Versatile Blogger Award

Happy Halloween everyone! I'm so excited to announce that I was nominated by Jennifer from Shopping Bags & Travel Bags for the Versatile Blogger Award!! Thank you, Jennifer, for this amazing honor! You will absolutely adore her style, so be sure to check out her blog linked above. The purpose of this award is to gather bloggers together, encourage to support one another & find new blogs to read!

Here are the rules…

-Thank the person ( or people…) who nominated you.
-Link back to their blog.
-Tell us seven facts about yourself.
-Nominate fifteen bloggers and link to their blogs.

Here are 7 facts about me:

1.  My bucket list consists mainly of places I want to visit.
2.  It's the little things that make me happy every day like a great cup of coffee and a good book.
3.  I always need to have noise in the background, whether it's music or my favorite TV show.
4.  I have anxiety and I'm learning to cope with it.
5.  My favorite part about any vacation is going out to eat.
6.  My house is always a mess and barely decorated because I have two kids that destroy everything.
7.  I love my little family, but I'm the only girl in the house so this blog is the perfect outlet for me!

I nominate:

Katie – Summer on Winter Lane

Rhiannon – File It Under Style

Kristen – Suburban Renovation

Mikayla – A Seersucker State of Mind

Stephanie – Urban Blonde

Michele – Classic & Gray

Kate – Kate Frans

Lauren – La Vie Petite

Hope – Tassels and Tabbies

Rachel – All Things Pink

Rebecca – American Sweetheart

Brittany – The Lady Lawyer

Jenna – Champagne and Polkadots

Ela – Wunder Bliss

Amber – All The Cute

Have a great weekend and thank you all for your continued support!!

Cardigan Love

Who doesn't love cozy-ing up in their favorite cardigan or sweater?!? After a beautiful Indian Summer, Fall weather is here to stay and what better way to enjoy it than with a chunky knit. Fringe is in and in a big way. Once I saw this cardigan and all its detail, including fringe, I had to have it. Knits, in general, have really stepped it up this year. Boring, old sweaters are out the window. I've been seeing some of the most beautiful sweaters and cardigans this year with amazing details and design. I'll link a few below that I can't stop drooling over ;)

I went with my friend Laurie, of Hello Sweetheart Photography, to find a Christmas tree farm to shoot her Christmas mini sessions. Side note, if you live in central PA and would love to have a mini session done, please contact me and I will put you in touch with her! She did our family pictures that I will be sharing on the blog soon and you will love her work! Anywho, I wore my new cardigan and it was so warm and comfy, it was perfect for our outing. From the length to the colors to the shape, I love everything about it and it'll be perfect to layer up in this winter.

Cardigan: here here here and here | Hat: here and here | Shoes: old, similar here
Jeans: here | Cami: here | Sunglasses: Ray-Bans

Makeup Essentials Part 1

I've been getting questions about which makeup products I use, so it's time to do a post about some of my favorites that I can't live without. There are so many great products out there that I won't be able to just throw everything into one list, so I'm hoping to do a makeup essentials post every couple weeks. If you are on a budget like me, it's always tough to stay on top of makeup trends. I usually stick to my tried and true products and save where I can. Some things are definitely worth a splurge, and others not so much. I usually try to find the best, most affordable products and if I'm lucky, I'll even get some more expensive items as a gift ;)

1. Hoola by Benefit Bronzing Powder. This has been a favorite of mine for at least 10 years now. I'm a die hard fan and have turned on so many of my friends to this bronzer. When doing my makeup, I usually contour with different shades of foundation, but sometimes I add Hoola for an extra pop. However, there are lots of days I don't feel like dealing with all the foundation so it's perfect to contour without the fuss and still get that sun-kissed glow. Worth the splurge. here

2. Loreal Voluminous Mascara. I don't know about you, but I've tried so many different types of mascara, even expensive brands, and Voluminous mascara is still my favorite hands down. Mascara is just not where I want to spend lots of money. I go through it so much faster than other products, so when I have to keep replacing it, I want something affordable and reliable. Pictured above is the Blackest Black color, but my favorite is probably Carbon Black. here

3. Sonia Kashuk Brow Definer. One of my favorite brands right now is Sonia Kashuk from Target. It's slightly more expensive than your typical grocery store brands, but still very affordable and I've been really happy with the quality. Big brows are in, so I'll take any help I can get! The color I use pictured above is Haze. here

4. Trish McEvoy Essential Balm Color. These next two were gifts and I absolutely love them. It's very hard to buy someone a lip color because some colors don't work for everyone, but I think it's safe to say these are a good bet and they make the perfect nude together. This product is in the form of a pencil so you can line your lips and fill them in like a lipstick. The color is Gorgeous Pink. here

5. Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster SPF15 Lip Gloss. Not only is this a beautiful shade, but it offers you protection from the sun which is so important these days. One thing I love about Trish McEvoy products is that they are flavored, so I always have a minty taste in my mouth. The color is called Sexy Nude and it's one of my favorite nude colors that I've tried, very on trend right now! here

Color Me Fall

We are having the most beautiful weather in Lancaster, PA and it was definitely worth it after all that rain last week. I texted my friend Laurie from Hello Sweetheart Photography and asked her to get together to shoot some fall looks. She was also able to scout out locations for our upcoming family shoot that I'll be so excited to share in a couple weeks!

One of my favorite necessities during fall and winter are blanket scarves. I can't live without them and I suggest you invest in a few! Not only do they dress up any look and can add gorgeous pops of color, but they are so warm and comfy, you won't be able to leave the house without them this winter. Also, keep and eye out on my Instagram feed, I'll be doing a blanket scarf giveaway this month!

Blanket Scarves: here here here and here | Sweater: here |
Jeans: Hudson (old) | Boots: here

Dressing Up...A Salad

Hi everyone! So as you all know, my focus is on fashion. I'm definitely not a food blogger, but I do love food. Who doesn't?! However, I wanted to share my recipe for a salad dressing because I not only love it, but it's so easy to make. I'm usually not a fan of bottled, grocery store dressing anyway, but this is the perfect recipe for someone that wants to make a homemade dressing and not take up a lot of time. It's also so yummy, light and refreshing and my take on an Italian vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil
3.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar (could try balsamic)
   1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to a container and shake well. That's it! The best part is you can play around with it to your liking. You can always add more salt or pepper to taste. Sometimes I add about 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese to it.

My favorite salad to throw together with this dressing is romaine lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, red onion and your favorite type of olives (green, black or kalamata). It's such a beautiful array of colors and will dress up any dinner party!