Wardrobe Wednesday: Blissdom and packing light

Edit: I’ve gotten emails in the past and am getting several today that you’re unable to comment on my blog. If this is happening to you now or has ever happened to you in the past, would you take just a moment to click the “email Abbie” button on the sidebar and let me know a) what happens when you try to comment (if you can’t) and b) which browser (and which version of it) you are using?

THANK YOU!

I am a chronic over-packer.

Seriously.

I am almost always that girl who has a somewhat appropriate amount of clothing in her suitcase (although most definitely on the overly abundant side) until the last second when I have a spasm of but-what-if-the-two-swimsuits-I-already-packed-experience-a-sudden-case-of-suitcase-shrink-itis-and-no-longer-cover-all-the-important-stuff-they’re-supposed-to?

And then it’s a quick slide down the slippery slope of, “Oh, I might as well take two more swimsuits, three more tank tops, eighteen more pair of underwear, six more pairs of shoes, and an extra necklace or two.”

(Please tell me I’m not alone, and please tell me why we say “pair of underwear”'…is everybody else out there doubling up, and I’ve somehow missed that boat?).

But, wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles (♫ God took a tailor by the hand ♫…gotta love Fiddler on the Roof), for my Blissdom blogging conference trip to Nashville last weekend, I managed to control my over-packing impulses and packed—waited for it—4 changes of clothes for three days, and that included the “dressy outfit” we were supposed to have for Girl’s Night Out.

Only 3 pairs of shoes (including my gym shoes).

And not one single swimsuit (we’re not always on speaking terms anyway, so I left her at home).

And I think I know how I managed it.

I started out planning to attempt to squeeze all of my stuff into a carryon-sized bag.

Because paying $25 both ways just so American Airlines will let me put my bag on their airplane when I’ve already paid for my ticket hurts my feelings.

So, I tried on 14 different possible outfits, made faces at 10 of them, and put the other 4 in a pile.

Then, I couldn’t find the right-sized bag, and it was getting late, so I just dumped everything in my suitcase, partly out of sheer packing exhaustion and partly because I’d heard tell of awesome Blissdom swag that I would need room for on the way back.

Outfit #1

(This is right before take-off from our local little airport, where we were chided for “holding the plane up” because we took so long saying goodbye to our husbands and all 7 of our children. We were the last people on the plane, but we still left 20 minutes early. Sheesh!).

Outfit #2

A slightly dressier version of my airport style for the evening meet-and-greet our first night there.

Outfit #3

It definitely helps an over-packer’s peace of mind to know that she’ll be traveling with a girl who wears her same size in clothes/shoes. My boots were making my feet ache, so I borrowed Mandy’s fun wedges!

I also got to meet Allison of House of Hepworths and Becky of Organizing Made Fun—both of whom I’ve had the privilege of guest-posting for and who were so incredibly nice in real life.

Outfit #4

For Girl’s Night Out, I jumped on the opportunity to wear my 1/2-price-but-still-waaaay-more-expensive-than-I-normally-buy Anthro dress. My sweet new blogging friend, Megan from Millions of Miles, informed me that I looked “very Texas” in this get-up.

I am so not a fan of this pic of me, but it’s the only one I managed to get with Megan, and she looks great, so I had to post it. Friendship before vanity, right? Definitely.

I also had a bit of fun playing around with twists and braids for a messy-dressy updo. I would tell you what I did, but I don’t really even know.

If you’ve read this post, bet you can guess what my favorite part of this profile shot is. : )

Outfit #5

Here I am with Erin of Two Story Cottage, another fun new friend. I am seriously coveting her living room ottoman, y’all. You should check it out.

Oh, and I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to show you this pic we snagged with Lisa Leonard of Lisa Leonard Designs and Lindsay of the Pleated Poppy, whose What I Wore Wednesday party I will be linking up this post with as I do every week. So much fun to meet these cool ladies in person!

I’m so glad I brought along those flats.

But I was even gladder to make it back to this sweet man, who was the director of the too-cute welcoming committee I showed you on Monday:

Aaaaand my keyboard officially just yelled, “Stop typing!” at me (rude), so I guess when technology that’s not supposed to talk does anyway, there’s really only one thing to do.

And that is shut up.

I’ll see you guys tomorrow for 5 Things Thursday!

P.S. I’m posting about my Anthropologie Candlestick knock-offs today over at The Girl Creative, where I do a monthly repurposing segment. Swing by, and say hi to Diana if you get the chance. She’s a sweetheart!

P.P.S. I have to know…do you over-pack too?

_{Monday  The CSI project ~ Menu Plan Monday ~ C.R.A.F.T.  ~ The Southern Institute ~ Making the World Cuter ~ Thrify Décor Chick ~ Metamorphosis Monday ~ Sumo Sweet Stuff ~ Gunny Sack ~ Singing Three Little Birds ~DIY Homes Sweet Home ~ Dittle Dattle ~ 1929 Charmer ~ Everything Under the Moon  ~ ModMix Monday ~ Sew Stylish ~ Coastal Charm ~ Under the Table and Dreaming}

_{Tuesday ~Sew Crafty Tuesday Get Your Craft ~ Tip Junkie ~ Blackberry Vine ~ Crafty Confessions ~ Me & my Boys ~ A Bowl Full of Lemons ~ Home Stories A-Z ~ My Uncommon Slice of Suberbia  ~ Carolyn’s Homework ~ Sugar Bee Crafts ~ House of Grace ~ Passionately Artisitc ~ My World Made by Hand ~ Uncommon Designs ~ Trendy Treehouse}

_{Wednesday ~it’s Overflowing Blue Cricket Design ~ Somedays Crafts ~ Sew Much Ado ~ Sew Woodsy ~ Handy Man, Crafty Woman ~ Savvy Southern Style ~ {Primp} ~ Midweek Fiesta ~ Rae Gun Ramblings ~ Polkadots On Parade ~ Lollipop Cards ~ JAQS Studio ~ Let Birdz Fly ~ Let Birdz Fly ~ My Girlish Whims}

_{Thursday ~ Transformation Thursdays ~ Somewhat simple ~ Show off your stuff ~ House of Hepworths ~ Delightful Order ~ My Simple Home Life ~ The Frugal Girls ~ Thrifty Thursday ~ DIY Diva Thursday ~ Tablescape Thursday ~ No Minimalists Here ~ Crafty, Scrappy, Happy ~ Thrifty Decorating ~ Between U and Me ~ 36th Avenue}

_{Friday ~ The Shabby nest  ~ Show and Tell Friday ~ Finding Fabulous ~ I’m Loving it ~ Simply Sweet Home ~ Whipper Berry ~ Chic on a Shoestring decorating ~ Spunky Junky ~ Delicate Construction ~ Homemaker in Heels ~ Family Ever After~ French Country Cottage ~ Common Ground ~ Young And Crafty ~ At the Picket Fence ~ Fingerprints on the Fridge ~ Miss Mustard Seed ~ Addicted to Decorating ~Bacon Time with The Hungry Hypo ~ Making Lemonade ~ I Can't Stop Crafting ~ Over the Big Moon ~ Shabby Art ~ Answer is Chocolate}

_{Saturday ~ I heart nap time- Sundae Scoop ~ Tatertots and Jello ~ Be different Act Normal ~ Funky Junk ~ 2805 ~ Making Lemonade Blog ~I am Along for the Ride  ~ Lolly Jane}

_{Sundays ~ Homemaker on a Dime ~ Sunday's Best} 32 comments
Love the post? Then follow the blog! Please?

Oh, and you can like it too if you want!

Try-it Tuesday: How to Paint a Dryer

I did it!

Apparently, I’m completely incapable of resisting the urgings of my blog readers (please...avoid the words, “jump,” and, “cliff”) because I took the suggestion that many of you put forth and which, I must admit, was already rattling around in my own brain, and painted teal polka dots on my almost-brand-new dryer.

And it was a bit of a pain.

But ultimately worth it, I think.

Do you agree?

So, why was it such a pain, you ask?

Well, let me break it down for you:

1) I taped my stencil in place with painter’s tape, just like I did when I painted my washer, but it was a little harder to get it secured since there was nothing above the dryer to tape it to. No biggie, though.

2) I rolled on two coats of Kilz oil-based primer, just like I did when I painted my washer. Only this time, I only rolled the stenciled polka dot sections, since the background was already the color I wanted it to be.

3) I went back over the polka dots with the teal paint that I used on my washer  (: )), doing my best to correctly realign the stencil over the already primed polka dots (no easy task since the dryer background is white and so is the primer).

4) For the side of the dryer, I attempted to add several coats of paint by rerolling the same polka dots while the stencil was still in place.

But the effect was usually a bit smeary and definitely not dark enough.

I finally got smart and rustled up a little craft brush to help me out…but only after ruining quite a few Q-tips in the smear clean-up process (hey, they were probably just thanking me that it was paint and not ear wax).

(And, yes, that creepy shadow looming is me. There’s not a lot of natural light in this laundry room at all).

5. I used the tiny craft brush to carefully make the lines around the polka dot edges darker and more defined and then filled in the middles with the same brush.

It was definitely a bit time-consuming but ultimately less frustrating  than rerolling over and over and still getting lackluster results.

6. I used painter’s tape around the door edges to avoid smudging/bleeding.

7.  Finally, I employed my ear wax averse Q-tips in the job of cleaning up any particularly unsightly stray marks, and…

…can now proudly introduce you to Henrietta’s equally polka dotted sister, Helena.

All told, this transformation probably took between 3 and 4 hours because the shiny newness of the metal made it a bit harder for anything to stick very well, but I sweet-talked it quite a bit, and it finally caved.

Also, for those of you who might be wondering how I answered the warranty question that was my only concern in whether I should paint a shiny new machine…

It’s still unresolved.

The good ol’ folks at Whirlpool might tell me, “No, ma’am. We’re sorry, but on the chance that your dryer breaks and paint fumes manage to seep into the electrical gears, and they stop working, then we can’t be held responsible for that.”

To which I might reply something super-mature like “Nah Nana Boo Boo!” but either way…

I haven’t asked yet, and, regardless of what they say, it’s done, and I can’t undo it.

So, let’s hope that Whirlpool has a sense of humor (or, at the very least, a thing for polka dots).

If you are considering this project and would like to know about warranties, I will be calling Whirlpool up very soon to get their reaction (which, I suspect, will go something like, “She did WHAT???! Is she calling us from a psychiatric ward?”), which I will then share with all of you, of course.

So, what do you think?

Did it turn out like you had envisioned (for those of you thought the reverse teal polka dot effect would be good)?

I sure hope so because, as I mentioned before, I can’t unpaint it now!

See you guys tomorrow for a Blissful round of Wardrrobe Wednesday!

P.S. I already added this info to my original washer-painting post because I was getting so many questions about the durability of the washer.

Well, I guess you can see with your own eyes from this post that I’ve had no issues with paint-peeling or any other major problems, but this is what I said:

**Edit: For everyone asking a) what kind of paint I used to paint the washer/polka dots and b) how that paint is holding up, the answers are:

a) on top of the oil-based KILZ primer, I used regular old latex paint in eggshell finish (no protective clear coat on top)

and

b) after 4 weeks and more loads of laundry than I care to remember, it’s holding up great.

Absolutely zero chipping, flaking, or peeling off. I’ve whacked it with the laundry basket, detergent bottle, etc., and it has left a small mark or two, but I don’t know any paint in the world that won’t show marks if you hit it with something hard.

The durability is mostly because of the primer I used, which is 1 part paint, a gazillion parts magic, as far as I can tell, but can also be credited to the fact that I rolled on three very light coats of paint. The lighter the better to keep the paint from globbing up.

Also, it took almost no paint at all. Maybe as much as 1/3 a quart.

_{Monday  The CSI project ~ Menu Plan Monday ~ C.R.A.F.T.  ~ The Southern Institute ~ Making the World Cuter ~ Thrify Décor Chick ~ Metamorphosis Monday ~ Sumo Sweet Stuff ~ Gunny Sack ~ Singing Three Little Birds ~DIY Homes Sweet Home ~ Dittle Dattle ~ 1929 Charmer ~ Everything Under the Moon  ~ ModMix Monday ~ Sew Stylish ~ Coastal Charm ~ Under the Table and Dreaming}

_{Tuesday ~Sew Crafty Tuesday  Get Your Craft ~ Tip Junkie ~ Blackberry Vine ~ Crafty Confessions ~ Me & my Boys ~ A Bowl Full of Lemons ~ Home Stories A-Z ~ My Uncommon Slice of Suberbia  ~ Carolyn’s Homework ~ Sugar Bee Crafts ~ House of Grace ~ Passionately Artisitc ~ My World Made by Hand ~ Uncommon Designs ~ Trendy Treehouse}

_{Wednesday ~it’s Overflowing  Blue Cricket Design ~ Somedays Crafts ~ Sew Much Ado ~ Sew Woodsy ~ Handy Man, Crafty Woman ~ Savvy Southern Style ~ {Primp} ~ Midweek Fiesta ~ Rae Gun Ramblings ~ Polkadots On Parade ~ Lollipop Cards ~ JAQS Studio ~ Let Birdz Fly ~ Let Birdz Fly ~ My Girlish Whims}

_{Thursday ~ Transformation Thursdays ~ Somewhat simple ~ Show off your stuff ~ House of Hepworths ~ Delightful Order ~ My Simple Home Life ~ The Frugal Girls ~ Thrifty Thursday ~ DIY Diva Thursday ~ Tablescape Thursday ~ No Minimalists Here ~ Crafty, Scrappy, Happy ~ Thrifty Decorating ~ Between U and Me ~ 36th Avenue}

_{Friday ~ The Shabby nest  ~ Show and Tell Friday ~ Finding Fabulous ~ I’m Loving it ~ Simply Sweet Home ~ Whipper Berry ~ Chic on a Shoestring decorating ~ Spunky Junky ~ Delicate Construction ~ Homemaker in Heels ~ Family Ever After~ French Country Cottage ~ Common Ground ~ Young And Crafty ~ At the Picket Fence ~ Fingerprints on the Fridge ~ Miss Mustard Seed ~ Addicted to Decorating ~Bacon Time with The Hungry Hypo ~ Making Lemonade ~ I Can't Stop Crafting ~ Over the Big Moon ~ Shabby Art ~ Answer is Chocolate}

_{Saturday ~ I heart nap time- Sundae Scoop ~ Tatertots and Jello ~ Be different Act Normal ~ Funky Junk ~ 2805 ~ Making Lemonade Blog ~I am Along for the Ride  ~ Lolly Jane}

_{Sundays ~ Homemaker on a Dime ~ Sunday's Best}

 

 

36 comments
Love the post? Then follow the blog! Please?

Oh, and you can like it too if you want!

Move-it Monday: Shaking things up, Blissdom-style

Happy Monday! (I hope).

I’m sort of still in denial that I am, indeed, back in Kansas (so to speak).

Oz (a.k.a. the Gaylord Opryland Hotel) was such a fantastically over-the-top land of soaring glass ceilings, labyrinthine hallways, $3 Diet Dr. Peppers (I resisted somehow), crisply-made beds, and multitudinous atriums (complete with elaborate live foliage and palm trees) that “real life” pales a bit in comparison (especially since I can longer just toss my towels on the ground and have them magically replaced with fresh ones).

The sheer fantasticality of it all made it a bit hard to leave.

Of course, having this be the first sight I saw when I got off the plane after the flight home made any loss of luxury more than worth it:

(I’m just glad that the tornado and the plane are so far away from each other).

In true feminine form, Adelaide was happy to have Mama back, but she was even more interested in checking the bags for loot!

Okay, so what does any of this have to do with Move-it Monday?

Well, I must admit that the vast majority of the time, my exercise last weekend consisted of lugging around my purse when I chose to bring it with me.

Fortunately, I didn’t usually have to, thanks to Mandy, who gave me this adorable Fossil wristlet when we got on the plane for Nashville.

(Hooray for “free” Diet DP!)

But we did manage to make it to the gym one of the two mornings we were there (hey, 50% ain’t too bad), and I ran the first three miles that I’ve run in…a year (more?).

Here I am in our lovely cleaned-for-us bathroom after my run. Quite sweaty and apparently happy.

Actually, it felt glorious to do something different and challenging.

I exercise all the time, but I rarely do anything other than the Les Mills classes I teach/take, and even though those moves vary quite a bit, they all fall into the same basic categories.

Let me tell you…running is a different animal—one that felt like it had put a serious smack down on every muscle in my body.

Sure my legs were a little trembly/sore. But what was up with the pain in my rib cage every time I turned around?

But that’s kind of the point.

No matter how active you are, shaking things up a bit can be an ideal way to get out of a fitness rut, blast a plateau, or just revive an interest in exercise.

Do you usually run?

How about a strength-training class?

Are you obsessed with cycling?

Kick-boxing would totally get you revved to hit (groan) the gym even harder next time.

A fan of the weights?

Try the elliptical for 20 minutes.

Whatever your level of fitness or routine, a change is hardly ever a bad thing (which is a roundabout way of saying it’s almost always a very good thing!).

I personally love (and kind of hate) sore muscles because they mean that I’m breaking down my body so I can then rebuild it into a fitter, healthier version of me.

Even if you love your current routine (or don’t have one yet), I encourage you to choose one thing you normally wouldn’t try or haven’t done in a while (or ever).

You’ll be amazed at the soreness results!

(I must say that I’m ashamed to admit that I got in such a hurry to get changed and get to breakfast that I made the rookie mistake of forgetting to stretch after my run, which contributed significantly to the stiffness/soreness of my muscles afterwards).

So, if you’re a veteran exerciser, what move/style would you like to tackle to shake things up a bit? And if you’re brand new to fitness, where would you like to start?

I’d love to hear your ideas!

P.S. (I think “P.S.”—in parentheses, of course, would be a great alternative name for this blog).

P.P.S. I’ll be giving you more details from Blissdom this week, so stay tuned!

15 comments
Love the post? Then follow the blog! Please?

Oh, and you can like it too if you want!

Feature Friday FREE-FOR-ALL {#8} + we made it to BLISSDOM!

Howdy-ho, folks, and greetings from the Gaylord Opryland Hotel (read: coolest, most gigantically huge hotel EVER) in Nashville, Tennessee!

Mandy and I are at the Blissdom blogging conference, chilling in our hotel room and attempting to recover from a day of traveling and eating too much.

But I have not wiped a bottom or a nose or a teary cheek since 10 AM, so you better believe that, with airplane butt and a too-full belly being my chief “worries,” I’m feeling pretty darn good.

Here Mandy and I are before boarding the plane:

(Don’t be fooled by the scarves and leafless tree in the background. The high was 85. *Melt*).

Here’s a quick shot of the scene last night at the opening night meet-and-greet:

(and this was just one little section)

LOTS of women/bloggers, LOTS of yummy food (cheesecake “shooters”…dang, those were good), and LOTS of business cards handed out (too bad that got pushed so far down the list this week that I didn’t get mine made. Five days…5 ways—they’ll totally remember that, right? Riiiiiight).

Okay!

So, onto what you’re really here for:

Features from last week’s Feature Friday FREE-FOR-ALL and, of course, the party itself.

I’m keeping it short this week since it’s already late, and I plan to get as much kid-uninterrupted sleep this weekend as possible, so here are my top 3 faves from last week:

I’m not a particularly naturally organized person, but I am drawn to tidy spaces, especially practical ones—like this awesome pantry over at Domestic Imperfection. (That stenciled wall holds a special place in my heart since it’s the same pattern I used on the French doors in our living room). Ashley even shares the sources for her containers. Woot!

And as much as I love the organized look, I’m also VERY into pretty for sheer prettiness’s sake. Maybe a little something like this gorgeous Roses and Ruffles Pillow (with tute) from Woven Home.

Le sigh. (That’s as French Country as I get).

Oh, and speaking of roses (sort of), Hating Martha used melted spoons to make a fantastically whacky sculptural flower to jazz up a vase a la Anthropologie.

That’s it for this week’s features, but I can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with this time around!

Feel free to grab a button from the sidebar if you’ve been featured!

And now it’s your turn again!

Same “rules” as always:

It’s a FREE-FOR-ALL!

If you’ve blogged about it, I want to see it!

So…

1. Link to your specific post URL instead of your blog URL (no limit on the number of linkies, so add as many as you like!)

2. Grab a party button so that others can join in the fun! (Text link-backs are great too! : ))

<a href="http://www.fivedaysfiveways.com" target="_blank"" title="five days five ways"><img alt="five days five ways feature friday free for all" src="http://www.capitalhcoder.com/fivedaysfiveways/5d5wfreeforall.png" style="border-style: none" /></a>

3. Consider visiting/commenting on at least 2 of the other links. You never know what kind of inspiration you might miss out on if you don’t. Plus we all love to read words of encouragement! (I know I do!)

4. PLEASE, no shops or giveaways!

5. If we aren’t already friends, would you do me the honor of getting regular post updates here?:

or you can:

subcribe for email updates,

and/or join our Facebook page!

No categories again this week.

23 comments
Love the post? Then follow the blog! Please?

Oh, and you can like it too if you want!

GRIFTED or GRIFTED Anthro Results

0ne quick(ish) announcement before I get going and forget:

I’m not even sure I could tell the “long story” version if I tried because I don’t even remember or fully understand all the reasons my husband and I did it, but for months, I’ve had a separate Facebook “like” widget on my blog from my actual Facebook page. One day, I started paying attention and realized, “Whoa! I have 400 likes on this puppy, and I need to make sure these people are getting updates from our Facebook Page.”

Turns out…you weren’t.

So! If you’ve clicked “like” on my blog page any time in the last several months, thinking that you were liking our Facebook page and would be privy to all the fun little extras, pictures, and tidbits I post there (c’mon, you know you want to be updated when I burn a waffle I didn’t even remember was in the oven…not that that actually happened or anything), so sorry, but no. You were liking the blog page, which I appreciate, but doesn’t help you much.

So! I’ve done away with that widget and would LOVE it if all 400 of you who pressed like (yes, I know there were probably some duplicates) would instead click the “like” button on the handy-dandy Facebook widget on the right sidebar (right under the followers box…you can send me your medical bills for carpal tunnel; I’ll understand).

Because, seriously, if I go up 400 likes on my Facebook page today, I will dance a crazy jig.

And then I’ll film it for our next Move-it Monday vlog. : )

OOOOOOOKAY…

Onto more business:

I almost feel guilty saying this, folks, because you were all SO sure (except for Becca; thanks for the validation, girl) that I chose Exhibit A.

But I didn’t.

I went with B.

And I had good reasons, some of which I would have disclosed to you yesterday so you could make a better informed decision…but I didn’t think about it until too late.

Reason #1: Yes, everyone who said I love red + turquoise was totally right, and I am beyond impressed that you guys are paying that close of attention that so many of you used that logic (I’d best start paying attention to what I say around here!).

BUT, that adorable turquoise bow belt didn’t come with the dress. I added it because the dress was pretty shapeless around the waist area (oh, and that teensy little belt would have added a cool $40 to the total cost of the ensemble, which just wasn’t happening).

Reason #2: The red dress is actually super-simple…so simple, in fact, that I might be able to actually replicate it some day, which is my goal.

Reason #3: My husband, the saleslady who was helping me, and I all ultimately liked the aubergine dress (yeah, you like how I just whipped out that fancy color term?) better in person.

It just had so many pretty details, and the colors are so rich and saturated in real life that I really couldn’t justify paying the price I did for another, much simpler dress that I thought I might be able to knock-off when I could be getting a dress I loved that I had no hopes of recreating (the embroidery and the origami pleating on the bodice? not a chance).

So…how much did I pay?

Take a big suck of wind, folks, because you’re about to gasp.

I paid $90.

Got that?

No?

Oh, all right, fine (*pulling my big girl britches up*)…

I paid $90.

I know. I know.

I will be booed out of every thrifting club I’m already not a part of and now never have any chance of joining.

But my husband LOOOOOOVED this dress, y’all, and so did I, and he offered to buy it for me.

(By the way, the red dress was the exact same price, so with the adorbs belt…the total would have come to a dizzy-spell inducing $130…and with the SHOES? I don’t even want to think about it, but weren’t they cute?).

So…what’s a bargain-obsessed girl to do?

Tell herself, “Well, at least it was 50% off!”  (choke) and happily trot to the register, that’s what.

I may be cheap, but I’m not crazy.

And turning down an (expensive) dress that your husband offers to pay for because it’s his absolute favorite on you is certifiable, if you ask me.

So, there you go!

The saga of the Anthro dress is done…except that now I have to figure out a place to wear it.

Speaking of places to wear stuff, I need to go finish packing for Blissdom, seeing as how I leave this morning.

Also, seeing as how I leave this morning, there will be no 5 Things Thursday today, but there will be a Feature Friday FREE-FOR-ALL tomorrow!

See you soon!

P.S. This is what I wore to Anthro. The total for all 6 things things I’m wearing (including that Fossil floral bag) is: $19.

Take that, Anthro!

P.S. So, if you’d known “the rest of the story,” what would you have done?

11 comments
Love the post? Then follow the blog! Please?

Oh, and you can like it too if you want!

Wardrobe Wednesday: Grifted or Grifted, Anthro-style (plus a bit of this and that)!

In case you’re wondering, today’s title is NOT a typo…but I’ll get to that in a bit.

But first, let me say that not much this week is going like I “planned.”

It’s mostly all good stuff, though, so I can’t complain.

Take Monday, for example. My bro (you met him here) spent the night on Sunday in our guest room/toy room (yup, you read that right…we like to give our guests the option of snuggling with a stuffed animal or maybe having their dreams haunted by the intermittent ROAR of the present I intentionally chose for Simon’s last birthday—a fearsome-looking animatronic dragon who stomps and growls loud enough to wake the dead…or at least our sleepover guests—what was I thinking?).

And then he stayed home from work on Monday morning with a sore throat, and since we were “home” at the time, I got to spend all morning chatting with him for the first time in a while.

Which, of course, I loved.

Then, yesterday, we spent the entire day working out the details of getting a new van—well, new-to-us, anyway.

We are quite utilitarian and practical when it comes to our vehicular choices.

I bought my “dream car” (prepare to laugh)—a Volkswagen Jetta diesel…seriously, I was obsessed—brand new when I was 19, paid it off with my teaching salary in 3 years…and we still have it, ten years later.

And then, about 3 years ago, I joined the leagues of minivan-driving mamas with the addition of our 2002 Toyota Sienna, complete with fetching racing stripes decals (you can see her in the background of our planking vlog from a few weeks ago…don’t ask how I got that dent in the bumper)

Let me tell you, I was one stylin’ chica in that ride.

So, when I stumbled across a 2007 Honda Odyssey on craigslist (did you just laugh again? I told you we’re practical! And new cars with three messy little kids are anything but practical) with every bell and whistle I could imagine (heated leater seats? um, yes, please) for an absolutely incredible price…well, the course of Tuesday, February 21, was altered forever.

Her name is Ophelia the Odyssey (which you would already know if you were getting Facebook updates, by the way : ))…

…and she’s battling for 5th place in my affections (after my husband and children, of course) with Penelope the Kitchenaid mixer (Penelope makes the best chocolate chip cookies, but Ophelia has a DVD player; it’s a close match).

So! All of these wonderful distractions would be just grand if it weren’t for the fact that I’m leaving for Blissdom (woot!) in the morning, and all of this visiting and running around means that I haven’t packed, my house is mess, and not one single meal is ready for my family to eat while I’m gone.

And I’m sitting on my couch talking to you guys.

Sound about right? (Hang on…baby girl is crying…I believe a diaper-change is in order).

Ooookay. I’m back.

So…what in the world does all of this blathering have to do with that oh-so-intriguing :”grifted or grifted” title and the fact that I’m supposed to be showing you pictures of clothes?

Oh, nothing.

I guess I was just feeling chatty.

But now to the point.

I mentioned on Monday that we got to do some shopping on our relaxing weekend trip to Dallas.

Well, any time I find myself in Dallas with a little extra time, I like to swing by Anthropologie to marvel at their wares (and prices!!!).

But, although I have been know to trail my fingers lovingly down a silk blouse or two, I have never actually ended up at the register with anything more than a $5 pair of floral tights.

This time was different, though.

Because there, on the sale rack, were two dresses, quite different in style, but both very me, and, as it turned out, very Shaun too (he loved them both).

So, of course, I tried them both on and fell even more in love when they both fit perfectly. (And Shaun declared that they were his two favorite dresses he’s ever seen me wear…it’s like he wanted to spend money or something).

And then he came up with a brilliant idea:

Buy the one I loved most, and then host a little round of Grifted or Grifted.

Yes, they’re both retail, but which one did I buy?

That, dear readers, is what you must decide.

(By the way, as brilliant as I thought Shaun’s idea was, I would have been even more impressed with his intellect if he had suggested buying both dresses. Just sayin’).

So, here we go, which of the following grifted dresses is the first real Anthro clothing item to ever make me a poorer woman?

EXHIBIT A

Apparently, I found posing in the Anthro dressing room while all the salesgirls rolled their eyes hilarious.

EXHIBIT B

Of course, you vote, but to get full credit, you must (yes, must) leave me a comment:

1) explaining why you think I chose the one I did

and

2) guessing how much I paid for my choice.

Happy Guessing!

Which grifted Anthro dress did I buy? 

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy.

38 comments
Love the post? Then follow the blog! Please?

Oh, and you can like it too if you want!

We helped build a classroom!!

Try-it Tuesday is coming, promise, but I thought I might share something with you really quickly that  my husband just forwarded me.

Remember this post about Parental Care Ministries?

And then our big PCM fundraiser that we worked so hard on in the month of November 2011?

Honestly, it seems like ages ago, but really, it’s only been a few short months, and yet, today, I get the (super stinkin’ exciting) privilege of showing you what your contributions helped build:

This is Hariet, our family’s PCM sponsor child. They took this picture specifically for us because the money WE raised went a long way toward getting this classroom built!

Isn’t she beautiful?! I’ve never seen children smile like these sweet things do!

See? Look at those ear-to-ear grins!!

And you helped put them there!

Thank you again to everyone who participated and prayed. I can’t tell you how much it means to me (and to these precious kiddos) that you took the time to care!

God is GOOD, y’all!

6 comments
Love the post? Then follow the blog! Please?

Oh, and you can like it too if you want!

Move-it Monday: Burpee {Vlog} + Weekend Recap

Hey guys!

I know it’s not Monday morning anymore, but I’ve been having trouble resurfacing back to real life after the kind of weekend that makes you go, “AAAAAaaaah. I needed that.” (No bubble baths, but no laundry either, so I’ll take it!).

If you remember, we kept things pretty low-key for Valentine’s (thanks so much for all your input on the glasses decision from that post, by the way. Option 1 was the winner by a landslide, which was a sad moment for my husband, since it was his least favorite. I’ll be sure to keep you updated on which one I choose!).

But Shaun did some looking around and found a 3 hour cooking class for us to go to on Saturday morning, so we took a quick jaunt up to Dallas while Softa (my mom), watched the kids.

It was perfect. We did a bit of shopping (I’ve got a fun little somethin’ planned for you for Wardrobe Wednesday that I think you’re going to get a kick out of), watched a silent movie at the Angelika (The Artist, and, in case you’re wondering, I liked it!), ate good food, caught up with some sweet friends, who were nice enough to let us crash at their house that night, and then had our cooking class (Italian) the next morning. (You’ll hear more about how that went later on this week).

The entire weekend was unhurried and full of hand-holding and laughter. I’m definitely guilty of overscheduling every rare kid-free moment that we manage to snatch these days, so to simply enjoy each other’s company with no set agenda was absolutely lovely.

In fact, I think I’m ready to do it again…next week, maybe? : )

Actually, I know that I savor leisurely weekends like last one because they are so rare, and I also know that the pace is hardly slowing down any time soon from the constant diet of homeschooling, picking up, unpacking, catching up, and cleaning that’s been on the menu all morning long.

Oh, and then comes Blissdom THIS Thursday! Have I mentioned that Mandy and I are going?

I’m looking forward to and dreading it all at once. Only dreading because of how busy/stressed the next several days will probably be, but you better believe I’m jazzed about 3 whole kid-free days…for the first time in…??? Who knows?

Alrighty, so now you’re all caught up on the doings around these parts, and it’s time to get down to this business we call exercise.

I made another little vlog for you today, and this time it’s all about the Burpee (and, no, as I point out at the beginning of the video, this has nothing to do with the cutesy version of the word you use when your daughter pulls out a big-boy belch).

P.S. I’ve discovered that I still don’t know how loud I should talk most of the time on these video thingies and that if I don’t script my “jokes” ahead of time, I have a knee-jerk reaction of mumbling when I realize I’ve just told an especially lame one.

Oh, well.

I suggest turning up the volume again but having the control handy.

ENJOY!

Untitled from Abbie on Vimeo.

CHALLENGES:

Beginner: 10 burpees (choose your modification), rest 5 seconds. Repeat for two more sets of 10. (Shoot for doing 3 sets 4 days this week).

Intermediate: 20 burpees (choose your level), rest 5 seconds. Repeat for two more sets of 20. (Shoot for doing 3 sets 4 days this week).

Advanced: 15 burpees with jumps and/or push-ups, rest 5 seconds. Repeat for three more sets of 15 (Shoot for doing 4 sets 4 days this week).

Good luck with your challenges!

Oh, and I’d love to hear about your weekends…were they relaxing too?

5 comments
Love the post? Then follow the blog! Please?

Oh, and you can like it too if you want!

Feature Friday FREE-FOR-ALL {#7}

Happy Friday!

I’m getting right to it today with some of the links that made me do double-takes.

Honestly, I loved so many projects from last week’s link-up that it was super-hard to choose.

You guys are crazy stinkin’ talented!

(Don’t forget that I also feature your projects throughout the week on our Facebook page, so be sure to stop on by to see if you’ve been featured or just to say “hi.” That’s cool too!)

I did manage to narrow it down to a few favorites, though, so here goes:

I love Going’s on at the Glenn’s twist on the popular silhouette trend. Those vibrant colors lend such a fun twist and really make the white pop!

And how about these adorable mini mannequins from Janet of All Trades? Fantastic!

And speaking of adorable…need I say more?

I could design an entire nursery around those cute chubby birds from A Jennuine Life.

And in another example of DIY genius, Interestosity decided to stencil her own damask fabric pattern, and it turned out fabulous!

Just like a raccoon is drawn to shiny things, I always find myself gravitating towards pretty things in shades of teal, aqua, and turquoise. And this gorgeous dresser transformation from No. 2 Pencil is no exception! (Did I seriously just liken myself to a raccoon?)

I can’t wait to give these super-yummy looking mini thin mint cheesecakes from Feeding My Temple a try!

And last but not least, I love this quick spruce-job that Remodelaholic did on her pretty white hutch. Isn’t that red paper divine?

Feel free to grab a button from the sidebar if you’ve been featured!

And now it’s your turn again!

Same “rules” as always:

It’s a FREE-FOR-ALL!

If you’ve blogged about it, I want to see it!

So…

1. Link to your specific post URL instead of your blog URL (no limit on the number of linkies, so add as many as you like!)

2. Grab a party button so that others can join in the fun! (Text link-backs are great too! : ))

<a href="http://www.fivedaysfiveways.com" target="_blank"" title="five days five ways"><img alt="five days five ways feature friday free for all" src="http://www.capitalhcoder.com/fivedaysfiveways/5d5wfreeforall.png" style="border-style: none" /></a>

3. Consider visiting/commenting on at least 2 of the other links. You never know what kind of inspiration you might miss out on if you don’t. Plus we all love to read words of encouragement! (I know I do!)

4. PLEASE, no shops or giveaways!

5. If we aren’t already friends, would you do me the honor of getting regular post updates here?:

or you can:

subcribe for email updates,

and/or join our Facebook page!

No categories again this week.

Just Everything and the Kitchen Sink!

16 comments
Love the post? Then follow the blog! Please?

Oh, and you can like it too if you want!