My Big Fat Greek Posting

Here I am! I've been missing you guys. We had company for several days and the prep & cleaning involved before & after the visit has been keeping me plenty busy. I feel like I have tons to share, none of it necessarily related but swirling around my brain anyway.

So, I'm I am just a big ball of technicolor excitement now that Pushing Daisies is back on the air. Somehow I managed to miss 2 original episodes last year so I am seriously considering buying season 1 on DVD. Speaking of DVD's. The Barefoot Contessa has a DVD available at Target that I think is going on my Christmas list. You listening Santa? Oh and I think then I'll probably need this little beauty from the Martha line at Macy's. What's that you say? My 15 year old kitchenaid mixer works just fine? I'll have to see what I can do about that.

Speaking of Christmas, our chilly temps this week gave me the urge to pull out my Christmas music. I started with this CD and I'm now working my way through my whole holiday library. I listen to it non stop for about 4 months. I usually keep my windows rolled up while listening to it at this time of year because my self esteem isn't high enough to subject myself to that kind of ridicule.

I really need a new coat. I love this one from Boden but it's a bit more than I want to spend. I want something that has this kind of fun but classic look. But then the question becomes:

Practical brown?

or

Fun loving blue?
So except for a time consuming project (chair slipcovers) and a budget consuming project (a new china cabinet) my dining room is done. You can see more pictures over at the Homegoods Openhouse blog.

Fabulous Friday - Feeling Greyish

 from Boden

Lately I find myself drawn to fashion. Autumn is my favorite fashiony time of year. Is it yours too? I've always loved all the layers. And the fabric. I'm all about texture and softness. And this year apparently I am all about Grey.

 from Ruche

I'm drawn to it in all different shades and materials. Apparently I would happily wear grey from head to toe.

 from Anthropologie

And while I love all of these clothes, I don't love the prices. My reality is more like this one below. At their prices I can afford to be obsessed. And obsessed I am.

from Target

So obsessed in fact, that I just ordered these for Emma.  Before you go off thinking that I'm a terrible Mom forcing her little girl to walk around in drab colored clothing, I must tell you that she picked these clothes in these colors herself. I'm thinking greyish is genetic.



 from mini boden

PurseOnality

I would love to have a fun purse from some place like Anthropologie, Sundance or Joules but I've gotta tell you, I'm just not spending that kind of money on a purse right now. Instead I asked myself how I could gussy up what I already own and I think this flower pin from H&M paired with a vintage hankie do the trick nicely. I love carrying around something that is uniquely me. I find that more and more I want to express myself in everything I do.

On to other news... For those of you concerned that Maddie was getting switched to a school for troubled girls, let me assure you, she's not! She was attending a very large public school in our very wealthy county, where she was very much falling through the cracks. Yesterday when we went to withdraw her, we were one of many parents doing so. The teachers are overwhelmed, many of them don't care about their students or if they succeed. They can't keep up with checking work and entering grades, there is very little communication with parents and the keeping up with the Jones Jr's environment is out of control. We were lucky enough to find a very small private school 15 minutes from our house in the most tranquil setting you can imagine (pictures coming soon) where she will be one of 18 in her graduating class. Oddly enough, Sweet Hubby made the same sort of change his junior year and credits it with changing his life. I feel sure Maddie will look back and feel the same way. She loves the school, the teachers, the students, the classes, the administrator and everything about it. Today was her first official day and while we weren't counting on this extra expense, I know that it was the right thing to do for our girl.

What I'm Crushing on this Week- Sundance Catalog

This isn't what I planned to blog about today but since Blogger won't cooperate and let me upload pics I thought it was as good a time as any since I started this post earlier in the week.

Me and fashion have come a long way in the last year or so and Autumn is hands down the most fun fashion season in my mind.

The layers. The boots. The colors. The textures. The boots.

Oh! I already said that, didn't I? You can find all of these pretties here. Just remember, I never said they were affordable.

What I'm Crushing on this Week- Boden Style

Fall- it's my favorite season for weather and most definitely for clothes too. Today as I head out to do some back to school shopping for the girls, I'm thinking I also need a back to school outfit. I'm loving these from the new Boden line.

Shirt Dress in Vintage $88
Fun Tank top in Ivy Melange Stripe $58


Fun Tank top in Fun Kaleidoscope $58

Swishy Skirt in Washed Denim $78
This leads me to my next question. Can i borrow $282?

Seeing Red

I know you guys must be dying to know how I decided to spend the extra $100 dollars that was burning a hole in my pocket. Well, after much deliberation and Sweet Hubby insisting that we buy the GPS but not out of my money, I decided on the Cannon pocket camera. I was all set to get it, I just hadn't gotten around to buying it yet and then last week I stepped foot in Anthropologie. Game over. No camera for me but I did walk out with a lovely shirt, a coat I love and this red dress/tunic/jacket that I am ga ga over. I may have gone over budget by $30 (shh) but the coat alone was marked down from $200 to $50. What's a girl to do? Besides, something tells me that I'll find a way to get that camera some day soon.

Wardrobe Basics- A Plea for Help

I have a very pathetic confession to make. I barely know how to dress myself. There, I said it. Now you know. I do a great job picking out adorable outfits for the girls. Even Maddie at the age of almost 14 thinks I have great taste. For them. When it comes to buying clothes for myself, not so much. Part of the problem is that I don't want to dress like a cliche. I'm 36 and lets face it, there are just some things that I should not be wearing. On top of that, I'm a real woman, currently sized 12 with child-bearing hips, thighs that go on forever and not everything looks as good on me as it does on the size 2 model in the catalog. Think skinny jeans!

Yesterday while at Old Navy for the girls, I discovered this denim jacket was on sale for $20. I've been coveting one for a couple of years but I'm very bad about justifying clothing purchases for myself. I only bought it because Maddie made me & the whole time I'm thinking I'd probably return it. Then when I got it home I realized that I love it and that it will work with so many things I already own. It's inspired me to want to put together a real wardrobe, to put more effort in how I dress. I want to be more stylish but still act my age. So this is my challenge. Where do I shop if my taste leans towards classic (not stuffy), preppy, youthful (not teenager), artistic (free spirited) clothing and I'm on a budget? What do I buy to put together a good basic wardrobe for a stay-at-home Mom, who volunteers at school & occasionally has date night with her Sweet Hubby? Are there any good magazines or websites for grown women, where I can get the fashion advice I so clearly need so that I don't embarrass my family in public?

To Croc or Not to Croc

It's really no question at all in our house. Emma is queen of the Croc and when her beloved blue Mary Janes broke a few weeks ago we began a mission to immediately replace them. That mission spanned 2 states and several stores and resulted in no shoes. It appears our sweet MJ's are being phased out. I finally found them online and for a price so unbelievable, we were compelled to buy them in 3 different colors. Since we bought them a size larger than her last ones, this should see us through for quite some time. Love them or hate them, if you have a little girl as addicted to them as Emma is, you might want to visit here and place an order yourself.

Spring Fling

While now my reality is covered with snow, the dream of spring whispers in my ear. I find myself listening to it more and more. Looking forward. Days filled with sunshine, flowers, chirping birds and ponytails.

My wish list grows longer with every pound I shed. I'm down 7 1/2 with about 10 to go. I'm looking forward to rewarding myself with these things that will enhance the new me. (from garnet hill, banana republic, anthropologie, tommy hilfiger, boden, and more anthropologie)

Foot Fetish

I never was one of those girls. I couldn't imagine spending lots of money on shoes and having so many pairs that I required special storage for them. Then one day I woke up and I was different. I was a shoe person. I'm not sure how or why it happened. My guess is that it coincided with a new inner confidence that took me about 37 years to get and which spawned a love of fashion, of letting the outside reflect what is inside. For the record, I still can't imagine spending a lot of money on shoes, but I now can imagine the need for storage to accommodate an ever growing collection.
I just ordered these boots from Target ($32.99) inspired by my newest fashion hero, Rebekah at Little Byrd Vintage. This girl can put together a thrifted outfit like nobody I've ever seen. I adore her style. We have very similar taste.
My other fashion hero of late is Kasey from Lola B Boutique and she is the reason I just ordered these shoes from Target ($18.89). I've been watching and waiting for them to go on sale and yesterday it finally happened.

I can't wait to put both of these pairs of shoes into the fashion mix and share the results with you. Embrace life. Go buy yourself a new pair of shoes.

The Cottage Closet

So, I've been thinking about starting a fashion blog, but then I thought maybe it would be too much to keep up with a 2nd blog when I'm actually working to simplify my life right now. Maybe I should just post fashiony (that's a word right?) things here when I feel like it. I'm wondering if you guys even have any interest in the fashion ramblings of an almost-middle-age-bargain-hunting-momma. So what do you think? Also, I realize I'm going to have to invest in a tripod and figure out the timer on my camera. Also, I realize I need to clean my mirrors. Also, I'm thinking all of those adolescent months spent practicing how to raise an eyebrow like John Black on Days of Our Lives paid off.


Hat: Margeaux Hat from Anthropologie $38- A real splurge for me but it makes me smile every time I put it on and for some reason it makes other people smile more at me. Plus it makes me look sweeter than I actually am and I find that I get better bargains when I wear it to the flea market. I think it's already paid for itself.

Shoes: Madden Girl from TJ Maxx on clearance for $20. I adore them. Cute with jeans, cute with skirts. Heck I think they'd even look cute with my jammies.