Beautiful day today in Omaha…nearly 70 degrees! (What?!)
We opened the windows at work and felt a beautiful breeze.
I like living in a place with four seasons, but having a few days of warm sun each winter is such a lovely relief from the cold, gray months.
Running outside today, I felt the same way I felt walking home on the last day of school as a child. “I’m free!!”

I was also makeup-free today. I have been wearing hardly any makeup lately–my beauty routine has changed a lot in the last few months. I want to let my skin breathe, and I want people to get to know me without a veil of powder and concealer between us. And I have to tell you, it feels wonderful. I don’t miss the long daily routine, and when I do wear makeup now, it is a lot more fun.

Lipstick, however, will forever be an important part of my routine. It’s part of my identity, and I love it. You twist the bottom of a beautiful shiny tube, pure pigment emerges from inside, and instantly you feel a little more special. Lipstick is hardly makeup, anyway–we all need to wear lip balm. Lipstick is just more colorful.

I discovered my favorite lipstick last August during Omaha Fashion Week–it’s made in Minneapolis by The Elixery, and it’s incredibly smooth and highly pigmented. Before I started using this lipstick, I was a MAC devotee, but now I prefer Elixery lipsticks because they are just as saturated with color, but smoother and very moisturizing. I don’t have to apply lip balm before using them. Even better, each lipstick is vegan and cruelty-free. Sometimes I forget to pay attention to that stuff, so it’s really nice to use a product that is totally guilt-free. They also taste great, with natural ingredients like vanilla, castor seed oil, avocado, wax, and aloe extract. Elixery also offer a flat rate of $5 shipping on all orders from their website. It’s a great product and I hope you try it. Seriously!

Here I am wearing Hazardous, a bright, oversaturated orange, over Twee Pop, a super pale pink. (They are similar to MAC’s Vegas Volt + Snob but not drying at all.)

xo
meg

Shirt: Left of Center
Sweater: Moth
Jeans: J-Brand
Shoes: Dolce Vita
Bag: Miss Albright
Lipstick: Hazardous layered over Twee Pop, The Elixery

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For me, getting fancy in the cold months is trickier than the summer because finding something both weather-appropriate and elegant can be a challenge. Shabby Apple, one of my favorite sources for cute clothes, is having a great sale this month so I perused their current offerings to share my favorite fancy looks for a winter wedding, party, date night, or any time you want to look a little lovelier. Just add your favorite bright tights and wool coat and you’ll be stunnin’.

1: Tea and Cakes shoes ♥ 2: Tinsel Town skirt ♥ 3: Gavotte #43 dress (I love the white bow bustle!) ♥ 4: Pineapple Crush shoes ♥ 5: Hot Fudge hair comb ♥ 6: Premier dress (great sleeve length) ♥ 7: Charm School shoes ♥ 8: Roja nail polish ♥ 9: Maple dress (paging Joan Holloway…beautiful portrait neckline) ♥ 10: Pistoia dress flats ♥ Baciami striped dress

Shabby Apple also gave me the opportunity to share the code NEWYEAR with you–use it at checkout for 20% off your order! The sale lasts through the entire month of January, so bookmark your favorites and pick up some cute new stuff to put some pretty in your late winter wardrobe.

Happy Wednesday! What’s the best thing that happened to you today?
xo
meg

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xo
meg

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Congratulations to all of you newly engaged people out there and thanks to everyone who is thinking about ordering a Princess Lasertron bouquet or boutonniere for their wedding day. In the month of January I’m having a 20% off sale on all of our boutonnieres and corsages to give your wedding party, friends, and family in attendance a little something special. These accessories normally range between $17-40, so a 20% savings can really help all brides on a budget.

I love making custom wedding flowers and accessories. Here’s why.

• Each flower order is made with vintage vintage buttons, trim, and other ephemera that I have been carefully collecting for six years.
• I embroider each flower by hand, usually while watching Hulu or during Alice’s naps.
• My bouquets have come a long way since I first started in 2005–I have learned so much about how to improve the quality and add more personal details that I take a lot of personal pride in.
• Many of my customers have become close friends. I love to hear about each bride’s continued journey–jobs, houses, children, travel.

Start by filling out our bridal inquiry form so I can learn more about you, your partner, and what I can do to help make one of the biggest milestones in your life even better. You can tell me about the colors that inspire you, share photos to help me visualize your ideal flowers, and even post some of your own small treasures in the mail for me to integrate into your order.

This offer is good for all orders placed in January, so take advantage of it before it’s too late!

xo
meg

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Highlights: Amazing interns who helped me make CAMP spectacular ♥ Alice playing with snow for the first time ♥ Alice and Turbo finally became friends

Best of PL.com: How I Handled a Wedding Disaster ♥ Window Displays and Waxed Envelopes ♥ Questions From You ♥ Let’s Visit Alice in her Room

Highlights: Wonder Woman MAC Collection ♥ Presenting at the Nebraska Summit for Entrepreneurship ♥ Full house at CAMP ♥ Speaking at Meet the Pros ♥ Speaking at Awesomecamp

Best of PL.com:  Make it Yours: How to take inspiration from others without copying their work ♥ A fun little last-minute birthday party for my mom ♥ breastfeeding in style

Highlights:  Going to Chicago with Dave and our friend Eric for a fun trip ♥ Speaking students in the UNL textiles department ♥ Speaking at UNO about new media ♥

Best of PL.com:  Karin’s flowers ♥ Five books that changed my life and my business ♥ Lisa’s flowers

Highlights:  Vegan bake sale with powerhouse author Isa Chandra Moskowitz ♥ Spending Easter with family where Alice got to meet some cute baby animals ♥ So surrounded by beauty

Best of PL.com: Marketing your personality in the design industry: things employers want that can’t be found on your resume ♥ making easter pretty: setting a friendly table ♥ my real life: ten things I’m really into ♥ my birdhouse home ♥ making handmade felt birthday hats ♥ “How do I start my business?” The first steps.

Highlights:  Our first birthday together ♥ The Signature Styles book release party ♥ Feature in Cosmo Brides UK ♥ Big Omaha

Best of PL.com:  pictures from karin and jeremy’s arbor day barn wedding ♥ alice and megan’s first birthday ♥ for the men: princess lasertron’s best boutonnieres

Highlights:  Met the editor of Kiplinger’s to talk about an Omaha story ♥ Recorded an online class for Rick Rack ♥ Went to Okoboji with Team Lasertron ♥ Dave got photographed for a father’s day feature on Esoteric Velvet

Best of PL.com:  Questions from you ♥ amy’s flowers ♥ How much is a Princess Lasertron felt flower bouquet?

Highlights:  Worked like hell getting sponsors and VIP guests for Omaha Fashion Week ♥ Met the team behind Cut Out & Keep ♥ Watched Project Runway and totally vegged out ♥ Endless photoshoots ♥ True Blood at Isa’s house

Best of PL.com:  Our tiny cupcake toppers in Inspired Ideas magazine! ♥  Bejeweled chain necklace DIY for people who can’t make jewelry ♥ Embroidered felt price tags: a fun (eco-friendly!) DIY for crafty businessowners ♥ Is it ever okay to profit from someone else’s design? ♥ Questions from you no. 29: Mr. Lasertron Edition

Highlights: Hosting a fundraiser for the Nebraska Aids Project featuring Mondo Guerra ♥ Meeting Kat Williams of Rock N Roll Bride who became my instant bff  ♥ Produced our secret spring preview show ♥ Fashion week, of course ♥ Made friends with a psychic ♥ Nonstop photoshoots ♥ Alice went swimming nonstop ♥ Got the Omaha Fashion Magazine cover

Best of PL.com:  omaha fashion week ♥ princess lasertron + rock n roll bride on KMTV’s morning blend ♥ the omaha fashion magazine cover! ♥ so you want to be a model… ♥ promises to my daughter

Highlights:  Another successful Barcamp Omaha with my main gentlemen ♥ Teaching at The Creative Connection Event/BlogHer Handmade ♥ Speaking on a Verizon panel ♥ Got all-new furniture at CAMP

Best of PL.com:  redecorating and reorganizing: on my desk ♥ Claire and Andy’s wedding flowers ♥ the lucky life: my ten favorite experiences at the creative connection event 2011 ♥ where did “make it pretty” come from?

Highlights: Krug Park opening, the best bar in Omaha ♥ Being on the Whatever Mathers podcast ♥ Reiki ♥ Filmed for a Gallup Organization video about entrepreneurship ♥ Spoke on a panel at UNO about new media ♥ got an iPhone ♥ My face on the electronic billboard downtown! ♥ Alice was a bat

Best of PL.com: magic and love at grandma camp ♥ photos from annie and sheldon’s backyard wedding ♥ emerald city: fash flood x lasertron ♥ Photos from Almudena and Quique’s beautiful and casual Spain wedding

Highlights:  Spoke at the Nebraska Broadband Conference ♥ Underwent a little blog redesign ♥ Spoke at UNO on a panel ♥ Developed some new kits and products

Best of PL.com: a letter to my husband: I am grateful for you. ♥ Fifteen things I want to do in my lifetime ♥ how-to: use your pretty magazines to make a festive ball garland

Highlights:  December was ALL Radvent ♥ I was recognized as one of Omaha’s “40 under 40″ ♥ Alice got a black eye ♥ I got a housekeeper ♥ A video about PL was featured at the Gallup Impact Summit ♥ Was filmed for a video about Omaha by AIM

Best of PL.com: How to start: a guide for procrastinators, excuse-makers, busy people, and everyone with a big scary dream ♥ brown paper packages: a quick and dirty gift wrapping tutorial ♥ waxed paper book covers: a radvent tutorial! ♥ radvent day 24: magic – ways to attract charm for a life with more magic

Best wishes, dear readers, for a safe and happy new year. See you in the year of the dragon!

xo
meg

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