And The Winner Is...

WOW! So I think I am up to 5 posts and someone has already given me an award!! Thanks to The Pink Tutu for the award. If you have not already checked her page out, you really need to. She is a new blogger, as well, and is already making huge strides. She has already figured out how to format her pictures right... I'm sure I will eventually figure that out!

Here are the five winners I am passing the award along to:

Kappa Prep
Monogram Momma
The Pink Tutu
Positively Preppy in Pink
Belle of the Ball

My five addictions:

1. Sweets - Any kind

2. TV - Desperate Housewives to be exact

3. Shoes - Stuart Weitzman

4. Anything Lilly or Vineyard Vines - Who doesn't?!

5. Horses - I love them!!

Here are the rules: Copy and paste the rules and instructions in your post. When posting on receiving the award, make sure you include who gave you the award and link it back to them. Post five winners and link it back to them as well. Post five of your addictions. Add the award image. Let your winners know you gave them an award by leaving them a comment on their blog.

Easy Entertaining During Cold Weather!

I am all about having a good time! My friends and I love to get together and cook dinner, play board games, or grab a drink. With this in mind, we are always coming up with fun things to try or do. Since the weather has really taken a turn for the worse... its been cold and dreary around here. I decided I was going to try to do something to warm everyone up. I started thinking of cold weather essentials and set out to try homemade chili. Not only is it easy to do, but it is really inexpensive (okay so the college kid in me comes out every once in a while).

I found a recipe on allrecipes.com that appeared to be the easiest and then I changed it a little to make it my own. Here is what I did...

1. Chop half of a medium onion and brown in the pan with one pound of ground turkey.
2. Then drain the meat and add one packet of chili mix (I used the hot kind and it was definitely spicy!)
3. Add one can of chopped tomatoes (with the liquid) and one can of kidney beans (with half the liquid)
4. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

While the chili was simmering I made cornbread muffins using the Jiffy box (my fav!)

Then to garnish...
Make sure you have sour cream, cheddar cheese, and chives.

Not only is this super easy but everyone thought it was amazing! I plan on making it again very soon!

Needlepoint!

There is a new craze that I have noticed in the Preppy World with needlepoint. Lilly Pulitzer is not new to this. In many of the last seasons she has added fun gifts and accessories in needlepoint. Yet again, this season they have picked up on this trend and added two needlepoint belts to the Lilly line along with some fun gifts. With this in mind I set out to find some other cute needlepoint items. All of these show how preppy, modern, and not grandma-ish needlepoint can be. So whether you are going to set out on a project on your own, or take the easy way out and buy it (like me), here are some fun things!
Here are the Lilly Belts...

Smathers and Branson is a company that focuses only on needlepoint. I watched a clip about how the two guys founded the company while they were in college, after their girlfriends made them needlepoint belts as a gift. Their product line includes: belts, dog collars, key fobs, cummerbunds, etc. My favorites are their dog collars and key fobs (including the one from my alma mater!). Smathers and Branson's collegiate collection is a great gift for serious fans.

Another company that I came across in the search was Tucker Blair. I was excited to find out that they have needlepoint headbands! All of the designs are really cute, and they assure that the headbands are headache free. Also, they are adding needlepoint flip flops to their repertoire.

Of course we cannot forget that needlepoint is a staple with baby gifts. Here are some gift options with a little bit of a modern touch. I am obsessed with these little booties, but you could always stick with the classic and get a needlepoint door hanger saying "baby is sleeping."

The Pink Monogram, who carries the booties above, also has a large collection of needlepoint shoes. My favorites are the ballet flats; but they also carry loafers, mules, and sandals.

Tote Bags?

Yes, I am a big fan of the tote bag. I use mine as a combined backpack and purse to take with me to class. Here is my issue... I have been using the vineyard vines madras bag, but now that fall has settled in, I think it is too bright. I need a bag that can hold me over until Spring when I can start using a Lilly tote! Here are the latest options that I am considering...

LL Bean Boat Tote in Cocoa with Long Handles

Monogrammed Bag - Black and White Damask Tote Bag









I just wish it could be 80 degrees all year long and we could wear pink and green all the time! If anyone has some ideas please let me know!!

Cute Fall Jackets

Thanks goodness I don't live somewhere that it gets REALLY cold. Still, living in the South can be a challenge in the fall because of the up and down weather patterns. At 6 o'clock when you leave for dinner, it can be 50 degrees. Then, by the time you are done with dinner at 8 o'clock, it is 30 degrees. With this challenge in mind, I am always on the lookout for cute fall jackets that are multi taskers. Here is my latest purchase...



This is the Fiona Herringbone Jacket by J.Crew in Heather Graphite. I like it because you can put all your bright tops underneath, but you still have a fall look. This is the same as the Spring Fiona jacket that had three-quarter length bell sleeve, which I have in coral. I have enjoyed the Spring version so much that I knew this is a good piece! And you want to know what makes this jacket even better? It is on sale!!

So here it goes...

I am being completely honest when I say that I had never seen a blog before this weekend.

Checking in on the Lilly Pulitzer site frequently for the latest Resort Collection, I was astonished when their site had been completely redesigned. For the true Lilly Lovers, a blog had been added to keep fans up to date on all the happenings in Lilly's World. I became fascinated by the Lilly blog.

Later, I began searching the world wide web for preppy blogs, where I can to find out... there were many of them! After having read all the preppy blogs I came across, I knew that I had to partake in blogging.

So here I am. Yes, I did name my blog partially because the Lilly blog was my initial inspiration, but I am actually Lilly's number one fan. I am sure you will come to find this out!