Raining on my painting parade

Pants were thrifted

Guess.  What.

My painting plans are out the window for today, because they're calling for rain.  Now, I can guarantee that since I've cancelled my painterly plans, it will most definitely not rain.  That's just the way things work.  Soooo...  instead, I'll be cutting out some sewing patterns and arranging a picture wall that I meant to hang, like, six months ago.  Oh, and reading the newest (and last!  so sad!) Sookie Stackhouse book.

What are your plans for the weekend?  Anything fun going on where you are?

 

Remix: #2 of 15

Belt and skirt were thrifted

There tends to be one outfit in each remix that kind of feels like cheating.  This is it.  I've worn this top and this skirt together before.  But that was winter and this is spring.  That was tights and this is bare (and pale*) legs.  I was wearing a necklace then and not now.  Mostly because the necklace fell behind the dresser and I'm too lazy to fish for it.  So, not quite cheating.

There, I feel better now that it's off my chest.

Did I tell you that my work schedule changed?  Probably not.  Instead of working five days a week, I'm working four.  We still work 40 hours a week, so that basically means that I have four l-o-o-o-ng days of work followed by Friday off, wherein I should presumably be doing housework that doesn't get done during the 12 hours that we are actually at home each day during the week.  Those 12 hours get filled up pretty quick.  I mean, technically, I should be sleeping for 8 of them.  And let's leave 1 hour for cooking dinner and cleaning it up and simultaneously making lunches for the next day and also maybe cooking the next night's dinner so all we have to do is heat it up.  And an hour and a half for bed time.  And maybe the hubs and I should eat dinner too?  Throw in laundry, because we cloth diaper and those get washed every day and I try to keep the clothing laundry caught up.  Oi, those few hours we're home each day go by fast.

All that to say that I am tired and on Friday all I want to do is take all the kids to school, go home, and sleep half the day.  And I'm really (really) going to try to not do that this summer.  So, what will my project be for this upcoming Friday, which is my first Friday off this summer?  Uhhh... which I just realized is tomorrow.  (where did this week go?!)  I'll be painting.  In the hot freaking sun.  I'm painting our front door and repainting our shutterss and also the front porch railing.  Fun times.

I only mean that half sarcastically.  As much as I love to shop for clothes and makeup, I love to shop for home improvement type things.  Lowe's, if you're ready this, we need to talk! (just joking.  kind of.)

Anyways, to recap.  I repeated an outfit.  I'll be painting a bunch on Friday.  This is exhilarating stuff, folks!

Today, I'm linking up with Tara for What I Wore to Work. 

*we'll blame the tights

Remix: #1 of 15

Top and skinnies were thrifted; Necklace was won in a giveaway

I have big news: my thrifting mojo is back!  Last week, I went to the Goodwill on a whim and found this top, a skirt (that will sort of "replace" the one I mentioned yesterday), and a sleeveless top.  To be honest, I didn't know my mojo was missing until I went in the past couple times and it was, like, thrifty heaven.  I've even found a pair of shoes and a sweater.  My success hasn't really been in quantity but, rather, in "perfect" items.

You know when you find something on the rack, you lock eyes, and you just know that when you take it to the dressing room it's going to be perfect.  So, there's really no point in trying it on but you do anyways.  And then you do a happy dance and hope no one notices your feet underneath the dressing room door?

Yup, that's thrifting mojo.

What have you thrifted lately?

I'm linking up with Shanna for Random Wednesday!





 

 

Birchbox Unboxing: May 2013

It's Birchbox time!  You probably already know what Birchbox is, but in case you don't you can learn more here.  Basically, it's a makeup sample subscription service.  Every month, you receive 4-5 deluxe samples of high-end beauty and/or life style products.  I've received quite a few full-sized items, so it definitely pays for itself.  So, here we go...

I forgot to look at the details of my box online, so this month's box was actually a surprise!

Pilot Corporation of America Acroball PureWhite pen, $6.24 for 4

If you think I'm obsessed with clothes and makeup, you should see my pen collection.  I get excited about pens.  And free stuff, which this kind of felt like a bonus free thing in my box.  So, yeah.  I was excessively excited about finding this at the bottom of my box.  It's purple, and it writes really well.  It's as dark as a gel pen, but it doesn't smudge.  There was also a $1 coupon on the back of the product card for the pen.  Yay for coupons!

Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner in Suman (Black), $11

Next up, an eyeliner from Sumita.  Can you believe this eyeliner is only $11 for the full size?  It's supposed to be blendable, highly pigmented, and non-irritating.  It's also long-wearing.  And although I haven't worn it all day yet (I'm wearing it for the first time today), when I swatched it on my hand last night I had to scrub it off the back of my hand!  You can color me impressed.  The application was so smooth this morning and it hasn't irritated my eyes one bit.  I'm sold!

COOLA Classic SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face, $32 for 1.7 oz.

The next product is from COOLA, and it's a moisturizer with SPF for your face.  Being that I am now a soccer mom, I've been sitting in the sun quite a bit and have become more conscious of the importance of SPF.  This particular sunscreen is 70% organic and includes ingredients that balance the skin.  The scent of this is amazing.  It is so refreshing!

I'm not sure if a moisturizer should be worn over this.  When I apply sunscreen, I always apply that first and then my moisturizer.  I will test this both ways to see how it feels on my skin. 

Marvis Toothpaste, $10.50 for 75 ml

This might sound weird, but I was excited to see this toothpaste in my box.  I've seen other people get this product in their unboxings, and I secretly wanted to try it.  This is a toothpaste from Italy  has a strong mint flavor that supposedly leaves your breath fresh for hours.  With all my coffee-drinking, I'll certainly be putting this to the test!  The scent is uh-mazing.  It has that fresh, strong, old-fashioned peppermint toothpaste-y scent that I love.  I can already tell I'm going to like this.  They have other flavors, too, and they also offer a whitening formulation.

amika Obliphica Nourshing Mask, $40 for 500 ml

Well, well, well.  Another product I'm super excited to try!  I am a sucker for any type of special treatment -- face masks, face scrubs, hair oils, and hair masks.  You name it, if it makes me feel like I'm in a spa, I'm all for it!  This mask is completely free of parabens and sulfates.  It contains ingredients such as obliphica oil, omega acids, and vitamin C for shine, repair of split ends, and hydration.  My hair can use all the help it can get.  I haven't gotten it trimmed since September and I sort of frequently use a straight iron on it.  I can't wait to have a pampering evening and use this!

Isaac Mizrahi FABULOUS Eau de Parfum, $69 for 1.7 oz. and a 0.34 oz. rollerball

Sadly, no.  No!  I can't many more perfume samples.  I've been okay with the perfume samples up until now.  And by now, I mean recently I gathered all my samples together in a cute box to display them and use them . . . and I just don't use them.  The vast majority of them are scents that either bother my allergies and give me a headache or bother my husband's allergies and cause him to sneeze constantly.  This particular scent is way too strong for me, so I will be giving this to a friend.

Overall, I think this box is great.  Even though I got an unwanted perfume sample, the rest of my items are things I'm going to use and enjoy.

I'm thinking about doing a monthly round up of the products I try from Birchbox.  Unboxing is a lot of fun because of the surprise element, but it would be fun to review them as well.

A Sad Story, or One Way to Ruin a Skirt

Top and skirt were thrifted, Shoes won in a giveaway

 I have a sad story to tell you.  The short version is that I ruined this skirt after I wore it last week.  The long story is that I have two baskets for "special" laundry.  One is for hand wash items and the other is for dry clean.  This particular skirt happens to be dry clean only.  I'll let you guess in which basket I put it.  

>insert huge sad face<  

All the red flowers bled.  Now, it's not like there are streaks of red down the fabric of the skirt.  It's more like the red flowers are now just a little splotchy.  When I showed my husband, I asked him if it looked like it was messed up or if it looked like an artistic expression.  He said, "Ehh, it looks fine."

 I'll probably wear it again and ask every one I see that particular day if they notice anything wrong with the skirt.

Tell me your laundry horror stories!

 

Monday No-Funday

Cardigan and skirt were thrifted

Happy Monday!  I hope you all had a great weekend.  We did, but it went by too fast.  For all you mamas out there, I trust that your Mother's Day was wonderful.  :)

Ugh, it's Monday No-Funday.  

I'm staying home with a sick bebe today, so that means lots of kleenex, water bottles (because for some reason our kids are more eager to drink water out of water bottles . . . or out of straws, for that matter), ibuprofen, and tv.  I know this sounds dreamy.  Please try to contain your jealousy.

In other news, Eliza and I will be starting a 15 for 15 on Wednesday (the 15th!).  Can't wait for it!  I've been in the mood for a remix for a couple weeks.

Today, I'm linking up with Molly and Carly for #YOLOMonday

High Five for Friday!

1 - We signed up Ethan for kindergarten recently.  How?  Why?  What?  I can not believe he's (almost) old enough to go to school.

2 - The half-sized replica of the Vietnam Wall came to town a few weeks ago.  Along with it, came around 500 freedom riders escorting it!  It was crazy and touching to watch them come down the road.

3 - Car washes can be scary.  'Nuff said.

4 - I ran out of my Soap & Glory Hand Food.  This was a sad day.

5 - This is basically what our bed has looked like for the past two weeks . . . well, the two weeks before this week.  So much paper!

How has your week been?  Do you have any fun weekend plans?