Basic Black

I am pretty sure that most of my wardrobe consists of Black, White and shades of grey.  That is why I think I am loving the all black look right now for dressing. 

Check out a few of these outfits I am going to try to recreate from Pinterest and let me know your thoughts.

When Fall finally arrives....

Let's talk about what outfits I am crushing on right now... and they all have to do with layering.  My favorite thing about Fall and Winter dressing is the layering ability.  Because it combines all of my favorite things about Fall in one... the scarves, jackets, jewels and hopefully the perfect boots. 

Here are a few outfits from Pinterest I am hoping to recreate this Fall for work.  Each of these involve a great blazer, button down and perfect sweater.  Now, I work in an office that inside feels like summer during the winter, so the perfect thing about layers.... they can look just as cute without the jacket.  Plus, each of these can be paired with slacks and then change to jeans for going out that night. 

 

 

 

If I only had the skills of Shay and Sheaffer to recreate Pinterest outfits so effortlessly!  But here's to trying!

 



 

Fall TV UPdate

So a Monday update from the Fall TV post....

One of the new shows I said I would give a try was Hostages.  I wasn't sure about the content, but ANYTHING with Dylan McDermott was going to at least get a few watches from me.  I must say, the first 5 minutes certainly had my attention - and only part of that had to do with the fact that McDermott sure does look HOT as a FBI agent.  

So after the show I tweeted about it - because this may have the potential to be my new Scandal.... and check this out...

Yes... that is right.... some intern or assistance for Dylan McDermott retweeted my tweet.  YEP.... my inner 14 year old girl with posters on her walls was doing a happy dance.  And in fact, "he" even favorited the tweet.  

Yep - my night was made.  

So if you didn't see it - go back on On Demand or catch it online.  I think it may get permanently added to the DVR!

A birthday Thank you

Thank you for all of the amazing posts, tweets, texts, facebook messages, calls and the old fashion in person "Happy Birthday" messages.  You all sure know how to make a girl feel special!  I could not have asked for a better day.  Thank you - and here is to the next year of adventures!

(Yes I put a message on my chalkboard to me.... what?!?!?!  something wrong with that??)

Actually this is not the first time I have received a cake that looked like this - Josh made the first one!

People who can naturally make an envelope look this cute make me REALLY jealous!

Nothing could be finer...

And the perfect ending to a great birthday!

Concert Review: FARM PARTY

If you are not familiar with The Farm... people you better get ready for an incredible FARM PARTY!  Go right now... well after reading this... and check out their website!

A country trio that brings three distinct sound together for the perfect harmony started as three musicians and a songwriting session in Nashville.  What came out of that one day would be a unique sound that is hitting Country radio with a bold, edgy mix of raging fiddle riffs and stinging vocals.  (official bio here if you want to get technical on me!)

A little more about those three musicians - who are some of the best in the business when it comes to how nice and genuine and talented the are:

Nick Hoffman - many of you may recognize Nick as the former fiddle player for Kenny Chesney (ahhhh.... took you that long to know there was going to be a connection somewhere, huh?!?!).  This guy is crazy talented when it comes to playing that fiddle... or playing about anything for that matter! 

Damien Horne is a hometown boy from Hickory.  Didn't go to the same high school that I did, but after talking with Damien - grew up very close together.  Damien has got the most incredible dancing skills - so be on the lookout for a back flip during the set when you see them!  Add those skills with that soulful voice and you have an amazing combination. 

Now... the firecracker of the group is Krista Marie - this girl combines an amazing talent (and Opera singing background) with the energy of an Energizer Bunny.  She makes you want to get up and dance!  No matter if she is rocking with the guitar or singing a country love song - this girl is hard not to watch. 

Now back to the point.... a concert review!  I have seen these guys numerous times over the years but mostly in scaled down shows.  And even in scaled down shows and guitar pulls, these guys still put on a show and allow their unique sound and energy to prevail.  

The other week I went to the Hickory Fair... yep... you read that right... and got to see them put on a tremendous show for all that were there.  (And for the record Hickory peeps.... if you were not there YOU MISSED OUT!)  It was the most high energy show I have seen in a long time, as they had the crowd rocking for the entire time.  Plus a group of girls up front were going crazy for Damien and Nick.  And I mean what show is complete without the groupies down front?  From Krista going into the crowd to Damien bringing his family on stage - it was great to see and watch.  Pretty sure that they had the entire crowd enjoying one big Farm Party before the night ended.

I would post a few photos from that show but....hello... how many times must I disclaimer about my HORRIBLE phone photos in these concert reviews?!?!?!  So how about a few photos from a performance they did prior to a Panthers game?!?!?!  See much better when someone real takes the photos.  (Photo Credit:  Goodstuff Creative)

So I know I usually try to end these with a set list, but well I didn't pay attention that night to what the set list was.  Thus... I will tell you to go check out their album.  It is incredible and has a great mix of hard pounding hits and country ballads.  And... I'm still waiting to hear my favorite song (100 Miles) live... but for some reason my request keeps getting ignore.  You would think I know people... ha!

Plus, from their instagram, it looks like they are back in the studio recording their next album... so you better join THE FARM PARTY now.... because they are on the road to becoming SUPER STARS!!!!!

Check out a few clips...first up Home Sweet Home video...complete with a Carolinas shout out!

And a few live clips!

This one is from Charlotte ... and thanks for the Panthers love!

And a few more to get a live show feel...

It's Fall... Y'all

At least finally in the world of TV.  Not so much in weather, but hey - one step at a time, right?

So here is my TV line-up for Fall...as it stands right now!

MONDAY
The Voice - I really only watch The Blind Audition rounds.  Other than that... I get bored.  But guess watching Adam and Blake go at it never gets boring!

NEW Alert:  Hostages - I might give this show a shot because I LOVE Dylan McDermott.  And it looks very interesting.

TUESDAY
Chicago Fire is back and we certainly welcome back more episodes to see Lt. Severide.

WEDNESDAY
Nashville - I'm ready for the next chapter with Rayna and Deacon.

THURSDAY
Grey's Anatomy - Am I one of the few people still watching this show?  Hey... I miss McSteamy on the show... but McDreamy still is good television in my book.

Scandal - no words here.  If you are not watching the drama with Fitz and Olivia, well catch up people and get on a plane to the White House now!

FRIDAY
Dallas Cowboys Cheeleaders:  Making the Team - look, don't judge.  This is must see TV people!

Say Yes to the Dress:  Ditto above.

SATURDAY

SUNDAY
Revenge - no words if you have not been watching.  Might be pretty hard to catch up at this point, but jump on the train to the Hamptons. 

The Good Wife - this is an all star cast of great tv.  Should definitely be on your must see list!

So what shows are you watching that I am missing?

happy birthday to me

Can someone make this happen where Keith Urban, Luke Bryan and Kenny Chesney sing happy birthday to me today?  No, huh?  Well... then I will just take a day spent with 73,000 of my "closest" friends. 

Here is to the next year.... may it bring health and happiness... and a lottery win! 

today.

To my partner in crime...
To my travel dreamer...
To my shopping companion...
To my pocketbook & jewelry sharer....

I MISS YOU.  TODAY.  AND EVERY DAY.

Blogs I Love: Mix and Match Family

I inadvertently gave kudos to a blog that I read frequently for a giveaway... which got me thinking... some of you might enjoy some of the other blogs I read.  I stumbled on blogs a few years ago and enjoy reading tips, tricks, recipes and fashion sense from real life women - not those found in the pages of most magazines.

One of the blogs on my "go-to" list everyday is Mix and Match Family.  Shay not only has the cutest style ever, the best recipes around, but hello.... she has a brother that was THE Bachelor.  I'm SOLD.

ADORABLE, right?!?!?!

Shay does this great #shayeveryday2013 that I hope to try for 2014 - what a great way to document your year.  You take a photo with Instagram each day and then recap it each week on the Blog.

And the great fashion information - the shoes I wear EVERY DAY right now were purchased off of the advice from Shay's blog - and she didn't lead me astray!

The wedges are the MOST COMFORTABLE EVER!!

Also - the AMAZING recipes!  Here are a few of my favorites for you to check out:

CARMEL APPLE CIDER CUPCAKES

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN BUNDT CAKE

And it isn't all desserts.  I also love her buffalo chicken sliders - and well I must admit - Shay's blog taught me how to make Chicken in my slow cooker!

So... run QUICK and check out all the great stuff on Shay's blog!

 

A Reminder

"If you don't like something, change it.

If you can't change it, change your attitude.

Don't complain."

 

- Maya Angelou

 

 

I saw this quote on a blog that I go to occasionally (well read only when I am going down the full blog roll of all the blogs I have ever read).  I think divine intervention sent me to that blog today - I needed this reminder.  And so do a lot of people!

 



In need of a last minute gift?

These are the things currently on my wish list....

I am still on the search for the perfect boots - and am hoping these may be them!  See... I have calves like a linebacker - so I have a hard time finding boots that actually stand up the way they are suppose to.  Enter these Frye boots.  I have an extreme boot problem where I want sooooo many - as I want to live in them in the Fall.

Let's stick with the boot theme.  I have always loved the look of welly - so British feeling here and reminds me of my trip to London.  I tried these on the other week in Neiman Marcus and they cam e the closest to fitting because the back is adjustable.  Check them out here!

I am very close with the "renovation" in my condo - and just need a few more things to complete the look.  So two of these would be a perfect birthday addition... now will you put them together as well, please!

Yep - these are still on the list.  So if you have any luck finding them.... please add them to my closet!

I tend to wear A LOT of scarves in the Fall and Winter... and who am I kidding... if I can get away with them in the Spring and Summer I will.  This scarf would be the perfect addition to my collection.

So....Happy Shopping!

4 Men 1 Lady Blog: Zink hAppy printer giveaway

One of the blogs I visit on a daily basis is 4 Men 1 Lady.  Michelle has some great and easy DIY projects that I love, and is a woman after my own heart with some of her old school house finds.

Her recent project show the cutest gift option...



I mean how adorable, right?  But check out the cute label on the package! 

So go check out the great blog that Michelle has... AND you can win a Zink happy printer to create your own labels!

It's my Birthday Week

I remember the best response by a family member one time.  My Mother called them to see if they had called me on my Birthday.  Their response was epic... "No, I didn't realize it was today... you guys celebrate all month, so how am I suppose to remember which day it is?!?"

The sad thing is that there is a lot of truth to that.  But this year is a little more low key - so here is hoping this is one of the best weeks of the year!

DIY...IKEA Style

So I started a new project in my house which began as a interesting idea.  I live in a small uptown condo that has very little storage - in other words read that I have too much stuff crammed into a 1-bedroom-ish condo.  Plus add to the fact that I really don't have any space for food in my kitchen and you get the drift.

So.... one night while chatting with my Mom, she mentioned the idea of built-ins.  Now if you check my Pinterest page, I love the look of some built-ins.  I think it is a great beach-y, cottage-ish look.  Now I will admit - it took me a little bit to come around to the idea and try to determine how I would mix a modern condo with a cottage-y look.  But after about 3 nights of pinning options on pinterest, I had really come around to the idea. 

All images from Pinterest and found here

I started sketching what would be functional for me and not just pretty.  I took an inventory of what I needed to store, what would finally provide me room to actually have food in my kitchen cabinets and get almost everything in a place.  See if I could live in a hotel, I would.  I love the sleek, clean, sophisticated lines - and the minimalist décor that still feels luxe.

 

And here enters my decision that I was going to go for it.  Now if you refer back to my condo pictures - I have the perfect wall for it.  At it's longest straight point, it is 16' long - and the perfect spot to start some built-ins for this project.  The one problem - I just had new art framed for that wall, my sofa currently sits on that wall, and even if I didn't put the new framed art on that wall... currently the first piece of art I ever bought is on that wall.  So you should be reading right now... Challenges!

But I figured out a plan!  The sofa can move to the opposite wall in the nook I currently have my TV and we are just going to switch the flow of the room.  The new framed art is currently sitting on the floor to see if I now want it in my bedroom or in the living room in another location.

This then led to a radical suggestion by my Mother... let's head to IKEA.  I will admit - those words would hardly ever come out of my mouth.  IKEA is a place that I have bought furniture before... read items for my first college apartment.  But after that, I might travel there to pick up odds and ends in the marketplace, but not from the "showroom" floors. 

Well... we started out in the showroom, armed with my sketch, a tape measure that was actually a piece of paper, and the requisite IKEA shopping list and pencil.  Because after all the time we spent shopping, we had to go find it in the massive warehouse (and we will not even discuss the two of us putting the stuff in the car!).

We purchased three pieces of what I hope to eventually be a six piece built in.  But you have to take baby steps... hello budget people (until finally one of those scratch-offs reveals something other than $1).  With a birthday coming up (hint, hint... Daddy please give cash!) I am hoping to buy one more piece.  And with Christmas coming up I hope to finish with the two other pieces. 


The only part of the full plan that will not be realized for a while (if all stays on schedule and I find the home for the 50,000 pieces of screws, nails, and whatchamacallits) will be the final piece-de-resistance!  I want a Murphy bed as part of the built-ins.  One of the challenges I wanted to tackle is that if I have friends or family visit, I can offer you my bed (read NOT HAPPENING unless it is my parents, and well since they financed a portion of every apartment before this condo, don't they get that right?!?!), a slice of the couch or an air mattress in the floor.  So I wanted to try and tackle that challenge.  And I have a plan - just going to be a little bit before that part is complete!

 

So back to what is happening now - The IKEA boxes have been loaded for the three pieces (which equaled 6 boxes of stuff).  Oh... and a rug was purchased.  Now a rug is kinda like curtains from a previous post, or paint for all my years, in that I wanted the amazing pottery barn option on an IKEA budget.  So for now, I purchased an it-will-do-rug-so-I-finally-have-something-on-my-hardwood-floors rug and am going to incorporate it as part of the project to try and get my hotel, beach-y, built-ins, need more storage, and food in my cabinets, look.

 

 

Stay tuned to see the big reveal... and all the details on where to find everything if you like my IKEA knock-offs!

 



It's my Birth Month

Yep - September is my Birth Month..... and typically one of my favorite months!  September means the start of football, hopefully the return of my favorite layering days of Fall... and yep my Birth Month!

Now September isn't always rosy... but more on that another day.

But this September I am holding out hope for it to be magical.  And well, since it is going to be magical, I should get 5 wishes, right?  Because three just isn't enough.  So if I had five wishes....

I would wish for..... a winning lottery ticket (or a winning scratch off ticket would do...but for a large amount please)

I would wish for.... one more day with my partner in crime.  

I would wish for.... 40 lbs lighter and the most amazing closet of clothes that made it easy to figure out what to wear each day.

I would wish for.... two weeks spent sailing the Virgin Islands with my favorite traveling companion.

I would wish for... health and happiness for all of my family.

And those would be my wishes.