From the category archives:

Fashion

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

June 23, 2010 · 6 comments

I want to share some of my new Favorite Things with you.

Unfortunately I don’t have Oprah’s budget, so I can’t give you all one of everything. I would if I could. That would really up the readership around here, huh?

Remember the show when Oprah gave everybody in the audience a new car? Yowzah!

But you don’t need an Oprah size budget if you decide to go shopping for this stuff for yourself.

I love this necklace I found on Esty at Tessyla.

I saw a lot of long, chunky necklaces in stores this spring. I really wanted one, so I went looking on Etsy where I knew I’d find something unique and affordable. There’s only one problem with this necklace. I want to wear it all the time!

(Oh, yeah. How do you like my pose? Do I have a future as a jewelry model? Ha!)

I also wear my Lands’ End Flip Flops almost every day.

I like them so much I have two pairs. One in brown and one in black.

(Yeah, I know I’m really going out on a limb with all the color.)

I think they’re cute, and they’re comfy. They’re also a lot sturdier than run-of-the-mill flip-flops. My black ones are new this season, but I’m on the third summer with my brown pair, and they’re still going strong.

If I can get three summers out of a pair of flip-flops, I think that’s pretty good.

(Did I also mention that I’m kind of cheap frugal?)

If you like these flip flops, they’re on sale right now.

I like to have my toenails painted when I wear sandals, and OPI Nail Lacquer in Dim Sum Plum is my favorite shade of nail polish this summer.

A little pink, a little purple, and a lot cheerful! It’s available in stores like Ulta, or from your salon.

It’s kind of hard to transition from nail polish to food, so I’m not even going to try.

A girl does have to eat though, and sometimes a girl eats fast food. When a girl doesn’t want greasy french fries, she — she being me — goes to Taco Bell. Their new Bacon Ranch Tortada is all kinds of yummy!

You can’t ever go wrong with bacon. Or ranch. Especially when they’re together.

With 520 calories and 24 grams of fat, it’s not good for my girlish figure, but it’s a nice treat once in awhile.

After eating that, the last thing I should do is sit on the couch, but I really like sitting my my Ektorp Sofa from Ikea.

(Pillows by Walmart. Told you I was cheap.)

We desperately needed a new couch. The springs in our old one were broken, and it was looking pretty rough from dogs sitting on it, and a certain five year old climbing on it. So we drove 2 1/2 hours to Detroit just to buy this couch. It was so worth it.

This sofa was affordable, but it’s great quality. And it comes with a 10 year warranty.

I especially love the washable slipcovers. I know they look kind of wrinkled. That’s because they’ve gone through my machine once already. No shrinking, and they came out nice and clean. Not sure what to do about the wrinkles though. I don’t think I can bring myself to iron slipcovers. Maybe put them in the dryer with a wet towel for a few minutes?

Oh, if the slipcover does get irrevocably damaged, it can be replaced with out replacing the whole couch.

If you have pets or kids, you need this couch.

And those are a few of my favorite things. What are some of yours?

Disclosure: I was not compensated for writing about any of these products. I just really like them, and thought you might too.

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I Need Some Fashion Help

April 5, 2010 · 8 comments

I need some fashion advice.

Pink is my favorite color. So a few years ago when pink was all the rage I bought this pink leather jacket.

My question is can I still wear it this spring, or is it just tacky and dated? Usually I’m pretty good at knowing when it’s time to dump a worn out trend from my wardrobe. But I’m a little blinded by the pink. As far as I’m concerned anything that’s pink can’t be bad.

So tell me ladies, pink leather jacket, in or out?

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Carolyn’s Kitchen Giveaway

February 10, 2009 · 2 comments

I love Carolyn’s Kitchen Retro Aprons. So cute! I’ve coveted one for a long time. Want a chance to win one of your very own? Head over to Comfort Joy Designs and enter win.

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Girl Talk: Shopping Trip

October 11, 2008 · 6 comments

My husband Dave gave me the best gift EVER a few days ago. He sent me out for a night of shopping ALL ALONE, and he even gave me some money to spend GUILT FREE! In fact, he told me I had to spend it all on myself. I absolutely was not to use it for anything else.

It was fantastic to actually be able to take the time to try things on, and with out a three-year-old whining in the corner of the dressing room about going home. And then to make a purchase, and not think, “I should be saving this for something else.” Oh the FREEDOM!

It really wasn’t an enormous amount of money. I’m sure many people wear shoes that cost more than what I had to spend. But it was a lot to me. Way more than I would ever think to go out and blow on myself. Because it is our money, and I try to spend it responsibly. And, well, because I like to be able to eat and heat our house and other frivolous things like that.

But Dave insisted, and I did even protest a little bit. In the end I decided this was one time I ought to just shut up and do what I was told.

I was determined to stretch my little windfall as far as I could, so I studied all the sales fliers in the Sunday paper. I even managed to find a couple coupons on line to use at some of my favorite stores. I had a list of specific items I wanted. Mostly things I decided I couldn’t live with out after watching What Not to Wear.

On the top of my list was a pair of wide leg trouser jeans. Just the thing, according to Clinton and Stacy, to slim my chubby thighs. I must have tried on 25 different styles at five different stores. I have a few things to say to denim designers.

1. Wider hips don’t equal longer legs. Why does the length increase by, like, half a foot when the waist increases by one size?

2. Most of us do not need sequins and fancy swirls and flowers emblazoned on the back pockets thus drawing even more attention to the span of our rear ends.

3. Can’t you all get together and agree on a standard sizing chart, so that I don’t go into one store and try on a certain size to find that it’s too big, then go in another store only to find that I can’t even get that same size past my knees?!

O.K. I feel better now.

Anyhow, I did finally find a pair of wide-leg trouser jeans that fit like a dream. And they do take off at least 10 pounds. Everyone — short, tall, fat, thin — needs a pair of these. Well, maybe not thin, because if you’re thin you should be wearing those skinny jeans. You’re the only ones who can wear those skinny jeans. If you don’t wear them who will?

So, as I was saying, these wide-leg trouser jeans create a slimming, straight line from hip to toe, and if you wear them with a nice pointy heel, you look like you have legs that go on for miles. And you can dress them up or down. These things are right up there with the skirted tankini as far as fashion advances for woman kind.

I love my trouser jeans. I don’t want to take them off. I wore them three days in a row. But I decided I should take a day off from fabulousness, and wash them before they get up and walk by themselves.

I also picked up a pair of shoes and a few tops, a jacket and even a foundation garment or two. And with my coupons I managed to add an extra $32 to my little wad of cash. It was a shopping success all around.

I had so much fun, and it was nice to have some time away. So thanks Honey for the treat!

Now I’ve got to go get those jeans in the wash, so I can wear them on Monday. I have to hang them up to dry. I mean, you just don’t put risk putting pants that fit that well in the dryer.

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The June Cleaver Experiment: Day Two

September 30, 2008 · 7 comments

O.K., so you all think I’m crazy for doing this. Well, I am just little bit off if you must know the truth.

I am committed to seeing this thing through.

Look, I have to entertain myself somehow.

This morning I woke up well-rested with a better attitude. I didn’t have anywhere to go, so it was motivating to have to get dressed and put on make-up. I often do my AM housework in my PJs, and then get showered and dressed.

After sitting on the couch sipping coffee for awhile.

But it didn’t feel right to lounge around when I was all ready to go. I threw myself into it early, and actually got a lot done.

I did find a more comfortable pair of pumps in my closet to wear, so my feet didn’t really hurt. I had a skirt on and it wasn’t a problem to do housework in it. I even managed to get the clasp on the pearl necklace closed today.

There were a few times that the outfit was impractical. This morning when I let the dogs out one decided to wonder back into the field behind our house. He didn’t come when I called, and I had to go out and get him. The grass was wet and the ground soft. Heels really weren’t the right attire for my little hike. I should have put on some galoshes probably, but I was afraid the dog would be all the way out into the woods if waited to change my shoes.

Today was also trash day, and I pushed the garbage can up to the curb in my heels and in the rain. I imagine June never had to deal with the trash. I’m sure Ward or the Beav did that for her.

When the rain stopped for a few minutes I took my son David out to play. One of my mantras — you’ve heard this before if you’ve been reading a while — Dogs and small boys must be exercised outside daily. I had to give in at that point, and kicked off the heels in exchange for some flip-flops. I put them back on though as soon as we got inside.

On the upside, someone came to the door today looking for the neighbor’s house, and for once I didn’t have to wonder how disheveled and deranged I looked.

Because I just looked plain nuts wearing pearls and heels at home by myself in the afternoon!

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The June Cleaver Experiment: Day One

September 29, 2008 · 8 comments

I was so tired when I got up this morning. I didn’t sleep well. That last thing I wanted to do was put on a dress and heels. To make matters worse it meant that I had to shave my legs at 6 a.m. since I was going out to women’s Bible study at my church this morning.

But I did it.

I modernized June’s uniform a bit. I wore a jean jacket over my dress to make the outfit a little more casual, and because it was chilly today. I also exchanged the pumps for sandals with a heel. And I didn’t wear the pearls today, because I couldn’t get the clasp fastened by myself. I wore a different necklace that was easier to fasten.

They didn’t say anything, but I’m pretty sure the ladies at church thought I’d lost my mind when I arrived all gussied up. Most of us have young kids, and we’re lucky to get out of the house with our hair combed a lot of mornings.

The outfit wasn’t much of a problem until David threw up in the nursery during the study. He got it all over his clothes. Luckily I did have extra with us, still in his back-pack from potty training days. I had to figure out how to carry him to the bathroom with out getting it all over my dress. I got him changed and cleaned up, then we left. Since he didn’t feel good I carried him to the car. He weighs 40 pounds, and the church is a big building. It was a long, long walk in heels from the bathroom to the parking lot.

David was feeling better by the time we got home, and even ate lunch. Then I washed dishes. My feet hurt after standing at the sink in heels.

I had other housework to do, but already tired, my attire just didn’t motivate me to start cleaning.

I still wasn’t sure if David was really sick or not, so I made him lay down and take a nap. Then I sat down on the couch and fell asleep too. I have a feeling perfect June Cleaver did not nap in the afternoon.

I woke up when my husband came home from work. Dave suggested going out for dinner, and I was all for it since it meant not standing at the stove in heels.

It was pouring down rain when we went out. I was more than a little cold, and really wished I was wearing jeans and sneakers.

We went by Walmart after we ate. That just meant more walking in heels.

So far it was inconvenient and uncomfortable to dress like June all day. And I was a lot less productive. I have to get the housework done tomorrow, so we’ll see how that goes.

I may be soaking my feet in Epsom Salts.

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The June Cleaver Experiment

September 16, 2008 · 12 comments

June Cleaver was always dressed to the nines. Even vacuuming and dusting in pearls and high heels.

Can you imagine?

Well, I can’t. So I’m giving it a try.

I’m spending every day for a week going about my normal modern life, but doing it in a dress and June’s accessories.

Come by Monday evening Sept. 29th for the first daily update on my little experiment.

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