Happy Halloween!

Image from "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"

Like many of you, all of my Halloween parties were this past weekend, but that's not going to stop me from celebrating today in its fullest. Last night Ryan and I went candy shopping, and carved pumpkins. Nothing like waiting until the last minute eh? I'm actually kind of excited to sit on my porch in a silly costume, and hand out candy to kids in the neighborhood. I promise it isn't as creepy as I just made it sound.

Today is the official launch of my ads on Passionfruit, and I hope all of you will visit the lovely sponsors you see in the right sidebar. They're really fabulous people and I'm blown away by the talent represented. You will be too.

Oh and we have a winner for the Holly Mame giveaway to announce!
Congratulations to...Brittany D. Smith!!!! I'll be emailing you shortly.

Happy Halloween everybody! big kiss, bekuh

A Listening Party

This past weekend the local record label that Ryan works tirelessly on, Sewn Together Records, had their first listening party. This party was in honor of their first physical release, You Are Here, that is officially released today. Did you catch all those firsts? It was a big weekend for the STR boys and I was so happy to be a part of it. I thought it would be fun to share a few photos from this intimate gathering, and boast about my amazing husband's achievements. He's pretty incredible if you ask me.

STR is a joint venture that Ryan works on with his friends Austin and Shaun (pictured below). Austin is the President and founder, while Shaun works on the PR and Marketing for the label. Ryan's main role is as the business officer (his degree is in music business), and I've been beyond impressed with his immense knowledge and expertise in this area. In addition to being behind the scenes in producing this record, Ryan also mastered all of the music for the vinyl, and has a track on the release. He's kind of an over achiever.

For those of you who may not know what a listening party is; it's basically a chance for everybody involved with making the record to party. They all come together, and celebrate all their hard work, while listening to the album completely through from start to finish. It's a pretty cool thing to hear everyone's response to it for the first time. You Are Here is unique in the fact that it's a compilation album of local bands, covering local bands. So basically the party was a giant thank you to the music scene in Roanoke. I'm excited for physical release number two now! big kiss, bekuh

PS- It's the last day to enter the Holly Mame Giveaway! Enter for your chance to win any two pieces of Jewelry.

Spicy Chicken Enchiladas

I'm really excited about today's post for two reasons. First, I feel like it's been forever since I posted a recipe. Second, I love spicy Mexican food. If you too are a fan of the spicy, and the mexican this is a perfect dish to try soon. Really this recipe is like a double whammy, because you get the enchiladas sauce recipe and the enchiladas recipe together. You can thank me after you try it.

Recipe: Spicy Chicken Enchiladas
(adapted from the Joy of Cooking's enchiladas recipe) 
Ingredients:
2 large onions diced
4 medium jalapenos
2 chili peppers
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1/4 chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
2 tbsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste
2 28oz cans diced tomatoes, drained
3 cups shredded chicken (use leftovers or bake 2-3 chicken breasts)
1 cup greek yogurt or sour cream
6 large tortillas
1-2 cups shredded mexican cheese

Step 1:  For the enchilada sauce, combine the onion, peppers, garlic, and olive oil in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat. Cook until onions are translucent and the peppers are soft.
Step 2: Now stir in the chili powder, ancho chili powder, cumin, and sugar. Cook for one minute before adding the next ingredients.
Step 3: Now add the diced tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are warmed through. Set aside, and let cool.
Step 4: Using a blender, or food processor blend the sauce mixture until smooth. Combine about 1 cup of the sauce, and your greek yogurt with the chicken. Set aside.
Step 5: Preheat your oven to 400F and grab your tortillas. Brush both sides with a little olive oil and place on an aluminum lined cookie sheet. Make sure to overlap them so that they all fit. Cover the cookie sheet with more aluminum foil and bake for about 5 minutes.
Step 6: In a large baking dish (13x9 inch) pour 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of the dish and spread it out.
Step 7: To make each enchilada, grab a warm tortilla and your chicken mixture. Spoon about 3 tbsp of the mixture down the center of the tortilla and roll the tortilla into a cylinder. Repeat with each tortilla.
Step 8: Arrange the enchiladas seam side down in your baking dish and cover with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese.
Step 9: Bake until the sauce starts bubbling, approximately 10 minutes.

To serve I recommend having additional greek yogurt, salsa, and chopped green onion for garnishing. Serve hot. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. Great for get togethers, and impressing your significant other. Happy Monday! big kiss, bekuh

Weekly Obsessions: Inspired By Painted Leaves

Sources: 1/2/3/4/5

I instantly fell in love with this simple DIY on Pinterest last week, and it got me thinking about pattern, color, and texture. It's funny how an image can lead to shopping for clothes, and housewares, and get you dreaming about long walks to pick up leaves. This photo, in part, lead to me pinning woven baskets, plum colored shoes, photo album inspiration, and the prettiest Dear Creatures dress I ever did see. What strange things does inspiration lead you to? big kiss, bekuh

Happiness Is...Found in Great Sandwiches

Ryan and I have been on quite the sandwich kick lately. Whether it's grilled cheese, turkey, or veggie, we're loving a hearty bread laid thick with toppings to enjoy. Like most of our cooking adventures no two are ever quite alike. The sandwiches above are from a recent hike. B&R for Bekuh and Ryan, or is it Rebekuh and Browning? Our growing love of sandwiches got me thinking about the ways our lives change as the seasons change. Priorities shift, and different habits start to form.

Gone is our intense cravings for tomatoes, outdoor gardening, and light reads. They've been replaced by root veggies sprinkled with herbs de provence, indoor plants on window sills, and thicker books for reading. Right now I'm starting to read a little of Julia Child's cookbook, and my already intense love of French cooking is expanding. We're enjoying cozier activities, and our coats have been pulled out of the closet. I love reawakening these long formed habits you can only pull out at certain times of year.

There are still a few remains of last season to remind us that time passes slowly, but for the most part I've fully embraced this new season and the changes it brings. Funny how a sandwich can make you sit and ponder life. Have a great weekend friends. big kiss, bekuh

Don't Forget to Enter the Holly Mame Giveaway going on now!

DIY Lacy Socks

I'm not typically the girliest girl when it comes to accessorizing an outfit. I don't own a bazillion pairs of earrings, and I prefer the simple necklace over a statement piece, but lately I've been feeling a bit of a shift. I've suddenly found myself buying up lace everything, and softening towards pearls. GASP! So, when I noticed that lace trimmed socks were coming back in style I just knew I had to try making a pair for myself. They're everything girly! Now you can make a pair or two for yourself using these simple instructions.

1. You'll need only a few supplies to make this DIY happen. Grab a pair of ankle socks, pins, needle & thread, lace trim, scrap cardboard, and scissors.

2. Your first step will be to cut a piece of cardboard that is at least 4.5" wide to stretch your sock over. 

3. This will help keep the opening large enough for your foot to slip through once the lace is attached. Next grab your pins and lace trim.

4. Pull a length of lace off and wrap it around your sock, leaving about an inch of extra lace on each side.

5. Cut the lace and get ready to pin. Make sure not to pin the lace ends together, you'll want those loose for the last few steps.

6. As you pin the lace in place, pull the sock's trim up as far as you can between each pin. This will give the sock a ruched appearance and you want that.

7. Using the same pulling technique, start to sew the lace in place.

8. When you get to the end don't sew the two pieces together to connect the lace. Knot your thread. 

9. Stretch the sock as far as it will go and trim the excess lace so that the ends of both sides just touch one another. Using your needle and thread sew the lace ends together.

10. Repeat steps 1 through 9 on the second sock.

You now have pretty, girly socks that will make you feel a little like a school girl, and a little like a fashion maven among your friends. I decided I needed a pair of polka dot ones too! Clothes should be fun, and these socks are proof of that. big kiss, bekuh

Speaking of awesomely girly, don't Forget to Enter the Holly Mame Giveaway going on now!

The Autumnal Necessaries

It seems like every season there is one outfit or "look," that I lean towards more than any other. I'm already seeing a pattern for this fall. Most weekends (and some weekdays too) you'll find me wearing something along these lines: jeans, a lightweight sweater, loafers, my yellow beret, this coat, and my  vintage Coach bag. It's just so easy to pull together and I never have to second guess how I look.

Outfit Details- trench: c/o Chiche (sold at Modcloth)//Beret- c/o Katherine//sweater: JCrew Warehouse//Jeans: Delias//shoes: Target//handbag: gift from my Grandma

I can't tell you what a life saver this coat has already been for me. I'd always loved the idea of a trench coat, but could never find the "one." Well this one found me and I couldn't be happier! I think it looks pretty sharp with my Grandma's old Coach bag and a couple pops of color. Every single item I'm wearing is a treasured piece of my autumnal wardrobe. Do you have seasonal outfit staples? Go to jackets? Or fail safe combos? I'd love to hear what all of you are wearing as the weather cools down.  big kiss, bekuh

Don't Forget to Enter the Holly Mame Giveaway going on now!

SHS October Giveaway with Holly Mame Jewelry!

Images from Holly Mame: 1/2/3/4

October's giveaway is sure to get you excited. You have a chance to win your choice of any TWO pieces of jewelry from the Etsy shop Holly Mame! Holly Mame is owned by the sweet and talented Nicole who's jewelry is made with the vintage lover in mind. Combining both new, and old elements in her designs, I just know you'll love her charming shop and eclectic style. 

The giveaway is open to anyone in the United States, and will run from now through October 30th. You can choose up to 7 ways to enter the giveaway, each entry bringing your chances up! Why not do them all?

As an added bonus Nicole is also offering free shipping in her shop during the duration of the giveaway! Just enter the code SECONDHAND at check out and receive free domestic shipping. If you win and have already purchased an item Nicole is happy to credit you the money, or offer two additional pieces for your pleasure.

What are you waiting for? Enter now:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Tuesday friends, and good luck! big kiss, bekuh

Family Weekend: A Birds' Eye View

This past weekend my Dad and my grandparents drove down from Ohio to visit Ryan and I as a celebratory visit for our one year wedding anniversary and my birthday. Since moving to Virginia over a decade ago, this has been a yearly tradition that I just can't seem to live without. It's hard living so far away from family you care so deeply for. These visits are treasured moments I hold close in the months I go without seeing them.

We drove up along the Blue Ridge Parkway taking in a couple of the lookout views, and all the changing leaves. In all the years they've been visiting we've never done this. It was breathtaking. After driving around a little we headed to the Roanoke Star, the local tourist destination. It's the largest manmade star in the US (or so it says). It was fun showing them Roanoke from a bird's eye view and trying to locate all the parts of town we visited throughout the day.

We left the star a little sooner than I'd planned, because there was wedding about to start, and headed back down the mountain to a hot soup lunch and sleepy conversation. I am so thankful that I have family willing to go out of their way to celebrate milestones with me, and drive all that way for a single day of fun. I miss them already. big kiss, bekuh

Secondhand Sundays October Sweethearts!

On one of the most beautiful fall days we've had so far this year, I'm thrilled to introduce you to my October large sponsors! With so many lovely ladies (and their gents) to meet I know you'll have a cozy afternoon of reading ahead of you. Sit back and enjoy the these little treasures.

Hi, my name is Maddie Flanigan and I am the blogger behind Madalynne, the cool pattern making and sewing blog. If Steve McQueen was the "King of Cool", then Madalynne is the "Queen of Cool." Three to four times a week, I post about a myriad of subjects - tutorials on how to draft a sloper to interviews of independent pattern maker/designers and what projects I'm currently working on. For the past two and a half years, my day job has been in the technical design department for a very large fashion company in Philadelphia. A couple of months ago, this company took note of my personal blog and asked me to start and Intranet blog that would create a cohesive voice for all their brands. Cool, right? I consider myself one lucky gal to be able to do what I love both day and night (blog and sew), not to mention I receive a stellar discount off some really fancy clothes!

Three things Maddie is excited about this Fall:

Dark green nail polish, knee high socks worn with oversized waffle knit tees (to bed), and my new sewing machine that has a triple step zig-zag stitch (for sewing lingerie).

You can connect with Maddie on Facebook, Instagram, or her blog.

Living for Pretty is lifestyle blog all about creating a pretty, meaningful life. I am a girly-girl, former ballerina who is learning how to make it in this world. I love sharing things that inspire me and my stories about my transition from girl-hood to woman-hood. Please come say hello, we'll be the best of friends!

Three things Mandi is excited about this Fall:

I’m excited to turn 25 (hello quarter-life crisis!), use way too much pumpkin in the kitchen and go on my favorite date of the whole entire year with my husband-to-be - the pumpkin patch!

You can connect with Mandi on Facebook, Twitter or her Blog.

TODAY IS MANDI'S BIRTHDAY GO SEND HER SOME LOVE!!!

Hello all! My name is Marlen (like the Monroe and not the fish) and I blog over at Messages on a Napkin. I'm a writer in my room and not in the real world, and I have a penchant for anything that looks like I stole out of my grandmother's armoire (because grandmothers don't have closets). I have a knack for layering, be it 30 or 80 degrees outside, and I love playing with vintage and hunting for thrifted treasures (sans bow and arrow). Come say hello!

Three things Marlen is most excited about this fall:

1. Getting to wear chunky-knit fishermen sweaters

2. Drinking hot apple cider by the tub full

3. Getting to watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

Connect With Marlen on Bloglovin, Lookbook, or her blog!

I'm Lesley, a twenty-something searching for adventure in Newfoundland. I love all things DIY, spend way too much time on Pinterest, and have a knack for wasting time. By the Porchlight is my latest attempt at creativity. I blog about craftiness, cooking, books, and everything in between. I hope you'll come join me!

Three things Lesley is excited about this Fall:

Wearing cozy sweaters, snuggling up with a good book, the changing colours of the trees

You can connect with Lesley on Twitter, Facebook, or her blog!

We're Ben and Katie. We just got married and moved to Idaho. Chestnut Mocha is our little space to talk about whatever we want and share our adventures. Katie loves mushrooms, mountains and bunnies. Ben likes design, Proust and playing guitar. We blog about photography, travel, food, lomography cameras and things that we do as a couple.

Three things Ben and Katie love about Fall:
Our favorite things about fall include colorful leaves, hot cocoa and pumpkins!

Connect with Ben and Katie on Facebook, Twitter, and their blog.

Hello Lovely Readers, I am Kirsten and my blog is mylifetintedpink. I love to write and I am a verbal processor. Having a place to write my thoughts and share them with others is fun, and sometimes therapeutic. I write about all things important to me: God, family, friends, travel, life, adventure, etc. I hope you will pop over sometime for a visit! Topic vary day to day, but I love sharing and hearing thoughts and feedback from my readers! Cheers!

Three things Kirsten is excited about this fall:
...The beauty of the leaves and the mountains! (I've been living in SC and Fall arrives so late there.)
...Coziness, hot drinks, and cider (regular or hard ; ) )
...Hopefully some evening bon fires!

You can connect with Kirsten on Twitter, Bloglovin, or her blog. 

Hey, we are Liv and Dave, we are designers, creatives and Liv is a makeup artist (visit me here too). We are currently in the process of leaving the great city of London behind and starting a new life together down under in Sydney. We love taking pictures, good food and sunshine. We are learning more about life and happiness every day. Come and follow our adventures, we love to have you!          -Liv+Dave=

Three things Liv & Dave are excited about this fall:
1. The colours!!!
2. Hats, Scarfs and Soups.
3. The quiet, peaceful atmosphere that Autumn brings feels so magical.

You can connect with Liv & Dave on Instagram, Twitter, or their blog.

I've loved having all of these wonderful sponsors on Secondhand Sundays this month. I hope you go show them some love before the month is through! big kiss, bekuh

In My Bag: Autumn Edition

At the end of August I was talking to my sister on the phone and she mentioned these great bags we'd both been obsessing over at JCrew, and how by some miracle our Grandma had two Coach bags from the early 90s tucked away in her closet that had a really similar vibe. She also mentioned that she'd nabbed the navy one and had saved a dark brown bag just for me! I was beyond excited to receive my new-to-me Coach bag and I've been carrying it around ever since. I think it's perfect for the fall and matches almost anything without fail.

The most prized position in my prized bag is the Tumbleweeds sunglasses I picked up in Chicago from the amazing Beca! I wear them everyday, and keep them in a vintage eyeglass case I picked up at an estate sale this summer. It's important to keep your valuables safe. Alongside these jewels lives a random instax photo from our hotel in DC and an old grocery list. No editing the contents for this post.

I love packing and unpacking my bag throughout the week to remove receipts, and look through the scraps of whatever I've been up to lately. It's a little therapeutic for me. Besides the slightly strange and fabulous items there are always the standards; a wallet, my planner, lots of keys, my iphone, rose balm, gum. I've also been carrying around a postcard or two with birthday discounts to some of my favorite stores. October is just the best month (at least for me). As autumn moves further in I'll probably add a tied scarf to the strap and a loose pair of gloves just in case. I like preparedness as well as organization. I totally sound like a mom. Happy weekend everybody! big kiss, bekuh