Seek and Ye Shall Find

Remember the pin I wore yesterday?

I took my mom to the CPA to file her 2014 taxes. When I got out of the car and put my cardigan back on, the pin was gone!!!! BooHoo - it was from my MIL Mimi, and it was vintage. But this morning, I parked in the same spot, and dang if it wasn't laying there in the parking lot. YAY!!!

So a bit of good luck there. And here's what I am wearing today.

A navy blue satin dress from some random store somewhere, sometime. On top, I have my favorite ivory waterfall cardi.  Here's a better look at the embroidery around the neckline.

For shoes, I wanted to go with something that had a huge comfort factor.

 

My Lauren Conrad wedges fit the bill. As far as jewels go, I decided to wear one of my East Indian parures - that's a matching set of jewelry. It includes a necklace, ring and earrings. This one is sapphire - that seems to be the preferred gem this week.

 

 

Here's a peek at the matching earrings.

 

 

The matching ring is on my right hand, along with three Austrian crystal bracelets.

 

 

On my left hand, another sapphire ring and a gold/diamond dust bangle.

 

 

 

And that's all, folks!!! Except for the links. Since it's Thursday, Alice at www.happinessatmidlife.com is hosting Throwback Thursday. It's always fun!!. Then, Christina at www.poshpair.com is hosting Style Link Up, featuring florals. I guess the embroidery on my dress qualifies me. Christina's featured blogger this week is Sophia at www.stylishlyinlove.blogspot.com,
so I figured that I would link to her and then check her out later.

Remember when I put the pedometer on Kenni to see why he is so fat?

 

 

It just so happens that I wasn't the first one to think of that idea.

I guess that great minds think alike!!! Have a great day !!!

What's Black and White and Red all Over?

1) A newspaper
2) A zebra with a rash
3) Rosie

The answer is Rosie!!!

I am wearing a red cashmere cardigan from Neiman Marcus over a homemade dress. Here's a look without the sweater.

It cost me about $25 to make this dress. I did it when I got a new sewing machine a few years ago. I liked the pattern because even though there is a lot of seaming detail, it was pretty much straight seams.

These were the only curves in the pattern. The necklace is vintage Avon, given to me by my mom.

 

 

I also included a vintage rhinestone pin, given to me by my mother in law.

 

 

My Calvin Klein pilgrim shoes were a perfect match.

And of course, I had a lot of jewelry that went very well also. On the left,

 A Brighton bangle that was a birthday gift a few years ago, a ruby band, and a diamond solitaire. On the right,

A silver and mother of pearl ring, and a leather cuff from Spiegel.


So how did I celebrate St Patrick's Day? With bangers for lunch!!

 

 

They were very tasty. The cafeteria had bangers, corned beef and cabbage, and flank steak with mushroom sauce. They feed us well here at the hospital. That's why they also have to provide us with exercise opportunities, like the walking challenge that we just finished. We had to get 315,000 steps a day for 6 weeks. That worked out to 7500 steps per day. I got 751,414. The guy who got the most steps got 1,050,000 steps. Wow.

So onto the links!!! First, as always on Wednesday, Lindsey at www.thepleatedpoppy.com  hosts What I Wore. Then, another linkup that I always join - lovely Tameka at www.pastriespumpsandpi.blogspot.com for Who's Wearing What Wednesday. Last, but never least, Liz at www.shoppingmycloset.com for Style Me Wednesday. Have a great day and do some blog hopping if you get a chance!!!

I'm With The Band

I know that the rest of the world is wearing green today, but I am going to be contrary, as usual.

I look like I am joining the marching band in my Bob Mackie Wearable Art jacket. Actually, I really like this outfit and have already gotten several compliments. Here it is , without the jacket.

 

 

 

The ivory slacks are by Ann Taylor and the tank is Coldwater Creek. It had an attached scarf trim that has bugle beads and braiding on it. Here's a better look at that.

I am also wearing my vintage goldtone chain belt. I doubled up on necklaces - the longer one is sapphire and the shorter one is lapis, that I got when we were in Coronado.

 

 

 

Here's a closeup of the jacket.

 

 

My slacks are on the long side, and cuffed, so I needed to wear a higher heel with them. I went with my Madden Girl wedges.

Jewelry is all sapphire and diamond. On the left,

A sapphire cocktail ring, a sapphire bracelet and a gold bracelet. On the right, 

 

 

Two more sapphire bracelets, and my white enamel and crystal ring. Onto the links!! Amber at www.induffintely.blogspot.com is wearing green, as are a lot of her linkers for Tremendous Tuesday. Also, Erin at www.thefashioncanvas.com is hosting Trend Spin, and this week's trend is Shine On. I am reliably sparkly at any given moment. Last, Lauren at www.stylelixir.com is hosting Style Sessions over there. So before you start in on your green beer, take a look at these pretty ladies!!!

Last but not least, my grand daughter, Calista, wants to show us her teeth. She's eleven months old. She is also the spitting image of her papa!!!

Have a great day!!!

Back to "Normal" at Last

At least, as close to normal as I can get - sometimes, it's pretty far away, but that's life. So after a weekend of putting the final details on the house repainting, I am back at work, ready to tackle the day. We are still having our heat wave, except today the temperatures are supposed to top off at only 84 degrees at the beach. Yesterday was 95, so we went to downtown HB. So did everyone else in southern California!!! But since we are residents of this fine area, we know where all the secret beach parking is, so it was all good.

When I was digging around, trying to decide what to wear, I stumbled upon this white dress. I have only worn it a couple of times, and now I remember why. It's too big, but that actually makes it comfy when it's hot.

It's a sheath made of thick double knit with a textured surface - you can see that later in a closeup. On top, I have a kimono jacket from Coldwater Creek. It has the usual dolman sleeves.

It is a pretty print in tan and white, and it NEVER wrinkles. The dress itself has gold chain detail on the neckline and the edges of the cutaway shoulders (but that is hidden). Here's a look at that.

 

 

Because of the gold tone trim, I wore a longer strand of faux pearls that I double looped.

This shot also gives you a good look at the fabric of the dress. The jewelry was easy - gold and white is another favorite combination of mine. On the left,

 

 

A yellow sapphire and diamond cocktail ring, and a stretch honeycomb bracelet in white, yellow and gray.  On my right hand,

Another stretch bracelet, this time crystals. It's from Saks. So is the ring, which is crystal and white enamel. For my shoes, I chose my Sole Society sandals.

They are dark tan and light tan. The wide band is elastic and has tiny gold studs all over it. I also carried my Mondani bag, since it's tan and white with gold hardware.

I match everywhere. As usual. Anyway, onto the links. First, Cherie at www.stylenudge.com is hosting Shoe and Tell. Also, Rachelle at www.pinksole.com is having How I Fall, so I am falling along with her. Last, Rhea at www.rheaetcetera.com is hosting Style To Inspire. Maybe I'll get inspired!!! I bet I will. Have a great Monday, and see you all around the way!!

Fresh, But Not Easy

The paint job on the house is finally finished!!! It looks great. I told a friend that yesterday may have been the first time in history that both the outside and the inside of the house have been pristine at the same time.

Isabel came yesterday and scoured the inside. Meanwhile, me, Jim the Painter, Elli, Kenni and Vinni were all out in the back yard doing our thing. Jim's thing is painting. Here are the results:

The back - new patio cover, new windows, new furnace door, planters all hoed and replanted and covered with red mulch chips. Let's get a better look at the planter.

 

 

Three rose bushes lead to the patio cover - yellow, pink and huge red cabbage roses. They have all been pruned and shaped. To the right, toward the other side of the yard,

 

 

A chiminea with a gerbera daisy in there, and a whisky keg with succulents. Moving around to the dog run- I have never spent much effort keeping that side of the yard super nice. But right now it is.

 

 

 

There was a wood gate there, but I tore it down. Then I put two trellises and two succulents on either side of the opening. You can see the hoe, shovel, and spade leaning against the chimney. I actually use them - they are not just for decoration. Here's a better look.

 

 

The garden window is over the kitchen sink and now it's all pretty. The door is brand spanking new. The blue tarp way back in the corner covers some extra building materials. There is a tangerine tree back there that produces TONS of fruit. It got all nicely pruned, and I filled the base with more red mulch chips.

 

 

 

 

 

Let's go around to the front of the house. Here are the shutters and the shelf on the garage window.

 

 

 

 

It's light gray stucco with white shutters and shelf trimmed in navy blue. The bottom planter has geraniums - there were red ones there, but I added pink and hot pink. The shelf has three green pots with flowering plants. There are pitchforks on each end by the Italian cypress. They are just for decoration. The front of the house has shutters too, that frame the master bedroom window.

 

 

I put some of the plants in some different containers that I have been picking up here and there. Last, we have the front porch area. I got a new entry mat at Costco. I put the ficus back in its place, and surrounded it with succulents, a Martha Washington geranium, and some other little pretty doohickeys.

So now I am all done working on the house. Onto maintenance mode. Hopefully, I can keep it up, now that it looks so pretty.

Guess what else happened? My March Birchbox came!!!

 

 

The box itself was very pretty. Being a pack rat, I will save it to use for something else. But what was inside?

1) Bee Kind shampoo - I just bought a GIANT shampoo at Ulta, but I will definitely use this tomorrow night when I get ready for the next work week.,
2) Cargo Swimmables Water Proof Bush - I guess some people wear makeup to the pool, but I don't. But this could also come in handy for events that have the potential for tears, like a funeral or some movies. Probably give this away.
3) Embryolisse 24 Hour Miracle Cream- it says that it's a must have, because it doubles as a makeup primer and a makeup remover. This leaves me confused, but I will use it.
4) Fekkai PrX Reparatives Intense Fortifying Masque - a lush treatment for damaged hair. Right up my alley.
5) Mirenesse Glossy Kiss in Cheeky Kiss - A lipstick that goes on with a gloss finish. Must try.


So since it's Saturday, Sheila at www.sheilaephemera.blogspot.com is hosting Shoe Shine Saturday.
I wandered around the house, trying to think if I have gotten any new shoes. Nope. But since we are having a huge heatwave here in Huntington Beach, it's a shorts, tanktop, and sandals kind of day. So I figured that I would just photograph the shoes I'm wearing.

 

 

 

They are from Forever 21, and I bought them for last summer. They still look almost new. They are beige suede with a bow covered in gold studs. They also have a gold trim on the edge of the toe box. I'm glad they're still alive, because I like them.

Anyway, That's about it for today - later on, I'm going to check out all the participants in Shoe Shine. Right now, I'm going to Marshall's to look for a picture frame. Have a great Saturday!!!

Addendum : Here is the picture frame. It's by Laura Ashley. The picture is Doc's card to me for our last anniversary. So cute I die.