Friday, June 28, 2013

Zoo again. Green again.

Yep, we go to the zoo a lot (thanks to our season passes). And, I wore my green jeans again this week. When I get a new item, I tend to break it in! Or, maybe I just don't feel like finding a spot for it in my closet. Who knows?
 
Jeans, necklace and sunglasses are the same as my last post. But, I swapped out the top for a super cute tiny giraffe print number. And traded the wedges for my trusty flats. Probably the only flat sandals I have and I love them to death!
 
INC International Concepts Curvy Skinny Jeans in Green : Macy's (can't find online)
Croft & Barrow Printed Bib-Front Tank : Kohl's
Elle Aviator Sunglasses in Gold : Kohl's
Candie's Sandals : Kohl's (years ago)
Necklace : Kohl's






Thursday, June 27, 2013

Go Green







I feel an addiction to colored jeans coming on. Even though I only have a few pairs, I sometimes don't feel as "on trend" or my outfit is not as well thought out if I am in regular blue jeans. I'm sure it will pass. I added this kelly green pair to the red and mint pairs I already have. Got them for a steal ($59.50 down to about $14 at Macy's). I wonder what color is next?

I must say though, when I find a good fitting pair of pants at a good price, it's a no brainer. Just like my mint pair, I like that these are skinny but flare out at the ankle. No huge gaps at the waist (which happens to me a lot because I have wide hips but a small waist).

On to the details:

INC International Concepts Curvy Skinny Jeans in Green : Macy's (can't find online)
Mossimo "Walda" Wedges : Target
Tommy Hilfiger Peacock Top : Macy's (years ago)
Elle Aviator Sunglasses in Gold : Kohl's (I don't know how I lived without aviators for so long! I am living in these now.)
Necklace : Kohl's

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Zoo pants

We went to the zoo last weekend, and I had the perfect pair of pants for the day! You might remember my love of "pajama" pants from last summer in this post. It seems that wide leg / palazzo / pajama like pants are here to stay, as I've still seen them at many retailers.
 
Now I'm not talking about throwing on your flannels and drudging off to the store. This look is only successful is you dress it up! It's best if the pants are fitted around your waist and hip area, and then flare out from there - you don't want them baggy in this area. I recommend a fitted top so that again, it doesn't look too sloppy. Lastly, nice sandals. Not flip flops and preferably not a flat. I like wedges the best.
 
These Flora & Fauna Loungers from Anthropologie stole my heart because not only do they have peacocks on them, but also camels (and other cute animals). I'm not much of a shorts person, so wearing pants like these are a great alternative to a skirt or dress on a hot day because they keep your legs from sticking together. They are light and airy!
 
Also wearing:
Apt. 9 Top : Kohl's
Party Animal Necklace (Giraffe) : Anthropologie
 
Ohhh, and waiting for sales on these and these at Anthropologie. The bigger and bolder, the better!





I think this was the first time that I was able to capture the white peacock with his feathers out!
My two loves!

They even walk the same!

Of course, the other peacocks were ready to show off too!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Exchanging Talents

A wonderful thing about spending 6 years on the Board at The Art Center of Battle Creek, is that I have made many artist friends who are so special! One such person is Dena Phaff Haas who owns Phaff Portrait Studio. We connected last Fall when she saw one of my posts where I said how frustrating it is sometimes to get good photographs for my blog when the weather, lighting, etc... play such an important factor. She was kind enough to offer me a session to "play" around with different techniques, as she had an intern under her wing. What a fun time we had!
 
I am sharing this first group of photos, and will share another group in another post. I am just in awe of these! I absolutely love how they turned out! I am so glad to now have professional pictures for when I have to send in bios for publications and such.



 I wanted to thank Dena for her time and efforts, so I made a necklace for her. She loves the beach. And fairies. It was so fun to combine both into a necklace. The focal is from Green Girl Studios, and the necklace is composed of a variety of shells, pearls and stones that look like beach glass. I am so glad she loves it!
 
Check out Dena's website, and like Phaff Studio on Facebook! You won't regret it!




Thursday, June 13, 2013

Minted








Here they are! The mint jeans I was talking about. Of course I cannot find them online, but I got them at Macy's and they are Levi's Mid Rise Skinny's. So happy I finally found the perfect pair, and I've already worn them a ton. They are fitted, but not skin tight. Cropped but not capris (big difference). And, I love how the ankle has a little flare to it to help balance things out.

Today, I paired them with a super comfy tee from Anthropologie that features a camel print. Learn more about my camel nickname here. To dress it up a bit, I wore a sparkly statement necklace. In addition to looking for mint jeans this Spring, I was also looking for a mint statement necklace. This unique one stood out for me at Target and I couldn't be happier with it. I have not seen it at the store or online since so I'm glad I scooped it up.

Levi's Mid Rise Mint Skinny's : Macy's
Candie's Sandals : Kohl's
Statement Necklace : Target
Vogue Sunglasses : TJ Maxx

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

No regrets pants






 
Earlier this Spring, I was looking to add some mint green jeans to my closet. I mean, after all mint is one of THE colors of the moment. And I had a lot of things I knew they would work with. But no matter which pair I tried, I wasn't happy with any of them. Sometimes, the whole skinny jeans trend is really annoying. It seems that any colored jean is in the skinny style. While I do like some "fit" to my pants, I really don't want them so tight that I can hardly get my foot through! And, as we all know, the lighter the color = the more lumps and bumps show.

Anyway, while on my search, I ended up finding these from Apt. 9 at Kohl's. (The link is for petites, but that is the closest I could get to what I got). They were more of an aqua color, and not jeans, so I wasn't sure if I was going to regret buying them since they really weren't what I set out to get. Luckily, I haven't regretted them. AND, I did finally find my mint jeans which I will show soon. Hope you are having a great week!

Apt. 9 Curvy Fit Capri's : Kohl's
Black Tank : Old Navy
Boho Dragonfly Top : Matthew Williamson
Black Wedges : Steinmart
Jessica Simpson Sunglasses : TJ Maxx
Layering Necklaces : made by me