Monthly Archives: November 2012

Neiman Marcus for Target Holiday Gifts

This is the biggest designer collaboration with Target ever. 24 designers are releasing 50 holiday gifts for the wallet-impaired folks such as myself.

Neiman Marcus Target Collection
The gang

Items are scheduled to arrive tomorrow but you know Target. The price point is $7.99 for Rodarte wrapping paper to $99.99 Marchesa dresses for girls. There are too many goodies to list them all but these are on my wishlist.

I am excited about this! First Look! Check Out the Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection
I need that Marc Jacobs pouch in gold and that Derek Lam skateboard for Liv…

Pretty on pedals: the Alice + Oliva Bike from the limited‐time Neiman Marcus + Target collection. #Holiday24
Alice + Olivia bicycle *okay, I don’t need a new bike but it’s adorable*
A gift packed with style—Alice + Olivia Luggage. From the exclusive Neiman Marcus + Target collection. #Holiday24
Alice + Olivia luggage *so perfect for our trip to Paris*
Beyond sweet, the Marchesa Girls' Beaded Dress in the Neiman Marcus + Target collection #Holiday24
Marchesa gown *so pretty for Liv to wear for our holiday card*
For little girls who like to twirl: Jason Wu Girls' Printed Dress in the Neiman Marcus + Target collection. #Holiday24
These pretty Jason Wu dresses are much for sensible
Crimson curtsy cuteness: Jason Wu Girls' Solid Dress from the Neiman Marcus + Target collection. #Holiday24
…and the $59 price is in my budget
Almost too pretty to carry your lunch, the Tory Burch Lunch Bag, from the Neiman Marcus + Target collection. #Holiday24
Tory Burch lunch box *Liv’s Keroppi lunch bag is looking pretty tattered now*

Fifi and Fido can dine in style with this Oscar de la Renta Pet Bowl in the Neiman Marcus + Target collection #Holiday24
Okay, so we don’t have a dog…now, but we plan on getting one  in the future and they are going to need a bowl. Who can say their dog has an Oscar de la Renta water bowl?
Brian Atwood for Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection Leather Gloves
These Brian Atwood leather studded gloves are more Aimee-style than me. I’m disappointed he didn’t included any of his signature pumps in this collection.

Brian Atwood Suede Platform Pumps
Of course I wouldn’t be able to walk 3 steps in heels this high but every woman has a shoe fantasy and this man makes the most gorgeous shoes
I’m going to Target tomorrow just to browse and see what kind of madness ensues. I wish I can say I’ll be loading up my cart but I’m just about done with my holiday shopping. I’ve got two kitchens to plan *ours and Liv’s* and I know when to quit while I’m ahead. Besides, I have this lovely gift to stare at. 
Happy Weekend!

These are a few of my Favorite Things

Oh, the world is full of lovely things, don’t you agree?

kate spade new york 'arm candy' leather pouch available at #Nordstrom

kate spade new york ‘arm candy’ leather pouch *Drool, I want candy!*

M·A·C ‘Sinfully Chic’ Face Kit *my makeup collection is lacking nude tones*



Rae Dunn by Magenta Small Fruit Colander
Rae Dunn by Magenta Small Fruit Colander



Non-traditional rainboots to stay dry in style
Tory Burch Fox Lace Up Rainboot *boo, these adorable guys are sold out*


A new pretty headband for Liv and a statement necklace that I patiently waited to go on sale
Gloves for the cold weather
Printed canvas oxfords
Still on the hunt for the perfect pair of oxfords *I cannot resist these dots*
Deena & Ozzy Metallic Loafer I just bought these guys on sale....I love gold!!!
Deena & Ozzy Metallic Loafer *20 in store, $30 online* GOLD!

Winning Misha Lulu/Lili giveaways rule
Thanks so much Karen, we are huge Misha Lulu fans!
Some sale scores are too awesome to keep secret. I saw a post by Kate Spade on facebook late night last Monday *it really does pay to follow your fave designers on fb* about their site having technical difficulties due to the huge cyber-Monday sale. I was intrigued but had no intention to buy anything but when I saw the very first item on the home page, my jaw hit the floor. Back in August I was hunting everywhere for this sold out bag. Ebay had a bunch but they were selling for $350 and they looked like fakes. I even emailed customer support to ask if any stores might have them in stock or had any returns. They pretty much told me, “Sorry sweetie, you snooze, you lose.” So when our anniversary came around, I didn’t get the gift I’d hoped for *although the amazing pop up dinner and a surprise trip to Disneyland definitely made up for it* Not only was it the infamous Eat Cake for Breakfast bag but it was on super cyber sale marked down from the original $248 price tag. Say Whaaa?

kate spade new york ‘call to action – terry’ tote
I’m so freaking excited to get this guy *it’s supposed to arrive tomorrow evening*. It is an iconic bag and so minimalistic. It’s big enough to carry all my junk and I got it on S A L E!! High five to me. There are some new versions of it available on the Kate Spade website but if you ask me, they aren’t as cute.
And I know cute when I see it…
Liv model from sunkissis on Vimeo.




I want my PINK Christmas!

Every year I tell Antz this will be the year I am getting my dream pink Christmas tree.

This was from a photo shoot in Blueprint magazine *which sadly is no longer in print*
@Jessica Godinho Pretty in Pink Christmas Tree, Pretty in Pink Christmas Trees - Treetopia
Treetopia

I tell him I’ll buy it either on Black Friday or after Christmas when it’s on clearance. Yet, I seem to talk myself out of it when I start to think about the big picture. We hope to sell this house and buy a new bigger house that will accommodate a six foot tree. Then there’s the price tag. The six foot tree comes with 500 lights is regularly priced $438. Insane, I know, which is why the clearance price of $168 seems so reasonable, right? I usually spend $15 on a cute Charlie Brown sized tree from Fresh & Easy. It’s tiny enough to sit on our congas and we have just enough ornaments to give it some charm. It’s a nice compliment to my Grandma’s porcelain tree *that still plays Silent Night*

Last Christmas
This is the only heirloom I have from my Grandma Louise

I check every year on Black Friday and Cyber Monday but the lowest it’s ever gotten is $148. Then I have to add $58 for a tree stand with wheels. I’d have to invest in a Christmas tree bag to keep it stored in the garage, that’s another $59. I haven’t even started a budget for ornaments. Anthro is killing me with these beauties…

Cast of Characters from Anthropologie on Vimeo.

Odette Swan
Odette Swan



Hopefully these guys will go on sale after Christmas but I’m certain they will be gone by then. So this is my annual dilemma; Break my holiday shopping budget on my dream tree which will barely fit in our current house. Or wait until we buy our new house and go all out for our first Christmas and face the risk the most of these items will be sold out in 3 years. That swan ornament reminds me of my lovely Björk. I’m sure she would tell me to buy it in her sweet little Icelandic elfy voice. Have you lovelies trimmed the Christmas tree yet? Do you buy a fresh cut tree or you have an artificial tree you’ve had for years? My reasoning tells me it’s a lifetime investment but knowing how often I change my mind, I just may want to get this awesome guy next year.

upside down christmas tree
Bottom’s Upside-Down Christmas Tree

Antz says it looks blasphemous. Genevieve Gorder had one that hung from her ceiling and it looked so rad! I have to find the episode of Dear Genevieve that I saw it on.

A Brand new Kitchen!

Antz and I have been talking about our kitchen renovation we’re planning this spring and yesterday we asked a realtor to come over to give us a professional assessment. He told us it only makes sense that we replace the cabinets with new Ikea ones. The price is about $2000 but our 89 year old cabinets will look horrible, even with a new paint job and fancy new handles and knobs. I’ve been checking out the catalog and we are thinking of going with the Akurum/Applad series.

Ikea Akurum white cabinets, tiny space, farmhouse sink
Here’s an example of the cabinets from Pinterest

This is similar to our layout with an L-Shape. I want an apron front double sink and a dishwasher. I keep going back and forth between wanting to stay on a under $6,000 budget and wanting a really nice kitchen for more. We’re gonna bite the bullet and pay Ikea to install them since, A. our house is so darn crooked it would be impossible for us to figure out how to install them properly and B. we are handy but not that handy. I feel more comfortable doing the subway tile backsplash and painting ourselves.

I’m hoping we end up with a kitchen pretty close to this one.

There is so much to love about this kitchen

I’m increasing our budget to $8,000 but for a brand new kitchen, having our plumbing repaired and getting the floors refinished, that’s a bargain. Speaking of bargains, I found the steal of century online tonight but it’s a Christmas gift so I’ll share it next month. Since we are getting a new kitchen, I thought Liv would like one too. We’re buying her a mini kitchen set but I plan to add a personal crafty touch. I am still waiting for the Melissa & Doug food sets to go on sale on Amazon but so far the price has only increased and decreased by a few dollars. 

We had such a fun weekend. We caught up with family and friends and ate so much.

Bleu & Bacon burger and sweet potato fries from lunch at Granville Cafe

We’ve been so busy we never had a chance to watch Moonrise Kingdom but Liv did watch Cinderella. She liked it, particularly the mice. I have Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter from Netflix but I heard it’s pretty lame. Thank goodness next week isn’t super booked. Antz is taking Friday off so we can have a consultation at Ikea about the kitchen and we can get started on Liv’s kitchen. Oh! Antz put up the Holiday decorations in the house this morning. We’ll put up the outdoor decorations next weekend.

My Grandma’s 65 year old Porcelain Christmas tree is holding up well.

Have you started holiday shopping and decorating yet? Here’s how the bedding looks, I love it!

A Stuffed Turkey

We just finished the last of our wonderful Thanksgiving dinner leftovers and I am stuffed. We usually go to Antz Mom’s house for dinner but this year his brother Charles hosted the huge family.

My sister and nephew

Olivia had the best time running after her older cousins and eating sweet potatoes. I even made jalapeno cornbread muffins. Once again I totally forgot to capture the lovely meal but that usually means I’m too focused on eating to remember to grab my camera. I did get a family photo and my camera remote actually worked this time even though I had to run into the shot about 5 times. Huzzah!

Antz has promised to center it, and zoom in so you can actually see all our lovely faces

Anthropologie bummed me out this year since they aren’t carrying children’s clothes and instead of the Black Friday 50% off, they are only offering 25%. Old Navy surprised me with this gem. I snagged the last one in stock online.

Softest Printed-Crew Sweaters Just bought this guy tonight!!
It’s sold out now

I did score some home goodies from Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond. I wasn’t planning on going to the store but since I saw everything I wanted was in stock and they were offering 20% off your entire purchase, I took the trip. It was surprisingly calm in the store. No one was fighting over towels and I didn’t arrive to a shop that looked like it had been looted after an apocalypse. I browsed the bedding section

I love this Kate Spade pillow
The sale is in-store only

…and found the complete Orla Kiely set I’ve been wanting for months on clearance, along with the 20% coupon, I saved $100 off the set. I’m short one sham pillowcase but that’s what happens when you have 3 standard pillows and pillowcases are sold in a set of 2.

I am the only person with a phobia about putting new bedding on the bed?

I couldn’t be happier and to my delightful surprise Antz brings me a package from Amazon. I completely forgot I pre-ordered Moonrise Kingdom and Cinderella last month. Liv hasn’t seen Cinderella and Antz hasn’t seen Moonrise Kingdom so we’ll watch them over the weekend.

Doesn’t today feel like a Sunday? What a rad holiday we’ve had so far. I think I’ll pick up a pumpkin pie since we finished our leftovers. We’re just chillin’!

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wish I became a writer. I loved to write in my youth. I took creative writing classes and loved being assigned book reports and essays in school *nerd alert* I swear I used to create my own novels by stapling lined papers and illustrating a cover and I would even include my photo and bio on the jacket. I guess we can blame Kourtney Dean for my love of writing dissolving. Kourtney was 6 feet tall, had green eyes and played football *yep, a boy named Kourtney* he was friends with my good friend Stacey *another guy with a girl’s name* and I don’t think he even knew my name. I crushed hard on him all through middle school like Samantha Baker lusting after Jake Ryan but in the end, I didn’t get my first kiss with Kourtney. I turned to Metallica instead, threw out all my self-published books and began my Metal-head phase while I brooded for 2 years.

*Thank God there are no photos in evidence of that period*

So, now as an older lady who just celebrated her blog’s 4th anniversary, thank you, I am remorseful I didn’t continue developing my writing talent. I don’t even consider what I do here as writing. To me it’s my brain talking on a computer. Which is why you find so many grammatical errors, run-on sentences and plenty of incoherent ramblings *see above* I sometimes feel apologetic to my readers for my lack of poetic rhythm in my writings. Although I can’t help but feel proud that I have created this online journal. It is my preserved piece of history that I can one day share with my daughter. After she rolls her eyes at me and tells me I’m old and lame, she can read about how ecstatic we were when we discovered we were having a bebe. All the pain staking planning and details we put into her nursery, how amazing her birth was and all the thousands of photos we took of every smile, the videos of the first time she walked and her silly dancing in ballet class. I started out with 2 measly entries in 2008 and then 59 in 2009 and today, this post is my 838th. Well, thank you to those who have been here for some time and welcome to new readers. Even if it’s just my dear friends, my loyal BFF and my incredible Mom who take 5 minutes from your day to see what’s going on in the crazy world of Elizabeth, Antz & Liv. I am virtually high fiving everyone.

In honor of 4 years of being Violently Happy…enjoy this slideshow of my most embarrassing moments captured. Many of these were taken in the late 90’s/early 2000’s, in the pre-digital, pre-blogger age.

I have some rad projects for the coming year, a huge kitchen remodel this spring, making our backyard look green again and glazing the bathtub in white. I will try my best to add more videos to my blog. My biggest project at the moment is Olivia’s Christmas present which I’m working on a mood board now. Laters!

Pre-Thanksgiving in Apple Valley

We have an annual tradition of spending the weekend before Thanksgiving at my Mom’s house in the desert. We cook up a non-traditional feast of crab legs, shrimp, lobster tails, filet mignon and spinach & feta cheese stuffed salmon. Sadly, I didn’t get any shots of the fantastic food but let me assure you, it was yummers. It was such a laid back weekend. We just hung out by the fire, took a nature walk with Liv and the dogs and played around in my Mom’s music room *Antz on the bass, my Mom on drums and me and Liv on the piano*. I spent hours trying to set up my Mom’s new streaming player so she can watch instant Netflix and turns out all I had to do was enter her wi-fi password in caps. DUH!! Now she can access Youtube and Netflix on her TV but I had to make her a cheat sheet so she remembers how to do it.

It was stormy and cold in LA but we had pretty nice weather

This is just a fraction of my Mom’s gold & platinum albums
Sunsets are the best

I have a busy week ahead doing two of my favorite things, eating & shopping! We’re going to family and friend’s houses. I’ve got my Black Friday shopping list started but I’m disappointed that Anthropologie hasn’t launched the kid’s clothes yet, Boo!

My Game Plan
Target – Vacuum cleaner, sheets, a dress, socks and a Wii game for Liv
Bed, Bath & Beyond – Heated mattress pad, new pillows, a crock pot, and a comforter

Detailed View
I want all the Confetti system holiday ornaments so bad!!

West Elm – Duvet and sheet set, a Smeg Refrigerator *sike, don’t I wish*
Home Depot – Propane Grill *our 7 year old grill died* we’ll take a look at patio furniture too
Anthropologie – Clothes for Liv, maybe this tablecloth
Gap/BabyGap – Pajamas, clothes for this year’s Holiday card
Etsy – Christmas gifts and maybe this fabulous scarf for Mommy *hint, hint Santa Antz*

I’m doing all my shopping online in my jammies. Anyone brave enough to tackle the stores? I hear people are already in line at Best Buy *insane!*