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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween!





Some things never change. :) Hope you all had a fabulous Halloween! 

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

DIY Photo Booth

When planning my wedding, one of my most desired "extras" was a photo booth. I searched high and low for one I could afford with my minuscule budget. Every one I came across was in the $1000 range. I tried finding other areas to cut to make it more feasible, but it just wasn't happening. While at a bridal show, my Mom and I finally found the answer to my prayers. A super affordable photo booth! Talking with the man about all the exciting possibilities made me even more eager for the big day- That is, until he asked me that dream-crushing question: "Where is the wedding?" Turns out, my wedding, three hours away from their base, would cost me a huge traveling fee. Of course, putting them right in that bracket with the others of way over my budget.
All seemed lost as I finally sent my photo booth desire into the pile of things I could never afford. (Why is this pile so big in the wedding world?) For some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I wanted so badly to make it happen. This opened up my eyes to another world of DIY photo booths. Many of the ones I saw online seemed to be expensive in their own right. People were buying fancy cameras and hooking up computers and printers. . . for me, this kind of blew the whole "save money" portion of the idea. I had to get creative. I found a damask curtain at my house from Target. It was cute, went with my theme, and FREE since I already had it. Doing an internet search for free photo booth props resulted in some super adorable mustaches and funny ideas. I talked to my photographer about it, and she told me she would be more than willing to stand there and take photos of all the guests. It ended up being a HIT! We put the pictures online for people to print out themselves. Many even took pictures with their own cameras. For basically free I was able to add a great element of fun to the wedding. I will leave you with some pictures from LGPhotography and some links to print out your own photobooth props! The blogs that made the props are super cute, and I definitely recommend checking them out. Such a fun, cheap way to add so much to your big day, or any party.


"Tip Junkie" Free Mustache Printable! 
"Catch My Party" Free Printables!
"Oh Happy Day"- Free Printables!












Monday, October 29, 2012

OOTD- A Cozy Monday


A Monday definitely calls for the most comfy outfit possible. Today I'm wearing a super chunky, purple sweater. It's only 39 degrees today! I'm missing summer already. 

Sweater: Target 
Scarf: Target
Black Jeggings: AE 
Boots: Target 


Sunday, October 28, 2012

OOTD- A Freezing Fall Day



It's cold. It's cold. It's cold. I don't like it. Desperately trying to stay warm today. I'm definitely a southern girl at heart, and this Michigan weather doesn't cut it for me. 

Jacket- Target
Tank- Target
Scarf- Forever21
Jeggings- AE
Shoes-Me Too via Nordstrom Rack
Watch- Charming Charlies

Saturday, October 27, 2012

What I'm Loving Weekends

Happy weekend, y'all! :) This weekend is another crazy busy one for me. Luckily, I have a few minutes to sip on some pumpkin spice coffee and blog a bit. I have a few current obsessions that I thought I'd share, starting with the new Nashville TV series. It's definitely my "guilty pleasure" and I cannot get enough of the music! Do you remember this youtube video that went viral a little while back? 


These adorable girls are now on the show and performed the below song on last episode. I'm seriously dying over how cute they are! Can you believe how well they can harmonize? 



But seriously, cannot get over how incredible they are! Other than that, I've been playing Taylor Swifts new RED album constantly. My favorite song is definitely "The Last Time"- I cannot resist a good duet! 



Hope everyone is having a fabulous day! I'm off to play a character in a murder mystery dinner for our youth group tonight! xoxo







Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Weekly Inspiration



What are you in the market for this Fall? I'm diligently searching for a new, structured brown bag (LOVE the one pictured above) and a navy blazer. Of course, at the top of my list is a gold 2 inch monogrammed necklace. So many choices this year!

OOTD- Hello, Wednesday!


Oh, orange and navy. I started wearing these colors back in college when I joined a "society" (bible-college version of sorority) called Beta Chi Omega. The girls in that group got me through some of the most difficult times in my life. I'm forever thankful for the sisterhood that was developed there! 

Of course, the mitten state's baseball team is also a little bit of an inspiration here. The Tigers are in the World Series tonight! It's a very exciting time for our state. :) 

This outfit was super comfortable for work. Definitely going to be showing up in my fall wardrobe more often! 

Dress- NY&Co
Navy Tights- Target
Boots-Target
Watch-Charming Charlies
Bubble Necklace- J. Crew via Ebay
Necklace- Charming Charlies
Ring- My engagement ring
Cardigan- American Eagle
Belt- Forever 21

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

OOTD- A VERY Laid-back Tuesday


You know those days where you don't even feel the need to get out of bed? That was today. Tuesdays have always been my Mondays. Mondays are always strangely productive for me. Tuesdays, not so much. 

My outfit was extremely boring yet comfy today. On days like these, I don't feel like getting too dressed up. A cardigan and dark jeans still have a work appropriate feel to them without being uncomfortable. 


Cardigan- $15 from Loft
Shoes: Sperrys $32 from Nordstrom Rack
Jeans: $30 American Eagle
Navy Blue tissue tee- $5 Target
Necklace: $10 Charming Charlies
Watch $20 Charming Charlies


Monday, October 22, 2012

My Newest Etsy Obsession





Oh, Etsy. You always have a way of making my heart swoon. I was exploring the never-ending sea of creativity the other day when I stumbled on a shop that literally made me stop in my tracks. I'm completely smitten with EVERYTHING in it!Sandee Royalty is my newest obsession. Her skirts, dresses, and Jackie-O styled cuts are to die for! 

My absolute favorite is the skirt in the top right. You can purchase it HERE

Head on over to her Etsy shop to stock up on some cute timeless pieces! 


Monday Adventures OOTD


Lucky me! I get one more day of this weekend! I took today off to spend one more day with my sister-in-law who came to visit. Today is going to be pretty laid back, but I wanted something other than jeans for when we visit my hubby at the school he teaches at. The bright blue capris are my latest Loft purchase. Can you believe they were marked down from $60 to $4.88? The price was too good to pass up. They had some leopard print ones as well, but I just could not pull them off.

Shirt: American Eagle
Capris: Loft $4.88
Necklace: J. Crew via Ebay $15

Sunday, October 21, 2012

A Few Fall Favorites


This weekend was spent on a shopping spree frenzy. My sister-in-law and I spent nearly 8 hours at the malls in the area. The stores this fall definitely did NOT disappoint. I'm absolutely crazy about this seasons' fashions. Surprisingly, many of my favorites this year came from Forever21! I haven't been too crazy about the stuff they have been putting out in the last few years. This season they made a complete turn around! The boots and aqua shirt pictured above were both from the store. I am planning to go back and purchase them soon. The necklace is my absolute favorite this season. It's sold at Loft locations, and a percentage of the purchase price goes to the fight against breast cancer! It's definitely going on my Christmas list. *hint hint, hubby!* 


I was able to score these hot pink J. Crew Chino shorts for $7!!! Last year, I was able to buy some for $2 at this time, so definitely check your local stores for deals. My other purchase was an adorable pair of Loft ankle pants for $4.88. This time of the year is a fantastic time to shop. 



What are your favorites this fall? 


Saturday, October 20, 2012

OOTD- Soft and Frilly


I'm absolutely crazy about girly shirts and fabrics. My closet is full to bursting with lace dresses and vintage inspired pieces. Funny enough, one of my favorite fashion inspirations is the character Melinda from the show Ghost Whisperer. I'm always awe-stricken at her wardrobe. This outfit definitely channeled my love for her fashion. 

Blouse: Forever 21
Black Jeggings: American Eagle
Shoes: Tahari 
Necklace: Charming Charlies (literally have people come up to me every time I wear it asking if it's part of Tory Burch's line! :) 
Bracelets: Old gifts from high-school. 

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Inspiration Tuesday


Here's a little fall inspiration for you all. I'm HUGE into stripes this season. I'm absolutely dying for that purse and skirt. It would be such a great work/church look!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

cinnamon bun crescent rolls


I found this recipe on pinterest and tweaked it a bit to make it my own. :)


What you'll need:
1 package of crescent rolls (This will make 8 rolls... you can double the recipe if you need more!)
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon almond extract


For the glaze:
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk (Add it in until it's drizzling ready. . . I added a bit too much and put in more powdered sugar to compensate)



Heat your oven up to 350 degrees. In a small bowl combine butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and almond extract. Roll out your crescents and peel apart. Apply the mixture you just made to these with a knife. Roll them up and pinch the ends of the crescents so the mixture won't fall out. :)

Put them in the oven for 10 minutes.

When they are done, mix together your glaze and drizzle over with a spoon. All done! 

French Manicure


I finally figured out how to do a french mani on myself! I tried using tape, but ended up having a lot more success just using a nail art brush. The brad is called "Art Club" and the small brush was absolutely perfect for doing a french! What are your favorite nail looks? I'm obsessed with Essie's fall line. The golds and browns are gorgeous! 

OOTD Fall Weekend Wear


Ah, weekends. I live for you! This was the perfect lazy day outfit for me. I love flannel with a puffy vest. Something about it is so comfy! 

Vest- American Eagle
Flannel- American Eagle
Jeggings- American Eagle
Boots- Target
Watch- Charming Charlies
Pearl Earrings- Nords Rack

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Apple Fritters





Here's a post I did a while back on my old blog. Enjoy! :)



I'm trying to make it a goal on this site to try out as many pinterest recipes as I can. I hope by doing so, I can give you all a better idea of what to make! Today's recipe pick are the homemade apple fritters that have been taking pinterest by a storm. Jacquline from Seemingly Greek is the creator of this yummy recipe. I looked through the reviews and adapted it to a recipe to better fit my tastes. The result? Pretty good! I have never been an apple fritter fan (I'm a freak!) but these were not too bad. :) A little trick... the more apples the better. The bites with the most apple in them were the best! So, I would definitely keep this one in my recipe box. I think my husband will love them! Be sure to check out Jacquline's blog for many other great ideas.











Homemade Apple Fritters Recipe:
heaping cup AP flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 T. and 1tsp brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp almond extract
1 T. butter, melted
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
3 large apples. (Tart flavors work the best)


Glaze
2 cups pwd. sugar and 2 T. milk 

DIRECTIONS
  1. Heat Oil (You will know it's ready when a small drop of dough floats to the top) I kept it on medium low heat.
  2. Mix all ingredients together. (I like the original authors description: "The batter should be the consistency of a light cake mix") 
  3. I used a cookie scooper to drop around 5 dough balls in the oil.
  4. Brown each side (it takes around 30-40 seconds) I used two cooking spoons to flip and squeeze the extra oil out when they were done.
  5. Dip warm fritters in your glaze mixture (I made sure they were completely coated) 
Serve warm! :) 

Want to try the original recipe instead? Click HERE

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

OOTD- Two of my favorite things



My closet is practically overflowing with Vera bags. Seriously. I have an obsession. The first outfit is one I wore to work. The vera bag is my "briefcase," so It definitely gets its use! The second outfit is of my very first Lilly Pulitzer dress. EEEK! Thanks to my amazing friend Crystal over at http://www.crystalfaye.com for telling me about the Re-Lilly site. This adorable dress was only $29! I absolutely love it. The nude pumps by Tahari are one of my latest purchases. They are absolutely perfect. TJ Maxx had them on sale for $39, and I had to snatch those beauties up. They are perfect replicas of the Kate Middleton pumps I've been envying for so long without the hefty price tag. 

Prayers for Carson's Family



Last week some very sweet friends lost their grandbaby, son, and nephew. Little Carson was only 6 weeks old when a tragedy took him from this world while on vacation. Today is his funeral, and this family needs our prayers more than ever. I cannot even imagine what they must be feeling or going through. I coached cheerleading with Carson's grandma a few years ago, and had the chance to get to know this family better. Their family has remained so strong in their faith through this horrible situation. I'm so glad that God doesn't call us to understand his ways, he just calls us to trust them.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

That peace that he's talking about right there doesn't come from wrapping your head around the "why?" we tend to ask. It comes from completely relying that God knows what he's doing. He knew from the very day Carson was conceived that he would live a short life, even when no one else did.

So what can YOU do to help? A friend of the family created a website called www.welovecarson.com.  Someone generously donated postcards and stamps to be printed with messages from people around the world. It's completely free for you to do, so please, please send them a letter of encouragement. If you have money to donate to Carson's last medical costs, I know that would be a great burden lifted off of them.

Most of all, pray for them. This little boy was the first son, grandbaby, and nephew. This has hit their family so hard. I cannot even imagine going through this with one of my nephews or nieces. They need prayers and encouragement. Grief does not end with burial.

Thank you so much in advance!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

OOTD- Fall Work Wear


It's absolutely freezing in the mitten state. I'm not the biggest fan of cold weather, but I do love the outfits it allows me to wear! :) I wore this one to work yesterday and got a ton of compliments. I'm obsessed with blazers this fall. Unfortunately, I stole this one from my little sister's closet... So I may need to invest in my own soon. ;) 

Blazer- American Eagle
Sweater- Target
Collared Shirt- NY&Co
Jeans- American Eagle
Boots- Target
Purse- Target
Watch- Charming Charlies
Bracelet- Charming Charlies
Engagement Ring



Crispy Crunchy Goodness Potatoes

YUM YUM YUUUUM! I've been experimenting in the kitchen lately (usually never a good idea) and created our new favorite potato dish. These have the perfect amount of crisp and crunch, and the flavor is so great. They are way better than fries. Seriously. That. Good. Since I was going to town making these beauties, I didn't exactly measure things out. I've made them twice now, and they were equally as good both times. So, I leave you with the recipe for goodness.



Crispy, Crunchy Potatoes.
1. Cut potatoes into small pieces. I prefer red potatoes for this.
2. Drizzle with olive oil
3. Take your Parmesan Cheese (I use the kind in the green plastic bottle) and sprinkle a TON over your potatoes. This is what gives it that yummy crispiness. Don't be shy.
4. I made this garlic bread seasoning from Our Best Bites Blog Sprinkle heavily all over your potatoes.
5. Go ahead and give a dash of garlic powder all over.
6. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees (F) and stick them in. I usually line my baking sheet with parchment or foil. for this. Trust me- It isn't easy to get that baked on stuff off if you don't! :) Bake them for 45 minutes, or until they are golden brown with a crunch. Enjoy!