OOTD: Hibiscus Floral Birthday Muumuu Maxidress.

Before I write up the blog post, I wanted to let you all know that I looked at Boden's site a couple weeks back and saw they had put up a new affiliate program as one we could apply to, so of course I decided to go ahead and do so, thinking there still might be a chance that my blog isn't big enough to be part of their new program.  However, yesterday I received word that I was accepted, which is good news!  :-)  I see they have similar systems in place as the old program, so when the time is right I will have coupons in the sidebar, etc.  So yay!  Right now the big summer sale is going on, so the sidebar links are to that, but once the regular season starts up, I will switch them out to the coupon links. 

Now to go and dust off my Boden Weekly Review Roundup boots again.  ;-)

Day: Sunday, July 5, 2015.

Where: BBQ Birthday Party.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I bought the Hibiscus Floral Maxidress from J. Crew in November (so well after I could reasonably wear it outside) for a very good price.  Initially my thought was to take it and use all the yardage for something, maybe a shorter dress for myself and a dress for CW.  But then I tried it on back in May and asked all my Instagram friends if I should keep it as is, and most said to not cut into it and wear it as is.  So I did, and I am glad I did.  I *might* bring the straps up a touch since they run low and I know they are meant to hit higher, but otherwise, I love the fit, length, etc.

Outfit Details:  Dress, J. Crew; Necklace, J. Crew; Sandals, (can't see them, but I am wearing them, lol) Target here; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day:  It was a very yucky 4th here in the MD/DC/VA area.  All muggy, humid, buggy, and a bit rainy.  I was worried for the 5th, but upon waking I saw all the pretty skies and less awful weather, and breathed a sigh of relief.  Most of my friends and family were able to make it, and it was a great time.  Just perfection.  I even was able to share blowing out my candles with two girls who have their birthdays right near mine or on mine. 

Sadly, my great aunt passed away later that day (we were expecting it, though, unfortunately), and she was more like a grandmother to me than a great aunt.  She *is* the reason I love bright colors and prints, since she was the one who insisted I stop wearing so many drab colors back when I was nineteen.  Her funeral is this weekend in CA, so I will be heading that way on Thursday to say goodbye to her.  :-(

INSTAGRAM of the outfit HERE.

Okay, that's it for now.  Hope your Tuesday is amazing!

OOTDs: Made by Me May, Part Two! And One Outfit Isn't Like the Handmade Others.

Made by Me May, Part One is here, btw, for those of you looking for it.  There will be a Made by Me May, Part Three, also.

Day: Tuesday, May 19, 2015.

Where:  Airport to pick up my mom with my brother, then to Five Guys.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Super comfortable, but I still felt a bit exposed showing off this much of my legs.  That said, I just love this outfit overall, the colors, the gorgeous liberty print, the unique necklace.  Just wish I had made the skirt a bit longer. 

Outfit Details:  Skirt, handmade (using an old McCall's pattern, I believe); Factory Short Sleeve sweater (bought an extra-small, it's roomy), J. Crew Factory here; Necklace, J. Crew; Sandals, Boden.

Anecdote of the Day:  Pete can't just take a normal photo with me, he pretty much always has to do something silly.  Still love the photo, though.  :-)  Brothers...

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Wednesday, May 20, 2015.

Where:  The school to help out at the Mexican Fiesta party.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Was so excited to finally wear my bias cut jacket that I made back in December, but because of its timing with my friend W's death, I couldn't bring myself to wear it back then.  I decided enough was enough, and brought it out, but of course, I wore it for a grand total of thirty minutes before I decided it was too hot to be wearing it.  Sigh.

The Contrast Paneled Shell I purchased in a size petite small, and though it fits well, it is a touch tight in the bust (and I have a very small bust).  I prefer the petite since it hits higher on my hip, if I had purchased the regular, it would have been too long.

Outfit Details:  Jacket, handmade (using Vogue 8910); Contrast Paneled Shell, J. Crew here,  Turner Pants, J. Crew here, Sandals, J. Crew.

Anecdote of the Day:  I always feel like I have to fake it till I make it at my kids' school with the other parents.  They seem like the sort that were very popular in high school and college and are still holding onto the "cool" that they are.  I don't feel cool, I just feel out of place.  Well, anyhow, long story short, I finally have met a few moms and dads there that don't make me feel like I have to be someone I am not, and that day I got to spend some time talking with one of the moms there that literally agrees with me on almost everything, which is just amazing.  :-)  So good to finally be able to really be me, you know?

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Sunday, May 24, 2015.

Where:  Birthday party for one of Angus's Little Gym Friends.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Beyond needing to make the shoes a bit looser by wearing them out a bit more, this was a nice outfit to wear to a birthday party.  It was really really hot and humid, though, and the ITY knit felt a bit stifling towards the end of the day.

Outfit Details:  Dress, handmade (using New Look 6097); Factory Raffia Boardwalk Sandals, J. Crew Factory here; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day:   Angus arrived late for the party since he was taking a long nap.  We got there and the face paint artist was just about to leave.  I asked her is she could get something drawn on Angus real quick, and she said, "maybe a small spider on his arm?"  Yeah, small spider my butt.  That thing took up half his arm.  How long did it take her? Two minutes. Crazy.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Saturday, May 16, 2015.

Where:  Girls Night Out.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love love love my tiered jersey dress from Garnet Hill so much that I had to make my own when challenged last year to copy a RTW item in my closet and make a new version of it using fabric from our stash.  It was a no-brainer, as soon as I knew what the challenge was, I knew which RTW item I was going to copy.  I hope to make another one this summer.

Outfit Details:  Dress, handmade (using a pattern I made using an old Garnet Hill dress, learn more on that here); Sandals, Madewell; Necklace, Uncommon Goods.

Anecdote of the Day:   So my friend, B., is moving to the outer suburbs, close to where my brother is planning on moving.  If you know anything about DC traffic, twenty miles equals at least an hour on the road (especially if the highway that gets you there is far from your house, twenty miles for us on 395, no biggie, 66, BIGGIE).  SOB!  Don't move!

INSTAGRAM HERE.
 

Day: Monday, May 18, 2015.

Where:  Church Meeting.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I thought it would be funny to wear a "going to the pool" tee with a "wanna be by the sea" skirt.  The two together are very nice and certainly comfortable for the hot/humid weather, but I really wish the skirt was a touch less full.  I even chose to size down to a 6 Long and it was still voluminous. 

Outfit Details:  Top, Madewell; Florence Skirt, Boden here; Sandals, Madewell; Necklace, Target.

Anecdote of the Day:  One lady in my church group is French and she 100% appreciated the "going to the pool/wanna be by the sea" play I did with my clothing.  It flew over all the other heads, though.  ;-)

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Thursday, May 21, 2015.

Where:  Richmond with my Mom and Angus to eat lunch at the Can Can and go the Children's Museum.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  So all week and through this last weekend it has been either warm or hot.  The one day we travel, south even, and it is freaking cold!  It was barely in the 50s and raining like nobody's business.  At one point, I wondered if we all should have worn coats.  It did allow me to wear a tunic that I wasn't sure would be able to be worn in May, though.

Outfit Details:  Tunic, handmade (using McCall's 6796); Leggings, J. Crew here; Nike Waffle Racers, J. Crew here (navy only).

Anecdote of the Day:  I loved my wine so much at lunch, I bought the bottle for some ridiculous price.  It was so worth it, though, I have been enjoying it for the past few days (it has a screw top so it stays fresh in the fridge).  If you want to see it, check out the instagram shot.

INSTAGRAM HERE.
 

Day: Friday, May 22, 2015.

Where:  Doctor's appointment for CW and a long walk on our forest paths in our neighborhood.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Since I have lost a little weight since I first made this dress, it fits me better through the bodice, but still is a touch to close for comfort.  I didn't know it then, but I need to always make a square shoulder adjustment on patterns, and any future versions of this, I will need to as well.

Outfit Details: Dress, handmade (using an old Amy Butler pattern); Sandals, Target; Selina Sunglasses, Boden here.

Anecdote of the Day:  I so enjoy the forests in our neighborhood, but that day was so special, it was 70 and sunny and perfect for a walk.  It seriously felt like I was on vacation, if only for an hour or so.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Saturday, May 23, 2015.

Where:  Dropping my Mom at the airport and Church.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  This top is literally two rectangles sewn together.  I cut it out on Friday night and the next day had it ready to wear.  It's not much sewing for a whole lot of impact (especially if it is a super loud  pattern like this).  I definitely will be trying this "pattern" again.  The tee is super soft, too.  The sandals are those (sold out in a heartbeat) Mackenzie crackled foil sandals and they, like the rest of the outfit, are stupid comfortable too.

Outfit Details: Top, handmade (using a "pattern," snort); Turner pants, J. Crew here; Mackenzie crackled foil sandals, J. Crew here; Bag, Hobo, Intl.

Anecdote of the Day: Mr. Dina hates Olive Garden, so we never go there, but my friend wanted to go there after mass, and to be honest, it was pretty tasty.  I mean, take what I say with a grain of salt.  Apparently I'll eat anything, since I took one of those online "what won't you eat" quizzes and out of 120 items, I would eat 119 of them.  (My one "eww" was kidneys, yep, kidneys, don't like because of their texture, not their taste.)

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Sunday, May 24, 2015.

Where:  To watch the movie "Tomorrowland."

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The shorts and top and sandals combo are so comfy, almost pajama-like.  My one issue with the shorts are that they are short enough that when I sit down, my legs make contact with the chair or bench.  It feels weird enough that I notice.  (Writing that out makes me realize I may sound like a freak, tell me I am not alone here).

Outfit Details: Top, Forever 21; Shorts, (using a Burda Magazine pattern from last summer); Factory Raffia Boardwalk sandals, J. Crew Factory here.

Anecdote of the Day: Every time I watch a George Clooney movie, he cries in it.  Damnit, George Clooney.  Stop crying.  It is inevitable that watching him cry will make me cry.  (Pulls out tissues...)

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Okay, that's it for now.  Hope the parade of excess in the form of photos didn't overwhelm you.  :-)

OOTD/Review/Made by Me: Knotted and Beaded and Crocheted.

Day: Monday, February 16, 2015.

Where:  Star's Beads in Vienna for a class on crocheted wire beaded jewelry.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Dang boots had to be worn since it was supposed to snow up to eight inches (with it starting while I was in class), so I had to wear them for traction and safety.  The pants have a boot cut but were not super wide, so the pants got a teeny bit bunched at the top of the cuff of the boots.  Oh, well.  Could have looked worse, just wish I could have figured something else out (I was a bit time crunched, though).

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) Meh.  The sweater deserves a cute skirt and ballet flats.  On the plus side, the merino wool/cotton blend kept me warm enough.

Anecdote of the Day:  My friend, A., from high school, invited me to come with her to a class on how to make crocheted wire jewelry.  I am always willing to give something crafty a try, so I said sure.  A. LOVES making jewelry, and is really good at it, so I knew if I screwed up, she could hold my hand a bit.  I can crochet, I didn't even realize it until I was watching a knitting video and they showed the crochet stitch, and I was all, OH THAT'S SO EASY!  LOL.  For the longest time I thought crocheting was harder than knitting.  Anyhow, it was an awesome time, and I loved being able to see my friend and make something really pretty at the same time (photos are at the bottom of this post).

French Knot Sweater.  Size 6.  At least Boden's knitwear is pretty much consistently true to size.  I usually buy a size 6 and all three sweaters I have shown off this weekend (Rainbow Knit here and Tilly here) are this size.

The fit on this one is a touch more fitted, but it is meant to be.  It is not tight-feeling, even with the cami layered underneath, though.  There is a nice amount of recovery in the wool blend that it fits and hugs properly without either stretching out or feeling to constricting.

That said, I do think the fabric is a bit thin, and in the white you can see everything below, so be choosy with your undergarments.  I wore a white cami, but if I had plans to tuck it in, I would wear a nude one.  It also shows bulges from the straps, so I need to invest in a cami with bralette that is also seamless (I am sure that won't be too difficult, chortle).

The length is nice, hits at the high hips.  The sleeves are three-quarters, which on me equals just a bit below the elbow.  They are never the proper length on me.  (Darned monkey arms.)

The French knots are hand tied, from what I can tell, and are a bit delicate, but nothing major.  The consistency of the knots is off, though, see that yellow up there, OFF!  I am just persnickety enough to be slightly bothered by it, but the beta blockers I take (for migraines!) must be helping because I don't care if I can't see it.  ;-)  The rows are very straight, so I will hand it to them on the *level* (slaps knee).

I would say to be careful with the tufted underknot on the wrong side of the fabric, though, and definitely hand wash or hand wash cycle on the machine.

And lay flat to dry, of course!


French Knot Sweater.  The sizes and colors are fully stocked.  Though the 20% off knitwear and outerwear ends tonight, you would be fine to wait if you need to wait for a better deal.

20% Off Outerwear and Knitwear ends at 11:59 pm tonight:
20% Off All Knitwear, Coats, Jackets and Skiwear, Plus Free Shipping When You Spend Over $49

Crocheted Wire Necklace with Pink, Pearl, and Grey Beads.  I am just so excited by this necklace.  It was much easier to do than I thought it was going to be, and am glad I took the time to go to the class today.  I have hopes to make one again in the future.  (But with all my sewing and knitting to do, this will be lower on the totem pole.)

I chose the colors of ivory/grey/pink to match the dress you all saw on Valentine's Day over at Fabric Mart's blog.  My friend, A., had most of these beads in her bead stash (I only bought the smoky grey ones, example of one is front center).

Okay, that's all for now!  Have a great night! 

Made by Me File/OOTD: Inspired by Nature.

Day: Saturday, December 20, 2014.

Where:  To say goodbye to my friend, W., who passed away in mid-December.  I blogged more about the death here.  We went to his church in northern Virginia where they held a memorial service in his honor.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  In true W. style, we were asked to wear casual clothing to the service since W. was a casual guy who lived in fleece and jeans and boots.  W. also knew that I was (his words, not mine, lol) a "true fashionista," so though I could have worn fleece and jeans and boots, he wouldn't have expected my version of casual to match his.  I had to stay true to what his image of me was, as well as honoring the wishes of his family, so I went with my version of casual, which is exceedingly easy to wear, but since it isn't fleece or boots, doesn't get the full 5 out of 5 stars for ease since the beret, while "stylin'," does start to itch after a while. 

Cool Factor: (... of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Not really a necessary score because this outfit is about W. and not about being cool.  I am sure he would have liked the effort, and would be proud to know that I own a cardigan that has a full on forest on it, however abstract it may be.  (He was a lumberjack/nature man/(his words, not mine) manimal, so the more rustic and down to earth, the better.)

I literally spent days and days crying over W.'s death, as many of you who read here know already.  I didn't know how to process losing him in such a sudden way.  I had kids to watch out for, so that helped me get through the physical hours of the days, but the emotional weight of the emptiness inside was really upsetting.  I had this void of a good friend upon whom I depended for companionship.  He was a tie to so many things in my life, my youth, my love of things "nature," my stupid silly side that I rarely let see the day's light. 

I went through our many messages to each other and it struck me that no matter what, he championed my sewing and creative side.  He was very supportive of everything I made, which was odd considering his way of dressing up was to wear a fancy baseball cap and shoes that weren't boots.   Regardless of his own personal style, he loved mine.  So I figured one way to deal with his death was to make a dress in honor of him for the mass that was going to be said for the repose of his soul (my friend, M., set it up for this last Sunday, 1/25/2015). 

I found two beautiful quilting cottons at fabric.com, the Forest Walk print, and the Cotton and Steel Metallic Netorious Goldilocks that would work well for the vintage pattern I had found to use for the dress, Simplicity 7252 (from 1967).  I wanted the body of the dress to be a forest or tree print, but it had to be abstract, and the Forest Walk was perfect, since from far away it looks more graphic and splotchy than the birch trees they actually are.  The Cotton and Steel fabric is a very subtle silver geometric print on a turmeric colored base, and happens to be an exact match for the yellows in the Forest Walk fabric.  To add some interest, I also included a bias corded piping in ivory at the yoke base and the cuffs.

I made sure to line the entire thing in a slick poly lining so I could wear tights (quilting cottons stick to tights).

The dress sewed up well, but I did have to take in the sides a whole lot since the ease from the bust down to the hem was excessive.  It was very tent-like.  I wanted the silhouette to match the girl on the cover of the pattern, so I knew I had to take it in to achieve that.  I didn't make a size too big, btw, I went with a size 14, bust 34, and through the shoulders, neck, and arms, it fits fine (after I did a square shoulder adjustment, which is very typical for me), so I think there was just a lot of ease built into this pattern. 

If you would like to see more on this project, I wrote more about the sewing side at this Pattern Review.

I also made two small bags in the same prints for my friends who also were at the mass.  The three of us have been spending a lot of time watching out for each other in the past month and a half, so I felt like they needed a tangible reminder that I was there for them, too.  It is really easy to whip up zip bags, btw, I basically followed the instructions at this Purl Bee tutorial (with my own pattern--I wanted one that allowed for the two fabrics to be on the outside, sort of like this bag).  I highly recommend using the Purl Bee tutorial if you are ever looking to make a quick gift for someone else and you have scrap fabric you'd like to use.

After the mass, four of us friends from high school went to Great Falls, which is a national park here in northern Virginia on the Potomac river, where Virginia meets Maryland.  Above is one of the photos I took that day.  I know W. would really have liked this, in addition to being an all-around outdoorsman, he was a very talented photographer.  I felt inspired by him that day and I was glad that I was able to photograph this moment.

Here are the four of us before we set out to hike that day. 

BTW, those boots I am wearing?  Timberland Euro Hikers from 1995.  Yeah, I own some manimal boots myself.  Just don't show them off around here much.  ;-)

You all have a great day.  Enjoy the world outside as much as you can!

Boden: Big Winter Sale Time with up to 50% Off Everything!

I have been away a long time.  There is a LOT that has been going on, which is the only reason I have left the blog for nine days.  Most of it is for great reasons, but there is at least one sad reason for my absence.  I wrote more about it at the bottom of the post since it is likely to be a few days before I am able to post again.

Okay, onto the sale.  A few of us last week received a "early access" email to go to the Boden Preview site and check out the big sale (basically the clearance sale, but they don't call it that for a while) early.  I did have a peek around, but chose not to buy anything because of the crazy busy I was experiencing.  I normally would have mentioned it here, but again...

The sale is decent.  I was surprised to see some of the items that I expected to have a greater percentage off have a smaller percentage off, and see items which I was sure would be reduced less reduced more.  For instance, the Daisy Jacquard version of the Beatrice Dress, which did sell well in the holiday season, is 50% off, while its sister color Floral Jacquard, is barely reduced at all, and it has always had full stocks.  I purchased the Floral Jacquard version when it was 40% off (and I had a voucher or gift card of some sort), and while I love it, I am very glad I paid the price I did.  The Daisy Jacquard version price is very good, and I am not surprised to see it selling out.  For those of you curious, I did purchase a size 6L and it fits exactly like I need it to, barring a bit of extra length in the bodice I don't need.  (I have plans to wear it this week, btw, and as long as you can hold out, I will be able to do quite a few clearance item reviews this next weekend.)

Anyhow, there will be second cuts eventually, so if something you love is not reduced enough, there is a chance it will be further reduced soon.  But--and this is important--if your color is a popular color and it is selling out or in low stocks now, there is less likely a chance that it will be reduced by a huge amount in the second cuts.  For instance, many colors of the Millie Skirt may hang around just 20-30% off simply because the silhouette and fabric construction have made it popular and easy to wear year round, so Boden will be less likely to want to give them the big heave ho at 70% off (which often happens in the second cuts). 

Before you take a look around, there are quite a few reviews of these items at the most recent Boden Weekly Review Roundups.  :-)

If you make the order early enough, and it comes from the PA warehouse, you will definitely receive it in time for Christmas.  But, remember, some of these come from England, and while the shipping times have gotten better from across the pond, there are still times when the shipping is slow enough that Christmas delivery is not likely, so if you need something for Christmas, call and ask if your item will ship from PA or the UK.

Do you all have any picks?  Would love to see them!  Let us know if you have any in the comments section!

Below is the link to the sale, and below that is the "my life" update.


Okay...so my life right now (if you are interested):

1. I am subbing like a mad woman, I started last week and will continue into next week (the day before break starts is my last day).  I am subbing in my son's class and while that is great and all, they are in second grade and RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.  They are wearing me out.  There are twenty-three of them and they are bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and busy.  BUSY!  LOL.  Wish me luck!

2. When I returned from Mississippi, I had to start and finish a major sewing project for the Fabric Mart blog.  I had hoped to do it while in Mississippi, but unfortunately my mother-in-law's machine wasn't up to the task of handling such a challenging project, so I waited until I got home.  But the project's delay meant all of my energy was devoted to that upon returning home.  I will eventually publish the sewing project here, but the blog post is done over at their blog, so check it out if you would like to see it!

3. On Friday night I went onto Facebook and saw that a friend's wall had been written on by one of his friends with an "RIP, brother."  This friend and I had reconnected in March (he was my first date ever and I was his, aww!) and we were very close.  I spent many nights chatting with him on facebook and texting with him over the phone.  It was SO easy to spend time with him virtually and we were making plans to go hiking with each other next weekend (the 20th). 

So of course seeing that wall message sent me into a tailspin.  I really hoped that it was a sick joke, and while highly inappropriate, at least it would be a JOKE.  But then I went to that friend's facebook page and he had written more for his friends about my friend's passing, and it sunk in that it was real.  My friend, W., was really gone.  Suddenly, without notice, with such finality.  I had to take a week off from messaging him (I last chatted with him on the 2nd) and on the 9th I wrote to him a quick apology note with a sticker message with foxes holding balloons hoping that he would see that and get back to me when he had a chance.  He never did write back.

I am gutted.  I spent all of yesterday attempting to process what happened.  I cried a lot, I barely moved, I am unsure of what I should be feeling.  I feel like I shouldn't be feeling the intensity of pain I am since I hadn't seen him for years and only reconnected with him recently, but then I vacillate wildly to the other side of thinking of course I am feeling pain...he was one of my best friends out there and he understood me in a way very few people do, and I think maybe I understood him in a way that kept him wanting to spend so much time with me, too.  (You all thinking of my hubby, he was fine with my friendship, he knows how important my friends are, male or female.)

Then in addition to devastation, I am SO angry.  Like really mad at him.  Especially because his dad recently suffered a stroke and he texted and chatted with me multiple times that he had to be strong for his mom.  Well his dad is still alive (thankfully recovering).  And his mom is the one that found him in their basement (he did kill himself).  I cannot even imagine what her pain is.  All I know is my own love for my children and what I can imagine my pain would be if I had the same thing happen and it is so awful I have to stop myself after two seconds of that thought.  I am SO mad at him for doing this to her.

But then I swirl back to he must have been in so much pain and in such a dark place himself that he couldn't process it and this was his only option.  And that makes me so sad and angry at myself that I didn't do more to help him.  I didn't know, true, since our conversations were always very fun and light-hearted, but hindsight has allowed me to reflect and he had moments where he let me know that times weren't great for him.  But because all was peppered with humor and levity, I just assumed he was fine.  I wish greatly I could have seen him and hiked with him before he took his life, and that is a selfish thing on my part.  I don't think for a moment that a man in that sad of a place would have made a different decision, but what I would do to go back, be less busy, and see him one last time.

Anyhow, I am not sure of how I am going forward.  All I know is that I am VERY SAD right now.  I miss him so much.  I obviously can't lose it fully since I have kids and a house and work and such, but I feel like I want to tell someone and since I know some of you have spent years on this blog with me, you would notice the lack of posting and you would notice my lack of happy.

If you are able, could you please say a prayer for his soul and for his family?  I think both need it immensely right now.  Thank you!

Okay, that's it for me.  Thank you for continuing to read here.  All of you blog friends me so much to me, and I really want you all to know that.  

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!

OOTDs: Great Summer Lengths.

Day: Tuesday, July 1, 2014.

Where: My Birthday!  So yeah, I was able to enjoy a small trip to the city (with my daughter and my BFF) and get to Barnes and Noble and Pret-a-Manger.  That night we all ate dinner at our favorite Ethiopian restaurant, Meaza.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love this Garnet Hill dress so much.  It is hands down one of my easiest, breeziest dresses ever.  And if there is ever a day to feel good about oneself, the birthday is probably high on the list.  :-)  I bought this year's version (tiered maxi dress here--wait for that $58 to go down, it should) in a tropical floral for $21 (yay!), but it is about two inches shorter, so it doesn't have that full-on maxi feel, sadly.  It looks fine, but I would have preferred this length.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.)  It's a very pretty summery look!

Anecdote from the Day:  Some years I go all out for my birthday, but I wasn't really feeling like being over-the-top this year, so I just chilled all day with my BFF, L., instead.  And because I was able to eat some of my most favorite food ever that day, I was good.  Next year I will likely celebrate a whole lot more.

Day: Sunday, June 29, 2014.

Where: Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Museum (aka Air & Space, Part Two) and Generous George's for pizza.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Just like the Garnet Hill maxi, this Boden jersey maxi dress (this year's is here) is one of my most favorite dresses, but this one loses out because I felt like I had to wear a cami with the neckline in order to be a bit more modest.  It wasn't that I was busting all out, 'cause I can't do that at my bust size, but for me, it does feel very exposed. 

Cool Factor: (3.75 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) I like the look.  I definitely was the only one in the museum in a maxi dress, though.  I think I would have fit in better at the beach.

Anecdote from the Day:  The original Air and Space Museum is the classic museum experience in DC.  This Air and Space museum only recently opened (2003), and features FULL-sized airplanes and an actual space shuttle.  It is AWE-inspiring, and the only thing that you have to pay for is parking.  (But here's a secret...if you arrive after 4 pm, it's free!  We locals can visit the museum as much as possible during the year, obviously, so we can take in the museum in bits and pieces, making the two-hour window to visit the museum doable.)  Anyhow, it is worth the trek out to Chantilly (right next to Dulles airport).  My favorite airplane is the Concorde, because I always thought that maybe one day I would be one of those lucky individuals who could fly to Paris or London in three and half hours flat.  Sadly they shut the operation down in 2003, so my dream will never ever come true.

Day: Wednesday, August 6, 2014.

Where: Angus's ABC/123 class.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The shirt kept wanting to come untucked, but other than that, again, super comfortable.  The rayon jersey in that skirt is SO soft, btw.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) It's probably polarizing, you are either gonna love it or hate it, but I dig it.  My hubby asked why I wanted to be so covered up.

Anecdote from the Day:  I just love watching toddlers figure things out.  Angus is now at the point where he can match letters and pictures to its pair on a chart, which I think is pretty awesome.  I also love it when he sees a friend of his in the class trying to figure out which match to make, and he chimes in (while seated, like *that's* gonna help, lol), "dere it is!" 
 
Okay, technically this isn't a "great lengths" outfit, but the dress fell deep into my photos folder, and I figured if I didn't publish it now, it would never get published.

Day: Saturday, July 5, 2014.

Where: It was a Saturday...and the photo time stamp says 8:00 am, so somewhere, but for the life of me, I can't remember.  Hmm.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The dress is more form-fitting that I have been wearing this summer, so it took getting used to, but by the end of the day, the cotton had stretched a bit making it more comfortable.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) Ikat seems to still be in style.  I really like ikat prints, and since I have started sewing my own items up, I have bought a few yards in different colors/styles to hopefully make my own dress/jumpsuit/tunic in one day.

Anecdote from the Day:  Since I can't remember, I got nothing.  ;-)

Boden fans, there is a sale coming up next week.  Can't give you more, but there will be something coming on Monday.

You all have a great Friday!