Weekend Wear: College Football Saturday (plus mint!)

I'm not sure how many of you are college football fans, but I was raised on it, so it's in my blood.

I can't stay away from it, nor would I want to.

It's this time of year that my heart starts racing a little faster, and I turn on sports radio of my own free will (not because my husband forces me!)  Although our game isn't at home this weekend, I'll still be sporting my red and white on Saturday, but with a little flair (of course.)  

 old navy top // the vault jewels necklace // similar belt // steve madden sandals

Enter my mint J.Crew belt and Vault Jewels necklace.

I'm sure I'll get plenty of eye rolls from a few of the male population, but I know y'all will agree with me that sometimes you just need a little mint with your red.  Who's with me?

Notice my sleeveless top and white jeans?  One, it's not labor day...yet (does anyone really stick to that rule anymore????) and two, it's still HOT here.  Enough already with the heat!  Sheesh.  

Whatever the weather where you are, hope your weekend is waaay cool.

Oh, and, Boomer Sooner!

Wish and Tell: Irene from designstILes

Are you ready to be entertained?  Well, just sit your pretty selves down and take in what the talented Irene of designstILes has for you today.  I've talked about Irene before here, but I'll take this opportunity to tell you again how she's one of my absolute faves.  I curse my luck all the time because this kindred spirit lives so far away from me.  I'm telling you, we would get into some seriously fun trouble if geography would only accommodate us!  Take it away Irene...

Image 1 // Image 2 // Image 3

python tray // gold vanity tray // miss dior perfume 

unconditional love perfume // ysl touch eclat // restaurant man

Lower gray cabinets.  Really, that's all you had to say Irene, but then you went and brought up flaming hot Cheetos!  Stop it already with the things I love the most.  For full disclosure, I will say that I prefer the jalapeno Cheetos to flaming hot, but that makes it even more perfect.  You have your bag, I have mine, and all is right with the world.

I know I don't have to tell you to pay Irene a visit (since I know you already love her!) but just in case, stop by designstILes and be amazed.

And finally, I just want to say that you all made me feel crazy cool with your seriously amazing comments about my table makeover.  I like to think of that post as a giant party where I got to share my hobby with all my besties.  So, thanks again my friends!

The Latest DIY: Faux Snakeskin Table

Sometimes, a do-it-yourself project can take a turn for the worse.
Been there?  I don't doubt that we all have at some point.
Occasionally though, a DIY fail can lead to something way better.
Take this heinous set of plastic stacking tables I found at Goodwill for example:

There were two of them...one just as scary as the next.
As is customary in my world, however, my head saw the ugly, but my heart heard "parsons style shelves" and the deal was done.  I was positive that a coat of glossy white spray paint would bring these babies to life.  Ummm, not quite sure what I was thinking there, because spray paint did nothing but make the ugly a nice shade of glossy white.  D.I.Y. Fail.

Enter Plan B.
After seeing that no amount of paint could help me, I turned to snakeskin.
Snakeskin fabric cures all ills.  I hope.

Here's how I did it:

This particular table was a breeze to cover because the legs were easy to remove.  I wrapped each leg individually, and made sure to cover only one side at a time, smoothing the fabric as I went.  I also let each coat of Mod Podge dry completely before adding another coat.

It was a time consuming project, taking me a total of about three days to complete, but I think it was absolutely worth it.

Oh, I love it so. 

So, snakeskin wrapped furniture...are you in, or out? 

The best part of this DIY?  If you're not hip to the "skin", try any fabric of your choice.
You'll just need plenty of time and a little imagination to make it your own,
and that, my friends, is an epic win in my book.

PS: I found a similar snakeskin fabric here, and you can order Mod Podge here or at any craft store.

Have a great week everyone!

*Update*
I did some more searching and found another great fabric option here and another very similar to the one I used here at Hancock Fabrics. 

Weekend Wear

Happy Friday!  Here's to a great weekend, and to enjoying the last bits of a summer that's been both too long and too short at the same time.  Does anyone agree?  I'm so ready for fall, but as the summer days start to fade, I'm beginning to miss it...just a tiny bit. :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

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Wish and Tell: Anna of A Newfound Treasure

I'm so pleased to count Anna as our guest today!  Her blog, A Newfound Treasure, vaulted to the top of my list the very first time I read it.  The lovely Anna has an uncanny ability to make her readers feel as if they're sitting right next to her in her living room, chatting over coffee and gabbing about both the silly and the substantial.  If you don't already, I promise you'll love this girl, and her blog.  Enjoy...

Image 1 // Image 2 // Image 3 // The Circle Maker // Nu Skin // Image 4

Count me as a fellow chocoholic Anna!  As for a trip to Greece, well, when are we going???

That does it for another great Wish and Tell, but don't forget to stop by A Newfound Treasure!  As for me, I'll be baking chocolate chip cookies and planning my Grecian getaway.

Have a great Wednesday!

Hard at work...

I've been busy getting a DIY post ready for all of you, but I'm moving slower than expected, so I thought I'd give you a little peek...

Can you spy the DIY?

I'll be back tomorrow with another Wish and Tell guest.  Until then my friends!

Shop With Me Saturday: A Deal on Dots

J.Crew Perfect Shirt $88 // Old Navy Polka Dot Chambray $25

Thanks to Anna's Instagram, I found this Old Navy dotted top and grabbed it, no questions asked.

I love finding a smart way to get the look I love for less, and this one is spot on!

Weekend Wear

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Hello and happy Friday!  Any Friday in late August is happy to me, don't you think?  So much to look forward to and that last bit of summer to enjoy.  I adore this time of year!

This outfit is one I've been wearing a lot lately.  The days are still very hot here, and I love the easy layer of chambray that I can take off when it gets too steamy.

By the way, I posted what I was wearing last Friday as well, and I'm loving  the fact that I can show you all how I usually dress.  I know I blog about a lot of pricey items, mostly because I love them (and would love to have them!) but in reality I have to choose more budget friendly pieces.  The only item in this outfit that was above $30 is the J.Crew chambray shirt.  I bought it because I knew I'd wear it like crazy and, in my opinion, it's the perfect chambray shirt.   It's become one of my favorite items in my closet, so it was worth it!

I've also been trying to omit buying some things I don't need, in order to invest in the items I'll have forever.  I'm hoping to share some of the items on my investment list soon!

Well, I'm off to take care of my sweet boy who's missing his very first day of third grade because he's sick.  Poor little guy.  I feel awful for him!

Have a great weekend my friends!

PS- I'm linking up with Friday's Fancies today, so hop on over to check out all the other great ensembles!

Wish and Tell- Eileen of A Creative Day

Help me welcome the fabulous Eileen of A Creative Day!

I immediately fell for Eileen's blog because of her amazing style and decorating panache.  I'm always so wowed by her home projects and how she styles everything just perfectly.  Needless to say, I always find inspiration from her and I know you will too.  Enjoy!

Nike Free Run // Posie Tint // I Love Your Style // 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Image 1: Sea of Shoes // Image 2: Note to Self

* Jess's Lively's article on "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People."

I'm a huge fan of Posie Tint myself, and, yes, I love me some Housewives!

It looks like I'll be adding two more books to my list as well.  I never read "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," but after reading Jess's post it looks like it's a must!

Eileen, you've inspired me once again.  Thanks for being here!

As for all of you, head over to A Creative Day to see more!

********

 Now, to announce the winner of the Elite Sheet giveaway:

Congrats Susan!  I'll be emailing you shortly with the info.

Thanks again to all who entered!

*********

Finally, I just wanted to say, if it seems like I've dropped off the planet lately, I feel sort of like I have.  Or at least like I'm dangling from the edge with my crazy face on.  My little pork chop has decided he no longer wants to nap, well, actually, he's kind of not sleeping at all lately.  Also, my oldest is under the weather, so I've been pulled in all directions the last few days and haven't been keeping up so well in the blogging world.  I'll be back to it soon I hope!

Hugs to you all, and thanks for stopping by!

Estate Sales and a Really Cheap Mirror

I made it to the estate sale I talked about on Friday, and got there just as the doors were opening.  Unfortunately, about one hundred other people (102 to be exact), got there before me and were waiting in line as I walked up.  Wow.

I had to maneuver through the crowd just as I'd expected, but I think I kept a good pace and didn't hang out for too long in one place, except for the time I was smashed between two crazed antiques dealers.  That was scary. 

I did make a complete amateur mistake though, and didn't bring enough cash.  I soooo need to step up my game next time!  Luckily, I used my feminine wiles and was able to sweet talk a gentleman who was working the sale into marking the brass lamp as 'sold' so I could run to the ATM.  Really, I'm pretty sure he was embarrassed for me since I dropped a pile of books on my big toe at the exact moment I was asking him about the lamp.  Apparently being a grade A klutz can get you special favors.  Who knew?

So, two lessons I learned from my estate sale adventure: 

1. Get there at least two hours early if there's something I see in the preview pictures that I can't live without.  (read: crazy good dining chairs or something similar.)  If I'm just going to browse, I think arriving a few minutes before the start would still garner good results.

2. Bring exactly the amount of money I'll be willing to spend that day (or my checkbook.)  I hesitate to bring my checkbook because I could make a crazy decision on the fly and end up overspending, but I also wouldn't miss that one amazing item because I didn't bring enough cash.  

Finally, I couldn't leave without sharing one last amazing deal, the Martha Stewart sunburst mirror from Home Depot.  I've been spying it all over lately and knew I had to have one.
Thirty.  Five.  Dollars.  And it's pretty too!  It's love, for sure.

By the way, I'm always sharing my finds on Instagram.  I'm @recently if you want to follow along. 

Have a great week everyone!

Weekend Wear

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This morning I sat on my back porch, cup of coffee in hand, and watched my boys play in the yard.  It was in the seventies outside, felt like fall, and was a little slice of heaven!
I wish I could say it'll be like that all weekend, but, since it won't, I've picked out this comfy shift dress to keep me cool and relatively sane.  I'm hoping to elbow my way through a few estate sales tomorrow, so I'll need all my wits about me.  Wish me luck and have an amazing weekend everyone!

Wish and Tell- Tiffany of Savor Home

Please welcome the lovely Tiffany of Savor Home.

I'm sure you all adore Tiffany as much as I do, but if you've yet to experience her beautiful blog, you've got to check it out.  It's full of the most amazing recipes (did ya hear? THE most amazing recipes) and inspiration galore.  Now, let's enjoy while she wishes and tells...

Image via: Lisa Leonard // Rifle Paper Co. Notebook // Sweet Potato Fries // Black Heels to Tractor Wheels

Note to self: Drink more water!!  And I definitely need to add The Pioneer Woman's book to my list.  I think she's hilarious so I know I'd laugh right along with Tiffany on that one.

Thank you for sharing all your faves with us Tiff!

You know there's lots more where that came from at Savor Home, so pay her a visit and say hello!

Pssst:  Don't forget about our elite sheet giveaway!

Our First Sponsor and a Giveaway (CLOSED)

I'm so excited to introduce Recently's very first sponsor, Sally Craft, an Etsy shop that brings you adorable custom baby bedding, nursery items and pillows.

Check out some of what miss Sally has to offer...

Yep, told you it was adorable! 

To be honest, the owner's name isn't Sally, it's Holly, and I'm so thrilled to work with such a talented gal.  You all know how sewing machines and I don't get along, so anyone who can make pieces of fabric come together so beautifully gets my sincere appreciation.

Now, let's get to the good stuff, shall we?

Holly and I are giving away one of Sally Craft's most popular products, the bumperless crib sheet.  

This genius product gives those of us who choose to go without a crib bumper the opportunity to use our favorite fabrics  (up to three in fact!)  It's also a great way to incorporate your faves on cribs that don't allow for a crib skirt.
P.S.  I know my little guy's toddler bed fits a crib sized mattress, so this sheet, also called the "elite sheet", will work for some toddler beds too!

Ready to win?  Here's how:

To Enter:

Visit Sally Craft on Etsy and leave a comment here (with your email address) telling me who would use the bumperless crib sheet if you won.  (Not all of us have little ones in cribs, but I bet we all have sisters, daughters, friends, aunts, nieces, cousins or coworkers who would love to be gifted with one!)

For extra entries: (Leave a separate comment for each)

1.  "Favorite" Sally Craft on Etsy

2.  "Like" Sally Craft on Facebook

3.  Follow Recently via Google Friend Connect (the blue button under "follow" in the sidebar)

Rules:

-fabrics must be $12 (US dollars) per yard or under
-The giveaway begins today (Monday, Aug. 6th) and ends Tuesday, Aug. 14th at 2:00 PM Central time.
-No purchase necessary to win
-4 entries available per person
-Open worldwide
-Winner will be announced Wednesday Aug. 15th

Thanks for entering and good luck!

The giveaway is now CLOSED.  Thanks to all who entered!

This Weekend, I Hope You...

Images Via: Martha Stewart // 9to5 chic // house and home // traditional home via decor pad // oh joy

Happy weekend beautiful people!  What's on your agenda for the next few days?

Ours will be spent trying desperately to keep cool (it's been hovering right around 110 here for the past few days!) and probably watching the Olympics on a continuous loop.  Good times I tell ya!
I'm also thinking of trying the above St-Germaine and champagne recipe.  I'm guessing it might help take the edge off the heat...and probably a few other things as well.  Yes.  Please.

Thanks for a great week, and I'll see you on Monday!

Yes and Yes

Yes's all around for the Madewell Chambray Songbird Dress.

Wear it now, wear it later.  Wear it under, wear it over.

Oh the possibilities!

Wish and Tell: Gaby of the Vault Files

I'm so happy to introduce the fabulously talented Gaby to you today.  Well, that is, if you haven't heard of her, which is doubtful.  The Vault Files is my go to "what to wear" destination, and Gaby is the gal who makes it all happen. 

 

Image via: Tone Nygaard

 L'Occitane Hand Cream || A Game of Thrones || Biotherm Cleanser || Estee Lauder Night Repair

Gaby, you know I've told you this a million times, but you rock.

Thanks so much for being here today!

As for you, my lovely readers, I hope you enjoyed learning about one of my favorite bloggers, and I can't wait to show off the rest.  I know you'll love 'em as much as I do.

Also, don't forget to stop by The Vault Files, and be prepared to be inspired!

Finally, because I'm still sniffling from my patriotic tears,

who watched the US girls whip it up in gymnastics last night?

Looooved it.

I also might have practiced my imaginary dismount a few times in the mirror,

but everyone does that, right???