My Shiny New Toys: Sprinkles Cake Mixes. Alexander McQueen Scarf, Stella McCartney clutch, Forever 21 ring, Ugg boots

My Shiny New Toys

The December Haul

1. Sprinkles Cake Mixes

This Christmas my focus wasn't so much on presents under the tree.

The only present I wanted was a happy, healthy, tumor-free little mommy. And thankfully her amazing brain surgeon made that possible.























A week after the surgery, Mr. D and I concocted a little test to see exactly how well she was doing. While she napped, we baked her Sprinkles cupcakes with the mix from Williams-Sonoma.


















































































































When presented with the chocolate nomnomnomy, without a moment's hesitation, she snarfed her cupcake down in a minute flat. And we exhaled, knowing that if she could pig, she was well on the road to recovery ;)























The cupcakes ended up costing about a buck each and were shockingly easy to make. Took about 40 minutes and the cake part tasted just like the store bought ones. The frosting not so much. Probably because we used less butter and only lightly smeared it on versus the big glorious globs you don't even think about inhaling at the store.



2. Alexander McQueen

Mr. Diabolina did have one present waiting for me under our tree when I got back from 2 weeks of 24-hour mommy duty. He SHOCKED me with a gift card from Alexander McQueen. A gift card he had wrapped in a pair of McQueen houndstooth leggings!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAA!




































































Lovely and generous with a HIGH degree of fashion diffuculty? Yes, yes and YES. Clearly he's been taking notes that some of my favorite fashionistas adore McQueen. I adore HIM!


























































































































































Only one problem: printed leggings and I are not friends at the moment. You see, I have never weighed more that I do right this very second. I hit 32 and my thighs and ass started doing this thing that they have NEVER done before. Sure I got diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 2009 and we are still trying to get the Synthoid dosage right blah blah blah but mostly I just need to eat less and exercise more if I want to feel better about my new trouble spots.

The minute I slipped the leggings on I knew I'd never wear them. Even if I get back to my fighting weight. Printed leggings in general are a whole lotta look to pull off and can make even thin legs look thick. And, as a rule, McQueen leggings and McQueen anything can only be rocked with total and utter confidence ala Gwen, Rihanna, Gaga and Jean Bean.

Knew they had to get exchanged. Hate doing that to Mr. Diabolina but hate being untruthful even more.






















































So the two of us headed over to the McQueen store on Melrose after Christmas to make the exchange. I wanted to use the credit and part of my gift card to buy this SICK houndstooth jacket. Currently 60 percent off. But sadly there was no 42 in sight. (Another sign I have to get my fitness back on?)

Roamed around the store pawing gorgeousness but wasn't NEEDING anything else on sale. And mind you whenever I use Mr. D's gift cards I tend to purchase sale items. I can't justify paying full price. Even with someone else's money

























Ultimately I decided to only use a fourth of my store credit and buy another McQueen signature: a skull scarf. Thought about the the pink and beige. Isn't it beautiful????


















































But ultimately settled on this Spring 2010 purple adorableness. Would marry it if I could. Plan to wear it TO DEATH. Get it?






























3. Stella McCartney clutch

Mr. D and I also paid a visit to the Stella store that day. I STILL have part of another credit he gave me to that store for my 30th birthday. I am now 32.

Over the last two years I've bought a pair of shoes and a bag with the credit from Stella. Have never had any luck with the clothes. Or should I say the clothes have always just been way too pricey for me - even on sale.

So true to form, I headed to the sale accessories and found the final piece of my Stella puzzle: a huge emerald green clutch shaped like an emerald. Best of all it has the big circular zipper that is Stella's signature.














































































































Ironically, my mom had offered to go all out and get me a green Balenciaga bag for Christmas a few days earlier (someone was a good nurse!) but I said no thank you. Think the green works more as an evening bag for me than a day bag. Plus a Balenciaga bag is soooooooooooo pricey that I have to adore everything about it and not be able to live without it.

The Stella clutch was just that and just a fifth of the price of the Balenciaga. Plan to rotate it with my blue Marc clutch as a poppy accent for evening.
































































































































































































































































































































Debuted the clutch on New Year's Eve Eve for dinner at Mr. Chow's. Paired it with silver and loved the effect. Also LOVED the deliciousness at Mr. Chow. Mr. Diabolina and my mom had never been.

They both couldn't stop raving about every bite of the chef's tasting menu. A sure sign that a meal is exceptional? My mom puts on her glasses to inspect it. HAHAHHAH! Another good sign: when piggies are so ravenous that they stain the table cloth trying to heap more yummy on to their plates.














































































































































4. Forever 21 ring

Almost keeled over at Mr. Chow's when my mom took off her coat and I realized that for the billionth time the two of us matched without planning it before hand. My mom with her Tory Burch sweater bling and me with my Phillip Lim statement dress.

Also adoring how my mom is currently bananas for green nail polish. And that I'm bananas for my new green Forever 21 ring that is a BANANAS replica of the Chanel ones I've been loving all year on fashionistas. Just $6 for Chanel-esqueness. Are you green with envy?
























































































































5. Ugg Crotchet Boots

Lest you think I was dressed to the nines all of December in McQueen and Stella and Forever 21 masquerading as Chanel, here's a shot of the kind of outfit I'd throw on most days when my mom was recuperating. Note the ratty hair, no makeup and stained jacket. Ugh.

Speaking of which, please also note the new Ugg boots. Scored them on sale after months of stalking. Love that the color is called PICANTE!!! More like hot mess.

But they'll be purrrfect next fall for USC football season. And this holiday season, they were just the right amount of cozy comfy that the doctor ordered.