a few of our favorite things ♡

 iconic wallpaper

double decker sight-seeing

secret gardens

afternoon tea

Our bride bestie opening gifts at her shower

the weekend in shoes (pearls,spikes and studs)

As fall events are starting to pick up, the weekdays seem to be moving along faster. Emily is finishing up her trip and sent over a few snapshots to share (seen above). I certainly look forward to her return so we can plan more adventures and fall activities. Happy weekend!

fox + gypsy

live

"live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air"

Ralph Waldo Emerson

front to back

Somethings are just as good when reversed, like yesterday's reverse tip manicure. Above, Emily wore her cardigan backwards to expose pretty periwinkle lace. She also layered the look with a scarf that she made using this method seen here.



cardigan, Forever21; lace body suit, Urban Outfitters; maxi skirt, Forever21;  suede equestrian boots, Urban Outfitters; Minnetonka hat, and handmade scarf

fox + gypsy

shattered

A couple years ago, I saw a crushed glass manicure here and couldn't get it out of my head. I thought it was brilliant, yet so impractical. I finally did my own version that is far less dangerous, but still has edge.

you'll need: nail polish, topcoat, glitter and a sheet of paper. I used a matte black polish ( I recommend using Essie's 'matte about you'), OPI's topcoat and Stampendous's crushed glass glitter available at your local craft store or also found here.

instructions: After your nails are dry with polish, run a layer of top coat wherever you want the glitter to stick (I chose a reverse tip for a different effect). Pour the glitter over the wet top coat and then tap your nails against the paper. Paper is better to use than a paper plate because it can be easily turned into a funnel to dump the excess glitter back into the container. After the topcoat dries, run your hands under cool water to gently rinse away any extra glitter that didn't tap off.

fox + gypsy

let them eat cake

 

  cake batter truffles

This fall we have different parties and events every weekend. Amongst are insanely busy schedule we've been testing a few recipes here and there for great party snacks/hostess gifts to bring along. The cake truffles were perfect and quick no-bake recipe that can be decorated to fit the theme of any type of event. Above is a classic birthday version. Enjoy!




 truffle ingredients:

+ 1c cake mix
+ 1 1/2c flour
+ 1/2c butter ( I used salted)
+ 1/2c white sugar
+ 1 tsp vanilla extract
+ 3-5 tbsp milk


truffle coating:

+ 16 ounces of almond bark
+ sprinkles

instructions: Mix the butter (softened) and sugar with an electric mixed until blended. Add cake mix, flour, vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add a couple of tablespoons of milk to the mixture. Depending on the cake mix, more milk might be needed to create better dough consistency. Roll the dough into one inch balls and place a wax paper lined baking sheet. Chill the truffles in a fridge for about 15 minutes.

the topping: melt the almond bark in the microwave at 30 second intervals. Take out and stir to make sure it doesn't overcook. Once completely melted, dip the chilled truffles into the topping with a fork and place them back on the wax paper. Top with sprinkles and allow them to cool for a few minutes and they are ready to serve!

CAKE CAKE CAKE

fox + gypsy

a few of our favorite things ♡

NY fashion week goodies from our dearest friend

supporting the home team {and coach}

 enjoying the end of outdoor concert season with family

awaiting the first trip to the pumpkin patch {Danica,center, with siblings Amanda and David}

American dreams

This week seemed to drag on more than normal. The colder weather and shorter hours of daylight have been slowly evading the Indian summer-like weather. Emily has hopped the pond for a ten-day adventure in London and Ireland, and I will be attending our best friend's first wedding shower this weekend amongst some fall shopping, baking and other adventures. Stay tuned.

fox + gypsy

Ice, Ice Baby

Pumpkin spice coffee with vanilla creamer cubes

iced tea with lemonade & berry cubes

We love tea and coffee and when we have some spare time and ingredients, we like to remix them. For our coffee version, we chose to do a seasonal pumpkin spice coffee with vanilla creamer ice cubes. We poured our creamer of choice in the ice tray and let it freeze over night. There is nothing worse than an iced coffee that has been watered down by melted ice, so this is a great way to keep your coffee cold and add extra flavor.

For the tea, we chose blueberries and raspberries and froze them into lemonade. We used a lemonade concentrate and it added just enough flavor and sweetness to the tea. They were even great by themselves as mini popsicles.

fox + gypsy

Sweater Scarf

I love fall for many reasons, but one of my favorites is the chilly scarf weather.  Scarves are great layering peices and add a cozy look to any outifit.  This DIY is an easy way to make a statement this season. 

What you will need: any old sweater, preferably an oversized one, and a pair of scissors

What you do:
1. Lay out your sweater so that the bottom hems are lined up
2. Pick how thick you would like your scarf to be. Personally, the thicker you cut it the better because it is easier to keep cutting the material as you cannot add it back once its been cut.
3. Cut straight across the entire sweater (from left to right, or right to left).
4. You should be left with a circular, or 'infinitiy' piece of sweater, and then the top portion including the arms.
5. Depending on how jagged the edges are, you can hem up the end that you cut along. Most sweaters won't give you too much trouble in that department and cut pretty cleanly.
6. Get creative! There are many different ways to personalize your scarf; you can add buttons, fringe, etc. I decided to sew two different sweater scarves together.  I used a mustard yellow openstitch sweater and a vintage intarsia sweater.
7. You can even wear the now cropped sweater as a layering piece. If you are unhappy with the edge, just re-hem!

There are two different kinds of scarves that you can make from this project depending on the size and weight of the sweater.  Smaller sweaters are going to give you more of a 'snood' style scarf.  A snood scarf are the ones that when worn, look like a cowl neck.  A bigger, more oversized sweater, like the one I used, is going to give you more options.  You can wear them long, or you can also wear these in a snood style.

I recommend checking out your local thrift store in the men's sweater section, it's a goldmine!

fox + gypsy

tribal

supplies: Essie's 'Sand Tropez' and 'Matte About You', nail file and nail polish adhesives

 two coats of polish and one bare nail for the sticker

Press the sticker from the cuticle up to seal out any bubbles

 Stretch the sticker till the end part breaks off and file to smooth the edge.

Nail adhesives are a great way to change your nail look quickly, and this fall there are a lot of fab patterns to try. There is no dry time and they take about ten minutes to apply. Because I chose a loud pattern I decided to only do one nail, and it also extends the use of my package. I got the NCLA adhesives from {milk bar} in Columbus, Ohio but I have also used and loved the Sally Hansen version. However, I highly recommend the NCLA adhesives because they have lasted two weeks (and counting). The Sally Hansen version chipped easier since they are made of actual nail polish. Essie's 'Matte About You' is also a simple way to change a manicure. With one coat it dulls the shine of your polish (no need to buy the matte versions of your favorite colors). Enjoy!

fox + gypsy