Top 5 Tunics for Summer

The tunic is probably the most perfect garment ever created.  Although I'm partial to summer linen tunics, they're fun to wear all year in a myriad of pretty fabrics including cotton and silk.  At 5'4" on a good day, I'm also able to pull of many tunic styles as little mini-dresses.  Another one of my favorite looks for a tunic is to pair it with white jeans.

Tunics seem to camouflage any figure flaws around the tummy and are appropriate in almost any setting from pool to party.

So get ready to channel your inner Talitha Getty...

Here are my top 5 picks for summer tunics.

Guru's Palm Beach Linen Tunic is available as a dress or traditional tunic.  The orange linen fabric is outlined with bright pink and white piping.  Surprisingly, this fabulous tunic is machine washable!

Devon Baer's Ginger Blouse is a refreshing twist on the traditional tunic.  I love the stand up ruffle collar and side vents.

The Ricky Rack Tunic from Gretchen Scott has pretty ric rac detail at the neckline, side vents, and cuffs.  So pretty in navy.

Since I am fairly petite, sometimes traditional tunics seem to overwhelm my frame.  The Virginia Tunic from Jules Reid in Sea Green Cotton hits just at the hip and is incredibly flattering.  I love to wear my Jules Reid tunics with jeans!  Very Palm Beach chic.

Of course, I couldn't make a list of my favorite tunics without including one of the season's best choices from Lilly Pulitzer.  The Sarasota Tunic is a perfect choice for any occasion.  The mandarin collar and pintuck details make this a winner.

Which of my top 5 tunic picks do you like the most?  

Shopping Guide
Guru, Devon Baer, Gretchen Scott, Jules Reid, Lilly Pulitzer

Weekend at The Homestead

Recently, four of us spent the weekend at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia and it was fabulous! 

The rooms all seemed to be a little bit unique.  The decor is gorgeous and I never wanted to leave!  I love the blue and white striped wallpaper and hydrangea curtains.  Our room had a large walk in closet, sitting area, and a fireplace. 

Every little detail is perfect...down to the embroidered pillow. 

The history tour offers an interesting behind the scenes glimpse of the entire resort.  Here are some of my favorite stops along the tour. 

On Saturday night, we enjoyed a delicious dinner in the main dining room.  The atmosphere was incredible, with a gorgeous setting and live music.  We even stepped out onto the dance floor a few times! 

The weekend was packed with activities and fun!  Stay tuned for more details about our adventure!

Elegant Elephants

Show me anything with an elephant motif and I'm sure to fall in love! 

Even though I'm counting down the days until the end of school, there's one thing that's making me wish it was already time to shop for back to school. 

Lilly Pulitzer stationery and goodies from Lifeguard Press...

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Lately, a lot of my money has been going into decorating the new house.  Wouldn't these pillows be adorable?  I found the Valentina Ramos Aaron Elephant Throw Pillow on Joss and Main. 

It started with the Red Elephant Elizabeth Blouse.  Then I moved on to the Black Elephant Tie Blouse for fall.  This spring, I'm loving the Lola Dress from Elizabeth McKay.  The pretty blue elephants on a silk and cotton blend are so chic! 

 

A pachyderm for your Planter's Punch!  That's how C. Wonder describes these delightful Elephant Drink Stirrers.  They're perfect for your summer parties. 

 

 



What fun elephant items have you found lately?

Beautiful Easy Bundt Cake

I've always admired the beautiful cake designs from Nordicware cake pans, but have always had some difficulty with the more intricate designs of the pans.  A simple bundt shape was never a problem, but some more elaborate designs could be difficult.

But I have some tips for you that I've learned from trial and error that will make baking a breeze for you.

How to Make a Perfect Bundt Cake:

• Prepare the pan correctly.  I used non-stick cooking spray, being careful to not have an excessive amount on the pan.  Then I lightly sprinkled some flour around the pan, carefully coating the cooking spray with a light dusting.  
• Fill the pan correctly.  Evenly pour the batter into the mold.  After I poured in the batter, I tapped the pan on the counter to get out the air bubbles.  
• Release the cake promptly.  I let the cake cool for about 10 minutes after it had baked perfectly.  I shook the pan a little bit to see that it was loose.  Then I put it on a plate, turned it upside down, crossed my fingers...

It was perfect!

I made this Pink Lemonade cake using the Nordic Ware Bavaria Bundt Pan from Williams Sonoma.  

The Blossom Bundt Cake Pan is on my wedding wish list!  I'll let you know how it goes with that pan if I receive it.  

Do you have any baking tips or tricks that you would like to share?  I'd love your suggestions.  

Tiny Prints Giveaway!

Planning a baby shower is so much fun!  Every little detail is so special and will be remembered for years to come.  When I was planning a baby shower for my sister and my new nephew, David, I wanted invitations and paper goods that were unique and trend-forward.  Ultimately, I chose a theme of ducks.  

Adorable duck invitations would be perfect for a boy, girl, or twins!

Tiny Prints Baby Shower Invitations  are unique and have so many different options.  Every baby is special and there's an invitation that's sure to suit your style.  I adore these pink elephant invitations.

When the baby has arrived, tell your family and friends with a special birth announcement from this premium online stationery brand.  I love the retro look of this Wonderful Woodland announcement.  

For more tips and suggestions, join the Tiny Prints #TinyPrintsBaby Pinning Party™ with
@ResourcefulMom on May 20^th at 8 PM ET 

To help you celebrate a baby shower, birth announcement, or other special event in your life, Tiny Prints is offering a giveaway for $50 off total order at Tiny Prints for one lucky winner.

Here's the Mandatory Method of Giveaway Entry:

• Visit Tiny Prints Birth Announcements or Tiny Prints Baby Shower Invitations and leave a comment below this blog post or on my Facebook page with your favorite stationery item.  Be sure to include your email address or make sure that your Facebook settings are set to receive messages so that I can contact the winner.  

• Earn an extra entry for "Sharing" this giveaway on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, or Google + using the share buttons below this post.  Please leave an additional comment to let me know that you shared the giveaway.  

The giveaway ends on Friday, May 24 at midnight.  The winner will be announced on this post and on Facebook on Saturday, May 25.  All entries will be verified.  Thanks for participating!

Update!  Last night’s Pinning Party™ was postponed due to the tragic events in Oklahoma. If you have not yet posted or wish to update your post, the party has been rescheduled for Thursday, May 30^th at 8 PM ET. The RSVP for the party is still at http://resourcefulmommy.com/12097/tiny-prints-baby-pinning-party/

Nautical Starfish Wedding

It's hard to believe that the wedding is less than a month from today!  Things are in full swing here and we're busy with last minute details.  Yesterday I felt like the little mouse from the circular tale, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

I visited the Berwick Offray Ribbon Outlet and found hundreds of yards of irresistible grosgrain, satin, and organza ribbon.  When I say hundreds, I mean hundreds.  Not only do I have enough ribbon for any Pinterest wedding project imaginable, I'm in great shape from now until Christmas.

Here's a sampling of what I found for the nautical navy and pink wedding.

So then, spools of ribbon in hand, I set off to work.  But just like the mouse in the story, I needed a few things to help me with my project.  First I made a pillow for the ring bearer to carry.  The pillow is about 8 inches square.  I added different ribbons with hot glue and then attached a starfish to the top of the pillow.  The navy and white striped grosgrain ribbon is my favorite.

Next on the to do list were the starfish boutonnieres for the special men at the wedding, including the handsome groom.  These real starfish are about 4-5 inches in diameter and don't need any additional greens.  I tried one with a leaf and another with some wheat grass behind it, but the grosgrain ribbon alone looks the best.  A pin is attached to the back of the starfish so it will be easy to wear.

Right now, I'm in the process of making wands and the guest book. I will be sure to share those with you as I make more progress.

Shopping on Vacation at The Homestead

A vacation is not complete without a little bit of shopping.  At The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia, you could arrive without your luggage and it wouldn't matter.  You can find anything and everything that you need (or want!) in the shops at the resort.

I spied lots of new spring clothing from Lilly Pulitzer at The Homestead at First Lady, probably my favorite shop at the resort.  The Mint Julep print is so pretty!

The little nautical espadrilles are perfect for crisp whites.

This adorable blue dress is so retro chic.  There is a little bit of delicate gathering at the waist with a tiny bow to accent the look.

Vineyard Vines offers excellent choices this season.  I love the navy.

The Homestead shops also have a lot of tunics.  From these Escapada tunics to others from Gretchen Scott and Skirtin' Around, there are so many choices.

Although I'm always looking at clothing, there are quite a few other great finds at The Homestead.  The Spa Shop has delightful soaps and spa treatments.  I also really loved the Hobby Horse, a children's store with toys and clothing.  The 1766 Shop sells the china and tea service that the hotel uses.

When you go to a resort, do you always visit the shops?  What is the best shop you've ever found?