All That Glitters

Jewelry is oh so much fun. Someone once said that before you step out the door, take a look in the mirror and take off one piece of jewelry. To that I say, "ick". No no my friends, you should put on more! At least one piece extra. A fabulous statement necklace can take a plain white t-shirt from lounge couch time, to date night time. I love how something so simple can so easily create a brand new outfit.

For bracelets, I'm in love with all things Betsey Johnson. Every piece she does is out of this world creative. She works with such unexpected touches. Here are two of my favorites... Only Betsey can make a rat look cute, and think of making a straw hat into a charm!

For me, a ring just can't be big enough. There is nothing more fabulous than a massive ring....esp if it's a little bumble bee!

{bumble bee ring, Charming Charlie}

With all the jewelry I have, I'm faced with one tiny problem. Storing it all! We have little to no storage space so I really had to get creative. I also love to 'store' things in a way that also displays them. Why cram all your jewels in a drawer to be hidden when they could be set out like decoration! The ultimate example... Christina Aguilera's shoe wall in her bedroom. It leaves me speechless just looking at it, seriously. Whenever we have a house that we are not renting, it better have one large empty wall so that I can do this to it! I'm not gonna lie... this is MY kind of library!

I screwed two curtain hooks into the wall to hang necklaces. I also hung a mirror right beside so I can stand in my closet, and match them to my outfits.

For earrings, my friend Christin made this holder by stapling a screen to the back of a frame. Instant earring organizer!

I bought a produce holder in the kitchen section of TJMaxx and I store all my bracelets in it on our dresser.

I bought a little decorative bowl to keep my rings in one place. I have a lot of rings and they are pretty big {see above bee} so those little ring pillow boxes are never big enough. 

I guess these little tricks are gonna have to do for now.....until I can get my rock star shoe wall! ;-)

Adventures in Pumpkin

Yesterday was the first day of October. It finally feels cool outside, and I think it's officially time for baked pumpkin treats. Funny enough, I actually sort of dislike pumpkin pie. However, I l-o-v-e anything else pumpkin. {excluding of course that time McDonalds attempted a pumpkin flavored milk shake...I think I still get nightmares} I usually make pumpkin bread, and that's where it ends. Since this past year I've gotten much more adventurous in the kitchen, I figured it was time to branch out. I have a few recipes lined up I want to try, but yesterday afternoon I was short on time and high on ideas. I crafted up these yummy treats:

First, I took the regular ol' Pillsbury pumpkin bread mix, and turn it into cookies. Just add 1 stick of melted butter, 1 egg, and stir until incorporated. Then form them into little balls and place them on your cookie sheet.

After baked and totally cooled, you can use either canned cream cheese icing, or be extra adventurous and make your own. Sandwich the cookies with as much of the icing as your heart desires.

{MAC 'Mean and Green' nail laquer}

These are rich, but oh so decadent and tasty. I was pretty proud of my creativity this time, seeing as it usually leads to a "eh....uh, ok" kind of turn out and quizzical stares from my sweet husband who will still try anything I make. These were so fun and easy, and they make a super cute fall gift for someone!

{pumpkin snack bags, Hobby Lobby}

Colors of Fall....Nails That Is!

It is true that I get excited for every seasonal change....it means shaking up your wardrobe, buying new staple pieces, and saying hello to clothes you've missed. However, there is something extra exciting about this year's season change. There seem to be so many fabulous new trends this upcoming fall and winter. From crazy shoes that aren't just for the runway anymore, to hats, hats, and more hats! I would love to try them all, but alas my money tree in the backyard has yet to take root. Today I want to highlight one of the simplest ways to embrace the new crisp bite that's in the air....

Autumn Nails:

This has to be the most inexpensive way to adopt the new season. Change nail color! I'm a little obsessed with painting my nails. {as you will see here} They tend to crack and chip if they don't have on a sassy coat, so I like to keep it that way. 


MAC's new line for fall is nothing short of genius. They've created fall colors to reflect the Disney vilains. To make them even better, the colors are blends of multiple shades to combine one amazing, Disney villain worthy nail polish! I know, in the words of my style icon, Rachel Zoe, it's "bananas"! For a girl who can't seem to make up her mind about nail color {if it was socially acceptable to wear multiple at a time, I'm pretty sure I would!} sounds like my dream solution. The one I'm obsessing over is this: 

{MAC nail laquer in "Mean and Green"}

If I want a little more 'subdued' look....this is the new fall neutral. As a bonus, it goes with everything! No changing your nail polish last minute to match your outfit. {please tell me I'm not the only one who does this}

{Essie nail color in Chinchilly}

Mad props go out to my friend Kelly for discovering the incredible shades in the $1.99 line of Wet n' Wild. This is the first one I picked up, and at this price I'm sure I'll be back for more:

{Wet n' Wild nail color in color shield}

I just discovered this beautiful color, and again at a phenomenal price....just $4.99! It's red without being too red, and dark without being too dark. Autumn nail perfection!

{Revlon nail laquer in Vixen}

Alas, I'm all too sure that at some point in the up and coming months, I will return to my old friend and staple color...

{OPI Lincoln Park After Dark}

At first glance this may appear black, but it's actually a fantastic blend of deep, deep purples. I tend to wear this even in the warmer months just because it looks that fabulous!