WIWW November

Hi Y'all! It's been awhile since I have linked up....I just never feel my ensembles are worthy of posting (I had this conversation with myself this morning as I got dressed....it went a lil something like this....today I am going to wear jeans and a sweater...hhhmmmm, not worthy of posting...wish I was wearing something fashion forward, wish I had some new cute heels....wish I liked wearing heels) and at the end of the conversation with myself I decided I am doing ok....I am getting dressed, not schlumping around so it's worth it, right?!?!

Here was last Tuesday's outfit (we'll call it the the day before the madness - LOL!!)

Sweater - Limited via the thrift

Leopard Skirt - Thrifted

Brown Tights - Old

Grey Boots - Target Last winter

Thanksgiving Day....really LOVED the dress, got lots of compliments BUT just didn't photog well...and you can't tell in the pic either BUT I am wearing plum colored tights (that have a pattern - I didn't know that until I put them on). I asked my daughter is I should wear brown tights or purple and she says "purple"...then later she says "I can't believe you are wearing purple tights!!" My girl doesn't take chances, or enjoy the frou-frou.....

Anyway, onto the outfit details....

Brown "velvet" dress - Thrift

Plum Tights - Marshall's

Brown Suede Heeled Mary Janes - OLD Target 2004

Vintage Pearls - Great Aunt's

And here is Saturday's outfit....sadly I didn't get a WIWW pic SO a group shot will have to do!!

Peace Hat - Family Dollar

Red Plaid Shirt - Black Friday STEAL at Target

Black Tank - Target 2009

Vintage Pearls - Great Aunt

What you CAN'T SEE

Black Jeggings - Seven via Marshall's

Leopard Rain Boots - Aldi

Check out Lindsey's blog http://thepleatedpoppy.com/2011/11/what-i-wore-wednesday-46/ for more WIWW

SALTINE TOFFEE

My girlies and I had a cookie / gift exchange this past weekend. After preparing a Thanksgiving meal for 16 I wanted an EASY cookie recipe (and something different that I haven't done before). So I turned to the Food Network magazine and found a simple Saltine Toffee cookie recipe. I tweaked it a lil to avoid an allergic reaction to nuts (I will list both recipes below). Here is how they came out.....

While out Black Friday shopping (did y'all go?) I picked up these simple glass vintage looking mason jars at Dollar Tree (I knew I wanted something cute and classic that would display the cookies).....
I added lime green (my signature color) ribbon to the jars (there are cute lil brown pinstripes and the words Let it snow printed on the ribbon)....

TA-DA!! Here they are with the toffee!! LOVE the way they came out....just as I pictured in my head (don't you LOVE when that happens?!?!)

Here we are (SORRY GIRLS.....DON'T hate me ☺ ). Jenny and I are wearing almost identical plaid shirts (I SWEAR we didn't plan it that way!!). I got mine at Target Black Friday for $10.00 and I got my daughter a matching one - won't we be so cute - and THAT will be intentional!

SALTINE TOFFEE

*32 Saltine Crackers *1 stick of butter

* 1/4 cup brown sugar *1/4 cup granulated sugar

*1 cup chocolate chips *Chopped Peanut Brittle (my substitute)

OR *Chopped Pecans (original recipe)

Lay saltines on foil lined baking sheet. Pre-heat oven to 375. Boil butter and sugars until melted. Spoon sugar mixture over crackers (I used a small ladle and did each individual cracker so they didn't stick together). Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chocolate chips (again I did each individual cracker) and bake again for 1 minute. Remove from oven and spread chocolate evenly over each cracker. Sprinkle topping of choice (peanut brittle or pecans) and chill. (I found putting them in the fridge for a few hours worked best). ENJOY!!

GATHER

While perusing blogland I stumbled on Carla's blog http://hammersandhighheels.blogspot.com/2011/10/revisiting-our-fireplace-diy-projects.html and found this image....

I INSTANTLY loved it and knew I wanted to adapt it and create it for my home.....and here is MY version......

When sans mantle (or mantel) one must get a lil creative! I hung my banner from eye screws screwed into the sides of the book shelves (please don't look at the lack of decorating there....still haven't reorganized after the birthday party this past weekend).

I used vintage dictionary book pages (the same I used in the project last week) and simply printed directly on them. Cut 2 slits in the top using an exacto knife and threaded onto jute twine (I LOVE jute twine and use it for many projects)
Here's a close-up of the FAB iron turkey that friends and family covet every Thanksgiving. Purchased Tom many years ago at an auction in Minnesota.....
Have a GREAT day!

Acorns

While blog surfing the other day I found this image.......

Aren't they the most FAB things you have ever seen? Rustic and flashy all in one! L O V E!! Ironically enough I happened to have the supplies on hand......
Well kind of....I thin she used a string of sequins.....I went the old fashioned way (remember those ornaments from the 70's? My mom had a ton!) and pinned each sequin in....

Just in cases you didn't believe I actually did it.....nah, that's not why I took the pic! This lil project prompted a family craft night.....everyone wanted to join in! Which was perfect because I had spent the day LOOKING for a project for all of us and came up with nothing....then BAM! While blog surfing, I hit the jackpot!!
TA-DA!! Here are mine on display.......

Aren't they great?!?!? Fall-y and FAB!! Perfect rustic elegance and they look so good with this display!
Here is my version of the original one I saw.....silver sequins and jute twine top.....
....and OF COURSE I had to add my pearls!! This was a strand of small seed pearls (that I got over the summer at an estate sale knowing I'd always find a use later)...I simply glued the pre-strung (thank you previous owner) stand all around the styro egg and topped with jute twine!

The original base of silver sequins with a mustard yellow yarn top......

One wreath...many ways

I needed 2 wreath forms for CHEAP! Found these lovely 80's throwback wreaths at the Thrift Store....I got lucky, one was 1/2 off and sadly the other was full price (due to their "color" tags) BUT still, they were only $3.80 for both!

Since they were similar in shape and size, I knew they were perfect! I got to work taking EACH piece of fabric out of the wreaths....
They were stuck into these holes.....
TA-DA!! After they were stripped of their 80's garb!
I cut this skirt into strips.....
And used this skirt to make rosettes (these fab coral beauty was only .10 and adds great texture)

Here is the wreath covered in the grey skirt and embellished with paint chip pennants for my daughter's birthday.
And here they are for the month of November.....

Felt flowers, the orange rosettes and blue fabric rosettes.....I printed out give thanks on green card stock (in a perfect world there would have been green felt flowers too BUT I couldn't find lime green felt)
For Christmas I will add maybe some glittery snowflakes....not sure yet. What I did know going into the project was that eventually the front doors will be painted black (and the grey and orange will pop) and that grey and orange are my neutrals. If you give this project a try, I'd love to see it!

Give Thanks

I LOVE Christmas as much as the next girl BUT I am NOT going to rush it (now that's not to say I haven't listened to a few carols that they are already playing on the radio) BUT I haven't put my tree up yet, decorated the house or even began making things for the season. I believe we need to remember Thanksgiving....take the time to be thankful for all the blessings in our lives, no matter how awful things sometimes seem.....with that being said, I do have a few lil fall / thankful decorations up.....

Got this beauty at the Salvation Army....LOVED the color and the shape.....

ANd the price! That's right peeps. $1.95!! This can be used for thanksgiving and every holiday there after! Christmas full of vintage balls, New years full of clock faces, Valentine's Day - hearts of course, St. Patty's - shamrocks, Easter - eggs, Summer - shells! I wouldn't put food in there because I do believe the previous owner painted it.
For now I have a few pinecones (I am having the hardest time finding somewhere to collect the lil buggers!!) and the leaves that were in my flower arrangement.

I simply added some acorns to the base of this glitterati candle that I put into a silver pedestal bowl.....
and displayed it here on the shelf in the entry hallway.....
This is the lil frame next to the number 7 above. It's a vintage dictionary page that just so happened to have a turkey pic next to the definition!!
Which prompted the turkey drawing on the silver chalkboard tray (this display is missing something BUT as usual I will be decorating up until the doorbell rings Thanksgiving day!!)
I printed this out on my computer......

In the China hutch I displayed my Great Grandma's vintage Wheat china (which we will be using for Thanksgiving dinner)

I am linking up at Bungalow http://www.thebungalowblogonline.com/ she's hosting a Thanksgiving Linky party!

Indoor S'More's

Have any of you had that nasty 2 part cold that's been going around? We're on our second week with it and it stinks! Being sick means staying in. resting and watching tv......BUT you need a yummy snack, right?!?!

We chose indoor S'Mores! Now I am SURE I am NOT the first person to do this (in fact, we used to do this all the time BUT with the microwave).

Here is all the yummy S'More goodness (notice the pretty fleur de lis chocolate squares)

Wait, in the above pic I forgot our roasting skewers (which is ok, they kinda ruin the pretty in the picture)
As you can see, we simply held the marshmallow over the stove flame (I did remove the burner grates to avoid marshmallow mess madness) and kids, you need mom and dad's supervision!!
Just in case your marshmallow catches on fire.....mom can blow it out! (remember, I was sick...no make-up and comfy fleece - how scary!!)
mmmm, mmmm good! The perfect Indoor S'more!
Kid tested - MOTHER APPROVED!!
Have a GREAT day! Try your own indoor S'More today!!

WIWW

I took lots of pics this week for what I wore Wednesday.....So many that I contemplated posting a pic a day....BUT I love linking up with Lindsey at the Pleated Poppy http://thepleatedpoppy.com/2011/11/what-i-wore-wednesday-42/. Here is WIW Friday...my guy and I had the day to ourselves while the kiddies were in school, so we went thrifting and out to lunch.

Mustard Sweater - Thrifted

Grey T-Shirt - Old Navy

Black Jeggins - Seven via Marshall's

Boots - Coach

Purse - Coach

Wallet - Marshall's
Necklace - Thrifted

These are the silly outtakes (I was trying to show my ring)
Leopard Ring - Aerie

Saturday was an easy breezy day (read about it in my previous post) SO I wanted to be comfy....

Black Velour Hoodie - Thrifted

Black Striped Skully Bling Tank - Disneyworld

Black Velour Pants - Don't remember

Flip Flops - Wal-Mart
Sunday morning was church and I decided to try mixing prints.....and wearing booties with something other than jeans (I see these looks on y'all's blogs and I LOVe the look but for me, I felt uncomfortable the entire morning). What I wore.....

Floral Cardi - Thrifted

Black and white polka dot dress - Thrifted

Red Belt - Thrifted

Booties - Kmart 2009

I felt like I was ready to take off in flight.....
or say OLE!!! Tell me, what do you think? Hit or miss on this one?
Later Sunday afternoon I met my girls for lunch at Maggiano's and I wore this.....

Black Jacket - Lane Bryant

Lace Corset T - Wal-Mart

Jeans - Don't remember

Boots - Thrifted

Pearls - Vintage

See these boots? Above I mentioned they were thrifted.....Nine West
I paid $4.99, they were brand new from Nordstrom rack retailing for $59.90 and I paid $4.99!! Now, the trick here was I bought them back in May, when suede shoes were not in season, BUT I sure was happy to pull them out in November! Buy off season for staples - YOU WILL SAVE!!

Off to see what y'all wore!