San Diego Zoo Safari Park Adventures

If you live in the San Diego area and have young children, October is your month!  Thanks to the San Diego Museum Council, the San Diego Tourism Authority and Time Warner, kids 12 and under will experience free admission to local attractions all around San Diego.  See the full list of offers here.   

This weekend we made a trip out to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido (one of your participating FREE attractions in October) and had such a fun time walking around and seeing all the animals.  One of the highlights of any trip to the zoo is being able to see baby animals, which is not always a guarantee each trip.  But if you go now, and before 11:30am, you'll be able to see the most adorable 4 baby lion cubs that were born at the end of June.

 

It was hard to get a nice picture through the glass, but we were excited to see these lion cubs up close nonetheless.  One of them seemed to enjoy the attention and walked near the glass for most of our visit. Take your children to see these and they will feel like they are in a real life Lion King movie (minus the scary Mufasa), and will be delighted to see "Simba" and his friends frolicking around.  

There is also a 6 month old baby gorilla that I unfortunately didn't get a picture of, but is definitely worth seeing.  According to an LA Times article, the gorilla was born via caesarian, the first time such a procedure had been done on a gorilla at the park.

Another noteworthy exhibit is the new Tiger Trail, that just opened in May.  

Viewers can get pretty up close and personal with these beautiful creatures.  And they certainly are stunning to look at.  Even my one year old was intrigued!

Lots to see at the Safari Park.  Drop by in October when your kids are free, and buy an annual pass if you like it!

The Safari Park is located at 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027.

xo, 

Carly

Busy Mom Recipes - Sunday Scones

Our weekends are usually jam packed with activities.  But when I can, I like to get in the kitchen to make my family some breakfast treats.  My go-to breakfast items are usually kid friendly options like pancakes or Belgian waffles, with the occasional french toast thrown in there.  And when I'm up for something a little different, but still very simple, I whip up a batch of scones.

The great thing about scones is that the ingredients are items that are usually on hand in the pantry.  For me, the only exception would be orange juice.  Most of the scone recipes that I have come across require a tiny bit of orange juice.  However, my family and I are not regular orange juice drinkers so I had some recipe tweaking to do.  Luckily the recipe I did end up with worked fantastically with milk as a substitute for orange juice.  This weekend's scone was chocolate chip.  And off we go.

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

7 TB unsalted butter

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Cut in the butter until the mixture is nice and crumbly.  At this point, I just use my hands to crumble the butter and mix it all together.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Mix in the milk to form a dough.

On a floured surface, pat the dough into a 9 inch circle.  Cut into pie shape pieces.  

Transfer to baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 14 minutes.

Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy!

xo,

Carly

For the Love of Turquoise

This week I'm excited to share some lovely items that have recently caught my eye, and in my favorite color - turquoise!

I love the color turquoise.  It's a feminine color on its own, but can work for more neutral spaces as well, depending on the colors it is paired with.  Turquoise is an obvious choice for coastal/beachy themes, but it is when it's used in unexpected ways that it really shines.  Here are some fab finds that I'm currently obsessing over.

This candle holder is everything!  It's simple, yet super glam at the same time.  The tiny rhinestones around the rim give it that extra hint ofsparkle.  I can't imagine how beautiful it must look with a lit candle inside.

These heels border on aqua, but it's close enough to turquoise, so I still love them.  They are perfectly paired here with a romantic pink dress and accessories.  The bold color of the heels keep the outfit from being too girly, and instead make a fashion statement.

A turquoise front door is not something that you see often.  But it certainly deserves a second look!  When I see this door, it makes me want to know what the inside of the house looks like.  Because this door color is right up my alley!

This unexpected pants color is neutralized with a gray sweater and white oversized tote, which makes the turquoise still stand out as a little bit of a fashion risk, but in a subtle way.

Turquoise and coral is a fantastic color combination for the home.  It has an elegant and modern, yet whimsical look and feel to it.  When coral is in a darker tone (almost orange) it also give an energizing feel.  The pop of color on this entry table, definitely perks up an otherwise neutral (but still lovely) space.  

And having the color combo for a tablescape is so pretty I wouldn't want to mess it up by eating on it!

I can just imagine using some of these old turquoise books as decor on a coffee table, in an office space, or even as props in a photo shoot.  

And speaking of photo shoots, this old turquoise Chevy is just screaming for a vintage photo shoot!  I would want a car like this just so I can use it for photo shoots. ALL. THE. TIME.

Have a fantastic weekend!

xo,
Carly  

The Dollar Store Gems...Who Knew?

We’ve all heard of dollar stores, right?  I’ve never been one to give these stores a second thought until earlier this year when I dropped by one hoping to find some party supplies - and I only ended up there because it was conveniently located a few minutes from my office.  What I was shocked to find out was that there were all sorts of gems there if you really look!

One thing to note is that I don’t buy food from dollar stores.  I don’t know why, but it’s just not my thing.  Not to say they aren’t perfectly fine to consume, but I just choose not to.  However, there are a ton of other things that I WILL buy.

My store of choice for cheap finds is the Dollar Tree.  I have actually had a lot of success in scoring some cool finds there.  Plus, if the item doesn’t work out, hey, it’s just a dollar right?

Here are a few of my favorite deals at the Dollar Tree:

Gift Bags.  There are gift bags of all sizes and themes here, including wine bags.  And some even come in packs of 2!  Gift bags at Target can run you anywhere from $1.99 to $5.99 or more depending on the size.  These are especially great deals if you’re buying a bag for a kid’s gift because let’s face it, kids don’t care about the gift bag.

Seasonal and Holiday Decor.  These are hit or miss, but if you're lucky you can score some decorative pieces that are perfectly acceptable for decor that will just be up for a month or two.  I found these little pumpkins that I threw in a decorative bowl with some other filler, and made a little bowl of fall fun.

Basically Anything for a Kid.  Let’s face it….kids break things, lose things, and get tired of things.  Easily and quickly.  Why cry over a torn $20 pair of fairy wings when you can get a $1 pair instead?  Hair brushes, coloring books, regular books, dress up items, etc. can all be found here.

 

DIY Crafting Supplies. The dollar store is also great for the DIY enthusiast, where you can buy a ton of craft supplies, including poster boards, paint brushes, pens, and more. 

If you're a crafter, you're probably a birthday party DIY'er as well.  This store is great for DIY party decor projects. I got 12 of these little ceramic pots for a dollar each, that I used in decor projects for my son's Mickey Mouse birthday party.  The crinkle paper used in the pots, and the puzzles below were also a dollar.  And these puzzles still get used today!

 

and finally...General Home Decor.  My favorite part of any store. 

Little vases for days.  These are perfect for tablescapes like this:

Photo Credit: www.stylemepretty.com

Lots of possibilities at this little store!  Who knew?

xo,

Carly

DIY: Easy Relaxation Gift Basket

Here's a common birthday gift dilemma that we can all relate to...what to get the person that either has everything, doesn't need anything or just deserves something extra special?  While a gift card is always a practical and easy option, maybe this time you want to give something a little more personal, but have simply run out of ideas?  

Gift baskets are an easy DIY solution!  Depending on what you put in them, they can be fairly inexpensive too.  It's always fun to go with a theme for your baskets, and there are an infinite amount of possibilities.  Take time to choose a theme that your recipient will enjoy.

Here's a recent birthday gift basket I put together for a very busy bee, with the theme being relaxation and rejuvenation.    

Basket contains:

shower puff

fragranced soy candle

Starbucks Refreshers mixes

towels

Ghiradelli chocolate

relaxing lavender aromatherapy face mask

revitalizing eye mask

Bath and Body Works shower gel and lotion

Tip: fill your basket with items of varying size for visual interest.  To make everything stay where you want them, stuff in between with crinkle paper.  Easy peasy!

Finally, I added in a couple of flower embellishments, tied it all together with a large cellophane bag, and viola, instant gift basket!

Sidenote: the basket, crinkle paper and cellophane bag (came in set of 2) were all scores from the Dollar Tree.  I'll be doing a post soon about the gems you can find at the Dollar Tree.  

Can't wait till the next time I need a gift basket!

xo,

Carly

Product Review: JJ Cole Satchel Diaper Bag

In my pre-baby life, I admit I had a bit of an addiction to purses.  Now, as a mother of two, purses for me have been replaced by diapers and toys for them.  So I set out to satisfy my cravings for new accessories by finding stylish everyday baby items.

First up....the diaper bag!

These days when it comes to choosing a diaper bag, for a lot of moms, style can be just as important  a feature as function.  It is quite a nuisance to carry both a regular purse, AND a diaper bag on every outing with the littles.  Luckily, the diaper bag is becoming increasingly more fashionable, which helps with the transition to carrying just one bag.

My favorite diaper bag is actually the one I purchased a few years ago not long after my daughter was born.  It's the JJ Cole Satchel Bag in Stone Arbor.  I decided to feature this bag here because to this day, this item is one of my top two "pinned" items from my Pinterest Account.  And it still consistently gets repinned today.  Moms clearly love this bag!

As a marketer, I appreciate how the bag is showcased in their promo photo and I admit that this photo was actually the first thing that drew me to this bag. :)  I love the way the woman is styled, and I absolutely love the little girl. Everything about her is adorable; her hairstyle, expression, trendy outfit, and too-cute silver sandals.  This bag is meant for the stylish mother/daughter duo.

Besides being pretty, this bag is also very practical.  It has the following features:

- 2 bottle pockets on each end

- 2 outside zipper pockets for small items like keys or lipgloss

- 4 outside pockets for mommy items like your wallet, phone, sunglasses, etc.

- 4 internal pockets for diapers, wipes, etc.

- coordinating changing pad

- removable padded shoulder strap

- roomy interior for baby essentials

It's the perfect combination of functional and fashionable!

xo,

Carly

Summer to Fall Transition Outfits

Here in San Diego, the start of fall has brought on unceremoniously hot weather.  But the nights at least bring some crisp cool air where you may need a light sweater for an evening stroll.  So while we're not exactly ready for full on fall fashion, there's no better time then to jump on Pinterest and get inspired with some summer to fall transitional fashion.

What's the easiest trick for transitioning from summer to fall, you ask?  Layering!  Here are my top 5 must-have layering items that can take your summer outfits seamlessly into fall. 

1. tall boots

2.  scarf

3.  light cardigan

4.  leggings/tights

5.  pullover sweater

And here are some fun ways to wear these items with your current summer wardrobe.  

All images found on Pinterest.

  

This sweet dress on its own is light and flowy and perfect for summer. But throw on a plaid shirt and worn boots, and your dress turns into such an effortless pretty fall transitional outfit.

When the weather gets cooler, get more use out of your summer shorts and just pair them with a pair of tights or leggings and a long sleeve top or sweater.  

A black scarf and black tall boots are staples for fall and can transition your summer dresses into the next season quite fashionably.

A pullover sweater and booties in neutral colors are definite must-have items to elegantly pair with your dress or skirt for fall weather.  Is it just me or does this look totally channel Carrie from SATC? ;)

 

A baggy pullover sweater or a soft cardigan can also be paired with shorts for a feminine look.  Keep them in neutral colors to best capture the fall feel.

A scarf and booties will "fall-up" a plain tshirt and jeans ensemble.

This look is fab as it incorporates 3 must-have items (scarf, leggings and boots) to stylishly transition this white summer dress into fall.  

Happy shopping!

xo,

Carly

DIY: Simply Blingy Pumpkins

All the fall decor inspiration on Pinterest got me excited for not only fall, but for Halloween!  And with my project goal of "creatively simple", these blinged out pumpkins were just right holiday DIY project for me.

These really couldn't be more easy. Here are the supplies.  Michaels has these white pumpkins on sale now so I grabbed a couple, plus some sticker bling from the scrapbooking section.  

Love the view from the top.

And the view from the front!  Love the juxtaposition of the girly bling with the creepy "EEK" for Halloween.  My daughter thought these pumpkins were so pretty that she declared them Cinderella's pumpkins, and proceeded to place her Cinderella characters on top of them!

xo,

Carly

Fall Decorating Has Begun

The fall season is upon us and it's time to decorate!  What better place to find decor inspiration but Pinterest of course.  Check out our Fall Decor board for some fun and stylish fall decor ideas and start pinning away!

Follow Carly DeVries's board Fall Decor on Pinterest.

Oh, and it's definitely time to make a trip to Michaels.  ;)

xo,
Carly