New Years Eve is Such a Drag...

if you do it correctly. I'm getting ready for a little shindig where I'll probably be overdressed. Fabulously overdressed if I play my cards right. 

Image Credit: Jezebel.com

If you'd like to get your glam on too, check out this video from Ru Paul's Drag Race contestant Manila Luzon.  Make up tips from a drag queen can't steer you wrong.

Makeup Tips from a Drag Queen

Vote Everybody, Everywear January 2012

Image Credit: Everybody, Everywear

You can vote now for the Everybody, Everywear January edition!

The options are animal print, black and white, or little black dress.  You know how I cast my ballot.

Crafty New Year!

My January challenges are not entirely fashion related.  The first challenge is to go on a shopping diet.  For the next 31 days, I will abstain from purchasing shoes, clothing, and accessories.  This will help me pull back on spending after December's Christmas excess and also allow me to exploit the extensive wardrobe I already have.
This month I would also like to tap into a different part of my creativity.  For the month of January, I will work on a craft every day.  I can't guarantee I will end up with 31 crafts by the end of the month, but I will work on a craft every day.

Image Credit: MarthaStewart.com
Martha Stewart is my role model in crafts,
smushy-face dogs, and evil.

Now I am looking for crafts to start me off.  Here are some of the resources I will look to for inspiration.

• Craftzine.com
• MarthaStewart.com
• Ravelry.com
• Better Homes & Gardens
• Spotted Canary
• My local library
• Suggestions left in the comments of this blog

Crafts/categories I would like to hit:

• Sewing
• Crochet
• Beading
• Paper crafts
• Shoe crafts
• Embroidery
• Modge podge
• Photo crafts
• Terrarium

I am looking for a variety of crafts, some of which will be very quick (10 minutes or less), some will take multiple days or even weeks.  I will do a giveaway for a crafty item or items at the end of the month.  Keep reading, share this blog with your friends, and make sure you get entered!

Vest Intentions

This week has been one long, exhausting slog.  It has had it's high points, like getting to see my wonderful in-laws and having them do home improvement for me, but I have not had a decent night's sleep in way too long.
I went to sleep last night with the best intentions.  I intended to take Gadget jogging this morning.  I overslept.  I intended to wear a colorful layered outfit.  The layers didn't layer properly.  I intended to go in to work a little early.  I got there a little late. 

Not colorful, but at least I managed
to get out of grey.

 

Cropped leopard print vest, Nikki Taylor, thrifted; olive green long sleeve tee, the Tee Shop, Victoria's Secret; denim skirt, GAP Jeanes, thrifted; tights, WalMart; olive green suede boots, Colin Stuart, Victoria's Secret; gold hoops with green beads, Claire's; unicorn pin (worn as pendant), thrifted.

 

Freaking. Unicorn.

Today is the last work day of the December Shoe Challenge.  Tomorrow I will announce my January challenges.  There are two!

Red Room

I missed my outfit post yesterday because I never really got dressed.  My wonderful in-laws offered to help us complete a project that has been on my to do list since before we even moved in- painting the dining room red.  I had the "painting the roses red" song from Alice in Wonderland in my head all day.  Unfortunately in that metaphor I guess I am the evil queen.

That's ok, I can own it.  It turns out that being an evil queen gets good results.

Before: This color is called
"relo tan." I kid you not.

After: Front door red.  I wish it had
a better name, but I love the color.

I'll take some more pictures this weekend once I get the room back in order.

Still Grey, But a Little Less So

Yesterday was pretty awful.  I was so tired I felt sick to my stomach.  I was swamped at work, and I had lots to do at home too.  Today I'm feeling a little bit better, but still exhausted.

My parents-and sibilings-in-law are coming to visit this afternoon.  I am looking forward to getting to show Stephen's dad and brother our house.  His mom and sister have already visited, but I'm glad they are able to visit again.

Today I'm going for a multi-purpose outfit that will serve for my half day of work and my afternoon with the in-laws.

Warm, comfy, casual-ish.

 Grey sweater dress, Sandra Darren, Younkers; black sleeveless shell, Private Edition by Chicos, thrifted; purple beaded scarf, handmade and gifted (thanks Mary Ann!); pearl and garnet necklace and earring set, gifted (thanks Stephen!); tights, Walmart; purple wedges, Graceland, Rack Room Shoes.

 

 

I'll try to come up with some more interesting outfits for next week.  Only three more days of the December Shoe Challenge!  Watch for a recap and analysis!

I can't wait to be finished with work today so I can get started on dinner.  I always feel like I need to make something special when we have company.  Tonight I'm making a beef roast.

Grey Day

I was planning on getting up and jogging with Gadget this morning.  I charged my GPS heart rate monitor and slept in my running clothes.  Unfortunately, when 6:00 rolled around it was pouring rain.  Oh well.  At least I have some things to do around the house that I can work on this morning.

I am painfully tired today.  I didn't get enough sleep over the weekend, and I didn't sleep well last night because Stephen was out of town helping his brother with some home improvement.  Stephen is back today so hopefully my sleep will improve tonight

Bleary-eyed again, but not crying
(unlike yesterday).

I'm almost too tired to stand.  Can you see
it's still dark outside?  Ugh.

Grey tunic-length wool sweater, Old Navy; purple and grey leopard print halter top, I.N. San Francisco, Younkers; black slacks, Worthington, Younkers; grey belt, thrifted; grey suede flats w/ ruffle, Relativity, Younkers; pearl drop earrings, ebay.

Cold is a type of pain and a certain level of fatigue becomes a level of pain.  At the moment I have hit the pain level of both cold and tired.  This calls for comfy clothes.  My mood and energy level are both grey today.  I just couldn't force myself into color today.  You can just barely see a hint of leopard peeking out at my neck.

 

Sorry for the especially low photo quality today.  I didn't initially notice that they had turned out blurry and by the time I noticed it was too late to reshoot.

Christmas Day 2011

On Christmas Day I once again went for warm and comfortable, but I also wanted to look a little nicer.  I don't know why I bothered to photograph the shoes today since I didn't wear them. 

Confession: I only wore these boots for about a
minute and a half.  The rest of the day was spent curled
up under a blanket.

 Leopard trim sheath dress, Signature by Robbie Bee, thrifted; green cowl sweater, Speak 2 Me, Younkers; green tights, Target; flat black over-the-knee boots, Fioni, Payless Shoes; poinsettia pin, handmade by an old lady; hemalike beaded bracelet and earrings, gifted (thanks Mary Ann!); Italian charm bracelet, various except for Wonton and I <3 My Boston Terrier charms those are gifted (thanks Stephen!)

 

Bracelets from my hubby and MIL.

 

I hit the jackpot at the family's Christmas gag gift exchange.  We do the type of exchange where you have the option to steal a gift from someone else or open a new one.  

Pink Himalayan salt, creme brulee kit, leopard print duct tape,
pug calendar, and maple lolly pops.  Woo hoo!

Christmas Eve 2011

I was going for comfort and warmth on Christmas Eve.  It was chilly, and we drove to Stephen's great aunt and uncle's house for the family Christmas celebration.

 


Green sweater, Mossimo, Target; red tank top, thrifted; skinny leopard print belt, Rue 21; jeans, Rejoice Jeans, Marshall's; flat brown boots, Pesaro, Rack Room Shoes; gold orchid earrings and necklace, JanesSwarJewelry, etsy; Italian charm bracelet, various except for Wonton and I <3 My Boston Terrier charms those are gifted (thanks Stephen!).

 

I <3 these boots so much.
I can check flat brown boots
off my wish list.

I am very ready to be done with the December Shoe Challenge, but I am already thinking of a January challenge to take its place.  I want to be able to wear fabulous boots like these more than once a month, and I want to make good use of the wardrobe I have.

I may challenge myself to abstain from shopping for the month.

Mom Weekend Recap

I had a great time over the Christmas weekend with my mom.

   

We made Mexican wedding cookies and chocolate chip cookies.

 

We made Christmas ornaments.

We bedazzled a pair of shoes.

We painted our finger nails a sparkly pink color.

The dragon is eating Mom!

I love this thing.

We took pictures of each other with a dragon that showed up on my route to work recently.

I can't wait to see my mom again.

Leaving on a Jet Plane/ Recovery

This is my last day of Christmas vacation.  My mom flew home this morning, so it feels like Christmas is over now.  As we were driving to the airport at five something A.M. she told me that every time she flies she gets the song "Leaving on a Jet Plane" as sung by the Mamas and the Papas Peter, Paul, and Mary stuck in her head.

We cried at the airport and then I cried some more on the way home.  There isn't much I miss about the state of Iowa, but I do miss my mom, my dad, and my beloved friends. 

We were a little bleary-eyed from lack of sleep and a few tears.

I am so glad I live in the age of fairly affordable air travel so I can see my loved ones even though they live halfway across the country











I will need some time to recover from all the celebrations of the last few days.  I am hung over from all the high-fat, high-sugar, carb-laden foods.  (No alcohol required for this hangover.)  I think I will have veggies for dinner tonight to clear my system.  I have fresh turnips, broccoli, and sweet potatoes, all from Stephen's great aunt and uncle's garden.  I also have leftover asparagus and salad greens to round out my veggie extravaganza. I am drinking big cups of herbal tea to rehydrate from all the salt too.

 

Pink sweater, Jeanne Pierre, thrifted; purple turtleneck, Kenneth Cole Reaction, Younkers; jeans, Rejoice Jeans, Marshall's; black and tan casual flats, Mossimo, Target; yarn ball necklace, handmade and gifted by my friend Chenille (thanks Chenille!); beaded earrings, handmade and gifted by my mother in law (thanks Mary Ann!)

 

 I was going for comfort today.  I am toasty warm and getting ready for my week.

My wonderful friend Chenille made this yarn ball necklace for me for Christmas.  I'll post the link to her etsy site when it is up and running.  My also wonderful mother in law made these lovely beaded earrings for me.  You won't get a pair of them unless you marry her son.  Sorry.

Sparkle Shoes

 

Here is my version of the lovely bejeweled shoes from Honestly WTF.  My mom and I made them Thursday night.  Mine might not have enough rhinestones, but I can always add more.  I was running out of patience with the stones and glue.  I can hardly wait to wear them!