August Giveaway: {Shabby Apple}

I am soooo excited to announce the giveaway for August today! It still blows my mind that so many amazing designers and merchants, like the one featured today, are so generous to the blog world...and I couldn't be more appreciative.

So you can imagine my excitement when just a couple of weeks ago, I was approached to do a giveaway with Shabby Apple, a grade-A-fantastic online store that specializes in women's clothing and accessories.

From casual day dresses and killer shoes, to hair accessories and handbags, Shabby Apple has pretty much anything a girl could possibly need for her wardrobe...and more. They even carry bridesmaids dresses! And did I mention that everything is completely affordable? Which means you'll be able to pay the rent AND buy that presh pair of ballet flats : )



Need a little Shabby Apple for your closet? Of course you do.

Relaxation sandal from Shabby Apple

Participants in this giveaway will have their choice of one of ANY of the following dresses:

Tuxedo
Barefoot in the Park
Pretty in Pink
Duck Beach

Anchors Away

Nine to Five

Five to Nine

Baja

Circo

L'Amour

Here are the rules:

1. Visit Shabby Apple and choose your favorite dress, then comment below. (1 entry)

2. Become a follower of the Shabby Apple blog and let me know you did by commenting below. (1 entry)

3. Become a follower of A Blonde Ambition and let me know you did; or, if you're already a follower, give me a heads-up : ) (1 entry)

This giveaway is limited to readers in the United States only, with a maximum of 3 entries per person. The giveaway ends at 10:00 p.m. CST on August 12 and the winner will be announced here on Friday, August 13.

Also, please include your email address with your comment(s) so I'll be able to contact you if you are the lucky winner!

And lastly, all Blonde Ambitioners will receive 10% off anything from Shabby Apple! Just use the following coupon code: Blondeambition10off

Happy entering!

Be blessed, lovelies-

Photo credits: Shabby Apple

P.S.- Check out Giveaway Scout online to learn how you can maximize exposure of your own blog giveaways. Giveaway Scout publishes your giveaways on multiple channels, including Facebook and Twitter to spread the word about tons of great blogger giveaways. Learn more here!

Special Guest: {Dee's Day}

My lovely and stinkin' adorable friend Dee (yep, Dee from High Heel Mafia) graciously offered to guest post for me today. Two reasons for this: 1) Work has been kuh-razy this week and is requiring the majority of my attention and critical thinking skills at the moment and; 2) We all need a fresh face, (or voice), from time to time.

In case you haven't caught any of the High Heel Mafia posts before, let me give you a little background info on Dee:

-She is a natural blonde (gasp! They really do exist.)

-She is an Arkansas native; born and raised below the Mason-Dixon and currently living in Northwest Arkansas.

-She is my co-worker, most trusted confidant and partner in crime. Together, we do serious retail damage and have been known to haunt a well-known martini bar on Dickson Street.

-She loves Bradley Cooper, miniature dachsunds and long walks on the beach.

Without further adieu, take it away girlie-poo.

................................................................................................................................................................

Thank you, thank you Leslie for that wonderful introduction! How is everybody out there in blogland today?

Yes Leslie, it has most def been a loco week at work. Am I the only one that’s super excited that it’s Friday? I don’t have one specific topic today so excuse me while I ramble for a bit.

This summer, I've taken a few road trips and have more planned, heard some great live music, visited some old friends and made some new ones. And, of course, eaten some good ol’ Southern cookin’. Ahhh, summertime...

I’ve consumed at least 1,000 gallons of sweet tea. Yes, I’ve once again become addicted to the stuff. I officially fell off the wagon during a weekend in Memphis. Since then, I’ve had to go to Sonic during happy hour for my sweet tea fix at least three times a week. I’m actually enjoying a glass as I write this. Any other sweet tea addicts out there?

This week I found out my cousin, (who is just like a younger brother to me), is coming to visit at the end of August. I haven’t seen him in a while, but it won’t take long for us to start picking on each other like we did when were kids. Yeah, that’s how we show love in my family – making fun of each other and telling embarrassing stories.

“Mad Men” has started a new season! That Don Draper is such a bad boy but he’s oh so dreamy…

“Project Runway” kicked off a new season last night! I love some PR on Thursday nights. The most recent winner, Seth Aaron, will always hold a special place in my heart, but I think it will be a great season, once again. Who are your early favorites?

Looking forward to the premiere of “Top Chef: Just Desserts” sometime this Fall. I’ve been a “Top Chef” fan for a while now but personally, I’m more of a baker than a chef so I’m pumped about this show. Has anyone heard the official kick-off date?

Very excited about the “Say Yes To The Dress: Atlanta” premiere. Cannot wait to see this! The only thing crazier than a bride is a crazy SOUTHERN bride. Miss Scarlett, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Just from the previews, I can tell there will be lots of awesome drama with a Southern accent, to boot!

In October, I’ll be headed to my little hometown for my high school reunion. It should be good times. We had a 10 year reunion so that makes this is our…. 20 year reunion. What? 20 years? No way. That means I’m…. When did that happen?

Well, I have rambled enough for this day. Signing off for Leslie...ciao, Blonde Ambitioners!

Be blessed, lovelies-

Photo credits: Style Me Pretty

Trend Watch Wednesday: It's a Two-fer

Today, you get not one trend, but TWO trends! I couldn't make up my mind on which of them to feature, so I thought I'd go crazy and throw em' both out there. Someone stop me, I'm out of control.

Oh, by the way, does anyone know how to spell "two-fer"? Like "two'fer the price of one"? I should have Urban Dictionaried it, but why bother with minor details?

As I was saying, two trends: Mini messenger bags and clogs! The mini messenger is just like the regular messenger bag...only...um...miniature. Obvi.

Mini-sized things are always so darn appealing to me. Dunno why. It's unexplainable. A few gems that jumped out at me...

Totally Turnlock Percy by Marc Jacobs

3 Zip Rocker by Rebecca Minkoff

Petal to the Metal by Marc Jacobs

I'm not Dutch, but I've never met a clog I didn't like. Except for Crocs. I'll pass on those.

But I will take one of each of the following...

Quixote by Matt Bernson (also a Rachel Zoe Pick!)

Ciao by Charles David

Winsy by Jessica Simpson

That about wraps it up. Mini-messengers and clogs. Good stuff, good stuff.

In other fashion related news, I got an email from the amazing team at Follis last week with the availability list of their newest creation. Remember the oh-so-presh Laced Julia bag that I blogged about a couple of weeks ago? Well, in just a few short weeks, you can grab one for yourself at any of the following locations, including Urban Outfitters!


Domestic

Cocolico
275 Mott Street
New York, NY 10012
212.965.5462
http://www.shopcoclico.com/

Weston Wear
2650 18th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415.550.8869

Tracy B. Boutique
1042 Chapel Street
New Haven, CT 06510
203.772.2205

Verve
338 Bleeker Street
New York, NY 10014
212.675.6693

International

En Recre Hiroo Store
4-1-29 Minami Azabu Minato-ku, Tokyo
Japan
Tel: 03-3473-8600

En Recre Marunouchi Store
2-4-1 Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Japan
Tel:03-3240-1003

En Recre Jiyugaoka Store
1-8-2 Jiyugaoka Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Japan
Tel: 03-5729-3355

Online

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/

Follis Facebook Site – Click Here (Follis will be taking online orders through their Facebook website)

Be blessed, lovelies-

Photo credits: Piperlime

Let's Toast

Happy Tyyyooooo-zzzzday, ladies and (a few) gents.

I'm currently scouring the web for party planning ideas for my madre's 50th birthday. I want to do something small and intimate for her; just a few close friends and family, some good wine and delicious food. Oh, and some totally presh decorations, too : )

I saw these etched party glasses on City Cradle Design last night and knew immediately this was something I wanted to try.

They appear to be relatively simple to make, extremely inexpensive and completely adorbs. Also you could do this on any type of glass, jar or saucer for an impressive decorative touch. I'm going to experiment this weekend and I'll try to post pics of my own creation next week. Until then, here are Vicky's steps for "etched" party glasses:

1. Begin with a stenciling of the word you're going to "etch". The stencils need to be plastic, as they're more durable.

2. Begin by using your finger or a small craft brush to apply a thin coat of corn-syrup to the outside of the glass, applying the line barely wide/tall enough for your stencils.

3. Place the stencils down and they will stick to the corn-syrup.

4. Carefully tap a small spoonful of cinnamon over the stencils, one letter at a time.

5. Next, cover the stencil completely and pat it down with your finger.

6. After it sets, quickly turn the glass over to remove any excess cinnamon.

7. After your word is finished, cover the top of the glass with paper and mist with washable clear spray glue, (can be found at Hobby Lobby or Michael's), to set the word into place.

The best part is that the "etching" is totally temporary; just toss everything in the sink or dishwasher and, voila! Like magic, your glasses return to normal.

Want more ideas for DIY party planning tips and tricks? Visit City Cradle Design for more inspiration!

Be blessed, lovelies-

Photo credits: City Cradle Design

Inspired By: {Hollywood}

Happy Monday, dolls! I'm coming at ya from my stomping grounds in Northwest Arkansas today; back from Cali safely and soundly.

It's nice to be home, but I already miss the perfect weather and crashing waves of the West Coast....*sigh*

The first thing I did after returning home last night was to go straight to McAlister's from the airport for a large sweet tea. Ridiculous? I know. But I'm a southern girl through and through and I miss my sweet tea when I'm gone. And, as most of us know, it's hard stuff to come by outside of the southern states.

It was also nice to crash in my own bed, which I always lovingly refer to as the "black hole". Once you're sucked in, there's no getting out : )

So anyway, still reeling with inspiration from the trends out West, I thought I'd put together my own little copycat version of the outfit in the pic above. Inspired by Hollywood, I could totally see rocking something like this for a casual night out. This blazer by Central Park West and striped three-quarter length tee by Splendid, below, are almost identical to the much pricier version in the pic.

These denim shorts from Aubin and Wills are also a near-perfect match.

A bit different, but still very similar, these Mary Jane inspired heels by Betsey Johnson are just the ticket to height and style.

I'm not much of a hat girl, but I do love hair accessories. This cute little headband from Modcloth would be a great substitute, if you're not into lids.

Finally, copy the model's perfectly pink pout with this kitsch-but-cool lip palette from Buxom called Laura Does London.

And there you have it.

Be blessed, lovelies-

Photo credits: FGR, PiperLime, ModCloth, Sephora

The Getty

I wanted so badly to come up with a cutesy, clever little title for this post, but sometimes I think simplicity is better. Today was definitely one of the best days of this vacation, as we visited the Getty Museum; a place I've wanted to see for as long as I can remember.

After spending well over 4 hours on the Campus, I can totally understand why numerous famous designers, architects, musicians, writers and artists have gained inspiration for their own creations from the Getty.

The photography portion, (highlights of which were the Larry Towell exhibition Mennonites and the Mary Ellen Mark exhibition Streetwise- Google them and you'll see what I'm talking about), the Neoclassical paintings and the illuminated manuscripts were my favorite, as well as the main gardens. Really though, there isn't one inch of Getty that isn't facinating.

From the time I hit "post" in a moment, I have exactly 4 hours until I have to be up for my very early flight back Northwest Arkansas, so I'm going to go to sleep now.

Goodbye West Coast, I will miss you. Hope to see you soon!

Maybe permanently?? Hmmmm...that's for another post all-together ; ) Will expound next week.

Be blessed, lovelies-

Photo credits: A Blonde Ambition

Just Coastin'

Hey beauties! Wow, it feels like forever since I've blogged...and technically, (for me anyway), it has been forever! 4 days is FAR too long for me to go without checking in with my favorite bloggy peeps : )

This trip has been fast, a bit frantic, but totally, utterly fabulous. Mucho emphasis on the fabulous part.

I have been loving me some West Coast this week. I'm already kinda bummed about leaving on Sunday, (tear and sad face.) I think I will miss the refreshingly chilly weather the most. I mean seriously, this might be the first time I've ever had to wear sweaters and scarves in July in the United States. Craziness.

Ok, so the abbreviated version of the previous 4 days goes a little something like this:

Wednesday- We started our day in Monterey, which was a little foggy and a lot CHILLY. Still though, I always feel like I'm in a Steinbeck novel in that town because it's so picturesque and perfect. After Monterey, we headed to Cambria to meet up with my aunt, uncle and cousin who drove up from Los Angeles. We stayed two nights in Cambria at an adorable rental house, courtesy of Ken and Candice Craig, (thanks again, guys!)

View from our rental in Cambria...stunning.

...and the interior. So stinkin' cute!

Thursday- Highlights of this day were the Coconut Cream Pie at Linn's (holy mother of whipped cream...yum), Hearst Castle (which is technically in San Simeon, but whatevs), and the not-so-beautiful-but-totally-photo-worthy-and-cute-in-their-own-special-way elephant seals.

View from Hearst Castle- San Simeon, CA

Oh, and the wine tasting in Paso Robles. Nothing like a glass of savory Zin Port at 11 a.m. on a weekday to reinforce the fact that you're definitely on vacation.



Fun Fact: Girls and boys, if you're ever in the Cambria/PR vicinity, do yourselves a favor and stop at the Zin Alley winery. Best. Vino. Ever. And the owner, Frank, is a downright cool guy.

Today- Shopping in San Luis Obispo. So you know I couldn't travel ALL the way to Cali without sneaking in a little alot of shopping...see Exhibits A, B, C and D below.

Silver and Onyx Swirl Bracelet

Nautical-inspired playdress by Lush

Purple and black paintbrush print tank by Kensie

Chambray Zip-Up Boyfriend shirt by LoveStitch

So yeah, souvenirs from this trip so far include: Wine and clothing/accessories. Successful vacay? I think so.

Tomorrow we're heading to Malibu, Santa Monica and finally, back to L.A.

Whew.

Hope to touch base again, but we'll see. I would say I miss ya'll, but the great thing about blogging is that I've been able to take you along with me this whole time : )

Be blessed, lovelies-

Photo credits: A Blonde Ambition

If a Tree Falls In the Forest...

Hello, dearhearts! Hope everyone is having a fabulous week- whatever you're doing and wherever you are. It goes without saying that my week has been pretty kick-A so far, for obvious reasons.


Today, we headed out early to explore Muir Woods and gaze upon the beauty of the redwood forests and be one with nature and whatnot. It was really foggy and SUPER cold, but unbelievably beautiful. Definitely a must-see if you ever visit San Fran.

After our little nature session, we ventured into the city to explore Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, Little Italy and a few other quintessential San Franciscan things. Each time I visit SF, I'm reminded of just how much I love this town. The people, the sites, the laid-back energy of the city...can't get enough.

Tonight, we drove a few miles out of the city to a little town called Half-Moon Bay, where we're staying for the night. After stuffing ourselves royally at a delish little Mexican restaurant, we headed back to the hotel to crash.


Well, everyone else is crashing, but being the diligent blogger that I am, I'm type-type-typing away on the laptop : ) Tomorrow we're heading down the coast a little further to Cambria, which I'm told is lovely and loaded with wineries. Don't know about y'all, but I'm so game for some mid-week wine tasting!

It's late and I'm sleepy, so I'll talk to you beauties again tomorrow.

Be blessed, lovelies-

Save Me, San Francisco

Hey y'all! Welp, today was my first full day in beautiful, chilly San Francisco...emphasis on the chilly part. In fact, it was downright COLD tonight at dinner! But that's totally ok, because I'll take 57 degrees and windy over sweltering heat/humidity ANY day of the week : )

So anywhozit...I woke up at 5:30 a.m. California time this morning and had a mini-heart attack, thinking I was late for work, haha. Then it dawned on me that a) I was on vacation and did not have to go to work; and b) I was not in Arkansas, it was freakin' early and I probably needed to go back to sleep for 2 more hours.

So after a couple of additional hours of sleep, we got up, got ready and headed out for a day-long drive down the gorgeous Pacific coastline.

And gorgeous it was....oh my, y'all. Perfection. See Exhibit A, below.

I'm a dork and think everything needs a soundtrack, so I downloaded a ton of San Francisco/California themed songs this morning before we left, (one of which inspired the title for this post.)

Brandon Boyd's new solo album The Wild Trapeze served as my road trip background noise today, as every song just jived perfectly with surroundings.

On the agenda for tomorrow: Chinatown, baby! I'm in search of a new knock-off for fall, (the latest Balenciaga tote, perhaps?)

Until then, sweet dreams.

Be blessed, lovelies-

(Gasp!) Did She Have Work Done?

So as you probably noticed, A Blonde Ambition TOTALLY got a little nip/tuck yesterday courtesy of the amazingly talented Kelly, of Fabulous K Creative!

I went to Kelly a couple weeks ago begging for blog makeover. I knew I wanted simplicity; I knew I wanted clean lines and hints of blue and yellow (since it is a blonde blog, after all); I also knew I wanted a three-column design with a wider middle section so I could upload larger pics. Kelly was able to grant all of my wishes and MORE! Thanks again, girlie- poo for your hard work and creative vision- I honestly can't express how much I am loving this!

In other news, yup, I made it to Cali! I'm blogging from the beautiful and MUCH cooler (as in temperature) San Francisco this evening. I stepped off the plane about 3:30 this afternoon and was immediately graced with a refreshing 62 degree breeze. Ahhhhh....bliss...



I also ate an an amazing restaurant tonight in Petaluma called The Wild Goat Bistro. I had grilled tilapia crusted in slivered purple potatoes, fresh arugula drizzled in a lemon butter olive oil and grilled zucchini, all organic! Words cannot express how delish this meal was...oh my, y'all. And, get this, the owner of the restaurant came over and chatted with us and, turns out, she has immediate family that live in Fayetteville, AR, (where yours truly lives!) How funny is that? This just proves my theory once again, that everyone, and I mean everyone knows someone from Arkansas, haha.


Tomorrow, I'll be heading into the city again for a day of sightseeing and shopping. I'll try to check back in tomorrow night when I (hopefully) have some pics!

Signing out from the West Coast - Goodnight and sleep tight.

Be blessed, lovelies-