Sunshine

With the current temperature of 50 and a high of 63, today has me ready for bright colors sunshine & warmer weather.

What about you? 

Ready to say goodbye to winter?


{images via Pinterest}

Puppy Love

 Meet Jackson.

The most adorable puppy ever.

I wish I could say he is mine.

However, he belongs to my good friend Jessie.
I met him this weekend and instantly fell in love.
Although in my opinion it would be hard not to.

Happy Monday!

Friday's Fancies Guest: Chihuahua in the City

Thank goodness this week is almost over!

Fridays are such a great day.

Especially since it means another round of Friday's Fancies.

And today I'm so excited to say we have a special guest visiting.

Emily, from Chihuahua in the City is here to share her fanciness inspired by my favorite color:

TEAL

**********

Hi everyone! I’m Emily from Chihuahua in the City and I’m thrilled to be participating with Amanda in the Friday’s Fancies blog swap. After a quick exchange of emails and a brief getting to know you session we settled on using {av’s} theme of Winter Wonderland while using our favorite color as inspiration. If you follow me you’ll know I chose pink; Amanda’s choice is rich and gorgeous teal.

I’ve seen tons of celebrities rocking these coated J Brand jeans lately. They sort of have a leather like shimmer appearance making them just a little more special than your typical colored denim. When I spotted them in teal I knew they would be the base of my outfit inspiration.

Since my recent move from the Southwest to NYC I’ve had to completely rethink my wardrobe and have struggled finding stylish and warm clothes. This would totally be an outfit I could wear to work and then straight out to dinner. I’m always looking for a platform since they are much easier when navigating the streets, subways and buses of NYC. And the earmuffs keep my ears warm but not flattening out my hair like a hat.

Don’t forget to pop over to {long distance loving} to see all of the other wonderful Friday’s Fancies link ups this week!!! 

1. Nanette Lepore Dazzle Me Top

2. Elizabeth and James narrow high heels

3. Saks Fifth Avenue collection Earmuffs

4. Mackage Helena Gloves

5. Alex and Ani beaded bangle set

6. Mackage Diana-E Jacket

7. J Brand Low Rise Coated Legging Jeans in Teal

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How amazing is the outfit Emily chose for me!?

Completely me, it's as if she has known me for years.

Thank you to Emily for visiting today!

To check out the look I created for her pop on over to her blog.

Hope every one has a fabulous weekend!

xoxo

Amanda 

I'd Rather Be ...

The weather in Cincinnati today is anything but desirable.
Dark, stormy, and cold.

So I find myself wishing I was somewhere else.

I found this cozy little tree cottage on Pinterest and this is EXACTLY where I'd like to be today.
Doesn't this seem like the perfect location for a mini {or even an extended} get away?

Style File: Scarves

One of my favorite accessories has always been the scarf.

When your outfit is in need of that little something extra or you can't decide what jewelry, it's the ultimate go to.

It can add the perfect pop of color to any outfit that happens to be layered with neutrals and basics.

With so many options available, in every store, it's the one piece I never hold back from purchasing.

Here's just a few that I'm currently loving:

One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six - Seven - Eight

One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six - Seven - Eight

One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six - Seven - Eight

Also check out Francesca's Collections.

While the website doesn't offer a huge selection I stopped in the store over the weekend and walked out with not one, but two new amazing scarves.

Something for Him: Dosh Wallets

Now that the brother's birthday is over I can finally share.

For his big day I got him the Street style Dosh Wallet.

These wallets are amazing.

I had never heard of them, or even seen them for that matter.

That is until I grabbed dinner with a college guy friend who was in town over Christmas. {Thanks Mike!}
Dosh is an Australian based company which prides itself on helping you shed excess baggage from your wallet and streamline the content of your pockets.
The material used is a durable, water-proof polymer.
Which will sustain a longer life than say the everyday leather wallet.

If there is a man in your life I definitely suggest checking these out.
There is bound to be a style and color he will love.

Cory's 30th via Instagram

my frozen world saturday morning

make a wish Cory!

my cute/silly family

Cory's 30!

gift from Mary & Pat ... idea from Pinterest

oreo cookie pudding shot

the bridge to go home

my world is still frozen ... mom's bird feeder 

This weekend was a blast.
We spent Saturday celebrating my big brother Cory's 30th birthday.

He had decided he wanted to celebrate at Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

Friends and family checked in around 4 pm then headed to The Final Cut, the steakhouse inside the casino.

The food was uh-mazing!

After eating way too much we hopped on a party bus filled with an insane amount of booze.

The destination was Mt Adams.

We visited Mt Adams Tavern to see our favorite bartender (Cory's friend since elementary).

After we stopped in another bar then jumped back on the bus and headed back to the casino.

I'm not much of a gambler so once back I just watched everyone else gamble away {maybe win} their money.

Although I did try my hand at the slots ... I can see why people get addicted.

Overall it was one of the best weekends and I'm so happy I was able to celebrate with my brother.

And a huge thank you to Sara {Cory's wonderful gf} and Mr & Mrs Dreier for putting together the festivities!

Find me on Instagram @apattison.

Inspiration: Atlantic-Pacific

images via Atlantic-Pacific

30 is the new 20, unless your 20, then it's the new 40.

Happy 30th Birthday to one of the best big brothers a girl could ask for!

Can't wait to celebrate this weekend!

xoxo 

Amanda 

Sabrina Soto & Target

 Shop the Golden Days Collection

"The Golden Days décor collection is all about feminine details and dramatic patterns. Stripes and florals meet pastels and prints to create a modern French connection."

 Shop the Hue Collection

"Textures abound and prints are plentiful in the Hue décor collection. Add a splash of color with accessories saturated with beautiful and bold shades sure to cause a double take or two."

Shop the Mod Morocco Collection

"The great thing about this décor collection is how easily it can integrate into your personal style. Playing with geometric detailing and ikat patterns, these eclectic accessories add eye-catching appeal."

I'm a huge fan of Target and my love grew even more after I was in there this weekend.

I stumbled upon three new collections that are absolutely amazing and have a little something for everyone.

Sabrina Soto, has always been one of my favorite HGTV host. Especially with her new show The High/Low Project. 

If you haven't seen it I definitely recommend catching an episode ... or four.

She gives clients the dream room, first on a never ending budget then gives them an identical version but on the budget they can actually afford. What helps her accomplish this is heading to Target. She finds key pieces that are exact matches to the high-end version.

I'm sure these new lines will be popping up on new episodes

.

So go check out the items above {and more} from these stunning new lines here.

Happy Words

ModCloth Pop

1. Instant Wish Dress 2. Thanks A Vermillion Dress 3. Coast Stories Dress

4. Feelin' Refreshed Dress 5. Bold Flame Skirt 6. Count On V Top

Happy Friday everyone!

I'm so thrilled to be linking up once again over at Long Distance Loving.

After a few weeks off this weeks theme came at the perfect time, Color Crush.

With a current temperature of 18 degrees and snow on the ground bright colors are all I'm dreaming of. 

And lately I've been loving the color poppy.

Which plays nicely with the 2012 Pantone color of the year Tangerine Tango.

All of my finds above come from one of my favorite shops ModCloth but I found this color everywhere!

One thing is for sure, this happy shade leaves me hoping for spring and we've barely seen signs of winter.

On the Lighter Side

Honey Soy Grilled Salmon with Edamame

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
• 2 scallions
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 center cut skin-on wild salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon black sesame seeds
• 1 1/3 cups cooked edamame
• Lime wedges, optional garnish

Preheat the grill over medium-high direct heat. Oil the grill grates. Finely chop the cilantro and scallion and mix in the oil and ginger. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut two 3-inch long slits through the skin lengthwise on the bottom of the salmon fillets, going about halfway into the salmon. Evenly stuff the slits with the herb mixture. Season the fish with salt and pepper.

Stir together the lime juice, soy and honey until smooth. Place the salmon, skin side up, on the grill and cook until well marked, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the salmon and continue to cook, brushing the tops with the sauce, until the fish is cooked through, about another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle the tops with the sesame seeds. Serve with edamame.

Broiler directions: Position an oven rack so that a baking sheet set on the rack is about 4-inches below the heat source. Preheat the broiler. Prepare the salmon as above and place the fillets, skin down, on a foil lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil, basting 3 to 4 times with the sauce, until just cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Calories 345; Total Fat 15g (Sat Fat 1.8g, Mono Fat 4.1g, Poly Fat 5.8g) ; Protein 39g; Carb 10g; Fiber 3g; Cholesterol 93.5mg; Sodium 306mg

{image and recipe via Food Network}

A Branch of the Family Tree

On Sunday I spent the day doing something with my parents that my mom has wanted to do forever:

Visit the Promont House is Milford, Ohio.

This Victorian style mansion was built around 1865 and was home to John M. Pattison, the 43rd Governor of Ohio.

He also happens to hold a place on my family tree ... kind of neat if you ask me.

The home was absolutely gorgeous: a grand staircase, intricate moldings in every room, and even 14 foot ceilings.

The home is now owned by the Milford Historical Society.
They have done an amazing job with the upkeep and decorating it as it would have looked in 1865. 

I wish I had more pictures to offer, however there was a "no photography" rule.

But I managed to sneak a few!

A Much Deserved ....

2011 was such a great year for me and now with 2012 officially here I must take the time to say thank you!

This is going out to anyone who popped in to visit this little blog of mine, left kind words for me, or spent the day as a guest blogger.

You all made my year and I can't wait for the great year ahead!

Thank you!

xoxo

Amanda

It's A New Year

I can't believe that it is 2012 already! 

Where did 2011 go? 

One thing I'm very sure of is that the older you get the faster the years go.   

But before I jump into the new year here are a few little snippets of my last days of 2011: