What's making me smile

{ Arranging flowers in a mason jar }

As summer slowly comes to an end, I've been taking the time to savour every last minute of my favourite season. Simple pleasures like eating outdoors or watching my daughter play in the sun will soon be replaced with the crisp Autumn air that leads to cooler temperatures, and finding ways to enjoy more of our time indoors. Here's a glimpse of my end of summer delights as we transition into Fall.

{ Pretty new accessories Eleanor brought back for me from New York }

{ My girl blowing beautiful bubbles }

{ A lavender latte at Cafe Medina }

{ The sun setting over the gorgeous lake at Harrison Hot Springs }

And if you haven't entered my giveaway for a 24K gold Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle print from I See Noise Prints, go do it now! The giveaway closes on Labour Day Monday, September 3. Have a fabulous long weekend!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER

Make a Statement

{ Dress: Sway Chic (c/o) // Sandals: Zara // Bag: Chanel // Sunglasses: Prada // Jewelry: Sway Chic statement necklace (c/o); H&M bracelets }

{ Photographed by Eleanor Chow}

The lovely folks over at Sway Chic sent this sweet dress and amazing statement necklace to me and it couldn't have made a better pairing. The denim corset-like top with the floral skirt on this dress is totally up my alley, while the choker necklace is the perfect statement piece to complete the look. I'm also linking up with Marionberry Style today for her Trend of the Month Challenge, which happens to be the statement necklace.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for the ultra chic Chanel No.5 perfume bottle print from I See Noise! It's the perfect addition to any girl's home (including mine!)

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER

{CLOSED} GIVEAWAY: I See Noise Chanel No. 5 Print

I'm so excited to announce this giveaway for you today! I See Noise Prints are original prints created by Randa Salloum. I'm a big fan of her work and own the Chanel No.5 perfume bottle print that I display among my accessories (seen above and in my Closet Confessions feature on The-Unprecedented). Now this is your chance to win your very own Chanel No.5 print and get a piece of what's in my closet!

Official Giveaway Rules of Entry:
1) Follow I See Noise on Facebook
2) Follow Style Rhapsody on Facebook

Extra Entries:
1) Follow I See Noise (@ISeeNoisePrints) and Style Rhapsody (@StyleRhapsody_) on Twitter and tweet: "I want to win a gold Chanel No. 5 print from @ISeeNoisePrints & @StyleRhapsody_! http://ow.ly/dfrBC"
2) Follow I See Noise on Instagram @ISeeNoisePrints
3) Follow Style Rhapsody on Google Friend Connect
4) Follow Style Rhapsody on Bloglovin'

ALL entries must be submitted using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Please note that this is for the print only, and does not include the frame. Giveaway ends on Monday, September 3. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER

Lucky 7

{ Dress: Sparkle & Fade (from Urban Outfitters) // Belt: Old Navy (similar) // Gladiator Sandals: Aldo (old) // Clutch: H&M // Sunglasses: Karen Walker "Number One" // Earrings & Necklace worn as Bracelet: Wolf Circus }

{ Photographed by Eleanor Chow}

I shared a photo of this neon pink studded beauty of a dress on Instagram a few weeks ago. It was the best sale score I've gotten my hands on. Urban Outfitters had it marked down to only $7, and since I was in Portland, there was no tax on top! So of course it came home with me. Enjoy the last weekend in August everyone! I can't believe September is right around the corner.

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER

Tenderheart

{ Sweater: Old Navy // Faux Leather Shorts: Forever 21 (similar) // Sandals: Fergalicious by Fergie // Bag: Badgley Mischka // Sunglasses: Marc by Marc Jacobs // Watch: Gucci // Rings: Brandy Melville }

{ Photographed by Eleanor Chow}

When my husband saw me in this heart sweater he said it was cute and that I looked like a Care Bear (in a good way). I'd say that's a fair description! Tenderheart is the Care Bear with a big red heart on his chest who "helps others to be the most caring they can be." If that's who I'm emulating when wearing this sweater, that's not such a bad thing to be. Spread the love :)

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER

Monday Muses: Christina Applegate & Sadie LeNoble

Hi Everyone! I'm back today with the last Monday Muses for this month. I have an exciting giveaway lined up for next Monday so stay tuned for that! In the meantime, shop the casually cool looks of Christina Applegate and her daughter, Sadie!

For Mama:
1) LNA Lauren jersey t-shirt $50.99 USD
2) Levi's Made & Crafted skinny jeans $74.00 CAD
3) Splendid navy ribbed tank top $61.00 CAD

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Mini-Me:
1) Old Navy sunstitched babydoll top $11.99 CAD on sale
2) Gap legging jeans $19.95 CAD
3) Converse Chuck Taylor 2-strap $32.00 USD

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER

Hot Child in the City

{ Bustier Dress: Victoria's Secret PINK (old, similar) // Sandals & Sunglasses: H&M // Bag: Zara // Jewelry: Wolf Circus ring; ASOS spike bracelet; bfrend hot pink Golden Cobra bracelet; H&M necklace and earrings }

{ Photographed by Eleanor Chow }

Floral, fringe, plus a dash of spikes and skull studs. Juxtaposing feminine pieces with edgier ones is something I don't ever tire of. Have a great weekend everyone! I'm going to enjoy what's left of summer's hot, hot heat!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER

Cake Pops

A group of friends my husband and I have known for quite some time formed a Dinner Club about five years ago, and we all get together about once a month to share a potluck dinner. It's something everyone really enjoys, and it's a great way for friends to stay in touch and for our kids to play together. So how does it work, you ask? Each couple in the group takes turns hosting at their house, while the rest of the members are assigned a course (typically appie, starch, salad, dessert, and the host supplies the main), and each dinner party has a theme. The most recent theme was "On a Stick," and we were assigned dessert. My husband made chocolate-covered strawberries while I made cake pops, and I thought I'd share the results (the strawberries are pretty self-explanatory so this post is just for the cake pops)!

Monday Muses: Denise Richards & Eloise Joni Richards

Happy Monday! Keeping it short and sweet today after a busy weekend, and lamenting the end of the London 2012 Olympics (did you all watch them?). Check out the adorably chic style of today's Monday Muses, Denise Richards and her adopted baby girl Eloise, and shop their looks below!

For Mama:

1) Aqua braid strap snake print maxi dress $100.83 CAD

2) Rocawear Sunwear oversized sunglasses $40.00 USD

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Mini-Me:

1) The Children's Place active shine top $8.00 CAD on sale

2) Gymboree bow ruched cuff legging $12.49 USD on sale

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER

After the Storm

{ Horse-print blouse & Cap-toe Pumps: Zara (seen here) // Shorts: H&M // Bag: Badgley Mischka // Sunglasses: Tory Burch // Jewelry: OASAP earrings (c/o); MONIKALOVE Flora bracelet by bfrend; JewelMint Blanc Bomb ring }

{ Photographed by Eleanor Chow }

If you live in Vancouver then you would've experienced the crazy thunderstorm we had Tuesday evening. The wild rain and flashes of lightening were quite the spectacle to watch, and it gave the city a much needed cool-down. This gave me the opportunity to wear my fun, horse-print blouse and style it into a Summer look that will also transition well into Fall, which is coming up more quickly than I'd like to admit! Enjoy the weekend and thank you all for reading!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER

Dreamweaver

All images via Pinterest

If you follow me on Pinterest, you'll see that I have a slight obsession with braided hairstyles, especially for the summer. My current fave is the fishtail braid. What's yours?

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER

Light as Silk

{ Silk Tank (last seen here) & Shorts (last seen here): Wilfred (from Aritzia) // Belt: Old Navy // Sandals: Aldo (old) // Bag: Zara (old) // Sunglasses: House of Harlow 1960 "Chelsea" // Bracelets: HRH Collection Ultra Luxe; H&M; random bangle }

{ Photographed by Eleanor Chow }

Hi Everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend, and to those in British Columbia, I hope you enjoyed your long weekend! I've been trying to keep cool in the heat wave we've been experiencing here in Vancouver, and dressing comfortably in such sweltering weather can be a challenge. I find that sheer silk fabrics like my tank and shorts are light and airy enough to wear during the hot summer days. What are your go-to items for staying comfortable in the summer heat?

PS: I was on the radio this morning for CBC Radio's The Early Edition program, Pinched, which you can catch right here! The segment is about how to make the most out of the summer sales. You can hear me at 5:34 :)

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER

Pattern Play

{ Top: Xhilaration (old) // Shorts: Charlotte Russe (similar) // Shoes: Zara // Panama Hat: H&M (similar) // Bag: Badgley Mischka // Sunglasses: Marc by Marc Jacobs // Jewelry: Wolf Circus necklace; Social Experiment ring; H&M bracelets }

{ Photographed by Eleanor Chow }

I enjoy mixing prints (previously seen here and here), but if you're at all wary about pattern mixing, the easiest way to wear the trend is to get a piece of clothing that's already paired two prints together for you! This tank mixes florals and stripes in a foolproof way that's incredibly easy to wear. And who doesn't like effortless dressing, especially during the hot summer months? For more inspiration on playing with patterns, check out Marionberry Style's Trend of the Month post, which I'm linking up with today. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER

Feature: Closet Confessions on The-Unprecedented

It's been a bit of a revealing week here on the blog. Yesterday I showed you What's in My Bag and today I show you what's in my closet! Hop on over to Randa's lovely blog, The-Unprecedented, and get a glimpse of my wardrobe here!

Big thanks to Randa for featuring me in her "Closet Confessions" segment, and to the talented Kaoverii Marapon for taking all of the fantastic photos!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOGLOVIN' | CHICTOPIA | BLOGGER