easter sprucing under $ 60

i have started easter decorating at home and in case, you haven't - 

here are a few items you can add to your home spring decor for each under $60 !

bunny linen towel / easter egg swag / platter / basket / happy easter garland 
3-tier server / egg candles / basket candy dish / bunny cupcake holders

~ affiliate links 

spring is here

spring is here (along with my allergies). yesterday was the first day of spring and i am definitely feeling it. it's finally warming up here in texas and we are loving every minute of it. but don't ask me again come summer :(

speaking of spring, the second part of our spring break was spent driving to san antonio (first part here). we took my parents with us and enjoyed down time on our last weekend of spring break. 

now that we are all back at work, that one week was surely not enough. we booked 2 trips in one week and squeezed medical and dental appointments in between. that was one heck of a busy spring break - but i would not have done it any other way. we did as much as we can and maximized free time together!

how was your spring break? do share! 

spring break scenes

so sad to be leaving disney world after kicking off our spring break vacation last saturday. we are back home and we've got doctor's appointments and check off a few house improvements to-do list that needs to be completed this week. 

we had an absolute blast. the last time we were in disney world, aston  was just 3. he vaguely remembered meeting woody and taking the kilimanjaro safari tour - which i guess were highlights for him back then. 

we've got our days packed back to back hopping from one park to another. i swear it gets to be enjoyable each time you go. to top it off, disney's customer service is top notch. our reservations and travel accomodations thru my disney experience was smooth and seamless. we booked at the grand floridian and availed the disney's magical express service which provided transportation to and from the airport to the hotel. best of all, they claim your checked-in luggage for you - so you and your family can go ahead and start your adventure without having to wait for your baggage!

our stay was definitely fun and would go back again in a heartbeat! 

spring break

hooray for spring break week!

whether you're at a gorgeous beach resort or a fun amusement park with your family, make it the best spring break vacation ever! 

image

shop spring break must-haves here :

round up friday

oh yay! it's friday! 

in case you are not following me in instagram (@swankychicfete), these what's been up lately. the week started with a super cold front that left us scrambling to recover stored away outerwear. no snow for us, but a few icy roads up north. yesterday, the sun finally decided to come out and it was just a perfect pretty day. so much so that i chilled out and didn't even had a blogpost up. i just wanted to relax and do some quick errands in between work and carpool. and now, i just can't wait for it to warm up for good! 

 

i hope you all have great plans for the weekend! 

see you back here monday!

darling and scalloped

i can't think of a prettier way to kick off spring - in scalloped pastels!

shop more darling scalloped items here :

weekend scenes and links

how's everybody's monday so far? the weekend is never enough sad to say. our's was low key. nothing special going on. today, i thought i'd share a few images from the weekend and some links. 

last week, i posted this photo on IG (@swankychicfete) and a lot of you loved the pendant necklace. i got it at a j.crew factory store last fall but i'm sure you can still find them in stores or you can find a similar one online. plus they always have a sale going on on top of the discounted outlet price! 

recently i have been obsessing over these facial masks a dear friend gave me for my birthday. i use them 2-3 times a week, leave it on for about 15-20 minutes and your face is hydrated and rejuvenated. i love the cool feeling and i like to pop it on while watching tv at night and just forget about it. my friend found them on ebay but i searched for them and found them on amazon too! 

on a shopping outing with a friend last friday, i finally got the trendy leopard sneakers that everyone's been wearing lately. it's so comfy - it's got a padded insole and extra thick heel. last saturday, i cant resist and wore it with a pair of white jeans (breaking the rules!) and a black thin sweater! 

spring is in the air! spotted these faux blooms at pottery barn - peonies, tulips and more. real flower arrangements are beautiful but the faux ones are just as lovely especially if you don't have a green thumb like me! 

i discovered AERIN'S rose balm lipsticks during the neiman's beauty event and scooped up my latest spring lippies - liebling (a light cool toned pink) and geranium (brighter pink) shades. they are very pigmented and moisturizing with a light rose-y scent that's not overpowering. i can't stop raving about them! 

sidenote  : the little boy finally lost his first top front tooth and was just proud to show it off! hope your weekend was great! 

HAPPY MONDAY friends! 

hello spring

can you believe our temps hit high of 70s (even 80s) this week? it may be too early for some warm weather but we are so ready for it. it did rain this week too, so spring is definitely in the horizon!

the week passed by quickly as usual. february will be soon over and spring break is just around the corner! have you got any plans yet for spring break?

the weekend promises gorgeous weather (with some sprinkle of rain) so i think we'll be heading out of the house and take advantage of it. it may be the perfect time to bust out your bright hued wardrobe such as a pretty pink dress and easy comfortable sneakers - great look for a casual weekend outing.

i hope you all have a very nice weekend!

shop the look above :

spring pink

our city has been paralyzed for the second time in 5 days due to freezing rain and icy roads. some businesses and most schools are closed. i am a little embarrassed to share that but we all know texan drivers don't know how to drive in icy roads, so we are better off staying home. nevertheless, we are keeping warm and entertaining ourselves. aston  took home piles of homework yesterday so we will tackle that and i am planning to bake cookies. 

i thought it's fitting to do a little preliminary spring dreaming amidst this freezing weather. and with valentine's coming up, pink is the most popular color to brighten up things around here. how cute is that puppy umbrella? 

blouse // umbrella // highlighter // bracelet
pillow // blush // nikes // thank you card



in other stories, our 23 MADISON STUDIO GIVEAWAY is still ongoing and you still have time to join! and don't forget the 30% discount coupon (code : HAPPY2014) she's offering our readers to use on her shop - you need her art in your life :)

one spring day

ONE SPRING DAY

one // two // three // four // five // six // seven

a spring fling

YAY, it's already april! 

spring is in full swing and summer is not too far. that also mean tons of birthdays and celebrations coming up in the radar amongst my family and friends and it's such an exciting time! 

today i'd like to share a few spring (and also summer) tablescape inspiration that sure is spectacular. lots of color splashes and flower blooms as focal point of the party. a mixture of floral patterns and shapes (round lanterns and square pastel plates) add a gorgeous dimension to layers of spring theme decor. 

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i have a few friends celebrating milestone birthdays this year so that will be pretty special! i'm so excited! 

update : if you'd like to take a peek at our easter, i've recapped it over at my family blog! 

spring dressing

i am craving spring colors for my wardrobe and what better way to do it than adding girly feminine dresses for warmer days and casual weekends. wear it with a pair of colorful sandals for a complete spring look! 

all available at shopbop.com 




what is your spring must-have?

weekend scenes

last thursday we flew to vegas to join my husband who's attending a course out there. aston's spring break was about to start (officially starts today) so we decided to tag along. here are a few iPhone shots to share : 

it was a pleasant trip despite the unfamiliar cold and rainy vegas weather. the bellagio conservatory is always a must-see everytime we go so we headed out there to admire the spectacular spring flora display ~ it was so gorgeous! we are flying home today, go back to work for a few days and then head out again to end the spring break week!

how was your weekend?

break for spring

i have to apologize in advance. there may or may not be new blogposts in the coming days ahead but i am trying my best to schedule posts for next week. we are currently enjoying a short spring break trip and when we get back in town, we will be packing again for another road trip that promises loads of fun and lots of time bonding with family! if you want to follow along, you can catch me posting random trip pictures in my instagram (@swankychicfete). xoxo!

what are your plans this spring break? 

~ image source unknown

lime green and navy

spring sprucing has kicked off in our home. i am loving the navy and lime green combo lately and i am not wasting time switching stuff around. i have a few ginger jar collection and i thought it would be perfect to add touches of lime and chartreuse accents around the house to complete a whole fresh spring look for our home.

images 1 unknown, 2, 3

i ordered these monogram placemats from joss and main earlier this month and i love them. i also got a pair of pillowcases from etsy. i thought the pattern and explosion of colors on the pillows are just bright and lively!

here are a few more things i've been eyeing ~ how pretty are these printed bowls? perfect to toss your keys and extra coins to. maybe i'll also add this amazing candle in the most perfect celadon hue in my coffeetable mix. sprucing is not quite done just yet so stay tuned! 

are you spring decorating yet? do share! 

spring blooms

are we all excited for spring? certainly these blooms speak springtime and the fresh showers it brings. it may be a little early to talk about spring but do you know easter sunday is here in march? yep, it's a little early this year. 

today i will be guest blogging at my friend meredith's blog sharing my 

SPRING favorites! 

do stop by and say hello! 

Source: laloliv.com via Stacie on Pinterest

Source: designscouting.com via Tammy on Pinterest

Source: zsazsabellagio.blogspot.com via Kirstie on Pinterest

happy tuesday!

spring according to j.crew

well, it's not exactly spring yet but i am lured to covet j.crew's latest new arrivals. filled with the prettiest mix of patterns and myriad of colors, j.crew can do no wrong. makes me so excited for spring!

shop j.crew here :

j.crew

easter break

i will be taking a break for the easter weekend and i'm signing off from this blog a little early today. i have family and relatives arriving from out of town and i'm looking forward to catch up with them. i am leaving you with these gorgeous egg tree centerpiece in all the spring color palette that's really soft and lovely from decor8. i'll see you back here on monday! 

have a wonderful easter everyone! 

easter and spring wreaths

every holiday i try to post really beautiful wreaths that are created by really talented creative individuals out there. in the meantime, i am so happy and honored to share them here. take a look at the amazing wreaths i found that will be lovely for your home this easter and all throughout spring! 

tutorial here

via

gumball wreath 

book page eggs, how-to here

bunny wreath

source

easy easter DIY ideas

i need to get my crafting groove back on especially that easter is a few weeks away. last year, i tried my hand in creating these easy projects just in time for easter. today i did some home spring redecorating, so hopefully that translates to more spring cleaning and sprucing for our home and easter crafts for our little boy. i turn to pinterest for inspiration but sad to say, i do a lot of pinning but less doing. i want to change that and really take matters into my own hands and start crafting!

cinnabunny rolls
i'd love to bake this on easter weekend. undeniably yummy and the kids will enjoy finding a bunny on their plates. tutorial can be found here

Source: thehighheeledhostess.com via LiliPaz on Pinterest

spring centerpiece

i'd like to create a green organic arrangement inspired by this lovely piece. instead of fresh vegetables, place eggs for a perfect easter spring centerpiece

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Source: blomsterverkstad.blogspot.com via LiliPaz on Pinterest

DIY speckled eggs

love the look of easter speckled eggs? here's an easy DIY how-to steps

Source: southernliving.com via LiliPaz on Pinterest

Source: cutefoodforkids.com via LiliPaz on Pinterest

chocolate bird nest on spoon
i think this is an adorable treat for the kiddos on easter brunch. or ideal as a party favor for an easter egg hunt party. a step by step tutorial can be found here

Source: cutefoodforkids.com via LiliPaz on Pinterest

Source: yourhomebasedmom.com via LiliPaz on Pinterest

chocolate covered peeps
and lastly, i am excited to do this. definitely easy and fun to do with the kids. dip peeps to melted chocolate and then dip them in colorful edible sprinkles. easy peasy! full tutorial here

Source: yourhomebasedmom.com via LiliPaz on Pinterest

i can't wait to get crafting, baking and making!