Decked Out & Fenced In: Accessorize

Accessories are the key to take any outfit from "yawn" to "Yowza!"  

The base of my look today is a grey long sleeve t-shirt, a pair of studded jeans and black boots. Pretty simple and rather boring. 

Let's spice it up!

Blending of Burgundy: Remix Twist

My mother-in-law Ann was unable to be with us on Christmas day so she had us over for dinner and a gift exchange. A fashionable holiday time was had by all. 

Champagne Wishes: They Can Come True!!

On my Champagne Wishes And Caviar Dreams page I have listed items I am wishing for and dreaming of others. My sweet husband made one of my champagne wishes come true. I am so happy he did! I am LOVING my over the knee red boots he gave me for Christmas! 
To share the fabulousness with my Fashnlvrs, he agreed to be my photographer of the day. He did an AMAZING job with the photo shoot AND he chose the location too. 

Wine Tasting Women: What We Wore

Last weekend I attended a Wine Tasting Party at a friend's house and brought my camera along to take a few photos.  We had a great time. If the photos appear a little blurry that is just my attempt to share the wine with you.

Jess on the left is wearing a sweater from The Limited, smartly layered over a teal cami over jeans with black boots.

Fashion sister Tiffany brought her friend Sarah with her to the party. I was very glad to meet her. Her style is impeccable. She loves vintage handbags, sews her own designs and alters her own clothes. 

Sarah and Tiffany give Lee, our host, hugs for having such a fun party. The wine and food was delicious, and the guests were lively!

Sarah is wearing black and silver skirt from Express with red knit top over black leggings and black knee high boots.

I wore my grey striped sweaterdress from H&M over grey leggings paired with raspberry over the knee boots and a military inspired black hat.

Sure was great to get together and see everyone!

Seasonal How-To: The Christmas Yule Log

My husband is very "into" his Norse and Celtic ancestry. In keeping with that interest, we try to incorporate a few of their traditions into our family life. Almost every year our family makes a Yule Log. I am sure you have seen the screensavers and video of Yule Logs that you can put on your computer or on your television for ambiance. We make a real one however and it has become traditional for our family.

Laying Your Cards on the Table: It Is Official

I decided last month that I needed cards for my blog. I had found too many instances where I was telling people about my blog and yet I had nothing to give them so they could check it out when they arrived back at their PC. I stopped a girl to take her photo and explained I am a fashion blogger. I visited a couple boutiques here in town I plan to feature - no cards to hand out. So I continued thinking procrastinating about ordering cards until my friends began to pester me about wanting some to handout to their friends. So I took the plunge and ordered them. 

I decided to go with VistaPrint.com as they offer 250 cards for free and a friend of mine had a good experience with them. 

I was so relieved as to have finally placed my order - OMG! My blog will have it's own business card!

Today my order arrived and here they are:

This is the front of my cards. One of the many designs I could have chosen, this one seemed to fit me well enough and hey, I only paid for shipping!

VistaPrint does put this on the back of the card if you don't upgrade the back. 

With this photo, I am trying to show the thickness of the card. They are good quality card stock. Not cheap but good weight. I expected less. 

Shipped direct to me through the mail. I had put it off so long I upgraded the shipping so I would have them while on my holiday vacation. While I have the time off, I intend to visit some boutiques and leave my "calling card!"

I wondered for a while if I should actually get cards for this blog I am doing for fun. It seemed a bit over the top at first - since it isn't really a business. Now I feel like a "real" blogger!!

Do you have cards for your "hobby" blog?

#TEAMKRISTY DAY

I haven't been out here in the blogosphere very long. One of the first blogs I stumbled upon was Kristy's blog, Vogue Gone Rogue. Instantly, I was hooked. 
This young woman has it going on and she is absolutely gorgeous on top of all her other qualities: 



#She has talent: photographer, artist, designer, blogger

Skull Shirt Her Design Her Photo too

#She has style: she nails "it" continually in her fashion sense

Kristy with Vesper wearing fabulous outfit - her photo

#She is kind and welcoming: Her warmth comes shining through in her replies to comments left on her blog. Kristy displays her kindness in the comments she leaves on other blogs. She always has something positive to say. She made me feel like an old friend from the very beginning. 

#She is relevant: The information she provides on her blog and the Full-time Fabulous blog is informative and interesting. Her pictures and videos relate to the topic at hand and keep the reader engaged and begging for more. 

Kristy puts a great deal of effort into everything she does. I haven't "known" her for very long but this fact is obvious. She would not have the following she does without being a hard worker in addition to her sweet spirit. Things do not happen by themselves, Kristy has made it happen. 

Kristy simply IS Fabulous > Full-Time!

Tweet all about it!! (Photo by Kristy)

http://kristy.fulltimefabulous.com/  Vote for Kristy 

All photos used in this post have been "stolen" from Kristy Elena. 

Shopping Attire: Yoga to the Mall

I have read on other blogs and comments by fashionistas that yoga pants and lounge pants belong in the gym or at home. However, I have pushed this envelope previously with this post. Today I needed to go to the mall to finish my Christmas shopping and decided to show off my new yoga pants. 

Intense Debate

I installed Intense Debate widget on here so replies to individual comments are possible instead of having one long block of comments. I'm not sure it's working. On the regular blog page it doesn't appear to have a place to comment, but if you click on the title of the post the comments section becomes visible. I am so confused. :) Are any of you familiar with using Intense Debate with blogger?

Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?

Mall Desperation: The Parking Dilemma

My daughter and I were out at the mall this weekend trying to finish up our Christmas shopping. Of course the parking lots were packed. I usually have pretty good luck when it comes to finding a place for my sleigh. Our family calls it "Mom's Parking Luck." So while cruising the aisles for a spot we came across the following and had to take pictures. I thought I would share them with you. 

While we were taking photos a spot opened up right in front of us and not too far from the entrance. Mom got lucky again. 

Have you ever been or would you be this desperate for a spot? 

Looks tricky to me!!

Happy shopping!!

Show Me Your Teeth: Houndstooth Tights

I have really fallen in love with patterned tights this season! I saw these houndstooth tights in the clearance bin at Macy's for 50% off and had to have them. They add the perfect bit of pattern to this outfit which is otherwise without much of a statement.

Closeup on the tights worn with black socks and Mix No 6 "Laugh" boots. Combat styled boots with heels > YES! Buckles and laces > my favorite.

Fleur de Lis leather unisex belt purchased at Off The Wall. I bought one for my husband too! They were on sale for $10 each!

Gray sweater skirt purchased from H & M last season. This is the first time I have worn it. I bought it knowing I would eventually figure out a way to wear. 

Ann Taylor Loft angora turtleneck sweater with raglan sleeves. 

What new (or new again) fashion item have you fallen for this season?

Per-Sueded: When Your Wardrobe Turns Vintage

Yesterday it was terribly cold here in Virginia. During the midday hour it was 28F but the windchill made it feel like 13F!! For such a frigid day I brought out my warmest fashion finds. I bought these items 18 years ago on consignment. That is right, your eyes do not deceive you and it isn't a typo > 18 years ago and it still fits perfectly. I was quite surprised when I thought back on buying them at how long I they have been in my closet. I will never part with them. 

The Skirt:

J H Collectibles brown suede skirt - now vintage, worn over Baker's over-the-knee boot in brown suede. The skirt has a button closure on the left side and no zipper. I like this because zippers break and are tricky to replace. A button can be sewn back on easily. The skirt is fully lined. 

You can see my security badge for the office hanging on my right side.

The Jacket:

Sea Dream Leather Ms. Pioneer suede jacket - now vintage as well. Ms. Pioneer was part of the Pioneer Wear brand which was in business from 1938 to 1993 in Albuquerque, NM. They produced this jacket and it was labeled for sale by Sea Dream Leather. Sea Dream Leather has since also gone out of business, sadly. The fringe runs up the sleeves and across the back and all around the bottom. There are 3 snap closures on the front which are very sturdy. It is fully lined and has an inside pocket on both sides - handy for carrying your Blackberry. 

Dream Catcher styled earrings that were my mother's. Red wool hat purchased last season from Macy's. Red ribbed-knit turtleneck top purchased from Macy's also.

Pocahontas? Annie Oakley? Maybe...

Warm on a wintry day? Definitely!

Christmas Shopping: One for You and One for Me.....

Darling Daughter Morgan and I hit the mall for more Christmas gift shopping. One of our favorite forms of shopping is when it involves "Gift with Purchase." Gift with purchase is even better when it comes in the form of cute totes and bags.
Since some folks on the gift receiving end read my blog occassionally I cannot include what I bought but I can show you the pretty tote and handbag we received. 

My gift for purchasing!

Love this bag! It is roomy and I like the smooth leather accented by the croc. Inside is a nice golden satin!

Morgan's Gift for Purchasing

The inside is a nice red and it has this cute flower attached!

One other great way to reward oneself for shopping for others is through Ebates.com! Generally, people use regular coupon directories, but this is a unique option. I love this website. I try to buy all my online shopping for Christmas through them. You don't actually purchase from Ebates - their website is a pass-thru to your favorite stores. Let's say you wanted to buy a laptop from Dell. This is a quick and dirty of what happens:

• Go to Ebates.com and sign up
• Click on the Dell Home Store on the Ebates.com site 
• Ebates opens a tracking ticket and another browser window for Dell.com
• You make your purchase from Dell.
• Ebates knows how much you spent and gives you a percentage of your purchase back in the form of a check.

Sign up with Ebates today and we'll each get a $5 bonus when you make your first purchase! Personal Referral Link

Percentage back is determined by which store you shop. Sephora is offering 6% back right now and Nikestore is offering 10% back!! Spend $100 in the Nikestore and that is $10 included in your check. There are also coupon codes and free shipping offers too!

For purchases made in December, one receives their check in February.

February you cash your Ebates check and go shopping for Spring/Summer wardrobe items - guilt free!! Or you pay your Christmas shopping credit card bill....

You can shop at over 1000 stores including eBay, JCPenney, Macy's, Nordstrom, Overstock.com, Walmart, Kohl's and Home Depot. Plus you get additional savings with exclusive coupons, free shipping offers, and limited-time sales!
Happy shopping!
Merry Christmas to you (and me)!!

Christmas Party Attire: The Fashionable Santa Suit

My family and I traveled to Washington, DC Saturday to attend Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. What a beautiful cathedral!! This was my third trip and each time I go I am still in awe of the beauty and artistry. 

Mosaic of Christ in the Main Chapel

Buttons and Boots and Bags > OH MY!!

So Dear Readers and Followers - I haven't done an outfit post in a while. It has been much colder than I like here lately and Eastern Standard Time robs me of the needed light for darling daughter to take pictures after my workday. Tonight sweet hubby and I went out to dinner and he agreed to take photos. I apologize in advance for the quality - its the best he could do in the dark. 


Today I wore a pair of gray brushed corduroy Calvin Klein's with raspberry boots and blouse. I accessorized with a scarf I knitted, a lovely piece of hair jewelry and a military-styled coat.

This is the military-styled coat I picked up at Last Call Nieman Marcus, mentioned previously HERE 

Raspberry boots and blouse purchased at 5-7-9 Outlet and 2b bebe, respectively.

Guess bag

Love the button detailing on the sleeves.

I bought this piece of hair jewelry over the summer in Myrtle Beach. The coloring of the flower matches my blouse and boots perfectly.

Vegas Baby!! Bloggers Unite!

I am so excited about this proposed Meetup in Las Vegas!!

My brain is already racing: (What do I pack? Which outfits will be best for this? I want to be comfortable and fashionable... It will be March so I can still wear boots. Which ones? What will I wear with them? I wonder which hotel we will stay at - hope it is middle of the strip, etc.)

Oh, the sites, the sounds, the shows, the shopping!! The Venetian, New York New York!! Fashion Show Mall!! The Strip at night!! SIGH!!!! I LOVE LAS VEGAS!!
Fashion Sister Tiffany and I took a trip to Vegas in October 2009 and had a total blast!!

Fashion Sister Tiffany and I shopping in Caesars

We met Grandma Lee from America's Got Talent Live!

She is a very funny lady! 

Bellagio lobby - their Fall Display

Fashion Sisters and The Kings

For more information about the Las Vegas Style Nation Meetup go HERE!

This event is being organized by Beverly of the STYLE UNDERDOG and Vahni of GRIT AND GLAMOUR! Many thanks to them - I am sure it will be fashionably fabulous!

How a Dress Became a Blouse (Sorta)

While shopping in the 2b bebe store I found a dress on the clearance rack which had a very distinctive neckline and collar but it had no tag. The salesclerk checked the price for me - $5!!! I snapped that right up!!

Well, then I got my purchases home and my dear hubby wanted me to model everything I bought. When it got time to put on that dress - OH NO!! I had failed to try it on in the store and once home found that I couldn't button it all the way down. He asked me what I would do and all I could say was "I will figure it out..."  He could see the wheels turning in my head. Click to see >>>