Lifestyle - Petite Haus

Angelina July 20, 2020 England

Princess Beatrice’s Royal Wedding

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For those of you who have read Petite Haus for a while, you will know that I love a good royal wedding! I was so pleasantly surprised yesterday when I saw that Princess Beatrice had wed in private but the palace had released some official images!

Princess Beatrice married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (and no, I don’t know anything about him). They had a small private ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor. Less than 30 people attended – as per English guidelines for weddings given the pandemic.

The dress made by Normal Hartnell “is made from Peau De Soie taffeta in shades of ivory, trimmed with ivory Duchess satin, with organza sleeves. It is encrusted with diamanté and has a geometric checkered bodice,”, as noted in a statement from the palace. The dress was remodeled by the Queen’s dressmaker Angela Kelly and had puff sleeves added. Normall Hartnell had also designed the Queen’s wedding dress.

The Queen wore the dress to the 1962 premiere of Lawrence of Arabia.

Not only did the Queen loan her the dress, but she also loaned her the Queen Mary Fringe Tiara which the Queen herself wore on her wedding day! I would say what an usual display of affection – clearly Beatrice is her favorite grandchild! Or perhaps the Queen felt bad that Beatrice wedding got delayed like many of those this year and Beatrice didn’t get the grand fanfare that the other royal brides did.

Below is the Queen Mary Tiara. She had the tiara made from a necklace given to her by Queen Victoria in 1893 as a wedding present! You can read a little more about it here.

The tiara was worn by the Queen’s only daughter, Princess Anne, on her wedding day too!

I LOVED the beautiful archway of flowers which matched her wedding bouquet.

The bouquet had “trailing jasmine, pale pink and cream sweet peas, royal porcelain ivory spray roses, pink o’hara garden roses, pink wax flower and baby pink astilbe” per Town and Country Mag. I loved her bouquet as all the other royals brides – Meghan, Kate, and Eugenie – all chose white bouquets and Beatrice went with pink!

I do hope they release a picture of the royal wedding cake – as that is also one of my favorites.

In the picture below, I love the Queen’s face: clearly she approves!

Congratulations to the happy couple!

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Angelina June 13, 2020 Beauty and Fashion

I Tried GloPro Microneedling

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Have you ever heard of microneedling? Microneedling uses tiny little needles to penetrate the skin so that beauty products can more deeply seep into the skin AND at the same time it causes a boost in collagen growth.

You can do this at a dermatology clinic for hundreds of dollars each session, or you can do it at home yourself with the BeautyBio Glopro! (PS – not a paid or sponsored post here!)

The BeautyBio Glopro has three tools built into one: the red LED light (helps boost collaged production), the micro needling roller, and a vibrating aspect.

When I first read about the GloPro, my biggest concern was…

DOES IT HURT?!?!

No, it does not hurt! I PROMISE! It felt a little weird at first since I didn’t know what to expect, but I promise it does not hurt.

DOES IT WORK?!

YES! I swear it does! My skin is so much smoother! It seems fresher and dewier in appearance, and my acne scars have gone down. I also have fewer pimples! I do it 2x per week. The recommendation is 3x per week but I’m working my way up to it. I have been doing it 2x a week for 9 weeks now!

What skin products do you use with it?

BeautyBio sells a whole kit that comes with starter samples of the regimen with the GloPro… however since I’m pregnant, I cannot use anything with Retinoids in it. Once I have my baby, I plan to use the whole kit.

Here is my pregnant skin regimen (AKA sensitive skin regimen!)

1. I cleanse my skin with what came in the kit, the pH balancing cleanser. Once I run out of this, I probably won’t repurchase it and will use other cleansers I have.

2. Next I prep my face with the BeautyBio Prep Pads before I use my GloPro. I think this is a must have as it really cleans the skin and I have already repurchased it.

3. Then I micro needle for about 1 minute.

4. Next, I use a serum. This does alternate depending on “my mood”.

I would say, most nights I will first use Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate.

Followed by Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum – this helps reduce redness!

Then, if my skin seems a little bit drier I will use my Kiehl’s Ultra Face Cream.

Sometimes I use The Ordinary Buffet serum right after microneedling. I will say I do use this serum almost every morning before I put on makeup and then I follow every morning with Kiehl’s Ultra Face Cream and then

You can get the Microneedling tool separately here without any skin products and use your own products.

Once you are done, you need to clean the tool by spritzing it with isopropyl alcohol. They have a spray bottle but you have to put your own alcohol in it.

Are there any downsides?

The only thing I can say right now is the price… it’s not the cheapest tool in the world BUT it is the price of basically one facial!

You cannot share roller needle heads with other people since it technically punctures this skin you could spread things with other people.

You cannot roll over any active acne because it punctures the skin and you don’t want to spread that acne bacteria everywhere!

If you have other questions about derma rolling and microneedling, contact your dermatologist or doctor.

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Angelina May 30, 2020 Beauty and Fashion

My Love for Perfume

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Despite the fact that we have been isolating and not going out in public in months – I still wear perfume every. single. day. despite being isolated and on maternity leave.

I have always been a perfume girl and I think it literally “is in the genes”. My grandmother grew up in Europe until she was in her late teens and came over to the USA after WWII ended. I remember she would *always* wear perfume, usually what I call “with a heavy European hand” – AKA doused in it! Her dressing table had a huge collections of perfume and she always loved getting perfume for Christmas.

I love getting perfume for Christmas too. My husband always says “what do you want for Christmas?” And literally every year I say “perfume”. He says, “but I just got you that last year!” Me… blank stare. “So?” The irony of it is I’m not allowed to wear perfume to work! That’s okay, like I said, I wear it for me!

When I was a teenager (think middle school), my foray into the perfume world started with Victoria’s Secret “Pear Glace” body spray, if you can remember that! I always loved the popular Tommy Girl with lemon, honeysuckle and sandalwood base. I also loved Gap’s Dream, which had tangerine, freesia, orange blossom and musk as a base.

Left to right: Victoria’s Secret Pear Glace, Tommy Girl by Tommy Hilfiger, and Dream by Gap

In my later teenage years, we took a trip to Paris and I bought my first “real” perfumes. I bought Escada’s “Ibiza Hippie” which smells of “Spicy nutmeg adds warmth to fruity top notes of luscious pear, juicy peach, apricot and litchi. Intense floral heart notes of hyacinth, freesia and cranberry reveal sandalwood, musk and amber on the dry down”. I still have this bottle although frankly the perfume has aged and doesn’t smell as good as it used to.

I also got Dior’s “J’adore” – Fragrance Notes: Top – ylang-ylang. Middle – damascus rose. Base – grasse jasmine. I wore this at the end of high school and into college. I no longer wear it – gave it to my mom- but wow that bottle is pretty, isn’t it? This perfume made me feel like a real grown up! I believe I got it when I was 17.

I used to wear the same perfume everyday – a signature scent. But now I change them up depending on the season and my mood!

Why am I babbling on about perfume? Well, fragrances transport us to a different time, or place, or memory. Since being stuck at home, I feel just— stuck!! Perfumes create an olfactory scrapbook in your head and it is fun going through it! I STILL wish I could find the name of the diffuser scent of a hotel we walked through in Varenna, Italy.

The perfume I have been wearing for the longest time is Burberry Brit. It is a green-oriental blend of lush fruits, sweet nutty essences, soothing amber, vanilla, and Tonka bean. I tend to wear this in the Winter. This perfume I started wearing in college.

The scent I love the most is that of orange blossom. For my wedding and a long time after, I wore Jo Malone’s Orange Blossom eau de cologne. I actually stopped wearing it though because I became disappointed with how quickly the scent disappears despite paying a hefty price tag for it. I also am disappointed with how the bottle has aged – I have had it now for 6 years and frankly it just does not smell as good! I also had Jo Malone’s Nectarine Blossom and Honey… same problem, the fragrance just didn’t last.

I will always be fond of the orange blossom scent – one, it reminds me of my wedding, and two, it reminds me of California. There’s nothing like driving around in Southern California with the windows down getting wafts of the intoxicating orange blossom scent from the orange groves when they are blooming! I planted many citrus trees in my yard so when I opened the windows I could smell them!

My current FAVORITE perfume which I wear quite frequently is Diptyque’s Eau de Sens. It has orange blossom, angelica root, patchouli with juniper berry. I wear this one year round.

My next favorite perfume is also by Diptyque, called DoSon. It has tuberose, orange blossom, jasmine and marine accord. I tend to wear this one more in the Spring and Summer.

I also love Chloe’s Eau de Parfum. It smells of peony, rose, and sandalwood. I tend to wear this in the Fall or Winter as it is a little bit heavier with the powder. It “begins with a combination of floral powdery notes: hints of peony, lychee, and springtime freesia. The airy, flirtatious head notes drift away to reveal the richer and more sensual side of the rose. The distinctive character of this unique rose is accompanied by magnolia and lily of the valley, as well as subtle intimations of warm amber and elegant cedarwood.”

My most recent perfume purchase was Tom Ford’s Eau de Soleil Blanc. It is *perfect* for the Summer! It is a fresh scent of Vert de Bergamot, Orange Bitter, Petitgrain Bigarde, Ylang-Ylang, Pistachio Accord, Coco de Mer Accord.

I have a scent for every occasion! My evening scents are Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb which smells of Jasmine, Orange Blossom, Patchouli, rose and vanilla. Most recently I’ve been wearing YSL Black Opium which smells of Black Coffee, White Flowers, Vanilla.

Flowerbomb on the left, Black Opium on the right

My travel perfume is Tory Burch by Tory Burch rollerball – Neroli, Grapefruit, Cassis, Bergamot, Peony, Tuberose, Jasmine Sambac, Vetiver, Sandalwood. My travel perfume to Hawaii or tropical locations is Hibiscus Palm Eau de Parfum by Aerin Lauder. This parfum is formulated with accords of lotus flower and hibiscus palm that mingle with ylang-ylang and exotic ginger. Frangipani also blends with a heart of fragrant white blossoms wrapped in the velvety warmth of coconut milk, vanilla, and musk. Hibiscus palm captures the island scent of brilliant sunshine on a lush beach.

Tory Burch on left, Hibiscus Palm on Right.

Needless tom ay, there are other perfumes I wear too. I have a whole box full of samples that I will occasionally rifle through and choose a different scent for the day.

Wearing perfume makes me feel happy. It brings back scent memories, makes me feel like a special individual, but also provides an escape – to where, that is your decision!

What is your favorite perfume?

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Angelina May 23, 2020 Breakfast

How to Create a Crepe Bar

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I absolutely love crepes and thought I would share my favorite recipe for making crepes and filling ideas for creating a crepe bar!

How to create a crepe bar - complete with crepe recipe and crepe filling ideas!

First though, let’s admire the finished product:

Filling Ideas:

Raspberries
Strawberries
Bananas
Blueberries
Blackberries
Peaches
Nutella
Raspberry Coulis Sauce
Blueberry Sauce
Blackberry Sauce
Lemon or Lime yogurt Sauce
Caramel Sauce
Whipped Cream
Lemon Curd
Ricotta

Now, to make crepes a crepe pan is a must have. You can use a regular skillet but it just does not cook the same as a crepe pan, IMO. This is the crepe pan I have exactly, however there are a few other cheaper options: This is a 3-piece set for $40 with spreader and flipper. Here is just a crepe pan without the set OR you can just get the spreader and flipper here and use a skillet that you already own.

Now fill your crepe with the goodness and enjoy!

Crepes With Raspberry-Cassis Sauce recipes by Martha Rose Shulman

YIELD 6 servings

Ingredients

For the crepes:

* 1 ¼ cups/300 milliliters low-fat milk, such as skim or 1 percent

* 2 large eggs

* ¼ teaspoon salt

* 1 tablespoon/15 grams sugar

* ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon/55 grams unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted

* ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon/55 grams whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour, sifted

* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for the pan

* 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest (from about 1/2 lime)

For the raspberry coulis:

* ¼ cup sugar

* ½ teaspoon rose water

* 1 6-ounce box raspberries (about 1 1/4 cups)

* 1 tablespoon crème de cassis liqueur

For the yogurt filling:

* 1 ¼ cups/300 milliliters plain Greek yogurt (2 percent fat)

* 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon mild honey, such as clover or acacia (more to taste)

* 1 ¼ teaspoons finely grated lime zest (from about 1/2 lime)

* 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lime juice (to taste)

For the garnish:

* 1 6-ounce box raspberries (about 1 1/4 cups)

* Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

PREPARATION

Step 1- To make crepe batter, place milk, eggs, salt and sugar in blender. Turn on and, with the motor running, add flours, then melted butter and blend at high speed for 1 minute, until well mixed and smooth. Transfer to a bowl, stir in lime zest, cover and let rest for at least 30 minutes. If resting batter longer, refrigerate. (Whisk again before making crepes.)

Step 2- While batter is resting, make raspberry sauce. Combine 1/3 cup water and sugar in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in rose water, raspberries and cassis liqueur. Return to heat, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain the mixture into a bowl. Press the raspberry pulp through strainer with a spatula and discard seeds. Whisk or stir to blend pulp and syrup and set aside.

Step 3- Make the yogurt filling: In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, honey, lime zest and juice. Taste and adjust sweetness. Set aside.

Step 4- To make crepes, heat 8-inch nonstick crepe pan or skillet over medium-high heat and brush lightly with butter. Pan must be hot when you add crepe batter. Lift pan off heat and pour or ladle in a scant 1/4 cup batter, enough to thinly coat bottom of pan. Tilt and swirl pan to distribute batter in an even layer. Return pan to heat and cook crepe for about 1 minute, until edges color and bottom of crepe is lightly browned. Crepe should not stick to pan. Flip crepe over and cook for 30 seconds on the other side, until speckled. Turn out onto a plate. Continue with remaining batter, brushing pan occasionally with butter if desired.

Step 5- If you want to serve crepes at their hottest, assemble them as they come out of the pan. Spread a rounded tablespoon of the yogurt mixture over each crepe, drizzle on 1/2 teaspoon raspberry sauce, fold crepe in half and then in half again. Place on plate or platter. When all crepes are made and filled, spoon or pour sauce over, garnish with raspberries, and, if desired, dust with powdered sugar. Serve.

* Crepes can be made ahead and filled and reheated in a 250-degree oven for 20 minutes before being topped with sauce.

It’s interesting to me that street food in Europe includes crepes, gelato, toasted nuts… but here in the USA it is elephant ears and corn dogs!

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Angelina May 16, 2020 Lifestyle

A Tulip Table Setting

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A pretty in pink tulip table setting!

The tulipiere really lets the tulips shine!

Each table setting has a tulip as well. I use my antique linen, plates and china to set this table.

The macarons I made myself. You can get the raspberry macaron recipe here.

Have a wonderful week!

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Angelina May 1, 2020 Lifestyle

Pool Time Essentials!

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Here in California it has been heating up and we have already been able to enjoy our pool! Sharing a few of my FAVORITE pool essentials. Since it is MAY 1 already (where’d the time go??) AND shipping taking a little longer, if you see something, by the time you order it, it will be JUNE and ready for pool-party time!!

First off, these pool noodles are literally THE BEST. The closest that come to them are from Costco, which do sell out quickly at Costco so check there too.

Next, we just got this pool lounge floating chair this year and I immediately ordered a second one knowing my husband and I would constantly fight to sit in the chair! It is so comfy – it is basically a giant chair full of bean bag material that floats. You can also use it outside of the pool too.

Also we loved this float too – I spent all Summer on it last year.

I also got this pineapple float this year because I couldn’t resist how cute it looked! I can’t review it yet since I haven’t used it. If you like the pineapple float look but not Frontgate’s price, here is a cheaper pineapple float that is also very cute!

My other favorite pool chair lounger is this one, available on Amazon. It has a drink holder!

This floating 4 in 1 Hammock has over 4000 5-star reviews on Amazon – I personally haven’t tried it but am tempted to order it.

I also love these donut floating drink holders I used all Summer last year!!

They also have an assortment of floating drink holders! How fun is that?!

My FAVORITE pool side hat for sun protection is under $20 and folds up – I bring it when I travel to the beach too! It comes in an array of colors.

of course, a patio umbrella is a must too! This one is a great price from amazon, I would get the navy and white.

I also love the scalloped umbrella!

Ok maybe not an “essential” but we have some pineapple cups similar to these and we LOVE using them at the pool – makes it feel like vacation!

Sharing a few favorite swimsuits for the season:

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Angelina April 18, 2020 Lifestyle

My Pregnancy Must-Haves

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These are the items that I could not live without during my pregnancy! I promised not to turn into a “mommy blogger”, but let’s face it, my life has changed and so my blog is going to reflect that change. No worries, I will still write about pretty interiors too!

That said, I read so many posts about women’s favorite maternity items, so here are mine!

pregnancy must haves, pregnancy essentials, maternity essentials, maternity must haves

Pregnancy Pillow – You are GOING to be uncomfortable when you sleep. They make these GIANT pregnancy pillows but I liked this smaller wedge pillow. I like that you can wedge it under your back, under your hip, in between your legs… wherever! I stole other pillows from the guest bed otherwise. The problem with the giant pillows is that you will get HOT HOT HOT in them! This one won’t make you break out into a sweat! Again, also under $20.

Belly Butter – Listen, no one wants stretch marks. The two creams I have been using religiously every morning after I shower have been Burt’s Bees Mama Belly Butter, which has nourishing shea butter and vitamins, followed by L’occitane’s Almond Supple Skin Oil. There was a study that came out stating almond oil may reduce stretch marks in pregnancy! Hence why I use it!

Maternity Leggings – I live in these Motherhood Maternity leggings. They are really comfy and stretchy and also are under $20. I had a hard time justifying spending any money on maternity clothing since it seems like every 2 weeks you are in a new size! These fit the budget.

Bras – I grew two whole sizes during my pregnancy. I read about this bra and that bra being the best for pregnancy. I just sized up and went with what I felt was a super comfortable bra with good coverage and support. I liked Natori Bliss Perfection the best.

Comfy Slip-On Shoes – The further you get along, the harder it is to tie your shoes. I LOVE this Allbirds Wool Slip Ons (as we are headed into Summer, they have some lighter non-wool Summer slip ons here). I also love these new Birkenstock sandals I got (they are more cute than the other Birkenstock styles that I have seen!) Trust me – your little flimsy flip flops aren’t going to make your feet feel very good when you are in your third trimester!

Compression Socks– I am on my feet a lot at work and wore these to work everyday starting around 20 weeks in my pregnancy. Compression socks definitely helped with leg cramps. The ones I specifically wore were Bombas compression socks here as I am obsessed with Bombas socks, however Amazon has an 8 pack here for under $20.

Maternity Support Belt – I have tried two. My favorite is this one by Belly Bandit. What’s nice is that there is a hot/cold gel pack you can insert into the back for back pain. My cousin let me borrow this one and while it was good, the Belly Bandit one fit me better personally.

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Angelina April 11, 2020 DIY projects

DIY Faux Orchid Arrangement

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Last year I made my own real orchid arrangement – similar to ones you see in all the magazines, social media, etc!

DIY tutorial to make your own faux floral orchid arrangement in blue and white chinoiserie porcelain bowl decor

Except, I have a brown thumb. It is also an accomplishment to kill every one of my indoor plants I have ever purchased.

So I got the idea to make a faux orchid arrangement as the ones that are available for purchase are quite pricey!

I purchased this set of Orchid stems– you get a set of 4 for under $20. I ended up doing this project for another vase and bought these orchid stems which were a little more expensive at 2 for $20 – they look a *bit* more real, but really they both look good.

I purchased this set of Orchid leaves – you get 3 plants for under $20.

The blue and white porcelain bowl I purchased at Home Goods for $20. Floral foam was $3.

I took these pictures but then ended up purchasing are these stakes to make the stems a little more upright.

Take your dry floral foam and cut a piece to wedge into your vase.
Poke and place your orchid stems into the foam.
Then place your orchid leaves into the foam.
Use reindeer moss to cover the foam.

So I suppose project total was $63 – BUT listen… BONUS!! I made *TWO* orchid arrangements with the materials I bought! This one is sitting in my master bathroom! I already had this vase sitting here and had a faux rose that was looking… meh so I put this orchid stem here instead! I LOVE it!

Here is an update – with the slightly more expensive stems attached to the bamboo steak.

Here are some blue and white planters/vases that could work if you aren’t able to find one at Home Goods Or if Home Goods is closed in your area!

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Angelina March 28, 2020 Lifestyle

4 Tips for Making Your Home Feel Like You Live at a 5-Star Resort All of the Time!

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I had written this post when we recently got back from vacation earlier. However, now more than ever, I feel that since many of us are stuck at home that these tips are even more useful! Whenever I get back from vacation I always think— ahh, there’s no place like home! Except, there are some things that I miss about staying at fancy hotels (like, the room service for instance ha!)

I’m sharing a few tips to make your house make it feel like you are always staying at a 5-star hotel!

Iron Your Sheets

Wait. I thought it’s supposed to feel like I’m staying at a hotel… now I’m doing MORE chores by ironing my sheets?? YES. Hear me out: There’s nothing like freshly laundered ironed sheets to sleep on… they are so smooth and feel oh-so-nice. Here are a few *tricks*if you don’t want to spend all of that time ironing… just iron your pillowcases. Also, damp dry your sheets! The wrinkles come out of damp sheets/pillowcases much easier than dry sheets. Put the bottom sheet over the mattress when it is still a little bit damp – this will also help stretch out wrinkles if you don’t want to iron the entire set!

Fresh Flowers

What do you notice when you walk into a hotel? Why fresh flowers, of course!! You don’t need to break the bank on fresh flowers. I highly recommend carnations – mine always last 2 weeks (and often times 3 weeks!) so you really get some bang for your buck with them!

Signature Scent for Your Home

Scent memories are a real thing and transport us to different times and places. Create a scent memory of your home (no, not that wet dog smell!!)

In my entry way, I use Antica Farmcista’s Prosecco reed diffuser. I love this brand of reed diffusers – they last a long time and their scents are really nice. They have tons of other scents too – you can look at them here.

In my master bedroom, I use Diptyque Baies. I just use the room spray as opposed to the candle in the bedroom. If you love Diptyque, they also have the room spray in the 34 scent, Fleur d’Orangeur, Amber, Tuberose.

Luxurious Towels

Having a nice set of towels for your master bathroom is a great way to make your home feel like a hotel. I’m talking about the BIG bath towels, not the small “standard” size!

Pottery Barn Towels – These are the ones I am currently using

I hope you enjoyed my tips to make your life always feel a luxurious!

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Angelina March 27, 2020 Beauty and Fashion

Cute Easter Fashion and Home Finds

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I just LOVE Easter and I think it has to do with the pretty pastels! Sharing a few of my favorite Easter fashion and home finds – perfect for Easter Brunch!

First, let me share my absolute favorites for this year:

Macaron Bunny Carriage

Macaron Chick Basket

Now for a pretty collage of favorites:

First row, left to right:

Floral Bunny Serving Platter
Floral Canvas Tote
Pink Candle Set
Floral Bunny Napkins

Second row, left to right:

Easter bunny set
Vintage Metal Egg Caddy
Sapto Djojokartiko Magani Flat Mules
Misa Pamelina Dress

Third row, left to right:

Floral Scrunchies
Kora Chandelier Earrings
Cocktail napkin set
slingback bow mules in pink

Fourth row, left to right:

Floral Bunny Salad Plates, Set of 4 – Assorted
Buttoned Floral-lace Midi Dress – Womens – Light Blue
Set-Of-Four Embroidered Linen Cocktail Napkins
Garden Bunny

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Angelina March 20, 2020 Beauty and Fashion

Pretty Pastels for Spring

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I love Spring because it’s time for pastel colors to shine!! Sharing some favorite fashion and home finds in the pastel color palette!

First row, Left to Right:

Needle & Thread – Prairie Flora Embellished Embroidered Tulle Dress
Gucci – Voile Sheer Lipstick
Laura Ashley Cotton Sheet Set
Taryn Rose Flat

Second row, Left to Right:

Tory Burch printed silk scarf

Phoebe Dress

Pink Cat Eye Sunglasses

Blue Barcelona Bracelet

Third Row, Left to Right:

Kendra Scott necklace

Floral clear cosmetics bag

Pastel yellow cotton linen blazer

Printed Silk-Satin Pillow

Fourth Row, Left to Right:

Julie Vos Chloe Bangle

Chinoiserie Ceramic Garden Stool

Bow Mini Satchel

Floral-Print Chiffon Midi Dress

Fifth Row, Left to Right:

Jadeite Cake Stand

Embroidered Linen Cocktail Napkins

Mini Acrylic Pink Ark Bag

Voluspa Glass Jar Candle

Or you can shop the widget:

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Angelina March 17, 2020 Design Inspiration

Green with Envy

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Sharing a few favorite finds for yourself and your home in beautiful shades of green as well as some beautiful interior inspiration!

Top row, left to right:

Grosgrain-trimmed Tiered Corded Lace Maxi Dress
Green Figuier Candle, 300g
Bow Tie Chiffon Blouse
John Derian Parrot & Palm Azure Pillow

Middle Row, left to right:

LETTUCE WARE LIDDED SUGAR POT & CREAMER
Tory Burch Miller Flip Flop
Meadow Ruffled Crochet-trimmed Sequined Tulle Mini Dress
Chevron Small Camera Bag

Bottom row, left to right:

Short Sleeve Mini T-Shirt Dress – Universal ThreadTM
Semiprecious Stone Stud Earrings
Green Power Gemstone Self-Wisdom Bracelet
Mark And Graham Printed Coasters

by Phoebe Howard

Cole and Son Topiary Leaf Green Wallpaper

Or you can shop the widget below:

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Angelina March 16, 2020 Lifestyle

Social Isolation Tips

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I have been trying to continue on as blogging as usual, but I think it is impossible to ignore the pandemic that is occurring right now.

There is so much overwhelming information coming from the media. It is difficult to ascertain what are the real statistics regarding COVID19. I think part of it is that no one really knows.

When things seem out of control, it produces a lot of fear and anxiety. It is often that fear and anxiety that is the most crippling to a majority of people as opposed to (in this case hopefully) the actual illness itself.

Trust me, as pregnant lady in my third trimester, there have been days when my thoughts spiral out of control. So I came up with this list to help survive isolation AND to help manage your anxiety/fears.

So what do you do when you feel like there is a loss of control?

Focus on what you can control.

So ask yourself, what can I control?

CLEAN and ORGANIZE. When I feel a loss of control due to something that might have happened at work, I come home and start cleaning. I think, “well I might not have been able to do THAT at work, but I CAN clean the kitchen and do the dishes!”

Do the dishes
Do the laundry
Dust
Vacuum literally everything, including the baseboards and furniture.
Put out your Spring or Easter decor.
Organize the pantry with all that food you have. I have a tutorial for DIY pantry organization labels.
Clean out the fridge
Clean the bathrooms complete with scrubbing the toilet rings off.
Go through your closet and get rid of clothes you don’t wear anymore or no longer fit. I have a rule (except right now when I’m pregnant- If I haven’t worn it in a year it needs to go!)
Polish your shoes
Wash, vacuum and wipe down your car
Finish your taxes (OK not fun, but practical).
Work in the garden, weather permitting.
Go through the photos on your phone and delete all the bad ones.
Organize the files on your computer

GIVE BACK TO OTHERS – Needless to say, this will always make others and you feel good!

Drop off supplies for your elderly or quarantined neighbors – or arrange for a grocery delivery for them.
Be kind to others – give random people a smile or a wave. Seriously a little goes a long way. Just don’t shake hands!
Ask the grocery clerk how they are doing
Leave a note of thanks for the delivery person.
FaceTime or call your family or friends whom you haven’t talked to in a while.

TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF – You have to love yourself before you can help others.

Exercise – This is actually one of the most important things. I highly recommend trying the Peloton App – has WORKOUTS and YOGA so you can get a work out in/yoga session without going to the gym. There is a free 90 day trial! If you don’t want to do that, go for a walk in the neighborhood, just keep your distance from others.
Meditate. The Headspace app is free and really good for mediation. There are even short meditations that are 5 minutes which I started doing when I didn’t feel like I was a “meditation person”.
Take a bath
Do a face mask! I LOVE this Charlotte Tilbury face mask or you can do one of these peel off Korean face masks – come in a pack of 16 and they are fun!
Give yourself a manicure/pedicure.

HAVE FUN – Yes, it’s okay to have fun even when things are going to pot. Don’t feel guilty for feeling happy or having fun.

Do a puzzle
Engage in some online retail therapy – check out my favorites in my shop that I’ve recently updated!
Watch a movie (or three)
Catch up on that show you’re behind on or wanted to watch.
Play board or card games
Read a book – now is the perfect time to sign up for Kindle Unlimited – you get unlimited reading on over a million ebooks with thousands of free audiobooks!
Work on that scrapbook or photobook you’ve been meaning to do.
Read the blogs you’ve forgotten you loved
Listen to a podcast
Start or finish that needlepoint/sewing project
Try adult coloring – I love this coloring book.
Make a new recipe – here are some dessert recipes you can try.
Plan your next vacation – yes, eventually we will get to travel again. Life WILL go on!

HEALTH – Part of managing the fear and anxiety of the unknown is to do a little bit of self education about this disease. Having a plan of action will help ease some of the fears and anxieties. Most reliable source of information regarding the illness is from the CDC. If you are going to read ANYTHING you should stick with the CDC – I have only included links to the CDC.

Come up with a plan should you get sick. Again the CDC has lots of information about coming up with a plan. I think the reality is this: many of us are going to get sick. So you need to know WHAT to do should you get sick and figure out who really needs to go to the doctor or hospital.
Here is WHAT TO DO if you are sick.
The CDC has a website dedicated to mental health and coping during this time -including a downloadable children’s coloring book about coping during disasters.
AVOID the media. If you cannot avoid it completely, just allot yourself only 5-10 minutes a day to read from 1-2 credible sources and promise yourself THAT is it. Don’t spend all day spiraling down into doom. It is very easy to do that, especially when you have more time at home!

Remember, FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES. Ask yourself…

What is one thing I am thankful for today?

What is one thing of beauty that I saw today?

In every negative situation, there is always a positive light. Sometimes you have to look hard for it, but I promise it is there.

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Angelina March 15, 2020 Lifestyle

Recent Fashion and Home Buys

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

I always like to read what people have recently purchased, so I thought I would share a few things too. I’m writing more posts recently as I figured people might be bored socially isolating! At least I am!

These are purchases I have made over the past 3 months!

Ombre Antelope/Fawn pillow case– I got this pillow in Aqua and white. I was going to put it in my living room but decided I actually liked it in my bedroom better! Comes in tons of colors.

Freshwater pearl earrings for under $25– I am always a little bit leery in trusting descriptions on Amazon, but these do look like real freshwater pearls. They come in so many sizes. I got the 7mm ones.

Scalloped Bow Napkin Ring – just got these and I can’t wait to use them in a Spring table setting!! So romantic.

Faux Orchid Stems pack of 4 – I actually used these in a tutorial I made in a few posts from now. They look quite real and were under $20.

Tory Burch Miller Sandals – I have these in two other colors but I bought them in green! You see, several years ago they came out with a similar green and I did not buy them right away. I went back to buy them about 2 weeks later and they were sold out! I was so mad and have been lusting for them for several years! When I saw the green again, I HAD to get them! You can get them at Nordies here instead.

I updated my iPhone case and pop socket. I love the new pale pink silicone iPhone case!!

I also love my popsocket! I spend so much time on my phone and this helps holding it so much easier!

Short sleeve woven mini dress – this dress isn’t here YET and is arriving this week! While I’m pregnant I plan to use it as more of a tunic shirt with leggings.

I also bought this tiered ruffle dress (both the dresses are from Target). It comes in several colors. It reminds me of Sea, Love Shack Fancy, etc. Same look for way cheaper!

Essie Sugar Daddy nail polish – a really nice pale pink that doesn’t leave lines. I use one coat to get my nails a nice healthy looking pink shine.

Birkenstock Siena Big Buckle Sandal – I got these and they are really comfy! I purchased them for our trip to Hawaii since my sore pregnant feet can’t handle Tory Burch millers all day! They come in white and rose gold. You can get them at Saks as well instead of Nordstrom. Here is a link to brown color way as well.

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Angelina March 14, 2020 Desserts

French Strawberry Naked Layer Cake

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Doesn’t a French strawberry naked layer cake sound good? Well, let me tell you… it IS good. I made this recipe with the spirit of Le Fraisier in mind. I tried to simplify Le Fraisier and came up with this combination of a cake.

A cake as fancy as this requires a fancy table setting! Antique embroidered hankies were are as napkins.

I highly suggest eating this cake off of a fancy antique plate – just don’t use your knife (not that you would when eating a cake! – side note: If you are using antique china, don’t use metal knives on it as it will scratch the plate!)

I picked the daffodils from my garden. Aren’t they pretty?

Now for the recipe:

I used Sally’s Baking Addition Vanilla Naked Cake recipe which you can get here. Note, I made a 6″ cake, so I actually baked my cake as a sheet cake in quarter size pans – this recipe actually made enough for two 6″ cakes. I also baked mine at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes in these pans.

I made the filling with creme mousseline, recipe below.

Cut fresh strawberries, halved.

Crème Mousseline

350g whole milk

100g granulated sugar

1/2 a vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped for inside beans/seeds

4 egg yolks

35g plain flour

200g unsalted butter, softened

Making the creme

Place milk, vanilla bean and scraped seeds into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then remove from heat and set aside.
In another bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until mixture is pale yellow. Mix int the flour until well combined.
Remove vanilla bean pod from milk mixture. Then pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, constantly whisking to combine.
Then pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and place over high heat. Whisk constantly until it is thickened, smooth, and glossy. Then remove from heat and transfer pastry cream to a plate. Immediately cover with plastic cling wrap and place into the freezer to cool but only for 10 minutes. Do not allow it to freeze (If you don’t put the cling wrap on immediately, the pastry cream will get a film on it that’s lumpy and gross and you will have to strain it out later, so don’t miss this step)
While the cream is in the freezer, beat your butter until creamy. Then when the pastry cream is about room temperature, add the cream to the butter and mix until while combined.

Assembly

Using a 6″ cake ring, stamp out the ring into your sheet cake two times, one for each layer.

Then, place your cake ring on a stand. Next, line the cake ring with acetate.

Starting with the sheet cake you stamped out, place it in the center of the ring. Next, arrange the strawberries on the edge of the cake so the insides face the outside of the cake. Then fill the insides of the cake with strawberries.

Next, pour a layer of creme mousseline over the strawberries until they are all covered and the layer appears even.

Take the second sheet cake ring you cut out and place it over the creme layer.

On top of your second layer, spread more creme mousseline.

Top the creme with strawberries in any pattern you desire.

Place the cake in the fridge for 2 hours so that it may harden and will make it easier to take the acetate and cake ring off.

Final Thoughts… How does this compare to a Le Fraisier?

The Fraisier I felt displayed more of the strawberries’ flavor whereas this cake displays more of the white vanilla cake flavor. That said, I felt that this cake was easier as it did not include two steps that the Fraisier does: the kirsch syrup and marzipan layer. I do feel Le Fraisier is a little bit better in my opinion, however this still tastes GREAT and way better than any layer cake that I’ve had from the grocery store and even some bakeries.

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