Falling into Fall

The weather might suggest otherwise but I am still wearing flats and my favorite pink ones at that (last seen here). I paired them with cropped black pants from Jcrew factory to make the perfect fall outfit!

Halloween Inspiration

I really love Halloween. I like thinking of a unique costume to wear but even more than that, I love conceptualizing how to creatively and minimally decorate around me. Sure, the normal pumpkin cutout can be seen hanging from the majority of windows on the street and fake webbing in each of the neighboring trees but I like a more DIY approach with interesting ideas that will have everyone stopping to admire and friends asking "where did you get that?" Here is some great inspiration on how to do Halloween the right way, stylishly and on a budget, of course!

FOR THE HOUSE

     FOR THE OUTSIDE

FOR YOU

Homemade Soft Pretzels

 

After talking about doing this for quite some time, I finally made homemade soft pretzels last night. I didn't believe the hype about how easy they were to make but I followed this easy recipe and it only took 30 minutes to prepare and bake these great snacks. To mix it up, I made mini versions and paired them with a vegetarian curry soup similar to this one as a substitute for naan. They were a huge hit and I will definitely be making them again!

 

warm water, yeast, sugar and salt when mixed together

mixed and kneaded pretzel dough ready for rolling

 one finished roll (should be about 18'' long) about to be dipped in egg and formed into a pretzel shape

 

pretzel dough already formed, sprinkled with sea salt and ready to be cooked

baked soft pretzels right out of the oven

 

paired with a hot bowl of curry soup, perfect for fall, and ready for dipping! 

DIY Boxwood Wreath

I love the look of a boxwood wreath! Whether it's more shaped and proper or rustic and messy looking, they always look chic. Since a preserved or fresh boxwood version can set you back anywhere from $60-$100, I decided to recreate a faux DIY wreath myself using supplies from Hobby Lobby and I only spent $37! Although it might not be the real deal, a fake wreath is more ideal for me since my front door isn't shaded but even more importantly, I won't have to buy another one next year. Here's what you'll need to get the look for less (some items I used were not online so I added a link to similar versions) and a breakdown of what you can expect to pay.

14'' Wreath $4.99/ Faux Boxwood stems $5.99 each/ Burlap Ribbon $4.99/ Floral Wire $2.99

WHAT TO DO

First, get your area ready by putting your wreath down on an old blanket or plastic bag for easy clean up (I used an old blanket at first but the wreath was too messy so I put a bag down underneath it instead) and line your faux boxwood stems up being careful not to get them tangled with each other

  

Next, start threading just the stems of your boxwood into the wreath on each of the four sides aiming for the middle (as much as possible) of the sides of the wreath. You can push the stems as far down as possible but be sure the bottoms aren't sticking out anywhere. If you have a few that are, just keep threading them through

Once each stem is threaded, your wreath should look something like this (above)

        

Next, just use the green floral wire to secure the various boxwood buds around the wreath while working them into the twigs and letting some hang out for that desired "rustic" look. I only really secured the major areas that were the heaviest and a few wispy strands but it all depends on what you want it to look like

This is what my wreath looked like after working the various boxwood strands into the twig form for about 15 minutes. I can't stress enough how EASY it is to make this on your own...all you need is patience!

   

 I couldn't make a decision about the burlap so here my wreath is with and without a bow!

  and finally, the finished product!

Treat Your Feet

Pink isn't just for the summertime and an easy way to transition your wardrobe into fall without feeling dreary is by wearing a pop of color somewhere easy, like your feet! I fell in love with all of the pink-toed shoe inspiration below but I decided to scour online to find some more affordable options to sport before my boots come out of hiding.

 Pop of Pink
The Inspiration

Shoes (all sold out): Anne Taylor/ Kate Spade (similar here)/ Carven

Pop of Pink
The Look for Less

 ThreadSence Sincerely Me Flats - $40

Yosi Samra Two Tone Flat - $49

Put a Ring on It

JewelMint has some fantastic rings available right now. Many are replicas of more expensive versions so as you might imagine, they are right up my alley. Below are a few of my current obsessions and they are running a promotion for 20% off the entire site this week using the code YOUSAVE20. The timing couldn't be better so go add some rings to your collection and dress up those fingers with JewelMint's finest.

Flirty Flare

I fell in love with this sold out Tibi Neoprene Sleeveless Flare Dress the minute I saw it on the oh-so-stylish Blair from Atlantic-Pacific. It can be dressed up when worn separately to a party, dressed down with a simple sweater over top or even worn to work with a blazer and boots in the fall. The budgetista in me had to have it but with a price tag of $681, it not being on Ebay and the fact that I couldn't find it anywhere for less than half price, I decided to look for alternative yet similar options instead. Here's what I found!

{THE INSPIRATION}

one dress, four ways to wear it: style inspiration thanks to Atlantic-Pacific

{THE LOOK FOR LESS}

        Neoprene Dress (sold out but on RTR for $85)                 Jersey Dress                            Sleeveless Dress

Into the Mystic

All great vacations must come to an end and there is nothing like coming home but as we crossed the Maryland state line earlier today, I missed more than ever that lovely something about not being able to predict the day-to-day weather. I knew we would get "muggy" back in Baltimore but unlike other vacation spots, an overcast morning in Maine never makes me feel like reading on the couch all day means missing out on something spectacular. I love almost not being able to see the water because of the thick fog, which means I know I have some time to relax before the sun peeks out and in the meantime, I get to listen to the fog horns of each passing boat. We had a lot of those overcast days during our vacation so this, in a recap, is a tiny portion of what I wore when I wasn't in my most comfortable sweats and over sized sweaters.

{ICED COFFEE RUN}

Jcrew Orange Sweatshirt $45 (old), Old Navy Jean shorts $7.97, Sperry 2-Eye Boat Shoes $59.99, Madewell Transport Tote (seen here), Old Navy Jacket (old but similar here)

foggy morning view

{MIXING IT UP}

1. {WEDDING} LuLu's Chevron Dress $46, Impo Wedges from DSW (old but similar here)

2. {INTO TOWN} Joe's Cropped Jeans $152, SheInside Blouse $30.95, Madewell Transport Tote (seen above), Old Navy Sandals $7.97, Ray Ban Aviators $144.95, G.E.T. Anorak Rain Coat $37.99, Walgreens Headband

Boothbay or Bust

The sun is out, it's warmer than 60 degrees (and the temperature is climbing) so I am hitting the tiny beach in Boothbay Harbor...here is what I'm wearing!

{BEACH LOOK BOOK}

1. Yellow Zara Tunic - $9.99   2. Nude Zara Sandals - $49.99   3. AnorakMilitary Jacket - $29.994.
4. Houseof Harlow Sunburst necklace - $80   5. Cuyana City Walk Panama Hat - $58

6. Madewell Transport Tote - $168 (SPLURGE) 7. Sekonda Watch (sold out but similar here)

The Way Life Should Be

I am headed on a much needed vacation to Maine for the next week to witness one of my very best friends from college marry his perfect match. Since I will be off the grid until next Monday, I leave you with my budgetista style plan as I head to New England where everyone is effortlessly stylish and casual, the weather is already feeling like fall and stripes are welcomed year round.

{NEW ENGLAND CHIC}

Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt Brussels

Summer might be ending but you can still enjoy the food you love eating during this time for weeks to come! I have the most simple and delicious recipe for brussels sprouts to keep your summer cooking alive but most importantly, it's cost efficient. Another plus is that the ingredients are all common so you will likely already have them in your own kitchen or use them again, at the very least. This is a great dish to incorporate into any party you host and it will be the least of your cooking worries all night!

Ingredients
1 bag of Brussels Sprouts (approx 15 depending on your serving size)
Sea Salt (I typically use this kind)
Cracked Pepper (i really like mccormick)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Total Cost = $18.99

 after washing off your brussels sprouts, cut off the tips of the ends so they are fresh tasting. using your olive oil, sprinkle each of the tops (just enough to coat the brussels with the extra oil pooling below them in the bowl) and then mix them with your hands so each is lightly coated

douse the olive oil-coated brussels with your cracked pepper and sea salt but do this just enough so it covers the tops of each. once done, mix them again with your hands so the salt and pepper are evenly distributed among each brussels

take your brussels out of the mixing bowl and line them up on an ungreased baking pan. using the olive oil from the bottom of the bowl and drizzle what's left on top then lightly coat each with a bit of both salt and pepper to help them crisp in the oven

lastly, put your brussels in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes and then let them cool for another 5 minutes after taking them out! when cooked, they should be soft in the middle and crispy on the outside. if you prefer that they were a little less cooked, reduce the time to 15 minutes and check on them after 10 minutes, to be sure. once cooled, sprinkle grated parmesan on top and enjoy!

Wedding Blooms

Wedding flowers make the look! It's lovely to see just how many options, colors and styles of flowers are out there for weddings these days and just how much floral choices speak to the couple who pick them. I love arranging flowers so I didn't mind doing mine myself (plus I had some great family help) but if you prefer not to, there are other easy ways to save money when it comes to picking flowers for your own big day. Try a wholesale florist or even a farm close to where you are getting married because they are much more likely to negotiate on the price to get you what you need. Here is what really inspired me when it came to choosing flowers not only for bouquets but the tables and aisle as well.

{THE INSPIRATION}

{Bouquets}

{Table Arrangements}

{Aisle}

{WHAT WE DID}