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 ; )

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