Month: February 2012

by Allison

How I like to wear jeans: everyday look

I’m obsessed with fashion.  Like, there are literally 15 fashion magazines stacked up next to my bed as I write this, kind of obsessed.

But I’m very sartorially practical, and the sad {and happy} truth of it all is that I don’t work at a trendy NYC agency, but in my cozy home office instead.  Which means on a day-to-day basis the only humans who see me are in my carpool {hi kids!}, or have been married to me for quite some time {hi honey!}, so I don’t get sussed up a lot.  My everyday look is pretty much a variation on the theme: jeans and a tee.

I’ve posted extensively about my love affair with denim on my What I wore Wednesday series and today as part 1 of a two part series, I’m going to show you how I like to wear jeans for an everyday look.

how I like to wear jeans every day look

how to wear jeans
how I like to wear jeans every day
how to wear every day jeans

This is a pretty casual look, but if you’re looking to tone it down a notch {but whyyyyyyyy?} you could swap the nude heels for a pair of converse or ballet flats.  And if you’re jewelry averse {I’m a bit of jewelry whore, I wear this much … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

Pinterest is not the enemy

There’s a lot of bad buzz around how to use Pinterest right now, but I’m still the happiest user on the block.  I love me some Pinterest.

If you steal my stuff, I will cut you.

the bloggessThe Bloggess is my other lover

The posts I put together take an average of 5 hours a piece to create, photograph, edit, and blog.  If you steal any of that we’re going to have some words.  That’s just plain illegal.  If you steal any of it with the intention of self profit, *hold my rings* it’s going to get ugly.

But if you find my stuff, share it with others, and credit me properly I will send you flowers!  Not really, but I’ll probably send you a thank you note.  I’m grateful new people are finding my blog every day through Pinterest, I love the people! {name that movie}

Pinterest is all about sharing the cool stuff on the web and creating beautiful inspiration boards, and finding new people and new blogs and new ideas and sharing them with each other.  It’s the best of the best of the internet.  How on earth would I have found Kendi Everyday if … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

Maybelline vs Maybelline mascara face off

A couple of years ago I did a little Maybelline vs Maybelline mascara face off to see which of the 3 grocery store mascaras in my makeup bag {at the time} was the best of the best.

maybelline vs maybelline mascara faceoff

Maybelline has of course come up with about eleventy billion different kinds of INTENSE EYELASH FIBER EXTENSION miracle mascaras by now, but these are some oldies and I thought it would be fun to pull this out again and see what some of the new readers think.

maybelline vs maybelline mascara

I’m a true blue through and through green and pink mascara lover, but my makeup bag runneth over these days;  I’m currently dating about ten different brands and they’ve wooed me with their eyelash magic.

I’m just not the same gal I was two years ago.

mascara face off

It’s not you, it’s me.

{not really, it’s you}

mascaras

Here’s a blind test for you: tell me which mascara goes to which numbered photo below.  The contenders are: The Colossal Volume Express Mascara, XXL Pro Volume Washable Mascara , +  Great Lash Mascara

 

mascara faceoff

 

I know it’s a little bit hard to tell from the photos.  I think I need to do another mascara face off, this … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

What to wear this weekend

It’s Friday.  You’ve earned it.  You’ve hauled yourself out of bed day after day after day this week, {okay just a few days – still, it feels like a lot} and you’re ready for a break.  Now all you have to decide is what to wear this weekend.

You have a few options: door #1 is casual boyfriend sweats and  a stack of good books.  Door #2 is the farmers market with your sweetie, and door #3 is a sexy night out with the sidekick{s} of your choice.

What’s it going to be?

Door #1 – Weekend Reading

Weekend Reading

Weekend Reading

 

Door #2 – Farmer’s Market

Farmer's Market

Farmer’s Market

 

 Door #3 – Sexy Night Out

Sexy Night Out

I don’t think I need to tell you which one I’m choosing; you guys know me well enough to do it for me.

Actually I really love all three outfits, but after this month long nightmare of the Spanish Flu!, {not really, I’m going all Downton Abbey drama on you} I’ll actually be wearing some variation of Door #1.  I’m really jonesing for a lazy brunch and an afternoon at the Farmer’s Market.

What’s it going to be for you?

Happy weekend!… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

What’s in your purse series week 80

This week’s What’s in Your Purse Series Purse is from Cathy.  This one is awesome.

If you love this series and want more of it, submit your purse. Take two photos of your purse {NICE, CLEAR, NOT-BLURRY ONES} one of the outside, one of the inside, along with a listing of the contents to:

allison AT petitelefant DOT com

what's in your purse series week 80

I’m in the process of cleaning out the garage, tubs and tubs and boxes and boxes of stuff. I came across this purse I used to tote around in high school.  Those are my initials emblazoned in red, (I was very into monograms) maybe because I grew up in Alabama; who knows? I graduated from high school in 1991 and I don’t remember exactly what year(s) I used this purse, but I know the purse itself and its contents are at least 20 years old. Kind of like a time capsule really.

vintage purse
Here’s the list:

  • 6 rainbow stickers with my name on them
  • a small case of gold stickers with my initial
  • a used band-aid and two rolled up pieces of sticky trash
  • a blue pen lid
  • small blue teddy bear box containing paper clips
  • 2 markers
  • 11 pencils

    • … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

HGTV iPad 2 winner

house hunters international
I don’t know about you, but I had so much fun:
  • a) talking about finding your dream home
  • b) watching House Hunters International {live! on the tee vee!} and live tweeting while a very, very young and uh, very “American” couple chose an apartment in Vienna.  {side note: Heather Spohr and I were texting back and forth during the show: “Seriously?  $1,800 buys THAT in Austria?!  Why are we still living in the U.S.?“  double side note: Rebecca Woolf is always entertaining but late at night, and I imagine sleep deprived, she is double hilarious}
  • c} dreaming about the possibility of living in abroad somewhere. It’s #1  on my life list to live in Europe for at least a year, and watching House Hunters international made that feel a little less scary for me.

I need to just put on my big girl panties and move to Europe already.

Anyway, you’ve all been great playing along with all my wanderlust and whatnot.  But let’s get to the real reason you’re here, to see who won the iPad 2.  I haz a jellus.
iPad giveaway
Melanie Donahoo will you come on down because you are the winner of the winningest … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

Fun birthday celebrations for you!

Birthdays are a big deal where I come from {Utah Valley thankyouverymuch} but in Viktor’s family they merit little more than a greeting card.  All the love falls on your patron Saint day in the {original} Czarnecki household.  When we were in college Viktor would have a huge mail day somewhere in September wherein he received the entire contents of a party store, but on his actual birthday not so much.

I took the reins on that one as soon as our households merged because my mom rocked. the. house. on birthdays.  She recently told me that it was the only day of the year where we got all the attention as kids, {I’m one of 8 kids} so she gave it all she had.

fun birthday celebrations for you

I came home from the 5th grade on my birthday to a maze of yarn spanning the entire family room and kitchen.  My mother literally spent the entire afternoon with my older siblings creating a labyrinth of yarn with treats at every end for me and all my giggly friends to unravel at the beginning of my party.

I wish I had photos because it was the coolest thing my mom ever did … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

Oatmeal and protein breakfast smoothie

Lately I’ve been posting pictures on Instagram of my daily oatmeal and protein breakfast smoothie and a few of you have asked what’s in it, so I thought I’d share.

The recipe is vegan, but the oats aren’t technically gluten free so it’s not completely vegan and gluten free like I’m trying to eat most of the time.  But oatmeal doesn’t seem to bother me too much, so I’m forging ahead until my stomach tells me otherwise.

I suggest you do the same.  *ahem*

oatmeal breakfast smoothie

I’m a huge fan of this protein smoothie just the way it is but as always with a good recipe, do whatever makes you feel fancy inside.  If you hate almonds, try another nut.  If you hate oats, try wheat germ or chia seeds or whatever it is you have floating around your kitchen.

oatmeal protein breakfast smoothie

Ingredients for Oatmeal and Protein Breakfast Smoothie:

  • protein powder
  • almonds
  • oatmeal
  • almond milk
  • ice cubes
  • flax seed, optional
  • fruit, optional

Here’s how I make the oatmeal smoothie:  I layer about 1/2- 2/3 cup of oats in the bottom of my Blendtec, add 2 scoops of protein powder and throw a handful of almonds on top.  I’ve never measured the almonds … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

A little weekend reading for you

A little reading for youThis is the castle in Salzburg.  It has nothing to do with anything, but isn’t it amazing?

After one of the craziest most exhausting weeks ever, I’m spending the weekend in bed watching Netflix with my pneumonia-ridden kiddo.  There will be sleeping in, there will be no bras {for either of us}, there will be magazines and lots of sparkling water, many hot baths, no interaction with the outside world.  Except for the 8:00 pm screening I’m planning of Crazy, Stupid, Love.  I consider that enough interaction to last a whole week especially knowing Ryan Gosling loves me. {P.S. don’t call me a mommy blogger; I will cut you}

Here’s a little weekend reading for you while I’m away:

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.