This jacket traveled a very long way to get to me and I couldn't wait until the temperature dropped to wear it. There are many styles of outerwear, but my favorite (which is also not as easy to find), are over-sized hood jackets. When I found this one, I fell in love with the color (it's actually black in person although it looks blue), but especially the hood. It fit right into my wardrobe and has become a jacket I wear every chance I get.

Much of my style is inspired and created from newer clothes and occasional pieces that are made from recycled fabrics or redesigned clothes. Occasionally I like to check out shops that have unique and one-of-a-kind items that help evolve my style.

A few weeks back I had the chance to visit a clothing boutique that I'd been dying to get to for the past few months. I tried the top in the store and there was no question that it was mine. Now that I've finally had the chance to check out The Wonder Shop, I will definitely be heading back the next time I'm in that area.

The stitching and construction of the top is very detailed and adds to it's overall vibe. I only have to make a small adjustment so that it lays a tad bit better on me, but it's not too obvious to keep me from wearing it. Being a very unique top, I mixed it with more textures of black still allowing it to be the center of attention. I will continue to find more ways to wear this as I let my inspiration be my guide.

So I know I've been a way for a little while. I've been working on some posts and this time of year there is always so much going on with all of the holidays coming up. I have also been working on some sewing projects which I hope to share with you all soon. In the meantime here is one of my latest looks. I got this dress for my birthday and I fell in love with it.

Instead of pairing this with a black shoe, I decided to give it a pop of color, going with a turquoise heel.





So since it is fall, here is an alternative way I'd wear this dress. Even with the sheer inserts this dress has prove to be very warm.

This sweater was a birthday gift and have worn it quite a bit since I got it. It's a different looking sweater which is right up my alley. The reds and oranges in it remind me of fall. From first glance the outlines look black but they are actually navy.

The background is the first time you get a peek into my creative space where all the magic happens. Maybe one day I'll give you guys a tour, but for now enjoy me, my sweater and my record player.
 (And I promise the fur that you see on my coat rack behind me is fake.)

Good things come to those who wait. I have learned that in fashion sometimes it pays to be aggressive to make sure you get what you want, but sometimes it does pay to wait. When the latest collection for Target came out from Phillip Lim, there weren't many items that really jumped out to me, except the sweatshirt. Seeing as sweaters and sweatshirts are staples in my fall wardrobe, I was excited that a little patience paid off as I finally found the sweatshirt. In fact where I went I had choices, but I grabbed the sweatshirt and kept it moving!

Even though it is still pretty early in the fall season (in terms of temperature) I am one to not waste time getting certain pieces I really like to wear during this time of year.

I decided to dress this one up a bit. Most of what I've seen is a more casual look with this sweatshirt. I am happy with the result of casual chic!

So during my birthday weekend, (yes I claim the whole thing), I bought a few really cute tops. I absolutely love funky sweaters, especially the ones that remind me of Bill Cosby. This sweater popped out to me in the store because not only is it my favorite color combination, but it sparkles of course! A decent short sleeve sweater is hard to come by so I jumped at the opportunity to buy this one.

Oh the shoes! These heels have been on my mind since the first I saw them and oh are they comfortable. They are unbrushed leather and so easy to walk in. I hate having such a weakness for shoes!

This is the time of year for tights. As it get cooler I love to wear them. Mixing purples and blues are so fun, the end result always comes out chic. Another twist to this outfit are the shorts. They are herringbone, which is a very popular fall fabric, adds more texture to the outfit, but still complements it nicely.

This is the time of year I love to be in grocery stores and the local farmer's markets. There are so many great things to see and buy that will put you in the mood for the holiday season. I posted a few pictures on Instagram of my experiences this past weekend and here is a snapshot of what I bought.

So as promised I'd share with you all what I did with my newly made cheese. I found a recipe online from Ciao Italia and made her Ricotta Cheese Sauce with some pasta. You can find the recipe here.


Here is my take on the recipe and it was so good!



**When cooking your pasta always salt your water and add a few drizzles of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil). Many people forget this step, but it is very important because it is the only time you can season your pasta while it cooks.





- I added tomatoes as a garnish to give it some color. I can say I was pretty happy with the result. Next time I think I'll try to make lactose free mozzarella and ricotta so I can attempt lasagna!

This is the time of year where there is no excuse to not have at least 3-4 pairs of colored tights. Well I own over 30 pairs of tights. From black lace to orange polka dots to lots and lots of solids, there are endless possibilities to making a fab fall outfit with an extra punch.

Fall is perfect for sweatshirts and this is a simple, yet chic way to casually wear a sweatshirt without the fuss. I am totally excited for fall!

Bandage leggings are a different way to wear traditional leggings. I love them because they are easily styled casual or dressy. This look leans toward rocker, edgy and casual. I will find myself wearing these a lot this fall. I feel like I should be on stage at a concert rocking out, electric guitar in hand.

This summer not only did I invest in a pair of overall shorts, I also bought a pair of long overalls. I used to own a pair when I was younger and have been dying to find a decent pair with no result. Finally I found a pair by BDG that flatter my shape and I can cuff to give a different look. With this particular look, I decided to liven up the overalls with a bold print, but still kept it chic, pairing it with a fierce heel.

It's always important to explore you wardrobe and never be afraid to mix it up!

Because my re-lactose intolerance has somewhat plagued my existence since it came back at the end of 2011. I have tried and tried to live without dairy like milk, sour cream cheeses, cream, ice cream, etc. I've known about the lactose free products for a while but I thought I'd give the no dairy thing a try. Well the result of that helped me drop 10 pounds within a short period of time because forcing myself to stay away from items that contained milk. (To this day, I have been still able to eat butter without a problem.) So after all of my searching and experimenting, I have found there is NO I repeat NO substitute for cheese.

The lactose free milk tastes okay, but because it's been such a long time since I've had it, anytime I tried to drink it there has been an after taste to it. So far out of all the LF foods I've tried, ice cream has been the only successful item that has stayed in my diet.

When I discovered that I could make my own cheese, especially with using LF milk, I was all over it. Making ricotta cheese was a lot easier than I thought and I will definitely make this again. It doesn't take a lot of ingredients to make. This will also work for regular milk. I found a couple of recipes online simply by searching the Internet and compiling what I found with what worked best and what I already had in my pantry.

Ready...set...let's make cheese!

Here are the ingredients:



Stay tuned for Part II to see what I do with my newly made cheese!