Outfits of the Day #ootd
I love to put together outfits. I find something calming and exciting in the process. And if I think I look good, I tend to feel great! Hopefully, you can find some inspiration here for feeling amazing in your own body.
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‘Tis the Season for Gratitude with Bellelily & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #191
As soon as October rolls around, I feel like we have to abruptly shift our mindsets into holiday mode. And I have to be honest, I hate holiday mode. I don’t like the commercialism. I don’t like the pressure to buy more. I don’t enjoy expectations placed on my time for the onslaught of celebrations and gatherings. And as much as I enjoy giving gifts to people, I really don’t like to be forced to choose something for the mere sake of giving a gift on a randomly designated day of the year, especially one that has drifted so far away from its original meaning. To be blunt, I really…
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9 Guidelines for Effective Communication
*I recently wrote this article for publication on Medium, but thought the content was worthy sharing here especially since the overarching theme of my 9 guidelines is kindness in communication. But if you don’t mind clicking over to the original article on Medium and giving it a read and a clap on that platform, I would really appreciate it! That is how I generate some income from my writing. It is all based on read time and claps and is a great way to make a little extra income doing what I love…writing (and communicating). 9 Guidelines for Effective Communication I have always been fascinated by the way people communicate…
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Hiking on Poors Island
This past weekend was probably the last one we will see with summery temperatures for the next 8 months, so we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and went for a little hike on Poors Island. Poors Island is a manmade island situated in the middle of the Black River in Black River, New York. The island was built and maintained by Brookfield Power and is home to ruins of an old paper mill. There is also a large picnic area with grills and tables that could be used for small outdoor gatherings. The trail around the island is an easy walk requiring little exertion to make your…
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Inspired by To Be Bright: Florals For Fall? Actually Groundbreaking
The weather in northern New York has been a wee bit erratic the past few weeks with temperatures fluctuating daily in 30-40 degree swings. Is it summer? Is it fall? This strange seasonal transition can complicate our outfit choices, can’t it? When I saw Tilden of To Be Bright styling this very cool transitional outfit, Florals for Fall? Actually Groundbreaking, I was immediately drawn to the contrast between the fall tones and colors combined with the more summery garments like a lightweight blouse and denim shorts. I knew I wanted to recreate this look and since it is the perfect season to do so, I went for it straightaway. The…
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Meet Me at the Pumpkin Patch with Bellelily & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #190
I have another cute Bellelily tee to share today just in time for pumpkin patches and fall decorating. I wore this outfit last week on one of those early fall days that still feel like summer is holding on for something. Those kind of days present the rare opportunity for styling tall boots with a mini skirt and bare legs and still be comfortable. Disclaimer: This tee shirt was gifted to me for purposes of this blog post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. I added this Meet Me at the Pumpkin Patch T-Shirt to my recent Bellelily order and it is perfect for festive feels…
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The Fab 40s are Getting Dressed for NYFW
We are back at it again, my Fab 40’s friends and I, and we are dressing up for New York Fashion Week. While NYFW ended on September 16, that isn’t stopping us from dressing the part just for the fun of it. This month’s theme was the brainchild of Ada and I have to admit that I was kind of stumped. Back in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, I spent a good many years working in different parts of New York City and it really is one of the most fashionable places on earth. It was such a cool environment back in my 20’s and early 30’s. I remember…
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Adventures in Thrifting Part 1: Denim Jumper & Link Up On the Edge #212
Kicking off my new series with an amazing group of international fashion influencers, The Thrifty Six, made me realize just how many preloved wardrobe pieces I own. I am guessing about 30% of my closet was purchased at thrift stores, consignment shops, yard sales, or second hand resale websites. While that may not sound like a huge number, if you consider the immense amount of clothing, shoes, and accessories in my wardrobe, there actually are quite a lot of preloved pieces. So that got me thinking…I have been preaching for years about the environmental benefits of reselling and purchasing preloved items as a fun and stylish way to help our…
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Thankful & Blessed with Bellelily & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #189
“Unhappiness is a contagious disease caused by a chronic deficiency of gratitude.” Mokokoma Mokhonoana I am a firm believer that one’s quality of life is directly influenced by one’s approach to life. We have very little control over the things that life throws our way and I have found that maintaining a simple roll with the punches attitude really works wonders in living one’s best life. By nature, we humans are a very adaptable species. Otherwise, we would not have survived as long as we have. While adaptability is paramount to our survival on earth, it is our mindsets and our perspectives that are most influential with regard to our…
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Kickin’ Off the Thrifty Six in PreLoved Shoes
I am so excited to introduce you all to a new collaboration among 6 international fashion and lifestyle bloggers and influencers called The Thrifty Six! We come from all over the world and span at least three different decades of life with our own unique and individual styles. The six of us are all fans of second hand shopping and we wanted to share a variety of ways to be stylish while doing a little something good for the environment. With the fashion and textile industry being a major contributor to landfills and other environmental pollution, we decided to make it the mission of this little group to focus on…
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Faith Over Fear with Bellelily & Link Up On the Edge #211
In our current environment, I have definitely been feeling emotions that lean way more toward the side of fear than they do toward faith. Fear of the world. Fear of people. Fear of judgment. Fear of failure. Fear of negativity. So much fear. And while it is so easy to get caught in the fear trap, we cannot stay in that place for too long. Fear leads to anxiety and stress which lead to all sorts of other issues in one’s life. I can literally feel the fear-induced anxiety wreaking havoc on my body from daily nausea and queasiness to frequent headaches and sleep issues. And it has all been…
