After lots of debating back and forth, I feel that I need to put olive & a on a bit of hiatus for the next two months. This time of year is already crazy but add into my mix a new baby, finishing a 16 credit semester and other odds and ends I don't feel like I can dedicated the time needed to blog consistently right now. I may pop in every so often but I hope to be back into the swing of things by the first of the year.

Also, I'd love for you to leave a comment with your blog address so that I can come visit and say hi! Please don't be shy!

Thank you so much for reading olive & a!

on the wishlist...

Ooh I can't tell you how excited I am to be threeish weeks away from not wearing maternity clothes. That and fall weather have me itching to pull out those jeans and sweaters I haven't worn for months and pairing them with some cute boots.

Speaking of boots...I have been on the hunt for the perfect boot for honestly years now but I'm thinking I might've found a pair of flat boots I could live with. I've seen these Steve Madden boots around the web and think they might be worth a try.

I hope that ya'll have a great holiday weekend! 

a fresh take on a halloween bash

Alli of the blog hooray and photographer Andrea Dozier have collaborated on a fun little styling series which will feature mock holiday parties. I love their idea of finding basic elements that can be used from one party to the next and then adding details specific to the holiday. First up is this fresh + gorgeous Halloween party.

For more images and sources head here!

If you don't already read hooray, I'd suggest adding it to your reader and stay tuned for the next party in the series.

{photos: Andrea Dozier}

I have Christmas on the brain right now and have made a goal to make at least one handmade item for each person on my list. I might be a little crazy for doing so in that I will have a one month old by the time Christmas rolls around but I'm hoping it will bring in a little more of the Christmas spirit that has been lacking the past couple of years.

One of the items on my list is to make a Black Apple Doll for Olivia using this pattern from Martha. It looks fairly simple and I like that I can customize it to how I want. I have bought all the materials so now I just need to get started!

Elizabeth Dinkel Design

Well designed spaces for little ones from Elizabeth Dinkel Design.

currently loving...

this pretty + sweet party for a children's shop!

 Oh and how awesome are those balloons?

{via party perfect}

happy weekend

Hello! How about a couple pretty pictures and a wish for you to have a happy weekend?

 Have a great weekend!

{Anna Kern via a room somewhere}

midweek eye candy

gold + pink + turquoise = pretty tablescape

{Sarah Yates for Sitting in a Tree via Somewhere Splendid}

muted

DeCasare Design Group

mashup

::  Thinking ahead to Christmas, these flower pins would be perfect little gifts for my nieces.

:: When we lived in Utah, our favorite pizzeria had the best focaccia bread. Since we no longer live there I'm hoping this recipe is a good substitute.

:: This cowboy birthday party is pretty much awesome!

:: S'more party goodness.

:: Loving Kirsten's new series, good design with kids in mind.

{image}

i've got my eye on...

this rug.

I think I'm having Ikea withdrawals. Ever get those?

I feel the need to make a trip to Swedish goodness asap!

Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

I love fall/winter time because to me, that means soup! I'm not sure if you've ever made chicken noodle soup but it's a lot easier to make than I thought it was, and so much tastier than from the can!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
• 1/2 pound chopped cooked chicken breast
• 1 1/2 cups egg noodles
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion, celery and carrots in butter until just tender, 5 minutes. Pour in chicken and vegetable broths and stir in chicken, *noodles,  basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes before serving.

* I'm not a big fan of over done noodles so I cooked them separately and then added them to the soup right before I served it.

{recipe}

elephantine

Lately I have been drawn to really delicate pieces of jewelry. These pretties from elephantine jewelry fit the bill perfectly...

oh the options...

Have you ever perused CSN Stores? With over 200 stores it's kind of easy to get lost in the world of browsing. A couple things that I happened across in my searching...

bar stools

lamps

pillows

And lastly, I am hoping that my search for a white coverlet ends here with this one. For the last couple of years we have been using a sweet quilt that was a wedding gift but I think it is time to be retired for a while. I love an all white bed! Stay tuned for a review...

hello...

gorgeous!

gothic halloween decorations

Hey All! How was your weekend? Fantastic I hope!  We finally decorated for Halloween yesterday and bought some pumpkins today so I guess you could say that it is officially the fall season at my house.

I am really liking these halloween ideas I came across from Family Circle.  I'd love to make that wreath! It is kind of similar to the one I posted last year. Maybe I'll get around to making one this year...

the desire to create

Loved this when I first heard it and still do.

{image}

Confetti Paper Garland

I have no particular plans for this delightful confetti garland but I'd love to have some in my arsenal of party supplies.

tiny glam bungalow

Loving the 1,000-square-foot home of stylist/designer, Lizzie Carney featured in Country Living.

Loads of inspiration for those of us with residences on the smaller side.

happy halloween print

I adore this print from Sarah Jane Studios.

It's my kind of Halloween decoration.

Do you go all out with Halloween decorations or do you keep it low key and more autumnal?

a modge podge post

:: Happy October! I can not believe that it is already here. I need to start thinking about what Olivia is going to be for halloween this year and if i'm feeling up to making it or not. I'm thinking she'll be some sort of animal as she is slightly obsessed with them right now.

:: Sorry about being MIA yesterday but I was able to spend some time with my two favorite people. We headed to the Texas State Fair in Dallas for some fried food and lots of stuff to see and do. With my husband in medical school, we have to take advantage of any opportunity we can to spend time together.

Big Tex and I (currently 32 weeks pregnant)

:: Real Simple had an article on everyday deals in their October issue and one that caught my eye was J.Crew offers 15% off for college students. Sweet!

:: Happy Weekend! I am feeling the urge to nest so I'll most likely be doing some projects around the house. I hope that you have a wonderful weekend! I'll see you back here next week!