Comfy At Home with Plush Necessities Robes

Now, more than ever, is a great time to Treat Yo Self! These Plush Necessities Robes are out of this world amazing. Great for men and women, these would also make a delightful Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gifts. They are roomy, ultra-soft, and washed up great. Absolute LUXURY, in your own home. I have never owned a robe THIS nice, and now I get to appreciate some of the finer things in life. YAY!

Things have been so crazy lately, that when Plush Necessities sent me two robes, and I slipped them on, the worries actually melted away…thank you SO much!!!!

Last month, we spent a little time at our friends’ cabin in the woods and had such a great time! The robe made our time there EVEN better! Just look at how relaxing that fireplace makes things…

I have honestly taken a little step back from the crazy business of life, blogging, and travel, and have been focusing more time on doing meaningful things at home than I ever have before. I have been aiming to make a few more considered meals compared to quick bites for dinner, incorporating more local ingredients thank in years past. Luckily, too, foraging for local morels, wildflowers, hiking, and getting on the lake a bit have been extremely good therapy.

Also, I have been doing deep cleaning and organization of all my clothing, craft, and sewing supplies, as well as helped clean up our yard a bit. It’s sometimes hard though, with the current situation at hand to be able to push aside the thoughts of worry and uncertainty for the future, and focus on these sorts of things. Perhaps they are just distractions…but productive distractions to say the least.

I was trying to honestly hoping to avoid mentioning the stay at home / shelter in place / pandemic on my blog at all, perhaps in hopes of it just “going away”. Our society has really had to adjust to a major change in lifestyle, and people are all handling the social distancing thing in their own ways, making me wonder how we will all have adjusted and how these changes will stick to our social interactions from here on out, even after the COVID is “over”.

We can’t even go to bars and restaurants like we used to. We can’t have friends and family over for dinners or parties, or go to others’ homes to do the same. It’s been rough. We never really went out to eat or drink THAT regularly, since I believe the best food and drinks around here come from our home here in southern Ilinois.

BUT, with no live music to attend, and with the Makanda Mushroom Fest postponed until late September, I have to now re-focus energy back on myself, on mental health, and relaxing. None of which I have ever been THAT good at. I love focusing energy on making others happy and making life beautiful for others, and that in turn makes ME happy.

So, this is the moment to TREAT YO SELF, and I am loving this new way of thinking. Little special treats like this robe and a few delicious recipes, and some delish beer are getting me through…

Now, instead of going out to a live show, I can even more appreciate a night at home, watching a movie, enjoying a delicious beverage…

Our friends did such an incredible job with the remodel on their rental cabin, and soon, it will be available to rent again! It’s such a retreat in the woods, but not too far from town. Such a relaxing oasis.

Fall Fashion Under $50

With a fresh, new season almost upon us, I wanted to take an opportunity to refresh the blog and share a few new posts! We’ve been busy behind the scenes planning and prepping for lots of great new content, so stay tuned!! Below, you can check out some of the most adorable items for Fall Under $50 on Jane.com, one of my favorite partners!

What are your Fall Fashion staples? I tend to gravitate towards items that are cute AND comfy - how about you?

WILD THING DOLMAN CARDIGAN

The Wild Thing Dolman Cardigan is so versatile and would be amazing for travel.

$25.99 plus $5.99 for the first item and $2.99 for each additional item. US only. Seller usually ships within 6 business days. Ships no later than Wed, Aug 28.

This Sherpa Pullover comes in 4 colors, and is a timeless closet staple. It will match so many outfits and excursions this Fall.

$26.99 plus $3.99 for the first item and $2.99 for each additional item. US only. Seller usually ships within 2 business days. Ships no later than Tuesday, Aug 27.

Awe, these Fall-Themed T-shirts are really adorable and I have several other designs from this company. They really last forever, and they fit like a dream! Great for the pumpkin patch, too!

$14.99 plus $3.99 for the first item and $1.99 for each additional item. US only. Ships no later than Thu, Sep 5.

This Boho Flag Bunting is SO cute! I would love to decorate my home with this.

$14.99 plus $3.99 Shipping for the first item and $2.29 for each additional item. US only. Seller usually ships within 5 business days. Ships no later than Thu, Aug 29.

These popular, side-cut booties are amazing. They would really dress up an outfit with little effort, a big plus in my opinion!

$34.99 plus Free Shipping. US only. Seller usually ships within 2 business days. Ships no later than Wed, Aug 28.

Happy {Almost} Fall! Enjoy!

A Romantic Outfit Idea

I found the cutest outfit, that would be great for vacation in a warmer place, or even Valentine's Day if you're somewhere a bit warmer. This jumpsuit looked way better in person than I ever could have imagined, and now I am wanting to buy nearly every jumpsuit I come in contact with! It was incredibly comfy and with a bit of a higher waist, it kind of elongated my torso. It was stretchy and would be adorable paired with any sort of jacket, cropped or longer in length.

I worked with Kohl's and Hello Society on our last of five photoshoots, and I think this is my favorite one of all. We visited a beach area near the vacation rental house on Fort Myers Beach, and I loved how the palm trees lined the boardwalk, it made for one of my favorite photoshoot locations ever!

I don't even really dress up that often, but I had a lot of fun primping and prepping for this cute outfit. I added some Dutch braids in my hair, and loved how the jewelry really brought the whole outfit together. 

These HEELS!! Something for a special occasion, like Valentine's Day or a fun date night would be great. Now, I wouldn't recommend wearing them if you're walking super far, but if you're just heading to sit at dinner, or need something absolutely adorable to wear for portraits, family photos, or more, then, these would be amazing. They are show stoppers for sure, and while I paired them with a dark grey outfit, I could see them looking great with a vintage cut dress of some sort, either right above knee length or mid calf perhaps. 

I also researched the best nail polish color to put on your toes when wearing red heels, and most articles recommended either a red that is the exact color of the heels, or nude, to avoid competing shades of red, plus, the nude nail polish elongates the look of your legs, which makes total sense!

Hope you enjoy! Sending you warm wishes from Florida! 

Stay Comfy + Warm Clothing for Winter and Beyond

If you're anything like me, you love and cherish comfortable clothes that fit perfect and look great. I am not one to wear super baggy clothing, but I do enjoy clothes that have an easy fit and still look flattering. If you have seen some of my posts from late 2017, you will have seen a few that we shot for Kohl's! Here is my fourth of five sets of images for Kohl's, which I think turned out so well! 

You will likely notice that this is of course more of a winter / Christmas theme, but I was SO happy with it, and just had to share it while it was still cold out :)

Above, you will see some of my favorite new leggings, which are more of a long john material, in the prettiest pale light blue color. They fit super well, and I even went down a size from what I would normally get so that they had a more snug fit. I have also worn these under my yoga pants to take the dogs on a walk while it's so cold out.

Find these fun thermal leggings and more, online here, or at any Kohl's store.

These cute slippers are only $9.99 and they're adorable! Get them right here.

And, if you're looking for the coziest, softest blanket ever, try this one, shown below, and in a few of the other photos. I got the plaid variant, available here for $29.99.

And, I adore this Cuddl Duds robe too. I featured the Fair Isle print, which is reversible, and grey on one side, and the cute grey print on the other. I seem to always be cold, so I have really been enjoying this comfy fleece robe way too much :) It's on sale for $36.00 right now too!

We are shooting our final post for Kohl's this coming weekend and I am SO thrilled about it. I went with more of a dressy look, and we will be working in Fort Myers Beach for this one, so look out for palm trees, friends!

I have really enjoyed getting to know so many of the beautiful brands from Kohl's like LC Lauren Conrad and Cuddl Duds (not exclusive to Kohl's but they DO have a huge selection there). I also love the higher quality of Cuddl Duds items even though they are not really expensive at all. And, I love how Kohl's offers Kohl's Cash, which I have been utilizing quite a bit during all of these photoshoots. I also got myself a few pieces of Fiesta Ware with my bonus coupons (they're always 25-30% off each week). 

TOP Fall Fashion Trends and Where To Find Them

Fall is definitely the best season to dress for (and shop for), and I love the idea of layering basic items to create an awesome silhouette! I am all about comfort too, so I always tend to air on the functional side when dressing. Here are a couple of my favorite Fall outfit ideas that I cannot wait to wear soon. And, because this week's weather is supposed to be in the high 80s still, I know these outfits are going to be good transitional pieces for the end of a warm season, heading into chillier evenings! YAY for Fall!

What are your favorite Fall trends of the year so far? I'd love to hear all about them. Drop me a comment below and let me know what you're loving this Fall!

My Favorite Fall Outfit + Tips On Wearing Over The Knee Boots From DSW

Well, this is my final post for DSW. It's been SO much fun creating a series of five posts for this project, and I am so proud to present you with this final outfit. I think it compliments these Over The Knee Boots so well. Last week, I styled these boots with a paisley printed dress and an Army style jacket. Now that the weather is a bit more chilly, and since I have been seeing these awesome jackets all over Pinterest, I went to search for one of my own! 

I’m sharing #DSW in my life as part of a Designer Shoe Warehouse sponsored series for Socialstars™. All opinions and content are my own. #MyDSW. 

This time, I paired these awesome boots with an outfit I want to wear again and again! A beautiful, tan jacket, maroon skinnies with lots of stitching details, and a pale pink turtleneck sweater (with those fun shoulder cutouts). I would be SO warm in this outfit, it would definitely fight off the chill really well. 

Find the Unisa Saranaa Over The Knee Boots in Charcoal Faux Suede on DSW.

The Must Have Booties For Fall - the Orena Bootie by Franco Sarto

Finding that perfect pair of shoes that goes with literally every outfit is such a challenge. When you do have that pair of shoes in your closet, it makes life easier and makes your outfits so polished. Shoes can definitely make or break an outfit, and these Orena Booties by Franco Sarto multi task. 

I’m sharing #DSW in my life as part of a Designer Shoe Warehouse sponsored series for Socialstars™. All opinions and content are my own. #MyDSW.

Super excited to bring you another post for DSW! It's been so fun styling these suede booties for Fall. I love refreshing my wardrobe with versatile items that last forever, and these booties not only look adorable, but are definitely way more comfortable than other similar styles I have tried. They're absolutely gorgeous! Last week, I shared a post where I styled the Orena Bootie by Franco Sarto with a cute printed dress with 3/4 sleeves. This time around, I wanted to pair dark, distressed denim with them. 

I also wanted to bring a bit of that New Western flair into the outfit, so I chose a Southwest-inspired bracelet and necklace that has turquoise and red details. The fringe cardigan is also amazing, and was so super soft.

The booties featured in this post are the Orena Bootie by Franco Sarto, available at DSW. Check out all of the amazing shoes in the Western Edge section of their site. Keep an eye out next week as I share another way to incorporate these gorgeous shoes into another fun outfit. 

How To Host A Clothing Swap Party!

I'm super excited to bring you this fun idea! Since Fall is my favorite season, and it's definitely a fun time to transition into Fall garb, now is a great time to host a Clothing Swap Party with friends and family members. Have some of your favorite ladies over and serve some tasty coffee drinks and provide lots of snacks. This would be an amazingly fun way to spend an afternoon or evening with those who you enjoy spending time with.

HERE'S HOW:

1.) Gather any clothes you are willing to part with. I love this swap party idea, because I tend to be able to pass along much nicer items if I have a friend in mind. 

2.) Send an invite or e-vite to friends, using this graphic. Feel free to save or even screenshot the image, and just send it to anyone who you want to invite. 

3.) To Make The Banner: Print the 5 pages of provided files (below) in color, and cut out each letter. I used a paper cutter and a pair of scissors. Glue ribbon or decorative pom pom trim to the top of each letter flag, and then tape a length of rope to the back of the letters. Tape to the wall behind your party table - I just love how this turned out! 

4.) Next, gather up food and drinks. I chose to provide some chocolate cookies, maple cookies, other snacks, AND iced coffee drinks! Feel free to use whatever you want here - the sky is the limit! 

PARTY DECOR PRINTABLES:

Print each of these 5 pages once, in color on card stock. Save these images to your computer then print at home or at a copy shop. This costs less than $5 to print on traditional 8.5 x11" card stock.

Page 1

Page 2

Page 4

Page 3

Page 5

MAKING THE BUNTING

I love the how cute these letter flags looked with the pom pom ribbon trim on top. 

SWAPPING CLOTHES...

When everyone arrives, have them place their clothes on a table or in a corner of your room. I would suggest mixing everyone's clothes together, then basically sorting everything by type (pants, dresses, shirts, etc) so it's more of an anonymous way to select new clothes. 

I thought it would be fun to greet guests with this beautiful party tablescape, then after people have grabbed their snacks and coffee, pile the table with everyone's clothes. You can of course let people spread out in your living room or a guest bedroom, and have everyone sit in comfy chairs and on floor pillows. This way, guests can have a comfy seat while swapping out for friends' clothes. 

RATE THE LOOKS:

I thought it would be so fun to let guests rate each other's new clothes they have chosen. By writing a 1-10 on the chalkboard signs, you can help your friends decide whether the clothing they chose honestly looks good or not. Kind of like scoring at the Olympics, ya know?!

An extremely easy refreshment is pre-made iced coffee from the grocer store, topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. 

I also decorated with smaller paper shopping bags and adorable tissue paper!

The adidas Sneakers I Love For Fall with DSW

I am absolutely thrilled to present you with our latest collaboration - with a company that I love so very much! I’m sharing #DSW in my life as part of a Designer Shoe Warehouse sponsored series for Socialstars™. All opinions and content are my own. #MyDSW

As the weather {finally} starts getting chilly, as much as I love my sandals, I get so excited to wear regular shoes! I love the fact that sneakers are trending so much right now, and I also love the trend of more cropped length jeans with freyed hemlines. The combo of a new pair of sneakers and these jeans makes my heat go pitter patter :) 

These adidas NEO Courtset Sneakers are available on DSW, and I love that the toe box is roomy. I really need to be able to wiggle my toes when I'm wearing sneakers (especially with socks on), and these are perfect. 

I absolutely love the bright, white details on top of the Navy Blue sneakers. They also come in a grey and white color way that is gorgeous! 

I shot some of these images at Twig Floral Design in Carbondale, IL. It's a cute store, with tons of home decor items.

Top 10 Booties For Fall - Starting at $25

SO excited for Fall! Yesterday kind of seemed to mark the first day of cooler, Fall temperatures, which I am thrilled about! So sick of wearing shorts and dresses at this point, and I am super excited to wear leggings, boots/booties, and long sleeves. The southern Illinois heat and humidity really kicked my butt this year, so it's my time to enjoy the weather again {finally}!!!

So, I rounded up some of the cutest booties around, and you can click on the images to shop any of them. Prices start at $25.00 and go up from there. Enjoy!!!

A Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge Recipe + Stunning Bracelets from Gideon John

I want to share a couple of things with you today - fudge + jewelry - two of my favorite things! I wanted to share a Peanut Butter Fridge Fudge recipe with you (below), and also share some pretty amazing jewelry with you. 

First, the jewelry. Bracelets have always been my go-to jewelry faves. I recently received three absolutely stunning bracelets from Gideon John London, and I could hardly believe my eyes! These bracelets are so well-made, and you can tell that great attention to detail was given, beginning at jewelry design, then into their packaging and presentation. Each bracelet arrives in a personalized black box and a cotton bag, so nothing get scratched during delivery. Even though these traveled all the way from gorgeous London, they looked like someone had hand-delivered them locally! 

I received three bracelets from Gideon John, and featured them all in this post. Find them here:

Rose Gold Cuff Bracelet / Green Sea Jasper Tasseled Opulence / Rose Gold Lux Beads

And, although they already had lovely product photography on their website, I was so fortunate to be able to bring these bracelets to life in this styled photoshoot. 

Now, the Fudge!

This yummy treat turned out so well! This recipe has been adapted from the one I found here - the post that inspired my photos!

1 Bag Peanut Butter Baking Chips

1 Bag Chocolate Chips 

Coconut Oil

Creamy Peanut Butter 

A Pinch of Salt

Glass Container For Fudge

Parchment Paper

1.) You can do each of the two layers in the microwave, or use the double boiler method, like I did. To do the double boiler, fill a sauce pan with about 1 inch of water. Set the glass measuring cup in the saucepan, atop the water, and get turn your burner on medium, to get ready to melt your ingredients.

2.) Prepare water for double boiler method in two different sauce pans. In two heat-safe glass measuring cups (I used my two 2 cup ones), melt 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, 1 bag of peanut butter ships, a pinch of salt (or a bit more), and 1/2-1 C. Peanut Butter. Feel free to add more Peanut Butter if you want, just until you get a consistency and taste you like. You can also add some powdered sugar to this peanut butter layer if you want. Melt until smooth - make sure you stir frequently!

3.) In the other measuring cup, melt 1/4 C. Coconut Oil, 1and  Bag of Chocolate Chips. Melt and continue to stir until smooth. 

4.) Optionally spray a bit of non-stick spray into your Pyrex container, and then fit a piece of parchment paper into the Pyrex, allowing two sides a few extra inches to hang over. This makes removing the fudge from the container much easier!

5.) Once chocolate has melted, pour it into the Pyrex. Freeze for about 15 minutes, so it hardens all the way through.

6.) Once that layer has hardened, pour the peanut butter mixture over the chocolate layer, make sure it's smooth, and put it back into the freezer. If you're not in a hurry, you can just let the final layer cool in the fridge.

7.) Once both layers are fully firm, grab a cutting board, pull out the fudge block utilizing the parchment paper, and use a ruler to make straight lines on the top of the fudge if presentation matters. Cut fudge into 1" squares, using a large, sharp knife, and enjoy!! 

***Note: This fudge melts pretty fast, so make sure you keep it in the fridge!!! It tastes like peanut butter cups, I just love how this turned out!! You can also use crunchy peanut butter, but I recommend creamy, just because the peanuts could be too hard to eat after being in the freezer or fridge!

What a great no-bake dessert recipe! 

Don't Quit Your Daydream

For some reason, I am always in love with inspiration quote t-shirts. I love this one, by Doc Shorty, because it really gets me thinking about my daydreams and how I work so hard to make them a reality. I swoon over them on Pinterest, and when Doc Shorty offered to send me one, I jumped at the opportunity to help them promote their cause. Part of the proceeds from their site go towards multiple sclerosis research. Learn more about my journey to never quite my daydream below, and find this adorable tee, here. 

I have been on this journey, literally since I was 14-15 years old, to work for myself. I always held hourly jobs while in school, but was sewing goods and selling them at shows and online in addition. I went through college, trying to make some sort of connection in almost every class and job I had, in order to work towards that dream of mine - thinking of how I could apply the lessons I learned to either making things that would make me money, or using the skills in my own business, even when the class was not specifically a production or business class.

I am so incredibly happy I had that mindset all through school, because, in addition to always holding at least two jobs while going to college full-time, I have always had my own company, where I have created goods or work for a client. 

Little did I know, I was on the path to being an Influencer and a Content Creator! These terms didn't even really exist on the same level that they do today. I work just about every day to develop this wonderful blog, that I am so proud of, and I just love creating content for brands and for myself. 

In addition to business dreams, the biggest daydream I am "obsessing over" is the dream to move to somewhere in the Olympic Peninsula, and live somewhere that inspires me beyond my wildest dreams. To just be a bit closer to nature as far as pine forests, mountain views, the ocean, and a damp cool climate, that is my next dream I am working towards! I am sure it's going to take a bit more time, to make enough money to be comfortable for us to make such a big move will be a huge task, but it can be done! 

So, what daydream are you currently working towards? Maybe you have a similar story to mine, or maybe something completely different. I cant wait to learn more about your dreams and aspirations, and at what point you are in your own journey. 

A Summer Boho Makeup Idea For Music Festivals #playbeautifully with e.l.f.

Summer festivals are in full swing, and I am so incredibly inspired by the makeup trends and clothing styles. I am beyond happy that the boho look has lasted this long, and I hope it's here to stay for a long time. I wanted to share a few makeup items that I would definitely recommend taking to your next music festival, or wearing to your next concert! 

My favorite items were these three lip colors, and they're all around $3.00 - the perfect price for trying out a new color to see if it's something you are going to wear more than once. 

 

The lip lacquer, in purple had TONS of color to it, and I know that purple lips have been so popular this summer. The middle one, the hypershine gloss, in vixen, was also very bright, in a good way, and very flattering with just about any makeup look. The SPF 15 lip sunscreen, although the color is nude, I loved the hint of color, and light shimmer (not glittery, luckily), and I also really like the fact that this has SPF. It's incredibly smooth and creamy, making me think that this would be perfect for any time you head out this summer. 

I am constantly inspired by all of the amazing, boho fashion and makeup ideas I find on Pinterest on a daily basis! I created a Pinterest Board, called Music Festival & Concert Fashion, where I keep track of all of my finds! 

Below, you can see how lovely the Lip Balm with SPF 15 looks! I can see this color (nude) looking great on so many skin tones. And, this won't make it look like you're wearing a ton of makeup. Just enhance your natural beauty, and also protect your lips - they're so sensitive that they deserve a bit of protection!