FRIDAY FAVORITES

Happy Friday! Although this week has certainly flown by, I am more than ready for the weekend! We've got a few fun things to look forward to as well as some things I need to get done around the house.

It's Restaurant Week in our new city which means you can try any of the participating restaurants and enjoy a 3 course lunch or dinner for a fraction of the price. I have enjoyed going through the prix fixe
menus to see which one we want to try (which are several!). Note to self, I better make reservations today! But first, I've got a fun list of all the things I have been loving lately!

My favorite thing this week was definitely going out for a girls night with my friend Emily. We are fortunate that her and her family also live in the same city and it was so nice to catch up with her! We ate at Mamma Luisa, a local Italian favorite,  and it was very good, and we had excellent service! For dessert we picked up some treats at a candy shop and then headed back to her place. We decided we need to have girls night a few times a month!

Our rental has a small office space and I was thrilled when my hubby said I could have the space and decorate however I want. I love all of the natural light and the french doors!! It also has a built in desk with lots of storage! I am almost done with the decor but I want to add a small rug and I am looking to replace the pillows with some smaller ones. I will post all the details once its complete!

During our move, I lost my beloved dry shampoo. I was looking for a more affordable replacement recently and the lady at Ulta suggested this one for my darker hair. I didn't want to commit to a full size bottle so I picked up a smaller one to try out. So far so good! I do want to add that I saw some full size bottles at our local TJ Maxx store for $7.99!

I had only heard good things about a local donut place (Ma's Donuts) and when my husband surprised me with a box this week, I decided I am a fan! It might have to be a regular thing for us. I especially loved their coconut cake donut! 

Well, that's all I've got! Have a great weekend!

CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! This is definitely one of my favorite times of the year and Christmas is hands down my favorite holiday! I love everything about it, the parties, the music, decor and the atmosphere it creates! My mother in law was just visiting recently and helped me decorate my house so that I could post my pics here. It makes me so happy to light up the tree first thing in the morning. Nothing like cozying up with a cup of coffee and the twinkle of lights!

I am looking forward to making the most of the holiday season :)

CREATING A COZY HOME

Those who know me well know that I love a cozy home! Just the thought of it instantly brings a smile to my face :) I want my home to be inviting and for others to feel just as cozy as I do when they are visiting. These are a few of the things I have incorporated into my home that help me truly enjoy the space.

Comfortable seating and throws- We purchased these chairs (they recline!) earlier this year and we spend quite a bit of time here chatting, reading books or searching the internet!

Candles- Give me all the candles! I love them and try to light them as much as possible. They instantly create a cozy atmosphere!

Lamps- When I wake up in the morning and come downstairs, I turn on a lamp and have my quiet time. It takes me a minute to actually wake up in the morning so the last thing I want is bright light everywhere. I actually need to invest in more lamps for my living area. 

Throw pillows- Such an easy way to change up the look of your decor. I think pillows make a sofa more inviting and give a more completed look to a living space. 

Baskets- I love to put my extra throws in a basket. I purchased mine at TJ Maxx. They always have a great selection at a good price.

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Slow music- I like to play music throughout day and some of my favorite stations on Pandora include Hymns 4 Worship and Sara Bereilles. 

There you have it! Hope these ideas help you create a cozy home :) and I will leave you with a picture of someone who loves a cozy home maybe a little more than I do! He he! 

DIY FALL WREATH

I am typically not the kind of person who pins DIY projects on Pinterest and then actually works on said project! I like the idea of DIY but sometimes it is easier to just purchase a completed item and call it good. Am I right? Now our front porch is very deep which I find hard to decorate, but I always make sure to dress up my door according to the season we are in. I recently gave away my fall wreath so I was in the market for a new one and after coming across many online and in store, I decided to make my own!

Yesterday afternoon, I headed to our local Wal-Mart and picked up all the items that I needed for my project. I looked up pictures to give me ideas on how to arrange the flowers/bow and I did arrange them a few different times before I found a look that I was happy with. If you wanted the letter to stand out against a white door, then I would suggest using a darker paint color. This completed project was under $15 (because I already had a letter to use) which I am thrilled about especially when I go to a store and see some selling for over $100. Really?!?!

So here are the steps that I took and the end result! I hope I can go the whole season without making changes to it :)

I have painted this letter several times!

Because I am loving all things neutral

I found these flowers with clips making this project easy peasy

Tada!

WEEKEND RECAP

After spending the last few days with my family, I made the 4 hour trek back to my home sweet home today. The reason for this trip was to celebrate my dad's 60th birthday, but I made sure to squeeze in some other fun as well, to include a fall craft and mug exchange (separate post coming soon)! 

All of my siblings with my dad.

These ladies are just too much fun!

I stayed up way past my bed time and was struggling to get up on Sunday morning. After a tasty breakfast, we managed to make it to church and then my sister in law and I went to the local Michaels for a crafting class. We made a flower arrangement which we inserted inside of a pumpkin. Perfect addition to my fall decor! 

Once we completed our craft, we headed to the mall to look for a dress. I have an event coming up next weekend and had yet to decide what I was going to wear. After looking at a few options I got real lucky and scored a killer deal on this dress right here. I instantly fell in love with a color, which I was surprised by considering I gravitate towards black dresses most of the time. Stay tuned for event photos!

Although I had a wonderful weekend, I am happy to be home with my husband and pup :)