cozy fall friday's fancies

happy first day of fall! being a Florida girl, I was bred to adore summer and summer alone (after-all we didn't really have seasons in South Florida), but over the years my love for fall has grown... I'm actually excited for the weather to get crisp and the pumpkin goodies to come out in full force - and of course, college football! so with that in mind, here's a cozy fall friday's fancies for you - to me nothing says cozy like a sweater cardigan, so cuddly...

cozy fall friday. by hitajblog featuring pave earrings

this fall is gearing up to be a great one - and the first weekend of fall 2011 is no exception - my love and I are venturing out to flip burger for dinner tonight and then enjoying a netflix night in. tomorrow, we're running a 10K in the morning and spending the day with Mike & Julie (brother and sister-in-law) and Sarah & Greggie (our adorable  niece and nephew), we're heading to a Chili-Cook-Off and then just spending the day with the fam. Sunday = domestic bliss (laundry, cooking, baking).

only a few hours standing between us and the weekend... let the countdown begin...

friday's fancies...

excited to be linking up with {av} again this week for Friday's Fancies, I was very excited when this week's theme was "rockin red" as I love me some red.  I took a more casual approach and daydreamed about what I would buy for this weekend if I had some extra money [which unfortunately, I don't...]. DJ and I are heading out on a double date with his brother Mike and his wife Julie tomorrow night so I put together a casual but [in my opinion] cute - date night outfit. I'm hoping to enjoy dinner/drinks on a patio to enjoy our good ole Georgia heat - what? I like it. so without further adieu, here are my fancies...

summer red by hitajblog featuring a summer shawl

1. a lovely pop of summer colors with a tropical floral gauze scarf
2. adorable silk racerback tank dress
3. beautiful murano glass pendant necklace
4. love this shade of red essie nail color - "fifth avenue"
5. crystal and smooth bangles
6. you can't go wrong with kate... kate spade royal plantation quinn
7. simple yet present carnelian post stud earrings
8. just a few more sparkles... MUSA crystal embellished metallic leather sandals

head over to {av}'s blog and check out the rest of this week's Friday's Fancies, and if you happen to "like" mine feel free to "like" it over there! [entry 30!]

friday's fancies...

so excited to be linking up with {av} for my first friday's fancies... 

[because she's awesome and  I want to be like whitney] 

here's is my first creation... 

I'm sitting in my office daydreaming about a night out on the town with my husband... 

I'm a simple girl so a plain black maxi dress, silver accessories and a touch of pink...

oh yes -

and diamonds. 

lots of diamonds. 

did I mention diamonds?

clearly, I have a one track mind today... enjoy!

friday fancies - sparkly night out by hitajblog featuring a jersey dress

1 - classic black maxi: juicy couture jersey maxi dress $160

2 - bracelet: round diamond flower bracelet - stein diamonds - $3,350

3 - clearly, I need two bracelets: alexis bittar cuff - $445

4 - simple little diamond necklace: bony levy diamond 'circle of life' pendant necklace - $2,495

5 - gotta love a pewter clutch: michael kors sutton clutch - $175

6 - right hand ring anyone: bony levy 'split' diamond ring - $2,995

7 - classics: goldsmiths 18ct gold 0.50 ct diamond stud earrings - $2,130

8 - dressed up flat sandals: jack rogers $147

9 - just another pop of color: pink ombre sarong scarf - $10

outfit total: $11,907

I feel so fancy.

how'd I do for a first-timer?

I think I went a little overboard adding the $10 scarf, what do you think?


I know, I know, I promise next time I'll focus more on the actual fashion rather than the bling, maybe this is just a hint to my husband that our 19 month anniversary* just passed and that its tradition to buy your wife diamond earrings on that anniversary... bueller? anyone? well, it's on the internet now so it must be true.
you read it here first.... 
*no we don't celebrate "month" anniversaries, just when I want diamonds. ahem. today.

yes please. seriously, PLEASE.

"my mind checkbook is telling me noooo, but my body longing for cute shoes, my body  longing for cute purses is telling me yes..."

[please tell me you got that rkelly reference.]

must. not. shop. 

must. not shop. 

must. not. shop.

this is what I keep repeating to myself but it's so damn difficult when I keep stumbling upon things that are just BEGGING me to buy them... for example.

I recently got rid of a pair of old espadrilles - they were dying and needed to go to the shoe heaven known as goodwill... and my shoe collection misses them. let's be honest, I usually wear flats but summer to me is a cute pair of espadrilles and shorts and/or summery skirts. I've been good about [not] replacing them. 

Enter Exhibit A:

$49.99 from DSW

seriously. it's a crime not to buy these shoes... however, I don't want to get divorced I feel like my husband would be disappointed in me if I bought them [after scrutinizing his every purchase]... so I'm resisting... for now.

and then there are purses... I mean, a girl can never have too many - especially cute babies like this...

Enter Exhibit B:

$149 - Kate Spade [Nordstroms]

seriously. could that bag be any cuter? I want to build it a nursery and call it my baby. btw - this bag has  an equally cute polka-dotted sister.  why did I decide to go into education again? seriously, I could be living the dream making six figures swimming in kate spade purses and adorable shoes.... but no, no, I had to make a difference and impact lives. damnit. oh well, save me a spot in martyr heaven - I'm going to be a humble state servant for life. 

someone please go buy those shoes and that purse and send me emails telling me how great they are and how I need to own them [so I can show DJ and make him guiltily tell me I should buy them, duh]. maybe oliver will buy them for me for mother's day? what? I'm a great puppy mom. OKAY. off my woe is me I need pretty new red things soapbox. 

in other news, the sliced apples I just attempted to eat as a snack were bad [slimy and soft] - GROSS. seriously. I'm going to give up on being healthy. cheeseburger anyone?

spending spree...

so we had a little cash coming our way and I had stashed and saved some mula thinking that DJ and I both would be out of work for awhile when we moved to Georgia... no seriously. I had planned on being unemployed for at LEAST two months... but the employment Gods smiled upon me and blessed with an amazing job - my first week in Georgia... so we have INCOME coming our way very soon... [hooray!!] so I treated myself [and my love] to a little spending... I needed some new clothes [bye bye Berkshire plaid and bulky sweaters - hello SPRING!], here are some of my favorite recent purchases....


I went into Old Navy to buy some cheap jeans [they do the trick and I plan on losing the massive amount of winter hibernating weight that I've gained soon and I refuse to spend money on jeans that will NOT fit me in a month... no really, they won't - I've decided] and found these super cute and flirty tops... I might have bought three...

Old Navy $22.50 [20% off right now with the code ONREG20]

I just wish they had the purple one in my size, I love that color!

Ann Taylor Loft = my shopping downfall. Especially for work clothes, I got a great deal on these because some were already marked down/on special AND my mother-in-law had a 20% off coupon so I saved an extra $70 on my total, score!


I got a super cute lightweight sweater, an adorable girly cardigan, cute camis, and an amazing pair of denim trousers!  Of course, I can't get the pictures off the internet and I'm at work so you'll have to make do with the links [oh technology]....

...AND today at Loft you can get 25% off cardigans! 

I might have also gotten three pairs of shoes from DSW [oops!]...these adorable Enzo Angiolini peeptoe heels...

these super cute flats in pink... (I just might already have them in black...)

and some adorable roxy casual flats for weekend wear...

then we did a little online shopping and from UrbanOutfitters I got a [what looks] super soft grey hoodie for me... and of course a grey hoodie for DJ... [don't worry they're not exactly the same, we're not that bad come on]

and for my love we also bought...

Old Navy $5

we stocked up on a few of these, they were super soft!

other than that I got a few of the simple v-necks from target for me and two gator [barf] shirts for my love and a new UCF shirt for me... super excited for those to come in as well as our other online purchases... and lets be real, I'm so excited be near actual stores again and to not HAVE to shop online [i.e. like in the berkshires]... I live near a sephora - this is amazing, I don't have to justify spending $50 everytime I need a little thing just to get free shipping... I can actually GO to the store. 

but, alas, I think that we have reached our shopping quota for awhile [at least until I lose a little weight, my reward for losing 10 lbs will be new jeans, exciting!].  now onto saving for a new macbook... time to pinch those pennies! :)

daydreaming about tweed and silk....

if only we had an extra $200 laying around I would be splurging on a new anthropologie dress... they have so many cute dresses that are perfect for the transition from summer to fall... 


examples include;

{Tweedy Leaves, found here for $158}

{Dagmar Shirtdress, found here for $148}

{Night Fever, found here for $158}

{Foremost Dress, found here for $118}

aren't they adorable?

simple silver staple...

I'm on the hunt for a simple silver necklace... I love them and I feel they're such a great daily piece... I used to rock the T&Co Elsa Perrati starfish but it got stolen {awesome} out of a friends car... then I had a simple dogeared small lightening bolt that DJ flushed down the toilet {on accident, supposedly, he didn't like the girl that gave it to me, so I think it might just have been on purpose.... juuust kiddng} - so now I'm looking for new "staple" everyday silver necklace....

 I'd love this T&Co Elsa Perrati"a" but $225 isn't in the budget right now...

So I took a look around Etsy and found some great options, including...

{handmade necklace from mycellardoor's etsy shop for $19}

{simple clover simple necklace from auroralong's etsy shop for $16.00}

{O silver necklace from gracebegin's etsy shop for $20}

{sterling silver barrel necklace from balance9's etsy shop for $18}

{cloud necklace in silver by MDsparks' shop on Etsy for $17}

{tiny silver bead and silver necklace by allisonwindsor1 on Etsy for $20}

I think I'll mull over it for awhile... but who knows, my new "staple" could be in this post...

high-waisted heaven.

I am in love... with this skirt.

I tried it on two weeks ago at White House Black Market [when we were buying bridesmaids dresses] and fell in love... however, not in the budget [$78], so I'm stalking it until it goes on sale.

However, I did [splurge] buy a simple black high-waisted skirt while in Wilmington... I haven't worn it yet [yucky weather] but I will soon... maybe this weekend it will make it's debut. I've never worn a high-waisted skirt before so I'm excited [didn't think I could pull it off... but I tried these on and really liked them, cross your fingers I actually CAN pull it off].

I got it from Express on sale for $30... here it is [I found it... they disguised it with a belt, silly express...]

Can't wait to wear it and am crossing my fingers that my object of lust to go on sale... stat.