November's Favorite Things

Here are a few of my favorite things from November!

1.  This necklace is one of my absolute favorites.  I got it from Apricot Lane and have really been enjoying how light it is and the pop of color it adds to my outfits.

2.  This picture.  My boys.  They love being brothers and love playing together.  

3.  My new Nike Frees!  Noel picked them out for me and I LOVE them, mainly because they are SO light.

4.  Thanksgiving and spending time with my family.  Me and the sisters got our nails done over the break and it was so nice to sit and laugh with them.

5.  This quote.  No matter what you're going through, this quote covers it.

Alright!  Now it's your turn to link up.

1.  Link to your actual Favorite Things post.

2.  If you have an old post you want to use, that's totally fine!!  Just make sure you link back to my blog in some way.  (You can grab a Favorite Things button on the sidebar if you'd like)

3.  Go visit a few other bloggers and say hey!  (I've met some pretty amazing people through link ups!)

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

PS.  Make sure you go enter this giveaway for a personalized address stamp.

Linking up here as well.

Santa Letters

I'm not really sure who is more excited for Christmas this year...me or the boys.  Probably me.  I love experiencing new things through their eyes.  Charlie and Walker wrote their letters to Santa this week! (Find the cute Santa letter template here.)  We then set off to deliver them to Santa's special mailbox.  How awesome is that?  If you're local, the town of Cary has this mailbox out in front of their Town Hall (in downtown), and if you get your letter in before Dec 13, Santa will send a letter back to your child.  Charlie is so excited about this!  

Another thing to be excited about?  An amazing giveaway for you today, and an intro to 2 amazing ladies.  One of my favorite sections of the Oprah magazine is when she asks people what their "Best" is on different topics.  Today Nicole and Emily are telling you some of theirs.

Nicole at Pharr Away Living

Emily at Yippee!  It's MLE

And now for the amazing giveaway!  Nicole is giving one lucky ready a customized address stamp and stamp pad!!

Just use the Rafflecopter below to enter.  The first 2 entries are required and the rest are optional.  Winner will be announced next Tuesday!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Summer Dress turned Fall Outfit

Dress: Target (old),  Boots:  Cousin Couture, Scarf:  c/o Curtsay Designs

Pictures by my super talented friend, Amber

I typically hate wearing tights....Aaaccck!!....and would prefer going out all bare legged...but the goosebumps I got the other day just weren't cutting it.  (And these tights aren't that bad).  You would think that being a dancer would make me ok with wearing tights...but that's just never going to happen. 

I took a summer dress (that I actually never wore this summer..hmm...) and turned it into a cooler weather outfit by adding all these fun fall/winter accessories to it.  

Have you transitioned any of your summer wardrobe pieces into fall outfits?

PS.  I hope you'll link up with me this Friday for November's Favorite Things!

Linking up with Shanna and The Pleated Poppy. 

 

Christmas Gift Guide 2012

I've put together a gift guide for the people on your Christmas list this year.  Christmas is a great time to give items that your family and friends really want, but wouldn't necessarily buy for themselves.

For Women

1.  Monogrammed Necklace:  What woman wouldn't love a necklace with her initials on it?  Anything monogrammed would be an excellent gift!

2.  Spa Gift Certificate:  Let's get one thing straight...you can NOT go wrong with a gift certificate to a spa.  I prefer this one.  Take it a step further and get her best gal pal to go with her. 

3.  Hunter boots.  Oh a pair of Hunter boots!!!  Stylish and functional.  

4.  A magazine subscription.  The gift that keeps on giving.  I love Instyle Magazine for fashion, and Parenting Magazine for everything else!

5.  Heart Sweater.  How many times can I post about this sweater?  Get every woman on your list a heart sweater!!  I love them.  (And have one on my Christmas list as well!)

For Men

1.  Apple TV:  You will never have to go out to RedBox or do Netflix again because of this!  It also streams your iTunes to your TV.  Amazing and only $99.

2.  Shawl Collared Sweater:  Dress them up with a collared shirt and tie underneath or with a t-shirt for a cozy Saturday.

3.  Grantland Quarterly:   All the best articles from the website, Grantland.  4 issues a year with additional articles and artwork.

4.  Ray Ban (Justin).  Classic.

5.  Nike ID KD 5.  If your guy likes to play basketball, he will love these!

Hopefully these guides will help you with your Christmas shopping!

What's on your Christmas list?

 

A few things to check out

Siblings

Our Thanksgiving was made up of beach fun in our pjs, delicious food, and much needed naps.  Hope yours was wonderful as well.

I thought I'd give you a few links to check out while you're waiting in line today, waiting for someone to come out of the store so you can go home and sleep, or if you're just interested in checking out some new stuff!!

Charlie keeps telling me he wants to be a construction worker when he grows up.  I am totally ok with that and totally ok with him building (and designing) this house for me.

I think all my dreams came true when they invented this cake.

I know Halloween is long gone...but this Jimmy Kimmel video is still so hilarious.  I'm crying a month later.

Mariah's version of All I Want for Christmas has always been my fave...my his version of the song is a strong contender.

And speaking of what I want for Christmas...this is hilarious.

Kate Spade Keds??  Yes!  and Yes!

Leigh is always coming up with the cutest ideas and yummiest recipes.  I have a severe sweet tooth and need to control that.  She gives a great substitute here.  

The cuteness of this picture is unbearable.  Where can I get one?

How awesome would it be if Noel handed me this, and really really meant it?   I would have the entire house packed in about an hour.

Hope you're having a fun day!

Linking up here and here.
And with with these three ladies.

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Even though this picture is a little random, I love it.  I'm at the beach with my entire family and I'm playing with the 2 sweetest baby boys in the entire world. I'm grateful for these beautiful moments in my life.

Happy Thanksgiving, my dear friends!

 

3 Outfits

Go take a peak in your closet, and make sure you have these 2 items hanging there.  A white button down shirt and a simple, neutral, light-weight sweater.  Both are an absolute must for the fall and winter and can be worn in so many ways.  Business casual, out for errands or lunch with friends, and even a little dressier with a pair of heels.

Here are some option for sweaters and button downs that you can add to your Christmas list.

Sweaters:  Loft, F21, Gap

Button downs:  Loft, Old Navy, Gap

Linking up with Shanna and Pleated Poppy and Modern Modest Beauty

 

For December...

I would love to help you grow your blog, shop, or business.  I am here to help you in any way I can.  I have found sponsoring to be a great way to grow my own blog, meet new people, and form new friendships.  I once had this wild thought that people would just randomly fall upon my blog.  Not the case.  You have to put yourself out there and find people who will help you.  I would absolutely love to work with you in December, so click on over to my sponsor page, and email me at ashanderson10@gmail.com with any questions you may have.  

Hope you're having a great Tuesday!

 

Twilight Talk

(Jillian, Mary Beth, Me, Jessica, Sarah....and you're welcome for the blurriest picture of all time)

Have you seen Breaking Dawn: Part 2 yet?  I did, and I LOVED it!!  So let's talk Twilight....

• I have never been more animated in a movie.  Throwing my hands up in the air, attempting to throw my Coke cup at the screen, the whole thing. 
• You can say all you want to about Robert Pattinson (ahem..Noel) but he was really fantastic in this movie.
• They made KStew look as good as they possibly could...so she did look better...bless her heart.
• The girl who plays Irina (the blonde vampire who rats out the Cullens) is the same girl who plays the daughter in Taken.  Suppperrr annoying in both films.  
• The guy who plays, Aro (leader of the Volturi) is dating Rachel McAdams.  I thought that maybe he was a ton cuter in real life.....but no.  I'm confused about Rachel's decision on this one.  Especially considering her past relationships.  I'm confused, Rachel!!!  Call me and let's talk about this.
• I really liked seeing all the vampires come together and thought they were cast really well.
• After the movie, they did a yearbook of sorts and gave credit to all the characters who had been in the Saga.  Great idea.  When they neared the end, and showed Taylor Lautner, I literally yelled out "wooooo!!!".  (Refer to bullet point 1)  I have no clue where that came from...but I'm glad it happened.

Was this one your favorite of the series?

Hope you all had a great weekend!
Click here to see if you won the earrings from Behind the Moon.
Linking up with these three ladies and here.

 

Question of the Month

Twyla Tharp's, The Creative Habit, is my #1 go-to book when I'm in need of some inspiration.  She is a creative genius and each time I read her book I take away something new.  

I'm continuing my monthly segment where I have YOU answer a specific question for me.  I loved the feedback this month on what book/movie inspires you, and here are some of your answers.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1.  I would be embarrassed to let you see my copy of Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven.  Tear stained, coffee stained, notes scribbled in the margins.  I have read it a million times and each time I cry at the same places & underline the same quotes.  Mitch Albom has a way with words that leaves me in awe.  An example, "... all endings are also beginnings.  We just don't know it at the time."  Sit on that one for a minute.  Wow!  He writes that he wrote this book so that "people who felt unimportant here on earth--realize, finally, how much they mattered and how they were loved."  It is a story of inspiration, hope, love, tragedy.  It is simply amazing. 

~Hailey from Be Serious

2.  We Are Marshall. This movie gives me chills every time I watch it. It's just so amazing how they rebuilt the program from literally nothing after such a tragedy. We're huge ECU football fans, always have been, and my senior year of HS my dad and brother and I drove up to Huntington, WV to watch ECU play Marshall. It is still one of my favorite trips to date. We went to the crash site as well, and it'll take your breath away. It's all grown over and if there wasn't a sign to tell you what it was, you'd never know. But there was a stillness there...it made an impact, for sure. Reminds you to never take life for granted! 

~Haley from I Can Only Imagine

3.  A book that always inspires me is The Great Gatsby. It has a great lesson about not changing yourself for others. The main character, Jay Gatsby, creates a whole new personality and lifestyle just to impress a former girlfriend, and it ends up being a huge mistake. 

~Robin from Our Carolina Days

4.  The movie that inspires me is The Blind Side... I love that it is based on a true story. It just makes me what to be a better person and help people in any way I can. I want to be just like Sandra Bullock's character {Leigh Ann Tuhoy}- she's sassy and SO kindhearted, and will not let anything stop her from taking care of her family.  

~Lori Williams from A Crazy Walk on the Safe Side

5.  How to Win Friends and Influence People.  This book helps anyone who reads it. You can use it for business, society, family, or friends. if you follow what it teaches, it will change you. There's not much literature out there that isn't religious that has that effect, but this one nails it.  

~Jake Edwards from Insurance Agent's Wife

Great books and movies, right?  What would you add to this list?

Happy Friday, friends!!

Linking up here.

 

Apricot Lane

Apricot Lane opened in the Triangle last week, and I was able to attend their grand opening.  On the way to the event, I was drinking some chocolate milk (random, I know) and spilled it all over my top.  Do you see that shirt?  It's white.  Thank goodness for baby wipes and my car heater.  When I pulled up to North Hills (a beautiful shopping center), I saw a parking spot across the road, and with a 20 point turn, I was in!!  Yay for me being the worst parker in the history of all drivers.  The grand opening was just great.  Catered by Ruth's Chris (I was the one in the corner shoveling in food), I enjoyed a lovely fashion show, shopping, and chat time with my friends Mary Catherine and Angela.  The owners and employees at Apricot Lane are so incredibly nice and their selection is fantastic.  Go like their FB page and give them a visit!

 

When You're a Jet....

Similar pants, Old Navy top, similar scarf, similar boots

A brick alley means 3 things:  jazz hands, snaps, and some fierce dancing.  (Picture 3 includes everything but the jazz hands....werk.)  Yes, I'm in love with West Side Story.  And yes, I'm in love with simple and cozy outfits like this for the fall.  Please tell me you're singing a song from West Side Story in your head right now.  Or even better, out loud!

Linking up with Shanna for her first link up!! And with Pleated Poppy and Modern Modest Beauty.

And don't forget to enter the giveaway for these earrings!

 

Passionate People

Via

Isn't this quote the absolute best?  I love people who are passionate about life.  Their passion is infectious and I love being around them (and reading their blogs!).  Krista is one of those people, and today she is telling you about some things she loves AND is giving one lucky person the chance to win a pair of beautiful earrings!

Hi there!  I'm Krista.  So nice to meet you!

I just love Ashley’s style and I'm thrilled to be one of her sponsors for November!  

I’m blessed to be the wife of an amazingly talented man and mother to two adorably rowdy boys (who are a never ending source of joy…and noise).  I’m a lover all things creative and uplifting.

Like music, color, fashion, art, home life, decorating, and chocolate.

Let us not forget the chocolate!

And I share a bit about all my loves over at Behind the Moon.

I'm going to share a little piece of myself with you today that I hope you will enjoy.  Designing jewelry has been one of my passions since big hair and leg warmers were in style.  I loved making little baubles and such when I was young and even experimented with "artistically" photographing them.  As the years passed I matured along with my design abilities and began to create all sorts of jewelry for my family and friends.  With lots of encouragement from my loved ones and the full support of my Hubsy, I finally made it official and Behind the Moon Beadworks was born.

Here are a few of my personal favorites from my Etsy shop.

 I love working with a variety of materials and strive to let the beauty of the beads themselves shine through.  My creations feature an easy elegance, perfect for everyday wear, and can be found online at my Etsy Shop and at small local shows.  You’ll find introductions of my new designs on my blog as well as bits and pieces from all aspects of my life.  From motherhood, to business ownership, to the bits of beauty that surround me every day. 

I do hope you'll stop by and say hello.  

And now on to the real fun....a chance at free jewelry!  

Ashley is so gracious to be hosting this exciting giveaway for me!  

You have a chance to win these beautiful earrings featuring Blue Apatite gemstones and

pewter sand-dollars.  They are a one-of-a-kind design just for you! 

Sound good?  I thought so. 

All you need to do is enter to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comments turned off so you can go show Krista some love!
Giveaway will be open until this Sunday.  

Winner will be announced Monday morning.