Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

I got an email reminder that tonight at 10:00pm EST the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is on! I love to watch this every year, it's always entertaining. I love fashion shows, and I love Victoria's Secret so why not watch this show!? Never a disappointment with what shocking thing they can do with itty bitty undergarments!

And Katy Perry is performing this year, and I am currently obsessed with her new song Fireworks!

K-Mart Anyone?

K-Mart is not a store I venture into much...nothing against K-Mart, just not near my house and not my top choice for browsing. Well this past Friday it was the only store I ended up venturing into and that is because I was on a mission...for some sweaters. One day, I don't know where, but I was browsing the internet and came across these super cute Jaclyn Smith sweaters. They had a much more high-end look than your typical K-Mart purchase...but of course at the wonderful K-Mart price. I had to have them! So I went to K-Mart with my Mother and Grandmother on Friday and my mother bought me the black one, my grandmother bought me the cream one, and I bought the blue one for myself (because I just couldn't wait to wear it!). They were pumped to get some Christmas shopping for me done so I won't get the cream and black till Christmas, but that is ok...I can wait :)


Oh, and did I mentioned....on sale for $20.99 each...and still on sale today! Purchase here!


They run true to size as well. 

Cyber Monday Deals!

I have been browsing the internet all morning and coming across some good deals here and there. These are just the few that I thought might be worth checking out.

Ann Taylor Loft - 40% Off Everything and Free Shipping
Ann Taylor - 40% Off Everything and Free Shipping
Forever 21 - Always a good deal on this site...and free shipping today
Macys - Lots on online exclusive sales and free shipping on orders of $75 and more
Ebay - Yes...even some sellers on here are doing free shipping and some good deals!
1154 Lill - Some really cute bags...one I have been eyeing for a while now! 20% and Free Ship!
The Limited - 40% off everything and Free Ship
Zales - Extra 10% off already sale prices and Free Ship
Express - $20 off $50, $30 off $100, $40 off $150 and Free Ship
Amazon - Some good deals, and some magazine subscriptions for $5
Victoria Secret - $25 off $150 and Free Ship over $50

These are just a handful of sites I have checked out this morning.

Anyone else get any good deals online today?

Giveaway Winner!

Blog Writer One Kiss at a Time...check out here Blog

Problem is...she did not leave her email! So if you are out there and are reading I can not get in touch with you without your email address. Please email me at PinkPearlsandPolkaDots@gmail.com so I can get your shipping info to get your book to you.

If I get no response by the end of this week (Friday) I will chose another reader...I think it's only fair. 

Thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I can not believe it is Thanksgiving and the holidays are officially kicked-off as of this morning!

Me and the hubs are just making our annual fried dough breakfast, while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! Baked some cookies this morning and a cake for my Grandmothers birthday which we will celebrate today as well. All good stuff over here and a lot to be thankful for this year!

Today we will be making the pick for the winner of The Best of Cooking Light recipe book!! I will either post the winner later on tonight or first thing tomorrow morning so stay tuned!

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Royal Wedding Date Announced!

I thought I was excited when they announced the engagement, but now there is a date to look forward to!

Per People.com the Royal Wedding is set for April 29th 2011. I can not wait to see the details of this wedding unfold! Kate Middleton is just gorgeous...and who doesn't love a wedding, espescially a royal wedding!

Check out People.com to see the sketches designers are drafting for her dress. My money is on her choosing a British designer...if I were her, I would!

Loving Taylor Swift's New Hair

Just catching up from missing the AMA's last night I came across this picture at People.com....and how awesome does Taylor Swift look with straight hair and bangs! Love it!

Because its Monday..some random facts

Well it is Monday, and while it is a short week I am still finding it extremely difficult to stay awake motivated at work this morning. Maybe it was from staying up to late and watching Paranormal Activity?! (Which was such a weird movie btw)....who knows! None the less here I am on this fine Monday morning with not much to blog about. Kind of speechless...or should I say type-less?

The weekend was wonderful and relaxing. Completed painted the bedroom a lovely light grey, Dolphin Fin by Behr paint. That was a HUGE accomplishment. I will post some before and after pictures when I get them off my camera.

But to fill in the Monday Blogging quota I will leave you with 25 random facts about me! Get to know this blogger a little bit better!

1. I am head over heels in love with my dog Joe
2. I am a complete sucker for a sale or coupons..I always fall for it, but I get some great deals!
3. Window shopping is something I can not handle, I must have a purchase in hand, or I have to stay home
4. I buy more books than I will ever have time to read
5. My closet is ALWAYS a mess...no matter how often I clean it
6. NYC is one of my favorite places to visit
7. I was born in Georgia, but primarily grew up right outside of Boston
8. I would love to live in the country with acres of land, some farm animals, and a big ol' farmhouse
9. I love my husband probably more than he even knows
10. Kind of obsessed with bags and shoes
11. I take pictures of EVERYTHING
12. I can't wait to have a little baby in my arms
13. Chocolate is something I have no self control with resisting
14. Life is way too short, and I have learned that the hard way
15. The older we get the harder it is to meet new and interesting people, so I am always excited to make some new friends
16. I am an entrepreneur at heart, I just can't seem to get that million dollar idea!
17. If I was deserted on an island with only 3 foods it would be ice cream, french fries, and waffles
18. I hate people who are not honest with themselves
19. Vampires are pretty amazing...and werewolves kind of are too
20. When I go to Barnes and Noble I tend to buy my books in the teen section...pathetic I know..I am far from a teen! 
21. I love with my whole heart, even though it may not be totally obvious
22. Christmas Carols make me smile
23. A good cup of Starbucks can make my day, and in a holiday cup it is even more perfect!
24. I love to bake
25. October is my all time favorite month because of the amazing fall foliage we experience in New England

That's all I got for now!

Happy Friday!

Hello blog world and Happy Friday!

I want to thank everyone out there for the reads this week and especially those new followers! It has been wonderful to feel the blog-love!

Today is one of those days I am feeling so inspired I just want to quite my day job and do something creative! But instead of that, I am just making a very successful list of things I would like to learn to do in coming months.

Two major things I would like to dabble in is knitting and sewing! I have been inspired by some beautiful quilts online and think I want to "attempt" to make one! Any blogs/sites or book suggestions on where to begin? Where to buy some fabric? I am pathetically lost in this topic, but am determined to learn it!

ALSO

Please make sure to check out my Giveaway for The Best of Cooking Light Cookbook!

Any Stella & Dot Independent Stylists Out There?

I need to order me some Stella & Dot! I have been eying some earrings and a necklace...

I believe I can order right through the site...but I thought if I had any Stella & Dot Stylist as readers I would love to just order through you so that you can get the credit! I am all about supporting people who do those kinds of parties because I have been there and it's hard.

Currently I am lusting after...
The Deco Drop Earrings
The Natasha Embroidered Bib Necklace
and the Garden Party Chandelier Earrings! But do I want Green or Ivory...I want both!

I want them all..but it's the holidays so shouldn't I be buying for everyone else!?!? Oh well...I need some party jewelry for holidays gatherings!

Email me at PinkPearlsandPolkaDots@gmail.com if you are a stylist and looking for a new customer!!

It's that time of the year! Christmas Cards from Shutterfly!

Shutterfly is my go-to site for anything and everything picture related. The hubby and I have started a vacation library of photobooks we create through them. Our wedding shower thank you notes were designed and ordered through them. I am currently awaiting the shipment of my wedding thank you notes as we speak!...or, well as I write! And of course, every year I use them for my picture Christmas cards!

Their 2010 cards are out and they are all fantastic...it is going to be so hard to chose! I have decided to use one of the wedding pics I just posted for this years card. Click here for Christmas Photo Cards, or here for Holiday Photo Cards

Below are some of my favs:

Love the scrapbook style of this one, that way I can chose more than one picture!

Plain and simple...but Christmas perfection!

The Christmas Classic...a serious contender this year.

Modern and Chic...can anyone ask for more? Especially in a Christmas Card?

And how cute is this little girl...they get the cutest kids for these card advertisements!

This one is just fun and totally different! Love the wording!

Trees and birds...a current obsession of mine. I absolutely adore this card too.

So which ones are your favorites? Tell me all about them!

And go check out www.shutterfly.com they are currently running a promotion for 30% of cards! OR if you are a fellow blogger check out this link to get 50 Christmas cards for free! LINK

Another Fabulous Shutterfly gift is the calendar too...I get at least one every year for myself at work, and usually one for my Mom too. And when we have kids...well everyone will get a calendar for Christmas! Check out this link to see the 2011 Calendar styles that are out now! 

Happy Holidays Blog World!

Married 1 Month Today!

Today my husband and I have been married 1 whole month! Might sound silly, but it is kind of exciting. Although our wedding was amazing, and the best day of our lives thus far, it is exciting to just get back to regular life post wedding.

But in the meantime let me share a handful of the pro pictures I just recently got from my photographer! Rachel from Rachel Bell Photography has done such an amazing job...and these are only my teasers! Can't wait to get the rest!









Also be sure to check out the giveaway!!! Link HERE

Pink, Pearls and Polka Dots very first giveaway! The Best of Cooking Light

I was at a Book Fair and I saw the The Best of Cooking Light recipe book. I picked one up for myself, as I am always browsing their site for good recipes. I also picked one up for a blog giveaway!!

This will be a one week giveaway. 
Cutoff time is Wednesday November 24th, 12am EST

Some rules...because, well, we all have to have some!

• Leave a comment on this post naming a recipe from Cooking Light that you love, or one you have been dying to make! (Can be from any book of theirs, the magazine or website)
• Please, only one comment per person!
• Winner will be picked at random using random.org, and I will then contact you for your mailing information 
• Please do not post a comment as Anonymous...I unfortunately can't read minds! Leave some way for me to get in touch with you if you are the winner and do not have a google ID.

I would also really LOVE to amp up my "Followers" List! Although not required for the giveaway, it would mean a lot! I only have 2 at the moment, one being my husband who by default has to support me. So please help in supporting Pink, Pearls and Polka dots! 

Good luck readers!  

**Edit: Open to International Readers! 

Cookie Challenge Recipe #1 CHOCOLATE!

Today I was able to bake my first choice for my Cookie Challenge, and I must say it was a success! The husband just kept saying "These are amazing!". He even requested I make them to bring to his fams house on Thanksgiving! On to the goods...

Dark Double Chocolate Cookies
Recipe from one of my absolute favorite cooking blogs/sites: Baking Bites, Check out the link for this recipe HERE

These cookies were dreamy...rich and decadent, kind of crunchy on the outside (once they cooled), but still gooey on the inside. Perfection!

I did not alter the recipe much, but here it goes. Info directly from Baking Bites site with my notes blue:

Dark Double Chocolate Cookies Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Ghiradelli brand is great)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (next time I would use a little less)
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional) - (I did not add this)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips (I did 1.5 cups, 1./2 semi-sweet, 1/2 white chocolate chips, Ghiradelli brand...because in my opinion they are the best!)

Getting together my ingredients! (sorry bad iphone pics!)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg, followed by vanilla extract. Gradually, with the mixer on low speed, blend in the flour mixture, stopping when no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Stir in chocolate chips.
Place rounded tablespoons of dough (about 1-inch balls) onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies begin to crack on the top.
Cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 2 1/2 dozen (My completed round made 33 cookies!)

Mixing...

My blobs of dough ready for the oven

Right out of the oven! 

Cooling

Then the first bite test....

YUM! Such a great and super easy recipe to make. I was able to whip these up in less than hour just in time to make it to the gym to burn some calories to eat them!

Now on to pick my next recipe while eating these! This could be dangerous...

The Cookie Challenge

This week I am going to start a Cookie Challenge for myself. I will be trying at least one new recipe every week from now until Christmas, or maybe even New Years. Every week I will post the recipe, my reviews of it, and any modifications I made to it..and of course some pictures!

My typical recipe sources are Cooking Light, Martha Stewart, and there are several cooking blogs that I do follow. I will post my source for each cookie trial!

Hopefully I can find the perfect cookie's to make for the holidays!

I really would like to try these from Cooking Light: Iced Browned Butter Sugar Cookies...YUM!

Picture from Cooking Light

Anyone have any good recipes to recommend? Or good sites/blogs to check out:? Leave a comment with any recs!

The weekend and country music

Happy Monday Blog World!

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! Mine was relatively low key. In the process of painting the bedroom and pretty soft grey. Got about 1/2 done and will probably finish the rest next weekend. I can't wait to have it all done and go pick up some new cute decor for the bedroom! I will post some pics once I am done!

Then Saturday night the hubby was nice enough to join me to the Carrie Underwood concert at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester NH. It was her Play On tour and it was fabulous! She is A-Mazing! Love her! She is so talented and just gorgeous. If you have not seen her live yet definitely check her out when she is in our area...if you are a fan.

I am a huge country music fan. Just the other day I picked up the new Taylor Swift CD and its pretty good. Very similar to past albums of hers. Good music to sing to in the car! My new favorite song is "Back to December". Rumor has it that it's supposed to be about Taylor Lautner...but who knows!

My Everyday Style

My Everyday Style by kimsolimini featuring crew tops

This is an outfit you could catch me wearing at work some days. I love mixing navy with grey, pink with grey, and pink with navy, so this build all that in together. Someday I like to blend my shoes with my pant color to elongate the legs, and sometime my shoes are my pop of color. Here I have the scarf as a pop of color. Whenever possible I like to add a little burst of pink in there and this scarf is the perfect addition.

The earrings were a nice little way to add the pink in somewhere subtle along with the scarf.

Teacher Chic

Teacher Chic by kimsolimini featuring valentino handbags

Love the combination of a kelly green and a mustard yellow. And the old school look of this outfit is timeless. The bag is To. Die. For.

Unbearable Lightness - Portia de Rossi

The new book written by Porti de Rossi is everywhere. This week I have been able to catch her on Oprah and on Ellen. I have never really saw her in anything, honestly did not even know her name until she married Ellen. Sad I know...I should have known about her because she seems like one of those amazing people that just happen to be famous. My husband has seen her in things and always really liked her as an actress. He had me watch some episodes of Arrested Development that she was one of the stars of. I thought she was beautiful, funny, and a great actress. It left me wanting to see her in more shows or movies.

Well this past week I have become absolutely fascinated by Portia. Her struggles, her courage, her optimism after going through so much tragedy inside and out. She is a strong woman, stronger than she probably gives herself credit for. Someone I think everyone can relate to in one way or another, and for some reason I have found this comforting. Even in her cold dark days there is warmth in her sharing her feelings now. Famous people are often not "real" people to the public, but Portia DeGeneres is. She has real tears, real stories, real pain, and real love.

Her and Ellen are awesome together, just truly an awesome, awesome couple. I love them! They make me believe in love. Believe that love is stronger than so much more out there.  I have always been a huge Ellen fan, but I'm sorry Ellen, I think I love Portia more! This is a picture People.com published from their wedding. Her dress is TO DIE FOR! Just absolutely freakin gorgeous! They both looked amazing. But I honestly want to live everyday in my life in that exact dress!

I don't have an eating disorder, I do not binge and purge, I am not gay, but I am human and so is she, and we can relate. I am a woman and so is she so we can relate. I look in the mirror and see things I don't like everyday, so we can relate. In today's day and age I feel like relating to people is such a foreign concept. Everyone is too closed off, or too busy, or too self-consumed. But, if everyone would open up just a little maybe we would all feel a little bit more comfortable knowing we are not alone...in anything!

Unbearable Lightness is not a book I have even read, heck I don't even own a copy yet. But I just watched my Ellen episode on my DVR, after watching Oprah earlier in the week and I am going to buy this book tomorrow. And not just because I am a huge Ellen fan and this is her wife...but because Portia has a story that I want to read, relate to, and cry with. It just seems that powerful, and somedays in life we all need to be moved by something. Well this whole week I was moved by Portia de Rossi.

Go buy this book, I know I am, and I will probably finish it before the weekend is over. And thank you Portia De Rossi Degeneres for opening up your life to our world.

Btw, isn't this cover amazing?! Just gorg~

Happy Friday World!

Sweater Dresses and the Shoe Addiction Continues

Sweater dresses are the best. They can be dressed down, or dressed up. I found one at Express that I loved and purchased in grey. The zipper up the back adds some character to the dress, and it looks so much better on than on the hanger in the store.



I thought it would look super cute with some black tights and black boots, or even flats.

And of course two days later I had to order the same dress in Black and Currant....

When I like something I tend to purchase it in every color they sell, this dress is a perfect example. link>Express

I want to wear the purplish one with grey tights and some grey suede boots that I purchased from Kohls (also online this week) link>Apt. 9
Aren't these so cute?! LOVE THEM! Can't wait for them to come in the mail!

And then for the black sweater dress I just recently ordered these adorable Betsey Johnson shoes to spice it up! And well to spice up pretty much any dress or outfit.


Life is not complete without leopard.

New boots for Fall

A few weeks ago, closer to the beginning of October I went to Macys on the hunt for some new boots for fall. I was looking for the perfect pair of knee high boots to wear over skinny jeans or with some cute skirts/dresses for my honeymoon. My goal was some type of riding boots, or something similar. I have been itching for a pair of Frye boots...but I have been skeptical to spend the $400 on them!

So this is what I eneded up with and I love them! They were cute, comfortable, and I got a screaming deal!! And I like them even better than what I originally was looking for. The little wedge heal is perfect.

Steve Madden Inka's, and of course I got them in black and cognac.


I got them at Macy's and between the sale they were having, and some coupons, I got both pair for $119! I was thrilled and love my new boots!

One major thing about these boots that were perfect for me is that wider calf circumference and the adjust-ability with the buckle. I don't have little skinny stick calves, and with jeans in there I needed some room for them to be comfortable, so definitely check these out if you are worried about boots fitting your calves.

Kim Kardashian

Is making a CD?! I just heard this today. Now I love her, she's gorgeous and has great style, and I have to admit I will definitely check it out if/when it comes out...but I thought it was kind of random.

Anyone out there? What do you guys think?

Check out the article on www.people.com

Thursdays have become my favorite days...

Because Vampire Diaries is on in an hour. Typically I usually wait and watch it on the DVR, but I have gotten SO into this show that I now have to watch it live, commercials and all!!

Such a great guilty pleasure...it is kind of amazing

And...I am think I may love it more than Twilight?! Which is kind of insane in and of itself...but this show has been impressing me more and more every week!

If you don't already watch it...check it out! 8:00pm EST tonight!

I mean look at these hotties!

Blogging...

Well I am a bad blogger...actually a really awful barely blogger, bad blogger. I just started this blog...and then I completely abandoned it! Not fair of me, and I am here to apologize to it because I am starting a new chapter of my life and that chapter includes chronicling my little life on this page.

I just got married a couple of weeks ago to the worlds best man! We enjoyed the most perfect fall wedding day that we could have asked for, and then went on an amazing honeymoon together. As we slowly get back to real life at home as a married couple I am going to start blogging more (I swear!)

My wedding consisted of many, many endless hours of DIY projects. They all came out amazing, and were truly a blast completing. Seeing all the finished projects in one room with my new husband, family and friends was really such a rewarding experience. Being a DIY bride was an experience that was stressful, time consuming, but so much fun! It was a learning experience for every project, but seeing that finished result and being so pleased makes me want to DIY everything in life!

I am going to start posting some of my projects with instructions for anyone who wants to try anything out. And I am going to also be recommending a TON of wonderful sites and blogs that helped guide me through the processes.

The reason for me starting this blog was that I spend countless hours reading other peoples. I have enjoyed so many blogs that I have found. Trying people's recipes, seeing fashion ideas and suggestions, and just falling complete strangers lives feeling some weird connection with them is just fascinating to me. So here is my version, my little world, my trials and tribulations of pretty much everything.

From now on you will see new posts here and there on all things fashion (because well, I shop, ALOT!), cooking (I am always trying new dessert recipes especially), crafting (wedding DIYs and Martha Stewart have pretty much been my life lately), traveling, products reviews, TV/Books/Movies, tons of pictures, details of my wedding and honeymoon, and whatever else life may bring...such as being a 20 something and just going through my first year of marriage, while building my career, thinking about having babies, and constantly re-decorating my house! Oh, and of course, anything pink, all pearls, and everything with polka dots!

Enjoy!

Me and my hubby at our wedding!