Fashion Friday!

Oh. My. Word. This week was unexpectedly crazy  and hopefully this weekend I can get around to blogging about all the excitement that is happening in my house. But, another Friday has rolled around and I didn't want to loose my streak (this making it an actual streak...2 is a streak, right?) of Fashion Friday blog posts!  So here is what got me through today:

We have had summer turned up high this week, complete with high temps and humidity, so today I grabbed a cute little Crown & Ivy sundress from Belk to make sure I didn't melt and paired it with my beloved neutral pumps and super deal Cato handbag (see last week's post for details.) Of course, no summer day is complete without some big, blingie sunglasses and anyone who knows me, knows I like my sunglasses to be a little bit "extra," unfortunately I do not remember where these came from.  For accessories, I did simple silver & crystal hoop earrings and my signature stack of bracelets.  You may question why I say my "signature" stack of bracelets but I have been wearing a stack of bracelets for more decades than I am willing to share....cloisonne bangles ring a bell with anyone?  Trust me when I say....I was the queen of the cloisonne bangle back in the day!.  

Happy Friday and I hope you dressed cute!

Fashion Friday

Oh,  FLASHBACK.... this post is like back in the day when I used to have the time, energy and interest in participating in OOTD (Outfit of the Day for those of you less informed social media types!)  I am doing my first - in a long time - Fashion Friday post! Since today was kind of a yucky day to work, as yesterday was a holiday and it felt like most of the world was still on holiday today, I needed a little extra giddy in my get up and go so I pulled out my current favorite dress.  Actually, most Fridays I think I need to pop it up a bit as the week has generally worn long and casual Friday doesn't do much for my hustle!

Right now I am loving this Ruffled Neck Juliette Swing Dress by Mudpie (it also comes in white and Navy but I just had to have this bright coral.)  It has a fun, full (i.e. non clingy) swing for these very hot South Carolina days along with the cutest big bow at the back of the neck that you, obviously can't see in these photos!  Being the less than tall girl that I am, I always try to add heels and nude ones really do elongate the leg and these Jessica Simpson Praylee Pumps have become the summer go to shoes...actually, I do nude heels year round and consider them a wardrobe staple. I also gave a nod to Sheila Fajl with my bangle and hoops. It took me a while to decide that I liked the brushed gold but now I am all in and love it!  To finish it off I am carrying a really cute, but but super, inexpensive handbag I found at Cato -  I just love a deal!  So here's to wrapping up the first week in July with a pop of color and a swing in my step!

Friday? YES!!!

YES, IT IS!!!!  Can I get a WHOOT?  Since my husband is out of town during the week, I tend to feel like I am living for Friday these days, this week especially!  We were invaded by the sick bug and my boys were both out of school most of the week with a really bad case of Strep.  Normally Strep has been a pretty minor thing for them to bounce back from, but this strain just knocked the wind out of them.  So, needless to say (but I will anyway), it has been a long week.  It hasn't been all bad, though.  I actually kind of like them being home and us not having to run around so much.  The up side, as well, is that they were both sick this week as opposed to one being sick this week and the other being sick next week.  We did lots of jammy wearing, napping and movie watching so overall it wasn't too bad.

I hope you all have a GREAT weekend!!!!!

So glad it is Friday...

I am so glad for Friday this week!  These are just a few scenes from my week.  Happy Weekend!

 For those of us who grew up in the mountains, far away from where the Spanish Moss grows,

 I believe it holds special magic and mystery.

Friday Fives!

Visit Suzanne at Southern Inspiration

I have a dear, dear friend named Suzanne.  Although, we live 1000s of miles away from each other she is just one of those special friends that you know truly loves you, prays for you and is always there in spirit. She is someone who is gifted with reading between the lines and taking action when some one needs support, encouragement or just some love.   The saddest thing about our friendship is that we only get to see each once a year, or so.  But, Suzanne also blogs (regularly!!!) so I get to see what is going on in her world. She is truly Southern Inspiration and on Fridays she often does a post called Friday Fives.  So today, I am playing along since I again looked to her for inspiration (for my blog post!).  Y'all pop over and say hi and play along as well!

1. If you had the money to do plastic surgery, would you do it??? I would make a bee-line for the best tummy tucker around!

2. What is one character trait about yourself that you like?  I am loyal.

3. What's your next project in your house?  After the kitchen (which is currently a disaster zone), moving on to the foyer painting!

4. What's in refrigerator to drink? Lemonade, Diet Coke, Milk & Water

5. Big plans for the holiday weekend? Yes, tonight my DH and I are having some long over-due alone time together and he is surprising me so I don't know details, then on Sunday we celebrate my youngest DS's 9th Birthday...also, my DD is home from college!

Fun Friends Friday!

This is a little cabinet given to me by my dear friend Cathy (over at http://cathysoutjunkinagain.blogspot.com/), on her last "I am cleaning out MY stuff!" day ~ along with a gorgeous wardrobe for my DD's room. Cathy is one of those amazingly talented souls that finds treasure everywhere, in stuff and in people. I have tagged along with her during one of her frequent yard sale hunts and let me tell you, she has an eye that can't be beat...she finds gold. I am not only blessed by her friendship but also love getting to take advantage of her cast-offs!

Anyway, she gave me this little cabinet and suggested that I paint it and use it to store nail polish or little toiletries. Well, I finally got it done and I love it! It now hangs in our Master bath and it works perfectly for all those little bottles of color.

Gosh, it is wonderful to have creative and inspiring friends!!!!

Frugal Friday Product Reveiw...sort of!

I had my Frugal Friday Product Review post all written in my head. It was one of those I am kind of excited about this one posts. I wanted to regale you with words of praise over my new frugal cosmetic find, to gush over its outstanding performance, and the miracle results I got, but I got the wind shot out of my sails when I logged onto the product website to find this amazing product has been discontinued! What???? How can this be??? For me to find this product felt like a major deal since I have been a department store cosmetic counter devotee for more years than I can count! The very act of venturing into the cosmetics aisle in the drugstore felt like sacrilege, but in an attempt to continue to streamline and reduce costs (and I had some hum-dinger coupons!) I thought I would give it a try. And try I did, to a thrilling success!

I found a foundation that was wonderful. I was so pleased with it that I wanted to share it here in blogland because even though we may all be trying to be budget junkies we also still want to be beautiful! The product I am referring to is Cover Girl’s Advance Radiance Age Defying Compact Make Up. It is fabulous, not too heavy but gives a super coverage and stays on; not to mention at about ½ the cost of my department store brand. Of course, the powers-that-be-in- make-up-land apparently like to mess with me and they are replacing it with Simply Ageless Foundation…hmmmph!Both of these foundations are a joint product of Cover Girl and Olay so there is hope that the new version will be even better.

Although, I have had a short stint with this product, I am so sad to see it leave. It does appear though, that the powder, which I also really like, is still going to be available. After having such a good experience, I will give the new Simpley Ageless version a spin. So, if you are like me and have always felt you needed to shop the cosmetic counters at the mall or Sephora I would encourage you to stretch yourself and give good old Cover Girl a try!

By the way, I would love to hear about any new (or old) products you have found in your search to beautify on a budget!

Frugal Friday Finds...

Look at my fantastic Frugal finds! I got these 2 great wooden chairs and 6 glasses for only $36.00 (the glasses were $1 for all 6). Yard Sales, hooray!

Super Cute Shoe Friday!

Yes….this is a post about Super Cute Shoes! Thrilling, yes! Deep, no! But, eh, it is Friday so you take what you can get.

First off though, I have to say I am married to the most patient, sweetest man in the world. How do I know this, you ask? Well, when he asked me what my plans for the day were and my answer was, “To wear my new Super Cute Shoes!” he actually agreed that they are super cute, kissed me and headed down stairs to have breakfast with our boys…now, that is a sweet man! Why do I say he is the most patient? Well, that would be because as he was trying to get out the door this morning to work he not only dislodged DS2’s first “loose tooth” (which truth be known, is one of his least favorite parenting tasks!) but also willingly took some photos of said Super Cute Shoes for me so that I could share them here in blogland….Now, if that isn’t a good man…I don’t know what is!

Anyway, these are my new Super Cute Shoes! Don’t you just love them??? Before anyone rolls their eyes up in their little heads, I do know all about what "they" say about red shoes…but I have yet to hear one single thing about red plaid shoes!!!!!!!!! So I feel quite stylin’ (especially after Miss Teenage Fashion Diva lusted sufficiently over MY shoes and outfit…though I did have to borrow a bracelet from her) today in my Super Cute Shoes with cropped, dark wash, denim pants and no-to-be-out-done cute white, crochet trimmed blouse and red, faux-croc, wide headband…Oh yeah, I am cute today!