This sweet life

Hi Friends,

Hope you have had a beautiful week!  For me, this week has been so special and nothing less than inspiring.  Tuesday was Jonny and my anniversary so started out on a lovely note.  I have to admit, we didn't have a typical fancy date night and we were both more than ok with that - we went car shopping and hung pictures, but it was a perfect night for us and a great way to start our week.  

Yesterday, I attended the Women's Foundation Luncheon - the Foundation raises money so that every girl and woman in Colorado can achieve her full potential.  I loved sitting amidst 2,300 women supporting other women in Colorado.   The highlight was seeing Misty Copeland share her inspiring story of becoming a principal ballerina.  She was so incredibly humble and poised.  I have never wanted to be a ballerina so badly - haha!  One can dream, right?  

Following the event I sat at a table to enjoy the beautiful weather and work outside and saw a young man sprint and yell after a man in military attire.  I thought he had forgotten his wallet or something, when the young man yelled "Sir" and as the man turned around he stood there and saluted him in the middle of the restaurant with the proudest look on his face, then turned around and walked back to the table with his young friends and continued eating his ice cream.  It was one of the most touching things that I have ever seen.

I am headed to another event for a wonderful cause tonight. The Mode fashion event benefitting Denver Health.  I feel so lucky and proud to live in a wonderful place that supports and cares about the community.  If you are interested in going, you can get ticket information here.

I just snagged this dress from Loft (30% off with code shopsmart) when I was in a pinch for some new work dresses last week.  It is perfect for a luncheon with navy heels (like these) or a casual day at work with tan lace up booties (like mine).  I actually wore this look to work then to meet some friends for happy hour.  The weight is great for this early fall weather and will be perfect with tights and boots once snow starts falling.  And this Sole Society clutch is my favorite for fall and an absolute steal ($39.95).

Jonny and I are hoping to get to the mountains this weekend to see the fall colors!  What fun plans do you have?

xo

Fresh Fall Start

Hi Friends,

How the heck are you?! It has been feeling a lot like fall and of course back to school season around here.  There have been a few crisp days that have given us a glimmer of what is to come in the next few months.  And although I love summer, there is something about those first crispy days that get me excited for a fresh start.

This time of year always reminds me of freshly sharpened pencils, pink backpacks, Keds, and butterflies in my stomach for the first day of school.  Many childhood  memories were with our family friends and their four children, the Sweeney's.  Jeremy Sweeney and his wife Ally moved to Singapore a few years ago and have recently started a beverage company that gives back with each purchase of Sweeney's Soda.  I have a serious sweet tooth so I always love finding a healthy alternative to a sugary drink or snack and Sweeney's is made with natural ingredients and less than a quarter of the sugar in your typical soft drink.... you can't beat that!

You all know my love for florals, right?! I think just because summer is ending, it absolutely does not mean you have to put them away.  Fall and florals go hand in hand.  This MinkPink dress is a great day to night dress.  I wore it with pumps for work and changed into these for a more casual date look.  For sizing, I am wearing an extra small... and the sleeves are light enough for warm evenings now and will be great with a little jacket or vest as it cools down.

Get your own Sweeney's at the beautiful and delicious American Cultures Taproom in Lohi (check their website for other locations) and have a wonderful day!  I can't wait to share our glamping experience in Montana soon!

xo

Prettying Up the Thanksgiving Table

You know those girls in elementary school that were really good at all of the art projects, and had the most creative mobiles, and diaramas?  Then middle school came around and they had the prettiest, most bubbly, note passing handwriting?  Then in high school their powderpuff shirts were always on point?  This was not me.  I was never artistic or creative, I still have handwriting like a 3rd grade boy (better than my sisters, however) and my powderpuff shirts always came out looking like I was just in a street fight.  I don't pity myself - I have other talents! ....arts and crafts or flower arranging is just not one of them.

Last week, Jonny and I hosted a Friendsgiving party at our house - which I will be sharing with you tomorrow!  I wanted to be sure to have centerpieces to brighten up our space, but weren't overly fancy since it was a casual gathering.  I decided that this could be a fun learning moment for me and a couple of girl friends, so we took the opportunity to learn how to make our own arrangements at my favorite local florist, Newberry Brothers.  It was such a great experience for all of us! 

I had about a million and one things to do, including stopping by Newberry's, and errands to run in preparation for our party. It was so convenient bopping around town in a Car2Go and not having to worry about parking! Not to mention, I am pretty sure this is the closest I will ever get to my dream of a Mini Cooper (Jonny says they don't make sense for mountain driving..... do boys always have to be so logical?).  

Below are the steps broken down, for creating an arrangement or centerpiece that will pretty up any table!

• Step 1: Gather your flowers (I know, obvious - but I had to say it). We used different flowers in each of our arrangements, but had a common color scheme and a few common flowers so they would match, but not look identical.  We each used orange spray roses, hypericum berries, purple kale, and antique hydrangeas in our arrangements (and, no, we did not end up using the little pumpkins I am holding...although I wanted so badly for them to work).

• Step 2: If you are using a wooden box as we did, make sure to insert a plastic liner, then floral foam cut to fit inside.  Be sure to soak the foam so the flowers stay moist.
• Step 3: Use plenty of greenery.  I loved the moss that we used - it was such an unexpected element, but easy to manipulate and can be found at your local craft store or florist.  Cindy from Newberry Brothers also suggests using different heights, textures, and angles when adding greenery as filler - don't worry about not having enough greenery, you can always add more later!

• Step 4: Once you have a good base, you can start adding flowers.  Cut stems and remove extra leaves so you have a clean stem to place in foam and make sure there is enough stem to go in foam for the flower to "drink" (about 2 inches).

• Step 5: Place flowers in foam at different angles instead of straight in the middle.  Also don't be afraid to cut apart multi-stem flowers to make arrangement fuller (we did this with the hypericum berries).
• Step 6: Look at your arrangement from all sides to make sure you have spread the flower love somewhat evenly, so everyone will be able to enjoy it from all angles.

How gorgeous are the colors in these arrangements?  They are so pretty and festive and are perfect for any Thanksgiving table.  Stop by your local florist (or Newberry Brothers for local friends) and ask them to help you pick some of these pretty blooms for your arrangements.  We felt so proud of ourselves after successfully completing our pretty and coordinated arrangements and I'm sure you will have a blast creating yours too! 

Car2Go wants to make sure that everyone has an affordable way to get around town during the holidays, so they have reduced their one time membership fee ($5 for new members who will also receive their first 60 minutes free)... for those lucky enough to be members already, Car2Go has lowered their per minute pricing to $0.29 a minute (a serious steal if you ask me!).

Photography: Corey Anthony

This post is in collaboration with Car2Go and Newberry Brothers. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible! 

Fall Florals

Morning Friends!

I live for crisp fall mornings, big blanket scarfs, boots, cozy sweaters, and snuggling up by the fire like any girl, but I do get a little sad when it is time to put away my summer clothes: the fun, bright, happy colors, and florals on florals on florals?! Well, thankfully Ted Baker has us covered and could never go a season without vibrant color and pretty patterns.  The deep beautiful colors in this dress are so perfect for a fall cocktail party and even Thanksgiving - the full, floral skirt could not be more ladylike and feminine.

For those new friends who didn't know me during my rebellious years, I was convinced at one point in my life that it was a very good idea to get a nose ring (just a little guy).  Although my parents were incredibly upset when I showed up one weekend from college with my new accessory I convinced them since everything else about me was so preppy I needed something to give me a little edge (didn't hear any arguments).  On my 25th birthday, after several years together, I decided it probably didn't look the most professional when assisting with non profit committee meetings and attending congressional hearings on Capitol Hill and decided it was time to say "goodbye".... Jonny does make comments about bringing it back a little more often than I would have imagined.

Since then I have learned to be expressive through my clothing (thank goodness).  I love pairing a super feminine look, like this dress, with a masculine element, like this BB Dakota faux leather jacket which is available at Blitz Boutique (also like this one and this one ($24.90) - which I have two of).   The pairing of sassy and sweet is always a lovely combination and adding a leather jacket over your prettiest pieces is a great way to do that.

I was lucky to work with the sweetest photographer in Vail, Jenny Nelson on this shoot. She and her husband typically shoot weddings in Vail and Santa Barbara - if you are looking for a photographer in either area definitely look them up!

Outfit: Blitz Boutique // Photography: Jenny Nelson // Location: Vail Village