Spring basics 3 ways!

Happy May! It's finally feeling like Spring!

I partnered up with a local boutique I love, My Sisters Closet, to show off 2 basic items and how they can each be worn three different ways. My goal was to show you how versatile a simple piece is, as well as how inexpensively you really can build your wardrobe. Hope you like the looks and they give you some spring inspiration! Each piece comes in a variety of colors and sizes, so be sure and take a look. Great gift ideas for Mother's Day, too!


Below you'll see
Fresh knit cardigan in mustard
Favorite basic tee in black


Happy shopping!

It's a challenge for me not to buy all black, all the time. I found that this bright mustard was much more versatile than I thought! I went for three varying degrees of casual. Jeans, a dress, and shorts, all completely easy to style.  

So as I said above, black is a staple and I'm always looking for a great black tee. I love this one! The material is so soft. I ordered a size M so it would be a little longer and extra cozy! Perfect for a casual look with cotton bell bottoms, a workout or running errands, and dressed up for night! 

Thanks for reading! 

DM

Maternity Shoot with Pepperfox Photo

I've done two maternity shoots so far. One last week with my husband (blog post with those images coming soon) and one solo shoot today. It was my first time working with Pepperfox Photo. They're Bre and Addison, a husband and wife duo. These two are so talented. Photography, painting, acting, singing, you name it, they do it! I've worked with Addison onstage, but had yet to meet Bre. She was such a blast today. I've enjoyed watching her adventures online as a real life Little Mermaid, playing Ariel at Disney World and on stage locally. She's just as magical in person as I thought she'd be. I couldn't be happier with how the shoot turned out, from the lighting, to the studio, to the gorgeous floral arrangement, to the wardrobe. I highly recommend getting in touch with them!

Photography: Pepperfox Photo 

Floral arrangement: Fox and Fern Floral Co. 

Studio: White Space Studios  

Floral top: Pink Blush Maternity 

Black dress, pink top, black tights: Target 

Floral kimono: Forever 21

January 27th, 2016. 33 weeks.

~DM

Avenues Adventure!

Last week I spent an evening touring the beautiful new homes at Avenues at The Station by Oakwood Homes. It was a small group of us invited for the night, and included two of my favorite girls!

Kat Romrell (left) Jaci Twiss (right)

Can you believe we all matched like this, completely unplanned?


Here's the funny thing about this event. My husband and I are already in love with Station Park. We go up quite a bit and since the weather has been particularly nice for this time of year, we've spent the last three Saturdays sitting outside on the cozy couches by the fountain, sipping a Fiiz drink and relaxing for a couple of hours before we shop and have lunch up there.

One of my favorite restaurants at Station Park is Twigs Bistro, I went for the first time last March for my birthday dinner. So I was excited to hear that our dinner at the event was going to come from Twigs. We met in the first of the five model homes we would tour, and started off with appetizers and placed our dinner order. Penne chicken pasta for me.

I've been to a couple of Oakwood events and this just may have been the best yet. The timing for this one was perfect. We are talking about a house fairly soon in our (hopefully not too distant) future what with the baby on the way, and it was fun to see what's developing in a favorite area of ours.

I'm always impressed with what is included in an Oakwood home as far as the various layouts, and the options. So many of the details are customizable. The options really are endless. Each of the five model homes we toured were stunning and impeccably decorated. Each varied in square footage, but the way they were laid out, they always seemed spacious. The high ceilings, windows, and decks also add to the feel of lots of light and room.

It's mine & my husbands dream to have a video game room! I died when I saw this!

And of course the first picture I even took was of a nursery! Look how cozy.


These definitely have more of an urban, city vibe. But you truly can design it to customize your needs. Young couples, couples with kids, empty nesters, mother-in-law-apartments, you name it.

It's so much fun to go get ideas of how you'd love your own dream home laid out, not to mention color scheme and decor ideas!

Our delicious dinner happened in the beautiful dining area of the fourth home, and by the time we got to the fifth home for desert, the feeling was mutual, we were all in love with the beautiful homes. We were not ready to leave!

The Oakwood team truly is incredible. They are so nice, they take time to chat and get to know you, and are nothing but genuine as they show off each gorgeous space. We had a blast with them. It was not only a comfortable way to see the homes, but a luxurious one as well.

The other thing that is still blowing my mind is the price! For such a great area (within walking distance to shops and dining at Station Park, close to public transit and freeways) and brand new homes, you'd think the pricing would be nuts. But guess what? Almost all are under 300K. WHAT?! Unheard of. Trust me, we've been looking!

I came away from the night feeling like the possibilities are endless for how we'll create our future home, and new ideas to define what the space of a home will mean for us and our future babe.

If it were up to me, we'd be up there in a heartbeat. Seriously. Now to work on the husband…

Than you, Oakwood for another amazing event!

Deena Marie

At this very moment.

leeds, UT | 4.17.2015 


She used to come here to escape. To try to mend her broken soul. Heart shattered, she missed him terribly. She hoped that the farther away she got, maybe the easier it would be to forget he'd existed. But the truth was, when he tore through her world he changed everything. Left her in flames.

She spent so much time looking at the sky here, and teaching herself to find the beauty in everything. She had to find a way to live in the word again, and to see the good. And when she did not find it at times, "at least he's given me new eyes with which to see", she'd think.

She was open to the omens in a way she'd never been before. She was thankful for her new eyes. But just as she was resigning herself to the fact that he was lost forever, the universe stepped in, not done with them after all.

Now he is here. Her husband, holding the camera. She sees the sky in a different way now. Gone is the longing to be off of the earth and into the blue, for she loves so much what grounds her here.

Right at this moment, this is what's going through her head. And as she turns from the sunset to look at him, these are the thoughts she wants captured in this photo.



~DM

Feed your sweetheart!

Last week, I was invited to a fun event at Oakwood Homes in Murray.  See these super tall fellas? They are Jake and Aaron, chefs at Whole Foods in Park City.  They gave a bunch of us bloggers a cooking lesson and fed us! They sent us home with recipes and I thought I'd give them to you, just in time for Valentines Day so you can whip up a yummy for your Valentine.  Or tell your sweetheart to get in the kitchen and make it for you! There's a little something for everyone below, as well as pictures of each dish.  You're welcome!

Sweetheart Steak
1.5 - 2 lb boneless rib-eye steak
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil
Butterfly your rib-eye steak folding open to look like a heart
Brush olive oil on both sides
Season w/salt & pepper
Place on hot grill or in hot pan
Mark or sear both sides
Cook until desired temp

Garlic Herb Fingerling Potatoes
2lbs fingerling potatoes
Olive Oil
Rosemary
Basil
Garlic
Salt & Pepper
Wash potatoes & cut up larger ones
Place in bowl & toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, & fresh herbs
Place on cooking sheet pan & place in 350 oven for 25-35 min or until tender

Pork Chop w/Apple Chutney
Two 6-8 oz bone in pork chops
Olive oil
salt & pepper
2 apples
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 apple cider vinegar
Brush pork with olive oil and season with salt & pepper
Place on hot grill or in hot pan & mark or sear both sides
Cook until desired temp
Dice apples & put into sauté pan with olive oil
Once apples start to cook add sugar & cook until sugar is dissolved & forms a sauce
When apples start to caramelize deglaze pan with vinegar
Cook until apples are desired softness

Truffle Mashed Potatoes
4-5 lbs peeled potatoes
Butter
Heavy Cream
Salt
White pepper
Truffle oil
Place potatoes in water & bring to boil in salted water
Cook until fork tender
Melt butter and add butter and heavy cream to potatoes
Using potato masher or mixer whip potatoes until desired texture
Season with salt & pepper to taste
Fold in truffle oil to desired taste

Crab Cakes
1 lb crab meat
Yellow pepper
Red pepper
Red onion
Garlic
Olive oil
Apple wine vinegar
Salt & pepper
Tarter sauce / mayo
Lemon juice
2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
Small dice your peppers and onion mince garlic
Heat up sauté pan with olive oil
Add peppers, onion, garlic
Sauté until onion is translucent & the garlic is fragrant
Deglaze pan with vinegar
Cook out vinegar and cool down mixture
Put crab into bowl and add eggs, bread crumbs, tartar sauce, lemon juice, cooled mixture
Hand mix everything until well blended
Let sit while mixtures sets up
Heat olive oil in pan and make mixture into cakes
Place cake in pan and cook until golden brown
Flip & cook other side until golden brown
Take out, put on plate, serve with cocktail sauce

Parmesan Tuiles with Heirloom Tomato Salad
Parmesan Cheese
Heirloom tomatoes
Red onion
Roasted bell peppers
Basil
Garlic

Thanks for reading! 

~Deena Marie~