A Quick and Easy Fall Gift

My favorite time of the year is full of the most fun and festive goodies. Once the stores start putting out all of the fall decor and home accents, I can't help myself. I want all of it! So instead of buying it all for myself, I decided to spoil my friends. I put together two of these gift baskets for my besties who both have September birthdays.

It all started with this wooden, polka dot crate. I saw it on the shelf in Target yelling, or better yet, screaming my name. It's so Simply Sarah Style. I had to have it...uh, had to have it for my friends, that is.

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A fall festival to-do list

I love fall. Hands-down, it's my favorite season. With pleasant temperatures and some sort of festivity every weekend, it is, no doubt, the best time of year. Ever since I can remember, I've been a festival go-er. My mom and I were always out and about exploring new places and getting ideas for new projects and crafts.

Since there's so much to do in town and around the region, I thought I would share a quick list of the fall events I typically attend. Here's to celebrating pumpkin and apple everything!


September 24: Country Applefest (Lebanon, OH)

October 1 - 30: Fall Fest at Neltner's Farm (Camp Springs, KY)

October 7 and 9: The Wool Festival (Falmouth, KY)

October 7 - 29: Keeneland (Lexington, KY)

October 8 and 9: The Sauerkraut Festival (Waynesville, OH)

October 15: The City Flea (Cincinnati, OH)

October 16: Herbst Farm Tour (Camp Springs, KY)


Others I would like to try include:

Every Saturday in October: Country Harvest Trail Days at Reed Valley Orchard (Paris, KY)

All October: Various festivities at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill (Harrodsburg, KY)

All October: Fall Festival at Kinman Farms (Burlington, KY)

October 19 - 22: The Pumpkin Festival (Circleville, OH)


Any events I missed? I'd love to hear your suggestions.

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Cincinnati shopping: A trip to Bargains and Buyouts

I love home design. There's just no denying it. When I walk into a room, my mind instantly sketches up what it could look like and explores at least ten hypothetical design possibilities within minutes. If I only I had an unlimited budget to make all of my design dreams come true.

Unfortunately, I don't, but I do have a solution to cure my design envy. I said it before and I'll say it again... 

Bargains and Buyouts is Cincinnati's best kept secret!

Here's why:

• You can find a wide variety of home decor items: furniture, rugs, artwork, patio furniture, pillows, lighting, mirrors, mattresses and a variety of "you never know" kind of items (e.g., kitchen sinks, electronics, even clothes).

• You can negotiate! Each price tag features the retail price and the Bargains and Buyouts price. Then you can negotiate on top of that. (Be sure to check out the pricing on the items from my first ever B&B haul.)

• They have a rewards program that allows you to pile on savings, even on top of your negotiated price. (Get more details here.)

• The sales associates are so nice! Seriously, I get great service every time I go. (Josh, the GM, is my man. Ask for him. He'll take care of you!)

I've outfitted my house with numerous Bargains and Buyouts finds. Honestly, not a week goes by that someone doesn't ask me about this store. (I'm sure some of you probably discovered Simply Sarah Style through my initial Bargains and Buyouts post that went wild on social.) 

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A bun in the over and burgers on the grill: Highlights from a baby boy shower

On Simply Sarah Style, I often talk about how to pretty things up, but today, I thought I would share a manly approach to celebrating. My colleagues and I thought we would throw a "bun in the oven and burgers on the grill" shower for one of our designers and his wife.

Well when you discover your company grill no longer works, its time to take action. And by take action, I mean get in your car and drive to White Castle. I guess most guys love White Castle, so there's no shame in our last minute "catering" plan.

Since this took place at work during happy hour, we thought we would keep it simple with typical burger/picnic foods.

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