Selective Potential

January in instagram

2012-01-26T21:56:00.003-05:00

Phew, what a busy week! I wasn't able to grab many outfit shots this week, so I thought I'd do a quick little recap of life in iPhone photos. Somehow this week flew by, but we signed the lease to a new apartment in the city and we'll be moving in March! I can't wait to paint and decorate and post pictures. It's going to be a bittersweet month in February saying goodbye but an exciting month in March saying hello. Anyway, you'll hear me be ultra sappy about leaving next month, but for now, let's just enjoy some photos from the past few weeks, eh?

(winter, cake pops from work, brett + kitties,

circle maybe practice, haircut and shopping at francesca's)

Coquese giveaway!

2012-01-25T14:38:00.008-05:00

This week's giveaway is from Coquese!

They are offering one of my readers this Guadalupe Flower Tote in Mango!

To enter, you must:

1) Comment with your favorite item from their shop

Bonus entries!

1) Subscribe to their e-newsletter

(Please leave an additional comment)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, January 31st at 9 PM EST!

The winner of the Agar Fashion giveaway is...

#48 // Miss Teacups

Please email me to claim your prize!

What a debut!

2012-01-23T23:23:00.003-05:00

Yay to kicking off the week right! I'm so excited to be part of a collaboration with ModCloth to style up one of their Be the Buyer picks and an Eva Franco dress at that. I love the mixture of black and creme and it even has gold woven into the fabric! Plus, can you ever go wrong with polka dots? I was a bit nervous about styling a plunging neckline, but it was still conservative and didn't reveal too much. For those of who you participate in the Be the Buyer Program - great pick! Thanks to ModCloth for giving me the chance to style the What a Debut dress!

So this weekend... my band played a show in Ann Arbor! It was so much fun. Granted everybody was drinking, so they really liked our music, but nevertheless I took it as a compliment that we had so many people watching us and enjoying it! Plus, to see kids sing along is amazing. Especially in a city on the other side of the state! On Saturday, Brett and I napped on the couch together for so long (desperately needed) and later saw a movie with our friend, Peter. Then on Sunday, we went to see the Harlem Globetrotters (silly, but fun!) and lounged around all day. So lazy!

So other than that, I'm just apartment hunting like crazy still, staying very busy at work and trying to keep my head above water! I also need to get back into my gym routine. It's so easy to fall off track there. Especially when it's cold outside, I'm just so unmotivated to head back out to the gym when I get home from work... but I always feel so much better when I'm done. I need to drill "every day counts" back into my brain again.

Be sure to head over to ModCloth and check out the What a Debut dress designed by Eva Franco! I'd also recommend checking out their Be the Buyer Program. I would love to be a fashion buyer for a clothing company. Since that's not possible (I love graphic design just a tad more!), it's fun to play out one of my dreams by participating in their program and weighing in with advice on why to buy or why to skip!

Outfit details:

ModCloth What a Debut dress

Target tights

Limited cardigan

Bold and Basic heel c/o ModCloth

Snow covered forest

2012-01-19T20:15:00.006-05:00

Happy Thursday! This week has flown by. It's been freaking me out lately how fast time is going. I even googled how to slow down time and it said to be more "aware" of your surroundings. They say that kids are constantly watching what's going on around them and their perception of time is way slower. I tried it. It didn't work. The one thing I did accomplish this week though was touring an apartment I loved and most likely won't get because there is so much interest in it. Boo. Cross your fingers for me, please?

I've been trying to plan outfits ahead of time, so I'm more convinced to actually dress up in the mornings. If I don't set my clothes out, the next morning I'm freezing, tired and cranky I had to leave my warm, cozy bed... so I grab the closest pair of pants and a chunky cardigan. If I have a perfectly folded outfit complete with tights, accessories and shoes... I'm much more likely to look like a human that day. Hehe!

Hm, what else is new! I converted all of my CDs into MP3s this week. I bought a new dress from the mall. I finished laying out the trips we've already taken in my travel book. Next step is to actually go through each individual trip and brainstorm some real content (aka, the challenging part!). I'm almost done getting the new Delightful Dozen girls set up; we just have one more to vote on! And in other news, I'm officially collaborating with ModCloth for the Texas Style Council Conference! I will be a conference correspondent and ambassador for ModCloth... which means I'll be helping them with fun events/contests and will be guest blogging for them about the conference. I'm absolutely thrilled to be working with them (especially Turi) and I can't wait to post more about it!

Outfit details:

Painted ladies dress c/o ModCloth

Maccha Tea pleated skirt c/o Ruche

Forever 21 jacket

Forever 21 belt

Target boots

Agar Fashion Giveaway!

2012-01-18T17:53:00.005-05:00

Closed Tuesday, January 24 at 9 PM EST!

This week's giveaway is from Agar Fashion!

They are offering one of my lucky readers their choice of top from

this list: Aspire, Layer vest, Affair, So Classic and Soft Knit!

To enter, you must:

1) Comment with your favorite item from their shop

Bonus entries!

1) Follow them on Facebook

2) Like them on Twitter

(Please leave additional comments for each)

Yay, this giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers!

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, January 24 at 9 PM EST.

The winner of the Yellow Brick Road giveaway is...

#36 // Anna

Please email me to claim your prize!

Winter flurries

2012-01-15T20:50:00.004-05:00

We're living in a winter wonderland! This is my favorite time of winter. The white snow covering all of the trees right now is so pretty. I was just telling Brett the other day that this is the winter version of the peak of autumn. I wouldn't mind winter so much if it looked like this the entire time!

This weekend just flew by. Friday night, I ended up watching tear-jerker chick flicks on the sofa. Saturday, Brett and I went shopping and saw Like Crazy at the theater. I really liked it! But the ending wasn't satisfying enough for me. I need to know how it really ends! Then, we went to see a few bands play. Today, I did laundry and decided to do nothing else but eat chinese food, popcorn and watch TV. So lazy! What is it about winter that makes you so lazy?

This week... I need to increase my runs to 1.5 miles, catch back up on emails (it's neverending!) and practice for our show we have coming up on Friday. My band, Circle Maybe, is playing in Ann Arbor on Friday night at the Metal Frat! I'm super excited to finally play out of Grand Rapids. Plus, I might be more excited to make a stop at their Urban Outfitters. They have the best one in Michigan!

Other than that, not much else is new to talk about! I've been working hard at getting the new Delightful Dozen members announced and planning for the Texas Style Council Conference! They were able to snag a larger venue, so if you were interested in attending, you still have a shot! I'll also have some exciting news on my trip soon too!

Outfit details:

Stella Polka Dot dress c/o Sosie

Gifted ring from Bonjour Bbydoll

Woodsy Wonderland coat c/o ModCloth

Hue tights

Target boots

Ah-Nab-Awen Park

2012-01-12T21:55:00.005-05:00

What a dreary January day! It's finally starting to look like a Michigan winter around here. Gray, wet, cold. I took a little stroll through Ah-Nab-Awen park today. I couldn't believe there were fisherman out in the river and so many runners. I'm like, you crazy! But then here I am... taking outfit shots in the rain. Oh boy.

Ah-Nab-Awen Park is located right downtown Grand Rapids. It was once the site of a Native American village. The name, "Ah-Nab-Awen" means, "Resting Place." This park contains many pieces of art and also hosts many festivals throughout the year. This is the same park that has Lorrie's Button! Sometimes it's crazy to me that most of you never even saw that post because it was so long ago! It's still one of my favorites to date!

This outfit is almost an exact replicate of the outfit I wore to Ferry Park. Isn't it crazy how I remember this stuff? I added a bird necklace I got from Fishtown, a cardigan and swapped the shoes and belt for ones very similar! I always find it funny how I really do reflect my surroundings and seasons. That day was gray too - gray dress, gray day. How predictable am I?

Also, if you haven't caught wind via my Twitter or Facebook pages... I started writing a book! It's going to be mostly a travel book about Michigan, with a "dash" of style. I won't be writing about fashion or what to wear where, but will incorporate the outfits I've worn to the places we've visited. I'm going to highlight every place we've traveled to in the state. Brett and I are also going to take another year to travel to more places. We're looking to hit the Detroit area a bit more, the thumb, the sunrise coast and southern Michigan a bit more. If you have any tips, let me know! I'm so excited about this. It'll be mostly photos we've taken, tips on each place and recommendations for day-trips and weekend excursions, plus off-the-beaten-path places to visit and dorky tourist attractions! Plus, it gives us an excuse to travel as much as we can!

Outfit details:

Chic Chick gray dress c/o Ruche

Urban Outfitters cardigan

Target tights

Thrifted belt

The Crib Birdcage necklace

Loxley Mary Jane wedges c/o Ruche

The Yellow Brick Road Giveaway!

2012-01-11T12:44:00.005-05:00

Closed Tuesday, January 17 at 9 PM!

This week's giveaway is from The Yellow Brick Road!

They are offering one of my readers this suitcase filled

with goodies, valued at $205!

(Contents include: Blue polka dot mini suitcase,

paper doll mate camera case, cat sticky memos, flower phone plug,

fabric doily tape, big hair bow, two ceramic critters, floral iPhone 4 case,

paper doll note book, sunglasses, owl ring, made in New Zealand

swallows necklace and two sticker sets!)

To enter, you must:

1) Like them on Facebook

2) Leave a comment on this post

Bonus entries!

1) Name your favorite item from their website

2) Follow them on Instagram (yellowbrickroadboutique)

(Please leave additional comments for each)

Yay, this giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers!

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, January 17 at 9 PM EST.

The winner of the Poshlocket giveaway is...

#75 // Tracy Evelyn

Please email me to claim your prize!

Rosy Mound

2012-01-08T18:24:00.004-05:00

Rosy Mound is one of my favorite spots to take photos. It's a park in our town with an amazing trail that leads to Lake Michigan. I remember when I first started blogging, I came out here to take some photos. It was just an exciting time in my life when I started my blog and it's one of those memories that always sticks out to me. Plus, can you guys imagine me wearing this outfit now? I can't. Haha! It's funny how we grow and change and get older.

I bought this dress after seeing it on Katie from Skunkboy Creatures. I think her prettiness alone sold me on it! It just love the simplicity of the black and white, plus the peter pan collar is too cute. I can imagine mixing and matching this with all sorts of items. I'm trying to buy pieces that I know I can remix easier. Sometimes I'll buy the craziest items that I can only wear once. Ahem, this dress, which is still hanging in my closet because I love it too much but I can never find a time to wear it!

I've been feeling super productive lately. Between working, blogging and friends... I've also managed to somehow work out 3 times this week and cook a few dinners at home! This is major! Usually we're always on the go, eating out and getting home late. If you really want something, you just have to force yourself to make time. I love heading to the gym and working out lately. It's a huge stress reducer and I've also been waking up easier in the mornings. I'm excited to get back into shape, finally!

Other than that, not much is new! I'm hoping to take a weekend trip with Brett soon... just need to decide where to go this time of year. I want to get back to our monthly trips in Michigan. They are just too fun, even if it's just a day trip. Along with planning for Texas in March, I'm also in the works of planning a Michigan swap/blogger meet-up for April! I'm too excited for spring already!

Outfit details:

Shop Ruche Swan Lake Collared dress

Flurry Up top c/o ModCloth

Central flats c/o Blowfish Shoes

Winter Featured Blogger

2012-01-06T16:12:00.014-05:00

For my winter featured blogger, I chose one of my really good friends, Emily of The Daily Fashionista. Emily and I have been friends for a while. We started blogging around the same time, so we've experienced a lot together and have had the chance to hang out a few times! Emily came to my town last spring with her husband, Zach, to stay and Brett and I loved the both of them. Emily is so sweet, down to earth and kind. Plus, her style is so colorful and practical for real girls on a budget. If you haven't checked out her blog yet, be sure to head over and say hi. I'm sure you'll love her as much as I do! Here are some questions to get to know her a bit better.

1. What made you decide to start a personal style blog?

I started a personal style blog because I thought it would be a cool way to keep a diary of sorts while also discovering my style and helping to inspire others! I wanted to show how easy it is to have style on a budget while thrifting, vintage shopping and finding those splurges that will last a lifetime in your wardrobe. I also loved the community that went along with style blogs. Mostly, everyone is wonderful and you really make some awesome friends, both on the internet and in real life!

2. What do you love most about your town?

I love the fact that I live in one of the most historical states in the United States. Virginia is so vast with so many things to do! I live near the beach but just 4 hours west and I'm in the mountains or 3 hours north and I'm in the nation's capital! I actually live in a town within a city called Ghent and it's one of the best places to live. There are a lot of young people and you slowly get to know just about everybody with all the parties, bars and shops. It's also super animal friendly since PETA's headquarters are just down the street from me. It makes being vegetarian way easier!

3. A big interest of yours is music. What are some of your favorite bands?

In my humble opinion, The Get Up Kids is numero uno the best band that ever lived! Also, The Descendents, The Riverdales, Screeching Weasel (flew to Chicago to see them in 2009), The Dead Milkmen, Sex Maggots or what is now known as The Goo Goo Dolls, but only stuff from 1995 and earlier. And of course your band, Tieka! Circle Maybe has done such an awesome job with that EP!

4. Tell us a bit about your day job!

Awww...the glamorous world of tellering. I work in a bank as a bank teller. It has its good days and its bad days, but the things I truly love about my job is just talking with people. You have your regulars who come in about once a day and they end up turning into friends. I also love my co-workers. You have to be personable to work in a bank so it kind of leads to better relationships with co-workers.

5. What's your favorite article of clothing you own?

I absolutely love my collection of vintage! If I could pin down my most favorite article of clothing it would be this 1970s light brown tie blouse from this post! I wear it way more often than it appears on my blog.

6. Describe your style in three words.

Nostalgic, affordable and eclectic.

7. What are some of your favorite blogs?

Besides yours? Hehe... I love The Dainty Squid, Ruby Slipper Journeys, La Belle Oiselle, The Clothes Horse and Transient Withdrawal.

8. What's your favorite thing to do with your husband?

My husband and I love road trips! Just within the past two years, we've gone to Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, NYC, Philly, Raleigh, DC and Richmond. This coming year we plan on traveling to Ohio and Michigan again, NY and maybe New Mexico. We shall see about that last one!

9. Future dream goals?

My future dream goal is to finish my business degree and hopefully use my degree to open my own business. Zach and I talk about owning a shop that specializes in gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and beer. Who doesn't love a grilled cheese?

10. Any tips for bloggers starting out?

Here are my favorite tips! Network, comment and become pro-active with social media. I was hesitant to have a Twitter, but it's such a fabulous tool for spreading the word on your blog! Also, if your blog is picture heavy you should have good quality photos. You don't have to have a fancy SLR but a good quality point and shoot now-a-days costs just as much as a Nikon D3000, so you have your choices. Also - learn about HTML. It's a pain in the neck but the more you do it, the more comfortable you are with it. And when in doubt, ask a fellow blogger for assistance!

I hope you all enjoyed getting to know Emily a little bit more. Be sure to head over to her blog and follow along! You can also keep up with her on Twitter and Facebook. And... if you enjoyed reading this feature, be sure to check out my first eight featured bloggers!

Snowy fields

2012-01-05T19:51:00.004-05:00

We finally received some real snow! It's not our first snowfall, but nothing has stuck this winter! Not that I'm complaining because I adored our extended autumn. But it is nice to see a bit of winter now that it's January. I made a huge winter inspiration Pinterest board and then it never snowed. I wonder if that's why... I jinxed myself this year by planning ahead!

I wore this outfit when Brett and I were out on Monday running a few errands. It's been so nice having long, extended weekends the past two weeks. Next week is going to seem so long with five work days! I've finally been trying to get into a routine since the new year. It's my goal to work out four times a week, stay on top of a schedule and plan ahead more. It really helps me to have a plan and to stay organized.

I'm trying to think of other new and exciting things to tell you guys about, but I just don't have much! I'm itching to take a trip soon. We always plan these amazing weekend trips in summer, but never think about it much in winter! Michigan is beautiful all year round, but I just think the winter mentality is "stay home". I really need to plan somewhere pretty to explore this time of year.

I'll have some other news about changes on the blog soon. I'm trying to streamline as much as I can in my life currently. I know it's probably the "new years resolutions" mentality, but I want more time for fun in my life. I also want more time to spend with Brett. I know we're married and we live together, but sometimes I really miss him! I want to be able to spend more time with him. So planning things out, getting rid of things that aren't benefiting my life and making decisions are all part of my plan this winter. I'm excited for the future!

Outfit details:

Woodsy Wonderland coat c/o ModCloth

Toasty warm cardigan c/o ThreadSence

Forever 21 body suit

Gap jeggings

Have it Down Pattern handbag c/o ModCloth

Forever 21 scarf

Target boots

Poshlocket Giveaway!

2012-01-04T12:54:00.006-05:00

Closed Tuesday, January 10 at 9 PM EST!

This week's giveaway is from Poshlocket!

They are offering one of my readers their Gemina Relief bracelet!

(your choice of gold or silver)

To enter, you must:

1) Follow them on Facebook or Twitter

2) Leave a comment below

Bonus entries!

1) Leave a comment on their Facebook

2) Tweet about the giveaway

(Please leave additional comments for each)

Sorry, this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, January 10th at 9 PM EST.

As for the InPink giveaway... if you entered the form, you won a $40 gift certificate!

They'll be in touch soon with the email you provided.

Happy shopping!

Jane By Design Style Challenge!

2012-01-03T23:30:00.004-05:00

I was so excited when ABC Family contacted me for their Jane by Design style challenge! Jane by Design is a new TV show that premiered tonight and will air every Tuesday at 9 PM! For the challenge, they sent over a huge trunk filled with some crazy items. I had no idea what was in store until the emails started coming from Gray Chandler Murray of Donovan Decker and her assistant, Jane Quimby. It was a really fun challenge and I'm happy I was able to take part!

For the first challenge, we received an email from Gray asking us to take the gift card they sent us... and go shopping! The task was to shoot a video of our shopping haul. I tried to think of the most inspiring place... which, to me, is the newest Anthropologie that just went up in our town! I found the prettiest clips that I thought could be used in different ways to spice up an outfit. Here is my video. You can submit your own videos here if you'd like. Mention my blog name if you do!

For the 2nd challenge, Jane sent us an email asking us to post about our style icons. They gave us a blank white t-shirt and asked us to style it based on something our style icon would wear. Ever since I first started blogging, Betty from Le Blog de Betty has been a huge fashion inspiration to me. I took one of her recent outfits and easily recreated it using items from my own closet. In the challenge, they asked us to alter the shirt in some way... but in my personal opinion, you can never go wrong with a classic white tee. You can tell me about your style icons here - mention my blog name if you do!

For the third challenge, Jane asked us to post on our favorite purse and to explain why this purse conveys the essence of who we are. I instantly knew which purse I'd be posting on. I bought this purse two years ago. I saw it in a magazine spread and immediately fell in love. It's classic, structured and practical. It was less than $100, has tons of pockets and zippers to stay organized, a built-in wallet and it can stand up on its own. I wear it with almost every outfit! You can post about your favorite purse here - mention my blog name if you do!

For challenge number four, Jane asked us to take this holiday sweater and turn it from "fashion don't" into a "fashion do". Considering the ever-so-popular, ugly holiday sweater party... I decided to take it a step further and turn this vest into a ugly holiday sweater skirt. By cutting off the top half, pairing it with a top, scarf and chunky belt... you can wear this as a mini-skirt to to the party! And you'd probably be the only one with an ugly holiday skirt. Perfect, right? And right on trend at the party. Did you restyle an ugly holiday sweater? If so, share your styles here and mention my blog name!

For challenge number five, we were asked to style this white shirt in a day to night look. Our lives are so busy that sometimes we need to plan a quick and simple outfit change. For my day look, I paired the white top with a bright skirt, chunky cardigan, subtle jewelry and oxford heels. To switch it up for a nighttime look, I added a short little black dress, a bolder statement necklace and Mary Jane heels. Do you have any fun day-to-night looks? If so, share them here and mention my blog name!

For challenge number six, they gave us three bags of pretzels of all different shapes and sizes and asked us to get creative and make something that would amaze Gray. As most of you know, I'm always inspired by the places I'm going. So keeping this in mind, Brett and I created a cute pretzel necklace. We spray-painted it red, added a touch of glitter and linked it to a chain. I would totally wear this to Nautical Knots this summer. Have you made something fashionable from an unexpected item? If so, share here and mention my blog name if you do!

(modcloth heels, shop ruche top, modcloth skirt,

le mode accessories belt, francesca's collections watch)

For our final challenge, we were asked to tune into the premiere of Jane by Design and to pay attention to the outfits worn during the show! Our task was to recreate an outfit we saw and observed... since fashion really is about observing and taking inspiration from what we see. I chose the outfit that Jane wore to her interview at Donovan Decker. She wore a tulle-like layered black skirt, white printed blouse with lips, patent shiny heels, black opaque tights, a bold statement belt and a few arm accessories. I went searching online and recreated the look! Although she had a funky print top... her main statement was in the belt she made. In my outfit I recreated, I chose a stand-out belt, paired with a similar color top and black details. Have any "get the look" tips? Share them here and mention my blog name if you do!

I hope you guys enjoyed reading about the Jane by Design style challenge! It was a lot of fun... and thanks to ABC Family for having me take part. I absolutely loved the first episode tonight and can't wait to continue watching the series! Be sure to tune in on Tuesday nights at 9 PM on ABC Family! You can also keep up-to-date on what's happening on their Twitter and Facebook.

*I was not compensated to take part in this challenge. The only money gifted was a $50 gift card for challenge number one.

New Year's Eve

2012-01-02T14:07:00.004-05:00

Happy 2012! Although I'm a little shocked at how fast 2011 went, I'm so excited for 2012. I have a lot of things I can't wait to start working on. But my biggest mindset going into the new year is to be happy and do all of the things I love doing. Life is too short! Have fun, be happy, do what you love. Plus, I'm back to the "every day counts" mentality. It really helps with my day-to-day process!

Some of my resolutions include: lose the 10 pounds I've gained, run a 10k, take a class, host a swap/blogger meetup, travel to Texas, visit my best friend in Denver, take a week-long trip with Brett somewhere warm and relaxing, go to Pictured Rocks again in July, explore the sunrise coast of Michigan, pay off several bills and move back to Grand Rapids. I'm already working hard at all of them. My biggest advice for new year's resolutions is to set tangible ones. Instead of "get in shape", set an actual goal like running a race. It gives you something to work toward! I know a lot of you have asked how I lost 35 pounds a couple of years ago and you can read all about it here!

For new year's eve, we devoured burgers at Red Robin (yum!) and went to our friend's house for a party. I love a low-key party with close friends. Of course, I still got dressed up as if we were going out! I got this dress on sale from ModCloth and love it. The little gold squares and cut out back were the perfect amount of dressy. Brett and I couldn't believe how warm it was. 50 degrees! Last year, it was a freak warm day too... but the year before that was freezing!

I also wanted to announce that I'm speaking at the Texas Style Council Conference in March! I'm so excited (and a little nervous!) It'll be my first time attending and I can't wait. I've heard rave reviews from last year and all of the photos looked like so much fun. Plus, I've never been to Texas... so that will be amazing. If any of you are going, be sure to let me know! You can sign up and register here.

Outfit details:

Starlit Lady dress c/o ModCloth

Target black tights

Forever 21 feather necklace

Bold and Basic heel c/o ModCloth

12 Days of Giveaways Winners!

2011-12-29T17:40:00.004-05:00

I finally have our winners from my 12 Days of Giveaways contest! If you see your profile picture or name here, you've won! If you don't remember the rules, the first winner gets to choose their prize first. Then the second, then the third, and so on. If you could please email me with your name and prize number, I'll be sure to round up everyone's choices and get them mailed out this weekend! Thanks so much for your support of my blog in 2011. I'm overwhelmed daily at the wonderful community we have and the truly amazing friends I've made. Here's to 2012!

Looking back on 2011

2011-12-27T22:25:00.009-05:00

Here is my giant recap of 2011! Last year, I split it up into four posts for each season, but I didn't like it as much. In 2009, I did a huge recap and it's just so fun to go back and see an entire year in a recap. So, here we go. I tried my hardest to cut it down and only include my favorite memories... but this truly has been a great year so this was a challenge. If you have a slow connection, I don't blame you for backing out now!

January

In January, Brett and I took a trip out to Crane's Pie Pantry. Later in the month, we did a wintry photo session with photographers, Bryan and Mae. It was freezing, but so much fun.

February

In February, Elizabeth and I put together the first INDIE e-conference. This was by far my favorite INDIE. One of my favorite memories of the entire year was when a bunch of us in INDIE were all in a chat-room, all watching Old Gregg and cracking up together. I also hosted the Michigan blogger meetup! We had a wonderful turn-out and I really enjoyed meeting so many girls from the state.

Brett and I went to Ann Arbor for the first time to shop, eat and search out a vintage photobooth.

March

In March, we launched the Delightful Dozen blog with a huge launch party. It was so fun and we were trending #1 on Bloglovin's Up & Coming list. It's been a great year with those girls and I'm excited for 2012 with them.

I was so lucky to meet Vanessa of The Velvet Bird. She was traveling with her husband's band through Grand Rapids. We ate dinner together and talked for a long time at a coffee shop. I love this girl!

Brett and I attended the Antwerp Fashion Show in Grand Rapids. Later in the month, we went on a quest to find both Sable Point lighthouses. The smaller one was in Shelby and the larger one was an adventure in Ludington.

April

Brett and I took a crazy, random, spontaneous trip to The Gateway City! We spent all weekend there. We had a blast at City Museum, laying under the arch, dining at the coolest diner ever and enjoying 80 degree temperatures when Michigan was having 30 degree temperatures! Our band also started recording our first EP, All These Things.

May

In May, I headed out to Chicago to meet up with Andrea and Veronika! I loved meeting Veronika for the first time. She's become a really great friend this year. We went to the Randolph blogger meet up and fair. Good times!

I was so honored to model for Megan Nielsen's SS2011 line. It was such a dreamy line of clothing designed by the sweetest girl ever.

June

Veronika and I drove out to East Lansing to meet Maria of Lulu Letty! We ate lunch, took outfit photos and shopped together. Such a great day. A sad day in May was when we said goodbye to Tall Ships at their last show. If you aren't familiar, Tall Ships was my husband's band... and a huge part of our lives for a few years. I miss it like crazy!

I went on a city-wide scavenger hunt with my company. Some of my favorite memories included exploring the old, abandoned public museum, going to the top of the JW Marriott and giggling over our zumba dance.

July

In July, Brett and I took a long weekend to Northern Michigan. We stopped to Kaleva to visit the world-famous bottle house, visited Point Betsie Lighthouse and had a blast at Sleeping Bear Dunes. My favorite memory of this was when Brett ate too much pizza and drank a couple too many, ran down the biggest dune I've ever seen in my life, took an hour to get back up and puked when he reached the top. Hahaha!

I loved South Manitou island more than anything. This is one of my favorite photos of me. Plus, historic fish town was so amazing. I can't wait to go back.

We had the wonderful opportunity to stay at Black Star Farms. My favorite memory of this was sitting out on the front patio with Brett, drinking and star-gazing with the fountain in the background. Love.

To end our trip, we went to Cherry Festival - which was my first time. We sipped cherry rootbeers, ate cherries, explored Traverse City and rode rides until we felt sick. Haha!

When we got back home, we took our scooters out to the city for 4th of July with friends. My favorite memory of this was that all of our friends were on scooters, all riding double in downtown GR. Maybe my favorite memory of the year.

August

My band, Circle Maybe, recorded our music video and launched our first EP! I was also featured in the September Issue of Lucky magazine. Yes, I screamed when I saw my name in print.

Every August is our annual Coast Guard festival. All of our friends came out to the city to ride rides, eat carnival food and watch fireworks. We also got a little too crazy at our house afterwards and yelled things at people from our rooftop. So. much. fun.

Brett got me a Michigan trips book for my 25th birthday, so we had to check out Fallasburg Village. It was a ghost town with a covered bridge! It was so hot and we ended up swinging on a rope and peeking into windows and calling it a day to go get some ice-cream.

September

In September, I celebrated my two-year blogiversary. Then, I headed out to New York with Andrea for fashion week! It was a great week filled with a ton of memories with good friends. I love that city.

I had a blast at FABB - learned a lot, met a lot of people and got to catch up with good friends! The night after, Andrea and I went exploring downtown for FNO.

It was surreal attending the Lucky blogger breakfast at their headquarters. I was so excited! I felt like I was in a movie.

One of my favorite events from the week was definitely the ModCloth swap.

Afterwards, we darted straight to Bloggers Night Out - which was also a lot of fun and gave me the opportunity to meet some of my now-favorite bloggers!

The stylish picnic in Central Park was just what I needed to end the trip. My favorite memory from this was when I took a second to grab a homemade ice-cream by myself from a food truck and just sit and enjoy the beautiful view, sunshine and sounds of Central Park.

When I returned home from New York, Brett and I went to the Chicago Renegade craft fair where I had the opportunity to meet Rachel and Elsie of Red Velvet! Both of them are a huge inspiration to me and were so sweet in person.

At the end of the month, I was able to meet and photograph Mindy of States' outfit. I loved watching their show - such a good band.

October

In October, we took two of our closest friends, Jesse and Taylor, up to Gravity Hill where we rolled backwards down a hill. It was crazy. Then, we drove up to Sleeping Bear Dunes!

On a crazy 70-degree day in October, Brett and I took our final scoot trip of the season up to White River Lighthouse. Amazing day. My favorite memory was when we were on the back winding roads by the blockhouse on our scooters.

And this was by far the most beautiful autumn I've ever seen in Michigan.

Brett and I took a big trip up to the upper peninsula to see Porcupine State Mountain Park! My favorite spot was Lake of the Clouds. It was breathtaking.

We traveled to a few different waterfalls. Bond Falls and Overlooked Falls were two of our favorites. My favorite memory of this trip was going to see the Paulding Light. It's a mysterious light that's haunted. It was so creepy at the time... and so much fun.

To end October, I had the craziest Halloween weekend ever. Let's just say, I rarely drink... and this weekend, I drank way too much. Brett was in Florida at a music festival and I went a little overboard. Haha!

November

In November, Brett and I had a relaxing month after a few months of craziness. We explored the Ada Covered Bridge. I was also surprise-featured in the January issue of Lucky Magazine! My first time ever having a photo in a huge print magazine! So exciting. I bought five copies.

December

In December, we hosted our 5th annual Christmas Party for all of our friends. This was also an amazing year at my job. I became really close to my friend and co-worker, Sharisa. (We're known together as Sharieka!)

We enjoyed the holidays with our families...

And I can't wait to see what 2012 will bring! I'll be posting soon on my 2012 New Years resolutions. I have a huge list. I need a year of crazy productivity and I feel like 25/26 is the perfect year to do it. (If you survived to this point, bravo to you. You seriously deserve a piece of confetti cake with rainbow chip frosting.)

Top ten outfits of 2011

2011-12-27T20:39:00.003-05:00

Let's start the 2011 recap off with some of my favorite outfits from the past year! It's so true that my favorite outfits come from spring and autumn. I really struggled to pull favorites from last winter and summer. I'm just so inspired by my surroundings when it comes to style, especially the seasons. It'll be my goal in 2012 to pull more favorites from winter and summer! My next post is going to be a huge 2011 recap on life. I'm so excited to pull photos and relive some of the memories!

(valentine's day, path to the beach)

(borrowing florals, an old silo)

(meadows of yellow, fields of tulips)

(ada covered bridge, peak of autumn)

(barn in the rain, autumn christmas)

If you're interested... you can see my top outfits of 2009 and 2010!

Autumn Christmas

2011-12-26T21:59:00.004-05:00

Okay, I'm back with one more outfit post for 2011! I said my last one was it for the year, but I ended up really liking this outfit. So, Brett and I ran out to take some pictures on Christmas Eve. We finished up some Christmas shopping downtown, watched movies at home and then headed out for dinner with my family. It's been a fun and relaxing holiday weekend! And now it's a short work week... wee!

I'm in love with this weather. I know that's so terrible... because you're supposed to want a white Christmas. But this has been such an amazing break from Michigan's horrible winters. I just hope this doesn't mean that winter is going to last until May or something crazy. That would be no fun! But for now, I'll just enjoy this rare extended autumn!

What did you guys get for Christmas? I received a new tripod, remote for my Canon, clothes, popcorn machine... and Brett and I bought ourselves a new TV! I'm excited. It's insane how light the new one is. Our old one was huge and so heavy. It took both of us struggling to get it out of the TV stand. We also watched a movie in HD on it tonight and it was so awesome!

I've been wearing my hair in buns like crazy since watching Veronika's messy bun tutorial! I love it and it's super easy. An elastic band, some bobby pins, five minutes... and you're done. Now I'm crazy distracted by Family Guy and keep looking at Brett and giggling, so I'll wrap up here. Have a great week... and I hope you enjoy my upcoming recap posts of 2011!

Outfit details:

Love Ballad top c/o ModCloth

Forever 21 shorts

Anthropologie scarf

LuLu*s oxford heels

Spread the cheer!

2011-12-23T16:55:00.004-05:00

Yay! What a super fun day. ModCloth and some amazing bloggers have teamed up to "Spread the Cheer" for the holiday season! Earlier in the month, ModCloth hand-delivered orders to customers in the Pittsburgh area AND handed them a $50 gift card, plus one to share with a friend! They also contacted five bloggers to choose an adorable holiday dress and to pick one of their favorite bloggers to receive the same exact dress! I chose my very good friend, Veronika of Girl & Closet. I loved styling this dress and seeing how Veronika wore it too. She's always inspiring! I just love her.

You can head over to the ModCloth blog to see how other bloggers styled their dresses and watch the 'Spread the Cheer' video here. Later on, Veronika and I will grace the Roses for Every Occasion dress product detail page. Thanks to ModCloth for letting me a part of this fabulous feature and to Veronika for being an amazing friend! If you purchase a $50 gift certificate from now until 12/25, you will be entered to win a second gift certificate so you can spread the cheer to one of your friends!

This is actually going to be my last outfit post of 2011! Next week, I have a full week of 2011 recaps, favorite outfits from the past year and an interview with my winter featured blogger! (I might pop in with some snapshots from Christmas, of course...) I hope you guys have an amazing holiday and enjoy time with your friends and family! Thank you for your continued support. I feel so blessed because of all of you! xo

Outfit details:

Roses for Every Occasion dress c/o ModCloth

Forever 21 glitter tights

Steve Madden wedges c/o Shop It To Me

InPink Giveaway!

2011-12-21T21:43:00.010-05:00

Closed Wednesday, January 4

This week's giveaway is from InPink!

They are offering 300 readers a $40 gift certificate!

Crazy, right?!!

To enter, you must:

1) Like InPink on Facebook

2) Fill out the form below for shipping purposes

(Click here to go to the form in a separate browser)

Sorry, this giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian readers only.

All non-winners will be emailed with a 30% off promo!

Entries will be accepted until Wednesday, January 4th.

Loading...The winner of the Rebecca giveaway is...

#60 // Ania!

Please email me to claim your prize!

A holiday look

2011-12-20T22:47:00.005-05:00

Oh my goodness, I just went and laid down in bed for five minutes and was like, "Man... I should really finish this blog post." So here I am with crazy tired eyes. What a week so far! I've been so busy the past week at work, with the blog, in life in general! My inbox is insane right now and I was just caught up too. Boooooooo. At least most of our holiday shopping is done with and I just need to crank out some wrapping this weekend.

This is what I wore to my work holiday party. I tried on a hundred different outfits and realized I just wanted to be comfortable, yet still 'dressed up' feeling. Our party was on a Sunday night and usually Sunday nights, I'm in my comfiest jammies curled up on the couch! I had a ton of fun though. The food is always delicious and our white elephant exchange was too funny. I ended up with a tiki tissue box cover!

Are you guys ready for the holidays? I totes am. Long weekend? Yussssss. Bring it onnnnnn. Can you guys tell I'm totally zonked or what? I think I'll end conversation here. See you guys tomorrow. I'm announcing 12 days of giveaways winners, so go ahead and enter tonight if your little heart desires. I'll take entries until tomorrow sometime when I close the post! Night!

Outfit details:

Duffy coat c/o Element

English Muse lace dress c/o Ruche

Target tights

Steve Madden Westii wedges c/o Shop It To Me

Crafty Companion Ring c/o ModCloth

Urban alley

2011-12-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to be more on top of taking photos and getting updates on the blog lately. I still haven't adjusted to daylight savings yet (how long ago was that?!) Brett met me at work before I was even out and snapped some photos really quick. It was 4:30pm when we took these and as soon as we were done, it was pitch black outside. What the heck! Is spring here yet? I guess I can't complain though. Outside with no jacket in mid-December. What a luxury.

Today was probably the best day of my life. No, but seriously, I had a really good day. Work was so much fun (laughing to the point of tears fun), the weather is amazing, I liked my outfit and my hair up, I had a really good band practice with the boys and here I am... updating my blog for a Friday post. I'm finally feeling on top of it lately and it feels amazing! Emails are under control, priorities are straight. As soon as I start training for my spring 5k, I'll feel even better!

Mixing patterns has been one of my long-time loves. Especially stripes and florals. So with that said, this outfit was a no-brainer. It's surprisingly one I haven't put together before! Sometimes I try to match my outfits to my locations too much and my style can look the same quite often in our town. That's why I love taking photos in the city because I tend to dress a little more urban and incorporate a bit more "grunge" into my outfits. Hopefully we can continue to take some right after work, so I have more of this style in my outfit posts!

What are you guys up to this weekend? I'm hoping to catch a movie, do a ton of Christmas shopping, go see a raunchy burlesque show with friends and play catch up on cleaning and laundry. I can't believe Christmas is so soon! I have so much to do still before the big weekend. I'm excited for some time off though + for the new year to begin! I definitely need to finish that 2012 resolutions list, but I also need to write down everything I loved and accomplished in 2011. It's good to look forward, but important to reflect too! Have a great weekend!

Outfit details:

Striped top c/o Zara

Urban Outfitters floral skirt

Compass rose necklace c/o ModCloth

Target black tights

LuLu*s oxford heels

Mini studio tour!

2011-12-15T16:00:00.001-05:00

Last night, I did a little mini-tour of my studio on Instagram, so I thought I'd share here too in case you missed it! I've been working on it by adding a few more pieces here and there. It's just a great place to go and work and have everything I need in one little space. I always feel just a bit more inspired when I'm in this studio, which is exactly what I need sometimes! Enjoy!

(studio, magnet board for inspiration)

(office essentials: fun tape, notecards, business cards, stickers, paper clips

and books for research and inspiration for blog posts!)

(photos of my amazing friends and fellow bloggers,

a magazine rack for my favorite mags, espec. Lucky!)

(bulletin board for fun notes, photos, lists, inspiration

and my new clothing rack to use for my new store and for

reminders of what to wear & for styling purposes!)

(mannequins to take photos, style up items and

a quick peek at my desk, shelves + computer!)

A few tips for creating a successful workplace:

Find your space. Find a little spot in your home you can set aside for a workspace. It can be a small desk in the corner or a full room... just find a place that you won't have to tear down, that can be yours. I'm lucky enough to have a little nook in one of our rooms that I devoted completely to my blog studio - and it's helped so much with my productivity!
Organize your space. When I put together my studio, I emptied the nook and put everything back very carefully. I got rid of everything I didn't need and bought new things that I knew would help me. Especially all of my boxes with labels, file cabinets and desk. I keep a lot of stuff (I'm sentimental with my blog!) and it doesn't seem like it, because I keep it all really organized.
Add fun touches and reminders of why you love what you do. With me, I use my studio for blogging, so I've added so much of my blog into my studio. Photos with my blog friends, memories from fashion week and blogger meetups, pictures of features I've been in, framed maps of the Delightful Dozen addresses, pictures/notes I've received from readers, inspiration from magazines, books of style bloggers and places in Michigan I want to go, etc. Every time I step back into my studio, I am quickly reminded why I love blogging so much and it inspires me!
Keep your space cozy. That's a huge deal for me because I spend so much time working... that I need a comfy place. I have a comfy chair, fuzzy blanket, low-lighting and a nice guest chair and stool for Brett to keep me company once in a while. I love coming back here to work and it's because it's the right environment for my work style!

Hope you enjoyed a little peek into my studio + got some ideas for your own space! ♥

Rebecca Giveaway!

2011-12-14T19:48:00.005-05:00

Closed Tuesday, December 20 at 9 PM!

This week's giveaway is from Rebecca.

She is offering one of my lucky readers a $50 gift certificate!

To enter, you must:

1) Name your favorite item from her shop

Bonus entries:

1) Like her on Facebook

(Please leave an additional comment)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, December 20th at 9 PM EST.

You still have a week to enter my 12 Days of Giveaways!

Hometown lighthouse

2011-12-12T23:52:00.009-05:00

This past weekend was beautiful. The sun was out and the temperatures weren't frigid (considering we're in the middle of December!) It's always funny because Brett and I travel so far to visit lighthouses, when one of the best ones in the state is right in our town and just five minutes from our apartment. I've always loved this lighthouse - it holds some of the best memories of my life!

Five years ago, Brett and I were taking a drive when he asked if I wanted to take a walk down the pier. It was the night before we were hit with a crazy winter storm. We bundled up and headed down to the lighthouse! When we got to the end, Brett asked if I was ready to go... and when I turned around, he was on one knee proposing! Of course, I said yes, and here we are five years later. (I found out a few years later that it was the same night the ring shipped to the jewelry store and he just couldn't wait to propose. It makes my heart melt.) We also walked down to the lighthouse on our wedding day and took our photos here. It's our special place!

I'm wearing a dress of Veronika's from a Delightful Dozen swap. It's her ModCloth namesake dress! I absolutely love it. I also love that Veronika has been on this pier with me too! This post just makes all kinds of sense right now. You can see how she styled it here. It's headed off to Elizabeth of Delightfully Tacky next. I'm excited to see how she styles it!

Well, I'm off! It's 12:15 in the morning, I didn't feel well or sleep well at all last night (ended up sleeping sitting up in our papasan chair) and I'm just busy and tired and ready for bed. Booooo. I'm excited for a long holiday weekend and time to just lay on a sofa and watch holiday movies. That just sounds lovely! I'll be announcing some of the 12 Days of Giveaways winners soon. You still have time to enter!

Outfit details:

Tick Tock Dress via Delightful Dozen

Limited red cardigan

Target black tights

Naked Flats c/o Blowfish Shoes

Tama Asymmetrical ring c/o Poshlocket

The Dierolf's 5th Annual Christmas Party!

2011-12-11T15:22:00.004-05:00

Last night marked our 5th Annual Christmas Party! I can't believe we've had five of these parties since Brett and I have been married! I really had no intention of starting an annual holiday party, but it just happened... and I'm so glad it did. It's always fun to have all of our friends get together every year and do the traditional food, white elephant game and group picture.

The white elephant gift exchange is always my favorite. Brett received a can of frosting and I received a "My Little Pony" set. Guess what's going back into the holiday exchange next year? Yeah, we keep all of our horrible gifts for the next year. Haha! There has been this pickle catapult going around since the very beginning. So funny!

My best friend, Jen, and I wore the same outfit... yet opposite! It was totally unplanned too! I wore a red dress with green tights, and she wore a green dress with red tights! I was cracking up. Especially because she's my best friend and we complete each other. It just makes sense, right?

As always, I adore my good friends. One of my biggest new year's resolutions is to only surround myself with the best people. The friends who are the most kind, passionate, and who mutually care about the relationship as much as you do. It's not worth wasting your time on people who don't make an effort back, and I'm definitely realizing this more as I get older. Life is too short to not be with the people who want to be with you and spend time with you! Love the ones who love you back.

Outfit details:

Cue the Compliments dress c/o ModCloth

Target green tights

Littlewings Designs belt

No snow December

2011-12-08T20:17:00.004-05:00

Is this really December? I'm so baffled! It feels like full blown autumn still! Today was such a beautiful sunny day. This time last year, we already had our first snowfall. I always really want snow for Christmas, but as soon as Christmas is over, it can go back to this weather. I can't complain though! We usually have brutal winters, so I should enjoy this while it lasts, right?

I just picked up a bunch of new tights from Target. I found this little end-cap with a ton of rolled up tights in all sorts of colors. If you guys see those in your local Target, you should honestly pick them up. I bought a small/medium and they fit so perfect and are really comfortable. I even accidentally got my nail caught in them today and they didn't snag at all. Definitely my favorite so far, especially in so many colors. These red-orange ones (look a little more red in these photos...) were my favorite. I also bought dark green for an upcoming holiday party!

This top is going around the Delightful Dozen! It belongs to my dear friend, Veronika of Tick Tock Vintage. We'll do a recap post on the DD blog soon with the different stylings. Also in other news, I just opened up my "Shop my Closet" again. I was doing it manually for a while on my Google site, but it was so much work so I got burnt out. Now I opened a Goodsie and it only took me a couple of hours to get everything listed. Awesome! Check it out!

I had a vacation day today and I have one tomorrow too... so I have a nice long weekend! It's been nice to get caught up a little bit at home. I organized my closet, worked on the shop and ran a bunch of errands. We have our huge 5th annual Christmas party this weekend and then my work party on Sunday! So next week, I'll have some holiday looks for you! Also, thanks to everyone who has entered my 12 Days of Giveaways so far. Such an amazing response - I'm overwhelmed!

Outfit details:

Mustard cardigan c/o AGAR

Forever 21 floral skirt

Black satin top via Delightful Dozen

Target Orange-red tights

LuLu*s Oxford heels

12 Days of Giveaways!

2011-12-07T21:27:00.007-05:00

Closed Wednesday, December 28!

1. Mouse and Moe Multi-strand Lily Necklace 2. Forever 21 Floral Cardigan (M) 3. 80s Purple Blue Pulitzer Wayfayers 4. A Shade of Red book by Alyson Fox 5. Le Mode Accessories My Charming Bow Ring 6. Floral bows from Up A Tree Cup A Tea 7. LOFT Bow Bangle Bracelet 8. Mossimo for Target Floral Cross-body bag 9. Le Mode Accessories Free Bird Scarf in Pink 10. Francesca's Collections Spare Time Leather Watch in Brown 11. ThreadSence Feather hair extensions 12. Francesca's Collections Falling Snowflake Gloves in Blue

Welcome to my 12 days of giveaways! This week is a bit unique because I'm hosting several gifts, along with some of my sponsors giving away items too. I wanted to do a BIG giveaway for the holiday season and be able to thank 12 of you for reading and supporting my blog!

I'll be announcing one winner each day for 12 days. I'll announce them both on Twitter and Facebook and will do a round-up post at the end. The first winner chosen will be able to pick their gift off this list, then the next, then the next and so on until the 12th person has the last item! Fun, right? I'm excited to see what the winners will choose!

To enter, you must:

1) Be a follower of Selective Potential (via GFC, Bloglovin or RSS!)

2) Leave a comment below

Bonus entries!

1) Follow on Twitter

2) Like on Facebook

3) Follow on Instagram (username is selectivepotential)

(Please leave additional comments for each)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, December 20 at 9 PM EST!

The winner of the Le Lapin D'or giveaway is...

#144 // Katrina

Please email me to claim your prize!

2011 Reader Survey

2011-12-06T15:32:00.005-05:00

Hi everyone! It's that time of year again... 2012 is almost upon us! In preparation for the new year, I'd love to do another reader survey. It was so fun to read your answers from last year and receive some valuable input for the future of my blog. So if you have time, I'd love if you could complete the survey! Thank you! If you have troubles with the form on my blog, you can click here to be taken to the survey.

Lucky Magazine January Issue

2011-12-05T17:09:00.003-05:00

I was so excited when I saw a tweet saying I was in the January issue of Lucky Magazine! I raced to the kitchen to grab my copy (Brett thought I was nuts!) and searched for the picture! How exciting, right?!! The last time I was featured in Lucky Magazine in their September issue, I wrote a little piece on a leather jacket inspired by Francoise Hardy. It was crazy exciting, but it didn't include my picture. Just to see yourself on the glossy pages... overwhelming! It was at the Lucky FABB conference last September and I'm pictured with my dear friends, Punky, Julie and Andrea. Be sure to pick up the January issue of Lucky Mag! (I already bought 3 copies...)

Wee!!!!

Christmas wish list

2011-12-01T19:21:00.005-05:00

1. Aveda Elemental Nature facial 2. Canon t2i remote 3. Heart ring by Scape on Etsy 4. Bonlook Urban Dandy glasses 5. Goodrich Quality Theaters gift certificates 6. ModCloth With All My Heart tote 7. ModCloth Woodsy Wonderland coat 8. Something Borrowed on DVD 9. ModCloth Scooter Around dress 10. Marc Jacobs Huge Hobo Hillier bag 11. Jeffrey Campbell Safety heels 12. RadLab

Yay! December is here. As soon as December 1st hits, I'm so pumped up for the holidays. I wouldn't even let myself listen to Christmas music until today. But from here until the 25th, I'll be going nuts! In celebration of the month beginning, I thought I'd put together a wish list for this year. Emphasis on the wish, since some of these items are expensive! It's fun to dream a little around the season, right? I'd love to see some of your wish lists, so if you have one, comment with a link to it! Have a great weekend!

Le Lapin D'or Giveaway!

2011-11-30T21:44:00.004-05:00

Closed Tuesday, December 6 at 9 PM!

This week's giveaway is from Le Lapin D'or!

They are offering one of my lucky readers a $50 gift certificate.

To enter, you must:

1) Comment with your favorite item from their shop

Bonus entries!

1) Follow on Twitter

2) Like on Facebook

(Please leave additional comments for each)

Sorry, this giveaway is open to U.S. readers only.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, December 6 at 9 PM EST.

The winner of The Paraders giveaway is...

#13 // Maija!

Please email me to claim your prize.

Fences on the beach

2011-11-28T22:41:00.005-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, there was a little clothing swap in Grand Rapids that coincided with a craft fair and I spotted this red shawl. I was so surprised nobody picked it up yet! First off, I adore red - especially in winter months. Second off, it's like a stylish blanket! So cozy. I'd love to pair this with a cute green dress for the upcoming holidays.

If you live in a beach town, it's just so typical to take a drive down by the lake to see what's new. Anytime there is a big storm, we instantly say, "Let's drive down to the beach!" I love having Lake Michigan a couple of miles away from our apartment. When I get home at night, sometimes I can hear the waves and I love it. I don't think I could live in a town that didn't have a lighthouse either. Silly, right?

It's an unreal dream of mine to live in a lighthouse someday. I know it's not possible, but I think about it all the time. Every time we visit a new lighthouse, especially one that has a home attached, I envision where I'd have my studio, our bedroom, our living room. I imagine climbing the tower with our kids, sitting at the top watching the sunset and writing a blog called, "The Lighthouse Keepers" that documents our life in the lighthouse. Yes, yes, I'm an idealist! ;)

Outfit details:

Two to Tango dress c/o ModCloth

Thrifted knit shawl

Arabian tights c/o ModCloth

Loxley Mary Jane wedges c/o Shop Ruche

Barn in the rain

2011-11-27T18:52:00.007-05:00

Barn in the rain? Really, Tieka? I know, I know. Usually Brett and I are off on some crazy adventure with some unique name, so I can easily come up with post titles... but lately we've been so busy that we haven't traveled much! I always default to my favorite locations when we're home. This old barn where I shot The Big Strawberry and An Old Silo. We also go to another barn where I've taken several photos and of course, Lake Michigan. You get the beach later this week. ;)

This weekend has been really nice to relax and get caught up on a few things, but I'm ready to go back to work. I don't think I could ever stay at home on a regular basis. I love getting dressed up and out of the house. Usually we don't even eat dinner home... we're always out with friends or doing things. I like it that way!

Did you all have wonderful Thanksgiving? I loved every second of it. I've been terrible with bringing my camera places other than to take outfit shots lately. I sorted through and organized a ton of old photos and I used to take pictures of everyone and everything! I've been making a huge 2012 goals list and I'm definitely adding 'take more photos' to it. It just sounds crazy because I already take so many photos though, but just a different kind!

I can't believe December is coming up. I've felt pretty crazy already buying Christmas gifts. It doesn't at all feel like winter is here yet. There are still so many leaves on the trees and all over the streets in our town. I'm really looking forward to this coming month though. I have some amazing plans and posts coming up. I'm going to make sure this month is perfect before heading into a new year. ♥

Outfit details:

Ancient Alleyway dress c/o ModCloth

Francesca's Collections belt

American Apparel army green tights

Seychelles Hawk Wedges

Closed: The Paraders Vintage Giveaway!

2011-11-23T09:16:00.005-05:00

Closed Tuesday, November 29 at 9 PM!

This week's giveaway is from The Paraders Vintage.

They are offering one of my lucky readers a $50 store credit!

To enter, you must:

1) Subscribe to their blog and leave a comment below

Bonus entries!

1) Follow on Twitter

2) Like on Facebook

3) Subscribe to newsletter

(Please leave additional comments for each)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, November 29 at 9 PM EST.

The winner of the Coquese giveaway is...

#101 // Sharmaine Ruth

All of my hearts

2011-11-21T22:17:00.004-05:00

Dear November, where did you go?! I cannot believe we're approaching the end of the month. As soon as Thanksgiving is over, we usually see crazy amounts of snow and I'm just not ready! I thought I had a whole month to prepare, but it's already almost passed. Crazy how time flies right? I'll just enjoy the gray, no snow days while they last!

I received this heart print dress from my dear friend, Eleanor of Bonjour Bbydoll! I usually steal all of her autumn clothes, but this dress just screamed my name! I love the print and it has cut-out sides! It's adorable, but I was freezing... and you do not want to see my pasty little belly right now. You'd probably click this window shut and never return and I wouldn't blame you! ;)

Are you guys ready for Thanksgiving and Black Friday?! I'm super excited. I think Brett and I might buy ourselves a new TV. We'd have to wait outside for the store to open at 12 AM, but it might be worth it to save a bit of money. We still have this huge box TV that you have to punch when the screen starts going fuzzy. Have an amazing holiday! I'll be back on Wednesday with a new giveaway... and then I'll see you guys after Turkey Day!

Outfit details:

City Stroll Coat c/o Francesca's Collections

Dress swap with Bonjour Bbydoll

Seams like Love tights c/o ModCloth

Bold and Basic Heel c/o ModCloth

Gray in November

2011-11-20T20:12:00.004-05:00

I'm partnering up with Forever 21 right now for their When It Comes To Giving, The Sky's The Limit! Charity Contest! They are supporting 8 amazing charities and I couldn't be more excited to be a part of it. I chose to support Big Brothers Big Sisters but I'm encouraging you to go over and vote for your favorite charity. As a style blogger, I support Big Brothers Big Sisters because their programs build self-esteem, just like fashion can! I feel like bloggers can use their influence to be amazing role models to kids looking to go after their dreams.

In light of the contest, I thought it would be fun to put together an entire outfit from Forever 21. Some pieces are really old and some are really new. I just bought this jacket (that I love and wear constantly) and the boot wedges are from when I first started blogging! Brett and I headed downtown to snap these shots. With all of the art happening in Michigan right now, it's fun to spot a wall painted you've never seen before!

It's been getting more and more gray as Michigan gears up for winter! The temperatures haven't been bad, but I'm already missing summer and the warm days of autumn. I mostly miss the light though. It's so dark all the time! I'm hoping to take a photography class this upcoming semester, so maybe I can learn to shoot some nighttime photos. That'd be super fun.

Be sure to head over to Forever 21 and vote for your favorite charity! ♥

Outfit details:

Forever 21 jacket

Forever 21 top

Forever 21 skirt

Forever 21 scarf

Forever 21 wedges

Past winter favorites

2011-11-17T21:07:00.003-05:00

With the mini snow flurries happening this week, I thought I'd be a good time to reflect on a few of my past favorite winter outfits! Winter is definitely the most challenging time to have a fashion blog, but I'm looking forward to this year. I think it's mostly because of my winter Pinterest board. Hehe! I'm looking forward to ice-skating, mittens and hats, purple and blue skies, bundling up, hot cocoa and pretty white snow. Here's to an upcoming great winter!

(Mild winter, Living in winterland)

(Michigan Blogger meetup, End of January)

(World's Largest Weathervane, First snowfall)

(Pigeon Creek, Valentine's Day)

(A vintage sled, Living in a small town)

♥

Closed: Coquese Giveaway!

2011-11-16T09:05:00.005-05:00

Closed Tuesday, November 22 at 9 PM!

This week's giveaway is from Coquese.

They are offering one of my readers a $40 gift certificate!

To enter, you must:

1) Comment with how you'd spend your gift certificate to their shop

Additional entries!

1) Follow on Twitter

2) Like them on Facebook

3) Subscribe to their blog

4) Sign up for their newsletter

(Please leave additional comments for each)

Sorry, this giveaway is open to U.S. readers only.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, November 22 at 9 PM EST.

The winner of the Kristin Hassan giveaway is...

#64 // Valerie

Please email me to claim your prize!

Ada Covered Bridge

2011-11-14T20:13:00.003-05:00

This past weekend was beautiful! I'm so grateful for the lovely weather we've had this fall. We enjoyed our Saturday running around town. We checked out our brand new Anthropologie. I love it! I just don't think I could ever bring myself to pay for anything full price there, but it's inspiring just to browse! We also went to our local thrift shop and I bought two dresses that need heavy altering... but I'm going to try and take on the challenge. Eep! Afterwards, we took a drive to Ada Covered Bridge.

When Brett and I lived in the city, we used to ride our scooters here. It's a beautiful area. The bridge was built around 1857. It is said that farmers used to drive wagons loaded with stone onto the bridge during high water to hold it to the foundation. Isn't that crazy? The river is nowhere close to the bridge now! The bridge was closed to automobile traffic in 1930, so it's just a walking bridge. The Fallasburg Covered Bridge we explored last August still lets cars drive through!

I figured a hundred years ago, horse drawn carriages would ride through this bridge... so of course, I dug through my closet to find my horse print dress! How like me, right? Not only matching to the seasons... but to historic elements in places we visit. Hehe! This dress actually has a cross-strap back which I love in spring and summer.

What's new with you guys? I sort of took an unintentional blog break for a little while there. Daylight Savings ending makes outfit shots super difficult! I get home from work and it's pitch black outside... and it will be this way until February. I remember last year, when I was able to take these shots after work, I was so excited. We have a long way to go... ;)

Outfit details:

Stallion dress c/o Sosie

Forever 21 black top

Champion Bowler hat c/o ModCloth

Seychelles boots via Gilt Groupe

Closed: Kristin Hassan Giveaway!

2011-11-09T08:42:00.005-05:00

Closed Wednesday, November 16 at 9 AM!

This week's giveaway is from Kristin Hassan!

She is offering one of my readers their choice of bracelet from her shop.

To enter, you must:

1) Comment with your favorite style from her shop

Bonus entries!

1) Sign up for the newsletter

2) Subscribe to her blog

3) Follow her on Twitter

4) Like her on Facebook

(Please leave additional comments for each)

Sorry, this giveaway is open to U.S. readers only.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, November 15 at 9 PM EST.

The winner of the Emily Lyn Design giveaway is...

#50 // The Loudmouth

Please email me to claim your prize!

A colorful path

2011-11-07T20:23:00.003-05:00

Oh my, daylight savings ending feels so crazy. I drove home from work today and it was pitch black outside. This is the time of year that taking outfit shots and working a full time job gets really challenging. Most of the time, we have to take extra photos on the weekends or I have to get creative during my lunch hour!

So tomorrow is my one-year anniversary of being a graphic designer! Isn't that crazy? I still feel so new there too! I can't believe a year has passed. It's been a wonderful year though and I'm still so excited and grateful that I'm able to have such a fun and rewarding career. I get to go to work for 8 hours a day and love what I'm doing. I'm very lucky. Here's to another great year!

It's pretty rare that I wear all black! I used to wear black a lot more often in high school. It was always my go-to because I went to a lot of punk shows but was never into wearing band tees too often. My signature outfit was jeans, a black tee and black flats. But back then, I had crazy curly blonde hair (a lot like Blonde Bedhead's!) and so that was more of my fashion statement!

Outfit details:

Remarkable Insight dress c/o ModCloth

Thrifted blazer

Ring of Kerry hat c/o ModCloth

Mulberry for Target purse gift from A Thought is the Blossom

See you next fall tights c/o ModCloth

Aldo oxfords

Fall foliage

2011-11-06T19:41:00.005-05:00

This is the best November I can ever remember! This weekend has been perfect. We walked outside this morning to a warm autumn breeze, leaves falling from the trees and beautiful sunshine! I absolutely love the smell of autumn and the sound of leaves rustling along the street. I can't believe in only one month we'll be in a winter wonderland. I'm looking forward to winter and the holidays, but days like this are just so wonderful to me.

This weekend we saw Puss in Boots (so cute, I love the "you snap me? I snap you!" part), caught up on some of our favorite TV shows, had friends over for a fondue party, cooked at home (so unlike us!) and watched movies on the couch all Sunday. I love weekends where you don't make plans and just let life happen.

Have you guys checked out Shop It To Me yet? I love it. You sign up, select your sizes and brands you love and they send you emails when items you might like go on sale. You can browse their site for sales too. I found these amazing Steve Madden Westii wedges and I love them. I really enjoy receiving their emails - it's like having a personal shopper looking for sales for you! I don't have a ton of time to scope out deals, so this is super convenient.

I'll be back with many more autumn-filled posts. I honestly cannot believe how colorful of a fall we've had and how long the leaves have stuck around. You're going to get sick of me talking about them (if you haven't already!) It just makes me so happy! Have a great week, everyone! (Oh! New Owen comes out on Tuesday and I couldn't be more excited. It's going to be my November soundtrack.)

Outfit details:

Dana Dot bow-tie top c/o Ruche

J Brand jeans via Lucky FABB

Steve Madden Westii wedges c/o Shop It To Me

Champion Bowler hat c/o ModCloth

Fallen leaves

2011-11-04T22:04:00.005-04:00

I am so excited we still have so many fall colors in early November! Usually storms whip through in October and we're left with bare trees and dead leaves along the sidewalks. The weather was strange this year. We had some crazy 80 degree days in October, so I think the leaves are taking their time, which is fine with me! They can stay as long as they'd like!

I'm typically don't blog at 10 pm on Friday nights, but I want to post as many outfits as I can while we still have pretty colors. Pretty soon, I have to get really creative to keep photos fun while the skies are gray and it gets dark out at 5:30 pm! I'm not looking forward to daylight savings ending at all!

I'm borrowing this owl-dress from Eleanor of Bonjour Bbydoll! I love it. We have such similar taste in clothes, which is perfect for swapping a box every season. I send her some of my spring items, while I receive some of her cute fall items. I just saw Jasmine swap this dress too and I loved seeing her style it! What a fun print.

Have a great weekend everyone! I plan on cleaning the entire apartment, organizing as much as I can, cleaning out my car and getting a bunch of blog stuff caught up. I made a huge to-do list and if I can accomplish it, I'll feel a ton better! It'd also be lovely to do a few more autumn things while it's here. I have yet to explore a corn maze and a pumpkin patch. Hmmm! I might just have to do that!

Outfit details:

Stratton knitted cardigan c/o Shop Ruche

Owl print dress swap with Bonjour Bbydoll

Hue tights via T.J. Maxx

Vance boots c/o Blowfish Shoes

Camp bracelet c/o Kristin Hassan

Lake Superior

2011-11-03T20:50:00.000-04:00

On our last night in the upper peninsula, we stayed close to the hotel by taking a walk down to Lake Superior and grabbing dinner there. It was a low-key, relaxing evening. The wind coming off the lake was insane though and my hair was everywhere! The photos ended up a bit dark, but I thought I'd post anyway because the ones of the water turned out really pretty. It was gorgeous... and you could see the Porcupine Mountains in the distance!

We ate dinner, bought snacks from the vending machine and spent the rest of the night in our hotel room watching movies! I was also in a winter mood (must be because it was so cold!) so I made a huge ModCloth wish list of items I want for winter. Window shopping and movie watching... two of my favorite things to wind down!

I hope you guys enjoyed my posts from our trip to the U.P.! I'm always excited when I get to share some adventure that we do together on the blog. I really need to get some of these photos blown up and framed and make a wall out of them. "Our adventures" or something fun. Maybe it'll be a winter project!

Outfit details:

Urban Outfitters chunky cardigan

Target red plaid

Urban Outfitters gray tank

Do you really want to skirt me in print c/o ModCloth

Betsey Johnson tights

Regal boots c/o Wanted

Closed: Emily Lyn Design Giveaway!

2011-11-02T16:32:00.004-04:00

Closed Tuesday, November 8 at 9 PM

This week's giveaway is from Emily Lyn Design!

She is offering one of my lucky readers a $25 store credit to her shop.

To enter, you must:

1) Comment with your favorite item from her shop

Bonus entries!

1) Like on Facebook

(Please leave an additional comment)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, November 8 at 9 PM EST.

The winner of the Galaxy Eyes Photography giveaway is...

#100 // Ally

Please email me to claim your prize!

Apple orchards

2011-11-01T20:39:00.003-04:00

It was a beautiful Saturday on the day we visited the apple orchard! There were so many people there. Everyone must have had the same idea to go. We bought cider, caramel apples and spent some time in the rocking chair just people watching. I absolutely love autumn. Just sitting down, enjoying the weather, the colors, the foods... so perfect.

I wore my apple print skirt to this very same apple orchard last year! It's just too cute to not wear, right? These are two of my favorite autumn pieces. I never thought about mixing them together, but I liked the way it turned out!

Brett is back home now and I'm so happy. I feel like I've been slacking a little bit in all areas of my life and I'm just super ready to get back on my feet! I'm bound and determined to make November the best month yet. I just need to ramp up on everything I'm truly passionate about and get back into a healthy routine. I'm excited and looking forward to the good in my life.

I'm so excited we still have so many autumn colors! I really need to get outside and snap as many photos as possible while they're all still on the trees. Usually by the middle of November, all of our trees are bare! I'm totally going to look to ModCloth's newest look book for inspiration for the coming season though. It's so perfect!

Outfit details:

High Plains Thrifter top c/o ModCloth

Granny Smith Chic skirt c/o ModCloth

Betsey Johnson black tights

Vintage Crown boots via DSW

Francesca's Collections belt

LOFT Awareness

2011-10-30T20:13:00.005-04:00

As you all know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I'm thrilled to be supporting LOFT in their efforts to support research for a cure! Every October, they collaborate with jewelry designers to create a piece that symbolizes how we as a community are linked to fighting breast cancer and raising awareness! $5 from every sale of this bracelet will go directly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. I styled up the Bow Bangle designed by Rachel Leigh! Be sure to like their Facebook page to see the ways other bloggers styled the items.

Phew, I'm feeling super behind on everything right now. Brett went to Florida for the weekend for Fest, so being without him at home has been really strange feeling! Especially on Halloween weekend. When I was in New York, I really missed him... but not like this. I keep going to his closet and burying my face in his clothes hoping that I smell him - haha! (Really lame, I know.) It's just sad. I can't wait until he comes home.

I cannot believe October is almost done. My favorite month. It flew by so so fast. I didn't get half the posts I wanted to get done! Thank goodness we've had really odd weather, so most of the trees are still in full color and some are just starting to turn! I'll definitely have a ton more opportunity to get fall color posts in November. I'm really looking forward to it.

Outfit details:

Corningstone dress c/o ModCloth

Betsey Johnson tights

Forever 21 belt

BCRF bangle bow bracelet c/o LOFT

Urban Outfitters t-strap heels

Overlooked Falls

2011-10-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

During our trip to the upper peninsula, we took a long drive through the Porcupine Mountains right around sunset. It was so pretty and nothing but autumn colors and nature for miles. We stopped off to Summit Peak and hiked up to see the view and decided to keep driving looking for waterfalls. We came across Overlooked Falls and were pleasantly surprised! It was a smaller one, but so lovely to see! Sometimes the overlooked things are the best.

Earlier in the day, we had explored a copper mine for three hours underground! We had hard hats with lights, saw hundreds of bats and repelled 80 feet down into the second portion of the mine. It was so much fun, definitely one of the highlights of our trip. So, I was in jeans and a warm sweater since it was 43 degrees underground. Right after the mine, we headed straight to the park!

When Brett and I were walking the trail and looking at the waterfall, we were like... this scene is straight out of a wilderness magazine! It was surreal almost! I wish we had more waterfalls closer to us in the lower peninsula. They are just so relaxing to sit by and they make a pretty photo!

I have one more post on our trip to the upper peninsula and we'll be done! There were so many more places I wanted to take photos of and blog about, but again... it just gives us an excuse to go back! And I'd love to more often. The upper peninsula is definitely one of my favorite places ever.

Outfit details:

Thrifted sweater

Gap jeggings

T.J. Maxx green jacket

T.J. Maxx circle scarf

Jeffrey Campbell boots

Closed: Galaxy Eyes Giveaway!

2011-10-26T08:40:00.005-04:00

Closed Tuesday, November 1 at 9 PM!

This week's giveaway is from Galaxy Eyes Photography!

She is offering one of my readers an 8" x 10" print

or an iPhone/iPod skin of their choice.

To enter, you must:

1) Name your favorite item from her shop

She also has an Etsy shop for smaller, signed prints!

Bonus entries!

1) Follow on Twitter

2) Like on Facebook

3) Add on Flickr

(Please leave additional comments for each)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, November 1st at 9 PM EST.

The winner of the Blowfish Shoes giveaway is...

#387 // Something About Us

(note: her comment was on page 201-400)

Please email me to claim your prize!

Bond Falls

2011-10-24T21:00:00.001-04:00

I read about Bond Falls in one of my Michigan travel books and knew we had to check it out. It was about an hour outside of the town we were staying in, so we drove out quite a ways! We pulled onto the little side road, parked and started walking the trail to the falls. It was crazy because nobody was around. It was so desolate! We were out on this long, back road... in this back parking lot with no one around. Kind of creepy, actually!

The falls were so worth it though. They were so beautiful. It's said that Bond Falls is one of Michigan's prettiest waterfalls and I'd have to agree! There were so many levels where the water would fall. Plus, you could climb up these really steep stairs and see it from tons of different views. I loved it. Brett and I really want to go back in late summer now so we can walk around in them. It looked like it would be really easy to!

I felt like plaid was the perfect type of clothing to wear on an upper peninsula trip. Right? Paired over a warmer sweater dress, I felt very 'up north'. Of course, I had to wear a rain jacket for most of this day because it was cold and wet! We spent a while exploring the falls, but snuck out early because we were so creeped at how 'alone' we were up there! Plus, there are black bears in the U.P. and I kept thinking one would sneak out and say hello and I didn't feel like saying hello to a bear in the wild on this trip! Maybe next time... ;)

I love adventures with Brett. I can't really imagine anyone else who would want to go on these trips with me. I'm super lucky in that regard. I can plan anything (and I mean anything) and Brett will be excited to go and make the trip 100x more fun than what it really is. Being married to your best friend is the best thing ever. We've done so many things together so far in our short five years... I can't imagine everything we'll see in the next fifty.

Outfit details:

Pumpkin spice sweater dress c/o Shop Ruche

Brawny beauty plaid c/o ThreadSence

Francesca's Collections belt

Sweater tights from T.J. Maxx

Vintage Crown boots from DSW

Lake of the Clouds

2011-10-23T21:00:00.001-04:00

During our time in the Upper Peninsula, I saw one of the most beautiful views I've ever seen at Lake of the Clouds. It was so amazing. It was only 7 miles from our hotel, just down the street. Although we were presented with crummy weather, we bundled up and headed to the park to see it. I've been wanting to see this sight for so long and it was truly amazing. You could see for miles in the mountains! We definitely missed "peak" autumn colors, but that just gives us an excuse to go back soon!

The lake was really easy to get to, you just walked a simple boardwalk to see the view. I love being in the Upper Peninsula too because they don't have as many "rules". Haha! Like down here, they block off lighthouse towers, put up tons of guard rails, etc. In the U.P., you can just very easily climb over this ledge and be on top of a mountain with no rails - nothing! It was awesome to get some really pretty photos.

For my clothes, I kept thinking warm, autumn layers. I knew it was going to be cold, so I packed as many of my chunky cardigans, knee-high socks, tall boots and thick belts as possible. I guess it's a little preview of the upcoming month to come! I felt like we fast-forwarded to November with the weather we had up there.

Our trip was definitely one of my favorites though. I absolutely love it when something in nature can take your breath away! We truly live in a unique and amazing state with so many things to see and do. It baffles me. I still can't believe we drove for 10 hours straight and were still in the same state. If we were to head south, we'd make it to Nashville, TN in 10 hours. That's just nuts!

Outfit details:

Vintage 90s dress from Vintage Strings

Toasty warm chunky cardigan c/o ThreadSence

American Apparel army green tights

Regal boots c/o Wanted

Thrifted belt

Knit circle scarf from T.J. Maxx

Fashion at the Drive In

2011-10-20T19:22:00.004-04:00

Remember that sneak peek post I did last month with a photo shoot we did at the drive-in? Well, here it is! I'm so excited about these photos too. They are gorgeous. We've been having a couple of dreary days in Michigan, so looking back on these makes me so nostalgic for summer already! I'm going to bombard you guys with photos (sorry!) but I just couldn't choose my favorites. I had so many! Be sure to check out Megan from Lime Green Photography's blog - she did an amazing job with these photos. I had the pleasure of modeling with fellow blogger, Kate from With a Heart Full of Daisies! Enjoy!

If you guys have questions about what I was wearing, just shoot me an email or Formspring question. I don't want to list out everything in this post! Also, be sure to check out the video I did with Little Cabin Films at this same drive-in earlier in the summer! I featured the dress that Kate is wearing above in it. Such a fun place to be - love the vintage vibe to this drive-in.

Closed: Blowfish Shoes Giveaway!

2011-10-19T21:20:00.004-04:00

Closed Tuesday, October 25 at 9 PM!

This week's giveaway is from Blowfish Shoes!

They are offering one of my lucky readers their choice of shoes!

To enter, you must:

1) Leave a comment with your favorite item from their website

(my favorite is their beams boot right now!)

Bonus entries:

1) Follow them on Twitter

2) Like them on Facebook

3) Subscribe to their YouTube

(Please leave additional comments for each)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, October 25 at 9 PM EST.

The winner of the Ohhh Lulu giveaway is...

#46 // Sachiiiiii!

Please email me to claim your prize!

Frocktober!

2011-10-18T19:44:00.005-04:00

Happy Frocktober! I'm so excited to be posting about this wonderful collaboration today and to be one of the bloggers taking part! ModCloth has joined up with Frocktober to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation of Australia! What is Frocktober? It's all about wearing dresses in the month of October to raise funds and awareness for ovarian cancer research. ModCloth is helping out by donating 20% of each Frocktober dress they sell. So, go now, pick yourself up one! Not only is this dress super cute, but it helps a wonderful cause.

If you're looking for ways to raise money, there are several options! It's up to you on how you want to contribute to Frocktober! Here are some helpful ways to get started:

Don a frock all month, half of it, or even a week and get sponsored for it! This is the original Frocktober challenge. So original that it's almost retro.
Blog about it! Blog about your frockscapades to the WWW. Photograph your frockin’ efforts, show them off to the world and get sponsored for it!
Morning/afternoon teas; nothing’s better than a decadent cup of tea in your favourite frock. Call your frockish friends; turn the kettle on, put out some dollar-dazzling slice and your event is complete!
Challenge your mates. How about your school buddy who has worn only pants since 1997, or your male friend who can't say no to a dare? Put your money on the table until they get a frock on.

Be sure to head over to ModCloth to check out the Frocktober dress and help out in any way you can. Currently, there is no appropriate early detection test for ovarian cancer. Frocktober supports the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation in Australia in the search for an appropriate screening test, with the ultimate aim to improve outcomes for patients and their families.

Outfit details:

Frocktober dress c/o ModCloth

Tights via Lucky FABB gift bag

Garren heels c/o Blowfish Shoes

The Porkies

2011-10-17T13:03:00.006-04:00

We had an amazing time in the Porcupine Mountains this past weekend. Before I dive into the full posts, I thought I'd post a quick snapshot of our weekend. It's such a different world up there! There can be times where you turn off a side road, walk down a little trail and come across the most beautiful waterfall. It's just amazing. We'd walk a half mile and come across an insane view of the mountains and Lake Superior. It was a relaxing and adventurous weekend, just what we both needed!

(lake superior)

(lake of the clouds)

(summit peak)

We had major culture shock up there though! We had no service on our phones for most of the trip. We were both so thrilled to find a gas station that wasn't closed and most of them looked like gas pumps right out of the 1950s! There were times when we'd be like… seriously, what do we eat? We walked into a building that looked completely abandoned and ate at a tiny pizza place that was still open. Everybody, and I mean everybody, knew each other. We'd be sitting in a restaurant and someone would walk in and say hi to everyone by their first name, like they all knew each other their entire lives! And in their Yooper accents! We loved it. Brett had a really great accent by the time we left on Sunday. I couldn't stop giggling. Say Yah to da U.P., eh?

(bond falls)

(overlooked falls)

We explored a copper mine for three hours on Saturday. We had hard-hats with lights and we even repelled 80-feet down into the second level of the mine! It was pitch black in there and the mine had over 25,000 bats. We saw hundreds! I'll be posting more on our trip this week and next! I'm so excited to show some of the beautiful photos we took. Not a lot of people get to experience this part of the upper peninsula (it's WAY up there) and I'm really excited I can share it through my blog.

(lake michigan)

Skincare routine

2011-10-13T10:15:00.003-04:00

I've gotten a couple of requests asking me to post about my daily skincare routine, so here it is! My skin type is dry combination, but tends to be more on the dry side rather than oily. I find that if I use these products every day, I have much better luck - but I know how hard that can be sometimes! Here are some of my favorite products and tips on using them!

Clinique New Clarifying Lotion 2 - My all-time favorite product. If I use this twice a day - once in the morning, once at night, my skin tone is much more even and it really does help prevent breakouts. Just use with a cotton ball and swipe over face and neck. This product is good for dry combination. There are others you can get for your specific skin type.

Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel - I love this for when I do have a spot that I need to heal - and fast. Usually if I put it on, I'll wake up the next morning to something more manageable I can cover with makeup.

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap (Mild) - I always use this in the shower. It helps cleanse and remove makeup. This specific product is good for all skin types.

Naturopathica Lavender Protective Moisturizer - For the days my skin decides to be on the more dry side, I love using this product, especially around my hairline. Plus, the lavender scent is really soothing rather than overpowering. This product is good for all skin types.

Naturopathica Vitamin K Brightening Eye Serum - Ever since I've been using this, I haven't had to use much concealer under my eyes. It really helps with dark circles - especially on the nights I stay up too late blogging! This product is good for all skin types.

Closed: Ohhh Lulu Lingerie Giveaway!

2011-10-12T18:07:00.005-04:00

Closed Tuesday, October 18 at 9 PM!

This week's giveaway is from Ohhh Lulu Lingerie!

She is offering one of my lucky readers her

Signature Ruffle Bloomers in Lavender Pin-Dot and Cream Lace!

To enter, you must:

1) Leave a comment with your favorite item from her shop

Bonus entries!

1) Subscribe to her blog

2) Like her on Facebook

(Please leave additional comments for each)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, October 18 at 9 PM EST!

The winner of The Wiegand's giveaway is...

#32 // Liv Szari!

Please email me to claim your prize!

Peak of autumn

2011-10-10T20:59:00.005-04:00

It looks like the color show of autumn is at its peak! We are just immersed in this world of brilliant colors. Every where you look, there is a kaleidoscope of autumnal hues. It's just amazing. The trees are all vibrant reds, oranges and yellows. I never take a second of it for granted. How sad that my favorite time of year is here and gone within a blink of an eye?

This coming weekend, Brett and I are taking a weekend adventure up to the very tip of the Upper Peninsula for a fall color tour. It's a ten-hour drive (I still can't believe how big Michigan really is...) and we're just going to enjoy the ride. We'll be spending the weekend exploring the mountains, seeing waterfall after waterfall, repelling down a copper mine, visiting a historic lighthouse, searching out a mysterious light haunted by a ghost and watching the northern lights over Lake Superior. I just melted in my chair when I wrote all of that out!

I love the rusty color to this dress. I definitely realize how short I am when wearing it though! In the photo of the model wearing it, it graces her knees. On me, it's well past my knees! I just paired the tallest heels I have with them and was good to go! I used to only wear shorter dresses and skirts, but I've been loving the longer lengths lately, especially with cooler temperatures ahead.

Tomorrow Brett and I are headed to Chicago to see my favorite band play my favorite album of theirs all the way through! It's Minus the Bear's 10-year anniversary of Highly Refined Pirates and they are doing a tour playing the album fully through. Isn't that the most amazing thing ever? I can't wait. I'm going to sing every word with the crowd! I've never seen them play my favorite song ever (Get Me Naked 2: Electric Boogaloo) and I'm going to be so happy when they play it!

Outfit details:

3/4 Length Rusty Dress c/o Urban 1972

Jeffrey Campbell Lita

Rat-a-tat hat c/o ModCloth

White River Lighthouse

2011-10-09T22:51:00.007-04:00

Brett and I took an amazing fall color tour up to White River Lighthouse... on our scooters! I know I talk about it all of the time, but the weather this week has made my life so happy. As soon as we stepped outside today, we looked at each other and said, "Scooters." We hopped on, headed north along the back roads and enjoyed the beautiful colors that Michigan is providing us right now! It's truly stunning outside!

We took one of my favorite back roads to get to the lighthouse too. It has so many gems including a beach with a hidden shipwreck, a historic hideout and beautiful colors. Can you tell I love this road? Give me an adventure to a lighthouse on a perfectly warm autumn day on my scooter and I'll be the happiest girl alive!

I loved exploring the White River Lighthouse. We've been here before, but this was the first time the museum and tower were open so we could climb! I absolutely love climbing up a lighthouse tower. Brett and I would love to be lighthouse keepers and actually live in one. We talk about it every time we visit a lighthouse. We walk through it and say, "This would be our living room," and I always say, "This would be my studio!" How neat would that be, right?

I love the colors in this dress. Mixing black and navy is always challenging for me, but this dress does it for me! So that way I can pair black or navy tights, a black or navy cardigan... or whatever! Plus this burgundy color is one of my favorites right now too. I love all of the bright burgundy trees outside right now - so pretty.

This was my favorite Sunday in a long time. I have a really fun few weeks left of October planned for the blog. This upcoming week is full-blown autumn fun. Next weekend, we're taking a big trip to the Upper Peninsula, so I'll have a bunch of photos from that. Then, the week after that, it might get a little scary around here! I have some exciting things planned. I can't wait. I just love this time of year.

Outfit details:

Drop a Line dress c/o ModCloth

Betsey Johnson tights

Forever 21 belt

Vintage Crown boots via DSW

Lotsa pumpkins

2011-10-06T22:49:00.003-04:00

I know what you guys are thinking... where are the lotsa pumpkins?! Hehe! They're just down the street. I'll be posting there soon, don't worry. I already did last year, so if you need your fix of lotsa pumpkins now, you can head there. If not, hang tight. I just thought these signs were SO cute! They are lined all along the road through our town leading up to the farm market! Caramel apples, lotsa pumpkins... maybe I'll have to plan an outfit for each sign? A series of autumnal signs? Oh boy!

This is the dress I picked from Red Velvet when I saw Elsie and Rachel at the Renegade Craft Fair! It's the perfect autumn dress! I love it. I felt absolutely no need to style it crazily because the dress is so fun and unique on its own. We are passing it around the Delightful Dozen, so keep your eyes peeled on the blog for remixes! I just shipped it off to Veronika of Tick Tock Vintage next. I'm excited to see what she'll do with it - she always has amazing outfits.

So I almost did everything I said I was going to do this week... but I haven't gotten to the apple orchard yet. That's next on my to-do list, for sure. I just received a really cute red dress from ModCloth that I plan on wearing, plus I'll have it for upcoming holiday parties too! I'm hoping Sunday we can head over to Robinette's Apple Haus. I absolutely love it there and I've been craving a caramel apple pretty bad.

Can you guys believe it's going to be 80 degrees tomorrow? I'm going to go swimming in Lake Michigan! But seriously, how amazing is that? Bare legs today, bare legs tomorrow. Windows down, brand new Transit album, writing new songs in our band, third day on Weight Watchers, my crazy headache is gone... life is pretty good right now!

Outfit details:

Red Velvet The First Date dress

Tights for Every Occasion in Lunch Date c/o ModCloth

Dolce Vita wedges via T.J. Maxx

Closed: The Wiegands Giveaway!

2011-10-05T22:12:00.004-04:00

Closed Tuesday, October 11 at 9 PM EST!

This week's giveaway is from The Wiegands!

She is offering one of my readers a large ad space on her blog

(a $100 value!) to help promote your blog or business!

To enter, you must:

1) Follow her blog

2) Leave a comment on this post

Bonus entries!

1) Subscribe to her blog on Bloglovin

2) Follow her on Twitter

3) Like her on Facebook

(Please leave additional comments for each)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, October 11 at 9 PM EST!

The winner of the A Wild Tonic Vintage giveaway is...

#29 // Danielle V.

Please email me to claim your prize!

Corn fields

2011-10-04T21:17:00.009-04:00

I absolutely love the changing colors right now! Riding down the highway is my favorite thing ever, especially since I've been able to ride with my windows cracked and the sun beaming down! I always feel super alive in this type of weather. I smile so big when I see a huge pile of pumpkins in front of the farmer's market, any sign advertising cider or caramel apples, everything about autumn... I just adore. I really need to force myself to stop talking about how much I love it!

I told you guys I'd be wearing burnt orange from here on out! Hehe! But really, I just received this dress from my darling friend, Eleanor of Bonjour Bbydoll, and I couldn't wait to style it up. I didn't really get any great pictures of the front of the dress, but it has a really cute peter pan collar! I'll just have to style it again before sending it back! And I'm not always this wrinkly. A girl with a 40-hour a week job, slouched in front of a computer all day is bound to end up a little wrinkly at the end of the day, right?!

Okay, so I know October has only begun... but I have a major bucket list I need to get cracking on before autumn hits the bucket. Pick pumpkins, hayride with friends, bon fire, apple orchard, eat a caramel apple, explore a creepy cemetery, watch a scary movie, visit a Halloween store, visit a farm, drink a hot caramel cider and take a trip to the Upper Peninsula. Phew! Can this month just last an extra 30 days?

Outfit details:

Dress swap with Bonjour Bbydoll

Cranberry cider cardigan c/o ModCloth

A Ring To It tights c/o ModCloth

Urban Outfitters belt

Dolce Vita wedges via T.J. Maxx

Indian summer

2011-10-03T21:35:00.005-04:00

We are currently in the beginning of our Indian summer! If you aren't familiar with the concept, it's a weather phenomenon that happens in autumn where it gets into the 70's after a brief cold stint! I'm actually not sure if we're in our Indian summer or not because usually they are supposed to happen after a big frost and usually happen in late-October to mid-November. Let's hope we're just having amazing weather... and we have another Indian summer later on! I'd be a joyful girl!

Burnt orange is the only color I feel like wearing anymore! It goes with so many colors - black, navy, mustard, burgandy, dark green, plum... all of my favorite autumnal colors! Good thing I have a top (see a remix of this top!), a cardigan, a dress, a pair of shorts and a scarf all in burnt orange. I'm pretty much covered on all bases and can incorporate it into every outfit from here until late November. That's allowed right?

I'm pretty sure these are my most worn shoes ever. I absolutely love them! They went with so many of my spring, summer... and now all of my autumn outfits! I'm not sure what I'm going to do in winter without them! Plus, they are so comfortable and easy to walk in. Today was actually the first day I bit it though. I was too focused on some Milk Duds and my foot tipped over and I fell in a parking lot with tons of people walking around. It's so funny how you hop right back up and keep walking like nothing happened! Haha!

I'm so excited for this week. I have lots of lovely plans that include the world's largest art competition, apple picking at the orchard, spending time with my best girl friend and writing a couple of new songs in our band! This upcoming weekend we'll be headed to Chicago for Riot Fest to see The Descendants! Anyone have any fun autumn plans coming up?

Outfit details:

Forever 21 burnt orange top

Forever 21 floral skirt

Navy tights c/o LuLu*s

Garren heels c/o Blowfish Shoes

Return of the mack-rame belt c/o ModCloth

Gravity Hill

2011-10-02T19:36:00.007-04:00

This weekend, we went with two of our closest friends, Jesse and Taylor, to explore a local legend in Michigan! I was reading in one of my books about this place called Gravity Hill and when we were heading north, I knew we had to stop there to check out the phenomenon. It was such a crazy experience watching the scenery go by in the wrong direction as we rolled up hill! We stopped at the bottom of the hill, put our car in neutral and took our foot off the gas pedal... and we literally rolled up hill. We laughed the entire way and had to do it three times!

We literally swore our car was being pushed by invisible forces! And speedily! By the time we reached the top of the hill, we had to brake to keep the car from going through the intersection! Local legends say that the Blaine Christian Church on the top of the hill drags sinners upward towards its doors! Uh oh!

We drove all along these back country roads to find Putney Corners and as soon as we spotted the church, we knew we were there! Who knew such adventure was in the middle of nowhere, right? So much fun.

We had such a fun day exploring this spot and taking a drive to Sleeping Bear Dunes. It has been the perfect autumn weather this weekend. We're supposed to have our Indian summer this week - high 60's and low 70's all week. I'm seriously so excited. This is my favorite time of the entire year.

Outfit details:

Zigzag Shift dress c/o Sosie

T.J. Maxx mauve tights

Forever 21 belt

Nice floral flats c/o Shop Ruche

Meet Mindy of States

2011-09-29T22:31:00.005-04:00

I'm so excited to feature Mindy White, singer of the band States. I checked out States last spring after I heard members of Copeland and Lydia formed a new band and I've loved them ever since. So when I had the opportunity to see them play, meet her and snap some photos of her outfit, I jumped at the chance! States played amazing and Mindy was the biggest sweetheart ever! We laughed while taking outfit shots and it was like hanging out with a good friend! Her show outfit was really cute and totally something I'd wear - a sleeved floral dress? How perfect, right? I also thought her personalized leather bomber jacket was so cute along with her leopard print details (nails and studded flats!)

I loved hearing about some of Mindy's favorite brands - Jeffrey Campbell, Betsey Johnson, Alice & Olivia, BB Dakota, Miu Miu and so many more. For fall trends, Mindy is loving stacked bracelets, flatform shoes, capes (female sherlocks!), sequins, military jackets, fringe, prints on pants and jeans, lace, thigh-high stockings and socks, total Cher Horowitz in "Clueless" 90s style and 50's dresses like Lucille Ball and Judy Garland. She sounds just like a fashion blogger - right?

If you guys haven't heard States yet, be sure to check them out. You can hear some of their new music on their facebook page right now too. Timebomb is so so super good. The new album, Room to Run, releases on October 18th - so be sure to pre-order a copy or pick it up in a couple of weeks! I've had the chance to preview the entire album and it's amazing. I love it. You can also keep up with Mindy on Twitter! It was a great opportunity to meet her and I know you guys will love her (if you don't already!)

White road

2011-09-28T21:03:00.004-04:00

Yay! Jacket weather! I'm too excited! I'm especially excited because I worked with Element to style up this particular coat. I went for a coat that would stand on it's own - stylewise - because most of the time I'm wearing my coats over dresses with some simple tights. Last winter, I kept bundling up in this huge green parka and this year I wanted something a bit more stylish!

It's really lightweight so I can easily wear on cooler autumn days, but I'm excited to pair sweaters and mittens with it when the snow hits (not that I'm looking forward to that anytime soon!) My favorite features on this coat are the big pockets for my hands, the gray and black combination and the length. I love a longer length coat, so my cardigans don't sneak out!

Be sure to head over to Element to check out their latest look book! I love their autumn stylings... especially the mix of plaids and army greens! I'll be back tomorrow with a really fun set of photos from last weekend when I got to interview an amazing lady. If you follow me on Twitter, you probably know who! ;)

Outfit details:

Duffy jacket c/o Element

Closed: A Wild Tonic Vintage Giveaway!

2011-09-28T11:49:00.005-04:00

Closed Tuesday, October 4 at 9 PM!

This week's giveaway is from A Wild Tonic Vintage!

She is offering one of my readers their choice of an art print

and a $10 store credit to the shop!

To enter, you must:

1) Name your favorite item from her shop

Bonus entries!

1) Subscribe to her blog

2) Follow her on Twitter

(Please leave additional comments for each)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers.

Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, October 4 at 9 PM EST!

She is also having a half-off clearance sale and you can also receive

20% off your order when you enter the code SELECT20!

The winner of the UPrinting.com giveaway is...

#19 // Sally!

Please email me ASAP to claim your prize!

Past autumn favorites

2011-09-27T16:56:00.003-04:00

Yay! Autumn! I'm in love with this season! Most of my favorite outfits and photos are from fall, so I'm really excited! I have some fun plans for this year, but one thing I love is looking back on all of my favorite autumn outfits from the past. This is the first season where I have two years to look back on, since my blog is now two years old! Wee! Enjoy!

(November sun, Sweet November)

(Fall color tour, Fields of color)

(First signs of autumn, An autumn road)

(Yellow leaves, Picking pumpkins)

(Robinette's Apple Haus, A secret trail)

♥