At Her Best

Too Much

2012-02-15T11:39:00.000-05:00

I've determined along with many other things, that yesterdays outfit was too much. So today I'm posting something much more "me". Yup, the black jeans again. There was an astute comment on the last post - I do in fact work with all men.

Shirt & Jeans - Old Navy

Necklaces - Me

Scarf - xmas gift, mom

Tank - 579

Boots - Doc Martens

At one point a year or so ago a coworker made the comment that he thought I had a huge closet because I never wore the same thing more than once, but since then I've come to the realize that most days it is much better to not bring notice to yourself. I've considered trying an experiment, but I'm not sure the "Black Pants Project" would end up with much notoriety.

At the very least I've also considered closing out this blog just so I can just wear more variations of this outfit and not feel any fashun guilt, but I'd be damn comfortable so I doubt I'd be that shamed. Maybe I'm just snarking too much because around here it seems like someone pissed in everyone's Wheaties this morning.

Til Next Time

EBEW: Pink & Red

2012-02-14T14:44:00.000-05:00

Happy Heart Shape Day!

I'm always excited to try out the Everybody Everywear challenges, but with this one being red and pink I hope you didn't expect me to get too saccharin.

Shirt - Steve & Barry

Sweater - Old Navy

Necklace Vintage

Jeans - Empyre, thrifted

Boots - Lucky Brand Hylda

I did start off the day with different shoes, but they didn't go with my sweater and it bothered me. I dont mind wearing double doses of pink but by golly they better match. I had my boots in the car for "commuting" shoes, so even though I wore the pink shoes inside I changed them almost immediately.

Das shoes

The BF and I aren't doing anything much for today - I warned him he'd be in trouble if he bought me chocolate since I still have a mountain left from XMas. We're going to make dinner and watch some episodes of Santuary that have built up on the DVR.

Have you checked out the new blog lately? I've got a last minute Valentines Day DIY if you need a super simple decoration - click the photo below to take you there and check it out.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Re-Repeat

2012-02-10T15:59:00.002-05:00

I've worn my newest pair of jeans twice this week but considering nobody at work has noticed my hair color I doubt they will realize I'm re-wearing pants.

Shirt & Jeans - Old Navy

Scarf - Thrifted

Tank - 579

Boots - Doc Martens Darcie

The first day I wore them I dressed to match my hair.

I got these jeans at Old Navy when they had an extra 30% off clearance, so they ended up being about $8. I love them. I was looking for a pair of flares and preferred black over regular denim colors, and these are actually "jeggings" technically - they have an elastic waist and no front pockets (there are back pockets though).

Today I went completely bare bones comfortable - all black and comfy slip on platform loafers (they are actually cherry but the flares cover them). I didn't feel under-dressed though, because I actually took the time to do my makeup. Funny how even a clean faced look helps me feel "finished"

Shirt - Decree, gifted

Necklace - Vintage

Jeans - Old Navy

Shoes - Doc Martens Romy

I liked the minimalist look but I did end up changing my necklace because I made a new one on my lunch break. I carry a little work bag with me for slow moments.

Still needs some tweaking

I'm so glad it's Friday! I've been looking forward to the weekend - one of my friends is coming to visit and she's been having a rough time so I'm hoping she will have some fun. I've been having a rough week myself, and they say the best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer someone else up. Hope your weekend is cheerful!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Soft Neutrals

2012-02-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

This outfit was pre-purple, but only by a few days. We had a cold burst and I pulled out my new faux-ling (faux-shearling - or is abbreviating it too pretentious? oh well) jacket. This time I paired grey and brown shades, and I think I like the look. "Soft" neutral colors always seem to make me feel warmer.

Jacket - Marshalls

Shirt - Rue 21

Necklace - Burlington Coat Factory

Jeans - Walmart

Boots - Jazzberry

Lately I've pulled these boots out often enough to wonder if I should invest in a good pair of brown leather boots. These have lasted me a while but I think they're on their last legs and they dont keep my feet very warm. My only problem is I'm also on the market for a pair of knee-high heeled black boots, too, so I guess its a matter of priorities. Decisions, decisions.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Adventures In Hair Color

2012-02-07T11:34:00.001-05:00

Have I mentioned before that not including recent experiments, I've never dyed my hair? Most people are surprised when I tell them that, considering how dark my hair is and the fact that a lot of my friends could be compared to Rainbow Brite. I've helped dye others' hair before but never been able to decide to do it myself.

Ever since I went ahead and chopped off 2 feet (yes, literally) of length I guess I've either gotten braver or just stopped caring about what other people might think. My Pinterest Board is overflowing with photos, so I figured now or never. As I said last time, the first attempt did not turn out quite as thrilling as I wanted:

On Saturday the second attempt went much better - using a demi permanent dye and bleaching out a bigger halo. I wanted it to be just enough color to peek through

It shows up much better on the shorter side of my hair, and even more when I pull it back or when it's sunny out. I haven't had any problems with the color running on anything except a little rub off on my fingers, but then again I have a lot of dark clothes and I haven't washed it yet. I was really surprised that my mom seems to like it, but maybe it had a little to do with the fact that its mostly hidden and purple is her favorite color.

Have you every experimented with hair color? Natural or otherwise?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Well Red

2012-02-03T15:45:00.000-05:00

It was unintentional that I am wearing red today, but I'm glad thats what I have on.

Jacket - Rampage via Marshalls

Necklace - Me

Shirt - Rue 21

Jeans - Empyre, Thrifted

Boots - Dr Martens Darcie

Forgive me if I've been a bit of a downer lately. I've been dealing with a very angry toothache and it certainly puts me out of sorts when I can't think straight. Hopefully soon things will be corrected and I can get back to my miscellaneous antics. Like attempting to get my hair dyed, Again. Apparently my hair is very defiant! I have nothing but confidence in the person who is doing it for me, but last weekend in an attempt to put in blue and purple highlights I ended up with not much noticable results -

I tried adding more of the color in myself as well, but it just doesn't want to stick. So tomorrow we are going to give it another go, with some different products and BIGGER CHUNKS. I think it will come out much better. On sunday the BF and I will be visiting friends to watch that game, even though nobody has a vested interest in the teams its a great reason to get together and I'm looking forward to making some Buffalo Chicken Dip. If you're looking for a yummy dessert, I have a post up on the joint blog today for one of my favorite snacks.

Hope your weekend is wonderful

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

My 30 by 30 List

2012-02-01T11:11:00.000-05:00

I mentioned sharing this before and here it finally is -

These aren't in any order, they are itemized by how I thought them up but not necessarily by priority. My birthday is on August 23, and I wrote the list a little while ago (well before I turned 29) so some of the items are already completed or almost done even! I need to find the original hand written list and see if I dated it and I'll update and blog more about it as I am able.

Completed items will have a ~~strikethrough~~, in process are italicized.

1 Fully Pay Off Credit Cards

This one is so close- I now have only one credit card with a balance (down from three - and none of them were really large, but its the principal *haha* of it). I think If I keep making my typical (non minimum) payment on it, I'll have this one clinched by august. Then I just have to move on to finishing my car and student loans...meh.

2 Pick up at least 1 new book a month, recap book list at end of month/provide summary of particularly interesting books.

I tend to read more than one book at a time, and many in my collection are short stories.
I also have a bad habit of picking up more books whenever there is a library sale. I can't say no to a pretty hardcover.
I also can't say no to free books if someone is purging their own bookshelves.
~~Since I just finished 2 previous books I had started (and read 1 extra, new book), maybe I should just re-name this "Read at least x qty books a month?" I typically read more than one at a time.~~ Originally titled "Finish Boxes of Books" but wouldve been diffictult to define since some of the books have now found a home in my bookshelves, and I didn't have a list of titles
I dont like reading the "hot" books but I have a few favorite genres - historical fiction, classic short stories, sci-fi/fantasy, and biographies. I also

3 Make Something Every Day

This is one of those "pie in the sky" sort of tasks. I like to try and work on at least one jewelry project every day, and theres a pretty big interpretation to what that "something" is, but I think I can do it. Even if I just take a photo of something I think I did, I made a photo, right?
Technically this could be as simple as making my coffee and I'll have accomplished it! Though I do intend to at least work on something every day - I always have several works in progress at one time.

4 Make an awesome chainmaille belt

I've intended to start making larger scale chainmaille pieces for a while, but I haven't had the space or time to sit down and work on anything. There was also the setback of never having enough supplies at once, but I've found an affordable place to get my rings so I think my opportunity has finally arrived.

5 ~~New Hair Style~~

I obviously took care of the style part, but as evidenced by the amount of colored hair looks I've been pinning I'm on the verge of a new hue

6 Create/Develop "My Brand"

This has been a particularly difficult task. I've always had trouble with "defining" myself, but I know that with trying to market my business it helps to create a recognizable

7 Throw an awesome dinner party

We've had a few parties at the house now, but none for the sole purpose of putting on a good spread. Ideally I wouldn't mind having these at least once a season - I do love a good party.

8 ~~Buy a New Computer~~

I got my new lappy in the fall!

9 Take a fun trip out of state

I love travelling within NY but I haven't been anywhere else in a little while. I'm hoping to go visit a friends in Maryland or North Carolina this year. I'd love to do at least one craft show out of state, but I'd consider that more "business" than leisure.

10 Buy something 100+ years old

I'm not sure what it was that prompted me to include something like this - I've always had an interest in antiques, and I find "old" things highly fascinating.

11 Start and finish a "picture a day" project

I obviously dont have the days left to do a 365 type project, but I'm thinking I'll pick a theme to do over a 30 day month. Which means I have until April or June to decide what that theme might be.

12 Try 1 new restaurant/month

I love trying new foods and finding new places with good food. Even if it turns out to be a bad experience, at least you know never to go there again!

January - tried a different local pizza shop for fish fry. Fish was good, everything else not so much.

13 Blog at least 2x a week

While I can't promise I'll be blogging here all those times, since I also have my shop blog, and my new collaboration with Jen! Hopefully all three wont be too over-reaching.

14 ~~Take a class~~

I've been taking Zumba since October, it's so much fun!
I'm researching other classes too, for more art/craft related things

15 Teach a class

I've learned that sometimes you are able to teach yourself something new by trying to give instruction to someone else.

16 Network

This has more to do with my jewelry stuffs, but strengthening up connections here could only benefit me, too. I'm on Twitter ( @SaltCityChains) now, still learning the ropes but it's already become a good marketing tool.

17 Do 4-5 craft fairs/shows per year

In the fall I did 3 shows and 1 home party - I think it would be awesome to do at least 1-2 a month, though show "season" doesn't really start until it warms up a little.

18 Attend a workshop

The problem with these is they usually require time off and/or expensive travel plans. I've got my fingers crossed.

19 ~~Start a garden~~

Last year I had my little container garden on the porch. I'd say it was a good experiment. I also planted tulips in the fall before it got really cold, so hopefully I'll have some nice flowers in the spring, and when it gets warmer out I'll see about having a small in-ground garden or maybe some raised beds. I love nothing better than fresh, home-grown veggies!

20 Drink more water!

This is a personal goal - I dont drink nearly as much water as I used to, and I know I feel better when I am well hydrated. I just need to push my tush to get up and visit the water fountain to re-fill my container instead of letting it sit empty and thinking "oh, no more..."

21 Wear skirts/dresses at least 3 times a week

I have lots of pretty clothes. I plan on making use of what I have, especially once the weather is nice.

22 Build a website for my shop

Will be easier to do after I accomplish #6 perhaps

23 Get a library card

I should say get a "new" library card. I used to have one but have no idea where it is and where I live now I'm only 5 miles from the library in town. I hope to bike there regularly in the summer.

24 Work out at least 2x/ week

I'm doing pretty good with this - since I do Zumba once a week and manage to get to the gym at least once, plus minor supplementary "workouts" at home. Once it gets warmer I hope to start getting back into running.

25 Meet up/connect with friends at least once a week

Whether this is simply texting/phone counts - as long as its interaction, but in person is ideal, FACEBOOK DOESNT COUNT.

26 Enter at least 1 competition

Probably jewelry related, but doesn't necessarily have to be.

27 Go out for breakfast at least once a month

Breakfasting at friends/family counts! I love going out for breakfast though :)

28 Finish my Tattoo

This one may be difficult since the tattoo artist who started it has apparently moved to Italy. That would be quite a trip though!

29 Finish at least one home improvement project

Right now I am focusing my sights on the main Bathroom

30 Complete at least 2 sewing projects.

Since I got my sewing machine I've been working towards cleaning up my "craft room" so I can set it up, but I think this is a reasonable goal since I have a lot of other projects on my plate for the coming months too.

So here I go. wish me luck!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Old & New

2012-01-31T15:56:00.001-05:00

I've been a little quiet here lately but I guess I've been caught up in trying to get through ~~non~~winter here in CNY. Even though the weather has been generally mild, it still gets dark far too soon for far too long. I've also been working on quite a few projects! Besides my generally crafty-ness and things for my shop, I've got a brand new venture going on. Jennifer from Bright Bold & Unexpected is back, and we've joined forces on a new blog called L'Amour Propre. It'll be featuring various topics but mostly do it yourself projects, recipe posts, a few items of entertainment worthy stuff, and yes a little bit of fashion here and there. Check it out, we've already got quite a list ready to go

I'll still be posting here, too - but I think the slower pace here will do me good (I'd rather not post every day, anyways, if I'm wearing a constant combination of the same pieces).

Turtleneck - H&M

Sweater - Rue 21

Pants - Forever 21, thrifted

Shoes - Madden Girl

I just had lunch but now I'm looking at recipe posts on Pinterest and it's making me hungry again. I guess things like Buffalo Grilled Cheese (thanks Hillary!), Banana Smoothies and Peanut Butter Yogurt Pie will do that sometimes.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Warm & Fuzzy

2012-01-26T12:25:00.003-05:00

It's not often that I will go gaga over a clothing item that is not in one of my go to colors (black, grey) but when I was in Marshalls one day the little voice in my head squealed when I found this jacket -

Jacket - Jou Jou via Marshalls

Sweater - KMart

Dress - Old Navy

Boots - Jazzberry

I am always on the lookout for a good jacket, especially one that will keep me warm (without being considered outerwear). While I would still prefer that the jacket was black and grey rather than tan, I've already worn it a few times, and it only cost $15 on clearance.

The day I wore this to work was one of the days we actually had wintry weather here. I went through 3-4 different outfits before settling on this. I generally don't prefer to wear longer skirts in winter (soggy hems, anyone?) but I was very warm between the dress and the leggings I was wearing underneath (If I had long-johns I would've been wearing those, but alas).

After the snowy day we had it all melted once again. I'll still wear the jacket since I'm always cold anyways, but I think this has been the best winter we've had in CNY yet. As long as you aren't a snow bunny, at least.

Hows your winter been?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Blue Jean Baby

2012-01-23T15:46:00.001-05:00

It's not often that I wear "blue" jeans these days. For a while now I haven't had a pair that fit like a glove and make me happy to pull on and feel pulled together with just a t-shirt. Last week I was in a mood and decided to give an old pair a try.

Shirt - Rue 21

Turtleneck - Target

Belt - H&M

Jeans - Old Navy

Boots - Lucky Brand Hylda

The idea for this stemmed from me wanting to wear the plaid shirt, but I'm not happy with it. I love plaid and while I love red, I just dont like wearing it on top anymore. Combined with the fact that the shirt is too tight across the shoulders. When I got home from work, it went in my "giveaway" bin. I can't be too sad about it though - my closet has plenty of other pretties that I should be wearing instead.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

No Slouch

2012-01-20T14:27:00.000-05:00

When the weather turns colder there's usually nothing I want more than nubby layers and warm knits to ease the chill. The other day I finally wore the other sweater I talked about from this post.

Sweater - Old Navy

Tank - H&M
Bracelet - Me

Jeans - Walmart

Boots - Doc Martens

I admit, it is very close to a twin of the sweater in this outfit, but what can I say? I love my grey sweaters. I know I dont need any more any time soon, though- thats for sure. I've only made a few personal wardrobe purchases this year and written each of them down in my trusty notebook. Hopefully that will keep me on track with my "Live Small" mantra.

These are another pair of the shoes that got a good shine last weekend - they really do look brand new to me. I think the biggest difference is that I re-blackened the heels. They get pretty scuffed up from driving.

I'll be doing a little driving this weekend to visit family. Today is my Mama's birthday! No lobster plans for this year, we'll be noshing on pizza instead. All that really matters is being with loved ones.

Happy Weekend!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

2012-01-18T08:40:00.002-05:00

http://sopastrike.com/
https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

Winter Lite

2012-01-17T11:32:00.002-05:00

This cold weather look was from last thursday, actually, but I thought I'd share it because it features mostly lighter-toned outfits than I usually wear -

Sweater - Vintage (Moms)

Blue Tank - Old Navy

White tank - 579

Skirt - H&M

Tights - Marshalls

Boots & Socks - Target

I tend to favor dark grey and black, but this combination was prompted by the sweater - I wear it a lot at home because it is so warm, but I thought it would come in handy at work that day. Last week was when we finally started getting some real snow. I was hoping we could've stuck with the pseudo-spring we were experiencing. We're still less than half of our usual snowfall according to the Golden Snowglobe site. Only number 8 so far this year, but thats ok with me. I feel bad for Anchorage & Nome though.

It seems lately that every time I pull out a pair of tights they inevitably have a hole/run in them - At least most of them have had a good run, but recently I just haven't been finding many interesting pairs to replace them with. Is the printed tights trend "done"?

This week is going along smoothly so far, though not being under the weather certainly helps. Last night I did some work on a few crafty projects and I've been keeping busy with custom orders from the shop, so that makes me one happy girl. I was hoping the traffic wouldn't drop off too sharply after the holidays but so far it seems pretty steady. I find that the more I learn about networking and marketing, the more it pays off. So for anyone who is thinking of starting a side business, dont give up too soon! Persevere and continue doing it if it's something you love, and it will pay off.

Hows your week going?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Tres Suéteres

2012-01-16T13:33:00.002-05:00

We've had quite a bit of snow since the end of last weekend, so this morning arrived with an extra need for warmth and layers. It may not look like it, but I'm actually wearing a triple dose of knit -

Sweater - H&M

Dress as top - Target

Skirt - Moth, thrifted

Sweater Tights - Chines Laundry via Marshalls

Legwarmers - Payless

Boots - Lucky Brand Hylda

Cardigan, sweater skirt, and tights. The top is also a bodycon dress so I have a double layer on there, too. I was orginally going to wear a sweater over the dress and call it done, but I thought twice and went this route instead. I've been meaning to figure out another outfit for this skirt, so I'm happy this worked out.

The tights are new - I made a trip to Marshalls last week to find some birthday gifts for two sweet little girls, and to check out winter clearance. I got this pair of sweater tights plus one other grey pair for $5 altogether. I also got the boyfriend a slick grey button front shirt, and a new jacket for myself. I did find something for the little ones too - a Hello Kitty Memory Card Game. Along with some new dresses from Old Navy and some pink and purple pinwheels for the gift decor. Guess what they loved the most? Yes, the 99 cent pinwheels. Proof you don't need money to make a child happy.

In other news, friday left me unscathed - not that I have a 13 phobia, but no tricks or anything occurred unless you count the sneaky weather. I spent a fairly quiet weekend doing some cleaning around the house and watching sports games since they were on tv. Last night after dinner (I made some killer BBQ wings in the slow-cooker) I finally took some initiative and polished a few pairs of my shoes. They look so fresh now. Almost like getting a brand new pair of boots.

How was your weekend?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Purple Leopard and Lace

2012-01-12T16:06:00.000-05:00

As mentioned, todays outfit is from a previous day....last friday to be exact. Yesterdays was actually mondays, not tuesday. See what I mean about me getting my inner timeline confused? Insomnia throws the whole week out of alignment. Last night I managed to get some decent shut eye, though, so I'm feeling a lot better now. Hopefully I'll be able to continue that trend.

Jacket -Marshalls

Turtleneck - Target

Scarf - Rue 21

Tights - Chinese Laundry?

Dress - H&M

Boots - Wild Diva

This outfit sort of goes along with what I was talking about with all of the black I wear, it doesn't always photograph well. I'm wearing 3 different pieces but they blend together. At least my blacks all match. I've noticed it bothers me more than it used to, when my black clothes get faded and aren't all the same shade even if they all started out the same inky hue.

With most "all black" outfits, I still often try to pull in color with accessories. In this case I went with my new favorite color purple. I haven't worn these tights in a while and I always feel stumped about wearing scarves, but this one is a favorite.

My half polished hands are from one of my xmas gifts - Essie "Devils Advocate", That I showed you in this post. It lasted surprisingly well and I only just took it off last night. Given my habit of peeling my nail polish when it shows the smallest sign of chipping, I'd say this has the record of staying power. It didn't stain my nails, either, which can sometimes be a problem with dark colors. All of my presents have been incredibly "handy" (har har). I got 2 sets of knives and a large cast iron skillet that have all been getting regular use. Hopefully soon I'll be working on some new recipes to share. There are quite a few projects going on behind the scenes right now that I can't wait to let you know about.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Old Dress, New Outlook

2012-01-11T15:30:00.001-05:00

The outfit I'm posting today is from Tuesday, but I had to post it out of order since yesterday was my EBEW post. Tomorrow I might post what Mondays outfit was, just to really confuse the timeline in my head.

Like I said previously, I didn't really make resolutions this year so much as I made an action plan (to start this year, I plan on continuing it as long as possible) that can be summed up in a few words - "Think Big, Live Small".

Dress - H&M

Necklace - Me

Bracelet - NYC Vendor

Tights?

Shoes & legwarmers - Payless

What I mean is that I want to simplify my way of thinking/living/being - I dont need so much *stuff* in my life to be happy and have what I want and achieve my goals. I want to try and spend less, save more, de-clutter, and DIY as much as possible. I love the clothes I have and wear often, even in most of their black-y darkness, which does not always photograph with a lot of interest.I can always point at my tomato pants and say look, I do like some bright things. I also know how to do quite a bit, so any project that comes to mind should be fairly easy for me to complete with things I have on hand. It's nice being a Jill of All Trades.

For today though, a subdued colored dress. Paired with black tights and heels, and legwarmers, it reminded the boyfriend of a school uniform. I always forget that navy and black aren't supposed to "go" together, but I love the combination. They're like a duo of stoic matriarchs, ready to chastise a playground full of impudent children. I do like telling people "no".

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Everybody, Everywear - Black & White, All Day All Night

2012-01-10T13:31:00.001-05:00

Hi there! Good thing "Blog every day/more often" wasn't on my list of things to do this year. I didn't intend on the silence, but I came down with a yucky sinus cold and was under the weather for a few days. The past two nights I've been battling insomnia and last night I actually didn't sleep at all. Barely one wink. I dont know why my brain didnt feel like shutting down, but it is what it is.

Subconsiously I must have remembered that today was Everybody, Everywear day, or it's just a giant coincidence that most of my closet consists of black and white items. In any case, it makes for a reason to post today, tired eyes and all.

Sweater - Marshalls

Necklace - Me

Leggings - Walmart

Boots - Lucky Brand Hylda

Today was the second day in a row I haven't made it to the gym in the morning, but I've been trying to supplement that with at-home workouts. Sunday evening I did lunges for the first time in a very long while, and today my legs are absolutely burning. Maybe its partially from the fact that I am SO TIRED, but at least it will make me feel a little better about going to sleep straightaway once I am home this evening.

Im sure I've worn this same combination before minus the shoes, but on sleepless mornings you have to go with an "if it's not broke..." attitude. That is, if you care enough to have an opinion about it in the first place.

I do love black and white, though.

And sleep.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Nothing Brand New, Just Another Day

2012-01-03T23:04:00.000-05:00

First day back to work - I've gotten too used to the three day weekends, they've been so nice! I haven't yet gotten used to the fact that it is 2012. Also, today I thought it was Wednesday instead of Tuesday, how I figured that instead of mixing it with Monday I dont know. Vacation mind takes over I guess.

Turtleneck - thrifted

Necklace - Rue 21 ?

Skirt - Rue 21

Tights no idea

Boots - Lucky Brand Hylda

I wish I could say I accomplished more over my break, but all I really managed was eating too much chocolate and sleeping a lot. I finally had to throw what was left of the Hershey Kisses away so I wouldn't be tempted by them anymore. I dont even like them, but they were there. They can't get the best of me now, though!

On New Years Eve my boyfriend and I spent the night in, relaxing with a few drinks and watching the special on tv. I tell you what, I'd much rather be on my own comfy couch than down in Times Square freezing my biscuits off. I also wouldn't be able to get bored and attempt curling my hair, though I think it turned out allright -

Technique till needs a little refining, but I do like it

I didn't really make resolutions this year, but I did make a sort of "action plan" for the year. Plus, I'll be 30 (!!!!!) this summer, so I have my "30 by 30" list to try to complete. I've done a few things on it so far. Will try to post soon to share.

How was your New Year Celebration?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

2011 - Some Of My Best

2011-12-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

Another year in review post like last years. 2011 had a lot more going on with it, I think -

I completed Two 30x30 challenges
Finished Two Theme Week Challenges
Competed in the annual Corporate Challenge again (and bested my run time!)
I celebrated a year with my new boyfriend! Things are still going great, too :)
I shared something I never thought I would publicly
I cut off my hair!
I celebrated Another Year of Blogging!
and also started my last year in my 20s (yikes!)

Its been a fun year, and I've learned a lot about life and myself. I always say I'm a work in progress, so who knows what I'll be doing next. I have a few things in mind for 2012, mostly to do with developing my shop, but a few other projects too. I'll keep you posted as needed. To finish off the year with a bang, heres a short list of some of my favorite outfits from 2012, by month -

January

February

March

April

May

June

I just had to do 2 -

December was hard to choose, since some of the outfits I posted were actually from previous months (one of my favorites had actually been from October - oops) but I think this last outfit was pretty great, and true to date (love a good rhyme).

Coming up in the New Year I'm not making resolutions. I think I mentioned that. I'm working more towards making an Action Plan for 2012. Hopefully it will be a big year of growth and learning.

In any case, I want to thank you guys for sticking with me this year. Hopefully 2012 will be just as much fun, if not moreso. Here's to wishing you a Bright and Happy New Year, and Best Wishes!

Til Next Year -

~Be Your Best!

Spotted and Dotted

2011-12-30T11:38:00.002-05:00

Hi Again! Did you have a happy holiday? I know I enjoyed mine. It was a busy few days, with travelling to parents and back again, opening a whirlwind of presents and then recouperating from too many sweets.

yea, crazy isn't it? The wee ones got so much stuff!

I got some really nice things, mostly for the kitchen - a new knife block set, a 3 pc set of santoku set, and a big blue cast iron pan. I've already used most of the knives prepping dinners the past few days, its been a lot of slicing and dicing fun.

I also got some fancy new polish - Essie "Devils Advocate", so I gave my nails a little color for once-

Surprisingly I didn't get any clothes this year - not that I mind. I have more than enough in my closet as it is, and I'm already planning a major cleanout but prior to that I did buy myself something new while I was shopping for others -

Sweater - Old Navy

Jeans - Walmart

Boots - Lucky Brand Hylda

Isn't this the cutest sweater? I almost got a different pattern, but I thought the dalmation spots were too sweet. Add to that the black and white fits in perfectly with my closet. I was going to pair it with something "cuter", but the chill yesterday guided my hand to the jeans and boots. The only bad thing I can say about the top is that its a little shorter cut than most of mine - I wore it over a new VS cami that I found at the thrift store for 49 cents and it made my sweater ride up all day :-\

We finally got some snow the other night,too and yesterday morning it was a chilly and slow ride to the gym - but I made it! It was so quiet there, too - I didn't have a lot of time but I loved that I could get to what I wanted without having to wait.

I'm looking forwards to the New Year and starting some new projects. Not sure if I'll be making any "resolutions" exactly, but more like a plan of action I think. It's still in the brainstorming stage but if I think it's worthwhile I will share it in some fashion or another.

It seems like it's been so quiet everywhere on the interwebz lately, so I might take this time to take a break and not worry too much about posting. I've got a "2011 Review" post almost ready, so that might be it from me until after we enter 2012. Hope your holidays have been merry and that your new years will be bright!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

2011-12-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Santa Bear

2011-12-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Holiday Velvet

2011-12-23T15:52:00.001-05:00

Todays post was yesterdays outfit - It is XMas eve eve, and we had our holiday luncheon at work. I made filled crescent rolls which were a hit again ( I brought them last year, too). I've been trying to resist the sweets, but one of the Ukrainian women in our assembly dept is an amazing cook and makes awesome pastries. Plus with peanut butter cookies galore I'm starting to feel like I wish I could nap right through into the new year

My Bite Sized Nemesis'

It's ok though, they can't tempt me anymore - I ate them all :)

Jacket - H&M thrifted

Turtleneck - Merona Target

Necklace Me

Skirt Marshalls

Tights?

Boots - Doc Martens

A little subtle layering - I was going to go with a black jacket, but when I put it on I noticed I must have gotten something on it last time I wore it, so I"ll have to do some cleaning. Rather than go with my Other black jacket I grabbed this velvety blue number instead. I thought it was appropriately holiday-ish, though the weather outside wouldn't suggest it was Christmas in CNY right now.

The skirt is from Marshalls and was in my "toss" pile, but I put it on this morning and it fit the way I wanted and with the tights it is not overly risque for work (though I did keep an eye out while I was going up and down stairs for coworkers still)

The necklace is a work in progress, I bought the rings from a shop in NYC and started playing around with them the other day. It was going to be a large cuff, but I seem to favor bracelets and decided I'd try to make a collar type necklace. I'm not a fan of gold much myself but I wanted to make something to have a little more variety in my shop.

I'm more than ready for the weekend. I get to sleep in again tomorrow! Then saturday will be a travelling day to spend at my moms overnight before I get home again. There have been moments this year where I think I just want to boycott the whole shebang, but ultimately I do love the holidays, if only for spending it with my family.

I hope you and yours have a very special holiday,

and I wish you many happy returns in the impending new year

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

I Checked, Christmas Is Still Coming

2011-12-21T16:02:00.002-05:00

New blouse from Target

Skirt - Forever 21

Belt - H&M

Tights - Marshalls

Shoes - Payless

Found this ruffled top at Target a few weeks ago on the clearance rack. I figure for $6 I could use a little spiffing up in my work-wear. I'm not entirely sold on the ruffles, but theyre subtle enough that I can tolerate them. I knew as soon as I saw it what I wanted to wear it with first.

I think this outfit may have also been subliminally triggered by this photo I pinned a while back from Anthro:

I dont often translate outfits directly but this one was just too good - though my shirt is a different style. The tights were a must - no snow yet, but it's been chilly for sure. I haven't been favoring teal as much as I used to, but this is a nice addition to the collection of jewel tones I've been adding to my closet this fall.

After gift shopping last night and wrapping gifts until 1:30 this morning I am STILL not done....I sorted everything into piles and realized that I didn't really get anything for my mom. She always does so much for me and I like to try and spoil her at Christmas and her birthday and such. So I guess I still have last-last minute shopping to do. I swear after this is all done, I'm not setting foot in the stores for a month. At least in January I'll have new projects to keep me busy. I have a sewing machine I haven't broken in yet, and lots of side projects besides my jewelry to work on. I want to get started now, but the darn holidays just wont wait. Hope your season is being merry and bright.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Only So Many Rhymes For Stripes

2011-12-21T15:49:00.001-05:00

Yesterdays outfit is one of my favorites lately. I was going to skip ahead but I like it too much

Sweater - Old Navy

Striped tank - Rue 21

Necklace - Burlington Coat Factory

Jeans - Empyre (thrifted)

Boots - Lucky Brand "Hylda"

Getting a little crazy trying to finish up christmas shopping this year. I think I just officially fail at gifts this season. I didn't realize til after my party the other day that I meant to send the guests home with one of my handmade ornaments and not just show them off and say "oh look how pretty" derrrr...nice going, self.

Monday night I went to the mall and succeeded in buying 1 item, at least it wasn't for me. Then I went to Old Navy and bought a bunch of things, and half of them ended up being for me...one being a sweater very similar to this one, but long sleeved and longer and waffle knit. It is so warm! I need more sweaters for winter. That was my justification....and I can always return it if I decide to be frugal.

Last night I went to my first SU basketball game! I couldn't decide at first if I was really excited about it or not, but I had a really nice time just being out of the house with my boyfriend (even if there was so much to do at home). Our hometeam won and because they scored more than 75 points that meant it was "Taco Time" and people can use their tickets to get free tacos at Taco Bell. We didn't go but it was funny to hear the people in the stand yelling Taco Time! When the team scored the 75th point.

At least my boots are still paying their dues - we had to park a ways away from the Dome, but they were comfortable and kept my feet warm during the walk.

Tonight my BF and I are going to finish our shopping (I swear, because I'm NOT GOING OUT AGAIN, lol) and hopefully get some things wrapped. Hopefully. Fingers Crossed.

I want to send a big THANK YOU to EEK! for giving me the Liebster blog award.This is actually my First blog award, so double thanks! :)

Liebster means "dearest" in German, and this award is given to bloggers with fewer than 200 followers. The stipulations of the award are as follows:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your 5 blogger picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Hope that the people you have sent the award to will forward it to their favorite bloggers.

~ So, I pass along the Liebster Blog Award to a few of my favorites ~

Under Construction

Getting Fine (Fashion and More)

Not Dead Yet Style

I would link 2 more but I dont regularly read too many blogs to give them an award just for the sake of it.

Hows your holiday week winding down?

Til Next Time -

Be Your Best!

Citrus Shine

2011-12-19T15:38:00.002-05:00

I'm back and refreshed after a fun & wonderful weekend, but I didn't get a photo so today you get Thursdays. Dont worry, it's a winner (at least I think so):

Sweater & Shirt - Old Navy

Necklace Burlington Coat Factory

Skirt Rue 21

Tights ?

Shoes - Rue21

Pink and yellow are not necessarily two colors I would consider "go" together, but they're almost analogous and I since they're not next to each other I think it helps having a bright pop on top and bottom. I almost went with basic black, but these babies were sitting by the door and I thought "why not?". I'm glad I let them have a turn out of the house.

Over the weekend I had a lot of fun, went shopping at the local thrift store for fun and a few gifts and I scored a pair of $4 Steve Madden heels and some pretty glass vases that I set up in an arrangement on the dining table. Saturday night we had friends over for a holiday/poker party, and I got to be happily surprised by people who showed up when I thought they were a lost cause.

I managed to get some much needed sleep, and I got our dining room suitably arranged so it didn't look like a hurricane had recently gone through. Tables with floor length clothes do hide all manner of sins - Sort of like spanx or multi-directional stripes. Like this skirt - it's actually a longer skirt/mini dress, but I've always worn it scrunched up so the print looks sort of ditzy. Sometimes a little misdirection is a good thing. It reminds me of a couple dresses Anthropologie has had, like this one -

I'd love to have it but alas, a little richer than my wallet can afford

I still have a number of things to get for christmas presents, and I'm dreading going to the mall. I'm not even planning on going to the "big" mall, but I know it will still be hectic. Add that to the fact that this year I have no idea what to get my brother or my step dad. Why are guys so hard to buy for? Do you still have gift shopping to do? Whats on your wish list?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Back Again Before I'm Gone

2011-12-16T11:58:00.002-05:00

With as many times as I've worn this dress, I'm not sure I can exactly qualify it as "remixing" anymore so much as just regular re-wearing.

Sweater - Vintage (moms)

Dress - Old Navy

Necklace - Made by me

Tights - Simply Vera

Socks - Heattech from Uniqlo

Boots - Lucky Brand Hylda

It goes well with grey, and black, and jewel tones. I've often thought of cutting off the sleeves to make it easier to wear under long sleeved sweaters, but I like wearing it alone too and it looks nice with the sleeves still attached.

These are my newest boots, in action. Theyre getting easier and more comfortable to wear, and I'm already getting them beat up. Little man helped with that - my boyfriend brought the wee ones to my show and he was sitting under the table laughing, I was just happy he was content but when I looked down I saw he had been scratching at the top of one of my boots. Silly boy. I took some leather lotion to it and it seems to have fixed it. At least I know theyre durable. I'm wearing them again today but I wasn't able to get a photo of the outfit. Heres a closer look at the boots, though -

so comfy

I'm so happy it's friday. I've been looking forward to this weekend for a while - I haven't been able to sleep in on a weekend in over a month! This will be such a luxury for me. Although after the sleeping in I do have to clean the house and get ready for a holiday party, but hopefully the extra shut eye will make that a breeze.

Hope your weekend is lovely!!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

It Was A Grand Weekend

2011-12-12T16:21:00.000-05:00

I'm so beat but happy about it - The weekend was SO busy. There were over 5500 shoppers at the holiday fair. I got home sunday night and didnt even unpack my car except for my overnite bag. Then yesterday I had to make myself bring everything in because I had orders to work on. Okay, so I asked my boyfriend to bring in the big boxes, but I had to haul them around all weekend by myself and my arms were tired :)

Jacket - thrifted

Dress - Rue21
Necklace - NYC Street Vendor
Leggings - Walmart
Boots - Wild Diva

This is what I wore Friday before I headed home. I didn't get to set up at the venue until saturday morning, so I just stopped to pick up last minute supplies and then drove all the way to my moms. I got up early the next day because I never know what to expect for setup. Luckily it was pretty spare when I got there. All told there were over 100 vendors set up! This was by far the biggest turnout the event has had in its 6 year run so far, and that makes me so excited, because I love being involved in such a supportive local artist and crafter community. I made a lot of new friends and had fun hanging out with old ones (when I could manage to get away from my table for a few minutes - didn't happen very often).

The other fun part about the event being at the train station is that the Polar Express ride was going on that weekend too! So we got to see a crowd of elves sing christmas carols to kids in their pyjamas before getting on the train to "the North Pole" to see Santa. It was so cute to see some of the kids in matching pjs with their parents.

http://adirondackrr.com/polarex.html

I was on my feet pretty much the whole weekend when I wasn't sleeping. I wore the boots I bought on cyber monday, and they were definitely a good investment since the first day I wore them was friday afternoon (I changed shoes):

The soles are hard, but they have pretty decent arch support, and the leather is really nice. I might get insoles in them but so far theyre wearing well since I usually wear cushioned socks. I like that they have just enough heel, and when I walk on hard floors I like that the click click click sort of announces "hey - badass coming through"

This week I've got a lot of work ahead of me, but I'm looking forward to it - I'm sending out a couple gifts, and I just love playing secret santa. I only wish Santa could send me some elves to help - my house is still a mess.

Hows your week starting out? Do you like playing Santa?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Back Track & Blue Velvet

2011-12-06T11:18:00.001-05:00

After all the activity I've been trying to keep up with lately, I feel like I got run over by a steam roller. The NYC trip was so fun as always - we visited Central Park Zoo, walked for countless hours, did a lot of shopping and I had to check out UNIQLO where the sales people scared me a little with their enthusiasm. I left the city with more fun memories, being happy that I could introduce my boyfriend to NYC, and a wallet that wasn't as light as it could have been. I didn't get too many photos but I'll see if I can get around to posting them soon - this week is a little busy since I'm getting ready for a 2 day Holiday Craft Fair this weekend.

For the outfit I'm sharing I'm backtracking a lot here, to the end of October actually, but it just makes me happy when I look at the photos so I had to show it to you finally

Jacket - H&M, thrifted

Dress - H&M

Scarf - Thrifted

tights?

Shoes - Target

I can't believe I didn't get around to posting this before. Definitely need to wear again, especially since sweater dresses are so comfy but stylish. I actually wore this shirt dress as a top to the city - with black jeans and my leather jacket, and a pair of skully print sneakers.

I've been slacking on getting to the gym the past two weeks, and even though I'm still making it to Zumba and I did all that walking in the city and recent shopping, I feel like my exercise is woefully inadequate. Hopefully I'll get to catch up on sleep soon and then I can remedy the situation. Theres just so much to keep up on with the holidays being around. At least I managed to get another one of my trees put up on Sunday - the little ones "helped", and I realized it would be prudent not to put glass ornaments on it, so it is a little bare (heh, and theres a little bear underneath it), but it's still sweet -

I haven't done any holiday baking yet this year - honestly I'm not sure if I will, even though normally I'm making cookies and cakes like nobodies business. I'm at least getting my gift list taken care of so far. Hopefully one more shopping trip and a few online purchases and it will be done.

How are your holiday preparations going?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

It's A Rough Day Ahead

2011-12-02T09:22:00.001-05:00

Every now and then I just have "bad" days. At least I should say, bad mornings. I know everyone does, at some point. Today was one of them for me.

I'm sure it will all balances out. More coffee and maybe some extra strength painkiller should help. I'm looking forward to the city even though I'm not packed and have no idea what I should wear. There is still time to figure it out though, and I'm sure the animals at Central Park Zoo will not give two figs about what I have on.

I really wish the window hadn't gotten stuck in the truck this morning, though. It was a cold ride to work.

Hooray for comfy scarves!

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Captain No Pants

2011-12-01T16:03:00.001-05:00

Today is an awesome day of new things - New Month, New Hair, New Dress:

Dress - Target, Merona

Belt - Rue21, from tunic

Tights - Rue21

Boots - Jazzberry

I found it on the Target clearance rack for $7. I've been on the lookout for new shirt dresses that are a more appropriate length, and when I tried it on at the store it looked gloriously perfect. However, I wasn't wearing tights and today my hem keeps riding up...oy.

In other news, it being the first of December I realized hey I'm wearing a dress, and I'd seen some mention on other fashion blogs about doing a "Dress-ember". I made a comment on my facebook about not wearing pants for a month and a few of my friends got a kick out of that, hardy har....lol

I think it has a sort of military-esque vibe (probably just for the color though), and I have Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow on the brain. Love me some Cate Blanchett.

Last night my BFs friend came over and gave us haircutz. I love how fresh it looks now, though today I was also dealing with a case of Captain Shiny Face

Only one more day til the weekend! I am so excited to go to the city again. I bought tickets to go to Central Park Zoo, and I'm going to see if we can make it to the Grand Central Holiday Fair. I have a few other places on my wishlist for shopping, but I'll see if I can manage. Let me know if you have any fun suggestions for me!

Happy December!

Til Next Tim -

~Be Your Best!

PTD Recovery

2011-11-29T10:22:00.001-05:00

Thats short for "Post Turkey Day" Recovery, the period of time we need to recuperate from oodles of delicious dishes, an overload of family time and the stresses, lows and highs of the holiday shopping weekend.

Shirt - Old Navy

Neclace - Hot Topic

Skirt - Forever 21

Belt - Target

Shoes - Sears

I had a great Thanksgiving holiday, but the 5 days off made me a little spoiled and I've had trouble making myself get up to go to the gym in the mornings. Last night for some reason my boyfriend and I were vegging on the couch re-watching Boardwalk Empire and didn't manage to get to bed til after midnight, so this morning has been especially rough. I dont know how I used to do it.

Did you get any good Cyber Monday deals? I didn't bother with black friday, though my brother managed to snag himself some great stuff. I did a lot of shopping yesterday though - I can't lie, I did get a few things for myself even though I wanted to go a whole month without shopping. I didn't go too overboard though, and I did find some nice things for XMas gifts.

This week will seem like a long one compared to my 2 days of work last week, but this weekend I have something fun to look forward to - my aunt and I are taking our yearly NYC day trip, and this year my boyfriend will be coming with us! He's lived in NY all his life and never been to the "big city". I generally dont plan a lot of things for when we go down there but I'd like to give him some highlights. Any suggestions for fun things to do around the Midtown area? Every year I tell myself I'm going to skate in Rockefeller Center but then never do, so maybe that will be at least one thing to try. I've got it on my unofficial bucket list.

I also have no idea what to wear. I'm really, really hoping it's nice weather because I'd rather wear my leather jacket than a heavy winter coat. My shoes are always a problem. I really dont have any shoes suitable for long hours of walking, stylish or not. I'm thinking of putting new cushy insoles in my Docs, but I'm not sure yet.

Speaking of winter coats, though - I broke out my newest one yesterday. My mom found it for me at KMart on clearance in the spring. I had another red peacoat I wore for years and last year it literally fell apart at the seams.

This one seems very cozy and durable, so I bet it will get a lot of wear this winter. Not that I want the cold weather to hurry up and get here, of course :). Snow is not my jam.

Hope your week is starting off wonderfully -

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Reader Special Holiday Coupon

2011-11-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Just for YOU, my readers here, 25% OFF in My Etsy Shop with coupon ATHERBEST25

Etsy is free to join and shop - I use Paypal for checkout which is a secure method and you can use your credit or debit card without having to open an account there. Or you can simply email me with a purchase request and I can send you a Paypal invoice.

Happy Shopping!

Wish List Wednesday : I Wish On Every Star

2011-11-23T14:36:00.001-05:00

My mouse has been busy clicking things lately. I find a lot of things I like, but these are things I loooooved:

I actually saw this purse in person at the holiday bazaar - the other vendor had one on their table, and I stared at it the entire time I think. I'd probably end up swapping out the chain for one of my own making, but I think it would be fun to carry a disco ball around on my shoulder :)

This jacket is perfection. That is all.

Same seller as the jacket - OOH my the buttons. This dress is too much.

Le Petit Prince is probably my all time favorite book. Yes, it's a childrens book, but I first read it (in French) in my AP French class in high school. I have the pop up book and a vintage english version of the story, but I'd love some swag like this that I could wear.

Navy is turning into one of my "power" colors (that is actually a color, besides grey or black).

I think Navy nails would be fabulous.

When I bought my newest teal bag, my color preferences were between that and pink. I like bold handbags. Oh wait, you probably figured that out from what I listed first in this post :)

Whats on your wishlist these days?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Turkey Day & Travelling

2011-11-23T11:21:00.001-05:00

I am so giddy I can hardly contain myself. This past weekend was a very fun & busy one, but I loved every second of it. My house party went great on saturday, and the holiday bazaar was fun too - I met another seller and possible business contact, and managed not to spend all my earnings at the bake sale table ;). Sunday I went to visit my grandfather and I was happy to see he was in good spirits. He still has to go back for more surgery the day before my next show, but things seem to be on the right track with his health.

I love Thanksgiving - tonight after work my boyfriend and I are heading to our house quickly to pick up the wee ones and then hitting the road to go to my moms. So much food, so much family. I love helping with turkey dinner. My mom is the oldest girl of 10, so even if not everyone comes for dinner they always stop by for dessert. My uncles can't resist her pecan pie (I can though, but theres never a lack of other goodies to tempt me it seems).

Sweater - Kmart

Dress - H&M

Leggings - Walmart

Boots - Urban OG

This is what I'm actually wearing today. I dont always wear dresses on days when I'm doing a lot of travel, but I skipped tights and wore black leggings instead. Warmer and much more comfortable for car rides, in my opinion.

I've had this dress well over a year now, but its a little body conscious on its own. It's from H&M and when I saw it on the hanger I HAD TO HAVE IT. The print seems so sci fi and futuristic. I feel like a robot in it (I like that. I always tell people I'm a robot in disguise) Heres what the dress looks like on its own:

I know, bad choice to wear a hot pink bra under it but I'm wearing the sweater today and dont plan on taking it off.

I hope you aren't getting tired of the self plugs, but I gotta do it - after all, it's a big shopping weekend this weekend, right? I'm even going to offer you a special discount. I'll get it posted later for you :). You can check out some new beautiful shiny things in the shop and on my facebook page. I do custom orders as well, but keep in mind my cutoff for Xmas orders is Dec 10. You can send me an email if you have something in mind that you'd like.

Okie, with that, since I probably wont do outfit posts til next week or so, I also want to say a big THANK YOU to every one who reads my blog. I appreciate it very much and I look forward to sharing my style and stories with you. I hope you have a Happy Healthy and Hearty Holiday this Thanksgiving.

Til Next Time -

Be Your Best!

Its A Lovely Day

2011-11-18T15:16:00.001-05:00

HAPPY FRIDAY!

I am so excited it's friday. Not only that but Bonus day! Small it may be, but I'm grateful my company gives them and every little bit helps. Plus, I have a big THREE DAY WEEKEND ahead (They are so rare, and technically I am "working" tomorrow and monday doing shows for my shop). Tonight my boyfriend and I are having our fancy anniversary dinner and this weekend between shows we'll probably be visiting with my Papa and the rest of my family.

Jacket - thrifted

Shirt - Rue 21

Necklace- Burlington Coat Factory

Jeans - Walmart

Boots - Doc Martens

Thank you all for the kind wishes for my grandfather - He is doing better now. Leave it to my stubborn old grandpa to take 5 days to convince to go to the hospital though.

I am not even beginning to wrap my head around christmas shopping this year. Besides the fact that I want to try and make as many gifts as I can, I've been trying to wrap my head around getting ready for (what I hope to be) the holiday rush. If you're interested in checking out my shops Facebook Page, I'm running a lot of specials this year. I love my "fans"!

Speaking of fans - I am a big fan of fellow bloggers, and one of my favorites posted her take on an outfit I shared recently - Go check out Eek! and see how chic she is!

Happy Weekend!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Bittersweet & Cherry Red

2011-11-15T15:32:00.001-05:00

This is the outfit I was actually wearing when I posted this one last week. See sometimes I even copy myself:

Red Dress - Old Navy

Striped Dress & Belt - H&M

Capri tights - Simply Vera, Kohls

Shoes - City Classified

The day before had been warm so I thought I'd break out the sandals, but by the end of the day it was very, very chilly. I like how these layers worked together, though. I started with just the striped dress but it was a little see-through so I added the red shirt dress since it matches the shoes.

Today is my one year anniversary with my boyfriend, who has been the sweetest, most supportive and caring guy. It's been a bittersweet day, though, because my mom contacted me this morning to let me know my grandfather is in the hospital. He's alright for now, but its unsettling to realize that a man as tough and grizzled as my Papa is still a fragile human. I wish I were closer to home, but if I have to I'll leave work in a heartbeat. Family always comes first.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Draped in Pink and Pearls

2011-11-15T14:51:00.001-05:00

I've fallen woefully behind on outfits - I've got a backlog all the way to middle of last month. You aren't missing too much, though, which is why I decided to just share the best of them with you.

Sweater - Old Navy

Pink shirt - Rue21

Necklace - I made it, available here - www.etsy.com/listing/83991160/draped-pearl-necklace-with-...

Pants - JCPenney

Shoes - Payless

I wore this the week I wore my new sweater almost non-stop. The day I wore this I was having a $hitty body image day and wanted to just hide in comfy clothes. I think the result (especially in looking backward) was still pretty chic. I love that pink top, but it is much too casual to wear on its own to work. Layering over it hides the pretty design on it but I thought the color was a nice punch between the grey and black and helped make the necklace pop a little more. I really like the necklace but I'm a little aggrieved over it - When I made it I shared it on my fan page and had quite a few people ask when I was going to list it/how much it was/etc., and after I did put it in the shop, nary a peep and there it sits. It's too pretty not to be loved.

I've got a full plate this week - 2 shows this weekend to get ready for, and lots of people wanting christmasy things that I have to make more of yet. I'll be up to my eyeballs in crystals and ornaments for who knows how long. I think it will be worth it though. Hows your week starting out?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Copy Kitten

2011-11-10T14:26:00.000-05:00

This outfit is close to what I'm actually wearing today as far as components, though the colors are different-

Dress - Old Navy (dyed by me)

Belt - H&M

Scarf - Rue 21

Leggings Walmart

Boots - Doc Martens

This one was inspired by a chic Flickr friend, though I do love me a good shirt dress. My problem with the few I have lately is that they all seem to have shrinking hemlines. What good is a dress if I can't wear it as a dress? Or maybe I'm just becoming more conscientious of just how much leg I'm showing off. It might be time to start looking for one with a little more coverage.

I like the green and purple colors together, but adding a scarf is always such an afterthought - I have quite the collection now, but some mornings I just can't seem to wrap my head around wearing them.

I'm excited for this weekend but at the same time, dreading it - I'll be driving across the state to visit a friend and help her shop for her wedding dress, with a stop halfway there to visit family. This month will have a lot of travel for me, hopefully my car and my wits will be able to handle it.

In other fun news, my shop is doing pretty well - I just hit 30 online sales and I added a new line of pieces recently. I've been trying to get into developing my business more lately - including joining Twitter, which I never thought I'd do. Now I just have to figure out how to use it...Do you use Twitter? Any tips would be appreciated.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

EBEW: Colored Tights

2011-11-08T11:59:00.001-05:00

I'm always more than happy to sport some crazy legwear, so even though this outfit is (a little) old, it works out perfectly for todays Everybody Everywear Challenge.

Tunic - Rue 21 (this is the shirt the belt came with)

Shorts - Forever 21

Tights - Marshalls

Boots - Target

I am a little bit in love with this outfit. I've always been a fan of tights + shorts, and honestly I wear shorts more in the fall like this than in the summer when it's hot. The grey lace tights are a subtle match to the stitching in the shirt, and all the colors coordinate really well, I think. These shorts have been some heavy hitters since I bought them, too, and I dont see them leaving my closet any time soon.

It was a chilly day that morning, and I managed to snag an outerwear shot too, so here you go -

Leather, Tweed, Lace, Suede - Thats a whole lotta texture.

Blue Flu

2011-11-04T10:44:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the second day in a row of wearing a flower in my hair. I haven't been using a lot of hair embellishments since I chopped my locks, but lately I realized that headbands and other baubles can hide some of the crazy things my hair does when it grows out.

Top - Old Navy

Skirt - Moth, thrifted

Tights - Kmart

Pin - vintage, thrifted

Flower hairband - DIY

Shoes - Michael Michael Kors

Yesterday we also had our flu shot clinic at work, and while I like the fact that we get it for free sometimes I wonder whether I should bother - I got it the first year I worked here, but not the next (last year) and both years I got sick (the same way, pretty much) anyways. I dont think I had the flu, but I guess better safe than sorry this year, especially with the wee ones around.

I'm looking forward to this weekend, since it's one of the few I dont have anything going on for the next 2 months. I'm going to pick up a sewing machine one of my Etsy team members was giving away, so hopefully I'll have a little time to play with that. This holiday season is going to be heavy on DIY gifts since my pocketbook is a little light, but luckily my family likes that sort of thing.

Happy Friday!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Quiet Funk

2011-11-02T14:19:00.004-04:00

Thanks so much for understanding yesterday. I'm feeling a lot better - I made the effort to get in bed at a decent hour last night, and this morning I actually managed to adequately do my makeup. I wish I had been able to get a shot of my outfit, since it's a dress I've had since before summer, but I hadn't been able to figure out how to wear it til today. Le sigh...first world problems, no? Onward...

Hoodie Socks & Boots - Target

Dress - Old Navy

Necklace - Burlington Coat Factory

I dont think I've worn this combination before - though my love of grey or black and blue is becoming well documented. This dress is so comfortable. Paired with the hoodie and boots it made me think of River from Firefly. I decided to forgo tights but I had to make it a funky sock day. It's a quiet funk since they're mostly hidden by my boots.

love me some neon argyle

This was such a comfortable outfit, I'm sure I'll repeat it again in some fashion. Especially since I'm thinking of paring down my closet to just the stuff I really love to wear. I wonder how many pieces I'd be left with if I really sat down and figured that out. How many pieces would you have in yours?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Shiny

2011-11-01T13:55:00.001-04:00

I feel like Hell today. Even though I have a surplus of backlogged photos, I dont feel like posting about fashion today. I didn't go out last night or even get any trick or treaters, but I stayed up til after midnite watching Ghost Hunters Live investigation of Pennhurst and working on finishing a custom order. I was so worried because I ran out of supplies last week, but yesterday my rings came so I worked my tail off to finish it so I could ship it out today as promised.

When I first quoted it I didn't quite grasp the size it was going to end up. Lets just say this customer is getting a great deal on her jewelry. I am really proud of it, though, and I hope the recipient loves it too -

It's a massive piece. I'm thinking its intended for a guy, but I'd easily wear it myself - I tried it on to make sure the clasp would function properly.

It's all about the little things, and shiny things. Shiny things make me happy.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Disco Dancin

2011-10-31T15:47:00.001-04:00

I may not be dressing up tonight, but this outfit from last week certainly felt a little costume-y for me -

Jacket - NY&Co

Shirt - Steve & Barry

Necklace Burlington Coat Factory

Jeans - Walmart

Fishnet Socks - Dollar Tree

Yellow Pumps - Rue 21

I think it must be the black shirt/light jacket thats giving me Saturday Night Fever Vibes.

For some reason I didn't have any photos looking at the camera. I think because my hair is growing out fast like it always does, and at the moment its a little shaggy and odd looking at times.

I can't get over how much I love these yellow shoes paired with these jeans. I seem to get the most comments on these shoes. Not sure if its the fact that they are shiny, pointy, or yellow (or just all three, I mean who knows...). Come to think of it, my shoes are usually what get the most comments. Maybe the guys I work with figure its "safe" to keep their comments on my shoes. Thats fine by me. In any case, the shoes - I've had them for 2 years now, and I think I've managed a couple other great outfits with them - here are a few worth sharing:

Would you wear yellow shoes?

If you're going out tonite, have fun, stay safe -

Happy Halloween!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Leopard Legs

2011-10-28T16:01:00.000-04:00

I might have the date wrong but at least the day of the week is right for when I wore this one -

Jacket - Sanctuary Surplus via Burlington Coat Factory

Shirt - Walmart $7

Necklace - Me

Skirt - H&M

Tights - Betsey Johnson via Marshalls

Boots - Doc Martens

The day I wore this I got one of the few compliments I get (in person). I was leaving the gym and a lady told me as we were walking out that I "had such a cute look". Gotta tell ya, it made me feel like a million bucks. My jacket might be missing a few buttons and my shoes are the most expensive part of the outfit, but I was really happy how this came out. I wish I had gotten a better picture of the necklace though - it's one of my newer pieces. I've been working on incorporating a lot of pearls and "softer" looks into my jewelry lately.

I'm happy it's friday. We got a hard frost and "white rain" yesterday, though luckily the ground is still green. I think I need a weekend to get over the fact that its basically almost winter here in Upstate NY....ick. Happy weekend!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Blocked

2011-10-27T15:36:00.000-04:00

Howdy friends!

I'm so backlogged I dont even know where to start. I suppose it doesn't really matter too much since last week I noticed most of my outfits consisted of basic elements and all half black. Not all of them have been bad though. This one, for instance -

Sweater & Tank - Old Navy

Skirt - H&M

Tights - Chinese Laundry via Marshalls

Boots - Doc Martens

Was actually from near the beginning of the month. See, told you I'm behind. Not that it is bothering me so much that I'm not "keeping up" with my posting. I'm trying to focus more on other things and not letting blogging stress me out so much. I guess the mystique isn't there as much as it used to be.

I really love this sweater. I've worn it so much lately. I'm not too sure about my choice of the blue tights, but I guess this could be called an attempt at color blocking.

Last weekend I think I mentioned I was doing a craft show - it was small, and while there was an abundance of jewelry sellers I dont think I did so bad. The next one I'm doing is a private party! I'm really excited about that one. A friend of mine is holding it, and she's one of my best customers, so at least I know she'll probably be getting something from me.

Other than that I've just been trying to get things ready for winter - I spent 2 days digging up a flower bed to plant bulbs for spring, and I need to figure out what to do with my container plants that will keep growing. I think they'd do best in the front window, but I'm not really sure about having all the pots there on the carpet and having the little ones decide to make dirt pie one day....

I've been so happy going to Zumba this month, I only have one class left though! Then I really have to decide if I want to keep paying for it, but I think the instructor said she was going to start doing punch-cards that dont expire - so that may be just the ticket. I figure there really should be no question of cost if its something that I love that keeps me active :). Is there anything that you wont cut costs on (as far as activities/memberships)?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

FBFF - All Hallows Eve

2011-10-21T11:25:00.000-04:00

Welcome to this weeks entry for the Fashion Beauty Friend Friday Group started by Katy at ModlyChic

I haven't done an FBFF entry in a little bit, but I couldn't miss out this week - Its all about Halloween, my favorite time of year!!

1. Do you have plans for Halloween? What will you dress up as this year?

Unfortunately no plans this year. I might wear a silly outfit to work just because I can get away with it, but we dont get trick or treators and there's nothing else really going on. The local zombie crawl is this weekend but it coincides with a show I'm doing or I might've done that this year.

2. Where do you go for costume and makeup inspiration?

Everywhere - Pinterest, Flickr, Deviantart, Etsy and just googling costumes from my favorite movies for inspiration is fun. To this day, my posts on Mina inspired costumes from Dracula and Katrina from Sleepy Hollow are the biggest draw on my stats. I would love to have Katrinas striped dress.

3. What was the best costume you've ever donned? Hands down, this one -(warning. lots of skin)

This was from Halloween 2006. Not the best angle, but it was pretty awesome. Almost everything was made by me - the skirt was just a strip of fabric, I made the chain belt and the beaded front on the bra (you dont want to know how many hours THAT took me, or how many beads, yikes!) I got the inspiration from a DeviantArt drawing of a sorceress. The original had a large stomach tattoo that I was going to draw on with eyeliner, but never got around to it. I glued the crystals on using eyelash glue.

4. What's the most creative costume you've ever seen?

This really is a toughy, since I've seen a LOT, and I have a terrible memory, so I can't really comment :(

5. No holds barred if you could dress up as anything, what would it be?

I'm not sure - I love costumes and would love to dress up authentically as just about anything, but I think if it came down to it I'd want to dress like a Mord Sith from the Sword of Truth series. I love me some leather, and Cara was badass -

source

What are you doing for Halloween?

Tiger Tail

2011-10-20T13:40:00.000-04:00

As far as animal prints go, I tend to prefer tiger or zebra print over Leopard or cheetah. Probably because they are so similar to stripes.

Turtleneck Target (new)

Skirt Rue 21

Tights ?

Boots Doc Martens

This outfit is quickly becoming a "uniform". I've accumulated a few new skirts lately, and I'm not sure I've worn this turtleneck before, but the short sleeved version is an A+ in my book. I thought of getting another one in a grey/black stripe when I was at Target the other day, but I succesfully went to return something and didn't buy anything else. Hooray for resisting temptation! Also, they weren't on sale and I know I can get them cheaper online or wait for a discount.

It's also a good outfit for me as the weather gets cooler- I usually prefer tights and a skirt and boots over pants. I dont want to think about winter yet though. Especially when we get such gorgeous foliage in the dax, like so -

source

Makes me want to take a long drive, but I wont have free time til next week. Hopefully the leaves are still pretty then.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Wednesday Wishlist

2011-10-19T17:00:00.000-04:00

Platform Loafers.
I'm sure I've posted about them before, but theyre so damn delicious

Frye 'Naiya Kiltie Moc' Pump

Burberry Prorsum moccasin-style pumps

Seychelles 'Clue' Bootie

PHANTOM PLATFORM BROTHEL CREEPER SHOES

PATCHWORK PATENT CHAIN PLATFORM LOAFERS

Simply Vera Vera Wang Platform Loafers

Becks Bites - Autumn Squash

2011-10-19T11:20:00.001-04:00

Ive been better lately with impulse shopping, but for some reason it's harder to resist at the grocery store - People have to eat after all, am I right? So when I saw that acorn squash were on sale for .99 I snagged one. They've been in the other discount grocery I shop at lately and I kept thinking of getting one, but since I remember I hated acorn squash as a kid I thought Id stick with the things I knew I liked. I got this one on a day when I was at the "regular" grocery store looking for party refreshments.

I got the recipe from here - www.allrecipes.com/recipe/autumn-acorn-squash/detail.aspx

I didn't have cardamom or allspice so I subbed ginger and cinnamon - I didn't want to leave out spices, so I searched for "spice substitutions", and thats what came up.

After I browned the turkey I also added onion and carrots since I didn't have celery, and I used a little beer.

I baked the empty halves of the squash for about 15 minutes before I stuffed them, as some comments on the recipe suggested. My only issue was that I over cooked the ground turkey so it was a little dry in the stuffing.

Overall though? Yum yum! 1 stuffed squash filled my boyfriend and I up over 2 days of dinners.

Granny Sweater

2011-10-18T10:52:00.003-04:00

Lately the weather has been turning crisp, making it harder to get dressed without more layers. It's especially difficult in my area when it can be between 40-50 in the morning and warm up to nearly 70-80 by the afternoon!

Sweater - Handmade(?) Thrifted

Necklace - Made by Me

Jeans & Tank - Old Navy

Boots - Pleaser

This sweater is another one of my thrifting finds - Other than one DIY project I think it's the last one I have to share ( I really did make out like a bandit, I think). It's very tricky to style, since it's a very loose, oversized look on me. I'm fairly certain its hand knit - telling from the workmanship and the fact that there's no tag at all. It has these fantastic blousy sleeves and I really liked the open knit. I thought I'd go simple and pair it with a black tank and jeans (though I think it would look even better with black leggings/pants, or a black tank dress. It was great for keeping me just warm enough in the morning, though by the end of the day it was getting fairly warmer and I ended up taking it off when I left work.

These photos were from a friday (though not last friday - I'm way behind). I still haven't managed to wear my big Pleaser boots "in their glory" at work, but then again I'm not sure I want to. I get away with a lot of outfits that I'm sure wouldn't work in other offices. More than once I've regretted a few things I've worn, but for this outfit the boots are just subtle enough and at least I know that I have them on.These pictures are also a good sign that it's time I need a trip to the stylist. My hair is getting too long again!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

New & Blue

2011-10-14T16:16:00.003-04:00

I love when a purchase turns into a solid gold find. I've had this sweater a little over a week now, and I've worn it at least 5 times.

Sweater & Tank - Old Navy

Skirt - H&M

Tights - Chinese Laundry via Marshalls

Boots - Doc Martens

I'm not sure the blue tights were the *best* choice, but they are one of my favorite pair and the color matches the top.

The sweater is one of those loose "hi-low" type mullet numbers, and I was expecting the sleeves to be long but they're 3/4 length. I've almost thought of getting it in another color, but I really only like the grey. I think this might be one of my new favorite color combinations. Blue has always been a favorite color of mine, but I dont wear it often. This dark shade is right up my alley nowadays.

I felt like all the loose drapey pieces needed a similar style jewelry accent, and I've been wearing those two other pearl necklaces to death, so I wore the chain belt I made as a necklace instead. It was fun clattering around with it all day.

This weekend will hopefully be a fun one, at least I hope - between the little ones' birthday party and having lots of visitors over, I'll have my work cut out for me!

Happy Friday!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Monet

2011-10-13T15:19:00.000-04:00

I'm a big fan of art, and I enjoy having it around me whenever possible. At home we have several large Van Gogh prints, along with pieces I've made myself that were above par. Once in a great while I find a piece of clothing that makes me think of a great painting, and I just can't let go of it.

Turtleneck - Old Navy (thrifted)

Dress - Charlotte Russe

Necklaces - mostly made by me

Tights - Rue21?

Shoes - Payless

I've had this dress since at least my sophomore year of college, and while the top is a little busty and precarious by itself because of the material, it makes a great "skirt" when the top is covered up. The print makes me think of a Monet painting, or maybe an altered photograph of cat-tails around a lake. I haven't worn it much but I'm starting to think I should pull it out more, since the length is perfect for the office and it adds a good dose of color even if I keep the top neutral.

The weather lately is crazy, and can't make up its mind, but tights and a turtleneck are enough with this thin dress to keep me comfortable. I had to pull out the funky grape legs just to mix it up, and the heels were calling to me. They were a nice change of pace over all the boots.

Last night I went to my first Zumba class, and it was fun! I was so uncoordinated though, I thought since it was a "new" session that people would be learning as we go, but everyone else was a regular. I didn't do completely terrible at least, and a few of the other ladies there said I'd pick it up in no time. I'm just happy I have something new to shake up my workout schedule.

Have you done anything new this week?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Blue On A Beautiful Tuesday

2011-10-11T15:00:00.001-04:00

This week I apparently have a knack for repeating - this outfit isn't todays, but I am wearing the same dress

It's been gorgeous since friday, and I hope the trend continues, since my boyfriend are having a birthday party for his twins on saturday. They'll be 3 years old, and even though I've known them less than a year they have grown SO much in the time I've known them. I just wish I could come up with something clever for their party, though hopefully the guests will be more impressed with my ideas than I have been so far. (we're all our own worst critic right?). As long as I can get the house cleaned up by the weekend I'll be happy though.

Dress & Sweater - Old Navy

Necklace - Burlington Coat Factory

Tights - Limited via Marshalls

Socks - Burlington Coat Factory

Boots - Jazzberry.

Today has been a much better day than yesterday so far. I made it to the gym WITH my keys and tag today, so I got a good workout, plus it was Bagel morning so I had a free breakfast! Yay for great days.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Grey On A Sunny Day

2011-10-10T12:46:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday! Oh wait, no, I have to work today - and after an awesome weekend, today has been one of "those" days. I made it all the way to the gym before I realized I had neither my key fob to lock my car or my tag to scan into the center. Giant, Homer Simpson sized "D'OH!!" moment on my part. It hasn't hindered my motivation though, even though I'm a little sleep deprived.

Sweater & Skirt - H&M

Shirt - Old Navy

Necklace - Burlington Coat Factory

Socks and Boots - Target

Its funny that I didn't get a photo of today's outfit but I am wearing this sweater - It's become a real closet workhorse for me. I love that it has a zipper (no lost buttons), and it only cost me $5 on sale.

Though I didn't get a long weekend like most people, I got a lot done over the two days, including attending a wedding on saturday and a lot of housework and Shop updates yesterday. Work is quiet today and I generally get free reign, so I'm going to sit and enjoy the greenhouse type heat I'm getting through the window at my desk this afternoon. Hope you're having a great day too! Since you're on the computer anyways, why not go do some shopping? ;)

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Moth Eaten

2011-10-06T15:44:00.002-04:00

Have you ever gone to a thrift store or yard sale and found an item that turns out to be more than it seems? This skirt was like that for me -

Shirt - Old Navy

Scarf - Rue 21

Skirt - Moth, thrifted

Boots - Doc Martens

When I tried it on at the thrift store I didn't think much about it, other than the fact that it was very soft, and seemed like it would be warm for winter. I love the pattern in the knit (that sadly doesn't show up well in photos) it makes me think of a garden trellis.

I did some Googling- Apparently Moth is a brand that Anthropologie carries. This is the current selection of Moth at Anthro. I even found the same skirt on ebay! I'm surprised I found an anthro piece at my local thrift store, considering my area. I paid less than $5 for this skirt (I dont remember the exact price, and my google-fu doesn't work well enough to find the original selling price for it). It makes me feel kind of fancy, even though this outfit isn't my normal style ( I'm not normally a fan of things at my natural waistline, but this is very flattering).

The morning I wore this I wasn't for-sure about wearing it so I actually had my "go-to" mini skirt in my gym bag as well, but when I got dressed I was happy with how it looked. I'm also hoping now that I know the origins of the skirt that I'll be able to refrain from trolling the fresh cuts section for any other reason than window shopping.

I've been trying to get my spending under control lately in order to save money and have some funds to do holiday shopping this year and maybe a little more home decorating. I cleaned up my inbox and unsubscribed from a lot of sale alerts and store emails. I'm also hoping the lack of temptation will keep me from wasting so much time online when I could be working on projects or spending time with my family and my boyfriend. I'm trying to put more quality in my life than quantity of stuff. I'm tired of finding places to put it. I'm also hoping it'll push me to work on my DIY skills with clothing, instead of just jewelry. Though with the number of times I've worn these two necklaces lately you wouldn't think I was very good at that either.

I'm looking forward to the weekend - One of my friends is getting married on Saturday! I was worried about what to wear, but I think I'm going to repeat the dress I wore to the last wedding I went to. I'll try to get photos.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Re-Mix A Lot

2011-10-04T11:27:00.002-04:00

Its another addition to the floral dress remix file-

Blazer - NY&Co

Dress - Old Navy

Tights - Simply Vera

Socks - Burlington Coat Factory

Boots - Jazzberry

I dont remember what brand these socks are, but they are Awesome - they're really cushy and they keep my feet warm. The blazer was to keep warm too, I thought I'd go more tailored than my typical hoodie. Even though the blazer does have a few spots on it, but then again I've had it for almost 7 years since I worked a retail sales job in a furniture store that required me to wear "fancy" clothes.

So far this is the lightest color I've paired the dress with - I've done black, grey, teal, and tan. I'm thinking this winter I might try a few burgundy or purple combos. Time will tell if I actually get around to doing that, though.

Last night I went grocery shopping and went a little nuts finding all the pumpkin spiced items. Bagels, Pop Tarts, Cream cheese, donuts, Coffee, Iced coffee! Ohmygoodness if people ate all that we'd end up looking like Umpa Loompas. I did, however, splurge on some Pumpkin Spiced and Caramel & Vanilla Marshmallows. They tasted great in my hot cocoa.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Tomato Pants

2011-10-03T11:11:00.000-04:00

This outfit has a lot of disparate parts - I never really considered pairing red and grey before, and I'm wearing brown shoes and a black belt. I dont think the non-matching accessories bothers me as much as the fact that I dont have a pair of black sandals that I can wear on days like the day I wore this, when I woke up so hungover that I can't remember how I got to bed in the first place. (This outfit was from a while ago, but I wanted to post it anyways. Better late than never).

Hoodie - Target
Shirt - Old Navy

Pants - Empyre, thrifted

Belt & Sandals - Target

It's funny how I love my red pants, but I never realized they could be such a "niche" item. I know bloggers galore were pining for a pair and then during the whole Anthroholic scandal I discovered the site Get Off My Internets. It brings me nothing but gut busting amusement reading the commentary but I've begun to think twice about outfits when I put them together. I actually think thats a good thing, because while I dont really give 2 hoots about what too many people think of me, I do want to keep things in perspective. I've been trying to keep my outfits very "me". I'm not going to give up my red pants though. Besides, I love tomatoes.

Whats your favorite "niche" item in your closet?

I had a fun, family filled weekend - my brother and nephew came to visit, so having 3 kids in the house got a little noisy. Sunday morning I made us all a big breakfast, with pumpkin spiced french toast, sausage, fruits, and lots and lots of orange juice. Speaking of pumpkin spice, I noticed more and more items are "pumpkin spice" flavored in the stores - I made a quick trip to our local market the other day and got some pumpkin cream liqueur, but I also saw bagels, bread, pop tarts (!?!), ice cream, and at least 4 different kinds of pumpkin ale/beer. Oh, and don't forget the coffee. I like pumpkin but aye-ai-ai! What happened to good old fashioned pie? You can't go wrong with pie.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Turtles Have Many Layers

2011-09-30T12:49:00.003-04:00

I dont know what it is about them, but turtlenecks will always be one of my favorites for fall/winter. I think it's because I prefer to wear as few layers as possible, and turtlenecks keep me warm without needing a scarf or too much extra.

Jacket - Rampage

Turtleneck - ON thrifted

Tank - 579

Skirt - H&M

Boots - Doc Martens

I'm starting to think I need to catch up more on my outfits - I just uploaded a bunch off my camera, and I can't begin to remember when I wore them. This week Ive been in a little funk/under the weather, but last night I managed to be halfway productive and right now I'm well caffeinated and looking forward to the weekend, even though it's supposed to be rainy and cool. I've got a lot of inside projects to work on.

Hope your weekend is fabulous!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Thursday Thrifty

2011-09-29T14:06:00.001-04:00

It's a slow afternoon, and I've indulged in a little online looky-loo that turned into an order on its way to my doorstep. What to know what I bought?

A Cozy Sweater

(I tried this on - super comfy! It has 3/4 sleeves though, I thought they were long)

A pretty top to wear with skinny pants - and look, its blue! (no black!)

and another pair of Yoga Pants for the gym.

and all for $ .34 (and free shipping!) I love Old Navy rewards.

Photoworthy

2011-09-29T11:11:00.000-04:00

My last thrift store trip yielded high results - This outfit features another find, and I still have more to share! I guess I had the "thrift fu" that day. I tried on a lot of clothes, though. Several skirts, a few pair of pants, a trench that was a "big name" (though now I forget what it was), and 2-3 velour tanks from Express that I swear must've been a "multiples" buy from someones closet since they were all the same size, and its too strange to find that many at once at Salvation Army.

Tank - Charlotte Russe, thrifted ($ .50)

Necklace - BCF

Hoodie - Target

Pants - Inkwell

Boots - Doc Martens

I'm not usually one for photo-printed style shirts, but I love sunsets and I really liked the colors in this. Plus, it was fifty cents! I also like the ruffle that sticks out under the hoodie. I'm thinking of wearing it over long dresses and skirts, but not too many viable remixes come to mind at the moment.

I'm still catching up on older photos, if you can tell. My brother fixed my camera conundrum though! Now I just need to find the new tripod I had bought, and hope that one doesn't break the same way.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Becks Bites - Ratatouille

2011-09-28T11:11:00.000-04:00

When the weather turns colder my food cravings lean towards hearty and warm dishes with minimal preparation. I love the crockpot for this exact reason - I prep things the night before, then simply set it up in the morning and let it simmer and stew while I'm at work, and once I get home all I have to do is dish it out and enjoy! Ratatouille is a fairly traditional French dish, though I think if you added chicken it would be equal to Chicken Cacciatore (which is Italian). To be honest before I saw the movie I really didn't have a desire to try it. One week zucchini and bell peppers were on sale and I had an over-abundance, so I decided to make this since I was a little tired of grilled veggie heros. I'm so glad I did, too. Heres the recipe:

Recipe:

4 small zucchini ( I used 5)
2 large onions
2 large green peppers
(1/2 red pepper - it was in the crisper)
2 large tomatoes
2-3 TB minced garlic
1 can tomato paste (8 oz)
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 TB fresh parsley (I only had dried, just use less)
1/4 C Olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)

It also called for 1 large eggplant but I omitted that because I dont like eggplant.

Chop all vegetables and layer 1/2 in order listed in your crock pot, dot with half of the tomato paste, season with half of the salt, pepper, oregano, parsley (I also added herbes de provence), then repeat layers, dot with remaining tomato paste and more seasonings. I did this by eye out of the spice containers and had a blowout of dried parsley, so be careful if you do that ;)

After stewing in the crockpot on low for about 10 hours, this is what it looked like

I served it with couscous. Ratatouille and Couscous - my two favorite foods to say!

We ate half through the week for dinner and lunches, and I froze the rest - it's supposed to keep up to 6 weeks, so it'll be nice for leftovers later too. Yumm!

Layer Cake

2011-09-26T11:11:00.000-04:00

Last week was the first week of ch-ch-chilly, I had to pull out my new turtleneck and make sure I had my scarf and gloves. The gym was chilly too, though to be fair it is a huge open space and the day before was much warmer so they probably didn't think they'd need to turn the heat on.

Managed to snap this pic in the big mirrors - it's not often that theres nobody else in the locker room.

Sweater - H&M

Turtleneck - Target

Jeans - Walmart

Boots - Target

This was the first time I wore my grey boots for the year. They're still holding up well, and still comfortable! yay Target for durability. The turtleneck was a recent acquisition, it has shorter sleeves which come in handy for days when its cold but not so cold that I need lots of layers on my arms.

The weekend was nice - I always like seeing family, though there were a few bumps in the road that I wish could've been avoided. Last night my boyfriend and I watched the season premier of Boardwalk Empire. We've been anxiously waiting for it to start again, since he got me into it for the first season we've become die hard fans. I was happy it got a few awards. The only sad thing is having to wait a week for the next episode, though I suppose any show is like that when it's your favorite.

Its funny that I'm posting this outfit on whats turning into a very warm day. It's expected to get up to the mid 80s! What is it with the weather? I just dont get it sometimes. As long as the clothes on the line get dry today I wont complain, though.

Hope your week is starting off well

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Twinkle Toes

2011-09-22T14:44:00.000-04:00

With the cooler weather coming I've been trying to find ways to get as much sandal and open toed shoe wearings in before I switch over to boots tights and all the rest.

Sweater Kohls
Necklace Swapped

Tank and gauchos Target

Sandals Payless

I love these shoes - I bought them last year to wear to my friends wedding, they've made it out a few times but they're a little hard to wear for long stretches of time. They sparkle so bright in the sun, though, and they make me happy.

*Sparkle, sparkle*

Today at work we had another Health and Wellness "Lunch & Learn". The presentation is put on by a local fitness center that our company has affiliated with. Today was one was all about Carbs, Fat & Protein (Funny how the free lunch at all of these events is PIZZA, and mini Subway subs). Whenever the meetings are food based they always say "Hope everyone is having a good lunch!". Today they had a graphic of the MyPlate graphic and discussing how we should balance our meals accordingly and with consideration of our lifestyles.

One thing that really stuck with me from the presentation is something one of the trainers said - "If you don't take care of your body, where are you going to live?" I've been thinking a lot lately about where I am now compared to last year. I've been agonizing a little bit in my head recently because a lot has changed since then - I'm a year older, I cook more (and eat more), I have less time to work out - or at least, less time that I choose to work out. In any event, I'm "heavier" than I was. Except last year, I was battling a lot of demons.

I remember specifically the day I went home -

My step dad told me how sick I looked. We dont have many conversations to begin with and I wasn't expecting him to ever make a comment on my appearance, so I was taken aback. I blamed it on grief. That I'd had a rough summer - and I had. My friend dying and getting dumped by my boyfriend took a toll on me. I took solace in being away from where I was living as often as possible, and since I didn't want to blow all my money shopping all the time (my other vice), I'd hit the gym or go running with my friend. I didn't eat at home very much so that I couldn't be told I was "taking advantage" of their good grace in letting me stay there (though I know I should've left a lot sooner). So lots of exercise + lots of stress - food = skinny. Very skinny- I dont know how much weight I lost but I know it was considerable. The last time I remember weighing myself was around Christmas and I was at 110, and by then I'd gained some back. I thought I looked good last summer. I still do - but then, I've also had my bouts with an eating disorder. Ever since high school it rears it's ugly head ever so often. I realized it usually happens in times of great stress, when I feel I have no control of outside situations I at least "have control of myself". It's taking a lot for me to admit to that in such a public forum. I'm still considering taking this post down or amending this segment.

The thing is, I guess this year I am trying to gain some balance in my life, and "learn to let go" of things that may be only superficially important. Yes, I'm heavier than last year, but am I "heavy"? No, not by a long shot. Some days it is hard for me to post outfits that I dont think are particularly as flattering as I used to think they were (like this sweater - though I'm not sure that a drapy, cowl-necked, dolman-sleeved sweater is especially "flattering" to anyone, right?). I'm trying to re-discover my style in what I'm comfortable in. I'm trying to learn how to nourish myself - mentally, physically, and spiritually. I want to be able to enjoy time with friends and family, and how to be comfortable in my own skin, and be happy with what I know are many personal strengths. I know I also have short-comings, but nobody is perfect - I am trying to learn that I will never be perfect, but I can Be My Best. I am just working on really figuring out what my Best is.

Sometimes it's hard to roll with the punches, but then again it's not always how you deal with the punches but how you get back up from taking them.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Mod-ly Breaking The Rules

2011-09-21T11:53:00.000-04:00

This outfit is a -wee- bit old - though I did wear it after Labor Day. I love it, how can I possibly imagine having it languish in my closet storage for half the year?

I mean, just look at it - it has pockets!

Dress - NY&Co
Necklace - I made

Tights ?

Shoes - Payless

I went with a very simple, black and white scheme - it looks very mod, to me

I wore my much loved patent shoes for the first time in a while-

These shoes are very popular with the Flickr set - I always get so many comments when I post my photos. They were such affordable shoes, but they make a great outfit! I think its almost time I get them some new laces, though.

It's rare when I get the chance to do "the whole picture, but I think the outerwear helped add to the impact - everything was coordinated black and white, right down to the scarf and gloves.

My purse was the only spot of color in this, but the teal is so subdued that it doesn't dominate the look.

I wish I could get photos on the porch more often - I like the outside location, but I still haven't been able to fix my camera so I dont have to use ersatz tripods. I tried last weekend, but my attempts failed. To recap what happened - the screw from the last tripod broke off, and I can't get it out. Sad trombone.

Its wednesday! Hows your week going? I'm looking forward to tomorrow - another "Lunch & Learn" at work, so I have a chance to win $20 again! *fingers crossed*

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Beck The Builder Gets Stuff Done

2011-09-21T11:11:00.000-04:00

I like to make stuff. Did you know I like to make stuff?

I make all kinds of stuff.

Metal stuff

Food stuff

Paper stuff

Want to know what one of my favorite things to make stuff with is though?

Wood.

Building Furniture. Structures, Anything really. It's in my blood - the "family business" is carpentry. I love the warmth and depth of wood grain, and I love that it's so easy for just about anyone to work with it and create something beautiful.

ANYways.....

At the beginning of the summer I bought myself my first power tool!

Sexay builder face

(c'mon you know you'd do it)

I had to put it to use - I've had a set of "2 x 4" construction DIY books for I dont know how long, and there was a pile of wood out back that I figured I'd play with since I didn't want to shell out for "good wood", in case I messed something up the first time around. I like the rustic look, too, so if it came out a little primitive all the better.

Hmmm What to make?

Oh, this looks nice! (and easy)

So I gathered my materials

This whole process actually happened over a series of days, due to weather, lack of a proper saw, and available light. I wanted to get it done for a BBQ we were planning.

In action

Almost there...

Ooh yea, power tools!

Tada!

I didn't stain it. I might do a clear coat before winter and store it away, but I'm very proud of this little table, and it's definitely come in handy over the summer. It's so convenient to have another area to put things down when we're outside by the grill, and when it's not dinner time the little ones like to climb onto the bottom shelf and lay there (whatever keeps them amused!).

This was the only wood project I completed this summer (other than helping with the new front steps), but I've got other plans for projects in the future. Like outdoor seating. Yea.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Laundry Time

2011-09-20T12:01:00.001-04:00

As I mentioned last time, my last thrift store excursion was rather fruitful - I have quite a few things still to share! This outfit isn't particularly inspiring, but it is still very me, and it was comfortable (doesn't that seem like the bane of some fashion bloggers vocabulary? Whats wrong with clothes just feeling good?).

Hoodie - Target

TShirt - Old Navy

Pants - Laundry (thrifted)

Boots - Doc Martens

The pants were my "big find" (other than the JCrew cords). I sort of had the feeling that the “Laundry by Shelli Segal” label was a big name, but what drew me to the pants was the zippers and the little loops at the knees. Their placement is a little odd and I can imagine maybe thats why they were at the thrift store when theyre in near perfect condition. The fit is a little boxy, too, but the fabric is awesome. I couldn’t find any information on them online - when I searched for the label I couldn’t find much more than dresses, but considering I paid less than $5 I still consider it a steal. Plus, I can layer them over leggings or “long-johns” in the winter to stay warm! Hooray.

Another plus? The zippers keep my lip gloss from falling out of my pocket. Can't be losing things like that, you know.

Hows your week going?

Til Next time -

~Be Your Best!

Beck's Bites - Soda Cupcakes

2011-09-19T13:53:00.001-04:00

Last week while I was sorting through my huge collection of saved recipes I found one that was so simple, I couldn't NOT try it immediately. There are only 2 ingredients!

I've actually heard of baking using soft drinks (specifically Sprite) before, but I found this recipe from Hungry Girl. You just mix your cake mix and soda together, pour into a pan (in my case, I made 18 cupcakes!) and bake - mine took about 20 minutes in a 350 degree preheated oven.

These might be my new favorite cupcakes of all time. I know I say I love cupcakes, but honestly I usually find them way too dense, dry, and not very flavorful. These were perfect! I was originally going to make some nutella frosting for them, but they don't really need it. They were a bit crumbly, but thats how I like my cake.

Mostly Thrifty

2011-09-16T11:50:00.003-04:00

The day we had our company picnic was sunny but chilly for the beginining of September. This morning was just as bad -

It's apt that even though it's a week later the outfit is weather appropriate. Not that I'm especially happy about it, though.

Jacket - H&M

Turtlneck - Old Navy (thrifted $1)

Corduroy Pants - JCrew (thrifted - for $2.50!)

Boots - Doc Martens

I got these JCrew cords on my last thrifting adventure, which was pretty successful in my opinion. I found a few new fall items, plus a new decanter to add to my collection! I love glass decanters. Most of my items were half price, which is how I got most of this outfit for under $5.

In high school I used to wear corduroy pants all the time because they kept me warm. Then I got a little OCD about the fact that they made so much noise while I walked, so I gave them up. For a long time. Not that I was secretly pining for them, though - I do prefer jeans or flat weave fabrics. I saw this pair first because of the color and didn't realize they were cords til I got up close and got to touch them. Then I saw they were in fairly perfect condition, and from JCrew - I've heard that JCrew cords are good quality. I love the color and they fit the way I want. So for $2.50 I think I can handle if I have Noisy Pants.

This weekend is supposed to be cold, and I'm already sad that I have to pull out sweaters and turn the heat on. I even pulled my little planter garden inside from the deck - My tomatoes are only just getting red again! I would hate it if they suffered and I don't get to enjoy them.

Have a Happy Weekend!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Summer 2011 30 x 30 Round Up

2011-09-15T13:20:00.000-04:00

Here are the 30 outfits - All Nice and Tidy, for your perusal:

Just like Last time, I ended the outfit list with a piece of clothing I started it with. I even used the same post title. I repeated a few items that I used last time, too - My black & grey jeans, my black mini skirt, the red t-shirt. Other than outfit 21, I dont think I kept any of them "too basic" or boring. I'm not sure I could pick a favorite outfit - Honestly I do like all of them! I would wear any of them again tomorrow (well, maybe not #2 - not to work at least.

My most worn item was the blank tank top (which I actually have 2 of) that I got at Walmart, for $4. I really think you can't go wrong with a basic black tank. Equal number of wearings were my black Doc Martens. I love these boots. My least worn items were the brown Jessica Simpson wedges (which is funny since I wore them non-stop last summer) and my red shirt dress, with only 1 outing a piece.

This was a fun challenge, but there were plenty of items that now have to get packed away for cooler weather that I dont think I had as many chances to wear as I would've liked. I'm vaguely excited to get sweaters and warm stuff out of storage, but honestly I think the summer went by way too fast! I'm definitely not looking forward to winter, thats for sure. Hopefully autumn will at least be with us for a while!

Back to "Regularly Scheduled Programming" Tomorrow

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

The 30 Items

2011-09-14T11:15:00.001-04:00

A little Over-due, but here are the items!

Clothing:

17 Red Jeans

27 Black Jeans

14 Grey Jeans

8 Blue Seersucker Pants

19 Black Shorts

23 Black Gauchos

5 Brown Shorts

1 Black Dress

28 Red Dress

10 Checkered skirt

25 Black Mini skirt

12 Striped oxford

16 Black oxford

9 Red Tshirt

24 Grey VNeck

22 Seafoam cowlneck

2 Pink "Crazy Tank"

7 Striped Henly T

13 Black Tank

Not Shown-

4 Tan Sequined Tank, 18 Black Jacket

Shoes:

3 Red Wedges

6 Brown Wedges

11 Black Sandals

15 Black Docs

20 Black Flats

21 Snakeskin Pumps

And I did the Challenge with 28 items!

(since I wasn't counting vests)

What do you think?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Everywear I Go

2011-09-13T11:53:00.006-04:00

I dont know why I've been jonesing so much to join Everybody Everywear, but every time they post a poll for the next event I vote if there's anything remotely interesting to me and then cross my fingers that my favorite gets picked, but until today no dice. I squealed a little inside my head when I saw that this months edition was Colored Pants. I've featured a lot of posts with my thrifted red pants so far, and I love them, but today I had a hunch that red pants would be more than covered in the pool, so I had to go a little bit different.

Shirt - Steve & Barry's

Pants - Forever 21

Boots - Doc Martens

Yes, they're still red pants, but somehow plaid always makes things better. Add in lots of black and my Doc Marten boots and Bob's your uncle. Well, at least I have an Uncle Bob, I dont know about you.

Last night I was feeling very chef-y and made a lot of yummy food. We had Zucchini "pasta" and meatballs for dinner, plus I made Soda Cupcakes and prepped some Ratatouille thats now bubbling in the crockpot. 2 out of 3 of those will end up on the blog soon.

Today has been an easy day - though it's getting colder in the mornings I managed to get myself up and hit the gym. I really do prefer to start my days with a workout, and besides, today was Free Bagel Morning! I know the gym I go to has gotten plenty of bad reviews in some areas, but the one I hit up is usually pretty decent. Plus the bagels they get come from Panera Bread around the corner and they are soooo good. I can't say I dont judge when I'm working out though - I'm fluent in sarcasm, after all. I just manage to keep it to myself. I'm a friendly snark.

Til Next Time-

~Be Your Best!

Le Finale

2011-09-12T11:12:00.000-04:00

I wasn't quite sure I'd make it here, but Guess What?

I'M DONE

2 Top - Gifted

10 Skirt - F21

Tights ?

11 Shoes - Carlos by Carlos Santana

I guess I just had to bring it full circle, wearing the same shirt as from the first outfit I posted for this challenge. I'm not sure I ever would have paired this top and skirt before, but the past week or two I had a lightbulb go off in my head that they'd be perfect together. Even though the skirt is checkered and the top is, well....a little crazy, the shirt has those black and white splotches that sort of carry out the black and white checks, and the skirt pattern is structured enough to balance it.

I also just realized I'm even matching my black and white bracelets. Disregard the fact that I've worn these almost every day since I got them.....pay no attention to my lack of intention.

I originally thought of wearing it with the shirt over the skirt, to hide the "high waisted"-ness of it, but when I was getting dressed after the gym I tried it both ways and ultimately liked this version much better.

I also never thought I'd wear these sandals with tights like this, but I found myself loving the look and I've gotten the urge to find a pair of boots with straps that look like these.

I think I finished it all off pretty well this time around. I have to be honest though, there was a lot of my closet that I think I missed out on wearing! Oh well. Poor planning on my part I guess. I better make up for lost time before it starts getting too cold around here.

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

A Little Bit Of Slouch

2011-09-09T11:27:00.005-04:00

This is another casual remix .Honestly, I think most of my outfits are fairly casual - I've been thinking of amending that this fall. I'm trying to figure out ideas to "class up" my act and get a little more polish. In the mean time, I think I've perfected my laid back styles.

18 Jacket - Rampage

22 Tank - Target

14 Jeans - Walmart

15 Boots - Doc Martens

always on the lookout for coworkers.....

I'm looking forward to the weekend, hopefully I'll be able to get some projects done and even more hopefully I'll be able to find my robot necklace that seems to have gone missing. One good thing about having the daily outfit photos is that I can see the last time I wore it, but since the last photo it was in was 2 weeks ago now, it could be almost anywheres. Actually thats not true - I've done a lot of looking, and I know a hell of a lot of places that it's not. Fingers crossed that she turns up, her boyfriend misses her.

Happy Friday!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best~

Bump It Up

2011-09-08T11:11:00.000-04:00

So, What do you do with an oxford style shirt that is missing half of its buttons but you dont feel like wearing it open? Tie it pin up style

12 Shirt - Thrifted

13 Tank - Walmart

27 Pants - Inkwell

3 Shoes - City Classified

And make sure to pair it with big hair

This isn't as big as it has ever been, but its the neatest "big" style I've ever done - You dont want to see what my hair looks like when I wake up these days.

Last time I got my hair cut I had her show me how to tease my hair. I figured I'd attempt to work with my morning locks instead of fighting them. This is almost the most hair spray I've ever had in my hair before, too. I think the only time that surpassed this is one time for semi-formal and my mom and aunt attempted to curl my full head of waist length hair. I have a picture of the two of them wielding curling irons and standing on either side of me. I think the curls held for half an hour. That was a triumph for my hair at the time.

In more recent and exciting news (at least for me) - My new laptop arrived yesterday! Woot!

I still have a lot of setup to do on it, including transferring all my iTunes (ugh) and figuring out how to use new programs, but I love it. Last night the BF and I watched a few episodes of Bobs Burgers, and I'm already trying to figure out where else we can find things to watch. It's great for movies - it's got a 17" widescreen! So clear, too..

Not ten seconds after I got it out of the box, paper cat came over to be nosy, then hissed and swatted at her reflection in the screen.

Then she proceeded to stare at the box to figure out if she could squeeze her fat @ss into it.
.......cats.
ok, so maybe she's growing on me...

Today is my company picnic, so I actually dressed warm compared to monday when this outfit is from. This crazy weather. I'm so glad its a short week. Hope everyone is having a great one!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

Fancy Pants

2011-09-07T13:42:00.002-04:00

My laptop didn't get delivered yesterday because it needed a signature, and today it's been raining. I'm not worried about having it stolen off the porch, but hopefully the Fedex driver will be sensible enough to wrap the box in plastic (that I conveniently left for him) so that it doesn't get soaked through. I hope I dont have to wait another day, because I have ants in my pants.

13 Tank - Walmart

Necklace - Kohls

Vest - Rue 21

17 Pants - Thrifted

11 Shoes - Carlos by Carlos Santana

Fancy red pants - ok, this outfit is actually from friday, but who's keeping track? Oh wait, I guess I am. Only 3 outfits left! Woohoo! I did some thrifting over the weekend so I have a few new items I can't wait to wear for fall.

It was much nicer on friday. I dont mind the drizzle outside, though, and last night my BF made corn chowder for dinner. It made the most delicious leftovers! I'm so proud of him, he always says he's no cook, but being in such a technical profession he's great at following a recipe.

Speaking of recipes, I think red + black always = fabulous.

Happy Hump Day!

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

A Laborous Weekend

2011-09-06T11:11:00.000-04:00

Happy Tuesday, Friends! How was your weekend? There was some rain in my area yesterday but the actual weekend was nice. I spent saturday doing some overdue weeding and then some push-mowing (which I discovered I love! Plus its a workout without feeling like a workout). I tried being even more ambitious by stacking some wood by our fire pit, but then I found an old log with a bees nest in it. I actually got stung 4 times before I realize OH, those are BEES! Ouch! Luckily I'm not allergic, though now where I got stung the muscles are stiff and sore. Dumb bees..

I enjoyed my three days so much that it was hard to get up this morning. Sometimes I try to get away with skipping the gym by wearing lots of heavy accessories for a workout.

24 TShirt - Old Navy

Vest - Burlington Coat Factory

19 Shorts- Kohls

21 Shoes- Target

These layered necklaces felt like they weighed a ton, but I loved the effect and they made a pretty tinkling noise together all day (surprisingly not clanky like you'd think metal would be)

I inadvertently mixed patterns with this outfit, between the snakeskin pumps and the floral burnout pattern in the vest, I think I've got an artsy cousin look going on.

This is my first outfit from "Year 3" (it's actually from last week)! I think it wasn't bad to start off with. Funny how I repeated the same shorts as last years first outfit.

I know three day weekends never make going back to work easy, but today it's even worse because I found out my new laptop is supposed to be delivered today! Aagh! Its going to make me crazy until I can get home and play with it. I only hope I can control myself enough to not let my chores and projects slide once I get it all set up.

Hows your week starting out?

Til Next Time -

~Be Your Best!

FBFF - Fall Trends

2011-09-02T15:11:00.001-04:00

Welcome to this weeks entry for the Fashion Beauty Friend Friday Group started by Katy at ModlyChic

Here's my list of favorite fall trends and how I'll be wearing them this year:

Leather -

Whether its pants, skirts, jackets or "bondage" themed items like cuffs belts and harnesses, this is 1 trend I am always 100% behind. I'd love to get my hands on a nice leather skirt. I've always got my eyes pealed for a good deal on one.

RED-

My red jeans will definitely come out to play, I've already gotten so much wear out of them and they're a closet work-horse for me. I can see them working great with chunky knits and boots or turtlenecks and jackets, oh the possibilities.

Platforms & Patent Shoes

Platform shoes have been near and dear to my heart for a long time, especially loafers! Patent finishes are also a favorite of mine (I have at least 5 pair of patent shoes). I'm happy that they're in this fall and thinking of adding another pair of shoes to my closet. Maybe these?

Jewel tones

While most of my closet is black or grey, I do like to mix in more subdued colors, and these few from Pantones color guide are right up my alley -

I'm also on the lookout for more bright red (see above) and some deep cobalt pieces, too.

Animal Print

I've been getting more into the animal print - I still have yet to find a good leopard item I liked, but I've got several python and zebra striped garments in my closet for fall. Most of my printed items are skirts so I'll be pairing them with turtlenecks and sweaters and maybe a pair of those platform loafers I talked about above.

Plaid, plaid, plaid

I love me a good plaid. Depending on the colors and patterns, it straddles the line between many styles and I will always love it.

Goth & Fetish inspired

I saw this one and started gleefully planning outfits in my head to wear some more of the items in my closet that dont get nearly as much wear as I'd like. Black, lace, leather, straps, and lots of metal- oh joy!

Androgyny

I sort of lump this in with goth but especially with my new haircut I'm toying with a lot more experimentation.

While I can't say I'm exactly Excited for fall to really get here, I wont be sad when it arrives. What trends are you looking forward to this year?

Happy Friday!

Til Next Time-

~Be Your Best!

I'd Give A Quarter For Some New Titles

2011-09-02T11:48:00.004-04:00

The one sad thing about the 30 for 30 challenge is there's only so many number analogies you can make. Oh well. Only 5 more outfits to go! I really like this one (which was from wednesday? I think?). Here you go:

7 Shirt - Old Navy

Necklace - Burlington Coat Factory

25 Skirt - H&M

15 Boots - Doc Martens

Its funny that the day I wore this I thought it was a major fail. I felt like crap and was berating myself for wearing stripes when I felt like a blob, but looking at these pictures now I think it was just pmsing that made me think that. TMI? Isn't it fun being a girl? (rhetorical question).

I'm so glad we're looking at a 3 day weekend. I'm going to enjoy the time off since summer is pretty much over (which makes me sad). Autumn isn't so bad though. Last night my boyfriend and I had a little campfire in the back yard, and there will still be plenty of time for those, plus s'mores making!

I'm not sure how I got them but I woke up the other night with 2 bites above my left knee that are now itching like mad. I dont think they're mosquito bites - probably spider bites, but to be honest the spacing makes them look like a vampire bit my leg. Heh.

I hope your weekend is great!

Til Next Time-

~Be Your Best!