Bright and Bold Menu Chalkboard.

Matt and I are so lucky to have neighbors who feed us. Chris is a darn great chef, and we've had the luxury of tasting a bit of his own Italian roots through the meals he cooks at weekly "family dinners". Since we moved here to Colorado, Chris and Lauren have opened their home and have invited us to partake in conversation and laughs over home cooked meals, charades, and stories about our weeks. We've gotten to meet their friends and have a bit of quality "family" time. Its lovely.

When Chris and Lauren asked me to help them come up with art or a gallery wall to put up on the blank space in their well-loved and heart-of-the-home kitchen, we decided that a menu board was a was a must. Thanks to the scrap furniture store, they found this large frame for dirt cheap, which I painted with my favorite shade of red (left-over from past projects). Chris then cut out a piece of scrap fiber board which I painted with chalk board paint (again, left over). A little adhesive, and voila! The chalkboard menu is so large and the PERFECT addition to the space and the people who live there. I loved how Chris even had me come over last night to write the first official menu as he was cooking--and of course, the last touch was a signature from the chef. Do you spend time with friends over meals each week? 

Confetti, Balloons, and a Winner.

Whenever November is nearing, I get into birthday party excitement. I don't even have birthday parties anymore, but the though of balloons, homemade decorations, streamers, pom poms, and cake candles set in this nostalgia of childhood. Piñatas, birthday surprises, party dresses, and a day where its okay to feel a bit spoiled. Can you relate when your birthday nears? Well, its not my birthday yet, but I can still bust out the celebratory photographs to announce the Shabby Apple Giveaway winner! And to say THANK YOU for entering, let's throw a little party, right here, right now, in this sentence-- surrounded by these fun photographs! The lucky lady with $50 to Shabby Apple is Mindy Fan! Hopefully you can get the I'm Late I'm Late dress that mentioned as your favorite! Happy weekend everyone!

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A Weekend & A Week Off.

Getting out of town for the day is one of the best ways for me to feel refreshed and restored. Matt and I ventured out to Estes Park with our dear neighbors this past Saturday. I cannot thank God enough for creation and the way its beauty just abounds here in Colorado. Do I really live here? The day started with lattes at Kind Coffee, followed by a breathe taking hike to some falls, time spent gaping and climbing around on boulders with amazing views, Elk spotting (its mating season!), exploring The Stanley Hotel (Stephen King's Shining inspiration), and ending the day at a local brewery with Honey Wheat IPA. 

The time spent at Kind Coffee, and the heart to heart conversation with Matt, got me really excited about some things that may be happening here on the blog. November is going to be a big month. And at the same time, my day spent outdoors, inspired by silence and the little things in nature, and just being has made me want to take a week off from blogging for some solitude, reflection, and goal setting. 

I know you can probably relate to searching for that balance in life--balancing the things of this world with your desire to be in creation and away from it all. Thanks for sticking with me as I take a little time for this. I will see you in a week, lovelies, when I come back to announce the giveaway winner!

You have until Thursday night to enter the Pinkies Up Giveaway with Shabby Apple! Meander over here to enter for a $50 gift-card to this darling boutique and share about it with other women in your life!

Jenna's Whimsical Handmade Goods.

Meet Jenna. She is more than just my cousin. More than just a best friend. More than just a woman with a huge heart and a love for the little things. More than just a girl with a crazy creative mind and an expansive imagination. And more than just a grown up who is okay with posing like a dinosaur :)  Jenna and her sister Katie have been more like sister's to me. Some of my best memories are from adventures with these two. Jenna has always been that older girl in my life who I thought (and still think) was just so cool. And let me tell you, she is cool and so much more. 

Jenna is the creator of Jennasaurusfun-- her darling Etsy shop full of handmade goods. Crocheted octopus cozies, whimsical beanies (like "Lucy" the dinosaur above), scarves, and a new line that I am so excited about! Teaming up with her design smart husband Blake, there are wooden rings in her shop. A monster, diamond, and owl are first to premiere. And I hear she has so many more to come. You should go check Jenna out. I promise, you will love her. 

Jennasaurusfun Blog  ||  Jenna's Etsy Shop  ||  Jenna on Twitter 

[photo source: all photos are originals and the property of Jennasaurusfun ]

And remember to enter the Pinkies Up Giveaway with Shabby Apple--over here! 

A Pinkies Up Giveaway with Shabby Apple!

Ladies, grab your high heels, lip gloss, confidence, and poise! There is a Shabby Apple Dress waiting especially for you! I'm thrilled about this giveaway. Shabby Apple is a online boutique that I've window shopped countless times, so you can imagine how happy I was when my friends over at Shabby Apple said they would generously offer one my readers the chance to win a $50 giftcard to purchase anything from their site! The boutique is filled with vintage-esque dresses that have charming lace details, high waisted skirts, Audrey Hepburn like flare, classic yet modest silhouettes, timeless prints, and  other retro-feminine touches. You'll have fun browsing the site, and you'll find more than just dresses (accessories, shoes, items for little girls, swimsuits, and even maternity dresses!). I could have browsed endlessly, so to keep myself from being too tempted to fill a shopping cart, I stuck to browsing the collections. Here are some of my favorites:

The scalloped top of that yellow dress is feminine and perfect combo of modern and retro, and the lace skirt with the big floppy bow would be so cute either dressed up for a fancy event, or even worn with a tucked in cotton tee and ballet flats. Put me in that striped dress or peplum skirt, and yes, I wouldn't want to wear anything else--love the silhouttes! 

The maxi dress I just adore is this effortlessly comfortable yet classy strapped wrap like style in grey and black. Talk about long, lean, and versatile. I am also quite the legging fan, pairing this go-to with slouchy sweaters and boots right now for fall, or even with a tunic and sneakers for errands about town-- and the ones below are perfect for both looks. For a day in the city, I would go with the bottom looks. The color combinations are surprising & cheery, and I love the way the white dress is styled with opaque yellow leggings. Can you tell that I am a little too into yellow? 

The collections I loved the most were Roamin Holiday { scalloped yellow dress, lace & bow skirt }, The Lighthouse { islands maxi, maritime leggings }, The Block { white matinee dress, crosswalk skirt } and All Aboard {striped whistlestop dress, peplum skirt }.  I can't wait to see your favorites!

In addition to  fabulous retro inspired designs, Shabby Apple is also committed to helping women live. They support the fight against global poverty by partnering with Accion-- a non-profit organization with the mission of giving people the financial tools they need to work their way out of poverty. Shabby Apple donates 5% of its net sales to support work with 62 micro finance institutions in 31 countries through out the world. You can read more about their partnerships--over here. They also have an Emerging Designers Program. What a great company!

If you would like the chance to win some spending money -- $50 giftcard -- for this darling retro meets modern boutique, there are a few ways you can enter. Visit shabbyapple.com, window shop, and comment below naming your favorite dress. This entry is a MUST. The second entry can be one or a combination of things: Like Shabby Apple on Facebook, tweet about this giveaway, follow Pearls Poppies Pinkies Up on Twitter HERE, and/or share about this giveaway on your own darling blog. So, to recap, comment below with the name of your favorite dress (mandatory for entry) and comment sharing which way (out of the three above) you participated regarding the giveaway. If you end up sharing via all three ways of social media in addition to naming your favorite dress, and comment that you did so, your chances of winning are even higher. I will be selecting the winner at random and contacting them by email in a week, once the giveaway is closed. You must have a USA shipping address to win. 

To thank you for being a wonderful reader, you can use the code pearlspoppiespinkiesup10off for any of your shopping at shabbyapple.com and recieve 10% off your entire purchase. This code expires in one month from today. Hurray!

THE GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED THIS WEEKEND!

xo, 

Lauren

 (and your friends at Shabby Apple)

Color Translation: Buffalo Plaid.

I am smitten with buffalo plaid. It exudes fall, warmth, and classic. And when used in the right design element, or in a surprising silhouette, it makes my heart jump a bit-- can you relate? I love how a pattern so eclectically vintage is currently embraced by modern home design and fashion trends.  And I am loving this LOFT jacket I splurged on for fall. Keep watch, LOFT has sales ALL the time. I was lucky to snag this wool coat for 60 percent off. Now for a bit of buffalo plaid color translation and inspiration. 

all photo sources found HERE

And stay tuned! There is a giveaway (or two) RIGHT around the corner! 

You may even get to snag some of your very own buffalo plaid fashion if you win. 

Get excited!!!

Social Media and Blogging

The answers are in and it seems that Twitter is the most loved social media tool used by bloggers. Well, at least from Beth's sampling. Today I'm over at Beth's blog, Dot in the City, with a handful of other women, answering the question What is your favorite form of social media & what have you learned from using it? You can read my response (scroll to the very bottom!) along with the others-- over here.

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