INSTAGRAM FRIDGE MAGNETS

Instagram, VSOCAM, Pinterest, Snapchat, IPhone, Facebook, Twitter.... photos on-the-go are in.  I mean really, what better way to keep our friends & family & coworkers & crushes up with our really photogenic lives??

As you know, I'm trying to make this new (to me) 450 square foot box into my home. Step one: Plaster the space with my favorite images. When I was in college, I used to tape huge (I mean huge.. maybe, 2ftx3ft?) photos of my friends & family on my dorm room wall. Over the years, however, I've developed a taste for tinier things & better adhesives. & lucky for me, it's at that crossroad you'll find Instagram Fridge Magnets.

You need:

• Printic App (Free)
• Stick-on Magnet Sheet
• Pen
• Scissors

I read on Delightfully Tacky about a DIY just like this. There's this free app called Printic. Guys, its so cool! Through the app you can log right into your Instagram, Facebook & Mobile galleries & order as many prints as you want... directly from your phone! There's several options & I chose the "Prints." Ordered just about 30 photos for under $15! Best of all, they were mailed to me in just three days.

Next I bought a sheet of sticky magnets from Michael's. (HINT - they have tons & tons of coupons online. Just check on it before you go up & they'll scan it right from your phone.) Then, you guessed it: trace, cut, stick, trim. 

Before you know it, your apartment is going to look like home ... or at least one little corner :D

Happy DIY-ing!

STYLING WITH: CINCIN-NATALIE

Shirt: Daniel Rainn via Nordstrom Rack
Pants: Black denim (Thrifted)
Shoes: Madewell
Fedora: Borrowed from Natalie
Purse: London Fog via TJMaxx
Necklace: Make-A-Wish Necklaces from Dogeared (Gifted)

Aren't good friends just the bomb? I know, I know. "Annie, you think you have the best friends in the all the land." Well, this is one of those kind of posts. Meet Natalie Folchi: street name, CincinNatalie. I've told you once before that Natalie & I met when we were kids - back in the good 'ole uniform days of a Cincinnati Catholic Grade School. You wouldn't have guessed it then by my hand-me-down jumper (have I ever mentioned I'm the third of four Butler Girls?) but we were both budding fashionistas. Why can I call myself that? Easy. In my eyes, if you want to be called a fashionista you are a fashionista. Self empowerment, people!

Natalie Wearing:

Shirt: Peplum Top via Love Culture;
Skirt: Thrifted
Necklace: Target (Neon DIY)
Shoes: Old Navy 
Lipstick: LAQA & Co. in Lambchop

Armed with flowers, wine & a cute print for the wall, Natalie came over to see the new studio. We would have hung out on my *cough cough* balcony.. but my apartment is a disaster. (Moving into an apartment 1/6 the size of your old house is a (rewarding) challenge.) Quickly, we progressed to a shared hobby: blogging.

Get two amateur photographers together with a (omg still obsessed with my new NikonUSA) nice camera & you get something like the following. 

Good friends are such  a blessing. I know I take it for granted, but I really do have amazing people in my life. I've been dealt a very good hand & I know it. p.s. Natalie did a post about our session as well. You can click here to see it :D

Photography: Natalie Folchi, Annie Butler & Courtney Boeckman

AT HOME: IN MT. ADAMS

Hi guys! Guess what? I'm finally home :)  For the past ten days I've been semi-homeless (kinda). My Roomie4Life & I moved out of our house in Columbia Tusculum the last Friday of June. & in natural Annie-Style, I miscommunicated my move-in date with my new landlord & moved straight into a storage unit. Then, as you may know, my sweet Papa passed & we all high-tailed it down to South Carolina to celebrate his life. So, though I moved my possessions into Ida Street on Tuesday the First... it was essentially a dump&go. Fast forward to Sunday the Sixth, when about half way home (again, in perfect Annie-style) I realized my keys were sitting idle in my sister's glove box. That sister was scheduled to return with our mom on Tuesday. So my dad was stuck with me for yet another few nights. 

But as of YESTERDAY, the Eighth... I am finally  home. There are boxes everywhere. I ate peach pie for dinner  (with my hands, because I don't have silverware). It's an absolute disaster... but it is my disaster. I cannot wait to grow & live & love in my adorable little studio in Mt. Adams. Get ready, guys. I have a lot of fun projects coming your way. 

Until next time, Annebelle.

Photog: Jackie Butler.
Dress: Old Navy via Gabriel Brothers (old)
Fedora: Nordstrom Rack
Shoes: Madewell

TASTE OF BELGIUM

Three words: WAFFLES & CHICKEN (updated: #thewafflecomesfirst #respectthewaffle). It's the perfect meal. It's savory & hot & oh so sweet. But let me back up a little to explain myself. This past Friday I had the distinct pleasure of lunching with CincinNatalie. You know, Natalie was a big reason Magical Simplicity went through a rebranding & relaunch back in April. She's a dear friend of mine (we met at the ripe age of 10(!) & reconnected when we both landed a post-college job at the same downtown ad agency). We've been learning the whole blog business together, often over coffee after 5:45a.m. spinning classes.. but this time, over lunch :)

We met downtown in a mutually favorite neighborhood: Over the Rhine. It only took a moment of waltzing around Vine Street before the sweet smell of waffles drifted our way (okay, I may have imagined the smell after Natalie suggested Taste of Belgium, but, nevertheless...).

Taste of Belgium is an OTR icon. It all started at Findlay Market in 2007. A few short years later, Taste of Belgium has grown to multi-establishment Cincinnati staple. Why the expansion? It's crazy delicious. 

I swear the idea to combine Waffles & Chicken came from God himself. & unlike any of the chicken & waffles I've had before, Taste of Belgium serves theirs with hot sauce. For real. I wanted to cry of happiness just knowing I was eating something so beautiful.

I like the vibe in Taste of Belgium - it's fancy food in a laid back atmosphere. Kind of how I think about myself. You know, when I fancy the thought of comparing myself to a meal. Anywho, Natalie & I had a great time talking strategy, posts, editorial calendars, e-courses, etc. We're really trying to meet up with other Cincinnati Bloggers to do the same type of thing. Sooo, if you're interested in a Cincy Blogger Meet-Up... contact me :D I promise we're really fun. (p.s. she wrote a corresponding post about our date HERE.)  (Apparently this kind of collaboration is called "linking up.") (See, we're already learning!)

Moral of the story, y'all, head down to Taste of Belgium. Get the Waffles & Chicken. Thank me later.

P.S. How do you like my NEW CAMERA!?!? I LOVE IT. So much. & I cannot wait to bring you more posts. xoxo

Photog: Annie &Natalie

JUNE FAVES

June! You got me good. You got me real good. I felt a lot in June. I felt the high highs, & I felt the low lows. I felt every emotion a human can feel, all in June. But, to feel means you are living. & that is the essence of Magical Simplicity: for, to recognize each day for it's small, quiet, happy moments.. well that's when you start to realize the magic.

So June, it's about time we get you in the books! Darlings, a very special "faves"  post below.

The first two weeks of June were madness. We Prolanthropy ladies hosted 10 events for our clients. (Think late night nineties karaoke parties in my office fueled by coffee numero seis.) Anywho, my travels took me to Kansas City. Our hotel was on the edge of the Crossroads Art District & Kelly & I found a few moments to take a walk for some dinner. Sidenote: though my heart will always belong to Eli's.. MAN does KC know their BBQ! Even on just our short walk there was so much art, so many murals & so much culture. & we also stopped at a joint called Hamburger Mary's where they called us "sweethearts" & gave me cake. It was an awesome last day to be twenty three.

From every corner of the country my friends & family showered me with love for my birthday: perfect cards & magical wishes & s'mores desserts of every variety. On my first night back from KC, a few of my favorites took me to Incline Public House - which (fun note!) is City Beat's 2014 staff pick forBest View to take in while dining & drinking. Rightfully so! Sitting atop Price Hill at what used to be one of Cincinnati's five famous inclines (remember those? I somehow thrifted a print of the Mt. Adams Incline a few years ago), our Queen City shines. My iPhone pictures don't do it justice.. you just have to go.

I already knew a lot of the 50 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Cincinnati in this article by Movoto. But since Cincinnati is one of my favorite blog topics, I thought I'd still share. P.S. apparently we Cincinnatians eat more than 2,000,000 pounds of chili a year... topped with 850,000 pounds of shredded cheddar cheese. I'm not a chili fan.. but I swear Skyline cheddar cheese is magic. Anyone else hungry for a cheddar baked potato?

I've been spending a lot of time in Alms Park lately. It started off as a wild chase for the sun, but I quickly realized how peaceful & simple life is when lying still among the flowers. There is nothing more lovely than moments like these.

Have you guys heard this before!? Near the end of June this song Take It or Leave It popped onto the radio while I was pulling into the gym parking lot. It was so good that I stayed in the car just to listen. It's so fun. Reminds me a little of Vampire Weekend + Walk the Moon + truthfully, The Beatles? I did a little research & it looks like this album Melophobia is Cage the Elephant's third. & they're from Bowling Green, KY. Boys, welcome to a top spot on my faves.

On the last weekend of June, my two wonderful roommates & I boxed up our house on Sachem & moved out. Though that particular instance wasn't a fave - reflecting about the many memories, laughs & love we shared together in Columbia Tusculum earns a mention on this list. I could go on, & in fact, I think I will.. click here to read more. (Note: I do say two fabulous roommates. Laura was ill when we had our photo shoot & could not join our fun. Still, can't write it in as a favorite without her :D)

It was almost the final day of June that my sweet Papa passed from our world to a far greater one. Though a terribly tearful occasion, my Papa always taught us to celebrate our loved one's lives rather than to grieve for it. So here's to you, my very favorite, my Papa. You can read more, if you wish, at An Elephant Room in the Sky.

July, get at me. I'm ready to move into my brand new apartment with the bright yellow walls (tomorrow morning!). & I'm spending the Holiday surrounded by a stampede of Pfeifers. There ain't nothin' better.