Weekend Finds

This weekend Canaan and I were able to go visit our dear friends in Charlottesville, Va!  

While we were there we found some great finds at local boutiques 

including a certain all time favorite store...Anthropologie!! 

So I thought I'd share!

STACKING RINGS! 

I had been wanting some forever and these were just calling my name! 

And just $5 a ring at BITTERSWEET in downtown Charlottesville, Va!  It was this incredibly charming local shop that I completely fell in love with! I'm a tad..well super jealous that Johnson City is lacking stores of this kind!

Adorable business cards

You should check them out if you get the chance!

Sigh... Anthropologie is my Mecca.  We don't have one anywhere close to where we live (bitter) so when I get the treat to go it's a big deal...like grab a paper bag and hyper-vinalate kind of big deal. 

One of my favorite things about this gem of a store is that even though they have the most beautiful and perfect clothes (which I will never be able to afford) they also have these great smaller finds! 

Perfect for a girl on a budget!

I fell in love with this adorable little ring plate! $8 find?! I think so!

And can we talk about these fox knobs?!?!? 

Foxes have always been Canaan and I's thing, foxes and bees.  So when i found these babies I just couldn't resist!

Since we are young and in that grad-school stage of poor we can't afford to get new furniture or anything like that but we do what we can to make everything our own and give it a "Brackins'" twist!

One of my all time favorite things to do is to change the knobs on our entertainment cabinet and our desk and these were just perfect!

So thankful to spend a great weekend with this girl and her husband! Life just wouldn't be the same without her in my life and heart!

Vintage

I thought I'd share a cozy vintage outfit for this cold and windy day.

This skirt is another gem from my local Goodwill.  

I love a good high-wasted shirt and to make it even better polkadots!

I bought these great navy wedges in a fabulous boutique in London, England.

(The sweater is from Old Navy a few seasons ago.)

On our one year anniversary this past summer Canaan gave me this beautiful ring from Etsy. 

You should defiantly check out their shop!!!

And I can't leave out this incredible one-of-a-kind hand bag that my mother-in-law found in a shop in downtown Erwin called "Forever A Diva".  The detail is incredible and hand stitched!

Make a Statement

Yesterday Canaan and I went to Ashville for the day to celebrate Valentine's Day and to just get out of town for a few hours.  We wondered in to this great shop called Virtue! 

Where I found this great mustard yellow scarf! 

 I love to have a statement piece, and I do believe this is a winner!

I also have to brag on my wonderful husband! He planned a wonderful day for us yesterday! We both took a day off (which is a gift and treat enough) and headed to Ashville!  Not only did he get us a table at one of our favorite places, he also bought me a beautiful new dress for the occasion! 

A keeper you ask...I think so!

 Fabulous navy and white polka dot Gap Dress paired with a braided brown belt, rose tights, boots, a my usual staple of a cozy cardigan!

Last season Fossil Bee neckless. We Brackins' are big on bees :) 

My Valentine

Great Wall of Chocolate to top it off? Yes please and thank you!

Fox Hunt

If you had me pick my favorite item of clothing  

I would, without hesitation, pick my 

fox hunt skirt. 

The greatest find I've ever had from Goodwill hands down! And think it was only seven bucks!

The pattern may seem a tad strange but whats better than a story of a fox hunt on a cozy skirt?! Thats right absolutely nothing! (or at least in this girls opinion)

I wear this skirt all the time and yet never the same way twice.  

Today I paired it with a great braided belt from Forever XXI.

A terrific multi layered ivory shirt from Target, as well as the bright cardigan , and my Oxfords with  Ivory socks to seal the deal.

And on a gorgeous day like today a girls gotta have those great vintage inspired shades!

Let me know what you think!

Mix It Up

I work in retail, so that means most days I thrive on comfort, a good pair of shoes, and caffeine. However after a rough Wednesday working on truck for hours opening boxes and putting furniture together I went home covered in dirt.  

After a day like that a girl has got to Mix it up!  

Thursday felt like the day! 

 I have this great Jersey Dress that came from my mother-laws closet that I just adore however,

 with it being so cold it needed a few layers to get me through.

I added a cute navy polo that has ruffles going up the front and 

my favorite coral cardigan for a pop of color.

 A hint of vintage.  

This pin was my great grandmothers and a wonderful addition to any outfit!

 Navy Tights paired with Bass oxfords (a fab find from Ross last season.)

 My favorite accessories from the Hubby! 

 I can't go a day without my watch and you can't go wrong with the Fossil key bracelet. 

Photo credit to the ever so wonderful and handsome Canaan Brackins!

Fresh

We finally have our internet back in the Brackins' household so I thought I'd share a few pictures of our kitchen with you!  Our first kitchen wasn't even deserving of the title especially with our 2 drawers and...well not that was all there was.  So when we moved into this apartment almost a year ago  needless to say we were more than pleased with all the cabinet space and room to move without the washer and dryer in the middle of the floor. (yes that was the layout of the old apartment! yikes!)

 Above: I am not a patient person (as those who know me know all too well) however I waited for these fantastic bowls to go on sale forever! They are from Pier 1 Imports.  

The great pitcher on the right is a magical find from TJMax.

Below: I love funky pieces! 

The pitcher behind the apples does indeed have a cow as the handle! I do believe that defiantly qualifies as funky!

 You can't really tell from the picture but the I made the curtains in the kitchen.  I found a beautiful light teal curtain panel with great detail work at the bottom at Ross back in the summer.  I cut the panel in half and hemmed them so I could use them in here!  The entire project cost me $8!

And I'm crazy about my beautiful buttercup yellow mixer that was a wedding present from 

friends at church!

 We picked this chair up at a garage sale and it originally had a tan seat but I covered it with some really great teal fabric with little white flowers on it.  It completely changed the look at feel of it!

Even though it's not much we really love making our little apartment completely ours!  We love finding those one of a kind or funky little pieces that just scream us! 

 Hope you enjoyed this little tour! More to come soon!

Bragging Rights

 So I just have to take the time to brag on my wonderful husband who also has pretty great taste in clothes once I can get him out of his favorite neon T-shirt.

This is one of his favorite outfits (and mine too).  And how could it not be!

He's wearing:
-Kaki pants from H&M (that he swears by)
-Denim shirt is from American Eagle which is not where we typically shop but when you have a gift card...and he really pulls it off if I say so myself.

Anyways I just wanted to take a day and brag on my handsome hubby :)

P.S. I might have taken these photos with a 35mm....

 I'm sure you're all super curious as to what I wore to church this past Sunday...so after much demand here it is.

Great coral and navy dress by Dizzy Lizzy via TJMax.
Navy tights from Target, gray sweater also from Target.
And my favorite shoes of all time, gray, Madden Girl, one inch heels with leather ruffles!

Of course I had to top it all of with two layers of coats, gloves, and a scarf but it's the thought that counts.

Baby Shower

Last weekend I threw a baby shower for one of my dearest friends who is expecting a beautiful baby boy next month! I thought I would share some photos!

My dad and I worked on these little wooden       blocks with Gabriel's name on them. 

I used  Martha Stewart chalk board paint to create a cute sign for the gifts. 

I used a Curious George story book as a guest book.  It makes a great take home gift for the mom-to-be and something fun to remember the day. 

Zoo animals seemed like a fun theme for the party so I tried using these great animal cut out wherever I could. 

I use these jars from Target for everything! I wrapped some colored baking twine around the lids to tie it all in together.

These great little cups were perfect for the small treats that you don't want you and your closest friends to all touch :)

No baby shower is complete without fresh flowers (or at least that's how I see feel)  A great way to make your own vases is to take an old jar or bottle and wrap scrapbook paper  around them and then add some twine or ribbon around them to finish it off.  I used the small scrapbook paper that I used for everything to just to tie it all in together.

 Since we were celebrating the arrival of a bouncing baby boy what better way to toast a new life than blue punch?! That's right blue and white striped straws! 

 I hope you enjoyed the photos! It was so wonderful to get to spend time with such a wonderful friend and celebrate their little miricle!  Let me know what you think I'd love some feedback.