Belle of the Ball

Pre-Deployment Ball Time! For the most part, I like Military Balls (that's what she said,) but I am dreading dress shopping! I've been to my share of military events over the years and let me tell you, dresses that might have worked at prom when you were 17 might not be considered appropriate for the ball. Girls, lingerie is not pretty in public. Ok?!  And let's face it, I'm now 31 and a mother of 2. I'm not exactly feeling ballgown-sexy. Ugh, let the games begin.

So here is what I was thinking...

Last week I won a $50 gift card to Shabby Apple via an awesome blog called Arrow in the Eye. Heard of her? No? Go check her out!

Since I'm cheap money conscience, I was determined not to spend any extra money if possible. So instead of shopping for one of their amazing dresses I ended up going with a pair of rose bud earrings, a black metal headband and a red sash. Sadly, these three little things added up to about $50 + shipping. My hope is that I just stocked up on the accessories needed for the Military Ball; all I need now is the perfect black dress. 

shabby apple goodies by ballisticgypsy featuring stud earrings

Stud earrings
shabbyapple.com

red satin sash
shabbyapple.com

Metallica
shabbyapple.com




Here are a few ideas that I am toying with the LBD and red sash from above.

LBD by ballisticgypsy featuring a pleated chiffon dress

TFNC pleated chiffon dress
$56 - bankfashion.co.uk

Red top
$64 - feverdesigns.co.uk

Jessica simpson
dillards.com

Alexander McQueen crystal clutch
mytheresa.com

red satin sash
shabbyapple.com




Or this insanely elegant look here....

 

Perfectly Plum by ballisticgypsy featuring lace pumps

Bottega Veneta ball gown
net-a-porter.com

Dune lace pumps
$110 - houseoffraser.co.uk

Beaded clutch
amazon.com

Lucite jewelry
alexisbittar.com

Nail polish
jacob.ca

the.book.chat in photos

I love this visual prompt from Sweet Green Tangerine. Two of my favorite things, fun books and playing with my camera iPhone camera.

Are you ready for some photo overload?

 Cameras + Books = Love

This is one shelf to our built in desk/book shelf.

This is a future diy & I cannot wait to get started on it!

It's going to be sooo purdy when I'm finished with it :)

 Makeshift reading nook.

Purple little shelf that I painted. 

Oh and you see that ugly pink vase thingy, yep, 

made that baby in high school.

 {Poe}

 I have so many places marked.

I'm ready to get out and explore!

 A girls gotta have variety.

Am I right?!

 No home library is complete without a Zombie survival guide.

 My new specs and a view of one of my favorite random books.

 Another sneak peek.

Other People's Love Letters

This is a small small view of the daughters stash.

SNAKES!

This vintage beauty was a gift from a great gal pal :)

Thanks Jess!

And these two are my two kiddos favorites.

Monday, monday

Hello, Monday.

Saturday I was featured on a long time friends blog. This girl and I have known each other for a seriously long time. Pretty much our entire adult lives. We have been thru so many ups and downs and deployments and babies and crazy friends, etc. I'm glad we never lost touch over the years. So here you go, check out my friend, Rain @ wtfrain.com. 

Rains blog is not the homeroom-mom/martha stewart-mom type blog (thankfully) . If you like (and I know of so many of you rad readers who do!!) tattoos, cussing, and just seriously keepin it real kinda talk, then you'll enjoy the randomness that comes from Rain.  

Dang, this is an old picture of us! Ah, memories.

Sweet Savannah, Ga.

One of the questions Rain asked me & my answer:

What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life? 

Damn these are good questions.
• Acid Tongue – Jenny Lewis
• Be OK – Ingrid Michaelson
• Sentimental Heart – She & Him
• Queen of the world – Ida Maria
• Electric Twist – A Fine Frenzy
• Factory Girls – Flogging Molly

Because of this, the Manic Monday Music stuck in my head is... Factory Girls by Flogging Molly !
I'm interested to know, are you a Flogging Molly fan?  In general, I love their music, but there has been times where I just had to turn down the volume a little because they can have so much going on at once. A bit overwhelming for the ears.

SPOTLIGHT * SarahRooftops

I can't quite remember how exactly it was that I stumbled across her blog, but I do remember what caught my attention. It was this post right here. Since that day, I have been determined to own a purple coat. "When I am Young I Shall Wear Purple" are wise words to live by.

I truly enjoy her blog and all the photos of her travels and if you check it out, I bet you'll love it too.

Spotlighting the one and only:

SARAH from SarahRooftops

Do you dream in color?
I do! I've been asked this so many times before but I've never been 100% certain either way. Then just last week I had a dream that I was getting married and, rather than the usual white or ivory frock, my dress was a wonderful emerald green ballgown. In fact, it was a vintage emerald green ballgown which I already own in real life, which I bought on eBay for just £5 ($8) and which I've never had the occasion to wear...

What was the last movie you watched?

Just ten minutes ago I got home from seeing War Horse. It was ever so long and I could sit and pick holes in it but the important thing is probably that there were tears rolling down my cheeks more than once. It's a great big whack of emotion.

What do you do in your free time?

I watch a lot of films. A LOT of films. I also read heaps, blog more and more regularly, do a bit of Other Writing on the side and I've been sewing for about a year now. I also love meeting up with my friends for a chat and I spend a lot of time waggling shoelaces in front of my cats.

Do you parallel park or just say forget it and drive around the block again?

I'm thirty-three years old and I still can't drive. I know! It's something I'd like to learn some day, subject to having the money and access to a car. But I have done nine lessons over the course of my life. I couldn't change gears without stalling. I couldn't turn a corner without wanting to cry. I couldn't bring myself to drive over 9mph. But parallel parking? Parallel parking I could do. Must have been my excitement about getting the big scary car to stop...

Have you ever met anyone "famous"?
True stories: I once shared a house with Princess Diana and the Princes William and Harry; my dad was in that episode of "Friends" where Rachel turns thirty; and Bruce Lee's best friend was a member of my step-family. Not a word of a lie.

www.sarahrooftops.co.uk

Don't forget to enter the *Giveaway*

the book chat

After being asked, last week, what literary character I thought I was most like, I had to do much soul searching. I finally figured it out. I think I'm most like Juliet from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I think I am a hopeless romantic, but not afraid to stand up for what I want & what is right. I believe in happily ever after yet I'm no lame damsel in distress. Yep, Juliet it is. . . .err, minus the whole willingness to kill myself part. 

[via] pinterest [via] Krista Huot, Juliet

Linking to The Book Chat at Sweet Green Tangerine

the.book.chat. :::Favorite Fictional Couple:::

Joining the fun at The Book Chat hosted by Sweet Green Tangerine, I have to pick out my favorite fictional couple. This is not an easy thing to do when you are as indecisive as I am. 

Man, did I really have think on this one. Do I pick some grand love story that makes your heart sing at how sickening in love they are on every page in every chapter of the book or do I do with a more modern rugged real people kinda love?  


I picked 'real' fiction love. A couple in their 30's who married, and had kids, and life was grand, and they had a routine, and toddler messes, and they were happy- until the day they weren't. This is a couple I enjoyed reading about. They didn't sugar coat anything. Marriage is hard at times & love can get jacked up, especially when your husband cheats on you. So what do you do then? You leave town with the kids to clear your head, of course! Maybe you go stupid for a few weeks while you process that everything you knew is no more. Maybe you contact an old flame and make some mistakes of your own; maybe you don't. At the end of the day, Nathan & Sarah loved each other. Truly loved each other and their family. They put on their grownup pants and figured things out. 


Sarah & Nathan Price from Husband and Wife a novel by Leah Stewart. 

Stand Up

The great Blackout of 2012. There is no ignoring it today. When our rights are threatened, the people Stand Up (metaphorically.) 

From Google's home page, to Twitter, to Pinterest, etcetera. There is no over looking the blackouts, today.  Currently trending on Twitter: "Wtf is SOPA"

██████ ███ █████ ██████ It's ███████ Internet ███ censorship. █████ █████ ████ ███  

SOPA is an acronym for the Stop Online Piracy Act

PIPA is an acronym for the Protect IP Act

Here are some views from today:

[Pinterest]

[Google]

[Wikipedia]

Here is this little tid bit because it made me laugh. I like to laugh and I assume you may too.  

see more Memebase and check out our Troll Face lols!  

Heads Up

Happy Saturday Everyone! 

I sincerely hope that none of you has the misfortune of 

being in the midst of crazy Christmas shoppers today. 

~~~~~~~~

((Exciting News))

I will be posting at ThatArtsyGirl Connection for her
‘12 hours of Christmas Cheer’ photo project.
It will be 12 hours straight, 12 guests, and 12 Christmas features
and sure to be a good time!

I am participating in Sweet Green Tangerines 

‘Favorite of 2011’ to ring in the New Year.

Be sure to check it out! [Posting date: 12/30/2011]

W.W {Shoot}

♡ Match made in Heaven ♡

EDIT TO ADD:

Camera Strap Cover made by: Sweet Green Tangerine

Hmm.. Maybe we can talk her into sponsoring a giveaway :)

linking to:

and then, she {snapped}
Sakura Haruka 
my socal life 
faith hope & a whole lotta photography 
project alicia
vivien interrupted 

#Winning

"You like me, you really like me," ... or something like that. Although it was a random number picker generator thingy, I'm still going to feel all special about it! :) I won a dress from Shabby Apple!! I am like stupid excited right now! 

___________________________________________ 

From this enchanted pixies blog:

"Shabby Apple are offering one of my lucky lucky readers the chance to win this beautiful Ballerina Dress. They describe it as "Plum-colored folds of soft jersey fabric dip from the shoulders into a ruched waist that runs from bust to hip on this flouncy, ballet-inspired dress. Perfect for traveling, this dress sports a V-neck and fully lined skirt for extra coverage, so whether at the office or on the road, you'll feel comfortable and beautiful."

 Thank you Polly! 

and thank you Shabby Apple!

Man, I seriously need to get a give-away together for my blog now. They are so much fun!

Scavenger Hunt #3

This has been one of the most collectively eventful weekends we have had since moving here. Kinda glad its over! :)

First off, I must give credit where credit is due. Congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals, my hometown team, for taking their ELEVENTH World Series Title. Job well done, boys!

Now onto the scavenger hunt… 

I am so glad that I started participating in this weekly photography challenge hosted by Ashley Sisk. As it has done just that; challenge me week after week. I had went from having my camera permanently secured in my hand, to just picking it up here and there. The scavenger hunts have goaded me to finding enjoyable, exciting, odd, and meaningful shots yet again. 

macro:

it was a little budding rose...

found texture:

this is my absolute favorite bag to carry. 

you can keep your coach bags, as for me, i carry Lucky.

home:

slowly, but surely we are turning this house into a home.

this is my sad eat-in kitchen.

we have no idea what color to paint it & have yet to decide on curtains.

cover:

book cover

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
Only this, and nothing more."

tree:

i miss climbing trees

Next week is Food, Purple, In Disguise, Shapes, and Photographer’s Choice. Care to join? Click below

link to:

macro monday