OOTD: tribal & black

I have a confession to make...My wardrobe had become centered around my black yoga pant folks. I have been on modified bed rest (I am currently expecting twins) for a couple of weeks and I have to say, I have a very limited selection on pants that fit and are comfy. This is not a free pass to wear yoga pants everyday UNLESS you are towards the end of your pregnancy. In that case...I TOTALLY understand! I have been trying to create outfits that are still cute but are practical for me right now. Here I put together a tribal print cardigan with a solid black tank under it. The necklace gives dimension and the coniac flats add a little detail. Check it out! 

Tribal Cardigan: Charlotte Russe

Tank: Old Navy

Necklace: Target

Shoes: Garage Sale $1.00!

~Holly



Six Ways to Style~{A Black Gingham Shirt}

I am always on the look out for new layers to add to my winter wardrobe. We are on the cusp of our fifth--yes 5--day off from school because of extreme cold. Layers are a must and it is starting to become a little bit annoying. I do long for the days when one layer will suffice. However, as those days seem really, really far off I must make the best of things. I "stole" this top off my mama who had picked up two different styles in the hopes of choosing one and returning one. I like to think that I helped her with the decision by choosing one for me and one for her! Thanks ma! I have had to keep myself from wearing this shirt THREE times this week! Love it!

We picked this one up at JC Penney in the Joe Fresh brand. 

1. Sparkle

This is a simple way to dress up a shirt like this. Throwing a sparkle tank over it makes it really shine! The outfit is given a funky vibe with the cropped pants and booties. 

Tank: Old Navy

Pants: Limited

Booties: Old

2. Neon!

Man have I missed my neon wardrobe pieces this winter. I just haven't felt comfortable breaking them out this winter season. Until now! I thought this scarf and flats added the perfect pop to the checkered shirt. Welcome back neon!

Scarf: Old Navy

Skinnies: American Eagle

Flats: Old Navy

3. Graphic

I typically reach for my chambray button up to layer under this fave fox sweater. However, now that I have this gingham black I am in love with this combo! Cream skinnies and pink bling-y flats are the perfect finish! 

Sweater: Old Navy

Skinnies: Old Navy

Flats: Target

4. Khaki Casual

I don't think I have found anything that doesn't go with my khaki green army vest. It is a really versatile piece. It can be worn with jeans, skirts, dresses...you name it. I just had to try it with this top and I adored the result. I cuffed my skinnies once to work better with this hiking heels. Perfect casual outfit. 

Vest: Old Navy

Skinnies: American Eagle

Shoes: Kohl's 

5. Classic

My inspiration for this outfit came when I was trying to think of something comfy and cute to wear to work. I am on my feet all day and wear flats 90% of the time. I loved how classic the black and wine felt together. The snake skin flats add a little edge. 

Sweater: Old Navy

Necklace: Groopdealz

Skinnies: Limited

Flats: Macy's

6. Color Pop

So guilty. This is the other outfit piece that I wear all. the. time. This comfy sweater is my favorite right now and I make it work with just about anything. I dressed it up with pearls and some leopard print booties. What's not to love?

Sweater: Target

Necklace: Charlotte Russe

Skinnies: Old Navy

Booties: Target

Influenza +OOTD!

So, I haven't gotten "dressed" for four days in a row. Why? A little evil thing called influenza. Man have I been sick! Body aches, fever, chills, cough....you get the idea. I couldn't put together a coherent thought not to mention an entire cute outfit! I am on the mend now and vow to really get "dressed" tomorrow! Here is an outfit I wore last week pre-flu. I'm very into layers right now because of the climate I live in. The temperature change from outside to inside can be extremely dramatic and one must dress for it!

I've also mentioned in other posts how I love to wear bright, bold colors when the weather is dreary and blah. I enjoy being a tiny spot of color in an otherwise white landscape! I have been wearing this plaid button up from F21 all the time lately because it just seems to go with everything! Maybe a Six Ways post in the future!? The best part of this outfit is something you can't even see--my navy blue skinnies are COATED! I snagged them for 9 bucks at Old Navy! I can't really describe the texture--they feel like they have a layer of something on them but its a good something! Finish it all off with some ruffle red flats and all is good, even in my winter wasteland.

Blazer: Limited

Plaid: F21

Tank: Limited

Jeans: Old Navy

Flats: Gordman's

Scarf: Old Navy

Beauty Product Must Have!!

Just popping in to the blog this morning to share one of my FAVORITE beauty products of the past few months. I have been telling practically everyone I see face to face about this little thing and I suddenly thought...DUH....put this on the blog girl! So here I am.

A little background---I put my mascara on about an hour after I actually do the make-up on my eyes. Why? Well I have pretty serious allergies and my eyes can get irritated very quickly and become weepy. I'm not a huge fan of waterproof mascara so waiting to apply my mascara is a must. This often means however, that I am putting it on in the car or once I get to work. I USED to carry around a full size eyelash curler in in my purse make-up bag. Believe me, this was very cumbersome and annoying. I can't tell you how many times the little cushion thing-y (I have no idea what it is actually called!) would come off and get buried at the bottom of my bag. Enter my older sister and her birthday gift to me....the Laura Mercier portable eyelash curler!

This little beauty is the BEST eyelash curler I have ever used, not to mention how portable it is. It even comes with a spare rubber thing-y on the bottom. Genius! The whole contraption is only about an inch and a half tall! It takes a little bit of practice to get used to the mechanism but once you do it's like butta! 

Snag one for yourself HERE!

Thanks Janel!

Six Ways Winter Round-up

Ugh. I am so over winter. I truly do not enjoy anything about winter. I don't partcipate in any outdoor winter activities. I don't like to drive in winter muck At. All. I really hate what dry, winter air does to my skin and hair. Blech. I don't really even like to dress for winter weather--except maybe boots--I love boots.  I am not trying to be a Debbie Downer here but I am really yearning and longing for some warmer temps and longer days! To pep me up and reinvigorate me and my winter blahs I decided to look back through our Six Ways posts and highlight some winter fashion trends to get you AND me through the remaining weeks (or heaven forbid, months) of winter!

1. My only winter favorite--BOOTS! (link to original post)

 2. To stave off my winter doldrums, I try to dress in bold, bright colors that make me happy. My red skinnies do just that! (link to original post)

3. Cozy up in a big sweater or cardigan and pair it with some no-fail dark wash denim. (link to original post)

4. On those days where you want to be comfy AND warm, grab yourself some fleece-lined leggings. I have them in three colors and reach for them so often in the winter months. They go great with boots and a comfy cardigan. (link to original post)

5. A blazer is the PERFECT winter layering piece. It adds warmth without frumpiness and without making you lose your shape. Find one in a bold color to add some umph to your winter fashion. (link to original post)

6. Now to my FAVORITE (besides boots I guess) winter accessory--SCARVES. Boy do I enjoy a chunky scarf for some added warmth. Do not underestimate how warm a scarf can make you. Plus, you look totes adorbs! (That was for you Billy and Erin!) (link to original post)

Hopefully some of these styles will get you through to the first signs of Spring! 

Trend Watch~{Knitting Scarves +OOTD!}

Knitting is not just for "seasoned"(there is no easy or polite way to say older people without appearing offensive--please forgive!) people anymore! It has become a very trendy and hip hobby. I tried knitting a few years ago when scarves were really only an outside/winter weather accessory and not the fashion accessory they have become. I decided to pick it all back up again when my mom showed me a few projects she was working on over the holidays. She taught me a new stitch called the seed or moss stitch. It is a bit more involved then just your basic knitting stitch but the results are wonderful. It took me about five hours (and a few movies) to knit this gorgeous butterscotch scarf. I cannot believe the attention this scarf has garnished! I am so ready to crank out a few more in some colors that I need to add to my collection! It acts as the perfect pop of color to this otherwise neutral outfit. Check out some of my favorite knitting resources after the pic!

Cardigan: Forever 21

Tank: Old Navy

Pants: Target (leather stripe down the side)

Watch: Michael Kors

Boots: BOC at Herberger's 

KNITTING KNOW-HOW

1. The best yarn to use for this chunky, warm scarf is by Lion Brand. It is their Thick and Quick wool blend. You can order it online or find it in JoAnn's and Michael's stores. I use my coupons to get a good deal. The scarf takes one and a half skeins to complete. 

2. My mom found the pattern for this scarf HERE. The scarf ends up being five feet long and makes a large double loop around my neck.   It calls for 17" knitting needles. These are also pretty cheap and can be found at any craft store. (She does offer a shorter, cowl version HERE but it is crochet.)

3. Need to know how to "cast on?" Need to know how to do a basic stitch? Check out Knitting Help  for great tutorials! 

4. I certainly made mistakes on my first scarf. In the beginning my mom was there to help me fix my mistakes. When she left I kind of panicked! What if I made a mistake? Would all my work be for naught? Well, I did make a mistake(s) and this YouTube playlist helped a ton! 

Please let us know if you knit yourself one of these babies! 

Denim: Dark vs Light

There is a definite time to wear a great pair of light blue jeans (more on that a different day), however overall a darker wash is much more flattering. The darker color minimizes curves and adds class to your look. Take a peek at the example below. See how the darker color elongates the legs. This is a great tip for all sizes of women. It really is the staple of the entire look. If you need more ideas of how to wear dark wash jeans, check out a previous Six Ways post HERE. This is a great basic piece, so make sure to have it in your closet.

(Our favorite places to buy darker jeans are linked in the previous post above.)

As always, have fun creating your look and let us know what works for you!

~Holly

Denim: Dark vs Light by hollymuilenburg featuring blue jeans

Six Ways to Style~{Olive Skinnies}

Man do I love a great fashion steal! Especially when its on something I have had on my wish list for a long time. My new favorite neutral color is olive/army green. I adore my olive vest and recently got an olive army style jacket as well. Throw in a cardigan in the same hue and I almost had a complete set! What was missing? Olive pants--of any kind. These bottoms were on my wish list but I just could not find them for a price I wanted to pay. That is until a couple of weeks ago when Old Navy put all of their Rockstar skinnies on sale for 9 bucks. Yes...9 bucks each. The sale was good for one Saturday only and I got there early. ({Remember--buy Rockstar skinnies TWO sizes larger than your normal size for a good fit}I ended up purchasing 4 pair (4 pairs of pants for $36--that is a crazy deal my friends). One of my purchases was of course these fab olive green corduroy skinnies. I've already worn them twice and just had to style them for the blog!

Want some olive skinnies? 

1  /  2  /  3 

1. Chambray

Chambray goes with just about anything. It looks fabulous with these olive pants. I threw on a bold butterscotch-hued scarf to add a pop of color. Comfy ankle booties with gold accents dresses the look up a bit. 

Chambray: Kohl's

Scarf: Homemade (post coming soon!)

Booties: Jessica Simpson 

2. Contrast Color

One of the easiest styling tips we can give you is to add a contrasting color on top to what you have on the bottom. It's a simple look that pops. The look is balanced out by the two neutrals in the pants and the cardigan. Comfy Sperry's make this the perfect running around outfit. 

Cardigan: The Limited

Top: Lauren Conrad for Kohl's

Necklace: Southern Comfort Charms

Shoes: Sperry

3. Leather and Leopard

I love styling these cords up a notch using leather and a little animal print. How could you go wrong? The basic striped T keeps the look casual while the leather and leopard add a bit of WOW. The gold necklace acts as the perfect accent piece. 

Jacket: TJ Maxx

Top: Gap

Booties: Sam and Libby at Target

Necklace : Charlotte Russe

4. Army Basics

Layers and scarves are everyday staples for where we live--frozen tundra and all. ;) I love using this army jacket as an extra outer layer for those really chilly days. The navy stripe tank works perfectly with the neutral bottoms. 

Scarf: Old Navy

Jacket: Kohl's

Flats: Target

Top: Gap

5. Polka Dot Prints

Have you listened to us yet about mixing prints? Well you can even mix similar prints and get adorable results. Here we have two different polka dot prints and they compliment one another perfectly. I just how the two neutral pieces pop! Some sassy neutral pumps make the whole look come together. 

Sweater: Old Navy

Blouse: F21

Pumps: JC Penney

6. Plaid Pleasure

I am super into the plaid button up trend right now. (American Eagle has theirs on major sale now!) I love the red base of this one and you would be shocked at how many things you can style with this. I hope to do a six ways on it soon! This look feels super casual but is pulled together enough for going out. 

Plaid: F21

Tank: Gap

Necklace: Jennifer Dahl Designs

Shoes: Old Navy 

Pinbuster~{Pantry Organization}!

When you are feeding a family of six, food is a big deal. It's expensive and takes up a lot of space. We are fortunate enough to have a walk-in pantry in our home to store all of our food items. However, the pantry is always a disaster and complete mess where I have a hard time finding anything I need. I find myself standing in the doorway, staring at mounds of food and saying with a sigh, "We have nothing to make for dinner." Ridiculous right? I vowed that I would conquer the pantry mess over our winter break. I scoured Pinterest for pantry organization ideas and was instantly overwhelmed. My budget for the whole job was about $150.00. I wanted new storage options, different garbage and recycling bins, and labeled containers so my kids and hubby would be able to easily maintain the storage I implemented. I "took the best and left the rest" of the Pinterest ideas and got to work. Here's the before:

No shame! We couldn't find anything in here!

Here are the steps I went through to organize this lovely mess!

1. Took everything out and got rid of any expired food.

2. Cleaned each shelf with a hot water and vinegar mix and mopped the floors. 

3. Purchased some large bins and containers from Ikea, Home Goods, and WalMart.

4. Placed remaining food and other items back in pantry using storage solutions.

5. Purchased chalkboard labels and chalk ink pen from Etsy. 

6. Labeled each container for easy use! Even had enough labels to do my baking cupboard too! 

7. Enjoy the new organized space!

Check out a few of the after pics! 

My chalkboard labels

All finished!! 

My baking cupboard got a mini-makeover too! 

Hope we have inspired you to take on an organization project. Get inspired on Pinterest!

Six Ways to Style~{a Rust Sweater}

We are back from a bit of a holiday blogging break! Where we are from the time for sweaters is non-negotiable. They are almost an everyday necessity. In fact, our entire state has school cancelled on Monday because it is going to be THAT cold. We are talking -50 below with the windchill. Gracious! Talk about the perfect day for throwing on an over-sized, long, comfy knit sweater. I snagged this sweater from Target after seeing it on J's Everyday Fashion. I bought it at just the right time as sweaters were 40% off and Target was offering an additional 10% for their credit card snafu. Score! $17.00! I just had to put together a couple of ways to style this gorgeous sweater. It is actually even better looking in person if you can believe it!

Want this EXACT sweater? Here ya go! 

J's Everyday Fashion post on comfy sweaters

1. Chevron Sure
I adore this bold chevron print dress but it is made out of a very light-weight fabric. I feared that it would be relegated to my summer closet only. I tried it with some tights and a black sweater and it "worked." However, when I threw on this rust sweater....voila! Perfect contrast and perfect amount of warmth. Footless tights and black booties give it a great bottom finish.

Dress: Burlington Coat Factory
Tights: Target
Shoes: Old
Belt: Old
Necklace: Groopdealz

2. Brown Beauty
One of the best features of this sweater is its length. It is perfect for pairing with leggings. These are my fleece lined leggings that I cannot get through the winter without. Another favorite for warm weather endurance is keeping my tootsies warm with boots. These were a Merry Christmas to me present this year!

Scarf: Old
Top: Old Navy
Leggings: Groopdealz
Boots: Baretraps
Necklace: Limited

3. Denim Cinch
I'll be honest....I am not going to show my white legs anytime soon with this weather. I most likely would through on tights with this outfit. I love this look with the over-sized belt cinching the sweater closed over the white button up. This outfit would be perfect for the office.

Button up: Limited
Skirt: Ann Taylor Loft
Belt: Old
Shoes: Andrew Gellar (DWS)

4. Navy Know-How
This sweater just pairs so well with nearly every neutral. The contrast created with navy blue is one of my favorites. This is a perfect casual outfit that could be worn for running errands or to a weekend sporting event for the kiddos. The layering in the outfit will work well for adjusting temperatures.

Scarf: Old Navy
Top: Old Navy
Skinnies: Limited
Flats: Target

5. Tights Turn
I am willing to show a little leg in the winter as long as they are covered up in a nice, heavy, patterned pair of tights. Let's throw on a pair of boots too and only let our knees get chilly! I really love how the sweater nearly matches the length of the dress. It makes my torso appear much longer than it really is! The turquoise necklace offers a great pop of color.

Tights: Target
Dress: Ann Taylor Loft
Boots: Von Maur (Not Rated)
Necklace: Charlotte Russe

6. Color Me Striped
Be bold and pair this bold sweater with some bold colored skinnies! Break up the colors with a great patterned T in stripes or polka dots. The whole look is casual yet unexpected!

T-shirt: Gap
Skinnies: Herberger's
Shoes: Old
Necklace: Target