Since going full-time with TFB Agency in April of this year, I’ve been doing work from home some days. I needed a space that was both comfortable and dedicated to business, so I did some re-organizing.

I got this silver tufted bench to use with my black round dining table. It was tough to sit at that table and work – there wasn’t enough room to spread out papers. So, switched it out for a West Elm Parson’s Desk and added a ghost chair. Here’s how it all turned out:

I also have another desk space across the room that you can see in the photo below.

I moved my Ikea Hovet Mirror to make room for it.

I would love to see photos of your workspace. Tweet them at me @christinamdick

2016 was a big year for Tiramisu For Breakfast and we’re so grateful to you all for being a part of it. This year, TFB became an official company and I had my first TV appearance and magazine feature. Here’s a summary of the year:

In January, I talked about my favorite products for Moisturizing dry skin. I still love these and have added some new things like First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream.

Also, my friend Jevata and I hosted our first Inspiration Party. We invited the women in our lives to get together and ideas, favorite books, goals and encouragement. It was amazing.

I also competed in a gymnastics meet with Liz from I Heart Vegetables and some other gymnast friends.

In February, I took over the Virginia Bloggers Instagram account for a week.

In March, R Home featured me and my home (and kitty) in this piece.

April was a big month for business. TFB Agency won it’s first award for an influencer campaign we worked on for ElementsBeautyShop.com. This was also, when TFB Agency officially launched with this piece in Richmond Biz Sense and picked up out first new clients, Patient First and James River Air.

In May, I joined Jessica Noll (check her out on Instagram: @Jessica.Noll) on CBS 6’s Virginia This Morning to talk about Summer Beauty. You can watch the full segment here. I also helped host a shopping event at J. Crew to benefit Massey Cancer Center and introduced you all to the brand, The Organic Pharmacy.

In August, Dermatologist Suzanne Peck shared her skincare tips with us in the first Tiramisu For Breakfast Live Facebook Interview. Check out part one and part two.

In September, I chatted with local PR queen Pryor Green about skincare and makeup tips for sensitive skin. (she shared some great stuff!) Also, Katlyn Pierre  joined TFB as our first intern! She graduted in May (hire her!)

In October, I worked with CBS 6 again for a story about the Luke’s Diner Popup shops Netflix did across the country to promote the Gilmore Girls revival. Watch the clip here.

Also in October, Katlyn and I attended Style Weekly’s When Art Meets Fashion event at Saks to benefit the new Institute of Contemporary Art at VCU.

October was also the month my little brother got married. Him and his wife, Jennifer, got married at Bold Rock Cider in Nellysford, Virginia and everything was beautiful.

I talked about the inexpensive but fabulous dress I wore here.

I wrapped up the year with a gigantic gift guide that was hopefully helpful to all of you.  Please let me know what fun things you’d like to see on the blog in 2017 in the comments!

My brother Davey and his wife Jennifer LOVE their dogs Ollie and Sam. When I met Sarah and learned about the custom designs she creates, I knew it would be the perfect gift to give them for their wedding.

About Huger Memories:

Interior Designer Sarah Gibson Wiley founded Huger Memories in 2012. She creates “memory art” in the form of embroidered pillows. Check out her feature here.

Photo by Beth Ferguson for R Home

Here’s how the process worked:

The hardest part of the whole process was getting a photo of the two dogs together. First, I went through my brother and his wife’s Facebook photos to find one. When I couldn’t find one there, I reached out and asked for a photo of the dogs (I lied and said my friend had dogs that looked just like them and I wanted to show her.) That didn’t work either, so I got my dad to help me get this one. (I never realized how hard it was to get a photo of two dogs together, specially when it seems like Kitty is always posing.

I sent the photos to Sarah in an email, crossing my fingers they’d work. She let me know they would, and also that I didn’t even have to have a photo of the dogs together. She could have taken two separate photos and worked them together. Also, the background of the photo doesn’t matter at all – she can make it into whatever you wan. (As lovely as that leather couch was in the photo I took, I didn’t want it on the design). So, if you’re thinking about getting one, don’t worry at all about the background.

After just a few days, Sarah sent back this proof. I sent it to my dad and cousin for approval, and then let her know it would be perfect.

Next, she sent me the version with the fabric sewn on. I let her know it was great and she worked on turning it into a pillow.

I visited Sarah in her beautiful home/shop to pick up the final product.

I loved this Iris Apfel design she had hanging in the shop.

I gave the pillow to Davey and Jenn at my Grandma’s 91st birthday dinner and everyone loved it.

The best part of the whole experience was that their reaction was even better than I expected.

In addition to family portraits, she also does family portraits, homes, interpretations of children’s drawings and wedding invitations.

These are a few of my favorite examples from her site.

Pricing:

You can get a pillow page of your home, pet, family or your child’s drawing for $225.

Sarah also offers “mini memories” in either 5X7 ($95) or 8X19 ($145) that can be framed.

Tea towels are $145.

Thanks to Sarah and Huger Memories for making this wedding gift so special!

If you’d like to purchase your own, orders are being accepted through 12/15. Give Sarah a call at804.304.8808 or email her at sarah@hugermemories.com

Let me know what you think in the comments!

I put together a gigantic list of holiday gifts I think you all will love. Please post your gift suggestions in the comments for all of us to see!

1. Bobbi Brown Shades For Days Lip Gloss Set | $49 | Nordstrom SO cute. 

2. Perfume Sampler | $65 | Sephora Comes with samples and a gift certificate to exchange for a full-size version of your favorite. 

3. BabyFoot | $25 | ElementsBeautyShop.com & Elements of Carytown (Save 10% with the code TIRAMISU) Fun stocking stuffer/family activity. Winter is the perfect time to use this because you’re wearing socks a lot. 

4. REN V-Cense Night Cream | $55 | ElementsBeautyshop.com & Elements of Carytown (Save 10% with the code TIRAMISU) Frankincense = smells just like Christmas. 

5. Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer in Naked | $18 | ElementsBeautyshop.com & Elements of Carytown (Save 10% with the code TIRAMISU) This is the perfect nude. Seen here. I always have a nail polish or two in my bag for when I get a manicure and I’ve been known to give them away if a friend likes the color so I’m on my 4th bottle of this. 

6. Charter Club Two-Row Crystal Collar Necklace | $48.50 | Macys Seen here and here.

7. CZ Tennis Bracelet | $24 | Kohls

8. Christmas Bow Drop Earrings | $5 | Kohls

9. Glitter Earrings | $38 | Kate Spade  I have these in multi color glitter and blue. 

10. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl | $41 | Ulta  This is one of my all-time favorite beauty products. I also think its something you might nit pick up for yourself. I’ve gotten so much use out of it  and have had it for a couple years. They also make a pressed version and mini kits.

11. Pearl Collar Necklace | $20 | Macys

12. Buxom Lip Gloss | $20 | Ulta  This comes in so many shades and they’re all named after women. My favorites are Erin and Dolly. They have Samantha, Christina and about 40 other name options.

13. Lune + Aster Lip Gloss | $18 | Blue Mercury   I picked Lune + Aster for the shade names too. I have Entrepreneur and PhD, but you can also get CEO, President, Editor-In-Chief and more.

14. Better Than Sex Mascara | $23 | Macys Hands down, 100% the best mascara ever. 

15. Chronic Beauty Calendar | $22 | Lyme Warrior  Each month features a different woman and her story of battling a chronic disease. Proceeds from the calendar are split among local charities that raise money to benefit the various conditions included.

16. Rich Bitch $15.99 | Local Bookstores (In Richmond, try Chop Suey and Fountain Books. I’ve found that you can call and ask them to order it for you if they don’t have it in stock.) This is my #1 lent-out book and I love it. My students also read it in class. The author Nicole Lapin is also great to follow on social media.

17. Overcoming Bias. On sale now for $8.98 at BKConnection.com. Support local author Tiffany Jana and work toward making the world a more kind and accepting place. 

18. Magazine Subscriptions. I love this as a gift idea because it’s inexpensive and is spread throughout the whole year. I talk about my favorites here.

19. Minima Gift Certificate | Any amount | MinimaOnline.com This is probably my favorite thing on the list. I worked with Kristen, the owner, a couple years ago on closet organization and her help was invaluable. I think this would mean so much to someone who is overwhelmed and doesn’t do enough for themselves. 

20. The Organic Pharmacy Discovery Set | $80 | ElementsBeautyShop.com & Elements of Carytown (Save 10% with the code TIRAMISU) This is the cutest little set and it’s also super luxurious. The carrot butter cleanser smells like lavender and is my absolute favorite. 

21. Cashmere-Lined Leather Tech Gloves | $72 | Nordstrom I bought these a couple years ago and they’re great. I don’t know how they work with the smart phone screen because they don’t have a little patch on the index finger like I’ve seen on other tech gloves but they work perfectly. Mine are size 7.5 and I originally mentioned them here.

22. 32GB Phone USB Drive | $29.99 | Best Buy  I bought a similar version on Black Friday and plan to set aside time to tranfser all my phone photos to free up space. 

23. Apple Lighting to USB Cable (2M) | $29 | Apple You can never have too many phone charges/cords. They’re always getting misplaced and its good to have an extra. Plus, this one is longer which is nice.

24. 804ork Cookbook | $40 | Blunt Objects Features 21 local Richmond restaurants and 56 recipes, with 9 step-by-step “In the Kitchen” instructional breakdowns. Early Bird Biscuit Co. & Bakery, L’Opossum, Southbound, Pizza Tonight, Shoryuken Ramen, The Dog and Pig Show, Metzger Bar & Butchery are just a few of the featured restaurants. 

25. Merry iPhone Charger | $9.95 | American Eagle Also available for Android.

26. Custom Pet Illustration | $11 | Fiverr Didn’t she do SUCH a good job on Kitty?

27. Gilligan O’Malley | $24.99 | Target I bought these Giselle version from Eberjey for about $100 and these are even better. These are perfect if you use self-tanner at night and don’t want to get it on your sheets. I also love the leopard version.

28. Cat Bed | $20 | Walmart Kitty is totally getting this. 

29. Cosmetics bag | $104 | Kate Spade

These last few are perfect for hostess gifts.

30.Custom House Drawing My friend Hawley makes these. I got one for my dad two Christmases ago and he loved it. Message me if you want one and I can put you in touch. 

31. Ornament Wine Marker And Tree $15.99 | Wayfair.com I bought this for my friend Liz (iheartvegetables) and had a hard time not keeping it for myself. 

32.  New Home Card | $7.95 | Papyrus (or Whole Foods) A lot of times people will hold loop their housewarming celebration into a holiday party and this card is perfect for congratulating friends on their big life move!

33. Gerard Bertrand Cote de Roses Rose | $15.99 | ShopWineDirect.com My friend Judi was buying this for her mom when I ran into her one day at Kroger and It thought it was the coolest. The bottom of the bottle is shaped like a rose. Super elegant – especially for the price. 

34. Nest Fragrances Holiday Candle Trio Set | $60 | Blue Mercury I have a large version of the hearth candle and it’s the absolute best.

35. “Olivia Pope” Wine Glasses | $12.95 each | Crate and Barrel My little brother and his wife got these for me last Christmas and I love them. 

Bonus Extra! Another perfect gift is a gift card to Kendra Scott. They just opened their first Richmond location over the summer in Short Pump Town Center. One of my favorite things about the boutiqe is the color bar. You can choose your stone, metal and shape to create your own custom piece of jewelry. I love the idea of getting this a as a gift for a sister, mom or best friend and taking them to the color bar to create a matching ring, necklace, bracelet or earrings. they also just started making nail polishes that match the jewelry!

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I picked up the Savanna Sunglasses from Le Specs (on sale now at Zappos) from Monkees of Richmond (Have you been in there? It’s so cute.) Highly recommend!

My new favorite foundation is Bobbi Brown’s new cushion compact foundation. I have it in two shades: light-medium and medium (one for when I’m tan).

When I’m looking for foundation, I look for one that doesn’t feel thick or greasy. I like a “dewy” finish verses matte. I like pretty good coverage and I also gravitate toward department store brands verses drugstore. I’ve also noticed that lately a bunch of brands are coming out with foundations with high SPFs. I’m a huge fan of this. I will take all the extra SPF I can get.  I wear the Obagi SPF 50 matte under this and it makes for the perfect base. No need for a fancy primer.

You might notice the funky little brush here too. It’s the O Wow Brush from ElementsBeautyShop.com (named by users for the awe-inspiring feel of the bristles and the airbrush effect, gives a streak-free, seamless makeup finish). It is THE best foundation brush. It’s SO soft and makes foundation go on super fast. The foundation comes with this little puff but I don’t like to use it at all. I press the brush into the cushion to pick up the product and glide it on. I carry it with me for touchups through out the day, along with this concealer.

Like several other Bobbi products, it pops out of it’s case for refills. So you pay $50 for the compact and the foundation the first time you buy it, and then only $35 to refill it. It’s Nordstrom exclusive, so you can only get it here.

Have you tried it? What did you think what’s your favorite foundation?

In no particular order…..

1.learning new things

2.how much my dad loves the GEICO gecko.

3.spray tans – an instant mood- booster

4.yoga

5.Playing peekaboo with my cat

6.gymnastics

7.wearing a gown

8.the prettiest dog I’ve ever seen

9.coconut la croix

10.the perfect manicure/pedicure shades

11.sliders – especially the tiny burgers at Pippin Hill (the view doesn’t hurt either)

12.musicals

13.listening to books on audible

14.Gilmore Girls

15.leopard print shoes (…and coats, and dresses and blouses and everything)

15.fancy skincare products

16.fancy candles

17.anything fancy

18.teaching at VCU

19.my bow shoes

20.shopping

21.emojis

22.social media

23.funny tweets

24.interspecies animal friendships

25.libraries

I ordered “Always Stunning Convertible Dress” from Lulus for my little brother’s wedding last month and it turned out to be absolutely perfect. I was initially skeptical about shopping at Lulus because it’s so cheap ($58), but you couldn’t tell at all by the fabric and the way it fit.
There are a bunch of different ways to wear the dress, and I opted for crossing it over in the front and wearing it as a halter. My aunt helped me tie a bow in the back so the fabric wouldn’t drag. If there was one con about the dress, it’s that the back can come untied easily. I had to fix it once or twice throughout the night.

The dress was SO comfortable and I washed it in the washing machine (cold water) and nothing terrible happened to it. Super low maintenance and it looks so nice. This would be a perfect dress for traveling because the fabric doesn’t get wrinkled.

Here’s me with my little brother Davey.

And my boyfriend Jay.

And here it is from the back:

Here are some of the other ways the website suggests wearing it. I almost wore it how it’s pictured on the left.

Bonus: Here’s our brother-sister dance.😭