Summer Weddings

J Crew wedding dress {1}
$225 - jcrew.com

Eliza J one shoulder cocktail dress {2}
$138 - nordstrom.com

BCBG Max Azria one shoulder cocktail dress {3}
$248 - nordstrom.com



This year we have two weddings to attend. The first is in Chicago in August and the second is in NYC in October. I am already busy planning my outfits for the August wedding! I thought it would be fun to have YOU, my readers, vote for my dress! Once you have picked the dress, I will give 3 choices for all of the other items- shoes, jewelry, purse, etc.  
So, let me tell you a little about this wedding. It is in August right outside of Chicago.  The ceremony is a  Catholic mass in the late afternoon. The reception is immediately following  at a Country Club.  So, there will be no outfit changes.  The bridesmaids will be wearing navy and the bride will be wearing, of course, white! Given these details....what do you think?  Please VOTE by COMMENTING to this post. #1 is the Blue #2 is the pink and #3 is the purple.  I can't wait to see what you think! 
VOTE NOW!

LOVE her!

I just love Gwyneth Paltrow. She has and does it all! She is an amazingly talented actress (hello, Oscar Winner!), singer (Am I the only Gleek out there?), and blogger (Do you, Goop?). Not to mention that she is the wife of Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, has two beautiful children and is completely dedicated to health and nutrition. She has now added to that amazing resume- Cookbook Author! Have you seen her new cookbook My Father's Daughter? Once again, I am smitten with Gwyneth!

photo courtesy of justjared.com

I scooped up her book up as soon as I saw it, and it has not disappointed! Although she is not a vegetarian, she notes all vegetarian and vegan recipes. She also details how to "Make it Vegan" or "Make it Kid Friendly". Her detailed list of a well stocked pantry is great for new and vetran cooks, alike. My favorites are the White Bean Soup, Fish Tacos and the Sweet Potato Ravioli. I may also have to try the Fudgy Chocolate Brownies!

What do you think of Gwyneth?

Ways to Feel Pretty, Instantly

Jennifer over at the fabulous, Style Your Life blog is asking how we feel pretty instantly.  Here are my tricks:

Color!

I was cursed blessed with fair Irish skin. So, the best way for me to look alive and feel pretty, is to wear a bright color close to my face. Everyone should wear the colors that looks best on them and makes their face bright.  

High Heels

I used to wear heels everyday for work and loved it. I am only 5'2", so I love the height and slimming effect that a heel offers.  Now, ballet flats and sandals are my daily wear.  So, when I get to put on a pair of fabulous high heels, I instantly feel pretty.  Date night and church on Sunday are my weekly fashion shows, where I wear my heels!  I do not own this pair, but absolutely adore them. I secretly hope that someone (my hubby?) will surprise me with these someday! (I won't hold my breath due to the cost!)

Christian Louboutin Patent Rolando

Holding my babies

There's something about holding a baby that makes your face light up.  Everyone looks best with a smile and an expression of pure joy.  Despite the lack of sleep, I always feel beautiful with a baby in my arms!

My son's Baptism

What makes you feel pretty?

Winner!

True Random Number GeneratorMINIMUM: 1MAXIMUM:23
Result: 5         Powered by: Random.org

And the WINNER is.... 
COMMENT #5

The Mullins Family!

Congratulations!  


Please email me at queenbstyle@me.com with your choice of silver or gold and your mailing address.

THANK YOU to everyone who entered!
Check back for June's Fabulous FREE Friday on June 3rd!

Look like a Princess

Did you watch the Royal Wedding?  I was up with my little ones at 5:40 am, so got to catch the actual ceremony.  The best part for me, was how smitten my girls were with a real life Princess!  They kept calling Westminster Abbey her "castle".   
I for one, thought that Kate looked stunning.  Her style was effortless, chic and timeless. Aside from seeing the fashion, my absolute favorite moment was when the doors of the balcony opened at Buckingham Palace. Kate was completely stunned and mouthed "Wow". Perfect! 


Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, always looks effortlessly chic.  She even looked impeccable taking out the trash, just days after her wedding.  Here is how to emulate her look:

PHOTOS: DANNY LAWSON/WPA POOL/GETTY IMAGES

Mother's Day

My Mother's Day has been wonderful.  My babies brought me breakfast in bed-egg white veggie omelet, whole wheat toast, fruit and of course- coffee!  I also got to sleep in until 7:30 am! (My littlest one wakes up at 5:00am everyday!)

We had a relaxing morning and then headed to church.  Church was, well, not relaxing at all- it was our usual, desperate attempt to keep 3 under 3 quiet and still. This is no small feat!

Since we all looked so pretty and it was Mother's Day, I asked my husband to take some pictures of me with the baby bees.  He suggested that we go down to the beautiful lake in our neighborhood.  I loved the idea and immediately had visions of me and my 3 beautiful children, smiling and looking gorgeous in front of a serene background. You know, something out of a magazine. Well, what happened was very far from my visions.  No one wanted to cooperate.  They were hungry, crabby, the sun was in their eyes, and they were more interested in running down the hill to see the duckies or jump in the water.  So, here is the best we could get.  It's not perfect, but it's my perfection! 

Trying to get a girls shot!

I am the luckiest Mommy!

I hope that you all take time today to look past the imperfections of your family, and love and embrace what makes it perfectly your family!

Happy Mother's Day!

Fabulous FREE Fridays!

HAPPY FRIDAY Everyone!  
Today, Queen B has a Fabulous FREE giveaway!  These gorgeous Stella & Dot Bardot Hoop Earrings, in your choice of gold or silver. 

GOLD-Shiny gold plated nuggets on a French wire create lightweight statement earrings with movement. Approximately 2 5/8" in length.
SILVER-Shiny silver plated nuggets on French wire create lightweight statement earrings with movement. Wear day or night.  Finish the look with a very delicate silver necklace.Approximately 2 5/8" in length.


You will each have 3 chances to enter:


{1} Become a Follower of Queen B- Look under "Follow Me" on the right hand side and click the small "follow" button. You can create a new google account or use your email.  Once you have become a Follower, leave a comment to this post stating that you are a Follower. (If you are already a Follower, just leave a comment that you are!)


{2} Become a Facebook Fan of Queen B- Again, look on the right hand side and click on the Facebook icon.  This will take you directly to the Facebook Fan page.  Again, leave an additional comment to this post stating that you are a Facebook fan.


{3} Check out Stella & Dot HERE & look around!  Leave a comment to this post telling me your favorite item! 


It's that easy!  Entires will be accepted until 11:59 pm EST on Wednesday 5/11/11. The winner's comment number will be chosen at random and announced on Thursday 5/12/2011.


Fabulous FREE Fridays will continue the 1st Friday of every month, so check back in June!

Good Luck!

A LOT of bling for LESS!

Stella & Dot has some Facebook FAN Favorites on SALE now until tomorrow, MAY 6th! 

CHARLOTTE Charm Necklace $49 NOW $36       OWL Charm Pendant Necklace $44 NOW $22

MIMI Necklace $59 NOW $35

Click on the name of each piece or click HERE to purchase! 

Check back tomorrow for some FREE bling!

What to Wear Weekend

The weekend is here!  Time for all of the fun dinners-out, parties, activities with kids, etc. If you are anything like me, you him and haw over what to wear.  I thought I would share some outfit ideas for your weekends.  I wore this look last Saturday, out for a friend's Birthday. The dress is so comfortable and can easily be dressed up or down! 

Velvet- Ember Tired Tube Dress-$124

Bamboleo Necklace-$228

Camilla Ring-$49

Baby Flower Post Earrings- $24

Espadrille Sandals- $79.95

Stone Fold-over Clutch-$98

Denim Jacket- $69.50

I hated posing for this, but everyone likes to see the outfit on someone! 

Mother's Day Ideas

Mother's Day is on May 8th!  

Here are some beautiful items that Mom is sure to love!  But of course, the BEST present is spending time with your Mom!  Enjoy the day! 

Pursfection Portable Purse Organizer with 9 Pockets

  I LOVE this purse organizer.  I keep all of my essentials in it-phone, wallet, lipsticks, etc.  When I switch from purse to purse or diaper bag to diaper bag- all I have to do is grab this and throw it in my new bag!  And the best part, it's only $20 at QVC.

Stella & Dot mix and match charms necklaces

I love the endless possibilities of these charm necklaces.  You chose your base necklace- 15", 18", 30" in gold or silver.  Then you pick some adorable, personalized charms.  Wouldn't Mom love her kids initials, birthstones or a "mom" charm.  It also makes Birthday and Christmas shopping easier-just pick out some new charms!  

Cole Haan 'Jitney - Kendra' Printed Canvas Tote

This is the perfect summer purse/tote.  Comes in a number of beautiful colors- bright and neutral.  A printed bag like this can make your whole outfit.  Just pop on your favorite jeans and a white tank and this purse will make it look put-together!

PB Paperwhite monogrammed soaps

What Mom wouldn't love these beautiful looking and smelling soaps.  The personalization will really impress her! They will look beautiful in the powder room or her master bath sink. 

 

Nordstrom Tissue Weight Cashmere Wrap

I love, love, love this wrap!  I have had it for 3 years (in Fushia) and use it year round.  It is perfect as a scarf under your wool coat in the winter.  It is also light weight enough to use in the air conditioning in the summer.  You can even use it as a pashmina to keep your arms warm in a cocktail dress.  SO many possibilities! 

High Gloss Magazine

Have you heard the buzz?  Have you seen the gorgeousness? High Gloss magazine is back with a second issue, April/May 2011. Check out the beautiful fashions and home design.  Don't miss the interview with the amazingly talented Diane von Furstenberg (page 22).  You know, the incredible woman behind the coveted wrap dress- Well, she has now brought her talents to the interior design world with the launch of DVF Home.

My other favs:
The beautiful lamps on page 19 (I have a slight obsession with lighting, thanks to my sister-in-law, AJ- don't worry, I will devote an entire post to this one!)

Statement necklaces on page 25 (I LOVE a big necklace- it can make even the simplest outfit)

The lovely Mother's Day table settings on page 50 (can you believe Mother's Day is in less than 2 weeks?)

The gorgeous zebra runner up the staircase on page 59 (who doesn't love classic animal prints)

And the BEST part- this magazine is free! Let it inspire you to bring something beautiful into your life!

Color of the Year!

Pantone, Inc. is the world-renowned expert on color.  Every year they chose the "Color of the Year" for fashion and home. This year, for 2011, The Pantone Color of the Year is: Honeysuckle!  The beautiful, bold, deep pink is inspired by the honeysuckle flower.  It is fun, fresh, feminine and energetic.  And, doesn't it just make you feel happy?

Here are some inexpensive ways to add Honeysuckle to your Spring and Summer Wardrobe:

All items under $100.00

B.P. Valentine Sandal in "Fushia"- Nordstrom $49.95

Halogen Crewneck Cardigan in "Raspberry"- Nordstrom $44

Nike Pro Racerback Bra in "Spark"- Nordstrom $28

Longchamp Le Pliage- Mini in "Fushia"- Nordstrom $98

Lush Blouson Dress in "Pomegranate"- Nordstrom $38

Betsy Johnson Ribbed Pajamas in "Think Pink"- Nordstrom- $69

Check back for ways to add Honeysuckle to you home & beauty products! 

On my night stand

With three little ones under 3, I am lucky that I do not crash the moment my sleepy head hits the pillow!  However, I am trying to unwind at night with a book rather than television (which is very activating- not good for falling asleep).

My nightstand:

Here are the books I am loving right now:

The One Hundred, by Nina Garcia

Nina Garcia is a fashion journalism icon.  She has been fashion director for Elle & Marie Claire magazines. You may also know her from Project Runway.  She is one of the judges alongside Michael Kors & Heidi Klum. This book lists the 100 items every woman should have in their closet. These are classic pieces that every women should invest in and use as the base of their wardrobes.  Check back to see how I mix and match some of these classic pieces into my wardrobe.

Veganist, by Kathy Freston

What is the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan? Vegetarians do not eat meat, whereas vegans do not eat ANY animal products.  This includes dairy and eggs.  While I am not a vegan, reading this book has made me lean vegan or become Veganist.  Kathy is so realistic about making small changes to get healthier.  By being conscious about what we eat, we can prevent disease, lose weight and feel all around better.  

The 5 Love Languages, by Gary Chapman

After close to 8 years of marriage (almost 10 together), I am still madly in love with my husband.  He is my best friend and I love spending time with him.  But, with work, kids, and house hold responsibilities, it is not as easy as when we first met and fell in love- when we were footloose and fancy-free.  It may not always be easy, but we are 100% committed and realize that we have to work on it.  This book focuses on tailoring your message to the person you are delivering it to.  It helps remind me how to show my husband appreciation and love, in the way that he appreciate and responds to it.  

What are you reading?

Current Obsession!

In-Stride Jacket

I am LOVING Lulu!  One of my New Year's Resolutions was to get back to consistent workouts.  My hubby got us an early Christmas present on December 1st, a gym membership.  They even have child care, so Mama can get a workout, a shower and an ahhh moment a few times a week.


As soon as we joined the gym, I was on the pursuit of cute workout clothes.  Here is where my lululemon obsession began.  These pieces below are so comfortable.  They call them a "second skin".  They make you look great & feel great- what else could you ask for?  They are on the pricier side, but as a stay at home mom, I wear these wether or not I am hitting the gym.  


They are comfortable enough to play with and chase the baby bees, but put-together enough if someone comes for a visit or we need to run out.  Even my hubby loves them!  What do you think about Lulu?

Wunder Under Crops

Scoop Neck Tank

Groove Pants

All images via lululemon

Casual Mama Look

Casual Mama Look by QueenBStyle featuring dark wash jeans
This is an example of what I wear to run errands during the week. It's comfortable and casual, yet chic and put together. The orchid color wrap adds a pop of color to the graphic black and white shirt, while keeping me warm on the cool Florida mornings.  By afternoon, I usually do not need it.  Dressing here is all about layering.

Miss K & Miss E's Nursery

Today, Kelly's Korner is doing "Show us your life- Nurseries & Kids Room".  Although my baby girls are are 2 and now out of their cribs, I still love the way their nursery looked.  And since I have 2 terrible twos, there room right now is pretty bare, for fear that they will get into everything instead of napping or sleeping for the night.  So, here is what their room looked like when they were babies!

When planning this room, I knew that I wanted something very soft and tranquil.  It really puzzles me that people put loud, bright colors on the walls in bedrooms, especially in a child's room.  Not mention all of the toys, televisions and other distractions filling a lot of children's bedrooms.  How do those children ever go to sleep?  My philosophy for a bedroom is relaxing, calm and dreamy!  The soft pinks and creams give this room the dreaminess, while the black and creme toile and hint of lime in the bedding give it depth.  My absolute favorite, is the beautiful crystal chandelier from the girls' AJ (Aunt Jennifer).  That is what gives this room pizazz and glamour. 

Schonbek Crystal Chandelier

Two 2 year olds!

Sugar and spice and everything nice- that's what these little girls are made of.  Sugar with their sweet kisses, loving hugs and heart melting "I love you" professions.  Spice with their toy fighting, terrible two tantrums and "I do it my self" statements.  These little girls are gaining their voice every day.  Miss E loves singing.  She signs ABC, Twinkle, Twinkle and whatever her little heart makes up at the moment.  She loves being a big sister and Mommy's little helper.  Miss K is always on the move.  She loves to dance.  She is the super star at story time.  She is our little smarty pants, explorer.  The little angels have fallen for another cute, petite girly girl.  Her name is Tinkerbell.  This was the perfect theme for a party.