Treasure Hunting at my Mother-in-Laws!

I am very lucky to have such a stylish and generous mother in law. Not everyone gets so lucky. She has amazing taste and she is always willing to help us decorate! Luckily for me,  it appears her knack for collecting unique pieces has gotten the best of her. She has decided to turn her basement into a pop up store. She  invited her  family and friends to come treasure hunting! She is selling everything from Chanel Shoes and  Louis Vuitton bags to dining room chairs and fur throws.

How cute is this? She literally has designer shoes and trinkets from all over the world, pouring out of antique chests. Better yet, she put price tags on everything! God love her. Wish we were the same shoe size!

 

She was nice enough to invite my sister-in-law and I over before to ear mark our favorite pieces. Let's just say I walked out with a few new treasures of my own! And I have already found a new home for them!

How fab are these silver martini glasses?

 

 They fit perfectly on top of my DIY hanging shelf!

I also snatched these antlers and leather and zebra skin pillows. They complete my kitchen table, which is usually covered in magazines, mail, and drying laundry. Oops.

Here is the whole look!

Thanks Karen! Hope your treasure hunt goes well!

Friendsgiving!

This weekend, we invited a few couples down to Seth's family houseboat on Lake Cumberland for a "Friendsgiving". It could not have been more perfect. The weather was gorgeous...60 and sunny! We spent the entire day on Saturday drinking wine and playing games outside. Then we made an amazing Thanksgiving feast, and drank more wine. We capped off the night around the fire pit with s'mores and... (Shocker!) more wine!

Favorite moments include playing Heads Up, Cards Against Humanity, and Giant Jenga on top of the boat! These games are hilarious.

  

Girls win Giant Jenga. This game was hilarious and so intense. 

 

 

Mimosas in the sunshine! Is it really November?!

Soldier was loving the House Boat!

 

Love these girls!

 

A couple of super easy apps before our dinner! 

-Phyllo cups with brie and cranberry sauce

- Gouda and apricot jam wrapped in crescent roll dough with crackers for dipping

Pretty impressed with our spread! 

On the Menu:

Mashed Potatoes, Corn Pudding, Rolls, Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, Broccoli Cheese Casserole and and course Turkey!

Friendsgiving!!!

Night cap of S'mores around the fire pit! I feel into a deep food coma at this point.

Can't wait til next year!!

Celebrity Style Picks

Celebrity gossip is definitely a guilty please of mine. I sign into People.com, Usmagazine.com, and eonline.com at least 5 times a day. Each. And while I enjoy the drama that goes on in the lives of the rich and famous, I enjoy their fashion even more. The have a responsibility to protect their image by presenting themselves as flawless every single day. I am sure it it tiring for them, but I love it! 

Here are a few looks that have really blown me away over the last week!

Jennifer Lawrence at the Hunger Game Premiere looking amazing in Dior. Yes, I am still obsessed with the bubble dress trend.

 

 Source: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Taylor Swift looking fall chic in Plaid Top Shop Cape/Shawl. She has come a long way since her Little House on the Prairie stage.  Found some similar pieces here and here.

 

Source: Google Images

Loving these stripes on Leighton Meester's Cushine Et Ochs fitted dress.

Source: Google Images

I don't know much about Camilla McConaughey, except that she always looks amazing and her kids are cute. This Camilla and Marc jump suit is stunning on here.

 

Source: People.com

It's Time to Whip out the Red Glitter!

I am the first to admit when I have a problem. Okay...that is not true, but I will admit it this time. I have a problem. It's called Impulse Shopping Syndrome. Symptoms flare up most intensely at Target, the shoe section of Nordstrom's, and Walgreens. Today, I went to pick up my prescription at Walgreens, and I left with a cart full of holiday decor. What a pleasant surprise to find so much red glitter at Walgreens! To be fair, I needed it. I know...need is a strong word. But it has been on my list for a while. Somehow I left all of my holiday decorations at my old apartment. At this point, who knows who has it. And Pottery Barn is too pricey. But so cute!

Usually I stick to the "wait to whip out the red and green til after Thanksgiving" rule, but when it is 20 degrees, that rule no longer applies. I will wait to get the tree, but the pumpkins officially got dumped.

The pharmacist was so pleased so check out all of my items!

I already had this vase, but I filled it with these red and gold glittery sticks from Walgreens. 2 for $3!

 

Turned out pretty cute!

 

I bought three of these trees, because at $6.99, why not?

Even a simple dinner table setting is more fun when there is Christmas glitter!

Just catching up on Grey's while I decorate. Love me some McSteamy! I made a make shift mantle with the TV stand. During this time of year, I REALLY wish we had a fire place.

Wedding Season...of life!

We were in back Chicago for a wedding this weekend. It was so much fun and it made me so excited for all of the upcoming weddings we are attending in the next few months, especially our own! I laughed all night, cried at least 6 times, and danced my butt off for 4 straight hours. All in my new gold pumps! Missed ya, Bloomingdales!

As I watched my first college friend get married, I felt a rush of emotions...kind of like an out of body experience. I was sitting in a grand ballroom with 20 of my sorority sisters and their boyfriends/fiances. We were all dressed up, drinking wine, and toasting to one of our best friends and her new husband. What?! The whole night, 2 thoughts kept coming through my head: THIS IS SO MUCH FUN! and HOW DID WE GET HERE? How did we suddenly become real adults? Not the "I have a 9 to 5 job" kind but the "I have a husband" kind. I felt like it was just yesterday that this very same group of sorority girls were looking just as stylish at formal junior year. I won't get into how that night turned out, but let's just say there was far less destruction at the wedding this weekend.

I thought college was the best four years of my life. Then I graduated and loved the independent city life just as much! Now, we are going into what I think will be an even better phase of life. For the next five or so years, we get to watch all of our friends promise their life and love to other people. And better yet, we get to dance our butts off in stylish outfits to celebrate that love. I honestly believe that the next few years of my life will be the most fun yet! So let the celebrating begin!!!

Now for the good stuff...

Of course, I was at Bloomingdales within an hour of waking up on Saturday. It was their Friends and Family sale. Conveniently, they also had a beauty event so we got a free makeover at the Laura Mercier Counter. The day was off to a great start! Love my and new gold pumps by Ivanka Trump for 20% off! 

 

Dress by Alice and Olivia. I belted it with a gold skinny belt. Girlfriends are courtesy of Pi Beta Phi!

And the gorgeous bride looking stunning in Oscar de la Renta!

 

Sweet Potato Success

I have been experimenting with sweet potatoes over the last couple weeks. I am not exactly 10 for 10 when it comes to my kithen "experiments", but I seem to have a way with sweet potatoes. Both were well received!

When you have more time on your hands, try the Mash & Boil!  This recipe serves 6 people.
- Peel, cut and boil 6 potatoes. I didn't peel because I broke my peeler a couple months ago. Oops. Potato skin is protein rich, right?
- Once boiled, slowly add half a stick of butter, cup of milk, salt, pepper, and oregano. I was feelin' crazy so I also added bacon bits and cheese. No wonder everyone liked them.
- Mix with mixer until they are as smooth or lumpy as you prefer.
- Warm in oven for 15 minutes on 200, because they will have cooled down in the process.
- Serve and bask in the glory of sweet potato compliments.

When your significant other texts you "Be home in 5! What's for dinner?", try the Slice and Nuke!
-  Slice 2 sweet potatoes
-  Put in large glass bowl with 10 thin slices of butter, cinamon and salt
-  Put wet paper towl over bowl and microwave for 3 minutes
-  Take out and stir butter around, then put back in the microwave for 5 minutes with paper towel over the bowl
-  Pretend like this was the plan all along when you hand the plate over

Thrifty Thursday Identity Crisis

Rue La La is featuring C Wonder Slippers today, and it is making me have an identity crisis! 

City Girl or Southern Belle? Maybe I just have to get both. 

They are also featuring BearPaw boots, which I find completely necessary. It's cold. Hunters are cute, but not cozy. Uggs are cozy but not so cute. I am not in a position to sacrifice style or comfort when I am walking the dog at 7am or taking out the trash out at 10pm. 

These BearPaw boots are the definition of Comfy-Cutes, which is my favorite way to be! Now I am having total buyer's remorse because I just bought a pair of Fuggs (fake uggs) for my morning dog walks. And these are SO MUCH BETTER! Yes, I didn't even splurge for the real Uggs. New low for Southern Bell.