My Favorite Things This Week

1. Tween music

It's just so catchy. I don't care if it's Disney pop and I have the play list of a 13 year old. It makes me feel good and isn't that all that's important?

And how gorgeous is her make-up. I want that smokey eye.

2.  Capes.

I loved them last year when they were only made by high-end designers and I'm still in love now they are at Loft.

3. Grey nail polish

Less goth girl than black and previous year's dark purple. Essie's Chinchilly is just the right shade - not too light, not too dark. It almost changes colors in different lights. And did I mention I've gotten more compliments on it than any other shade I've worn recently?

4. Fall

I'm not a fall girl. I love summer. I don't even care if it's hot. I live in the south we grow up on warm weather and sweet tea - a hundred degrees is nothing an AC and a cute tank top can't fix. That being said, our AC is broken so a little cool breeze would be nice. I'm thinking jeans and flip flop weather. Plus there's something kind of fun about getting pumpkins and preparing for all the holidays.

Photos from a Google search.

5. This commercial...

I know it's old - it came out in the Superbowl. But I still love my Jetta and I still think this is the best commercial of 2011. And in honor of Jetta's being one of the top ten cars sold in 2011 - this commercial makes my list. Good job VW! :)

Week 24 of the 52 Week Challenge

So I know late again. I promise to be better. I just need to de-stress first. This week - try something new. I've already got my new thing planned. I'm going white water rafting on Saturday. How fun, right? So I'll let you guys know how it goes. I really want to take a camera but a. don't want shots of me in a bikini unless I photoshop my head on Jennifer Aniston's body and b. I don't want to damage my camera. I'm thinking I might get a disposable water camera - if I do I'll post those - minus the bikini shots of course!

And speaking of cameras for my birthday gift to myself I got a new camera (yay). I've been wanting one forever and had my eye on two Nikon's. I did all the research and I got... a Nikon I didn't research. The deal was great though - it does everything the camera I wanted does except the zoom is 7 instead of 10. But the camera came with a case and a memory card. It's so much smaller than my last camera and takes amazing photos. I'll try to take a few to post soon. But if I was doing a favorites post today - my favorite thing would be Nikon. I've had two digital cameras and one film camera from them and they all still work perfectly (ok one digital camera is like three days old so I hope it still works)! I've never had a problem with any of them. I was actually wishing my digital would die so I could have a reason to buy a new one!!!

My Favorite Things: Under Armour

I haven't done a Favorite Things post in forever mainly because I couldn't think of anything good enough that I wanted to talk about. But I got home early and was changing for kickball (I signed up for an adult league this summer)... and I got out my new Under Armour workout clothes and it hit me. I love love my Under Armour workout clothes - they are super comfy and totally worth the splurge but what I love best is my sports bra from them. Glamorous - I know... but hey sometimes function over glamour. Anyway - here's what I love: Sports bra are usually the most unsexy underwear you can own (aside from armpit high granny panties), they give you either no boobs or uniboobs (where you have one big squished looking boob - sorry boys!) - the Under Armour bra while not sexy (I mean can a sports bra be sexy??) it certainly still gives you curves while also giving support. There are actual built in cups to keep the girls lifted and separate while the sports bra part keeps them tightly in place -haha I can't think of a better way to say this. So the bra??? I can't find a name on my tag it just says Women Heatgear... the website (after my computer - augh!!) finally pulled up the page (stupid internet not available message) says its called Strength. Here's the link. I think you'll love it!!!

My Favorite Thing

This is going to be short because I've already posted two really long posts but I can't forget my weekly post... augh the things I get myself into. My favorite thing today is pigs in a blanket. I turn into a six year old when someone wraps cheese and a crescent roll around a hot dog. It takes me back.

My Favorite Thing - Crabtree and Evelyn

Did you think I forgot? Well I almost did and then as I was driving home from SP's I realized "Oh no it's Wed... my favorite things..." Yikes!

Luckily if nothing else I'm prepared and had already typed up a whole slew of blog post just for such occasion.

So this week's favorite thing accidentally got omitted from my lotion blog post here. Sorry Crabtree and Evelyn but now you lucky dogs get your own post!

Their Gardener's Hand Lotion is amazing. It’s even got a slight smell to it if you can’t quite give up all the perfumed lotions it's a nice compromise. Unlike most scented lotions it is nice and thick – perfect for dry chapped winter hands or anywhere else (you're probably not supposed to but in a pinch I've rubbed a dab on a Rudolph nose).

So I’m sorry Gardener’s for forgetting you it was not intentional and you would fit perfectly in with my other remedies.

My Favorite Thing: Winter Coats

So I do wonder sometimes if my blog comes across as superficial but then I sit back and think these are my favorite things so if you're favorite things are discussing Mozart or the value of democracy then have at it... on your own blog. My favorite things happen to be pop culture, fashion, writing, reading, etc.

In case you haven't realized by now I have a thing for clothes. Or maybe fashion is the right word? The funny thing is until two years ago my obsession with all things fashion did not extend to winter coats. I was like the mom in the Shopaholic movie - coats had to be practical, which meant they fell into one of three categories: black, brown, or puffy. Fashionable coats weren't practical. Why on earth would I want a neon yellow trench - where would I wear it? I could convince myself a yellow purse was a necessity - a neutral even but a coat...

Until I was flipping through my Glamour or Cosmo and stumbled across an ad for Dillard's. More specifically the prettiest white coat I had ever seen with a tortoise shell clasp at the waist and a huge collar. I was in love or if you read my other post - obsessed. I had to have it.

Luckily for me two things were working in my favor.
A. It was a Jessica Simpson coat so not terribly expensive
B. I'm a hoarder and I had hoarded a stack of gift cards from the previous Christmas and my birthday. I had so many I wouldn't even have to pay for the coat. (I'm also very thrifty). It was practically a gift and gifts could be deliciously impractical.

So I headed off to Dillard's. The coat came in a few colors: my delicious white obsession and charcoal grey being two of them. I took both off to the dressing room.

The grey one practically purred, "Pick me. I'm practical. Who wants a white coat that will only get dirty?"

Still as practical as it was - it wasn't the coat. The white one (if it could talk) would have said, "Pick me. Anyone can have a grey coat. Besides who wants to be practical?"

The funny thing is when it comes to most things fashion I can talk myself into the most impractical things (if they're in my price range anyway). I will snap up a pair of purple snake skin stilettos without even looking at it's black, grey or brown counterparts. Because who needs plain old grey snake skin stilettos?

So I did what I normally do when I can't make a decision. I took both of them out of the dressing room and cornered the poor salesgirl. "What do you think?"

"Well, no one has really gotten the white. They think it will stain. The grey is a better seller. It's so much more practical." She must have seen my face fall or that she was quickly losing my sale because she stopped. "The white is really pretty though."

That was all I needed. The validation that it was ok. I took the white coat home and didn't question myself again. And it really is practical. I can wear it with anything. And if it stains - well that's what dry cleaners are for.

So my favorite thing this week is winter coats. The practical, the impractical and everything in between. And since my white coat purchase I've added a three quarter sleeve 60's style coat and my latest addition - a Christmas present to myself - a plum pea coat.

So my advice is embrace winter with open arms!

And if you're looking for some good deals on coats Old Navy was running a 50% off sale on coats. ;)

My Favorite Things - Bright Pink Blush

So if I had to rank materialistic things I love in order make-up would make my top ten. I’m not one of those girls that cakes it on, although false eyelashes and smoky eyes can be fun but I have devoted a small tool chest to my love of make-up. It’s one of those things that I can’t understand women that don’t love it. It camouflages the negative, accentuates the positive and is just darn fun. Plus it’s one of those things that is pretty cheap to experiment with and not nearly as permanent as say cutting your hair off or getting a tattoo. My motto with make-up is pretty much I’ll try it and if it doesn’t work – wash it off.

So my tip for today is bright pink blush. I’m not talking baby pink or peach or bronze. I’m talking hot pink blush. Now don’t close out your computer screen and run back to your bag of neutrals. Pink blush is surprisingly flattering – google it if you don’t believe me. You have to find the right pink for your skin tone but it isn’t hard to do – most make-up counter women can help you out.

I believe the pink is flattering because most people naturally have pink in their cheeks. Adding a little more gives you a nice little flush.

So my two favorites:

Bobbi Brown Pale Pink – Ironically in the container this looks pretty darn close to hot pink. On it comes out a soft flush – very natural, very wearable.

Bare Minerals Giddy Pink – this is more of a rose pink with a hint of sparkle. It’s a loose powder, I tip the jar over so some lands on the cap, hit the cap once with my brush and then open it. You should find a small amount of the make-up still in the cap. Run your brush over it; tap it on the edge of the cap to remove excess and swipe on.