The Blonde Starfish

I truly can not believe that tomorrow is October! It's definitely cooling off outside, and Autumn is about to be in full swing. Unfortunately that means packing up summer tank tops and sandals. But on on the plus side it also means time for pumpkins! When I say pumpkins I'm not referring to the spice latte kind, but we'll talk about those another day;) I'm taking about the kind of pumpkins you decorate and display around your house until Thanksgiving. While the traditional Jack-O-Lantern is a classic, I love crafting up things that go with my decor.  Since I am living in an apartment this year and have no cute front porch, like this , to display pumpkins on, I will have to decorate them for my living room instead. Because my pumpkins will be indoors I am going to be getting fake plastic pumpkins instead of the real thing. As much as I want to go to a cute farm and pick out precious pumpkins from the field, I don't want rotting pumpkins in my apartment. But all ...

Snacking can sometimes get a bad reputation. However, I have learned that having small and healthy sacks when you find yourself hungry between meals will actually be of benefit. This is because it will keep you from eating too much at mealtime. ~Apples ~Celery ~Assorted Nuts ~Grapes ~Carrots with Hummus or Lite Ranch ~Strawberries ~Hard Boiled Egg ~Lowfat Yogurt ~String Cheese ~Protein Bars

T-shirt dresses are so versatile and ever so comfortable. They come is various sleeve lengths as well as endless patterns and colors. They are perfect for cookouts, birthday parties, baby showers, and even just to wear on a normal day of the week. Pattern dresses can be worn by themselves, but it's always fun to add accessories here and there. And of course a solid t-shirt dresses is just begging for a fun pop of color and texture.  It probably comes as no surprise that some of my favorite t-shirt dresses are from Lilly Pulitzer. I love the fun prints they have and all their t-shirt dresses are super soft and comfortable. I add some of the same accessories to my pattern dresses as I do my solid dresses, but I usually add more accessories to the solid color dresses. Here are some of the main accessories I like to pair with my t-shirt dresses. While it's pretty clear that I love gold, you could easily swap in silver if that is more your style. Additionally, the...

As the season are changing over from summer to fall the weather is getting cooler. Even though it's not cold yet, it its much cooler in the morning and evenings than during the afternoons. This is a fun time to mix long sleeves with shorts as well as short sleeves with long pants or jeans. One of these combinations that I love includes a spirit jersey with shorts. It allows me to wear my favorite Lilly Pulitzer shorts  past the summertime.  The spirit jersey is always a cozy option because they are thicker than a t-shirt but not as thick as a sweatshirt. They are typically worn oversized so this allows for them to be extra comfortable. So even when I wear shorts, I am still able to stay warm enough throughout the day.

Actually it's likely a well known fact about  me that I love elephants. I'm not sure exactly what it is about them that I love so much, but I do! I wouldn't say I'm crazy about them or anything like that though. I have heard stories though about how elephants have similar emotions to humans, and I think that is really interesting.   Here is a great article that talks about it.  To go along with my love of elephants I figured I would share some of my favorite elephant items! Because looking at cute pictures on national geographic's Instagram is just not sufficient. Salt&Pepper Shakers / Mug / Pants / Plant Pot / Tea Pot /  Shorts ( Similar )/  Ring / Crop Set / My Dream Trip I dream of riding an elephant one day in someplace like Thailand. But until then I will just have to stick with precious elephant trinkets and clothes.

Although I do buy full price Lilly Pulitzer items in store from time to time, a fair amount of what I buy comes from eBay, Buy/Sell/Trade groups, and Instagram. eBay is fairly easy to explore while BST groups and Instagram are a whole other animal. Some people may be hesitant to buy from eBay as items are generally used conditions. However the majority of Lilly items, unless current season, are going to have to be bought gently used. Also depending on the item, gently used items tend to be less expensive than full retail items. One feature that I love about eBay it their "followed" search option. While you can do this on your computer, I find it easier and more user friendly on your phone with their app. Once you search an item you can then click the follow search feature. This will then put this specific search onto your followed searches list. From this list it will give you an icon next to the followed searches that have new items listed that you have not viewed yet...

Personally I love being able to get into the gym and get a good workout completed. In the future i'll show y'all my usual workout routine. But today I just had to share this great core workout. Recently I have been working my core especially because it is my "target area". Everyone may have different target areas, but working on your core is beneficial to everyone. c/o pinterest This workout targets all areas of your core to give you a complete workout of your abs. This workout is also great because has a good amount of various exercises. I enjoy various workout like these as opposed to repetitious exercises with little variation. So go to the gym and try this workout! That positive feeling you have when leaving the gym is truly the best!

It's hard to beat the coziness that fall footwear brings! Sandals are enjoyable in the summer, but you have to keep your toes nicely polished. In the fall your toes are covered so I don't have to worry about that! From tall boots to booties to flats there's such a variety of shoes for the fall season. Riding Boots / Leopard Flats here(affordable) and here(splurge) / Tory Burch Flats / TOMS /  LL Bean Boots / Two-Toned Boots

Whether you are a clothes lover like myself or just pick out what's clean, life is truly made easier when your closet and clothes are organized. There is no reason the clothes in your closet need to be in a huge wrinkled pile only to result in an avalanche every time you open it. Having a small closet this year forced me to be extra organized with my closet. I started by hanging up all of my tops and dresses. I find it convenient to put my tops in rainbow color order and by sleeve length to help me find tops easily. Matching a top to a pair of printed Lilly Pulitzer shorts is made easier by my closet being in color order. My dresses are all to the right and are organized by occasion going from t-shirt dresses over to more dressy maxi dresses.  In the top drawer below my closet I keep all of my shorts, tank tops, and swimsuits. In the bottom drawer below my closet I keep a few pairs of jeans as well as couple sweatshirts. In a separate set of drawers is where I keep al...

Unlike other holidays, birthdays occur 365 days a year. That being said, I feel as if another one of my family members or friends are always having a birthday. While giving presents is not the only way to show someone how much you care for them on their birthday, giving them a little surprise gift is always exciting no matter how old they are turning. The gifts in this guide are for the women in your life and can be for any of your friends or family members. Just think what they enjoy most and maybe even gauge it based on how old they're turning. Koozie / Scarf / Tumbler / Wristlet /Sign Box/ Cooler Bag / Sunglasses / Candle

Now usually people talk about having Summer bucket lists or Fall bucket lists, but this is my September bucket list. This is different because its technically still Summer until September 23rd, however September is a month of transition into fall activities with the continued warmth of summer. I'm not quite ready for the cool of fall to begin, however I am looking forward to the fun happenings the fall has to offer. Photo c/o Evelyn Henson This Evelyn Henson print matched my thoughts exactly. Instead of croissants, I plan to find the best bagel place in my small college town. My idea of a journal is continuing with my blogging that I love so much. Shopping for fall accessories is easily one of my favorite tasks. I don't generally love fall colors, but I do like to incorporate a few of my summer colors with almond tone clothing during the month of September. Trying a new cocktail is always great fun that it should truly be on every monthly bucket list. Stocking up on ...

I love a good piece of funky jewelry or a colorful statement necklace, but in the end it's always the same few pieces that get worn the most. Everyone is different but my go to metal is certainly gold. The following five pieces of jewelry are my essentials: a watch, monogram necklace, pearl earrings, tassel necklace, and geometric gold ring. ~Watch~ A watch is a great statement piece the most importantly tells time! I love this gold watch with a neutral band because it matches everything I wear. The fact that a watch tells time is obvious, but it's use in the professional setting is key as it keeps you from pulling out your phone to check the time. ~Monogram Necklace~ A monogram necklace adds a simple and personalized touch to each outfit. It can be worn with a t-shirt to go out to lunch with a friend or it can be worn with a sundress for church on Sunday. ~Pearl Earrings~ Pearl earrings are a every southern girls go-to earrings. They are a cl...