NUMBER 293

i've noticed a recent change in trend: the pendant necklace is coming back! i still love a good, short statement necklace, but i've found that some casual outfits can be bumped up [just a tad, my style] with a long pendant necklace. after seeing these gorgeous agate necklaces last week by poppy style, i decided to make one of my recent forever 21 purchases do double duty.

i love DIY's that don't really involve DOING anything...they're more like, string this pendant on this necklace and you're done. that's exactly what i did. i recently spent a ton of money on a necklace at forever 21, wait…that’s not right…i got it dirt cheap and less than $5. it’s a nice necklace - i’m wearing it here. this weekend i stopped at hobby lobby and scooped up a [faux] agate pendant for $3 [with my 40% off coupon]. because the quality was so awesome, the little pendant hook came out immediately after i removed the packaging [go figure], and being the glass-half-full type, i simply strung the necklace through the hole in the middle. no pliers needed! now i can easily switch pendants whenever i want! it's the little things, y'all.

NUMBER 284

saturday morning, i had the pleasure of visiting a brand new salon in charlotte. salon twelve26 is just one of the most recent businesses making their home in plaza midwood, and i couldn't be more excited.

upon arriving at the salon, i was greeted by edward, the owner, and tiffany, my stylist - who were both bright and bubbly despite the nasty weather and spending their saturday indoors working. right away, i felt at ease. the atmosphere at the salon is laid back but stylish, all the way down to the indie rock playlist that played throughout the place [a refreshing alternative to the ‘lite hits’ that are usually on at salons]. 

after a consultation with edward and tiffany, we decided that a keratin treatment wasn’t the way to go. i have fine, smooth hair as it is, so i was thankful that they knew their 'stuff' well enough not to sell me on something i really didn't need. i opted for a blowout and a little pampering instead. everyone i met was so genuine, a little edgy [no need to hide tattoos or piercings], and incredibly nice and helpful [that charlotte southern charm]. the queen city is lucky to have salon twelve26.

even though it was a rainy, gross day, and i didn't have any plans to get out of the house. i sure felt glamorous sipping my morning coffee – with volume for days! i scheduled a follow-up appointment for the spring and i can't wait to see the magic they work with my color.

follow salon twelve26 on facebook, twitter, and instagram for beauty tips and gorgeous hair inspiration. thanks so much for having me, y’all! i enjoyed every bit of it.

NUMBER 283

yay! five on friday! i'm linking up again with my favorites [christina, april, darci, & natasha] for the weekly five on friday link party! let's get it started:

1  |  i received this cardigan as a gift for christmas and wish they made one in every color. this is THE most comfortable article of clothing i own. i have a medium, and it's loose enough to be cozy, but fitted enough to wear out running errands.

2  |  another item on my christmas wish list was this paper source planner. since it was a christmas gift as well, i just started using it and LOVE it! paper source is sold out online, but you may be in luck if you have a local store. the large amount of space in the weekly breakdown sold me ... and the gold foil chevron didn't hurt too much either.

3  |  there are some days that only chicken and waffles can fix. after a stressful day at work yesterday, i came home and fixed chicken and waffles for dinner. andrew and i bought a waffle iron in the fall and cannot get enough! is that normal?

4  |  i've never claimed to be a huge football fan, but we'll be spending sunday cheering on our hometown team in the playoffs. our plans don't include going to the game, but DO include beer and hot wings - which is as good as a win in my book! GO PANTHERS!

5  |  lastly, i'm having my first real conditioning treatment done tomorrow. i was contacted recently by a local salon to come in for a service - they suggested the keratin treatment. has anyone ever had this done before? i've only heard good things, but i'm always a little apprehensive when it comes to doing something new to my long hair. image via

HAPPY WEEKEND!

NUMBER 270

cardigan  |  necklace  |  sweater [for him]  |  slippers  |  sweater [for me]

fear not! you may not can count on me for a saturday-thursday post, but i'm not going to miss my five on friday with darci, christina, april, and natasha. we were total scrooges [is that applicable for halloween?!] and left our house [and the lights off] last night! the perks to not having kiddies on halloween is that instead of trick or treating, you get to just "treat yo'self". that was our motto last night when andrew and i made a last minute decision to head down to south carolina and hit up the [empty] outlets! it was a ghost-town, and we pretty much had every store to ourselves. the majority of our damage was done in j.crew and you can see just a few of our goodies above. they were having a massive in-store only sale, and we scored some really great fall and winter pieces for next-to-nothing! we had such a great time, just us two, and finished off the night at an old standby restaurant – outback!

a big congrats to my blog [and real life] friend, april, on her big baby bump announcement! you and ian will make great parents to that little babe! xoxo

HAPPY [NOVEMBER] WEEKEND!

NUMBER 263

DISCLAIMER: i’m a total coupon amateur, but i saw this deal and couldn't pass it up! maybe i'm late to the party on this one y'all, but i had to share the news before it's TOO LATE for you to get in on it too!

i got the 2 items above for $7.99 plus tax. [disregard my basmati rice purchase]. i used target’s mobile coupon for buy one get one free on jewelry, watches, and sunglasses. here’s how you score:

1. download the target mobile app
2. sign up for the mobile coupons under “deals and coupons”
3. pick your 2 jewelry items of choice [the cheapest can be a clearance item, the most expensive can be up to $58.99]
4. have your cashier scan the barcode for this week’s mobile coupon [expires tomorrow]
5. your most expensive item will be the FREE one!

like i said, i’m very green when it comes to couponing. i chould have scored a $50 new watch with a $2 clearance item, but instead i got two items that i know i'll wear. another amateur move: i didn't get a picture of my full receipt. my final total was $11.11 because i needed rice for lunch...so there's that.

HAPPY COUPONING!

*update: i've had mixed messages from some iPhone users saying they can’t see the coupon. i can still view mine which makes me think target may be trying to take this down to save themselves a little $$

NUMBER 256

phillip lim for target (coming soon!)  |  naked 2 palette |  frye paige boots | essie cashmere bathrobe, skirting the issue, after school boy blazer

according to pinterest and every blogger/instagrammer out there, fall is in the air! nevermind that it’s currently 86 degrees outside. it’s definitely by far my favorite season: the season of football, hearty crockpot soups and chilis, chai lattes, boots and leggings, and MY BIRTHDAAAY! i've already started compiling a little wish-list. last year, i [we] got a house for my birthday, so i'm not sure this year will pack as big of a punch [or pricetag]!
i'll be back later this week with a vacay recap! we had a perfect time – i could not have asked for better weather, food, and company!

NUMBER 254

romper  //  wedges  //  knot bangle  //  w. bangle  //  bellini recipe

it was so fun seeing everyone’s lilly sale picks yesterday! admittedly, my only shopping was of the “window shopping” variety. too bad too because this adorable romper could have been accompanying me on my upcoming vacation next week! if you’re shopping the sale today, you’ll see that the majority of the best lilly items are sold out, but if you look hard, you’re sure to find some lingering sales at other retailers. i found this romper for sale at zappos and a smaller LP boutique.

speaking of sales, piperlime is has a HUGE selection of wedges on sale now! i spotted quite a few steals for around $30-$40. there’s definitely something to be said about planning a vacation at the end of summer – end-of-summer sales = great trip wardrobe!

NUMBER 252

in exactly 10 days, i'll be headed to the florida gulf coast for our annual family vacation! we’ve taken a family vacation every year as long as i can remember, and it’s a tradition i look forward to year-round! this past october, my parents bought a brand new house, WE bought our first house, and my brother wrapped up his first year living in the big city – we were all feeling like vacation was going to be put on the back burner this year. lo and behold, my dad decided in may that he just couldn’t settle for a beach-less summer, and we all agreed that it’s something we'd rather not miss out on either!

*tip: waiting until the rates drop in mid-august is our go-to saving secret! we might have to fight a hurricane or two, but it’s worth it to save at least 50% on a condo….right?

so since i've obviously got this beach trip on the brain, here are a few essentials that i'm adding to my beach bag this year:

1  |  a monogrammed beach towel: i'm obsessed with this bright and funky ikat print from haymarket designs. pop a monogram on it and it’s that much better, in my opinion! beach towels should be going on sale any day now, if you’re budget saavy like me, score one of those, and drop it by your local monogram shop. you’re likely to score a custom monogrammed towel for under $20!

2  |  an insulated mason jar: i have my trusty tervis prepped and ready for the beach, but this cutie looks like she needs a home too! i would love to make a big batch of cucumber water to sip on all day, and the insulated plastic would make sure that beverage is coooold – a MUST!

3  |  c.wonder tortoise shell sunglasses: traditional tortoise meets glam goddess. these oversized shades would look great on anyone!

4  |  ihome portable speaker: if you invest in anything for the beach, this would be $20 well spent. andrew got one of these portable speakers for christmas this year, and we’ve used it so much! smaller than a coke can, the ihome plugs right up to your cell phone or ipod [using the headphone jack] and pumps out HOURS of music – and high quality sound too! it’s easily re-charged through a usb cord! you can bet this guy will be spending a LOT of time by me!

5  |  vineyard vines gingham whale hat: i love a white ball cap at the beach. there’s just something about a salty ponytail and a baseball hat that makes me feel effortlessly beach-chic. ok, maybe not “chic” maybe just like a college gal again. hah!

6  |  tory burch flip flops: something to slip on, so the sand doesn’t sear the bottoms of your feet. there’s always that 1 time when i attempt to make a mad dash to the pool/trashcan/my towel and end up gracefully skipping leaping in strides like a mad woman across the sand to get there. flip flops, laura – not to be neglected!

7  |  neutrogrena cooling sunscreen: i was immediately intrigued by this when alex blogged about her beach necessities a few weeks back. i'm hoping to score some of this on sale at cvs soon to test it out myself. this might be my first summer ever that getting a black bear tan isn’t a number 1 priority. the older i get, the more i'm thinking about my skin. it’s by no means perfect at this point, but i've gotta keep the good stuff in place! it’s the only skin i've got! this vacation it’s spf 35+ all.week.long.

what are you favorite beach essentials? anything i left off my list?

NUMBER 249

so this little nugget of information popped in my inbox this morning…

click the image above to visit the sale, or if that’s too tempting, just stay here for a few and check out my picks. click the images below to be taken directly to the sale item! disclaimer: *i'm all talk, i'm not buying a single thing from the sale on account of me saving every penny for vacay.

HAPPY [WINDOW] SHOPPING

NUMBER 248

woo. i thought summer was supposed to be a time for rest and relaxation? i don’t know about you, but for me, it’s been the busiest summer ever. work has been crazy and we’ve been going and doing LOTS on the weekends. those few and far-between weekends that we're actually home - in charlotte - are so precious and makes for a relaxing and welcome weekend! i'm starting this one off by linking up with some of my favorites for five on friday. shall we?

1  |  we have a visitor coming this weekend!!! our friend and fellow crazy cat lady, jessica, is coming to see the new house and play in charlotte! i'm planning on making my spinach and bacon quiche which is my go-to impress-the-guests dish. i'm SO looking forward to devouring cowfish tonight and doing girly things tomorrow while the boys are golfing!

2  |  i scored a new curling iron this week and can’t wait for her arrival. for years and years, i've been using a 1.25” barrel conair curling iron. after using alex’s 1” one a few months ago, i was amazed at how long my curls stayed and how much more i loved my hair. when i saw the hot tools curling iron for $25 on amazon, i just couldn’t pass it up!

3  |  a gorgeous friday morning calls for iced coffee! i swung through dunkin’ this morning and picked up a butter pecan iced coffee and man, i'm glad i did. i'm sure it has everything to do with my incredible amount of productivity today. AND it’s delicious!

4&5  |  i've become obsessive lately about making my genetically ginormous pores smaller. this combination has worked better than anything i've tried yet. i first invested in the pore refining toner, and not too long after, decided it couldn’t hurt to get the cleanser as well. i use both nightly with my clarisonic, and in the morning i use the cleanser before applying my makeup. i've read lots of articles about how much better it is to apply makeup to a clean face in the morning, and it only took me 13 years to make it a habit. my makeup goes on SO much better and actually has more staying power. not to mention, my complexion definitely thanks me for a morning wash. now, my next thing to master: any advice on anti-aging for oily skin – send that my way as soon as humanly possible!

HAPPY [AUGUST] WEEKEND!

NUMBER 238

boots |  phone case |  bag  |  umbrella

mother nature has apparently decided she wants to give charlotte a daily downpour. there i am shopping [usually at the grocery store], and while i'm enjoying delicious deli samples and perusing fancy cheeses, i hear the massive raindrops start banging on the tin roof. at this point, i know i should be prepared for a quick “sprint” to the car – only to arrive there drenched, humid, and mad. i use the term “sprint” loosely, because c’mon, i've got groceries [and we all know physical activity running is not my forte]. today, i've put together a little list that would make my rainy day running-around more enjoyable!

NUMBER 222

today, i'm linking up with sweet jaime for what i'm loving wednesday – something i haven’t done in a while, but it’s nice to revisit old friends, right?

1  |  do i carry a laptop everyday? no. do i need an excuse to buy a super cute laptop bag? perhaps. currently eyeballing this cutie from better life bags – you may have heard of her from kate @ the small things blog. at $75 for a custom sized bag, you really can’t go wrong!

2  |  i've been daydreaming of the day that my girlfriends would make the trek down to visit me in charlotte and see our new home. i'm loving the look of this light and airy guest bedroom. add a few southern living mags, some fresh flowers, they’ll be happy call this place home for an extended stay! (source)

3  |  if you walked into old navy today, you’d find at least 8-10 items that look like they hopped off right the overpriced racks at jcrew. i snagged some incredible look-a-likes over the weekend, including this pair of adorable paisley printed shorts, this gingham shirt (got it in black gingham, only in stores, i guess), and this comfy tee. debating hitting the store again this week to snag these sweet gingham shorts.

4  |  i spend an absurd amount of time being jealous of andrew’s long eyelashes. it’s just not fair – he doesn’t need lashes that long and thick – I DO! i've been very leery of the large price tags, so i hadn’t tried a growth serum on my eyelashes yet. BUT i saw where this loreal kit is on sale for less than $7, so i snagged it and am excited about giving it a try. if it ends up working (even the slightest bit) you can bet i'll share the love and do a review. i may/may not have already taken my “before” pics!

PS – don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a shopping credit at ADAIR! the giveaway ends this friday!

NUMBER 221

so remember that time i was a fashion blogger? yeah, me either. today, i am one of "those girls". the ones who laugh ever so casually while giving that shy upward glance (because that's totally natural and not staged at all). the ones who sweet talk their husbands/boyfriends/so into having a rather large photo session in the back yard. the ones who give away dresses and gift cards to awesome boutiques. yes! that's me today!

sweet sydney over at adair (a charlotte-based online boutique) recently reached out to me and asked that i style their gorgeous "heat is on" maxi. a red dress is a little bit of a challenge – especially for a gal like me. red is such a BOLD color - often worn by women who want to make a statement, who want the spotlight. i, on the other hand, am perfectly comfortable OUT of the spotlight… but that’s another story for another day.

it actually ended up being really fun to make this bold statement dress a little more “me”. i added a chambray shirt to make it a bit more casual and cool weather friendly. i threw on my booties to keep in trendy, but in all honesty, when i wear this dress again, i’ll most likely be in flippy flops or my favorite tory sandals.


dress: c/o adair | shirt: old navy | belt: forever 21
bracelets: david yurman,john hardy | earrings: silpada  | booties: steve madden
not bad, right? today, we’re giving away a $30 credit so you can shop online at adair too! to win, you must follow our life in the queen city through google friend connect, bloglovin, or feedburner. additional entries can be earned below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

NUMBER 219

i love a good deal! over the weekend i ran across a dead ringer look-a-like for an item i'd been eyeballing at j.crew factory. check it out:

i've been on the hunt for a utility jacket as soon as i saw cute emily sporting hers last fall. i waited too long to pull the trigger at j.crew, and they sold out. now, i'm glad i waited! i spotted the copycat at jpc and snatched that baby up! fyi, the look-a-like version isn't quite that green in real life. so go get it girl!

NUMBER 210

we tuned into the grammys last night, and i'll say i was SO pleased with the winners this year! all of my favorites won (carrie, fun., and the black keys), and i just went to bed feeling so happy!

so…lets get down to business. overall, i was a little disappointed with the fashion of the night. everyone seemed a little bored (and boring). maybe it was just the absence of those we love to hate: nicki minaj and lady gaga.

rihanna is probably one of my least favorite artists of all time (pink gets 1st runner up), but in my opinion, her red carpet look was the best of the night. her hair was perfection, and i love love love the shape and the movement of her dress. however, i do wish she would have covered up her goods in the front a bit more – there’s no question about it, that dress was sheer.

another best dressed was girls star: allison williams, and katy perry’s date for the night. i thought this was a really pretty, classic look – she’s not a nominated artist (or even in music, that i’m aware of), so wearing a show-stopping ball gown or some outrageous getup would be in bad taste (in my opinion).

honorable mention: taylor swift, adele, florence welch, jayz. i'm just glad to see adele in something other than black.

i wont go into a lengthy discussion about the worst dressed, kat dennings or carly rae jepsen. kat did a decent job of maintaining her ‘girls’ but the tie dye, sparkly, rouched, saran wrap look just isn’t working for me. i think carly rae chose a beautiful dress, but she’s swimming in it. it just seems to me that she picked this dress right off the rack and never had a fitting. her hair style, that signature mouth-open stare (not pictured), and the blue eyeshadow…just wrong.

honorable mention: beyonce, jennifer lopez, carrie underwood (performance outfit – didn’t like the LED dress in concert, don’t like it now), faith hill, john mayer

who were your hits and misses?

NUMBER 208

thanks so much for the great responses to the "date my bro" post. keep 'em comin!

and in case you need a little pep in your step today...

being delivered to me, as i type.

love it in flame too!

i'm not a big pink girl, but if i was…

the lauralee is perfect for a night out on the town..or if your name is laura leigh (kate, you were so close).

diggin the red…

just gorgeous, but you’re out of luck – unless you’re a size 11.

these, on the other hand, are still in stock…. i would wear these beauties everyday.

i’ve already picked out my new pretties, have you?

and andrew, if you’re reading this, stop sweating, i didn’t buy all of these.

NUMBER 202

1  |  the weather has been just plain crappy this week, and i'm desperately needing a manicure. i'm thinking that something bright like essie’s snap happy with lighten my mood!

2  |  i hit up the MASSIVE new forever 21 in concord over the weekend and got some awesome new trendy pieces including this sparkly number. i'm sporting it today with a classic grey crewneck sweater and skinnies!

3  |  i've been eyeballing the kate spade grove court maise for some time now, and although the cobalt may be a bit bold for me, the style is definitely right up my alley.

4  | charlotte’s restaurant week kicks off this weekend, and it’s something andrew and i look forward to year round! we’ve got a couple of friends coming to visit, and we’re looking forward to showing them one of our favorite parts of living in charlotte [the food!]. this year, our plans are to visit the capital grille [our RW tradition] and bistro la bon in plaza midwood [for the first time].

5  |  i’ve never been a lipstick girl [it’s usually just chapstick or maybe lip gloss if i'm feeling real fancy], but i've been trying it out lately. this bobbi brown nude is perfect for me – simply for the idea of getting used to wearing something a little heavier on my lips. the shade is almost the exact color of my lips [but prettier] and gives me that great nude look without being washed-out.

**if you haven’t already, don’t forget to enter the fabulous May Books giveaway happening NOW! giveaway ends TOMORROW at midnight!

NUMBER 197

i love a good bargain buy - the feeling that i'm getting something awesome for a low price, is seriously one of my favorite things. so again, i'm putting together some of my favorite beauty bargain buys as of late.

1 | suave keratin infusion dry shampoo ($4). i've tried each end of the spectrum on dry shampoo: first, testing the waters with the cheapo tre semme which left my hair powdery and clumpy. ain’t nobody got time for that. then my awesome hairdresser let me test the kenra dry shampoo, which just didn't have enough power for my thick mane and left me smelling too sweet. after seeing a review for the suave dry shampoo online, i had to hunt it down and give it a go, and i'm so glad i did. the smell is amazing - like that just left the salon, can't quit sniffing your hair, smell. AND it works - even for a gal like me who constantly has her hands in her hair - it's a flaw, i know. fyi: could only find this product at food lion.

2 | the nyc eyeliner pencil ($1) is probably the best known beauty buy out there. you can find these at your local drugstore, and for a dollar each, you can’t go wrong. i'm a gel eyeliner girl all the way, but pencil is perfect for those “gotta wear makeup, but not look made up” days. also, i always use pencil on my lower lashes – just smudged a bit.

3 | maybelline color sensational lipcolor ($5.50). recently, i’ve been testing the waters with red lipstick. i've NEVER been a lipstick girl, but i want to be! i love the look of a casual red lip, and this let me see if i liked it before i committed to a pricey brand. for longer wear, put on 1 coat, blot, pat lightly with loose powder, then apply a 2nd coat. or you could just wipe it off (like i've been known to do), realize that your lips are stained, and be stuck with red lips anyway. sidenote: minorly obsessed with tswift and her adorable self lately.

image via

4 | sally hansen hard as nails strengthener ($3). i change my nail polish pretty often, and i began to realize that my nails were actually drying out and splitting more than usual. i've been applying this goodness as my basecoat for some time now and have noticed less splitting and less chipping on my homemade manis! yay!

5 | i use the up & up makeup cleansing towelettes ($6?) every night before i wash my face. even though i use my clarisonic every night too, completely removing my makeup first really really helps keep my skin clear. no need to splurge on a fancy brand - these gals will get the job done!

see my other bargain beauty buy post here.

what’s your favorite beauty buy on a budget?

number 185

  
it’s wednesday! i haven’t played in a while, so i figured i'd link up with jamie for what i'm loving wednesday! can i get a “hallelujah” for the week being halfway over?

christmas is just around the corner, but i've been eyeballing several things for myself lately! i'm going to have to hold off for a little longer, and just tack ‘em onto the wishlist!

1  |  i drink my coffee out of my huuuge tervis tumbler every morning. it keeps my brew hot much longer than my regular ol' mug. so i'm putting a monogrammed tervis on my wish list this year (24 oz, please!), but wanna hear a sad story? my circle monogram is terrible! sob story, i know.

meh.

2  |  this balsam and cedar footed candle. i spotted this beauty in a boutique over the weekend – she is not only beautiful, but smells amazing! since i'm allergic to real christmas trees (another sad story), i need her to fill my home with the seasonal scent we all love so much!

3  |  ok, so shrimp and grits isn’t on my christmas wish list. this one i'm taking care of myself. i've been craving it like a crazy person lately, and i plan on making this recipe this weekend. if you have an amazing recipe for s&g, please please share!

4  |  lastly, on cyber monday, i sat for about an hour with these leggings from loft in my online shopping cart. i'm feeling really smart right now, because not only are they not half off anymore, they’re sold out. (i'm really full of sad stories today, right?) hopefully santa snagged a pair before they were all gone!

hope everyone’s having a wonderful week! p.s. who’s buying lottery tickets tonight? 500 MIL? yes, please!

what are you loving this wednesday?

number 173

so i'm hoppin’ back on the blog train this week by linking up with jamie for a little “what i'm loving wednesday”… enjoy!

i've totally got fall on the brain, as you can see from #'s 1 and 4.

1  |  you can skip offering me that pumpkin spice latte from starbucks or anything pumpkin flavored. i'm loving the sugary-sweetness of the brach’s mellowcreme pumpkins. so what if i've already polished off an entire bag a few this season.

2  |  with this dream-house purchase in our midst, we’re in the market for a new couch. i'm loving a few of my favorites pictured above (1, 2, 3).

3  | i'm loving browsing craigslist every.single.day for the perfect vintage dresser. our new home only has 1 bathroom, so i have every intention of taking over one of the guest rooms and making it my very own girly getting-ready haven.

4  | i'm loving plaid. and the fact that fall is just around the corner. i definitely rushed it a bit this week by sporting my boots yesterday when the high was 80 degrees. whoops. anyway…i'm always on the hunt for the perfect plaid flannel shirt. too bad this one is for men. would it still work?

hope everyone’s having a great week!