Tuesday, January 31, 2012

.Comments and Following.

This post is stemming from a couple requests I've had recently.
So, if you already comment, THANK YOU! And if you already follow me, THANK YOU! You can just skip right over this post; but if you don't, I hope this post helps and was exactly what you where asking for, although it may be a little boring.
.How to Follow & How to Comment on a Blog.
Not to tease anyone in particular, but I was originally going to title this post "How to Comment on Erinn's Blog, for Dummies", but I figured that might not go over as well, since you can't see the smile on my face as I write it. That happens a lot. I think I'm being completely witty, then come across as sounding like a solid b*$#&, but I digress.....
So, Why Follow? Why Comment?
Following a blog is very special for the blog author. It helps support the author and encourages more creative posts, more frequently. For me, it's a way to know that you are enjoying what I am writing about. It encourages me to push my boundaries, and source out new creative ideas. It also makes me feel that I am not talking to myself all the time! So please, send those comments my way!!
Following blogs can also help the author gain monetary payments {yes, I know I am touching on dangerous ground here, but still, it's the truth}. Blogging takes a lot of time and energy, and although most do it for the love of blogging {which is entirely MY case} it can take as many hours as a full-time job. I don't want to get into how many hours I've spent on my own blog alone! Weekends dedicated to blogging! Having more followers encourages companies to advertise on a blog, which inturn, pays for all the hard work put into it. Now, I'm not saying this is why having more followers rock, but who wouldn't love a little free goodies every now and again?
One other reason to Follow and Comment? It helps to build new relationships. Simple as that. The more blogs you follow and the more comments you leave, the more friends you make. Truly. I really feel that I have made some super cool new friends with my little blog here. From regulars leaving comments {which I love so much}, to even myself searching out and following different blogs. It's amazing the touch you can have. So I follow and I comment. And why wouldn't I want to support a friend.
Okay so enough of me jibber-jabbing. Here's how to actually do it. 
How to Follow a Blog:
one] On the right hand side of my blog, under the Follow Me section, click the button called Join this Site. two] This will redirect you to a pop-up screen. Then click on Create a New Google Account
three] Now, type in YOUR CURRENT email address {ex. erinn@hotmail.com, erinn@yahoo.com}. Just fill in whatever you use. Then choose a password. Then type in your birthday. And then type in the word verification. The click on the I Accept. Create my Account.
four] Sometimes this step is optional, if not following this: Now you will just need to verify your account. It's easiest to just send a text message to your cell phone. To do this you just type in your phone number. Click on Send Verification Code. This will send a numbered code to your cell phone. Type that code in and the click verify. Then your Done!
Now you are officially following the Fancy Napkin!
 How to Comment on a Blog {the simplest way}:
one] At the bottom of a post click on the word Comment {it may have a # in front of it}.
two] Now type in your comment in the big blank box. Then under the Comment As, use the pull down menu and pick the Name/URL. Type in your Name {keep in mind this will show up on the post}. Leave the URL part blank. Then click Continue.
three] Now all you have to do is click Publish and your comment will appear!

Hope this helps. Now leave me those comments people!

Monday, January 30, 2012

.Monday Inspiration.

{via}

.Fifteen things and a baby.

Fifteen things I learned while having an eight-month-old baby spend the night.
one] baby socks are possibly the cutest things. like, ever.
two] baby smiles in the morning are the best.
three] feeding babies baby food is my fav. i just adore it. those little spoons, that messy face. fun fun fun.
four] bath time is super great too, but be prepared to get just as wet as the baby in it.
five] reading and snuggling is simply the most peaceful thing on earth. such a sweet & personal moment.
six] it's true that you don't get much sleep. no rumor there. 
seven] you don't need to buy expensive toys to keep them happy. for example tv remotes work great!
eight] they poop ridiculous amounts....
nine] ......and it's really stinky.
he does really like babies, i promise....he just hates the camera, hence the scowl.
ten] babies actually like husband. a lot. and he likes them too....until they chew the remote. ha! 
eleven] my husband is damn sexy with a baby. just saying. so delicate and sweet. my heart just swelled.
twelve] babies require a lot of stuff. i think i'll go broke in preparation for our own children.
thirteen] momma's really leave themselves last. not that i'm a mommy, but i didn't brush my teeth till 10 a.m. because i was busy preparing babes for the day. a shower? when?!
fourteen] i adore the smell of baby. you should bottle that stuff up. i would call it 'sweet innocence' and lather my body in it.
fifteen] baby food is actually kinda tasty, although nasty looking. strawberry apple puffs? yes, please!

Friday, January 27, 2012

.Adoption.

This made me cry and long to adopt.
Oh, how I miss my girl.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

.I Really Like.

Chunky Layers in Brown + Black.

Bow Ties Done Right.

Mixing Patterns + Materials Perfectly 
{hello! leather, leopard, plaid, knit}

Stripes, a Belt & a Cozy Sweater.

The Perfect Red Lip

A Killer Maxi Skirt

Polka Dots on Polka Dots

Boots and a Loose Dress.
That Top Knot is Spot on too!

Colored Blazers

Bright Colored Pants.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

.Reading Assignment.

via
I'm going to take zero credit for this idea. I totally stole it from Christina over at Bookishly Boisterous, a must stop for anyone looking for a few suggestions on your reading list or if you just want to share in some ridiculously witty dialogue. She's my fave, but I digress.....the idea that I stole was a Top Ten Reading List of those classic books that had you pouting in school. The ones that Mrs. Elniak forced you to read. You know which ones I'm referring too....{as Christina pointed out} The "Required" List.

Well here are my next "Required" Reading Assignments.
{some I'm re-reading, others I haven't touched before}

one. To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
two. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
three. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
four. Night by Elie Wiesel
five. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
six. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
seven. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
eight. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
nine. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
ten. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
eleven. Crime and Punishment by Fydor Dosteyvsky
twelve. Animal Farm by George Orwell
thirteen. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
fourteen. The Giver by Lois Lowry
fifteen. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

I hope you follow my lead and pick up a classic to re-discover for yourself as well.
xx

Monday, January 23, 2012

.The Countdown.

JASON WU for Target.
i can't lie to you guys.
this keeps me awake at night.
it happens feb. 6th and such a tease!
{we don't have a target in canada yet. sigh. this is my heart breaking, just a little bit}

.Monday Turquoise.

Shirt: Banana Republic, Cord Jeans: GAP, Wedges: Locale, Belt: Thrifted, Bracelet: Modcloth {similar},
Necklace: Club Monaco, Earrings: Etsy, Purse: Hugo Boss Orange, Scarf: Gifted
Today, I am totally feeling the monday blues. 
After having a fairly quiet weekend {minus a birthday party and a ladies dinner} I am just not quite ready to get back into the grind.
Sadly, I must though.....
.....so I threw on these earrings and everything just seemed to be okay.
Isn't turquoise funny that way?

Sunday, January 22, 2012

.Winter Weddings.

This photo makes me want to get married again. In winter. And to the same man, of course.
xx
{via}
So sweet.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

.I'd Wear.

Casual and Chic
Love these two casual, but chic looks I created.
Wish I owned them both.
Also wish it was sunny outside, rather than being covered in three feet of snow.
Soft

Friday, January 20, 2012

.Sesame-Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

Last night, I was craving something a little healthy and a little out-of-the-ordinary. That was when I remembered that my friend, Brandi, sent me this recipe ages ago {thank you lady!}. Something that was a little healthy, and a little out-of-the-ordinary. And something totally delish.
Sesame-Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients:
Directions:
one. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sesame oil, and then the ground chicken {or turkey}. Stir often with a fork to keep the meat crumbly, cooking until meat is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes.
two. Add mushrooms and water chestnuts. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
three. In a separate bowl, stir the broth, soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch until cornstarch dissolves. Add to chicken mixture. Cook until sauce in slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
four. Stir in carrot and green onions. Season with pepper.
five. Carefully peel back the lettuce leaves and wash each separately. You want pieces big enough to be able to fill with the chicken mixture.
six. Scoop a heaping 1/3 cup of filling onto each lettuce leaf. Serve with hot chili sauce lightly sprinkled over top.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

.Spice It Up.

Half of my spices pulled out from my over-the-oven drawer. A disorganized mess. 
Before.
Does your spice closet/drawer look like this?
It's like a mini tsunami ran through my kitchen and only decided to attack my spices.
And these pictures don't even do it justice. I had already pulled out 1/2 of the items from it before I took this picture. Everything doubled on each other. Something falling on you when you opened the door. Never being able to find what you need even though you have triples of the same bottle! It was a disaster. 
 After searching for the damn cinnamon for a FULL 5 minutes, I knew something needed to be done. Well that and husband was starting to literally throw spice jars at me because when he opened the door, they would fall at you with super speed, hitting you right in that sensitive spot on your head while you where cooking. Like a bullseye.
4 bottles of tarragon. 4 bottles of poppy seeds. 3 bottles of crushed chilis. 3 bottles of cinnamon. 4 bottles of turmeric. It was madness!
I actually ended up throwing away 56 bottles. No word of a lie. Not to mention all those nasty bags of spices always spilling over.
Well. Not anymore!
I bought these gorgeous little spice bottles at Superstore for $1.50 each. They hold 2 bottles of a normal jar and fit perfectly into my pull out drawer {where my spices are now calling home}.
I used clear sticker labels from Staples and just a permanent marker to label th. I may actually purchase a label maker in the near future and label them that way for a clean, uniform look, but in the meantime this does the trick and I think it looks kinda cute. And hubby likes it better like this. He even quoted this gem of a line "it looks better this way, handwritten. It's more Jamie Oliver & Michael Smith rather than Gordon Ramsey", which I found utterly adorable. And played on my heart as both Jamie and Michael are two of my fav's.
 
After
I think this is a major improvement from before. Now, everything is at eye level and easy to spot. I won't be buying doubles {or triples} of jars. And nothing will fall on top of my head.
Also, here is a picture of the over-the-oven drawer that now holds my tea towels, ziploc bags, and tin foil/ saran wrap. Also any extra spices that aren't used as frequently as the others or are Costco-sized jars, and wouldn't fit into the new spice drawer.
Clean, Organized, and Efficient.
After, with still a few kinks to work out.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

.Make.Up.Artist.

If I lived in Cali, this is the girl who would be doing my make-up.
Like EVERYDAY.
Miss Mel. Isn't she a beauty?
.her name. Melissa Beck.
I would beg her to come over to my house each morning and get her to make me up all fancy like.
And she also does hair. So she would have to do that too. EACH MORNING.
So I suggest that if you live near the LA area you should look her up {here} and she will make you look all purrrdy. She even does movies. Just saying.
Look at her work......
Photography By: John Schnack
Makeup & Hair: Melissa Beck Mua
Photographer: Casey Fyfe
MUA: Melissa Beck
Photography By: John Schnack
Makeup & Hair: Melissa Beck Mua
And I'm so lucky that I get to call her one of my good friends.
Melly. You rock my dear.
{I so wish we lived closer to each other.}
xo
ps. you should "Join her Friend Network" on facebook too!