family time with a little inspiration

benji, my mom and i all went on a saturday afternoon drive to Highlands, NC for a little leaf lookin' and some family time. it's quickly becoming an annual tradition for us. we drove along the winding roads and got to town where we spent some time exploring and shopping a little. we also made a stop by buck's coffee, one of the cutest coffee shops ever. the town was celebrating halloween and with all of the adorable trick-or-treaters lining the sidewalks and the small town feel it felt like a real life 'Hocus Pocus', one of my favorite movies.

we also stopped in a favorite shop of mine, Dutchmans Design. some of the merchandise gave me some ideas for crafting. i think this light fixture is such a great idea. it's made of old canning jars that have been strung up and randomly lit. it would be really easy to make and would make such a statement!

don't you just love this?

another really great idea is to make a candle holder out of a really pretty wine bottle that you just can't bring yourself to throw out. this would be great for a kitchen table or countertop accessory.

i thought this chandelier was really neat. all you would need to make for this would be a few metal rings in different sizes, paper clips, and pages out of old books. love it!

coffee date

heaven in a cup.

pumpkin and white chocolate lattes at inman perk.

after being lazy at our apartment saturday afternoon benji and i decided to go out for a cup of coffee and a stroll around downtown. i love going on autumn walks. the brisk air, smell of coffee, pumpkins on doorsteps, colorful trees, fallen leaves lining the streets, and store windows decorated for halloween all make me so. so. happy.

fall fashion inspiration

sooooo....as i mentioned in my previous blog, i am highly anticipating the change in wardrobe that comes with fall. i was perusing the j. crew website and found some unbelievable outfits that i had to post. below are some of my faves:

a tweed blazer is a must for my shopping list this year. it's so versatile and can be thrown easily over a slouchy tee with skinny jeans or a polished business top.

thigh high socks are a HUGE trend this season. i like them on other people, i'm just not so sure if i could pull them off.

i feel like i might look too 'naughty school girl' in them. (think britney spears' 'hit me baby one more time' from the 90s.) oh no, disaster.

i'm in love with this outfit, from the stockings to the leather coat. it's effortless beauty at its best. a leather coat (i already have one, but i'm not thrilled with the color anymore), tights, ankle boots, and a 'go with anything' skirt are also must-haves on my shopping list.

this is a great every day outfit. i would switch out the skirt for something less sparkly for daytime though. the skinny belt is an essential also. camel is a great color for belts and shoes as it meshes well with most colors.

long slouchy cardigans. i'm going to stock up on these. they can be worn loose or cinched with a belt. either way, they're lovely and comfy.

i'm digging this jean shirt. again, it's very versatile. i love buying neutral items that can be paired with almost anything because it insures that they will be worn many times, and in turn, cuts down on shopping costs.

and finally, military inspired items are huge this season. from shoes to jackets, they're all over the place.