number 168

image via

welp! it looks like we're well on our way to being homeowners! as of last friday morning, andrew and i are officially under contract on the cutest house ever! (it's a proven fact! - you’ll just have to trust me – no, that’s not it in the picture above) we're overjoyed and have spent the last week crunching numbers, waiting on inspections, and in the spirit of full disclosure: picking out paint colors. we’ve been doing the whole house hunting thing since february and this is as far as we’ve gotten and really feel like this is the one. i cried during the tour. yep, full disclosure.

the excitement is still in full force, but with that comes the anxiety of the biggest. purchase. ever. or at least… since we’ve been on this earth. our realtor is amazing, as is the seller of our cute cute home-to-be, and the process has been really easy and seamless thus far. still, there are some days when i feel like a nervous wreck and want to obsessively drive by the house to make sure no one else has staked their claim on our adorable abode. (yeah, i know i'm nuts) so… anyone out there want to give a little advice on getting through this anxious time for first-time-homebuyers? other than xanax.

number 167

since i got a pretty good response from y'all for last week's tip, here's another one that's quick and to the point, and will be beneficial to YOU and your readers:

this is something that's so simple! for the longest time, i overlooked this tiny task that could have really helped me out. let's say i'm posting about a really cute dress over at queen of the tailgate. be sure to check the tiny box at the bottom of the hyperlink window to "open this link in a new window". (see below!)

this little task will enable your viewers to simply "x" out of the site you've linked out to, and return back to your blog to read for another 3 hours. otherwise, if they're like me, they're getting lost for days browsing the virtual aisles of pottery barn or, worst case, the black hole that is pinterest. 

so maybe you already knew today's trick, maybe you didn't. is there a web trick you'd like to know how to do? ask me! if i don't know, i'll try my best to find out and we'll learn together!

number 166

so i had a little craft time going on at my house sunday afternoon. the sound of football on the tv and the cool crisp air really got me in the mood for a little fall wreath action. here are a few snaps of my little project:

my supplies (cost ~$20, i already had my burlap). i bought a grapevine wreath because they were on sale, and it ended up being better than a foam form one.



i hot-glued the moss directly onto the grapevine wreath, and used a dowel to press it down in between the vines. above, you can see the back of my wreath, which i decided looked fine enough to leave bare. there’s no reason why you couldn’t glue moss on the back as well. below, i laid out my “adornments” the way i liked, then glued them into place. tip: a candle ring works just as well as the loose sprigs of berries, etc!

above, i made my bow, and hot-glued it separately to the hanging burlap piece. for me, i was able to make a prettier bow using this method. if you’re a super craft queen, i'm sure you could make it all one piece! lastly, i covered my letter W in burlap. this step took longer than the whole wreath! i used my wooden dowel to keep the burlap down while the hot-glue dried. tip: this works much better than using fingers!

here’s the finished product!

i hope y’all enjoyed craft time! i really enjoyed this project and hope to continue posting more crafts in the future!

how are you welcoming fall?

number 165

hey y’all! as a quick follow-up to yesterday’s post: queen of the tailgate is giving all OLQC readers 10% off!!

10% OFF
at
promo code:
QUEENCITY

so head on over and stock up on your football frocks!! thanks, QT!

number 164

the weather turned a little cool this weekend, and it has me SO excited for football season (let's be honest, tailgating season)! the south takes their tailgating very seriously, and i thank my stars that i went to a school that's so passionate about their team. reflecting on my SEC roots, i've always loved how the girls really get dressed up for the games! they put in a lot more effort than your typical hokie-tee-and-jeans combo. so here ya go - in case you're looking for a few options to spice up your gameday garb.

1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6

if you're not a hokie, but are still looking for some awesome attire, check out these sites that cater to us gameday gals: twelve saturdays, the red dress boutique, vestique, dress u, sideline sweetie, queen of the tailgate, versei, and adabelles.

number 163

i've mentioned before how much i really enjoy web/graphic design, and i really do enjoy sharing these talents/fun facts/boring stats with others. (sometimes without their consent!) i've learned so much in the past few years, and would love to start sharing some tidbits that have helped me along the way. i give you – for lack of a better title – mousy monday! like a computer mouse? sure!

…so you’ve been asked to do a guest post!
congrats! you must be pretty interesting! i didn’t have the slightest idea how to coordinate a guest post with someone until recently. so let’s get started…

1. upload any images you’ll use in your post onto photobucket or another free photo sharing program. this will ensure that your photos are viewable - even from another blogger’s account
2. log into blogger using YOUR account information and compose your post as you normally would using direct links, provided by photobucket, for inserting your photos
3. once you’re finished, click the “HTML” tab in the top left corner of your post editor – your post WILL turn to a ton of jumbled code, but don’t fret! (see below!) now, copy all of that code.
4. open a text editor on your computer (Word, Notepad, etc.), and paste the copied code into the editor
5. save the text file, and email it to your bloggy friend!

the blogger hosting the guest posts should know what to do, but if not: it’s a simple case of working the above steps backwards. they would…

1. create a new post in their blogger account
2. copy the html code sent from the guest blogger
3. click over to the “HTML” tab in the post editor, and paste the code
4. flip back to adjust any necessary formatting
5. publish!

see? sooooo much easier than having to exchange passwords (eeek!) or add contributors (eeeeeek!). i hope this tutorial answers some lingering questions, or maybe makes you have that “OHHHHH, so that’s how you do it!” moment! if so, let me know!
ok, so now that you’ve listened to me drone on about html codes and the like, is this something that you’re interested in hearing more about? would you like me to continue on my path to more mousy mondays? if so, please leave a comment below, and i'll keep ‘em comin!

number 162

never have i ever…. owned ANYTHING leopard print.

…is something i would have said 2 days ago. yeah y’all! seriously! anything. last night i took a fashion risk (coming from the gal who would much rather be in jeans and a t-shirt every day). i bought a leopard print tunic. this is a big deal for me… and i need a little input! since “animal print” is in its trial run for me, i splurged on this $25 beauty from old navy. now, i know there are some fashion savvy gals out there! how do i wear this without it screaming “meeeeow! i love leopard print!!” ?!

here are a couple combos i put together on my own. which of these would you choose?

1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7

p.s. special thanks to christina and april for letting me take a peek into the "cool blogger gal" club. i met them both for the first time last night, and y'all, these ladies are just too awesome for words! i honestly felt like we'd been friends all along! if you have a blogger community in your area, i highly encourage a meet-up or get together over a glass (or 3 of wine). you can learn so so much and make some great friends in the process! 

number 161

ok. so i was welcoming fall last night with a new mani using essie’s styenomics, and was SO proud of my glossy, un-smudged work! that was…until i woke up this morning and saw at least 10 tiny bubbles on EACH nail. this has happened to me after the last few manicures i've done at home. what the heck?

what the heck? after a little googling, i have found this answer. i hope this saves ya’ll from a ruined manicure in the future as well (click the link below)! btw, stylenomics looks like a dark green in the bottle, but don’t let it fool you – it’s closer to black… i have to say, i'm a teensy bit disappointed!

how to prevent bubbles in manicures

number 160

“thank God for fridays” – andrew in the car this morning. true story, boo. here are a few things i'm loving/excited about:

1 | fall neutrals are comin’ in with full force! the neons and bright hues of summer aren’t completely gone yet, but i've seen a ton of comfy sweaters, riding boots, and neutral hues in my pinterest feed lately. i'm not gonna complain one bit. fall is my favorite time of year: vt tailgating, my birthday, comfy clothes, and gorgeous colors provided by mother nature. fall, i welcome you with open arms. i'm needing a manicure in the worst way, and i think chinchilly is going to suit my mood just fine.

2 | this is an every-night scene in our house around 11pm. we have trained one of our cats to be a real live baby. i'll spare you the 5 minute snuggle-fest video. it’s actually really heartwarming - when we got “bangs” he was very abused and very distrusting of anyone, so it’s nice to see him in a place where he can feel safe around humans again.

3 | andrew and i are heading home this weekend to celebrate a couple of family birthdays, and this little sweet peach will be there as well. (our niece who resides in indiana) i cant wait to kiss those cheeks!

4 | again with the fall comfort – i just can’t wait to get into a flannel shirt and some leggings. pinned here.

5 | pinterest is wonderful for drawing inspiration (or flat out copying, we’re all guilty!) for all things fashion, food, and décor. this awesome print (pinned here) would be a great diy! i might give it a go!

i'm linking up with lauren over at from my grey desk for her weekly “high five for friday!’

happy weekend!

number 159

this weekend i stopped by buffalo exchange in plaza midwood and sold some clothes that weren’t loved anymore. y’know, that cutthroat process of going through your closet saying “didn’t wear this at all last season, see ya later!!” i've gotten much better at donating/selling items than i used to be. i'd hang on to stuff forever – y’know…just in case? i've parted ways with that mentality since the discovery of b.e., and why wouldn’t i? you get cash – on the spot! instant gratification! this time, i opted to spend some of said cash on an in-store purchase (that you get for 50% off!):

via j.crew

yeah, notice that $98 price tag on the j.crew jeans. i got these EXACT pants for $10, and i'm really excited to work them into my fall wardrobe. here are some of my favorite styles i've found for boyfriend jeans:

pinned here

thanks for stopping by today! i'm hoping to be hiding out/become a hermit this weekend/next week before the craziness of the democratic national convention hits town. yikes! oh yeah, and i'm linking up today with jamie for what i'm loving wednesdsay!

what’s your favorite fall fashion?