What I Read in September

It's been a little while since I did a what I read post, I figured it was time I shared.

Return to Sullivans Island by Dorothea Benton Franklin: This book was just ok, easy to figure out and a little slow.  I didn't love the main character so it was hard to connect with the book.  It followed Beth who is fresh out of college and is house-sitting her families beach house for the summer.  She meets a developer and falls head over heels. As per usual there was a lot of drama and also the addition of a ghost in her families house.  It felt a little random but it was ok.  

Captivated & Entranced by Nora Roberts: I have read a couple of books by Nora Roberts and have enjoyed them.  This book was a set of two books.  They followed the Donovan clan who have a secret, they are witches.  The first book focused on Morgana.  She meets Nash, a screen writer who is writing a new movie about a witch. Of course they fall in love and the story continues from there.  This one was really strange and I really wasn't a fan.  The second book followed Sebastian, Morgana's cousin who is able to see the future.  He teams up with a detective to save a stolen baby.  This one was more interesting and I enjoyed the crime case.  

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher: With all the hype around this book I thought I should see what all the fuss was about.  For those of you unfamiliar the book follows Clay as he receives a set of thirteen tapes.  He soon finds out they are from Hannah, a girl who just recently committed suicide.  The tapes are her way of letting everyone know the part they played in her life (good or bad) and whether that led to her decision.  As you can imagine, it was a pretty heavy book.  The writing was really good and I couldn't stop reading.  I'm not sure how I feel about it as it does bring the idea of suicide more to light and can "glamorize" the idea.  It is definitely a book that sticks with you and make you think about the impact you are making on the lives of others.            

Swapping Lives by Jane Green: This one was a cute read.  It followed Vicky and Amber who are unsatisfied with their very different lives.  Vicky is a single magazine journalist living in London who wants nothing more than to get married and have a family.  Amber is a mom of two living a in beautiful mansion in a neighborhood right out of "Desperate Housewives".  Vicky winds up writing an article about "Swapping Lives" and ends up swapping with Amber.  I enjoyed the read, the story line was cute and I liked the characters.  It was an easy read and reminded me of Sophie Kinsella's books. 

Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews: I am a fan of Mary Kay Andrews and really enjoy her books set in and around Atlanta and focusing on strong southern women.  This one was probably my least favorite.  I wasn't crazy about the main character Keeley.  She finds out her fiance is cheating on her with her best friend, during her rehearsal dinner.  Obviously she calls off the engagement.  The rest of the book focuses on her design business and her adventure decorating an old house in the community.  Like I said I wasn't a huge fan.  Keeley was just annoying and I had a hard time connecting with her.  Overall it was an easy read and I enjoyed it but just not my favorite from Mrs. Andrews.  

What have you been reading lately?       

Five Things Friday

Folgers Coffeehouse Ground Coffee: I have been really enjoying making a pot of coffee and having a few cups in the morning.  I used to use the Keurig everyday but the coffee wasn't what I wanted (sometimes watery and not as strong) and I didn't want to have to use another k-cup to top off my cup.  I picked this coffee up at Publix and it is my new favorite!  Strong but not too bitter.  If you are looking for a good ground coffee this one is the best!  

Monogram Necklace: I am a southern girl and with that comes a love of monograms.  I have always loved the classic look of a monogram necklace.  I found my new favorite one from Classic Prep Monograms.  This one is the perfect size, I love the size, enough to be a statement but not overwhelming.  I can't wait to pair it with sweaters for the fall.      

Mulled Cider Candle: This candle is amazing!!  It smells just like a Bath & Bodyworks candle, the throw is great, it doesn't burn too fast and it is less than $4!!  It smells delicious and my husband loves it, he said it smelled like fall.  Next time you are in a Wal-Mart go smell it and see what I mean. 

SmallTownNC Stickers: I am an NC girl born and raised.  Right now my husband and I live in Alabama so we definitely miss home.  I have always loved stickers.  They are so cute to decorate your notebooks, computer, planner, etc.  I randomly discovered this shop on etsy and fell in love with all her NC mountain stickers.  She was sweet and sent me four and I am in love with them!  My favorite is the NC state outline with a beautiful watercolor mountain print.  I love them so much I almost don't want to use them.  

Fall Treats: Fall is here and that means it is time for pumpkin EVERYTHING!  I love pumpkin baked goods so when I discovered Kay's Simply Homemade treats I fell in love.  She has a bakery on etsy where she sells all kinds of delicious goodies.  My husband and I had the chance to try three things: Apple Pie Cookies, Bourbon Pumpkin Pie Bars, and Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.  They were awesome!  My favorite were the pumpkin cinnamon rolls!  So good and so easy to have fall treats delivered to your house instead of having to go to the trouble to make them.  Check out Kay's store and let her know I sent you!  

What have you been loving this week? 

Fall Decor

Fall is my absolute favorite!  The leaves, chillier weather, sweaters, county fairs and pumpkin everything!  I love decorating our house for fall.  The colors are so pretty and warm.  I thought I would share my fall decor this year.

I love our little entryway table.  We don't have a mantle so I consider this my mantle.  It is the perfect place to showcase my favorite holiday decor.

This gold striped pumpkin is one of my favorites.  I picked it up at Hobby Lobby after Halloween for 90% off!

Our dining room is one of my least favorites...since we are renting we can't paint or change much.  Our dining room is a dark burgundy color and the room is dark.  I do like how the fall and Christmas decorations look in there because the colors go well.

I picked up this piece of art from Michael's for $1 a couple of years ago.

I love this Target bookcase we picked up at a thrift store when we first got married.  The fall bouquet on top is from Wal-Mart on clearance for $5.  The antler stand was on clearance at Hobby Lobby.

More clearance finds from Hobby Lobby.

I love this letter board I picked up at Wal-Mart for $9!  It is so cute and fun to change out.

DIY Floral Embroidered No-Sew Sweater Top

Embroidery is such a big trend this fall and I am loving it!  These pieces can be expensive so I decided to DIY my own version.  It is so easy, no-sew and depending on your items can be less than $10! 

You need:

- a shirt (I picked up this sweet sweater top from a thrift store for $1)

- Liquid Stitch 

- E6000

- Patches (I got mine from aliexpress for less than $2)

Directions:

This is super simple all you do is put the liquid stitch on the back of your patch, place it on your top and then follow the directions on your liquid stitch.  Mine required me to iron it so it would set.  

I had a little trouble with some spots coming up, I used the E6000 to set them and they have been good to go.

I am obsessed with how it turned out!  It looks so vintage and pretty.  I love that I was able to use this grandma chic sweater and turn it trendy.

Let me know what you think!

Five Things Friday

Thomas Rhett Life Changes Album: Yes new music!  Thomas Rhett has been one of my favorite new artists so I was really excited to see he released a new album!  This one is great, he is so adorable, if you don't believe me check out the track "Life Changes".  Some of my favorites are "Marry Me", "Grave", "Unforgettable", and "Leave Right Now".  I'm loving the feel and sound of the album and have really been enjoying this one.    

How I Met Your Mother: Yep it's back!  I have been wanting to re-watch this show for a while and just got the whim to start this week.  If you haven't watched this show you definitely need to!  It is one of my favorites, I like it better than Friends.  The characters develop well, the story is creative and I just really enjoyed it.  I have heard rumors that they are taking it off Netflix at the end of fall (and I'm gutted) so binge watch while you can!! 

Macaroons: Guys I discovered the absolute best macaroons I have ever tasted!  I have had macaroons before and enjoyed them but these are on another level!  They are light, have a crispy outer layer and creamy inner layer.  Tamara was really sweet and sent over six of the raspberry french macaroons to try and Kyle and I devoured them.  If you are a fan of macaroons or have been wanting to try them these are the ones to go for!  Try them out and let Tamara know I sent you :)

Torani White Chocolate Sauce: Y'all know I am a coffee lover.  I have seen a few recipes talking about this white chocolate sauce being a budget sub for Starbuck's white chocolate sauce.  While it isn't an exact match it is a nice substitute for a homemade white chocolate latte.  I have been making them on the weekends for a little treat and have really been enjoying them.  Let me know if you would be interested in a DIY White Chocolate Latte post.    

Monogram Bag and Backpack: Being a southern girl I love a good monogram.  I recently discovered Krafty Chix and fell in love with their cute monogrammed accessories.  I have been eyeing the scallop monogram totes for a while and finally got my hands on one.  It holds a lot and looks really chic.  My only complaint is there are no pockets inside the bag but for a tote it's not a terrible thing.  I also had seen these little flap top backpacks on instagram and they had them available.  I love the crisp ivory and gold accents.  Check them out!  

Trying Out McDonald's New Coffee

You may have seen the commercials promoting the new McDonad's espresso beverages.  I am a total coffee addict so I was really excited to try out their new options.  They have always had lattes and frappes but the new line offers macchiatos, cappuccinos and iced versions.

I decided to try out the caramel macchiato.  P.S. if you aren't on the McDonad's app you need to, they have deals for coffee all the time.

So I ordered the macchiato but I'm honestly not sure what I ended up with.  The lady who gave me the coffee called it a cappuccino so...not sure.  It looked pretty normal, nice foam.  Honestly mine was disgusting.  It had a strange burnt, chemical taste that was just bad.  Now I can sometimes be a coffee snob but I like gas station cappuccinos so I figured it might be something along those lines.  I was really disappointed in the flavor but again I'm not completely sure what I ended up with.  I'm not giving up on it completely yet but I would say I am going to trust my normal coffee shops for fancy coffee.

I am a fan of their new cups though, looking good!  Have you tried the new coffees?  What did you think?

My New Favorite Disney Shirt Store!!

If you have been around for a while you know I love Disney!  I have been REALLY lucky to be able to go to Disney a couple of times in the past two years.  This has only served to fuel the Disney love.  I have been really into finding cute Disney fan merchandise on etsy to wear on trips.  Follow me on instagram to see my trips! 

I recently found the cutest store that is my absolute new favorite!  Main Street Magic Co on etsy is the cutest ever!!  Taylor was really sweet and appointed me the official brand enthusiast, and I am totally fine with that.  She sent me a couple of items to check out and I had to share them with you:

This is probably my favorite Disney shirt ever!  For those of you unfamiliar with the slogan it is from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.  There is a scene where the pirates are auctioning off the women and the men are yelling "We wants the redhead".  Since I am a redhead I thought it was fitting.  They are also taking this part out of the ride and reconfiguring it, which I have mixed feelings about, RIP original pirates.

This shirt is so soft and really nice!  It is perfect for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (which I had the chance to attend last year) or just wearing during the Christmas season.  

This shirt was such a sweet surprise and I am in love!!  I'm a southern girl and will always have a soft spot for monograms.  This monogram mickey pocket top is the cutest!  It is so soft and would be perfect to throw on over leggings.

Did I mention the monogram was glitter???

How cute is this top???  I know I will be wearing this one all through October.  Also how cute would this one be for Mickey's Not So Scary party??

If you are looking for cute Disney shirts that are seriously good quality check out Main Street Magic!