this isn't goodbye. not exactly.

 shoes: unionbay brand. shorts & shirt: american eagle. bracelets: forever21.

So... [Editor's note: Methinks too many sentences/paragraphs on this blog are started with the word "so." Like we're in the middle of a conversation or something. Which, who knows, maybe we are. One long conversation about my sweet tooth and flosslessness.]

So I'm downsizing my posting on this blog. I've loved it as a creative outlet, but with the start of multiple kiddos at school, a gazillion projects, some interests elsewhere, cookies to bake for after-school snacks, roses to stop and smell, and just an overall need to simplify simplify, posting to this blog on the daily is what will have to give.

There there. Don't cry. Oh, wait...are those tears of joy? Then, by all means. Bawl away.

Thank you, lovelies, for supporting me in my not-so-serious take on style and life. I'm amazed and humbled that so many of you care what I have to say...or at least inadvertently click on my URL before you realize the mistake you've made.

Cheers. And I'll see you soon for an awesome product review of something you'll totally want.

AND and happy Wednesday.

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More CeCe...

the blind leading the blind

 shoes: unionbay brand. shorts: gap (cutoff myself). shirt: j.crew. belt & bracelet: downeast basics (american eagle). watch: target.

You guys, sometimes I just can't take style too seriously. Like today. Nothing makes sense in this ensemble. Black stripes with blue? Bright red lips? Huge wrist jewelry with cutoffs (*love*) and an industrial nylon belt? It's like I walked toward my closet and reached blindly in, wearing whatever I touched first.

Not to offend the blind, mind you. Because by texture alone, this outfit raises more than one eyebrow and a handful of question marks. So.

Come to think of it, my method of getting dressed set the tone for the whole day today, actually--I prepared lunch approaching the fridge with the same, ah, carefree spirit... not surprisingly, I ended up with some pudding, a pickle, and a few shreds of cheese. Yummy...?

Some days are just like that, though. Full of pickles and a random yellow belt. And a pretty great 7-year-old's birthday celebration. Life is beautiful.

Happy Wednesday.

Want this look? (If so, you're adorable...but a little nuts.) Either way, click on stuff below...

More Asos...

magic 101: illusion of an hourglass on a box

I can breathe again!! Oh, how glorious are sinus-clearing meds and the resultant cleared sinuses. But mostly the meds.

 shoes: unionbay. pants: gap. shirt: ana. headband: borrowed from a belted shirt from downeast basics. watch: target.

I kinda feel like a pirate today (can you guess in which pic I'm audibly saying, "arrrrgh, matey"? It's super subtle, so take your time...). And also? I have a super square torso and no hips to speak of (a.k.a., I'm a human refrigerator box), but I like the illusion of feminine form that the pleating on this shirt creates. So I'm a feminine pirate, all right? Sue me. It's not like it's totally unheard of. (Pirates of Penzance, anyone?) 

Today I'm packing for our family trip to (shhhhh) Disneyland, a 12-hour drive in ideal conditions (i.e., no traffic or potty stops), meaning it will take us at least 20 hours. The kids still don't know the purpose; they just know that we're going to California. We're not exactly what you'd call world travelers, as evidenced by the questions I've fielded this weekend. Questions like:

"Do they speak the same language as us in California?"

"Can we watch one movie on our long drive? Will we be able to finish it before we get there?"

"What kind of food do they eat in California? Can we take some fruit snacks in case we don't like it?"

"Can we visit the Atlantic Ocean on our way home from California?"

"I don't want to go on a long car drive. I'll just ride my bike and meet you there."

I.Can't.Wait. to introduce our kids to the magical place that is D-land. I'm prob more excited than they would be, if they knew.

Never fear, though, friends. I have some magnificent guest posters lined up for your reading enjoyment while I'm gone. And I'll be back next week...unless I decide my life would be more fulfilling as a guide on Pirates of the Caribbean. After all, I'd fit right in, as you've seen...

Happy Monday.

Ahoy thar! Want this look? Check out the stuff below... (no, seriously, do it. there's a funny surprise...at least, I think it's funny.)

More Zigi...

What, this old thing? Yeah...it really is, actually.

 shoes: unionbay brand. pants: gap. shirt: somewhere in germany. cardigan: old navy. belt & necklace: downeast basics.

There's something pretty liberating about wearing a fancy cluster necklace with an industrial nylon belt. I feel like I could do anything today, if I'm being honest with you. Anything at all. Fly, see through walls, lasso bad guys with a magical lariat, call the public library to see if I accidentally returned my son's schoolbook there...ANYthing. You name it.

[Editor's note: I tried make the library phone call sound cooler by associating it with those other super-activities. Did it work? Does it sound like a way awesome thing to do? No? Drat. Well, the good news is that I actually DID take that book to the public library on accident, which means my son will be able to graduate 1st grade. *phew*]

[Assistant Editor's note: What Editor is failing to tell you all is that, embarrassing as this most recent book/library mixup might sound, it's not NEARLY as embarrassing as the time we "returned" library books into a local video rental return slot...and then accused the library of screwing up their record-keeping because we specifically remembered returning them into a drop box. HEH.]

 Want more embarrassing dirt on me? Here. Outtakes.

Can someone please remind me why I blog? Is it to publicly humiliate myself as much as possible, and since I don't see that many people during the course of my real life, turning to the Internet was the only viable solution? No? Well then...I have no response to that.

Happy Monday.

p.s. Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY -- it ends tonight!

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More Gap...

a wide leg trouser by any other name...

I think I have "cuffed pants" on the brain (prob because of this post). But before you make any judgments about today's ensemble, I have an explanation and an apology and a fascinating early-morning internal dialogue documented below. So. Read on.

shoes: unionbay brand. pants & denim jacket: gap. shirt: ana brand. belt: vintage. watch: target. necklace: forever21. bracelet: open jewelry market in hawaii.

  As the weather gloomified and chilled over course of the morning, I had to modify my outfit. First: I threw on a denim jacket and struck a weird facial expression.

 Second: I unrolled the trousers. Which, frankly, I liked better anyway with these pants. 'Tweren't broken. Shouldn't've tried to fix 'em. (Allsofasudden my fingers think I'm a redneck? Awesome. Something fried and delicious for dinner, I guess...)

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Sometimes I make odd choices. Take this morning, for instance. I pulled out these sweet wide-leg plaid trousers because it's still raining and coldish. [Editor's note: I could've worn a skirt with colored tights, but I think I temporarily burned myself out on colored tights.] Despite their (the pants') fabulous features (e.g., wide leg, front crease, great colors, classic plaid print, good fit, etc.), I thought to myself, "these pants are too ordinary. I need to do something to make them unique."

(I also thought to myself, "what's for breakfast?" And then my brain answered, "toast." And then I complained, "what? toast again?" And then my brain said, "yep. and it'll be toast tomorrow, too, if y'all don't get yo'self to the grocer sto'.") (It's good to know my brain and my fingers speak the same dialect.)

Wow. Long story short (too late): I tried to peg and cuff these pants and get away with it. Shame on me. Which is why I love doing this blog--I find out all sorts of things. Like: don't try to make a garment something into it absolutely inherently isn't. And also: stop listening to country music for a while.

Do you guys ever do stuff like that? Try too hard to get something to be different when, really, it's best just to leave it alone and let it shine for what it is?

Either way...Happy Thursday.

 Want this look? Click below, buy some stuff...then don't cuff the pants, k? Thanks.

More Tory Burch...

the merits of hats and not doing one's hair.

 shoes: unionbay brand. jeans: kohl's. cardigan: vintage. shirt: don't recall. bracelets & necklaces: hodgepodge of places. hat: thrifted. belt: forever21.

I wasn't going to get dressed today. But then I did. In a pretty predictable ensemble, until I piled on the accessories. Over-the-top? You betcha. And, strangely, I'm okay with it. Sometimes that hides the mundane-ness. Like putting cinnamon and nutmeg on apple slices. Unexpected and maybe awesome.

So. There you have it. Broke all sorts of rules today, like wearing random flats, totally and unnecessarily over-accessorizing, adding a hat with no rhyme or reason, and getting dressed at, like, 3 p.m. But it's good to keep life spontaneous. "Will I eat 1 handful or 1 bag of pnut m&ms?" I never know. And it's terribly exciting to contemplate...

Happy Monday!

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to crop or not to crop... not even a question, really. CROP.

 shoes: unionbay brand. jeans: old navy. shirt: american eagle. sweater & bracelet: downeast basics. watch: target. necklace & flower hair clip (which you can't see): gift. 

[Editor's note: These pants are a smidge too big, but perfect for a lazy rainy day like today. In the pic above, you'll notice my left hip looks like it has some cuh-razy double-jointage. Although that would be cool, I have no such claim to fame. The belt hits below my hip bone, and the top of my pants poke out below. Make sense? Ease your mind? Good.]

Hey guys, It's Friend Friday! Today's topic is: Inspiration... (If you're interested, you should check out tons of other people's responses here.)

1. Which celebrity (celebrities) do you look to for fashion inspiration? You guys are all not going to believe me, but I speak (type) the truth: I don't know squat about celebs in general. It's embarrassing, actually...but apparently not embarrassing enough that I change the fact. Heh. BUT that's not to say I get dressed in a bubble--I'm sure that certain celebs have sported (and, consequently, made "fashionable") some of the types of clothing I wear. I just don't know who they are or what the items were. Otherwise I'd for sure give them lip service. Which they probably wouldn't want from a celeb-noramous (celebrity + ignoramous) like me anyway. So I guess we all win...?

2. When it comes to your own personal style, what inspires you? Comfort inspires me. Classic looks inspire me. Color combinations that I see in nature and home design inspire me. Ironic balance inspires me (i.e., fanciness + rusticity, chic + cozy, delicate + chunky, etc.). J.Crew inspires me. (Is that so base of me to admit? You guys. You know me by now that I'm here to keep it real. Take me or leave me, but don't doubt my frankness...unless I'm being sarcastic. Then you should all just ignore me.)

3. How do you hope to inspire your readers? I hope my readers see me as I am -- a normal girl who's got some kids and some clothes and who tries to have fun with getting dressed. I'm no fashion guru or model or anything of the like. Several of you are floored by that last statement, I'm sure, so I'll pause and let it sink in. [Editor's note: Kay, that's an example of sarcasm. Ignore and move on.]

4. Outside the realm of fashion who/what inspires you? The simplistic part of me wants to say my husband (who is my rock and all things perfectly fitted for me) and home design (Celerie Kemble!). But if I were stranded on a desert island and had only one thing to be inspired by, it would be, without hesitation and all kidding aside, my Savior Jesus Christ. Which is a little heavy for this blog. So. With all due respect... I'll move on.

5. And since Idol is ending… Which songs inspire you? Holy incriminating. Okay, fine. John Denver's Annie's Song, Jon Bon Jovi's Livin' on a Prayer, REO Speedwagon's In My Dreams, James Taylor's Shower the People you Love with Love (or whatever the title is), Moulin Rouge's Your Song (originally Elton John's, I think?), the Anne of Green Gables soundtrack, pretty much everything Karen Carpenter sang, and many others that I either can't think of or am too embarrassed because I feel totally granny-licious by the information I've already given you. 

Happy Friday!

Want this look? Shop below...but get the jeans a bit big to do that covetable hip trick...

More Old Navy...

Does this dress make me look fat? (Correct answer: Actually yes. Yes it does.)

 Sorry about yesterday's lack of post. No, really. I'm sorry. Mostly sorry for myself, though, because now I have to actually figure out today's date (previously, the date = my 30x30 number). My poor brain. Hey, don't roll your eyes at me. These little things add up, people.

 shoes: union bay brand. tights & jewelry: don't recall. leg warmers: amazon. dress: gap. belt: thrifted. cardigan: j.crew.

This week I'm grateful for:

- paint rollers.

- beautiful blue sky peeking through the snow-laden branches of barren trees.

- a 2-year-old's trying to find her sister and calling out: "wheh IS you?"

- windows from which I can watch my children playing in the snow. Should I have been out there playing with them? Probably. But I'm the one who kicked them out into the "fresh air" in the first place, so I'll score myself a half-a-point in the Mothering Department. And anyways, we all enjoyed some hot cocoa afterward, so that gives me another half-a-point...right?

- the children's book Olivia. Don't think I could get sick of reading that one to the kiddos. And believe you me, I would've been sick of it by now.

- a mr.-fix-it husband. Who would vehemently deny the title. But it's true.

- our home.

- snickerdoodles.

- family & friends. Sounds totally cliche, doesn't it? Like, you're probably skimming by now and are thinking, "blah blah, family friends big whoop reeeeal original." Or, actually, you're probably not even giving it that much thought. Regardless of how stale it sounds, I couldn't mean it more genuinely.

- my cell phone.

- simple things.
- smiling to myself at the irony of almost ending this list with "my cell phone" and "simple things."

Happy Sunday! 

Want this look? Or do you, like me, feel it makes the wearer look chunky & stumpy and will therefore pass on copying it? Don't blame you at all...but either way, here are similar pieces below:

More J.Crew...

better late than never...except for stuff like mold and rust. then i'd take never.

 Hahahaha. I'm sorry, but seriously...I can't stop laughing at the pic representing "3." Sometimes I crack myself up. Actually, a lot of times. Actually, that happens more often than it probably should, so says Pocket. I think he's right. But I can't help it. 

shoes: union bay brand. pants & shirt: gap. cardigan: j.crew. scarf: smith's marketplace. belt: thrifted. watch: target. earrings: gift.

 

Posting late today. I'm repainting one daughter's room so both daughters cans share the room so my son can move upstairs so we can maybe have houseguests for the next few months.

So I wore this ensemble for a total of, like, 1 hour today. I've been in paint clothes ever since. That's not cheating, is it? And, even if it is, I'm being honest about it. Which should cancel out any negativity you might feel from being betrayed. Let's all eat a pnut m&m as a token of peace.

Oooh, here's a psychological question for you all, once you've exhausted the chicken-or-the-egg bit: If someone tells the truth about their lie, are they honest or not? Annnnnd...yes, the chicken did come first. Absolutely.

Happy Wednesday! (what's left of it...)

Want this look? Here you go, help yourself...

More Asos...

Saturday brevity

shoes: union bay brand. jeans: american eagle outfitters. shirt & belt: forever21. jacket: kohl's. necklace & flower clip: gifted. bracelet: don't recall. earrings: hawaii.

I love it when Pocket goes shopping. He gets stuff like oranges and pnut m&ms and a kinect for the xbox 360. Which is why today's post is so short. I'm off to make my body into the controller and exhibit the reflexes of a cat. A nearly-dead bedraggled on-its-8th-life alleycat feline. But a cat nonetheless.

Happy Saturday!

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More Jessica Simpson...

pandas & outtakes...but i WISH it was outtakes of pandas... way cooler.

Don't think about a panda bear. Hah! You totally pictured one, didn't you. Don't feel bad though, friends. I'm a Master of Mind Control. Like this: Don't think that the framed pic below is hanging straight.

 Did it work? It totally worked, right?... Aw crap.

 shoes: union bay brand. wide leg pants & shirt: gap. cardigan: j.crew. watch: citizen brand. earrings: hawaii.

 So many things to say, so little energy to type. What's a girl to do?

I'm going to trust that the majority of my readers are female (aside from the Mystery Synchronized Diver researcher...I tend to believe he's male. But that's just me.). Even so, I'm not sure how to tell you all how much I think periods really suck. But I'll try. How 'bout this: periods really suck.

Thus, today's ensemble had two purposes: (1) comfort. Like, the kind of comfort achieveable almost exclusively by wrapping up in a 90-year-old family heirloom quilt (there's no substitute. really.) with only one's mouth exposed so that rich dark chocolates can be (read: are) periodically (read: every minute) dropped (read: shoveled) in (read: in). Today's wide leg pants and cardigan? Definitely check-check.

Which makes me wonder if Mr. Rogers was usually in pain or something, to always have busted out the cardigan on his show, but that's another discussion for another day. [Editor's note: But what is a discussion for today is the fact that, even as a kid, I remember being annoyed by Mr. Rogers. Am I alone in this?]

Ahem. Today's outfit also had to include (2) no belt. No restrictive device anywhere, anyhow, for that matter. Unless you count a watch as being restrictive (I suppose one could feel that way...but I don't), then check-check again. Checkmate, in fact.

Speaking of...is it bad that my 6-year-old can whoop me in chess? Not kidding. Even when I try my best and give him hints (and/or give him false leading tips to get him off-track), he beats me. And you wanna know why? For some reason, in the thick of the game, I always forget that the king is more important than the queen. I almost always lose because I'm protecting that magical queen--forwards, backwards, AND diagonal? I mean, you just can't beat that kind of weapon. There's probably a deeply significant psychological interpretation for people like me. Like "weird."

Annnnnnd...a rare treat for all you loveable readers out there: Outtakes. [Editor's note: Not that outtakes are in and of themselves rare around here. Just the fact that I'm posting them is rare. But these were too good to pass up. And by good I mean lame. Natch.]

You're welcome. And happy Monday.

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More J.Crew...