stylefyles.com

Dinner Party - Tequila Shots

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:49:43 -0800

Because it’s Friday.

Look - Clifford wants one too!

Celebrate! It’s the weekend, and you deserve it!

Happy Friday Everybody!

Dinner Party- Stacked Eggplant Parm

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:56:00 -0800

This post is for if you’d like to make the most delicious inside out eggplant parmigiana ever. Original recipe here on Epicurious.

Oh, you do?

Well, by all means, continue….

Oh delicious eggplant parm!

What shall we pair you with?

Brussels?

Well, sure…

These guys get roasted in the oven until golden brown and crispy.

Yum yum yum.

Prepping the eggplant.

Lauren, the beautiful ~~cook~~ creator of all that is heavenly and perfect.

Plated eggplant parm, paired with brussel sprouts. The brussels sprouts were tossed with cinnamon flavored roasted pecans, and then coated with lemon juice.

Delicious!

I’m not lying, you guys….

But you can’t have brussels sprouts without wine.

Or eggplant parmigiana.

Or dinner with friends, really.

At least, not me…..

Oh, plate. How did you get so empty?

Sigh.

I guess this means seconds…..

Clifford loves his mommy who makes delectable foods that are not for puppy consumption.

For the full eggplant recipe, click the link or beg in the comments. For the full brussels sprouts recipe, you must resort to begging in the comments.

Bull Fighting

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:22:58 -0800

Oh hey, you guys. Isn’t this scarf (from a boutique in Newport, Rhode Island) nice?

Thanks you know I think I’ll take it off for just a -

**phwip** Whoa. Wouldja look at that. Pretty fun, eh? Seems to me I could use this in a multitude of ways, including…..I mean, in the instance that I should be standing somewhere else in these cowboy boots (say on the range, for instance)…..

Come on, Bulls! Haha!

Yeeeee-haw! Oh yeah! Cowgirl style!

Annnnnnd there it is. I’ll stop now. I don’t know why I’ve been so crazy as of late, except for the fact that I’ve been supremely sick these past four days or so. Today was the first day I really woke up feeling myself again, so of course I’m gonna have a bit of fun while I’m at it. And I wanted to show off the beautiful details of this scarf- isn’t it just lovely? The cowboy boots are vintage Guess from Special J Antiques. The pants are from J. Crew and the blouse and tank top (underneath) are from Express.

Yippee-kai-yay-…..Everybody! Happy Thursday!

Dinner Party - Cocktails!

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:04:00 -0800

Obviously you can’t have a fabulous dinner party with the girls sans cocktails! Bartender extraordinaire Nikki mixed us some fabulous drinks to sip on while we prepped dinner.

First, cut cucumber and strawberries into slices. Add to a glass full of ice and mix up real good. Mmm mm fruit.

You’re going to want some gin.

Just eyeball it.

And a sweet liqueur.

We won’t tell.

Club soda makes it fizzle.

Let’s call it our strawberry-gin cocktail.

Heh, this is what the stylefyles stamp of approval looks like….me downing the drink. Yum!

Dinner Party- Carrot 'n Squash Soup

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:47:00 -0800

Oh, Yum.

You guys are going to love this deliciously seasonal soup. I parroted a recipe found at Pioneer Woman, except I vegan-ized it. Okay, not quite veganized, but most definitely vegetarianized for sure. It’s just that vegetarianized doesn’t quite have the same ring (oh darn. Now I’ve said it twice). Welp, no matter. Here’s a quick shakedown, if you want my recipe, ask in the comments. If you want the meat version, just hit the link.

Chop some things up. I didn’t take pictures of everything I chopped, because, well Ree has a way better camera than I. Here’s what I chopped. Carrots, garlic, onions and squash. Throw some of those things in first (carrots, garlic and onions) with olive oil.

Add squash, curry seasoning, white wine and vegetable stock. Boil.

Let simmer long time. Scoop your soup into your blender.

Puree until it looks like this:

This is so fantastic you guys. The perfect fall dish, jam packed with all your favorite seasonal vegetables.

Drop it in a bowl, top it with a garnish and you’re good to go!

Seriously try this you guys. You’re gonna love it. It’s such a simple recipe, and so good for you! The ladies at the dinner party couldn’t get enough. Even Clifford tried to get his paws on some soup!

Hey puppy, that food’s for the humans! Lay off!

Dinner Party- Ooey-Gooey Pumpkin Cake

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:38:00 -0800

Dessert first, please!

For the dessert portion of this weekend’s dinner party, my friend Rebekah whipped up Paula Deen’s Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake. Food Network’s site isn’t loading at the moment, but I found the recipe here on this blog called Yum-Yum for the Tum-Tum (ha! love the name!). I’ll give you a quick brief with pictures below. Hit the link for the full recipe, or, if you beg, I’ll leave it in the comments.

Add egg to yellow cake mix.

And some butter.

Mix it all up. Press that into the bottom of your pan. This will be your crust.

In a separate bowl, mix pumpkin pie filling with cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin pie filling and confectioner’s sugar. Dump filling on top of your “pie crust” and bake.

Look how fantastic that is. Eat it while it’s warm and you’ll be in ooey-gooey pumpkin cake heaven.

A dollop of whipped cream completes this delectable treat!

If your canine’s as helpful as ours, maybe your dishes will even be done for you! Heh, just kidding…this pup’s sniffing for scraps. I’m telling you, this is one delicious dessert!

StylePuppy

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:25:15 -0800

A few of the girls and I pencilled a dinner night into our busy schedules this past weekend. We gathered to cook, drink, eat, and - well - drink! My fella was outta town, but a lady’s gotta get all done up sometimes, right? Even if it’s just for the girls.

Boots are BDBGirls. Leggings are Express. Dress from Buffalo Exchange.

My secret….underneath my boots I wore Christmas socks. I guess I just can’t wait for the holidays!!

Oh, and my buddy ~~Miles~~ Cliff was there!

Heyyyyy Cliffawwwd (he likes it better when you don’t pronounce the “r”).

Gimmee some Shugs, pup. Recipes and photos to follow.

Dress to Tank

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:59:39 -0800

Need warmth. Still sick. So cold. Doing the whole work thing anyways, because lets be honest, things get boring otherwise. Sick days are no fun, sine the day’s spent lounging in front of the tv, not eating much, reading, etc. Doing nothing is the worst. I watched far to many episodes of Gilmore Girls and Charmed. I’m feeling slightly better now and doubt I’m contagious anymore, so back to the office it is. I’m wearing black Express layers underneath with Steve Madden Mary Janes and socks! Also a reformed houndstooth tank top which used to be a dress. I cut but did not hem it. The ex-dress (now tank top) is also from Express.

Favorite Find

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:15:55 -0800

Welp looks like the folks over at Modcloth liked my sweet thrift store find as much as me. Swing by Modlife to peep the features on stylefyles: Teal of the Century!

Thanks modlife! In other news, stylefyles is taking a sick day today, so no outfit pics. I’ll try to get Monday shots posted later on today, as well as some scrumschious food pics I have from over the weekend.

Oh, Um. I Wore Clothes Today, Too.

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Didja wanna see them?

Ohhhhhhhhkay.

Note that my hair looks far more “jet black” than in my earlier photos. That has to do with the camera positioning in relation to the sunlight. The sun’s on my back now, so it’s not reflecting an orangey glow onto my skin, and it’s not lightening my hair either.

So you can totally see now how the darker hair causes my skin tone to appear lighter. Except in the above photo, where I’m turned from the camera. Because it’s not cool to look at the camera, and my hair is sassy and black now, so I don’t look at camera’s anymore.

Heh. Kidding! Okay, enough of the weirdness, let’s get down to business. My heels are Steve Madden. Black jeans and long sleeve T are from Express. The navy blue top was stolen from my boyfriend, it’s basically my favorite casual T now. The necklace is from Buffalo Exchange. I’m not sure the label, but I’m guessing its from somewhere fancy because the necklace is super heavy. I don’t know much about jewelry, but to me, heavy = made out of nice material = must be fancy.

Happy Friday Everybody

(OMG RUFR, It’s the Weekend now!)

xoxo,

StyleFyles

SFSA (StyleFyles Service Announcement)

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:24:00 -0800

We interrupt this newly scheduled regular edition of “Black Hair 4Eva” to bring you photos from another time.

That’s right, kiddos.

If you’re a regular, you’ll know that I totally missed the mark for posting outfit photos yesterday. Things got a little crazy/busy at work. Rare, but it happens. Super sorry, here they are:

Just chillin in my cowboy boots (Guess) from Etsy seller Special J Antiques, Express denim and Gap blazer. My red tank and black top are both from Express. I’m also wearing a thrifted necklace, but you can’t see and I’ll never tell (okay, it’s from Buffalo Exchange).

Later cowkids.

Friday. A Great Day For Change.

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:22:33 -0800

Hey Guys!

StyleFyles here!

Happy Friday Everybody!!!!!

….Wait a minute.

Something’s different here.

I just can’t seem to put my finger on it.

Hm. What could it poooooooossibly be?

What could it EVER be?…..Wait -

Omigosh my HAIR!

Omigosh I KNOW!

I love it too!

Thanks so much you guys!

Why black? To be honest, not really sure. No real reason, except that I’m a little sick and tired of dyeing my hair and falling in love, only to have the color fade weeks later. At the same time, I’m not quite ready to go back au natural. So I decided to try something fade-proof. I’m hoping this will be the trick.

Growing up, I was always super proud of the fact that I had never dyed my hair. Then at some point, I decided that was a pretty weird thing to be proud of. Since I’d always secretly wanted red hair, at the ripe old age of 22, I dyed my hair for the first time when I moved out to California for graduate school. My philosophy about hair has always been: It’s just hair. Even though I didn’t take the big dye step until my twenties, I’ve never been afraid to experiment with cuts and styles, because ~~at the end of the day~~ ahem, in a few months….it’ll grow back.

I’ve only had my black hair for 16 hours or so, but I’ve already made quite a few observations. Here are some things about black hair:

1) The black dye made my hair super brittle. It’s weird.

2) I added tons of product (like frizz ease, etc.) to add moisture. Previously, my hair would look greasy if I piled on this type of product, but with darker hair, it totally worked.

3) My skin looks super pale now. You can’t really tell in these photos, because I’m getting a lot of warmth from the sun. But indoors, trust. I’m pastier.

4) I think pale skin is beautiful. So being paler doesn’t bother me.

5) Someone told me I look more Irish. Since that’s the majority of my heritage (and the part I’m most ‘proud’ of) that made me happy.

6) I hear that black is almost impossible to get out of hair. Like, hair needs to be stripped status. So it’s a good thing for #7, which is:

7) I LOVE it!

Oh, Yes!

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0800

Jeans are DPD from Express. Tank is J. Crew. Blazer is Xhileration from Target, but the graphic on the back is DIY. I had an ill fitting tank top from Yes’s ‘Going For The One’ Tour in ‘77, so I snipped around the graphic and sewed it to this blazer, something I’d seen Judy Aldridge do on her blog. I get handfuls of compliments every time I wear this blazer. The graphic gives it a real vintage feel, and the graphic from the tour shirt is supremely cool.

Project in the Works...

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:48:49 -0800

You’ll see.

Soon.

xoxo,

StyleFyles

Welp, There Goes My Hair

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:10:00 -0800

I’ve been chomping at the bits to take and post these photos all day. After 7 hours of attempting to sit in such a way to prevent an excess of wrinkles on my skirt…I was finally ready for these photos. So I undid the knot from the back of my head and snapped away. It wasn’t until I uploaded the photos that I realized “OH, LORDY!”- that my hair is sticking straight out in the back. Nonetheless, I find it more hysterical than embarrassing, so enjoy:

I snagged this skirt at Target for JUST FIVE DOLLARS, and I’m in love, you guys. Serious. The best part of the whole situation? Elastic waistband. OH yeah! I done did it!

(sorry you guys, it’s the end of the day and I think I may be a bit stir crazy)

Boots are BCBGirls and I have no idea where my awesome plaid knee socks are from, but I’m totally digging the peeping socks over the boots look. My sweater is from GAP and since the white is a tad see-through, I have a black tank from Express layered underneath.

But what I love best about this outfit is how easy it is to pop a few quick changes for an entirely different look. Check it, below:

The only added component to this outfit is the hat, which I picked up from a street vendor in San Diego a couple years ago.

I also untucked both shirts, to give a little sneak peek of the extra layer underneath. Since my belt was too bulky underneath an untucked shirt, I removed it. But that’s not all. I took a note from the style fyles of blogger Indiana from Adored Austin, and slipped that belt around my neck.

Creative, yes? I think so too! And finally, since I have a hard time tossing photos by the wayside, you can hit THE JUMP for more look one photos, or THE SECOND JUMP for more look two photos. That’s right. I AM crazy. PS…..which look is YOUR fave?

For makeup today, I am wearing…..ZILCH!

Cinnamon Flavored Brownie Cupcakes

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:12:00 -0800

That’s right you guys. While still in batter form, these puppies were dusted with a light coat of cinnamon and nutmeg and further supplemented with a healthy dose of chocolate chunks.

So what we have here, kids, is Cinnamon flavored chocolate chunk brownie cupcakes, topped with homemade frosting, sprinkles and cinnamon dots. I regret to inform you the brownies were, in fact, made from a box.

I was, however, pretty ecstatic to find chocolate chunks at the new Target marketplace (grocery). Previously, I’d hunted over 4 different groceries in California in search of chunks, with negative results. So despite the fact Target marketplace is, in general, grossly overpriced…..I was happy to find the chunks, and at a great price, to boot (less than 3 buckaroos for a 12 oz bag).

These are delicious, you guys. Even the frosting, which was slightly improvised, turned out fabulous (I had no milk, so I substituted water instead).

(Recipes in comments upon request)

In other news, my regularly scheduled outfit post will be on delay today, due to numerous difficulties including the misplacement of my camera battery and the eating of my debit card by the ATM machine. All in all, a very sad occurrence, as today’s outfit is painfully cute, but for now you’ll just have to take my word.

Happy Tuesday Everybody!

Design Fyles: Checkered Tray Table

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:53:00 -0800

I’ve been long craving a tray table to rest atop the ottoman in our TV room, but haven’t been willing to dish out too much cash money in its pursuit. How happy do you think I was to stumble across this fantastic thrift store find at Goodwill this past weekend?

I can answer that for you. Very. I was very, very happy. The price tag was just right at $3.99. Okay, I think I could have done better, especially since the tray lacked a price sticker so I had to ask the cashier for the price. But I’m just not the haggling kind. So I forked over four bucks and went home with a smile on my face, because I had big plans for this puppy. Big. Plans.

American paint in red and black were less than $1 each at JoAnn Fabrics. Now those are some price points I can deal with. The paint brush you see above came in a pack of 4 for 99 cents, and the teeny painters wheel was the same price. Less than $5 later, I was out of JoAnn’s and ready to begin my project. Above, you can see the tray’s transformation after a couple coats of red paint.

I was going to do an intricate, Oriental-type design, but then opted for a much simpler checkered pattern. Checkers worked since my art skills are minimal, and I like how they reflect the checkered pattern on the pillows of my sectional.

I think the tray looks great in the TV room. A perfect place to set drinks, soups and popcorn!

For those wondering, I bought the sectional from Easylife Furniture in Glendale. The coasters were purchased on sale from Anthropologie last August.

Ariel view. Ignore the fact that the back cushions on the sectional need a bit of fluffing. I’ll get around to that….Later.

Total cost of project = $8.33 (sales tax applied to painting tools but not to Goodwill purchases).

Design Fyles: Luv The Rug and the Dynamics of Diagonals

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:53:00 -0800

It’s funny how the addition of one item can change your entire perspective of a room. Some friends passed an unwanted rug along our way, and on Saturday I had the bright idea to introduce it to the master bedroom.

The bedroom is fairly large, and much longer than it is wide. Upon initial setup, the furniture was very blocky….bed centered on the wall at the far end of the room, and the couch and TV sit in front of it, approximately aligned but not exactly (since we centered the TV on the opposing wall, which is shorter due to the entryway). Really, it was a bit of a mess….not at all the cozy lounge area one wants to cuddle up in on a chilly evening.

Below is a picture of the room before the redesign.

Note: You’ll have the excuse the fact that I took this picture mid-move. So the bookshelf you see to the right of the frame previously used to reside in the far left corner of the room (to the right of the closet).

Enter Rug.

Originally, I meant to leave the furniture in its original position, and just slide the rug underneath the couch and table. As soon as the rug hit the carpet, the room transformed before my eyes. Immediately I knew that the TV needed to sit in the corner of the room, and the couch should be angled on the diagonal to face it.

See? So much better. It’s really amazing how the epiphany occurred….and the rug just guided the redesign of the room. I am now a 100% believer that one simple accessory can completely transform a room.

(please ignore the DVD clutter in the below photo. We’re still saving up for a bookcase to properly store the collection).

Below, you can the sitting area of the bedroom, with the entry way to the right.

Here is how the sitting area works with the rest of the master bedroom. If you spot clutter (and I’m not pointing out where it is), please don’t ridicule me. These photos were taken mid-cleaning.

Much better than the previous blocky, straight-on design of the room. The diagonal furniture really functions dynamically in the room. I really love the change.

PS- I know there is much much more work to be done….but we’re working on a budget here, so stay tuned for the slow and steady touch ups that are sure to come in the ensuing months!

Just Me And My Truck

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:51:53 -0800

Hanging out with the Penske. You know how that goes.

Pants, Belt, Blouse, Express.

Shoes, Franco Sarto.

Happy Monday Everybody!!!!!

Design Fyles: Scented Pine Cones

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:02:00 -0800

I found these cinnamon scented pine cones at JoAnn’s Fabrics. To be honest, they were pretty hard to miss. Strategically located at the storefront, shoppers are immediately overwhelmed with the smell upon entrance to the store. I immediately knew I needed to bring these home.

Everyone should have these, you guys. With the exception, perhaps, of my friend Joey who lacks the ability to smell. Actually, you know what? I take that back. Even Joey should pick these puppies up. At just 5 dollars a bag, these are a great score to freshen your home up for your holiday visitors. Such a festive scent. I spread mine throughout the house:

Above, a bowl of pine cones in my bedroom. Below, check the pine cones in my bathroom. I lined the window ledge with five cones of varying sizes.

I also filled a bowl of pine cones to sit in on the dining room table. This was the true show stopper. I added 8-10 pine cones to the single bowl, and the scent really just fills the room.

I threw a bit of tissue paper into the bowls with the pine cones. The red, perhaps, is maybe too Christmasy. As Thanksgiving is approaching, I suppose a nice orange or brown would have been more appropriate. But you know what? If the stores are selling Christmas - colored tissue and wrapping paper, then it’s officially legal for me to use to decorate my house. So there!

I was watching Rachel Ray make potato cakes today and she said she wished there was such a thing as Smell-a-vision, so we could all smell the delicious food she was cooking. Well if that’s the case, then I wish there was such a thing as Sminternet, because, seriously, you guys. These pine cones smell phenomenal. You have to ~~see it~~ smell it to believe it.

The tablecloth and runner both belong to my roommate. I’m not sure where she got them from. The glass bowl is from Ikea, and all decorations inside (tissue and pine cones) are both from JoAnn Fabrics.