Oh you fancy huh

A Stylish and Practical Family Home

May 20, 2013 by Sharon Garofalow 10 Comments

FTC DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT: Cupcakes and Cutlery aims to provide unbiased editorials. However, I wish to disclose that from time to time I may receive free products or other compensation from companies for blogger reviews.You guys! This is why I am a blogger. So this new reality show, Pretty Wicked Moms, is premiering June 4th on Lifetime. And I got to see it already. That may not sound like a big deal to you but I LOVE reality shows. Like a lot. And I always have to watch at least the first episode to see if I need to set it up to record every week (well, except all the dumb men’s shows like Ice Road Truckers or Swamp Loggers). I will definitely be recording Pretty Wicked Moms. I can’t give any details away or share a recap of the episode I saw. Let’s just say these ladies are best frenemies. And I’m captivated. One thing is for sure, these ladies make being super stylish a goal. So stylish, they wear heels at all times. And totter after their kids in them. To me that doesn’t seem very practical but hey, whatever works.

In that vein, Lifetime asked me to share my tips for keeping a stylish, practical home while raising a family. This post comes at a great time as we have only been in our new home 2 weeks. So while my home is not in the finishing stages of decorating, I have been spending a lot of my time thinking about how to show my style in my home when there are two little boys running amok.

Tip 1: LOVE everything in your home. Or at least REALLY like it.

My new-found interest in home design started when I went through a personal style camp earlier this year. It became clear to me that while my wardrobe should represent my design aesthetic, so should my home. This move was the catalyst to actually make some changes. And while nothing that I have purchased is expensive (a far cry from the homes these PWM’s – Pretty Wicked Mom’s, duh – live in…) it is the first time my style is showing through in my home. A huge thing that just clicked for me is that you should love everything you surround yourself with. Don’t settle. While most of our budgets won’t allow a complete make-over, if there are things that you want, make a list and save up for them. Change out items as you can until you love your space.

We got rid of a ton of items before we moved. Things we had been hanging on to, just to hang on to. But when we stripped ourselves of those things it really opened my mind to what I did want to surround myself with. It is becoming clear that I’m a black and white stripe-aholic. LOVE it.

Tip 2: Take risks in the least risky places in your home.

Oh hey, more black and white stripes! This is our master bathroom. Pretend you don’t see the stacked moving boxes in the mirror there. And I’d like to note that I didn’t set out to match the towels to my quilt but after much searching, I realized that nobody makes a great patterned towel except for Missoni, which are just a bit out of my price range. While I would never have put any sort of light-colored rug in my house before with all the foot traffic and food spilling, I decided that this room was the most logical home for it. It is probably the least used area of the house. With my youngest child being 4 1/2, I felt like it was ok to start decorating less for the kids and more for myself. BUT! I’m not crazy. This rug wouldn’t last two minutes in the front of the house. Here I can still enjoy the rug and it’s lifespan will be significantly longer.

Tip 3: Create kid-free zones

It is ok to create areas that are off-limits to the kids. My walk in closet is one such area. I am looking forward to adding some art to the wall behind my dresser and love that I can leave things out on a tray and they don’t go missing. This is a space I can go when I need to take a breath, when I don’t want to see a toy and when I want to feel like a grown up. The kids know they are not to be in here. Except for sometimes when I am getting ready and my youngest puts on all my cocktail rings, calls them “finger shields”, and acts like a super hero with the world’s strongest fingers. THAT is funny stuff. Similarly, the kids aren’t free to roam around the kitchen. I know that is an area that I can display “nicer” items without fear of them breaking in a flying Angry Bird deluge.

Tip 4: Shop in all departments for the best selection

Previously, I had a black kitchen mat from the kitchen mat section of our local home goods store. Boring. Sure I was being practical but it didn’t add anything special to the decor. For this house I spent some time online and checked out rugs from several stores. I came across this one from Urban Outfitters (no longer on the site but this one is similar) and decided it was just what I was looking for. It is super bright and busy so it should hide spills well and it makes being in the kitchen more fun. It really does. And since we are in a rental, there are certain things we just have to deal with, like the worn cupboards and old faucet. The rug really makes a big statement and hopefully detracts a bit from the things that could use some improvement. May I also suggest having your grout professionally cleaned once a year? I just had someone out to do the house and it completely changed the look of the kitchen. It cost about $100 for the square footage of tile we have and it was TOTALLY worth it!

Tip 5: Add some green and some pops of color

I have never had the inclination to have plants in my home before. I never wanted to have yet another thing that I had to worry about. But I’m craving green in the house right now. I think it will make it feel more finished without setting little knick knacks everywhere that will just collect dust. And adding little pops of color around the house are a really fun way to add interest without making a huge commitment like you would buying a crazy rug or large piece of artwork. I will have you note that this adorable little air plant by Bird and Feather is placed up on the window ledge in my front bathroom. I just know that if it was any lower, my boys would use it as a baseball. See practical and stylish.

Tip 6: Set up your kids toys as a casual display

The kid’s rooms are pretty small. And while I would prefer all the toys to be put away, it is just not practical. I selected some toys that “go together” to create a little collection that is set out for display on top of the dresser. Know that anything “out” will get played with and that it will not always looks this way. Kid’s toys SHOULD be played with but they can also look styled at the end of the day. Clean up is easy as you just have to put them back on the dresser. Kid’s rooms should be playful and have kid’s items but can also be a place to share age appropriate art and collectibles (on high shelves). You can also keep the room to your style standards by choosing some rad bedding and a great rug.

Ok – now here is the trailer for Pretty Wicked Moms! You’re welcome.

Tune in to watch parenting like you’ve never seen before with the first episode of Pretty Wicked Moms on Tuesday, June 4, at 10:00 pm ET/PT on Lifetime.

Filed Under: Family Life, Fashion, Home Decor, Oh you fancy huh, Videos Tagged With: home decor, kids rooms, reality show, style, styling, TV

Why I love sponsored posts

May 15, 2013 by Sharon Garofalow 1 Comment

*The FTC has made some new rules, one of which is to place a disclaimer at the very beginning of each post that is sponsored or compensated in some way. While this post is not sponsored, you will be seeing some changes to my blog format which may include a disclosure in this location.

Let’s talk for a minute about why I love sponsored posts and will continue to do them. There has been lots of talk recently about FTC guidelines and disclosing when you are compensated for a post. And about how many of them that you should do so that your readers are not put off. I have heard people say that they will not read a post if there is a disclosure at the beginning of the post but if they get to the bottom and see the disclosure they are ok with it as long as the content was authentic and didn’t seem sponsored. As the FTC is requiring us to disclose sponsored posts at the beginning and end of the post, I wanted to share why I do sponsored posts and why I hope you will keep reading my blog. To clarify, a sponsored post is a post in which you have been compensated in some way. It might be in the form of money, product, services, etc.

I’ll be frank. Sometimes I take a sponsored post because I know it will make my kid’s happy. Talking about you, Cool Whip.

The opportunities that blogging has brought me are mind blowing. From being able to make a little bit of money to put back in to my blog while still being a stay-at-home-mom to my kids, to behind the scenes experiences with well-known brands and products, blogging is the reason for all of that. There are TONS of things that I want to share with my readers that are not sponsored but there are also some crazy cool things that are sponsored that I want to share too! Like when I had my makeup done by celebrity makeup artist, Tia Dantzler?! The coolest. She’s done J Hud, The President and, you know, me. Or that Italian food tour of Los Angeles that Bertolli took me on? You KNOW you are going to hear every detail about that day. There is no way that I could attend every event that comes my way due to simple scheduling but I want you to know that I keep you in mind when deciding what things to go to. Please know that I thought of you during every bite of food at my 7 course tasting dinner at Five Crowns.

If you are a long time reader, you know I am a very creative person and I really enjoy a challenge. I make it my goal to bring you authentic content for each and every post. I also try to be as honest as possible. In my post for Hellman’s Mayonnaise, I was up front about not liking mayo. At first I didn’t want to do the project because of the fact that I don’t like mayo but there were a lot of positives about that campaign. It prompted me to make a video, which I had been wanting to do but hadn’t really had a reason to yet. It made me have a dinner party to share the recipes with friends (who doesn’t love doing that!) and it really made me figure out a way to connect with the message I was sharing.

But I am human and we all make mistakes. Of course there are things that I wish I wouldn’t have posted about just because someone asked me to. But it is important to remember that new bloggers learn as they go and make mistakes along the way. We shouldn’t judge them but encourage them and help them to learn. I would like to think that I make much better choices in terms of what sponsored posts to do at this point. I have come a long way from my first sponsored post for a BBQ grill cleaner…and let me just remind you that when my blog started I only talked about parties. It was a bit of a stretch. And guess what? We still use and love that BBQ grill cleaner! I get super excited when I get to try out a product before it is launched and share my opinion.

I will never share something with you that I don’t love. I have turned down SO many paid opportunities and product reviews that are just not a good fit. But why should I turn down money for something that I would want to share with you anyway? For instance, I’ve just applied to be part of a TV-based campaign. While I feel like my month of May and June are full of compensated posts, I will not turn down the chance to share with you something that my youngest son has been totally in to for the past 2 months in real life, without knowing this campaign was coming up. And I really hope I get it because it is a perfect fit. You guys, this month I get to do so many amazing things that I can’t wait to share with you regardless of the fact that they are sponsored for instance, throw two parties (um, hello, you know that is where it all began), attend a cool multi-faceted All American event (I also find so much inspiration in a well produced event), support a new local store (that just happens to be a store I am in love with – please remember to read Friday’s post) and watch a new reality show and tell you all about it (WORD TO YOUR MOTHER).

So I hope you will keep reading to see my experiences, see what brands I am creating content for and of course my family and my favorite things. While this started out as a creative outlet for me, it truly has turned in to something larger, for each and every one of you.

Filed Under: Blogger Meet Ups, Business of Blogging, Family Life, Oh you fancy huh, Things I Love Tagged With: blogging business, learning, sponsored

Make a Sparkle T-Shirt

April 22, 2013 by Sharon Garofalow Leave a Comment

What little girl wouldn’t love a sparkle t-shirt? Shoot, what big girl wouldn’t love a sparkle t-shirt? So make one!

If you are a long time reader, you know that I am a huge fan of the plain t-shirt packs that you find in the boys underwear section at Target or Wal-Mart. When you buy them in the multi-packs they come out to around $2.00 a shirt. Boom!

Pick up a package of shiny, colorful jewels at your local craft store.

I used E-6000 to glue these on. It says that it works on fabric. I’m not sure that I would just throw the finished shirt in the washing machine though. I would hand wash it just to be safe. As with most of my crafts, these are not going to be heirloom quality. Your kid will outgrow this shirt super quick anyway so if a jewel falls off, either glue it back on, or let them keep falling off and create a new design. Or un-design.

Lay them out on the shirt first to figure out placement or glue them on willy nilly.

And then give it to your daughter or little neighbor girl since you don’t have your own daughter to dress up all cute and sparkly…

Filed Under: Craft Ideas, Family Life, Fashion, Kid's Fashion, Oh you fancy huh, Tutorials Tagged With: craft, diy, gems, Kids Fashion, plain white t-shirt, rhinestones, sparkle

It’s my Birthday. Let’s talk about me.

April 12, 2013 by Sharon Garofalow 9 Comments

Happy Birthday to me! I’m 36. I literally just had to use a calculator to figure out my age. I never remember. In some ways I feel so much younger. And in so many ways I feel SO much older. I thought today was the perfect day to let you know a little bit more about me. How fun for you!!

I have never liked to have my picture taken. And I still get really awkward if I know a camera is aimed in my direction.

I was born and raised in Anaheim, CA.

Growing up we had annual passes to Disneyland and used to go all the time. One year they had a big anniversary where you collected items (like pins and free tickets) every time you went through the gate. There were stretches of time where we went every day. Crazy.

I have been able to do backflips since I was in third grade. I would guess that it has been almost ten years since I have done one. I have a lot more weight to try to get up in the air now.

I do not eat mayonnaise or anything mayonnaise based.

I was totally athletic when I was young. I played basketball for years and when I got to high school I played volleyball at school and on a club team.

I can wiggle my ears, much to the delight of my kids.

I graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a double major in Communications (TV/Film) and American Studies.

While in college I started working (for free) with a free local music magazine taking pictures at concerts. My very first concert as “press” was with The Specials and Reel Big Fish. I had no idea what I was doing and only had the on-camera flash my camera came with. That opportunity was so awesome and I got to see some amazing shows. Some of the bands I got to photograph were The Vandals, Beck, No Doubt, and 311. By the time I stopped, I still had no idea what I was doing.

After college I went to London on a trip with my friend Sarah McDonald. And we stayed with a lady named Sarah McDonald. How crazy is that. They met on the internet. Sketchy, right? But it was totally fun.

I like spicy chocolate but not spicy food.

I worked in movie casting for about 6 months after I graduated. And then I couldn’t take the commute and I didn’t want to move to LA to pursue the career. But it sure was fun while it lasted.

I’ve known my husband since junior high school but we didn’t start dating until after college. This August we will be married 10 years. Doesn’t that sound like a crazy long time!

I freaking love green beans.

I do not freaking love pees. It was brought to my attention, after this posted, that I misspelled peas. I’m just going to keep it real and leave it. Let’s be honest I’m not fond of pee either so it also makes sense.

I always wanted to be a choreographer when I grew up and used to make up dances for the neighborhood kids to do.

I don’t really like glitter. I think it was working on this glittery, girly New Year’s party that made me hate it. My house was coated in it for months.

I REALLY enjoy Pharrell. Aside from being super pretty, I think he is a musical genius and so innovative and creative. These photos were taken the day after we got back from our honeymoon. We got to watch Pharrell from the side of the stage. That’s his back right there in the white polo. And there I am nerding out about the NERD bus.

I sometimes think in terms of rap lyrics.

I can’t roll my r’s.

In college I wrote a full length script as part of Independent Study. It was about the Russian mafia and their involvement in the NHL. Two things I know absolutely NOTHING about. I got an A but I’m sure my advisor was just being nice to me.

I’m addicted to television. I love it all.

While I was athletic growing up, I no longer enjoy sweating.

I am allergic to indoors (dust) and outdoors (grass and trees). I’m thinking of ordering a bubble to live in.

One of my favorite things of all times is going on a girl’s trip with friends. Nothing is more relaxing, recharging, inspiring, fun or needed for my sanity.

I dream of becoming rich and whisking said friends away on trips in even better locations around the world. In my head I may or may not have my own plane with leopard carpet…

Cupcakes are the perfect ratio of frosting to cake. And I love them. But I really don’t discriminate with desserts. I have a crazy sweet tooth.

I wish I could stop shopping at Forever 21…

These boys run my world. And they know it. And I simply adore them.

I plan on being room mom every single year for both boys. Other moms, you better recognize…

I’m dying to decorate my house. Like, rugs and art and accessories. Legit decorating.

I only watch movies that are funny. I might watch an action movie because they are usually full of humor. I’ve been like that forever. In high school, my husband wanted to watch ‘The Good Son’ with Macaulay Culkin and he told me it was called ‘The Funny Son’ to get me to watch it with him. It didn’t work.

I have 2 sewing machines but don’t really know how to sew.

I really like presidents and I’m not really sure why. Maybe it is the pomp and circumstance. Maybe it is their perceived power. But I also love the fact that they are just everyday humans who make mistakes like we do. I’m kind of partial to Abe. My husband was at a trade show and sent me this picture. It made my day. No idea why this guy was at the trade show.

My favorite junk foods are Nerds, Trader Joe’s Kettle Corn, Salt and Pepper Potato Chips and Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips. I no longer allow them to be in the house so I can remain in my current pants size.

While I love planning parties, I do not like actually throwing them.

I’m not sure I could say that I have a favorite band. For a really long time my favorite song was ‘In a Big Country’ by Big Country (yes, the 80′s one hit wonder) but now it might be Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie. I can’t get enough of it.

So there you have it. Random tidbits about me. Do you feel like you know me a little bit better now?

Filed Under: Family Life, Oh you fancy huh, Things I Love Tagged With: about me, happy birthday, Sharon Garofalow

Perfect Mother’s Day Gift

April 11, 2013 by Sharon Garofalow Leave a Comment

I know I said I wasn’t going to post more than 3 times a week right now but I’m too in love with these necklaces that are the perfect Mother’s Day gift from Naomi Gray Designs. The birthstone bar necklace is MY FAVE! I think it is a totally modern take on a traditional concept. And of course the initials are super sweet. And don’t forget their birthstone mini ring necklace. We got this for my mom last year and I LOVE how it looks! Order now to make sure you can get your order back in time for Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 12 this year!)