Shiny Things...

via Pinterest

Well...its true.
I started on a really fun pair of shoes tonight for myself (wearing my Discotoes is hands down the easiest way to advertise!!) and I CANNOT WAIT to wear them out!


I'll share the original shoe and inspirations soon!

Feature on "The Bride Suite"!!

I now understand the magic of fall.  Obviously, I've experienced 26 fall seasons myself, but this is the first one in my life that I've seen the leaves really change.  I am beginning to understand the purpose of wearing sweaters and gloves and tall boots and oh my gosh leg warmers!  I'm looking forward to spending this Thanksgiving with my older brother and friends (dubbed "Friendsgiving") and it actually looking like Fall.

What else looks like fall?  Take a peek at this stunning photo shoot featured on The Bride Suite!  Organized by Sara and her crew at Urban Style: The Wedding Network, the shoot was created to inspire a Thanksgiving Rehearsal Dinner.  It is simple and rustic and cozy but also oh-so-elegant.

Check out two lovely posts filled with stunning pictures:

The Bride Suite Blog

Urban Style Blog

I contributed a beautiful pair (seen below) of brown leather pumps with copper, gold, and silver metallic stones for the day and they fit right in with the beautiful decor!  The shoes were custom made for New Bride Caitlin to be worn to her real rehearsal dinner and I'll share that story with more photos very soon!

Please check out all of the vendors who contributed to the shoot, especially if you are a Southern California Bride!

Urban Style the wedding network- Styling & Coordination Camellia Wedding Flowers- Floral & Decor Siegel Thurston Photography - Photography Sessions Public-Restaurant Paper Scissors Print-Menus, Tags Tessa Kim-White Flower Headpiece Amanda Moore  -Hair Pow Wow Vintage Rentals-Goblets,Chairs Tailored Sweets-Dessert Table White Wedding Day Events-Chargers, Napkins, Candle Sticks Disco Toes -Shoes Worn by Bride to Be Mimi & Lu-All Jewelry on women The Bridesmaid Boutique-Brown Cocktail Dress worn by Bride to Be Cady Briar Handbags- Carried by all women Classic Filmworks-Videography

Featured "Lucky Find" on Eventipity

I am SO excited to be featured as a "Lucky Find" on the brand new Eventipity website!

From their website:

"As event industry professionals, we found there was no site that allowed consumers to find quality vendors with last minute deals on un-booked dates. Thus, we designed eventipity.com to fill that void.
What makes us unique is we can help you no matter what kind of event you're planning: wedding, anniversary, baby shower, sweet sixteen, graduation, birthday, corporate or any other event you can think of. The site allows you to browse local vendors through "eventipity listings." Once you find what you are looking for, or something new you didn't know existed, all you have to do is contact them, mention our site and you'll be on your way to creating an unforgettable event!
We also offer "lucky finds" voucher deals. These irresistible timed deals allow you to purchase vendor services or products at a fraction of the original price. Available in each city, you buy directly through our site and redeem your voucher with the vendor."

For the next 6 days, you can purchase a $175 voucher for only $100!  Click the banner below to go to the offer:

Home is where you keep your toothbrush

A few years ago, while working in Illinois at a summer theater festival, I met a really amazing friend, Al.  She and I got along very well from our first meeting and we often had long chats about any number of interesting and random things.  During one of these chats, she said to me,

"Home is where you keep your toothbrush."

Its been over four years since we met, but I have never forgotten those words.

Lets look at some numbers:

13: Number of dorms/houses/apartments I have lived in the past 10 years.

4: Number of states I've lived in (Texas, Illinois, San Diego, Ohio)

1: Number of foreign countries I've lived in (Italy)

23: Number of different roommates I've had in the past 10 years.

1 3/4: Longest number of years I've lived in the same house.

Those are some pretty crazy stats.  I have good memories about all of them and each one has taught me everything from patience and cooking to respect and love.  Though I am SO OVER moving so much and I dream of the day that I move to a home that I know I'll be staying in for a longer period of time, ultimately, I feel blessed.  I have 'homes' all over the country.  I have lived with some really great roommates (and a few quirky ones as well).  I have found the joy in making my home wherever I keep my toothbrush.  Its hard and challenging and scary sometimes, no doubt.  But, I can say with confidence that I can make my home anywhere and be happy.    

I've been living in Cincinnati for 3 months.  THREE months, already.  I can't really believe it and yet I feel as though I've lived here for years.  I've settled in quite quickly here and I have really fallen in love with the city and all it has to offer.  I look forward to spending an extended amount of time here, to calling in home for a while.  

So tell me,

What does "home" mean to you?

What do your housing numbers look like?  (I'm curious if anyone can beat mine!)

San Diego to Cincy Roadtrip

This is a (mostly) picture post of my road trip adventures from San Diego to Cincinnati this past August.  I really enjoyed the vast changes in landscape from state to state and I think you'll see that in the photos!  This is Day 1 (of 3)...

"OMGeeee I'm moving to OHIO?!"

"Ok, I'm moving to Ohio!"

 On the road...it was early but we had plans to make it to Albuquerque by nightfall.

The rainstorm was really beautiful because of the wide open views we had!

And as the sun was setting, we pulled into Abq. for the night.  The sunset cast the most beautiful coral glow onto the mountains!

Days 2 and 3 coming up next...

Happiness is...

I getting around to sharing a new Happiness is... post finally.  This covers the last few weeks of things that are making me happy!

Happiness is...

Sleeping until you wake up on your own on the weekend.  And that lovely extra hour thanks to Daylight Savings Time!

Monster marathons of "Lost" with friends, food, and beverages.  We've got 10 episodes left in the final season and should finish them all today.  I remember from when the series originally ended that a lot of people were upset that many of the questions were not answered regarding the mysteries of the island.  It is quite nice knowing this so that my expectations are low for the finale.  Then I'll be pleasantly surprised when they share more than I, right?  (Does reverse psychology really work when you do it on yourself?)

Rosie the Riveter

I recreated the id badge the women wore, I though it was so cool!

Having NO WAIT at Joanns fabric store to get yardage cut the week before Halloween.  Joann's is a handy place, it really is.  Unless its the weeks before Halloween when everyone wants to be a Costume Designer.  Or it is a weekend.  Or it is any time you need to have fabric cut and pull a little number and wait 20 minutes.  Anyone who has to go there regularly will tell you that Joann's takes forever and the people behind the cutting counter are mean or incompetent, or both.  I feel very lucky to say that the Joanns in Mason, Oh was so so quick AND the woman behind the counter was downright NICE...it was a moment I'll never forget...for at least a month.

A Friday night hanging out with friends playing Giant Jenga at a Neons.  A large outdoor bar area is great in the summer, but not so bad this fall either.  They have pool, shuffle board, giant jenga, and bocce ball plus little fire chimneys dotted about to keep you extra warm.  My favorite part about knocking the jenga blocks over is joining in with half the bar yelling "JENGA!"

Countdowns to reunions...31 days till sibling Thanksgiving and 59 days till Family/Boyfriend Christmas!

Seeing your best friend marry their best friend.  I've been in four weddings between March and October and I couldn't be happier about it!  Seeing my dearest friends so happy makes me so happy.

Embracing cold weather because it means wearing a purple pea coat and cloche hats.  So far, I'm handling the 'cold' weather well.  I think the lowest temperature has been just above freezing and I did not freak out.  I know the ice is coming (I think we get very little snow and a whole lotta ice) but I've got my industrial sized ice scraper, so I'm ready!!