Bloom Galentine's Day

This past weekend, we attended Bucks County's most decked out Galentine's Day event that's ever hit town (Leslie Knope would have been proud!)

The event was hosted at Bloom Flower co. and featured a great line-up of vendors who all contributed to the event. Roll call...

Florals: Bloom flower co. // Photography: Renée Nicolo Photography // Makeup: Anna Sky Beauty // Cookies: Snacky French // Jewelry: Marnie Lewis Jewelry // Balloon Installation: Peonies Events  // Vintage Furniture: Fox & Finch Vintage Rentals // Design & Marketing: Alisa Wismer Design // Cocktails: Boardroom Spirits // Charcuterie board & snacks: Down to Earth Cafe

The event was basically a go-at-your-own-pace style event, where we were free to mill around and chat as well as visit the vendor tables around the space. Anna Sky was mixing up some perrrrty lip colors and making gals look FABULOUS!

Flower cones with Bloom! Kelly always has the freshest, most gorgeous flowers in her shop, and this weekend was no exception! She's got a fun, modern take on floral arrangements and we can't get enough!

^That's her!

Thankfully we had some snacks from local Down to Earth Cafe, and delicious cocktails from Boardroom (which, going to be honest, were SOMETHING MIGHTY STRONG and delicious, but also strong– not complaining...) Both are Bucks Co. local, and offer a variety of events throughout the year. 

Marnie Lewis was here to help us make these super cute, simple charm bracelets! We were definitely tempted to choose the 'Wine & Coffee' charm, but reluctantly resisted (to hide our true identities)

Kristi from Snacky French is a baking master– she baked a ton of cute little heart cookies, and rolled out some fun colored fondant for us to stamp our own Galentine's cookies! We definitely loved the 'Leslie Knope 4Ever' cookies and, of course, the crazy cat ladies in us had to pay homage to our furry little friends...

The amazing balloon decor and this super cool paper backdrop wall were provided by the sweet ladies at Peonies Events! They actually HAND-CUT every flower on that wall– crazy, right?!

The CUTE vintage furniture was from the lovely ladies, Abby & Meg at Fox & Finch Vintage Rentals (those blue sofas really were the most comfortable things ever!)

Who let these goons into the party? Of course we managed to come out with some awkward shots, because, well... that's our thing, but we did manage to get one that portrays us as normal human beings just enjoying a fun gals day out. 

Ok, seriously so, so fun! Thanks to all the vendors and Bloom for hosting an awesome event that we can't wait to attend again next year!

AND shoutout to Renée Nicolo Photography for these killer photos! She captured everything so perfectly, and was kind enough to let everyone share and blog these photos, so thanks Renée!

#bloomgalentines
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OCTOBER IS HERE

It's that time of the year again where our weekends consist of comfy sweaters, warm drinks and pumpkin everything. With the rare occurrence of Ray & A getting together lately, it was great to catch up eating brunch at our favorite hometown cafe and picking up some apples, gourds and of course fresh baked goods at our local farm. We're sharing some of our favorite October activities below!

A P P L E   P I C K I N G

Going to pick our own apples at an orchard definitely beats waxy apples at a grocery store any day. It's even cheaper as well! We're all about fresh and healthy, besides the occasional Chick-fil-A, which is essential to our diet.


C A M P F I R E S

Cool, fall nights are perfect for sitting by the campfire under the stars. Campfires are also the best time to stuff our faces with s'mores and other roasted goodies (we're healthy, remember?) Going to bed with that smoky smell signifies a great night by the fire.


R E A D I N G

Since weekends are our lounge days we're ready to dig into new reads and dive into another world. Ray highly recommends The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska, obviously a John Green fan. A wishes she had books to rave about, but doesn't read as much as a cultured adult should, so help her out and send some recommendations her way.


K N I T T I N G

Yarn, yarn and more yarn. Tis the season for knitting and crocheting! A actually just did a mega yarn haul at JoAnn and is ready for some Netflix and knit. If you're looking for some cool patterns, Pinterest is our go to for inspiration and how-to's!


What are your favorite fall activities? Share below or comment on our Instagram @rayandablog

#haveagourdfall

Fall Picks

I hope this post finds you sipping some iced coffee and not a PSL (pumpkin spice latte, for you coffee amateurs out there), but we admit, we’re as excited for fall as the next person in line behind you at Starbucks.

Summer was kind of a blur between work, weekend outings, and planning for Ray’s wedding (which is in THREE DAYS!!!) Though we’re still trying to squeeze out the last few moments of summer, we’re already looking forward to some fun fall activities. We’ll share some of our top picks with you:

1. Apple picking! Pumpkins get all the credit this season, but don’t forget about the apples! Apple picking is just as fun and rewarding as rolling that big ‘ol pumpkin down a hill, and many local farms and orchards have festivals this time of season. Last year we headed to Tabora Farms to get our apple fix, and we definitely plan on heading back this year!
   
   
2. Fall Mountain Getaway We do love a good city adventure, but we’re country girls through-and-through. There’s nothing quite like being in the mountains during the fall season, surrounded by millions of shades of red and orange. Oh yeah, and campfires with lots of s’mores!
   
   
3. PSE (Pumpkin Spice Everything) I mean, we can’t resist, so might as well give in to the popular culture on this one. Grandma’s pumpkin pie will always beat that latte, so no worries Grandma.
   
   
4. Get our your Knitting Needles! Let’s face it, all season is knitting season, but there’s something about knitting under your cozy blanket (that you knit last year) with a cup of hot tea while streaming Netflix. Join a knitting circle, find some new patterns, and indulge on some new yarn, because ‘tis the season!
   
   
5. Harry Potter Festival (right here in Philly!) Septa will be transforming into the Hogwarts Express to take guests into the Chestnut Hill section of Philly for a weekend of Potter-themed festivities, including a Quidditch tournament.

To get you in the spirit of autumn, here's a free printable for you, or set is as your wallpaper. Did any of your top picks make our list? Got some more? We’d love to hear them– comment below and let us know how you’ll be kicking off your fall season!

#fallingforfall

Renée Nicolo Photography Website Launch

It’s been a crazy few months! We are super excited to be sharing this post with you all, and couldn’t be happier for our girl (and Rachel's sister) Renée Nicolo as she launches her brand spanking new website Renée Nicolo Photography! 

Renée is a local Bucks County photographer who started her business in 2013, and has been expanding her list of clients and her portfolio ever since. Along with her full-time job, she has developed her passion for photography through weekend sessions and local adventures. Renée is all about capturing you and your authentic story.

To celebrate the launch of her brand new site, Renée Nicolo Photography is giving a FREE portrait session to one lucky winner valued at $150*!

Here's how to win:

Enter one of more of the following ways... The more you do, the better chances of winning!

1. You must follow both @renee_nicolo and @rayandablog on Instagram AND like the RNP launch photo.
2. Comment and tag your friends on the RNP launch photo. The more friends you tag, the more times you are entered!
3. Share the RNP launch Facebook post on the Renée Nicolo Photography page.

*The winner will be chosen on Friday, February 12, 2016 and contacted through social media. You must be willing to travel to the location agreed upon within Bucks County, Pennsylvania for the portrait session. Includes a one hour long session.

You won't want to miss this opportunity! Be sure to check out the new site and bask in her beautiful photos! 

(All photos above are taken and owned by Renée Nicolo)

#RNPlaunch