3 Things to Try This Weekend

Try a different bloom

This weekend adorn your coffee table, or favourite vase/container at home with a different set of blooms than the usual. I always tend to lean towards white or light ping roses or hydrangeas, but this weekend, go for a bloom you would not usually, maybe even in a different colour, and try that out!

Try a bold lip colour

Never ventured out to the bright pinks, and deep reds? Well this weekend is the time you do. Try a bright colour. Don't want to make the plunge? Go for a matte version, or the lip butters or lip stains in bolder colours. Just make sure of two things, one: make sure your teeth are nice and white - because if they are not, it will be highlighted, and two: make sure the tone is right for your skin tone (I got an orangey red, whereas I should've gotten a blue toned red for my fair skin tone - the difference was major) So do a quick Google search for the colour you're interested in, or test out the product if you can!

Try a new health class

Try a workout you haven't yet, or have been meaning too, but never got around to. Ususally do yoga? try pilates. Used to the treadmill? try a martial arts cardio class (I did that switch two weeks ago...def worked up muscles I forgot I even had!) It's a great way to use up different muscles in the body and variety to your workout schedule, and the chance to experiment with different workouts!

Valentine's Day Preppin'

There's only a few hours left before Valentine's Day!

The day dedicated to celebrating love and happiness, and 

a day to make an extra gesture. LVP has a list of posts to help

you add a little romantic gesture to your VDay this year. Still 

stuck and need some last minute ideas? Take a look at the posts

linked below and you're sure to be inspired!

Take a look at 'Last Minute Cupid' for fun last minute

ideas that wont leave you with nothing on Valentine's Day

Men can be hard to shop for, but hopefully this 'Gift Guide'

complied by LVP and the help of some men with great

taste will set you in the right direction

Here are some more ideas for last minute inspiration

and some DIY options for VDay: 'Cute & Easy Ideas'

A bunch of red roses?! Uh..no thank you. I think they

are so clichéd and overdone...and honestly, just a bouquet

of red roses doesn't look that pretty to me. But of course

everyone's entitled to their own opinion. However, I 

think it's a great idea to put together a bouquet of flowers

that say something, or a couple of things. Full of meaning.

And it changes things up a bit, making the bouquet more

unique. Take a look at our guide to 'Flowers' Meaning', a

readers' favourite, to figure out which bloom(s) best fit

your relationship!

And remember, Valentine's Day celebrates 'love'

You can celebrate love even if you're single! So

treat yourself!!

Take Ice-Cubes to the Next Level

 This is a great idea for entertaining, especially with the good weather this season,

for BBQs and get-togethers

Fill your ice trays almost all the way with water, leaving room for the water to rise once

you add your fruit.

Add a small piece of any fruit of your choice and freeze as normal.

Finally add the ice cubes to your punch or drink of choice!

Last Minute Cupid

So it's pretty much Valentine's day already on this side

of the planet, and just a couple hours away for the rest 

of you! Hopefully you guys aren't in this situation with 

your loved one, but anything could've happened to set

you back a little and you still need last minute gift ideas

for you Valentine! Maybe cupid struck either of you a

little too late and you need a gift asap!

Well here are some fun, easy, and some DIY, ideas for

you! Also check out the this post here for great ideas!

Magnolia bakery has great ♥ shaped whoopie pies that

are delicious and in spirit of today's day! Pick em up for your

valentine! (Magnolias, Bloomingdales, Dubai Mall) USA

Magnolia branches most probably have 'em too!

Plan a picnic for two. Share some casual, easy, and quality time 

with your special someone by taking your favorite food and enjoying

the outdoors together. Cuddle up and watch the stars after, or even

take a board game to enjoy! Don't forget to pack dessert!

(Of course this applies to the people in bearable climates! ;) )

Or stay indoors, and set up a candle lit dinner for two. Whether you 

cook your favorite meal together, or just have time for take out, create

a cute and easy, but impressive table setting and enjoy!

Tips: Fill different sized glasses with chocolate, flowers, candies, 

candles for a quick hassle free decor idea. Use a festive table cover to

add to the spirit and feel!

If you're staying in and not making a big deal out of the day, just

stay in and have a movie marathon, or a marathon of your favorite series. 

Make some fun popcorn to enjoy!

Tips: Melt some white chocolate or caramel and mix with your popcorn

and toss in a little bit of confetti sprinkles for a festive feel (heart shaped

sprinkles, red and white sprinkles, anything!)

Get to your guy's office (or any space he'll see) and 

make a heart out of pink post it notes. Add to it

by writing a reason why you love him/want him to be

your valentine on each post it! So simple but so meaningful!

According to Forbes, even though Red roses are cliché and expected

they are still highly valued and make up most of Vday's flower business. 

They still hold up a large sentimental value and say I love you. So why not?!

Also, if you're just keeping it relaxed, just get some flowers for your home.

Make your home smell good, and just feel the vday spirit!

Of course a unique and personalized bouquet is even better! So if you're up to that, 

check this out: click here

Here in Dubai, I saw that Spinney's has boxes of heart-shaped candy

as will any of the stores around you, where ever you live. So why not pick

up a small box or a nice big one from your local chocolatier for a special

friend or your valentine!

Get him a funny pair of boxers! It's a fun last minute gift, and

will be something to laugh over and probably very unexpected!

And then maybe also get him something nice, like chocolates

or flower, because chances are he got you a cute, more

real/expected gift.

Another fun way to celebrate the spirit in not-so-hyped-up

way is to enjoy cute little elements just because. Like having

pink lemonade topped with some berries, or rasberry/stawberry/cranberry

juice for the heck of it, because it's pink/red in color!

LC shared this idea on her website, which I adore and love.

"Darling your my dynamite!"

1) Wrap Rolos or any round/cylinder shaped candy bar

in red paper (hey, you could wrap a couple of his favorites

even if they're not round and package them in a bottle or just

make it look cylindrical).

2) Add black string or ribbon and a hand written note, and voila!

Most of all just enjoy the day, and I hope I could give you some 

last minute gift ideas!

- ♥ Ferwa

All photos via Pinterest, and heart shaped

box via here, boxers via here

Cute & Easy Gifts for Loved Ones on Valentine's Day!

Here are some cute, small, and easy gift ideas for those of you who like giving valentine gifts to friends, and family members on the special day (which I think is a great gesture), and who want something other than a rose! Or even for couples that don't take gifts to a major level, or even if you want to give multiple little gifts, even in addition to your bigger, main gift (if that make sense!)

Why not start the day off with heart shaped breakfast items such as heart shaped 

sunny-side-ups and/or heart shaped pancakes. If you do not have the heart

shaped pancake formers, you can always try and use a heart shaped cookie

cutter (which if you don't have, can be purchased for just a couple dollars)

Make a little booklet, stack of cards that read all or some of the reasons

why you love the person you're giving the gift too!

(it can be more or fewer that 52!)

A little twist: Using a check/to-do list type format, list the reasons

why that special someone is your valentine, and why you want to spend

the day with them!

Not going all out, but still want to celebrate some valentine spirit at home?

Add heart shaped beef pepperoni, or other vegetables by cutting out pieces

with a small heart shaped cookie cutter.

Celebrate the day of love with family, friends at school, and loved ones by

leaving this simple note attached to festive pencil on their desk/workplace!

Simple, quick, easy, and fun!

 

The classic Hershey's Kiss can never be a bad idea/choice! For all the chocolate

lovers out there,leave a packet full of hershey's kisses for them. 

Personalize it by bagging it in a packet other than the one you bought it in

and embellish with a cute ribbon. Why not add a note or quote like this one to 

make it extra special!

Festive sweets and baked goods are not an overrated classic. They work

every time, and is a fun activity to get the little ones involved in too and/or 

have a great and fun time with your valentine by baking these festive goodies!

(Tip: bake a simple, regular batch of brownies, and instead of cutting it

into squares, use a heart shaped cookie cutter & leave the scraps for eating

later as an indulgent snack!)

All photos via Pinterest 

Thanksgiving: Inspiration & Ideas for Entertaining this Thursday

Use foliage and local plants & flowers as decor. A simple addition of the foliage in the above setting, took the simple cutlery and napkin to a whole new 'hostess with the mostess' level

via

Invest in the season's hearty vegetables for robust and delicious recipes - The picture shows a Butternut squash carrot recipe via With Style and Grace

Go traditional and rustic by using baskets, and tin buckets for vases and décor elements.

via

Use floral décor that 1. are in season, so it can reflect the festivities accurately, and 2. in the color scheme of the season, e.g. sunflowers

Or, you can stay modern - in terms of décor style - and incorporate the season by it's colors, such as appropriately colored candle sticks (e.g. green, orange, yellow), and other decorative elements. A few well chosen items can go a long way and bring the whole look together! (especially if you already have brown furniture - for thanksgiving at least!)

via

Make your party a little bit more special by adding fancier elements such as tags for place settings and/or as thank you notes for a giveaway goodie as the guests leave.

Use what you have around, especially whatever reflects the current weather and festivities. Gather some acorns from around your house or at your local park. You can even use leaves or branches, which are more 'globally' available...Im not so sure it's that easy to find acorns here and there in Dubai!...and still very much reflect the season and thanksgiving

both above via

Here's another great idea that is so easy and something you most probably won't have to leave the house for: lentils. Use the lentils from your pantry, and spread it out as a 'background' or decorative element to place your place cards, or name cards for your dishes, or just put in some candle stands. You can play around with the idea and make it personal to your party. (Do not waste the lentils - gather them and reuse them another time, you can rinse them before using, and of course the cooking process will kill any dirt - if any)

Don't have lentils or don't want to use them, use the concept and change it up. Maybe spread out some seeds, or nuts. If you're using nuts, it can be interactive - depending on it's placement. The guests that stand closest to it to talk with other guests can dig in and keep them selves busy with the peanuts you spread out as décor. You can really personalize this idea, and the others too of course, to make it suitable for you!

via

Again, a little can go a long way. Make your food even more relevant that the traditional turkey, etc. etc. Make your party punch and orangey color. If you're not adding any natural orange-ish ingredients, add a few drops of food coloring.

- Use orange plastic spoons, napkins, straws. 

- As giveaway goodies, leave your guests with a sweet treat such as a mini pumpkin pie, or a mini cookie prep ingredient cookie jar.

- Don't have the time, or are on a tighter budget..that's fine, you can let your guests leave with a decorative thank you card, or even pack your local bakery's great tasting cookies in goodie bag or even just a simple last serving of pumpkin spice latté as an alternative to coffee.

via

Party Outfits - Plan ahead and keep the outfit aside. We love the above outfit...maybe not so much the shoes

via

For the Dubian readers - Candy corn is available at Candylicious in Dubai Mall. That's the only place I've found it so far. Have you guys found it anywhere else?

via

Overall, it's key to keep in mind the season, the celebration of the day that celebrates fall as a season and the bountiful harvest that comes along, as well as the colors - greens, browns, oranges and yellow primarily - and after that you can use what ever is around and stick to one to three concepts and create a great dinner party!

Halloween Interiors

This weekend I'm leaving you with some great ideas to help you get planning and inspired for decorating your home for the next week. Halloween can be one of the most exciting holidays to decorate for.

Here are some great examples of how the decor can be a part of your everyday furniture and décor regardless of whether your having a party or not.

Sticking spiders around everyday object is an easy but effect-ful way to add a spooky feeling to your house

Embellish your front yard with cutout cardboard grave headstones and add some dead/fall leaves and maybe even lights to add the extra effect! (Bonus: If you're in Dubai, or any other warmer climate city, the rain will not destroy this!)

Emily of cupcakes and cashmere adds subtly yet significant elements to her house like this crow that peeks out of her bookshelf 

One laurenconrad.com reader cut a pumpkin in half, added a cloth and some chocolate to her everyday coffee table. This is a great idea for all of fall, not just Halloween!

DECORATING PUMPKINS

Decorating pumpkins is great for all of this season, especially with Thanksgiving right around the corner.

Stenciling through a doily with paint is a perfect, quick-and-easy DIY idea

Pinning a decorations (with pins/nail heads) is another great idea for a something different yet in tune with the season's celebrations

Not so much of a spooky, eerie person, but still want to capture the season's black, orange, and fall theme? Try this dainty idea of wrapping your pumpkin with lace. Tip: Pull a lace stocking over your pumpkin - no sticking, no tying, no mess. Easy!

Again, there are so many ways to brighten up your fall/halloween décor just as Martha Stewart shows us with covering these pumpkins is seasonal colored glitter!

Emily of cupcakes and cashmere spray painted her pumpkins gold and added them around the house to rev up her daily decor to fit the season

And last but not least, silhouettes are great all around the house! 

Try adding black paper cutouts of rats and mice around the house, in between bookshelves, on the stairs, behind candles, even in the kitchen?!

Adding silhouettes of skeletons and others to your living room window and leaving the lights on and curtains closed at night will give neighbors & passers by a bit of a spook!

Enjoy!