Halloween Week

I love a good holiday. With it being All Hallow's Eve week, here are a few of my latest Halloween happs around the house.

Fall tassel garland by Studio Mucci on Etsy.

Glass-blown pumpkin from Mom.

Cutest paper witch cups by Meri Meri. 

Skeleton needs a party hat. Hat by oh joy! for Target. Skeleton from Michael's and painted gold by me. Cheers!

Fried Everything

Oh, how I love the N.C. State Fair so. Here's my recap from today including three money-saving (and making!) tips. 

{tip one} First things first. No way to paying $15 for parking. And my favorite parking is closer than the $5 parking, so I'm all for parking near Carter-Finley Stadium where it's free. It's nearest my favorite entrance - Gate B - so I'm fine to walk but there are also open-air shuttles available. Gate B is closest to Yesteryear. I like this entrance because it's typically calmer, and you walk into an area that eases you into the madness ahead (complete with flamingos). 

{tip two} My Yesteryear journey begins at Grist Mill. It's quaint and they give you free hushpuppies. So there's that. Right near there is the Duke survey mobile where I took a 10-minute survey and made $9 (that translates to a free fair snack). And when the fair is all about 'doing this and doing that,' why not help out some college students. Back to Yesteryear: I love the fireplaces at the Tobacco Barn, the gardens all throughout that area that include Mrs. Barrell Monster and Smokey Bear, and the John Deere-made ice cream is pretty great too.

The Village of Yesteryear crafts are always good for a lap. The glass-blowing guy is my favorite. He makes awesome octopus necklace charms that look just perfect on a gold chain, but I don't know from experience or anything. 

{tip three} As for food, I'm all for whatever I can only get at the fair AND what is new, and then a tried and true. For lunch, my Dad and I hit up some of the stands near Kiddieland and had the deep-fried barbecue on a stick with dipping sauce. We were all for it. For dessert, I knew my Dad had to try the deep-fried Girl Scout cookies so we did just that. You'll probably be thirsty from all this right? Right! I threw one of my favorite big water bottles in my purse because many of the vendors offer $1 refills on any cup, any size, whatever goes. So I enjoyed my Diet Coke for just $1 (which was really free - remember that survey). Yes, yes to that. 

There is so much to see and do. We looked at pottery, produce (giant pumpkins!), animals: if it was there to be seen, we saw it. If we weren't looking at something, we were enjoying free entertainment. We got a kick out of the 'K9s in Flight' as seen on ESPN, NBA half-time shows, etc. They are dogs with skillz. Then we turned right around to watch the Pig (and duck!) Races behind us. Back to back cuteness. All of this worked up an appetite so we enjoyed a tried and true as our snack: jalapeño cheddar Wisconsin deep-fried cheese with ranch. And it was free! Yep, that survey again. We were all snacked up and ready to ride. We hopped on the adult two-person swings, Vertigo, which gives you a great view of the fair but with more of a thrill than the sweet Ferris Wheel. 

I'm always good for a souvenir from the N.C. Pottery Exhibit. Last year I got the pumpkin, this year the boo ghost. Seven hours of fair later and that's a wrap. Happy Fried Everything!

My Fall Crew

I wanted to add a little holiday whimsy to our home and after seeing these mini party hats at Target, I knew they were just what I needed to make it happen. These hats by oh joy! for Target are currently on clearance for $2.50 (set of eight). I had some fun at our local pumpkin patch picking out tiny pumpkins and gourds at 50 cents a pop. I made sure to find the gourds with flat bottoms so this trio would play nice (not wobbling around bopping one another over). I hot glued my favorite craft accessory - google eyes (from the Dollar Tree) - and this whimsy trio came to life. A $5-ish project ready to party!

Life Lately

Here's what I've got on my phone to share...

Pretty new painting in our house by a sweet Charleston artist. It was one of those I saw it and couldn't stop thinking about it kind of things. You know the kind.

I had fun tablescaping for one of my best friends, May. Her business, All She Wrote Notes, celebrated its first birthday in August. I'm all for tassels, pinatas, confetti and glitter. 

My mom and I had a sweet day shopping around downtown Apex. We came across the cutest little free library.

Love this gallery wall at one of my favorite lunch spots, Parker and Otis, in downtown Durham. It's always a 'make my day' treat when Hank and I meet there for lunch.

Rawr! Great morning at the Carolina Tiger Preserve in Pittsboro. Highly reccomend. Cara and I even wore matching tiger rings - we couldn't help ourselves.

Hank and I had some fun at Clark's birthday party. Cara outdid herself with the most amazing brunch and Bloody Mary bar. That bacon!?

And she personalizes corn hole scoreboards with pics - that Cara.

I homemade key lime pie for Hank as that's the way to his heart.

There was a s'more bar at a bridal event I went to with May. I love s'mores so this was just a dream.

While our Heels season tickets are on the second to last row, I took this photo so I would say our view isn't THAT bad.

Hank treated me to this stellar towel from Anthro, and it could not be more fitting.

Summer came and went... My goodness!

I love birthdays. I decorated away for my sweet employee's special day.

Snagged the cutest Cokes when the #ShareACoke tour made a stop at Carolina. And would you believe it... I shipped a personalized set to my friends Maura and Steve and a package theif opened the box and stole the Cokes! They must have been quite thirsty.

I met my best friend Kathleen's baby Kennedy, and I just love this photo of her - it's my favorite.

We danced it away at the Jason Aldean concert. 

Hank and I hit up an amazing local Vietnamese spot one Friday night. Vietnamese coffee is my jam. The food was all so flavorful and fresh. Two thumbs up to Taste Vietnamese Cuisine.

I won a Laduree cookbook and proceeded not to make my own macaroons but pick some up at the Farmers' Market (which is where you'll find me any given Saturday morning).

Homemade pizza sauce. Yes, please.

Campus pretty.

Fire skies are the best. Enjoyed them from the front balcony this weekend.

B and I took some selfies to enter a 'best in selfie' contest. We're good with this one. 

I truly believe every day is a party so I try to sneak in little party bits here and there. It's the little things. Whew... That was a lot. Here's to confetti, fire skies and friends. Happy Week.

Pretty Asks

So excited for two delightful weddings ahead for my best friends. Maura and Steve are getting married in New York in October.

May and Chris are getting married in North Carolina in May.

Happy for all the fun ahead in 2015.