Thou Shalt Not Covet ... Unless It's Chanel

It's time to talk fashion! Oh how I love the way I feel in a well put together outfit. Admittedly, my everyday attire consists of jeans, boots and a sweater of some sort considering my full-time mom position. But that doesn't stop me from donning the occasional skirt and pair of heels to church.

I have been doing a little online shopping in anticipation of a couple of weddings I will be attending next year (I know, it seems a little early to be looking but, seriously, I don't have much else going on). The first wedding will be in the Scottsdale, Arizona area and I don't feel that I can just show up in my Sunday best. I've been looking at Bluefly.com and perusing the designer labels for inspiration. Then I found this:


Isn't this Yoana Baraschi dress gorgeous!? It totally looks like something I would wear: it's black with contrasting details and looks very elegant for an outdoor wedding. I'd be able to chase after my little ones without having to hike up the top or pull down the hem. Perfect. Well, except that there is only one size left, a 4, which I doubt I could zip up. So, the search continues ...

I don't know what inspired me to look on the EspritShop.com website but I found this little number, which I am seriously considering:


I adore the multiple patterns and the smokey gray color. I had no idea that Esprit produced such lovely clothes; I mostly remember this label from the '80s. All you girls out there who carried your books to junior high in an E S P R I T bag, can I get an amen!? I had two of them.

And, after trying on a few slinky black dresses at a local boutique, I thought one of them would look great with a simple sequined bolero shrug. My online retail therapy brought me to this:
Ah Chanel ... you are so pretty! You sparkle with such grace ... such elegance. But your pricey price tag is a bit out of reach for me. So, I will just admire (and maybe covet a little) and be on the lookout for something of similar beauty.

Who knows, the way my search is going maybe the United Colors of Benetton will have just the thing ...

Goth or Glam? Blonde or Brunette?

Who is this glamorous redhead, you ask? Why, it's me! Don't worry, I haven't done anything drastic with my look; I've just been playing around with the InStyle Virtual Makeover and they have improved it since the last time I used it.

It is so much fun to try on not only different hairstyles, but different makeup too! In fact, I discovered that I look good in green eyeshadow, it brings out the green in my hazel eyes. I have been able to see what I would look like with blue eyes (it's actually kind of creepy looking on me) and I also realized that jet black hair is NOT the shade for me:

Yikes!

And much to my surprise, I kind of like the way I look in certain shades of blonde. I never thought that I could pull off blonde, and while I will never go plantinum, I do sort of like this Jennifer Aniston look:

But, ultimately I am a brunette and proud of it. I do need to change something up about my look. Perhaps I will do some caramel highlights for the Spring/Summer seasons. And since I am growing my hair out, there is the looming question: bangs or no bangs?

Maybe Ms. Bullock's 'do is the answer.

There is a lot more to play around with on the makeover tool. I recommend it to anyone who wants a change ... or who has a lot of free time.

And The Winner Is ...

My husband joked around on Sunday, saying that he was an "Oscars widower". It was kind of true as I settled down for an evening of glitz, glamour, awards and knitting. Truthfully I don't care that much about who wins Best Director or Best Sound Mixing, and I am grateful for a DVR so that I can skip through all of the acceptance speeches. I want to see the fashion!

The Good: looks that I loved

Can I just say ... STUNNING! Sandra Bullock was hands down THE winner of the night when she accepted her Best Actress award wearing this amazing dress. It's like she thought about what she would look like if she received a statue and was perfection from head to toe. Some criticized the shade of lipstick she wore but I think it was an accessory and completed the look.

Wowee! I think this is the first time that I saw Cameron Diaz looking like a timeless woman at the Oscars. Her hair was so pretty and I am drawn in by the two-tone crystals on her gown.

The Bad: looks that I really didn't love

Oh my. Oh dear. Okay, I understand that this dress was probably Haute Couture, an art piece. But the only good things about it that I can say is that the color looked good on Charlize Theron, as did the silhouette. I don't think I even need to address the two cinnamon buns she is wearing on her chest.

Hmmm ... where do I start? Well, I actually like the color combination and sort of appreciate the design of the front of the dress minus the weird strap across the neck. Other than that the look is all wrong. What is up with that hair Sarah Jessica Parker? Blech!

I have mixed feelings about putting this dress in "The Bad" category. It's actually not that bad, but to me it looks like a bridesmaid dress. From the waist up Kate Winslet is gorgeous and that necklace is to die for. But the skirt is just ugly with the greige colored satin and dated pleating. Pretty hair though.

The "Meh": looks that left me feeling indifferent

The skirt of this dress is so dreamy. It makes me think of a Disney princess. I wasn't too excited about the stiff bodice, the weird bracelet and the color on Amanda Seyfried; but other than that it was a pretty look.

I like this dress. The silhouette and the color are nice. But like the person wearing it, it is a little on the boring side. I guess I think of Kristen Stewart as more tomboyish, so she seems out of place in the high fashion gown. I think more jewelry would have greatly perked up this ensemble.

From the waist down this look excited me - what a gorgeous skirt! From the waist up I think the bustier didn't fit Miley Cyrus and her hair looked matronly. A darker lip would have been nice too.

Over all, I thought the gowns on the Red Carpet were lovely this year. I don't feel as let down as I did in 2009 and even if I didn't see any of the nominated Best Picture movies (except for Disney's Up). It was a great night at the Oscars!

Kiddie Couture

It started out as a project for me - I had this overwhelming desire to make myself a simple little top. Then my daughter begged me to do a project with her so I decided to make a simple little top for her as well. I had in my mind that we would have coordinating fabrics that would go well together. Perhaps we would have a little photo shoot showing off our matching outfits. Then my daughter enthusiastically chose her fabric.

You can't get any more "Under the Sea" than this.

It had bubbles and sherbet colored sea animals. Her exclamations of "This is perfect" and "It will be gorgeous" deterred me from insisting on something a little less ... colorful. And really, it is totally her style: bright, cheerful and bubbly.

So, while I chose something more understated and elegant, I happily stitched away at her summery top. And judging by her prancing around in it with her mermaid doll in hand, I would say that she is quite pleased with her choice!

One "Cool" Kid

My son chose his outfit today. A red Lightning McQueen t-shirt, gray fleece lined McQueen sweatshirt, dark gray cargo pants, McQueen tennis shoes and of course a McQueen baseball cap to top it all off. When he checked himself out in the mirror I heard a loud "Cool!" coming from the bedroom.

Do you think he might be a little obsessed?

Now, Why Didn't I Think Of That?

I may be an artist, but I am not always one to think outside of the box. Especially when it comes to fashion. I think of myself as a fairly fashionable person, my style is simple and understated. Classic.

I don't accessorize much but have found that I need to wear a belt to hold my britches up over my non-existent hips and rear, but have always disliked how belts make my existent tummy look bigger than it already is. So what is a girl to do? I will either not wear a belt and risk having my pants look droopy, or wear a belt and be self-conscious over the bulky bump the buckle creates under my sweaters ... until now.

Yesterday I was admiring the outfit of the girl in front of me at the grocery store. It was a well put together ensemble (although the flip flops were a bit out of season), and I was thinking that she had a pretty belt on. Then I had that ah ha! moment. She had buckled her belt to the side, rather than the middle, to eliminate the bulk at the tummy. Well, duh! I wish I had thought of that years ago!

It's such a simple solution really. And a pretty cute, unexpected one too!

Blog Fodder

Rained Out

Our annual family camping trip was this last (Labor Day) weekend. It almost didn't happen because of the weather report: in the low 60s with rain and showers Saturday AND Sunday. We powered through until about Sunday, then several of us had had enough sogginess and many went home a day early due to the constant rain. You might say it really put a damper on things ... ha! We couldn't sit outside and roast marshmallows or go play in the lake. And when everyone in our party just stayed in their trailers instead of socializing, the purpose of the trip wasn't fulfilled. Still it was great to see everyone and I'm glad we got to use our tent trailer one more time before we have to button it up for the winter.

Our very sad and lonely campfire. (Note the unused boats in the background)

Shopping My Closet

I have been going through my clothes and sorting out things to donate, trying things on to create new ensembles, and making lists of things I would like to acquire. In doing so, I have realized that my Fall/Winter clothes are lacking in a variety of color. I am a "Winter", meaning the colors that look best on me are from the Winter palette such as black, gray, ivory, navy, red, wine and chocolate - which I have plenty of garments in these shades. Fortunately, I look good in jewel tones such as turquoise, azure, raspberry and butter yellow. Which brings me to my coveted color of the season: marigold.

After seeing Sandra Bullock wear a cardigan this cheery and rich shade in The Proposal, I have desired something very similar.

It may be just a temporary want, after all last year I had a brief affair with the color eggplant (that quickly passed), but I just will not be satisfied until I have something this color this season.


OxiClean

Seriously, this stuff is awesome! For example: just last week I bought my daughter a brand new pair of tennis shoes that she needed for school and she wore them camping. Needless to say, they ended up begrimed and unrecognizable. I wasn't going to stand for that! I took a wash bin and filled it with lukewarm water and a little bit of OxiClean. After letting the shoes to soak for a while, I scrubbed at the mud with a brush and popped them into the washing machine. After a run in the machine they were as good as new ... no joke! I also like to use a scoop of it with every load of wash I do.


Foux Du FaFa


With my favorite shows being reruns during the summertime, I have resorted to either watching nothing or exploring my Netflix options. And while at the local library one day, my son picked up a CD by a band called Flight of the Conchords. As it turns out, this "band" (who dubbed themselves as "Formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo") is actually an award comedy act who have an HBO series, and two seasons are available on DVD. After checking out the CD and listening to their comedic tunes I had to see what the show was all about. I am just now getting through the second season and I am quite impressed with all the wit and clevernesss - not to mention the New Zealand jokes. It's about two naive guys from New Zealand who are trying to make it as musicians in New York and they face many of life's obstacles like eviction, girl troubles, an obsessed fan and a not-so-bright band manager.

I'm hooked! So ... when does season three come out?

9.3.99

Today I have been doing a lot of reminiscing. I've been thinking back to ten years ago on this day and remembering what I wore, the butterflies in my stomach, and an overwhelming sense of excitement. Ten years ago today ... I got married.

It was a lovely evening - what I can remember of it - and it has been an even better ten years married to the best man I know. I am truly blessed. I wrote more about the details of the wedding last year for anyone who is interested.

In my nostalgic mood, I pulled out my wedding dress and decided to snap a few photos of it. It is so beautiful! Unfortunately, our wedding photographer didn't take any photos of the dress or the shoes, and the details are well worth capturing. So, since I can't wear the dress around town (and since it doesn't fit anymore due to expanded ribcage and bustline, thanks to the kids!) I hope you will indulge me a little bit.

I am far from being a frou frou kind of a girl, but I couldn't resist this bow! I'm sure it looked stunning as I knelt down for communion with my husband.

My bridesmaid's gowns were certainly not apricot taffeta with matching hats! I chose simple navy blue matte satin dresses.

I wish I had more clothes with such impeccable detailing. The embroidery and pearl accents were so lovely.

Although the dress was quite stunning, I think the details of my life with my husband are even more so. It is my prayer that the next 10 years of marriage will be just as amazing.

To my husband: I love you ... more every day.

The Red Door

It is amazing what a fresh coat of red lipstick can do for a woman's confidence. It is attention grabbing, it adds a touch of classic sophistication and can fabulously compliment an outfit.

That's how I feel about our new front door.

We just replaced our rather vanilla steel front door with a craftsman style fiberglass door and boy is it purdy! Painted in "Sun-dried Tomato" it already stands out from the rest of the doors in our neighborhood. It compliments the "Warm Stone" paint of our house and adds a welcoming feel when you approach it.

Evidently, my son is just thrilled about the old door - and no, we did not prompt him to look this miserable!

Hello Gorgeous! The great thing about it door is that unlike lipstick, this coat of red won't wear off any time soon.

Absolutely Dazzling

In general I don't wear a lot of jewelry. Usually I'll just sport my wedding ring and a pair of earrings, and for years I have worn a simple pair of diamond studs. Since getting my haircut, I have been feeling pretty spunky and have started wearing more jewelry and even dangly earrings!

Last summer I made myself a bracelet using carefully chosen Swarovski crystals in Siam and Pacific Opal, and sterling silver. I am very pleased with the way it turned out, the way it sparkles in the light and makes me feel shiny; but I felt that a pair of earrings was just the thing to really show it off. So this last weekend I went into the local bead shop and made a pair of earrings. I love the result! They are light, easy to wear and will go with anything. And the best part is, they cost less than $10 to make!

I love the cagey globes that swing at the bottom of the earrings, and how the milky crystals dazzle in the light. They make me feel so glamorous ... but understated.

I shall now resist the urge to make a crystal tiara, that might be going a bit too far.

Ruby Slippers

It's amazing what a pair of shoes can do for a person's confidence. A high heel can make a person look and feel taller. An open toe can show off a fresh pedicure. And a burst of color can really bring together an ensemble.

I feel all of these things when I wear these:

With a fresh paint job of OPI's Eiffel For This Color, a great fitting pair of jeans and a crisp white tailored shirt, I feel darn tootin' fantastic!

Now if only I had a fabulous bag to match ...

My Very Hairowing Experience

It took a long time to get here. Months of neglect, moments of absolute frustration, many thoughts of Sinead O'Connor came to mind. But I finally got my hair cut!

I have whined about it for quite some time. I never intended my hair to get as long as it did and the split ends and boring style didn't help my mood. I couldn't wait to get the hair off the back of my neck! It may sound strange, but I almost equate my stress level with the length of my hair and as my hair grew longer, my stress level went higher, perhaps because it made me feel claustrophobic.

So, yesterday I got to the salon. I waited as patiently as possible on the leather couch, trying to act casual as I flipped through an old copy of Entertainment magazine. I would nonchalantly glance around the room at all the perfectly coiffed ladies. My time was near. Just had to wait a few minutes. Wait, wasn't my appointment for 2:00? What's taking so long? Don't they know that I'm ready? Let's do this alrea ... okay my name was finally called. Whew!

My hair stylist said she was excited to see what I came up with this time because I'm always well prepared with photos. After I showed her my inspiration she wholeheartedly approved! She assured me that since I have an oval face I could pull off anything. I could feel the tension leave my shoulders as she washed my hair. And I watched her as she took the first cuts into my mane and I did look in shock at the pile of long locks on the floor, but nothing deterred me from getting the cut that I wanted. I really have no attachment to long hair.

I am happy with my new 'do. I may even go a little shorter next time, but I am glad to have a change. Something more edgy and fun. Plus I finally have some lift at the crown!

This was my hair inspiration. A little shorter than what I have but basically the same cut. Ironically, I had found a photo of the same person (Jayla from America's Next Top Model, Cycle 5) with a slightly longer cut:

Of the two I think my style is more like this second photo.

And now the big reveal:

Ta daaaaaaa!

Now I just need to go on a shopping spree to an entirely new wardrobe to match my new look. Yeah right ... in my dreams!

First Lady Fashion

This election was an event for the history books - Barack Obama will be our 44th President and America's 1st black President. Whether you voted for him or not, and whether you are jazzed about his win or not, you have to admit that this election broke barriers and changed America forever.

Last night as I watched the coverage I was swept up with emotion. I thought that McCain gave an excellent speech that was respectful and gracious; and as Obama gave his victory speech I was struck by his eloquence and determination. But what really got a reaction out of me was something that is near and dear to my heart. An issue that I will look at closely for the next four years: The First Lady's wardrobe.

The Obama family was a vision in black and red on Election Day.

The first thing I said when I saw Mrs. Obama's dress was "why is she dressed up like a black widow spider?" I thought that perhaps this dress looks better up close. I thought maybe she is trying to be fashion forward and modern. But unfortunately this dress came across as looking a bit, for lack of a better word, predatory. It turns out I wasn't the only one who thought so.

This Narciso Rodriguez Spring 2009 dress was modified for Michelle Obama. Softer colors, or in shades of blue would have been beautiful and not so harsh.

So, while I think this dress was weird, it did peak my interest and I look forward to seeing what she has up her sleeve (no pun intended) for Inauguration Day.

A Graphic Designer's Approach to Voting

The Vice Presidential debate is tonight and I plan to watch it. I think perhaps that this debate will be more interesting than the Presidential debate because Joe Biden and Sarah Palin are pretty unfamiliar to me. In fact I had never heard of Sarah Palin until the day she was announced as John McCain's pick for VP.

I consider myself to be pretty apolitical, but I do vote - I always vote, it is responsibility I take seriously. But I don't know who I will vote for yet. My values tend to align better with a conservative plan, but I don't always vote republican. I am all for change in the White House, but I don't know which candidate will bring it. So, how do I determine my vote? I feel that Obama conducted himself better during the debate so should I vote for him? I think it is bold of McCain to choose a woman for his running mate so should I vote for him? What do I do? I think I will have to take a graphic designer's approach: who has the best logo and website!

Let's start with McCain/Palin. Their campaign's graphic style has a more formal look and focuses on McCain's military background with the presence of the star and muted colors. Their logo is very balanced and I am impressed that Palin's name has the same boldness and size as McCain's - that shows equality in a visual way. As for their website, it is pretty straight forward but isn't as clean as I would like. The colors muddle together and it looks a bit boring. I do like the celestial feel of the background on the top banner though.

This campaign sign has a military and almost maritime look to it.

The "I'm for" looks out of place, and the yellow color is a dull.

Whether you like Palin or not, you have to admit this button rocks!

Moving on the Obama/Biden. Their campaign's graphic style is modern and relatable. The colors are vibrant and even fun. The logo with the "O" is clever and I have nothing negative to say about it. I love how the flag looks like rows of crops with a sun rising on the horizon. Obama's name is bigger than Biden and is in white which makes it pop more against the bright blue background. Their website is clean, clear and well organized.

The colors in this sign are perfect. They evoke emotion and pride - the red, white and blue!

I am not a "supporter" of either campaign, but if I was for Obama I would love to wear this pin.

In reviewing the graphic styles of these two campaigns I would have to say that Obama wins! His designer or group of designers are excellent. But, alas I cannot make a reasonable decision based on graphics alone, so I guess I'll have to actually pay attention to the issues and debates. One thing I know is whoever wins, this is will be a very historical event and that to me is exciting.

My Snazzy New Look

What do you think of my blog layout and graphics? Ever since I started this blog in July I have been trying to get this look but since I don't have a "Blogspot" web address I have run into a few obstacles - the white center block didn't show up in at least two other browsers, the background would scroll along with the scroll bar, and some superfluous code threw my centering off.

It is my understanding that those with a Blogspot address have a layout feature under their Template tab. I do not; my blog address is on my own site. I have seen a lot of interesting blog backgrounds from sites like Pyzam and The Cutest Blog on the Block, but I am all about tailoring things to suit my style if I can. I found a blog where the author hired a graphic design studio to design her blog graphics. Then I thought to myself "Duh, I must try it myself". Fortunately I know a few things about HTML and after analyzing the code and adapting it to my blog I have been able to create a background, get the background to stay in place while you scroll, and I have tested it all out on Internet Explorer, Safari, and FireFox to check for a consistent look.

Over all I am pleased that I finally have the look I want, and was able to use my graphic design skills on my blog. The subtle fleur-de-lis and splashes of red are very me. However, now that I know how to do it, don't be surprised if I change the background ... a lot. Yeah, I change my mind often!

Nine Glorious Years

Nine years ago on September 3rd, I married one incredible man. I am so proud and honored to be the wife of a person who lives his life with integrity, intelligence and humor. Since our wedding day we have moved four times, bought two houses, had two children, and have laughed a lot.

Our wedding day. September 3, 1999.

I love to look back on my wedding day. I admit that much of it was a blur as I was so nervous and full of excitement. My wedding was beautiful. It was inspired by Audrey Hepburn and her simple sophisticated style. My hair was up, my dress was ivory with embroidery and pearls, and my flowers were ivory roses and pearled stephanotis. We were married at a bed & breakfast in my hometown of Corvallis, Oregon and the best part of it was God was with us that day, and so were our friends and family.

I can't quite fit into this dress anymore as my shape has changed a little bit since having kids. I would choose this dress if I had to do it over again - just in a size bigger.

There is very little that I would change about that our wedding. If I had to do it all over again I would probably get a more artistic photographer, wear a little more color on my face, and choose more color for my bouquets (they were very beautiful but I think a pop of color would be nice), and I would have insisted more photos be taken outside in the beautiful courtyard.

We were both in college in those days and had to work with a budget. I wouldn't change that because it made us be creative with our resources and money. The result was an elegant and lovely affair (thanks to help from my parents), a very fun honeymoon in Tahiti (thanks to help from my husband's parents) and an amazing marriage (thanks to help from our Lord).

After years of marriage I still love to look at wedding magazines and websites. My favorite things are wedding cakes, stationery and bouquets. I think there need to be more occasions to carry bouquets like going to the grocery store, going to church, taking the kids to school ... it would make life a little more special wouldn't it?

This would be a perfect "everyday" bouquet. I could take it with me to the bank or when taking the dog to the vet.


The muscari (blue flowers) in this nosegay would have been perfect at my wedding since my bridesmaids wore navy. It was late summer however and they weren't in season. This bouquet would be perfect for a dinner out with my husband.

This arrangement demands attention. I would save this for a special occasion like shoe shopping.