Friday Find: DIY

Why I've not been using food to hold food until now is beyond me...  Life should really be divided into pre-Pinterest and post-Pinterest (and pre-Pinterest just doesn't count).  The next time you have to whip up some munchies just get a bunch of veggies, and then hollow out a couple of peppers to hold the dip.   It's an easy and quick appetizer - and guaranteed to earn you points for creativity :)

Friendspiration

Dress (Carole Little find at Marshalls); Shirt (Target); Necklace (H&M);
Shoes (Nine West); Earrings (Nordstrom)
Dave Haas Photography

I owe this outfit to a good friend.  She sent me a picture from a magazine she was flipping through of a patterned dress with a tied denim shirt over and said "this looks like something you'd wear".  I love when my friends do my thinking for me :)  Tonya my lovely friend -  this post is for you!  Thanks for giving me friendspiration, I hope everyone else has a friend as fabulous as you!

Office Leather

Top (Old Navy); Skirt (mom's closet); Necklace (Limited); Shoes (Nine West)
Ryan Seidel Photography

Do you sit in a big cushy leather chair at work in your corner office where you call the shots because you are the boss?  Yeah.. me neither.  So until that day comes, I'll be sitting on my fabulous leather skirt... staring at my cubicle walls... and hoping that one day Rex will let me call the shots ;)

A Pencil & Dots

Sweater (Old Navy); Skirt (Limited); Shoes (Nine West);
Nicole Lai Photography

Its has become clear that I don't have enough polka dots in my life.  Admittedly they typically remind me of either a clown's bow tie or a 5 year old girl's birthday dress.  But polka dots have grown up and I'm falling in love with this pattern all over again. Not to mention that Polka is the Polish word for “Polish woman”. And so through polka dots I can honor my Polish roots... Grandma would be so proud :) 

Friday Find: DIY

Pumpkins (Dollar Store); Leaves & Spray paint (Michaels);

Pumpkins (Target); 

Since I'm in the midst of transitioning my wardrobe to fall fashion, I thought it was time to do the same for my home.  I wanted to updated my mantel to reflect the fall season and through a trip to Michael's, the Dollar Store, some spray paint, and repurposing some vases I already owned, I managed to create an autumn display that makes me happy :)  

Uptown Girl

Tshirt (Target); Pants (Banana Republic Outlet); Scarf (Francesca's);
Belt (Gap); Shoes (Kohls); Bag (Bueno find at Marshalls)
Dave Haas Photography

Leopard is a magical print... it can make you stand a little taller, feel like a royal, and it also has a bad ass vibe that every girl needs from time to time (that's right - don't mess with me today... I'm wearing a leopard scarf AND leopard heels).  I'm certainly no uptown girl, although this outfit makes me feel like I could play one on TV.  And I'm definitely not a downtown girl (one way streets and street parking make me beyond crazy). I'm more of a suburban girl who frequents the uptown and downtown on special occasions (and of course only when other people are driving). 

Military

Dress (Max Studio find at Marshalls); Jacket & Belt (Gap); Shoes (Nine West);
Earrings (Nordstrom); Necklace ( Helen Ficalora "S"); Bracelet (festival purchase)

Between the army green colored jacket and bullet holed looking belt, I'm classifying this look as military.  Although I don't feel especially authoritative or more in charge (I need a LBD for that type of empowerment).  This is probably since I can pull rank on literally no one.  Not even Rex.  Most of the time at the dog park I'm both throwing and retrieving the ball (he's got me trained well).  Unless I have treat... then he lets me be in charge :)  

"That Girl"

Jacket (Old Navy); Top (Robin-K find at Marshalls); Dress (JCPenney);
Shoes (Payless); Umbrella (H&M)
Ryan Seidel Photography

Of course I would wear my faux suede shoes on rainy day.  I always seem to be "that girl".  That girl who trips on a perfectly flat sidewalk and who more than once has used hotel body lotion instead of conditioner on her hair.  Just this weekend I left my classroom to go to the bathroom, only to realize I locked myself out (luckily it was before class and no students witnessed this). I went downstairs to tell the front desk gal that I needed to be let into my classroom, and she said "no problem, what room are you in?".  I said "thanks and 3200".  Which would have been fantastic if my classroom was 3200... it's 2300.  So about twenty five minutes later she found me on the second floor, shaking her head.  Oops :)

Friday Find

Vanilla Chai-Spiced Coffee (Trader Joe's)

I love chai tea latte... I prefer it over a mocha/cappuchino/macchiato or anything other flavored coffee that doesn't taste too much like coffee.  So when I saw the Vanilla Chai-Spiced coffee at Trader Joe's I had to give it a try.  It's a tasty combination of vanilla coffee with the cinnamon and spices of chai tea - and the flavor was so rich I only needed a touch of creamer (which is a far cry from the 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 cup of creamer I usually use).  If you are a flavored coffee fan who also likes chai tea you have to try this! It's the perfect start to the morning.... that is if you are out of Baileys and coffee cubes :)

Birthday Paws

Rex's birthday was yesterday... Which means he got new toys, ice cream, and extra kisses.  I'm not sure how he feels about the birthday hat, but that doesn't really matter does it :)  Happy Birthday to my favorite 6 year old!  

Not in Kansas Anymore

Shirt (Old Navy); Jeans & Earrings (Nordstrom); Necklace (H&M);
Shoes (Target); Bracelet (bought a festival)
Dave Haas Photography

What little girl didn't dream of owning her own pair of ruby slippers one day?  Well it only took about 30 years, and I opted for gold instead of ruby - but I finally got my magic shoes! And I have my Toto :) Besides learning that there's no place like home (unfortunately clicking together the heels of my golden slippers only results in glitter loss) the Wizard of Oz has some important lessons we should all keep in mind: 

Despite the obstacles, always follow your own yellow brick road.  

Quite often, the things we wish for most in life are things we already have.

Never trust a flying monkey or a witch who wants to steal your shoes ;)

Forced Pants Situation

Top (Loft); Tank (H&M); Pants (Limited); Shoes (Nine West)
Ryan Seidel Photography

So I thought Mother Nature and I were becoming friends... I'd gone camping recently despite my aversion to the outdoors, and spent an entire weekend at my boyfriend's family cabin... which means I've had more fresh air and nature time in the past few weeks than I usually get in a few years.  While at the cabin, we decided to take Rex swimming for the first time...and the poor thing was absolutely pathetic - truly the picture below says it all. A few days later my legs started to itch like crazy, and it looked like a mosquito was at an all you can eat buffet from my ankle to my knees.  Turns out I had lake itch (also known as swimmer's itch or gross). Between traumatizing Rex with the swimming episode and my lake itch, I've learned we're better off as indoor people :)

Rex "swimming"

Pleats & Stripes

Top & Skirt (Limited); Belt (Target); Shoes (Nine West)
Ryan Seidel Photography

Last week I was so jealous of all the cute back to school pictures I saw on facebook... it almost made me want a mini person of my own to dress up!  And while I'm no longer in school, that did no stop me from doing my own version of back to school shopping :)  And what better way to celebrate a new school year than a pleated skirt?  They were a staple of my grade school years... as were brown bag lunches that included a Little Debbie treat. The holiday themed ones were the best... and nothing beat the Christmas Trees Cakes.

PS. I am currently on the hunt for a mini backpack and doggy polo shirt so that Rex can join the fun next year :)