Dressed-up coat

Kayla's prompt for the other day was "Dress Up A Coat." This is when the record-player scratch sound gets played. Coats? In Southern California? THIS year? It's been in the 80's with few exceptions in the last few weeks with not much change on the horizon.

So... I went with a short sleeved jacket just because. I know, I'm cheating, but it's just too warm this week.

But for fun, here are a few coats I love:



From Dwelling and Telling:
Isn't this just a divine coat?


I can't find the original source on this, but oh MY! Unfortunately, my original idea kinda failed because I was short on time yesterday. The idea was to make a flower tied scarf with a sparkly pin in the middle. But it all kinda slipped out by the time I got to pictures. Plus I hated my hair yesterday. I tried a ponytail for a non-workout and I just didn't love it. But hey, glad I tried, and next time I think I have another idea for the pony. I loved this idea, though, and it gave me an idea to add a ruffled flower to my trench! Add it to the pile, right?

POP! Goes my shirt

If you've ever watched Music and Lyrics, you will be laughing. I think. You should watch that movie, it's super fun.

So Kayla's prompt for today is BRIGHT COLORS. Did you hear that? I basically have two bright colored items in my wardrobe and I've already worn one in this challenge, so that left my pink Limited shirt. Or Raspberry, I'm told.

But before we get to my outfit, I want to re-post a few of my Pinterest faves so you know what I WISH were my outfit today!

I have a thing for red. Oh, red, I love you! My bridesmaid dresses were red. Somehow it just seems like the only REAL color to me. How much of it is in my wardrobe? Like 2 things. I think mostly because I rarely find red that I like. Oh wait! Three!

I've also been attracted to a lot of yellow, green and orange lately. Your good ol' secondary colors.

Especially yellow bags. Yummy.

Okay, now my turn. I give you... PINK.

This is where I get to spend my day... at my desk wading through the piles behind that roll-top desk...

I had a little helper...

Jacket - thrifted; shirt - limited (thanks Mom!); necklaces - thrifted; Pants - Loft on serious sale!; Shoes - Target for $9!! I love this outfit now for so many more reasons...

Little Man is sporting hand-me-downs and hand-me-downs.

We can do it!

Freckles in April's prompt today is Decade or Region. I tried a little 70's/80's thing yesterday, but it wasn't... quite. So I thought since I was ahead I'd try again. I toned down my Halloween costume and go for 40's.

This was Rosie the Riveter from Halloween.

Here's today...

This is something I feel comfortable wearing as... "regular" clothes, but still 40's inspired.

Jeans - Old Navy

Shoes - Sketchers Bobs, from amazon

Mini checked shirt - thrifted

Navy t- Loft

Hair tie - Target

Freckles 2-Fer

This weekend I did catch-up and get-ahead. I did my pattern-mixing on Friday. This sweet purple button-down from Target with my Loft Striped t underneath. Not especially adventurous, but still fun to try. Pants and shoes are Old Navy, and I wish you could see my grandma's pendant a little better. =)

Don't love this picture, but here is my "decade." Kind of 70's kind of 80's, kind of not any of them. =) It was a bit hard to get a picture of this one for some reason.

Shirt and Necklace: Kohl's; Pants: Calvin Klein via Amazon; Shoes: Target

Confession time. This has been a lot harder for me than I thought it would be. It has been harder in real-life because I am "dressing up" a lot in front of the school drop-off crowd, which is generally wearing sweats. Either that or they're on their way to work. I don't like feeling like I'm trying too hard in front of a crowd of people that I like. I don't know if I project an "I'm better than you" vibe if I dress up a little bit. So that's a little strange for me.

Second, putting so many pictures of ME up is so strange. I have a much greater respect for all the fashion bloggers that I love. I don't have the patience to get a good shot, first of all. Then, I'm still in the middle of getting off some weight that crept back on over the holidays, and it's hard to see pictures of yourself not-quite-there. I didn't ever blog about this, but after my son was born, I didn't lose a ton of weight, and instead gained a bunch. Something clicked for me and over the course of a year I dropped 30 pounds. It was hard and often an emotional roller coaster, but it felt SO good to finally be where I was comfortable. It sucks to be battling it off again, even if it is only a few pounds in comparison. So it's hard to have pictures of me when I can just see where it's crept on. But at the same time, motivating to keep working hard.

Enough of that! Power on this week! I got an extra run in today without the 90 pounds of kids and I felt like I was flying. =) Back to the wheel-barrow races tomorrow!

Happy Baaaahth-day

Sorry, couldn't help it. My sweet girl turned 6 on Friday. SIX. My mom came down to hang out with us over the weekend and celebrate, and we recounted the story of my little one's birth. It was fun to hear it from Mom's perspective.

I made a cake and somewhere around 100 mini cupcakes (Fed cake to about 60 people!). Yikes. I learned a lot, too--I made a fantastic marshmallow fondant, care of Pinterest, and made Shaun the Sheep, again, thanks to a design on Pinterest. So much fun! And people, my chocolate birthday cake is seriously the best you will EVER have. EVER.

A couple of baby sheep on their be-flowered field.

The Internet came through yet again and I found this seriously fun puffball sheep idea, and just altered it to my own purposes. We ended up doing a craft with our Bible Study friends on Friday night, then again with our "mini-birthday party" on Saturday. I was giggling like nobody's business as I was making the samples because they were just too ridiculously cute. Lu told the kids at school she had a flock of sheep at home. They all assumed she was kidding.

And I figured out a new BRILLIANT trick, if I do say so. Need to flash-freeze something but need to freeze something on top? I give you... Megablocks!!

It was a busy but great weekend, and I LOVED doing this theme. I think I'm done with sheep for awhile now, though!

Happy birthday, sweetheart!

Channel your inner Superwoman

Today's prompt from Freckles in April is "Channel Someone." All these lovely ideas -- Audrey Hepburn (I might post a picture of my wedding dress for that one...), Rosie the Riveter (Maybe I'll post my halloween picture!), and a few other lovely ideas.

At first I thought, Reese Witherspoon! I love her, and she is so cute! Plus I could put together an outfit a lot like the one below.

Then I thought maybe I'd do something with a cloche because I'm in love with period clothes. (Anyone else super envious of the Downton Abbey wardrobe??)

But I ran out of time to go get the cloche I want, and isn't it in the rules that it has to come out of your own closet anyway?

So I went for a toned-down preview of what may be my halloween costume next year:

SUPERWOMAN!! (Thanks, hollyanne from Polyvore!)

So, here is my understated crack at it:Pose is a little funny in how it sets my shape, but LOVE my little man out there workin' it with me!

And yes, friends, it was 85 today in L.A.

"Embrace a Trend"

Today's prompt for the Winter Challenge was "Embrace a Trend."

I went with color blocking. Here are a few examples, and again, I'm so sorry I don't have original sources for these. They were on Pinterest when I searched "Color Blocking."

I did the bun more because I had to toss my hair up, but I don't love how it came out today. I do like the red and blue together. Wishing I had yellow shoes!

Rosy Blues

So wow. All this putting yourself out there is interesting. I have a long way to go in learning how to get photos of my outfits. Mercy.

Ahem. That aside, I had a harder time than I expected with today's prompt, monochrome.

Here are two of the examples I loved (not sure of original sources--pulled them off of Kayla's site):


I had this great idea in my head. I'll push myself! Do pinks and lavenders because I have these fun Loft lavender pants. Blech. It totally didn't work. The taupe sweater made me look cut off funny and just made my butt look big.

Wow, could I look more uncomfortable?

So I went back to my original plan, which was blues. Nothing super special, but I like it and it's comfortable.

This worked out great because we were headed to the park on a post-rain, muddy So-Cal day.

What is the story with my neck? I look like I'm ducking through the frame!

Shoes - Payless
Skinnies - Old Navy
Top - Target
Sweater - Target
Necklace - gift

Hello again, Blog

Well, after a seriously crazy 18 months, I'm doing a short stint back at the blog. Not so much for anyone else, just for a little project I'm trying. I've been exploring my closet in the last few years, and I have fallen in love with a couple of great blogs and especially with Pinterest. I love the challenge of finding ways to use what is IN my closet, and being strategic about what's on my "to buy" list.

Freckles in April is doing the 10 day Winter challenge, and I decided to at least try part of it. I love how she plays with her closet, and I'm eager to try it. And no buying clothes. Use what you have in your closet. I love it. Essentially you play off of a prompt each day, and let the creativity fly.

I'm no fashionista by any stretch of the imagination, but I do believe that everyone can have their own style. I'm 35, and I love being 35. I know myself so much better than ever, and I'm so much more confident in who I am. I want my style to reflect a couple of important things. I think God made us to enjoy beauty and to celebrate each other. I think it is fabulous to feel great in what you are wearing. So I want to look like I enjoy life and I'm thankful for my life without looking spoiled or obsessed. I want to reflect my femininity with modesty (both sexual modesty and ostentation). I want people to feel at home around me. I want people to know that I am fun and creative. I think all of this reflects God's glory. It's a fine line with clothing, but this is where I am to be.

So.

Day one challenge is "Layers." I loved this inspiration photo (don't know original source), and kind of went with something of the same thought.

What exactly am I looking at on the floor? Maybe my shoes. Forgot to smooth out the bunched up fabric with this one, but with little ones around, you shoot and go. =) Hair is inspired by Pinterest as well.

Sweater: New York and Company, eons old

Dress: Old Navy, last year

Layering tank: Loft

Purple patterned shirt: Target

Tights: Target

Belt: Target

Shoes: Amazon