Cupcake Love

I'm so excited to share another one of my blogging friends today!  Amanda from For Love of a Cupcake was one of the first girls I meet when I started my blog and she is wonderful.  We have quite a lot in common - like our love for shopping, working out, and love for our puppies!  One thing I wished I had in common with her is the ability to pull off the hippie look.  She looks adorable and is sharing her love for head wraps with you today!

 

Hey ladies!!

It's Manda from For Love of a Cupcake!

I am super duper excited to be on Katie's blog today!

She is just the sweetest ever...but you already knew that!!

......................................................

eek...it took me forever to decide what I wanted to write about lol.

Do any of you have an obsessive personality?

I am guilty!

If you've seen me over on the cupcake blog then you know I have quite a few obsessions at the moment.

One of them being head wraps.

I am up to 4!

(I would have 5 but I gave one to my little sis)

I'm sure you ladies prob have more than me tho!

Anyways...I thought I would show you my wraps!

If you think you can't wear them....you can!

You just have to 'own it'.

Don't care what others think!

So let me just say...this is the real me!
I try to pose and whatnot for my outfit posts...
but I seriously have no clue what I'm doing!

I got these at Three Bird Nest
but have some more coming from Grace and Lace!

I hope y'all enjoyed these silly photos...

xoxo

manda

Thanks for guest posting for me today Amanda!  You are the best!

Annie Love

 I'm super excited to share one of my favorite bloggers with you today while I'm off on my camping trip.  (Where I will most definitely not be wearing a cute pencil skirt like Annie).  Not only does she have a cute name, but has an amazing wardrobe and I look forward to reading her posts every morning.  I'm pretty sure I've never seen her wear the same thing twice, which is why I always tell her to send her clothes my way when she's done with them!

 Well HELLO you guys! I'm Annie and I blog over at The Other Side of Gray. I am beyond excited to be posting for Katie while she is camping! Don't you guys just love Katie? I certainly do. She always makes me laugh, or smile, or think about life....or want to eat something really delicious that she's recently made.

Anyway. I decided that I would share with you guys some of my favorite ways to wear a pencil skirt. Pencil skirts are like crack for me. And by crack I really just mean dessert (I don't know anything about crack, I swear). You see, I could eat dessert all day every day. And pencil skirts? I would wear them every day if I wasn't afraid of being judged by my co-workers. In the Spring & Summer I love pairing a bright pencil skirt with a plain tee and some statement jewelry - I think it's such an effortlessly chic look. 

Throwing some chambray in there is always an awesome option. And you can never go wrong mixing a patterned skirt with a brightly colored tee or tank. 

So there ya have it - 3 fun ways to rock a pencil skirt. Now I'm off to go find or make some dessert :)

Thanks so much for guest posting for me Annie!  I wish we lived closer so I could borrow some of those pencil skirts! 

Here & Now Love

I was so happy to find Jessica's cute blog Here & Now a few months ago, and am excited to have her on my blog today while I am camping with my family!  I can always count on Jessica to have the cutest poses, clothes and top bun (which I am quite envious of - remember my pitiful attempt?)  And I love that she shops in the kids' section sometimes. We know that I'm guilty of that too.

Hello …for Lauren and Lauren Readers. I’m Jessica from Here&Now where I blog about my daily outfits, adventures in building a stylish wardrobe (aka shopping), and of course my fur baby, Doug the Pug. I am so excited to be joining you guys over here while Katie is off having fabulous adventures with her family!

This summer I have been having so much fun with the new trends – mullet skirts, pattern mixing, colored denim, and most recently utility vests. Drooling over bloggers rocking their chic vests (usually the Old Navy one that I missed out on snatching!) has practically become my new hobby (see how cute Katie is in hers here)

{ What I Wore: J.Crew Crewcuts vest // StyleMint tee // J.Crew shorts // Minnetonka fringe booties // handmade necklaces }

After scouring the internet for awhile, I finally resorted to the kids’ section for my vest score!

Now my only problem is trying not to wear it everyday!

 

Would you wear a vest with this outfit? (I might have vest love goggles!)

What trends are you loving this season?

Come on by and chat with me and Doug the Pug {here}

xx

Jessica

Thanks Jessica!  I love your new vest and am even more in love with your shoes!

High Five for Friday

shirt & skirt: old navy    bracelet: francesca's    sandals: charming charlie


1.  I found this necklace at Target for $2 and my aunt was with me when I bought it. When she saw me carrying it around she said, "Are you buying that because you like it?"
I had to convince her that I actually liked it and thought it was cute.

2.  I bet you thought I was going to be wearing these orange sandals that I resort to just about everyday.  I actually put those on first, and then decided that I should probably give some of my other shoes a chance.

3. And this is as close as I can get to the "blogger bun" or the top knot bun.
It's quite the pitiful attempt, but I think my hair is just too thin.

4.  Last week I posted a picture of the delicious Chocolate Chip Banana Bread that I made and was probably responsible for eating one of the loaves myself.  Here is the easy recipe for it:

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2-3 cups mashed  bananas

chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  Cream together butter and brown sugar.  Add eggs and bananas to creamed mixture.  Add four mixture and chocolate chips.  Bate at 350 for about an hour. 

Easy and SO delicious!

5. Saturday I leave for a week of camping with my family.  I am SO excited to see my sister and her family and am looking forward to lots of quality time with my family, a break from the internet, time to read some books, and of course eat lots of s'mores.
We may even have to recreate this masterpiece we made when we were little.

I'm super excited to have some awesome ladies guest post for me while I am gone.
I do know that I will be anxious to catch up on lots of blog reading when I return!

Have a great weekend!

Two Thirty Five Designs   High Five for Friday
Just Because

Self-esteem boosters

dress: c/o Sugar Lips  belt: ?  shoes: kohls

 Last week I got this dress in the mail from SugarLips. 

Needless to say I was quite excited. 

You would think by my excitement, that I had reached some kind of celebrity status.

I love the lacy details of the dress in the front and the back,
and it couldn't be much more comfortable.

While I like it better belted, I still like it without it too.
I can guarantee I will also be wearing this dress with boots and then with tights and a blazer when the weather gets cooler.

So thank you sugar lips for making me feel pretty special.
(and I know there are plenty of other bloggers that have received something from them too,
but I was still so excited!)

Another self esteem booster this week:

One of my google search terms last week was

world's best looking women on an atv

6 people found my blog from searching that?

Definitely made me feel pretty good about myself.

So thank you to the most likely creepy men that made me feel special this week too.

(Now I'm guessing you want to check out my atv post if you haven't already. I do have to say Lauren and I look pretty good posing by that atv.) 

Favorite Things

Target Therapy

shirt: old navy  skirt & sandals: target  necklace: discovery

I just bought this skirt at Target, and figured it was time I talk about my slight addiction to their store.

I don't even want to know how many times I have been to Target this summer and

I should probably be embarrassed to admit how often I go there.

This would be an accurate face when I realized the other day I had been to Target three days in a row.  

Many days during the summer when I was in a sad, lonely or in bad mood one thing I often resorted to was taking a trip to Target.

It was the perfect place to go by myself and spend a long time wandering aisles, trying on clothes, shoes, looking at home decorations and most likely buying some sort of goldfish to eat in the car.

So thank you Target for cheering me up.

If you would ever like to hire me to promote your products, you can pay me in clothes.

Want to know if you won the July Giveaway?
Check here and email me with your address if you are the winner!

rae gun wear   pleated poppy
rolled up pretty

If you knew me . . .

scarf & shorts: old navy  shoes: target  shirt: loft

If you knew me . . .

You would know that the thought of wearing a turtle neck, scarf or anything around my neck used to freak me out.

You would know that it is rare that an hour goes by when I don't think about being pregnant. 

 You would know that patience is something I so badly need but struggle with - from small things like the internet loading to big things like waiting for God's timing.

You would know that I think that I have the best husband in the world.



You would know that I have a lot of insecurities, especially around big groups of people.

You would know that I can become too dependent on sticking to a routine.

You would know that I would almost always choose a night at home than anywhere else.

You would know that if I had three wishes one of them would be that my sister and her family lived close to me.




You would know that one of my best qualities is being loyal.

You would know that my favorite flavor of jelly beans are licorice and buttered popcorn. 

On Your Heart

Hello Monday

Hello bird shirt. 

 I am so happy I finally found you and you were only $9. 

 shirt: Target ($9)  shorts: old American Eagle  sandals: Target  bracelets: made by me  
giraffe necklace: gift from friend

Hello braid.  You have become a summer staple. 

Hello giraffe necklace. 

 I couldn't be more excited to wear you many days a week. 

Thanks to one of best friends Rebecca for sending it to me.  I couldn't have felt more loved and cared about when I got it.  God is good to give me a friend like you!
(sorry there isn't a better picture of it.  I linked up a similar one.)

Hello Medieval Times. 

Despite your hefty price we had such a great time celebrating our sweet niece's 6th birthday. 

Hello Hope. 

I got this necklace from my sweet friend Alison who reminded me that I am not alone in my struggle through infertility and to hold on to hope for the future. 

Her friendship has become such a blessing.  

Hello Bachlorette Finale. 

I'm excited to be watching you in Indiana with one of my closest friends, Brittany. 

Hello Giveaway.

Today is the last day to enter to win! 

Hope you all had a great weekend and are ready for a new week!

YOLO Monday
hello Monday 
Monday Mingle

Dear Friday

 tank: target  shorts: loft

wedges: old navy  necklace: ebay

Dear Friday letters. This is my first time participating in you, and I feel like I am betraying High Five for Friday.  Dear Old Navy.  Thank you for having yet another amazing sale and giving me these shoes for under $4.  Dear Lauren in Law. I am jealous of your long beautiful hair.  I'm happy to play with it, but wish I could do the same to mine. 

Dear Target. Please do not remind me that school is starting again soon. I do not care about your back to school deals.  Now if you want to entice me with deals on shoes, dresses and s'mores goldfish you may continue to do so. 

Dear chocolate chip banana bread. In my effort to eat less desserts I am counting you as left over breakfast when I eat you throughout the day.


(recipe coming next week)

Dear Goodwill.  Every time I enter you I feel optimistic and like a thrifty blogger ready to find a good deal and then leave with nothing.

Dear Lovely Readers.  Please do not forget to enter my July Giveaway for a chance to win some sweet prizes!

Friday's Letters  Casual Friday

Sunday Funday

Dear Lauren in Law,

 dress & necklace: old navy  shoes: target

I remember you wore your dress like this when I picked you up from the airport after your honeymoon.
I don't know why it took me this long to try it!

Thank you for doing so many fun things with me this last week. 

 Lake Geneva beach

Spending an afternoon on a boat

 A weekend in Wisconsin

Now I know that sometimes you think that I act too old and boring because I like to go to bed early and like to be home, but I'm pretty sure you have to give me some props for the last week.

I'm quite proud of myself for riding an ATV, attempting to knee board, tubing, riding a wave runner and jumping off a boat. 

Thank you for helping me embrace my young self.

And don't you want to win $20 in Starbucks gift cards, $15 to Target, a rosette necklace and lots of ad space?
Then make sure to enter my  July giveaway this week!

what I love wednesdays   pleated poppy

July Giveaway

 skirt: Old Navy  shirt: ?  shoes: Target

When I started blogging I had no idea that anyone besides Lauren, Lauren and my mom would be interested in reading my blog.  There are still times that I stop and think about the fact that I have a blog and laugh.  I also sometimes still feel slightly embarrassed that I take pictures of myself and post them on the internet.  

This blog has turned out to be such a blessing to me these last many months.  It's been a fun new hobby, a good distraction from life's harder challenges, and has also given me new friends.  I really did not think that I would develop any kind of real friendships with others like I have.  

Many of these friends I've made have their buttons on my sidebar and have offered to participate in a giveaway!  I feel really lucky to know these ladies and am so excited because today they are giving away some awesome things!

Starbucks gift cards, Target gift cards and lots of sweet ad space!

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. 

Enjoy checking out these wonderful girls and their awesome blogs!

Lipgloss & Crayons

The Williams' Post

For Love of a Cupcake

Head to Toe Chic

The Hinton Hookup

The Tiny Heart

The News from LaFuze

Yours Truly

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for entering!!