Leather vs. Lace

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking them.

Are you ready for a Fashion Face-Off Challenge?  It’s time for a trend show-down!  From crop tops to florals, the top trends for spring have officially sprung. No matter which fashion craze you crave, LuLu*s wants to know in their Fashion Face-Off Instagram Contest!  This weeks' face-off is between #teamleather and #teamlace.  Personally, I'm #teamfauxleather, with a very soft spot for #teamlace.  What about you?  Enter via Instagram for a chance to be featured and score a $500 gift card to LuLu*s! 

How To Add & Sell a Pattern on Craftsy

In addition to wonderful online courses and craft supplies, did you know that Craftsy also has an independent online pattern store that lets anyone upload and sell downloadable e-patterns with no fee? 

How do you add a pattern to Craftsy and start your pattern store, you ask?  It’s easy! 

1. Make sure you have a Paypal account. All pattern transactions happen through Paypal, so Craftsy requires that you have an account in order to sell patterns.
2. Put your pattern in .pdf format. You can’t upload any patterns to the online pattern store unless they’re in .pdf file format, so if they’re currently saved as a Word doc, .jpg, or other file format, just convert it to a .pdf before you upload it to Craftsy.
3. Include a photo. All patterns must have at least one photo to accompany them, but you can add up to five. Colorful, interesting photos tend to work the best for catching members’ eyes!
4. Fill out the pattern description. You'll answer some basic questions about your pattern making it easier for Craftsy folk to find it, and determine what your pattern is for. Make sure to have info about your pattern handy for this step.

For more information on how to sell a pattern through Craftsy, or to get started, visit Craftsy today!

Three Ways to Wear a Quinceanera Dress (really)

I know, I know, I know - a quinceanera dress probably isn't the most relevant dress to a lot of us.  My demographic is well above the age requirement implied by the term, quinceanera, alone.  But stay with me, here.  When my sponsor, TBDress asked me to write a post about quinceanera dresses, my first thought was, I am nowhere near 15; what can I possibly say about a quinceanera dress?!  But then I browsed the selection and was instantly enamored by this beauty below.

Then it dawned on me - even if we're not (ahem - even close to) fifteen years old anymore - styled with the proper pieces, this dress still could work for a night out, a fancy event, or even just a sunny day spent picnicking in the park.  A big thanks! to my lovely pal, Linda, whose awesome post gave me the inspiration for mine.

I love the idea of adding a little edge to a fluffy, poufy dress with a bad ass vegan leather jacket, punk-inspired clutch, and some mixed metallics.

Top with a belted chambray button up, pop on some ultra-comfy cowboy boots, rock a flower crown, and this dress goes from frou-frou to frolicking in a field.



For this last look I wanted to create a sleek, stylish vibe, so I added a crisp white boyfriend blazer, some killer peep toe booties, and a pair of those super-sleek mirrored shades all the cool kids are wearing.  Silver & pearl accessories add an extra punch of posh.

I hope I've inspired you to wear a super poufy dress in some new ways.  Find my muse, as well as SO many others here: {http://www.tbdress.com/Cheap-Quinceanera-Dresses-4374/}.

Post sponsored by TBDress.  All opinions, however, are 100% my own.

Chill.

jeans: exact
blazer: option 1, 2
top: gifted | similar
scarf: h&m (old) | similar
necklace: c/o born pretty | so similar (get 10% off w/ code KNT10)
booties: c/o chicwish | so similar
watch: exact

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I took these photos back around the end of March, when it was pretty chilly with temperatures in the 30s, and was worried that they'd seem out of place if I posted them now -- but oh, hey, look, it's 34° today!  Suddenly this outfit is entirely appropriate, which does nothing to console nor deter me from having a mini-temper tantrum because it feels like winter just. won't. end.


Linking here today.

ModCloth Spring-Time To Shine Contest

Share your spring style with ModCloth’s ‘Spring-Time to Shine’ Contest, and you could win a $50 gift certificate!  Entering is simple -- just snap a photo of yourself in your freshest spring ensemble and upload to the Style Gallery. Outfits do not need to feature ModCloth (although it's encouraged!), and you can submit as many entries as your little heart desires.  (I just uploaded four entries in, like, four minutes.  It's so quick and easy!  You can check them out here).  Two winners will be chosen and featured by ModCloth.  This contest is open internationally through 1pm PT on 4/28.  See the ModCloth blog for more details. 

~*Good luck*~

This post contains affiliate links which means I may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them. 

What a Lovely Winter We're Having This Spring

{outfit 1}
dress | jacket | mirrored sunnies | bracelet 1, 2 | nail stickers

{outfit 2}
sweater | blazer | shorts | floral sunnies | bracelet | bag | nail stickers

Even though it is officially my birthday, and even though it is officially snowing on my birthday - in April - my mind is still lingering on last weekend when we had some seriously warm weather.  (On a side note, I've concluded that April is simply the month to be bipolar.  We've gone from a summery 80° to 34° & snowing in a matter of 3 days.  If I wasn't so bummed, I'd be impressed.).  

Eternal hopeful that I am, I literally believe the sun will come out tomorrow (or at the very least, two or three days after tomorrow), and that it one day will be warm(ish) again. When that day comes, my wish is to be wearing one of these outfits from Sheinside.  A gorgeous maxi and a badass vegan leather jacket, or festival denim shorts with a soft chunky sweater and structured blazer.  I'll happily don either.  I can't wait for the end of the lovely winter we're having this spring.

Come party with me!

My Favorite Person

Did you know that Blurb might give you $2,500 to read about your favorite person? All you have to do is make a book about a loved one filled with kind words, creativity, and insight, and if selected, you could win the grand prize!  For every book you make (there are seven different categories, so seven different chances to win) you will receive a 30% discount on the printed product.  Go to Blurb to check out the details of the contest to see what the categories are and when the entries are due.  The 30% discount on My Favorite books will be applied at checkout when you use the promo code: MYFAVORITE.  (And, even if you don't enter, you can still get 30% off on all My Favorite books or save 15% on all printed orders through April 30th!)

Not sure who to write about?  For some inspiration take a look at what some of the people at Blurb say about their favorite people.  Or, you know, you could always just write about me and how utterly modest and not egotistical I am.

 


Good luck!

p.s. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive compensation if you make a purchase after clicking on them.

I Just Flew In (boy are my arms tired)

baseball tee: exact
jeans: AE | similar 1, 2

jacket: i heart ronson | so similar
necklace: c/o born pretty
scarf: c/o born pretty
shoes: exact

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To wrap up my little round of travel-themed posts, here's the outfit I wore for my return flight home from Florida (sad face).  For the first time in probably my entire adult life, I had e.x.t.r.a. space in my luggage!  Which means that I didn't have to wear my biggest shoes or bulkiest items on the plane in order to save room. Score one for finally, finally getting the hang of this "smart packing" thing.

Linking here today.

Colors Have Feelings, Too

This post brought to you by BIC 4-Color pen. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you remember those fun BIC® 4-Color pens we used to have in school?  You know, the 4 Inseparable Colors in 1 Pen kind of pen that was always, always, the most fun to write with and that allowed you to express your creativity (even if it was just while doodling in your notebook during history)?  I didn't know they still made them until I got a chance to see these new videos from BIC.  They're just so outrageously over-the-top silly that I have to share them with you.

Now, I have to admit, I've never thought of my pen colors as having different personalities, but after watching this video I'm suddenly overcome with great remorse at the careless way I twirled, flipped, and dropped my BIC pens over the years.  Sorry, little pen-dwellers!  (Also, isn't their multi-colored toilet paper just the best??)

Or how about this one?  Ridiculous, yet hilarious.  

But probably most entertaining is how BIC has invented (disturbingly detailed) personalities for each color living inside the BIC® 4-Color pens:  Blue is arrogant, black has an inferiority complex, red is a grammar nazi, and green gets a little jealous of all the others (also, he is a crazy cat lady who bakes catnip cakes for his beloved kitty).  I never thought I'd identify with a color personality, but my kinship with red is undeniable - any personality who geeks out over correcting syntax is a personality after my own heart.

Feeling the need for a BIC® 4-Color pen of your own?  Of course you are.  They can be purchased at places like Amazon and Staples.

p.s. - Follow BIC on Facebook to learn more about the 4 color personalities, and follow along on Twitter to get daily updates from them (as in, the loveable color personalities in spandex suits).