this & that

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inspired by oh joy! 

...wear this sequined gold beanie; decorate with that glitter pom pom stirrer...

pinned: mini apple pies

I pinned this post last week and have been itching to bake these mini apple pies ever since.  Sampling a piece of apple pie on Thanksgiving only added to my need to recreate this recipe - & they turned out delicious - my boyfriend & I had to do a little taste testing.  Tomorrow my colleagues at work will get the pleasure of devouring the mini treats during our 'soup group' - I am in charge of desserts.  All that is left to do is to top with vanilla ice cream and this dessert is complete!  

What recipes or projects have succeed in making from Pinterest? 

miss carlen

How perfect is this editoral for Velvet featuring Mikaela Carlén? Cozy knits and loose-fitting silhouettes; coral tinted lip & messy curls - menswear to top it off.  I am obsessed.  How can you not covet this darling fur shrug?!

 

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winter cozies

The past few days I have spent quality time with my extended family.  We have had multiple meals of Thanksgiving leftovers, cheered on our respected football teams {and had to comfort each other as they lost, with the exception of the Packers - GO PACK GO!},  dusted off our gaming abilities with the likes of Bunco, Dominoes, Jenga, & Taboo.  Tomorrow begins our official start to the Holiday season with the setting up of our family tree and then I will decorate my first Christmas tree at my new house! And as thankful as I was for the 60 degree weather on Thursday, I am happy to say the the cooler temps that have finally rolled in {and that may finally stick around} have me itching to wear this outfit I recently pinned.

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market day black friday

Shop locally on Black Friday! If you are in the Central Iowa area, find Market Day, an indie craft market at the Des Moines Social Club in the Kirkwood Building at 400 Walnut Street in downtown Des Moines, IA. 

It's the last Market Day of the season!  This Friday, November 25th, over 50 vendors will be selling their pieces from 9a-2p.  Help support local artists and makers!

Looking to find unique or custom made gifts for the ones you love -- look no further.  At Market Day, you will find screen printed posters, tees, stenciled paintings, handmade earrings & necklaces, peacock feather accessories, pottery, and much, much more! They even have their share of vintage housewares, clothing, and jewelry. (PSST—see a preview of this year's items, here.)

These are just a few of my favorites that you can find this Friday!

Bean and the Sprout

daniAWESOME 

BeAtomic Beauty

Hey Jen Renee

all images via market day fb

splurge or steal: leather hobo

I've had this Chloe Marcie Bag on my wish list for quite some time. Now, it will only be if I win the lottery will I be able to afford such an investment.  So until then, this Laura Buckle Hobo will do just fine.

images via google

dailybuzz style 9x9 challenge - polka dots

I knew instantly when dailybuzz style asked how I wear polka dots, how to answer.  During a shopping trip a few weeks ago, I picked up a pair of red skinnies  from Old Navy & this lovely polka-dotted blouse, also from Old Navy, after putting together this outfit inspiration on Polyvore.  

This past Saturday I had the perfect opportunity to pair the two together. I added a versatile leather vest from Forever 21 {a new favorite piece to my wardrobe} & a chain necklace by Cheetah is the New Black {pick yours up here} and was set to enjoy a rather chilly but perfect Saturday evening at the Zac Brown Band concert.

Red Skinnies, Polka Dot Blouse, Leather Vest, Black Flats

the friday brunettes: rachel bilson

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{also spotted here, here, & here}

my only wish this year

Dear Santa, 
I know this is a little early, I mean, it's not even Thanksgiving, but I'm a list maker.  You know this. And this lovely ban.do Holiday Collection has made it to the top of my wish list this year. Just wanted you to know, just in case you needed help with some ideas. That gorgeous black bow and sequin tie? The heart sequined shoe clips? I mean, I'm not picky. Just thought I'd help you out! 
xoxo, 
Sam

shop ban.do

November Birchbox

It's birchbox time again! I felt like a kid waiting for Santa all week, anxiously checking my mailbox everyday for all of the high-end goodies soon to arrive. It finally reached my mailbox on Saturday - funny thing, a girl I work with also receives a birchbox every month but she got her's days before I did - everyone gets them at different times!  Have you signed up for your birchbox yet? What favorite product have you discovered?

My favorite items this month are in a three-way tie between twirl by kate spade new york {has been on my wish list for the longest time, I hope Santa brings it in my stocking}, alex and isabelle hair tie {doesn't snag and no crimping - consider me sold}, & last but not least the jouer lip enhancer {plumps & conditions at once, regular chap stick just can't compete with that}.  I haven't used the Zoya - Noel nail polish yet, but I am planning to bust out a quick mani just in time for the Zac Brown Band concert I'm going to this weekend with my boyfriend! I am so happy that I didn't cave and buy the blue polish the other day as this polish is exactly what I was searching for!  As for the super smile toothpaste, I have used it the past three days, it does the job, but I am not seeing any difference with the whitening of my teeth -- maybe it takes a few more days?  Overall, great products this month, I've very happy with everything I received!

What is Birchbox? Birchbox is a monthly subscription of high-end beauty product samples. For $10 a month you get a box of 4-5 hand-picked sample products (based on an online questionnaire) shipped to your door.  It is a fun way to discover what you love without the commitment of the luxury price tags.

If you are interested in signing up, click here for a referral!

Birchbox is a fantastic gift idea if you are looking for a creative gift for the holidays! There's something for everyone! Click here to shop the Holiday Gift Guide!

the brunette one giveaway!

today we have a  giveaway for you from veil vision in honor of my 100^th post!

veil vision is giving away a one-of-a-kind vintage scarf - the pixie pop scarf. 

to enter to win, please leave a comment below telling me which scarf you would love to wear this upcoming holiday season & sign up for the veil vision newsletter.  For extra entries, follow veil vision on FB & Twitter. the winner will be drawn at random and announced on november 30th, 12 pm CST.

good luck!

scarves, scarves, scarves!

Everyone has those days. You know the ones I’m talking about. You can barely force yourself to get out of bed let alone force yourself to get ready for the day ahead. Yesterday was definitely one of those days.  Thankfully, when Veil Vision, a boutique specializing in one-of-a-kind vintage scarves at a price that's easy on the purse strings, approached me to style one of their scarves, I could not pass it up. Scarves are one of the most versatile accessories & they spruce up any outfit with the least bit of effort and a whole lotta style. I threw on a pair of jeans, a cozy knit, & my favorite *glitzy* flats and I was set for a day full of errands.

  

{Scarf c/o Veil Vision, J.Crew High-Waisted Skinnies, J.Crew Fisherman Sweater, BCBGeneration Flats, Target Leather Jacket - Similar}

And for you lucky readers, use this coupon code "BRUNETTE1"* at check out for 20% off your purchase of your own vintage scarf! For other ways to style these gorgeous scarves, head over to Veil Vision for some inspiration and advice on styling your vintage find!


*May not be combined with any other coupon or previous purchases. No minimum purchase necessary. Not valid on gift card purchases. Limited to 3 uses per customer. Valid on sale and clearance items. Offer is non-transferable, not valid for cash or cash equivalent.  Applies to Merchandise only not value of Gift Cards, shipping charges, or applicable taxes. Expires March 31, 2012.

DIY: Confetti Canvas

A while ago I did a guest post over at A Sequin Dress at Breakfast.  Thought I would finally share this *sparkly* DIY with all of my lovely readers if you didn't catch it on her blog!

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I spotted the perfect inspiration for my next DIY project on Pinterest which led me to my favorite guilty pleasure: Mint Love Social Club.  These lovely Kate Spade dishes inspired this DIY.  I had previously debated purchasing a similar style painting on Etsy and realized why not save money and try making my own!

I picked up metallic gold cardstock and glitter paper from Hobby Lobby and used a 1-inch circle punch to create the confetti.  I tossed the confetti on the canvas and secured it with spray adhesive, also picked up from Hobby Lobby.  Since moving, I've barely hung any artwork due my indecisiveness and a bit of *sparkle* was just what my living room needed.

baby it's cold outside

Inspired by this editorial spread from Herschel Supply, I recently invested in the coziest Fair Isle sweater from Old Navy, perfect for the upcoming wintery weather. It was a love at first sight type of moment; I walked into the store and knew it was meant to be. It can be paired with leggings, jeans, or a dress; it can be layered with a t-shirt, thermal, or blouse.  I can tell we are going to be the best of friends, especially after picking up the Saturday Pant from the J.Crew Factory store that just opened up about an hour away from my house {which, for the record, may slowly be the death of my bank account}. 

We are going to be the three best friends anyone could have.

Bauble Bar: Show us how you store em'

I've been selected as a finalist in Bauble Bar's Facebook contest: Show us how you store em'! I would really appreciate your vote if you love how I store my necklace baubles - comment and like my photo! The contestant with the most comments, wins!


I picked up an IKEA utensil rail and several packs of IKEA's 's' hooks to store my lovely collection of baubles.  I love that I finally have access to all of my necklaces without them getting tangled.  If you look closely, you'll see one of my favorite PS. I Made This' projects - the wine cork necklace! 

vote here

thanks :)

Splurge or Steal: Tan Ankle Booties

  {Splurge} or {Steal}

So not so new newsflash: ankle booties are very on-trend this season.  I'm sure you have seen this photo pop up all over the fashion blogging community inspiring many to create their own glittery booties, myself included.  And with the killer deals one can find with a little patience and the internet, you no longer have take out a second mortgage in order to afford such amazing shoes. Sequins aren't your style? These beauties are a go-to of celebs like Kate Bosworth.

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