Monday, March 21, 2016

The Madison Skirt






Don't put away those long sleeve shirts just yet, Georgia. Yesterday I excitedly pulled out one of my favorite spring tops to wear to church. I needed to be there early to stand outside with a friend to promote our upcoming women's event, so I didn't take the time to check the weather. Mistake. I froze out there and made folks feel bad for me.  I almost came home with one Men's black down vest, one sweet elderly ladies jacket and a friend's scarf.  I wore at least 2 of them at a time.

But anyway, that outfit is for another post. Today I share the cute skirt I purchased from the LuLaRoe popup boutique I was telling you about. Of course I'm finding more ways to wear it than I expected. That's always a bonus!  This ensemble had a casual, comfortable feel, but the pleated skirt made me feel like dancing. (I know. The picture above looks more like I'm finishing a cheer pose than dancing. It was the best shot I had.)

Oh! And guess what surprise package awaited me at home? This Amelia dress! My MIL had won the drawing for a free dress at the pop up boutique and gifted it to me. :) So sweet! I think this may be my Easter dress.




So how about you? Do you like wearing skirts? I usually don't but this may change for me?

Outfit lowdown:

Striped Tee: the Limited
Skirt: LuLaRoe (You can check out the next Thursday night sale at LulaRoe by Megan Cook.)
Shoes: Vans
Purse: B Makowsky
Rings: Sienna by Premiere
Bangle Bracelets: Crush by Premiere
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Friday, March 18, 2016

You Make Me Brave?





Jewelry by Premiere with the exception of the giving key necklace


Outfit Lowdown:
Top: Old
Skinnies: WHBM
Ballet Flats: Nine West
Purse: My fancy purse with a strap being held on by scotch tape. Cuz I'm fancy.

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Soooo, I've been pondering the art of being courageous. What does it mean to be brave? Doesn't that look different for each individual? For some, that may mean death defying acts of what I call craziness such as: cliff diving, bungee jumping, high diving (gather I'm afraid of heights?) and the list goes on. For others it may be speaking in front of a crowd, asking a gal out for a date, sharing your deep convictions and beliefs with another, going to a friend or family member with a conflict that needs to be resolved and that list could go on forever. This leads me to believe that bravery comes in all forms; in many manifestations.

A friend once told me that I'm brave and I must be confident in myself because I can bust out some goofy, ridiculous videos and post them for all to see.  Yeah. I don't think anything of that.  Perhaps I should be scared.

You know something that scares me? Cuz I've been thinking about this. Remember my post on being FEARFUL? Well, these thoughts seem to be building from there. What scares me is that something I consider to be a personal failure will define me. That I will come home from that supposed failure and feel useless, followed by a belief in the lie that others can do what I'm called to do better.

You ever experience failure? You don't forget how it feels. I went to a family member years ago and shared my heart about an issue that concerned me and it was not received well at all. That could be classified as a failure. It leaves a mark. And a fear begins to form when you think about sharing again with someone else down the road. Who wants to relive that?

Or how bout when you put yourself out there and you're not picked? Have you been passed over time and time again?

This is where a whole new level of courage comes into play. When you already know what it feels like if it goes wrong. We talk about the fear of the unknown. What about the fear of the known??

"If I mess this up, I may never be picked again."
Versus 
"I messed that up. They didn't pick me again and it was so awkward being around them."
OR
I'm nervous, but I can't wait to share my ideas with the team!
Versus
No one liked my ideas at the last meeting, which made me feel like a useless idiot. Why should I try to come up with more ideas?

Oh, Wait! This makes me think of a friend of mine that is about to have her 5th baby. Her first three children were born in the hospital, but after research and prayer her and her husband decided they would have the 4th child at home. I remember her being fearful and nervous about going 100% natural. It was the fear of the unknown. And from her telling, childbirth the old fashioned way is quite painful. She remembers it very well and admits to being far more nervous this go round. I think she is brave because in spite of knowledge that comes from experience, a home birth is their plan once again.

 As a believer in Creator God, I know that this is a trust issue. I am called to trust Him with my outcomes, good or bad. When I step out I'm saying, "God you're in control and I trust you to bring glory to yourself however you choose, knowing that may mean success and favor or failure and rejection.

To clarify, I am not talking about failure due to being ill-prepared, in the wrong place, or not working on the right gifts. I'm talking about moving forward with everything you've got. Comprende? (However, God is so good and full of grace that He brings good out of those too. That's a whole other post.)

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5,6

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

***Now what? ***


  • I accept that what's done is done. There's no changing the past and thank God we are not defined by our past!  
  • Then I look back and think about what I can positively learn from history.  What would I do differently, if I could?  
  • Keep the Bible close at hand and dig in! (with so many distractions this is harder than it sounds)
  • I prayerfully move forward to ensure that I'm headed in the right direction.  
  • Allow the mistakes to drive me to improve, by working on my "craft".
  • Then I expect different results, but trust God with the outcome.  Every experience is a new one, regardless of how similar it may look.  
  • I surround myself with positive reinforcement. Friends that encourage, pray for you and lift you up.
  • Prepare to be blessed! Blessings come in all forms and fashions. There are blessings in pain, as well as the good. 
Surrounding myself with prayerful and supportive friends (that I in return support and pray for) is a biggie for me.  A friend dropped this necklace into my bag. It came in a cute wrapping, tied with string. Besides the actual gift itself, there was a note encouraging me to keep on creating.  God knew I needed that boost. He is faithful and proves Himself (though He does not need to) time and time again.

"The Giving Key" necklace 








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Thursday, March 17, 2016

LulaRoe Pop Up Boutique

Have you heard of a pop up boutique? Before last month, I've never had the privilege of going to a direct sales party that involved women's clothing. I know. Once again, I'm behind the times. I was invited to one by LuLaRoe through Facebook and RSVP'd with a peaked curiosity.


Once inside I was greeted by friends, racks of clothing, and a
cute drawer shelf with leggings of all prints. Megan and Sarah, the rep and the hostess,  instructed me to go ahead and look through the racks and try on whatever I wished. There were three rooms set up as dressing rooms.  Basically a full length mirror was placed in each bedroom. Perfect.


With only about 7 styles of clothing featured in a variety of sizes and prints, I didn't feel overwhelmed.

2 Types of Skirts
2 Types of Dresses
3 Types of Shirts


The colors and prints were vibrant and fun. However, subdued solids hung on the racks for the more classic in taste.  Really love a print (or solid)? Grab it while you can. LuLaRoe makes 2500 of each print and that's it. Once they are gone they're gone. Makes you feel more connected to your print, knowing it's something of a rarity.




Well, I started pulling something from each style. The plan was to try it on and if I liked it, I'd come out and have my hostess and friend snap a picture of me. Did I feel cool? Did I feel normal parading out of my "dressing room" with each outfit? Um, no. But for the blog I overcame. Your welcome. And some of the gals shopping with me, were amazing sports and agreed to let us snap a quick picture of them in their favorites as well. So I share that with you today.


Selections are made...let's get to trying on...

Starting off with my favorite color, a subdued gray.  (Hey! You could totally snazz it up with some fun accessories.) This was so comfortable!

Perfect Tee and Pencil skirt

The hostess and LuLaRoe rep (Can you tell they are sisters?)...

Sarah is wearing a Kimono cardigan (I didn't try one of those on)

A sweet friend...I love how bold and fun these colors are.

Perfect Tee and Leggings

My turn to try a print!

Randy Baseball Tee with Navy Pencil Skirt

Another willing volunteer...She looks great in these bright colors!

Perfect Tee and Azure maxi skirt

I'm back with my goto-grey. I had to try these leggings that I've heard so much about. 

"Chrissy, they are sooo comfortable." "Chrissy they feel like butter going on." 

And on it went...I have to say they lived up to their name!




Another cutie in the Amelia dress...


Me again in the most comfortable skirt and top...


Irma top and Cassie Pencil Skirt

One of my personal favorites of the day...

Madison Skirt

The visitors, encouragers and helpers...

Look! My sweet MIL came to this event with me. She took home a couple of pieces as well and was entered into the drawing for a free dress!

To summarize the afternoon, I'd say that if you're looking for a fabulous mix of colors and amazing comfort then you should definitely try LuLaRoe.  The clothing can be dressed up or dressed down in a snap, according to your accessories.  The prices start at $25 for the leggings to $60 or more for dresses. I went with a $50 budget, so I chose the Madison skirt for $46 as my take home. (Next on my list will be leggings and that Cassie pencil skirt.) You will look cute and feel great. And there are plenty of examples on how to mix prints and go from casual to dressy/work appropriate on Instagram!  If you want to try out LuLaRoe, follow Megan's Facebook PAGE. She hosts a sale every Thursday night on Facebook, as well as Pop Up Boutiques for the locals.

I look forward to styling my skirt in different ways and I sure hope that Megan returns to these here parts next season for more clothing fun.

Chrissy

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Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Hurray for Prints and New Places!


Am I really wearing a crazy print like this??
Triplet and It's a Wrap by Premiere, Leather charm bracelet by Pandora 
"Jesus" ring that my mom got in the 70s

Hello flowers in my yard.  Hellloooooo flowers boldly arrayed on my leggings! The temptation to add a print stripe to these vibrant puppies was strong, but obviously I wimped out. Maybe next time. I wore this outfit to go hang with some preschoolers that attend our local Community Bible Study group. The comfort and versatility found in leggings and sneaker shoes is always a plus with little ones. You never know when one is going to try to bowl you over and how would heels work then, huh?

So what say you, would you wear floral prints?

Outfit Lowdown:
Top: Old
Cardigan: Chicos
Leggings: Old
Shoes: Vans
Necklace: Triplet by Premiere (has 3 different options!)
Bracelet: It's a Wrap by Premiere and Pandora leather charm bracelet
Jesus Ring: from the 70s!

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Ok. Now let's talk about those mom and pop places that every town loves to have. This one recently moved into our town so Glendor and I set out on a lunch date adventure.



Chicken and Churro Waffle Plate
Fried Green Tomato Salad w goat cheese

The southern style food (with a definite twist) was delicious to the taste and the presentation was art for the eye.  You know what? My lunch date was pretty amazing too. This sweet guy patiently snaps photos for me to keep my blogging hobby alive. (He's a much better photographer then my 12 and 6 year olds, as you may notice from time to time.)

So if you're local, there's a new place that's worth haunting. :) One friend said,

"Fantastic service, trendy decor and the food was a home run."

Well that's it for today my reader friends. I hope you have a wonderful week!

Chrissy
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Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Rushing Mishaps




Sweatshirt: Target  Skinnies: WHBM   Necklace: Rockport by Premiere 

 Today's easy throw together proves that I'm still having fun with these black skinnies. This was to be my outfit for the day. It looks so easy. So free. But unfortunately there are times when you need bring half of your home with you. And if you're anything like me, you try to carry as much as possible in one trip to save time.

This morning was no different! I rushed out the door with 3 bags, a guitar, keys and a smoothie to go.  I clamored over to my cool ride and began unloading. As I hopped into the front seat, I felt the fab sensation of a cold, thick liquid running down my arm and leg. I didn't take the time to put a lid on that smoothie cup, so I ended wearing it.  At this point, changing was not an option, so I did my best to mop up the milky residue off my pant leg. (It was more obvious than the pic below shows.) Nice. This is real life people!

In the real world, you don't always get out the door when you planned. In the real world, you may run around with a gross stain on your pants. In the real world, you may have cried through a song that you intended to actually sing. (Never sounds good.) This is the real world. I'm in it. I'm flawed, but boy am I thankful this does not define me. I'm a daughter of the one true King who cares about me and collected those tears in a bottle. My life song is pleasing to Him because I am found in Christ.  His strength is made perfect in my weakness.


And my applicable lesson for today? Carry less or put a lid on drinks to go. Now I close with a couple more pics from what I wore.




Sweater: Talbot   Long sleeve Tee: the Limited  Skinnies: WHBM  Shoes & Scarf: Just old 



Sweater: LOFT  Burgundy Chords: LOFT  Shoes: Toms

Chrissy
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Wednesday, March 2, 2016

WIW: Black Skinnies!




A closer look without winter wear...

This outfit was made possible by my latest closet addition: Black Skinnies. Why am I just getting these?? I'm telling you, when you clean out your closet you gain a far better idea of what you actually need. Out with my pink skinnies that I hardly ever wear and in with these black ones. There is no room to grow in these, but I think that may hold me accountable more. I notice I pass by the cupcakes, etc while wearing them.

I threw my accessories together quickly this morning and layered these necklaces that were made by friends or purchased local.  The bracelets are by Pandora and Premiere. In retrospect, I'd change out this handbag, but come on - this is real life! I'm just glad all four of my boys had their lunches in tow and I made it to my morning commitment.

Distressed Black Skinny: WHBM
Leather Jacket: Similar

Another quick outfit I threw together with these skinnies. :)


This adorable tee was made by one of the many creative individuals on Etsy. She has lots of cute prints and even does custom orders. Here's the link for Seriously Happy Tees.

Thanks for reading and I love conversing with friends - comment away! :)

Chrissy
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