I spent most of Saturday this past weekend cleaning out my garden. It's that time of year where I start planning out what I'm going to grow, but before anything else I needed to clean out what had accumulated since last year. So here are the before and after...
The before...
The before...
Seeing that I had some seriously hard work ahead of me, I decided to jump start my morning with a smoothie.
My Jump Start Smoothie (makes 1 smoothie)
- 1/2 cup ice
- 1/4 cup Green Goodness Smoothie (It's this drink here. But don't be scared it's green, but so delicious!)
- 1 cup of frozen fruit (I used what I had which was a mixed bag of mangoes, strawberries, pineapples, and peaches)
- 3/4 cup raspberry lemonade (My favorite is this one. Plain lemonade works just as well!)
- 2 Tbsp of sugar, for sweetness (Honey could work here also.)
Blend all of the ingredients in a blender and enjoy! If you find the smoothie too thick, add a little more lemonade to smooth it out.
So with the added fuel I began to work in my garden, and I worked so hard I got a blister on my left hand, even with gloves on!
My essentials for the morning...
I even had a little friend of mine greet my by the gate. This little one has been with me a while. I clean out my garden and it eats the bugs. It's not even afraid of me when I walk in and out the garden. I think we have a mutual understanding.
So after the blood, sweat, tears, and the blister, I finally finished phase one of my Operation Garden.
The garden is now completely clear of all the debris! And yes that giant pile was rake to the deepest depths of the back yard, far, far away! Now that the hard work was over, I had a chance to take in some of the beauty around the back yard.
This rosemary has been growing the corner of my garden for at least 5 - 6 years and it continues to grow with each passing year. I'm sure it will be as tall as me soon. I use it for so many recipes and teas. It's truly aromatic and so yummy. The best part about it is that is one of the easiest herbs to grow. I planted it in that spot, water it occasionally, trim it when I need some of it. It dies in the winter and comes back in the spring bigger and bushier.
Here are some other flowers from around the yard that have already blossomed:
Sometimes when there are spikes in the temperature during spring, it makes me want summer to hurry up and get here. But in the meantime, I like to prepare for it by finding different summer-inspired pieces to sew. This leaf print skirt is a Rayon printed fabric. I lined it with a piece of solid fabric underneath. I decided to keep this one simple with a gathered elastic waistband. I paired it here with my bralette top (yes it is a top, not a bra :0) ). See the details below.
|| Top: L'Amour (JC Penney) || Sandals: Old Navy || Sunglasses: Old Navy || Necklace: Forever 21 ||
*Fashion Tip: If you are on the shorter side, (like myself) it is important to wear and/or make skirts that are above the knee because as it is more flattering and makes your legs appear longer.
Spring time is such a great time to get back into the swing of sewing! Below is one of my latest and favorite creations, my floral blazer. Jackets, skirts and dresses are my favorite garments to create. I love florals on black backgrounds because they pop right off of the fabric.
|| Black Tank: Old Navy || Jeans: Bullhead (PacSun) || Suede Pumps: Waleo in Aquadisiac - Jessica Simpson || Earrings: Claire's ||
I love this time of year because it's not too hot and not too chilly. Every now and then I'm in the mood for a vintage inspired look. This dress is one of my favorites and I especially love the back of this dress.
|| Cardigan: Old Navy || Dress: Cooperative || Kitten Heel Sandals: Chinese Laundry || Earrings: Claire's || Necklace: A gift from sis LJ ||
A very casual chic outfit in which 2/3 of it I made! The Skirt is pleather and pleated. The boots are a D.I.Y. that is posted on the blog and you can find the link here. The rest of the outfit details are below.
|| Earrings: purchased from ModCloth || Denim top: H&M || Necklace: Forever 21 ||
So today April 20th was record store day all across the country. Participating stores had special releases of vinyl records from different bands. Some stores were lucky enough to have the bands show up for an acoustic set and signing. Where I am there were about 3 participating stores. I headed first to Edward McKay's because it was closest to the house. Plus as a RSD perk, (which I found out about this morning), they were giving away a Jimi Hendrix poster and Beatles bag if you could answer a few trivia questions. I got them both right (yay!) and I walked away with some cool items (check them out below). As far as the record section itself, they had a fairly good selection, but I really wish record stores in my area had a wider selection of vinyl records, not just 70s and 80s music, but also music from the 90s and early 2000s.
I ended up once again buying a record from the $1 section of the store, but this time it was a full length album. I also ended up buying a CD that has been nearly impossible for me to find on vinyl. But it being my first experience at this store, it was very positive. The staff was very cool and I'll definitely check them out again in the future.
(Kind of sad it's a little blurry. I had the cashier that checked me out take the picture, but they also took a picture of me that you can see on their Facebook page.)
I ended up once again buying a record from the $1 section of the store, but this time it was a full length album. I also ended up buying a CD that has been nearly impossible for me to find on vinyl. But it being my first experience at this store, it was very positive. The staff was very cool and I'll definitely check them out again in the future.
(Kind of sad it's a little blurry. I had the cashier that checked me out take the picture, but they also took a picture of me that you can see on their Facebook page.)
|| Hat: H&M || Tee: Delicious Vinyl tee || Sweater & Jeans: BDG ||
Next I headed to my old stomping grounds of NC State University and was dying to check out a few of record stores there. WELL that didn't turn out so hot.
I really wanted to check out Schoolkids Records, but as I pulled near, there was a line out the door at least 50 people long. I'd been there before and the store is on the smaller side, so I knew it would be awhile before I even got into the store. I know that RSD is an awesome concept, but I didn't feel up to waiting in line. So I headed down to Nice Price Books and Records about a mile and a half down the road. There wasn't a line so I parked and headed inside.
After going to school in the area, this was one place I really had wanted to check out, but I never got the chance. And it was a pleasant surprise. They had a decent setup and between them and Ed McKay's, Nice Price actually had a better and wider selection to choose from. The guys in Nice Price were very helpful and nice, but I walked out empty handed, but also made a note to revisit them in the future.
My goodies:
(The only things I paid for were the $1 vinyl and the CD with the sunflower, everything else was free.)
So I think Record Store Day is a pretty cool concept and am already making plans to check it out again next year! It is so important to support local stores in your area. I love and prefer to buy hard copies of my music on vinyl over CDs, (mostly because the bulk of my CDs are in a box out of sight), but also just love the sound. So now all that is left is for me to do is to find a place to hang my poster...
With the warmer weather making an appearance, sometimes the simplest outfits are the chicest!
|| Tank: Old Navy || Pants: Sparkle & Fade Wide Leg Pants || Patent Oxfords: Aldo ||
So not to overload you all in one post of my weekend in Wilmington, here are more pictures from the trip!
My outfit for the second half of Saturday was a little more covered, but comfortable. It was a little chillier than I expected, so I threw on some jeans.
And of course there are nothing like fireworks to end a great night!
My outfit for the second half of Saturday was a little more covered, but comfortable. It was a little chillier than I expected, so I threw on some jeans.
|| Top, Necklace, and Earrings: Forever 21 || Pants: BDG || Shoes: Bobs by Sketchers ||
After the parade I ended up going to the circus, yes the circus! They were in town and one of the people that travels with them gave us free tickets. (I posted a picture of me and a very tall clown on my Instagram.)
Later that night, we headed downtown to check out some of the vendors and fireworks. Below was one of my favorites - lanterns that either changed color or were multiple colors.
And of course there are nothing like fireworks to end a great night!
Finally it came time to say goodbye and mixed it up one last time with an outfit suitable for the car ride home...
|| Sweater: BDG || Tank: Old Navy || Jeans: BDG || Flip Flops: JC Penney || Scarf: Target || Earrring Clip: Betseyville ||
I thought about possibly doing this in one post, but there was no way that would happen because so much went on this weekend. We arrived Friday and decided to hang out a bit before checking into the hotel. There are a lot of great places to check out in Wilmington. In our travels here is what I found:
|| Vinyl Record: Yellow Disc Dogs || L'Amour Scalloped blouse: JC Penney || Flip Flops: JC Penney ||
To my surprise, I made out like a bandit with both the record & flip flops which were both only $1. It made me and my wallet very happy.
Not much else happened Friday. We just took it easy and stayed in because Saturday would be a very long day.
The Azalea Festival has been going on in Wilmington for over 60 years and it is an event jammed pack into one weekend with a parade, vendors and lots and lots of food! Saturday morning was the parade and I had to wake up at 6:30 AM! If you want to get a decent spot to see the parade, you have to sacrifice a little sleep. As promised, here is what I wore, plus a few of my essentials I took with me:
(Of course I also brought my camera with me to capture the festivities.)
And the outfit...
|| Hat: Charlotte Russe || Scarf: Target || Tunic: Forever 21 || Shoes: Bobs By Sketchers ||
We actually got a really great spot and the parade was amazing. Check out my pictures taken below:
(And yes he is standing on top of the canon!)
(I really just like the car, but that is also Benjamin Bourgeois, a well-known surfer)
My main reason for attending the parade was to see my niece march in her school's NJROTC. I posted a picture from that part of the parade on my Instagram.
It is customary to see the big flashy floats like this. There were a total of about 187 organizations/people in the parade. And at the very end of the parade was Queen Azalea. This year's queen was Jennifer Wayne. She is apparently John Wayne's granddaughter and has appeared on television.
Once the parade was over, the real fun began...Stay tuned for the next installment!!
Since the release of Lady Gaga's perfume, I haven't been able to resist purchasing! It's one of my favorite fragrances and I love that it's black in the bottle, but turns clear when it is sprayed. It's mix of sexy, floral and fruity.
This is actually my second bottle, I held onto the first one as long as I could, but now I'm reloaded...
This is actually my second bottle, I held onto the first one as long as I could, but now I'm reloaded...
This weekend I'm headed to Wilmington's Azalea Festival. I travel to Wilmington fairly often, but the most difficult thing is always...what am I going to pack to wear? I was able to narrow it down and came up with this spread:
Since it is still early spring, the weather can be unpredictable. Here's what's going in the bag:
I'll be taking lots of pictures this weekend of all the food, fun, fashion, and the parade! I'll also be including how I ended up wearing these pieces!
Since it is still early spring, the weather can be unpredictable. Here's what's going in the bag:
- 1 pair of each: Jeans, capris and shorts: This way I have options to be able to adjust to the weather
- 5 various tops: I tend to change my mind when I pick out what I wear, so I like to bring options that are compact but give me a chance to switch things up)
- 2 scarves: They are an essential for any trip. Plus they are the quickest way to instantly enhance a look)
- Jacket and Sweater: The spring breeze can be a little chilly, so I always pack these, even if I think I don't need them.
- 2 pairs of shoes: Since I'm only going for the weekend, I see no reason to pack more than two pairs. Shoes can take up the most space in a bag so the more you can minimize, the better. (Plus if your bag doesn't have wheels, it also makes it VERY heavy.)
- Hat & Purse: Another fun way to add to an outfit. The envelope purse doubles as a clutch or a purse with straps making it extremely versatile.
I'll be taking lots of pictures this weekend of all the food, fun, fashion, and the parade! I'll also be including how I ended up wearing these pieces!
There are so many things about I love about Spring. Flowers, nice weather, new fashion trends, and especially butterflies! But I've been keeping an eye out for things I really like and here are some of my top picks:
The links to each site are below:
1. Diamond Cut Skater Skirt - $48.00 - Nasty Gal
2. Melie Bianco Margaret Black and White Purse - $106 - Lulu's
3. Coincidence & Chance Neon Embroidered Party Dress - $69.00 - Urban Outfitters
4. Sixtyseven Michelle Oleato Clogs - $145.00 (on sale for $101.00) - Lulu's
5. Sawana Pump - Jessica Simpson - $90.00 - Heels.com
6. Solid Destroyed Crew Sweatshirt - Junk Food - $44.00 - Urban Outfitters
7. Curve-few Mint Dress: $41.00 - Lulu's
What are your picks for Spring?
So this outfit I totally went all out. There were no limits for this look mixing different types of black and white. Not sure where I'd want to wear this, but it was fun coming up with the concept. Details below...
|| Hairpiece, Belt, Necklace: Forever 21 || Striped Dress: Old Navy || Skirt: H&M || Shoes: JC Penney || Bag: DIY ||
This outfit is perfect for a spring day at work. Details on the outfit below:
|| Dress: Banana Republic || Belt: Patricia Field || Sunglasses: Betsey Johnson || Earrings: Forever 21|| || Heels: "Soiree" by Jeffrey Campbell || Bag: DIY (I'll be posting it very soon so stay tuned!) ||
I'm feeling very chic today, but tomorrow...I'll be going to the Xtreme!
So this outfit I decided to play around with different patterns and prints, but keep similar shades of teal. I don't like to play it safe all the time and like to experiment with my outfits.
|| VersaEmerge Band Tee: Fueled By Ramen Store || Pants: Mink Pink || Booties: Irregular Choice || Necklace: Forever21 ||
So as promised yesterday, I'd show you a slightly different version of this outfit. A simple change in color can make all the difference in the world!
This look is slightly more casual but still very spring! I found this top in the clearance section at GAP and couldn't be anymore happy with my purchase!
This look is slightly more casual but still very spring! I found this top in the clearance section at GAP and couldn't be anymore happy with my purchase!
|| Stripe Shirt: GAP || Jewelry: Forever 21 || Shoes: "Soiree" by Jeffrey Campell ||
So now to the big question...which one do you like...the black or the white?
Leave your choice in the comments!
Leave your choice in the comments!
So I made this faux suede skirt a couple months ago, but I am just getting around to posting it! It being to chilly to actually photograph I finally was able to. This lightweight skirt was fun to make, but my favorite part was actually adding the snaps!
I actually did another outfit for this skirt. Check back tomorrow to see it and let me know which you like better!
|| Black Beaded Top: H&M || Heels: "Soiree" Jeffrey Campbell ||
(Oh and if you are wondering about the coloring of this photo, I intentionally made it this way!)
