Friday Fancies::Sophisticated New Year's Eve

Low Key New Year's Eve


I know this does not look like your typical New Year's Eve getup, but I thought "Hey, you're going to be a mama soon...time to shape up!" and thus this look evolved.  Truth be told, I am a HUGE chambray fan {just purchased my first button-up at J.Crew over Christmas!} and while I love the look of sequins, I think it can verge on cheesy when paired incorrectly.  Sequins with something more casual {like a sweater or blouse} tends to balance things out.

Nothing else about this look is low key though...I mean HELLO heels!  Aren't these amazing?  If on they would fit in my budget!  And I know I can always depend on Miss Kate Spade for gorgeous accessories like this statement necklace and  bangles.  The earrings are simple and yet they still sparkle too!

Last is this gorgeous, yet inexpensive, Top Shop clutch.  I'm liking their selection more and more and think the hardware on this baby really stands out!

We'll be pretty low key this New Year's Eve...just so excited to have another 3-day weekend ahead!  What are your plans??

xo natasha

2011 Year in Review


Wow!  I can't believe that 2011 is almost over!  So many fun things happened this year and 2012 is going to be even better!  :)  I thought I would pull up some of my favorite posts from this past year...hope you enjoy!

Food







Fashion






Decor






And of course the biggest news of 2011...


Thank you to everyone who has loyally followed along this past year!  Your supportive comments, emails, and feedback have been invaluable to me!  I have built many new relationships both online and face-to-face...and I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of such a great network of amazing people.  So thank you, thank you, thank you!!  Cannot wait for 2012!!

xo natasha

14 Weeks and growing!


How far along?  14 Weeks {and 6 days today!}
Baby Size: A lemon
Total weight gain/loss: I haven't checked this week...but after all the Christmas and Birthday food, I'm sure I've gained my share!
Maternity clothes? Stretch marks? No
Sleep:  Sleeping well now.  Oh!  But I did buy a snoogle...ok no one warns you how BIG those dang things are!  I have no idea how you sleep with one...it feels like I'm wrestling an alligator!  Any suggestions??
Best moment this week: Seeing my family and friends and getting excited all over again!  :)
Miss Anything?  I have to say, not to be able to partake in all the holiday cocktails this Christmas and Birthday was a little tough!
Movement:  I really want there to be...to the point of thinking I DO feel something...probably indigestion...or my imagination!
Food cravings:  I'll rarely say no to sweets right now...yum!
Anything making you queasy or sick: I'm getting better every day...still not a fan of red onions though.
Have you started to show yet:  I'm definitely seeing a little bump coming in...especially now!  And it definitely gets bigger toward the end of the day!  But I'm still able to sleep on my tummy, so it can't be that big!
Gender prediction:  Still unsure.  Hubby wants a boy and then I start to think it could be a girl.  I had a dream about a little girl...so maybe that's something?
Labor Signs:  No
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off?  On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy and excited!  But tired...
Looking forward to:  Finding out the gender in January...I'm seeing my doc at 17 weeks...maybe we'll find out then!

xo natasha

Christmas is over...now let's celebrate!

{via}
Why?  Because today is my birthday!  :)

Celebrating with my best friends today...can't wait!

xo natasha

A Very Merry Chrismtas!

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas today!

xo natasha

Friday Fancies::Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland


It's beginning to look at lot like Christmas...oh who are kidding??  Christmas is in FULL swing and I could not be happier!  I am so excited to be spending time with my family and friends down south.  Though we haven't gotten much snow in Tahoe, I'm taking in all the warmer weather in Orange County.

 I wish I had a Winter Ball to attend, because I would definitely rock this whole look.  Whoever said white is out after Labor Day, clearly never knew about Winter White!

I adore the simplicity of this Zac Posen dress...the sweetheart neckline is perfection!  And of course, this faux fur coat is fabulous...I would be nice and toasty wherever I went!

The Jimmy Choo's are stunners, don't you think?  And I've had an unhealthy obsession with this Kate Spade Necklace...it's just so beautiful.  For a less expensive find, this ring would certainly compliment the overall look.


Last, is the quintessential holiday sequins clutch.  I love this one and I'm sure I would get a ton of use out of it.  Maybe Santa's still shopping??

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas this Sunday!


xo natasha

 

{Christmas Cheer} Recipe Favorites!


Christmas is officially THREE days away!!  Can you believe it?  We're flying down to Orange County tonight for Christmas and I can't wait!  It's the first time we'll see my family and friends since we announced we're pregnant- so it will be extra exciting!  :)

Since we've all got the weekend to prep and bake for Christmas {right?!}, I thought I would share some of my favorite recipe link ups from our Christmas Cheer link party!  {Forgot to link up?  No worries!  You can link up through Christmas!}  Hope this gets you inspired this weekend!

Peppermint Pina Colada {Savor Home}

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies {Twenty Three Oh One}

Holiday Granola {Yummy Mummy Kitchen}

Glittery Oreo Cake Ball {Simply Irresistible}

 Pretty Pepperminty Ice Cream {Cravings of a Lunatic}

Candy Cane Blossoms {My Messmerized Life}

Peanut Butter Balls {Two Twenty One}

Ornament Cake Balls {A Step in the Journey}

Merry Minton Brownies {The Smitten Mintons}

Flourless Chocolate Cake {Life of a Real Orange County Housewife}

Are you drooling yet!?  For more holiday recipes, go here.  And a big thank you to everyone that linked up!

xo natasha

Tufted Headboard Tutorial!


A couple months ago, I featured my good friend Jamie Antonioli and her amazing DIY projects here.  I received an overwhelming response from all of you on the gorgeous turquoise tufted headboard.  Remember this beauty?


Well I am thrilled that Jamie agreed to write a tutorial for all of us today!  Like all of you, I've been dying to learn how she created this masterpiece and I'm so glad we get to share it here today.  So I am going to hand it over to Jamie...take it away!

A few years ago, when Mad Men first started, I saw the Draper’s amazing turquoise tufted headboard and decided that I had to own one! Custom furniture is not in my budget, so my dad suggested that we make one. I searched online and checked out every upholstery book I could find at the library and wasn’t able to find very much information on how to do this. Fortunately, my dad came up with a great idea for how to make the tufts. Not only was he the brains behind this operation, but he also had endless patience during this project, took most of the pictures, and helped write this tutorial!

Now, this isn’t a quick afternoon DIY project, but I think the results are well worth it. It took us 2 1/2 days to complete this headboard. I am confident we could make another one much faster but we took our time to figure out the process and not rush through it. The instructions below will help you make your own tufted headboard.

Supplies:

  • 3/4 inch plywood
  • 3 inch thick foam - the foam doesn’t have to be this thick but I think it really creates the deep tufted look
  • Polyester batting
  • Fabric - for my queen size bed I used 3 yards of 54” wide fabric for the headboard and buttons, make sure to buy enough extra fabric to compensate for the tufts
  • Spray adhesive
  • Drill
  • Circular saw or jigsaw
  • Staple gun
  • Upholstery needles - like these
  • Button kit - like this
  • Upholstery twine/thread
  • Zip ties - mine were 8 inches long
 

1.  Cut your 3/4 plywood down to size. You can keep it as a rectangle, do a curved top, or even a more intricate design. We made a queen size headboard so it ended up being 60 inches wide and 34 inches tall at the highest point.


2.  Lay out your button pattern on the plywood. We started our first row 2 1/2 inches down from the top of the plywood and spaced the buttons 9 inches apart. Make sure to not get too close to the edge of the plywood with your spacing. Also, for the diamond pattern, you need to alternate your rows - so the next row of buttons will start 4 1/2 inches below and to the side of the first button. Keep in mind that the more buttons you have, the more work it will be - so space out your buttons accordingly (I had a friend do 12 inches in between buttons and it looks great too.) After you have your pattern laid out, drill small holes through the plywood where each button goes. Make sure the holes are big enough to pass through a zip tie and upholstery needle. 

3.  Cut your foam down to size and use the spray adhesive to secure it to the top of your plywood.

4.  Wrap the batting around the front of the foam and staple it to the back of the plywood


5.  Use your button kit to cover buttons in your fabric. For this step, follow the directions that come with your button kit and make the appropriate amount of buttons for your headboard. Keep in mind that the thicker your fabric is, the harder this will be. I used velvet so this was the hardest step for me!


6.  Cut your upholstery twine in pieces about 8 inches long and tie in a knot to the back of each button.


7.  Now it is time to start the tufts, so drape the fabric over the headboard and find a comfortable place to work. I started in the middle of the headboard and worked my way out from there.

8.  From the back of the headboard, push an upholstery needle through the hole until it starts to come out of the foam on the front side. This is where you will attach your first button.


9.  With your smallest upholstery needle, thread the button through the fabric in the spot where the needle poked through. Then on the back side of the fabric, securely tie the button through the eye of the zip tie.

 

10.           Now tape the end of the zip tie to the upholstery needle and from the back side of the headboard, start pulling the needle slowly through to the back.


11.           Untape the zip tie from the needle once it comes through the plywood. Using a second zip tie, slip the eye end over the zip tie coming through the headboard - holding the tie in place while you tighten the button from the back

12.           Before you fully tighten the button, start to work with the fabric on the front of the headboard to get your folding/pleating in place to get the diamond tufted look. The fabric should do this for the most part on its own as you start to form the diamonds, but you may need to adjust the fabric in places to get it to lay right. I got the best results doing this as the button was about halfway tightened and then fully securing the button once I was happy with the fabric.


13.           Repeat this process, working your way out from the center of the headboard until all tufts are complete. Then wrap the extra fabric around to the back of the headboard and staple it into place.


 You can hang your headboard from the wall or build a frame for it to sit on the ground between the bed and wall when you are finished.


Please do not reprint this or use any of the images without the permission of Jamie Antonioli and Natasha of Schue Love.


Amazing right?!  My husband and I have been talking about making a headboard for as long as I can remember...I really want to make it happen now!

*UPDATE*: The fabric used is from the  Fabricut Renaissance line, the color is Horizon. I purchased though fabriccarolina.com. It's an upholstery weight velvet.  You can find it here.

Thank you to the talented Jamie for sharing with all of us today!!

xo natasha

Peppermint Cookies

I made these cookies last year for a cookie exchange and everyone loved them!  They kind of look like Grinch cookies...but let me assure you, they are anything but cranky!  They have just a hint of peppermint and they're super soft and chewy...yum!

The recipe is from one of my favorite foody blogs, The Cooking Photographer...you can find the recipe here!


I made them again this year and they disappeared just as quickly!  I think these will become a annual recipe for us!  :)

Did you bake any goodies over the weekend!

Hope you enjoy!  Bon Appetit!  

xo natasha

Linked to: Tasty Tuesdays

P.S. I'm guest posting over at Daffofil's on some affordable fashion finds to wear this Chrismtas!