Stella & Dot

A few weeks ago I approached one of my friends and Alpha Phi sorority sisters Melody about letting me sponsor her blog with some Stella & Dot swag! I started selling Stella & Dot in February 2012 after going to a trunk show hosted my my cousin! It just happened to be the right time for me financially and time wise that I could sign up and really give it a try. I fell in love with the jewelry the second I laid my eyes on it and then fell in love with the company after I found out what they were all about!

www.stelladot.com/catherinedeal

 "Stella and Dot, an Inc. 500 Fastest-Growing Company, is a San Francisco based social selling company that creates flexible entrepreneurial opportunities for women. Our boutique-style jewelry and accessories line is available exclusively through in-home Trunk Shows by Independent Stylists and online." 

I also love that with each collection there are pieces inspired by a story from one of the top stylist in the company! When the Summer Collection came out one of my favorite pieces was the Cameron Pendant that a star stylist named after her son Cameron, what an awesome association with a beautiful piece of jewelry. 

Melody just turned 22 years old and what a better time for her to do a giveaway than her birthday! She picked out a special piece for herself (that I am sure she will share with you all when it arrives on her doorstep) and we decided to giveaway the Gold Luxor bracelet. I love this bracelet because I think it is the perfect addition to any "stack." It looks really dramatic, and rock n roll but chic at the same time. I can't wait to see who the lucky winner will be! Make sure you check out Princess Melody's blog so you can read more about her fabulous life and the giveaway! 

If you're interested in doing a giveaway or even an online Trunk Show comment and let me know! Here are a few of my favorite Stella & Dot pieces and coming October 1st look for the Breast Cancer Awareness Collection where 100% of the proceeds will go to The Noreen Fraser Foundation. 

Renegade Cluster Bracelet 

Lakra Bracelet

Starfish Earrings 

Lafayette Cross Body Bag

Olivia Bib Necklace! My absolute favorite piece! 

Stackable Gem Ring

xoxo

to tights or not to tights

How excited are you that the fall weather has decided to come out and play?! I love waking up in the morning and feeling a little chill in the air and being able to wrap up in a blanket on my porch in the afternoons. Fall is my favorite season for so many different reasons, the clothes, the food, the smells and the colors but i am having a bit of a dilemma as we make the transition.

I recently got two tweed skirts that I am in love with.
I can't find them online but they look similar to this:

They are perfect for work and I can even wear them on date night! I work at an office where the dress is very professional and skirts need to be to the knee. I always have a problem with that since I have such long legs which is why tights have become my hero! Since the weather is so cool in the mornings and evenings is it okay to start wearing tights? Is it still to warm in the afternoon? Should I wait until later in October? I am in a serious tights dilemma, what do you think?

xoxo

National Dog Week

Happy 84th annual National Dog week!

This is a week to recognize and honor our four legged companions and raise awareness about being a responsible pet owner. So I figured what better way to honor my pup than dedicate a blog post to him and all the dogs in my life.

If you hadn't noticed I may have a slight obsession with my 5 month old German Shepherd/Welsh/Airedale Terrier mix, Grigsby. Right after graduation I decided it was finally time for me to add another member to my little family. One year prior I adopted a 3 year old mitten kitten, Minnie. We were a pack of princesses and had the easy life so I thought we should spice things up a bit. My puppy fever first began when Boyfriend adopted an 8 week old German Shepherd/Rottweiler named Mozie. For 2 weeks she lived with me and I fell in love from the moment I saw her. She and Boyfriend moved back to Greenville at the beginning of summer leaving Minnie and I with a bad case of puppy fever. Craigslist lead us on an 1 hour drive outside of Winston and with a $65 dollar hole in our pocket.

Mozie a week after Boyfriend got her! 

Grigsby at the vet the first day I got him!

I've grown up with dogs my whole life and being in college without any pet especially a dog took some getting use to. For anyone thinking about getting a puppy or a dog I have a few pieces of advice:

1. Think Think Think about it! I know how tempting it is to go to the humane society and fall in love with every animal you see but you have to make sure you're ready to become a full-time animal parent. Thankfully when I decided to get Grigsby my sweet momma agreed to help me train him and keep him! 
2. Enroll in puppy or dog obedience class! Yes 100+ is a lot of money but it is 100% worth it. Whether you get a puppy or an older dog enrolling them in a class where they learn basic commands or awesome tricks will help both you and them. During our puppy obedience class at Petsmart I think I learned more than Grigsby did! In his class we learned basic potty training, anxiety and feeding, sit, stay, shake, lay down, come, leave it and roll over! 
3. Socialize your dog with as many people, animals, and places as you can! The hardest part about becoming a dog mom has been really making the time to go new places with people and dogs and smells to help get Grigsby use to the world around him. Just because something that is very normal to you doesn't mean your dog will think so too! Currently we are overcoming his fear of driving under bridges (who knew!) 
4. Adopt! 

This is Shadow! My family dog and my moms true Shadow!
He is 15 years old and very very wise. I love his big face and miss him so much! 

One of my favorite e Cards!

How very very true! 

http://pinterest.com/pin/59883870015992382/

How will you celebrate National Dog Week?

I'd love to see pictures of your four legged companions! 

xoxo

Before and After Patio!

I set out today with a mile long list of patio decorating essentials! My first stop was Lowe's where I soon realized that they don't take out of state checks....I felt like they sucked the air out my decorating balloon. Thankfully we have the one stop shop Wal Mart that happily accepted my payment. There I picked up potting soil, a small planter, a box planter, two hanging plants, pansies and violas. 

Next stop, The Christmas Tree Shop. If you have never heard of or been to The Christmas Tree shop you are seriously missing out. I don't even really know how to put into words what kind of store it is, but it has everything from holiday items (right now Halloween and Christmas) to pet supplies to furniture to food to kitchen items. It is seriously retail heaven for all things cheap and cute! I picked up some outdoor lights and a candle. I haven't been able to hang my lights yet since I need Boyfriends help but they are so adorable and were only $6.99!

My last stop was Goodwill to look for a small table/shelf to add outside. It must have been my lucky day because not only did I find a table for $5 I also found a black and white stripped ottoman for $15!!

Drum roll.........here are my before and after pictures! I still hope to add some pillows for my chairs, of course more plants and maybe another chair or small bench.

Before: Plain and Boring! 

This isn't my actual patio but it's another view of the size and space. 

All my plant supplies! 

Planter box for $4 at Wal Mart!
White and red pansies and purple violas! 

This is my cafe table and chairs from World Market
the rug is also from there! I love this because it adds color and defines the
separate spaces! 

So in love with how this turned out!
The ottoman is from Goodwill and so is the table.
All I did was spray paint it black and clean the fabric on the ottoman.
My mom help me hang my curtains last week to add privacy and just make it a little more chic! 

I hung my stained glass that my mom made years ago and put down a new rug from
Old Time Pottery. Another great place to check out for decorating! This rug was only $35! 

Another view that shows the Ivy I bought! I love Ivy for a few reasons....
1. Its a beautiful green color and stays that way into Fall.
2. It grows fast and out and sideways to add privacy
3. It just so happens to be one of the flowers of my sorority!
(green green the ivy twines!) 

Outdoor lights from The Christmas Tree Shop! Super cute right? 

I am really really happy with the way it all turned out and I can't wait for the fall weather to roll into Greenville so I can enjoy a cup of tea on my new patio! What do you think of the results? I would love to hear any suggestions or what you've done to your outdoor space!

xoxo

decorating my outdoor space

Happy weekend ya'll! We made it through another long week and finally made the transition from summer to fall! I love having the weekends to relax and catch up on projects and sleep and this weekend I have a few projects I can't wait to dive into! My BIG "to do" at the top of my list this weekend is decorating my outdoor space!

I live in a second floor apartment and I have a nice sized patio that is screaming for a makeover. Before I moved in I bought a small table and two chairs and a bright orange rug, I was worried all summer that they wouldn't fit in my tiny space. Now here I am three weeks later with a patio bigger than I remembered and still looking quite empty. I have found a few images of inspiration that use a lot of color, interesting patterns, window boxes, and not your average patio furniture. 

Obsessed with these matching ottomans and the black and white fabric!
Very classic but still modern. 

I think a chair like this would look so great on my patio.
It would bring a little bit of glamour to a space that doesn't typically
doesn't have any. 

I have always been a fan of window boxes and having lots of plants and
greenery growing around a porch. I love this chevron version which would be
an easy DIY project to a boring window box. 

The colors, the size, the flowers.
Everything about this I just love. 

HOW ADORABLE IS THIS!
This is one of the first images I came across of a small outdoor space. It looks like
a place I could spend all day just reading and napping and drinking tea on a fall day.
I think the way they used patterns and colors and utilized the space really makes it
a perfect outdoor room. 

Something like this would be my dream patio. I think using curtains
is such a genius idea to give privacy and glamour in a different way.
Again the patterns here just look so perfect and the colors
are so lovely together. 

This extra small space shows that no matter how small your space is
you can still come up with a cute way to make it another room.
The way they have separated the flowers and bench make each one more
of a defined space and the rug looks so chic and brightens up a dull area.  

 

Saturday I have big plans of hitting up Goodwill and any thrift store I can find for some more furniture and maybe boxes that I can use for planters. I hope to be able to find some plants at Lowe's that can survive through the fall months and give me some color! Do you have an outdoor space that needs a facelift or any tips for me? Look for before and after pictures on Sunday! 

xoxo

currently obsessed....

Getting a real job has been both a blessing and a curse for me. I love having a job and going to work everyday and I really love getting a grown up pay check! I just can't seem to hold onto my money long enough to really never feel like I'm broke.

I keep telling myself that this is just a phase and next month I will really start saving and investing....(yeah right, all the best clothes come out in October!) I have such an addiction to going shopping and browsing the latest trends, at least now I get to share them with you!

Recently I picked up a few things that I cannot stop obsessing over...

Happy Fall Ya'll!
I finally gave in and bought the most delicious fall candy around....
CANDY CORN! I thought it might be a little to early but I decided to go
ahead and embrace the coming Fall months with a little sweet treat! 

Kiss My Face Lavender Shea lotion. I like to think of myself as
a lotion/makeup/smell good addict. I always like walking
around Whole Foods and looking at all of the actually good for you skincare items.
I became a fan of Kiss My Face products a few years ago when my sister started using it!
Yesterday I picked up this lotion and have fallen head over heels!
I recommend ALL of the products! 

OHEMGEE. I found this little gem in a store
called Fiore! It was a steal for $42 and I wish
I could wear it with everything! Blazers are making a comeback
and with such a fun print I knew I had to have it!

This obviously isn't something I recently bought but it does represent
something I am loving right now. Greenville is starting to cool down
and slowly make the transition from summer to fall and with that means
more walks outside with one of my favorite girls, Mozie.
I love walking through Falls Park with her and especially Boyfriend!

What are you obsessing over right now? 

xoxo

weekend recap

I was so excited Friday when I got off work to finally see my Mom, Minnie and Grigsby after 3 long weeks! Grigsby showed the most excitement and seeing him for the first time was a dramatic reunion. After they settled in I invited my boyfriend and his puppy Mozie over so they could play and get rid of some of their energy. They make for a wild pair and wore each other out wrestling and chasing each other. Friday night my mom and I went downtown to explore and grab a bite to eat somewhere new. We walked all around Main St. window shopping and people watching and ended up eating at a delicious restaurant Overlook Grill in Falls Park.

So excited to be reunited!

Our table was right on the edge of the balcony so
we got to see the Reedy River and all of Falls Park! 

Saturday morning I was finally able to sleep in a little bit and it felt so good! I decided I wanted to take Grigsby to the dog park near my apartment and then downtown to show him off. It was also a Clemson game day so we were both wearing our Tiger Orange! After so much walking downtown my Mom and I were starving and got lunch at one of my favorite places to eat, Smoke on the water! (Sorry for obnoxious amount of pictures of my dog, I have an addiction.)

Photo Shoot in the park! 

So handsome and well behaved! 

Saturday night I was busy baking cookies for the Carolina Panthers game on Sunday! The weather wasn't ideal but it was a great game and a good time with friends! I was sad to see my Mom leave but we are already planning her next trip down South! I will post some of my weekend purchases tomorrow, so keep an eye out!

One of my good friends Neilson!
He's a real goofball.

Boyfriend and I at the game! 

What did you do over the weekend?

xoxo

monogram maniac

Today I got to pick up the items I bought Saturday from The Pink Azalea! I have been seeing monogrammed norts all over pinterest and was dying to get my hands on a pair. The only thing was that they were just so expensive after buying the norts and then paying to have them monogrammed. I have also been wanting a new baseball cap since they have become my go-to weekend hairstyle.

monograms on monograms on monograms. 

I am so thrilled with how they both turned out and of course I can't wait to wear them when I go "workout." If you like monograms as much as I do make sure you check out their website for more cute things, you can shop online and they are really affordable! I think my next purchase will be the palm tree monogram tee-shirt (I already love South Carolina as much as I love monograms!)

so adorable right!? 

what have you been monogramming? 

xoxo

Fall Reading List

Here are two of my suggestions to add to your Fall Reading List:

My dad sent me this book a few days ago! I suggest anyone who is going into the real world
especially into the sales or marketing field read this! My dad is the best salesman I have ever met
so any advice he gives on my career I take note of it and use it! 

Picked up this little gem for $5 (another South Carolina Steal!)
Who doesn't love Candace Bushnell, she is of course the creator of the greatest show ever made!
I have heard that this is a great book and that abc is going to turn it into a show!


Enjoy!
xoxo

the halfway point.

My favorite part of each week is the end of a Wednesday workday. Once you make it to Wednesday you can taste the weekend, you can see yourself hitting the snooze button on Saturday morning, and you can breathe a sigh of relief that you don't have to wear a head set for two whole days (in my case anyways!)

This week I am even more excited that I've made it halfway and there is only one day standing between me and a wonderful weekend!

I've been in Greenville for almost 2 weeks now and I am so incredibly happy, but there is one thing missing. I haven't seen two of my favorite things in the world since I left home. Those of you that know me know that I'm talking about Minnie and Grigsby. For those of you who don't allow me to introduce to you my most prized possessions:

This is Minnie. She is 4 years old and is a pterodactyl cat.
Meaning she has thumbs! She stole my heart the
second I spotted her at the Watauga Humane Society. 

and This is Grigsby. My breathtakingly handsome german shepherd
airedale terrier puppy. He is 5 months old going on 25 with more
energy and spunk than anyone i've ever met.

I can't wait to introduce them to their new home! On top of seeing them this weekend I will also get to spend time painting the town red with my momma! I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes and all the fun things we do!

What are your plans for the weekend? 

xoxo