Pretty Peony

Merry Christmas everyone! I wanted to share with you one of my favorite presents from this year - a set of decals for my MacBook Pro keyboard. I received them from a company called Kidecals. Here's how they look on my 15" MacBook Pro:

You can purchase them here.

Selfie Sundays

#SelfieSundays

Dress, by Studio M at Macy's. Similar.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Every year on my birthday, I purchase a gift for my wonderful self. I basically use my birthday as an excuse to splurge on an item I have been coveting for the entire year. Here's this years gift to me!

Mark & Graham Audrey Boarding Bag

Here she is!

Selfie Sundays

#SelfieSundays

Earrings, Simply Vera Vera Wang, similar; Blouse, Banana Republic, similar.

2013 Holiday Gift Guide - Part 2

The first guide was such a hit, I've decided to make a second part. Here are my additional picks for this holiday season:

For the Ke$ha fan?

Blah Blah Blah Necklace by In God We Trust from Need Supply Co.

For the Clever 4-Year-Old:

Charley Harper Memory Game from Amazon.com

For the Secretive Male Traveler:

Man Things Pouch from Flight001

For the Disney Fan:

Classic Disney Notebook Set from CottonOn

For the Socially Relevant Friend:

Social Media Earrings from C.Wonder

For the Throw-Back Music Lover:

Crosley Songbird Radio Speaker from Urban Outfitters

For the Avid Gothic Romance Reader:

"Drop Caps" Classic Hardcover, Jane Eyre from Penguin

BONUS: Stocking Stuffer Suggestions:

Sunburst Drops from Anthropologie

Smith's Rosebud Salve Tube (4 colors) from Anthropologie

Well-Kept Screen Cleansing Towelettes from J.Crew

Hair Ties by LuckyGirlHairTies from Etsy

Gentle Reminders Pencils by AmandaCatherineDes from Etsy

Girl Talk Headband from Ban.do

Happy Gifting!

Beauty Purchases at Target

This past Saturday, I made my weekly trip to Target. I picked up a new eye shadow palette from Sonia Kashuk that is super similar to the Urban Decay Naked and Naked 2 palettes. Notice each Naked palette has 12 shades and the Sonia Kashuk palette has 24. Coincidence?

Check out the price and color comparison:

Urban Decay Naked Palette, c/o Sephora - $52

Urban Decay Naked Palette 2, c/o Sephora - $52

Sonia Kashuk Limited Edition "Eye on Neutral Matte/Shimmer" Palette, c/o Target - $29.99

Side by Side

Look familiar? I'd say this is an incredible deal. The price of the Target palette is already less than one of the Urban Decay palettes and has twice the number of shades. I've applied a few of the shadows from the Sonia Kashuk palette and the pigment is awesome!

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The second item I purchased is a beautiful green makeup bag. This sucker has tons of pockets for lip glosses, brushes and even a few zippered compartments. I am in love.

Sonia Kashuk Limited Edition Completely Organized Grande "Emerald Jewel" Cosmetic Bag - $16.99

This will be perfect for my trip back home for the holidays!

2013 Holiday Gift Guide

It's that time of year! As promised, here is my 2013 super-specific yet awesome holiday gift guide.

For the lady:

Pieces Comet Gloves from ASOS

For the gentleman:

Dapper Dopp Kit from Izola

For the New Yorker at heart:

Fairmont Park Salt & Pepper Shaker Set from Kate Spade

For the apologetic extrovert:

NYFW Tee from Milly

For the forgetful friend:

Outer-Pocket Tote from Kate Spade Saturday

For the beauty:

Must Have Metallics in Rose Gold from Smashbox

For the pastry chef:

Black and White Pudding Towel from World Market

For the post-modern toddler:

Set of Three Hand-Painted Houses from ANAMARKO on Etsy

Kale Fried Rice with Scallions

Hi everyone! I was on Pinterest, as I often am, and came across a recipe I was curious to try. I personally pin only recipes that are feasible for me to make, based on my skill level in cooking and baking. I knew I could definitely handle this awesome recipe of Kale Fried Rice with Scallions, from the book by Gwyneth Paltrow, My Father's Daughter. Here is a look at the recipe:

Ingredients

1/2 lb kale, stems discarded
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and very finely minced
3 large scallions, cut into 1/8 inch diagonal slices
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions

Cut the kale leaves in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into very thin ribbons (chiffonade). Steam the kale for 7 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, being careful not to brown the garlic. Raise the heat to medium and add the steamed kale and scallions. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the rice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add the soy sauce and cook for 30 seconds more.

Image and Recipe c/o Huffington Post

I topped mine with a fried egg. Here's how it turned out.

Delicious!

Shopping is my cardio

I found this super cute shirt at Nordstrom that displays my philosophy on working out. However, it is $148.00! As much as I believe in the saying, I can't rationalize spending that much on a shirt. Luckily, I found its less expensive twin at another favorite store, Target.

Nordstrom pick, by Wildfox Couture, $148.00

Target pick, by Target, $19.99

Beauty Guide - What I Love Right Now

After the Pinner's Conference, I was inspired to upgrade my cosmetics and beauty collection. Here are my top picks for beauty right now:

Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner

c/o Sephora

I've been using Wen for two weeks now and my hair is less frizzy and I can go longer between washes. It's pricy, but it substitutes as shampoo, conditioner and leave-in conditioner. Plus, you don't have to use as much as they recommend to get the same results.

NYX Wonder Pencil

c/o the style & beauty doctor

This pencil is perfect for highlighting smaller areas of your face. It also works as an excellent concealer!

Caudalié Make-up Remover

c/o Sephora

I love this makeup remover because it is tough enough to remove any mascara, but is not oily at all. I've found that most of the removers I've tried leave a layer of residue after use. This one is perfect.

MetaGrip Premium Bob Pins

c/o Sally Beauty Supply

These pins are light yet have an excellent hold. I have super-thick hair and I've found I need to use less than the previous brand I was using to achieve any style.

Cover Girl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil

c/o Cover Girl

I searched for years (no joke) for the perfect gold eye shadow. The others I tried were either too glittery or I had to layer on like crazy to even see the color. This pencil is bright and goes on silky smooth.

What are your favorite products? Comment below!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from Frida!

Pinner's Conference

Last Saturday I went to the first ever Pinner's Conference in Sandy, UT. It was awesome! I went to a ton of classes and learned so much. I also spent more money than I had planned, but I picked up some awesome Christmas gifts. So it was ok, right?

Here are some of the highlights:

"The Best Kept Secret in Makeup", with Maskcara's Cara Brook

She showed us the basics of highlighting and contouring and introduced her makeup line, coming mid-November! You can see her basic tutorial for highlighting and contouring here.

Here's another shot of Cara at work in her booth:

"Say 'I do' to the best ideas from Utah Valley Bride Magazine", with Jeanette Bennet

This one was surprisingly helpful. I am now ready to plan my entire wedding and reception.

"Making Pinterest Fashion Work in Your Closet", with Alicia Richmond

Alicia helped us identify our body-types and how we can take a pin and apply it in our closet.

Other classes I attended:

• "Hairstyling 101: Braids, Twists, Styles" with Twist Me Pretty's Abby Smith
• "10 Easy Ways To Rock Your Marriage AFTER The Honeymoon" with the Dating Divas Tara & Wendy

As the folks at Pinterest would say, "Happy Pinning!"