LATELY

Happy Tax day! Just kidding, hopefully every one has turned in those brutal forms and is in the clear.  This weekend just flew right by, probably because it was jam packed with work, events and family time. I kind of feel like I need a few days to relax after my weekend, but instead I am off and running again.  This week is the going to be a nuts finalizing all of the last little details of our big charity event on Saturday (thankfully Patrick is coming in town to help with the heavy lifting!)  

So back to the weekend; Saturday afternoon Michele and I (thanks to La Crema Wines) ventured downtown for a preview of Dining by Design and enjoyed a panel full of experts in the event and entertaining worlds. I was blown away by some of the theme interpretations and the effort that goes into making an event like this happen. We chatted with a few designers and snapped some photos of the space. 

xox- a dash of details 

images taken by Ali 

LOVE YOU, FRIDAY

Halleluiah it's Friday, friends! This has been one long and exhausting week, and I am sure ready for the weekend.  Tonight I am excited to lay low so I can go workout in the morning and then head to the Gallery for Conversations in Dining, thanks to La Crema Wines.  The panel is the pre-event to DIFFA's Dining by Design later in the night.  The event is open to the public and you can go and see all of the table designs from noon- 3pm and hear from some of Kansas City's top experts in lifestyle and design. So if you are in the KC area you should definitely stop by and check it out. 

xox- a dash of details 

image taken by Jasmine Star for SMP 

HAND WRITTEN

Do you ever feel like the handwriting is almost a lost talent now- a- days? I know I sound like some old grandma complaining about a progressive movement, but I still think there is nothing better than getting a hand written letter in the mail rather than just an email. Or even just a note left on your desk while you are away and not just an email that says, "Come find me when you back."I remember when I was growing up my best friend and I used to have contests to figure out who had the best, most unique handwriting. Naturally this was really before we started using texts and email to correspond instead of writing notes back and forth between classes.

Your handwriting is one of those unique traits that no one can replicate exactly (well, I guess if you are a pro like in the show White Collar- oh and I am probably the only one in the world who watches the USA Network). But any who, you are probably thinking to yourself, why do I care...well the artist Craig Oldham created The Hand Written Letter Project in 2007 and I think it is pretty genius.

Here is a little blurb about why the HWLP was created:

"The HAND.WRITTEN.LETTER.PROJECT was after a conversation about how personal a letter can be:
a fact that is currently drowning in a tide of depersonalisation, with junk mail and automated correspondence...

But the project offers much more than that voyeuristic insight into the creative minds of those we revere, more that it represents a visual narrative on the cultural transition in which we find ourselves. A transition on which your thoughts you are welcome to share, where all you have to do is to pick up that pen...

Yours faithfully,".

Side Note: After I wrote this post I felt a little backwards because I was writing my thoughts about the lost love of handwriting and at the same time, I am typing the post on the computer....

xox- a dash of details

images via thwlp

SKIN + HELP

So I know I am never going to look like a super model and I have been pretty blessed with clear skin my entire life (thanks mom and dad) but I cannot help but notice lately that I have been getting a little rosey in the cheeks and little spotty in my t-zone. I know it is the fact that I am getting older and I grew up always being outside in the strong Arizona sun, but I just always wished that my skin would be perfectly tan and smooth until I was old (back in the day when I thought old was 40 years old).  Since I left for college and my mom gave me my first skin care package, I have made an effort to try and take care of my skin (I know I am probably a little too late to the game).  Honestly until I went to college, I had only ever used Dove soap and Oil Olay face lotion with SPF 15. I also never wore face makeup until about four years ago and it was awesome.  For the last year or so I have been hearing my friends rave about their Clarisonic, but I really never knew what it was other than it was just AH-MAZING and kind of pricey but totally worth it. Lately I have really started to think about my skin and how important taking good care of it now will save years later.  So I decided it is time to pull the trigger and try this life changing device.

 Does anyone have any recommendations for me and my sensitive skin? Are there better ones than others?  Any advice would be great for this first timer! 

xox- a dash of details

BASEBALL SEASON

Sorry I have been a little MIA early this week, but good news is that Opening Day was a success and we came out with a win! With all of the craziness behind me, I will be back on track starting tomorrow, but I just need a day to recover from the madness. 

How cute is the picture?I think this would be the cutest Coachella outfit ever. With the three- day festival coming up this weekend and the fact that I have to work and could not go again, really puts a damper on things.  Coachella has been one of those things on my bucket list for a while now.  Last year I stalked all of the festival fashion, listened to stories from friends about how amazing it is, and had total case of FOMO from it all.  My goal this year was to scoop up tickets until I realized I would be working.  So I decided I would do it all over again and remind myself that there is always next year.  (I guess I am just trying this whole positive thinking thing). 

xox- a dash of details 

image via 

APRIL THINGS

So I know this is a little late and we are already five days into April.. I cannot believe it is already April! This year has just flown by. I think most of you know by now that I work for a Major League Baseball team, so right now my day job has pretty much taken over my life, but in a good way.  Our Home Opener is less than a week away and it all starts again.  Honestly I will be thankful to not have to sit in front of a computer all day long for the next 6 months.  When I started looking for jobs after college, I knew I needed a career that did not involve sitting in a cube from 9-5. After a lot of searching, I ended up with the best of both worlds and I could not be happier.  I started blogging a little over two years ago and it is honestly something I do that makes me happy everyday. Even as busy as I am sometimes, this blog is a place where I can be honest, creative, and be myself.  I will continue to do this everyday for as long as I still enjoy it and you all are the one's who make it worth it. So thank you for continuing to come back everyday and read and comment about my crazy life. 

What are some of your favorite things about April?  I know I am super excited for some hopefully warmer weather in the near future! 

xox- a dash of details

baseball cap // april showers // pink lips // new bedding // sandals 

IN TRANSITION

While it is still kind of chilly in the Midwest, I am really over wearing boots everyday and it is too soon to wear open toes. Being an Arizona girl that used to wear sandals all year round, this is obviously quite the adjustment. I have been lusting over the Joie Dreaming Flats for a while now in this pattern but I couldn't pull the trigger, well that is until today.  Naturally I was browsing the web during lunch and saw that Joie opened a new store in Pasadena.  (Wishing I lived in California at the moment considering they are experiencing near to perfect weather).  Anyways, I came across these and I feel in love.  All of the Dreaming Flats are pretty much the perfect transition piece from winter to spring, but I just loved the gold because I can pair them with about everything in my closet.  

Oh not to mention, if you have a second you should browse the Spring 2013 Collection. I could honestly live in every single one of the pieces.  I mean silk blouses and shorts, yes please.  

xox- a dash of details

images via joie 

5 YEARS, 5 HAIRSTYLES

I was looking back at old Facebook photos because today must have been when Patrick and I made it Facebook official or "in a relationship", five years ago.  It is so funny to me to think about everything that has changed in five years, especially Patrick's many different hairstyles. Let's just say he likes to switch it up from time to time.  But all that aside, I am so happy to have found someone that I can truly call my best friend. He is such a huge part of my life, and I do not know what I would do without him.

In case you are interested, here is a little back story about us.  Patrick and I met 5 years ago in Calculus with a teacher who didn't speak English, at the University of Kansas. Long story short is that we have pretty much been inseparable ever since,well except for the time when I left him to study in Italy for a semester, and he will never let me live that one down. He played football and I was a sorority girl, so you can only imagine the combination.  He is 6'2", I am 5'2", he is laid back, I am totally A-Type, he's funny, I'm not at all but somehow it just works. We just get each other and that is what I love about us. Sorry for all for all of the gushiness today, I just thought it would be fun to share a little bit about my life that you may not already know.    

I am sure most of you lovies have wonderful relationship stories, so spill 'em because I would love to hear! 

xox- a dash of details 

LATELY

Don't you just love long weekends?  It was so nice having Friday off last week and not to mention the weather was pretty much perfect, at least for a day.  Michelle and I did a late work out (with all of the soccer moms) and then ran some errands. I am not going to lie, it was kind of nice not sitting at a desk all day playing interior design assistant. We did some returns, might have made a pit stop at J Crew to look at all of the new arrivals (it was dangerous), and searched for the perfect fabrics at Calico. But really, there is seriously nothing better than listening to good music driving with the windows down. 

You would have never thought that the weather was so perfect the day before because on Saturday it pretty dark and rainy all day, I think the state of Kansas was mourning the loss (poor Jayhawks). The only thing good about the day was being able to wear my new Hunter boots while I ran some errands. Since I was inside most of the day, I started working on my to-do list for a charity event I have been working on (more details to come) and catching up on some much needed DVR time. 

So I really cannot keep up with this Midwest weather, but I wasn't complaining on Sunday because it was absolutely beautiful.  I headed to Church and then a delicious brunch with one of my girlfriends and her family.  We overindulged on the never ending buffet and it put us both in a food coma.  Since I hate wasting beautiful days inside, I spent the majority of the afternoon outside walking the pups and doing yard work. I was optimistic that the weather would be nice again today, but only to wake up to 30 degree temps this morning and possibly snow flurries tonight. UGH.  Weather gods, if you are out there, it would be great to have 75 and sunny for at least two months out of the year.  Thanks- Ali :) 

xox- a dash of details

images taken by Ali 

SUNDAY SOUNDTRACK

This weekend I was catching up on some DVR recordings that have been filling up space and I decided to start watching the premiere of The Voice.  I never really was into the show until Patrick started making me watch it last year, so this year I decided to record the series.  Well, I am glad I did, there are some seriously amazing singers especially Judith Hill.  Growing up with musical parents, this "what I am guessing to be young/middle 30s" girl has some serious talent.  I mean not only just her voice but her musicality was unreal and something I have never heard before. I am sure she will go far on the show, but for now you can listen to her performance here.  

On another note: Happy Easter to all of you. I hope you had a fabulous day spent with family and friends and hopefully had a few chocolate eggs or Peeps (I really do not like those little chickens).  

xox- a dash of details 

image via zimbio