Gertrude Temple's advice to her daughter before each scene: "Sparkle, Shirley, Sparkle!"

This dress is bedazzle magic! I had a different ensemble in mind for this night out. But nothing was working... so I just went all out with the sparkle and monochromatic. The shoes were from a wedding six years ago. I love them. I even wear them with jeans and somehow have lost them. I think I left them somewhere on a trip. Anyway, I missed them so much I called up one of the other bridesmaids and talked her into giving me her pair. Yep. I'm that girl. I was trying to be all photographicially inclined when I took the picture of the shoes and get the fish in the pond.. but as you can see that didn't work out so much. Instead it looks as if my shoes are tight. They're not. I was just trying not to fall in the pond on that wobbly rock. What a girl will do for a picture.

"I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity- all I hope for in my clothes." Yves Saint Laurent

Jeans: Lane Bryant, Sweater: Micheal Kors, Jacket: ?, Bag: Target Bracelet: Silver in the City

Ensemble.. blog worthy.. I don't know. However, it is what I wore and I really love the bright pink contrast with the white and dark denim. The dog and I are both looking at the cat. She is not in the picture, but being trouble. Hence the "really?" looks. This is the guest room. I love this room. The color is so bright, but I always feel calm when I am in there.

"You put high heels on and you change." ~Manolo Blahnik

dress: Consignment

Shrug:Walmart

Tights:Target

Shoes: Candies via Kohls

Bag: Meijer

Bracelets: Lane Bryant

Dog:Milo

To celebrate my wonderful friend's (legsaplenty.blogspot.com)birthdday today we went to brunch (tastecafeandmarketplace.com) and then consignment shopping! I did not wear this to lunch, although I would have it I could have! I bought this dress today and tried it on once home. Then I continued to do laundry and homework in this ensemble. Well actually I also had on my steal of a deal spectacular green boots that I LOVE love LOVE! But they will wait for another day (a more perfect outfit) to make their appearance. Of course we had to stop for cupcakes. (Parchasweets.com)

Ps. For brunch at Taste I am quite sure I had the best home fries of my life. Y.U.M.

"Never wear anything that panics the cat!" ~P.J. O'Rourke

Coat: Thrift, Goodwill

Flower pin: H&M

Sweater: Target

Leggings: Target

Boots: Avenue

Bracelet: Lane Bryant

This coat was a steal of a deal! I found it at Goodwill for 10 bucks! It's vintage and wool with a faux fur collar. Honestly I really did not need a coat, but I thought it was too lovely to leave behind.

Note to self: Do hair when the day includes taking blog photographs. Opps.

"I invented my life by taking for granted that everything I did not like would have an opposite, which I would like." ~Coco Chanel

Dress, hot pink tights, black polka dot tights: Target

Flats: Payless

Necklace: Forever 21 or was it Charlotte Russe?

To celebrate my birthday I spend a few hours in a "new to me"' art museum. This is a tradition I began several years ago. The art museums are getting further and further away. Something I didn't think about when I began this tradition, but I love it and look forward to it every year anyway! This year I went to the Speeed Art Museum in Lousiville, KY (www.speedmuseum.org) found smack dab in the middle of University of Louisville's campus. Alice Neel's piece titled Priscilla Johnson stuck with me. (http://www.speedmuseum.org/collection/contempgsclpt/1980_14.html) Maybe it's her haunting look. I really loved a contemporary piece that was large with a navy back ground, one large white circle, and one yellow cirlce; however, I can't find the details online and I didn't write down the info. Boo!

This dress is black with a hot pink lining. The black layer has little holes so the hot pink shows through. So my matchy matchy brain when crazy when I realized I had hot pink tights that I could layer with black polka dot tights and create the opposite pattern of my dress. (This also helped to calm down my "look at me" hot pink tights!)

Stopped at http://www.theflyingcupcakebakery.com/ to round out the whole "bday" experience. Two cupcakes in one week! Good thing birthdays only come around once a year!

"When you feel dog tired at night, it may be because you have growled all day long." ~unknown

Sweater: old Old Navy

Tights: Target or Walmart

Black tank: My favorite from Lane Bryant. I have them in many colors and wear them nearly everyday!

Shoes: I forget. Old as well. but they are polka dots... and well be still my heart.

Necklace: New York and Co.

Sunglasses; $5 bucks at one of those stores by the beach. Bought to replace my favorite Calvins that the Little Mermaid has now added to her collection!

This sweater is so comfortable that I could easily wear it everyday! There is my little dog with a big attitude! It is so difficult to post pictures of oneself and not focus on all the things you don't like! Ps. That wreath is made from a book. I copycat-ed the idea from Lindsay at http://livingwithlindsay.com/2009/11/pretty-please-with-a-book-wreath-on-top.html

Have a great day!


Ang

"I have too much money invested in sweaters." -Bob Hope

I could live in these pants forever! They are certainly "five years ago" but I love them. Love. Them. I work at home so this is becoming a pattern. I have collected that assortment of sweaters since....well for a very long time. I need to wear them! I am challenging myself to make everyday my "good clothes" day even if only to wear them to the grocery or to do the dishes.