A LITTLE ON OUR LATELY (+ THE WINNER OF MY FIRST GIVEAWAY)

Hi friends!!!  I'm sorry it's been so quite over here on L+R this week.  I was in Pittsburgh for work, and it was one busy week!  I hope you all had a great week, and our gearing up for an even better weekend!

The Mr. had champagne waiting for me when I arrived home, as well as the living room rearranged, with our Christmas tree up and waiting to decorate.  It was such a nice surprise, and I was emotional and happy to be home with my boys {I missed Israel + Bailey an extra amount this week}.

my Poor Sparrow earrings // Bailey's side of the bed is the middle

election day stickers // outfit of the day {tailgate style}

pre-game OSU // Varsity Club with @israelmartin {also know as my Mr.}

getting ready to see the Whigs at CD102.5's Big Room // post Big Room with the Whigs

the Whigs in concert {SO good} // Bailey looking oh-so handsome

OSU vs. Michigan with the crew // just Miss Daisy acting as my pillow

the view from my room this week in Pittsburgh // my first giveaway!!!

a wonderful welcome home from the Mr... champagne + the tree up and all ready to decorate

>>> Time to announce the winner of my first giveaway!  Thanks to all of you for entering and commenting.  I put your names in a hat, closed my eyes, and drew the old fashioned way... and the winner is... Kiley Kate!  Congratulations, Kiley!  Email me your address and I'll get it shipped right away!

L+R GIVEAWAY - POOR SPARROW

Hi friends!  Today, I'm excited to announce my very first giveaway!  

Lovely + Rust's inaugural giveaway is from Poor Sparrow.  I was really excited when Katie contacted me because I enjoy partnering with brands I believe in!  Katie Guagenti was first inspired by her Great Aunt Helen's jewelry collection, and has since combined her love of antique jewelry and design to start her shop - Poor Sparrow.  You can check out all of her pieces on her Etsy shop, but today we are giving away the fabulous turquoise necklace below.  I "tested" it on Thanksgiving Day and let me tell ya... I love it. {I own the top triangle earrings + the vintage hundred dollar bill charm necklace, and might need to add this turquoise necklace to my collection!}

To enter, please "like" Poor Sparrow's facebook page... 
Then "like" Lovely + Rust's facebook page... 
Then comment below.  

The winner will be announced Friday, November 30th.

MUSIC MONDAY WITH STU HERMAN

1. Van Morrison / Into The Mystic
2. The Police / Walking On The Moon 
3. The Rolling Stones / Gimme Shelter
4. Creedence Clearwater Revival / Have You Ever Seen The Rain
5. ZZ Top / La Grange
6. Steve Miller Band / Fly Like An Eagle
7. Jim Croce / Operator - That's Not The Way It Feels
8. Rod Stewart / Maggie May
9. The Allman Brothers Band / Statesboro Blues
10. Bob Marley & The Wailers / Redemption Song
11. Curtis Mayfield / Freddie's Dead
12. The Doors / Roadhouse Blues
13. Roger Waters / Breathe

I'm happy to welcome our friend, Stuart Herman to the blog today!  A little about Stu... The Mr. met Stu when they wrestled in high school, and they later became buddies when they ended up at the same college.  Stu recently moved back to Ohio, after attending law school in Florida, and we're happy to have him closer {he lives in Cincinnati}.  He is a die hard Cleveland sports fanatic, is scared of clowns, and is the #1 consumer of ranch dressing in North America.  Stu was a groomsmen in our wedding, and gifted us with Foo Fighters tickets... which was one of the coolest gifts ever.

Click here to listen to Stu's playlist...  "B. S. - Songs from the Before Stu Era."  Thanks, Stu!

THE GLAD GAME: THANKSGIVING EDITION

Happy Thanksgiving, lovely readers!
and

Happy six years of dating to my amazing husband!

A little list of the things I am feeling thankful and glad for this morning, Thanksgiving Day...

coffee
the Macy's parade
this sunny, amazing day

being home at my parent's

the smell of cooking in the kitchen
the food that I'll be over-eating later
the family I will see very soon
looking forward to spending Saturday with friends
+

this day last year was my first non-wedding post, so I'm also thankful for a year of blogging
+
YOU, for supporting my blog

1984 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

1940

 1931

 1934

and the parade finale... Santa!

image credits: one // two // three // four // five

What are you thankful for?  I would love to read your comments!

Wishing you the happiest of days {and weekends}... filled with warmth, good food, and family.
Until Monday...

MY THANKSGIVING OUTFIT STRATEGIES

Happy Day Before Thanksgiving, friends!  I was away from home all day, so I apologize for the evening post.  I know you missed me this morning {*wink wink}.

My Thanksgiving outfit is always quite strategic...  Comfy and loose so I can fit all of that delicious food, and lightweight because it gets hot in the kitchen!  I also try to wear my not-super-low-rise jeans because... well, my family does not need to see my undergarments when I sit.  Last, but not least I wear low comfy boots.  Boots and not flats, because I want to be able to take my shoes off and not be barefoot {so I also have to make sure I wear my good socks!}.

Below are a few lightweight sweaters, a blouse, and a couple of dresses I wouldn't mind wearing tomorrow...

Another fabulous option are leggings!  I would wear them with a dress / tunic something like the two below, and the same boots as above!  Comfy, cute, and a stretchy waist band.  Just what you need Thanksgiving Day.

one // two // three // high-waisted jeans + blouse + boots

dresses: one // two

LOAFERS FOR BROADWAY + THRESHER

Hello, friends!  

Today I'm blogging over at Broadway + Thresher.  

Below is a little sneak peek, but click on over there to see the rest {and get the links}!

You know you want to... go on - go!

MUSIC MONDAY with CYNTHIA FELSBURG

Gothic Tropic // Flesh Dance
Monogold // Ivory Teeth Golden Tusk
Stepdad // Must Land Running
Passion Pit // Carried Away
Cold Cave // Life Magazine
Divine Fits // The Salton Sea
Holograms // Chasing My Mind
King Tuff // Bad Thing
Electric Guest // This Head I Hold
The Virgins // One Week Of Danger
Sleigh Bells // End Of The Line

I'm happy to welcome my good friend, Cynthia Felsburg, to the blog today.  And here is a little about the lady who knows the band you've never heard of:  She is a graphic designer and concert goer.  She loves music, tattoos, and mustaches.  She had bangs before everyone else did, drinks Diet Pepsi in the morning, and is obsessed with UNC basketball.  She's also really darn witty. 

Cynthia introduced me to lots of new bands with her "If I Had A Mustache" playlist!  Click here to listen.  Thanks, Cyn!

THESE THINGS // THIS WEEK {NO.10}

Happy Friday, ya'll.  

This week the Mr. and I were fortunate to be part of a small group of folks invited to The Big Room at CD102.5 for the Whigs.  So cool to be on the other end of one of those interviews & acoustic shows you hear on the radio.  They played about three songs, and we got to meet them and chat a bit afterwards.  Later that night we had tickets to see them play at a small venue here in Columbus, The Basement.  They were SO good.  Afterwards, it took an hour or more for the Mr. and my hearing to return to normal, but it was oh-so worth it.  Thanks to the Mr. for introducing me to my newest fav band.

And this week was my first time blogging over at Broadway + Thresher.  I'm so excited to be a part of this new magazine.  Make sure to check it out!

Have a wonderful weekend! 

The Whigs, of course!

 Loving this jean coat...

and I have to make this recipe for Nutella Browned Butter Cookies SOON...

one of my favorite style pins - via the Free People blog...

I adore these Sam Edelman boots...

{and if you're local - a little birdie told me they have them at Ladybird!}

 how cute would these birch straws be at a party...

I always balance my cup on the arm of the couch, because I'm just too lazy to lean forward and sit my cup on the coffee table?  

I think someone should make one of these for me...

and this just made me smile.

MAKEUP WITH MADOLYN - PART TWO

Here it is!  The second half of Maddie's current favorite products from Sephora {first group here}.  I'm so glad you all like the new makeup feature!  I'm definitely going to continue doing makeup posts... and if we're lucky, they'll include future recommendations from the gorgeous gal below! 

Thanks so much, Maddie!

In the words of the fabulous Madolyn Wagner...

1. Lips:  Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Stains are available in 20 awesome shades. These are for the girl on the go that dont want to carry 3 different lip products in her purse! Its not only a non-drying stain, but its your lipstick and gloss all in one! YSL just launched some new shades so check them out - they are so great for fall!

2. Bronzer:  Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder is made with cocoa powder so it not only smells like amazing chocolate, but it's a matte powder that always keeps a natural brown tone - never orange!

3. Eyeshadow:  Urban Decay have some of the best shadow palettes! They have a new one called "The Feminine Palette" that includes 6 soft, neutral shades (lavendars, soft browns, pinks). It lets you express your girly side - I love it! It also comes with a mini lipgloss!

4. Mascara:  Korres Volcanic Mineral Obsidian Black Mascara - my new favorite! Who doesn't want curl, length, and volume (in 1 - 2 coats nonetheless)! Its one of the richest pigmented mascaras on the market using volcanic minerals from Korres Greece! Gives the lashes 600% more volume increase! Its so conditioning for the lashes, I have been using it a month already and I can NOT believe how my lashes have been growning! It is such a great product :)

5. Limited Edition:  Nars Andy Warhol Collection! I'm SO excited about this! For our artsy girls this collection is so fun! 5 long wear glosses, 4 shadow palettes, and some collectors items as well. All the colors are inspired by images from Andy Worhol :)

6. Body:  Josie Maran body products ROCK! Whipped Argan Oil... an all over body whip that smells like vanilla apricot. I can't get enough of this! It's super reparative; it protects your skin from getting dry and cracked all winter long. I layer mine on top of her Argan Balm (solid form of argan oil you emulsify in your hands and warm to spread) and the results are to die for! SO soft :)


Madolyn Wagner
Personal Beauty Advisor - Sephora Polaris
Madolyn.Wagner@Sephora.com // 614.785.9990 - ext 2 or 4

YOUNG FRANKK

Young Frankk is a jewelry line that was launched in 2011 by Christine Young, an illustration artist turned jewelry designer.  It is getting a lot of love from bloggers right now, which is how I found it!  I adore the minimal, yet statement making, shapes.  I am really coveting a few of the pieces... especially the cuff above.  

BROADWAY + THRESHER

I'm excited to be involved in a new magazine called Broadway + Thresher.  I will be helping with all things fashion.  The blog has launched, and that is where you will find me blogging today.  Below is sneak peak at that post, about opulent details this fall.  

Have I peaked your interest.  Well, I can't summarize Broadway + Thresher better than the Editors-in-Chief themselves...

"While there are countless lifestyle magazines on the news stand today, none have taken the time to explore the rich diversity of our rural areas, and the influence urban migration has had on them. Family artisans, practicing the craft of their forefathers, can now communicate with countless folks and source new, exciting materials from around the world. As their perspective grows, so to do their products and their talents. 

Broadway+Thresher will focus on individuals, couples, and families expressing their identity as artists, trendsetters and innovators living boldly and without compromise in non-urban settings, bringing the diversity and dynamism that has been traditionally the province of the city to rural America and beyond. Not only will Broadway+Thresher focus on the rural lifestyle, but also the cutting edge of architecture, art, food and artisanal manufacturing and the untold stories of the people who have made it possible. The magazine will highlight both people and product, but will never lose sight of the aesthetics and artistry that are central to the articulation of the sophisticated rural perspective."

You can click here to "like" their facebook page and make sure you're kept up to date on all the happenings {and while your at it - you can "like" my page, too}.

And you should definitely click here to head on over to the blog!

MUSIC MONDAY with NICOLE RICHARDS

1. Mount Moriah // Lament
2. The Horrible Crowes // Behold the Hurricane
3. Dawes // Time Spent in Los Angeles
4. Motopony // Kind of Diamonds
5. Jessica Lea Mayfield // Blue Skies Again
6. Alabama Shakes // I Found You
7. Mumford & Sons // I Will Wait
8. Gaslight Anthem // Here Comes My Man
9. The Head And The Heart // Lost In My Mind
10. Trampled By Turtles // Wait So Long
11. Heartless Bastards // Parted Ways


Very happy to welcome my dear friend, Nicole Richards, to the blog today.  A little about the gal who always knows the new cool band... She is a graphic designer and a concert goer.  Nicole loves music, seasonal beers, and her dog Daisy {who I love, too}.  She has pretty hair, a sarcastic sense of humor, and recently moved to our little neighborhood {we are really enjoying her being so close!}.

I am loving the "Snow Day" playlist she created for us! You can listen here. Thanks, Nicole!

L+R VINTAGE

Happy Friday, folks!  This weekend we're headed to our hometown.  It feels like forever since we've been home, and I'm ready to hit the road and get there.  We're having Thanksgiving early with my husband's family.  I'm so excited to see my sister-in-law, her hubby, and my precious niece - Zoey {in town from NC}.  

Today I thought I would share a bit about the Etsy shop.  I don't have a ton posted yet... about 30 items or so, but it's going well!  This week I bid farewell to the below coat.  I'm not going to lie, this one was quite painful to box up and ship off.  Part of me really wanted to keep it for myself, but it's so heavy and warm that it belongs to someone who has to walk to the train in the morning, and can show it off in the big city.  Yep, this 70's beauty now resides in Brooklyn. This week I also shipped a handbag to NYC.  Speaking of New York, can you believe the snow storm they had?  I feel so horrible for all of those people still without power, and now they're dealing with that.  To all my friends in that area - I am thinking of you!

It's fun to ship these items off to their new homes.  I'm really enjoying it, and I have lots of new stuff to get listed.  I found some fabulous shoes {if you wear a size 6, keep an eye out}, some great designer pieces, a fur vest, and more.  I also lucked upon a gorgeous men's Pendleton navy wool pea coat with black fur trim.  It fits the Mr., so we'll see if he decides to keep it!

These are just a few of my favorite pieces in the shop right now.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  Until Monday...

50s / 60s fur trim coat...

fur lined trench...

red leopard print shirt dress...

vintage huaraches...

and my absolute fav - this 70s maxi skirt. I'm in love.

MAKEUP WITH MADOLYN

I have a few exciting features coming up on L+R.  Exciting to who, you ask?  Oh, come on!  I have another style at home feature lined up, a few style muses, will finally start sharing personal style posts again {I know... I haven't done one since June!}, AND... ta da - this post right here!

Once upon a time, my sister and I went to Sephora to buy make-up for my wedding.  We decided to have our makeup professionally done, then purchase those products to do it ourselves on the big day.  This is how we met the amazing Madolyn.  She spent at least an hour with me... asking me what I wanted my make-up to look like and carefully choosing products, then showing me how to apply it.  And then she spent the same quality time with my sister.  I have to tell you, I loved my make-up {and Kate's} on my wedding day.  We have both continued to use some most of those products Maddie chose. 

Since then, I have been back about three? times for different things... a concealer, an eyeliner... stuff like that.  I buy whatever Maddie tells me to buy.  Seriously.  I tell her what I'm looking for, and I 100% trust her recommendation on the brand and shade of whatever that may be.  Not to mention - she's gorgeous, and always has the coolest cool-girl haircut and personal style.

I have been wanting to start writing about beauty products once in awhile.  And what better gal to start us off, and share her favorites, than Maddie!  Below is the first half of her current favorite products, starting with complexion.  Look for the second half of her list next week!  Thanks, Maddie!

In the words of the fabulous Madolyn Wagner...

1. Primer: I LOVE the Laura Mercier Radiance Primer! It gives a beautiful subtle glow to the skin before you put on your makeup. If you're a powder foundation girl, this product is amazing because powder tends to be flat and dull, but this primer has an illuminosity to give the skin a hydrated youthful glow! So great for winter when we tend to be dry and dull!

2. Foundation: I'm loving the NEW Urban Dacay NAKED.  Its the newst innovation for foundation! Its Ultra Definition - which means all the color molecules in it are so finely made that as soon as it hits your skin it melts right in, and never looks like makeup. It's made to mimic your skin! Its weightless and has great skincare benfits to it also (lifts, plumps, diminishes fine lines and wrinkles, and gives radiance).

3. Powder: Benefit Hello Flawless can be used as a setting powder or a powder foundation.  It too (like the above) is finely milled giving the effect of skin! It's so easy to travel with, and includes a brush and a sponge for both applications.  It also gives a satin finish :) One of my favs!

4. Concealer: Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer is not only extreamly long wear, it's never dry and gives the perfect amount of luminosity for the under-eye.

5. Blush: Tarte also wins my favorite blushes. The Amazonian Clay blushes wear for 12 hours and they come in 16 amazing shades! These are some of the most pigmented blushes Sephora carries, and they are the best selling blushes nationwide (next to Nars Orgasm!).


Madolyn Wagner
Personal Beauty Advisor - Sephora Polaris
Madolyn.Wagner@Sephora.com // 614.785.9990 - ext 2 or 4

ON THE HUNT: PARKA

Did you stay up watching the election coverage? I think it was about 1:00am when we turned off the tv, and stopped reading our twitter feeds. Twitter was crazy ya'll. There was one tweet I wanted to reply to so badly, and this morning I was so glad I didn't let myself get sucked in.  I could say much more about this {in fact, I've now typed and deleted full paragraphs}, but I don't like to talk politics on social media.  I guess I'm sort of old fashioned that way?  And on that note, let's talk about less important things...

I have an affinity for green army jackets...  These include, but are not limited to: an army surplus shirt from the local surplus store, a lightweight shirt jacket from American Eagle that I wear all spring and summer long {I actually lost it on our honeymoon, called around when we got back, found it and drove 40 minutes to re-purchase it.}, and a lightweight anorak from the GAP that is my go to jacket when it starts getting chilly. 

BUT I need want a warmer fall / winter version of that GAP anorak... something with lining, and maybe faux fur trim.  And it must come to mid thigh or longer.  I hate being cold, so in my opinion - there is nothing worse than a short winter coat.  I want my tush covered and my legs warm!  

These are a few in the running...

Zara Cotton Parka with lining and faux leather trim - $169

She Inside Fur Hood Jacket - $57.42

Topshop Fur Lined Parka - $190

Asos Oversized Hooded Parka - $140

What do you guys think?  Are they so similar you can't tell a difference?  I'm leaning toward the Asos parka, but my question still stands about She Inside; has anyone ever ordered from there?  I like so much stuff, but the quality and international shipping just scare me.  

ps. If you read yesterday's election day post, you know I didn't get my beloved sticker after I voted.  Well, you can rest easy now... the Mr. snuck an extra one for me.

**UPDATE**  I purchased this Asos parka, but sadly, it ended up going back.  The fit was really odd, and the color was bad in person. Overall - just not flattering or all that cute. Still hunting!!!

ELECTION DAY

I voted yesterday, and if you follow me on twitter you know it was not the best experience.  Of course, it was totally worth it... but I'm still going to vent.  Unfortunately, my voting registration wasn't updated when I changed my last name and got a new license last year {even though it was supposed to}.  So... I had to vote with a provisional ballot.  There were only five volunteers working that line, to process the address / name changes and print our special ballots.  The provisional ballot line literally took twice as long as the regular line.  When I finally made it to one of the five people, I was handed a paper ballot and had to sit at a table right next to everyone else.  It was a bit uncomfortable to vote when the folks beside me could see what circles I was filling in, especially when two girls right beside me were talking loudly to each other about who they were voting for.  When all was said and done, and I walked out of the building two hours after walking in, all could have been made better with that little sticker they give you... but of course they were out.

Now, stop reading me whine and go vote!  {and someone grab an extra sticker, for me!}

I was searching for some election photos to share, and I came across these rare LIFE images from JFK's 1960 campaign.  You can see them all here.