ROAD TRIP!!!

Thrilled to be vacating the desert heat with my family (for just over 2 weeks......hazahhhhh!!) Get to see my big sis whom I shamefully admit that haven't seen for 3 years!! Get to meet my 2 year old nephew. Get to see my mommy, daddy, in laws, friends, and beloved family!! Get to eat at my favorite digs....Cafe Rio, Spaghetti Factory, Chick Fillet (I know,...really glamorous.) Get to actually shop at Down East Basic instead of just daydreaming on-line. Get to spend time with my peeps and husband with no "just -a-minutes" lurking over us. Some of my all time favorite thrift stores and consignments shops are in Salt Lake so maybe I will even find a gem or two to blog about. Just in case I don't... Happy Blogging in my absence and boy will I have some fun catch up reading to do when I return.

the Locket

This fabulous little locket was waiting for me at "Forever 21". It had this fuzzy picture of a tiny blue flower on the front of it. I didn't love the picture, but the locket was around $5.oo and was calling out to me. Just something about it. (You know that feeling?) I got it home and still wasn't wearing it because of that blue flower. So, I printed out a thumbnail of a picture of my sister, my daddy, and me, and trimmed it to fit. I coated a layer of diamond glass over the flower image, placed the new image on top, and coated another layer of diamond glass to seal the picture. I was pleased to see that it didn't damage the photo at all. After it had dried for a few hours I handled and studied it. It was clear, thick, glossy, and I really liked the results. For jewelry I would say that it worked out much better than Modge Podge. It makes me smile that my cheep shopping mall junk jewelry find now looks like a vintage heirloom. :):)

From Laundry Bag to Laundry!!

About 3 years ago I was at Ikea with my sisters in law and there was this adorable laundry bag. (Bad photo, sorry.) It was just too cute....the print,...the colors,...just loved it. I didn't need it but it was only $3.00, and I remember thinking at the time that it would be a shame not to buy it. (Where I get these thoughts I do not know!) So home it came with me. I opened it up and it was huge. Enormous! I had no idea what I was going to do with it besides look at it. (Did I mention that it was really cute?) I tried using it as a swimming bag and I looked like Santa Clause with his pack of toys. It has sat it my closet for 3 years!!! I couldn't donate it because it was too CUTE!!! So,........another skirt. I know! But really,.....I live in the desert in the scorching heat and I wear skirts nearly every day as a defense mechanism. (Extra breezy.:)) So why not have 3-dozen-ish skirts in my closet, right? Besides I like it even better as a skirt. YIPPEE!! It is too CUTE!!!!!

Happy Things.............

The Mister gave me flowers for absolutely no reason.......................................hmmmmm?? :):)

I love him!!!

Yes, I am honestly going to blog about lipstick, because I believe that when you find a good thing you should share it. And this my friends is A GOOD THING!! The new Maybelline Mineral Power lipstick is now my favorite lipstick!! I admit that am fickle and that my tastes change fast, but I think that I will actually stick with this one for a while. I love the texture. There is no funny smell or taste. And.....these lipsticks look youthful! (As apposed to how some lipsticks can look matronly and drying.)
My two favorite colors are "Terracotta" which looks very much like my favorite lip color by "Mac", and "Sand" which looks very much like my favorite lip color by "Clinique". Unlike the others, the Maybelline lip colors only cost about $6.00. Right now they are even sporting their own little $1.00 off coupon right on the tube. YIPPEE for good lipstick! If the simple and silly things can brighten up ones day then "go for it" say I!!! Go buy some lipstick :):).

Centerpieces

This week I was asked to help with centerpieces for a funeral. The woman (Pearl) who had passed was a dear older woman from my church. She was so loved, vibrant, and full of life. Luckily I was given help by a good friend who is very creative, but we had our work cut out for us. We had a very small budget and 3 days to come up with 25-30 centerpieces. We were told that Pearl's favorite colors were red and yellow, and just run with that.........yikes!! This is what we came up with. We floated lemons and cherries in clear vases, and tied them with red and yellow ribbon. After all was said and done I can honestly say that I was very pleased with the outcome. And knowing Pearl, I can really understand why red and yellow were her favorite colors. How cheery 30-ish red and yellow fruit vases looked all scattered about the cultural hall! Thank you soo much to Portia for sharing my stress!! :) And,...thank you ever so much to all of the sisters in the ward who so readily responded to desperate shout outs on face-book for clear vases "asap"!! We All Loved You Pearl!!...Still Do!! :)

Wardrobe Rehab Part VII

I have had this plaid skirt for about 7 years. Even though it is light weight it has sort of a winter feel to me. I haven't warn it for months,...possibly even years,...so I thought I would see if I could lighten it up a bit.

I cut it to a length of 21" and sewed a strip of 2" crocheted lace to the bottom. (I actually cut the top off and used the bottom half of the skirt so that it would have more fullness. Then I just made it into an elastic waistband.) I finished it off with a doily. I like it a lot better now. I think that paired with an ivory blouse un-tucked, a thick brown belt high on the waist, and some chunky brown sandals that this outfit might just rock a summer feel. I am going to try it out.