Succulent Green Thumb...

Or at least I'm hoping I have a green thumb with my cute succulent terrariums I made this past weekend. I'd been seeing pictures and DIY instructions around Pinterest for these, and I have always liked the idea of living centerpieces (I like the idea of growing my own plants as my personal fight against global warming - I'm sure I'm not making a dent in that problem, but still).  I discovered I had these two large vases left over from floral arrangements in the past, and I thought they'd be perfect for this project, and they are! (But if you don't have any on hand, there are neat glass containers here) I also remembered I had a bag of river stones from some other arrangements I had made, and a baggie of tiny stones from a former fish bowl.  Its like it was meant for me to make these!

Stirring up color....

For someone who doesn't really cook very much, I have a LOT of cookbooks. Some I've never even ventured a recipe from.  I was weaning down my collection when I found a little seasonal booklet from Pampered Chef, and discovered that every recipe in it looked yummy AND easy. My favorite combo.

So last night I tried this recipe for a Sweet & Sour Pineapple and Pork Stir-fry.

Battling the dimples...

While it seems like the beauty industry emphasizes being as skinny as possible, there is no doubt that women are supposed to have a level of body fat for good health.  Women's bodies are designed to bring life into the world, and healthy fat is required for that. The frustrating part is that we can't control where and how that fat is stored (I'd happily carry around a bit more if it meant I needed to buy a bigger cup size! LOL) For most women, it tends to be carried in their hips and thighs.  And with that comes the dreaded cellulite.

Obviously keeping at a healthy weight and keeping toned muscles helps with the distribution and the dimpling, but fitness experts will agree that we can't "spot burn" the fat on just our hips and thighs when working out.  Cosmetic procedures are constantly evolving to provide less invasive options for spot treatment (versus the painful-looking liposuction procedure), but any of those treatments take a toll on the pocket book.

Currently Craving....

Clearly I'm not the only one!  If I had my Pinterest items in my actual closet, I would have no problem getting dressed every day.  Remember in the movie Clueless, with Alicia Silverstone, her character Cher had that computer program that would put outfits together for her? That's what Pinterest is for me ('cept I don't actually have most of the clothes in my pins!) Oh well. That just makes it more of a goal board.

Become a Lucky Lady...

I do most of my shopping on line, for multiple reasons:

1. between working full time and going to school at night, I have little time to go to the mall;
2. I find it easier to find items organized on a website than through the racks in a store;
3. being almost 5'11", I usually need the special Long or Tall sizes, which many companies only carry online (annoying, actually.)
4. I can always find coupons for my orders online.

So since I'm spending most of my clothing budget on line, how great is it that I can get money back for my purchases?!

I'm talking about Lucky Magazine's Reward program.  If you already subscribe to Lucky Magazine, you can sign up for free, and if you're not a subscriber, you can get a 90 day free trial.  The way it works is that when you are going shopping on line, you log in to the rewards site first and look for the merchant you want to shop from.  When you click to the merchant's site through the Lucky Rewards page, then a percentage of whatever you spent at the merchant gets returned to your Rewards account, and quarterly you will get a check (or shopping credit, your choice) from Lucky to spend however you want!  I made a couple small purchases mid-last-quarter, and got a check for over $20 back.  Not a lot, but better than nothing, and since I'm spending the money anyway, why not be getting some of it back?  You can use it to pay off some of what you spent (if you're responsible), or you can just shop more (umm, yeah!).
And don't forget to search on line for additional coupon codes you can use when checking out for savings or free shipping!

An Expert Reveals....

It is my goal when I shop to be frugal yet to buy things that don't look cheap.  I also don't want to settle for something if its not EXACTLY what I was envisioning in my mind's eye.  But my mind's eye seems to have expensive taste.  You know those pages in fashion/beauty magazines that show multiple options of a current trend? Like "Oxfords are in this season! Here are 8 different styles all of different prices."  Inevitably, even before I know what the brand or price is, just by looking at the style, my favorite on the page will be the most expensive.  Never fails!  So annoying!

Well, I discovered this book yesterday that I have started reading and I'm hoping it will transform my shopping (and by consequence my wardrobe and style!).

Blazer hunting....

Well, another weekend has come and gone.  I am not a morning person, and especially not a Monday morning person.  Because of that, Mondays are especially hard for me to care about what I put on for work.  'Cept it matters, I need to look somewhat pulled together even if I don't feel it.
Blazers and jackets are a great way to look pulled together regardless of what you are wearing under them. A blazer over jeans and a tee or a sundress can make a weekend look work appropriate (at least in laid-back LA/Hollywood), and as we start to head in to cooler weather, can prolong the wear of some warm-weather pieces and transition them in to fall. (Some ladies who are always getting it right here, here and here.)