pumpkin butterscotch cookies

remember my post about the only cookie recipes you'll ever need? click here to view it.

after an experiment with the same base recipe as the lemon & white chocolate cookies, i think it can be said without a doubt that just about any boxed cake mix can work for this: red velvet, strawberry, chocolate, you name it. if you follow the recipe outlined in my previous post, you can substitute any flavor and filling combination you desire.

at one of my multiple target trips last week, i saw the pumpkin cake mix on display. could that be more perfect? nah, i don't think so. and what goes perfectly with pumpkin? butterscotch! substitute white chocolate chips for butterscotch, semisweet or whatever tickles your fancy. i thought pumpkin and butterscotch was the perfect fall combo.

if you want a fall dessert that's a little less involved than pumpkin spice cupcakes, but still festive, please try this out! these are ready in seconds and are gooey, crusty and perfectly soft dreamy cookies that are nearly effortless. they are way too easy to make to put off. do it. now.

office + desk decor (& my lack thereof)

i've been at my job for 3 months now, and i am known as the weird girl with nothing in her office. you see, i've never had an office before. but now that i do, i should really probably fill it up with some cute things. i plan to finally pick up these things for my desk and get some photos framed. bland desk no more!

01. stationary - searching for unique stationary? try etsy! i've had a lot of luck finding great shops that will make personalized notebooks, calling cards and more. i recently ordered a black and white striped notebook from letter love designs. can't wait for it to get here!

02. teacup for writing utensils - i love stashing my pens and pencils in a cute cup. i mean, its kind of a waste of a cute cup. but it looks so great and adds a little color to my desk.

03. vera bradley note cube - plain notes are boring. this is yet another way to spruce up the desk a bit and jot down notes in style.

04. feminine frames - i love picking these up at tj maxx. for a few bucks you can grab some really cute chunky shabby chic esque frames. i already have some at home, so i'm going to buy some similar ones for the office.

5 things to remember in college

01. you are never as free as you are right now. if its a tuesday night at 11:30pm and your roommates want to drive to the next county to watch a meteor shower, just do it. don't even think about it. post grad schedules don't accomodate for weeknight spontaneity. its liberating, exciting, and totally careless - but awesome. waking up and working daily breeds habit and structure - two of my favorite things - but i will admit, college freedom was bliss. you have no idea how much free time you have right now.

02. the drinks + endless pizza buffet are tempting and awful. indulge, but keep it together. there's a reason the "freshman 15" exists, and if you're not careful, it turns into the "bachelor's degree 40". unless you're one of those miracle freaks with a metabolism of steel, ordering chinese at 2am while you're studying is going to catch up with you. it's not a mythical thing that college students make up. it happened to me. and while i woke up from my carb induced slumber and handled it, some people don't - ever. just enjoy in moderation and try not to go nuts with the food, however tempting it may be. you'll be thankful you did, i promise.

03. go places, go everywhere. now is the perfect time for travel. go abroad. take weekend excursions to other states. visit your parents. visit friends at other colleges. visit that weird monument you see on postcards. visit your own college town, and go down the less traveled path to discover some unique things about your university. even if you live with your parents or went to college near home, TRAVEL!

04. truly invest in your field/major. totally geek out about it with no shame. join the clubs associated with your college, hang out with the people in your classes, get to know your professors.  read blogs about your field. write blogs about your field. and if you're in advertising or comm, subscribe to ad age and follow wieden + kennedy on twitter. keep up. it feels like the world is changing at a quicker pace than ever before, and if you're not on top of what's happening when it comes to your career and your field, you might miss something important.

05. fall in love. no, not with a guy. with yourself, your life, your choices and your home. now is the time to really get to know yourself and what you want. try everything once. don't follow what everyone else is doing. stop making "five year plans" - no really, quit it. fall in love with the moment you're in and what you have, today, and make the best of it. you're not supposed to figure out exactly who you are right now, but you're laying the groundwork.

review: mac's girl about town

i like to keep you on your toes here at floral frocks. one post i'm writing about my coming-of-age realizations about what i want to do with my life, and the next i'm reviewing lipstick. but hey - lipstick is an important part of life too. c'est la vie.

though the makeup world is full of reviews on this shade, i wanted to add my thoughts because i am not a lipstick person. i've always wanted to be. it has the ability to truly transform your face, wake it up and bring out different tones in your skin. my daily lip is usually chapstick or baby lips. reapplication, smudging, the dreaded lipstick teeth - gah, so many reasons i've stayed away. but i'm trying, i'm really trying. and this color is so fantastic that i have to say, its swaying me.

girl about town is, in my opinion, universally flattering. with the appropriate makeup to match, this shade looks amazing on all skin tones - even mine, and i'm kinda pale.

the wear on this lipstick is great. it stays where it's applied and the color payoff lasts for hours - i haven't had to reapply it yet after going out. i love wearing it with a neutral outfit and allowing it to be my 'pop' of color. seriously, don't be afraid of it. its bright, yes. but wear it with toned down makeup and you're creating a fantastic focal point for your look. you can even blot it a few times if you want something more subdued. i did this, and i found that the color remaining was stuck on my lips like a stain. so if you're looking for long-lasting, this is it.

i can't wait to wear girl about town well into winter, spring and beyond. new favorite! and at $15, its worth the splurge.

meredith's autumn wishlist

01. oxblood everything - right now i'm really craving some oxblood skinnies. perfect with a black long sleeve vneck, faux fur vest & litas - ah, i can see it now.

02. statement fuschia - i've always loved this color, but its especially beautiful against blacks and other neutrals in the form of a bag or shoe. kate spade totally nails this color in her bags & shoes.

03. leopard print loafers - these are perfect for work or a casual day outfit, and they also look fantastic against oxblood! this pair from nine west looks super comfy and versatile.

on wanderlust

it hit me like a brick to the face this morning. all of the sudden, i felt it.

i felt what i felt years ago - the wanderlust. for a while the dull ache was satiated with my spring break roadtrip to las vegas. but now, its back, and i finally think i understand it and what it means.

 my trip to the grand canyon in march

i've always had wanderlust. maybe it comes with the territory when you grow up in a small alabama town and roam the same state for 23 years - I-65, I-10, highway 98 and back again. i was never satisfied with going to college in mobile and then moving back across the bay to see everyone i went to highschool with at target twice a week.

tuscaloosa was the baby step, the bandaid. for the first time in my life, i was not near the coast. i learned how to have a love affair, not with a person, but a place; cliched college bars, full houndstooth body suits on gameday, the trains rattling my furniture at night, the fact that tuscaloosa is slowly, but surely, sinking into the black warrior river. tuscaloosa was a kind to me.

and now here i am. i've graduated. my love affair with tuscaloosa resulted in an inevitable bittersweet goodbye. moving to birmingham for work was another adventure in itself. i've only just begun to explore this town and i'm loving it so far. but while i am enjoying settling into another alabama city, i am already peering ahead and trying not to limit myself.

 hiking in cheaha in 2011

looking back on the years since i've graduated highschool, it makes sense for me to reach this understanding at this particular moment in my life. in the safety of fairhope and tuscaloosa, i've spent a lot of time dating guys, trying to find "the one", trying to plan my life on a calendar and cycle through an endless rotation of "five year plans". come on, we all make them. but why? at 22 (almost 23) i am asking myself why i am trying, so desperately, to make it all work according to plan. my heart wants something different.

i don't know where i want to go, because i want to go everywhere. settling on specific places will be the hardest battle. whether its a weekend getaway or my next living quarters doesn't matter to me, i just want to go.

my plan, it seems, is that i shouldn't make one.

review: revlon colorstay foundation

i used to dread the thought of wearing liquid foundation daily. too thick, too heavy, just too much. for many years i was devoted to mac's mineralized skin finish natural. while its a great product, the price tag was becoming a burden. i searched for a drugstore alternative, and somehow ended up looking at things in the liquid category.

once i find something that works foundation wise, i stick with it. i don't like switching it up. i've been using revlon's colorstay for about a year now, and i've totally changed my mind on liquid foundations. if you're scared to use liquid and want something lightweight, give this a shot!

i wear shade 220, natural beige. mac's 187 is my absolute favorite foundation brush - first i stipple it on, then blend it out. and while a liquid foundation does require more frequent brush washing, this particular foundation gives such great results that i don't mind a bit.

price: at target, i paid $9.99. i've seen it both cheaper and more expensive at other drugstores.

package: nothing to complain about here. but it would be nice if it had a pump that came with it.

application/results: this foundation applies beautifully and quickly with my mac 187. it doesn't dry too fast, and a little goes a long way. i'd rank it at about a medium coverage, but its definitely buildable depending on your preferences. my favorite thing about this foundation is the fact that it isn't heavy, doesn't clog my pores and lasts all day, even without setting powder. as someone with oily skin, i appreciate the product being specified as a "oily skin formula", but i've found that i still have to blot after 6-8 hours. however, the coverage holds up great.

the bottom line: i've used colorstay for as long as i have because it feels great on my skin, is simple to apply, doesn't break me out and provides just the right amount of coverage for everyday. and until i find something better for the price, this is what i'll use for years to come!

current obsessions {volume 1}

01. these trendy sunglasses from amazon. i got both black & tortoise shell and have been loving them - they go with everything! and for the price, they're sturdier than you'd think. i'm not a fan of expensive sunglasses; i always break or lose them at some point, so stocking up on cheap pairs is the way to go.

02. pointed heels! i used to hate these, and now i can't get enough. i want a pair in every color! these heels are from gojane & are a great price. i'm also lusting after the j. crew factory emery flats - too perfect for work and great for fall.

03. this handy reusable cup from starbucks - only $1! total lifesaver. most stores have been carrying these lately and i didn't pick one up until last week because i thought they might not be too durable. turns out these will do just fine instead of a $20 ceramic mug.

photo diary: labor day & early september

summer's end + labor day weekend have come and gone quickly, but i've had a great time the past couple of weeks. its no secret that summer isn't my favorite season - the alabama heat is exhausting, and all my favorite clothes are scarves and jackets.

i got two things last week that pretty much made my week - some beautiful roses delivered to my doorstep courtesy of corey, and my starbucks goldcard finally came in the mail! on august 27th i went to the backstreet boys concert in tuscaloosa & it was everything my childhood dreams hoped it would be, aka uhmazing. labor day weekend was spent in gulf shores with corey and family on the beach and at the wharf. i'm really looking forward to getting a few weeks to tie up some odds & ends and spend time in birmingham. its been go go go for months now. if it were possible to just wrap up in a sweater and hibernate, i might do it. with a pumpkin spice latte.