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I have a confession.

I lost my camera.

Also this.

http://www.freetetris.org/game.php

Brace yourselves...winter is coming

Because it's cold. I bring you this.

   I have recently learned that a very good friend of the family has passed away.  Although I share no blood ties to this man I call him my uncle and consider him a second father. I had hoped to have him walk me down the aisle with my father on my wedding day.
   
     My uncle Tim was a wonderful human being. He had a laugh that would fill up the room and always kept me entertained with some newly learned fact or his latest conspiracy theory. His two favorite choices: aliens and government. Much like my Grandpa Jim, a man who did things in an old school small town way and a pocket full of WWII ex-marine stogies, uncle Tim did things the old fashioned way. He played football in his hometown where they almost went to state and he loved every minute. He joined the Army and served at the tail-end of Vietnam, where he became a sniper as he put it "just for fun".  He returned to his small town where he eventually found employment as a prison guard where he met my father. The two of them would go hunting together and were best friends.

I've known my uncle Tim since I was about 8 years old. He showed me about football and life, he taught me how to stand my ground in an argument and be a good sport in softball when I won. He never missed a Christmas or an OSU Michigan game. These two things will not be the same this year. I have no one to brag about Michigan's victory (my team of choice)  over OSU (his team) and I won't be able to see the glee on his face when he unwraps my carefully selected gift at Christmas. I will no longer be able to hear his infectious laugh while he sips his Coke. There will no longer be early morning whitetail hunting.

I have an empty void in my life that will no longer be filled with his laughter of guidance and I will miss him more than I can say. To the man that helped to shape me as a woman and as a human I love you.  I will miss your guidance and assurance to do what is right.



 I will always keep you in my heart.

Falling Behind

Since I've fallen behind I bring you this.

How to catch up when you've fallen behind

1. Let yourself be angry.
                                         
       I'm pretty upset with myself for letting my blog get this far behind. I'm angry that I have had all this extra      
       time these last few months yet I haven't been using it wisely. I'm disappointed in the fact that I didn't take a personal project seriously enough to work on it consistently.

2. Now that that's out of your system, move on.
                                                         
       Sitting here thinking about how I screwed up isn't going to make a time machine appear and whisk me away to fix it all. The best thing to do is to figure out why I didn't accomplish my goal, address it and more forward. I didn't update my blog because I didn't find it important enough to work on, to make time for or to update regularly.

3. Meditate and collect your composure
      Understand why you didn't accomplish your goal and figure out where to go from here. I realize that not posting regularly doesn't get me any closer to documenting my life or reaching out to people.

4. Manage your goals and expectations
    Maybe updating every day is too difficult, maybe working out every day is too much. So scale back just a touch. Just a touch. Don't forget what your goal is but maybe be more realistic about it. Setting the bar too high can some times set you up for failure. So instead of doing something every day, try every other day, or maybe even once a week, then work up from there.

5. Don't give up
    Just because you've messed up this time doesn't mean you can throw your hands in the air and just give up completely. It's never to late to fix things and catching up is always cool.

6.  DO IT!
                            
    Now that you've taken time to be upset and gotten it out of your system, figured out what went wrong and then possibly re-worked your goal GET TO IT!

How to thrift shop

This one is all about thrift store shopping.

1.) Find a place.
Now don't be fooled by outer apperances. Some of the best peices come from the homliest looking places. Try googling places to donate in your area, or try looking up thrift shops, which also go by consignment centers. You can even ask a friend if they've heard of any. And once you find a place don't be ashamed to go in their. People donate really ncie things to even very low income areas, you will be shocked what you can find in the shops that have low overhead.

2.) Do your homework
Call ahead and ask what kind of payment(s) they accept. Most thrift stores and consignment shops don't take credit of debit cards becasue they have to pay an extra fee to use them. Sometimes they pass this fee on to you. Some are cash only. Either way know what to bring ahead of time.



3.) Go with a list of items to look for.
There is no point walking into a store with no clue what your bearing is. yes it's true you may find something you werent looking for, like a beatiful scarf or a fabulous belt. But know ahead of time what your aiming for. This will also allows you to be extra vigilant in finding the perfect peice for your closet.
 I'm always keeping my eye out for tailored peices, or warm thick knit sweaters with cute details for the winter.

4.) Take your time.
Look through the racks carefully and slowly. If you find something you like, inspect it. Look for stains and tears that are too large to repair, missing buttons or unwanted extras( like sewn in shoulder pads).
Once youve looked at the cut, pattern and condition THEN look at the size. If it's close like within one or two sizes, or looks like it could fit, TRY IT ON!!!

5.) Try Everything On! Even if somethign is labeled in your size, the previous owner may have donated it because it has streched out or shrank, or it may have been donated because it is incorrectly sized. Also you want to do the try one dance.

6.) Take the piece into consideration.
Is this piece exactly what you want? Do you really need it? Is it comfortable? Will it mix well with what you already have? Can you think of at elast 3 ways to wear it? or 3 occasions? Is it a quality piece?

7.) Wash and Care
   Check the label to find out what materials the item is made of and what type of care is required.

8.) Wear with pride
Rock your fab new find!

Bad day

I'm having one.  Im frustrated about money and being single. So I am rejecting reality and making up my own.

This is my house.

Welcome to my living room where we will drink tea and chat about out days in front of a cute little fire.

And then we'll go into the kitchen to make cupcakes.

I dream about dreaming in this bed

and getting ready for the day in this bathroom.

I would then spend that day picking flowers and weeding this garden.

I love my dream house.

Hot hot hot!

Today was too hot to get dressed. It's 98 degrees outside.

So I give you this.

Because I wish I was in Hawaii with surfers and cold drinks.

We'll let the rain wash us clean

I love the rain. More specifically I love taking pictures of the rain.

It's like an Irish spring in my back yard.

Oh pretty colors!

So as promised here is how to take a picture and turn it into an outfit.

Photo:   

Outfit:

You can't really tell but my earrings are the same blue as the dishes, but I could not for the life of me get them to photograph the same way. 

The point here was to take the colors in the picture and use them to guide my choices. Simple and effective. 

Super Old Oddities

Things I learned today.
 1. Things can be classified as antiques after 20 years. Which means....I'm an antique.
 2. The rain loves me. No really it rained when I was inside and stopped when I came back outside. Plus it  
     makes me happy. : )
 3. Antique malls are fun places to take pictures of really cool old stuff for inspiration later.  See examples.

I just love this color. Pretty pretty peach!

There were...like...a dozen of these hat racks.
I miss the days when hats were THE thing to have.
 I'm bringing them back . 

The jewelry was beautiful and intricate. But really over priced.

These four dresses were right next to each other and the colors all
looked so good together. 

I'm a sucker for a good book. Especially when they come in multiples 

Apparently sex ed for kids was an issue even in 1969..he he 69.

See! The hat thing is awesome! These heads are all dressed up. 

Such a cool collection of pastels. I feel like this color pallet
 would make an awesome outfit.

oOoOoOoOo shiny!

I demand trees like this for Christmas. DEMAND IT!

This...I cant even...being caught in a round robin of sin is
worse than being preggers in 1960. Also never love a beatnik. 

We are little teapots..short and stout......

Tomorrow I will show you how to take a picture and make it an outfit. Ta Ta!

How to get dressed (It's actually really easy!)

Ok. So you got your closet all nice and clean and sparkly new! Yay for you! Now I'm guessing you did this so you can get dressed easier and pull out more fabulouso outfits everyday.


Now it's time to use that wonderful organization and make a banging outfit.


First things first, yes, you do have to get dressed because "Clothes make the man.  Naked people have little or no influence on society (Mark Twain)" . 


Now you've got to answer some questions:


 Where are you going today? Church? Work? Hanging out?


 What are you going to be doing in your clothes? Are you going to a fancy dinner where you can be comfortable in your highest heels because you'll be sitting? Or are you going to the zoo with your family or friends, so it would be smarter to wear flats?


What's the weather going to be like? If it's sunny and 80 then a turtle neck sweater will probably be to hot and you shouldn't be wearing shorts in the winter cause um...brrrrr.


Now that you've look at your agenda and the weather you can pick your outfit. 


Start with something you love to wear. Maybe you're favorite shoes, or a necklace that just amazing. Whatever it is, it should make you feel great when you put it on.  Now build from there. 


Here's an example: Let's pretend like I didn't have to work and I got to go with my friends to Cedar Point the other day. 
I would be walking around all day and riding roller coasters, so my shoes would have to be comfortable and stay on my feet because taking them off is out of the question for me. So sandals or sneakers. Sneakers are too easy so I'm going with sandals.



Next, it was a beautiful 68 degrees all day, with a slight breeze So a lightweight cardi would be great because it gives my outfit substance and color, while keeping me warm while standing in line. (it's kind of breezy next to lake Erie).  Now I could pair this with a simple graphic tee-shirt and some distress jean capris but I think I'm going easy one piece here : Romper!

Also a cross body bag is perfect because you can carry your things, like money and stuff your sweater in when you get too hot. Don't forget the perfect pair of shades and an easy accessory that wont get annoying if you sweat like a necklace or big earrings would. Plus it wont get blow off on the ride : ) 


Now after you've looked at the weather and you're agenda and planned out your clothes it's time to do your hair. Again this one depends on your hair texture and how it behaves (or doesn't) in said weather. I like to google cute hair styles, or when I see one on a model in a magazine I tear it out and keep it on my inspiration board. 


If I were at Cedar Point today I'd probably do my hair like so.

  

Simple and easy. Plus it looks better the messier it is, which is what the best rollercoasters in the world will do to your huur, mess it up. 












Don't forget to layer. Layers make things interesting. And mix things together that you normally would. 90% of an outfit is attitude. Just check out Man Repeller. If I tried to wear this stuff I'd look crazy, but because she wears it with pride and purpose she looks great. 


Sometimes its easier to take an outfit you see on a mannequin or in a magazine (or even pull one from a picture you took) but I'll show you how to do that Friday! 


Kthxbye!

How to Organize Your Closet

One system does not fit all when it comes to closets and the only way one system would work for everyone is if we all had the same closet with the exact same clothes. Which is not the case.

Organizing your closet is a personal adventure that takes time and patience. You are a unique individual and you are different from every other person ; just like your closet is different from every other person's. Everyone has different space and contents. We all have different needs and tastes. But one thing most people agree on is that a closet's organization needs to be simple and easy to maintain.

Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly.  ~Epictetus

Things you need:

• A plan
• Some containers for things like shoes and accessories
• Additional Shelving *this may depend on your needs and if your even allowed to put them up, like if you rent, but you can substitute with small self-standing shelves or even stacked milk crates in fun colors.
• Maybe a friend to help you separate
• A trash can 
• Box to keep your donation goods.
• Good lighting. If you don't have enough, get some lamps. 
• A full length mirror.

Step 1: Take it all out.
EVERYTHING needs to come out of your closet. You won't know how much space you actually have to deal with if you can't see it all. Plus this step comes in handy later and you may even discover a few forgotten gems.

Step 2: Clean all surfaces. Sweep the floor and wipe down the shelves. This is also a good time to repair any damages like holes, nails sticking out or scraped paint on the wall.

Step 3: Plan and once you've decided on a system write it down. Try to draw out your closet so you can plan where everything needs to go. And don't go exactly off of someone else's plan. It's your closet plan it to fit your life.

Always have a plan. Where would putting your sweaters make the most sense? In your closet or in a drawer or on a shelf? Should you keep your flats in front, or your heels? Do you need to make space for your winter boots or pull your basket of sandals and flip flops forward?

Organizing your closet to your needs allows you to keep it organized much better and gets you dressed quicker. I keep my tops together, my layering pieces together,sweaters and jackets together, my bottoms together and all of my dresses together. This way once I decide what to wear I can find it much faster and easier. This system also allows me to pull outfits together more efficiently. I know I'm not going to need pants if I wear a dress. And I know where my cardigans are if it's chilly out.
 








I'll show you!

All of my tops are together on one side, organized by color . Then each color section is organized by sleeve length from strappy to long.

Dresses on the left. Bottoms on the right

My purses in the basket on the right. 

                                                                  All of my bottoms are together on                                                                     the other side, as well as my                                                                     dresses. I keep my purses in a                                                                     basket on the floor.

If you're a busy mom on the go, you know that you'll need comfortable pieces that easily go together. Keep your flats forward and put your heels towards the back. Look for clothes that stand up to multiple washing, are soft against you and baby's skin, and don't have details, like stones or large embroidered areas that can get caught on things. Keep these together and your dressy grown up clothes together in a different area. If your a student keep your jeans handy and put your dressy things to the back.If your a professional keep your work clothes forward and move causal things to the back.

• Know where you want things to go, what you need to keep handy. Fit your closet to your life. 

• Keep all of your accessories together in one place. And keep them visible. If you can't see it, you won't wear it. 

                                                     

• If you have a closet that has hidden pockets, put items that are not in season here. Like my winter coats. These are tucked away in an area I don't get to every day. 

It's all a secret sshhhhh

Step 4: Separate clothes into piles. Put all bottoms in one, jeans in another, shirts and tops together, and layering pieces somewhere else.

Step 5: Separate some more. Pull the short sleeves away from the long sleeves and the tank tops from knit sweater tops. Skirts from pants, and capris from trousers.

Step 6: Go through each pile.
Look at your things individual and ask yourself these questions:
Is it in good repair? If not set it into a fix-it pile to be mended later.
Is it beyond repair? If not. Throw. It. OUT. If you can see things underneath that aren't supposed to be              
                              seen, fix it or pitch it. Period. Do not dress like a hobo.

I don't care how good Ke$ha looks, you're not
allowed to dress like a dirty hobo. Leave that to the pop stars

 Figure out what you have, what you don't need and what you're missing. Have you ever gone shopping and thought to yourself "Wow. I love this top. It's so cute! I have to get it" and then you get home and put it away only to discover you have something just like it. This is bad. And if you have two things that are exactly alike, donate one. If you can't think of a good reason to keep something, get rid of it.
Sad-sack excuses that will not fly sweet-cheeks.

• "But I like it"
•  "But it's comfy"
•  "But I've had it forever"
•  "But I'll wear when I lose more weight". 

These are excuses that are eating away at your space and time. If you can't remember the last time you wore it or if it's so holy and worn that there is no rescuing it, it has to go.

These are no-nos.
And just because something fits, doesn't mean it's right for you.

Uh-Uh. People. This look has got to go.

                                                     

Step 7:  Don't forget to organize your hangers Wire ones with wire ones and plastic with plastic.  I'm one of the lucky few who have all matching hangers. Luckily I worked in a retail store so I took a few home every-now-and-then but only because I was allowed. It's not necessary but it does make everything look so nice. (Just a side note, you *could* spray paint all of your hangers the same color, like white or black with a good quality spray paint, but don't hang your clothes up until the hangers are completely dry and this would probably take a really long time to do.)

Step 8: Put it all back in. Do this carefully and logically. Follow your plan. If part of the way through you realize your plan needs tweaking that's ok. Use your judgment and let your closet organicly form. If after a few days of getting dressed you figure out that it would be better to keep your pants somewhere else, then move them. It's a process and it takes time. But the important thing is that you're figuring out what works best for you.

Step 9: Additions.

I like to add things to my closet to give it a more personal touch. A pretty photo frame on a shelf of me looking super fly. Or an inspiration board. Make sure to add in your accessories and what not, or keep them handy. 

Step 10: Maintain and enjoy.
Make sure that once you've gotten everything cleaned out and organized, you keep it that way. Don't be lazy and do not undress in front of your closet. If you take it off put it in a hamper. Don't let clothes pile up in the bottom of your closet. When you do your laundry put it away, right away. Don't leave baskets of clean clothes laying around everywhere.


Getting dressed everyday is fun and should be enjoyable. If not, then why bother right? ;)

Whooopss!

So I woke up today in a sassy-frassy kind of mood and decided to dress up. After getting dressed up in a fabulous way I thought to myself "man I wish everyone could see how great I look!". I then remembered that I have a blog. This blog. Which I have been neglecting for...oh...Idunno....3 months. That's a big oops. An oops I stand to rectify.

So here are today's thoughts:
  Clouds are beautiful. I had yesterday off so I laid outside and watched them form, grow and then disappear. It was like a ballet, all for me :)

People who drive really slow annoy me and people who drive too fast scare me so I give you this
          http://www.ehow.com/how_5277566_drive-better.html

And today's outfit (and yes I really wore this, just ask the lady at Aldi.)

My Canadian Tuxedo. Pretty fly, no?

My gangsta chains. te he