Feel Pretty!

Something I am {still} learning -and hope someday successfully- to persevere through is the "Winter Blues." In the Pacific NW, it is quite challenging with not only short, and mostly dark days, but also rain throughout the majority of the late fall & winter months. Depressing, right?! I would venture to say that I can speak for many women in the area {and many other regions} when I say that this time of year we just need some extra support to get us through with smiles! Well, I have a handful of tricks, so to speak, that I use to get myself out of the internal dark place that living in an area like this can induce during the winter. I am going to publish a few posts, starting today, that describe them. Obviously these can also apply to those general "gloomy" seasons us females seem to experience from time to time.


Beat the Blues Action #1- Feel Pretty!!


I find that when I'm feeling especially down I tend to skip over some of my self care routines that seem small, but can make a significant  difference in my mood.


* Shave {seriously}!! Once bikini season ends {or any time of the year, for some women}, many of us skip shaving in their routine. I happen to LOVE the feeling of smooth, freshly shaved legs up against my pants. I know you feel me!


* Panties!! I am and always will be, a girlie girl. I have loved pretty panties since day one {when I was really little I always begged my mom to buy me the panties with the ruffles on the rear, haha}!  Although I personally don't own any undergarments that lack some type of lacy/elegant/sexy quality, I do have some ultra hot pairs that I favor. I find when I'm feeling down it feels good to know that even if I am walking around in my big winter coat {and I don't have anyone to show them off to anyway}, I'm lookin' fabulous and sexy underneath it all!

* Paint!! Another ritual we tend to skip or forget once spring/summer have passed, is painting our toenails. It makes me feel better to spend the extra time in the evening to make a warm cup of tea and paint my toenails once a week. Not only does it look look nice, but it requires that you wind down and be still for a good chunk of time to give yourself some {well deserved} attention. Get to painting, ladies!


* Make it up!! Last but not least, wear some make-up! Whether you're a woman who wears a full face of make-up daily, or just wears some lipstick/mascara, or none at all, it's another habit that requires spending some time on beautiful YOU. So, if you rolled out of bed late in the morning because it's still frickin' dark out and you had no energy, give yourself permission to take just  5 extra minutes to apply a little {insert favorite product here} to feel a bit prettier, more polished, and more confident!


~Notice, these are all about appearance, but I haven't mentioned that any are for anyone but you. That is no mistake. While husbands/partners would likely appreciate these, they are FIRST & foremost, they are for YOU, and giving yourSELF the time and attention that YOU deserve!


I realize that we all have different preferences and lifestyles {such as children who require your time} but hopefully I have included a little something for everyone!

{Stay tuned for more "Beat the Blues" posts}

Anything you would add to the list of feeling pretty??

*** this post does not replace the advice of medical professionals. If you are currently receiving medical treatment for clinical depression, do not alter your treatment plan without first consulting your medical provider. If you suspect you may be suffering from clinical depression, please seek a medical professional. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or others, call 911 or seek medical treatment immediately.***

Basic Favs

When it comes to fashion and shopping, there are some pieces that I definitely prefer to splurge on {such as designer jeans}, however, some basics I prefer to buy as cheap as possible!

Some of my favorite basics are:

Leggings!!! I {HEART} leggings! They are a staple in my wardrobe. Especially here in the NW, where it rains often. I often pair them with boots and a sweater or tunic. My favorite place to buy them is American Eagle. I don't shop there often, but I dropped in the store early fall of this year and they were having a BOGO on them. I picked up a pair of dark grey and black. Needless to say, I loved the fit and quality so much that I went back a couple of weeks ago and bought them out in my size!! So glad I did because the sales associate told me that was their last shipment of the season. They are still for sale online here.

I also LOVE to layer with extended tanks. My favorite {although the quality is iffy} are at Forever 21. The prices are great, and I stocked up on them online recently. I have always bought the cami ones in the past, but this year I got some of the extended tanks, and you just can't go wrong with the price! I know the quality isn't the best, but when they are so cheap you can buy several. You can find the basic extended tank here.

**I hope every one's week is off to a fabulous start**

Anthro-Swooning!

I was browsing Anthropologie this morning for some ultra girlie pieces for the holiday season, and they did not disappoint!!
Here are some that I am LOVING today {oh, so elegant}:



I like this one for holiday gatherings:



Macchiato Jumper-Anthropologie

This is great for occasions such as holiday

gatherings/church services, dinner parties, etc:



Peggy Sue Dress - Anthropologie



LOVING this for the office-It is so me I can't even handle it!! 

{the ruffle detail on the bottom is what stole my heart}:



Tria Sweater Skirt - Anthropologie

Here's another beauty for any evening occasion:

Dance Away Dress - Anthropologie



Happy Monday!!

**SWOON**

Yum, yum, YUM!!!

Well, I am a pretty healthy eater, but my biggest weakness is dark chocolate. I actually eat some form of it nearly every day. Today I was looking at the dark chocolate bars at Trader Joe's, and the guy at the register recommended the one in the photo.

When I opened the box I was surprised to see that there were TWO bars in the package!! And even better, it is without a doubt, my new favorite dark chocolate bar!!! 

Score!!

Pilgrim Hat

Today my Auntie L had these neat little treats on each of our place settings for Thanksgiving dinner. They are pilgrim hats! Cute, right? The bottom is a chocolate, striped shortbread cookie upside down. The top is a mini Reece's Peanut Butter Cup. She spread a small amound of yellow buttercream frosting on the Reece's, and turned it upside down and placed it on the upside down shortbread cookie. The decor on the hat is an orange colored candy {looks like a Reece's Pieces, perhaps}. I thought these were super cute!

Happy Thanksgiving!!



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Giveaway!!!

A fabulous blogger {I know her through the church we both attended at OSU}, Monica, is having a giveaway right now. The giveaway is in support of low-income artisans from third world countries around the world. Check it out here. Also, I would strongly recommend following Monica's blog, Homemade by Monica. She is one of the most creative and talented women I know of! She is always posting about a new craft or home project she is working on!! I wish I had half her creativity and skills.

Hats

Today I was on Etsy looking in the "Knitting" category- not necessarily to buy but more for inspiration on what I would like to learn how to knit. Of course I went to "hats" because I love hats. Hats are absolutely one of my favorite accessories.

First, let me tell you a bit about my history with hats. I have loved them since I was really young. I think I started wearing them in 3rd or 4th grade. I thought Blossom looked so cute in them and I soon began my collection. I had so many... I can even remember lots of them in detail. There was this red one that had the little drawstring thing that went under your chin {go ahead and laugh, I know it's funny}, there was this one super fancy cream colored one with a small bouquet of flowers on it, and tons of the more "Blossom-like" hats that had a couple of flowers where the rim folded on the edge. The whole top of my closet had stacks of hats on it for years, and I wore my hats with pride!! OK, sorry, that was a total ADHD moment {I tend to ramble}!

Anyway, I really liked the hats below and I am hoping to find some patterns similiar as my knitting skills increase.




This hat is A-DORABLE, and of course, it has a flower on it. :)



I really like the color of this one and the cable stitch across the front looks unique.



And I love everything about this one- the colors, the flower, the ribbing. Perfection.

Welcome to My {not exactly sure what to call it yet} Blog

Ok, so we all know that although I love sports and one of my most favorite ways to spend a lazy day is relaxing in some cozy sweats and watching football; however, I am and will always be girly.

That said, I am going to start blogging some feminine topics here. This is totally a work in progress and will likely evolve quite a bit over time.

Here is a list of some of the topics I will likely be posting about:

*style/fashion

*make-up
*shopping
*knitting
*{organic}recipes
*jewelry
*fitness/wellness
*books
*character
*etiquette
*household
*being a woman!!

Enjoy!!

Coach Love

Today I was checking out the Coach website and came across these:

Ok, I will stop here but I LOVE these rings... LOVE, ADORE, WANT, NEED!!!

If  you would like to browse them all and fall in love too, check 'em out here.