OOTDs: Three Celebrations.

Before I start, two things to let you all know about.

1. I have completed my first blog post for the Fabric Mart blog.  Eventually you will see all the pieces I made for that blog post dissected here in separate "made by me" files and in a special packing post, but for now head on over to see the pieces I slaved over the past week.  :-)  I love the end result, and am very excited that I have these for my trip to Mississippi in a couple weeks.

2. Boden's 25% off sale ends tomorrow.  For more information on that one, please do check out this post.

Onto celebrating!

Mr. Dina didn't intend to make this look like a catalog shot, but it turned out that way.  He probably thinks he is a "photographer" now.

Day: Saturday, November 8, 2014.

Where:  Rex's baseball team's championship win celebration.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The party was at 3 at a local Italian restaurant and even though I ate well (although that time--weird, right--hard to decide, late lunch or early dinner), I didn't feel like I was being pinched or pulled, so I would give this one a thumbs up for comfort. 

The New Balance 620 shoes are a recent purchase.  I have to say even though J. Crew has been falling down style-wise for me of late (too blah and not enough color), their shoe collaborations are awesome.  I took these in a 9.5 and they fit perfectly true to size.

Cool Factor: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  This one is pretty cool.  For me.  :-)

Anecdote from the day:  Since I spent all of last weekend celebrating, any moment I had free at the house was sewing.  It was a weird situation to be in, I far prefer to do all my sewing at home for an extended time (cocoon-like and hiding away), but this put me in a different frame of mind.  I didn't dislike it, but my hyper-focus had to be shut down, which was a little unnerving.  It was probably good for me. 

Day: Sunday, November 9, 2014.

Where:  Mass and El Paso for my dad's birthday dinner.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  This dress was made by me, so it fits perfectly, so that made it very easy to wear.  That said, the Naturalizer booties were not my best choice of footwear for that night, though (see the anecdote for more on that).

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Nice, but very buttoned up.  The scarf is fun and the boots put a fresh spin on an outfit with a tailored sheath, but it is still very conservative.

Anecdote from the day:  I suffer from weird hip pain in my left hip, and it flares up once a year without fail.  I have had this since the very end of my pregnancy with CW and it makes walking very difficult when it comes around.  It usually is around for a week and then disappears.  This is why choosing booties was probably not smart.  This was the first night I experienced it, btw, and have been in a bit of pain since then (though it gets worse at night than during the day).

I haven't seen my brother in ages he has been working so hard.  It was good to just be able to sit and chill with him.  He is starting a new job, so we are very excited for him.

And how cool is it that the Berlin Wall has been down for 25 years?  I remember when it came down in 1989.  Since I had been there many times as a girl (my dad's dad lived in Berlin and that is where my mom's mom is from), the idea that the horrible barrier was gone was truly uplifting.  (One more cool fact--my mom's mom and my mom's dad met during the Berlin Airlift!)

Day: Friday, November 7, 2014.

Where:  Dinner out with my besties from high school.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  This one was very easy to wear, the only bummer was the scarf which I needed to keep warm.  I think it looks fine and definitely helped keep the biting cold winds from my neck, but blah for style in this particular outfit.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Necessity is the downfall here.  I just don't love the scarf with it and can't see beyond it.  Really glad I still have this Boden dress in my wardrobe from all those years ago, I still love it as much as when I first bought it.

Anecdote from the day:  I love that I can still hang out with my friends from high school.  They are some amazing women.  I can't get over how much more I laugh and let loose around them than I do with other adults I have met since then.  I don't know what it is, but it is just easy to be fully me around them.  Maybe I feel less judged by them?  I also let my hair down around my kids and my brother, so maybe the "no judgment" thing is a huge part of it.

Okay, that's all for now!  I hope you all are having a great Wednesday!

INDEPENDENCE DAY GIVEAWAY!!!

Because I believe irony (you know--an outcome of events contrary to what was, or might have been, expected) is fun...I give you my very unexpected giveaway of a bag with a Union Jack on it for my Independence Day Giveaway.

(The Arbonne FC moisturizer that I am also giving away--very expected, I am sure, seeing as I am an Arbonne Independent consultant, so definitely not an example of irony.)

As a hugely patriotic American who recognizes that we did indeed tell the king of England to (in my words, not theirs) "stuff it" some 234 years ago on July 2nd (should really be our Independence day, but well, let's move on already and be happy with the day it is... after all, the revised version was accepted on July 4th, and it is a lovely version for sure...), but who also loves that through the sands of time, our two countries have formed such a lovely bond as to allow us to buy such pretties from Boden (yes, yes, I could focus on how our countries really came together during World War II, etc., but most of you read this blog because you love clothing and the like). Therefore I thought, "what a fitting tribute to America of yesterday and of today that I can give away a bag with a Union Jack on it?" Heehee. And really, what is America without a great sense of humor about itself? ;)


Above please see the image of the items I am giving away and their names. (Open the pic up to see it close-up.)


Oh, I am not done...let me surprise you all with ANOTHER giveaway...one for my birthday! If I could have, I would have BEGGED my mother to have waited three days so I could have been an Independence Day baby (how very cool for a woman whose destiny held AMERICAN HISTORY teaching). But, yet, in another fit of irony, my mom had me on CANADA day. Haha, very funny, Mom. :)

This one is simpler and is just two items from Arbonne that I covet from their Seasource Detox line, a packet of their Sea Soak and their Sea Mud and Body Mask. I use these products at least once a week as a special present to myself. So even when it is no where NEAR my bday, I get to have a mini-celebration of "me-time."


Above please see the image of the items I am giving away and their names. (Open the pic up to see it close-up.)

Here are the rules:

You may enter for both giveaways, but please do a separate comment for each one.

You should make sure to put your name. I have your e-mails through Disqus, but if you use a different one for your main e-mail, then please do leave that one.

You should also tell me your favorite thing about America in the Independence Day Giveaway one, unless of course, you aren't an American, in which case, please do tell me your favorite thing about where you are from. :) (And, yes, that does mean I am willing to accept international entrants.)

For my Birthday Giveaway comment, please do tell us how you pamper yourself throughout the year.

Even though you could (potentially) win twice, I will be limiting one giveaway to one entrant, just to keep things even. So if you win the Independence Day Giveaway, your other "comment" will be taken out of the running for the Birthday Giveaway.

This giveaway ends on July 11, at 11:59 p.m. Good luck!

If you CANNOT access disqus for one reason or another, please e-mail me at dinagideon AT aim DOT com and I will enter the giveaways for you. :)

P.S. Many of you have worked with me on placing Arbonne orders. I expect that in the next week I will be sending out a coupon and a card to each of you who are on my list. If you would like to be on my Arbonne mailing list, please do e-mail me at dinagideon AT aim DOT com and I will get you squared away.

No, I Did Not Wear Colonial Garb to Colonial Williamsburg (Although the Thought Crossed My Mind)...

Better than late than never should be my new blog mantra. These pics were taken over Memorial Day weekend, which was two weeks ago.

Our family went to Colonial Williamsburg, which I JUST LOVE, being an American History teacher and all...but this time we just said "no" to the tickets. For one thing, everybody and their brother decided to descend on the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg that weekend. Ugh...crowds...heat...humidity. We only live 2 or so hours away, if we are that desperate to see the inside of the buildings (some of which I have seen upwards of 20 times), then so be it, but we are not that desperate. Two...Rex is two. 'Nuff said.

So instead we walked around, enjoyed each other's company, ate yummy food, and I even got a few spa services (HEAVEN)!

So without further ado, my clothing for the first day of the trip (you actually saw the second day's outfit in this post...and props to Kater who figured out where we were):

What I Wore to Go to Colonial Williamsburg!!! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Here is the polyvore (yes, that's right, it is a boy's tee--I bought it in a size 12)!


Here is the outfit on me. Very exciting, I'm sure. I love soft-shell crabs...they are my fave summer food...mmm...fried up and in a sandwich...especially from the Crab Claw. Get thee to the Crab Claw if you have never been there...it is AWESOME!


Here is the Melody dress (from Spring 2009--J. Crew) on me. I bought it in an 8, and I was SO worried it would be too small. I actually stressed about this for a few days. I kind of felt stupid when I discovered that it fit really well! Phew. ;)

We had been at dinner, so if you notice any wrinkling, it is from that. I will say the dress held up really well! Also, I am holding up well because I had a yummy adult drink and I had just finished my spa services...

The sandals are the Lucia ones you saw in the previous picture. They are from what, 2007? Maybe 2006? I don't remember, but I do know I wear them A LOT during the summer. I wish J. Crew would put more out in this style (are you reading this, J. Crew?)...

BTW, word to the wise, avoid strolling minstrels if your kid is two. Rex was COMPLETELY freaked out by the nice singing man at the King's Arm Tavern that evening. I think that man probably has a complex now because of my kid. :)

You all have a great day...hopefully everybody's weather is good...it's pretty nice here in NOVA!