// Things I Love Thursday v.157

Happy Halloween, friends! I hope it's not nearly as yucky where you are. Today is full on gloom + rain here for us. I'm a little bummed because so far our town hasn't changed the trick or treating night, and no one wants to walk several miles in the rain. Crossing our fingers they announce something soon. But I've still got a Pre-K party to bake for! Having a kid in elementary school really takes it out of ya haha! I hope your day is filled with spookiness (like the ghost dream I had last night.) and candy! For any of y'all with kids: What are they dressing up as for Halloween?! Toby is totally a Ninja Turtle. Love that kid.

♥ this kind of stuff is my favorite! deconstructed + organized neatly! ♥

♥ this mario cat complex is amazing! ♥

♥ this is such a beautiful landscape ♥

♥ this classy lady. ♥

♥ this beautiful blue ink tattoo ♥

♥ this fun nail art ♥

♥ this is so gorgeous ♥

   

♥ an honest business card exchange. SO funny ♥                  

// HEY YOU! Got something you want to see on LCH in November?! Let me know! Are there specific posts you just totally love and want more of? More boozy goodness? More family/what we wore/flynn fest posts? DIYs? Holiday crap? Shout it out! I'm planning November's calendar now and I'm so excited about what's coming to the blog. I hope you love it, too! (Holy crap, tomorrow is November!)

// Amanda recently sent us some chocolates and holy moly they were incredible! Dark chocolate sea salt caramel truffles = HEAVENLY! She just released The Pie Collection and is offering all of you fab readers 15% off of her sweets shop with the code KAELAH. Enjoy!

// Jen is offering all LCH readers 25% off of her vintage Etsy shop! Just use the code kaelahbee at checkout! Offer good until November 24th!

// Watch these 2 quick cat gifs and your heart will melt right out of your chest.

// THIS is hilarious and the perfect example of what Tumblr is really like.

// Here's a really great post about the huge boom Dubai has seen in the last two decades. It's really heartbreaking to read about the workers involved.

// Wishlist Wears: this oxblood pleather skater skirt (!!!) // the little grey cotton dress + ruby necklace + caramel belt are the PERFECT match // i want an entire dress made out of this glittery goodness // this dress is so dreamy! (it comes in red, too!) // this classy (but still fun) take on a little black dress // the perfect winter addition to my wardrobe // this looks so comfy!

// These kinds of posts are without a doubt my favorite to read on other blogs. So much love to be found! (Also - peep CA's tagline on her blog! Killing me! I adore that girl.)

// Let's Talk Halloween Candy - What Do You Love And Hate? (Love: mini 3 musketeers + butterfingers. and skittles. Hate: tootsie rolls. get outta here with that mess!)

// We're huge StickyGram fans over here and I'll probably say this a million times over the next few months, BUT you can save $2 off of a set of magnets or $5 off a (new!) custom phone case with the coupon code FRIEND0WS5. (They make amazing/thoughtful holiday gifts, by the way!)

// This is why Roxy is a badass.

// 6 Scary Movies That Actually Scare Me -- No, Like REALLY Scare Me. 

// !!! LuLu*s is having a pretty huge sale right now! 31% off all items already on sale! Just use the code PUMPKIN. But hurry! It ends at midnight tonight!

// In case you missed it: a fun (FREE!) way to shop swap! // a Mint + Mustard outfit // pumpkin patch adventures // Blogs... and why we write/read.

Have you read anything lately that made you laugh out loud, cry, think, or want to share with others? Feel free to share your favorite links below, or link us to your own link roundup!

Happy Halloween!

// Swapdom - Swap 'Til Ya Drop!

Over the past several years I've really grown to "know" my audience here on LCH. I feel like we're just a bunch of friends that hang out online and chat, ya know? I'm probably being a little too poetic about it but it's true and that's how I feel. I love sharing sites and products that I know you'll love. Today's site is seriously no different. What if you could go "shopping" for a brand new wardrobe, and not spend any money? That sort of sounds like a dream come true for me. I love having new clothes and accessories, buttttt I'm not so keen on shelling out mad cash for them. Now you don't have to! Say hello to Swapdom!

Have you ever had a clothing swap party with friends? I have, and it's loads of fun. Unfortunately for me very few of my friends share my size and style when it comes to clothing. (I mean, this obviously has it's perks when going shopping together. No fighting over that one coveted item... but not so great when it comes to swapping!) Forget that mess! Now thanks to Swapdom you literally get to open your closets up to tons of people across the country! You don't have to rely on that one sorta-slightly-similar-proportion person at your swapping party... You get some full scope swapping action here. Instagram and online "Closet" sales are hugely popular (I love doing them myself) but sometimes I'm more likely to let something go if I know I can replace that now empty hanger with something equally as fabulous. Not only is it smart for your wallet, but it's also smart for the environment. One dress swapped is one dress saved from the landfill. Giving these items a second (or third, or fourth) chance is what it's all about. Plus, I can be just as happy with a new-to-me item as I can be with a new one! Bonus points when someone else can't just walk into a store and buy the very same thing. That's when vintage and past seasons' clothing is a major bonus!

I bet you can look around your room right now and spot at least 5 things that you'd be more than happy to get rid of if there was some benefit to you, right? I'm all for donating unused items, but sometimes we have those few items that even though we don't plan on wearing them, we have a hard time letting them ago. (AKA my entire closet *groan* haha!) This is why Swapdom is SO PERFECT! It's still in beta right now, but if you want to skip the waiting list and be one of the first members of the community, sign up HERE!

I've put Mike to the task of photographing a few pieces of my own to go swap. I've already got my eye on a sweet pair of loafers and I'm just crossing my fingers someone doesn't snatch them up before I go work my ~*Swapping Mojo.

Swapdom is totally free for you to use, too. The only thing you pay for is shipping the item to it's new and appreciative owner! BUT if you upload three items you'll get free shipping on your first swap! You literally have nothing to lose by giving it a whirl! The free shipping offer is only good for a limited number of people so the sooner you sign up and get to listing, the more likely you'll be one of those lucky folks!

Think you'd be game for a closet swap?! Head on over and sign up! List some items and send me your link or username (Here's my profile)! Maybe we can make some swaps! Happy guilt free shopping swapping, y'all!

* Swapdom approached me to become an ambassador and early adopter of the new site! While this post is in partnership with Swapdom, all opinions are totally 100% my own and I'd never try to shill ya something I didn't totally adore myself. I hope you love it as much as I do!

// Mustard + Mint

This is what I wore to go to the pumpkin patch field trip last week with Toby's class. It was mighty chilly outside to start, so tights were an absolute must. I'm starting to warm up to the idea of having them in my wardrobe again, though I'm sad to see the warmer weather go. Luckily I can break out some slightly shorter dresses now that my legs will be covered for the season! One of the most important questions I ask myself before buying a dress is "Would I wear this without tights?" If the answer is no, back on the rack it goes. Of course I'll make an exception here and there, but at least this way I can buy a dress that's wearable for all seasons. Mint isn't necessarily the first color I think of when I think of Fall, so I had to Autumn-ize it a bit. A mustard cardigan and infinity scarf, topped off with a jacket Mike outgrew. I love me a good military green jacket, and I'm stoked on how this one fits me (Yep, totally from the dude's section). For some reason I've never found quite as good of a female-intended jacket. While I'm not huge on cold weather, I am glad it's scarf season! The only bad thing about scarves though... when you've got hair like mine, it's an instant tangle-fest in the back of my head. Seriously, these photos were from Friday and I still haven't completely untangled the bottom part of my hair. Hashtag-curly-hair-problems.

Several weeks ago I was sort of kicked out of my Twitter account (via browser) because it had been phished. I tried resetting the password but Twitter freaked out because I no longer had the same cell phone number and for some reason I wasn't receiving any of the reset emails. I tried talking to someone at Twitter Support and seriously, she was the most rude and unconcerned person ever. Basically she just told me "Well, that's too bad. We're not going to help you and you'll just have to make a new account" (Paraphrasing, but seriously, that's what she said) - WHAT?! I was able to provide proof of who I was, my passwords, my contact info, etc... but simply because I couldn't get a reset code via a text message they were like "WHOOPS! 2 BAD 4 U!" and then she blocked my email from asking for more help. Like, really. Blocked my email. I submitted two more support tickets over the coming weeks but no one ever responded to them. I was beginning to feel pretty crappy about it because if my Echofon ever signed out of Twitter on my phone, I'd have absolutely no way to retrieve my account. I know that sounds silly - getting worked up about a Twitter handle -- but I've had that account for over 5 years (August 2008! Holla!)... I've worked hard to make the connections I have via Twitter and I didn't want to lose them. Not to mention like almost 50,000 tweets (I talk to much and say too little, I know) Well, whatever - Long story short: Mike called my old cell phone number. No one answered. About an hour later someone called him back from that number. He answered, explained to the girl who he was and what he was trying to do, they laughed, and she agreed to text him the ### code that Twitter was going to send to her phone. I mean, that's pretty rad, right? I probably would've thought someone was totes crazy to call me like (but I totally would've obliged. I get it!) but it warmed my cold little heart to know that 1) Mike would call a random stranger for me (That phone number is sort of special, honestly) and 2) someone would be so kind as to help me out. In the end, I'm finally back into my Twitter account and stoked on it. Geeze, what a long paragraph for such a silly, non-important story haha! ~*~Tweet me~*~*

Today I'm going to try and get as much work done as I can in the office. Both Mike and I started feeling really crummy on our drive home from errands last night and I spent the rest of the night curled up with a thing of tissue and my inhaler. I feel a little bit better this morning but it's always worse in the evening so I'm going to try and power through as much work as possible and then crash on the couch for a while. I'm hoping it's just passing sinuses and not something worse. All the while I'll cross my fingers Mike isn't coming down with a stomach bug. Both Mike and I are pretty pathetic when we're sick, to be honest... but even after 4 years of being together, I don't think we've ever been sick at the same time. There would seriously be NO HOPE for us in that case. We're pretty sad, huh?

Jessica Simpson dress
ModCloth cardigan
Mustard scarf
Thrifted belt
Emilie M. purse (c/o)
Urban Outfitters sunglasses
Forever XXI (men's) jacket
Hanes tights (c/o) (*available exclusively at walmart - for under $6!)
Thrifted shoes

PS; Just in case you want to check out my fall staples and "Must Haves" for the cooler months, here you go! I'd love to hear what you can't live without in Autumn/Winter. xo

oversized purse // infinity scarf // military jacket // eos lip balm // opaque tights

This post is in partnership with Hanes. All opinions expressed within are 100% my own. Visit Hanes Hoisery for style tips, trend alerts and additional information on Hanes Legwear.

// Pumpkin Patch Adventures

Friday morning our little family bundled up and headed over to a pumpkin patch a few counties away. Toby's entire Pre-K class was there (maybe the entire grade? At least several classes!) and you couldn't have asked for a more perfect day! It was super chilly at first, but the sky was totally clear and so blue! Toby climbed hay bales, slid down slides, picked out his very own pumpkin, ate popcorn, and chased a little girl around. It seems like our little dude has his very first crush... a little girl in his class. He spent most of the day trying to sit beside her on the hayride, and trying to ask her to take a picture with him. Finally I helped him out a little and talked to her dad. Toby just clammed up like in the picture below haha. They were both so precious and shy! I can't believe he already has a crush on a girl and he's only 4.... Heaven help us all! 

We spent a few hours chasing Toby around the pumpkin patch. We weaved our way through a corn maze, and spent some time petting pigs and goats, too. Toby rode on a little lawnmower-pulled train with a friend and we made small talk with some parents. Afterward we headed to the next town over to run some errands and buy some birthday presents. Overall I'd say it was a pretty successful day! Now we just have to turn that little pumpkin up there into Raphael from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Ha! Wish us luck! Happy Monday!

Toby's wearing:
Target sweater
Levi's jacket
Old Navy corduroys
Handmade hat from Allison
Old Navy shoes

PS; Sorry for all of the blurry faces! I really wanted to include some of the photos with Toby and his friends, but didn't want to overstep any boundaries! I know the class photo is a bit silly since all but Toby's face is blurred, but look how cute they all are!

// Blogs... And Why We Write/Read

Blogging is one of those things I've always found to be sort of fascinating. I mean, in a way they're like mini-magazines or tv shows. Some bloggers develop scores of fans and go on to become authors, appear on tv, or land huge brand collaborations. Of course a ton of hard work (and maybe a smidge luck) goes into each instance, but what's the one thing all blog have in common? All blogs started at the very bottom. Zero pageviews. Zero comments. Zero content. It doesn't matter if you were super popular online before launching your blog, you still had to start with nothing. When you think of it that way, it's totally fascinating to see how far blogs have come. I'm always wondering "Why did so-and-so start blogging? What made her say 'Oh this looks fun!'? What lead her to certain choices? What has she gained from it?" - And not in a judgmental way! I really mean that in a sincere and curious manner.

For me, I have to think back to my LiveJournal days. Well, DeadJournal if I'm being totally honest! And maybe even Xanga before (after?) that! While I tended to keep my online journals "friends only," I started racking up friends left and right, so basically anyone could read what I wrote. I was the queen of the overshare, I'm sure of it. I had just turned 21 and I was getting ready to move to NYC to work at BUST magazine for the summer, and I wanted my friends and family to be able to follow along with my shenanigans in the city but I certainly didn't want them reading my LJ. A compromise (this blog!) was born. 

I didn't go into blogging with the clear cut idea that I was going to make it a "job" and monetize. In fact I'm not even sure I knew what that word meant haha! I was simply interested in sharing my adventures with anyone who wanted to read. I remember making the conscious decision to monetize around the one year mark of my blog. I think I had around 500 or so followers and I thought that was a decent following. The next Spring I decided to share outfits. Then it was doing design for hire via my blog, and various other online shops and ventures. I had/have the opportunity to work with brands, big and small, and sort of hone something I've been working on for nearly 5 years. While I recognize the ability to monetize and make my blog a job, I also recognize that I do it for several other reasons...

For instance, I share outfits not to just hopefully "inspire" people (that's not it at all actually), but to help me find confidence in myself. It's easy to feel like the odd duck when you're a short, curvy gal and sometimes straight sizes are limiting but you also still can't wear most plus size brands. There's actually a lot of gals like that in the blog world, so it's refreshing and makes me feel less strange. In a way sharing outfits on here also keeps me accountable... for getting dressed during the day. That probably sounds a little sad (it sort of is...) but if you work from home then you probably understand. Over the years that I've shared outfits here, I've grown so much more appreciative of myself. The little quirks and flaws that I'm made of. And it's those "quirks" and "flaws" that make me adore other bloggers, as well. Sure, model-esque fashion bloggers can be great, but they don't particularly inspire me. I read so many blogs of just regular ol' everyday gals and I love them. Even if their style is so unlike my own. I love to read about their journeys and adventures.

I love to write about being self employed and owning several small businesses because 1) it's what I'm passionate about, and 2) I want other people to know you don't have to go the traditional route to have a happy and fulfilling life. You can have a family, nice home, a well-adjusted life, etc, and be self employed! In turn I love to read blogs that sort of share that belief.

I could say that I write my blog solely for my family and friends, but that's be a big ol' load of crap. At one time, yes, that was the driving force. But now it's to connect with people who share similar interests and stories, and even people who are a bit kooky and live a life I'd never dream of. It's a way to connect with those like me, and those who intrigue me. --- To be completely honest, I'm not sure I read any "big" blogs. I mean, there are a few that I read that are around the size of my own, but I don't think I read any blogs of any "blog famous" people. They just don't speak to me the same way smaller, more personal blogs do. That's why each week, when I sit down to return comments on my blog, I end up finding tons of new, amazing gals to follow. Whether we're on different sides of the globe or in very different stages in our lives, there's almost always something I can say I'm inspired by when I visit each of these blogs. That's why I read. and that's also why I write. 

I guess what I'm getting at here is: I'm curious. Why do you read blogs? What sets a blog apart from the others for you? What drew/draws you to the ones you frequent? And even better: Why do you blog? What do you feel like you gain from sharing what you do? In what ways have you grown since starting your blog? (Or how do you hope to grow over time?) -- The world of blogging is equal parts fascinating, weird, silly, and amazing. Some of my life's best opportunities and friendships have come directly from this blog. I'd be lying if I said there weren't times I've thought about throwing in the towel, but ultimately I know I've made these connections because I've persevered. I'm not necessarily one to network or beat down virtual doors for partnerships, but I'm more than pleased with what this little blog has brought into my life. But I think I'm just waxing poetic honestly haha!

PS; Those pictures of the furry things are totally unrelated, I know. But I like any excuse to share photos of those silly things.

// Things I Love Thursday v.156

♥ this Red Valentino collection (A/W '13) is amazing ♥

♥ these are pencil and ink drawings! insane, right?! ♥

♥ this cat is so pretty! ♥

♥ this "Half Drag" photo series is kind of wonderful ♥

♥ these halloween nails ♥

♥ this bucket of bullies! ♥

♥ i would eat these. ♥

♥ need some spooky contacts for halloween (or anytime? ha), here's the mecca! ♥

♥ this adorable sock illo. ♥

♥ this hammock chair looks heavenly. ♥

// 20 Things Clarissa Forgot To Explain. Ahh! I miss Clarissa Explains It All!

// 50 Things You Will Never Be Able To Forget. THIS IS THE BEST POST IN THE HISTORY OF ALL POSTS!

// Our childhood cartoons grew up and went to college... and according to one illustrator, this is what happened.

// I'm especially loving the links and snapshots in this post from Little Big Blog.

// One of my sponsors, PinUp Darling, is having a Pin It And Win It contest now and believe me, you're going to want to pin some of these rad pieces! (Just pin this and when you win it send it my way! hahaha Kidding!)

// 8 Reasons Elle Woods is a True Role Model. Who wants to come over and watch this with me right now?! Love her.

// Sweet Deals: free US shipping on all orders at The Northern Sea // Save 15% at PinUp Darling with the code KAELAH15 and/or buy one accessory and get the other 50% off! // Save 20% off of your order at Omerica Organic with the code KAELAH // Save 20% off of your order at Karmaloop with the RepCode KAELAH // Get your first Julep box free with code FREE BOX

// Want to see a cute cat in a sailor suit, hat and all?! Of course you do.

// Wishlist Wears: this sequin and chiffon dress // this strawberry print dress // these cameo loafers! // this HOT PINK dress (obsessed with this color lately!) // this clutch looks like an antique book! // this kelly green dress is perfect for a fancy night out // ahh! this gold brocade dress! // this antler ring! // this hands down the necklace i currently covet most // this measuring tape bracelet!

// 5 Reasons Everyone Should Work in a Service Job in Their Twenties.

// I'm Daisy Coleman, The Teenager at the Center of the Maryville Rape Media Storm, and This is What Really Happened.

// Girls I'm totally StyleCrushin' on right now: one // two // three // four

// ModCloth is having a major outerwear sale! 25% off EVERY coat/vest/jacket/blazer on the site until tomorrow night!

Happy Thursday!