Favorite Parts in April

Last month I started recapping my favorite things (events, feelings, things, etc) from the month, and want to do it again!  Feel free to join in - link up below in the comments or just comment with your favorites from April!

My favorite parts of April...

1. A trip to California.  We packed up the whole fam, and I mean the WHOLE fam!  My sister met us there from Chicago, my parents came along, and of course the hubs and baby came with me!  The trip was far too short, but packed with fun.

2. An easy going baby that traveled well! And a new hat to shield his those bright blue eyes. We found travelling with Mr. L very easy.  I mean, it definitely takes planning and organization - and didn't hurt that we had lots of help (my family), but it was a fun trip!  Also, this new hat kills me (from Baby Gap), in a good way.

3. A pretty new ring I've been wearing a lot.  It's fun to find something that can be worn a lot!  This pretty little ring has been on my finger pretty much since I got it...also made the Mother's Day gift guide and I totally want another myself (they're stackable, after all)!

4. Winning the new iPad!  Yes, winning...as in free! I actually won a work bracket and this was the grand prize. I couldn't believe it.  In case you are considering one...it's amazing. And I love it. I got mine in white, which is a bit fun.  Since I won the iPad, I splurged a bit and got a cute case from Kate Spade.

5. Meeting Tim Gunn.  Now that was cool.  Not only just meeting him, but there was a whole Fashion Show event!  I will have the whole recap (including lots of fashion tips the ever so insightful Mr. Gunn provided throughout the show and Q&A session) up on the blog and full load of pics on my Facebook page soon!

What were your favorite parts of April? And can you believe it's May already?  Summer is almost here!

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Mother's Day Gift Guide

Mother's day is Sunday, May 13th! 

 

1. I am absolutely obsessed with Voneshna's stackable rings. I have this one (as worn here) and really want this one, and probably this one, too... I think these would make a beautiful gift for any woman in your life - and could be collected year after year (after all, they're stackable...). BONOUS: If you like them on Facebook, you can get 15% off (code: Mothersday)!

2. Becoming a mom myself, I've found myself making small jewelry changes - such as wearing fun stud earrings almost exclusively (you will know why if you/once you have a little one that wants to get their little hands on anything and PULL). I love Silver Lining Decor's earrings - like these and these. Plus going on now until May 3rd, I have a Silver Lining Decor giveaway going on!  Go here to enter.

3. Anything from Kate Spade.  Besides their gorgeous jewelry (more fun studs and pretty subtle drops), fun gadget cases (like this polka dot iPad case) and fun print tees, their wrapping and boxes are already gift giving ready!

4.  Something sweet and soft.  Why not give the mama (or grandma) a cuddly and personalized (like with her baby's birth date & time, perhaps) blanket.  MyUbby helps you build custom blankets that would be perfect for baby to adult and has lots of different color, texture and trimming options. 

5. Anything by Philosophy.  They have great products and scents. My personal favs are Grace (fragrance) and Purity (face cleaner).  Stay tuned for a giveaway coming up in a few weeks!

6.  What about the gift of flowers...the won't die? Uncommon Handmade has you set with wooden ones that will look adorable in a fun vase.

What are your Mother's Day gift ideas or wishes?

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Wearing Heels is for the Birds

{Top - J.Crew, Skirt - Old Navy, Shoes - Rocketdog via DSW, Sunglasses -Forever21 (really wish I were wearing these), Watch - MK}

I wore heels today, not wedges, but full on heels and I totally regretted it.  I mean, these aren't that high or unforgettable, but these days with my new post-baby body, I have a hard time teetering around on little tiny spikes.  The day started out fine, but after my mid-day, over lunch time 4 mile jog/walk - putting these back on made me feel like a 90 year old.  

Just ask the people behind me on the stairs as I carefully teetered down, grimacing with achy knees. Seriously?  So having a baby makes your joints age 60 years? Bummer.

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Private Chef Dining...

I know this is not a food blog...mainly because I've recently come to admit that I can't cook, and hardly ever do (unless you count our nearby grocery store's salad bar? or what about a summer bean salad composed of all canned things and chopped cilantro - there is chopping involved!).

BUT, I have you show you (what I very clearly did not have any part in creating) my California private chef dinner.  This experience was part of my soon to be sister in law's bachelorette party in Sonoma. It was ahhh-mazing. Major props to the Maid of Honor who set up this weekend. 

~The Setting~

~The Menu~

~Starters~

Manchego Quince Skewers
I probably ate 10 of these...If I knew what quince was and were to get it, I'd have these in my fridge right now.

Gruyere and Potato Flatbread
White Bean and Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta (not pictured)

~First Course~

Baby Mache Salad with Crispy Laura Chanel Goat Cheese

~ Main Course ~

Honeycomb Crusted Petaluma Chicken Breast

~Dessert~

Santa Rosa Plum Beignets

If you are ever in Sonoma and want a great chef...check out A Gift of Thyme.

~For Drinking~

One of the bridesmaids made a flower wine glass for everyone!  It is so cute - such a great idea!

The next day was spent in a limo going to and from wineries...

Then I headed back to San Fran to meet up with this guy...

and the rest of my fam.  And just in case you are interested in how Liam did on his first airplane and trip altogether - go here.

Awww, California, I miss you.

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Earrings Giveaway!

This giveaway has ended. Winner announced at bottom of this post.

In honor of Mother's Day coming up - I have some great discounts and giveaways ahead for you all!  Starting with a beautiful pair of earrings.

Hello Lovelies...

Vintage Tangerine Orange & White Mosaic Earrings

These would make a beautiful gift for a special mama in your life... or yourself!  These earrings come from the shop, Silver Lining Decor.  You can find many amazing pieces in Rachel's shop, like orange & turquoise drop earrings, beautiful studs (that rival Kate Spade's current baubles), and bright necklaces.

Check out Rachel's shop for great Mother's Day gifts!

And now, how to win these beauties...

Mandatory for one & first entry:

Be a Chasing Davies via Google Friend Connect (GFC), visit Silver Lining Decor's shop, come back here and let me know in the comment section of this post what you like the best.

Increase your odds of winning.  Extra entries (leave a comment for each you do):

1. Like Silver Lining Decor on Facebook Like

2. Like Chasing Davies on Facebook

3. Post a link to this giveaway on your Facebook page/wall (Feel free to tag both our Facebook pages in your FB post)

4. Follow Chasing Davies on Twitter

5. Tweet (just once) about this giveaway linking to the post & using @ChasingDavies in the tweet.  Feel free to use this one or create your own:

Win a beautiful pair of earrings just in time for Mother's Day, #giveaway by @ChasingDavies (include link)

Good luck my friends! I wish we could all win. :)  You have until Thursday, May 3rd at midnight CST to enter and I'll announce the winner Friday, May 4th.

And the winner of this giveaway is....

 Jenni!

Want to know who won the last giveaway? Go here.

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Neutral Colored Patterns

{Top - Old Navy; Skirt - Simply Vera for Kohl's; Bag - Old Navy; Shoes - ASOS}

Thinking these bold patterns work with the toned down color pallet and the transcending white from piece to piece.  Some might argue that both my patterns are too big - usually you'd pair a big print with small print, but I was feeling this look.

I took this look to KU with me, where I spoke to a large Journalism class.  It was fun to be on campus - especially on such a beautiful day.  We even took our work to lunch at La Parrilla with us - and it was amazing.  Oh how I love Mass. St.

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Announcement!

Here thee, here thee!  I want to tell you guys about a fun little project I've been working on and ask for your support, feed back, constructive critiques, etc. :)   I'm taking my passion for all things style & fashion and desire to improve my writing skills to a new side gig of writing for Examiner.com.

I was selected to be the Kansas City's Women's Style Examiner last month and have gotten 3 articles published to-date.  I'm having a ton of fun expanding what I do here on my blog by putting a bit more content around it and also writing about great local events/store openings.

If you or know anyone who lives in the Kansas City area - please let them know about me.  But even if you don't live in KC - my articles will still be mainstream and entertaining enough (I hope) that you can read along!  You can follow my articles a number of ways...

Go to my profile page where all my articles are linked under my bio.
You can also subscribe to my feed there by pressing the RSS button & my aritcles will be emailed to you!
Follow me on Twitter where I'll link out every time I have a new one.
My Facebook page for I'll do the same there.
And I'll try to remind you here, too!

So check out my first three articles...

 Three ways to wear polka dots

Madewell opens at Town Center April 17th

 Tim Gunn coming to Kansas City

What do you think? I'd love to hear! And if you have any article requests... feel free to let me know. :)

Interested in writing for the Examiner?  Learn how here!

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Polka Dots to Work

{Dress - Marshalls (similar & midi length), White Ruffle Front & Tie Collar Button Down - Gap, Nude Heels - Kohl's, Glasses - Forever21, Earrings - Gift} 

 Often times you see wearing super casual clothes, or at least, certainly not business-wear.  Well, my job doesn't require business attire, and I'm lucky that I can wear what I'd wear anyways to work.  Sometimes, however, I do have to put on a more professional front - whether meeting with clients or presenting.

Here is an example of one of those outfits, yet still incorporating my current favorite trend of polka dots.  Also the same dress you saw me wear in a super casual way here.

I like versatile clothes.

See more ways to wear polka dots here!

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A Casual Little Outfit

And of course, the cutest thing of all is that little guy of mine.  He refuses to pose for the camera, but that's ok - I do that enough for both of us.  You can see him roll over here.

A little bit of a casual (as previewed here) and end of the day kind of disheveled look for you here... I love the green fine cords though, so figured I'd share despite the wear and tear of the day apparent on my face and in my hair (and if you look close enough, stained all over my clothes... let's just say I had a blackberry incident - thus the reason for the leg post - and Liam has taken a liking to lick everything and anything).

{Outfit details: Chambray - J.Crew (similar), Pants - Loft, Flats - ASOS, Necklace - Talbots, Watch - MK, Glasses - Forever21}



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Nail Polish Giveaway! - Closed

This giveaway is now closed. Winner announced at bottom of this post.

Thanks to Verve 360 hair salons in Pittsburgh for providing today's giveaway: two Zoya polishes from their new TRUE Spring collection, Skylar and Lotus! Zoya's natural nail polishes are free from toluene, formaldehyde, and camphor.  Additionally, Zoya was also recognized by a study in Women's Health Magazine to be the longest wearing natural nail polish.  So there you go - fun colors and good polish can be yours...

How can you get entered to win?

Mandatory Entry: Must be a Chasing Davies Google Friend Connect (GFC) and let me know your favorite ZOYA color from the current collection found here - answer this in one comment with your email address if it's not associated with your account so I can let you know if you win!

Increase your odds of winning.  Extra entries (leave a comment for each you do):
1. Like Chasing Davies on Facebook
2. Post a link to this giveaway on your Facebook page/wall
3.. Follow Chasing Davies on Twitter
5. Tweet (just once) about this giveaway linking to the post & using @ChasingDavies in the tweet.  Feel free to use this one or create your own:
Get ready for summer with pretty painted toes, it's a Zoya #giveaway by @ChasingDavies (include link)

Good luck my friends!  Someone will have very pretty nails soon. :)  You have until Monday, April 23rd at midnight CST to enter and I'll announce the winner Tuesday, April 24th.

We have a winner!

 Congrats to Tara @ Haute Lunch!

 
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Reader Request: Outfit Ideas for Weekday Night Event

I got asked for some outfit ideas from a reader and fellow blogger, Sara.  She's attending a blogger award event on a weeknight in a trendy part of town (a renovated warehouse to be exact - how cool) and I gladly obliged to help!  Sara - hope something like one of these will work!

Colored Denim & Polka Dots

Two popular trends for sure - but a great pair of fitted denim in a fun color (like these mint ones from The Limited) with a patterned blouse (J.Crew polka dot popover, but could easily be a striped or another blouse) with a contrasting jacket, or a tuxedo one would be great for an award event.  Add some sparkle with these DV by Dolce Vita heels (I want) and a silver paved bracelet by Derng.

Bold Colors & Bare Legs

Well, the weather is getting warmer after all, so a bold colored dress, accessories and heels for a color-blocked look.
Yellow Dress + Mint Clutch + Orange Heels, with simple like these pretty mint studs
Orange Dress + Hot Pink Bag + Nude Heels with a necklace in a similar color hue
Green Dress + Aqua Necklace & Clutch, pair with yellow, pink, nude, etc heels

Long & Flowy

Maxis are in full effect this spring and perfect to curb a night chill. A fun and subtly sheer maxi skirt paired with a print belt (like snakeskin or leopard) and the ever-versatile chambray shirt tucked in.  This is also the perfect length skirt to get away with wearing (cute) flats if you aren't craving the height (and want to be more comfortable standing a lot). Top with some sparkle & mixed metal and this look can really work for many occasions.

Alternatively, wear a maxi dress and bright accessories (sandals, belt and bauble).

Hope these outfit ideas help you out Sara, and give the rest of you weekday event ideas - I'm sure you could put something similar together from your own closet!

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Instagram(ming)

Since the release of the Instagram for Android app, I've been instagramming away.  However, not without a couple disappointments. For one, the android app does not have the tilt shift/blur tool, which was what I was really craving.  Secondly, you can (or at least I haven't figured it out) crop after you take the photo in the Instagram app.

Before the Android Instagram app, I was using Mytubo to get pretty much the same photo effects, including a blur edge filter (tilt shift).  But lacking within that tool was the audience and social sharing capabilities, so I was happy to make the switch to Instagram.

So, I sought out some ways to remedy the Android Instagram pitfalls:

1. Download the Photo Art app.  This app has a lot more tools and effects you can apply to photos, including a blur tool!  You can even pick the level of blurriness and by using your finger, "paint" the parts of your photo you want blurry. For example - I took a photo of my new ring (wearing here), opened the photo through the Photo Art app first, blurred all around my hand/fingers to make the ring really pop, saved, then uploaded* the new edited photo to instagram and applied a filter to make the photo warmer.

*You can upload a photo from your phone "gallery" of photos by touching the smaller button directly next to the camera button in the picture taking mode.  The upload button looks like a mountain and will take you to where all your photos are stored.  By downloading and using Photo Art, your pics saved from that app will have it's own folder (automatically created) - at least that's how it's working on my phone.  

2. Take photos with your regular old boring camera.  Don't worry, you will get to make that regular photo cool later.  After you snap your pic, got to the Instagram app (or if you want to run it through the Photo Art, or some other cool app first, do that), upload the photo as directed above and you will automatically have to crop!  

Are you on Instagram?  Let me know in the comments so I can check you out!
Android users - What do you think of Instagram for Android? 

You can follow me @ChasingDavies.

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