Let's Roll

What a stressful day.  I honestly don't know what I'd do if I didn't have a place like this to go and get away from it all.  I don't spend as much time here as I'd like.  But, then again, what I'd like is to live off the land and never leave and that doesn't sound very healthy.  I suppose I need the stress and challenges, we all do.  Without the hardships, the peace and quiet don't mean much.  Without the challenges we don't grow--we stagnate.  So, as much as I sometimes wish I led a stress-free life it's healthier and more realistic to learn to manage my stress instead.  I may not like the hard things in life, but stress (in moderation) has made me treasure this place and my time here in a way I never would have without it.  What it all boils down to is an ability to let things go when they don't matter--to leave work at work, let the little things go and for all the rest, just roll with it.

Shopping Info: Let's Roll Top from Old Navy, Bag and Skirt from: SHEIN, flats from Modcloth

The Greatest Show on Earth

I can't imagine a great show than the one nature puts on every spring and autumn.  I think if I had my way, every meal would be a picnic, eaten outdoors on a gingham blanket with loved ones and friends for conversation and all of nature for our enjoyment.  

Shopping Info:  Top from Shein, flats from ModCloth,

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A Walk in Nature

A walk in Nature never boring though she hides her secrets from me
Her birds always chirping and singing on hedge and on bush and on tree
My stay on this Planet a brief stay our average span ten years with three score
But Mother Nature is not for the reaper and she will live forever more.

From: A Walk in Nature by Francis Duggan

Shopping Info: Dress from: SHEIN

Swimsuit Review: Vintage Polka Dot One Piece from Dear-Lover

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer which means Swimsuit Season is here!  I know what you're thinking, "why did she end that sentence with an exclamation point?  Is she actually excited about the season of which that pretty much anyone over the age of 13 lives in mortal dread?"  The answer is, yeah, totally!  This is my third swimsuit review of the season and my favorite so far.  The lovely people at Dropship-Clothes  were kind enough to send me another swimsuit to try.  This is my second vintage style swimsuit from Dropship-clothes and I love them both!  Dropship has a great selection of wholesale swimwear if you're in the market for a new swimsuit that looks great and won't break the bank. So, what are the two places most women dread showing off in  a swimsuit?  The bum and the tum, right?  Well, the simple solution to both those trouble spots can be found in a one-piece like this Vintage Inspired 1950s Style Black Polka Dot Teddy Swimsuit.  You'll notice it has ruching to camouflage the tum and full coverage for the bum. Problem solved!  I added some cat eye sunglasses to complete the vintage look, and now it's time to (safely) enjoy a little fun in the sun. 

For more great pics from Dear-Lover and Dropship-Clothes, be sure to check out their Big Sale!

Shopping Info: Vintage Inspired 1950s Style Black Polka Dot Teddy Swimsuit, cat eye sunglasses from Shein

Product Review: Under Eye Concealer

Under eye circles can occur for a host of reasons from sleepless nights and dehydration to allergies and genetics and the simple fact that we're all getting older.  We'll all have them at some point in our lives, so it's best to have a few products on hand should you need them.  With the last few years of struggling with insomnia while simultaneously adding a few birthdays, I find myself with under eye circles more often than not these days and I've tried a number of different concealers to help cover them.  What I've learned from all this experimentation is that I can't use the same products in my mid 30s and beyond that I used in my 20s.  So for this post I'll present all the things I've tried and the pros and cons of each for women in their mid 30s and up.

Garnier Skin Active Clearly Brighter  Anti Dark Circle Eye Roller-$10

If you're looking for something lightweight, this one is definitely the best.  It doesn't settle into fine lines.  What it's not the best at is sticking around.  It seems like this stuff is absorbed or faded within an hour or so and the dark circles are back.  Even though it's reasonably priced, this product was the least effective and my least favorite.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer, Light-$7

This under eye concealer has a spongy applicator with a top that twists to refill the sponge.  It's a mid-weight cream.  Not so light that it's barely visible and not so heavy that it cakes or settles into fine lines.  The least expensive of the bunch, it's probably my favorite and the one I use most often.  I use it in the mornings on top of my foundation and in the evenings if I need a touch up, I use this same brand in the brightener.  When applying, I lightly dab two or three dots under each eye and then gently tap the area with my ring finger to blend.

MAC Prep+Prime Highlighter Light Boost $30

This concealer carries the heftiest price tag out of all the brands I tried and sadly I didn't think it was worth the money.  I like the soft brush applicator, and it is very light and smooth so it didn't cake, but it's so light that it's easy to over blend and have it disappear completely.  This one I ranked as second best.

NYX Cosmetics Concealer Jar, Yellow-$9

This one was my least favorite of the four.  It's clearly made for younger skin because it's so thick and waxy it settled into the lines under my eyes and created bag where there were none before.  

Maximum Style; Minimum Effort

Summer is best when everything is simple.  It's not about hours in front of a mirror applying make-up and styling hair;  it's about a little sunscreen and lip gloss wind tousled beachy waves in your hair.  It's not about digging through the closet for ages trying to find....?  It's about an easy maxi dress with a tropical floral print that you pull over, grab some sandals and get out there to enjoy the sunshine.   

shopping Info: Vero Viva Women Bohemian Floral Print Elastic Waist Tulle Spaghetti Strap Dress

Sky Blue Bliss from Dear-Lover

 Sky Blue Bliss from Dear-Lover...could there be a better name for a dress?!  With its light blue and white feathery print and the ruffle details, I thought this was the perfect dress to wear while picking wild hyacinth.  The fields are full of them just now, so of course I had to stop and pick a few.  I hope that in a few years, with some time and a little investing in wild seeds, to have more wild flowers at my hilltop home, but for now when I want to go flower picking, I have to wander down off the mountain and into the  green valley below.  I'm so glad the lovely people at Dropship-Clothes sent over this dress.  I like working with Dropship-Clothes because they have a great selection of wholesale dresses, so you can find something that's easy on the eyes and the wallet. 

For more great wholesale womens' clothing visit Dropship-clothes.com and don't forget to check out their Big Sale selections.

Shopping Info:  Sky Blue Bliss Dress from dropship-clothes.com

Red Riding Hood

I don't intentionally choose a theme for most of my outfits.  Sometimes I do, but more often than not when I put an outfit together it will remind me of some character from literature or history or of a certain time period.  For this little number I did have a bit of a theme in mind, that theme being summer picnic, since I had this basket purse.  But, after looking at the pics, I realized it has a Red Riding Hood theme that I'm fully enjoying.  I don't think it's the outfit alone, but rather the combination of outfit and setting.  If I'd shot these photos at the beach instead of in the woods, I might not have made the connection.  But, since it's here and since I like the outfit, the photos and the fairy-tale, I'm calling this my Red Riding Hood outfit. 

This outfit is a little experimental for me as I thought I'd try some lace socks with this outfit.  I'm not sure I like the way that it looks with this particular dress.  With a long skirt like this, the socks tend to make my legs took shorter.  I think next time I'll try them with heels and a shorter skirt.  

To be continued.......

Shopping Info:Purse, Tie Neck Ruffle Trim Fit & Flare Dress - $19.00, Lace Trim Net Socks 4pairs - $4.00

from: SHEIN

Sewing Woes

Sewing Woes, the aptly named fabric that I've been waiting for since the beginning of the year.  Fabric.com kept promising it was only “temporarily” out of stock, but after two months, I started to think it wasn't going to be so temporary.  Turns out Fabric.com can keep a promise and a few weeks ago, this long awaited print was back in stock.  

I wasted no time (yes, I signed up to be notified as soon as it came back in stock....I may have even signed up several times).  Within a week of notification, the fabric was at my door and two days later the dress was done.  My daughters and I sat down to read all the comic panels and chuckled at all the sewing woes although mid way through I realized I've said a lot of these things like, “SOLD OUT?--NO!!! I just need another half yard!!” and “*SOB* How was I supposed to know to cut it on THE BIAS???”  and “Sewing helps me forget...sniff...everything!!!”--Okay, maybe not that last one, but the others for sure.  

The print was much larger than I thought it would be.  For some reason I thought I would be closer to actual comic size, but I actually like the large print and with all the bright colors I think it has lots of outfit possibilities.  So, I settled on a bright coral-peach for the shoes and belt for this first outfit and stopped by my favorite 50s theme diner to snap some pics on this beautiful sunny morning.

Shopping Info:  Sewing Woes Fabric from fabric.com, Bettie Page Heels from ModCloth