My September Favorites

Happy Friday, everyone! I know posting has been light this month (mentoring new teachers is taking more of my time this school year), but I wanted to pop in and share a few things I'm loving right now.

1. It's football season - I'm not a huge sports fan by any means, but there's something special about football season. I'm happy to cheer on my favorite teams, UVa (despite the terrible season we're having so far) and Green Bay. I love tailgating and have found myself tuning into Game Day on ESPN even when Mr. Q's not home.

2. Sephora mud mask - My skin went through a crazy phase toward the end of this summer, and this mask helped my face get back on track. I use it every week to help clarify my skin and dry up breakouts. It's affordable and effective.

3. Starbucks PSL VIA - Since I live pretty far from an actual Starbucks, this is the next best thing.

4. Target candleholders - Have y'all noticed that the Dollar Spot is now called Bullseye's Playground? Those shelves now include items at a range of prices up to $5. The autumn items are adorable, and I picked up several mercury glass votive candles in shades of gold and copper - my favorite scents are Fall Day and Harvest Sangria.

5. OPI's Washington, DC collection - I haven't picked up any of these colors yet, but I love the unique fall shades with clever names like "Never a Dulles Moment," inspired by my nearest major metropolitan area!

my late spring in instagram.

As y'all know, Instagram is my favorite form of social media. Lately, I've been striving for a balance of "styled" shots that help me practice my photography skills and real, un-posed memories of small town life that I know will serve as a diary for years to come. I'm really happy with the result! Here's what I've been up to since spring break.

Spring break photography practice with some blossoms from

the trees around our townhouse and a few of my favorite

antiques - this espresso cup is from my parents' time spent

living in Germany and I can't pass up a blue Ball Mason jar!

My jewelry organization situation was reaching crisis mode, 

so I ordered this cute arrow hook from Urban Outfitters and

I'm in love with it. It's the little things! Spring break = real 

lunch without having to supervise 150 kids or rush to eat!

One of my town's gems - the Grainery, which is home to an

art gallery/store and glass blowing school/studio. I love the

Van Gogh inspired mural outside. | Someone got my yoga

teacher this fantastic gnome as a gift at the end of term.

My mom is from the Kentucky and watches the Derby religiously

every year. This year we celebrated at my house with virgin

mint juleps - the colorful paper straws reminded me of the 

jockeys' racing silks. | This spring I taught three boys I referred

to as my Musketeers on their best days and my Stooges all the

others - all three were on the baseball team and I loved going

to their last middle school game, where they shone like stars.

         

My Bestie and her husband came in from Seattle to visit their 

families and their trip just happened to coincide with our 31st 

birthday (we were both born on May 29th!). We celebrated in 

true Roanoke fashion with a very indulgent brunch at Thelma's 

Chicken & Waffles, visiting a downtown event for a photo op with 

a mini horse, an adult big wheel ride on the Greenway with my tribe, 

homemade ice cream from Hits, and dinner at Beamer's 25 in honor 

of Bestie's love for Virginia Tech (as a Wahoo, this is true friendship).

Bestie and I both bought each other whale gifts for our birthday

in reference to an old inside joke from when we worked at

4-H camp together and our resulting catchphrase, "Whale please!"

Great minds think alike even when living on opposite coasts.

Finally, here's my chubby adorable cat, Scout, responding to being 

called "pretty boy." He is 100% awake in this picture.

Are you on Instagram? Let's be friends - you can follow me here.

{Linking Up with Weekend Snapshots at Her Heartland Soul}

clicks of note: i always have to guess...

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• Cutie Brett Eldredge's sense of humor comes through in his video for "Lose My Mind"... I have to say I was a little concerned about the girl's naughty nurse costume the first time I saw it until I realized that she was also the janitor, fellow patient, and psychiatrist... poor dude is seeing things. I'm linking up today at Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos... what could be more appropriate on a Monday than a song about padded rooms and straitjackets?

SWOON.

Erin McGinn Boutique Photography

• Brett Heidebrecht captured an elegant teal garden wedding.
• Fall in love with this classic pink wedding from Erin McGinn.
• Cool, pretty industrial inspiration from Green Wedding Shoes.
• Loving this Virginia vineyard wedding from Style Me Pretty.

SMILE.

• Congratulations to Sarah and her new husband!
• Interesting for design nerds: magazine covers then and now.
• Sarah (Venus Trapped in Mars) is hosting a sports fan roll call.
• Tracy from Shutterbean's 10 ways to shake up mac + cheese.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year, I put together a rainy game day outfit, blurbed the fall shows I was looking forward to, completed the Geek Girl tag, and participated in a Sunday Social all about fall.
• Two years ago, I shared lilac and rose wardrobe picks for fall, inspiration for a neutral pastel wedding, a roundup of ballerina bun hairstyles, and my personal manifesto.  
• Three years ago, I showed you my bridal portraits taken the morning of the ceremony and recapped our wedding's prelude.

clicks of note: the answer to all your prayers...

get your week off to a colorful start...

• Today I head back to school for a week of teacher workdays, meetings, open house, and convocation (basically a pep rally for faculty and staff) to get ready for the students' arrival next week. It seems like the summer has flown by, but it was packed with good memories and it's not over yet.

LISTEN.

• Sometimes you need something a little bit cheeky to get the week started, and I was hooked on this They Might Be Giants track from the first line. I'm linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

• 100 Layer Cake features a moody shipwreck inspiration shoot.
• Such gorgeous + true Words to Love By from Snippet and Ink.
• A stylish Style Me Pretty wedding at New York's Stone Barns.
• From Swooned, a Victorian-inspired shoot for a worthy cause.

SMILE.

• August desktops from Design Love Fest, MRFB, Rather Luvly.
• Cyd's round-up made my palm leaf loving heart so happy...
• and then Alana Jones-Mann came along with these cakes.
• My fave athlete's still undefeated - did you watch the crazy fight?

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I rounded up my August favorites.
• Two years ago, I shared things I can't live without and shared punchy wardrobe picks.
• Three years ago, I tested recipes for pork chops, a hearts of palm and avocado salad, and an avocado-coconut milkshake, and created an Olympics Ring tie-dyed shirt.
• Four years ago, I shared orange wardrobe and home inspiration, along with rustic and modern fall wedding ideas.

sunday social: Wahoo-wa!

1. What are you most looking forward to about fall?

I'm excited about fall fashion colors, college football, cinnamon/caramel/pumpkin flavored everything, the Color Me Rad 5K, scarves, Trick-or-Treaters, vests, boots, concerts at our local venue, sweaters, tweed, tartan, and Thanksgiving, but I think if I'm going to be really honest, I am actually most looking forward to the return of my favorite television shows.  I am a shameless TV junkie and I need to know what happens next on The Mindy Project, Nashville, Parenthood, Sleepy Hollow and my other faves like Agents of SHIELD.  I'm excited for the new drama Red Band Society, comics-based Gotham and Constantine, and John Mulaney's new sitcom.

2. What is your favorite sports team?

I'm not really a huge fan of any team sports (I'm more of an Olympics and So You Think You Can Dance girl), but my favorite team sport to watch in person is football.  My alma mater, UVa, isn't really known for our football team, but I love going to home games and sitting on the hill or in the student section, wearing my orange and blue, cheering for Cav Man's adventures, singing the Good Old Song, and watching the marching band perform.

3. If you could go back to college is there one thing you would change?

I would not have said yes to the first boy who asked me to be his girlfriend in college.  He was my best friend, and I wanted to have a boyfriend, but I ended up breaking his heart and we aren't friends anymore.  I really regret that I did not take time to think about whether we'd really be a good couple.   I also wish I hadn't given up after my first bad dance audition in college - it was for a lyrical dance company and I got intimidated by the other dancers and overwhelmed by the choreography.  I wish I'd kept trying out or that I'd found a local studio to dance with.

4. What was your favorite class you took in high school or college?

I really loved the class on teaching writing I took during my final semester of college with Jane Hansen.  She is the director of the Central Virginia Writing Project and teaches writing by modeling what a writing workshop can look like- the class reminded me why I love creative writing so much.  She worked with Donald Graves and actually invented the concept of the "author's chair."  My thesis advisor, Jamie (coauthor of Getting Started, for any teachers following along), was taking the class as well, and it felt very cool and important to be in class alongside a doctoral student I really looked up to.  Several other girls from my elementary education program were taking the class as well who weren't necessarily my best friends, but by the end of the semester they definitely were - by writing about our lives and spending so much time envisioning our ideal classrooms we'd gotten to know each other really well.

5. Reach into your purse what is the first thing you grab?

My phone!  Always with me because I prefer texting to e-mail and phone calls, and I need easy access to Instagram and Snapchat so I can make my friends smile during the day.

paper chase: sporty save-the-date ideas

As we approach the second most popular date for couples to get engaged (Christmas Eve is first), I'm thinking about all of the anticipation that charactertized that season in my life and the excitement of finding a venue and setting a date.  While we decided not to send Save the Dates (our guests were primarily local and we sent invitations in advance), they are a fantastic way to add some character to wedding correspondence.  While traditional Save the Dates abound, complete with florals, calligraphy, and gold foil, I love it when couples have some fun with this first "peek" at what the tone of the wedding will be like.  Today, I've rounded up a few Save the Date ideas perfect for couples who are athletes and sports fans.

EmDotZee Designs

This race bib save the date would be perfect for a couple who does 5Ks or marathons together, or who met in a running club.  I love the way the date stands out!

Modern Mama Designs on Etsy

This ticket-inspired invitation is perfect for a couple who are major fans of the same team, and a great way to incorporate an engagement photo.

Martha Stewart Weddings

While definitely a more expensive option, this golf tee invitation is absolutely memorable and a great tip of the cap to a couple's favorite shared hobby or a country club wedding venue.

Super Runaway via Ruffled

These pennant banner Save the Dates from Super Runaway are my favorites of the bunch - a fantastic way to incorporate the wedding's color scheme and have fun with typography and vintage-inspired design.

Which of these Save the Date ideas is your favorite?

clicks of note: gifts of gold we bring...

get your week off to a colorful start...

LISTEN.

• Hayley Westenra's beautiful voice shines on "Peace Shall Come" from her album Winter Magic from all the way back in 2009.  I'm linking up to Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

Alexis Diack Photography via Magnolia Rouge

• Magnolia Rouge features a lovely, vintage-inspired South African wedding.
• The Bride's Cafe shares a vibrant orange inspiration board
• Lots of DIY details in this sweet wedding featured at Snippet and Ink.
• Style Me Pretty features the prettiest Texas ranch wedding.

SMILE.

• Cute printable Christmas labels from Elegance and Enchantment.
• Here are a few of my favorite holiday home tours from around the web.
• Greg Hardy is my new favorite NFL player because he's from Hogwarts.
• So much inspiration in this 10-item wardrobe from Kendra's Closet Confections.

REFLECT.

• From Happy Is a Choice: True Life: This Is Marriage - 

"I thought that once I got that ring on my finger, all of my life's problems would be solved, that life would be complete, and couldn't fathom one single thing that could be wrong. I look back now and its painstakingly clear: I was idolizing the idea of being engaged."

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I shared holiday advice for letting go of perfect and enjoying the holiday season, 7 winter date ideas,
• Two years ago I shared a few of the crafts and DIY projects I made for the holidays:  a paint chip mosaic, silk floral poinsettia wreath, no-sew ruffle tree skirt, and how I decorated our tree.

Virginia vs. VMI Gameday Fashion - Rainy Last Day of Summer

View this set at Polyvore

The alum:  1. UVa Columbia rain jacket from Cavalier Team Shop  2. KJL pearl earrings from Tuckernuck  3. Lemon & Line rope bracelet  4. GAP striped ponte dress  5. Old Navy boat shoes
6. Vineyard Vines tote bag from Mincer's

The undergrad:  1. Mossimo boyfriend cardigan from Target  2. Topshop striped tee
3. Baublebar flower necklace  4. OPI nail polish from Discount Beauty Center  5. Fossil flap clutch
6. GAP destructed jeans  7. Hunter rain boots

team spirit: house united rag wreath [football season!]

I've seen several great ideas for "House Divided" wreaths on Pinterest: they're perfect for couples that attended rival colleges - like us!  Mr. Q is a Virginia Tech alumni and I graduated from the University of Virginia.  I'd been thinking about putting my own spin on a House Divided wreath, but when I really thought about it, I decided to go in a different direction.

I made a House United rag wreath.   Honestly, Mr. Q and I are not the rabid football fans that many Virginia natives are.  We love a good game, but neither of us gets throwing-things angry when our team loses.  When we were talking the night we met and learned that we attended rival schools, both of us kind of shrugged and kept asking questions.  Mr. Q has attended several UVa games with me, I've been to a few Tech games, and we root for both the big Virginia teams every weekend - except for that one weekend in November when the Commonwealth Cup is on the line. 

To make my House United wreath, I used the same method used to make my Fourth of July Rag Wreath - I just love the random, rustic look it creates!  My raw materials were a coat hanger, scissors, four spools of ribbon, and four fabric quarters (from the quilting section at JoAnn Fabrics).  I used navy, maroon, burnt orange, and bright orange fabric, and burgundy grosgrain, orange dot, orange stripe, and blue gingham ribbon.

Once I had my coat hanger circle made, I cut my ribbons, cut and ripped the fabric into strips, and went to work tying knots around the circle.  I tried to mix up the colors as much as possible.  This is what the side that was face-up while I was working looks like when it's finished:

I flipped the wreath over to hang it on the door - the side that was facing the table while I was working.  For whatever reason, that side always looks a little more rustic and fun!  Making the wreath took about an hour.  I'd love to try this again with a little burlap ribbon in there with the school colors!

 

See that crazy goodness?  I love ripped edges.

Here's what the wreath looks like on our front door.  Do you like my antique 

key print welcome mat?  It's a Target find.

And here's a shot of our townhouse in her between-seasons glory!

Linking Up:

The 36th Avenue

Catch as Catch Can at My Repurposed Life

The Inspiration Exchange at Clean and Scentsible

Hookin' Up with House of Hepworths

Inspire Me Please at Liz Marie Blog

Show Me What Ya Got at Not Just a Housewife

Tutorials, Tips, and Tidbits at Stone Gable

Wildly Original at I Gotta Create

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Flaunt it Friday at Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Frugal Fridays at The Shabby Nest

Shine on Fridays at Young and Crafty

Best of the Weekend at A Little Claireification

Weekend Bloggy Reading at Serenity Now