Archive for February 2014
This is Part Two of the Post from Yesterday…
An Interesting Question arose on the You Look Fab Forum,
“Is there one class of item that defines your style?”
The poser of the question listed jackets as her one type of item, while others listed anything from shoes, to striped tops, flared skirts, boots or even earrings….
My answer was a category I call ” The Third Completer Piece”
This is a broad catergory, but definitely a must in My Style
Yesterday I showed Blazers and Jackets as my first type of “The Third Completer Piece”
The second Type is Cardigans…
I have a real thing for patterened cardigans, as I love the interest they add to basic solid colored tops and bottoms worn with them….
Polka dot cardigan for pattern mixing…
I have this pink one in green and yellow as well, perfect for Spring and Summer
Florals…
This is actually a long cascading sweater that I tied up to give more waist definition, something I do quite often with longer cardigans…. A trick for us Petites…
A favorite zippered cardigan with circle quilting on the bodice…I loved mine so much I bought my dear friend one with different shaped quilting for Christmas…
Another Zippered version with cable knit and a hood…
A basic black with no closures that’s meant to hang loosley…
Super comfy warm boyfriend style, I own one in burgundy as well…
And let’s not forget short sleeve versions for Summer going into Air Conditioning…
A twin to the green one above, but knotted this time to again add waist definition…
Dear Readers, I own a lot of sweaters in all different sleeve lengths, weights and colors… I have a good mix of one’s I bought from Chadwicks, QVC , Ebay and Goodwill…I think the most fun part of losing weight was gathering a lot of cardigans as they are such a versatile piece and really do what that Third Completer Piece is meant to do, finish off an outfit… They add such warmth for people like myself who get cold easily and are a real life saver for movie theaters and indoor activities in summer where the AC is cranked high… I also love how a sweater is less dressy than a jacket or blazer for my Mom on the Go lifestyle….
This Winter I began a new way of wearing my cardigans as an extra layer under jackets as shown below...
The Third Completer Series isn’t done, yet… come back again tomorrow to see what’s next…
Gratitude
I am grateful that I began this series of posts that doesn’t require new outfit posts, as I woke up with severe Vertigo this morning and was unable to get dressed for the day…(this is the second time I’ve experienced this with a bout two years ago…)
I am grateful that my husband’s job allows him to be home early and he picked up dinner for everyone tonight, since I was out of commission.
I am grateful that my kids did maintenance cleaning of the kitchen and trash, so things keep flowing smoothly.
I am grateful that I sent my husband back out tonight (thurday) to go pick out one final sports picture to complete his office makeover… (pictures soon) I also needed the quiet it gave me for my spinning head…
I am grateful that my daughter soared through her phone interview today for graduate school.
An Interesting Question arose on the You Look Fab Forum,
“Is there one class of item that defines your style?”
The poser of the question listed jackets as her one type of item, while others listed anything from shoes, to striped tops, flared skirts, boots or even earrings….
My answer was a category I call ” The Third Completer Piece”
This is a broad catergory, but definitely a must in My Style
First up in that Category is Jackets, which I will cover Today...
Ponte Knit Blazers
I also have a cobalt blue one in Ponte….
Light Wash Jean Jacket
Darker Wash Jean Jacket
Zebra Print Jacket (jean jacket style)
Faux Leather Moto, which I own in Creme, Blush, and Burgundy as well.
I actually own a lot of faux and real leathers and won’t bore you with all examples….
Then there’s suede… notice my surprise face as snow is falling…
Another suede one, both of these are thrifted…
Of course there is just the classic blazer….
Seersucker Blazer…
Modern Moto or Multi Media Moto….
A Pink Utitlity Jacket, my most recent jacket purchase…
A lot of Jackets can be worn for 3 Seasons so this is probably my largest of the different types of 3rd Completer Pieces…. Next up is Cardigans….
Of course my Dear Readers, I invite you to answer this question for yourselves and please share by leaving a comment….
Dear Readers, Well, my battery charger arrived today and is now charged and ready to go… I will have to see how I am doing tomorrow as my fever and sore throat returened today after a two day break…. I am sure this weather changing from the 60’s over the weekend and so cold this morning that we had snow showers is doing a number on my sinuses…
Gratitude
I am grateful that my son ran to the store and bought everyone cans of soup for an easy dinner when my fever returned for the day….
I am grateful for finding the History Channel series on “How the Earth Was Made” as a perfect supplement for Geography for my homeschooling teenager… Today we watched how the five Great Lakes were formed…
I am grateful for the Facebook post a friend shared that brightened my day…. I hope this link works for you to be able to view the video…
I am grateful that my daughter has Thursday off work as it’s the perfect midweek break for her!
Dear Readers, the earliest day I could have received my battery charger I purchased on Ebay has gone and past, and I am itching to get back to blogging….
So just a short post with a few things I’ve heard about lately…
First off, Have you seen the new AS SEEN ON TV ITEM….
For all those trying to cut carbs or looking for creative ways to fit in more vegetables, there is now the
VEGETTI…. Click on the link to see the You Tuve video of the commercial...
I actually think this might be a great idea and even if you are a mother who wants to sneak more vegetables in your family’s diet, you can mix some of the “Vegetti”s with real pasta….
Next up is the Dr Oz is now starting a new Magazine of which I received a free copy of Yesterday….
I really like how Dr. Oz recommends a lot of natural solutions and recommends the importance of minding what choices we make regarding what we put in our bodies….
One of the articles on weight loss in the sample magazine caught my eye as I had never heard of it before…
Did you know that you can make money by wagering on your weight loss????
Yep, it’s called, HealthyWage.Com
The woman given as an example in the magazine was a Weight Watcher who lost 100 pounds in two years…
She said every time she was tempted to stop by a Dairy Queen she resisted because she didn’t want to lose money… This woman ended up taking home $900 for her success….
Dear Readers, I hope you enjoyed this fun posting and will be patient as the tracking for my battery charger says it reached my local Virginia Beach post office this morning… So my guess is that I should get it tomorrow….
So look for a Friday Fashion Post…
Gratitude
I am grateful that my son stuck to his committment and finished hie reading in the time frame he agreed upon.
I am grateful that I perservered and didn’t give up when my reluctant reader was testing me…
I am grateful to really see how well our hard phonetic work, his first year homeschooling really has beefitted him.
I am grateful for the added self esteem boost successfully finishing his book on time provided him.
I am grateful that my recent fever and sore throat only lasted a day and a half…
I am grateful that my daughter can laugh at her struggles and keep light hearted!
Dear Readers, I am going to be without fashion photos for a few days…
Somehow amongst the holiday hustle and bustle my battery charger for the camera has disappeared…
Perhaps I’ll find it in December when we bring the decorations back from the attic or perhaps it fell into the wrapping paper and is forever lost to me… Thank goodness for Ebay, as I was able to purchase a new charger and it even came with two extra batteries!!!! It has shipped and is suppose to be here by Tuesday, February 25th…
Since my calves are no longer killing me, I began my morning with the
Rockin Body Workout by Shaun T.
Today I did the Mark and Groove again which is a short 15 minute workout that goes over the basic moves, don’t get me wrong it’s intense as is everything Shauan T does… I added in the Hard Core Abs workout which was just another 10 minutes…
The Hard Core Abs really is what they advertise, a great ab workout without getting on the floor.
In addition it is a good cardio workout and with moves like squats and leg kicks works the hips and thighs as well. This one was again easy enough for my ADD brain to grasp immediately. I will say that doing yoga and improving my balance was an asset in this workout as many times you are working all one side and you must remain with your weight on one leg while lifting and moving. I would say if you have a problem hip these kicks might be an issue. I have sciatica and a knee that I injured in high school from ice skating, but haven’t had any problems with since my weight loss and nothing in this workout aggravated that. I will also add that when you work the abs in these moves, by nature, you are also working your back and that’s a good thing! I think it is also important to note that prior to this my only cardio was walking . I mention this because I want to make it clear that I love strength training, but not cardio and this is definitely intense, but doable for someone really beginning cardio workouts..
I actually liked this workout a lot and will definitely have fun doing this one on a regular basis.. Even on days when a full workout is not in the cards, a ten minute workout is appealing!!!
I also think it is important to mention that after doing this workout I rested for about 30 minutes and then did alot of yoga stretches to finish up. Stretching those muscles afterwards really cuts down on muscle soreness and I will probably stretch again tonight before bed and again in the morning…
How about a You Tube Video on Stretches for Beginners
The next workout in the set that I plan to do is geared to what all women who are over 40 can benefit from…
Booty Time!
This one is a 30 minute workout…
Dear Readers, I hope you all have a Wonderful Weekend filled with laughter , fun , family and friends!
Gratitude
I am grateful for a break from fashion photos…
I am grateful for finding a much needed cardio workout to add into my weight loss and maintenance program.
I am grateful to have a body healthy enough to do these workouts
I am grateful that my perserverance in working with my youngest on encouraging him to read is finally paying off.
I am grateful that I am homeschooling this child and have the time to fix what the school broke in him and restore his love of learning.
I am grateful for weekends when I can turn off teacher mode and just play!
3 Layers for Spring…
Posted on: February 19, 2014
- In: Gratitude | Grey | Homeschooling | Mom On the Go | skinny jeans | Spring Outfits | Teal | Thrift store finds
- 2 Comments
I have recently been doing 3 layered looks for Winter Weather, but today we had wonderful Spring temps around 70 and I finally was able to show this look that has been sitting in my closet on a hanger awaiting for proper weather…
The three layers are a sequined t-shirt, a zippered short sleeve patterned hoodie and of course the 3/4 sleeved ponte knit blazer…
I first wore a zippered hoodie under a blazer back in early Fall when Angie from You Look Fab and introduced the idea. Since then I’ve seen a lot of male stars sporting the look. I like how I can wear a blazer , yet remain casual.
I found this short sleeve grey hoodie at Goodwill and would love to find a few more. The problem with that is that it really is a product geared towards juniors and I’ve seen several in ‘kitchy” prints which I tend to steer away from… I don’t want to look like I’m trying to hard to be young and I tend to associated the stars and butterfly print zippered hoodies I found as doing just that. So, still searching …
It was nice not to be cold while taking photos and not feeling like I needed to wear a hat…not that I don’t love my hats….
Dear Readers, Are you looking as forward to Spring as I am? I can’t wait to wear more skirts and dresses which I have totally neglected this winter….
Today my calves were still painful, but a much more manageable level that allowed me to be up and about and I actually cooked dinner… I just sauteed chicken, peppers and onions for chicken tacos, simple but everyone loved it…Not sure if I’ll attempt a workout tomorrow or wait for Friday…
Gratitude
I am grateful that I was able to make dinner and had it ready when my husband and son came home from work. (I wonder if the novelty will wear off that he is actually coming home at dinner time with this new job!)
I am grateful that this last year before my son heads off to college that working for my husband’s boss allows them to go out to lunch 2-3 days each week…..PRICELESS
I am grateful that a financial advisor came and talked to the Seniors today and that my son really heard what I’ve been saying all along about having a Savings account.
I am grateful that my youngest finally did the guided meditation yesterday and our day ended up much better than it began and I even got an “I love you”
I am grateful that my insisting he work to change his mood spilled over into today and the conversation he initiated about personal insights and moving forward.
Oversized Grey Poncho
Posted on: February 18, 2014
Well Dear Readers, I purchased this grey poncho from Ebay and it said it was a S/M, but not sure if it’s a bit too oversized… I felt somewhat like Rosie O’Donnel in it…
I hobbled outside to take these photos and wish I had kept my hand off my hip to show more clearly the sizing… I would have worn my grey 3 1/2 inch booties if my calves weren’t so darn sore…
I may try adding a seam in closer to my body later…I tried my normal trick of accessorizing with a scarf or long necklace to help accentuate a vertical line….
The jury is still out on whether I am ready to give up on this poncho or not…I am keeping in mind that next Fall’s trends are a lot of oversized silhouettes….
I must say this red -orange jeans never disappoint me and I love them just as much as I did last year when I bought them…
-Dear Readers, What do you think about the oversized looks coming for next Fall?
I have to say that I spent the day dealing with the teen angst attitude of my youngest, sighing and snorting over everything I said… This bad attitude has to stop as it is not working for our homeschooling journey… I tried to introduce him to Tai Chi today with his sister and brother both telling him how incredible it is, but he was just in a mood and wanted to stay there…”This isn’t my first rodeo” , so I didn’t give up and found guided meditation on You Tube, after snorting and complaining he eventually listened to three different ones and even listened to them two times through and was my sweet kid for the rest of the night…
Gratitude
I am grateful that my adult children are all supportive and try to encourage their brother.
I am grateful for a beautiful sunny day in the 60’s.
I am grateful for my 27 years experience as a mother and the patience it has taught me.
I am grateful to have raised three of my children to adulthood and still have them all like me.
I am grateful that my children all helped do chores and clean up the kitchen while I am healing.
Well, my first venture into the Rockin Body DVD left me with very sore calves and I never made it out of my pj’s for the day… I think perhaps doing the workout in my stocking feet was not a good thing… If interested Here is a link to some reviews of the workout.
I bought this Isqueez foot and calf massager a few years ago for my husband for Christmas and used it a few times through out the day and tried walking it off, with some progress….I found this photo on Amazon with none of this version available, but they have other versions like this one...
I am really looking forward to Spring and thought I would share a few inspirations for
White Jeans…
I recently bought a cute yellow blazer on Ebay and I have a sequined grey t-shirt that will make a good copycat version. I love the glittery necklace, but will abstain since my shirt has shine already.
Navy stripes with yellow and orange accessories is right up my alley…
Navy stripes again with pink blazer… I think subbing a green sweater or jacket would be yet another option…Instead of stripes I could change this up to my navy top with white anchors…
Cobalt and leopard are both in my wardrobe… I love this version,but could do a leapard top with a cobalt scarf as well…
This vest is tan, but I would use my olive utility vest
Grey with a grey print scarf and a purple purse…I have purple pumps that would look cute here…
Navy and tan with a pop of orange…
Black and white with red… While this again has stripes and black and white print top could work..
Mint, yellow and hot pink wiht nude shoes….
Dear Readers, white bottoms really offer endless possibilities. If white jeans aren’t your thing, subsitute a skirt , maxi skirt , or shorts. I think it would be fun to do a week’s worth of looks with white bottoms…
Hoping my calves are better tomorrow and that I can actually get dressed…
Gratitude
I am grateful that I own the Isqueeze and was able to use it a few times throughout the day.
I am grateful that my son helped me today, so I didn’t get up as much although I did walk around quite a bit to try to walk it out…
I am grateful that my husband put a new door lock on our front door after the old one broke…
I am grateful that my daughter has a day off Tuesday after a long day in her new position.
I am grateful for leftovers and not having to cook dinner …
Burgundy & Grey
Posted on: February 17, 2014
- In: Boots | Burgundy | exercise | Gratitude | Grey | Mom On the Go | Weight Loss | Winter Looks
- 4 Comments
Burgundy and Grey have been a favorite color combo of mine since my teen years…
It never disappoints me…
I apologize for the poor lighting on these photos and the fact that my young photographer neglected to notice that my purse flap was open… oooops….
These are my burgundy paisley embossed skinny cords paired with my ebay purchased poncho, black long sleeve t-shirt and Issaac Mizzrahi boots via QVC. It was a beautiful 60 degree Valentine’s Day….
I rather like this shorter poncho with the fringe for my petite height , especially to wear with knee high boots.
My husband and I waited until Saturday night to celebrate Valentine’s Day, so as not to be interrrupted by any calls from his sales team. My husband’s boss actually offered to take the calls for the night so we could enjoy it, but as I mentioned I hate crowded restaurant holidays. We ended up having a wonderful dinner at Ruth Chris Steakhouse , another wonderful experience…. Having gone there on our anniversary made twice in exactly 30 days….I felt rather spoiled at the luxury .
I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Weekend!!!
Dear Readers, after losing a few pounds I was disappointed at gaining them back from my fabulous Valentine’s dinner… I woke up Sunday and weighed myself and immediately turned on the Rockin Body DVD and am ready to give you my review of the first program called Groove and Moove, which was just 15 minutes long…
I LOVED IT!
For a woman with ADD sometimes learning new dance moves is difficult in connecting my body to the words or visuals, but I kept up just fine with this. I only needed one adaptation when it came to a move that was similar to a lunge as that doesn’t work for my knee injured in my teen years from ice skating… So, I did the adaptation Shaun T made sure to point out , not going as deep into the lunge. I also had a little trouble getting my body to do both the shoulder shimmy and leg movements as my body wanted to do one or the other not both… Other than that I kept up really well and had a lot of fun with it. I sweated like crazy and downed a bottle of water afterwards. I also have been feeling it all day in a good way from my back to upper thighs, shoulders and upper abs…. Tomorrow the suggested workout is to do that one again and add in another one as well… I think I may just stick with this one for another day…
Oh, I also saw Winter’s Tale Saturday night after our lovely dinner and have to tell you that both my husband and I agreed it was the quality of a Hallmark movie and would have been better to wait for Redbox instead of spending movie theater prices…
Gratitude
I am grateful for a wonderful weekend and the relaxation anf fun of fine dining
I am grateful that my husband sat next to me at the table (closer) rather than across and that he looked around the room and noticed all but two couples did the same…
I am grateful for the entertainment our 18 and 13 year old sons provided after our night out, watching them play Kinect Sports on Xbox…
I am grateful that my dear daughter received her first accpetance to graduate school, Boston College (where my husband is from)
My Lucky Finds
Posted on: February 14, 2014
It’s been awhile since I’ve done a post on shopping finds, but this week I went to both Goodwill and Steinmart’s red dot clearance sale…
This heathered blue tunic with sheer navy bottom is lightweight enough to work beautifully for Spring. With my 50% off coupon this Cable & Gauge tunic was about $9.00.
This open weaved and sequined number is by Razzle Dazzle and again lightweight enough for Spring at just $6.00. This will be so versatile and can be worn with any color tank underneath!
This beautiful emerald color just spoke to me! It’s a wonderful Zac & Rachel shutter pleat blouse with knit sides for incredible fit and like an orange one I already own!!! This cost me about $8.00 .
Gotta Love Steinmart’s clearance with additional 50% off coupon!!!!
Now for my Goodwill finds…
This forest green 100 % merino wool sweater by Tweeds is so warm and the cute black buckle is just the right touch And at just $2.50 ,just the right price…This might make my trip to Ireland, 8 months away and counting…
This Cable and Guage knit top is so much better than a tshirt and was $3.99
The cashier at Goodwill thanked me for purchasing this lace poncho as she was tired of picking it up off the floor…It is more of a raspberry color in person and I think will make a great topper for summer over tank tops..
If one poncho is good than two is better , right? I loved these Spring colors and it is lightweight as well.
The ponchos were each $3.99
Next Boho Skirts…
This white broomstick skirt has wonderful embroidery in orange and olive colors, for just $2.50
This color made me very happy and the fact that it was the color of the day and half off sealed the deal, for a mere$2.5o.
This Old Navy Midi length skirt is lightweight and breezy in shades of grey that has a hint of olive to it…and also just $2.50.
With skirts like these running for $30 and up I was happy to find these to get me ready for Spring and Summer boho music festival nights at the beach!!!!
Dear Readers, I hope you all have a Wonderful Valentine’s Day…
Do you have any special traditions? For the past ten years or so my husband and I get takeout and go park his 15 passenger van somewhere secluded and sit in the back with tv tables because I hate busy crowds at restaurants on holidays… My 18 year old told me I should “step it up ” this year and suggested going to a fun movie theater called , Beach Movie Bistro that offers dinner and drinks wit your movie… So, I think that is what we will try!!
I love how invested our children are in our marriage and will never forget my oldest at age 14 suggesting we go out for weekly date nights and that he would baby-sit all three siblings.. I’d never asked him to change a diaper and our youngest was about 8 months old at the time… I couldn’t believe he would agree to take that on, but he did and the kids had wonderful weekly nights on their own and so many memories that belong just to them!
Gratitude
I am grateful for the weekend and a break from homeschooling.
I am grateful the snow missed us as our temps rose and it turned to rain,
I am grateful for any chance for date nights!
I am grateful to wonderful readers who leave such wonderful comments that make my heart soar and always at moments when I wonder if my blog matters at all…
Boho in the Snow…
Posted on: February 12, 2014
- In: Boots | Brown | Dresses and Skirts | Gratitude | Mom On the Go | Neutrals | Outfits with scarfs | Winter Looks
- 3 Comments
I had fun wearing this outfit and was in a neutral mood regarding our snowy day….
Once I saw the photos, I thought, I look a bit like Mary Poppins…
Or Perhaps the frontier women….
Linking up with Tres Chic Fashion, so head on over to get inspired by other fabulous bloggers.
We were getting snow at the time of my photos and I was surprisingly warm during this photo shoot, but then again there weren’t any whipping winds…
Luckily our forecasts calls for our temps to rise and this will to turn to rain…
I think the hat combined with the long skirt contributes greatly to the Mary Poppins vibe, but I am not giving up my hats in winter for anything… So funny after years of giving my mother total hell over wearing hats…. Sorry Mom, you did know what you were talking about! Just one of the many things I wish I had time to say to her…
Most of the skirts coming down the runways lately for Fall 2014 are in the midi length… Dear Readers, how do you feel about midi skirts that hit at your calves? Are you worried about the frump factor at all?
While I like the boho style, that midi length can be somewhat more of a challenge, although I do remember in the years past liking that length with boots in the winter… It will be interesting to try, but as a petite it will definitely require heels…
Gratitude
I am grateful for the even the littlest of snow and the delight it brings my children especially on a hump day like today was…
I am grateful that after my crazy dog woke me up at 4am that I was able to eventually fall back asleep (after 9am when my husband left)
I am grateful for my 18 year old who baked cookies last night and saved some for Dad, leaving them in the foyer as a surprise this morning.
I am grateful that my husband texted our son to thank him for the cookies and the how retelling me of their text conversation, brought a light to my son’s face.
I am grateful that my kids understand my not wanting cookies around me and they hide them to help me in my current quest to reduce calories for three days..
Versatile Style by Tracey 