I hope you did, because today I have a nice little surprise for you: a Humboldt Current skirt for one of you too! We can totally be twins.

The wonderful folks over at Shabby Apple not only provided me with a skirt to enjoy, but are offering one up for me to give away. It is such a great piece to usher in the spring and summer months. The bright print is so cheery, and the silhouette is feminine and modest. You can definitely wear this skirt to work or for a day out and about. The print actually reminds me of some of the sundresses I wore when I was in college…at Elon the sorority girls were always bedecked in bright sundresses with heels and pearls when attending football games and such. Ah, this brings me back…but in a somewhat more sophisticated way!

In terms of fit, I would say that the Humboldt Current skirt fits accurately according to Shabby Apple’s sizing chart. It is listed as a generous fit, so you might have to order a size down from normal. The size that suited my measurements fit me well across my waist with a little bit of extra room (have to be able to fit a food belly in there if I eat a meal!), even with a shirt tucked into it.

So – let’s get down to the giveaway! Here’s how to enter…(feel free to leave only 1 comment outlining all entry methods you used, but please make sure you are specific so I know each entry clearly!)

Visit and “Like” Shabby Apple’s Facebook page

For additional entries:

1. Visit Shabby Apple and leave a comment here letting me know what your favorite item is!

2. Tweet about the giveaway using the following text…and post a link to your tweet in the comment section (if you don’t already follow me @SheLikesRuffles, you totally should!): Enter to win a bright & happy Humboldt Current skirt with @SheLikesRuffles & @shabbyapple http://bit.ly/wgZkar #giveaway #fashion

This giveaway is open to entrants with a US shipping address only. Giveaway will be open through Saturday 2/25. I will select a winner at random and notify: if I receive no response in 48 hours, I reserve the right to select a new winner.

***Disclosure: Shabby Apple graciously provided me with the Humboldt Current skirt to review and one skirt to give away. The opinions and experience expressed in this post are 100% my own***

The folks over at Shabby Apple were kind enough to send me the Humboldt Current skirt, and it absolutely brightens my day when I wear it!

Pencil skirts are one of my favorite silhouettes (for work or for play). The high rise sits at the thinnest part of your waist and helps to create an hourglass shape. As a girl who isn’t blessed with curves, I love that a pencil skirt creates such a womanly silhouette.

The Humboldt Current skirt itself is SUCH a pretty and peppy pattern: the combo of yellow, neon green, and aqua is such an eye catcher. It’s feminine yet punchy. The length is just right: it hits right at the knee, so it is appropriate for a day at the office OR just a regular day around town.

Kelly green tee: Banana Republic Timeless Tee

Pencil skirt: the Humboldt Current Skirt c/o Shabby Apple

Cork pumps: A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz, purchased at Nordstrom, similar here and here

Draped necklace: purchased at Forever21, similar here and here

Pink bow enamel bangle: purchased at Target, similar here and here

Raffia clutch: purchased at Target, similar here

Are you ready to wear some bright colors this spring?

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I hope you all had a wonderful and restful weekend (and if you’re lucky enough to have the day off from work, I trust you’re enjoying yourself)!

On Friday, Justin and I celebrated Valentine’s Day a little bit late. We had reservations at one of our favorite restaurants: Season’s 52. From the wine to the food to the ambiance, it is always a wonderful experience. Another thing I love about Season’s 52 is the fact that every item on the menu is under 475 calories. Talk about guilt-free!

On this visit, the chef was kind enough to visit our table to deliver an amuse bouche: shrimp with pico de gallo:

Our appetizer for the evening was one of the weekly specials: artichoke, onion, tomato, and goat cheese! The flatbreads are cracker-thin and have just the right amount of ingredients…and are so delicious!

Justin ordered the shrimp penne pasta for his dinner (and seriously…it’s under 475 calories?!?! Amazing.): it features a bevvy of fresh vegetables as well…

As for me, I was absolutely unable to resist one of the weekly specials for my entree. It was grilled mahi mahi over a bed of spinach, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and green beans. It also featured a generous scoop of guacamole on top:

Isn’t it gorgeous?!?! It tasted even better than it looked…we’ve dined at Season’s 52 a number of times in the past, but I can say with 100% confidence that this meal was my absolute, all-time favorite. I am still thinking about it today.

Sadly, there were no leftovers…I pretty much licked my plate clean.

On another note, this weekend Justin and I started looking into couches. The current couch in our home I’ve had since 2007 (and I purchased it used)…so it’s quite old. We are VERY ready for a replacement, so we wanted to start shopping around to see what we like. So far, we’ve found 2 options to look into: turns out we like couches with deep seats, and sectionals featuring a chaise lounge option are appealing. Crate & Barrel’s Lounge sectional is our current favorite: it comes in a durable woven fabric (I’m a fan of the Chinchilla hue: it’s a dark gray color…the couch pictured below is a shade darker) and the cushions are so soft and comfortable.

The other option we were fans of came from Haverty’s…it’s a bit less plush, but the fabric is somewhat similar to the one at Crate & Barrel. The sectional offers a configuration with a couch and chaise, and it comes in a color called “graphite” which is reminiscent of the chinchilla hue.

Right now, I still love the Crate & Barrel sofa the most, but we’ve only just started shopping around. I’ve at least been able to determine the type of fabric I’m interested in (absolutely CANNOT have a microfiber/plush/velvety fabric: I’d go insane trying to wipe the fabric to run in the same direction so there aren’t streaks) and the style of couch I like. Now…if only we had a bigger place to live so we can accommodate a larger sofa! Oops.

What were you up to this weekend? Also – have you purchased a new couch recently? How hard was it to find a style you like/what stores/brands drew your interest?

Lucia is familiar with our front entryway’s stairs, but she has never walked up the staircase to the loft. When we first moved into the apartment, we walked her over to the stairs, said “no,” and she has not once walked up them. It is kind of bizarre actually…

What IS funny though is when Justin or I walk up to the loft and start calling Lucia’s name. She can never seem to figure out where the voice is coming from…she starts running around the living room, pokes her head into the kitchen and bathroom, and then back again to the living room. Then she looks up and figures it out. I don’t think she realizes that she can take the stairs to join us up in the loft though…

Sneaky humans, we are.

Happy Friday everyone!

For me, the thought of shelling out the big bucks at the nail salon for a gel manicure makes me a bit uneasy. I checked around at my local nail salons, and the average price for a gel manicure cured under a LED light runs between $30-$45. I don’t know about you, but that seems like a high price to pay for an everyday manicure…and I would only be able to afford one every once in a blue moon.

However, Red Carpet Manicure has come to my rescue.

The Red Carpet Manicure Starter Kit is a fantastic way to achieve a gel manicure at-home…with relative ease! The folks at Red Carpet Manicure were kind enough to provide me with a set to test out, and I was very happy with the results!

The process itself takes a bit of time, but it is relatively simple…you don’t have to be a skilled manicurist to master the process, I promise! You start by cleaning your nails of polish, trimming them, filing, buffing, and pushing your cuticles back. If you need any of the tools, Red Carpet Manicure has an accessories kit that you can purchase that includes them.

Once your nails are prepared, you’re ready to go!

Step 1 involves using the Purify cleanser on your nails (apply with a lint-free pad/cotton ball), and then applying the Prep adhesion sanitizer. It evaporates off of your nails very quickly – nice and simple!

Step 2: apply a layer of the Structure base coat gel, followed by curing it under the LED light. The surface will be sticky, so resist all urges to touch your nails…you don’t want to mess them up!

The next step involves 2 thin coats of the color nail enamel. After each coat, you cure under the LED light again, which will seal the color in! Again, resist the urge to touch your nails…they’ll still be tacky!

The Brilliance seal and shine top coat is next on the list…followed by a final round of curing under the LED light.

Finally, you’re ready to finish things off with the Purify cleanser again. The Purify cleanser will remove any extra tacky residue on your nails and will leave your manicure looking shiny and polished!

The Red Carpet Manicure Starter Kit comes with a bright red polish called Red Carpet Reddy, but there are many other hues to choose from if you aren’t in the mood for red. I used Camera Shy, which is a milky nude shade of polish…it’s perfect for a girl who is looking for a natural look.

I was very impressed by how great my nails turned out with the Red Carpet Manicure. They felt solid, and weren’t susceptible to nicks and cracks like other nail polishes seem to be. With the LED light curing process, you also don’t have to wait for your polish to dry – your nails will be hardened and ready to go as soon as you complete the steps; no waiting around or desperately trying to use a hair dryer to speed dry your nails (yes, I am guilty of that). 5 days after application, my nails are still feeling strong and chip-free for the most part. Since it was my first time applying the gel manicure, I know I didn’t get the process down perfectly and got some of the polish on my cuticles (which makes them susceptible to peeling/chipping when your nails grow out); I know that after a few more applications, I’ll have it down like a pro. I do want to note that the starter kit also includes a polish remover and cuticle oil to keep your nails natural and undamaged.

The Red Carpet Manicure Starter Kit costs $59.99 (plus you’ll have to put 4 AA batteries in the LED light). What is great about this kit is that it absolutely pays for itself after just 2 uses (imagine if you were paying $40 for a gel manicure at a salon…plus a tip). There are many colors of polishes to choose from. I personally want to get my hands on these:

After Party Playful – a pretty pink!

Glitteratzzi – a gold, glittery polish! So fun…

I would definitely recommend picking up a Red Carpet Manicure Starter Set if you’ve been interested in a gel manicure, but aren’t willing to visit the salon to achieve one. The process is simple, and the results are great! You can find Red Carpet Manicure products online on their website, on drugstore.com, and even in-person at ULTA stores!

Have you had a gel manicure?

***Red Carpet Manicure provided the starter kit and Camera Shy nail color for my review, but opinions are 100% my own***

Ah, the envelope clutch: so fun, right?

ASOS Slot Through Portfolio Clutch in yellow $35.81

ASOS Pyramid Lock Envelope Clutch in black $26.86 – I own this one and love it! You can see it here

ASOS Fliplock Envelope Clutch in pink $26.86

Solids are fun, but so are patterns…

Cleobella Nikko Hand Beaded Envelope Clutch $165

ASOS Print Weave Clutch $44.76

Vera Bradley Envelope-Deco Daisy Clutch $32

Are you a fan of carrying a clutch?

I’ll be honest: I don’t have a lot of pink and red in my wardrobe. Pops of red are pretty much relegated to shoes and accessories. Since it IS Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d break out a bright burgundy clutch!

This envelope style clutch is one of my favorite new accessories. It is roomy, shiny, and the alligator-like texture makes me smile.

Striped sweater: Forever21, similar here

Animal print mini skirt: purchased at T.J. Maxx, $9.99, similar here

Opaque black tights: similar here

Black heeled loafers: STEVE by Steve Madden, purchased at Nordstrom (old), similar here

Red envelope clutch: ASOS, similar here

Hope your Valentine’s Day is filled with hearts, chocolates, and lots of love!

If you want to pick up some Jergens Natural Glow Express, I’ve found it for $6.79 at Drugstore.com. Jergens Natural Glow Face can also be found for $6.79 at Drugstore.com!

I’d love to know if you have any other favorite self tanning lotions – I’m always on the lookout for new things!

Today’s daydream revolves around a pretty little polka dotted crepe dress by Marni.

Marni Polka-dot Crepe Dress

Isn’t it fun? And…technically, it’s on sale: it was originally $940 but is now a “steal” at only $376…haha!

But for now, I’ll just keep on dreaming…

Ordinarily, I am not too much of a frilly, frou-frou girl. Lingerie is not on my list of must-have items. However, I can’t help but drool over some of the pretty options available when Valentine’s Day comes around.

If I DO purchase lingerie, I tend to be more on the practical side of things. Also – comfort is key. It’s just a personal opinion, but the thought of underwire and tons of hooks, ties, and boning just makes me feel a bit…twitchy.

I love a good bralette though – soft and simple…and very feminine!

Clockwise from top left: Honeydew Intimates polka dot bralette $34,

Honeydew Intimates flower lace bralette $32,

Betsey Johnson cotton bralette $12,

3.1 Phillip Lim black silk chiffon combo bralette $66

A pretty little chemise is also oh so nice…

Clockwise from top left: Eberjey Cat’s Meow chemise $80,

Fleurwood Gabriella slip $198,

Myla daisy swiss dot mesh chemise $35,

Elle Macpherson Obsidian Eleanor stretch silk satin chemise $75,

Stella McCartney Isabelle Daydreaming silk chiffon chemise $90,

Undrest silk and lace chemise $76

Combo sets are always a good way to go…I know that I am guilty of not buying matching sets of things…but these ones just beg to be purchased together!

Left to right: Samantha Chang Godetia romper $68,

Samantha Chang pin dotted bralette set $78/$38,

Baubled Satin bralette set $42/$36

And…my personal favorite…

Chevron Comfort Set $48/$38

Seriously??? How fun is that set? And…can someone please make it in bikini form? I would totally wear that to the beach if so, wouldn’t you???