Merry Christmas, guys! Weather wise, this has been the most amazing winter so far. No complaints from me! I love being able to wear dresses comfortably without freezing my butt off. 

Also, hey flower crown! Gah! It was my first time making one and I went all out with this statement piece. Designing with flowers is such a fun challenge....not to mention, GORGEOUS! Remember, pick a variety of colors, textures and sizes to combine together. I have some directions and tips below!

DIY Statement Floral Crown 

• floral wire
• floral tape and of course
• freshly picked flowers.

First, cut a piece of wire to fit you head. It's up to your own preference to how you'd like it to lay and fit you. Overlapping the wire ends, use the floral tape to wrap and secure the ends together. Make sure to pull and wrap the tape tight. Floral tape isn't as sticky as regular tape so it was a little hard to get used to.

Now that you have your crown base, lay it flat on the table so you can start arranging flowers around it to get an idea of how you'd like it to look. Trim the stems to be around 2 inches long. You'll be taping these to the wire.

I used cuts of evergreen branches as the main greenery element and wrapped those to the wire first as my base. I spaced small cuts equally around (except for the front). Wrap each stem base with the tape until it's secure to the wire with little movement.

I left the front bare (no evergreen) so I could easily add in my focal point. I grouped my largest flowers (3 giant mums) in the center and arranged carnations around them as accents with little snippets of evergreen. Try on your piece every once in a while while you're making it to see how it lays and to see how it holds up. Make any adjustments necessary and ENJOY!

Flower Crown: diy  ///  Coat: Zara  ///  Dress: Missguided  ///  Boots: Missguided 

Back to black...& brown. It's always been favorite color combo of mine, maybe it's just because the majority of people are afraid to wear them together. To me, it's a sophisticated vibe and it speaks confidence....do your own thing and don't follow the crowd. I love how brown can tone down an upscale, dressier look. This long and flowing black maxi dress from PYLO oozes glamor and would typically worn for a night out. IF you pair brown with it, you automatically get a toned down casual look. I love being able to work items into different styles and make them versatile. Versatility enables you to be able to pair down your wardrobe, get rid of the extra clutter.

Hat: ASOS  ///  Earrings: Souls Repurpose  ///  Charlize Mock Neck Maxi Dress: PYLO  /// Plaid Vintage Blanket  ///  Boots: Matisse (from Swell)  ///  Harness: Glam & Grace

Why it's taken me 32 years of my life to finally make my own queso, is so beyond me.  Seriously, what have I been doing this whole time? Well, finally...i did it and it's super easy to make. I have the delish recipe below so you can have a hot bowl of cheesy goodness in no time.

WHITE QUESO DIP

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Butter/Margarine
• 1/4 cup Red Onion, diced
• 1/4 cup Green Pepper diced
• 12 oz White American Cheese (got slices from deli)
• 4 oz Pepper Jack cheese shredded
• 1/4-2/3 cup milk (I used 2%)
• 1 Tomato - diced
• Fresh parsley, chopped (you may want to use cilantro instead)
• Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

1. Heat the oil in a sauce pan. Cook the onion and pepper (med/high heat) until softened and reduce heat to medium-low.
2. Add the shredded cheese and 1/4 cup of the milk. Stir, stir, stir until melted together 
3. Add the tomatoes, parsley & cayenne to your liking
4. Add more milk if you'd like a thinner consistency.
5. Pour into a heat safe bowl and enjoy with tortilla chips!

(Recipe inspiration from here)

The only pair of blue jeans I own, PYLO Gypsy Minor Bellbottoms in Creedence...oh how I love. These jeans are a dream! They feature a high waist, long inseam and mega bells. The trend is done right when the bell covers your footwear...done any other way and you'll look like your former self from the 2000's. We don't wanna go there.

Another huge trend for fall are maxi cardigans. This one has stylish bell sleeves and comes in a beautiful Marsala color (#heyPantonehey). Even though I've shut it in about 5 doors today, it's still my current fav. It's lovely to layer and creates a long sleek line with the body.

Necklace & Earrings: Glam & Grace (in the shop!)  ///  Oversized Tee: Nordstrom Rack   /// Cardidan: Missguided  ///  High Waist Bellbottoms: PYLO

You guys!!! I'm excited to be launching a set of handcrafted mineral lipsticks. This trendy lip wear not only feels amazing on your lips but it's chemical free! You can feel totally at ease when you wear it. I've been working hard perfecting the recipe and blending the perfect set of on-trend colors. There are currently 6 colors available with more on the way.
Shop now at glamandgraceshop.com!
They will also be available at The Cleveland Flea October 10th and Crafty Mart November 28 & 29th.

Simplicity & Neutrals are still a go over here. My casual "minimalist" pieces are easy to pair with each other and then pile on the bold accessories. This ASOS Chambray Maxi Dress is more like a lightweight jacket/cover up for now. It's prefect for the transitioning weather where I can just toss it over a summer dress. Once Fall really hits, I can button it up, wear it as a dress and even pair it with a cardigan. Versatile pieces like this make themselves at home in my closet.
This necklace tho...I'm in love with Madewell jewelry. It's great inspiration for my own line. I love the simple shapes with the industrial feel. Mixing the brass and silver also gives the piece character and you're able to mix and match it with other accessories of either tone.

Hat & Sunglesses: ASOS  ///  T-Shirt Dress: PYLO  ///  Chambray Maxi Dress: ASOS  ///  Earrings: Glam & Grace  ///  Knee-high Lace-up Gladiators: UrbanOG  ///   Necklace: Madewell

CROPS, BELLS & LACE UPS

These styles are my favorite for fall. It's all about a modernized 70s vibe. If it has a bell or if it laces up, rock it.

The beautiful denim bellbottoms are from PYLO. I have the Gypsy Minor Bellbottoms in Creedence (for the shorties). They fit like a dream. The high waist and the oversized bell is the way to go!

Lace-up flats are an item I've been eyeing. I'm not a big fan of flats but the criss-cross action has me interested. They'd pair great with cropped pants or a cute mini.

Another look I love are the giant bell sleeves...even better if the top laces up. Too many trends in one item? ....pssssh never ; )

original images: 1  ///  2  ///  3  ///  4  ///  5

This recipe has been a family favorite for decades. I've ate this for breakfast and snacks since
I was a kid...don't forget the apple juice, of course. Trust me, you won't want to limit devouring
this just to fall time, it's good to make year round. I'm busting this out now to try and prepare myself
for the season change and attempting to bribe myself into even liking fall. We'll see how it works out.
Enjoy!

RECIPE: Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Drizzle Frosting

Pumpkin Muffins

3 Cups sugar                                
1 1/2 teaspoon salt                      
1 teaspoon nutmeg                  
1 teaspoon cloves                        
1 teaspoon cinnamon              
2 teaspoons baking soda
2/3 cup hot water
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
3 1/3 cups flour
2 cups pumpkin

First, blend sugar, spices and eggs. Next add in pumpkin and oil. In separate bowl, mix flour and baking soda. Gradually blend flour mixture into pumpkin mixture, alternating with water. Mix well.
Pour batter into muffin liners/pan
Bake at 350 degrees for 18-24 minutes till toothpick comes out clean

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz cream cheese

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 box powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 tablespoon almond milk

Cream sugar and cream cheese together. Add in vanilla and gradually add in powdered sugar. 

The almond milk is to make the frosting a less dense constancy, add to your liking. Mix ingredients well and drizzle onto muffins when they are cool. 

Just to note, I eyeball this recipe. I usually do equal parts of butter & cream cheese. Then I add powdered sugar till it gets to the consistency I want. 

PYLO you rock my world. The Namiko T-Dress is a dream. Oversized and flowy, perfect to wear while Summer is winding down. Im wearing it in the color called "Naked", a light fleshy neutral with a touch of pink. It works well with the trending minimalist style. For my skin tone, I pair this color with darker accessories (hat, shoes, ect) to add depth and contrast so I won't won't look washed out (wink wink). I've been into simple minimalistic dresses this summer, ones you can throw on and go. Just add some killer accessories.

Hat: Nastygal  ///  Earrings: Glam & Grace  ///  Sunglasses: Nastygal  ///  Necklace: Banana Republic  ///  Arm Party: Glam & Grace  ///  Namiko T-Dress: Pylo  ///  Gladiator Sandals: Urban OG

Rustic Boho Layer Cake with Fresh Flowers

If you know me personally, you're well aware I'm like an little old lady who loves tending to her summer flowers. Unfortunately living in my loft, I'm unable to have flower beds anymore but I'm still finding ways to incorporate pretty greenery and lovely live flowers into my life.

This was my first experience designing a cake with real, fresh flowers. It was great & it was nerve-racking...but I highly recommend doing it. 

The layer cake is white cake with vanilla buttercream. I frosted only in-between layers and the top of the cake. Keeping the sides unfrosted provides the rustic boho look. It gives off an unperfect vibe, which I love. Decorating with buttercream (instead of fondant) and embracing it's messier quality, is my absolute favorite.

DESIGN TIPS

Pick a variety of flowers

I chose some vibrant peachy orange/pink roses as a main focal. As supporting cast, I wanted greenery. I used killer lime green mums and leafy eucalyptus stems. All 3 plants have a very different look which gives variety to your creation. The varying visual texture makes it more interesting to look at.

Layer and Pile it On!

Don't be shy here. Why not heap on the flowers? Go for it and make a statement. I started with a blanket of rose petals and then placed a group of flowers on top as discussed below.

Create a Focal Point

I grouped a large rose, some sprigs of eucalyptus and a few mums on the top of the cake. This arrangement grabs your attention and creates visual interest. In one spot lower on the plate, I also gathered a few blooms to make it look like a cascading effect. 

Dealing with the natural & fresh aspect was challenging. The eucalyptus and mums are quite resilient while the Roses are quite delicate and will wilt a little more quickly. I had a couple of back up roses for a quick replacement after I arrived to my destination. It's good to keep all the flowers in water and then place them on the cake at the absolute last minute.

All in all, it was a fun experience. I just had to go with the flow and learn as I went along. The flowers were gorgeous and made for a lovely presentation. I can't wait to give it another try and experiment with different flowers.