Pretty n Pink- a fashion post

So looking back it has been over 9 months since I've done a fashion post. I guess we couldn't classify this as a fashion blog. Lol.

When I saw this dress on our local online shop and swap group, I just had to have it. I love a ruffled collar. I love pink. I love detailing and structure. And I love a bargain. It was only $5!

I was pretty upset after getting it to find that it had some stains where another darker piece of clothing had bled onto it in the wash. It was listed as "EUC, no stains, rips, holes". I contacted the seller and was able to get another dress from her I'd been eyeing, for free. So I really got 2 dresses for $5. But I love this pink one so much that I wear it anyway. The belt covers one stain and the ruffles hide the other. Now I've given away my secret! Don't say anything when you see me IRL :)

Oh, and I got my new aviators by Aldo on the same site, also $5!

Ruffles and bows?!? Sign me up!

Trying to fit in with the cool kids. The metal parts of the glasses have a floral pattern printed on them.

Polka dot mani pedi courtesy of moi

I need a better backdrop

Gladiator inspired bronze, gold and cork wedges

Polka dot toes

I've been taking a break from my gel manis to give my fingers a little recovery. They weren't really damaged but were just looking rough from the buffing and scraping (since I just peel them off rather thank soak them off). I'm enjoying the ease of switching colors!

I'm glad I got this post up before it turned to fall! But when it is finally fall and Thanksgiving, boy does Sophia have a cute outfit to show y'all!

Dr. Dr. tell me what to do

So my good friend Elise got her PhD a few weeks ago...

Elise with her major Professor

And her hubby

And me- it was sooo hot!

I'm so proud of this girl! At just 25 she's earned a PhD! And in Biomedical Sciences no less! The future is nothing but great possibilities.

We've been friends for many years, since high school. Now we're living three hours apart (soon to be many more once she gets that shiny new job)! It's sad because I so much enjoy her company. We could be great "couple friends" too.

But, I really enjoyed visiting with her, her family, and Tallahassee in general. I spent about 16 months there attending our shared Alma Mater. (But only a Bachelor's for me!)

Did I mention she's also a Weight Watchers fiend?

The girl has discipline by the bucketfuls.

Once she was on it about 18 months, her hubby was convinced and joined in too! Now they are some lean mean, slim trim folks! 

Here's a little before and after. I couldn't dig up any "befores" older than this:

About 2008

2010

2013

I love me some black and white! And she wears it well. Horizontal stripes and slinky chiffon. You have to be thin to pull that off! I think total she has lost 50+ pounds. Slow and steady, over 2+ years. Determination.

So here's to you, Dr. Elise. I'm so proud of you and glad I got to share your day!

Weight Watchers Update

So my total weight loss now hovers around 18 pounds. The last month or maybe even 6 weeks I've been up and down a little. Which basically means I have not been strict enough with following the points.

Oh, it's so hard to break through plateaus. The diligence it takes. Sometimes I consider if it's really worth it. Especially when all sorts of baked goods and sugar sweets are calling to me. It's easy to have a false sense of comfort when everyone is saying "you look good". But is good good enough? I'm still in a size 14. I don't think that's particularly healthy.

My only exercise right now is walking, or doing hard house chores like cleaning the garage or doing some yard work. I'm ok with that, even if I shouldn't be.

So- here's my most recent photos, in all their real-ness and glory. Including my spare tire and back fat. But at least I have on my new favorite coral skinnies, so it's trendy fat :)

The first trimester belly. I'll likely always have a pooch there, since I'm not gonna do 1000's of crunches. "Signs of life" so they say. Plus I can always wear my spandex shapewear tank tops :)

This is true honesty, and you should appreciate it! Back fat + flat butt = not a pretty site

 Also, I need a haircut :) I like the front length but the back desperately needs re-stacking.

But this is me/us March 2012. John is so much different too!

DIY: Baby Headbands

I may have posted before, back when I was still pregnant, about making hair accessories for Sophia.

Well, although she had an extensive collection, probably like 15 headbands, she'll still didn't have all the colors I would like. She had the pastels and pink covered in scads, but not so much the bolder colors.
Also some of the hairbands I had made before out of little girls tights, were too small for her head.
So I decided to give away the duplicate color hairbands and make some new ones.

But I didn't know where to get the supplies. I looked at Target at WalMart with little success. To be honest, their selection was dismal. Then I happened to notice that one bow/headband she had been given said Hobb Lobby in the tag. So I decided to go take a look.

Hobby Lobby is the baby hair styling Mecca. They have two whole end caps devoted to headbands, bows, flowers and sparkly/fluffy doo-dads. And then a whole aisle of "baby wearables". Onesies, shoes, bibs, diaper covers, bows, tutus, iron-ons etc. And they are very reasonable. So I got a couple packs of plain white to change out on the existing headbands that are too small, and I got the supplies to make some new ones. I did buy 4 flowers pre-made. Then I made three more. So ya, a little headband crazy here.

I was also really glad to give business to Hobby Lobby. I support their stance on not wanting to provide abortaficient medications to their employees. But I won't go on that tangent in this post.

I bought all the material for making the bows in the clearance scrap fabric. The skinny headbands are 3/$1.99 and the wide ones are $0.79 each!

Here's what I came up with:

Flower tutorial found here. I made this one with 8 petals.

I really like the way this fabric moves and feels. Tutorial for flower here.

Same flower as above, just with cotton material.

Purchased at Hobby Lobby, headbands 3/$1.99, feather puff $1.99

Purchased at Hobby Lobby. Headband $0.79, flower $2.99

Hobby Lobby, flower $3.99, gift from Grammy.

Purchased on clearance at Hobby Lobby. Flower $1.34

On clearance, same as yellow

I was able to find time for crafting thanks to having my MIL here for like 5 days last week! We took some great photos, but I'll put that in another post.

For now, here are some updated Sophie ones. Forgive the overload. Just can't help myself.

Just stuff we snap with our phones:

Florida Winter Style- Mommy and Me

Hi everyone!

Things are going much better here in mommy land. I think we are finding our groove. Right now I'm reading Baby Wise and trying to get our feeding times a little more scheduled, all in the hopes of that blissful 8 hours of sleep!

I wanted to share our Sunday go-to-church fashion. It was pretty cold here for us (30's-40's is COLD here) and I always enjoy getting to wear my coat and scarf.

This week I modeled my Christmas presents from John, and Sophia wore her "party dress" that her Papa bought for her and picked out all on his own :)

My tangerine wool coat, Old Navy

Tommy Hilfiger boots, picked out by my husband and purchased at Marshall's

Chevron scarf, WalMart

It's so bright out here!

Headband, Target. Dress- picked out by dad at a thrift store, originally from WalMart. Tights, WalMart.

Shoes- free! Hand me down

My little fashion accesory

Our Stylist :)

Then she got into a more casual number :) Channeling Audrey Hepburn

My houndstooth socks mom paid way too much for :)

Such a pretty girl! Bow via WalMart

Sophia's changing pad is on her dresser right in front of the mirror- and she just loves looking into it!

And I leave you with a smile, caught on camera. It's not her first, but it's the first I've been able to photograph!