Organizing Things i ♥Luv♥...Found on Etsy!

First Row:  Set of Two Fabric Bins by sewingmomma, Message Board by nextdoortoheaven

Second Row:  Multi-Purpose pot by Sunstrokestudios, Owl bookend by aprilfoss

Third Row:  Doggie Rack by LAbyDesign, Miss kitty hanger by monkeyandsquirrel

Fourth Row:  Days of the week pushpins by MostlyMagnets, Coupon Holder by grandmaslittlelily

Fifth Row:  Quilted marble magnets by sideproject, Jeweled Crown Magnet by mrsinman

Plus-Size Fashion Spotlight

Hey ladies! It's been a few days since we had the fashion spotlight, but today we are back in business! They're calling for more snow here in NC, but I'm dreaming of somewhere warm and sunny, which is why I have chosen this super fabulous sun dress as the fashion spotlight anchor piece.

• We start with this playful sundress that's packed full of color! Gives us so many options to accessorize with!
• Next I added this coordinating knitted shrug. The color is perfect...and the brooch is removable so you get two looks in one!
• Wow, check out this agate bracelet! It is perfect for this dress. I think it really makes the blue in the dress pop.
• And finally, check out these handmade leather sandals. You won't believe the price!

1.  Smock and Roll Sundress...alight.com...$55.00

2.  Orange "Take me Out" Shrug...trendyknitting...$57.00

3.  Under the Sea Rainbow Agate Bracelet...HardCandyGems...$45.00

4.  Handmade Leather Sandals...LilaSandals ...$75.00

Flavorful Creations...Hashbrown Casserole

Hashbrown casserole...mmmm...super cheesy, super yummy, and super easy! I was hooked when I heard super cheesy! Now that's my kinda recipe.  Here's a teaser of the finished product..... 

Anyhoo, click below for the recipe. Trust me, you won't be sorry....

Plus-Size Fashion Spotlight

Hey divas! Since there's still snow on the ground here in lovely North Carolina, I decided I should do a fashion spotlight on winter accessories, which I just love by the way. Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize!

• I started with this white and black plaid double-breasted wool-blend coat. I just love black and white plaid paired with red...And wait 'till you see the price!
• Next, I added one of these super cute hats. Take your pick. I think they are equally fabulous. And the flower comes off of the Newsboy (#3). It's like two hats for the price of one!
• Round out your outfit with one of these excellent glove selections. I think the red ones with the cute little bow are super sexy! And check out the black flapper gloves with the flower bling. Be sure to zoom in the pic so you can really see these great finds!

1.  Double-breasted plus-size coat by Chelsea Studio...womanwithin.com...$24.88

2.  Crochet Beanie with Red Bow...LapofLuxury...$17.50

3.  Newsboy Beanie Cap Hat with Removable Flower...MelsBellsClocheHats...$35.00

4.  Little Red's Lost Lolita Riding Arm Warmers...ZenAndCoffee...$18.00

5.  Black Flapper Gloves...flapperfashions ...$12.00

The Queen....

My queen....", mmm, doesn't that have a nice ring to it...

...well, no, not if you're the Queen of Clutter!! I admit it. I need an intervention so I am intervening myself. Is that allowed?....I feel as if I've tried it all. I've bought the little bins and filled 'em up....but alas, still, I am cluttered!

I attribute my clutter to the following: I'm such a crafty girl (jewelry making, scrapbooking, you name it) and I love a good bargain. Honestly, what girl doesn't? I even have a three foot tall ceramic elephant planter from Garden Ridge that I begged my boyfriend to buy me one year for Christmas claiming that I was gonna paint it and make it fabulous, and.....nope....still in the closet five years later...only halfway painted...but, my bad, I digress....I just gotta throw in here, that to my defense, if I would just finish the ceramic elephant project it would truly be so fabulous!!!  :)

So, between my craftiness and bargain hunting prowess, these things have taken over everything! The thing is, I have a whole room dedicated to my craftiness but it's so unorganized that it's spilling over to other areas of my crib. Who needs a guest bedroom? Let 'em sleep on the floor! Ha, ha, ha...The dining room table now houses the hair bobbie making station...I mean, you've gotta let the glue dry and then coordinate them in little groups....And my bedroom is slowly being taken over by scrapbooking supplies and fun stuff so I can watch TV while I'm making hair bobbie tags. And then there is the actual craft room where I make my jewelry....Yikes!

Whew, you are so not getting pics b/c it's downright embarrasin'. I claim to get it honest. My dad is a, er, let's just say, "antique collector", and finds many "treasures" in his travels.  Why, just last April the local farmers market was having yard sale day so we signed up to bring some of our stuff to sell. Dad went back home with more than he came with. He was like a kid at Christmas, when the sun finally came up and we could see everyone else's stuff his eyes just lit up with wonder!...And who knew those yard sales started so early and the early birds mean business! They came out, like lone wolves armed with flashlights, teeth snared, protecting their territory if anyone got too close, rummaging through boxes before we could even get our stuff out for display! Again, I digress.....I do get it honest....

So, long story short, I got this (<---------)....I read about it on my new girlfriend's blog. Andrea, shout out girl! So then, i went to Amazon and read all these wonderful reviews about the book, and it's also supposed to be funny. I figure even if it doesn't help me at all, I will get a few good laughs. I got the book new for $10.04 from Amazon.com but you can be smart and get it on there for as little as $4.89. I'm such a goof and for whatever reason didn't see the cheaper prices before checking out.  :(

Has anyone read this book? Tried this system? Any help/ideas I can get in organizing and clutter control is appreciated! Call to all my girlfriends: I'm drowning in a sea of clutter and I can't get up! Help!

Plus-Size Fashion Spotlight

I just love a great wrap dress! I think they are flattering to all body types. And just look at the shine on the dress I found for today. Love it!

• Pair it with a cami underneath for a work appropriate look, or without, for a night out on the town. I used a beige cami here, but purple or even black would work.
• I love the beige shoe already paired with the dress, but, I found these fantastic purple 4-inch (yikes!) Steve Madden sandals. Definately worthy of a night out with the girls!
• To finish the look, I found these awesome pieces from artist funkyartista on Etsy. The pendant in the necklace and the beads in the bracelet are handmade by her. She truly designs her pieces from start to finish.  Be sure to check out her store.

1.  Violet Print Wrap Dress...swakdesigns.com...$54.00

2.  Beige Cami ...swakdesigns.com...$8.90

3.  Mardi Gras Purple Big Wave Flower Pendant...funkyartista...$18.00

4.  Purple Swirl Silver Link Bracelet...funkyartista...$24.00

5.  Steve Madden Crazzy Lilac Sandals...Overstock.com...$46.58

Paper Things i ♥Luv♥...Found on Etsy!

Wow! Paper has really come a long way. Don't you agree??   There are so many colorful options and things you can do with paper. I know that sounds kinda random, but I found all these wonderful items on Etsy that are made using paper in some form. I mean, you can decoupage it, sew it, laser cut it, use resin with it...so many possibilities! ♥

 

First Row: Rose Rapture Jewelry Chest…NandJDesigns, Letterpress Recipe Cards and Box…1canoe2

Second Row: Quirky Blossoms Coasters…ReeCreates, Get Noticed Clothespin Clips…adorebynat
Third Row: Dog and Cat Gift Tags…CatnipStudioToo, Sea Dachshund Notebook…AfricanGrey
Fourth Row: Build Your Own Triceratops…kfarrell, Woven Thank You Card…kisskissiluvthis
Fifth Row: Blue Morpho Butterfly Necklace…ForTheCrossJewelry, Guitar Pendant…lilyflysgarden

Red and Turquoise Things i ♥Luv♥...Found on Etsy!

Plus-Size Fashion Spotlight

Hey girls! I had so much fun with yesterday's fashion spotlight that I thought I'd do another one today. Today we have a super fun outfit for the casual diva.

• We start with a great pair of boyfriend jeans. They have gold paint speckled on them. Creative divas- do you have an old pair of jeans at home? Experiment and make your own gold paint speckled jeans. I'd love to see them! 
• Next we add a paisley tunic tee. Not too overwhelming when paired with this super cute knitted short sleeve sweater.
• These paisley clogs from Zappos.com are a splurge at $145 but I thought they were too cute and add a pop to the other neutral colors.
• Accessories include a great leather bag and matching bracelet and earrings from talented Etsy sellers. Check them out!

Plus-Size Fashion Spotlight

Being a plus-sized girl, sometimes good fashion is hard to come by. Each week I plan to post about fashion geared towards those of us that are big 'n beautiful. Don't worry slim jims, no discrimination here, if you're not plus-sized you can still enjoy these posts as I will also have fun girly accessories and plan to spotlight talented Etsy artists.  After all, divas come in all shapes and sizes! :) 

I usually have a hard time finding a fun and flirty summer dress but I just love the one below. Turquoise and brown-such yummy summer colors together! 

• Layer the tank underneath the dress so that there are no "girls gone wild" moments.  
• Add the blue sweater shrug for an outfit appropriate for office casual. It will bring out the blue at the bottom of the dress. 
• Check out the fabulous embossed sandal! Shut up! as Stacy London from TLC's What Not to Wear would exclaim.
• Also added some great accessories from talented Etsy artists. Be sure to check them out.

Work In Progress...

Hello! I'm so excited to have found shabbyblogs.com. There's a link up in the corner that'll take you there. They have the most awesomely fantasic shabby blog designs and other shabby fun stuff for us shabby lovin' chicks! So, please, bare with me as I'm making changes to my blog. Let me know what you think...

I Was That Girl.....

I know what you're thinking..."You're what girl ?!?"..... 

Let me start at the beginning.....Each week I have to attend a meeting at work, one of the things that we review are safety incidents at our facilities. One of the incidents was that someone fell out of their chair. "They were leaning forward and fell out of their chair......" So, I'm thinking how in the heck do you just fall out of your chair? I mean, it sounded as if this person just randomly fell over. Almost comical in a way if you can imagine it...not comical that someone could've gotten hurt, but, well anyway, again, how does one just fall out of their chair???

So, anyway, on occasion I have to sit at the front desk at my work. Situated front and center, I'm the first friendly face that visitiors and employees see. Anyway, I'm sitting there when I spot one of my fave magazines on the floor under the desk. A Southern Living mag, oh how I just love it! Everything is so shabby chic and cottage like, lots of colors, and flowers and fabulous food, and, well, I digress...*sigh*

So, I'm leaning over in the chair to pick up that wonderful Southern Living mag, and yep, you guessed it. I just fell out of my chair. It was so random, no real rhyme or reason. And it was so sudden, so quick, the chair just dumped me out and I was on the floor before i knew it, totally stunned. Lol. So then, I'm prairie-doggin', peeking over the desk making sure no one saw me. It's a miracle, but to my delight no one saw, no one saw!!...So, I was that girl that just randomly fell out of her chair, no rhyme or reason....Just gravity, perhaps? Or was it karma, ya think?    :)