October, 2015 | A Lovely Living

October 30, 2015

Instagram Roundup

Last night was trick-or-trick in our area and once we got our sugar filled kids down to bed, it left little time for blog brainstorming. So with that, I figured I’d share a little of what’s been going on over on my Instagram feed for those of you that may not have seen.

Here are my three, decked out for trick-or-treat: a ninja, a little lamb and a Princess Sophia, turned ballerina with a side of kitty cat? I just roll with it ;)

I wouldn’t call myself crafty, at all, but once in a while it’s fun to try!

This beauty of a tree in our front yard looked like this just last week. And today, it is bare :(

Sweet Audrey spent nearly a full day with her tongue out. I love watching her discover new things….she’s currently working on her growl :)

This sweater on repeat but never looking the same.

Since Halloween has nearly passed, we can start to focus our attention on Thanksgiving. I picked this cute banner up at Target recently. It’s made of metal and looks great it person. I can’t find it online, although of course there’s a Merry Christmas for sale! ;)

October 28, 2015

Creamy Grilled Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata is one of my favorite meals. This particular recipe is one that I came across a few months ago and have made a handful of times since then. Marinades can make all the difference and I pat myself on the back every time I remember to do it the night before. I didn’t have capers on hand one time I made it and…..well, do yourself a favor and don’t forget the capers!

Creamy Grilled Chicken Piccata via Plain Chicken:

Chicken
Juice of 1 lemon (3Tbsp)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp basil or oregano
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pasta
2 cups dried penne pasta
2 Tbsp butter
Juice of 2 lemons (6 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup half and half (or heavy cream)
2 tsp dried basil
2 Tbps capers
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Chicken:
Combine first 6 ingredients and mix well. Place chicken in a ziplock bag and pour marinade over chicken. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator. When ready, grill until done. Allow chicken to rest for a few minutes and then slice into strips to serve over pasta.

Pasta:
While chicken is grilling, cook pasta according to directions (10-12 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain. In same sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in garlic and lemon juice. Pour in half and half and whisk until hot. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Add the parmesan cheese, basil and capers, and heat until cheese is melted. Check the consistency of the sauce and add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if necessary. Toss in pasta.

Serve in pasta bowls with grilled chicken on top. Sprinkle with more parmesan if desired.

October 26, 2015

Sleeveless Sweater: Take #2

Sleeveless sweaters are quite popular this season. Likely because layering is fun (right?!) and this piece is perfect for that very reason. I first showed you how I styled this one here by layering over top of it with my denim jacket. Today I switched things up to show you the versatility of it by layering underneath. After a cute pair of booties, and a cape, I’d venture to say one of these should top your shopping lists this fall. I link to a few of my favorites (this one included) below.

Details: Anthro sweater (love this and this one as well) / Old Navy shirt / DL 1961 denim (similar) / Sperry booties (similar) / Earrings (similar)

October 23, 2015

Indoor S’mores

We all know Halloween is synonymous with treats….lots and lots of treats. Here’s a fun one you could use to mix things up a little bit for your friends/family that may be tiring of mini-candy bars. I was put in charge of preparing a couple of versions of ‘indoor s’mores’ for a fundraising event at my son’s school. No, I didn’t come up with these on my own but I do thank other bloggers for being so creative! Marshmallows dipped in chocolate, covered in crushed graham crackers and put under the broiler for a moment leads to a rather impressive sweet treat. One I’d pick over (or maybe in addition to? ;) ) a candy bar any day!

October 21, 2015

JCrew Fall Fav’s

Well I had planned an altogether different post for you revolving around a a favorite dish at our place, but then I sat down and got sucked into JCrew’s new arrivals yesterday. So that yummy dish will have to wait ;) There are so many new things to love, I wish you luck trying to narrow them down! I have a handful of favorites to share with you today and the bonus is that there’s currently 25% off full priced styles using code SALETREAT. What’s nice is that the sales start kicking in now through the holiday’s, but the downside is that sizes tend to sell out rather quickly. Especially the good stuff!

Have you checked out the new arrivals? What’s catching your eye??

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

October 19, 2015

Fall Layers

Ok, it’s getting cold. Like rain, sleet, snow cold here in PA. Luckily there are SO many great sweaters and layering pieces out this season that you should be more than covered. The majority of this outfit came from LOFT and although the sweater vest does steal the show, I have to give these leggings some deserved attention. I came across them when I was out helping a few friends style outfits. They all fell in love with them and although I wasn’t shopping for myself that particular day I knew I’d be back for a pair (ok, two) of these! They are the perfect hybrid of a pant and a legging. Thick enough to provide warmth, but with the comfort of a legging and a wide waist band included (sorry, I can’t stand skinny elastic waistbands that squeeze your waist!). Seemed detail and an overall flattering fit make them my new go-to this season and next!

As I mentioned, the temps have been dropping so I threw on a blanket scarf when we headed out. I’m not quite ready for winter coats because once I start there’s no going back until March at best! So for now I’ll continue to embrace the beauty of layering. Come on fall, hang in there!

Details: LOFT sweater vest / LOFT pants / LOFT belt / James Perse shirt via TJMaxx (similar) / Boots (similar) / Scarf via Riley on Main (similar)/ Stella & Dot necklace / Michael Kors watch

October 16, 2015

Life Lately

I haven’t taken the time to update you all on life around here for a while now, so I figured I’d take a minute to do so. Fall is in full swing and I’m finding myself keeping busy with the kid’s schedules (sports, dance class, birthday parties…. kids have quite the social life, don’t they? Much more so than I!) We haven’t even had a chance to get to the pumpkin patch yet, but I’m hoping that happens this weekend. House projects continue to be in the works and now I’m adding to the mix helping my sister plan for her wedding next April, yay!

Madelyn was due for another haircut. We’ve cut it a few times in the past and we always forget how darn cute she is with her little bob! She kept looking at herself in the mirror and gave the cutest little grins :)

Little Miss Audrey Grace turned 5 months old last week. Yes, it’s flying by, but she is at my most favorite stage of infancy. So much fun, laughing giggling, understanding, but not moving or getting into any trouble just yet :)

Here she is, the beautiful bride to be. For any fellow Say Yes To The Dress fans, here’s a little eye candy. Gosh, I’m a sucker. These were some top contenders, but none of them (I repeat NONE OF THEM) made the cut. You’ll all have to hold out for that one!

So, onto the house…this was a little afternoon project I tackled recently. Our garage entrance into our home needed a coat of paint, but instead of keeping it white, I dug into our left over front door paint (Sherwin Williams ‘drizzle’) and brightened it right up. It’s funny, the majority of our walls are fairly neutral, but when it comes to a door, I love color!

Our family room has been slow moving in progress. I’m realizing that sometimes it takes patience for the right pieces to come along. I had been stalking the rugs at Home Goods for months (you can’t beat their prices!) and one afternoon the perfect one appeared! I promptly texted a pic to my husband who in return promptly ignored me ;) But once I got him into the store he agreed. Or he simply didn’t want to talk about rugs any longer? Either way, it was another check off of our list!

How about you guys? Anything fun going on in your life at the moment?

October 14, 2015

Wishlist Wednesday

Today I’m sharing a few favorites from my current wishlist. Shawl collars, draped details and fringe accents (I mean, those booties, come on!). All in soft shades that you know I am a fan of all. year. long. I’d love to know, what’s topping your lists these days?!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

October 12, 2015

Striped Cape

I’ve mentioned my love of capes/ponchos before, most recently here, and this particular cape is one of my top favorites this season. I grabbed it during Nordstrom’s big sale when the weather was still well into the 80’s but I pat myself on the back now for thinking ahead. Luckily for you guys, it’s now on sale again! Talk about an easy fall outfit. Jeans and a long sleeved tee topped off with this beauty for a layer of warmth. You really can’t go wrong!

Details: Cape / AG Denim (similar) / Sperry booties (similar) / Madewell tote / Stella & Dot necklace

October 9, 2015

Loving Lately: Burgundy + Pink

It’s no surprise that I am a fan of pink. Burgundy on the other hand is a color that I am warming up to. I bought a burgundy bucket bag last year and have found it to be much more versatile than I originally expected. Pairing pink with burgundy is a combo that I am eager to put together. I love how the colors play off of each other and throwing some grey into the mix seems to top it off for me. How about you, have you done this combo before?

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a lovely living

Monthly Archives for October 2015