Five Picks for Friday: Fall Coziness

Hello lovely readers!
     Well the temperature has finally dipped below the 70's here in Ohio... and that means I'm breaking out the fall layers! This is my favorite time of year, by far. I love the cooler weather, cozy nights, warm layers, football games, get-togethers, and seasonal goodies that inevitably come with fall.

Here are just a few of the things I'm looking forward to this season:

1. Cozy scarves

Preferably in a great, versatile print... like this rich leopard print version from J. Crew. Warm AND stylish. Yes.

2. White-Chocolate Pumpkin Mochas

Ok, ok, so this one is really specific... but Caribou Coffee has an awesome pumpkin mocha. Probably one of the best indulgent drinks I've ever had... words cannot describe how good this really is. If you like pumpkin, I highly suggest that you try it.

3. Apple Picking

Fun with your family, your friends, or as a date. If the orchard has a store that sells apple goods or   has a hay ride, corn maze, or other seasonal activity, consider this a bonus.

4. Yummy-Smelling Candles

There are so many wonderful candles at this time of year! I love the apple-cinnamon one that Glade makes; it smells amazing. If you don't feel like baking an apple pie, just light one these and prepare yourself for some serious home-yness.

5. Great Boots

I may dedicate an entire post to this at some point. I love love LOVE a good (and comfortable!) boot. Not only does it look great with skinny jeans and a comfy sweater, but if you have a little hip to you (like me), it balances out your shape perfectly.

What are you most looking forward to this season? Do you have any fall traditions? I'd love to hear!

Enjoy your weekend!
xoxo,
Sarah





Photos courtesy of: http://www.teenvogue.com/images/fashion/how-to/2011-08/10-t-shirt-j-crew-leopard-print-scarf.jpg;  http://www.longislandpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/applepickign.jpg; http://lucky-brand-boots.devhub.com/img/upload/lucky-brand-angel-boots.jpg

Proud to be an American

Hello lovely readers,
    It's been a long time since I've posted. Even longer than my last absence (which was much too long to begin with). I will catch you up soon, but not just yet...

I'm going to keep this post short today... I've been watching CNN coverage on remembering September 11th. I would just like to take time in this post to remember the victims of that day, as well as the family and friends who lost loved ones. To thank the responders following this tragedy. Finally, to thank the men and women who sacrifice to keep our country safe, and to provide us with the freedoms that we take often take for granted.

God Bless America

xoxo,

Sarah

Image courtesy of: http://en.wikipedia.org/

wiki/File:US_Flag_Backlit.jpg

Peach and Champagne Punch

The Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics were last night, which means that naturally, we needed to celebrate! A few of us got together for appetizers and drinks. We decided to do a potluck, but with an Olympic-themed twist! Each guest picked a country, and brought a dish or drink that went with that! 

Italy brought wine, Ireland brought potatoe hash, America brought bourbon-infused sweet tea and mini pigs-in-a-blanket, Israel brought hummus... you get the idea. Well, I was France. Although I didn't have time to make mini quiches like I had hoped (having just gotten home from Columbus right before the party), I found mini-eclairs that worked just fine. 

I did, however, stick to my original idea of champagne punch. 

The recipe I found online incorporated frozen lemonade, orange, and pineapple juice concentrate. I improvised a little, and was extremely happy I did; the punch was a hit. Below is my original recipe. 

Sarah's Peach and Champagne Punch 

What You'll Need:

Two packages of Welch's White Grape Peach Juice (frozen concentrate)
Two to three liters of peach flavored sparkling water
One bottle of pink champagne (I used the cheapy stuff)
Ice

What to Do:

Allow frozen juice concentrate to defrost until soft (but not completely liquid). When you are ready to serve the punch, add ice to a large punch bowl. Add defrosted juice concentrate, two liters of sparkling water, and the bottle of champagne. Mix and serve over ice. 

(Note: if the champagne is too sweet for your taste, you can add some of the third liter of sparkling water to cut the sweetness a bit).

Serves: 12-15 people

Enjoy!

xoxo,

Sarah

Images courtesy of http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0smy438e4OI/SPDJ-3mxlWI/AAAAAAAABHQ/ZRBgTTqKT80/s400/THE+PEACH.jpg and http://www.strangehistory.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/champagne-toast.jpg

Daily Outfit: Navy, White & Pink

Hello lovely readers,

It's been awhile since I did a Daily Outfit post, so I thought it might be fun to do one for today! After spending the morning cleaning and working on a few DIY projects around my apartment, it was nice to clean up for dinner with my bestie. We got Thai food at my favorite place, and it was deliciousss! The atmosphere's pretty laid back, so I kept it casual with a striped tank dress and pale pink cardigan.

Striped Tank Dress: Madewell; Cardigan: BP at Nordstroms (this year's version here); Bag: Fossil; Sandals: Sam Edelman for American Eagle; headband: JCrew Factory; ring: Kate Spade; Sunglasses: Nordstroms' B.P.

I hope you enjoyed the outfit pics!
xoxo,
Sarah

Three Picks for Thursday, Madewell Edition

Good morning all!

I'm sitting here at Luna Bakery, trying to finish up paperwork for school... can't believe we start in a week! Meanwhile, the sale alerts in my inbox keep distracting me. The best deal today? An additional 30% off sale items at Madewell!

I've mentioned it before, but for those of you who aren't familiar, Madewell is J Crew's slightly trendier sister store. It focuses on laid-back denim styles. I discovered it this past year in Columbus and am obsessed. Unfortunately, there isn't one in Cleveland... yet.


In honor of the August 1st grand opening of Madewell at Beachwood Mall (just ten minutes away from me!) here are my favorite sale items.

Three Picks for Thursday:

1. This skirt.  Love the happy mustard color and sweet detailing!      

1. Novella skirt

2. This clutch.  Teal snakeskin? Yes, please!  Would match almost everything.  

2. The dispatch snakeprint clutch 

3. This dress.   How cute would this be for running errands? Fun metallic sandals would dress it up for night. Plus, the bright pink is so summery!

3. Market tank dress

...You can find the above items here, here, and here.

Did I mention free shipping on orders of $100.00 or more?
...I should be their spokesperson. (Hear that Madewell?) ;)

Happy shopping!

xoxo,
Sarah

DIY: Anthropologie-Inspired Mason Jars

I am so excited about today's post! I've been wanting to share this with you all for some time. As you may or may not know by now, Anthropologie is one of my absolute favorite stores. I find so much inspiration every time I walk through the door. The clothes are great, yes, but I love browsing through the household goods as well... the colorful quilts, pretty knobs, and quirky knick-knacks are so appealing to me!

A few weeks ago, I was shopping the summer sale with the boy. He wandered off for awhile, and  I assumed he went to sit on the couch in the front of the store. Instead, I found him asking the sales girl about the indoor plants that they keep scattered throughout the displays. (He likes gardening.) What caught my eye, however, was the attractive planters that the plants were being grown in! They were little mason jars with extremely colorful, artfully placed splashes of paint. I looked around the store, but none were for sale. "Display only" disappointment began to set in.

I took a closer look at the jars and realized hey, I could make these! Below is my own personal tried-and-true technique.

Anthropologie-Inspired Mason Jars

What you'll need:

• Mason jars of any size (for planters, use pint-sized jars with wide mouths. For this demo, I'll be using jelly jars)
• High-gloss acrylic paint*
• Craft sealer (not pictured)
• Aluminum foil
• Old cookie sheet

*Note: I found Apple Barrel Gloss Acrylic Paint to work the best for this project. I also used a gloss acrylic by a more expensive brand. I found, however, that the more expensive paint was too thick, and had to be thinned with water for this project.

What you'll do:

Take the first color of paint and drip a few drips into the bottom of the jar. Keep the drops more towards the edge than near the middle of the jar.

Turn the jar upside down, and place it on the cookie sheet.

The paint will drip down the sides of the jar. Allow several minutes to get a nice, even drip.

After the excess paint has run off, repeat the above steps with your second color.

Repeat again with your third color.

Allow the paint to settle for a few hours before turning it upright. (I like to let my jars dry upside down for at least a day, to make sure the excess paint has run off completely.) You may need to change the foil underneath the jars to keep the paint from globbing up around the rim.

Turn jar upright. When paint is throughly dry, spray with craft sealer in a well-ventilated area. (This will prevent the paint from washing off with use). Allow to thoroughly dry.

There you have it; beautiful paint-streaked mason jars! Use the larger sizes as vases or planters; use smaller sizes to hold rings or other small items. Or try nesting different sizes together for a pretty effect!

I hope you have as much fun with this project as I did! It's relatively inexpensive and so, so easy! Let me know how it turns out for you!

xoxo,
Sarah

Happy Little Post

Today was a good day. I decided that nothing in my fridge looked appetizing, so I met up with the boy and we decided to go out for brunch. Well, we brunch turned into lunch and we ended up taking a spontaneous trip to Shaker Square.

For the non-Clevelanders, Shaker Square is in an older neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland. There's a variety of shops and restaurants. And yes, it's literally a square. There's a green space and roads, and the businesses form a square around them. There's also a cinema and a grocery store there.

We got a delicious lunch at Yours Truly, and caught a movie. We also ate some of the most delicious ice cream I've ever had from Deweys Coffee Cafe (check it out here). Apparently they get it from a local source in North Royalton. A scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough was a great ending to our little trip!

I definitely plan on going back to Shaker Square again soon. I want to check out the farmer's market which they host a few times a month. "Sasa", the Japanese restaurant, also caught my attention. They have $10.00 sushi specials on Wednesdays. The boy and I love sushi so we're planning a sushi night asap!

For the Clevelanders, what do you love at Shaker Square? Have you been to the Farmer's Market yet?


Non-Clevelanders, what local spots do you love in your hometown? I'd love to hear!

xoxo,
Sarah

P.S. I apologize that I didn't snap my own pictures... I didn't have my camera on me. I'll document my next trip better!

Photos courtesy of  http://neofoodtours.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/shaker_square_oats.jpg and http://www.freewebs.com/shakersquare/May20080028.JPG