Twinkle Studio

Caliente!

Eva Mendes is a such a beauty!

 

She may be my new girl crush. 
 

Feeling Hot Hot Hot

It's a heat wave up here in the Northeast! It's hard for a girl to stay cool and still look cool at the same time. 

When it's above 90 degrees, I'd like to just throw on a pair of short shorts and a loose tank. But I've got to spice it up with some earrings and sandals! 

All other jewelry like bracelets and necklaces are icky in the heat. The last thing I want is something else touching my skin. So go for earrings when it's hot! 

Here are three options to try. 

This sparkly pair are summery perfection. The Brilliant Leaf Earrings are $39. 

Sam Edelman's Gigi sandals are a deal at $50 and this green color would pop against a light tan. 

 

Pink it up with these Sassy Pink Earrings for $35. 

 

These Mystique sandals are all attitude...big pink and all!

 

These Green and Gold Flower Earrings are sweet and sassy at $44. 

 I'm a sucker for all Frye shoes and these Alessia Thongs are no different. On sale for $79!

   

Red, White, and You

The color combo of red, white, and blue is so fun...except around Independence Day when it feels sort of corny. 

I'm not talking full-on red, white, and blue, but more of a dash of blue in a red and white outfit. Or a bold red necklace with a blue and white tee. Just like Giada here. So cute! 

 

What do you think of this patriotic color combo and how would you wear it? 
 

In the Hood

So...ah...um...you wanna drop $100+ and call a lot of attention to yourself? Try a Spirit Hood!

   

Is this for real!?! 

Real Posers of You-Pick-The-City

This whole "Real Housewives of..." franchise is really grossing me out. And what's with half of these women going into jewelry design (check out Ramona's line...uck)? 

Most recently Kelly is going to be launching Kelly by Kelly Killoren Bensimon using mixed metals, leather, feathers, and crystals. 

She designed the single earring she's wearing in this photo for charity. 

 

I really don't have anything nice to say, so I'm going to shut up now. Readers, what do you think about pseudo-celebrities designing jewelry lines? 
 

White Hot

Last summer I was all about the colored t-shirts. This summer I'm into white t-shirts and tanks. They are a perfect summer staple for several reasons:

1. White compliments a subtle summer tan perfectly

2. They're cheap (so they can be replaced when a little dingy) 

3. They are a perfect top to nearly any bottom...so you really don't have to think about coordinating an outfit all that much

4. A white backdrop is ideal for showing off fun summer jewelry (perhaps from Twinkle Studio!)

I, of course, scoured the planet (ok really just the local mall, Target and Walmart) to find the best ones. Here's what I found:

This simple little v-neck from Target is $9. It washes up beautifully and the sizing is fairly true. I like the look of the v-neck with either several long, layered necklaces or a dainty little pendant. 

 

This simple tank from Banana Republic is just the right amount of broken-in. The fabric is a bit sheer and the edges are soft. The racer back is cute, too! I got mine at the local Banana store for about $12. See how the necklace just pops!?
   

Forever 21 doesn't disappoint with a $5.50 tank that's luxe. The modal, cotton, and spandex mix is soft and holds it's shape beautifully. Plus it's long-length is very flattering. This photo doesn't do it justice! I like to top this off with very long necklaces. 

 

While waiting for my new tires to be installed at Walmart I stumbled upon the new OP line of clothing there. It's all very California beachy (and teeny bopper). I picked up one of their burnout t-shirts. Note: the sizing of the OP line is INSANE. I got large in both of these (while at Banana I wear an XS). The lightweight tee was $4 in store when I bought it, but it's $2 on-line now. WOW! The photo Walmart's web site has is kinda crappy, so I won't bother with posting it. 

What's your favorite way to wear a white tee or tank?  
 

La Roux, Baby

I am obsessed. OBSESSED. Obsessed with the song Bulletproof by La Roux. 

Watch and listen!

Not only does she have an amazing dancy sound, but she's so fashionable (love this outfit)! But...what do you think about the hair? 

 

New Local Blog

I love writing about my adventures of being a newbie in New York and I've been working on creating a new blog to house all of those stories. 

Drum roll, please...INTRODUCING SARA'S UPSTATE! Check it out here. 

As you know, at one time, I was a single entrepreneurial girl on my merry way moving from Minneapolis, MN to San Diego, CA. I had practiced my surfing, was quite comfortable in a sun dress and flip-flops year round, and was growing obsessed with authentic Mexican food.

Then I got bit by the love bug and ended up here in Upstate NY in 2009. You can thank (or blame) hubs for that.

I have been exploring and discovering things about the area and often times come across things that hubs says, “I never knew that existed.” He’s lived here for much of his life. But you know how it is when you live somewhere for a while, some places become routine and others go unexplored.

So this blog is Upstate New York through a new resident’s eyes, with all my opinions, judgements, and points-of-view. It’s not meant to be a comprehensive collection of all the goodies of the area, but rather my handpicked gems (and maybe some rocks). I hope you enjoy these little discoveries as much as I have.

If you have some places or things that I should check out, please let me know. I love to explore!  Especially if it involves Mexican food…I’m still obsessed.

And I promise to include lots of uber-flattering photos like this one (sarcasm!).

 

If you've been reading my blog, you know I've been on a mission to get healthy. While I posted some of my tips in an earlier entry, I have been jotting down several more to share with you here. 

- If you feel yourself gaining weight, don't buy bigger clothes! Especially don't buy bigger pants. If you want to stay at your current weight (or lose), you want to feel the tightness of your clothes and that weight every single day. Use the discomfort to remind yourself that you've gained a few and you need to drop 'em. 

- Buy cute work-out clothes. You want to encourage yourself feeling and looking good - especially when you're at the gym. Plus you need to make sure that you have enough work-out clothes so that you never use "dirty work-out clothes" as an excuse for not working out. 

I really, really love the clothes from Athleta, Lucy, Title Nine, and Under Armour. I also mix these up with inexpensive pieces that I buy from TJ Maxx or Marshalls. 

Oh, also load up on socks. You don't want to run out of these either. 

I may need to buy this 2-Layer Support Tee from Athleta.  

-  My latest food discovery is Greek Yogurt. I buy the Fage fat-free variety. It's so thick and perfectly yummy. I use it mostly as a substitute for sour cream (which I adore) and to creamy up recipes. I add it to pasta sauces and soups instead of adding cream or cheese. I also love making a fruit sundae with it. Delish! The best part is that it's incredibly low calorie and high protein. 

 

One for One

I recently became obsessed with getting a pair of Tom's shoes. I finally got these sassy banana ones:

I love them because they're super comfy (great arch support which I need) and they're pretty cute for a pair of casual sneakers. 

They were hard to find because they're super popular out here in California. I really had to go on a wild goose chase to find my size, but it was worth it. 

Tom's is a unique company because for every shoe that's sold, they give a pair to a child in need. How cool is that? Now I paid $48 for these little canvas sneakers, so there certainly is a price premium for the philanthropic portion of this. But I am happy with both my sneaks and the fact that I helped a child get a pair of shoes. 

To learn more (or order a pair!), click here.