Easy Breezy

 {top, shorts: f21  |  hat: old navy  |  necklaces: gift & vintage (similar)}

Yesterday was a nice, lazy, summer day.  And as such, shoes were out of the question for the most part.  Sometimes it's just nice to walk barefoot in the grass.

Linkin' around.

I Got it Covered

{chambray: old navy  |  dress: target (similar)  |  boots: steve madden  |  necklace: vintage}

It's around that time of year again when the mosquitoes of Lincoln Park come out in full force and seem particularly hungry for my blood.  (Or maybe everyone's blood equally.  I don't know; the large amounts of deet I've been inadvertently inhaling while arming myself with a protective coating of bug spray could be causing slight paranoia). 

That being said, sometimes the only way to outsmart those suckers is to just cover up.  Luckily it was cool enough yesterday to shield myself with knee high boots, a long dress, and a 3/4 sleeve top.  Oh, and a necklace.  Because if Wu-Tang Clan taught us anything, it's to protect ya neck.

I'm pretty sure this is exactly what Method Man had in mind.

Want to join the party?

I Like Big Buns and I Cannot Lie

{top: gap  |  skirt, rings: c/o oasap  |  wedges: payless (similar)  |  belt: target}

It's true.  I love to put my hair in a big ol' bun.  In fact, the bigger the better.   Forget the sock bun (which I've accepted is pretty much beyond both my mental and physical capacity to achieve, anyway).  Give me lots of hair, teased into a huge, swirly, cotton candy confection to sit atop my head, reaching the kinds of heights sock buns can only dream about.

Admittedly, when I take it down I bear a mild resemblance to a crazy cat lady, but only hunny bunny gets to revel in that lovely look.  And luckily enough for me, he's a Simpsons fan.  I haven't asked, but the way he smiles at my rat's nest of hair makes me confident that there's a soft spot in his heart for an Eleanor Abernathy lookalike.

I'm linking up over here today.

ShopYourWay ~ An (even more) Fun Way to Shop

{This post brought to you by ShopYourWay Program. All opinions are 100% mine.}

It's no secret that I love to shop.  I mean, I have a style blog, hello.  These clothes don't just magically appear in my closet (but it would be sort of amazing if they did).

So when I got the opportunity to become a part of a new, innovative, and rather unique shopping program, I was more than excited to give it a try!  (Just mention the word shop and my ears instantly perk up).  This program allows me - nay - encourages me to do one of the things I love most - shop (or shopping's less guilt-inducing sister - browse).  Using the new (totally free) ShopYourWay program, I can earn points when I make purchases at stores like Sears and Kmart.  And let's face it, between these two stores alone, you can find just about everything you need!  Earning points redeemable for discounts while buying things like patio furniture, clothing, shoes, tools (for my boyfriend, of course), and even oil changes?  Yes, please.

  But the best part?  I get to be a personal shopper for my friends and family, choosing and suggesting products I think they'd like.  And I even earn a commission every time they make a purchase!

Interested?  It's so easy to join.  Just click here: Request an Invite to ShopYourWay and follow the 5 quick steps to register.

Signing up was a snap - it literally took me under 5 minutes (I decided to add my W9 information later to save time).

And when you're done, here's what it looks like:

I've already started making wish lists for myself, and am having a blast putting together suggestions of products that I know my friends & family will love.  You can even live chat with your "clients" as you shop for them.  What could be better than that? 

Oh yeah; making money while you do it.

p.s. - Want me to be your personal shopper?  Click here and let's go (virtual) shopping!

Martyr

{top, jeans: gap  |  wedges: payless (similar)  |  scarf: old navy  |  watch: sprout}

It was 100 degrees and humid when I wore this, but I still rocked the scarf and jeans when all I really wanted was to strip down to my skivvies and plunge into the nearest, coldest body of water.

But this isn't that kind of blog, and so I endured this sweat-suit instead, just for your sartorial pleasure.

Whoever said I wasn't dedicated to my readers?

Today I'm linking up here.

Setting Sale

I realize my legs look super dark in this photo - blame it on strange lighting and an over-zealous application of self-tanner.

{top, shorts: gap  |  sandals: o'neill  |  watch: sprout}

After hardcore cleaning almost every day last week, and then having a garage sale over the weekend and dealing with people who wanted to haggle for a better price on items that already cost only a dollar, hunny bunny and I felt we deserved a nice night out.
We had grand plans to go for dinner and a little bar hopping in a hip, fun town nearby, so I brought this outfit to change into after the sale was over. 
We got all cleaned up, took these photos, got in the car....and realized we were too pooped to go anywhere but home.
So we headed straight for the kitchen where we had ourselves a nice, relaxing drink, and chilled the night away watching TV while sprawled out on the couch.

Find me here.

Puppy Love

{dress: target (similar)  |  tee: f21  |  sandals: blowfish  |  necklace: jenny present}

When I got dressed, I wasn't expecting to spot a lost dog wandering my backyard.  And when I walked up to him, I didn't expect him to run from me.  And an hour and a half later, I certainly didn't expect to (still) be traipsing through the neighborhood (as well as my neighbors' backyards) with my boyfriend, a cop, and the dog's owner, carrying around what can only be described as an obscenely large hot dog given to me by the owner's mom who just hung back and watched all the action.

Believe me, by minute 25 I was beginning to feel pretty grateful for this dress's pockets.  There's no easy way to chase a dog while holding your keys, phone, and crackers (hey, we're vegetarian - it wasn't easy finding a dog treat 'round these parts), so in the pockets they went.  It's not too easy with a wildly phallic hot dog in your hand, either, but I wasn't letting that thing anywhere near my clothing - dog catching be damned.

Click here to see where I'm linking up today.

Nuts & Intelligence

{top: gap  |  shorts, bracelet: f21  |  sandals: blowfish  |  watch: sprout  |  scarf: vintage  |  ring: c/o oasap  |  necklace: jenny present (similar) }

Since I've had a stressful week, and since I have very little brain power left, I find it disturbingly difficult to be interesting or witty this afternoon.

Luckily, I can always rely on the fine people who make jokes (really, who comes up with them?) to be clever when I can't.

And so I leave you with this:

Two peanuts walk into a bar.

One's a salted.

Ba-da-bum.
Oh, does it get any better than that?
Have a happy weekend, my friends.

I'm hanging out here today.

Cleaning House

{top: joyce leslie  |  jeans: old navy  |  jacket: target  |  boots: payless (similar)  |  scarf: vintage}

After another day spent cleaning up after someone else's mess (third time this week, folks, which might account for that blank/exhausted look on my face), it was good to look forward to my dinner & movie date night with hunny bunny.

And after wearing a grungy tee shirt, over sized Bermuda shorts (were those ever flattering?), and a bandana over my face (there is a ton of dust, I'm telling you) for the entire afternoon, I also wanted to make sure that I looked nice, since I spent the first half of the day feeling decidedly icky and gross.

Whenever I think easy comfort, I turn to my soft & stretchy jeggings.  Paired with an over sized, cozy top and nice comfy boots, it's the perfect outfit for stuffing my face, dashing from the parking lot to the theater in a (failed) attempt to not get rained on, and sitting in a dark room surrounded by strangers for 2 hours.

Good times.

Find me hanging out here today.

Working Girl

{top: ny&co  |  shorts: gap  |  sandals: delias (similar)  |  ring: c/o anjolee  |  watch: sprout }

Last week my dad's ex-wife moved out of her house and out of the state, and left the place a completely cluttered, trashy mess.  I'm talking clothing still in drawers, a pantry full of expired food, dirty girdles, basement filled with 8 years worth of Christmas decorations, doors off closets.  Unfortunately, my dad's name is still on the lease, so in order to get his deposit back we have to go clean up after her mess.   
Gee, thanks.  How......considerate?

Anyway, I knew I'd need to wear something that would keep me cool and comfy and that I could move around in (separating hundreds of random items into piles of keep, trash, or donate, then hauling leftover furniture and garbage to the dumpster we had to rent requires major range of motion).

But, you know, a girl still wants to look cute even when she's performing dirty, sweaty, manual labor.

On a happier note, I received that pretty little ring up there from Anjolee.   They sell beautiful, completely customizable fine jewelry like stud earrings and diamond bridal sets.  I chose one of their gorgeous anniversary rings for women with topaz to review.
 I have to admit that this is probably the nicest, most delicate, prettiest ring I've ever owned (sorry Fair Lawn class of '97 ring - you were cool when I was 17, but I've moved on; I hope we can still be friends).  It came packaged in a lovely little box, and just makes me feel uber girly and fancy when I wear it.

It's so alluring that I find myself making excuses to don it even when I probably shouldn't, like say, when cleaning out a filthy house.  Luckily I remembered to protect it in my pocket when things got really messy.  Which is more than I can say for my toes.  Sandals + carrying lots of heavy objects + accidentally dropping one of them on your foot = major pain and muttered profanity.

I'm partying over here today.

Highlights & Lowlights #9

{top: marshalls  |  jeans: UO  |  shoes: target (similar) }

Lowlights:

• You know those times when it's early in the morning, and you're busy daydreaming about your plans for the day so you take the water out of the fridge for a drink but pour it into your cereal instead?  Yeah.  That happened.  (I am ashamed to admit that I still ate the cereal.) 
• Hunny bunny accidentally used my toothbrush - again.  I know it's confusing because he somehow got stuck with the pink one; but really.  Apparently my green toothbrush is throwing off a much more masculine vibe.
• Painstakingly resizing photos one by one just to make a 5 second gif (see below) because I'm too paranoid to download a bulk resizer to my hard drive and save myself 3 hours.
• Realizing 32 photos in that I'm resizing the wrong files! Then after resizing 13 of the correct ones, finding a gif maker that doesn't require me to resize the photos at all!  Gah!

Highlights:  

• Talking on the phone with my brother for close to 3 hours.  We live about 1200 miles apart and don't get to see each other very often.  So, when we start gossiping....well, apparently we can go on for much longer than is considered normal.
• Scoring a free bikini from Old Navy.  Yep, 100% totally, completely, no-strings-attached (unless you count the ones on the swimsuit) free!  Interested?  I thought so.
• This clip.  It's silly and stupid and I can't get enough of it...maybe.
• Having a lovely date night with hunny bunny that included going out for Indian food, stopping on the way home to shoot a succession of funny photos to make the animation below, and cuddling up on the couch to watch a movie together. 

Vampire gliding is the new walking.

I'm linking up over here today.

This is Not Summer

{sweater: gap  |  jeans: target  |  shoes: payless (similar 1, 2)  |  watch: sprout  |  belt: steve madden}

Well, yes, technically it isn't summer.  It's still spring until June 20, but we all know the official beginning of the summer season starts Memorial Day weekend.  And when 90 degree temperatures coincide with the holiday, it seems as if Mother Nature's saying she agrees with our unwritten rule and is happy to oblige.

But yesterday was a different story.  I was cold.  I stared longingly at the thermostat, torn between flipping the little switch that would turn on the heat, and feeling ridiculous even considering using heat in June.  (Ridiculous won, by the way.  I mean, it's June!)  Instead, I tried to remember how to dress for 60 degree weather, cozied up in a sweater, grabbed a scarf just in case, and was out the door.

Then quickly back in the door to shut all the windows I had forgotten were open, which were most likely to blame for my polar-like predicament.  Being cold makes you do crazy things, I tell ya.

Today you'll find me playing here.