Introducing...

...my kick-butt September sponsors!

The month is almost over but make sure you check out these great blogs.

Right now. Now, now, now!

Meet Dani from The Daily Dani. 

My blog is...

"A 20-something, trying to figure out my place in this world, one outfit at a time!"

What are the three fall fashions you're most looking forward to?

1. Military styles with leather accents - I just bought an awesome 
fitted surplus jacket with faux leather sleeves!

2. Layering fall sweaters over summer dresses - 
if it ever drops below 90 here in Southern California!

3. Tights under socks under boots - I love a layered leg, too!

If you could be on any reality TV show, which would it be?

If I could be on any reality TV show, I'd pick a Real World/Road Rules challenge! I've been watching those shows since I was 10 (wow, how old does that make me sound?!) and I feel like I know all of those "cast members". Aside from that I'd likely fail any physical challenge I faced, I would love to meet all of those people - and try to hide my obsession!

The best of your blog:

I absolutely love fashion and am constantly evolving my style. I take daily outfit photos and some of my favorite looks (and scenery!) happen while I'm on vacation -
 like this fun desert shot from my latest trip to Palm Springs!

Meet Carly from Lipgloss and Crayons. 

My blog is...
"Hello all! I'm Carly, and I blog over at Lipgloss and Crayons.  I'm an elementary school teacher, a newlywed, a Christian, and a fashion lover.  On my blog you will find beauty tips, fashion obsessions, recipes, and linky parties plus a little info about my life in the City of Angels.  Stop by, and make sure you say hello.....I love meeting new friends!"
If you're going out for coffee, what are you ordering?
Grande soy latte with sugarfree vanilla.....yum!
What are the three fall fashions you're most looking forward to?
 I can't wait to wear riding boots (they go with EVERYTHING), scarves, and leather accents...
just bought the cutest leather skirt...hurry up fall weather!
The best of your blog:
I was lucky enough to go a private fashion show for Fashion's Night Out at 
Neiman Marcus a few weeks back, and became obsessed with one of the outfits I saw!  
See how I found options to recreate it at all price points here!

Red Writing Hood.

Knock, knock.
{Who's there?}
Patricia.
{Patricia who?}
My kick-butt featured sponsor, Patricia. Duh.
That was really lame. But she's definitely not.
Check out her post about the benefits of spending time alone
and then be sure to go say "hey" on her blog!
Happy Sunday!
***

Hello readers!! I've been a stalker follower of Andrea's for a loooong time now, I absolutely love her blog.  Allow me to introduce myself.  I'm Patricia, and I write over at Red Writing Hood.  I blog about my life, writing, art, my friends (who are my world, really) and everything in between.  I'm loud, sometimes vulgar, ALWAYS honest, and I'd like to think every now and then I'm hilarious.  But that's probably just wishful thinking. A little about me--I'm from Tennessee, I live in Utah, I just completed EMT Certification and one of these days hope to be both a firefighter and a New York Times bestseller.  Random, right?
Anyway, that's me, so stop by and say hello sometime!

I was trying to think up good ideas for things to write about, and I spoke with my very very best friend Madi who mentioned something that I'm really good at, whether I like it or not--being alone.  Now, that sounds a little depressing maybe, but that's exactly why it's such a good topic to write about, and hopefully you can either agree with me on this or get some insight into it.  In blog land it's not uncommon to see everyone's posts of their hubbies, kids, boyfrands, girlfrands, and in my case more often my friends......
we all have people who love and support us, and that's good.  

But that's not all that matters.

I think the reason that I'm such an expert on being alone is because I was forced into it.  From a young age I was neglected and had to do most things on my own.  At 15 I was parentless and thrust into the world.  I don't know that I was especially bitter, because I don't think that kids can truly be bitter even if they want to be.  I was 'hard', though.  You're just going to have to do this alone, I told myself over and over again.  Nobody is going to help you, nobody is holding your hand.  I'll never forget the line of the poem in Dr. Seuss' book 'Oh! The Places You'll Go!'   

...Dr. Seuss knew precisely what he was talking about. 

An almost immediate first reaction I get when I approach this subject is, 'You're not alone! You have people who care!' or, 'I have children...I'm never alone..' and that's exactly my point.  Being alone is good for the soul.  Being alone is a positive thing.  Like all things it is meant to be enjoyed in moderation (though sometimes you will, or have, probably sat there thinking IS THIS GONNA BE FOREVER?!) but that's just my point...alone time is great.  Never be too afraid of being alone with yourself in anything you're doing, whether it's travel, studying, 

trying a new hobby, or whatever you're into.

The thing is, being around people always gives us insights to how they think and feel.  We spend time on our bonds with them (assuming those relationships are healthy, anyway) but alone time is when you get to bond with yourself.  I can't tell you the things I've learned about who I want to be while by myself.  It's just easier for that deep and very important voice inside you to speak up when there is nobody else around to turn to for advice.  Not only that, but you know your dreams and aspirations and goals better than your friend or husband or children or dog ever, ever will.  You need that self-affirming time to reflect on those goals and move forward with them.  Being alone has a bad rap, but it's really a great thing for us, even during those times we really don't want to be alone and are anyway. 

 It makes us stronger.  

So, this week I urge you to get some YOU time!! Take a day off work/school and plan something nice.  I'd suggest doing outdoorsey stuff since the weather is melting down to 
that perfect fall temperature, and nature is probably the best place to discover yourself, 
but if it's not your thing, then I'm sure you can find something.  
Here are a few of my favorite things to do alone:

• Take a new yoga class, or some other athletic class you're not familiar with at all.
• Go to youtube and find some guided meditations...they have great ones, and they're free!!
• Spa day.  Enough said there.
• Get out.  Drive, or fly. (Cheapoair has local flights for less than $100.....it's nice to just be in the air!)
• Write a letter to your past self, or your future self.  Give advice, or talk about your goals.
• For that matter, write a letter to anyone you have something to say to and can't, or shouldn't.
• Go to a museum or cathedral.  It's easier to learn and appreciate art and architecture without friends.
• Go to a comedy show or find one on Netflix.  Nothing soothes the lonely soul like laughter.
• Make up an alter-ego of yourself, or a super hero or super villain.  It can be as serious or as funny as you'd like.  I have about three alter-egos and one super villain....I know, too many comic book movies coming out lately.  But it's a great exercise to learn self-exploration.  What are your best qualities? What are your worst?  In an exaggerated world what qualities would surface?  If nothing else then you get to make a parody character of yourself which turned out to be the most hilarious thing I've ever done, probably.  

Well, there's some ways to get yourself started on really loving and appreciating alone time! If what you're doing scares you a little, that's okay.  It's supposed to.  As much fun as locking yourself in the bedroom and reading a book is, it's not really the same as going out to a foreign part of town (or if you're like me, a foreign country) alone.  You will be proud of yourself, you will get a chance to sort of 'reset' your path in life, and you can extra-appreciate your loved ones when you see them again! 

So get out there and be lonely.  Enjoy! 

The cool kids.

I present to you, another group of super cool sponsors.
Check out their blogs and find out just how great they are!

Meet Whitney from Two Cups of Comfort. 

My blog is...

"Hi! My name is Whitney and I write a cooking blog called Two Cups of Comfort. I just finished law school and am about to start my first real job (yikes!), but my favourite thing has always been cooking. Two Cups of Comfort is my cooking journal where I share some of my favorite recipes and new discoveries. Major emphasis on the comfort food."

If you had to live on one food ONLY for the rest of your life, what would it be?

This is such a hard question but if I could only live on one food it would have to be Chipotle burrito bowls. I am so obsessed with Chipotle that I could literally eat there everyday and never get sick of it!  It is so, so good!

What's the most worn item in your closet and why?

Okay, this is bad but the most worn item in my closet are my lululemon leggings. I like to say this is because I do hot yoga, but I'll be honest - I wear them a lot more than just for yoga! They are so comfortable (always my top priority when it comes to clothes...) and I think they are really flattering too!  I know they're a little expensive, but if you wear leggings regularly, I think they are a great investment!  They really last and are just so much nicer and more flattering than other leggings. This is not a paid message! I really do think they're great!

The best of your blog:

There is nothing I like more than a good burger. Well, except for a grilled CHEESE burger!!  Yep, you heard that right. This is basically a burger inside of a grilled cheese sandwich. Isn't that the best thing you've ever heard?!  Click here for the recipe!  Trust me, you won't regret it!

Meet Jes from Two Smuppies. 

 (a picture that Tegan actually took of me)

My blog is...

"Hailing from TwoSmuppies (dawt coooom), I will always (and forever) consider myself to be a San Franciscan. And when Chris (more commonly referred to as "Turd") and I decided to make the move to Portland, I felt the need to start a blog to document the adventures in dealing with this permastate of foggy, drizzly weather, and the yummy food trucks, and as always, everything that involves being obsessed with the furbaby, Master Sharkdog. 
Come on by and say hello! 
We're friendly and we don't bite. Not even Sharkdog. 
Even though living with a man can get pretty interesting at times."

Bloggity Blog Blog: here

Twittery Tweet Tweet: here

Instagram Filter Filter?: @twosmuppies

If you had to live on one food ONLY for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Sourdough bread. With a huge wheel of cheese. 

They go together so that counts as one food, Andrea!

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?

Otis Redding's "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay"

OR Spice Girls' "Spice Up Your Life" because thats the theme song I have with Shannon.

Meet Heather from Life with a Christian Wife.

My blog is...

"Hello lovelies! My name is Heather and I blog over here at "Life with a Christian wife." This blog is really my open journal. Where I share mainly about my life lessons, seasons in life, relationships mainly with my wonderful Husband Leon a.k.a Mr Riley and my Lord Jesus Christ. Leon and I are also expecting our first child Evelynne! Which is a wonderful journey on its own. It is also a blog of complete randomness in my life.  I am a twenty something year old lady living my biggest dream as a stay at home wife and soon to be Mommy! I hope you can come visit my world sometime!  Thanks Andrea for having me today! Xoxo"
What's the most worn item in your closet and why?
Probably my dresses. If I could wear dresses for the rest of my life I probably would! They are great for pregnancy because they're not tight, they still fit and they're fashionable. I also love my skinny jeans but they're not being worn right now due to pregnancy.
If you had to live on one food ONLY for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Oh, my goodness! I would have to say the Strawberry poppy seed 
chicken salad from Panera bread.
The best of your blog:
I have many callings in life but my main calling and ministry is to be a stay at home wife and a mother. I knew that ever since I was a little girl. It has always been my desire. And when I found out we were pregnant in March I just couldn't believe it I was so excited.  The most exciting pregnancy experience so far was seeing my daughter in person when I went to my first sonogram here. Getting to see her move inside me and seeing a glimpse of her personality touched my heart and also brought me 
to reality that I'm going to be a mom!

Meet Michelle from Pink Peace. 

My blog is...
"Pink Peace is dedicated to fashion, beauty, and healthy lifestyles. As a college student, it is has been hard for me to use my income wisely.Through my blog, I have been able to share great tips for fashionable finds, beauty tips, and also health tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I live by these tips and I hope to help others who are interested."
What's the most worn item in your closet and why?
The most worn item in my closet is this lavender peplum top from Forever21 along with my Gap Skinnies. It seems that whenever I am looking for an outfit to wear for a fun night out, I immediately go for this top and of course my Gap Skinnies. Of course, I have designer jeans, but there is something about my Gap jeans that I continuously go back to them. They are so comfortable and stretch and move with your body.
No one wants to have your jeans digging into your skin!
Here is the link from that post.
If you had to live on one food ONLY for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I am obsessed with a Green Monster smoothie that I have been making ever since I became a vegetarian. It looks kind of scary (it is bright green!) but it is sooooo delicious and good for you! Green Smoothies are great for weigh loss, digestive health, supporting the immune system, and as a healthy and filling snack. After a few weeks you may seem to have a "Glow" - glowing skin, hair, nails, and many people say even their eyes have gotten brighter! There are so many recipes you can find for a Green Smoothie but this one is by far my favorite. I find that the spinach is so mild you can barely taste it and the bananas make the consistency creamy. Give it a try! I promise you will love it!
Here is the link for the recipe from my blog.

A brave set of guinea pigs.

On August 1st I began accepting sponsorship on my blog. 
Call them crazy, but these lovely ladies stepped up to be my first sponsorship guinea pigs.
Without further adieu, check out a few of this month's great sponsors!

Meet Maggie from A Carolina Love. 

My blog is...

"A culmination of my random thoughts and sweet life stories.  I take way too many pictures and enjoy the fact that this blog makes me seem eloquent and concise."

What's your biggest pet peeve? 

People that don't put their shopping carts in the cart "corrals" that are about 15 ft away!  

Irks me to no end. 

If your life had a theme song, what would it be? 

"In My Life" by The Beatles.  This question was actually harder than I thought it would be because I feel like depending on the season of life you're in, the answer can change. 

The best of your blog:

This is one of my favorite posts because at some point, we all need a reminder that dreams sometimes take time and the journey can be hard fought.  But no matter how much time it takes or how hard it is to get there, it's always worth it. 

Meet Katie from Kathryn Laine.

My blog is...
"My blog, as it is right now, is a full on daily style blog. BUT I’m in the midst of an awesome revamp that’ll make it more of a... daily style/life-in-general blog! I can’t wait to share more of my life in the Pacific Northwest, introduce readers to my two (really, really ridiculously cute) kitties, my amazing boyfriend, and some super tutorials with my mad sewing and crafting skills in the coming months!"
If you had to live on one food ONLY for the rest of your life, what would it be?

PIZZA. Hands down. Have you ever been to Chicago? Because Chicago pizza is the best pizza in entire the world.. (sorry Italy.) A big ole deep dish pepperoni Lou Malnati’s pizza makes me a very, very happy girl. When we moved to the Pacific Northwest I missed my favorite pizza so bad, I actually had it shipped to us for the Super Bowl. When I took it out of the oven I teared up a little bit. Its THAT good. And I would gladly eat it every day.

What's the most worn item in your closet and why?
DRESSES… Not one in particular. Just all of them. A few summers ago I went to visit my grandma in Indiana. I threw on a simple, springy dress and a pair of flats and when she saw me, she said, “Kate, why are you so dressed up?” She went on to tell me young girls don’t wear dresses these days, and it’s just what old ladies like herself (my Grandma is the most un-old lady you’d ever meet – she went with me to get my first tattoo!) used to wear when they were young. Anyway it made me love wearing dresses even more. I love that era when women really put themselves together - when they would get up and put on pretty dresses and red lipstick and pearls. Anyway, my closet has a sick amount of dresses in it these days, and my Mimi would be proud. :)
The best of your blog:
Like I mentioned, my blog is about to go through a little overhaul. Learn a little bit more about it what’s happening, and take a peek into a typical Sunday with us here. 

Meet Jessica from Jessica Who?

My blog is...

"The title of my blog refers to the constant "Jessica who??" question that all of us Jessica's face. I'm a Texas girl who lives in Hawaii with my sweet husband and our baby, Duke (he's a 1 year old puggle). I write about everything from recipes (I don't cook but I love to eat) and fashion (I like to pretend that I know what I'm talking about). I love making new friends so come by and say hello!"

You're stuck on an island with only three items. Name them!

If I was stuck on an island (which I kinda am stuck on an island) and could only bring 3 things they would be... my husband, my puggle, and pickles. 

If you had to live on one food ONLY for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Most people will think this is so weird but....

if I could live on one food for the rest of my life it would be PICKLES! YUMMMMM :)

The best of your blog:

One of the best memories I have of living on Hawaii is an underwater photo shoot that I had with my husband. I am still so mesmerized by these pictures! Check them out here.

Back East Blonde.

Today I'm off entertaining Ryan's family on the last day of their trip.
While I'm gone, my first amazing featured sponsor, Nadine, is here to entertain you with
the hilarious story of her most embarrassing moment.
Read on, then go check out her sweet, funny blog!
Happy Monday!

***

Hi, I'm Nadine and I blog over at Back East Blonde. 
I'm a California girl who relocated to the east coast after college. And I just love it. 

One of the things I've always loved about the east coast are the beaches. That pictureque California beach you have in your head? Yeah, that was always about 6 hours from my house. 
Nor-Cal beaches are cold and foggy!

So I've always vacationed with my east coast family to the Delaware beaches. 
It's the one week a year we all spend together and it's just long enough to remind us 
that one week is really all we need (gotta love family drama). 
The beach also happens to be the location of my most mortifying moment.
Of. All. Time.

Picture this:

The beach is packed and I'm sitting in a beach chair next to my dad and stepmom 
reading a book. I'm in complete bliss, as I cannot imagine anything I'd rather be doing. 
I turn a page, hear a SNAP, and my bandeau bikini top SLING SHOTS OFF MY BODY 
and lands about ten feet away. And there I am. Topless on a beach surrounded by 
my entire extended family and many others.

First things first, a blood curdling scream. 

My stepmom yells to my Dad, "Get her a towel!" 

Obviously I can't move my arms because they are now covering my ta-tas. 

My Dad isn’t scrambling fast enough because he is flustered and suffering from second hand embarrassment. So I proceed to attempt to lay down on the towel on the ground in front of me like a beached whale (try laying down without using your arms, it's not a good move). 
My Dad covers me with a towel and retrieves my top, which is now broken 
and somehow hit a man in the head as it flew across the beach.

Moral of the story: Never ever ever buy a bathing suit with a plastic hook. Ever. 

That great bargain suit is just not worth the potential embarrassment. 

Cheap like me and you still want to buy the $8 bikini separates? I snap the plastic hook off and replace it with a stainless steel key ring. Then pull your cheapy bikini top right over your head. Ta-da!

I hope I've saved you from potential embarrassment. Come visit me at Back East Blonde where I'll willingly share more of my embarrassing stories and other moments where I suck at life.

Vegas style.

I'm convinced that the Interwebs hate me. I'm pretty sure that they
conspire to play mean tricks on me in their free time.
While we were in Vegas this super-cool guest post was set to automatically
appear, bright and early this morning. Guess what happened? Nothing.
Stinking technology made me look like a rude butthead.
(I'm sorry, Taleen!)
So, check out Taleen's sweet Vegas-style fashion advice,
and her even sweeter blog, while you're at it!

***

Hi lovelies! My name is Taleen and I blog over at dreaming en francais. A bit about me.. I've lived in LA my entire life, I absolutely love to travel, I can curl up with a good book for hours, and I loveee coffee -- in all forms. My blog is a place where I chronicle and express my personal style, sweet & silly moments, and favorite memories. I'm so happy to be here filling in for the always fabulous Andrea while she's off having an undoubtedly amazing time in Vegas! Hers is a blog I read daily, so being on here is a pretty big deal.

But enough about me! In honor of Andrea's little trip to Las Vegas, I thought it would only be appropriate for me to talk Vegas fashion while I'm here. Because, well, you need to wear clothes on your trip. Although I'm sure no one would look at you twice if you showed up in your birthday suit in a city like Vegas. Still. I've put together both a day outfit {for exploring the strip} and a night outfit {for club-hopping}.

Romper: Topshop; Shoes: Steve Madden; Hat: Modcloth; Watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs; Bag: J Crew

Top: 3.1 Phillip Lim; Skirt: All Saints; Shoes: Vince Camuto; Necklace: House of Harlow; Clutch: Michael Kors

I think it's safe to say that Vegas is HOT in the summer. So a cute romper would be ideal for keeping cool while shopping, lunching, gambling, whatever your little heart desires. A fedora and oversized gold watch {two of my favorite accessories right now} add a cute touch to the entire look, and comfortable flat sandals are key. Meanwhile, for nighttime, all I envision when I think about Vegas is.. sparkles. So a sequined gold skirt seemed like the only way to go, naturally. A loose black tucked-in tank looks perfectly put together and really lets the skirt shine. A dramatic statement necklace, nude pumps, and simple clutch go a long way in vamping your look up {if the sparkly gold skirt didn't do it for ya}.

And there you have it! Thank you again to Andrea for having me over! Please stop by and visit me over at dreaming en francais, where I like to play with clothes and put together looks like this one, share photos of my own outfits, and talk about food {among other things}. I'd love to have you! xo

Life in a little town.

Hey, all! Today two things are happening:

A) One of my best friends is flying in to visit for a week, which means

that I'm currently scrambling to clean the entire apartment in a few hours, though I've known

the date of her arrival for MONTHS (oh, hey there, procrastination).

and

B) I'm guest posting over at Little Petrie while Caitlyn is guest posting here

and telling you a little bit about the small town where she's from.

Happy Thursday!

I'll be back tomorrow, ranting and raving as usual...

***

Hello Friends! My name is Caitlyn & I blog over at LITTLE PETRIE! Join my there to read all about me! I am a college student, crazy in love with my boyfriend of four years, and trying to live life to the fullest. I am so happy to guest post over here and would love to tell you a little bit about where I come from.. So without further a due... here is a little piece of IDAHO!

 This is the lovely view from a road near my house. There is not picture that can better describe where I am from. I live in Idaho and though we hate being thought of as a little town, we are. The population is constantly  growing but we still have small town values and are very much awesome! I grew up in Nampa, Idaho after moving from Los Angeles. Can you imagine moving from a neighborhood in which you can hold hand with your neighbors through your bedroom window to living on acres of farm? IT IS AWESOME! I would love to explain every detail of my home, but I think Montgomery Gentry does it a little better.

THESE LYRICS DESCRIBE MY LIFE IN A NUT SHELL

Don't you dare go runnin' down my little town where I grew up and I won't cuss your city lights. If you ain't ever took a ride around and cruised right through the heart of my town anything you'd say would be a lie.We may live our lives a little slower but that don't mean I wouldn't be proud to show ya.

Where I come from, There's an old plowboy turnin' up dirt.
Where I come from, There's a preacher man in a cowboy shirt. Where I come from
There's a couple boys fight in the parking lot & nobody's gonna call the cops.

See that door right there. Man, I swear that it ain't never been locked and I guarantee that it never will. That ol' man right there in the rockin' chair at the courthouse square, I'll tell ya now he could buy your fancy car with hundred dollar bills. Don't let those faded overalls fool ya he made his million without one day of schoolin'

Where I come from there's a pickup truck with the tailgate down. Where I come from the pine trees are singin' a song of the South. Where I come from that little white church is gonna have a crowd. Yeah, I'm pretty damn proud of where I come from.