Laundry vs. Pinterest

Is it so bad that it's now been 2 days since I  my wonderful husband started my laundry for me, and I have yet to get it out of the dryer to fold and put away?  I won't even begin to tell you how many times I've restarted the dryer. *blush*

I'm not really sure what my problem is with laundry lately... I used to LOVE to do laundry...so much so that I enjoyed ironing just about everything... I know, who loves ironing? I mean really.  I was that girl that ironed her sheets.  

These days, I feel like it's such a chore!

Instead, I spend hours on Pinterest!!!

I love this graph... this is me.  The more time I spend on Pinterest, the more pinning I do, and the more pinning I do, the less I am productive.  It's become an addiction my new favorite pastime...  I do so well until I get the email that says, "So and So is now following your pins... follow them back?" and of course I click the "follow back" button, bringing me to the site. Then it's a black hole in my day.   I can't say I regret it though.  I have found so many interesting things and some great DIY projects! Not to mention the ahhhh-mazing recipes!!!

My new goal is to actually do some of the things I've found and pinned. (in what time, I'm not sure, but I REALLY plan on trying to) This is going to be great!!!!

Are you on Pinterest?  Have you done any of the DIYs or made any of the recipes, or purchased anything you've found on Pinterest?

XOXO-

photos via

Chúc mừng năm mới (Happy New Year!)

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới

 Which means "Happy New Year" in Vietnamese

Today, the Vietnamese and Chinese celebrate the beginning of the Lunar New Year!

This year marks the year of the Dragon!!!

via

I do love dragons! I have one on tattooed on my back. The dragon is thought to bring luck, strength, nobility, wisdom, and a promising future.

What I love about the New Year is the food!

Banh Tet

Banh Tet is a cake that consists of glutinous rice(sticky rice), mung beans, and pork, which is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.  Usually people start making this a week before new years.  In South Vietnam, where my family is from, the shape is usually in a log shape.  In the North, it's usually in the shape of a square. 

Xoi (sticky rice)

Xoi (pronounced soy) is sticky rice. It's usually eaten with Gio, what I call Vietnamese bologna. The reason the xoi is colored orange/red is because of the baby jackfruit pulp they use to color the xoi red.  As you might know, the color red in Asian cultures is symbol of happiness and good luck.

Lì Xì

For kids, the thing I loved getting were lì xì, (pronounced lee see) which were little red and gold envelopes filled with money. I usually received them from my grandparents and other relatives.

We also got them during happy events like weddings. :)

Tonight, we have a New Years celebration on campus... I will be there, hopefully, if i feel well enough to go.  (I've been sick for a week now fighting  losing a battle with this cold). I really want to get there to eat all the yummy food!!!!

Do you celebrate the Vietnamese/Chinese New Year? What do you do to celebrate?

Wishing all my blog friends a HEALTHY and PROSPEROUS New Year full of LOVE, LUCK and LAUGHTER...

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!!!!

xoxo- Vy

Happy Birthday Lilly Pulitzer!

IT ALL STARTED WITH A 

JUICE STAND

in 1958

Our Beloved designer, Lilly Pulitzer, left the hustle and bustle that is New York City and moved to beautiful and sunny Palm Beach, Florida with her beau Peter....

...She opened a juice stand, and to hide the juice stains on her dresses, she had a sleeveless colorfully printed dress made...

... and the birth of the classic shift dress was made...

But of course, not everyone knew about Lilly's dresses until a famous person was seen in  it while on vacation.

Who was it that made the shift dress and Lilly's name famous?

Famous First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy!

Lilly's dresses were popular among the socialites and was very popular into the early 80's.

In 1984, they were no longer producing the line.

:(

It wasn't until 10 years later that the Lilly line was bought and revived.

Today, Lilly dresses are a treasure and a heirloom. 

Here are some of my Lilly wearing moments:

A Sorority Event

My Aunt's wedding (Me and my baby brother)

Our First Easter with just the 2 of us.

Visiting my friend Phil at his Restaurant in NoLa (He just opened a NEW Restaurant in NoLA- ROOT!!!)

Visiting one of my favs in the world- Trishy in NoLa 

The pictures could go on...the memories made while wearing Lilly dresses...The quality of the dresses is...  the lifestyle and "cult" that is Lilly Pulitzer is what we celebrate.  We celebrate the  woman who started it all- Lilly Pulitzer.

Happy Birthday Lilly!

We <3 you!!!

Join the blog hop with Pink Preppy Lilly Lover Trish!
XOXO-

Images via and via and via

I Voted today. How about you?

I voted today, how about you?

Can you imagine what it was like not being able to vote?  It was only 91 years ago that women were given the right to vote via the Nineteenth Amendment.  

Many people have fought for the voting rights of women, so I feel it necessary to exercise my civic duty and get out to vote when I can. :)

There were of course women who felt that there were women that didn't want to vote and were probably not qualified to vote anyways. These women were part of anti-women's suffrage. Using humor, Alice Duer Miller wrote in 1915:

Why We Don't Want Men to Vote:

• Because man's place is in the army
• Because no really manly man wants to settle any question otherwise than by fighting about it.
• Because if men should adopt peaceable methods women will no longer look up to them.
• Because men will lose their charm if they step out of their natural sphere and interest themselves in other matters than feats of arms, uniforms, and drums.
• Because men are too emotional to vote. Their conduct at baseball games and political conventions shows this, while their innate tendency to appeal to force renders them unfit for government.

I thought it was funny. Hope you got a chance to get out and vote today. 

I'm trying like heck to motivate to study for this finance exam, which I really NEED to study for, but can't seem to focus enough to study. :(

Hope all is well!

XOXO-

Wedding In Minnesota (Recap)

A couple weeks ago, one of my girlfriends got married in her home state, Minnesota.

I met Katie in Va, and she once lived here, but then she moved back to Minnesota. Why would anyone move there? It's too cold! LOL. Just kidding, Katie.

Anyways, Tommy and I were excited to go, not only because we missed her and Scott, and it was her wedding but also because neither one of us had ever been to Minnesota.  It was such a quick trip because, I had classes on Friday and my sorority induction on Sunday which I couldn't miss since I'm president.  I think the total trip was 22 hours there and back. I was EXHAUSTED! 

We we landed, at Minneapolis airport (such a nice airport) and went into the city to get some breakfast.  As we're driving towards St. Cloud, not 5 minutes after leaving the airport, I see signs for the Mall of America! We HAD to go! However it was 8:30 AM, so I was doubtful it was going to be open. BUT it was open!! Well, none of the stores were open. :( I did get to see some of the coolness that is the Mall of America, such as the indoor roller coaster and the lego store!

The indoor amusement park

The Lego store (All of those scenes are made completely of legos!!)

Here's a close up of the Loch Ness Monster

 Tommy is checking out the Lego mosaic murals...

Here's one.

And heres' the close up. Amazing isn't it?

I just wish we had more time so we could go shopping. 

After we left the mall, we drove the 1.5 hours to St. Cloud to the hotel we were staying.  We had just enough time to grab some lunch, and get ready for the wedding.

 And what a beautiful wedding it was!

 While everyone was waiting in line for drinks, we stayed outside and took some sunset pictures. :)

Congratulations to my good friend Katie and her husband Scott!!!

We love you and miss you.

XOXO-

Cocodot Love

Cocodot <3

So, I do design and print my own stationery, but I also love other great stationery companies. Cocodot is one of those companies!  
You can send invitations and card online for free and can order printed cards and invitations as well. 
There are so many ways to customize your card right online, including uploading your own photo!

How cute is this holiday card:

Thanksgiving and the holidays aren't that far away (51 days till Christmas)... you could get started early with your holiday cards! (hint, hint)

This one makes me want to have a sunday brunch!

I just love the LuLu Powers Collection:

How cute is this anchor card (Found under the LuLu Powers Nantucket collection)

It's only fall, and I already miss the warmer weather and a good ole clambake! Le sigh.

I LOVE this flag... it's like a symbol of a nation for Pink and Green!

Right now, through November 10th,  Gilt City is having a sale on Cocodot printed cards: you can get a $100 Credit for $50 or $50 credit for $30. You have to be a member. If you're not already a member, you can get your invite here: http://www.giltcity.com/invite/vynuss3.


And of course if you don't see anything you like, you can always contact Vynuss Designs for your design, stationery, and printing needs! (Don't you just like that plug?)
Hope everyone is well... I'm feeling like a giveaway in the near future. What do you think?  ;)
Stay tuned!


XOXO-

iPad, Kindle, or Nook?

I know that quite a few of my friends are full of opinions, and I hope that they chime in!!!

I love technology, and usually consider myself a technologically savvy person, and know what I want, but I am so torn on the iPad, Kindle, Nook war. 

I know I want an e-reader, just not sure which one.  iPad is twice the price of the Kindle and Nook, and  I'm a mac girl through and through.  But my rationalization is why would I need and iPad when I practically carry my MBP (MacBookPro) with me everywhere?  So that leaves me leaning towards the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes and Noble Nook. 

Kindle is coming out with the Kindle Fire, which is going to have all the fun web browser capabilities and the color touch screen... But I think I like the "paper-like" reading screen of the B&W versions... But then I'd need a reading light to read in the not-so-light areas like bed, or in the car on the way to OBX in the evenings... Anyone with either and want to share their thoughts and recommendations?

XOXO-