Spring cannot come quick enough!

Hello,

The colder weather has come and so far each week has brought Texas an ice day. We are expecting our third ice day this week, I am not looking forward to it by any means. I love, love the warmer and intense hot weather that Texas is known for, but this cooler weather is just not cutting it for me. I say all this to say, SPRING and SUMMER come quickly!!!!! Okay, well that is not ALL I wanted to say but I do really miss the warmth. However, I did make a pretty legit butternut squash soup the other day…

It was super simple to make. I searched on Pinterest for the perfect butternut squash soup recipe and like usual, I decided to make up my own recipe. (BTDUBS I rarely measure…) So I will just inform you in the ingredients and steps. I sautéed minced garlic and onions in a saucepan with coconut oil. Then I added the cubed squash (and enough water to not burn the squash), cinnamon, and nutmeg; stir and keep on simmer or low until squash is soft (beware this may take a lot longer than you expect). Then pour it into a blender with coconut milk. VOILA! It was so good and it made two servings!!

Ice days bring dress up days…

Just a few quick shots of some good looking spring apparel from Altar’d State! If you want to look at all of our other great looks http://www.altardstate.com or come to the Domain and visit me!!

I hope this inspires you for warmer weather, tanning days, and shopping…

Until next time,

Sarah.

Hey, how about we fast forward into 2014?

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and all that.

I definitely took a sabbatical in various aspects of my life, such as blogging, working out, and eating healthy. I am trying to get back in the routine. I have started back in the other two aspects and today will complete my routine!

Since I last wrote…

I went hiking for the first time and went to the Texas Vs. Tech Thanksgiving game (2nd year in a row, tradition maybe?).

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Some not so healthy food I made (if you are currently eating healthy ignore the next few pictures)…

From top to bottom: Red Hot Apple Cider with whip and Caramel drizzle; Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with homemade whip cream topping; Cinnamon Roll Pancake with icing drizzle; Cinnamon and Pumpkin Waffles drizzled with molasses.

I might be a bit biased, but I would say that they were all delicious! I also have other’s opinions, who said the same, so there’s that.

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Meanwhile at Altar’d State…

Just a bunch of cute clothes from Altar’d State, no big deal.

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Etc. Etc. Etc…

Just my legit boyfriend, my Boho outfit, my sisters outfit that I should she did a great job in piecing together herself, and some Paleo meals: Honey coated chicken sauteed with onions, okra, and green beans; Pumpkin Spice Waffles.

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Lastly, I made a tasty Paleo brunch that was so simple and easy to make! If you love to eat healthy, I hope you try this tasty concoction.

Mini Paleo Quiche

• Eggs
• Almond Milk or Coconut Milk
• Seasonings of your choice
• Vegetables of your choice
• Bacon
• Coconut Oil

Beat the eggs, milk, and seasonings. Cut up the vegetables and mix in the egg mixture. Coat muffin pan with coconut oil and line with bacon. Pour in the egg mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350-375, depending on your oven.

Paleo Hot Chocolate

• Almond Milk or Coconut Milk
• Unsweetened Chocolate Powder
• Honey
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg

Heat the milk up in a saucepan, on low heat. Add chocolate depending on strength and taste. Add honey for sweetness. Add Cinnamon and Nutmeg for a spice. Mix well. Remove from stove and pour into mug. Enjoy!

Basically, you are welcome. The Paleo Hot Chocolate is my ALL TIME favorite. It definitely cured my sugar cravings!!! In fact, I am thinking of making a cup right about now.

You are all the best,

Sarah.

Happy October {ten.one.thirteen}

Hello,

It’s fall. It’s fall…

Time to layer and use scarves. I just purchased a burnt orange fashionable scarf from Altar’d State. I love it, here is how I have been wearing it:

I am obsessed with tea, by the way. It’s so healthy for you and has some caffeine for the mornings you need a boost of energy!

My paleo diet has been going great, I love trying new recipes. Here are a few I have tried:

Quiche: Egg, kale, spices, onion, garlic, and almond milk  

Coconut pancakes: Coconut flour, eggs, coconut milk, cinnamon, and coconut.

Egg salad: Salad, tomatoes, avocado, and scrambled eggs. 

Spaghetti squash, chicken, honey, and garlic

Spaghetti squash, tomatoes, balsamic oil, garlic, mushrooms, and chicken

I hope you have a wonderful evening!

Sarah

Short, Simple, and sweet…

I know. I know…I know. It has been twenty four days too long. I apologize greatly. 

It’s fall and I have been officially paleo for over a month day (with a cheat day once a week of course)! I have tried some new recipes and have more to try!! I will definitely be sharing them with y’all!

 

On the fall side, I think you should visit Altar’d State, in the Domain, today!! Enjoy additional 50% and 20% off of sale merchandise!! 🙂

 

Item of the week-

Nepal Bracelets: provide the opportunity to prevent poverty, illiteracy, and human trafficking of women and children in Nepal. 

For my upcoming blog post: 
Paleo recipes: meals, desserts, and drinks!!

 

Have a happy Wednesday,

Sarah

A new season: Football

Hello,

College football is back, y’all!!! I love it and I am so happy it is back in my life. Here are some pictures to boost your Longhorn or team spirit, for your favorite team. 

I hope those pictures gave you a little bit more team spirit.

Oh, the white denim. I love Madewell Denim so much! I recently purchased a white pair of denim, a few weeks ago. I am so excited to post about it! I think these are fun a transition from summer to fall. They are light and can be paired with flats or boots and a denim chambray.

Have a blessed weekend,

Sarah

I scream, you scream, we all scream…for another post.

Yes, yes, yes. I know. It has been awhile since I have posted. Maybe too long.
My cousins were in town a few weekends ago and preparing for their visit along with work has kept me away from my computer.

This is how my weekend began. Matching my lovely cousin. No, we did not purchase or consume those Twinkies.
On the bright side, pink shorts and denim go together so well.

Lunch at BlackFinn, so great. My other half, Megan, and I split a legit bacon cheeseburger. If you have not been there, you should visit it located in The Domain. After lunch and some light shopping we headed toward the downtown area to do some more shopping. We even stopped by Gourdoughs!! So, so good!
I love the sights and taste in Austin, Texas. Everything is so clean, nice, and tasty. I can not imagine living anywhere else.

Have a lovely evening,

Sarah.

Just another day in a window, etc.

If you are not aware yet, let me just say that, visuals is my niche. I love every aspect.

Today, I had fun installing a denim bar in our store’s side window. Last week, I installed the bar in our front window, which allowed me to install the side one pretty quickly. I have been doing visuals since 2009 and have been maneuvering in windows since 2010. It is funny to see people’s expressions when they see me in a store window dressing mannequins or installing something. I probably get as much humor watching their faces, as they get watching me; it never gets old. Here is a few pictures of the denim bar I installed. 

Yay, for fun windows!

On another note, my weekend was comprised of friends, food, and church.
Saturday, my friend from college, Nancy, came to Austin and I was able to spend some time with her. Sunday, of course, was church, which is always great, spending time with friends, and food was obviously included throughout my weekend: Torchy’s Taco, fro yo, Hopdoddy’s and Starbucks. I have a new favorite drink from Starbucks that I must share with you all; ice or hot Chai Tea Latte with Cinnamon Dulce syrup. This drink is like Thanksgiving in a cup. It is so wonderful. Try it and I promise you, if you have the same taste buds as me, that you will absolutely love it!

Also, at Hopdoddy’s, try their Red Velvet Milk Shake. It is the best you will ever have, if you like red velvet that is!

Oh my goodness, I am not sure about you but this food posting is making me hungry. Shoot.

Enough about food, let’s talk about clothing.

On Saturday, since I was outside for the majority of it, I wore my red madewell cut off shorts, madewell polka-dot sheer top, and paired with my polka-dot Keds, of course. It was a great light outfit, perfect to be worn on a fairly hot summer day. Sunday, I wore a floral open back dress from Charlotte Russe with my blue platform wedge heels from Target.

Yay, for fun summer outfits. Light, simple, and colorful is my motto for summer wear. Fall is sneaking around the corner, but I am trying to enjoy summer for as long as the heat allows. 

Maybe my next post will have a featured DIY project, wishful thinking.

Peace, love, and etc.
Sarah

Austin Lifestyle Magazine

Hi!

I apologize for my lack of blog posts.

I have been working a lot, two words: FLOOR SETS. Oh, the life of retail. I love the merchandising aspect of retail and floor sets is all about merchandising and styling.

My new purchase of the week was a simple hexagon pair of gold studs. I love them and they match almost every outfit. Unique and simple things are my favorite.

On other news, I was the stylist for the August/September issue of Austin Lifestyle Magazine. I was able to pick the looks for ‘Date Outfits’. It was a bunch of fun and exciting to layout the outfits and envision people wearing the outfits. Styling is my passion, so this was right up my alley. Thanks to Edie Henry, whom I interned for while I was a college student; she allowed me this wonderful opportunity.

Here is the link: http://issuu.com/neftalirr/docs/alm_as13/70

(pages 23-25)

There are my lovely Date Looks. I enjoyed visiting various stores and Austin boutiques to find pieces for this spread. A special thanks to Levi and Bekah for attending the photo shoot (for support) and helping me carefully transfer the merchandise to and fro my car.

Throughout this process I discovered a new favorite shop: Langford Market. I am obsessed; they have a few sizes for each apparel and their merchandise is one-of-a-kind with reasonable prices. {In love} You should visit them, they are located off of 2nd street.

Happy One AM,

Sarah

Food Fashions

Well, I have not been diligent in photographing all of my outfits. Rather, I have been taking pictures of some good food.
Food, in fact, can be fashionable. Just think about diets and popular foods. For example the Fro Yo phase has just taken over every shopping center. This week I went to Kerbey Lane twice and it was wonderful; if you did not know, I love Kerbey Lane. Tuesday, I had their enchiladas with chipotle sauce and Vegan queso, which was pretty tasty. definitely a wonderful surprise. On Thursday night I enjoyed some breakfast food. My friend and I split the Vegan cinnamon roll pancakes and french toast. The pancakes were by far the best; I definitely suggest that everyone try a stack.

I LOVE KERBEY LANE!

Friday evening, I went to the Cheesecake Factory, which was wonderful, also. I love good quality food. I ordered the flatbread topped with caramelized pear, pecans, and blue cheese. You may think that it is an interesting combination; I would have to agree. However, that is why I tried it because I love trying new food and experimenting. You must order cheesecake when you go to the Cheesecake Factory, so I did. My sister and I split the mango key lime cheesecake. It was amazing, to say the least. I loved that it was refreshing and the coconut crust was a perfect addition.

Well, enough of all this goodness, I did somewhat snap a few clips of my outfit that I wore to dinner. The evening wasn’t scorching hot, so I wore my Madewell midnight blue skinny ankle denim and my Madewell crop shirt. It has a floral print and is opened in the back. My look was finished with a new pair of Oxford’s I purchases from Altar’d State along with some neon accessories from Madewell, and my Chloe + Isabel gold branch necklace. I kept it fashion forward yet casual.

 

I hope your evening is splendid and the rest of your weekend rocks,

Sarah

Oh, happy day!

Happy Monday Y’all!
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Mine involved a wedding, family, and Ethiopia.

Saturday, I attended a friend’s wedding and it was a lot of fun. Weddings are such a lovely thing; they are beautiful, monumental, and enjoyable to attend.

Sunday, after church, we had a family get-together, which was fun. My sister and I were both wearing gray dresses; which is always a staple color. Whether the weather is cool or warm, gray is a classic and fashionable color. Personally, it is one of my favorite colors to wear; I wore it all day yesterday! Neon is a great color for accessories. I love having a pop of neon, here and there. I purchased a few neon accessories from Madewell, that I absolutely love. They are simple and stackable. My dress, rings, and bracelets are from Madewell; earrings are from Altar’d State; shoes are from Charlotte Russe; and my watch is from Charming Charlie. Maxi dresses are great for all year-long and can be layered in the fall and winter. My sister’s dress is from an awesome boutique downtown: Langford Market. I think that boutique is wonderful and has the best pieces of apparel and shoes.

Gray, neon, and gold what a beautiful combination!

Now let me tell you about, ETHIOPIA! No, I did not visit Ethiopia, that would have been too amazing. However, I have friends who are adopting their son E from there. Yesterday they left for Ethiopia and tonight they should be landing there. They will be there for a few days, to meet their son, but then they will have to return to the states until the adoption process is cleared. Once it is cleared they are able to return to Ethiopia to bring home their son! Adoption is so amazing and I hope to adopt, one day. They sold shirts as a fundraiser to help in the adoption cost. In honor, of their trip to Ethiopia a group of us wore our shirts on Sunday.

Photo Cred: Maeghan B. Left to Right: Kevin W, Rebekah G, Sarah G, Jessie W, & Levi S.

If you want to learn more about their adoption or help support them financially, here is their blog: http://www.awaitingethiopia.blogspot.com

Have a great evening,

Sarah