burlap wreath diy

Happy Sunday, everyone! A few weekends ago I made another simple wreath for my front door to have up during this fall time of year before I replace with something fun for winter/Christmas.

The supplies and cost of making this wreath was really low and it would be another easy DIY for your own front door 🙂 here are the only things you need:

• A wooden wreath ring – I got mine at Micheals for about 6 or 7 dollars
• A large roll of burlap! – I also got this at Michaels for $6
• Greenery or florals of your choice – you can get these supplies anywhere! I got both of my pieces of faux greenery at Target in the saver spot at the front of the store.
• A pair of scissors

A work surface that is easy to clean after all of the burlap shedding!

When choosing your wooden wreath ring, in my opinion thinner is better. That way you can measure and cut shorter pieces of burlap. To begin just trial a piece of cut burlap and then tie around the wreath form. I wanted my pieces to be a little bit longer to create fluffiness and texture, but to each their own!!

I used pieces that were about 8 inches long. Then I also cut each strip in half the long way because the roll of burlap was really wide. You can cut a few pieces at a time and then take a break to tie. That way you only cut as many strips of burlap as you need. For this wreath I used exactly one roll of burlap which was pretty good estimation on my part!

After you’re done tying the burlap in knots all around the circumference of your wreath ring, then you can work to weave in pieces of greenery. There is no right or wrong way to do this step! Add what you think looks good. I bought two different kinds of greenery and both were long garland style which made it much easier to wrap around. I would suggest this style versus loose flowers/stems.

The greenery garland I bought was much longer than I needed to I decided to make a loopy bow out of the ends of mine in the lower middle of the wreath to use all of it rather than continuing to wrap around the wreath. I then hung it on my front door as usual! All year round I keep my gold “home” on the front door attached with command strips to the pane of the windows. I got it in the dollar spot at Targe more than a year ago and it always makes the perfect backdrop for every wreath because there is no place like home 🙂

After your wreath is hung where you want it to be don’t forget to do a healthy amount of “fluffing” in order to get it looking just right. Tightening pieces of burlap, adjusting the greenery, etc. so that it looks just how you want it to!

I have no doubts that I’ll have some fun DIYs to share with you as we get closer to Christmas, so be on the lookout!! As always, thanks so much for reading. Have a wonderful week!

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen

Advertisement

blogger adventure (part 2)

Hi, everyone! Those of you that have been following along with me for awhile might remember back in May when I took a really exciting blogger adventure to St. Louis, Missouri with an amazing group of 15 other bloggers from around the Midwest….but if you don’t not to worry because you can read all about it by clicking right HERE!

Part two of this really exciting project that the 15 of us are a part of happened during the last week of September and we had the opportunity to travel to Louisville, Kentucky together! We had such a blast being all together and working together again so I wanted to recap the trip along with some fun photos! I always love packing up my bag and getting prepared for a trip 🙂

 

The day we arrived was a fun reunion and we got to spend some quality time together over dinner and drinks. You all know how much I enjoy trying new food so I didn’t let you down…I was sure to take photos of the meals I tried so I could share them with you! At the restaurant we enjoyed supper at the first evening I enjoyed a delicious “Hot Brown” sandwich that was a big open face turkey sandwich smothered in different cheese, bacon, pico de gallo, and green chile sauce. It had such good flavor and I dove right in after being hungry from a full day of travel!

 

 

Since we all met one another for the first time in May it was so special to be together again since we have been able to follow along with each other’s blogs and Instagram pages for the last 4 months and know so much more about each other now. Each day we fit in some fun time for photo shoots with each other and so here are a couple of good shots from the first night enjoying a drink together and having a little “Sex and the City” style shoot on the sidewalk in front of our hotel!

 

 

One of the most exciting parts about the trip was getting to experience the unique hotel that we stayed in. It was called The 21c Museum Hotel – Louisville. The 21c brand has other locations in the US and all of them are boutique museum hotels. The lobby and meeting areas of the hotel are literal art galleries and filled with beautiful art to admire and read about. We had our project meetings in one of the galleries and one each floor of the hotel there was also pieces of art to enjoy.  Here are two of the pieces that were displayed in the lobby!

 

The second day of the trip was a long day of hard work (but it included a couple hours of shopping so I will take that kind of work ANY day!!) We paused at lunch time to take some great photos of each other right outside of our hotel in downtown Louisville because the architecture of the buildings made for fun and exciting backdrops. My friend Gaonou snagged my favorite picture of me ever and it’s now my new profile picture on Instagram!! I also included a blooper so you can see that we obviously don’t have any fun together at all….about 5 other girls were behind the camera cheering me on and giving me some good laughs while I was getting my glamour shots taken 🙂

 

 

The second (and final) evening of the trip we enjoyed a really special meal at Decca restaurant. We arrived to a four-course menu on each place setting and the food was all so delicious. We shared a collection of appetizers together along with our choice of wine. Then I selected the ribeye steak for my main course and it was so heavenly. The plating of it (which you can see in the photo below) almost made it too beautiful to eat. We shared some sides along with our main courses and then I selected a chocolate cake with coffee ice cream (no surprises there!) for dessert. I think my favorite part of the meal was the after dessert cappuccino with the brown sugar cube. Coffee with dessert is one of my favorite things in life and the folks at Decca did it just right!

 

 

Only getting to spend 2 and a half days together is the only downside to these trips. All of the girls I have met through this project are so unique and fantastic and I’m beyond grateful to have this opportunity. We have one final trip together that will occur in either late January or early February. The 15 of us are anxiously awaiting getting to see each other one more time and also can’t wait to hear where we get to travel to this time! I have a feeling these friendships from this project will last well beyond our final trip and I look forward to seeing how all of these women grow in their brand and lifestyle.

 

It wouldn’t be a travel day without grabbing a Starbucks at the airport. On my trip home I had a considerably amount of time at the airport between when we got dropped off and when my flight left so I got lots of time to enjoy a blended cacao protein cold brew. It basically tasted like a coffee milkshake and I was 100% on board with it. I also had plenty of time during my second layover in Minneapolis to dive into my  new book.

 

 

I hope you all have enjoyed learning about my travels and I’m looking forward to sharing the third and final trip with all of you in a few months.

Have a wonderful rest of your week!

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen

humankind with kittsona || be a kind human

As I was brainstorming what to write for this week’s topic it all dawned on me this evening. With the turbulent week we have had in national politics (really the turbulent year…) I was spending some time reflecting on the lack of kindness that can be felt. I feel that the understanding of others and their experience and emotions is lacking across the board and I think it’s fair to say that we all (myself included) could find ways to do a better job of treating everyone around us with kindness.

My partnership with Kittsona as a brand babe makes me proud proud because the mission and values that they reflect as a company are things I strive for in myself. They recently launched a new line/collection called Humankind. All of the products in this line reflect their values of kindness to others (and animals!).

The collection includes T-shirt’s and sweatshirts, as well as toddler clothing and onesies for the little ones in your life! Below are photos of some of my favorite items from the collection. All are between $32 and $36 dollars!

This simple statement – grl pwr – shows the strong conviction Kittsona has behind empowering women and making them feel beautiful and heard and important in every aspect. This tee would be a great piece to add to your closet and can be dressed up or down very easily!

This shirt goes without explanation!!! I think this needs to be my next Kittsona purchase. I couldn’t love dogs anymore so this one really speaks to me ♥️

Radiating positive vibes is easier said than done some days but it’s always amazing to notice the difference in my mood and the mood of those around me on days where I choose to stay positive and upbeat. Positivity always wins and this shirt is the perfect reminder 😊

Two words but so much meaning behind them. Kindness matters and it matters to everyone. One of my favorite quotes is “be kind for everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about”. The way you show up and how you treat others on a day to day basis can make sure a lasting and immeasurable impact. Make sure the way you’re choosing to do that is a way you’re proud of!

If you are interested in any of these T-shirt’s or the message behind spreading Humankind follow This link to check out the whole collection on Kittsona’s website! Any time you check out online at Kittsona.com or in store don’t forget to use my discount code for 10% off your entire purchase!! SUGARSPICESTYLE10

I hope you all have a wonderful week. I’ll be back again soon! As always, thanks so much for reading!!

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

Xoxo Jen

fall footwear

Hi, my friends! A few weeks ago I asked a question on my Instagram stories about what content you would like to see soon and someone mentioned a post on sneaker/fall footwear would be great as we transition into a new season.

Here are a few of my favorite picks for this upcoming season in lots of different style – sneakers, flats, mules, loaders, ankle boots….you name it. As always I have picked really affordable options so that you don’t feel overwhelmed by any of the prices and they truly fit into a budget fashionista lifestyle 🙂 All of the shoes are under $40 at this time – the only pair not in that price range is the first pair of sneakers from LOFT but a discount code advertised currently makes them 39.99! Every pair is linked in the description below the picture so follow the links to buy online! All of the shoes are either from LOFT, Old Navy, or Target.

Sneakers

This adorable pair from LOFT is a great option for this season. The mauve/blush color is a perfect neutral for this time of year and the satin finish will dress up any outfit!

I found a couple of great options at Old Navy: First is this burgundy pair which is the definition of an effortless casual sneaker. They have it in gray as well but this color really pops!

It doesn’t get much cuter than these “Oh Hey” slip ons. These are in my own cart for sure 😀 more color, please!!

Mules/Loafers

The yellow obsession continues with these slide on heeled mules from Old Navy – they are a good “work shoe” and mustard yellow is practically a neutral in my book! You could wear these with pretty much anything and a heel always makes you feel a little bit more dressed up if that’s the look you’re going for.

I own these classic non-heeled mules from Target in black but this light pink color would be a great fall neutral. They are really comfortable and the pointed toe is a nice touch.

These are currently sold out on my size but I have them on alert for when they restock because yellow AND ruffles….doesn’t get any better than that; especially when they are 22 dollars!!

 

This is a way to have a jazzier black mule. I love the tassel sandals I bought from Target this summer and these are along the same lines. Adds some texture to a classic piece without making it unprofessional.

The embellishments on these are way too fun – the sparkles are beautiful and would be great with an all-around simple outfit so that the shoes can stand out.

Ankle Boots 

I love the studs on these, simple enough but they make them unique and different even with a neutral color. They’re so small they are even difficult to see in the picture but they are little tiny gold beads. The mushroom color of the boot is my preference for a neutral color over more brown tones – I think it goes with more and is a softer look.

A white ankle boot might be out of your comfort zone but these are so fun!! It would be a nice way to take a risk and they would be really fun to wear going out!

If white isn’t your style or too risky you can’t go wrong with a classic all black microsuede ankle boot – this one is trendy because it’s a “sock boot” with the tighter to the ankle top – that will be REALLY big this season

These in a fun faux leather snakeskin print would be great with black jeans and any big sweater over the next two seasons.

I love a good metallic accent and these boots are so casual and cute. They could be dressed up or down easily and are a fun interest piece without trying too hard. I think they would look good with both denim/jeans and dress slacks. I’m especially picturing them with knee length dresses/skirts and tights for the colder weather coming our way!

As always, thanks so much for reading! I am looking forward to having more for you all soon 🙂

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen

 

fall decorating inspiration :)

The BEST season is upon us!! Fall is here and I couldn’t be happier! This is the sweetest time of year: I love the colors, the crispness as it comes back into the air, the style and fashion, and the scents of pumpkin and apple cinnamon. Over the last couple of weeks I have prepared both my office and my house for the season and wanted to share photos and details with all of you to give you some inspiration if you haven’t started on your own decorating. If you don’t typically decorate for fall maybe this will convince you! A little bit goes a long way – and as usual, I got all of my decor for great prices from some of my favorite places: Target, Hobby Lobby, Picks, Michaels, and TJMaxx. Here are all of the details!!

At the Office

Those of you that have been following along with me for awhile now know how much I love to change up small things in my office for each season of the year. I added some new pieces that go great with my black, white, and gold theme and it adds the perfect touch of fall to my space that I get to enjoy during the week.

Two pumpkins and a new faux floral arrangement on the corner of my desk pack a big punch with minimal changes. The black and white striped pumpkin is glass and I bought it at the end of the fall season last year when all of the fall decor was 90% off at Hobby Lobby. If my memory serves me right I think I got it for less than 5 dollars which is wild!! The smaller black and white polka dotted pumpkin I just got last week from the dollar section/saver spot at the front of Target. The polka dots and black stem are glittery and this cute little guy was only $3! There were multiple other styles and colors in this size of pumpkin and it’s lightweight material.

The glass stemmed jar I dressed up for fall by wrapping twine around it in a wide band. A very easy and inexpensive “makeover” for any vase or jar. The two different versions of beautiful faux floral blooms in the fall colors (golden yellow and a pretty coral orange) are from Michaels. All of their fall decor is 40% off this week so head in to check it out!

I laughed outloud at Michaels when I saw this sign so I knew I had to get it for my office. It was only 5 dollars so it was a no-brainer. I put it on the windowsill with all of my plants. It’s the perfect “fall humor” and I DO drink a lot of coffee….

At Home

Since I am such a huge Christmas decoration fan in past years I haven’t done as good of a job of adding fall pieces to my house. This year I decided to be intentional about getting some nice fall-themed decor to have out for September through November before the Christmas decorating begins. I went to all of my favorite stores once the fall decor was out and found the perfect pieces to create a nice fall ambience at home without changing much or going over the top!

I changed out my normal dining room table picture for this sweet black wooden sign from Hobby Lobby. The message about togetherness is the perfect one for this season 🙂 It looks great with my favorite dollar store mirror and the metal basket from the Magnolia-Hearth and Hand collection at Target that are mainstays in this space. Inside the metal basket are 4 different fall scented candles. 3 of them I just bought this past weekend at Michaels as they are having a sale all week on their fall large jarred candles – 3 for 10 dollars which is INSANE!! So if you have a Michaels in your town I highly suggest making a trip there this week to snag that great deal. The black and gold “give thanks” sign is also from Hobby Lobby. Their fall decor should continue to be 40% off for a little while longer I’m imagining so you should have time to score these things (and others!) if you’re interested.

My favorite thing from my table ended up being this fun pumpkin and floral bouquet that I created with inspiration from one of my favorite bloggers. I bought this white pitcher from the Threshold collection at Target for less than 15 dollars and it will be perfect to change out with different things for each season. I placed a foam floral block inside the pitcher and then added a mixture of twine, white, and orange mini pumpkins on sticks that I got at Hobby Lobby. Then I also added two stems of cotton blossoms and some fun yellow faux florals – all from Hobby Lobby as well! Such an easy DIY project that looks so festive and beautiful!!

The only other space inside that I added some fall flair to was my side table in my living room. The gold hashtag light sign is an all year round stay and that was bought at Target last year. The orange and gold glittered larger pumpkin is from TJMaxx last year and then the rest of the pumpkin were just purchased last week at Target – also in the dollar spot/saver section. The largest pumpkin that is black is sprinkled with fun silver and orange sparkles/confetti. All of the mini pumpkins came in a set (2 black, 1 white, and 1 orange – all glittery!) and were only $3. There were lots of other items in the dollar section that would be so cute for fall but I didn’t want to go overboard! Your budget can go a long way if you stick with shopping in that section!

The last touch of fall at home was to buy some mums to enjoy outside over the next few months. I got both of mine at Menards this weekend for $4.98 each and went with a pretty muted orange color and then deep purple – one of my favorite colors! My jade plant has been thriving these last few weeks and looks nice alongside the mums. My cute white metal “Fresh Cut Flowers” sign was a Picks purchase at the beginning of the summer and I love it so much!!

I hope that these pictures give you all some ideas and inspiration of your own as we embark on this season of change. As always, thanks so much for taking the time to read and connect with me. I appreciate each of you so much! Be back soon with more ❤

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen

minnesota state fair – food recap

Hi, everyone! I have a short & sweet post for you this week 🙂 I had a fantastic long weekend in Minneapolis/St.Paul for the long holiday weekend celebrating the bachelorette party of one of my best friends from college. On Sunday after all of the festivities wrapped up, I took in one of my favorite events of all-time: The Minnesota State Fair. Both of my parents grew up in Minnesota so when I was growing up we used to go to the fair almost every year as a family to enjoy all of the food, concerts, and animals. Even though I’m born and raised in North Dakota I have actually never been to the North Dakota State Fair because the Minnesota one has my heart ❤

I didn’t get to spend a whole day at the fair like I normally would but I was there for about 4-5 hours which was enough to try a handful of new foods and also enjoy a few of my all-time favorites! I went to the fair with a few friends who ended up being spectacular hand models for all of the pictures you’ll see below! Most of the food really needs no explanation other than the photos but I just wanted to share a short recap and the photos with all of you. I’ll split them up by classics versus new items that I tried!

Classics

Pronto pup – This was one of my first stops of the day. A foot-long corndog was the perfect way to start my time at the fair as this is one of the most classic foods out there!

Dairy Barn milkshake – A chocolate milkshake is never a bad idea and this is the best milkshake I’ve ever had. When I would go to the fair with my family growing up we used to go to the dairy barn as our first stop in the morning and get a milkshake for breakfast 🙂 I can’t think of a better way to start the day!

Deep fried Oreos – Oreos on their own are one of the best snack foods/desserts so deep frying them just turns it in to a dangerously delicious game. These are rich so definitely difficult to eat more than a couple of them but it’s the perfect thing to get and share!

Cheese curds – These are a combination of classic and new foods because we got one order of the classic cheese curds but then we also got an order of garlic cheese curds. Flavored cheese curds were new this year – garlic, ranch, and jalapeno. The garlic were great but I think going forward going with the classics might be the best option!

Garlic fries – These fries are a thing of beauty as you can see from the picture. They were a perfect fresh-cut fry and had a healthy amount of garlic to make them extremely flavorful. As you can see the group of us that were together were all about the garlic!

New foods!

Fried pickles – These aren’t a new food to the fair this year but this is the first time I’ve eaten them at the fair and I am SO sad that I’ve waited this long. They were amazing and the perfect breading – and there is nothing that isn’t made better with some ranch for dipping.

Wine-fried Brie – The picture of this isn’t the greatest but at the MN Wine booth they had a very unique selection of wines and hot food. I tried a sip of a wine slushie that was excellent and got to have a couple bites of this wine-fried Brie cheese on a stick. It was delicious but it was very rich so I don’t think I would have been able to have more than a few bites.

Mini donut beer – This beer was by far the most unique thing I had all day! I was skeptical to even try it but it ended up being really great. Life Bridge brewery is the one who created this unique brew. The glass came with mini donut sugar around the rim of the glass. The taste of the beer was spot on with a mini donut but it was subtle and not overly sweet and sugary like I was expecting. It was also nice and refreshing since it was so hot outside!

Grilled peaches – One of the new foods that was on my list that I wasn’t able to get to ended up being something I got that night anyway! I stayed with my cousins at their house in Minneapolis on Sunday evening and they made an amazing supper. One that included grilled peaches stuffed with goat cheese and topped with balsamic and salt & pepper. The sweet flavors of the peach combined with the heartiness of the goat cheese was so unique and delicious. I know this was one of the most popular items at the fair this year so I’ll have to ensure I get one when I’m back to visit again next year.

I wasn’t able to get everything on my food wish list this year but I’m already looking forward to going back again next summer and hopefully being able to spend a full day there trying a lot of new things! As always, thanks so much for reading and following a long with me. I hope all of you had a great Labor Day weekend and if you’ve never been to the MN State Fair I hope you’ll consider checking it out next year – it really is the Great Minnesota Get Together 🙂

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen

 

the fashion affair – 2018 fall trends

Hi, all! Last week I had the opportunity to attend The Fashion Affair – Grand Forks which is an annual fashion show held in my hometown at the end of the summer/beginning of fall. This corresponds loosely with the world scene of “Fashion Week” in places like New York City. I attended this show for the first time last year and you can see last year’s recap if you’re interested by clicking here to read my post 🙂

This year the show was in a new location – the beautiful Sky’s Fine Dining restaurant and Edgewood building in downtown Grand Forks. The show had been held outdoors in the past but it was a good year to transfer to indoors as it rained during the show so that wouldn’t have made for a very fun viewer or model experience if it were outside! I went with 3 of my best girl friends who I have all met through the Greater Grand Forks Young Professionals organization and we had a blast. We purchased a table for 4 on the lower level of the building and sat right alongside the runway. We were only a few tables down from the model entrance so we got to see all of the models when they first stepped out!

The fashion features 12 different local boutiques/retailers/designers and had a great variety of items for any taste and budget. Kittsona, the local boutique that I love and am partnering with kicked off the show and they were incredible!! This year the show included one of our local running stores so there was also a whole activewear collection that showed up on the runway which was a lot of fun. A local hair studio also participates in order to show off some of the up and coming hair trends and styles that are popular for the fall season.

The thing I love most about the show is that you get an up close and personal view of all of the trends that are coming down the line for the fall season. Since summer is just coming to a close now it’s the perfect teaser and motivator to get you excited about looking ahead to your fall wardrobe and some new pieces or trends you want to try or adopt. Here are a few things that were very evidently common in the show and I would highlight as things to watch for for this fall:

1. Jumpsuits – SO MANY JUMPSUITS – Many of them were striped (especially vertical stripes) and highlighted classic palettes of blacks and grays. Many also features the colors associated with fall like burnt orange, mustard yellow, and wine/burgundy. I love a good jumpsuit but I always think about how difficult it is to go to the bathroom when you’re wearing one…let’s be honest here!!!
2. Front button skirts – Lots of fun textures for fall like corduroy and suede were features in the show and I love the details of metallic (or even pearl!) buttons down the center of the skirt.
3. Floppy brimmed hats – I think every boutique in the show had at least one model wearing a floppy-brimmed hat in a neutral color like black or camel. They are so cute and would be the perfect weekend accessory to any fall look – oversized sweaters, jumpsuits, or a dressier look.
4. Ruffles and bell sleeves – This trend is still alive and well for the new season. There were lots of dresses with fun statement sleeves that give the most delicate of details, especially to plain/solid colored dresses. It adds interest without the busy-ness that comes with having a patterned piece. Especially for those who really basics and simple pieces best!
5. Gingham – I didn’t see a ton of gingham in the show but there was enough to want to highlight it in my notes! Especially some fun black and white gingham dresses and fun pants from Kittsona.
6. Bodysuits – These are going to be big throughout the winter as well. They look great paired with skirts, pants, or even jumpsuits/dresses over the top. They eliminate the worry or look of having lines and discomfort from trying to tuck in/wear something like a long sleeve shirt or turtleneck under another piece of clothing. This is a good basic to add to your closet – especially in a neutral color like black.
7. Kimonos/long cardigans – I saw LOTS of fun detailed kimonos at the show – especially ones made of lace-like material which are beautiful and perfect for layering with dresses or any other fall outfit. Long cardigans are also going to be on the scene for the cold months so watch out for duster length sweaters that will keep you warm and stylish all fall and winter long!

 

My beautiful Aunt Stacie was the lovely emcee at the event and so I got to snag a photo with her on the red carpet next to my table before the show got started. I wanted to break out some fall fashion for the show myself so I wore my black slide-on mules from Target with my faux leather Spanx leggings from Nordstrom, a simple black tunic dress from Gordmans, a burnt orange duster trench-coat from a boutique in Alexandria, MN called Creative Touch, and a mixed metal statement necklace from Kittsona.

Each place at the table had a magazine as well as a detailed brochure about the event and the order of the stores/models that would be coming down the runway. We also each got fun gift bags that will be great makeup/travel bags and they were full of discount cards and $5 off promotions for almost all of the boutiques that were in the show! This event is such a fun way to kick off the fall and I’m really glad I was able to attend with such a fun group of friends.

I hope you all enjoyed this little preview of fall – the weather the last couple of days here has been crisp and cool 🙂 I’m so excited for the season ahead because this is my favorite time of the year! Thanks as always for reading. Have a great week!

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice #thefashionaffairgf

xoxo Jen

diy fall wreath

Hi, everyone! It has been quite awhile since I busted out a DIY project and shared it with all of you so this weekend I wanted to make sure that changed! A few weeks ago at my favorite local resale store/junk boutique I saw a fabric wreath and thought it would be something fun to try making on my own. At a craft show in Fargo I bought a bundle of a variety of yellow, light blue, gray, and white patterned fabric squares. I hadn’t found a project to use them with yet so I knew that this would be just the thing 🙂

The only other supplies that this project required was a wire floral wreath form (I got mine at Hobby Lobby for $4.99) and a pair of scissors! You can see a shot of the supplies below on the fun rug in my spare bedroom/craft room – which if definitely one of my favorite spots in my house! The white faux fur stool really adds to the fun when I’m working on a project!

The squares of fabric I bought were quite large so I cut them all into small strips that could be used for tying. I found a strip the size of about 10″ by 2″ to be the best for the “look” I was going for but there is no right or wrong answer here! I cut the strips in a few different size lengths to start and tested them out by tying them on the wreath to see how much overhang they had and if they were too long or too short to easily be tied around. A sharp and strong craft scissors would be best in this case (which I definitely DID not use!) so I highly recommend having a strong scissors as it will make the fabric cutting a breeze and cut back on time for this already short project.

In the photo above you can get a better view of the floral wreath form that I mentioned. I bought the larger of the two sizes that were at Hobby Lobby because that size fits my front door shape nicely. You can also see the pile of the strips of fabric on the arm of the couch. After you are done cutting all of your fabric strips the only things left to do is get tying! I laid the fabrics out in piles separated by pattern so that I could make sure as I tied I grabbed from different piles to evenly distribute the patterns around the wreath. As I added more and more strips I held the form away from me so I could see if one pattern was looking heavier in one spot than other so that I could make sure to add to spots that needed more or less of one color/pattern to keep it balanced.

All in all this project took me about 2 and a half hours to complete (with a no good pair of scissors AND being left-handed, which makes me even slower at anything involving scissors) so you could certainly accomplish this more quickly than me. I didn’t pack my wreath form full of strips so I ended up having a pile of leftover fabric which I may decide to add later or use for another projects. I decided to stop when I felt the wreath looked fully formed enough but not overly done when I hung it on the door.

I hung the wreath from a wreath hanger and it perfectly frames the only constant on my front door throughout the seasons: a simple gold wooden “home” that I found in the Target dollar spot a couple of years ago. I affixed it to the frame of the window on my door with command strips and I love using it as the center piece of any door hanging or wreath I used throughout the year and seasons. Since it was getting dark tonight when I took the photos of it on the door it’s not the best lighting but I love how the colors and different patterns play off of one another and add interest versus just having one pattern throughout.

This small project would be an easy way to make a wreath for any season of the year – Christmas themed fabric would be a lot of fun for a holiday wreath and brightly colored floral fabrics would be perfect for a spring/summer front door piece. With the low cost (less than 25 dollars) of this project I can see myself making another wreath like this for a different season next year! Thanks for following along. I hope to have some more home-related projects for you soon. Have a great week!

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen

kittsona fall wish list

Hi, everyone! Those of you who follow along with me on Instagram (@sugarspiceandstylethatsnice) saw an announcement on my stories last week that I haven’t had the chance to share in a post yet so here is some exciting news 🙂

Kittsona, a fantastic women’s clothing, lifestyle, and home decor boutique that started right here in my hometown of Grand Forks, North Dakota has absolutely EXPLODED since they opened a few years ago. They now have multiple North Dakota locations as well as stores in Minnesota, Colorado, Texas, and South Carolina. Their online presence and website are also very strong and that means you can shop them from wherever you are in the United States!! Since I love to shop local and “shop small” with small businesses in my community, Kittsona is a place I have always loved to buy from.

Recently they announced on their social media accounts that they were looking for applicants for an influencer program to help them promote their brand and share their product with more and more people. I sent in an application and am happy to share that I have been selected to partner with them for the next 6 months as an official Kittsona Brand Babe!! I am really looking forward to this project and to working with the brand as well as the other babes who are on the project with me. As a part of the project there are some exciting perks that I get to share with all of you who follow along with me and I’m excited for you to discover Kittsona (if you haven’t already!).

At the beginning of August they launched their huge and totally amazing fall collection. All of the pieces they have been sharing so far are so incredible and I can’t wait to score a few more soon to add to my fall wardrobe. I created a lookbook/wishlist of some of the top items from Kittsona’s website that I am crushing on and I want to share them with you too! All of the items help to speak to the trends that are coming up for this fall and hopefully all of you will fall in love with the items as much as I have!

I will break the items up by category so that it’s easier to take a peek if you’re interested. All of the items I am sharing can be found on the Kittsona website so follow the link HERE to go shop!! Almost all of the items I posted can be found under the “new arrivals” tab of the website – – I will post my discount code information that all of you are eligible to use at the end of this post!

Shoes

Processed with VSCO with c5 preset

I wasn’t interested in saving the best for last, in this case I wanted to share the best first and everyone knows that’s SHOES! All three of these pairs of shoes would be amazing additions to any fall wardrobe.

• The bow-tie flats on the left are the pair of shoes I bought last week the second they came out because I basically lost my breath when I saw them posted on Instagram 😀 hahah they are the shoes I’m wearing in the featured image/cover photo of this post! You can see that they are much more vibrant mustard yellow in person
• The white studded ankle boots are a fun edgy statement piece and white shoes are going to be BIG this fall.
• The booties on the right hand side are so beautiful. They have a very detailed embroidery on them and I love the v-cut detail on both sides. This pair is a little on the spendy side but I have no doubt it means you’re getting amazing quality and they are a pair of boots you could wear with virtually anything.

Tops and Jackets

Kittsona is always on trend and their new pieces always match what people would be looking for to stay on top of the newest fashion. These tops and jackets for fall are no exception!

• On the left is a fun olive green suede jacket. It is a beautiful fall color and suede is always a fun option to add a dressier side to your outfit. I envision this as being a great piece to wear to the office or just like they have it styled in the picture – with a graphic tee for a more casual look.
• Colorblock sweaters are going to be a huge trend for the fall. The Nordstrom sale had so many of them so I know they’re going to be out in full force. This option is black with more neutral colored stripes. Again it would be a good transitional piece to wear in both more casual and dressy settings depending on what bottoms and accessories you pair with it.
• This black and white striped tunic dress shirt is another piece that made my jaw drop when I saw it posted on Kittsona’s Instagram page. This would be a great addition to my work wardrobe and I can already picture myself rocking it with some fun colored dress pants.
• This “free as a bird” lightweight sweater is a sweet piece and comes in black as well as the tan color that is pictured. It would be great for layering under a denim jacket and I also like how they have it styled with a trendy front-button skirt.

Dresses and Jumpsuits

• It really isn’t fall at all unless you have some corduroy in your wardrobe!! This really cute jumper with the front buttons encompasses a few different trends and would be perfect for a casual look – I especially envision it being worn with tights and either long or short-sleeve tops would look good layered underneath.
• This burnt orange jumpsuit is the perfect color for fall. Whenever I see this rust/orange color I think fall so this would be a fun piece for a night out. I like the subtle pattern that isn’t overwhelming and the tie-waist is flattering

Graphic Tees

Processed with VSCO with hb1 preset

Kittsona has recently opened a brand within their brand called humankind which you can find in a separate tab on their website. One of the reasons I love Kittsona so much is they are an inspiring and enabling company and space for women. They are always looking to build women up and share the courage and love across their stores and social media channels. This humankind brand is all centered around those principles and I am excited to see what other products come out of this project!

• This dog graphic tee couldn’t be any more true for me. There are nights where I sit there evaluating how I could possibly bring Luna with me. I think this is one of the pieces from this wishlist that I will be buying without a doubt 😀
• I love this GRLPWR t-shirt so much. It’s a great way to wear your heart on your sleeve and who doesn’t want to broadcast their love for the amazing female gender!?!? As I mentioned, Kittsona has always valued women and their ability to do any and everything that they set their minds too so cheers to that!

Kitchenware and Home Decor

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Kittsona also has a great selection of home decor and fun small gift items, kitchenware, drinkware, beauty products, etc in all of their storefronts. Since their stores are located in different places across the US they have different home and gift items in each of the stores because they like to have state pride and local items for those shopping in each specific store. Because of that their selection online is pretty minimal but there are a few great things that anyone can purchase even if you don’t have a storefront in your city!

• This woman’s best friend mug is so dang cute and I definitely need to add it to my coffee mug collection and rotation in my office. I already have a few dog-themed mugs that I’ve gotten as gifts from my mom and they are all from Kittsona!
• Woven wall hangings have become such a staple in home decor over the last few seasons. They are the perfect way to add texture and depth to a space and this piece would be a beautiful addition anywhere because of its neutral colorings.

 

That’s a wrap on my wish list for this season! I hope you enjoyed checking out these pieces and know that there will be lots more to come about Kittsona on the blog and Instagram from me in the coming months. This partnership is such an exciting one and I’m most happy about getting to share it with all of you. Speaking of that….as my followers you all are able to use my discount code for 10% of your purchase ANY and EVERY TIME you shop Kittsona online at kittsona.com!!!! Don’t forget to add the code at checkout or mention it when checking out in store!

SUGARSPICESTYLE10

If you have any questions about these items or anything at Kittsona please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment, send me a message, or reach out through Instagram or Facebook. I am more than happy to help! Thanks so much for reading,

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen

duluth travel diary

Sharing my trips and travels with all of you is one of my favorite things to do! Living in the northern Midwest I am within driving distance of a lot of beautiful places with so many fun things to do. One place that I haven’t been since I was a young girl that is within driving distance of my hometown is Duluth, Minnesota. Luckily enough one of my closest girlfriends from college moved there after graduation and was sweet enough to invite our whole group of best gal pals out there this past weekend for the ultimate girls weekend! It took me a little less than 5 hours to drive there from Grand Forks so needless to say I had quite the amazing solo roadtrip concert last Friday evening 😀

Not all of our friends were able to join us this past weekend which was tough not to be all together but we are looking forward to a few weeks down the road when we ALL will get to see one another to celebrate one of our friends’ upcoming wedding! My friend who hosted us in Duluth has such a beautiful home that she and her husband purchased just a couple of months ago. It is 100 years old and has so much unique character. The yard and landscaping are beautiful and you are welcomed in the best possible way by a sweet front porch and my dream: a yellow door!!

Friday evening since we all were arriving at various times (and fairly late at night) we just spent time sitting in the living room in our pajamas and catching up; arguably the best thing to do! On Saturday morning we enjoyed breakfast together at home and then hopped in the car to check out a local woodworking shop that our friend said is one of her favorite stores in Duluth. It’s called Bailey Builds and friends 🙂

It was SO beautiful – the owner is a husband and wife team who make unique natural and painted wood decor. They sell a variety of sizes from small to HUGE statement pieces. They also commission pieces and will do specific measurements and color schemes to match your home and space. I fully admit that I was very, very intrigued and definitely had a conversation with the owner and took a card so that I could be in touch with her….One half of the ownership duo, Anna. even went as far as to take us back into the studio portion of the storefront space to show us where the magic happens. It was so fun to talk to her and hear the story behind the process. Follow this link to check our their website and you can also follow Anna on Instagram for all of the details at @annabaileying

After our short shopping venture we journeyed up some of the hilly streets of Duluth to climb up Enger Tower and get the best view of the shore of Lake Superior and just an overall beautiful birds-eye view of the city and the harbor. The grounds of the tower were filled with beautiful flowers and there was even a wedding ceremony going on in the pavilion overlooking the harbor (that we may or may NOT have almost walked into/interrupted). The tower itself that we climbed up for the view reminded me of a rapunzel-like structure and I had to take a great photo of it for memory’s sake!

After the wedding ceremony concluded we took the steps up to the pavilion to get the view of the harbor and we were able to capture a great group picture (minus our friend Sarah who didn’t arrive until shortly after this photo!)  You can see a good view of the harbor behind us and it didn’t quite make the picture but there is a magnificent lift bridge where all of the large ships enter the harbor that is fun to see in action!

After our morning of shopping and climbing we had worked up a good appetite so we headed into the downtown area and took a nice walk down to the Canal park district. Inside of one of the market/shopping buildings is a to-go/fast service eatery that is very highly regarded. A few of my friends had been there before and had amazing things to say so we all agreed it was something we needed to have! Northern Waters Smokhaus lived up to every expectation I had and SO much more. We had to wait about 35 minutes for our food with how busy it was/how long the line was but once I tasted my food I would have waited any amount of hours to have it again!

The sandwich and bagel selection is incredible – fish, meat, veggie, and all types of options you can imagine. Their specialty is salmon so a few of the girls went with a cajun smoked salmon bagel sandwich. As I was scanning the menu I couldn’t stop going back to the salami, olive, and cheese box so it was an easy decision. The salami was homemade and the best I have ever had. Hands down. The cheese and olives were local and so flavorful and it came with fresh bread and better for the perfect meal. I also ordered a side of potato salad because I’m always up for a cold salad and that also gets a very clear two thumbs up!

After our late lunch we headed back to the house to spend some time relaxing, recharging, and getting ready for the evening. On our walk back to the car we took the boardwalk along the shore of the lake and sat in the rock beach and spent a good amount of time skipping rocks and enjoying the view. It’s such a beautiful place and with the vastness and size of Lake Superior you truly feel like you’re on the shores of an ocean since there is no end of the water in sight.

After a recharge session consisting of a long, enjoyable backyard conversation over a few cocktails we changed clothes and hitched a ride back down to Canal Park to experience it in the evening and enjoy a dinner at another fantastic restaurant! We ate our supper at Canal Park Brewing Company and similar to our lunch spot it was so difficult to pick because the whole menu sounded amazing. Each of us ordered something different to enjoy and I had fun listening to everyone’s reactions to their beers and meals. I went with a (VERY) spicy burger topped with a mango chutney-style sauce,  ghost pepper, pepperjack cheese, bacon, and ham. The burger was SO good but I almost couldn’t make it through with the heat from the ghost peppers. The fries and my beer were both great and might have been my saving grace when it came to getting through most of the burger!!

We also shared the nachos at the beginning of our meal as an appetizer and they were topped with pork and a great black bean, corn combination that made them unique and very tasty! After our meal we did some more walking on the boardwalk in the moonlight and walked right up to the lift bridge so we could see it up close.

Grandma’s Sports Garden is where we enjoyed an hour or two of some college flashbacks of getting our dancing in and having a great time singing along to some of our favorite songs from back in the middle and high school days. As I mentioned earlier this was my first time in Duluth since I was very young so it was my first experience of the night life and you can tell how fun it would be to have a full night out there, especially when school is in session and all of the UMD students are out and about.

Sunday morning consisted of one last front porch coffee chat as a group. These girlfriends are and will continue to always be one of my sweetest blessings in life. Nothing can replace the love that dear friends have for each other and we already are counting down the days to being together again! We also made LOTS of big plans for our annual girls weekends in the future and I will look forward to sharing them with all of you on the blog year after year.

As always, thank you so much for reading. Have a wonderful week and I’ll be back soon with more 🙂

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen

 

family weekend recap

Hi, everyone! Last weekend was spent down in the twin cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul with my family – including time further east in Stillwater, Minnesota and Hudson, Wisconsin. I wanted to share a short recap with some photos of things that we did as a family as well as some of the food we ate…of course 😀

My brother lives in the twin cities and my parents and I were making the trip down for the weekend to attend my cousin’s wedding in Stillwater. We took an extra day and headed down on Friday so that we could arrive in the cities by mid-afternoon in order to go to the Minnesota Twins game that night as a family! Since we could take our time on Friday on the drive down we made a pit stop in the town of Freeport, Minnesota to enjoy a late lunch at Charlie’s Café. My mom had stopped there before and it’s “small town famous” so she wanted my dad and I to experience it too! It was the cutest place decorated in all yellow & red on the outside and was a classic “sit down and eat” diner where the waitresses are moving so fast it’s hard to understand how they keep it all straight. I went with a classic cheeseburger and upgraded to waffle fries because that is NEVER a bad idea. It was a solid meal and I would be happy to stop back there again sometime on another trip to the cities.

 

 

I love baseball and Target field is a beautiful park to enjoy a game. I’ve been to a handful of games there so far since it was constructed and I’ve been to both day games and nights games. The park is situated with a beautiful view of the Minneapolis skyline as the sun goes down and the buildings light up. We sat on the third base line so that we could have a prime view. The weather was beautiful and the game ended up being a great one with lots of good hitting to enjoy. We always have to get a picture when the four of us are together and this one turned out pretty amazingly…might even be Christmas card potential!

Our hotel in downtown Minneapolis was near a handful of the theatres in the MSP including the State Theatre and the Orpheum. On a walk around the neighborhood in search of coffee prior to the game my mom and I stumbled across an amazing mural wall that stopped me in my tracks. All of you know how much I love color and this was stunning. I have seen a handful of full-wall murals in Minneapolis before but this was the first time I had seen this one so I couldn’t pass up getting a picture. The saying on the mural is a lyric from the Prince song “Baby I’m a Star” so it doesn’t surprise me that a local artist wanted to showcase (and memoralize) one of their beloved and one of the greatest ever. I’m unsure if the mural was there before Prince’s death or not but if it wasn’t this was a great tribute. It was a good cloudy overlay at the time so the lighting in the picture turned out great!

After our evening in downtown Minneapolis we headed further east to Hudson, Wisconsin where our hotel was (just across the St. Croix river from Stillwater, Minnesota where the wedding was!) We waited to have lunch on Saturday until we got to Hudson because we wanted to find a fun new place to try. We hopped on Yelp to find a good restaurant suggestion and decided to try out something unique – a Caribbean restaurant called San Pedro Café. We definitely weren’t disappointed as the selection was really unique and we got to enjoy some great food and even better margaritas. The margarita menu was extensive and so we ordered three different ones to try – a sunset, a mango, and a blood orange jalapeno. For my meal I chose a unique pizza – pulled pork, mango salsa, mozzarella, crushed red pepper, cilantro, and a spicy lemon aioli sauce. It hit all the marks for a combination of smoky, spicy, and sweet which I loved! This is definitely a place I would go back to next time I’m in Hudson!

 

We sat outside on their beautiful patio filled with tropical flowers…it was so well tied in with the ambience that it didn’t feel like you were in the Midwest at all. Our waitress talked about how the person who designed their florals really outdid themselves this year. Below is a photo of the walkway to the restaurant from the back alley, covered in beautiful sprawling greens. It reminded me a lot of time spent in places like Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands with such beautiful landscapes. 

As I mentioned earlier the whole reason for our trip was to attend a family wedding in Stillwater. My cousin Julie got married and the reception was held in a great restaurant in downtown Stillwater. I took a photo of my wedding look for the Instagram account for my blog – wearing my favorite summer dress! Yellow has been my latest obsession and I love a good floral print any time of the year, but especially in the summer. My lipstick is the matte cream lip color from NYX cosmetics that has been a big game-changer for me in the lipstick world.

We had a great weekend together as a family and it’s always fun to put together a recap for all of you in case you find yourselves in Minneapolis/St.Paul or Stillwater/Hudson anytime soon. Thanks so much for reading and have a great week!

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen

target beauty box review

It comes as no surprise to all of you regular readers that I am a big fan of two things – Target and subscription boxes. So when I learned that Target was doing a subscription-type box you BETTER believe I was all over that 🙂

Each month Target has at least one (if not multiple) beauty boxes that you can order. They announce the new boxes by email and it is usually around the 10th of the month. I has made sure to watch out for the emails each month because they tend to sell out really quickly!! Admittedly I have never looked on the target.com website to see if they’re listed there but I have no doubt they are when they’re available. I have always followed the link straight from the emails announcing them to make my selection.

I just received this month’s box in the mail yesterday and I wanted to share the details with all of you. There were multiple box options this month and I chose to buy the one with a “Rejuvenation” theme because um, that sounds amazing, and 100% like something I need! Each of the box options is fully detailed and shows all of the products that you will get. Some of the products in the box are full size and some are sample size so it’s a nice mix of products to try and you have full transparency up front about what you’re going to get so there is no guess work.

I apologize that the lighting in that picture is so poor but that shows the full break down card of all of the products in the box. It also always comes with a coupon for your next beauty/skin care purchase at Target which is perfect if you end up going to buy more or a full-size version of one of the products if you love it! It’s almost as if Target planned it that way…..hmmm… 🙂

My box from this selection includes a face sheet mask, a 3-day tooth whitening kit, a charcoal body scrub, coconut scented dry shampoo, a foaming mousse body wash, a leave in hair mask, and a facial scrub. I just started the 3-day whitening kit last night and I’m excited to see what the results are over the course of these few days. I am really excited to try out the rest of the products because they are all new to me and the sample sizes give me the perfect preview. That way if there is anything I completely love I can add it to my list for the next time I’m in the store!

I can’t leave without sharing the most important detail about this box which is something I could hardly believe the first time I ordered it….the entire box of products is only $7.99! Yes, you read that right. The price is incredible and encourages you to try without having a worry that you’ll not like any of the products and had spent a big chunk of cash. Also as I mentioned earlier you can see the complete contents of the box before ordering so you can do your research on the products up front so you aren’t surprised.

If you have any questions about the box please don’t hesitate to ask! This is a fun and essentially really low-risk way to try out new beauty products and a fun way to stay “on trend” when it comes to skincare, health, and beauty products 🙂

As always you all rock; thank you so much for reading! Be back again soon!

#sugarspiceandstylethatsnice

xoxo Jen