Screen Actors Guild Awards 2012

Don't you just LOVE awards season?! I can't get enough of it! I picked my faves from the Golden Globes & now it's time for the SAG's! Onto the fashion maestro!

Sofia Vergara in Marchesa

Honestly, I haven't seen her in anything I don't love on her!

Emily Blunt in Oscar de la Renta

Loving the green on the red carpet!

Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoju

Such an elegant look on her!

Kaley Cuoco in Romona Keveza

Mint is such a hot color for spring!

Dianna Agron in Carolina Herrera

Gorgeous. What a great color on her!

Melissa McCarthy in Badgley Mischka Couture

Love her. Love this navy dress on her. She really dresses her body well!

Stacy Keibler in Marchesa

Nothing more classic or elegant than black lace!

 

I also really liked the looks of Kyra Sedgwick, Emma Stone (maybe with different shoes?), Sarah Hyland, Viola Davis & Naya Rivera.

What were your favorites from the SAG Awards?

(All photos via Us Weekly except the last one via Celebrity Gossip)

Shoe Shopping at Target

I hit up Target this weekend for much needed home stuff (towels, cleaning supplies, wine...what can't you buy there?!) and wandered into the shoe department. And by wandered, I mean on purpose. I would say the majority of my shoe collection is not from Target but I do find cute things there from time to time that sometimes rival more expensive designs at a much better price point. And summertime sandals? I get them in almost every color! Here are some of the things I found at my local store...

Mossimo Supply Co. Kloe - wedge bootie (not online)

Mossimo Venda - jeweled flats

Mossimo Pearce - nude patent pumps

(I think I will go back for these - so versatile, they can go with anything!)

I initially saw these colorblock pumps (I can't find them online) on Kendi Everyday & thought "Those are so cute. I must have!" but when I saw them up close, I was underwhelmed. I guess they were a hot item because this was the only pair left!

Mossimo Versie - black patent pump

(These were on clearance for $12 but online they show as $29.99)

Mossimo Wanda - brown wedges

(Out of stock online; I picked these up for work & they are unbelievably comfy)

Mossimo Vilda smoker flat - pink patent

I HAD to have these. For $19.99, they were a perfect choice for work & any occasion wear. They also come in black, brown & aqua. I ordered the aqua pair online as it wasn't sold at the store.

This is how I wore them to work!

Denim + navy polka dot Rush tee from StyleMint + hot pink flats = my new favorite outfit!

Do any of these shoes strike your fancy?

Speaking of Target, Jason Wu's collection will debut this Sunday, February 5th! The countdown is now at 6 days away!

And don't forget to check out my SHOP! Some items have already been sold & some new items should be added today! Take a look!

Jason Wu for Target - 8 more days!

The countdown is on!

Target's next collaboration with designer Jason Wu launches on February 5th!

As I mentioned back in October, Jason Wu's designs are well-liked among the rich & famous...and now us regular girls can have in on the action!

Will you be shopping the Jason Wu for Target collection?

Friday's Five

My five favorites this week...

#1 - If you follow ...love Maegan then you know her amazing creative abilities to take some pretty random things & turn them into something fabulous! Take a look at her DIY post & see how she made this Sporty Neon Chain necklace!

#2 - Made By Girl shared a post by L.A. in the Bay on 4 different ways to layer pieces in your closet. Take a look at that post HERE - would you layer these ways?

#3 - This is exactly how I feel when I paint my own nails sometimes. Haha!

#4 - Korres Lip Butter Glaze. I initially shared this purchase with you on my Sephora post in December and I am still hooked. Love it. I need to grab a few new colors!

#5 - The launch of "Shop The Pretty Factor" where I unload my closet to you! You can read more about it here. New items will be added on a continual basis (including today!), so make sure you check out my shop! :)

Shop The Pretty Factor

I've had my wheels turning for several weeks now about adding an extension to my blog - a place where I can get some things off my hands, out of my closet & possibly into yours. It took some time, but today you can see my new project...

Shop The Pretty Factor

This girl loves to shop often. Some items that I bring home are loved to the ground, others are not. And my closet is filled to the brim, so I decided to rid myself of some items that either have been gently worn (and I mean, like once or twice!) and those that have never been worn at all (tags still attached!) in hopes that they might find a new home!

I had this going on my personal Facebook page a few months back & sold so many items that way, so I figured why not make it an extension of my blog?

Each item has it's own individual post which includes -

photos, sizing, retail price (if known), asking price/payment info & other details.

The asking price is reflective on whether it is brand new or gently worn & does include USPS shipping costs (within the US & Canada only), so keep that in mind! But I am welcome to hear other offers, so do not hesitate to ask me.

Items will be updated often & items that have sold will be indicated in the post title.

If you have questions on an item or would like to purchase an item, please contact me at-

theprettyfactorblog@gmail.com

I hope you will look around & see if there something from my closet that might fit into your own! And check back often!

Shop The Pretty Factor

The A.M. Blahs

Are mornings such a drudgery for anyone else as they are for me? I just cannot ever wake up feeling fully refreshed or with the energy to get up & going quickly as I get ready for work. I literally have my alarm set for 2 hours prior to the time I have to leave! Ridiculous, right?? But without fail, I hit the snooze on my alarm a handful of times before I actually get up, then move with the pace of a snail as I get myself ready. I just feel so exhausted every single morning. Now with that said, you would probably assume that I go to bed really late thus leaving me exhausted by the time morning comes. But on average, I go to bed anywhere from 10pm-10:30pm, allowing me the potential of 7.5-8 hours of sleep. But instead my body awakes with the feeling that I only slept a few hours. And I don't ever leave the house in the morning without the mandatory mug of coffee.

I'm truly the worst sleeper. It takes at least an hour of so of tossing & turning before I fall asleep. The slightest hint of light or noise wakes me up. If I have to go visit the bathroom in the middle of the night, it's kinda comedic - I literally walk to the bathroom with my eyes closed & keep them closed until I get back into bed! If I crack them open ever so slightly, I am fully awake for several hours. Craziness right?! My husband on the other hand slips into a deep coma the moment his head hits the pillow & could be in that deep sleep for days if he wasn't disturbed. It kinda ticks me off actually...

I've tried the Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy lotion & that has helped me to fall asleep on occasion. Nature's Made Natural Sleep Aid has also done wonders on those nights where I am unable to fall asleep. Chamomile tea on the other hand, does nothing. And I don't know if the best way to get sleep is to become dependent on something to do it!

So I'm looking for tips! Anything that helps you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer or leaves you feeling fabulous when you wake up! Maybe it's something you don't use or do before bedtime. Whatever it is, I want to hear about it!


Linked up for Whatever, Whenever Wednesday at Rolled Up Pretty

Eats: Shrimp Fried Rice

I'm not a super big fan of Chinese food. It's never my first pick when eating out...or second, or third. My mother is such a fan and usually ordered it when she wasn't going to be cooking dinner. But every once in a blue moon, I get a hunger pang for it. And last week was one of those times. I found this recipe for easy fried rice and mixed in shrimp. It was truly easy to make and in my opinion, was more delicious than any take-out place!

Shrimp Fried Rice

(serves about 6)

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten (*I used 3 eggs)
• 1 cup, uncooked shredded carrots (*I used small carrots that I already had)
• 1 cup, uncooked scallions, sliced & divided
• 3 cups cooked white rice
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed (*I used canned peas that I already had)
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, or to taste
• 1 pound of peeled, deveined shrimp (*My add-in; could also use diced chicken or keep as vegetarian dish)

*I use a rice cooker to make my rice, so I started that before going further as it takes about 20-25 minutes for the rice to cook.

 Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; warm pan over medium-high heat. Add eggs; tilt pan so that eggs cover entire bottom surface of pan.

When eggs start to set, break them up into pieces (scramble them) with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon. Cook until eggs are cooked through, about 1 minute more; remove eggs from skillet and set aside.

Off heat, recoat same skillet with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat.

*At this time, I threw the shrimp into skillet to cook. Once cooked, I removed from skillet & set them aside along with the cooked eggs.

 Add carrots and all but 2 tablespoons scallions; sauté until carrots are crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. 

Stir in cooked rice, peas and soy sauce; cook until heated through, stirring once or twice, about 1 minute. Gently stir in cooked egg (*and cooked shrimp or diced chicken) and remaining scallions; heat through.

(Yields about 3/4 cups per serving)

 

 

And there you have home-cooked fried rice! It's delicious on it's own in case you want a vegetarian dish. The shrimp was great in it & I think chicken would be just as good too!

 

Let me know if you try it out!

 

 

(Recipe via Weight Watchers)

Kreativ Blogger Award

How about an award to start off this week?! Yay!

This is the second award that has been given to my little blog (you can read about the first blogger award here)! Jessica from Waking, Running, Believing passed this award along - thanks so much Jessica! It's greatly appreciated!

The rules:

1. Link back to the person that gave you this award.
2. Answer the questions below.
3. Share 7 random facts about yourself.
4. Award 10 other bloggers and let them know you nominated them.

QUESTIONS:
1. Name your favorite song.
Oh geez. I'm not sure I have just ONE favorite song! There are too many to count! A recent favorite would be "I'm Into You" by Jennifer Lopez - it gets my booty shaking a bit ;)

2. Name your favorite dessert.
Toss up between red velvet cake, cupcakes, vanilla cake from Publix & mint chocolate chip ice cream. I am a lover of all desserts, really.

3. What ticks me off.
People who lack common sense, manners, sensitivity or proper grammar skills.

4. When I am upset, I...
Cry or pout. I wear my heart on my sleeve, happy or sad.

5. Favorite pet?
I never had pets aside from fish. My favorite were my two gorgeous beta fish named Crawl the Warrior King & Deuce Bigalow Fish Gigalo. Great names, right? Haha!

6. Black or white?
Black.

7. Biggest fear.
Suffocating or drowning or extreme heights. I'm a scaredy-cat!

8. Everyday attitude.
That depends - is it morning? Because morning Erica isn't such a happy camper...

9. What is perfection?
Impossible to attain!

10. Guilty pleasure?
Shoes, sour candy, reality tv (especially if it's on Bravo!).

7 RANDOM FACTS:

1. I'm a mutt - my father is Cuban and my mother is half Dominican, half Puerto Rican but my heritage includes Lebanese, Spanish, Venezuelan, Chinese...I think there are others.

2. Being said mutt, I don't speak a lick of Spanish. My parents didn't really speak it much when I was growing up, unless I was in trouble or they wanted something kept from me.

3. I'm a PK - Preacher's Kid

4. I met my husband through an ex-boyfriend. Random.

5. I have always wanted to be a wife and mommy, so naturally I cannot wait to have kids. At least two, but no more than three. I could possibly have multiples as my maternal grandmother & her sister were Siamese twins.

6. So while I cannot wait to have children, I cannot stand baby showers or walking into Babies R Us. Baby stores overwhelm me with all their stuff and the showers always kill me with their cheesy games. I don't want a baby shower -  a party, yes but no typical baby showers for this girl. My husband & mother have been warned.

7. I hope one day to own a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. One day.

10 Bloggers I award:
The Closet Intervention

Hollie Takes Notes

Rolled Up Pretty

Sloanbook

Bravoe Runway

Pearls & Paws

The Frugalista Diaries

Raving Fashionista

Blonde Episodes

Pretty & Fun

Hope you enjoyed all those fun facts about me!

Make sure you check out the others blogs - I love them!

JewelMint Giveaway / WINNER!

The lucky winner of the Crystal Cascade earrings from the JewelMint giveaway is...

#15 - Kassi

Congratulations!

Please send an email to theprettyfactorblog@gmail.com with your full name & shipping address so I can get those pretty earrings on their way to you!

Thank you to everyone who particpated in the first giveaway!

I hope there will be many more to come!

Enjoy your weekend :)

Friday's Five

My five favorites this week...

#1 - I came across this simple yet lovely hair tutorial from Gal Meets Glam & have found myself using it on own my hair several times this week!

#2 - J.Crew's website. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, then you might have noticed that I must put restraint on myself...3 online orders in over a week!

#3 - Bath & Body Works body splash in Paris Amour. Love it. Do I find it ironic that the scent has to do with Paris and I just love all things Paris? I think not.

#4 - Starbucks for my Keurig. A match made in heaven!
*A tad pricier than other K-Cups, but whatevs.


#5 - Still feeling a bit country...I've been playing The Band Perry in my car all week!

Stripes on Top

As of late, I have been going through my closet and making a mental note of things that I need to add to my wardrobe (remember my Resolutions post? More classics, less fads) and things that I need to rid myself of (more of that to come in the future!). So during this process, I couldn't help but notice that many of my tops were striped. I do remember buying a few striped tops back in December (as mentioned in this post) but I guess I have purchased even more since then!

I know the rule of thumb is that vertical stripes make you look taller/longer, while horizontal stripes tend to make you look wider. But honestly, I don't pay too much attention to rules like that - unless it's extreme in some sense. I just buy and wear what I like. I think everyone should dress that way! Here are some of the stripes I wear on top.

J.Crew

I just received this from an online order the other day & I love it!

Forever 21

I love this top - the metallic stripes add just a hint of sparkle!

Tinley Road - Piperlime

Another recent purchase...and on sale!

StyleMint also has great striped tees for just $29.99!

I have the Broadway tee in red (which now also comes in a dress style!), but they also have other great striped tees in different colors! Search for - Venice, Fillmore & Lenox!

And I think this dress from Old Navy needs to be added to my closet asap!

Do you wear stripes on top? Do they play a major role in your closet?

*Thank you to everyone who entered in the JewelMint giveaway!

Stay tuned - the winner will be announced soon!

Eleven Questions

I came across this cute little survey on the blog just tututiny & thought it would be fun to share (especially on days when work is consuming me), so enjoy!

 

 

Do you live in the same town you grew up in?

Funny to say, but yes. I grew up in Sunrise, moved to Miami, back to Sunrise, then to North Lauderdale & then finally to Coral Springs when my husband & I first got married. We house hunted & bought our first house in Sunrise. :) 

What is your favorite TV show?

Definitely Sex and the City. Has any other show had as much fashion as this one!? I also really loved the relationship between all the girls, something that is super rare to find.

What is your favorite memory from high school?

I can't pick just one...high school had a lot of wonderful memories! I dated my high school sweetheart, was a member of the dance team and cheerleading squad for football & basketball, won Homecoming Court my junior & senior years as well as Prom Court for my senior year...there were so many great things about high school!

Who is someone that you look up to? 

Even though we butt heads on a regular basis, I would definitely pick my father. He is a really hard worker (almost borderline workaholic) & has always been like that. I just think he made it a point to be the provider in the family (even though my mom always worked too) because that is what a man feels his role is. My dad also has an integrity level above most - he just doesn't do anything that he knows isn't right. I think I got that from him in a way.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I hope by that time I will be a mother. I cannot wait to have children of my own! I have always wanted to be a wife & mom...one down, one to go. ;) I also would love to see if any amazing opportunities come from this blog!

How did you get into blogging?

I have always had a passion for the fashion world and have been a serious blog reader for the past few years. Friends have always complimented that "fashionista" side of me and last year my husband kept suggesting that I start my own blog. So I did last September!

Where is one place you've never been that you really want to visit before you die?

 Anyone who knows me knows that I am *obsessed* with anything related to Paris, so that is most definitely on my travel wish-list! Europe in general would be an amazing place to tour - France, Italy, England, Ireland etc.

What is one thing you've never done that you really want to do at least once in your life? 

Hmm, I'm not too sure on this one. I think one thing on my bucket list would be to roadtrip the US - I just think if I was ever in a financial situation to do that, I would love to get an RV, visit each state & see what they have to offer!

What do you like to do in your downtime?

Ooh it's a toss up between watching reality tv from my couch with a bevy of good snacks OR indulging in a hot bubble bath, a glass of wine & a good book!

What is your favorite comfort food?

Macaroni & cheese (especially Paula Deen's recipe) or any traditional Cuban/Peurto Rican dish my family makes.

What do you like to wear to lift your mood when the winter doldrums hits you?

I don't know what a winter doldrum feels like...we have 80degree weather during the holidays! Christmas in Florida is not like Christmas anywhere else!


Don't forget to enter the JewelMint giveaway!
Today is the LAST day to enter!

Golden Globes 2012

The Golden Globe Awards aired on Sunday night & I have to be honest - I was glued to my couch for the red carpet arrivals but didn't watch more than 45 minutes of the actual award show. Honestly, I mainly watch award shows for the fashion, period. Well I do love watching the Academy Awards & the Grammy's in their entirety, but that's besides the point. I just want to see what everyone is wearing!

Here are some of my favorite looks from the night -

Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang

Nicole Kidman in Versace

Paula Patton in Monique Lhuillier

Sarah Hyland in vintage Dolce & Gabbana

Stacy Kiebler

And my favorite of the night...

Salma Hayek in Gucci

Other ones that I loved included Heidi Klum, Jessica Alba, Nicole Richie & Kate Beckinsale.

Can anyone tell me what Lea Michele & Kelly Osbourne were thinking?!

(All photos via Us Weekly)

Birchbox - January

The theme for January's Birchbox was Clarity. This is my third month with Birchbox - check out what I got in my November and December boxes.

  

I received these samples:

• Algenist - Firming & Lifting Cream
• FIX Malibu - Immaculate Complexion Smoothing Serum
• Juicy Couture - Juicy Couture fragrance
• Zoya Nail Polish - in Kendal
• 'wichcraft - granola (this month's Lifestyle Extra) & a Birchbox magnet

My only issue this month is that my Juicy Couture fragrance sample was completely busted when I opened my box. Funny thing because the box had such a strong scent when I cut it open (before reading the card to see what my samples were). There were small fragments of glass everywhere & I was so confused as to where it all came from. Then I noticed what happened. Well, no fragrance for me but I will tell you that it smelled really good. I definitely think it is a scent I would pick for myself.

So in essence I got to try it out...but then again, not really.

Are you a member of Birchbox yet? If so, I'd love to know what you got!

It's only $10 a month & so far, I have found new beauty products to add to my arsenal.

You can sign up here!

Have you entered in my JewelMint giveaway yet?!

You only have three days left!

Enter here!!

Friday's Five

My five favorites this week...

#1 - I picked up these sparkly glitter flats from Target last year and kinda forgot about them until recently and now I have been wearing them nonstop! This pair is a multi-colored glitter one but I also have them in gold and black. :)

#2 - I caught this song via Shazam (does anyone else use this iPhone app? I love it!) and now I have been playing non-stop!

#3 - My new leopard print iPhone cover from my J.Crew purchases seen here.

#4 - Speaking of my iPhone, this is my new home screen courtesy of Tiffany at I am Style-Ish. She creates a lovely image of her own fabulous treasures each month and then shares them on her blog, either a printable version or for your phone screen. Get it here!

Who wouldn't want to see hot pink, sparkly Christian Louboutins on their phone?!

#5 - My first giveaway was posted this week! You can win the Crystal Cascade earrings from JewelMint - just go here to enter! They are gorgeous!

Luxe for Less - D&G Leather Circle Skirt

It's been awhile since my last Luxe for Less post but when I saw this pretty leather skirt by D&G (and it's price tag!), I knew I needed to scour the web for less expensive versions!

This leather skirt features an elastic waistband and a pleated full circle skirt - 100% leather. It's currently 50% off...from the original price of $932. Yikes.

Jennifer Lopez for Kohl's offers a faux leather skirt on sale for just $42! Not genuine leather, but you get a similar look for much, much less than D&G's skirt.

You can also grab this lookalike skirt by Aqua for a bit over $30!

Did you check out my giveaway for a pair of gorgeous JewelMint earrings?!

Hop on over and enter to win!

JewelMint Giveaway! / CLOSED

So here we are friends - we are about two weeks into the new year! I really cannot believe how fast the days go by! While I don't like the fact that the holiday season is really over, it is nice to know that we have a whole bunch of things to look forward to within 2012! And why not start this year off with a giveaway...the first here at TPF ever!

The lovely people of JewelMint (most specifically the Mint Brand Ambassador Team of Seattle) offered up a piece of their jewels for me to giveaway to a reader!

Behold, the Crystal Cascade earrings!

The fashion forecast calls for rainbow-kissed gems and a dramatic glam slam. Weather all your fashion needs when you fall for our radiant 2” glass drop earrings. Purple, lavender, rose, and yellow sherbet shades leave you dripping in soft, brilliant color.

(Take a look here for more pictures & a video about these earrings!)

*UPDATE - It was brought to my attention that the photos from the site are not accurate to what they are like in person (color arrangement & length differ) but my photo above is the exact pair that the winner would receive!

*I have these earrings myself and let me just say, they are GORGEOUS!

So here is how you can enter!

  

Mandatory Entry

Leave me a comment below telling me what you would wear with these earrings.

Additional Entries

(leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

Follow The Pretty Factor on Bloglovin'

Like The Pretty Factor on Facebook

Post about this giveaway on Facebook & tag The Pretty Factor in your post

Follow The Pretty Factor on Twitter

Share this giveaway on Twitter & tag The Pretty Factor (post your status link here)

Follow me on Pinterest

And if you are a blogger, share this giveaway on your blog (leave your post link here)

THAT'S A TOTAL OF 8 POSSIBLE ENTRIES!

*Please make sure your email address is in your entries for contact purposes if you win!*

You have until next Wednesday, January 18th midnight EST to enter!

Winner be announced that week!

Note: This giveaway is for US & Canada residents only!

Share with your friends too!

Good Luck!

Colored Denim

With spring just around the corner for the majority of you (in South Florida, it's spring/summer all year round), my head has been dreaming of colored denim. Not sure why though because for myself, I tend to stick with darker colors for bottoms. But seeing denim in colors of berry, blue, green and red just seem too cheery to pass up!

 

Gap

Express

Piperlime

Old Navy

 

Nordstrom

 

Delia's

 

ASOS

 

 

I'm not sure if I will actually venture out and buy myself colored denim this year. I don't really like to add anymore emphasis on my caboose (if you know what I mean) so like I said above, I tend to stick with regular blue denim...but all these colors have my attention! I think if I find the right pair that fits and the color isn't too loud, it may work!

 

Are you a fan of colored denim? Or do you stick with good ol' blue?