Boo!!

 

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{Click here if you need last-minute Halloween printables.}

 

I have seen so many fantastic costumes from you all over the past couple of days. I have not dressed up yet, but I am going to have to pull something together by this afternoon when I hand out candy at the store for little trick-or-treaters that will be stopping by to show off their outfits. We have friends coming for dinner tonight and I'm thinking I will make some sort of chili and maybe something mysterious to drink. Have a spook-tacular day!



Leopard Booties

You know how I adore leopard, so when I saw people sporting leopard booties they instantly went on my wish list. My closet already has a variety of leopard shoes--satin wedges, sky high heels and comfy flip-flops--leopard booties are not among them.

 

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Lately all I've been wearing are skinny jeans, which leaves all of my boot cut jeans lying folded in my closet and not getting worn. On one of my new favorite blogs, Emily Jackson shows the perfect way to wear booties with boot cut jeans. The can be so versatile and worn with skinnies or wider-legged jeans.

 

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If you Google or type "leopard booties" into Pinterest you will get a million different options. I think my personal favorites are the flatter booties or the ones with a slight wedge, which makes them much easier to wear all day long. Here are a few of my top picks at different price ranges.

 

 

 

Monday Musings

Hello, Monday. Did you all have a good weekend? Lots happened for us around here. Friday seems like so long ago I can barely remember what we did, which was have a quiet dinner at home and then sit in the hot tub with a glass of wine while the snow swirled around. This is what it looked like last week:

 

 

I had to work at the boutique on Saturday and Sunday. It wasn't too busy, but I did have a few good sales. Saturday night Bryan and I helped with the fall carnival at church. All of the little kids looked adorable dressed up in their costumes. We helped with pumpkin bowling, which was pretty hilarious.

 

On the weekends I like to make a big breakfast. Bryan said that he really wanted pancakes, so the hungry man got pancakes. Martha Stewart has the best buttermilk pancake recipe, but this time I used a mix from World Market. All I did was chop up some fresh strawberries to make them extra yummy!

 

 

Did you know that there is a new J. Crew Factory site? There is a store about three minutes from my house, which can be a really good thing or a really bad thing. I went to Bath and Body Works the other night and saw a big sale sign in J. Crew...which meant I had to stop and run in quickly. You know how I adore spots!

 

 

Last night I received a text from my sister who has been changing up furniture in her house. I have to share this because I am very impressed with this dresser that she has repainted. Isn't it fantastic!?!

 

 

That's all I have to share with you today. Have a great Monday!



Baked Pumpkin French Toast

 

Lately I've been pinning and making tons of pumpkin recipes--everything from pumpkin lattes to baked pumpkin oatmeal for breakfast. This recipe for pumpkin french toast is by far the best that I have cooked. I'm still trying to get my pantry in order and one of the things that I haven't purchased is syrup. How can you eat french toast without syrup? Well...I drizzled a little extra butter and sprinkled a little extra brown sugar on top right before serving and it was pure perfection!

 

 

Baked Pumpkin French Toast

 

Ingredients:

3 1/2 – 4 1/2 cups 1-inch bread cubes

7 eggs

2 cups milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

3-4 Tbsp. brown sugar for topping

walnuts for topping

 

Directions:

1. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Place in a 9×13 lightly greased baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and pumpkin butter until well combined. Pour over bread and push down with a spoon or your hands until it’s all soaked and mostly covered. Let it sit until the bread absorbs all of the egg mixture. Optional: It works well if you let it refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover and top with brown sugar and nuts. Bake for 35-45 minutes or golden brown and no longer wet.

4. Serve immediately with maple syrup, honey or agave nectar.

 

 

Mountain Wedding

This past weekend Bryan and I went to a beautiful mountain wedding at Victory Ranch. We were eating breakfast at about 10 o'clock Saturday morning when Bryan glanced at the wedding invitation and saw that the ceremony began at noon. We ran around like two crazy people and arrived just in time to find two seats before the bride walked down the aisle. The scenery was breathtaking--the sun glistened in the crystal blue sky, the sound of water gushed through the stream, and the orange and yellow leaves on the aspens quaked in the breeze.

 

 

Following the outdoor ceremony, drinks, wine and cheese were served indoors.

 

I was completely blown away by the fantastic lunch that was served that I forgot to take a picture of it. The menu shows everything we ate.

 

 

The rustic decor fit in perfectly with the outdoor mountain theme that the bride chose. She has wonderful taste and everything looked fantastic. The twisted silverware was one of my favorite little touches that made it all come together.

 

 

The wedding was small, around 50-60 people. Bryan and I were able to meet some wonderful people and make new friends who live here and across the country. It was a beautiful day for a mountain wedding!



Handbags

I want a new purse. There, I said it plain and simple. Recently I have been thinking that I should probably get something that will be able to brave the ice and snow that will soon be coming in by the bucket load, because I really don't want to ruin anything nice. But then there's the problem of me liking nice handbags...hum. I was a little bit shocked when Bryan mentioned the other day that I needed to consider something else to carry. He opened that can of worms, thus he got drug all through Nordstrom while I pointed to and touched all of the different purses he could surprise me with as a gift. Since I am allowed to dream, I dream big.
 

 

Yves Saint Laurent Muse
Must I say more? It is a classic in this rich buttery leather.

Kate Spade Nylon Leslie
It might boil down to this bag being my winter weather bag pick. It is fun and classy, zips up and has a beautiful interior. I like that it is nylon, which means it doesn't have any leather to ruin in the winter weather.

Prada Saffiano
I have been dying to get my hands on this bag. It is everything in person that it is in pictures. Top.Of.My.List.

Tory Burch Robinson
This baby has been on my radar ever since it first was released.

Longchamp Le Pliage
Very practical for hauling my shoes and other goods back and forth to work. It can get tossed around and I'm not going to think twice about using the heck out of it.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Tate
This tote would also be practical to use in the winter months while facing the weather. (Em, do you already have this?)

These are a few that I am lusting over considering. I would love feedback from you. If you have seen anything else that I might like to use in the snow, please share.

 

Don't Worry, Be Happy

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"Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday."

-Dale Carnegie 

Store Picks

I haven't shared this yet, but I recently started working at a local boutique. A girl we almost rented a condo from told me about it before Bryan and I even moved to town. One evening after dinner, while we were walking Ivy, I popped in to see everything it carried, and lo and behold they were looking for someone to hire. This is my second week working and it is exactly what I've wanted to do for a while now. It is a little bit slow since it is not tourist season, but I'm having fun learning the ropes of the retail business. Friends and family have been asking about what all the store carries, so I thought I would put a collage together with a few of my fall favorites.

{Let me know if you are interested in anything, we ship everywhere!}



SLC

This past weekend Bryan and I went and toured Bingham Canyon Mine, also known as the Kennecott Copper Mine, the deepest open-pit mine in the world. It is the world's largest man-made excavation and can be seen from outer space. In 1966 it became a National Historic Landmark. I had no idea what it really was, but it blew my mind when we got to the top and I saw it.

 

 

This is a tire that is one one of the huge trucks. HUGE.

 

 

After we toured the mine, Bryan and I went and walked around downtown Salt Lake City. I took this picture from the car as we left the mine.

 

 

 There is a fantastic shopping area in Temple Square that has everything a girl could want to drool over--J.Crew, Macy's, Nordstrom, West Elm, Restoration Hardware, the list goes on and on. We had a late-night dinner at the Market Street Grill, where I had the Fresh Hawaiian Ahi Tuna and a glass of crisp Pinot Grigio.

 

 

I told Bryan that it was the perfect way to spend a Saturday and exactly what I had been wanting to do since we moved. It is always fun exploring a new place and it has only just begun!

Semi-Wordless Wednesday: Jewelry

 

Sometimes we need to see a few pretties...

 

 

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Gnocchi With Squash and Kale

This recipe is one of my recent pins on Pinterest. I have to say, I am rarely disappointed in what I cook from the recipes I find on there. This was the first time I cooked kale and gnocchi and I was pleasantly pleased with the outcome. The original recipe comes from here, but I made a few changes.

 

 

Gnocchi With Squash and Kale

 

Ingredients:

extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh sage

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water

1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (about 8 cups)

1 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi

3/4 cup grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese (I used swiss)

 

Directions:

In a large, ovenproof skillet heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add the squash and cook, stirring, until slightly soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Add the chicken broth to the skillet. When it starts to simmer, stir in the kale and cook until it wilts slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the gnocchi, stirring to coat. Cover and cook until the gnocchi are just tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese; transfer to the broiler and cook until golden and bubbly, about 3 minutes.

 



Be A Dreamer

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“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

– Harriet Tubman

Beauty Finds

{click products to purchase}

Catwalk Session Series Work It Hairspray

This hairspray has quickly become my favorite. I like the flexibility of the hold and it smells amazing.
 

Kenra Platinum Hot Spray

Don't wait as long as I did to start using a spray to protect your hair from all of the heat damage that occurs daily. This hot spray is my favorite.
 

Argan Magic Nourishing Hair Cream

This eliminates all static and frizz that I have experienced since moving to a very dry climate. Mine was a TJMaxx find, and when I went back days later to get more they were sold out.
 

Caudalie SOS Thirst Quenching Serum

This serum feels like rich, buttery milk sinking into my skin. I'm hooked.
 

Kerstin Florian At-Home Professional Peel

I use these peel pads to exfoliate at least twice a week. They keep my face looking fresh and feeling clean.

Every leaf...

 

Enjoy your beautiful fall Monday. 

Friday Five

1. Apparently it became fall yesterday. I awoke to below freezing temperatures and donned a scarf while Ivy and I ran errands. To me, it has already felt like fall weather, but to locals they said it was finally feeling like fall.

 

 

2. Our condo came partly furnished {living room, bedroom and kitchen furniture} when we moved into it, so instead of having to pay extra to have our landlords store it we opted to keep it and get rid of some of our furniture. One of the downfalls is that none of it is my taste. See the fabric on the couch? Definitely rustic and hard to find a rug to match that I actually like. This one from World Market might work. I would prefer a lighter solid colored rug, but I'm afraid too much Ivy hair would show. Thoughts?

 

 

3. Do you know how hard it is to find a slim bookcase and desk? I went everywhere yesterday looking for both. I also looked for a rug, guest bedroom bedding, guest bathroom decor, the list could go on and on. Add a mirror to the list, because this is what I had to do earlier in the week when I sent my sister an outfit picture. {Yes, I know it is horrible, don't judge my poor phone's camera quality, the lighting or the fact that I'm standing on a chair.}

 

 

4. This week I've been back in the cooking mode. If you've seen my Pinterest Good Eats + Recipes board you know I've been pinning a lot. One of the things I tried was Gnocchi with Butternut Squash and Kale. I modified the original recipe and will share it next week.

 

 

5. I began my wishful thinking birthday list over two moths ago.

 

a new phone

iPad

MacBook

 

My sister's bestie's response was, "If you get all of those you can't have Tibi's fall line."

 

You can add a camera and money tree to the list and I'll still take all of the above. ;) Happy Friday, friends!



Fall Leather

 

 

Leather. It's hot. And it keeps you warm, too. Number one on my leather list is finding the perfect camel colored jacket. My sweet hubby took me to try on multiple styles at a local shop, but the one I really liked fit awkwardly. If anyone wants to send me Theory's Kanya jacket I'll be happy to share my address. Do you have leather picks for this fall? 

Fall Snack

I often find myself needing a little bite of something to eat, but not wanting to take the time to make something. This pumpkin seed snack is the perfect combination of salty and sweet, healthy and satisfying. It is beyond easy to whip up. Store it in an air-tight container on your counter for easy access for a handful or two.

 

Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix

 

1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds, roasted

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/2 cup dried dates, chopped

1/2 cup unsalted almonds

1/2 cup chocolate morsels

 

 

This is how easy it is, folks. You take 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin seeds and 1/2 cup measurements of everything else.

 

 

And then mix them together.

 

 

Dirty dishes? Hardly. A good snack? Of course!