Boots season is here!

It's officially cool enough to wear boots in Dallas and nobody is happier than me.  I absolutely love a good pair of boots and can't wait to fall-ify my outfits.  Over the past few years, I've collected both black and brown riding boots and heeled boots so I officially don't need any more.  However, that didn't stop me from looking around and finding some good deals for the rest of you!

You'll notice that "good deal" doesn't necessarily mean cheap.  I am not a big fan of pvc boots since most look terribly cheap (even if they weren't) compared to the real deal.   I've included some vegan options for those who don't wear leather, but I think boots should be an investment and you should shop for good quality. 


Audrey Brooke Orville Boot

Ciao Bella Thabata Boot

B.O.C. Maricela Boot

Vegan Chic Riding Boot

Perry D-Ring Boot (On sale in stores!)

Jessica Simpson Angie Boot

And, in case you missed it, here's my take on how to wear riding boots.   They're more versatile than you may think!  What kind of boots are you planning to wear this season?

And the winner is...

Thanks to everyone who entered to win the CSN gift card giveaway!  As of midnight on Sunday, I had 79 entries and random.org selected #8, which was the comment belonging to Amanda West. 

Sorry if you weren't the winner this time, but keep checking back and see what I'll give away next!

Postcard + Coasters = Better than I expected

When I registered for glass photo coasters at Crate and Barrel, I knew I probably wouldn't put actual pictures inside.  I like to add color to the living room wherever I can, so I began trolling Etsy for some sort of bold print that was not too expensive to cut up and on a small enough scale to look nice in a 2x2 inch opening in the class. 

Luckily, I discovered the Ragamuffin Press shop on Etsy.  The artist, Beth Schaible, creates beautiful letterpress cards and books (and really gorgeous paintings on her personal website) and I instantly clicked 'Add to Cart" when I saw the bright yellow chevron patterned postcard for $3. 

Once it arrived, I grabbed a ruler and some scissors and 10 minutes later I had a set of coasters that I'm really happy with.  And if I get tired of the yellow, I'll buy a new postcard and start over again!

Where are they now: The Tanner's

Don't forget to leave a comment on the CSN Stores giveaway post by midnight on Sunday to win a $35 gift card!

It's Friday and I felt like writing another fun post, so I played around in Polyvore and decided to keep the Where are they now? series going with DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle Tanner.  Here's my take on what they'd be doing and wearing now:

DJ Tanner
DJ went to college in Boston (class of 1999 since she was going to prom in 1995) in an attempt to take a break from her giant extended family.  After graduation she got a job as a TV producer in New York, but 9/11 made her realize she missed being around everyone and she moved back to San Francisco.  She and Steve didn't stay together through college and she ended up reuniting with Vipor, her old musician boyfriend who played at the Smash Club.  They live together, much to Danny's dismay, in a small apartment in The Mission and she likes wearing very casual, but still conservative outfits to her job as a producer for Good Morning San Francisco (Danny and Becky's show was canceled after 15 years)

Stephanie Tanner
Stephanie is 27 now, working a collection of jobs in Los Angeles along with the occasional commercial and small guest role on crime shows like CSI.   She dropped out of college in 2002 and decided to pursue acting instead of degree.  So far it's not going well, but not bad enough for her to move back to San Francisco and get a day job.  Her style is very hippie/beachy/chic and features lots of clothes DJ didn't want anymore. 

Michelle Tanner
Michelle is 23 now and just graduated from Stanford (the school that rejected DJ) with a degree in English.  She tries to get freelance writing work and is working on a novel about a huge family without a mother, but currently works for a high end wedding planner in San Francisco.  She's really stylish, thanks to her job and Aunt Becky, and spends all her money on expensive clothes by The Row.

Custom Throw Pillows... for $35

Be sure to enter the CSN gift card giveaway by leaving a comment on the contest post!  

You may have noticed that I kind of have an obsession with a thing for bold throw pillows.  I love how they can give your entire room a new look and feel without a big investment.  Needless to say, once N and I bought our giant new couch I immediately started looking for ways to jazz it up.

We have this couch, and it came with five 22 inch square pillows that are really comfortable.  I didn't want to buy all new pillows since I have a limited budget and it seemed wasteful to put five perfectly good pillows in the closet, so I started looking at slipcovers.  After entirely too much consideration, I realized that I was not going to find the style of fabrics I like for under $90 per pillow and decided to make my own.

I'm lucky to live near a large Calico Corners store in Dallas, so I went to browse one day after work.  I found so many great choices and ordered two yards of fabric for $30 thanks to a holiday sale.  I toyed with the idea of trying to recover the pillows myself but decided to wait until I'm better at sewing.  Instead I went to my local dry cleaner and for $20 each, the lady who alters my clothes recovered the original pillows with Dahlia fabric in Slate.  I must say I'm pretty happy with the result, especially since both cost a total of $70.

The 5 things you need?

Don't forget to leave a comment on the CSN stores giveaway post for your chance to win a $35 gift card!

In my internet browsing this week, I noticed a little blurb on the side of the Yahoo Shine site that said: "The five wardrobe staples you need are: a white shirt, a cotton sweater, a pair of jeans, a skirt and a day dress."  I thought about it and decided they're half right - those items will get you through most occasions with the right accessories and top layers.  Here's my take on the different occasions you'd be prepared for with your 5 basic essentials.

First - the 5 basics:  I picked a deep, saturated color for the sweater but you could do a neutral.  I also went with w 3/4 sleeve white shirt since I personally prefer them as well as a well constructed sheath dress in gray.

And here are a few outfits to show how far these pieces can go.

Weekend:

Work:

Date:

Gift Card Giveaway from CSN Stores!

This giveaway has ended - thanks to everyone for entering!

I'm pretty excited to announce a new giveaway this week - sponsored by CSN stores.  If you haven't heard of them yet, you'll be glad to discover that they sell pretty much everything across a wide selection of websites.  Whether you need a new drop leaf table, a great deal on designer wallpaper or one of the 6,000 pairs of dress shoes they sell (yes, that is the correct number of zeroes), CSN has got you covered.  The selection of available items is pretty daunting, and I know everyone could find something they like for their home or closet.

CSN has offered a $35 gift card for Cardigan Junkie readers who leave a comment on this post by midnight Central time on Sunday, October 17th.  The contest is open to residents of the US and Canada.  You do not have to create any sort of Google account to leave a comment, but you will need to leave your email address so I can get in touch with you and let you know that you've won. 

And in case you're still in doubt, here are a few things you could use your gift card to buy: