no to caramelized apples! 

after brunch we walked across the street and visited the beautiful showroom of restoration hardware. 

let's just say, i want everything. nuff said. 

i finally joined the bubble necklace cult and they are really cute. they do elevate the look of a simple tshirt. so far i have that green one, a blue bubble pendant and also got a cobalt blue bubble bib necklace and a yellow one that dear friend, nina picked up for me. 

and oh, red velvet sandwich cookies are fixing my sweet cravings lately!  

i am also obsessed with BB creams lately. luckily i found the last one at CVS the other day. it does wonders to my skin so far and you can tell even when you wipe them off after a long day! 

i'm still heavy on metallic nails and this new purple one from essie is divine. it does come out looking like silver but with hints of violet in it. 

just sharing a new hair routine here : moroccan argan oil spray on damp hair adds a bit of shine and relaxes frizz hair. i have naturally wavy hair, so i don't think i need a body wave perm since i wake up with slightly curly hair anyway. so with a spray of oscar blandi dry shampoo and the moroccan argan oil, i'm set! 

lastly, i'm in love with my golden birkin art print by randa of iseenoise prints. it's going to go in my dresser or closet. still undecided. 

OK, i think that's it for the week....you all have a fabulous weekend! 

tax free weekend shopping

i always get excited preparing for a new school year when i was a student. fresh new notebooks, pencils, cool backpacks etc. were a thrill to have. there weren't as much fancier choices back then but nowadays, the coolest newest trendiest stuff for the classroom are available even for the pickiest student. 

this weekend, texas enjoys a tax-free shopping weekend and i think i'm taking advantage of it by stocking up on a few of these for the little one (or me!). 

HAPPY SHOPPING !