Maritime Signal Flag Bracelet

These maritime flag bracelets are hand made in the United States using maple wood. Teak and natural milk paint finishes are also available. Personal 8 or 9 letter messages are available. The example in the third photo says "I love you."

Get your name, child's name or a special message in maritime flags!







***Please note: this NOT a sponsored post! Just sharing a nautical find***

Friday's Fancies: Beachy Chic

It was nearly impossible to do just one outfit. This is Nautical by Nature after all ;)
I ordered the anchor swim suit and hope it fits. It's just too perfect for me! I like mixing the navy of the suit with the lighter blue in the coverup. White sandals are perfect for the beach or the pool! And of course you need a chic wet bathing suit bag for after your swim


J.Crew anchor swim suit, Jack Rogers sandals, bikini bag, Vineyard Vines bungalow coverup

I am linking up with Long Distance Loving for Friday's Fancies

Random Post: TV, Movies, and More!

1. I am in Missouri for a family reunion this weekend. Unsure how I will survive 100+ heat and bugs (maybe that's too hot for mosquitoes?). I highly suggest you follow me on Twitter and Instagram for updates on my weekend with my crazy extended family!

2. Hopefully my sister and I can sneak off to see Magic Mike. You know you want to see it too! BUT I think I am in the minority: I don't find Channing Tatum attractive. I see the appeal but I just don't think he's cute. Hilarious and a good dancer, yes. If you haven't seen 21 Jump Street go see it!! I will be seeing Magic Mike for Alex Pettyfer shirtless.

3. I am watching the Bachelorette. I really don't think Jef is a good match for Emily. He's the guy she should (would) choose if she didn't have a child. I don't think it's a good idea to choose a guy because he's "a big kid at heart" (or whatever she said). Obviously he could mature and step up but I feel like she'll be taking care of two kids if she chose him. I've worked for families where the dad is a big kid-fun for the kids but the mom becomes the constant bad guy/disciplinarian. Who do you want her to choose?

4. H's grandma is here next week. I will be working shorter hours and attempting to get all of those awful errands and doctor's appointments out of the way. Dreading the dentist!

5. I feel like I am stuck in a rut when it comes to cooking at work. I need easy (as in preparation in 15 minutes or under) meals for lunch and dinner that a toddler and his parents will like. Every time I search on Pinterest I get overwhelmed! I just found Reddy or Knot and Sam has some recipes that look delicious and easy! I am excited to try out the ones I bookmarked.

Get Ready for the 4th: Southern Tide Giveaway!

Sad you didn't win the Vineyard Vines giveaway? Well I have another fun giveaway lined up!

Get ready for the 4th of July with a Southern Tide giftcard for $75! The giftcard can be used on any Southern Tide products

Southern Tide has just released the new Flipjacks. Quite possibly the best men's flip flops, Flipjacks are designed specifically for those guys that spend a lot of time on the boat. They are boat-ready, fully siped, non-marking soles for sure footing. Think Sperry's in the form of a flip flop! No other flip flops like these on the market!

Spending your 4th of July on the beach or by the pool? Make sure to have the Skipjack YETI cooler by your side! YETI Coolers specializes in manufacturing the best ice chests available. Whether you are boating, tailgating, rafting, or having a backyard barbeque, the YETI cooler is a must have! It is heavy duty, well insulated cooler for your outdoor needs. At the beach all day? They are great because they can stay all day in the sun and the ice inside won't melt!

The winner of this giveaway will receive a giftcard for Southern Tide worth $75!

Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Please note: This is not a sponsored giveaway. I was not provided any compensation for posting this

Vineyard Vines Giveaway Winner!

I have loved looking through all of your inspiring Pinterest boards! I will be posting them to an album on Facebook so that those that don't have Pinterest can see them too. Thankfully I didn't have to choose the winner (Rafflecopter did that for me!) because there were so many fun boards!

The winner is...
Emily Anne of Preppy Kentucky Belle!

Headed for a summer getaway? Pack your Vineyard Vines and send me a photo of your nautical best!

***Please note: this is NOT a sponsored giveaway! I did not receive any compensation for hosting this giveaway! I just love Vineyard Vines and hope you do too!***

Comfortable nautical shoes

I don't do uncomfortable shoes. Seriously. I rarely wear heels (mostly because I am tall and I just can't get used to them) and if I get blisters I don't wear the shoes again unless I really really love the shoes. Last winter I fell and broke my foot. I was wearing flip flops, holding H, and didn't see a huge hole in the dirt at a park. I probably would have been fine but the flip flops gave no support. Thankfully H was fine. Phew! But I had to wear a boot for months and I still have pain if I walk in sandals for a long time. SO I really try not to wear sandals/flip flops to work anymore. It's just not practical (we take a lot of walks!) or safe.

I have had to get creative on shoes that are practical for running around with a toddler but also not hideous.

TOMS Nautical Oxford are so adorable. No blisters and comfortable for long walks


The Webster at Target nautical ballet flats (these are sold out in most sizes. But there's a solid pink version too). I've NEVER received more compliments on anything I own! When I wear these shoes I get a minimum of three strangers saying they are so cute and asking where they are from. It's crazy! They are comfortable too! I've yet to get any blisters in them.


I am not embarrassed to admit I ordered these Crocs. They were way too big and had a complicated return policy (you return and then place a new order-I just wanted to exchange when I returned!). I am going to order another size. They were so comfortable.

Have you found any comfortable (cute) nautical shoes recently? Please share your finds!

Angela Moore: America's Cup nautical bracelet!

Honoring the iconic sailing race, Angela Moore debuted the classic Sail Away bracelet in her Summer 2012 collection. Whether you're going to sail away in spirit or jibe and tack in the big swells, you'll love this cool blue salute to all things nautical!

The perfect accessory to wear while lounging with a cocktail in hand by the pool, watching the races or just strolling around Newport taking in the sailing vibe. This IS the epitome of Newport Style!

***Please note: this is NOT a sponsored post! I just love Angela Moore nautical bracelets***

Weekend Recap: Exhibit Opening and Play

Most weekends I do basically the same thing: go to dinner with friends, go to the movies, and see family. But this past weekend I had two fun "cultural" events to change things up!

Friday night I had a girls night at my apartment with two friends. It was fun to cook and gossip!

Saturday I ran errands, stopped at Old Navy, and did laundry. Saturday night I went to the opening of "En Route" at the Schomburg Gallery in Santa Monica. En Route is a new series of serigraphs by David K. Thompson (my friend's dad). If you are local I highly recommend checking out the exhibition (last day is July 21). M and I went to 800 Degrees for dinner after. It's the new it place-you stand at a counter and customize your pizza (basically the pizza version of Chipotle).










K and M

One of my favorites (aerial view of a street in LA):

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Sunday I had a quick visit with my friend Leanne to look at the photos she took of me last weekend. I can't wait to share them! She did such a great job! Then I went with my friend C to Pacific Palisades. We had lunch at Cafe Vida and then saw our friend Candice in They're Playing Our Song at Theatre Palisades. If you are local go see it! It plays until July 15.

Wearing a favorite sailboat blouse

What did you do this weekend?

I am linking up with my other friend Leeann for her new Weekend Update linkup

Apartment Tour: Dining Room

Fridays this summer I will be linking up to do Kelly's Korner's Show Us Your Home series (see schedule at bottom of post). Today: the dining room!

I don't have a separate dining room but I do have a little dining area. Excuse the bad lighting-June gloom in the mornings and then I am not home from work until it is dark out.
I have the table folded down on one side so it fits better. When I have people over I put the side up so it's round. You can see a better photo here



The table is a floor sample from Crate & Barrel that was on super sale. Unfortunately they only had one blue chair on sale so I got three white and one blue (hey I didn't want to pay full price for more blue chairs!). I am still searching for a matching blue chair! The reversible placemats are from the Preppy Princess


I have this lamp sitting on the table for now. Not sure if it will stay


I absolutely love these prints from Etsy


This orange thing is a thrift store find. I bought navy paint but decided to leave it orange for now. My last apartment really needed a big piece of furniture for the corner of my living room. Thankfully this fits in my new place.




I can't remember where the anchor print is from. The extra white chair sits in the corner unless I have people over


I found this piece at a garage sale. I call it shabby chic nautical. I use it as a sort of bar type thing. On top I have coasters, drink umbrellas, etc. In the monogrammed basket from Whitney Caroline Designs I have napkins, placemats, etc. I haven't hung up the welcome aboard sign yet


Here's the schedule for the link up:
June 29 - Show us kids rooms
July 6 - Show us your bathrooms

Vineyard Vines Giveaway!

I am so excited about this giveaway! I think this might be my biggest giveaway yet! The theme of this giveaway is packing for a summer getaway. Whether you are headed for the beach or the pool, a staycation or somewhere far away, Vineyard Vines is your go to store for summer fun! Vineyard Vines will start the lucky winner off with:

Striped beach tote


Seersucker Make-up Bag


Tropical T-Shirt Scarf


Directions:
1. Use Pinterest to create a board with the above items and any other Vineyard Vines products you would pack for a summer getaway!
2. You can pin directly from the Vineyard Vines website or pin from Vineyard Vines' pinterest page.
3. Your board MUST be named Vineyard Vines Summer Getaway. You can also tag your pins with #vineyardvinesummergetaway
4. Your board can contain any fun inspirational images for your trip but MUST contain the above three items. For an example see my board here.

Once you start your board copy and paste the link into a Rafflecopter entry below.

There are additional ways to enter including Facebook and Twitter. If you do not have Pinterest you can still enter using Polyvore (see Rafflecopter widget below)
a Rafflecopter giveaway  

***Please note: this is NOT a sponsored giveaway! I did not receive any compensation for promoting this giveaway! I just love Vineyard Vines and hope you do too!***

Sailormade

Sailormade's Brummel Bracelet is a sophisticated upgrade to the iconic summer rope bracelet that comes in a variety of colors and metals appealing to both men and women. It can be worn in, on, or around the water. I think these would make a great gifts (graduation, birthday, father's day-stock up!)

Sailormade represents the tangible result of a dream shared by two friends with a passion for life on the water (how very nautical!) and a love of great design.

Endeavor wrap:


Camden wrap:


Winch:


Hobart wrap:


***Please note: this is NOT a sponsored post! I just wanted to share this nautical find***

4 years ago...SKY DIVING!

Four years ago I jumped out of an airplane in Cairns, (Queensland) Australia. Yes, you read that correctly!

If you know me at all (even just reading this blog) you can probably tell I'm not a risk taker. I never really rebelled (you're welcome, mom and dad) and rarely do anything crazy (I would say never but I guess that depends on your definition of crazy ;)

I still can't believe I did it. Without the DVD, I doubt my family and friends would even believe me!!! It was so out of character that I did it AND I wasn't even afraid (I was actually more afraid to snorkel the morning before). I convinced two friends to go with me. I was the first to jump. There are no words to describe what it is like free falling from thousands of feet in the air!

Think of this post as a reminder to (occasionally) do something crazy and out of character! You never know how it will change your life for the better! On days when I am feeling down I just look at one of these photos and instantly feel happy!

Young Hollywood Awards recap

Last Thursday night was the 14th Annual Young Hollywood Awards presented by Bing. The event was held at the Hollywood Athletic Club on Sunset. I talked a little bit about the event in my post about finding a dress. I ended up wearing a dress I found at Cusp. I wouldn't normally wear something strapless but both my sister and the saleslady thought it would be perfect. I tried it on and I did love it!

Here I am on the red carpet:

Leeann of Join the Gossip has become my partner in crime at these events (our table was just to the left of Leeann):

She took the photo above and this one:

I also met several other bloggers including Jillian of Glitz Glam Mayhem . Here's a photo of us at the after party (no comment!)

Photo via Jillian

When we arrived at the event we were given prime spots on the red carpet. It was so fun to be right in the middle of the action! Bloggers got to stand next to reporters from Teen Vogue, Cosmo, and Glamour! I didn't want to bring a big bag (regret that now!) so I only had my blackberry and ipod touch to take photos. For a full list of presenters and winners go here

Sophia Bush of One Tree Hill:

James Van Der Beek of Dawson's Creek:

Kiernan Shipka of Man Men:

Janel Parrish of Pretty Little Liars:

Ginnifer Goodwin of Once Upon a Time (she was there with Prince Charming-her real life prince charming ;)

Alex Pettyfer looked REALLY good. I will be seeing Magic Mike purely for him! He basically ran through the red carpet so I didn't get any photos

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After the red carpet we were seated at a table inside. Our table was right behind Ginnifer Goodwin's. I LOVED her dress! She won the style icon award-well deserved! After the award show we went next door to the after party. There was a candy bar and an open (regular) bar so people were having A LOT of fun!

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It was quite a night! I felt so lucky to be invited. I am already looking forward to next year's awards!

***This is not a compensated post, nor was my time at the event. Everything expressed is my own personal opinion only***

4th of July outfit ideas

Linking up for Long Distance Loving Friday's Francies

Reader Jackie emailed me looking for some ideas for a 4th of July outfit that won’t break the bank. Here are my recommendations. I did a few super obvious 4th of July dresses (the Aqua one and Vineyard Vines one are both firework prints) but the rest are just sticking to the red, white, and blue theme. With all of these pieces just add the missing red, white or blue in accessories and you are set!

Aqua firework print dress (I bought this on sale at Bloomies-it's really flattering):


Loft color blocked dress (this would be perfect paired with red accessories):


Modcloth Carnival You Could Want dress (just add blue and you'll be ready for the big holiday):


Modcloth Gazebo Dreaming dress (so cute with red shoes!):


Vineyard Vines fireworks print dress (add a white cardigan and red shoes):


Modcloth Cool as Ice Pops skirt (the name is so summer!):


Lands' End Canvas dress (just picture it with red wedges):


For a more casual look I like this skirt and top from Loft (definitely red sandals for the red, white, and blue look):


This Loft boatneck top in white would be perfect with the Modcloth skirt above. Or in navy with white shorts and red wedges:

Have you picked out your Fourth of July outfit yet?