Today I Love: Punchy Fall Handbags + a Giveaway

The inevitable has happened.... Summer is slipping it's way out the door already and fall is showing up uninvited per usual.

All of our local schools have started back up, the department stores have long cleared out the patio furniture and pool party accessories, replacing them with Lisa Frank trapper keepers and scented markers (OK, it's been a while since I've back to school shopped, maybe I'm a bit dated on the inventory)

We've been having unusually chilly July here in Indy, which isn't helping me hold onto summer's grasp as long as I'd like. But the cool weather does have me craving those rich, bold fall colors. Perusing Target the other day I ended up with 3 handbags in my cart. I say I ended up with them, because they clearly jumped in there, unbeknownst to me. Sadly, I put them all back and told them there was no way I was carrying a merlot bag in the dead of July.

But soon, oooh so soon, I'll be back to scoop up some new pretties!

Here are a few of my favorites

[clockwise from top left: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 ]

What colors will you be rocking when the leaves start turning? As an added bonus, since we love you so much... Holly, Helene, Sarah & I are giving away a $50 gift card to Target as well!

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Good Luck!

(Not a sponsored post, not any way affiliated with Target, just a lover of all things Tarjay!)

Today I love... must haves

I'm pretty easy when it comes to beauty products. I don't wear a lot of makeup, and have a reputation for getting ready in 15 minutes flat. On the flip side, I'm fiercely loyal once I find products I love. Today I am sharing a few of those with you!

1 // African Black Soap // I can't stand fruity smelling body soaps, and have crazy sensitive skin, so stumbling upon this was a win win for me. 

2 // alba hawaiian lip balm // I made the mistake of looking at the ingredients list of my old lip balm and was immediately freaked out. This stuff is 100% vegetarian, and made of things I can actually pronounce. Not to mention it's like spreading a tropical getaway right onto your lips!  

3 // Burt's Milk & Honey lotion // The scent of their Milk & Honey lotion is so light and easy, and I love the richness of this lotion. It actually feels like it's moisturizing my skin instead of just laying on top of it.  

4 // Marrakesh KaHm // I absolutely LOVE the smell of this hair care line, and it doesn't leave the buildup in my hair like the It's a 10 products do. With my love of changing hair colors, and curling my hair, this also helps make sure I'm not walking around with a head of nasty nappy-ness!

5 // TokyoMilk DeadSexy No.6 // Hands down my favorite perfume. I originally picked this up at a boutique in Maryland when visiting LT, and have been reordering it ever since.  

What are some of your must-have's that I need to check out? 

Gifting. And a giveaway!

It's no secret I adore gifts. Not JUST receiving them either, I love that giddy feeling of watching someone open a gift that I perfectly picked out. No really, I'm THAT girl who's like CMON RIP THE PAPER ... FASTER! Sorry guys, it's my love language. I can't help it, right?!

With that being said, last year after the lung fiasco, and everything else I had put my mother through, I was determined to pick out a Mother's Day gift that meant a little bit more than just a bouquet of flowers.  I think it's safe to say I did alright. So much so, that a day hasn't gone by that my mom and I don't wear them. 

I scooped up a set of dual-birthstone rings from Meadowbelle Market's etsy shop. One for mama, and one for myself, with our two birthstones adorning them. They're petite, they're simple, and most of all, they're perfect. 

When I posted a picture of another ring on Instagram this weekend, I was flooded with questions about the birthstone ring, and I'm excited to let you all know the lovely ladies over at Meadowbelle Market have graciously offered up a dual birthstone ring for one of you lucky readers to win! 

Meadowbelle Market offers both silver and gold options, and have even recently introduced an engagement ring line! The giveaway will end this coming Friday - don't miss out on scoring one of these awesome rings for yourself or to gift to a loved one!

As an added bonus, as if the ladies over at Meadowbelle haven't been kind enough, they've also offered up a coupon code valid through Sunday (March 30th), simply enter "hellomisschelsea" to receive 10% off your any purchase in their Etsy shop!

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Simple.

While I am totally on board the statement necklace bandwagon, there's just something about a dainty piece of metal gracing your collarbones that has had me scaling it back lately. 

[ 1 // 2  // 3 // 4 ]

Going to Target for tennis balls: AKA the makings of a gallery wall

It started with an innocent trip to Target to pick up some new tennis balls so I could wash my pillows (I saw something on Pinterest and had been disgusted with myself that in my 26 years of living I've never once washed my pillows)

Naturally, in an effort to get the most cardio out of said trip, I HAD to push my cart around the entire perimeter of the store, and up and down every aisle.

Which is why I ended up in the picture frame aisle. The picture frame aisle full of little red signs from heaven. Known to most as clearance stickers.

And suddenly I HAD to touch them. And lay them out. And everyone walking past me that evening at Target was all 'what the hail is this weirdo doing sitting on the floor in aisle C7??'

Things got a LITTLE weird when people started asking me to point them in the direction of Draino and dog biscuits, but I realized I had a red shirt on and smiled and spouted off random aisles. I left Target with six or seven new frames, and headed around the corner to TJ Maxx to scope out their selection. Suddenly I was on a mission.  A mission that no longer involved tennis balls and clean bedding, since I completely forgot that at Target.

I used a few Christmas gift cards and walked out of the Maxx with two very full bags and headed home to play. Instead of going with all black frames, I picked up a mix of woods, metals, white ceramic and black frames to add a little more interest and make it look less catalog-y

I understand that some people are very organized and excellent planners and cut out templates and measure and use stud finders, yada yada yada. Meanwhile I grabbed a box of nails and a hammer and just started making holes.

Somehow it seemed to work out decently.

Now I have spent the past two weeks trying to decide what exactly I want to put INTO my frames.
(Does anyone else miss the days when they would put fake families in picture frames, at least that way my wall would LOOK like someone cared about me) 

It looks a little lot better than the ohsoboring bare wall that used to adorn my living room!