ARM SWAG SUNDAY.....Shades of caramel and turquoise

Ok, Ok, I KEEP saying I'm not ready for fall YET I keep these lil color schemes and ideas floating around in my head!! For example....these bangles....saw them EARLY July and I didn't get them because REALLY - do I NEED another bangle?!?!? Mmmmm - NOPE! BUT I couldn't get them outta my head, so I went back and got the caramel mustard color, turquoise and a lilac color (which I think all 3 together would be GORG). 

Oh yeah the ring....that's new too!!! SAME story....saw it a few days AFTER the bracelets, tried it on and decided citrine isn't my birthstone (OR my kids...NEITHER MY preferred gem of choice) BUT PERFECT for fall - couldn't get it outta my head (even went and bought another ring in sapphire because I figured it would go with more...BUT IT wasn't right - THIS citrine ring was in my mind). Thankfully it was still there 2 weeks later....

SEE what I'm sayin?!?!?  They go SO WELL together!!! If you're pairing caramel and turquoise I'd LOVE to see it!!! 

MANIC MONDAY.....MIXED MEDIA Supplies, HEIDI SWAPP

While having a lil girls day out (and running errands in between) my homegurl and I stopped in Kirklands (SWOON) and I saw this print...I LOVED the saying and IF I had a lil girl I probably would've bought it....OR a home office!! 

BUT instead I snapped a pic and re-created it in MY mixed media journal (which is just alined journal that I have found SO easy to use and keep my things...kinda like a vision board, inspirational journal, scrapbook, want list ALL in one)

While we were poking around at all the artsy craftsy places NO trip would be complete without a stop at Michael's who JUST SO HAPPENED to have Heidi Swapp select products at 70% off!!! See that striped journal / datebook in the back?!?!? Oh yeah - got it for a SONG!!! I haven't used it yet because I am still in my sugarpaper LA one (prob come January I will be in it to win it with Heidi....altho I may have to carry a bigger purse? HOW do you girls carry those bigger planners around with you - please advise!!).

Below are a few recent images from my MMJ (Mixed Media Journal)...

Home products on the left and beauty stuff on the right...no REAL method to the madness, just clippings of stuff I wanna try or have someday!! 

I made a few FALL fashion pages (I am NOT ready YET for fall - my toes are still sportin NEON PINK for as long as I can)

THIS is a good way to see the trends, paste then together and then go thru my closet and see what I have, what I don't and what I can improvise with (I used small post it's for notes as I went of what I liked)

I LOVE the concept of the Midori challenge and while I don't HAVE a midori I can still partake with my MMJ...You can find out MORE about the Midori Challenge here http://livelifeandcreate.blogspot.com/2015/07/august-2015-creativemidorichallenge.html

If YOU already participate or have your own MMJ style, please leave you link - I'de LOVE to check it out!!

FOODIE FRIDAY....EATING Better, ADDING FLAVOR and making BETTER CHOICES

In todays world fast food and junk food is easier and CHEAPER than the food that is actually good for you and nourishes your body. BELOW is my work lunch from the other day....I brought a salad from home BUT I knew I needed a protein (I don't like hard boiled eggs AND I didn't want those pre-cooked chicken strips because I believe they are full of preservatives) SO I opted for a baked piece of deli chicken (still seemed to have crazy salt though). HERE I made the choice NOT To drive thru Arby's and get a $1.00 roast beef....

Another work lunch consisted of (A SMALL PORTION) of brown rice, a nice flavorful pepper salad (a take on a pinterest recipe) and chicken we grilled at home.....

PERFECT "dessert" sweet and layers of flavor....lightly grilled pineapple, blueberries and blackberries....

I've read all over that weight loss BEGINS in the kitchen. Making better choices certainly supports that theory. I KNOW for myself I can't give up carbs cold turkey BUT I can opt for more protein and veggies vs. the carbs. What's YOUR fave healthy meal?!

TRY IT THURSDAY...T-shirt Yarn balls

SO when I do my flea markets I have realized I don't have enough "fillers" or items to stage my booth...this was exceptionally obvious this past show at the Pec Thing....SO I started thinking "what can I use to 'decorate' my space without being over the top?!?!" T-shirt yarn balls seemed like a GREAT way to add that homey touch, I can make them in colors that COORDINATE with my space and I can recycle those fabrics from other projects....

I googled a few tutorials....(this particular one was the bottom of the dress from a WIWW post) and I realized when I held it up it looked like chest bones! (I was making this while having a garage sale - double duty use of my time)

This was from a t-shirt that was too large....BUT the coloring is perfect!!! I realized I don't have any "in progress pics" BUT there are a lot of great tutorials out there! 

These are PERFECT colors for fall WITH my pop of lime green  (that you can see on the pile below)

I STILL plan to make more t-shirt balls.....Have YOU made any?!?!? Think you might for fall!?!? It's a GREAT way to recycle old t-shirts that the kids have outgrown, that have pilled OR that ya spilled that coffee on!!

WHAT I WORE WEDNESDAY....WIWW

I have the intent to take my pics outside and with al these great backgrounds...and then real life happens! Heck some days I'm happy just to document my outfit at all!! 

 What I'm wearing:
Shirt - Chico's
Necklace - Chico's
Cargo like Joggers - #Chico's

Fringe is EVERYWHERE for fall!!

What I'm wearing:
Fringe Vest - Chico's (last year)
Button Down Shirt - Chico's
Leggings - Chico's

Casual Errand Day

 What I'm wearing:
Vest - Chico's
Necklaces - Vintage and Claires
Tank - Chico's
Leggings - Chico's
Sandals - Marhsall's

** The BEST part of the vest is the detail on the back **

What I'm wearing:
Necklace - Made by my son this past Mother's Day
Tunic - Maurices (check out the sleeve details!!)
Leggings - Chico's

HERE!! The outside Shot!!

Hat - Target
Tank - Chico's
Purse - Chico's
Leggings - Boutique in Wisconsin
Sandals - Dolla Tree (the BEST sandals EVAH!! Supposed to be temps when we went to Florida back in March BUT they've taken a lickin and keep on tickin)

Off to see what YOU wore!! Linkin up with Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy....hop over to her blog for MORE inspiration!!

FOODIE FRIDAY.....Chocolate Dipped Cuties

SO In an effort to eat more green (ie things the body can digest naturally that hasn't been preserved to last decades) I was trying to think of creative ways to add the yum factor (AND get my kids to eat the fruits and veggies). 

Inspired by the Terry's whack-a-ball chocolates...chocolate and orange (which we loved)

I peeled all the cuties....prepped the chocolate...

and dipped baby dipped....

Popped in the fridge to harden and whoop they they are....this was a project the kids helped with....guess which ones are theirs?!??!!

They were SO DEE-LISH and we ate them all!!!

MANI MONDAY....Black and Gold BLINGy Party Nail

Found these FAB nails at #Ross and I KNEW I had to have them (even though I don't wear fake nails...I figured I could do ONE  - which apparently is called a "party nail"??!?!?!). I gathered my nail supplies....

I polished my real nails black and added the "party nail" to my ring finger with some nail glue....

 I LOVE how they came out!! And several people complimented them!! I still have a buncha party nails to use!! And NOW I'm addicted!!! I went out and purchased a few more boxes of nails...stay tuned to see them!!!

Should we do a MANI Monday link up?!??! Leave a comment and let me know!! We can have a BUNCHA party nails!

ARM SWAG SUNDAY....PEARLS

Some girls LOVE diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds I LOVE pearls (and diamonds)....I've had a lil of all kindsa gemstones BUT wanted a "collection" and thus pearl everything was born! But I've always been a classic pearl gurl....for my Graduation gift my lifelong bestie gave me a pair of pearl earrings that I STILL have and wear al the time!! 

(image credit Town and Country)

SO, whenever I'm in doubt about what to throw on the go-to is pearls!! For this arm swag sunday I'm showcasing my wrist o'pearls

Do you like pearls??!?!

A DAY IN THE LIFE....

.....Pics via my iphone from the previous week (or two...I fell a lil behind blogging)

Matching tattoo's with my homegurl...."Ohana" means family and family means NO ONE gets left behind

Gettin a lil vitamin "D"

Hopped on the #midori july list (in my own planner) and THIS was my July bucket list....

Movie in the Park....

My "patio farm" that wasn't fairing so well....the rain and then the dry hasn't made for a real great combination....

One of my co-workers gave me this #lancome Rose shade of lipstick to celebrate national lipstick day!!! 

 FINALLY got in to the dermatologist for my toe (that has been like this since MARCH...it's evolved and changed and I wanted to make sure it wasn't melanoma....the tests came back clear for fungus and melanoma THANK GOD.). I think she cut it too short last time causing a bleed under the nail (because this toenail came off several years ago when a cart of bricks fell on my foot)

Starbucks (through the generosity of friends and fam) has become a summer tradition....

Started August with a FITNESS BANG!! But after two trips to the gym my headaches returned...So maybe I was overzealous for just returning....

Dessert plates lined up and ready for grilled pina and blueberries

Squeezing in a vitamin D break on my work lunch....

My daughters DREAM car....and the really funny part is she had a barbie VW when she was younger...

Saw this at #kirklands.....LOVE the saying!!!

FREE breakfast pancakes at ihop

Day off is a day to get sh#t done!!! (until my gurl tempted me with a sbux run)

And a visit to Michael's yielded new journal material and and a #heidiswapp planner - SWOON!!

What have YOU been up to?!?! Do you post a weekly re-cap?!?! If so leave a link so I can come see what you're doing!!! 

FOODIE FRIDAY....BASIL INFUSED OLIVE OIL

At the beginning of summer I decided I wanted to be a "patio farmer" (because I don't have room for a garden SO I was going to make the best of it and farm my patio!!!). I planted basil, cilantro, tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, strawberries grew naturally{the water I used to soak the berries in...I used that to water my plants and strawberries grew!!}. It was a hard summer for my patio garden - too much rain, varmints, and crazy winds (knocked my planters down several times). So I didn't get the harvest I was anticipating (BUT I HAVEN'T GIVEN UP). 

I decided to harvest the lil bit of basil I had....

 Because I knew I wanted to try my hand at Basil Infused olive oil this summer (and knowing I grew it I knew there wasn't any pesticides on my leaves). I researched several methods and recipes and settled on one....

 Calling for 1/2 cup of basil leaves (cleaned and dried) which then required pressing with the back of a spoon (to release the natural oils)

 Added one cup of olive oil to the leaves....

And am storing in a jar on a sunny window for 2 weeks (shaking the oil everyday) and after 2 weeks I am to strain it and store in a (cork lidded container was recommended) glass bottle and will last me a few months. I am SO EXCITED to try the finished product!!!

Have you infused your own oils? How did it go? Tips and tricks totally appreciated!!!