Fall Favorites

I love autumn.  It's my favorite season.  It means the temperatures are cooling off, and the holidays are coming!  It means leaves are changing, and it's time to make your favorite soup!

Bonfires!  Hayrides!!  Corn mazes!!!

It means I can break out my flannels and buy fairy tale pumpkins........

Fall means flannel, right?  You must have a flannel shirt!

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I can clip the tags off a new sweatshirt and drink pumpkin spice lattes.......

Fall means warm drinks like hot apple cider!  You must sip on a seasonal treat!!!

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 I can dress up the front porch........

Fall means mums and pumpkins!  You must decorate for the season!!!

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And finally, I can scoop up $6.00 scarves.......

Because you must have at least one great, new scarf for the season.  (Even though you told yourself you wouldn't buy any more scarves.)

And because buffalo plaid everything.

Red and black checks forever.

What I Wore (to a reception)

Once upon a time I churned out weekly outfit posts!  Now they happen once in a blue moon.

Well, that blue moon must have been out last night.  Or maybe it was out the night before I found this dress.  I don't know.  But this new, favorite dress of mine is worth an outfit post.

Anyway.

I was in desperate need of a new outfit for a wedding reception.  The evening was going to be a little on the chilly side for this time of year, so I wanted something that was sort of a transition type piece.  And Express delivered with the perfect summer-is-on-its-way-out-and-fall-is-coming dress.

Express lace dress

A little black lace + some tribal embroidery + three-quarter length sleeves = perfect!!!  I love this dress so much.

I even wore it to work on Monday. 

Now on to the fun that was had.........

The lovely bride is a longtime friend of ours (as is the groom).  They had the most beautiful reception ever.  I seriously felt like I was at a private party for a celebrity couple.  It.  Was.  Amazing.

And so is this dress!  

Which is currently on sale!

It comes in ivory too!

Go get one!

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy
Two Thirty-Five Designs and....... 

Thrifting Frenzy

Something during my last round of thrifting had me focusing on cold weather wares.

Maybe it was our week-long heat advisory.  Maybe it was because I had my first pumpkin spice latte.

Whatever it was, I walked away with a few fun vintage sweaters, afghans, and my favorite item - ice skates.......

I can't pass up a good pair of ice skates, if the price is right.  They are great for Christmas and winter decorating!

Something else I can't pass up is a cute mid century end table........

I love the caps on the legs and the star detail on the side.

(This is already in the booth with a certain mid century lamp perched on top.)

And while we're talking about the booth, it recently got a makeover........

I finally thrifted enough florals to make a gallery wall!  And that silly wall makes me happy.  I almost don't want any of it to sell.

Wait a minute.

I totally don't mean that.

Linking up with Sir Thrift-a-lot, A Living Space, Vintage Bliss

    The Cottage Market, Magpie Monday, We Call It Junkin

Butterfinger Brownies

I am all about quick and easy desserts!  I mean, I love baking cookies or muffins, but sometimes that just seems like too much work.  On occasion, I want little effort and minimal clean up.  Like on a school night.

I sound so lame.

On a school night.

But seriously.

Anyway.

Pinterest to the rescue again!  Who knew chopping up a Butterfinger candy bar and adding it to a brownie mix could result in a perfect quick go-to dessert?

So brilliant!  So simple!  

Butterfinger Brownies
(original source)

1 box of brownie mix (16 to 22 oz.)*
2 Butterfinger candy bars (2.1 oz.)

*You will also need the ingredients the brownie mix calls for.

Follow directions on brownie packaging for preheating the oven, greasing the pan, and mixing the brownie batter.  Chop the Butterfinger bars and stir into batter.  Pour batter into pan, and bake as directed on packaging!  Cool completely before cutting!

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Quick to make.  Easy to clean up.  So tasty.  I bet other candy bars would work too! 

Snickers will be my next experiment......

Linking up with:   The Chicken Chick, Inspire Me Please and....

Thrifting Frenzy

The last days of summer thrifting were great!!!  I added lots of goodies to my stash.  The question now is, as always, keep or sell?

I think it's keep one, sell one in this situation......

Remember life rule #17 is to never leave a vintage, metal table behind.

Train cases should never be left behind either........

These sell so well, that I'll probably part with this one.

I've also already parted with a few of these items.......

You can be sure though that those pillows are going nowhere (for the moment).

But now for the crown jewels..........

Um, mid century lamp perfection!  And my first ever vintage swimsuit find.  The lamp works.  The swimsuit was new-old-stock-never-been-worn and it's my size.

How in the world could I put these in the booth when I love them so much?

That would be an injustice.

Linking up with Sir Thrift-a-lot, A Living Space, Thrifter Maker Fixer Farm,

    The Cottage Market, Magpie Monday, We Call It Junkin

What I Wore (to the beach)

Summer is almost over.  Teachers in our district are contracted to return next week!  It was a shorter summer than usual, so I really tried to pack it in.

One goal was to reaaaaallllly clean the house.  Actually, organize and purge.  And that happened.  I got rid of so many things, including lots of clothing.  At the end of my purge-fest, I vowed not to purchase any clothing over the summer.

Then we scheduled a vacation (goal number two).  And I came across this bathing suit that I had to have....... 

Promise broken.

Did I really break a promise though?  Do swimsuits even count as clothing? 

This retro inspired one piece was my one big purchase of the summer.  And while it was a splurge, I don't regret it.  

I mean, everyone needs a swimsuit that makes them feel like a movie star, right?

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy and....

Naples, Florida

For the last few summers, I have longed to take a vacation.  But we are terrible planners.  And it just didn't happen.  This summer started off no differently.  Then one Monday morning we got up, went to the Allegiant website, and booked a trip.

Finally beaches and palm trees would be in my future.

I was a little skeptical of booking everything (down to the car) on one site, but after the fact, I would do it again and again.  Everything went so smoothly!  We even got a free upgrade on our rental (and it happened to be a brand new Challenger ~ which is my current car crush).

Naples, Florida was everything.  

Dolphins, alligators, pristine white sand beaches, dinner on the beach at sunset, sailboat excursions, airboat swamp tours.....

We enjoyed lots of beach time with our pick of spots (it wasn't crowded), lots of great food, the pier, and a few fun boat excursions.

I could go on and on. 

We will definitely go back.  And we would definitely use the Allegiant site for booking again.  This trip cost less than one plane ticket to Hawaii (which is where we went on our honeymoon).  We had no issues with reservations or flights.  Our hotel was amazing too!

This trip went beyond my expectations.  It was more than I could have hoped for.  I am so thankful we were able to go.

We love Naples, Florida (hit play for more photos)........

(You can find my bathing suit in the slideshow HERE.)

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Follow me on Instagram @thisvintagegrove!!

Linking up with......High Five for Friday, Friday Favorites, Insta-Friday annnnd....