Polka dot blouse: ElaineJane Designs; Shorts: Forever 21; Hat: Target; Sunglasses: H&M; Wedge sandals: Ross

Just a few photos from my birthday morning, spent wine tasting, a few weeks back. (Not a bad way to spend your birthday morning, right?) We headed to my favorite winery in the whole world, Guglielmo. It’s not just the best wine, but the best people too. I tell my boyfriend it’s “my happy place.” The weather was actually warm that day (like it should be) so I happily jumped into a pair of white shorts, and the blouse I’m wearing is an ElaineJane Design gifted from my mom for my birthday.

Me and my best friend outside Guglielmo on a lovely day in May

The blouse is a silky beige polyester crepe with white polka dots and it ties at the neck into a floppy bow. Looking at the fabric instantly reminded me of the beige polka dot dress Julia Roberts wears in Pretty Woman. Amazing. (P.S. If you’d like your own blouse, like the one above, we have an Etsy store now! Just click on the button “Shop ElaineJane Designs” at the top right, and request a custom order!)

My boyfriend started a construction company this year (Insert shameless plug here: Looking for the perfect general contractor in the Bay Area? Just email brett@nbbuildersinc.com) and a few weeks back I decided to make a cake in celebration of the company’s recent success. I found this adorable recipe and modified it slightly. I wanted to actually bake the cake instead of buying pound cake, and I also wanted to make the size a little larger, so I made chocolate cake and filled both a 9 X 5 and a 5 X 6 pan with the cake mix. (I just cut the 5 X 6 cake in half and placed one half on top of the 9 X 5 cake to make the cab of the excavator.)

The recipe above doesn’t provide you with a buttercream recipe, so I used this one. This recipe didn’t end up making quite enough frosting so I doubled the ingredients (and then had a little too much). I tried creating a short cut with the chocolate frosting by adding cocoa powder to the vanilla buttercream. Bad idea. It made the frosting dry and crumbly, which left squeezing perfect lines of chocolate frosting out of the pastry bag nearly impossible.

Because of the chocolate frosting mishap and the fact that I was running short on time to get the cake over to his job site, I didn’t finish all the decorations. But overall, I think it came out pretty cute.

I’m going on a birthday getaway to Big Sur, CA this weekend, and I’m counting down the minutes until ocean views and relaxation. I’ve been mentally packing for this trip for weeks now, anticipating warm weather and a bag full of cute summer clothes. My boyfriend and I are camping near the beach, so I’ve narrowed down a few of my beach must-haves for the trip. Here they are, along with a few photos from the last time I visited Big Sur:

1. Maxi dress, Victoria Secret – $39.50

2. Denim cut-offs, AE – $24.95

3. Sheer top, Lulu’s – $35

4. Strappy wedge sandals, Forever 21 – $25.80

5. Yellow romper, eDressMe – $75

6. Straw tote, Mudd Pie – $44

7. Blue polka dot bikini, Target – $29.98

What are some of your beach must-haves?

Lace blouse: Express; Vest: William Rast; Skirt: ElaineJane Designs; Wedge sandals: Ross; Bag: Vintage Perlina

I’m loving the lace trend this spring. I’ve been gravitating towards anything with lace and I love mixing it with different styles and textures. A little bit of lace can dress up an outfit, give a feminine, antique feel and it will always be a classic staple in your wardrobe. Not to mention, if anyone can prove that lace is gorgeous, it’s Princess Catherine, showing off those royal lace sleeves on her wedding gown with such grace and elegance that it would surely make any girl wish for more lace in her closet.

You know what else I’m loving right now? My much-needed blog makeover courtesy of the talented Caitlin Nevitt! Thank you Caitlin!!!

I took a day trip to Napa Valley a few weekends back, and surprisingly, I wasn’t visiting to taste the wines. I spent a day checking out vintage shops, and I’m here to share my finds. The first stop was Wildcat Vintage. This store seemed to have a 40s and 50s flare, with a touch of 70s, and I loved every minute of it. I found an AMAZING blazer from the 40s and once I put it on, it was over. You can see me wearing the blazer while at the Charity Fashion Show in San Francisco.

The owner had great taste and great selection. With personality and a lot of potential, I would definitely come back to this store again. It was one of those vintage spots where there seemed to be something to suit everyone’s personal style. If you love scouring the racks for that “dream” vintage find, and you happen to be in Napa, CA, I don’t think you’ll leave Wildcat disappointed. Check it out for yourself, and then let me know what you think!

Blouse: bebe; Snakeskin skirt: ElaineJane Designs; Shoes: DSW; Belt: vintage

I mentioned in this post that mixing and not matching is a struggle for me. I styled this outfit with the “mix not match” trend in mind. I felt like the grays and blacks in the snakeskin print skirt complemented the grays and blacks in the striped blouse. I added a silver belt and silver heels as a metallic neutral that would tie it all together. This outfit was a stretch for me, but I have to say, when it was on, it seemed to work. What do you think? Would you pair snakeskin with stripes?

It was my boyfriend’s mom’s birthday a few weekends ago, so we took a trip up to Fairfield, CA to visit her. If you are ever in the area, you HAVE to visit Winterhawk winery. So amazing. Every Saturday they have live music, homemade pizza and wine tasting. And to sample at least 8 different (and fantastic) wines, then enjoy your own complimentary glass of your favorite, as well as unlimited pizza slices while listening to great music is how much, you ask? FIVE DOLLARS. I know. I didn’t believe it myself. But it’s true. Anyway, I digress …

My boyfriend’s mom is always whipping up mouthwatering five star cuisine when we visit and although I can’t compete with that, I thought maybe some Chrissy Cupcakes would be a nice birthday gift. The inspiration behind these cupcakes came from this recipe, but I think the only thing I kept from it were the strawberries.

Here’s the recipe:

Mix up one box of lemon cake mix (I know, I cheated. But my excuse is that I had to pack all the ingredients for the trip.), which will make 24 cupcakes. While these are baking, cut the stems off strawberries. (I bought two small plastic containers, which was plenty.) And then cut some of the strawberries in half, while cutting some into thin slivers. Once the cupcakes have cooled, take a paring knife and cut a small cone shape out of the center of each cupcake. Then stuff the strawberry halves inside the cupcakes.

For the frosting, I mixed two boxes of instant lemon pudding with two packets of dream whip and three cups of milk. You need to mix on high for 5-7 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Note: The frosting was still a little too much like custard, so I would recommend using two cups of milk if you want fluffy frosting. Then sprinkle in some fresh lime zest. (I loved seeing the green flecks of lime in the lemon frosting.)

I added some pink sprinkles, a few strawberry slivers and a lemon balm leaf to each cupcake, and voila! Strawberry margarita cupcakes (minus the tequila). But you could always enjoy the strawberry margarita cupcakes with a nice strawberry margarita. We did.

Pink cardigan: GAP; Skirt: My mom's label - Elaine Jane; Purple belt and pink heels: Target; Clutch: Lost

For my second 4-in-1 post, I’m wearing a vintage gray blouse. This blouse was also featured in this style post, and I mentioned that I bought it at my new favorite vintage store, Empire Vintage Clothing, in Palo Alto, CA. (I have yet to go there without finding something I LOVE.) Blouses are usually pretty versatile garments, but I seriously think I could pair this one with everything in my wardrobe.

When I styled this outfit I was thinking "Corporate Barbie." If Barbie had to go to work, don't you think she would wear a lot of pink and purple?

Skirt and heels: Forever 21; Vest: Ross; Bag: Coach

This outfit would be great for a girl's night on the town!

Skirt: Steve Madden; Heels: Forever 21; Snakeskin belt: Target; Cuff: Vintage

I plan to wear this on a date night, especially so I can lean on him while wearing these 5-inch heels.

Jeans: C & C California; Jacket and belt: Target; Boots: Steve Madden; Bag: Perlina

This would be a really cute horseback riding outfit!

I remember when I first saw Martha Stewart flash across the television screen. My mom was watching her, mesmerized by all her craftiness, and I just rolled my eyes in disgust. Martha Stewart? Really? Her perfectionism was almost nauseating. But somehow, over the years, Martha has earned some major street credit with me. Maybe it was those months spent in prison. Or maybe the fact that she can make cognac flavored mashed potatoes with Snoop Dogg. Or maybe it was that episode with Jimmy Fallon, titled “The Pot Show,” where I was rolling in laughter over the endless double entendres as they made Jimmy’s “crock-pot chili.”

Whatever it was, Martha has crept into my kitchen and 5 of her books now find themselves on my shelves. As much as I’ve tried to resist, I really love my attempts to “live like Martha.” So, when I find a great recipe or a fabulous housekeeping tip, whether it’s from Martha or someone  just as inspiring, I’ll share my domestic triumphs and struggles in my “Living like Martha” posts. Check out my first recipe post for penguin cupcakes below!

A few weeks ago I stumbled on this adorable recipe for penguin cupcakes, and I had to try it out the same day. The only modifications I made were to use chocolate cake and a cream cheese frosting. When cutting the chocolate mint cookies, a few crumbled, so it took some trial and a bit of finesse. But overall, the directions were easy to follow, they were fun to make, and although they didn’t come out Martha Perfect, they tasted great.

This past weekend I was lucky enough to attend the Charity Fashion Show 2011 in San Francisco. I wanted to share some of my favorite looks from the runway. There were so many fantastic designs in the show so it was hard to choose favorites.

Victoria Tik: CEO & Designer for Frock Los Angeles with Vanessa Curry: The Pussycat Dolls

I was able to chat with Victoria Tik, the CEO and designer from Frock Los Angeles, a “California based fashion design house that is dedicated to creating sustainable women’s garments that feel as good as they look.” And it’s true. Her designs were as effortlessly beautiful as she was.

Victoria graduated from UC Berkeley and went on to pursue her love of fashion and design. She mentioned that she was one of those 5-year-old girls who would have to get up in the morning and pick out her own outfit for school. (Glad to know I’m not the only one who insisted on this as a little girl.)  Vanessa Curry is seen wearing the white dress above, which is one of the Frock Los Angeles designs. Gorgeous! And, stay tuned for a “Designer Spotlight” interview with Victoria on Chrissy’s Closet!

Some other featured designers were Winter Kate (Nicole Richie’s line), Kittinhawk, Ragdoll Designs (the lovely lace dresses above), and even GAP made it on the runway! Also, my favorite vintage store, Empire Vintage Clothing (mentioned in this post) styled the accessories for the show with items from their store! You can find the complete list of designers who participated in the event here.

All in all, after two glorious hours of fashion, I have to say the “biggest fashion show on the West Coast” held up to its name. I can’t wait to see what’s next for all the local designers from the show, and I’m definitely proud to rep the Bay Area fashion scene.