Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Craving Fun Earrings!








Okay is it just me or are the spring earrings this season so freakin cute?!? These are my faves!! Click to shop and have a lovely day!

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Monday, April 18, 2016

Spring is here!

exact bag // exact necklace // similar bracelets // similar jeans // similar top (under $11)
 // similar boots // similar hat (under $25)






exact bag // exact necklace // similar bracelets // similar jeans // similar top (under $11)
 // similar boots // similar hat (under $25) 
 
Happy Monday! Did everyone enjoy their weekend?? Did any of you go to Coachella?? SH and I flew to Catalina on Saturday and hiked around with a friend, it was so much fun!! Just stunningly beautiful!! The ocean was SO blue! It was hot enough this weekend to bust out a bathing suit and tanning lotion! Anyway I wore this outfit last weekend at the LA Times Festival of Books. It was a little cooler that weekend so I got to wear my favorite ankle booties (they're no longer in stock but I linked a similar super cute pair at a reasonable price). And if you don't have a panama hat yet for spring/summer you certainly need to get one!
 
Hope you all have a wonderful day :)

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Friday, April 15, 2016

Review of The Flower Chef + Giveaway!!

This post was made possible by Blogger Babes. I received a complimentary copy of The Flower Chef in exchange for my honest review. Thoughts are 100% my own.

Happy #flowerFriday everybody!! Today could not be a more perfect day to talk about The Flower Chef by Carly Cylinder! I'm always looking for new ways to freshen up my home. New pillows, a gallery wall, or a lit candle are all wonderful ways to spruce up a space, but my favorite way is definitely having fresh flowers on hand. I've never been very good at arranging flowers. My mom, on the other hand, has always had a knack for it. Every holiday, dinner party, or special occasion, she lays out a beautiful centerpiece on the table with fresh flowers, leaves, candles, and seasonal items like pine cones, making our dining table look ornate and festive. This gesture has left a significant impression on me. It's a ritual I admire, and one I want to learn and emulate. When the opportunity to blog about The Flower Chef by Carly Cylinder arose I was so excited! With the help of this book, I'm taking the plunge and learning how to create floral masterpieces like my mom.


You may be thinking, what is this book about? Is it about edible flowers? Is it a book of recipes of how to add flowers to your food? That sounds like something trendy that would be happening in LA, but no, that's not what this book is about. In the book's introduction, Carly tells a charming story about how she misspelled orchid as orchard during her first week working at an LA florist. Years later, her skill and confidence have blossomed (see what I did there?) and she's now created a gorgeous book sharing her passion for the wonderful world of flowers, encouraging others to take the plunge into the creative, sensory experience of flower arranging.

What's great about this book is that it's easy to follow, much like a great recipe book. It's incredibly informative, detailed, and carefully curated. Carly goes over flower care, flower types, how to buy flowers, what supplies are needed, etc. Each flower has it's own preparation instructions, which are gone over in detail. (Umm, I didn't know carnations had to be prepped differently than billy balls, did you? Yes, billy balls. Google it. I promise, it's safe :)) Much like a recipe book, in The Flower Chef, ingredients are laid out, prep time is estimated, and "cook time" or time it will take to create the arrangement, is all laid out for you, as well as an estimate of how much it will cost so you know what you're getting in to before you head to the store. I love the comparison of flower arranging to cooking -- both are wonderful rituals that give pleasure and happiness to both the chef and those who enjoy his or her creations.

Carly's passion for flowers is written on every page of her book. The photos are exquisite and leave you feeling inspired and happy. You might be thinking, well that's great, of course her photos look good, but will mine look like the "Pinterest Fails" I find on the internet? Carly has difficulty levels from 1 - to 4, 1 being the easiest and 4 the most advanced. I encourage you to start out with a level 1 project so you can start small and work your way up to more ambitious projects. There's a level 3 difficulty arrangement where you get to use artichokes and plums :) I can't wait to try that one! Another thing I appreciate about this book is that budget is taken into account. You don't have to be going to farmer's market or specialist to get exquisite flowers for your arrangements. Carly explains she herself often buy grocery store flowers, and it's okay if you do, too.

I'm happy to say this book has my stamp of approval! I hope you feel inspired, happy, and rejuvenated by reading this book! I'm giving you the chance to win a copy of The Flower Chef and with Mother's Day coming up, there really couldn't be better timing!! This book is the perfect Mother's Day gift for any mom who loves and appreciates flowers. Or maybe you're hosting a bridal shower or a graduation party? You'll want this book by your side. Enter below for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In addition to entering the giveaway, I also encourage you to enter the Spring #DIYFloralArrangement Pinterest Contest with The Flower Chef & Luna Bazaar! There are two ways to win. The first is by creating a DIY floral arrangement and sharing it on your blog or social media accounts to win one of three prize packages. The second is to create a #DIYFloralArrangement Pinterest board with 5 items from Luna Bazaar's website and 5 repins from The Flower Chef. Go to bloggerbabes.com/diyfloralcontest to submit your entry by 11:59pm PCT on April 22, 2016 or for more information. See below for details:


Good luck to everyone who enters and make sure to tell your friends and family about The Flower Chef!! Thank you to Blogger Babes for including me in this book tour! Have a great day everyone!!

This post was made possible by Blogger Babes. I received a complimentary copy of The Flower Chef in exchange for my honest review. Thoughts are 100% my own.

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

J.O.A Top



I can't get enough of this off the shoulder top!!! I wore it out to dinner the other night for SH and my three year anniversary :) and I've gotten so many compliments on it! Pair it with some skinny jeans (white or black!) and platforms or wedges, start an arm party with tassel jewelry and you're good to go! I promise you'll be reaching for it all summer long!










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Monday, April 11, 2016

Floral Maxi Dress


Dress: Nordstrom (shop similar floral pattern here, also love this shorter floral dress) | 
Shoes: Nordstrom Rack (similar here) | Earrings: J. Crew | Choker: ANGL 

Happy Monday babes!! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I spent Saturday cleaning and blogging :) I'm sorry to say this dress is sold out in this particular pattern, but luckily it comes in solid white and navy and also another gorgeous floral pattern! I love how flowy and comfortable this dress is and the price tag is AMAZING!! $52!! Can't beat that. I decided to mix this uber feminine maxi dress with an edgier choker (giving a nod to the 90's) and some chunky dangly earrings. Big earrings are, well, BIG right now! Bring them out for spring and summer ladies! Also I have to celebrate these Michael Kors 70's style suede platforms that I got at Nordstrom Rack for $45! They were originally $185!!! Super stoked on that! What do you guys think of this look? Mixing 70's + 90's + super feminine florals? Have a great start to your week!!






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Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Pinterest Pretty: Spring Outfit Inspo

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Don't you wish you could just repin a photo on Pinterest and all the clothes would end up in your closet?! I know, me too. And if you're not following me on Pinterest you totally should be! Pinterest.com/mapleandmint :) Have a lovely Tuesday!!

Shop Spring Looks Here:




Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Shopbop Friends and Family Sale! 25% Off

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The Shopbop Friends and Family Sale is here!! Get 25% off almost everything sitewide for two days only!
Use code: INTHEFAM for 25% off your order. If you have a vacation coming up or just need to stock up on spring essentials, now is the time! Hurry because popular items and sizes go fast! Shop my picks below:


Monday, April 4, 2016

8 Spring Date Ideas (many of which are free!)

1. Go on a picnic!
A spring picnic is the cutest date ever! There are lots of cute places to picnic in LA. If you are looking to head to a beautiful part of the coast that's not overcrowded, Point Vicente lighthouse is a nice spot with shaded picnic tables, a path for walking and a beautiful view. Bonus: There are lighthouse tours every second Saturday of the month!

2. Go on a hike.
This is a classic activity whether you are entertaining family from out of town, getting active with friends or bonding with your SO. Griffith, Runyon, The Sunken City and the Wisdom Tree are popular LA destinations. White Point Preserve is another fairly easy hike that I enjoy for an ocean breeze and coastal views.

3. Go paddleboarding! 
This is on my list for spring/summer 16!! I've never done it and I'd like to try!

4. Go for a walk on the beach. 
This is a year round favorite for SH and me since we live in a gorgeous climate. Head out at sunset for a romantic end to your day.

 5. Try something new together. 
Whether it's a workout class, pottery throwing, painting or cooking, get together with your beau or best friend and have a new experience together!

6. Cook a springy meal together. 
Some spring go-tos include greek salad and deviled eggs.

7. Binge watch a TV show and don't feel bad about it. 
Yes it's spring, but not all spring days are warm and beautiful or have to be spent outside! Laze about in your pajamas and binge watch, baby, binge watch. Take it up a notch from Netflix and chill.

8. Have a fitness battle. 
After your binge watching mayyybe you need to get that blood pumping. See who takes the most steps in a day and the loser buys dinner :)
 

*Also, congrats to the giveaway winner, Linda R! Check your email! :)

Friday, April 1, 2016

Happy Friday! Have a laugh :)

Easy Meatball Sandwiches

Photo Cred
Hi guys! Happy FriYAY!!!! Sorry for being a little MIA, there are a lot of transitions happening in my life right now so my hands have been pretty full. I hope to return to normal posting schedule on Monday. Anyway, last week I made Meatball Sandwiches for SH and I for dinner and they are SO easy and delicious, you'll just love them!!

I got this recipe from the blog, Home Cooking Memories. See below for my little tweaks:

What You'll Need:
Meatballs (I used frozen beef meatballs)
Tomato (Pasta) Sauce
Rolls
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
(All of this I got from Target)

Directions:
The original recipe says to place the frozen meatballs in the pot with the tomato sauce, but I cooked them in the microwave first and then heated the sauce separately on the stove on low-medium. Here is my take on the recipe:

1. Cook meatballs in microwave while heating tomato sauce on stove on low-medium heat. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Once meatballs are cooked, mix them in to the tomato sauce. Take off the heat.
3. Place foil over a baking sheet. Place rolls on baking sheet. Place meatballs into the rolls (I did about 5 for each roll) but try not to get too much sauce with the meatball when you scoop them in.
4. Then top the meatballs with tomato sauce.
5. Add shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
6. Pop in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.
7. Take out of the oven and enjoy!!! (Top with more sauce if you want.)

Let me know what you think of this easy meatball sandwich recipe!!

(PS. The giveaway winner will be announced early next week!)

 

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