BIG BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY! [CLOSED]

Well, I'm officially another year older... and that means it's time for a giveaway! The first year of my 30s definitely wasn't easy, but how far I've come is certainly worth celebrating. Since I'm sure I'll be getting more than enough presents this year, I'm giving out a prize package to thank you for your ongoing support. Ready for the details? One (1) lucky winner will receive the following:

• Patsie Dress in Baby Blue (size XS-3X) from May 68
• "Happy Birthday" print skirt (size XS-3X) by Kate Gabrielle
• Simplicity Vintage tote bag and half apron
• Pusheen birthday cupcake plush
• Choice of one (1) Sephora #LipStories lipstick
• ban.do pink glittery tumbler
• Vintage Tea Party book
• bubblegum pink beret
  
  

Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. This giveaway is open worldwide and will run from now until 11:59 PM on November 1, 2019. You must leave a blog post comment (and complete all other mandatory entries) to be eligible to win. One (1) winner will receive all of the prizes listed above. Please note that any out-of-stock items will be substituted with comparable products. The winner will be contacted via email (so provide a valid email address!) and must respond within 48 hours of being contacted to claim their prizes and coordinate receipt. If no response has been received by that time, a new winner will be chosen. The winner will be announced via this widget after confirmation has been verified. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for entering and for your continued support! Best of luck, friends!

An Apple a Day

Apples may not be my favorite fruit in the world, but I do love picking them! Sure, going to the apple orchard is a cliché fall activity – especially here in New York State (even Saturday Night Live aired a recent skit about it!). But that doesn't make me love it any less. I had the chance to go a couple of times this year and probably would go again if I got the chance... except now I have more apples than I know what to do with! The lengths I'll go to for fresh cider donuts and cider slushies...

I found this plaid vintage dress on Poshmark and knew it'd be perfect for this setting. While I certainly still love getting my hands on newly released items, it's getting to the point where I really need to watch my spending. As a result, I've been using Poshmark more – and restyling a lot of the great pieces I already have in my closet. One good thing about getting healthier is that you can go "shopping" in parts of your closet you'd abandoned for a while.

I can't believe we're already mid-way through October... and I haven't even started showing my Halloween-themed outfits yet! Plus, my birthday is coming up SOON (and not much planning has taken place there, either). Can fall just slow down a little bit?? What activities are on your to-do list for the rest of the fall?

Outfit Details

Vintage Dress: Poshmark (similar)

Cardigan: ModCloth  ||  Belt: similar

Boater hat: similar  ||  Shoes: available here

Have a great start to your week! (Mine's going to be a VERY busy one!)

Sunflower

All images by Emma Rizzo Photo

Last month, Emma and I drove out to Clifton Springs for our now-annual trip to see these incredible sunflower fields. We made the pilgrimage for the first time last year and we knew we had to come back again once August rolled around. The weather proved to be a bit tricky, but Emma came through (as always) with some stunning shots.

While we were traipsing through the fields, I couldn't help but think back to the last time we were there. It was a truly magical experience and we had a great day exploring the area. But that little escape (and others like it) was definitely necessary at the time. In retrospect, I can admit how sad and stressed I was then. It's hard to keep that in mind sometimes, particularly when my heart is hurting and I just want to view the past in a rosy light. But it's moments like these when things really come into focus and I can see that – in spite of all the darkness – the sun still shines... and maybe it's much brighter than it once was. I really do feel like a little sunflower looking towards the light.

Speaking of sunflowers... I know a lot of other people would love nothing more than to capture some special memories in a field like this. If you live in Rochester or the surrounding area, you're in luck: Emma will be having sunflower field mini-sessions a little later this month! If you're interested you can book your slot here – and don't dawdle, as sign-ups are limited and spots will go quickly!

Outfit Details

Arina Dress: Gal Meets Glam (similar here and here)

Boater hat: similar  ||  Flats: Jessica Simpson

Hope your day is a sunny one!

Just Peachy

I can't lie: although I love pretty much all kinds of fruit, peaches are my absolute favorite. They're the cutest, the fuzziest, and the juiciest. You can't possibly deny the allure of their emoji, either. And being able to use "peachy keen" (or a variant) in a sentence is always fun. Plus, peaches are the perfect accompaniment to ice cream. So really, what's not to love? I'll use any excuse to go peach picking when the season rolls around... and lucky for me, that season is happening right now!

I always say that I bruise like a peach, but I guess I love dressing like one, too. Although I wanted this Gal Meets Glam dress ever since it came out, I didn't pull the trigger right away. I ended up forgetting about it until I saw it was available at a deep discount. Sadly, it's no longer available there (though there are a bunch of listings for this dress on Poshmark). There are a bunch of other GMG dresses on sale at Nordstrom Rack, where I found this one! So if you've been waiting for a bargain, this could be a good time to try this line – which is one of my favorites, by the way.

This weekend, I'm planning on spending some time outdoors, enjoying some good food and rest, and gearing up for the Rochester Fringe Festival (which starts next week!). I can scarcely believe it's already September. I'm slowly starting to embrace the idea of autumn, though I'm still soaking up all of the sunshine I can while it lasts. I know everyone's excited for fall, so I'll start decorating – and doing autumnal things – very soon. But for now, I'll be wearing my summer dresses and eating as many peaches as possible.

Outfit Details

Dress: Gal Meets Glam (similar here and here)

Boater hat: similar  ||  Necklace: Macy's

Flats: Jessica Simpson  ||  Basket: Amazon

Have a sweet weekend!