Weekly Gratitude

shirt & pants: thrifted, shoes: payless

This week I am grateful for:
~ my son - he is adorable and amazing and helpful and friendly. While he certainly isn't perfect (bedtime around here is no picnic right now) he has such a sweet heart and loving spirit. He got hit at Chick-fil-A this week (boo hiss). When I asked him if he hit the other boy back, he said, "No, mommy, that would be mean." While he was still crying. Because he isn't in daycare, this isn't really something we've had to deal with yet. I certainly have no desire for my child to be a pushover. I want him to have the strength to be himself and do the right thing. He was really upset about being hit, and we have had the same trouble with a boy at church pushing him. I don't ever want him to respond in kind and am very proud that he doesn't. (I have heard this from other adults, I'm not just taking his word for it. He is only two. :) The trouble is helping him deal with it afterward. It takes him a while to let it go and move on. I think this is because he doesn't really understand what is going on and why. How do you help your little ones deal with toddler bullying?
~ my baby brother - he'll always be my baby bro even though he is all grown up and married. He's also a foot taller than I am. The stinker. Anyway - he and his wife have been foster parents for almost a year now and I am so proud of them.
~ my still standing house! We have had to duck and cover a lot the past two weeks, but thankfully have been missed by the worst of the storms. My prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones and homes. This has been a devastating storm season and I am grateful for the continued safety of my family and friends.
~ thrift stores - I've scored a few great buys in the last couple of weeks that I am really excited about.
~ bubbles!
~ my beloved who is awesome.
~ big boy pants and a mostly potty trained Munchkin!

Hope ya'll have had an amazing and blessed week!

FBFF - Fitness & Fashion

Mommy, Munchkin and Moppet

down two pant sizes!

This is actually what I wore last Thursday to visit the in-laws. The pants are my first weight-loss purchase. They are 8s!!! Super comfy with the long sleeve tee, long pink pearls and keds. Maybe not the most stylish outfit ever, but we had a freaky cold spell and spent a couple of hours in the car. I really just wanted to be comfy, you know?

So, now that we have that over with, here is this weeks FBFF! Great questions as usual, Katy, Thank you.

1. Do you keep some kind of fitness routine? Why?


Yes! I do about 50 minutes on the elliptical bike three times a week and some type of toning or resistance workout three times a week. I work out because I have a toddler to keep up with! Seriously, I need the energy and when I don't keep up with my routine, I get tired easier. Weird, huh? I've also discovered recently that keeping up with the elliptical helps keep my knees from hurting so badly. When I miss a workout my knees let me know it. Violently. This getting older thing is not cool.

2. Has working out, maybe training for a marathon or something of that
nature, helped with your own perception of body image?
I don't know about body image perception, but I do feel better physically.

3. When you are hitting the gym or just going out for a long walk what
do you wear? Is it about functionality or fashion?
There is no fashion involved in what I wear to work out in. I go to the gym after the Munchkin goes to bed and I am usually the only one there. So there isn't any concern about people seeing me. I also don't like spending my minuscule clothing budget on workout clothes. I generally wear yoga pants or shorts and a tank top or tee with my sneaks. They generally don't even match. As long as I'm covered and can sweat, I'm happy. Well, not really happy. More satisfied.

4. Do you feel there is a cultural perception of what you ‘should’ be
doing for your own physical fitness?
Oddly enough our culture does seem to be obsessed with physical fitness even though the majority of us are not fit. To be honest, I don't really care what anyone else thinks I 'should' be doing. I don't live my life to please anyone but my God and my husband. I workout because I need to for the reasons mentioned above. I really don't like to workout (sweating is icky), but it is necessary.

5.  Dream big… what would be your ultimate fitness goal.
Ummmm..... I have no idea. As I said, I don't really like to work out, so I don't really have any goals. I just do my thing as quickly as possible to get it over with. Boring, I know. Eh. I'd rather be reading a book.

If you want to see more answers, head on over to Modly Chic and check it out.

Have a great weekend, ya'll!

Oxymoron!

top, jeans, shoes: thrifted, scarf: too ancient to remember

giant jeweled hoops and giant black watch

So, this isn't actually what I wore today. I'm currently in my workout clothes, before that I was in my jammies. Yep, the joys of being a stay at home mom - I wore my jammies all day today. We spent the day cleaning, doing laundry, and napping. Nice, huh. Somedays I just don't want to bother with putting clothes on. I mean I love clothes and shopping and getting dressed, but there is more to life than style. So we had a productively lazy day. Yep. There's the title right there. :)

About the outfit: These jeans are incredibly comfy and stretchy and I love them. Unfortunately they are getting to be too big. (This isn't actually a bad thing, just  little inconvenient.) I just adore this top. The stripes and boatneck and three-quarter sleeves are so perfect. Last time I wore it, I did coral necklaces, this time I went with a scarf and the most gaudy jeweled hoop earrings you've ever seen. I love accessories, but I tend to edit a little more these days and keep the focus on a couple of great pieces. Once upon a time I wore my jewelry (matching necklace, bracelets, watch, ring, and earrings) to perfectly match my outfit and my shoes and my bag. Yes, I am a child of the eighties. Oh, well, you live and learn. I am finally learning how to make things go rather than match and that my shoes do not have to be the same color as my outfit. Isn't it great that we can grow stylistically.

Are there any fashion faux pas you've moved past?

Jewelry Making 101: Putting it all Together - Earrings

cardi & shorts: thrifted, tank: old navy, belt: walmart, shoes: payless

So, today was one of those days when you need your clothes to be extra .... something. Long story, you really don't want to know. Anyway. So I saw the pink, yellow, red, and turquoise combo on another blogger recently and loved it. This was my interpretation - pale pink cardi, violently yellow tank, red belt and shoes, and turquoise earrings and ring. I loved how it turned out. I like that even thought I am wearing shorts, I look like an adult rather than a teenager. But a put together adult.

Jewelry Making 101:

Earrings 

We've talked about the tools and the supplies, now it is time to put it all together. I did two pairs of very basic earrings here. Both simple enough for beginners. If you mess up, just take it apart and try again. I'm apologizing in advance for the sub-par photography. I'm not a photographer and have a very basic camera.

my haul from hobby lobby

 I've been wanting a pair of rose gold earrings for a while now and haven't been able to find a pair that I like. I found a couple of pendants that I thought would be perfect for half off at HL. I also want a pair of wood earrings and found some great beads.

supplies for a basic single bead drop earrings

First step is to gather your supplies. For a basic single bead drop earring you'll need two beads, two headpins, and two ear wires. If your beads have holes too big for the headpins, you will also need either a smaller bead or bead cap. 

Next, put one bead on the headpin. If you are doing a bead cap, it goes on first, then the bead.

You want to use your pliers to bend the headpin at a slight angle as shown above.

Then you take your round nose pliers and wrap the headpin around the plier nose once so you have a round loop.

Then you wrap the end of the headpin around the base of the loop at the top of the bead. You can do it just once or multiple times depending on how you want the earring to look.

Next you use your wire cutters to snip the end of the headpin. Make sure you get in pretty close to the bead, otherwise you'll have a sharp edge poking you or snagging your hair. Also be ready, when you cut the headpin, it will fly.

ear wire opened

 Next you take your ear wire and open the loop at it's base. Anytime you open a loop in jewelry making, whether it is a ear wire or a jump ring, you always use your pliers and twist is open. Once opened it should look like the above picture.

Put your finished bead drop on the ear wire loop. Then using your pliers twist the loop closed.

completed earrings - I had to remake them using bead caps because the bead holes were too big.

Here is the second pair. If you find a couple of pendants you like these are super easy.

the supplies

For this pair I used two pendants, two jump rings, and two lever back ear wires.

jump ring

opened jump ring

First take your jump ring and open it. Remember to open a jump ring you take it with your pliers and using a second pair of pliers twist it open. It should look like the picture above.

 

Slide the pendant and ear wire onto the jump ring. Make sure that the pendant and ear wire are both facing forward. You don't want to put your earring in and discover it is backwards. Then you twist the jump ring closed. Easy.

completed earrings

Hope this was helpful. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to help. 

Do you make your own jewelry? What is your fave piece?

Rebel!

tee & belt: walmart, pants: charlotte russe, keds: ancient

Whatever!!!

So, apparently I felt like teenage rebel from the 50's today. Of course, I really needed red heels and floofy hair to complete the look. What can I say, I never did rebellion very well. Eh. I did like my hot pink belt and my zebra earings. The pink keds were for comfort and the ridiculously perky ponytail was due to unwashed hair. Ick, I know. Sorry.

That's really all I've got for today, folks. Stunning post, huh? Oh well. Tomorrow, I'll be doing the next Jewelry 101 post, so come back for that. :)

Duck and cover, ya'll! (We're under a tornado warning right now! :))

Cheap and Chic Weight-loss: Starting for the Finish

Please ignore the ridiculously goofy facial expression!

I have been attempting to lose weight off and on for about 7 years now. Working a desk job and eating out for lunch everyday for several years conspired to add a bunch of unwanted pounds to my previously petite frame. While I have not been happy with the way I look for quite a while, I haven't been willing to change my lifestyle for more than a week or two at a time. I like my bread and cookies and cheeseburgers and french fries and pizza. So many of the diets I tried took away at least one if not all of my favorite foods. So I'd do a great job for a couple of weeks, lose a few pounds, be miserable and give up. I eventually hit a point a few years ago where I just gave up. I decided I would rather be fat and eat what I wanted.

Then I had a kiddo. Oddly enough I lost all the baby weight within the first two weeks. It was the weight I had gained in the years prior to Munchkin's birth that wouldn't go away. By the time Munchkin hit toddlerhood I knew I had to do something. I was in terrible shape and having trouble keeping up him. Even though I loathe exercising, I made the commitment to three times a week and kept to it for a year. While I was certainly in better shape, I only lost about 5 pounds over the course of the year. I finally felt like I could really make the commitment to stick to the end. I pulled out some old weight watchers stuff and did some research.

I like Weight Watchers because it encourages moderation in all things. I can eat what I want within reason. I still eat my french fries, just not every day. I eat pizza, but only one or two pieces. I have made lifestyle changes - more fruits and veggies, more whole grains, smaller portions, smarter snacking.

I hit my first mini goal this morning! Ten percent of my starting weight. I started in February and have had a few set backs. We went to New Orleans, I got sick, we've traveled a lot. But, every time I've gotten back on track. I think the key to success is the commitment level. I started for the finish. I believe I will reach my goal weight and am willing to do what it takes to get there.

If you are looking for a long term weight loss solution, I would recommend Weight Watchers. It is a realistic, healthy and sustainable program. You can lose weight in a healthy way without giving up everything you love. That was important to me. Cost was also a consideration. I don't have extra funds to put into this and I had found the kit at a garage sale years ago. I also had the points calculator from a previous try. So, it didn't actually cost me anything.

I would love to hear about your weight loss successes. What do you think?

Happy Resurrection Day!

dress: Charlotte Russe, heels: payless, belt: hubby's closet

Weekly Gratitude

I am grateful for Easter. There is nothing in this world that even begins to compare with the knowledge that my savior not only died for my sin but rose again. That incredible sacrifice humbles me. In light of this amazing knowledge, I want to live my life in such a way as to bring glory to my Lord. Every good thing in my life can be attributed to Him. So, in essence the whole point of my weekly gratitude posts is to say thank you to my Heavenly Father for the wonderful things He has blessed me with. And the biggest blessing of all - Jesus' death and resurrection.

So, I thank you all for reading and wish you all the blessings your life can hold.
Happy Easter, ya'll.

Easter Dress Decisions

Hello blogger friends!
I need your help. I have two new dresses, and I can't decide which one to wear for Easter Sunday. Here are the pics. Just the dresses no accessories except shoes. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Option 1: Cream with gold sparkles

probably needs a belt since I look like I'm expecting and I'm totally NOT

And here is option 2

Option 2: Peachy chiffon with lace

 

Thank you so much for your opinions!
Have a great day, ya'll!

Bloggers Do It Better: Colorblocking

skirt & shoes: thrifted, tank: walmart, cardi: don't remember

 

Here we have it! Here is my look for the Bloggers Do it Better over at Pretty Shiny Sparkly. Click here to check it out. Wow that is a lot of hot pink. I've had this skirt for years, but I don't wear it very often. I have a feeling it will get some great use this year though. I love the combo of the turquoise and pink with the pale yellow cardi. Then the white jewelry adds without overwhelming and nude shoes to ground the look. I'm really happy with this, although I did get a few second glances while out running errands today. :)

So, just in case you were wondering, (not that you really care, but hey it's my blog, I can say whatever I want, right?) that is indeed my jewelry armoire behind me. Sitting next to my couch. In my living room. Is this odd to anyone else? Here's the thing - it's pretty and there is no room for it anywhere else in the house. To be honest, I don't think it has ever actually lived in the bedroom, although this is its first sojourn in the living room. My shoes and dresses also live in the living room coat closet because the master closet is teeeeeny (seriously, it's about 3 and half feet wide) and has double bars all the way across. Sometimes you just have to get a little creative in storing your sartorial treasures.

Just thought I'd share a funny little tidbit that made me laugh. We were at the car shop the other day (needed a new battery for my car) and I asked the Munchkin if he wanted to wait in the car for a sec or come in with me. (Before you think I am a terrible mother, I was going to be about 45 seconds and the car was like three feet from the doors and the whole front was glass.) Anyways. His reply had me in stitches. He nodded very seriously, 'Yes, Mama. I worry about you when you're gone.' Holy molie, people, he's not even 3 yet! I still have no idea where this came from because this isn't a phrase that is used in our house. We don't tend to be worriers around here. The things he comes up with floor me sometimes.

Hope ya'll are having a great week.

Magazine Review: People Stylewatch May 2011

tee and shoes: thrifted, jeans: walmart

Hot pink = the happiest color ever!

I'll be re-working this necklace soon - not crazy about the dangly chain thingies

Today's outfit for running errands. The jeans are not white, but super pale blue and really soft and comfy. I added the hot pink top and turquoise jewelry because I am loving the bright colors right now. And of course my fave new shoes. You will be seeing a lot of these babies cause they go with everything. Seriously. And they're comfy. As you can see, today was a bad hair day. Really bad. At least my shirt was bright enough, that maybe no one noticed. (a girl can dream, right?) So, enough about my clothes. On to more interesting things.

Magazine Review

If you have never perused Stylewatch, it is a pretty basic style mag. There are repeats of what you'll find in Lucky or In Style. There is plenty of good stuff. It is definitely worth the cover price. It is one of three mags I have subscriptions for. The other two are Lucky and In Style.

This month's cover girl is one of my favorite stars and a personal style icon. Reese Witherspoon. I love her classic, modest, feminine style. Lots of skirts and flats. Always nice to see that I am not the only not tottering around on five inch platforms. (Not that there is anything wrong with this - I would love to but they hurt my feet too badly. :( ) I also love her hair. I would love to go that blonde, but am not yet brave enough. Maybe someday.

Something new I would like to try: salmon colored jeans as worn by Cameron Diaz. I don't generally go for colored pants, but these just scream spring and would go with a ton of stuff I own. Both the Rag and Bone and American Apparel versions listed are way out of my price range, but Fashion Momma inspired me to try to diy my own pair. Now I just have to find a pair of pants to dye.

Also to try: diy tooth whitener - mix baking soda and peroxide and brush teeth. Hmmmm. Not so tasty, have to see if it works.

Trends to try: I would love to try the giant cat's eye sunnies that are cool at the moment. This gal wears real glasses and so sunnies have to be prescription. This could be difficult. We'll see.

Apparently 'regular' ice cubes are 'out'. Really. Huh. That's interesting. Good thing I'm not one to be overly bothered by what is in or out cause I like my regular ice cubes. They make my tea cold. That's really all I need them for. Just keeping my drink cold. So the regular ones are cool enough for me. (eye roll at the ridiculous pun)

One of my fave features of this mag is the new quickie workout featured every month. Usually a five to ten minute something or other. I like keeping things fresh. I tear them out and stick them together in a notebook. Then I have options when I have a free 15 minutes or so.

Hope you've enjoyed my little review.
Night ya'll!

Cheap and Chic Closet Basics

dress and shoes: thrifted

Today was our Adult choir Easter musical. We had to wear black or black and white. I added the blue shoes because I really don't like being dressed just like everyone else! :) Anyone else feel that way? I opened the front door to add some natural light to the pics and wow, would you look at how crazy white my legs are! Yikes! This dress is one of my favorite Savers finds - it is Jones New York and I paid $7 for it. The shoes were $2 from one of my fave consignment stores. And I'd like to introduce you to my second favorite photo bomber - Moppet. He's my 11 year old maltese and my baby until the Munchkin came along.

Closet Basics

How to have a complete wardrobe in 20 pieces.

After a little review and working I think I have mastered the 20 piece closet. This doesn't mean that I only wear these 20 pieces, but there have been a few times in my life when most of my closet has been packed away and I've only had space for part of it. Here is what I've learned.

The pieces:

5 Bottoms: light blue skinny jeans, olive capris, white shorts, khaki bermuda shorts, red maxi skirt

1 Dress: Turquoise shift dress

8 Tops: black stripe 3/4 sleeve tee, grey drapey tee, black tee, white button-up, cream cashmere tee, purple silk tank, black tank, white tank

3 Jacket/Cardis: jean jacket, purple sweater hoodie, yellow embellished cardi

3 Shoes: nude peep-toe wedges, black oxfords, silver ballet flats

These pieces can be combined into over 160 outfits! The key is plenty of neutrals (denim, olive, khaki, black and white) with colors that compliment each other: red, purple, turquoise and yellow. Pretty much everything goes together.

Obviously this is a casual wardrobe - I'm a stay at home mom, the only time I really get dressed up these days is for church. For a professional wardrobe I would choose 2 pencil skirts, 2 trousers, 1 pair work appropriate jeans, 2 blazers and 1 cardi, 2 pairs neutral heels, 1 pair bright flats plus the 8 tops and 1 dress.

For the girl on the budget, this means that you can spend your money on pieces that you know will work in your closet. If you do a little homework on what colors and neutrals you want beforehand and only choose pieces you love and can't live without, you'll have a wardrobe that will always work for you. Also, if you travel a lot - this makes your life so much easier. It all fits in one suitcase and you could dress well for three months. Just add the accessories you love and you're off!

Happy Sunday, ya'll!

Weekly Gratitude

I am grateful for so many things this week. Here are just a few.
~ Netflix - when mommy is sick, there is nothing better for keeping a little Munchkin entertained. Blues Clues is awesome. Seriously. And Toy Story 3 made me cry. Again. Why did Andy have to grow up?
~ Junk food - Twix bars, sweet rolls, iced animal crackers - cause when you are sick is no time to be dieting. :)
~ Vintage romances. Cause I love a good love story.
~ Long hot baths, with bubbles, and hot tea, and bath oil, and a good romance. Bliss, especially with a good cold medicine.
~ My munchkin who shares with me - his toys, his crayons, his food, and yes, even his germs. Thank you for that Munchkin. :)
~ Bloggers who make me smile. Smiles are precious and each one is priceless. Thank you.
~ Three followers! Super cool. Thank ya'll so much. You are way awesome.
~ Dragon games in the living room. The Munchkin dragon loves being chased by the daddy dragon. So much fun. Screaming, tickling and giggling ensue.
~ Pawn Stars (not for the entertainment value - really not my thing) because you can learn random interesting tidbits like the origin of the 'trenchcoat' - a wool coat the Germans wore for fighting in the trenches during WWI that repelled knife blades. Hmmmm. Interesting.
~ Plumbers! My kitchen sink works and I can finally use my dishwasher again. Praise the Lord.

Those are just few of the things that made me happy this week. On a more serious note, I'm grateful my kiddo is finally well and that I am finally feeling human again as well. Now if we can just get the Beloved over this virus, we'll be in good shape. Hope ya'll have a week full of moments to be grateful for and that you take the time to appreciate the little things.

Night ya'll!

FBFF - Gratitude

1. When it comes to me personally, I owe a lot of who I am to my grandmother. I moved in with my grandparents when I was eleven and they raised me. She was an incredible woman. Even though she never went to college, she was one of the most intelligent women I've ever known. She was always reading and educating herself on whatever she was interested in. She was by turns silly and serious. She had a great sense of style, but was never one to follow the trends. She wore what made her happy and comfortable and it didn't matter to her what other people thought. One of my favorite silly memories of her happened when I was about 15. She had had a double mastectomy by that time, but what bothered her more than anything in the world was that her backside was flat. Having a flat chest was inconsequential in her world, but that flat backside really bugged her. She cracked me up. She would have loved the Blog world and seeing what other people thought and wrote about the things that interested her.

2. When it comes to me professionally, I owe a lot of who I am to: At the moment I am a stay at home mom, so no profession right now. I am considering some training in medical transcription so that I can earn money while still staying home with my munchkin. We'll see.

3. When it comes to the art of blogging, I'm grateful to Tatiana of Love, Life, Lace for her help in figuring out how to put her button on my page. She was so gracious and helpful.

4. One blogging challenge I'm grateful happened because it made me stronger was learning how to put buttons on my blog. So far that has been the only real challenge, but I haven't been doing this for very long. I am sure there will be plenty more. :)

5. To my readers, I'd like to say: "Live by faith, unafraid. Trust the Hand that guides your way. Dream out loud, brave and proud. Vanquish doubt from everyday. I'd tell you that you ought to give your life away, if I had one last thing to say."  Chorus of  One Last Thing to Say by James Tealy available here.

Thank you to Katy over at Modly Chic for today's great questions.

Have an incredible day!

Jewelry Making 101: The Supplies

sweater: Old Navy, shorts: Walmart, shoes: Forever 21

My jewelry: bead necklace and earrings by me

Today's outfit was originally inspired by this Michael Kors look from last year. My khaki shorts lost a button at some point during the winter. ? Not sure how that happens. Are there clothing fairies wearing my clothes when I'm not looking? Hmmm. Anyway, I had to change out for the white shorts and I had to add jewelry, cause that's me. I can't wear clothes without jewelry.

Jewelry Making 101: The Supplies

Here is part two of my jewelry making series. Some of the basic supplies you will need and where you can find them. Any of the metal findings can be found in base metals, silver, gold filled, vermeil - pretty much whatever catches your fancy. I usually use base metals because they are cheaper. If you can afford the best, go for it. I would say to start with the cheaper stuff until you get the hang of some of the techniques. If you want the higher quality findings, you will need to order them online. With the exception of silver, you can't usually find them at Hobby Lobby or Michaels.

     *Tigertail - this is a very fine multi-strand beading wire. Anything that will be completely beaded, with the exception of pearls, works best on tigertail. It is durable, comes in multiple colors and sizes, and is pretty inexpensive.

     *Chain - available in any number of different sizes, styles, metals etc. If you want chain in your necklace or bracelet, go for it. The beaded necklace above is half tigertail, half chain. Chain is more expensive, especially if you go with the precious metals, but it always adds a nice touch and makes your beads go farther and stand out more.

     *Clasps - any bracelet or necklace done with chain or tigertail will need a clasp. There are tons of options to chose from. I like toggle claps, but there are lobster claws, hook and eye, slide locks, magnetic, block and fishhooks. Different clasps work better for different projects. If you are doing a multistrand necklace, the slide lock is better option, for bracelets, the toggle is easier to work, hook and eye is usually cheaper, fishhooks work best with pearls etc. Just explore your options and pick what you love.

     *Crimp Beads - these are used to secure the ends of your tigertail. If you are using tiger tail, you have to have crimp beads. The ones with the loop on the end, here, usually work best. You put the crimp bead on the end of your tigertail, add your beads, and crimp the other end. (More details to come in the Putting it all Together tutorials)

     *Stretch Cord - this is typically for bracelets. A beaded stretch bracelet is probably the easiest beginning jewelry project. You'll want to get a pretty durable stretch cord, the finer the gauge, the less durable (more prone to breaking) the cord. It is also handy to have around for repairing bracelets or re-purposing broken necklace beads.

     *Earwires - obviously you will need these if you are going to make earrings. There are several options available. This is one time when I would say you probably want to avoid the base metals, especially if you have nickel allergies. Pick the ones you like. I usually keep a stash in gold and silver handy. Although it takes a little skill, once you get the hang of it, you can whip up a pair of earrings in minutes.

     *Headpins - you will need these for earrings at least. They are also used to dangle beads from chain for bracelets and necklaces. Just get a big ole package and keep them in your kit. You'll use them, I promise.

     *Jumprings - these are basically little circles of heavy duty wire used to hold things together. There is a little trick to opening and closing them and you will use them for pretty much everything except a stretch bracelet and the most basic of earrings.

     *BEADS! - anything goes, find what you love, go crazy. You can find great beads at the major craft stores like Hobby Lobby and Michaels, local bead stores, old necklaces at thrift stores and garage sales, or online. I like Fire Mountain Gems especially for large orders. When I was selling my jewelry, I ordered from here because the more you buy the more you save. All of the links in this post are for Fire Mountain Gems. There are plenty of other places you can get beads, just keep an eye out. I've even bought the clearance jewelry from Walmart and used the beads for something else. 

Now that you know what you'll need, I can't wait to show you how to put it all together. We'll be doing tutorials on bracelets - stretch and clasped, necklaces - basic and statement, and earrings - simple and ornate. I hope you find this information useful.

Night, ya'll.

Lace & Denim

tee: Charlotte Russe, skirt: Target, jacket: Cato, shoes: Forever 21

Here is today's outfit. Apparently I'm feeling pretty girly lately what with all the pink and lace and stuff. Anyway, I added the jean jacket and oxfords to lower the girly factor and kept my jewelry simple with just a rose gold watch, ring and studs. I felt comfy and feminine. I also tried the side braid thing, but by the end of the evening it was mostly undone. Not sure how I feel about that yet. We'll see if it returns.

Surprisingly enough, I am boring myself going on about clothes so much. I mean adore clothes and shopping and putting together outfits and such, but there is more to my life. So, since this is my little blog, I am going to add some different content from time to time, just because I can. Hahahaha. Oh, the power, it will go to my head. :)

So, I love vintage romances - especially Harlequin Presents from the 60's through the early 80's. (It weirds me out a little thinking the 80's can be vintage. Now I am feeling old. Anyway, back to the point.) The are just delish. The tension, the sophistication, the clothes, the manly men. Mmmmmm. Love. You have to do some searching through thrift and goodwill stores to find these little gems, but they are usually worth the search and the dollar of so that you pay for them. A little brain candy is always good, right? Right.

One of my recent favorite authors is Anne Mather. Totally worth reading ya'll. (Have you noticed that I use totally a whole freaking lot? Like, maybe too much? Can you tell when I grew up?) I thought I would do a little review of my most recent read of hers for you folks. Just cause I'm a nerd like that. Sorry.

One of my little pleasures when I am feeling icky-like is to crawl into a tub brimming with hot hot hot water, bubbles and bath oil and read me a good book. I've been known to stay in there for hours with my cup of tea and my book. The Beloved doesn't get this at all, but he accepts it anyway cause he's awesome like that. He's also had 12 years to get used to it. Anyway, this week I am sick. My head hurts, my throat hurts, my body aches and I can't breathe out of my nose (I HATE THAT PART!) so, obviously some quality bath time is just what the doctor ordered.

My newest Anne Mather is called Prelude to Enchantment and was published in 1972. Set in Venice with an Italian count as the hero and a young English girl as the heroine. It is pretty typical of the genre - lots of miscommunication and tension between the two and someone usually gets injured physically. As seems to be the norm with romances from that time period, the man is close to 40 and the girl is in her very early twenties. He is strong and overbearing, she is overwhelmed and a little lost. Blah blah blah. Sancha is 22 in this one. She's working in publishing in Venice. Get this people - she wears a midriff baring top to work at one point. Seriously. I read that outfit description about six times. Wow. Craziness. All of her skirts (except evening wear) are very short. For work. This cracks me up for some reason.

I think one of the reasons I am so drawn to these books are the heroines. They are usually ordinary girls who've experienced loss and/or hardship, they are honorable and reserved. Not the spunky, self aware heroines of today (not that I have a problem with this, it just isn't me). As a shy reserved sort of girl myself, I identify with these girls. I did enjoy the book, but this one probably isn't a keeper. I only have room in my personal library for books I love so much that I will read them over and over. This one had entertainment value, but not much more.

So, hope you enjoyed the book review, such as it was.
Night, ya'll.

Everybody Everywear - Green Chiffon to the Maxi

tank: walmart, skirt & belt: thrifted, shoes: ross

diy necklace & bare feet make me happy

 

Here is my maxi look. I wore it for about 15 minutes today. Sorry, but I am sick and miserable and feeling pretty icky - you'll note no make-up, unfixed hair, and weird zombie face. Anyway this is the debut of my new necklace which I love even more now that I've styled it. This was my first ever pair of stilettos - aren't they fab. I think I've had them for 8 or 9 years now. They are NOT comfortable, so they don't get much wear anymore.

Well, that's all for today, folks. I am going back to bed. Stay tuned for more Jewelry Making 101, Weight loss cheap and chic style, and a magazine review. Hope ya'll have a great day!