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As Old as a Decade and That’s a Big Deal & Link Up On the Edge #242
Tomorrow Archie turns 10. And that is a big deal, y’all! One decade ago in the evening hours of this day, I was sitting on my back patio in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with Jeff and my sister and her husband enjoying a steak dinner from the backyard grill. I was 35 weeks pregnant with a due date of June 1. I was hot. I was huge. I was uncomfortable. I was anxious. To ease my anxiety, my sister urged me to have a small glass of wine, reassuring me that baby Archie was all done cooking in there and a few sips of wine would do no harm. Well, apparently Archie…
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The Magnificent 8 in Our Fancy Pants
The term fancy pants has a rather negative connotation with every definition I have found using the word pretentious as the primary translation of this mid-19th century American idiom. But my magnificent friends and I are all far from pretentious in our versions of this month’s Fancy Pants theme. In fact, pretentious is the probably the opposite of what I am…even in my fancy pants. I think my entire outfit cost less than $50 and that includes my shoes which were probably around $30 (I can’t recall because they are a few years old now). I found these tie dye pants on a thrifting adventure last fall. I think they…
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Ditsy Florals for a Ditzy Gal & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #220
I know it is the very end of April and you are probably thinking I should be less layered up. But let’s face it, it will not be warm enough here for true spring fashions until June at the earliest. In fact, just this morning my weather app was predicting snow flurries again this weekend…when the calendar flips to May. So bear with me for a few weeks longer and I will start to show a little more skin…it will be very pale pasty white skin, but a little exposure to the sun will do my translucent epidermis a world of good! Until then, however, I have been combining some…
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The Fab 40’s are Inspired by Water
“A drop of water, if it could write out its own history, would explain the universe to us.” Lucy Larcom April showers may bring May flowers but this whimsical little adage forgets to mention that May flowers require April showers for their very existence. In fact, we all depend upon water for our own survival and existence. And sometimes I feel like maybe we neglect the importance and the power of this element. It deserves respect and celebration as the powerful force of nature that it is as well as recognition for its life sustaining properties. As we trudge through the early days of spring when it is still a…
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Adventures in Thrifting Part 9: Creative Mending & Link Up On the Edge #241
I did it! I finally tackled my ever growing pile of mending and I got straight to the bottom of the pile in just a few short days. The bulk of my mending work was spent on this thrifted polka dotty dress from Zara. My local Salvation Army thrift store has been receiving excess and damaged products from Zara in abundance recently. There is one huge long clothing rack that is filled with just this brand. Most of the items still have the tags on them and are in brand new condition. Some of the items with tags do have minor damage like spots or perfume odors or slight tears…
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Inspired by InStyle Magazine: Jodie Comer in Givenchy
I have not shared an Inspired by post since the beginning of January when I featured a thrifted men’s shirt styled as a dress that was inspired by my dear friend Grace of Graceful Rags. I suppose the reason it’s been so long since my last post is that I have been feeling very uninspired lately…as I am sure many of us are as we continue on in this weird, weird world of social distancing, half covered faces, and soul sucking isolation. Then a few weeks ago, Jodie of Jodie’s Touch of Style (not Jodie Comer) shared a post, Easy Ideas about Recreating Outfits From a Quirky Fendi Ad, featuring…
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Style Imitating Art: Aurora Borealis by Frederic Edwin Church
“Then that’s what the Northern Lights are. All the lives that we’re not living.” Adi Alsaid “I was searching for the northern lights in the ice-cold spheres, of your empty eyes.” Clairel Estevez “She looked directly up into the Northern Lights and she wondered if those cold-burning specters might not draw her breath, her very soul, out of her chest and into the stars.” Eowyn Ivey It is time for another art lesson and an outfit that was accidentally inspired by a painting. But first, a bit about this creative little style series… About Style Imitating Art Style Imitating Art is hosted by Daenel of Living Outside the Stacks, Salazar of 14…
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The Rise of the Flying Phoenix & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #219
“Hope rises like a phoenix from the ashes of shattered dreams.” S.A. Sachs “The phoenix must burn to emerge.” Janet Fitch “And when all that was left was ashes, she would again clothe herself in flame. Rising from the dust of her past to rekindle the spark of her future. She was a Phoenix, her own salvation; rebirthed, renewed, resurrected.” LaRhonda Toreson I recently presented my husband with a nonsensical argument that proved that I am the sun. It went something like this…I cannot sleep if it is light out. Naps never happen even if I wear a sleep mask over my eyes and pull the blackout curtains tight. My…
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The Thrifty Six Step Back in Time
“All that makes earlier times seem simpler is our ignorance of their complexities.” Thomas Sowell When Emma announced this month’s Thrifty Six theme, Back in Time, my mind went immediately to this vintage houndstooth sheath dress that I found on a thrifting adventure a few months back in time. I am not certain of the era of this specific dress. It may not actually be vintage at all. Although, according to the industry definition of vintage clothing, any garments from 2001 and earlier would be considered vintage. The brand is Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Designs which is a contemporary brand carried by JCPenney. I did some internet digging to see what…
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4 Tips to Improved Personal Development
There are thousands of guides online that talk you through the process of professional development, teaching you exactly what you need to get that promotion or seek out a change in career. However, personal development is not spoken about as often despite the fact that it is equally important. After all, personal development often means that you feel more confident and comfortable in your own skin, meaning that you can tackle any problems that may come your way. It can also help you navigate your way through a difficult headspace or move on from things that have happened in the past. With that in mind, here are some easy and…