Oakbrook Fall 2015 Coach Collection Event

I was beyond honored when asked to host the Oakbrook Fall 2015 Coach Collection Event. When I saw their new collection I was blown away and I thought you would be too. I felt Coach was a brand I was proud to wear & promote as I have quite the growing collection going myself!

Let me start by saying I've shopped at Coach since high school, but I've always thought of them as more of my mother's store. Or a store you shop at for special occasions. To clarify, this was not because I didn't love Coach, but because it felt a bit more grown up with some of their styles.
Well, Coach still has the classic elegance I associated it having 20 years ago, but man have they branched out on their styling! Whether you are 15 or 90 there really is something for everyone.

Here is what I wore:


I had my makeup done by the very talented Evy. If you live in the Chicago land area I would high recommend using her services for anything from photo shoots and events to weddings! This was the first time she had ever done my makeup and I absolutely loved it. By hour six it was still flawless and I was actually sad to take it off at the end of the night. ;)

Top // Skirt // Boots // Bag // Sweater // Cuff: Coach // Watch // Necklace: Rocksbox

I took a few photos before the event started and then just enjoyed myself. There was champagne, coffee, and sparkling water. On platters they served appetizers ranging from jalapanio cornbread & meatballs to key lime pie bites and peanut butter cup cupcakes. It really was set up for a night of food, fun, and shopping.

I had stopped by Coach a few times before the event so I could choose items to be put on display the day of the Fall Collection Event. Man, was it hard to narrow it down! What started as just one table quickly grew to "I'm going to need more room you guys!". ;)

Like I said before, they have really changed the look of Coach. It's still classic and chic, but there are also items that are playful and edgy. The outerwear is gorgeous and has the quality you've come to expect and love from Coach. I am also obsessing over the ready-to-wear. Blouses, dresses, cozy knits, scarfs and more! Here are the table, bench, and rack of items I had chosen as my favorites (I told you I needed more then a table). Can we just talk about the plaid heels, backpack, and scarf (not pictured, but I own it & wear it often)...best plaid print I have ever seen. And I own a lot of plaid print scarfs!



The night ended up being a total success! Thank you to all who came out and supported me. It was so wonderful to see such a great mix of readers, family, & friends. The night exceeded my expectations and Coach was blown away by how many of you shopped! I mean, how could you not. I walked out with a few goodies myself. Can't wait to share those with you in my coming outfit posts.

Have you shopped at Coach lately? What do you think of their new fall collection?

*Head over to the Sisters Marie blog today to see Kaitlyn's recap of the night (she took lots of gorgeous photos during the event). 

Recipe: Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake

We've started a new tradition in our house and that is to bake together as a family. 

We are planning to do it at least once a month and first up was my daughter's pick. She is very into the show Strawberry Shortcake so it was no surprise to any of us that her first baking choice was just that. 

We found a great gluten free recipe on the Better Crocker website and just went for it! 

Here is what you will need:

-4 cups strawberries, sliced

-1/2 cup sugar (we used raw sugar)

-2 1/3 cups Bisquick gluten free mix

-1/3 cup butter or margarine 

-3/4 cup milk (we used almond milk) 

-3 eggs, beaten

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

-3/4 cup whipping cream (we tried to make our own but also had cool whip)

Coach Fall Event

Super excited to announce and invite you all out to an event I am hosting next week. Official information below as well as RSVP link. Make sure you get on the guest list for food, champagne, and shopping (complete with limited edition collection gifts).  There will also be a table set up of all my favorite fall finds, which I am so excited to share with you. Coach has really evolved a lot over the years and this fall collection is so on point! Hope to see you all for a fun night out in the suburbs! xo

Join Coach & Lisa Fergus of Stiletto’s & Diaper Bags for a special evening event to celebrate the launch of the Coach Fall 2015 Collection

Wednesday October 7

5:00-8:00 PM

Coach

Oakbrook, IL 

You and a guest are invited to be among the first to shop the new fall collection.

   Please click on the link below to RSVP

            https://coachoakbrookfall.splashthat.com/

      Limited Edition collection gift with purchase

Preview THE COLLECTION at coach.com

Erykah Badu #mywinningstory

Thanks to the Illinois Lottery, I was given two VIP tickets to see Erykah Badu at the Taste of Chicago. If you follow my social media, you may have seen a few photos pop up on Thursday and Friday about this night. And, oh what a night it was! 

The Illinois Lottery has an "Anythings Possible" series where winners are asked to submit their winning stories. Head over to the website and check what all the winners have to say! And don't forget to tag #IllinoisLottery and #mywinningstory to be featured on the websites rolling photo gallery! 

So here is my winning story:

I invited a fellow mommy friend, and we headed downtown in our "black SUV" Uber. I mean, a night in style deserves traveling in style, no? 

As soon as we arrived, we were excited to find that our seats were literally right next to the stage! There was a tent with when you first walked in with tables, southwest dinner food (buffet style), refreshments, and passed light bits. Once outside the tent there were more tables set up as a lounge area, complete with citronella candles to keep the bugs away. The last area was right next to the rail. There were seats for all of us as well as standing room very close if you wanted to go up! Here are some photos from my night: 

Link: 

I mean, look how close we are! Myself and Lindsay took full advantage of the VIP view and rocked out to the opening band. It's never too early to dance, is it? We even watched Ms. Badu walk from her car to the stage right in front of us. What a fun experience this night was! 

By the time Erykah stated playing the crowd was full of energy and ready to dance and sing. She came out with feathers around her neck, ready to put on a heck of a show. And how could you not, look how many camera's (including mine) were on her (check out the second photo below)! That has to be so much more pressure then just preforming. This is all being documented , her every move, every note she sang, but she seemed unfazed and sung her heart out. It was one great performance! 

Have you ever won the Illinois Lottery (or any lottery at that)? Submit your winning story or let's chat in my comments section below! 

Recipe: Gluten Free Breakfast Bites

I was recently introduced to a new recipe via Kidstir. If your family is like mine, we are always looking for fun new breakfast foods to try and this one was too good to pass up. In true "us" fashion, we tweaked it a bit to fit our tastes and dietary needs.

Here is what you will  need:

2 bananas

2 tablespoons honey, yogurt, or seed/nut butter of your choice (we used organic peanut butter)

1/2 cup apple crunches

1/2 cup cereal or granola

popsicle sticks (we used straws that I cut!)

1) Peel each banana. Cut off the end and lay them flat on a plate or cutting board.

2) Use a knife to spread a thin coat of the peanut butter (or whatever you want to use) on all sides of the banana.

3) Use a rolling pin to crush the apple crunchies and cereal in Ziploc bags. Pour the crumbs onto a plate.

4) Sprinkle a topping over each banana, rolling it so all sides are coated.

5) Cut the bananas into bite-size pieces. Add popsicle stickes or in our case, straws into the top of each and serve! 

My kids are obsessed with these and honestly, so am I! They were fun and easy to make with the kids help and everyone really loved them.

What are your favorite breakfast treats? Have you ever tired something like this recipe before?