Monday, December 19, 2011

Happy Holidays!

I am finishing up some deadline types of things these next few days at work, then we're heading out of town for Christmas, where I will be with very little internet connection and no real motivation to wear anything other than yoga pants, then I'm back to Atlanta to finalize the very last deadline types of things at work before year-end hits, so I think I'm going to go ahead and take these next two weeks off from this little corner of the Internet to get everything done, and enjoy the upcoming quality time with my family.

I do plan to post sporadically over at my family blog these next couple of weeks, however, if you're noticing a serious lack of cute toddler pictures in your life and want to remedy that...

If not, have a very happy holiday week, and I'll be back after the start of the new year, with my well-intentioned and exceptionally realistic resolutions for 2012.

(And I fully intend to stick to them this year! Maybe! If they don't get too hard! And I don't get too busy!)

(And...who am I kidding? I am totally going to need someone to volunteer for the 2012 resolution cheerleader position this year, if I really want to make any changes...any takers?)

Friday, December 16, 2011

Crunch Time

You guys! Christmas is, like, a week away! Seriously!

How did this happen?!?!

Any chance we can all get together and agree to push it back for a couple of weeks? I know that would really help me out, right about now...

Thanks.

PS: Can't you feel the tension in these pictures? Rudy Cat (as Brigid calls him, anyway...he used to be plain old Rudy, but he's been renamed by the two-year old...and it's kind of ridiculously adorable) really, really, REALLY wanted to get his hands (paws) on that darn necklace I was wearing. I'm lucky there are no holes in my sweater after this attempt.


Sweater: Loft (outlet)
Skirt: Loft (outlet)
Shoes: Nine West
Tights: Hue (from DSW)
Bracelet: Kohls
Necklace: Old Navy 

Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Plaid

I don't know why plaid is making such a comeback right now, but I kind of think I like it. I gave my husband a hard time when he started loading up on plaid shirts once fall hit (in fact, I think my exact words were 'when did it become 1996 again?'), but then I fell in love with this little skirt at the thrift store, and I decided maybe Steve was on the right track.

AND THEN! And then, when I was doing my post-Thanksgiving, pre-detox spending spree at the outlet mall, I came across this skirt at the Loft outlet, and...well...gray and purple plaid?

There was just no saying no to this one.

(And that's why I put myself on the shopping ban...

The clothes were winning, my friends. The clothes were winning.)



 Cardigan: Gap (outlet)
Skirt:Loft (outlet)
Shoes: Nine West (outlet)
Tights: Hue (from DSW)
Necklace: Charming Charlie 

Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Sequins!

I haven't participated in an Everybody, Everywear challenge in a few months, but when I saw that the December prompt was sequins and sparkle, I definitely wanted to play along. Might not be a bad one to check out, if you're looking to add a little shine to the holiday wardrobe...


------------------------------
Speaking of holidays, I started wrapping my Christmas presents last night, and if that's not the most time consuming activity right now, I don't know what is. Luckily, I sugared myself up on some eggnog for the evening, so I was able to power through a good portion of the gift pile.
That said, though, I think everyone is just getting gift cards next year. So much easier, you know?

(Oh, who am I kidding? Gifts for EVERYONE! I love shopping for Christmas presents for my family...there's just something about thinking you've found that one perfect gift, I guess.)



Tank Top: J Crew
Cardigan: Gap (outlet)
Skirt: J Crew (outlet)
Shoes: Nine West (outlet)
Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Monday Blahs

It's cloudy and cold and Monday, and while that seems like it should be an absolute bummer, it's also full-on Christmas season, and Brigid and I have spent the day listening to festive music and watching DVR'd holiday specials and eating some of the various holiday treats lying around the house, so it's actually been a pretty pleasant day.

It's also Inspiration Monday at Two Birds, so that always helps, too, because if it wasn't for those ladies, I'm pretty sure I'd be sitting around in my sweats all day, and the fact that I'm wearing pants with an actual waistband is the only thing that's kept me from eating ALL of the holiday treats in the house.

And that's never a good feeling...

Anyway, the inspiration:


And, the outfit:

 T-shirt: Gap
Sweater: DKNY Jeans (from Macy's)
Jeans: MICHAEL Michael Kors (from Macy's)
Shoes: Steve Madden (from Macy's)

Friday, December 9, 2011

Old Navy

Hey, look...today's neutral is navy! This might just be my favorite look of the week. I LOVE this dress! For other navy ideas, you can always visit Megan Mae Daily or Keely to see the other participants!
------------------------------

I am so happy that this week is finally over. Except for the fact that I have a crazy deadline on Monday, which is supposed to be my day off, but I can't really expect my team to have everything into me a day early, since we're already operating on a shorter calendar than we need, so I will be trying to juggle work and Brigid on Monday.

So...that's something to look forward to, I guess.

Next week. If I can just get through next week, we'll have hit most of our year-end deadlines, and things can start slowing down a bit. 

And then I can concentrate on packing lots and lots of layers for Christmas in Indiana...



Dress: Banana Republic (outlet)
Cardigan: Macy's (from somewhere in the Juniors section)
Tights: Loft (outlet)
Boots: DSW



Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

A little cognac for a rainy day...

For other neutral ideas, you can always visit Megan Mae Daily to see other participants!
------------------------------
So, last night, I found out that my hair lady (stylist? hair cutter? woman responsible for reintroducing me to bangs, but also keeping me from doing anything too drastic when I was pregnant and couldn't find any hairstyle that looked good on me?) is moving to Minnesota. She and I had moved to Atlanta around the same time, and I was matched up with her blindly while booking an appointment at a salon down the street from the house Steve and I were renting at the time.

Five years later, and she's the only person who has touched my hair in the state of Georgia. I realize this is a complete non-problem in the grand scheme of things, but still...

I'm going to miss her.

And I don't know if I have it in me to break in a new hair lady after all of this time.

PS: Sorry for the terrible, terrible post titles this week. I promise, I'll try harder in the future.

Dress (as top): Calvin Klein
Skirt: H&M
Tights: Hue (from DSW)
Shoes: Nine West 


Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Lowdown Brown


For other neutral ideas, you can always visit Megan Mae Daily to see other participants!
------------------------------

So, obviously, this isn't really a typical workday outfit for me...but that's because I wore this to work/shopping with my sister-in-law last weekend.

See how I tricked you there? Ha!

Happy Wednesday!



Top: The Limited
Sweater: Gap
Jeans: Gap
Boots: DSW
Necklace: Charming Charlie 

Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Gray Day


For other neutral ideas, you can always visit Megan Mae Daily to see other participants!
------------------------------
Tuesday's Neutral Week challenge prompt is gray. Should be easy, right? I have a TON of gray clothing in my closet!

And yet, I absolutely missed the boat on this one, because throwing a gray sweater on does not a gray based neutral outfit make. But I'm going with it, anyway. I couldn't really find any gray bottoms that looked ok with the sweater, and I really wanted to wear the sweater. So, there you have it. My dressing logic...

Kind of frightening, getting a glimpse inside my head, huh?


Button-up: Land's End Canvas
Sweater: Gap
Skirt: Calvin Klein (from Macy's)
Shoes: Nine West
Tights: Hue (from DSW) 

Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Neutrals Week!

Since I'm all involved in this self-imposed shopping ban in December, I'm looking for ways to inspire myself to wear what I already have in different ways, instead of looking for that inspiration in new clothes.

(And honestly, if you saw my closet, you'd wonder why I'd have such a hard time being inspired by what I own. Because, let's face it, I own much more than I really need to own...)

(Hence, the shopping ban, I guess...)

So I decided to participate in the Neutrals Week challenge, which you can read all about over at Megan Mae Daily, if you're interested... 


The neutral for Monday is black, which makes up most of my closet, anyway, so it wasn't really a bad place to start for the week. Hope your week is off to a lovely start, as well!


Dress: Ella Moss
Sweater: Gap
Boots: DSW
Tights: Hue (from DSW)
Bracelets: Mango Tree 

Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Human Again

Do any of you have the extended edition of the Beauty and the Beast DVD that includes the extra song Human Again? And do any of you have a toddler who is obsessed enough with the movie that you know the words to this song by heart?

If you answered yest to both of those questions, you are welcome for getting this song stuck in your head for the rest of the day. If not...then just feel really, really bad for me because I don't think I will be able to stop singing it any time soon.

This, of course, is just my long, drawn-out way of telling you that I woke up this morning, and I didn't feel like I would keel over from the plague the minute I got out of bed! Yay, me!

Of course, the end of the plague also means I woke up starving, because I haven't really eaten a solid meal in two days, but whatever. If you need me, I'll be in the corner all day, eating all of the food.

All of it.


Dress: Banana Republic
Blazer: The Limited
Shoes: Nine West
Necklace: Banana Republic (outlet)
Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Sick Day

I slept ten hours last night. TEN HOURS! Who does that these days?

And even though I slept a good four hours longer than I normally do, I still woke up this morning, completely exhausted. And then, it just got worse as the day went on. I think I've officially fallen victim to the toddler germs...and I'm now working from home, in sweats and the most comfortable sweater ever. That I stole from my husband. After accidentally shrinking it in the dryer.

Anywhoo...

Look! Old outfits that I never got around to posting when I actually wore them!

This was my attempt to win over the moms' group in my neighborhood with clean, shiny hair, as opposed to the unwashed mess I introduced them to the first time we met. I think it went well, considering I scored an invite to the December dinner, too. Apparently, wine is more important than clean hair in this circle. Which is why they are my kind of ladies...

(Side Note: I'd worn the dress as a top, as seen in the bottom picture, to work that day, before losing the skirt and adding boots for dinner that night...it's getting all kinds of creative up in here!)




 
Dress: F21
Cardigan: Target
Skirt: H&M
Belt: J Crew
Boots: Bare Trap (DSW)
Tights: We Love Colors
Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Back to Work

I left work at 2:30pm last Wednesday, and I haven't been back. Until this morning. Woo!

Where are my lottery winnings hiding, so I can do this whole vacation thing on a permanent basis?

------------------------------

With November rolling to a close, now seems like a good time to update you on the self-imposed shopping ban I'm under right now. It's...well, it's kind of going.

I spent some money last weekend at the outlet mall, because I'd already told myself that I could, but even that didn't have the thrill for me that it normally does. Sure, I found some things that I wanted (I always find things that I want), and I picked those things up. But towards the end of my trip, I was tired of shopping.

WHO AM I, AND WHAT HAVE I DONE WITH MYSELF?!?!

Generally, I do not get tired of shopping. But all I could think, as I wandered the mall, was 'do I really need another sweater? another skirt? don't I already have EVERYTHING that this place is selling?'. And do you know what?

I kind of do.

So, December is almost upon us. And it's time for me to buckle down, and save some money. No shopping. No spending. No nothing.

Let's do this.

Worn to work last week (before the temperatures dropped again...)
Dress: Gap (outlet)
Belt: Target
Boots: DSW
Bracelets: Mango Tree
Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Even I have my limits...

Well, I didn't really intend to take an internet break over the holidays like that, but sometimes it's just needed, I guess. After an abundance of family time, a trip out at midnight for Black Friday (to people watch, mostly, not to shop...I don't do well shopping in crowds*), a drive through some Christmas lights, and a sick baby to wrap up the weekend, getting back into our routine this week might not be such a bad thing.

I hope you all had a lovely long weekend!

*Our Black Friday outing included a trip to Wal-Mart, mostly to get cheeseburgers at McDonald's, and then a walk through the outlet mall, where there were ridiculously long lines outside of several stores that had already opened, but were already full. The only one I even CONSIDERED waiting in was for Kate Spade, because 50% off was waiting inside. But then my sense took over, and I moved on. We did get a $100+ serving set from Pottery Barn for $20, but that was the extent of my Black Friday deal hunting. The longest line was outside of the Ralph Lauren outlet, and it stretched around the front of the building. Unless Ralph himself was inside handing out free jeans, I have NO IDEA what kind of deal could have enticed me to stand in a line like that...



Sweater: Land's End Canvas
Skirt: Old Navy
Boots: White Mountain (from DSW)


Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.


Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Where does the time go?

Can y'all believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving? ALREADY?!?!

I swear, it seems like just yesterday I was celebrating New Year's Eve. Time really does fly when you're having fun, I guess...

Here's to a fantastic holiday weekend for everyone, filled with family, food, fun, and maybe a great shopping deal or two :)

T-Shirt: J Crew
Sweater: Macy's
Jeans: Gap
Boots: Bear Trap (from DSW)
Scarf: Land's End


Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.


Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Evening Out

My sister-in-law called me on Saturday to see if I wanted to go to a bar that night to get dinner and drinks like a 'grown-up', instead of sitting around my house drinking wine, which is what we had done the night before.

And since heading out on such a grown-up outing would obviously call for me to wear the giant flower ring that I've had for months but seldom bring out of the jewelry box, I was all for it.

And if you try to tell me there's more to being an adult than pretty jewelry, I will stick my fingers in my ear and hum to myself until you go away. Unless that something more involves the ability to eat chocolate for breakfast...

Then we can still be friends.



T-shirt: F21
Cords: Gap
Boots: Me Too (DSW)
Bracelet: Kohls
Ring: Kate Spade

Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.


Monday, November 21, 2011

Workin' it...

Ordinarily, Mondays are my days at home, when I spend my time hanging out with Brigid, finishing up the laundry from the weekend, and just generally recovering from the previous two days of 'relaxation' that are Saturday and Sunday. But this week, since I already have a shortened schedule, and Steve is working from home due to some office relocations that are going on in our building, I am braving the big bad world of Monday, and heading into the office for the day.

I don't know how you guys manage to do this every week!

(Also, knock on every piece of wood within a 5 mile radius that they don't take my flex schedule away from me anytime soon. I don't know what I'd do without it...)

------------------------------

But, before I go...it's Inspiration Monday at Two Birds!

The inspiration:


And the look (please note it is too darn cold around here for me to be wearing short sleeves...and I am referring to my 50-ish degree office, and not the 70-ish degree weather outside. oh Georgia, I love you and your 70-degree November...):


(Please excuse my attempt to show that the stripes on my sweater were, in fact, navy blue, and not black, like my camera is trying to show...)

Sweater: Gap
Pants: The Limited
Shoes: Nine West
Necklace: Calvin Klein (outlet) 


Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

It's kind of a big deal...

Ok, it's actually not a big deal at all to anyone but me, but I was excited about it, so it totally counts.

Anyway, I've never really been a thrift store kind of gal because I just don't have the patience for it. I have a hard time combing through racks and racks of clothes, looking for the next great deal, with no other plan of action. The same feelings apply to really big sales, TJ Maxx, and anywhere else where I have to dig to buy.

(Not that this has ever stopped me from shopping really big sales or TJ Maxx, but that doesn't mean I was enjoying myself!)

(Ok, I actually mostly love it. Moving on...)

But I also know thrift stores can be a goldmine of clothing opportunities, at really great prices, and I'm always so jealous when I see other people's finds, so I figured I was just going to have to suck it up and try again.

And a couple of weeks ago, I finally found success,with this skirt, among other items. And then I stopped shopping, for my own good.

But once I lift my self-imposed ban? I am definitely going back...


Sweater: Gap
Cardigan: Express
Skirt: Talbot's (thrifted)
Shoes: Nine West
Necklace: Charming Charlie


Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.


Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Coffee Break

When I started my shopping detox, I searched the house for gift cards that I could stash away for days when nothing but spending money would make me feel better. That little search turned up several $5 Starbucks gift cards that my husband, who doesn't even drink coffee, had hidden away for no reason other than, I assume, to make me crazy.

Thank goodness he did, because I just may need to pull on of those bad boys out, today. It's just going to be one of those days, I think...

------------------------------

Entirely unrelated, it seems that my general state of unwash from a couple of weeks ago did not, in fact, scare off the mom's group in my neighborhood, as I scored an invite to this month's dinner tomorrow night. Imagine how much more they're going to like me with clean hair?

Can't wait.


Blouse: Old Navy
Skirt: J Crew (outlet)
Shoes: Nine West


Don't forget, eShakti is offering $20 off of any order through the end of the year, when you use the promotional code NOTAHOBBY0811.

The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be combined with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.


Also, you can find my post about the skirt the company sent me to review here.