Lilly Ladies Beach Bound

What do Lilly ladies do best on their days off? Make is sunny! And what better way to spend a summer afternoon than on a day- trip to Hilton Head with your best babes? I rocked my favorite Daisy romper covered in pom- poms and my favorite print.

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We packed up the trunk with all of our ‘Splash Into Summer’ must- haves, from our beach umbrella and towels to matching beach chairs. Can you say trunk goals?

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We certainly did make a splash at the beach with our bright colors and bold prints. We soaked up some rays and sipped on our Frosty Frog freezies.  Finally, we ended the day at the Salty Dog Cafe.

 

How do you spend your #summerinlilly?

 

Aviators: Haute Pink by Alexandria Angel  .  Romper, Chairs, & Accessories: Lilly Pulitzer

Flamingo Tote: TJ Maxx  .  Stripe Bikini: Vineyard Vines (On sale tonight)

 

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Friends Who Flamingle on Doughnut Days

flamingle1 Summer’s heating up, and what better way to way to stay cool than with your best babes in the pool? It was a sweet way to spend our day, celebrating Kristen’s birthday.

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To top it off we had a fab float squad, from flamingos to doughnuts. And what’s sweeter than doughnuts and sprinkles? Some sugary shots!

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We kicked off the pool party with a cheers to another year… older, shhh! Let’s just say, that when its your boss’ birthdays its time to play. This was certainly the best way to spend an off day! How will you make a splash this summer?

 

Floaties: Prep Obsessed  .  Bikini: Victoria’s Secret  .  Sunnies: Ray Bans

 

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New Zealand Week 1

Starting off on our adventure, it was not as glamorous as you would think. Cruising out of Hawaii, we made it to the airport. Unfortunately we didn’t quite make the plane, as we just missed the cut off for our flight. To make the best of it, we ate and drank our way through the next 8 hours until the next one arrived. It was another 9+ more hours on the plane until we made it to our final destination, New Zealand.

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It was a rough start, but I knew it could only go up from there. Once we arrived after our all-nighter, we jumped right into party mode, as it was time to get the barbie fired up for our BBQ at sunset. We loaded up on wine and played meet and greet on no sleep with friends and family. I felt right at home sharing stories and plates with my newfound friends.

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The next day we set out to tour the town. We started off by bringing mince (beef) pies from the bakery to the beach. This was the start of my sampling of N. Zed’s delish delicacies. Later on, we made our way back to town for a mid-day matinee.

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Not long after that, we were off to the Mount. My boyfriend’s family has a huge apartment overlooking the beach, the perfect destination to party with our local peeps. We had a few beers and headed to the Pizza Library, a funky joint with quirky character and pies named after school time storybooks.

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The next day we brunched at Café 88 with friends, where I went out of American comfort by adding organic coke and bubble and squeak (similar to hash browns) to my meal. The greenhouse type vibe was nice, until our friends got plopped on by birds!

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To brighten up the rainy day, I set out for the shops. By my surprise, I found some fab fashion. It was so refreshing hunting through haute stores in another country, because everything is new to you. I spotted this chic piece at a local boutique, Alice & Co, and could not pass it up!

For more of my vacay, stay tuned for week 2 of my New Zealand adventure…

 

Family and Friendsgiving

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This year I am thankful I was able to spend Thanksgiving with both friends and family, and have some seriously fabulous food.

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The Palm Avenue ladies and I hosted our first ‘Friendsgiving’ and I must say, we were beyond proud of our holiday spread. This was also my first time tracking down a turkey, but after all the trouble,  it certainly made a great centerpiece. Each girl brought their best traditional dish to the table, from hush puppy stuffing to momma’s mac and cheese.

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Just when I thought we were all stuffed, there was still just a smidgen of space for dessert. Of course I had to make my famous Pilgrim Hat Cookies, a festive reincarnation of the with hat cookies featured in my previous posts.

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The best part had to be spending the holiday with my fabulous family. My Gramie hosted the gathering at her house in my hometown of Rock Hill, and we all left with full hearts and full bellies!

Hostesses: Kristen Kutchey and Peggy Angel           Pilgrim Hat Cookies: The Prep In Pink

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Palm Avenue Pumpkin Party

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When it comes to party planning, I’m more so known as the partier than the planner. When my boss handed me the hostess hat, I have to say I was a little intimidated but with a little pinteresting and tips from my Lilly ladies, my party soon came to life! From frightening to festive, follow me through my Pumpkin Party prep.

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After a massive rush to clean the clutter, I pulled down my best spooky décor and got to work. I also turned down the bright lights and turned up the mood lamps for a more eerie effect.

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As I am still working on my cooking skills, I saved time and struggle by picking up a Zaxbys platter for the girls, a southern favorite for a low- key gathering. For dessert, I used my mom’s classic Witch Hat Cookie recipe, which is now a pinterest phenomenon! (Stay tuned for the easy recipe on my next post.)

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Hangin With My Witches
As far as tools go, I recommend printing out a few easy templates (not a double flamingo like mine, it will take you a lot of work.. and wine!) and grab a few carving kits to share. If carving isn’t your thing, just add paint or glitter for more fab effects!

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To keep the party festive and fun, I got my girlies to don cat ears, and gave them goblets for their wine to pass the time. To leave a sweet taste with your partygoers, pack them a great goody bags to go, filled with Halloween fun. Don’t hesitate to get inspired by my ideas and make them your own. Hopefully with a few of my tips, you too can become the hostess with the mostess.

Pumpkin Favors: Michael’s Decor and Party Favors: Target Scull Goblet: Party City

First photo featured taken by: Brooke Wanex Following photos taken by: The Prep In Pink

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