What I'm Loving :: Fall

Here's a snippet of what I'm loving

Bailey at Peppermint Bliss and Biscuit is slaying it. As much as I love a good neutral I die for color. Her work is always unexpected and vibrant. This wallpapered bookshelf detail I'm obsessed with, so good.

If I wear earrings I almost always wear studs, these Alphabet earrings need to arrive in my stocking this year.

One of my favorite things about Italy was how if it was late afternoon they always served you a tiny nibble with a coffee or cocktail. This snack caddy is perfect for afternoon entertaining. (via)

I made the apple cider cocktail, yum. Easy and very fall. I used the Trader Joe's Spiced Cider and it made my Sunday.

Smell Good Solution

When you have sick people in your house you have lots of icky germs. When you have icky germs in your house you have to use icky, chemically smelly cleaners. One thing I really, really can't stand are strong, artificial or chemical scents, so using these products en masse is hard for me. Thankfully Pinterest came to my rescue with this delicious smelling solution (along with some open windows and fresh air). All you need is water, lemon, vanilla and rosemary. I'll let you in on a little secret too, there was no fresh to be found at my normal source (my parents) or the groc so I was desperate and used dried and it still did the trick. I can only imagine how good it smells with fresh rosemary.

You must try! Thanks Morgan for sharing this gem!

Sequins and animals

Last week I was wearing sequins and red lipstick and this week I'm headed to the kindergarten zoo field trip. Such is life. I do like the zoo however and I think the animals might appreciate a glam red lip.

Speaking of animals, cuteness abounds on Me Oh My with her animal storage tutorial.

Blog Crush :: Tulip Louise

You all know that I went to Alt last weekend and came back with some crazy blog crushes so here's whats up first. Fashionista Anna at Tulip Louise.

At the Alt Dinner en Blanc.

Lots of fashiony goodness here people. Actually writing this makes me slightly embarrassed that I posted the hobbit shoes. Yikes, what will she think of me? Please don't judge me Tulip.

{all images from Tulip Louise}

Alt Summit Recap

Last night I got home from my whirlwind trip to Salt Lake City for the Alt Summit. Whew, I'm tuckered out. Lots of fun, girl talk and cocktails but more importantly lots of take aways (both good and bad) from all of the sessions. 

Make a Life List

100 things you want to get done. Easy enough right? We'll see how it goes when I attempt to put one together. I think I might make my husband do this one too. I think it would be a really interesting journey for us to both try and get our Life Lists completed.

Passion driven content that is good.

I heard this on my first panel and I don't remember who said it, but it really moved me to think about what I do here. This blog is play time for my interests but really could it be something more? My passion lies in teaching pilates; so who knows there might be more pilates/fitness content here at some point or maybe I'll start something new too. Regardless it has really given me a lot to think about. 

Emily Henderson

Is as cute, cool and nice in person as she is on TV. In case you wanted to know.

Vintage shopping.

Salt Lake City is good. Lots of cute clothes and vintage costume jewelry. Jaimee and I hit the jackpot and there is no better eye than local blogger Christina Brian from Full House. The girl has serious style and should host some shopping/styling trips here in Phoenix. (hint, hint Christina.)

Be nice.

This goes without saying, but not really not for some people. A smile goes a long way. 

Be authentic.

I heard this one over and over again. I feel that I'm real here with ya people but it's good to keep this in your mind at all times right? 

Pinterest is even more awesome than I thought.

One of the keynote speakers at the event was Ben Silbermann founder of Pinterest. The guy is a rock star in the most sweet, humble and inspiring way. Makes me love my favorite site even more. 

These are just a couple things that I came away with from Alt but there is a lot more. There was tons of networking going on and I know I'll have some great new blogs, shopping sites and products that I came away with so stay tuned!

I'm off to Alt Summit

I'm off to the snow! Alt Summit of course. I should probably be packing but here I am procrastinating at my computer. I'll try and post but knowing me I probably won't, so find me on twitter and follow my tweets. I'll do my best to share anything good.

Have a great week and cross you fingers that I don't forget anything or freeze!

{all image links here}

Blog Crush :: Brown Dress With White Dots

Or in this case tumblr crush. The images that Brown Dress With White Dots has collected are stunning. These photos of hands are some of my faves.

I'm going, you?

Have I told you all I'm going to Alt Summit? I'm hoping it might just light a fire under my non-blogging arse. Yes I know my posts are rare these days. I just want to go have fun and meet some new peeps plus light that fire we were talking about.

I'm hitting up the SLC with my local blogging buddy Marni. Any of you going? I would love to meet some of my favorite blogging friends!

{image via Design Crush}

Win some lights!

I would like to win some lights from Barn Light Electric and you can get a chance too if you post. I didn't see this until today {boo} if you can't tell I've been a little blog break with the kids out of school for their Fall break. So today is the last day so I get my posting on.

The Prizes: We’re giving away one $1,000 Grand Prize and one $500 2nd Place Prize to two lucky winners who enter their homes. The two winners will each receive a Barn Light Electric Gift Certificate to purchase new lighting for their homes or to finish off that lingering renovation project

Here are a couple of my faves


Garden City

Naugatuck

1. Look around online at Barn Light Electric and pick lights you'd love to win.

2.Share your picks on your blog and link to the lights if you can.

3.Copy and paste these rules at the bottom of your blog post.

4. Once your post is up, you must email your blog link to: contest@barnlightelectric.com to be qualified to win. The contest ends October 12th, 2011

Love it :: Caitlin McGauley

Every week I look forward to Watercolor Wednesday on Lonny's blog. Caitlin McGauley's watercolors just ooze style.

{images via Lonny Blog & Caitlin McGauley}

Read It :: Green Kitchen Stories

I love reading food blogs, especially veggie ones. I do my best to keep a healthy bend to my cooking so when I happen upon vegetarian cooking coupled with great photos I'm excited, new recipes to try! My latest blog crush is on Green Kitchen Stories. She's the recipe experimenter and he's a magazine editor; hence the great eye for styling and photography. They're cute, so go and read!

{all photos from Green Kitchen Stories}

Read It :: Always With Buttter

A girl after my own heart! It all started with this cake that I repinned...

A white poppyseed cake, yum and pretty! Then when I went back to click through to see where this bit of loveliness came from I was so excited because love gorgeous food, styling and photography (not to mention a fabulous name). I just can't decide what to try and make first.

{all recipes, photograpy and styling from Always With Butter}

Make it :: Lyon Roasted Chicken

I know big deal Roasted Chicken (it looks fabulous), but I loved how AmberLee at Giverslog decided to make it after reading Hemingway's A Moveable Feast. Deciding to try something based on what you've read in a book is not only fun but a tribute to a great author if their words have made you long to try what they're eating.

I'm currently in the middle of A Moveable Feast and I adore it. I should say I've been in the middle for about a two months because I started to read it just after reading The Paris Wife. I decided that I needed a break from the Hemingways so I could really get to Ernest Hemingway's voice without Paula McClain's mixed in there. So I'm back to A Moveable Feast and I'll admit I never really wanted to read Hemingway. I've always read the classics but I've always skipped works by him, his larger than life, macho persona preceded his novels and turned me off. Anyways Ernest sorry I gave you the blow off because you're pretty cool despite your boozy philandering. I might even make a chicken in your honor!

{image and recipe from Giverslog}

Just a little hood stalk

Are you a home stalker? Do you slowly drive through neighborhoods with the type of home you long to live in? If so good, you're in good company because I do this often. Well not lately because of the time factor but I do enjoy a little home stalking tour.  Anyhow during my hood stalks I often wonder what people are thinking. Case in point, how could they turn a charming bungalow into this?!

And imagine my surprise when I realized that this house, one I've often been puzzled over is Dorie's house! Dorie is a local blogger (who I've never met but did share these pics) who decided this house needed some love.

Much better right? See more of her transformation here.

Blog Crush :: Dinner, A Love Story

I first found this blog when Mamacita kindly told me that I NEEDED the Time for Dinner Cookbook. It would change my life or something. I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't bought it yet but don't fret Mamacita it's been in my Amazon cart since you mentioned it. I need to buy something else with it to get the free shipping, I'm cheap like that. Anyways I've loved it ever since she tuned me in and these illustrations and descriptions in A Picky Eater Taxonomy crack me up every time I look at her Picky Eating label.  

Big is a combo of The Negotiator/The Pint Sized Paggro/The Starch King of Starchy McCarbLand

Little is easy he's The Refusenik.

What are yours?

{image via Time for Dinner by Jessica Zadnik}

I'm dieting

A few months ago a couple of us local bloggers (Jaimee, Christina and Marni) toyed with going on a blog diet. You know that bloated, jaded feeling you get with all of gorgeous interiors, blogs filled with stuff that makes you want, want, want? We thought it would be fun get rid of that feeling together. Take a break from the pretty that leaves you satisfied for a minute but like that crazy sugar rush leaves feeling like you've crashed and burned. That feeling of needing more, ick who needs it? So I think for a week I'm going to try and stay in the moment and snap some pics with my phone and blog about what really leaves me feeling content. A blog diet, healthy and happy stuff only.

{See what I mean, doesn't this make you want to go out and buy a cabinet just to fill it with gorgeous shoes?}

Anyone feeling like joining me? One week it will be fun.  In one week we'll all be feeling skinny and gorgeous by the end of it, I just know it!

High Gloss

If you haven't checked out the newest online magazine High Gloss you should, it's gorge! 

Enjoy!

Happy Weekend!

Woot woot, everyone excited for Friday?  Nothing terribly exciting going on at my end.  I have a jam packed Saturday filled with fun stuff so that's good.  But today I'm planning on cleaning, laundry and the usual lameness that accompanies home ownership.  So later if you have nothing exciting sit down with coffee and enjoy some of my latest faves from the web this week.

These gorgeous wool blankets.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Spread?  Yes please!
If you want a case of the "I wants" go to Greige to drool.
That Decorno and Scented Glossy Magazines (thankfully) can't quit us.  This one and this one are classic!
The new Rue.

Sweet Paul

This is hands down my favorite Fall image that I've seen this season.



Thank you Sweet Paul.

Eat it :: Oatmeal

I kind of fall in and out with oatmeal but when I read the way she makes it, it makes me want to try it! I just wonder if I could convince anyone else to eat it besides myself.

Maybe topped with the Roasted Pear & Apple Sauce recipe from my new cookbook?

{via Giver's Log}