Wore

If the weather never got any colder I would be a happy camper. I could wear a great pair of boots, a chunky sweater, and a cozy scarf every day.

I took advantage of being on the beautiful Villanova University campus to take these pictures! I'm so glad I did. Villanova in the Fall is absolutely gorgeous.

Sweater: Old Navy (similar) / Scarf: Stitch Fix / Shirt: c/o Our World Boutique (similar)

Linking with: The Pleated Poppy

#AVeryLongWedding: Videography

I'll be honest, during the wedding planning process I was pretty sure I didn't want videography. I knew I had an amazing photographer, I just didn't foresee us sitting down and watching a wedding video. Well, after reading lots of wedding blogs and Pinterest and all the other wedding planning stuff you tend to do, bride after bride said that having a video was always a great decision.

Around this time, fellow blogger, Nicole, was starting up a videography business with her husband and their work was amazing. I also knew that they had worked with my photographer before and had a good relationship with him so that was a win!

Now, almost five months later, I can honestly say that hiring 314 Productions was one of the best wedding decisions I made.

So, if you're a bride-to-be possibly considering NOT having a video... don't do it. You'll want to relive your wedding day over and over and over and there's something special about seeing it all in video. Hire a videographer, bonus points if you hire 314 Productions because, well, they're the best :)


The video above is our sneak peek... here's the full video!



#AVeryLongWedding Recap:
Engagement
Bridal Shower
The Rehearsal
Getting Ready
First Looks
Bridal Party

Ceremony

First Dances 

Guest Book & Seating Chart 

Special Guest

Once a Wildcat, Always a Wildcat

It's hard to believe that this Spring will mark five years since I graduated from Villanova University. Five years. What?! Where has the time gone!!

This past weekend, I took Jeremy up to Pennsylvania to go to Villanova's Homecoming. This was the first Homecoming that I have attended since I graduated and we had lots of fun! We met my Mom (who is also a graduate) and my brother (who is currently a student) and enjoyed the events around campus.

I love going back. I love seeing the changes that have taken place over the past five years to the campus and reminiscing about all the fun times and memories I have from my years at Villanova.

Since brother is currently a Junior, I also enjoy going to see him and hearing about all the fun he's having. He's having a completely different Villanova experience but I know he'll have just as many fond memories when he graduates.

He actually works for the Football team so, of course, we went to the game... quite possibly my first Villanova Football game.

That's him looking all important.


Already I'm looking forward to the next event I'll be attending at Villanova..... my five year reunion this Spring.



PS. Special shout out to Mrs. Esposito and everyone else I met this weekend at Villanova who are now new readers of my blog!!

Go Team Go!

You may have noticed this on Instagram a little while back, but I stitched up this sweet War Eagle hoop to decorate during football season. This hoop is just the beginning of the several other team spirit embroidery hoops I have in the works that will be posted on Etsy soon! Pretty excited about this. If there's something people love, it's their teams :)

So, which team is your favorite? 

Sandlot Memphis

On Sunday, Downtown and Midtown met once again to play a friendly game of Sandlot Baseball. This was the third game in the series and the last before next Spring. Midtown left victorious winning two out of three meetings. They now have bragging rights for the entire winter.

Well, as a spectator, I thoroughly enjoy cheering for my zip code (38103!) and hanging out with other Memphians who love this city as much as I do.

So, until next year! Already looking forward to it.

If you would like more info about Sandlot Memphis Baseball, feel free to email sandlotmemphis@gmail.com and be sure to like them on Facebook!


PS. Here's the recap from the last game!

Must Eat Memphis: Oshi

Ever since the red signs went up, I have wanted to try Oshi Burger Bar, the new joint on Main Street. Essentially, Oshi is a slightly upscale burger bar with an Asian twist and it definitely lives up to all the hype it's been getting lately.

Jeremy and I stopped in this weekend for dinner and it did not disappoint. Between the atmosphere and the food, I thinkkkkk I have a new restaurant to add to my favorite places to eat downtown.

I ordered the Siam I Am burger which is a turkey burger with chili aioli, pickled veggies, crushed avocado and cilantro. (pictured above)

Jeremy tried the 50/50 which is a ground chuck and ground bacon patty with onion jam, cheddar, ballpark mustard, and house made pickles. (pictured below)

We shared an order of the Kimchi, Bacon, and Beer Cheese Skinny Fries and they were amazing. The fries live up to their name, skinny, and I loved it! The small, crunchier fries are always my favorite and these were delicious!

Even though we didn't try them this trip, Oshi also serves milkshakes (with the option to add alcohol to them). I absolutely foresee us stopping in here late at night for some milkshakes and fries.

So, have you tried Oshi yet?

 

What's in My Makeup Bag

Have you ever heard of Younique? Well, let me tell ya, this stuff is magic. I'm serious! My sister-in-law, Virginia, has introduced me to a whole new world of makeup.

I have always been a drugstore makeup purchaser. Seriously, when it came to mascara, I would buy whatever was on sale at the time. Always shopping with this method means that over the years I've tried lots (and lots) of different brands of mascara.

Recently, Virginia mentioned this 3D mascara stuff. I had no idea what she was talking about. Basically, you have a gel mascara that you apply to your lashes, then you follow that with fibers that add fullness and length, then you finish with the gel. I'll be honest, I was skeptical, but I trust her so I gave it a try. Um. You guys. My eyelashes were HUGE. At first, I thought maybe my eyelashes were TOO big, but now that I've been using this stuff for a little while, I can honestly say I won't go back to the bargain brands.

Well, once I was hooked on the Younique 3D Mascara, I figured I'd try some of their other products. Virginia sent me some of her favorites to try. Right now, I am consistently using their eyeliner, eyeshadow, lip gloss, and mascara, and they are all life changing.

During colder months I like to wear red lipstick. This gloss absolutely does the trick! It's long lasting and is the prettiest color. (I'm wearing Lethal)

The eyeliner goes on extremely smoothly and doesn't run or melt during the day. (I'm wearing Perfect)

The color of eyeshadow that I've been using adds just enough brightness to my eyes without be too extreme (I'm not someone who wears a lot of eyeshadow regularly). It also lasts all day! (I'm wearing Sexy)

Another concern of mine once I applied all this makeup and realized it was pretty durable was that it would be a pain to get off. I was pleasantly surprised that a typical makeup removing wipe did the trick!

Since this makeup is amazing and so is my sister-in-law, if you purchase from her, and then email her, she will enter you into a drawing to win a great Younique gift!

Um. What are you waiting for!?

Here's her website: www.lashlovebyvirginia.com
and her email: lashlovebyvirginia@gmail.com

5 Reasons to Visit Helena, Arkansas

If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you might have noticed that I spent this past weekend in Helena, Arkansas. I was invited to visit Helena for the King Biscuit Blues Festival. I'll be honest, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into, however, I was pleasantly surprised by this quaint town that is truly a hidden gem.

Now, I had an amazing time at the King Biscuit Blues Festival moseying from stage to stage listening to many different musicians, eating Fair Food, and getting caught in the rain. (All things that are staples for a good music festival.) However, I also was able to experience the other things the town of Helena has to offer. This lovely town is definitely worth a visit with or without the festival.

Here are five reasons why you should consider taking a trip to Helena, Arkansas:

The first reason is the location. Our drive to Helena took us a little over an hour from Downtown Memphis to Downtown Helena. The drive was super easy and absolutely beautiful passing lots and lots of crop fields. You simply take US-61 South through Mississippi, then cross the river and there you are, the adorable town of Helena.

Helena is the perfect destination for a quick weekend getaway, or even a day trip!

 

The next reason to visit Helena is the Blues. Whether you're there for the King Biscuit Blues Festival or just a regular weekend, the music is a very important part of this city (which I think most Memphians can appreciate). 

Helena is the home to King Biscuit Time, the longest running blues radio show. In 1941, when the show first started, it was the only radio show in the country to feature African-American musicians. Today, you can actually sit in and listen to a broadcast. While there, I actually had the opportunity to meet the host, "Sunshine" Sonny Payne who has been hosting this program since 1951. 

Something that I find so interesting about Southern towns is the history they possess. It seem like no matter where you are, there is incredible Civil War history. This brings me to the third reason you should visit Helena: the history. 

Helena really takes pride in documenting and recognizing the role it played during the Civil War. Throughout the town there are sights and exhibits clearly marked to teach visitors and residents about the events that took place. While there, I visited Freedom Park and Battery C and definitely learned some new things.

In addition to Civil War history, Helena is also sprinkled with several historic homes that have been preserved. I toured the Pillow Thompson House and it was absolutely breathtaking. I also was able to enjoy breakfast at the Edwardian Inn, another historic home, which is now a Bed & Breakfast.

It would be difficult to be in Helena and not notice its beauty. Helena was built on the banks of the Mississippi River and is surrounded by lush forest and the mighty Mississippi offering excursions for any outdoors enthusiast.

I'll be honest, I'm not much of an outdoors-man, however, I had the opportunity to hop in a canoe and paddle the Mississippi River with the Quapaw Canoe Company who offer guided tours of the river, and had a ton of fun. Canoeing, though, is just one of the outdoor activities Helena has to offer. This part of the river is home to many catfish which grow rather large making the fishing in these parts ideal. Also, during the King Biscuit Blues Festival, many visitors pitch a tent for the duration of their stay. I absolutely loved how accessible the river was!

As a (relatively new) Memphian, I've learned that when you visit other places you should focus on the food. So, I couldn't recommend visiting another city without mentioning the cuisine! In the few days that I spent in Helena, I feel like I ate a ton. That's probably because everything we ate was so delicious that I just had to clear my plate.

Some places of note are:
- The Edwardian Inn- the most delicious homemade breakfast
- Granny Dee's- a plate lunch that was southern comfort food at it's finest
- August Moon- a Chinese restaurant known for it's Fried Chicken (yes, you read that correctly)
- Ray's Dairy Maid- ahhhhmazing fried pies!

Each of these places are definitely worth a try!

 

There you have it! Five reasons you should visit Helena, Arkansas. So, when are you going?

Huge thank you to the city of Helena (especially Julia!!!) for letting me spend the weekend and for showing me the highlights of this beautiful city.

Hocus Pocus

Halloween is almost here!! I've already eaten my weight in candy corn (don't judge), watched Hocus Pocus several times, and, of course, stitched up a cute Halloween themed embroidery hoop!

Linking with: Create & Share

My Next Big Adventure: #BloggersTakeHelena

Later tonight I embark on my next big adventure: the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas. Myself, along with two other amazing bloggers, will be spending the weekend exploring Helena!

Helena is located only about an hour down the road from Memphis on the Mississippi River and hosts one of the greatest blues festivals every year. I don't really know what to expect except I know that there will be lots of good music, fun times, and new experiences.

The best part? You can follow along all weekend with the hashtag #BloggersTakeHelena


 

Wore

This past weekend I was in Atlantic City celebrating a family wedding. The church my cousin chose to get married in is located in a small town just north of AC called Brigantine. It's actually where my Aunt and Uncle have a beautiful beach house! Well, the church was riiiiight on the beach, so, of course I needed to take advantage of wearing one of my favorite dresses and take some pictures before the rehearsal dinner.

Linking with: The Pleated Poppy // Because Shanna Said So // Get Your Pretty On // Style Elixir // Transatlantic Blonde // Cappuccino and Fashion // Fitness Blondie

Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats

There are about three bazillion Autumn ideas and recipes floating around Pinterest.. and I love it!! This is definitely one of my favorite times of the year so when we had a work potluck, I turned to Pinterest for inspiration. I found these adorable rice krispie treats and had to give this recipe a try.

They turned out even better than I imagined!! They look impressive, but they were actually pretty simple to make. I followed this recipe and substituted the fruit roll-up leaves (I couldn't find any in green!) for swedish turned into leaves.

Have you had any Pinterest successes lately?

  Linking with: Create & Share // Organized 31