FINDING MY STYLE

Style is a funny word.  Does something have to be stylish to have style?  I’m not sure, but what I do know is that finding clothes or a specific style that speaks to you can really make you feel like yourself.  Everyone is drawn to different items of clothing that make them feel good, like they’re putting their best foot forward.  It’s not the same for everyone, but that’s what makes us all unique.  I know that when I find an outfit I really like, I seem to carry myself differently because I like what I’m wearing. 

I never put much thought into what I wore until a few years ago.  I’d wear shorts and a t-shirt when I went to school and then tight jeans and a halter top to go out in.  My style consisted of whatever was on sale at Kohl’s for $7 or less.  Even when I joined the work force I didn’t think too much about what I wore.  I wanted it to be comfortable and cheap.  While I still want my clothes to be comfortable and cheap, I’ve been thinking of a few ways to revamp my wardrobe in order to hone my personal style. 

It’s hard to step out of the box, though.  After years of figuring out what works well with my body type, I don’t want to diverge too much from my comfort zone.  Enter a recent find I had at TJ Maxx for $15—high waisted shorts. 

I’ve been drawn more to a 50s and 60s look in the past few months, and I’ve seen high waisted shorts pop up around the internet, so I thought this would be a cheap way of seeing if I like the look.  Let me tell you, I felt so self-conscious when I wore them this weekend.  They are super comfortable, but they have spandex in them so look a lot tighter than they feel.  I felt like I looked ridiculous.  I even brought some other shorts to change into, because it was really difficult for me to try something out of the ordinary.  Maybe it’s just getting used to seeing myself in something different from what I normally wear.  I want to have the confidence to take more chances in my wardrobe, though.  To not be afraid to try a different look out.  This doesn’t mean that my shorts and t-shirt combo is going away, just that I’ll have more options sprinkled in. 

The most important thing to me is having fun expressing myself with what I wear.  I did crave other people's acknowledgement that the shorts looked ok, though, but I think that's normal.  How often do we leave the house not sure if something looks ok, but then your friend says she really likes your outfit and you feel on top of the world?  I think everyone is insecure at times about what they're wearing and could use a little boost.  So go tell your co-worker or the lady down the street that she looks great today.  And even though I can't see you...you look great today!

Shorts: TJ Maxx.  Shoes/Tank Tops: Old Navy.  Octopus Necklace: Charming Charlie.  Friendship Bracelets: Made by my sister.  Yellow Bracelet: Express (5+ years ago)

PEICD (PROJECTS EVEN I CAN DO): CHALKBOARD LABELS

Whenever I'm at a party, I always end up losing my glass since I can't remember which one is mine.  In years past, that's where the sharpie and the red solo cup came in to play.  If you're looking for a fancier way to name your glasses, though, that is reusable as well as fun, then these chalkboard labels are a great project to try. 

Like all my projects, this one is also super easy. 

What you'll need:
--Mason jars or any glass cup
--Chalkboard tile stickers (I found mine here)
--Scissors
--Chalk

Step 1:  The chalkboard tile sticker is really easy to use.  You can cut out any shape you want.  I started with a rectangle to see how it worked.  For my next few labels, I tried a fancier shape that I just drew free hand.  The possibility of different shapes to use are endless.

Step 2:  Then peel off the chalkboard sticker from its backing.

Step 3:  Now just stick the label to the glass, write your name on it with some chalk, and you're done!  I've hand washed these glasses several times and haven't had any trouble with the decals coming off. 

Cheers!!

WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

I’ve worked in the same place for 7 years.  During that time, people have come and gone.  Only a small group of about 4 people are still here that have been around since I started.  Today, one of them is leaving.  I wasn’t particularly close with this person, but he wrote a farewell e-mail to all of us co-workers and called out the 3 of us who are now the last stragglers from the original group.  He had included an old phone list of our group that showed a dot next to each person that is no longer here.  Now, it was time to put a dot next to his name.  For some reason, as I read his e-mail on my way into work, I became nostalgic. 

It was one of those surreal moments when time stands still, everything seems brighter, and you wonder, “Where did the time go?”  Instead of dreading walking into work, everything seemed glazed over with a warm glow that made me think I would miss this place when it was my turn to leave. 

I started in the group when I was just 23, and now I’m 30.  I spent my formative 20s with this group and have grown so much.  Fresh out of college, work meant getting to meet new people and trying not to embarrass myself in front of the higher ups.  I mostly accomplished this by never talking, which was not very helpful since everyone labeled me as too quiet. 

my original badge photo.  sorry for the blurriness.

Now, I’m management.  I’m the person that people come to for advice and to ask questions.  I can’t tell you how strange that feels.  I do feel more competent and confident, but sometimes I just want to go back to the carefree days when little was expected of me and I just got to take long lunches and leave early.   Maybe it’s hardest to come to terms with the fact that I’m not the same person who joined this group 7 years ago.  Perhaps that’s why I haven’t left for a new opportunity yet.  I don’t want to let go of this place, because I would be letting go of that shy girl who wore no makeup and who it took a whole two weeks to say hi to her co-worker who sat across from her. 

This moment reminded me of the Office finale.  It was just a paper company, but the relationships made in that small building made it mean something much more to the workers.  You don’t realize the impact of your every day until you take a moment to step back and look at all that has happened.  It doesn't matter what you're doing.  In the moment, you see it all as just the mundane moments that everyone goes through.  You trudge into work, trudge out, make dinner, watch some TV, and then you do it again the next day.  Nothing about it feels special, but I promise you that when you look back at an accumulation of years, these seemingly mundane moments will be your treasured memories that will make you smile.  For me, work will become synonymous with how my husband (then boyfriend) used to meet me for lunch dates almost every day at the Planet Sub close to my work, how I formed two awesome friendships in cubicles that started when we were just killing time, how I finally found my voice, and how I got the guts to start a craft business.

Looking back even now, I see all these moments in a soft romantic light.  These are the moments that are making up my great adventure.

ISLAND COOLER RECIPE

For our Gilligan's Island theme party this past weekend, we made a huge batch of my favorite tropical cocktail.  Some of you might notice a few similiarities between this recipe and the Lakeside Cooler recipe I posted a few weeks ago.  It's pretty much the same thing, except the Island Cooler makes a HUGE batch, has a fun umbrella, and is served in a  real pineapple.  The whole pineapple thing makes this drink instantly more island-y, but it would still taste delicious in a regular glass.

Island Cooler Recipe:
Serving Size: A lot!  Enough for about 15 people drinking all night (or 5 people who have a really high tolerance:)
--2 quarts of OJ (just buy a milk jug of OJ)
--64 oz. cranberry juice (I like to get the diet kind)
--32 oz. non-alcoholic lime margarita mix (again, you can get the zero calorie version)
--1 bottle of rum and adjust according to how silly you want to get (careful about putting too much in right away, because it will really sneak up on you since the alcohol taste is blocked by all these delicious juices)
--3 12 oz. cans of diet ginger ale

Pour the OJ, cranberry juice, lime margarita mix, and rum in a really big punch bowl or drink dispenser and stir.  Then top it off with the ginger ale for a little bit of fizz.

Next comes the fun part.  Take a whole pineapple and cut the top off of it.  Then, use this contraption to take out the insides and leave a nice clean hollowed out shell.

Since the pineapple rind may leak, I like to put a plastic cup in the pineapple and then pour the drink in.  This makes it easy to reuse the pineapple rind again, too.  If you want to keep the pineapples for future use, then just store in the freezer.  We've had a few that we've had for over a year.  This is the best way to keep your drink cool, too! 

Top your concoction off with an umbrella, and you're all set to enjoy a tropical evening no matter where you are.  Cheers!

HEADING TO CHICAGO...WHAT TO BRING?

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At the end of June, my mom and I are going to visit my sister in Chicago.  She lives outside of the city, but on Friday we're going to hang out downtown and explore the sites.  Even though it's not for a few weeks, I'm already getting really excited about the trip and wondering what to pack. 

I don't know about you, but packing has always been tough for me.  I start out with the best intentions of bringing only a small bag, but that soon turns into multiple bags of crap I won't even use.  I know that I'm supposed to plan out my outfits to reduce the amount of clothes I bring.  I start the process with this mentality, but once I get my outfits packed and relax to watch some TV, I get nervous and end up throwing in tons of additional tops and shorts.  I mean, how do you know what you're going tot feel like wearing that day?  In three minutes, all my hard work is down the drain. 

This time, though, I'm going to start early instead of the night before and be really organized (I tell myself this every time).  Plus, we're flying so I won't be able to bring a couple of large duffle bags and a lot of plastic bags filled with random stuff with me. 

So, as I'm thinking of things, I thought it would be fun to put together a little packing list of the true necessities I'll be needing.

1.  Camera bag--I'm going to need a camera bag with a cross-body strap as I walk around.  I love the pictures my camera takes, but lugging that thing around is a real pain.  Maybe my mom will carry it?  This leather one from Etsy is really cute, but it's a bit out of my price range.  I've got another idea up my sleeve, though, that involves just using a purse I have from Target and sticking in some foam to protect the camera.  I know that a lot of people have made their own camera bags from regular purses, so I'll give that a go.

2.  Camera Strap Cover--I think this pattern is so cute and would look way better than my plain black camera strap.  I especially like how it's just a cover for my durable and reliable Canon strap so that I know my camera won't fall off of it.  Plus, it would be cool to have these strap covers in multiple colors to switch around. 

3. and 4.  Cute Sundress--Oh, Modcloth.  How do you always have the most adorable styles?  It's most likely going to be hot walking around the city, and I've been trying to get away from my usual short and top combo, so I really want to find a cute sundress to walk around in.  I just may have found the perfect option at TJ Maxx yesterday.  After years of never finding anything there, I think I'm becoming a Maxxinista.

5.  Nail Polish--I think it's fun to slather my nails with a fresh coat of paint prior to a vacation.  It makes me feel fancy.  I rarely get manicures, but I like trying to paint my own nails.  I emphasize the trying part, because I usually get some on my skin.  It's hard painting with your left hand.  This nail polish color is so pretty and fresh.  It reminds me of the ocean.  I've been switching between yellow and peach for a while now, so I think it's time to switch it up and add a different pop of color. 

6.  Comfortable Shoes--A huge thing for me is to make sure I have REALLY comfortable shoes to walk around in.  I wish it were cool to walk around in my big tennis shoes, because I would totally do that.  Finding a shoe that is both cute and comfortable seems like trying to find the Holy Grail.  I'm not sure how comfortable these shoes would be, but they sure are cute.  We'll see what I come up with. 

7.  Sunglasses--Sunnies, shades, sun blockers.  Call them what you will, but a pair of sunglasses is always a must. 

8.  Pretty Smelling Spray--I don't know about you, but if I'm walking around all day in the heat, I'm going to stink.  Rather than putting an unsightly thing of deodorant on the list, I added a nice smelling spray.  That will surely be able to mask my stench, right?

Any other suggestions that I forgot, but are a must to bring?  We'll see in two weeks if I remembered everything or if I'm all packed.  It will most likely be another last minute packathon.  Have a great day!!

GILLIGAN'S ISLAND THEME PARTY

This past weekend we celebrated a friend's birthday by throwing a Gilligan's Island theme party.  I love theme parties.  Especially those that warrant the making of a tropical island rum drink served out of actual pineapples.  It just tastes better when you drink something out of a pineapple. 

When we were considering the theme for the party, we talked about throwing a luau or tiki party.  Ultimately, though, we came up with a Gilligan's Island theme to put a different spin on things.  There's just something so romantic about being stranded on a deserted island.  As long as you're with good friends and surrounded by food and delicious drinks.  Also, Wade wanted to wear a funny hat all night, so it worked out great that he and the birthday boy could dress up as Gilligan and the Skipper. 

I took pictures throughout the night and loved how the lighting changed as the sun went down and the tiki torches came up.  It really made our backyard seem like an island.  Or maybe it was just the rum drink talking.

The birthday boy and his beautiful wife!  We could not have pulled this shindig off without them.  Seriously, we made them work way too hard.  We had the best time, though!

Here's that delicious rum drink served out of a hollowed out pineapple.  The recipe is actually the Lakeside Cooler recipe I shared a few weeks ago.  To change it to an Island Cooler recipe, just add a frilly umbrella and serve it in a pineapple.  Done and done.

I used the streamer poles I made for our Mother's Day picnic to add a little more color.

Then as the sun started to set, the lights came on...

we brought out the cupcakes...

and we lit the tiki torches!

Everything was basked in a beauitful warm glow. 

I love these awesome ladies!  You guys are THE BEST and so much fun! 



Pretty lady:)

The pictures got a little blurrier by the end of the night, but you get the idea.  Happy birthday, Corky!

OUT AND ABOUT IN MINNESOTA: TAYLORS FALLS (PART 2)

After looking through the little town, we walked over to the park along the St. Croix river, which was absolutely amazing.  We walked along the pathways and stared into the deep sink holes scattered around that seemed to go on forever.  The natural beauty of this place was breathtaking. 






My dad and me



We thought this sink hole looked kind of like a heart. 

Looks like someone is trying to climb out of one of the sink holes

My parents <3

 After exploring the falls, we stopped in Stillwater along the way home to get some much needed ice cream.  It was a great day.  See part 1 of our trip to Taylors Falls here.