Beachfront ocean view

Wanted to share our amazing view from hotel at Daytona Beach. Hope everyone is enjoying their spring break:)

Excited about buying my ZGallerie bed

Before we left for vacation my amazing husband informed me that I could get the bed I had originally showed him that I wanted. I basically have always wanted a bed from ZGallerie and end up looking for something similar for half the price. We talked about it and the bed I was looking at buying was 760 -800 for a couple hundred more I can get the amazing quality and look from Z Galleries. I of course was supe excited, any time I make a purchase for the house or for a lot of money I talk to him an usually he will let me know what budget I am on, he told me to get the one I love and this is it....

Peace River Camping

Part one of our family spring break vacation is over and we just got settled into our comfy hotel for 3 days of sight seeing. Peace river was a great time:). We got there Friday night and set up camp. Had a great two nights and dys of camping, canoeing, fishing and more:). We love to travel and try to do things the kids will remember for life. Camping was a great time and we all loved it.

I don't know what my favorite part was would have to say probably just enjoying watching my girls have fun in the outdoors roughing it for a few days:). We were happy to get to our hotel tonight and shower then have a real bed to sleep in. We always try to go somewhere new, Disney is close and it's fun but we usually go for our youngest birthday or we love to go for Christmas to see the decor it is gorgeous.

We also love to go sightseeing one of our favorite vacations was St. Augustine, Amish country in PA and Tennessee over the summer. Tomorrow going to St. Pete to take the girls to the Dali museum:). Can't wait he is my favorite artist and love his work.

Hope everyone is having an amazing spring break and will have more photos soon.

OPI Miami Beet

Vacation manicure and pedicure was done last night. I went with OPI Miami beet. It's a gorgeous beet color:). The name suits it perfect. Wanted to share photos before I start packing up our car. I saw this polish a while ago on another blog and had to have it do added it to my wish list. Love the color. Like always OPI Miami Beet is amazing quality goes on smooth, the color was gorgeous with one coat but did two to get the all over even and deep color. This is a gorgeous shade of red and I think now one of my favorite shades.

Hope everyone has an amazing Easter/spring break:). I know I will be having a great time. If I have wifi and time I will update later in the week.

Who knew deciding on a headboard would be so hard?

I love upholstered headboards.  A few years ago I fell in love after seeing one online that was a antique french wooden headboard that an amazing DIY blogger upholstered herself.  I contemplated for awhile making my own but finally after a couple years decided to buy one.  When I purchased the one I currently had there were not as many options as there are now, and not to many in my price range.  I saw a lot of gorgeous headboards but most of the ones I loved were well over 1000 up to 3000 for a king size.  I ended up ordering just a headboard, my budget was $350 at the time.  I looked on craigslist for used ones, but never fell in love with one, or they would be gone by the time I contacted the seller.  I knew I wanted tufting, and I wanted nail head trim.  At the time I loved the wingback look but this was hard to find with the nail heads and also they were expensive.

I have seen a lot of people get these headboards this passed year.  Some of my favorite blogs to read have gone and ordered ones so I love to see their reviews on the quality, also the prices.  I ended up loving my headboard, but then my husband and I went a totally different direction with our bedroom.  We ordered a chocolate brown because our room was blue and brown.  I had purchased new bedding in a purple, burgundy, gold and chocolate color palette but after much debate on a paint color my husband and I fell in love with a gray paint from Benjamin Moore.  We ended up painting the room, the adding crown molding then the headboard just didn't go.  Sure I could keep the darker bedding but I really want a fresh and light room with some soft but colorful accents.  Not a dark gloomy feeling room.  We only have one window in our master bedroom, it is a huge sliding door that goes out to our pool and lake view but the room can tend to feel dark when it isn't bright and sunny out.  I feel dark is depressing and really want a romantic, happy, resort like feeling room.

I have written all this before so let me stop myself from rambling and cut to the chase, lol.  Hubby told me that I can go ahead and order the dream bed now.  He sees that it just doesn't match and he really likes the gray headboards I have shown him.  Now the big deal is which one?  I have feel for one style bed, but there are several versions of it out there.  They all have the same wingback shape, button tufting and nail head trim, and also look pretty much the same but I have read reviews that some have the nail heads that are not individual that are the strip where ever so many are a real nail head and the rest are just plastic strips to look like nail heads, I don't like this I feel it makes it look cheap.  Also there is linen or velvet (microfiber) material.  I have a velvet headboard now and it is a hair/dust magnet but I love the texture.  I also have seen linen ones and I think they look classy.  Then there is the tufting, some have diamond tufting, which I like better where the others have just a solid square, which doesn't look as plush to me and seems cheap looking almost.  This is so confusing.  I am going to share the photos below of the ones I have been looking at.  I would love to hear opinions, or if you own one of these beds or headboards let me know what you like or dislike.  I had so many places that popped to buy them from that it was confusing trying to remember which bed was from which site, so I ended up going to Amazon.com and found most of the ones I have been looking at one Skyline, Wayfair, Joss and Main and One King's Lane websites.  I also found one on google images but can't find where to buy it at=(.  I like the shape of this bed more then the other but it is pretty much the same.  So let's get to the photos so you can see what I mean by how similar they all are lol.

My favorite, this is the Diamond Tufted in velvet from Hayneedle.com at this one costs $1000 for the full bed, not just headboard and shipping.

Love the shape of the one above but can't find it in a King size anywhere only queen.  No price for this one.

Found this one for under $600 with shipping for the full King size bed with shipping on Amazon.com but it is missing my nail heads that I love.

This is similar to my favorite, first photo on top that is velvet, but this one is linen and also you can see it doesn't have the diamond tufting pattern it is flatter and boxier looking right?  This linen version, with nail head trim with regular tufting is $752 on Amazon.com with free shipping for entire bed.  It has also been on Joss and Main, One King's Lane, Skyling and Wayfair.com websites.  This seems to be very popular I have seen it on a few of my favorite bloggers posts for bedroom makeovers.  I how ever like the diamond tufting a lot better, I think it makes the headboard look more elegant and expensive.

This is the same as the one above but in velvet instead of linen.  You can find this one on Amazon.com also for $594.  That is a great price, if only it had diamond tufting and the gray color wasn't so light.

Here is the one I am thinking about, it isn't velvet like my first choice, but then again it is more affordable then the velvet.  I also think linen would be less of a lint/hair attracter so may stay nicer.  It has the diamond tufting, nail head trim and is also on Amazon.com for $752 with free shipping.  Same price as the one without the diamond tufting, but I feel this one looks more elegant and expensive then the one with just the plain tufting that looks like boxes.  I think the diamond tufting makes it look softer and more plush.

I think this is going to be the one everyone=).  Just now which color, the gray or charcoal?  I like that darker charcoal gray because my walls or a lighter gray, but will it be too dark, I am trying to keep the room lighter.  I have two kids and a cat so I also think about the lighter gray showing stains or dirt easier.  I will let you all know which one I decide on because when I get back from vacation hubby is going to order it for me.  I can't wait.  I already have my old headboard up for sale.  If anyone is interested I have photos on my blog.  I purchased it from Hayneedle around a year ago and paid around $350-400 for it.  It is in excellent, brand new condition still.  It is chocolate brown with brushed gold/brass nail head trim.  King size headboard only.  It attaches to any bed frame easily though.  When you add a bed skirt it looks like you have the entire bed but at half the price.  Only reason I decided to get the entire bed because the first time I wanted an upholstered headboard so bad that I went with the less expensive option, with most of what I was looking for because I was inpatient and couldn't wait to get one, this time around my budget is a lot larger so I have decided I want to be smart and get one that is not super expensive, I am still frugal lol, but make sure I get everything I wanted=).

Let me know what you think and I love to have feedback on your thoughts of which style and material you like or prefer.  Thank you for reading.

Touch up on St. Patty's day Gold and Green mani

I added the OPI Man with the Golden Gun gold too coat to all of my nails that I started with Butter London British Racing green earlier in the week with just an accent nail with gold. Didn't have time to repaint all my nails so added a fresh coat of the green then added three thin coats to get a lot of gold on each nail to finish off.

Was going to use the Essie brighter green I posted late in February but had no time with my daughters begging to have movie night. This should do since I will only need for tomorrow then removing for a pastel for vacation. Enjoy photos and again I used Butter London British Racing green which is a deep emerald green and topped with OPI man with the golden gun real gold flakes top coat. Happy St. Patrick's day to all my readers and have a fun safe holiday. Cheers:)

MK, Chanel and Fossil finds

I got a couple items via the mail today. I found a great site that you can order pre owned high end jewelry, purses and shoes. Not a fan of pre owned shoes but a gently used purses or still new jewelry got to love it. I got a Chanel charm with white gold chain, tags and box included.

Then my eBay purchases are starting to trickle in. I actually have bid on some gorgeous items. I can't wait to get my rose gold pendant charm necklace from MK and the heart silver pave crystal necklace also from MK. I decided that I will get my watch after vacation once I get my orange purse off layaway and order my new gray bed. I don't want to order that offbeat or used.

Today I got a brown fossil watch that has the big face almost like a boyfriend style watch, retails for $135 paid $40 with shipping. I have wanted a brown watch for awhile because I wear a lot of browns and neutral colors thy brown would look amazing with.

I also got my first MK jewelry piece I ordered from eBay. I canceled two items after reading reviews that the person was selling fakes or knockoffs. This bracelet came with tag and seller had copy of her sales receipt. Retailed for $65 got it for $30. Love it and matches my Tiffany silver pearls:).

I have two necklaces from MK coming one silver with locks and the other gold and tortoise with locks and toggle closure. I had ordered the rose gold bracelet but that was the one other buyers said was fake. I also had a bid in on the matching wallet for my orange tangerine Michael Kors purse but lost. I saw one I love at the outlet. Price got ridiculous high so bowed out. Enjoy my photos and I have some clothes to post photos of soon. STOL waiting for someone to take pics for me. I have found some super cute designer dresses, tops and jeans/capris for amazing deals. Can't wait to show you but hate doing mirror self shots. Got to purchase a tripod that I can set up to do pics of outfits.

Monday I start a cleanse diet I can't wait to share with all of you. My cousin told me about it. A lot of fruits, veggies and water but hoping, because the cleanse says you can lose between 10-15 pounds in ten days that I will reach my goal weight for my height then when I return from vacation I start training weights at my boxing gym with a personal trainer who has trained alot of celebrities when he worked in south beach. My girlfriend has trained with him and in 8 weeks is looking amazing. Just want to reach my goal weight. I am so close. I don't want to be as thin as I was two years ago I think skinny is not cute at my age. I was a size 0-2 and my 13 year old is that size looks cute on her but I'm a woman lol. A size 4 is skinny to me now. I'm 5'8 so 130-135 is the skinny end for my height I'm so close. I actually was at 140 and a size 6 but my work out buddy is in vacation then hubby was walking with me and I was doing two to three box fit classes which is similar to cross fit but with cross fit style warm up then boxing, kickboxing and muay Thai which kicks my butt. Done some spinning, yoga and this cool new workout where you do different workouts for 15 minutes then switch and do it in a group. It is fun and thinking of maybe joining. Will have more details soon on this, I think it is pretty awesome.

Enough about that next week I will post the cleanse diet and then some more details. I took before pics back in August, then October when I joined gym then every month since gym, you can really see the changes. Honestly I want to be toned and strong not skinny and thin this time. I think strong is for sure the new sexy. Happy early St. Patty's day and have some green beers tomorrow. I will have a post I'm sure we always go to the same Irish local bar every year and party with my girlfriend who also went to school and grew up with my hubby, her and I have been good friends for 14 years now and her mom, sister and neighbors all go it's great times. Good night to all.

Mel

Birchbox March madness 2013

Birchbox for March 2013 arrived this week. March theme is march madness. I was surprised this came so late in the week was expecting it Monday or Tuesday sorry the post is kind of late.

First item is Benefit Cosmetics, Stat don't Stray. This eye primer keeps eye shadow, liners, and concealed crease free and vibrant. Plus, vitamins C and E protect against signs of aging. Apply to your kids and under your eyes. Full size retails for $26.

Next up is Calderea Body Lotion. This adored elegant body lotions come in three ethereal scents: tea olive lime, aloe water apricot and count gig. Full size retails for $22. I got 3 samples one of each scent. Looking forward to tryin these.

Evologie Intensive Blemish Serum. Zero in on stubborn blemishes with this preventive serum, which works wonders on all skin types without triggering redness or irritation. Full size retails for $35. I use a couple blemish creams for drying and preventing cant wait to try this one:).

Whish Shave Crave shaving cream. The organic Shea butter this foam free shaving cream makes for an insanely close shave and leaves skin incredibly soft. This scent is exclusive to Birchbox called blueberry. Full size retinas for $20. I love shaving lotions that are foam free I have sensitive skin will have to see if this causes any irritations due to scent. Interested to try this.

I also got a pretty spring emery board for filing my nails. Madewell emery board in adorable spring pattern. I always love a good emery board for my purse or nightstand.

Enjoy the photos of my march Birchbox and looking forward to the summer stuff coming soon:).

A Little Easter Decor

Tomorrow is St. Patty's day and since we won't be home I decided to take down the Irish decor to start to switch out to Easter. I decorated the kitchen, dining room, entry way and living room, still have some stuff to finish and need to do the fireplace mantel. Decided to share a few photos of the start of the decor to get everyone in the festive mood. Couldn't take photos of the kitchen yet because I have a huge window and the sun is so bright it is hard to see it all. Mostly have photos of the little eggs mg daughter added to my cherry blossoms, my bunny wreath on our front door, dining table and some other small things.

We will be out of town most of the Easter break but I love to decorate. I grew up with family that decorated every holiday I have so many great memories, so I like to pass that on to my children. Also it helps to get yourself into the season and holiday having decor all around. I will leave a lot of it up till spring is over minus the bunnies:). Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend. Gorgeous weather here, going to spend the day outside with my girls.

Mel