The DIY Breast Cancer Awareness Banner Made that Costs $0

Did you know that 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime? Me either. 1 in 8 people is a big number. Knowing this information, I think it is important that we all discuss and bring awareness to breast cancer. Breast cancer runs in my family, as my Great-Grandmother who I am named after got diagnosed with it and unfortunately passed away from it. Similar to my family, I know that many others have connections in their family and friends who have either had breast cancer or had it themselves. That being said, I decided to DIY a super cute banner to bring awareness to breast cancer research as well as its prevalence in our world today.

Every October, Lilly Pulitzer realizes a Paws for a Cause print where they donate some of the profits from its’ sales to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). The print is *of course* pink, and I am obsessed with them all year after year. This year’s print was super duper adorable that I HAD to purchase something in it, especially knowing that my purchase goes to a great cause. As I have been eyeing Lilly Pulitzer’s pajama pants for quite some time now, I finally made the plunge and purchase a pair in this year’s Paws for a Cause print. Knowing how breast cancer affects many women and Lilly Pulitzer lovers, I really respect that my favorite fashion brand takes the initiative to support breast cancer research.

To go with my Paws for a Cause pajama pants, I decided to hand make a banner for my apartment. To make it, I went on my good old laptop and printed out a full page length of the print with one of the letters in “Think Pink” in a text box over it. I, then, printed the pages out, and hole punched the two left and right corners on the top of each page. Lastly, I weaved a tiny white ribbon through the holes and tied a knot at the ribbon on the end of each side.

I have made banners in my favorite Lilly Pulitzer prints in the past for both my dorms and my apartment. They have been such a fun decorative asset in my rooms for the past four years! Getting to have a banner that supports a cause that is very important to me and to many others is a great way to show off awareness for the things that mean the most to me. Although breast cancer is not going away anytime soon, showing off and giving my support for the cause is a way that I can do my part to help others and potentially myself someday.

XOXO – Katie <3

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2 People Share How Their Bullying Stories Shaped Them

After sharing my own story about how I used my own negative experiences with bullying to promote kindness, I wanted to share others’ stories as well. Whether we like to admit it or not, all of us will encounter some form of bullying targeted at us during our lives. Yet, how we choose to respond to those experiences and carry them with us moving forward is important. Today, I asked a few of my friends to share how their own experiences with bullying shaped them into the person that they have become and will become. Each of them answered the following question:

How have your experiences with bullying shaped you into the person you are today?

Chris

Hello! My name is Chris. I have been a friend of Katie since preschool when we grew up together in Pennington. Katie has been like a sister to me and I’m honored to be a part of this thing she is doing on her blog to promote kindness! I would like to share my story of not just bullying but other moments in my life that makes me who I am today. 

When I was four years old, I was diagnosed with autism and high anxiety. It makes it harder for me to process information be sensitive about things and it  makes me zone out randomly. My anxiety makes me have anxiety attacks and hard for me to do things that I wanted to do.  When I was in kindergarten the teachers noticed I was having a tough time in the classroom so I they recommended that I take special education to get the support I needed. In elementary school I had nice teachers that supported me and helped me get through everything. It was when I was in 5th grade when my anxiety came in and I knew middle school was coming and this is when it really starts.

When I was in middle school I had mean teachers who didn’t understand my disability and didn’t know how to help. I would have anxiety attacks and I wasn’t learning much in the classroom because of the teachers not understanding me. My district recommended that I go to a school where I’d get better help. I arrived at the school and the at teachers were much better, but the kids weren’t nice to me they came from abusive families and bad backgrounds. I was the only one there that came from a good family, I missed my friends like Joe, Tim, Matt and Andrew. It was so hard to leave them, especially in 7th and 8th grade. I then went back to my district for high school where I hoped for a fresh start.

When I was in high school, and I started my freshman year I was so happy to see my friends again Joe was happy to see me and so was Andrew and Tim and Matt. I had a very supportive teacher named Mrs. Dinardo who I still keep in contact with today.  I also met a girl named Kim who I became really good friends with and I ended going to senior prom with her because she was a senior and I was freshman everyone called me lucky. But after that, things got hard I started to get bullied by a group of people who would cyber bully me on social media and threaten me.  For the next three years they would do the same thing over again and it would get worse every year. I didn’t want to go to school and I didn’t look forward to the new school year starting because I knew they would come after me again.  I also had a toxic relationship and I also had a seizure in senior year which was the most horrific experience I ever had.  When I graduated high school I tried different jobs who had mean bosses who didn’t understand me and were abrasive to me. At one of those jobs, I was bullied by the same people that bullied me in high school. I also lost my grandparents who I was so close to.  The worst part about this it happened all at one time for three years. 

All of this has made me stronger, I care about all of my friends and I show kindness to everyone! I couldn’t have gone through this without the support of Katie, Joe, Andrew Tim, and Matt.  I’m pleased to say that I have a great job as an office assistant now that’s been the perfect fit for me with a great boss who I know keep in contact with.  I’m probably the most happy I’ve ever been in my life.  I have now began a relationship with Kim that I met in freshman year and it’s been so great so far! I’m also learning how to drive with a great tutor! My message to everyone who reads this is be kind to everyone you meet you never know what’s going on in a persons life or what they’ve gone through. I shout out to Katie for letting me write on her blog! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it and I hope I inspired all of you!

Wyatt

Hi my Name is Wyatt. This stuff is a bit hard for me to talk about. I’ve been bullied all my life, it started in kindergarten. Honestly I’ve never really gotten over how much I hated my life during what my parents call “grade school”. In short terms, there were days that I was afraid to go to school, with how much I was hated and made fun of because of who I was. See I’ve never been the kind of person that likes to hurt people for fun. Honestly, I’m the complete opposite. I was hated so much that no one would sit with me at lunch, so I constantly sat alone a lot of the time, so you get why I never really wanted to go to school in the first place, I didn’t see a point in it. One of the worst days of my life was when I was in art class in sixth grade. After I was done with my painting, I went to turn it in, and the teacher laughed and held it up in front of the whole class and everyone laughed at me, it was one of the most embarrassing, and hurtful times of my life. I remember going home early that day because I couldn’t show my face in school the rest of the day, and I went home and cried. In fourth grade everyone picked on me because I was shorter than everyone else. I’ve never felt so ashamed and alone in my life than when I was in grade school. I had no friends whatsoever. There were days during elementary school where I ate lunch in the principal’s office because I had no friends. It’s really sad and pathetic to think about how you’re only friends during your childhood, were faculty much older than you. Life was horrible from elementary school, to the end of middle school. There were points during school, when I was younger where I wish I wasn’t born or who I was because no one liked me and no one wanted to be my friend. It kills me to see how much hate there is in school when you’re younger and everyone hates you for no reason. The only happy times that I had were when I was at church, or when I was away at camp for two weeks. Those were the only places where I really felt I was accepted for who I was. Another horrible time was when I was in middle school, and I asked a girl to the school dance, and everyone recorded me getting rejected. That was one of the most humiliating days of my life. I’m really surprised that I didn’t want to kill myself for who I was.

It’s important to remember that practically all of us have a story when it comes to bullying. Not many of us like to admit it, but it’s important to remember above all else to choose kindness, compassion, and love.

XOXO – Katie <3

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A North Carolina Vineyard and Llama Farm

What’s better than wine?! Wine AND llama’s!!! My good friend Caroline wanted to go to a vineyard to celebrate her 22nd Birthday, so when I found out about Divine Llama Vineyards located in East Bend, North Carolina, neither of us could pass up the opportunity to go. Our friend Cassie lives a lot closer to Divine Llama Vineyards than Caroline and I do as students in Raleigh, so it was a great place to truly meet up. The wine and llamas along with the breathtaking views of its location in the stunning Yadkin Valley made for an amazing experience.

Fall Foliage

On the way there, Caroline and I could not believe how stunning the views of the Fall foliage were! Unfortunately, the leaves have not changed that much on the trees in Raleigh as compared to its Western, North Carolina counterparts. As someone who lives in Northern Virginia, the leaves are in a Fall Foliage around this time of year and stay that way into November, so this was super nice and refreshing to see again. I missed it!!! When we got to the vineyard, the Fall leaves were in their glory this weekend as we could see them all across the vineyard and while looking at the mountainous views from afar. In fact, while I was texting a friend, she said that this weekend that we went to the vineyard was the peak of the Fall foliage. No wonder the leaves looked absolutely breathtaking!

The Wine

Upon arrival, we made our way to order some flights. If you do not know what a flight is, it is a tray with tiny samples of wine. We each got four wine samples in each flight, where I chose all of the sweet flavors. Although I have a savory tooth for food, I have a much greater sweet tooth when it comes to my wine! The flight was definitely enough wine for each of us to enjoy, and it didn’t break the bank for our college girl budgets ($10 each!). However, if I was willing to and had not bought another bottle the previous day, I definitely would have purchased a bottle of wine to take home. Personally, I thought that because I was going to a vineyard that attracts people for its llamas that the wine would not nearly be as good as anywhere else, but I was clearly mistaken!!!

The Best Part: The Llama’s

As you would have guessed, the llama’s are what attract several tourists to Divine Llama Vineyards. Once we had our wine, we had headed off to see the llama’s. The llama’s were kept down a hilly path away from where people purchase their wine. However, you can take your wine with you and sip it as you admire the llama’s. Along the way, we saw rows and rows of grapevines and took in the amazing views of the Yadkin Valley. Then, BOOM, llama’s EVERYWHERE you turn!!! The llama’s were definitely managing their own business for the most part or wanting food, but I really enjoyed getting photos with my friends and these gorgeous creatures.

Even though I was expecting suburb llama’s and not the best wine, I was truly in for a splendid surprise when the wine and llama’s were both extremely impressive!!! The experience at Divine Llama Vineyards was one for the books – it was super fun to interact with the llama’s, other visitors (social distanced of course), and enjoy their wine. Not to mention, the prices are hard to beat here, as you only have to pay for the wine and merchandise, which means you can enjoy the llama’s and only the llama’s for FREE if you so choose to. Divine Llama Vineyards is also owned by two families that are friends with one another, which makes it a sweet small business – something that we should all be support now more than ever before. I would definitely come back here with friends, family, or even on a date! The best part?! I got to celebrate an amazing friend like Caroline!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Halloween Goodie Bags for Under $10

Will you accept this rose? Aka a quote that all of us Bachelor/Bachelorette fans LOVE to use! Last Tuesday night was the premiere of Claire Crowley’s season of the Bachelorette. Unlike any other season, Crowley’s season was filmed in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic tucked away at a private resort in Palm Springs, California. If we were living in a non-coronavirus world at the moment, I would have had a massive viewing party with snacks and goody bags. However, Covid-19 is still with us and my plans have shifted. So, in lieu of a party and in order to keep our social distance, I decided to make my own Bachelorette premiere goody bags!

Since I could not invite all of my friends over to my apartment, I decided to essentially make an RSVP list for those who wanted to receive a goody bag. That way, I could make a precise number and personalize them accordingly. Just as if we were having a party!

As for the goody bags, I tried to keep them consistent yet personalized. Inside each goody bag, I gave everyone a tiny slice of pumpkin bread. The pumpkin bread is an AMAZING box recipe which is super easy to bake that I got while at Trader Joe’s. As for the look of the bag, I purchased a pack of 20 clear goody bags from Target along with pipe cleaners in various colors. In order to customize everyone’s goodies, I typed up and printed out a little note with each person’s name asking them whether or not they would accept “this rose”. *Bachelor Nation fans rejoice!!!*

Although I could not have an actual Bachelorette celebration this year, I am still grateful that I got to do something with friends to celebrate it as we each socially distanced to watch the season premiere. One of the most important things about this pandemic is that is has allowed for us all to become creative and still make our own fun. As my Aunt Sherri always says, “there is always room for laughter.” Indeed, My Aunt Sherri is not wrong!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Life as a College Student in Philadelphia During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Life during the coronavirus pandemic has most definitely been a whirlwind! With social distancing protocols being enforced and encouraged, many of us would not even think to go to a city during this time. On the same token, there are many people like my friend Violet who are students and/or live in a big city regularly. With our current precautions being put in place to slow the spread of the novel Covid-19, city life has definitely changed, but it is most definitely still a thing. Today, Violet will be sharing her experiences living in a city *something that is unthinkable to some* during the coronavirus pandemic.

Tell me a bit about yourself!

I am a junior biology major at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!  I also have minors in Spanish and history.  Some of my favorite things about going to college are being a part of organizations on campus and exploring the city!  My favorite organizations are Irish Dance Club and Phi Sigma Pi.

Where is your hometown?

I am from Fairfax Station, Virginia.

What city and school are you attending?

I attend Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

What is your living situation like in Philadelphia?

I live in an off-campus house with my three other roommates.  We are within walking distance from campus!

Describe to me what life in Philadelphia was like before Covid-19

Before Covid-19, I really enjoyed both on-campus and off-campus activities.  At our school, we have had many events such as concerts, plays, basketball games, formals, etc.  Unfortunately, these events have been cancelled or a select few have been virtual.  I also have enjoyed going into the city to go thrifting, out to eat, or explore different areas.  One of the great things about the city is that I never run out of things to do- one of my favorite spots is South Street!  I used to take public transportation or an Uber fairly often, but I have not done this much since the pandemic.  Additionally, I used to attend in person classes every day.

Now, describe to me how life in Philadelphia is during the Covid-19 pandemic once you came back

Life in Philadelphia during the pandemic has been an adjustment!  Like I mentioned, we are no longer having on-campus events.  Thus far, there havebeen a few virtual events such as a Q&A with John Mulaney (which was awesome).  I have gone into the city as well!  Luckily, one of my roommates has a car this year, so we have not had to take public transportation as much.  This has been great because we were concerned about possibly contracting Covid-19 while taking public transportation.  I have taken an Uber a couple of times, but the drivers have always been great about wearing masks and not allowing passengers to sit in the front seat!  In the city, most people wear masks and keep themselves socially distanced.  In addition, I have a course schedule with online classes and few in person classes.  My in person classes have much less students and are socially distanced!

What are some of the key changes to Philadelphia life during the pandemic?

In Philadelphia, people have been taking the pandemic very seriously.  For example, most restaurants are still only allowing outdoor seating.  There has also been a mask order for many months, which has helped Covid-19 cases remain relatively low in comparison to other parts of the country.

How are people reacting to the current social distancing guidelines in Philadelphia and on your college campus?

For the most part, students have been compliant with mask mandates and social distancing guidelines.  There have been a few instances of students having large gatherings, but they have faced disciplinary action and/or sent into a mandatory quarantine.  My school is taking the pandemic very seriously, especially because other Philadelphia schools have already had to send their students home.  In general, people in Philadelphia have also been cooperative with social distancing guidelines.  Throughout the spring and summer, the city was able to keep the rate of transmission moderately low, but there has been a recent spike in cases.

How does life during Covid-19 in a city differ from life outside a city?

There are not too many differences, or at least in my experience.  Both Virginia and Philadelphia have mask mandates and enforced social distancing.  The main difference is that Philadelphia is much more crowded.  When I go into the city, I am always sure to distance myself from other people.  I have also noticed that there are longer lines to enter stores, because stores reach capacity very quickly.

Do you feel that it is easier to practice social distancing protocols outside of a city?

In certain situations, it is definitely easier to practice social distancing protocols outside of a city.  For instance, social distancing with public transportation or in busy areas can be difficult.  Overall, social distancing is not too difficult because places are very strict about not exceeding their capacity so that people can easily social distance.  In my opinion, the hardest part has been socially distancing in college.  I have definitely not been able to see my friends as often, but it is much more important that we keep everyone safe!

How have you gotten creative with taking precautions in Philadelphia?

Fortunately, one of my roommates was able to bring a car this year so we do not have to take public transportation as often!  I have also been trying to spend more time outside- especially when hanging out with other people (small groups only and masks on!).

Do you feel that the importance of wearing a mask, especially in a big city like Philadelphia helps when taking precautions?

Absolutely, masks always help!  Philadelphia has actually been very cautious when it comes to masks and precautions.  The city has be good about enforcing mask orders, which has allowed Philadelphia to be one of the cities with the lowest rates of transmission in the country.

What would you tell somebody who is considering visiting a city during the pandemic?

I would tell someone who is considering visiting a city to take every precaution in their power. Cities can get quite crowded, especially when taking public transportation.  It is important to always remain aware of your surroundings so that you can keep yourself distanced from other people and stay safe during the pandemic.

What would you tell yourself before this pandemic?

I would tell myself to not have any expectations!  Obviously, at the beginning of this pandemic, I did not expect it to last this long.  I now know that this pandemic has the potential to last much longer, especially if people do not socially distance themselves!

What are your most important takeaways to living in a city during a pandemic?

Most importantly, I would say that it is still possible to have fun while taking important precautions.  There are so many safe activities like having a picnic in a park, going for a hike, or exploring less crowded areas of the city.  Finding ways to relax is important (especially in a pandemic!).  Life is so stressful right now, so it is great to find some sources of enjoyment!

Life is definitely crazy in these times and living in a city does not help alleviate that fact. However, there are many ways to still cope with the new changes in our lives and adapt to this new and temporary way of living just as Violet described. City life will definitely look different after the pandemic, but however we choose to make our life on this planet is the outlook that we will bring. If the coronavirus hasn’t taught you anything so far, then I hope that Violet’s experiences in Philadelphia shine some light into your life.

XOXO – Katie <3

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Weekly Menu Round Up: October 5-9

I am very excited because this week is the week that I *FINALLY* get a break!!! Due to the coronavirus, my school has eliminated all breaks throughout the semester up until Thanksgiving when we end classes right before the holiday, in order to limit travel and activities off campus. However, this Tuesday, we finally have our one break of the semester with a day off of classes!!! While it has been super overwhelming just going without any break, I am most definitely grateful that my school is working to keep us all safe and contain the novel coronavirus on our campus. That being said, this week’s menu will be reflecting my one day off of classes this week.

Monday: Pesto Salmon

My mother makes the most amazing roasted pesto salmon. So, I decided that I wanted to try it out myself! I found this recipe from Food.com that tops it with cherry tomatoes and I will be serving it with roasted sheet pan broccoli and sweet peppers. Definitely cannot wait to kick off my week in a delicious way!!!

Wednesday: Roasted Garlic Pork Tenderloin

Now that it’s Fall y’all, I have been wanting to try out some new Fall recipes. I love myself some pork and I wanted to be adventurous in the kitchen. That being said, I will be finally trying another meat in my kitchen that is not bacon. I will be using this recipe from Sweet C’s. I am going to serve it with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts which are two of my favorite vegetables.

Thursday: Pork But Add Butternut Squash

For Thursday night, I will be enjoying my leftover pork from the night before, but serving it with roasted Butternut Squash this time. If you saw my photo of myself failing at cutting up a Butternut squash last week, do not fret, as I will be purchasing my Butternut Squash pre-cut this time. That being said, I will have an easy to make yet delicious dinner Thursday night!

Friday: Picnic!

I am getting together with some friends this Friday for dinner and a picnic. As I love hosting, I wanted to do something safe that also allows for social distancing. I will be making pesto pasta and serving it a cheese-meat platter and some apples. For the cheese-meat platter, I will be having Swiss and Gouda (my favorite cheese) cheeses and prosciutto and salami. That way, we can have a classic picnic with a nice Fall twist!!!

Dessert: Pumpkin Cookies

For about a year now, I have had some of Betty Crocker’s Limited Edition Pumpkin Cookie Mix sitting in my pantry. So, I will finally be popping it open this week to make something sweet for the Fall season, especially with my picnic and Fall Break coming up.

XOXO – Katie <3

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#KatiesConfettiStyle September 28-October 2

Hey y’all! It’s officially Week 2 of showing off how I style different pieces for my brand-new weekly style series Katie’s Confetti Style. Today, I am sharing a round up of my looks from this past week. Please note that this week will be a smaller number of outfits, as I have had midterms. However, I did plan some super fun looks that I hope y’all enjoy!!!

Tuesday: A White Dress for Fall!

Whoever said that white dresses were made just for the warmer months clearly never knew how fun wearing a white dress in the Fall is! This white dress from SheIn that I got over the summer is such a fun piece. I did a shoot with it last summer, and it’s such a great staple!!! In order to style it for Fall, I added my chambray button down as a jacket, my Madison Boutique top knot hairband, and Kate Spade leopard print flats. Let’s just say that it is one of my favorite outfits of the season!!!

Thursday: Lilly Pulitzer’s Mila Shift for Fall!

I LOVE my Mila shifts!!! The fact that I can only wear my Mila shifts in the warmer months is clearly a fashion rule that I do not want to follow. So, I made my own fashion statement by styling my Mila shift from The Pink Crab in Zanzibar Ruff Night with my navy Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt (pullover). My Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt most definitely topped off the cake of my Fall Lilly look!!!

Friday: Mad for Plaid!

I don’t know about you, but I feeling ALL of the Friday feels!!! Plaid is most definitely one of my favorite Fall and Winter weather prints, so I had to pull out my plaid cape that I got while in Scotland. Consequently, I paired it with my white Talbots top that I purchased at a thrift store and have had for YEARS as well as my blue Murano glass heart necklace that I got while in Murano, Italy on a day trip from Venice, Italy. To top it off, I added my Jack Rogers blush tan suede boots and my black leggings from Kohl’s. Definitely a Friday look for the win!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale Haul!

Let’s throw some confetti in the air because my Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale haul has arrived and I am FINALLY SHARING IT WITH Y’ALL!!! I am SO excited to have all of my finds here with me, especially super early for After Party Sale finds to arrive. Before I share my finds, I want to thank my sweet influencer friend Kristen from Kristen’s Southern Splendor and a few other Lilly loving ladies for hosting a Lilly Pulitzer gift card giveaway that I was fortunate enough to win. Without winning that exciting giveaway, this September’s sale would not have been nearly exciting for me.

For this sale, I not only shopped on Lilly Pulitzer’s website, but I also supported a few small Signature stores – Palm Avenue Raleigh, The Peppermint Palm, and The Printed Peach – as well as a few pieces off of Poshmark. Many of these pieces are back to school items and early Christmas gifts as I did get a lot of exciting finds. Additionally, I bought a few pieces when I received my $20 off coupon for shopping the After Party Sale. What can I say?! I LOVE a good deal!!!

Headband in Totally Blossom

Adalee Shift Dress in Resort White

Kristen Top in Sunshine City

Ophelia Dress in It Was All A Dream

Billie Dress in FlaminGOALS

Wrap Dress in Southern Charm

Sophie Dress in Unicorn Of The Sea

Palm Avenue Printed Reusable Bag

Sophie Dress in Lilly’s House

Aleah Top in Hey Hey Bouquet

Trista Stretch Shirtdress in Who Let The Fronds Out

Delia Shift Dress (forget the print’s name!)

Shea Stretch Dress in True Navy

I am SO grateful that I found some really exciting and super fun finds during this year’s After Party Sale! While I know that this sale is a lot of items, I am also very blessed to have won a giveaway and have some super great Back To School finds for my final year of college as an undergraduate. As someone who consistently strives to look for fashion finds at an affordable price, the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sales allow me to find my favorite pieces for each season at a much cheaper rate than paying full price. While we cannot have a party in-person as in the past, I’m still having a big party over my sale finds and making the best of the current situation!

XOXO – Katie <3

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DIY Laminated Placemats

Being on a budget, I always wanted to have cute placemats in my apartment, but did not want to pay the price for them. The majority of placemats that I see are around $10 each, which can be a hefty price tag for one placemat. That being said, I really wanted to find a way to DIY a placemat into something super cute yet practical. Today, I will be sharing how I made my own laminated placemats!

First Up: Pick Your Poison!

From wrapping paper to scrapbook paper to collages and everything in between, the base paper for your placemats can be pretty much anything that you wish. Using wrapping paper and cutting it into equivalent sizes (like I did) was the way that I DIYed my placemats. I purchased my wrapping paper from Paper Source for $10. You can also use fabric squares or cut pieces of fabric into squares to your liking. If you want to use pre-cut pieces of paper, there is always scrapbook paper which can be purchased at stores such as Michael’s or Hobby Lobby for 25 cents-$2.00 a piece. All still at a fraction of the cost!!!

On the custom made end of things, I have thought about printing out my favorite Lilly Pulitzer prints onto 8×10 sheets of paper. At the same time, you could easily put their favorite Lilly Pulitzer prints from their old Lilly Pulitzer planner into a collage and then laminate that as well. Moreover, you could easily custom design each placemat with a unique painting or with a customized monogram/saying on each placemat. A custom-made placemat will definitely brighten your tables!

Second: Get It Laminated

Now that you’ve picked your poison, it’s time to get it laminated! If you have a laminator at home, that is definitely the way to go. However, luckily, places like Staples and Office Depot offer lamination services that are affordable and easy to use. I got mine done at my college’s library, but I would definitely hit up a local Staple’s if I were at home. However you choose, to laminate your placemats, they will be done on the affordable side!

Third: Enjoy!

Now that you’ve laminated your poison, you now have your very own set of placemats AND at a fraction of the cost!!! The best part about laminating your own placemats is the practicality of it – they are easy to clean and super light. As always, you can customize your placemats to your liking! Hopefully, your placemats get a lot of love out of them for many more meals and years to come!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Weekly Menu Round Up: September 28-October 2

To be blatantly honest, I did not make ANY of the recipes that I had on this week’s menu. Reason being, I went to Trader Joe’s on Monday and totally got sidetracked from my list and decided to cook what looked amazing on the shelves, especially all of the Fall stuff. At the same time, I was craving Shrimp n’ Grits Wednesday evening, so I somehow managed to whip up a bunch of cheesy grits, which was an unexpected plus to this week’s menu! That being said, I do plan to make each of the items on last week’s menu again, plus a few more special dishes!

Monday: Pepperoni Pizza

Homemade pizza is a favorite of mine, especially in my kitchen! Last Monday, I picked up some pizza dough from Trader Joe’s, so I will be trying that. I will also be topping it off with some pepperoni, which is a childhood pizza topping favorite of mine! Fun fact: my mother used to have us make homemade pizza’s and I ALWAYS topped mine off with pepperoni. It’s most definitely a tradition in the kitchen that I want to pass onto my future children as well!

Tuesday: Pasta with Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce

Since Fall is *finally* here y’all (!!!), I will be making pasta with noodles in the shape of pumpkins brought to you by Trader Joe’s with a homemade Pumpkin Alfredo sauce from Delish, as listed in last week’s menu. Funny enough, I got SO sidetracked from my menu planning that I never picked up some pumpkin puree which is required for this recipe, so this week I promise I will! I will be serving my pasta with a Caesar salad, as I will be trying a new Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing from Trader Joe’s and a baguette with olive oil!

Wednesday: Butternut Squash Soup

Just like the Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce, I will also be making my Butternut Squash soup from Allrecipes this week. I am SO excited for this soup, as it is a favorite of mine! At the same time, I will be serving it with roasted carrots and my favorite side dish green bean casserole. To allow for some dipping in the soup and as an appetizer, I will also be serving my baguette toasted and with olive oil and rosemary as well!

Thursday: Leftover Butternut Squash Soup

I plan to cook a lot on Wednesday, which will minimize my cooking come Thursday. Also, Butternut Squash soup is a favorite of mine, so I am looking forward to having it a lot towards the end of this coming week!

Dessert: Pumpkin Cookies

Who doesn’t love the Pillsbury Pumpkin cookies?! I have a BUNCH in my fridge and I cannot wait to bake them! Fun fact: I suck at baking cookies, so Pillsbury will have to do!

I am SO looking forward to this week’s menu. Luckily, I have been able to keep it simple yet practical and delicious. Here’s to our first full week of Fall y’all!!!

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