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December 24, 2013

stowaways: apartment decorating

This is the first year that I have had my own place to do some Christmas decorating. We went out and got a little tree and decorated it with some old ornaments from my parents' house. It was fun to make our little place a wintery escape. It makes our apartment so cheerful and spirited. I don't want to take any of it down!

  
((the puppy's stocking!))

The star, ribbon, lights, stockings, and stocking holders are all from Target. The puppy's stocking is from Personal Creations.

You can see this year's family Christmas decorations here.

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! 

December 14, 2013

stowaways: christmas decorating

My family starts decorating our house the day after Thanksgiving. We all go pick out the perfect tree and decorate it while sipping on some red wine or mimosas (two totally different drinks, but both equally great!). My mom tends to take care of the rest of the decorating, but the end result is always a winter wonderland. Below are some pictures I took of the finished product.


Check out last year's Christmas decorations here, here, and here.

I will post our apartment Christmas decorations soon!

winter weather

Lately, the temperature hasn't reached above the mid-thirties around here and the snow blows through every other day. It is a miracle if I dress with enough layers to stay warm, but not look like the Michelin man. Problem solved... here is the perfect outfit for the winter weather while still keeping it stylish! All of these items just became high on my Christmas wish list!


((Zara Sweater, Hue Microsuede Leggings, Echo Wool Beanie, Urban Outfitters Fingerless Gloves, Movado Watch, Double-V Knuckle Ring, Double Band Ring, Bones Cuff Bracelet, L.L. Bean Boots))

I am loving the zippers on the sides of the sweater and the zipper on the boots. And that Movado watch... I would splurge on that beauty as a Christmas gift to myself!

Stay warm and bundled up!

December 13, 2013

gift guide 2013: anthropologie

Anthropologie is another one of my favorite stores to shop at for clothing, home goods, and jewelry. Their home goods section is my favorite with their quirky designs and unique features. They definitely have a lot of great gifts for your loved ones, friends, and co-workers. Here is a little gift guide to get you through the last few weeks before Christmas.


This is not a sponsored post. I just really like shopping at Anthropologie!

December 6, 2013

gift guide 2013: south moon under

The holidays are officially in full swing now that we are in December and Christmas shopping needs to be done ASAP. Last year, I did a gift guide series highlighting some of my favorite stores to shop at. This year, I intend to do the same while also adding a few miscellaneous guides in there as well. I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet (uh oh!), so I need to get on it ASAP!

Here is a gift guide for some amazing presents at one of my favorite stores South Moon Under. I shop there for a lot of my clothing necessities, but they also have great jewelry, shoes, beauty products, home goods, and gifts for guys. It could potentially be a one stop shop!

Below is a gift guide for the women in your life and another one for the men in your life... all from South Moon Under! Shopping made easy!


1. Open Front Patterned Sweater
2. Jacquard Sweater
3. 3-Fan Crystal Necklace
4. Floral Raglan Top
5. Sam Edelman Ankle Booties
6. Alternative Apparel Fleece Pants
7. Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment
8. Ribbed Cigar Ring
9. Sam Edelman Slip-On Sneakers
10. Kate Spade Aviator Sunglasses
11. Thyme Frasier Fir Candle
12. Peek-a-Boo Waist Peplum Top


1. Penguin Striped Sweater
2. Military Jacket
3. Nixon Camo Watch
4. RVCA Button Down
5. Long Sleeve Button Down
6. Hipster Brown Leather Boots
7. Ray-Ban Sunglasses
8. Heathered Beanie
9. Herschel Duffle Bag
10. Raglan Burnout Sweatshirt

This weekend South Moon Under is giving 20% off on orders over $150 with the code HOLIDAY20 and free shipping on orders over $50.

See last year's gift guides from South Moon Under, Urban Outfitters, and Anthropologie... as well as guides for prints and stocking stuffers.

This is not a sponsored post. I just really like shopping at South Moon Under!

November 17, 2013

stowaways

((delicious apples))

Sunshine Stowaways now has a tumblr! It is so much fun to find interesting, inspirational, and perfect photos to blog. The tumblr is an extension of this blog. It is for cool photos, GIFs, and quotes I find from other tumblrs or from around the web, whereas this blog will still share more personal thoughts and photographs.

And now to images from life these days...

((how precious is this?!))

((at the local farm))

((bright pumpkins))

((the most amazing french toast stack complete with fruit and nutella))

((best friend farm animals))

birthday dinner party


After this dinner party went well, my sister and I decided that we would host my dad's birthday dinner. We made an Italian feast complete with stuffed shells, gnocchi, and a charcuterie platter. My dad had such a fun time and it was nice to be able to host the fun celebration. Here are a few photos of the dinner. Happy Birthday Dad! We love you!


Check out additional photos and the recipe for the stuffed shells on my sister's blog, Land of the Brie.

natural beauty

When I buy new beauty products, I try to buy natural. That tends to mean spending more money, so instead of forking over a ton of dough I gravitate towards Burt's Bees or Yes to Carrots. Their products are inexpensive, but still use just as many natural ingredients as the expensive brands. Plus, they can be found at any local grocery store or drugstore... very convenient! I feel good about putting these products on my skin and there are so many options to choose from. Here are a few of my favorites from each brand as well as some products I want to try.


1. Sensitive Facial Cleansing Towelettes - 99.1% Natural
2. Cranberry & Pomegranate Sugar Scrub - 100% Natural
3. Soothingly Sensitive Aloe & Buttermilk Body Lotion - 99% Natural
4. Rosewater Toner - 100% Natural
5. Ultra Moisturizing Lip Treatment - 100% Natural
6. Beeswax and Banana Hand Creme - 100% Natural
7. Coconut Foot Creme - 99.4% Natural
8. Orange Essence Facial Cleanser - 100% Natural


1. Yes to Grapefruit CC Cream - 95% Natural
2. Yes to Blueberries Ultra Hydrating Body Wash - 95% Natural
3. Yes to Carrots Softening Facial Mask - 98% Natural
4. Yes to Cucumbers Gentle Milk Cleanser - 98% Natural
5. Yes to Carrots Color Balm - 99% Natural
6. Yes to Carrots Anti-Frizz Serum - 99% Natural
7. Yes to Grapefruit Daily Facial Scrub - 99% Natural
8. Yes to Blueberries Cleansing Facial Towelettes - 99% Natural
9. Yes to Blueberries Eye Firming Treatment - 95% Natural

Do you all have a favorite Burt's Bees or Yes to Carrots product? Both lines have great deals and savings for the upcoming holidays!

Is there another natural beauty product line you all can't live without? I'd love to know!

October 20, 2013

stowaways

((new poster leaning on my nightstand))

Life has once again gotten in the way of my blogging. It has been awhile since I posted a stowaways post. So, without further ado here are a few snippets of life as of late...

((how cute is this?!))

((beautiful scenery))

((Emmy ballots... didn't do so well!))

((trying to get fit with Perfect Fit))

((Sunday fire))

((sleeping pup))

((new favorite restaurant))

((looks gross, tastes great))

((flashback to when this one was super little))

dinner party

My girlfriends and I have a dinner ritual where one of us cooks dinner for the others each month. This past month was my turn. I am not much of a chef, so I had to pick a meal that wasn't too difficult. The perfect option then was pizza! My sister, the real chef, helped me make the meal. We made three different pizzas: barbeque chicken, veggie, and spinach ricotta. They all were delicious! The side dishes were a little trickier. We made a kale salad, roasted veggies, and roasted cauliflower buffalo bites. We wanted the meal to be a bit healthy after all! Then came dessert, my sister prepared baked pears and I added in a little salted caramel sorbet. You can check out most of these recipes on my sister's food blog, Land of the Brie. I really need to become more of a cook and this dinner was a step in the right direction!


another party, another dress

 ((Zara dress, Blank Vegan Leather Moto Jacket, NYLA heels, Laugoa leopard clutch, Nixon watch, Jawbone Up, Silpada Modern Maze ring, Tiffany & Co. mesh ring, bracelet from Peru, Francesca's Closet bracelet))

Another one of my friends recently had an engagement party... so many of these lately! It was a more formal occasion than the past engagement party I went to, so I needed a cocktail dress to mark the occasion. I was looking online at Zara dresses and saw this dress and knew it was the perfect choice. The dress had a unique cut, the softest fabric, and was at the perfect price point. It was super comfortable for a night of celebrating! I know I will be able to get more use out of it for date nights or with tights in the winter to hit the town.