a little of this and that

haircut contemplations

2012-03-05T06:35:00.001-05:00

I have been contemplating going through the ol' choppity chop.

Of my hair.

It's getting long and on my nerves. So is the cycle of me and my hair. Cut short, let it grow, gets on my nerves after a certain length and gets chopped off again.

I've been looking, lovingly at beautiful and cute hair cuts but still can't bring myself to go through with it.

You see, this is the longest that my hair has been in quite a number of years, and I really like versatility that I have with my hair. I can wear it up, down, half up, curly, wavy, straight, or any combination of the above. And with summer around the corner, I'm nervous about not being able to throw my hair in a ponytail or in a hat at the beach.

But then the other part of me thinks that I would much rather have shorter hair to mess with than longer hair when the heat and humidity kicks in.

I'm so torn. Maybe you have an opinion? Here's about what I'm working with now...

And here are some haircuts I'm contemplating...

Care to weigh in?

these are a few of my...

2012-03-04T07:29:00.002-05:00

...favorite things!

Y'all, I'm strange. Like, really strange. It's no secret. I often speak before I think and lack a verbal filter. Or, I tend to have verbal diarrhea when nervous and OVERSHARE. So, I was thinking back to when I went on a first date a few years ago and was expecting some intelligent, albeit awkward conversation. What I wasn't expecting was for me to blather off a bunch of random things about me which may or may not have included my favorite zoo animals, color and flowers. So weird. I don't even know how that came up in conversation, or if it really did...I just remember saying that and immediately thinking, "Ooooooh. Not good, April. Now you're the weirdo."

Anywho, so it got me thinking about my random and not-so-random list of favorite things. I thought that this seemed pertinent to share with you, my blog friends, or BLIENDS, if you will. I explain each item in its corresponding number.

1. Favorite Zoo Animal: Sea Lion (I have since learned I prefer Sea Lions to Seals because Seals are often portrayed as sort of bullies and mean, like in Happy Feet. Also, I recently learned there is a difference between Sea Lions and Seals from this blog post. Urm...read the comments.)

2. Favorite Item of Clothing: Cardigan (duh!)

3. Favorite Food: Macaroni & Cheese

4. Favorite Dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookies

5. Favorite Lotion/Body Scent (currently): Charmed Life by Bath & Body Works

6. Favorite Type of Shoe: Ballet Flats (duh, again!)

7. Favorite Color: Aqua (all shades)

8. Favorite Nail Color: Guy Meets Gal-veston by OPI

9. Favorite Perfume: Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana

10. Favorite Flavor of Gum: Spearmint

11. Favorite Flower: Ranunculus

12: Favorite Flower (okay, I have 2): Daffodil

13. Favorite Zoo Animal (the other fave): Flamingo

I've listed some "normal" favorite things and some not-so-normal favorite things. Now, it's your turn. Leave me a comment and tell me your favorite...
Flower...
Flavor of Gum/Mint...
Zoo Animal

And please, oh please, do share if you suffer from nerve-induced verbal diarrhea. ;)
Have a wonderful Sunday!

instafessional Friday

2012-03-02T06:13:00.000-05:00

Yay, it's Friday! It's gonna be a great weekend, don't y'all think? Let's start it off the right way with a kick-bootie edition of Instafessional Friday. What be this "instafessional" mess, you ask? Well, it's my own little brainchild...the combination of InstaFriday (where you post instagram photos) and Confessional Friday (where you confess your...confessions) into Instafessional Friday, which is confessions AND pictures. Heh.

Linking up here, here AND here.

Let's get started, shall we?

Confession #1: Normally it kind of grosses me out when people let their dogs sleep in the bed with them...mostly because of the dog hair. But my Hewitt is THE exception. ;) (and it doesn't hurt that he doesn't shed) He's even gotten to where he sleeps on my bed when I'm not in it. HA!

Confession #2: This guy has been greeting me on the way into work every morning this week and I must admit, I enjoy seeing him better than I do other coworkers...shhhh.

Confession #3: The rivers surrounding Wilmington are absolutely beautiful, however, I'm not really sure if you can swim in them? I'm embarrassed to even admit that. I've never swam in a river, only lakes, pools and oceans. Are they swimmable or is the current too swift? HA.

The Brunswick and the Cape Fear Basin.

Confession #4: Hello my name is April (you say, "Hi April") and I have a problem. I'm addicted to hairbands. I confess.

I have a few more confessions to make, but no pictures to accompany them, so you'll just have to read 'em. Heh.

Confession #5: I may be required to touch a snake or a frog for my job in the near future...like, this weekend... and I'm a little nervous about it. No, that's a lie. I'm SKURRED.

Confession #6: The good thing about not having a man around the hizzouse is that I can go meatless for dinner most nights. I definitely don't mind that at all. What is it with men and meat? Even Hewitt is obsessed with meat...or more specifically...bologna.

Confession #7: Since I've not really been eating sandwiches or sliced bread much in the last few months, my toddler's palate has been a little repressed. I'M CRAVING A BOLOGNA SANDWICH.

The end.

it's baaaaaaack!

2012-03-01T06:29:00.001-05:00

You may or may not have noticed lately that I haven't been promoting my Etsy shop and that I wasn't listing anything for sale lately...well, I took a break when I moved to Wilmington back in September and have just now (I know) opened back up and re-listed some items.

What you'll see now are some of the fan favorites that were big sellers in the past, but keep checking back as I'll be adding new stuff pretty soon.

You can check out my Etsy shop here.

Well, I hope y'all are having a wond-er-ful Thursday. Come back tomorrow for Instafessional Friday...cuz DANG I've got some confessin' to do. ;)

OOTD: copycats and a straggler

2012-02-29T06:23:00.003-05:00

I really enjoyed "copying" those outfit ideas last week, so I decided to take another stab at this again this week. Copying these pictures has really given me a lot of inspiration in putting my outfits together in the morning. I'm excited about figuring out which look I'll try to emulate each day!

Here are a few from this week:

This is a look from Eloquii, one of my fave new clothing lines. While I did change up the look a little bit from the original, I think it's still in the same spirit. I opted to NOT do a scarf because of the ruffle detail in the top I'm wearing.

Top: H&M

Skirt: Dillards

Shoes: Nine West via Marshalls

Belt: Rue 21

Inspiration Photo: Eloquii

So, I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this look. In theory, it works. However, I feel like I'd be more comfortable if I hadn't tucked in the top. Usually, I don't tuck shirts in like this because well, it tends to draw attention to the fact that I'm "thick in the thighs". Heh. Where the good Lord hath giveth I do wish he'd taketh away...just about an inch or so. But I'm working on that. :) Also, I generally don't wear this much...lack of color, but I think it kind of works. At least in the replicating the inspiration photo.

Top: Old Navy

Pants: New York and Company

Shoes: Nine West via Marshalls

Inspiration Photo: Pinterest (uncredited)

And here's an outfit that I didn't use an inspiration photo for. Sure, the idea came into my head from seeing belted cardigans and ruffled tops but there wasn't a specific one I was attempting to replicate. I When I first put this on I thought it over-emphasized by hips...way too much. But in the photographs, I really liked the way it looks.

Ruffled Top: Mossimo for Target

Cardigan: Mossimo for Target

Jeans: Old Navy

Flats: Mossimo for Target

Belt: Wal-Mart

Linking up with Lindsey for What I Wore Wednesday.

top 5 tuesday: pretty pins

2012-02-28T06:57:00.003-05:00

I'm in a bit of a random mood today so my blog post will have a bit of a random undertone to it, mmkay? Cool. Do you follow me on Pinterest? If not, you should. If you need an invite, send me an email aprilanne147 AT hotmail DOT com and I'll send one your way. (I only have a limited number though.)

Anywho, I recently re-organized and renamed a few of my boards and have started following some interesting pinners. HA! So, for today's Top 5 Tuesday, I'm sharing with you 5 of my favorite recent pins on Pinterest.

Source: pbteen.com via April on Pinterest

These monogrammed rings from PBTeen are adorable. Too bad they are so expensive...ugh.

Source: dailymail.co.uk via April on Pinterest

Oh, Matthew Crawley. Even though you are fictional and probably not nearly as chivalrous in real life, but I still hope that there are some men in the world who share most of your personality traits...and perhaps your blonde hair and blue eyes. ;)

Source: prepfection.tumblr.com via April on Pinterest

This house. So beautiful and symmetrical with a wide front porch and rocking chairs. I heart.

Source: stylemepretty.com via April on Pinterest

If you look past the fact that this couple has sort of an American Gothic vibe to it because they aren't really smiling, however, the bride's cardigan and statement necklace are seriously SO cute.

Put this one in my wedding notebook. Heh.

Source: google.com via April on Pinterest

This room, with its seagrass and rattan elements and french blue and white theme makes me swoon. I'm not sure I could keep my couch this white...with a dog that likes to sleep on it, but I could try REEEEAAAALLLLYYYY hard.

Aight y'all. Have a good Tuesday. :)

favorite things VLOG

2012-02-27T06:35:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday, friends!! I've got a loverly VLOG for y'all today about some of my favorite things. In this VLOG I tagged a few of my bloggy peeps, but I couldn't remember everyone off the top of my head, so consider YOURSELF tagged. ;)

Wanna participate? Make your own video blog (VLOG) and show the following 4 favorite things:
1) Something old
2) Something new
3) Something small
4) Something food

Post your VLOG and link it back to me so I can watch!! Enjoy...

Oh, and I'm starting the new jobbity job at the aquarium today. I'm so excited!

instaFriday!

2012-02-24T06:16:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday y'all! Whew, am I glad it's the weekend, aren't you? Well, for today's InstaFriday I've got a few pretty instagram photos to share. Let's not waste any more time, shall we?

I made this li'l number over the weekend. I was inspired by some chunky charm-esque necklaces that I'd seen lately and knew I had all the stuff to make one...on the cheap. ;) So, I did. And I had everything already. Call me Martha.

We've been having beautiful weather as of late. On Saturday morning I went for a walk on the beach and it was just gorgeous. So beautiful.

Also over the week, Patty, my car hit the 40,000 miles. It was a big milestone for her and her 5 years of life. I may or may not have celebrated this fact with a cupcake. Just sayin...

Forgive the whiteness of the feet. They are slightly less white in the summer...however the weather was so dang nice that I busted out the peep toe pumps...in February. Don't be jealous if you're still living in Ugg boots and Northface Fleeces. ;)

Linking up with Jeannett this week for Insta Friday.

I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend!

the perfect dress for your body type

2012-02-23T06:04:00.001-05:00

Dress season is almost upon us and we must be diligent about shopping for styles that jive with how the good Lord made us.

I've wanted to do this post for some time now. I recently became acquainted with the Eloquii line of clothing by The Limited. I really love some of the pieces and their concept behind wearing clothes for your body type.

It is generally accepted that there are around 5 different body types that most women fall under: Teardrop (often called a Pear), Diamond, Hourglass (or Infiniti), Heart (often called an Apple) and Emerald.

Below are each of the 5 body types and some spring/summer dress selections that are recommended for that type.

Teardrops are shaped, well, like a teardrop. Smaller up top with fuller hips and thighs. Or, a badonk, to put it frankly. ;) The key here is to minimize the lower half with straight or a-line cuts and darker colors. You want to emphasize the upper part of your body with patterns, detail and color. Emphasizing the waistline also helps to balance out the overall look.

Diamonds are shaped like a whole diamond...with a larger mid-section and smaller upper and lower halves. Generally, diamonds carry the most weight around the middle. The key for dress shopping for diamonds is emphasizing the upper and lower portions of your body with cowl necklines and straighter hems. If the dress looks straight up-and-down on the hanger, it will probably work. Anything that slims over the mid section while emphasizing the chest/neck and legs will look great on diamonds.

Hourglass girls are shaped like an hourglass. The waist/mid section is small and your chest and hips are about the same size. These ladies can wear most clothing well, but the best styles are any dresses that have some sort of emphasize on the middle portion. A gathered waist, a belt, an elastic waistband, anything that draws attention to the smallest part of your body will be the best fit for hourglasses.

If your top half is generally larger than your bottom half, you're known as a Heart. Hearts should stick with flared or a-line dress styles that will balance out a heavier upper half. Darker colors on top and light colors, prints or detail on the lower half will also help to balance you out. Deep v-necks and assymetrical necklines are especially striking on Hearts.

Emeralds are pretty much the same size on top, middle and bottom. Some refer to this as an athletic or boyish figure. Personally, I think you're pretty lucky with this because you can wear all the dresses that I swoon over! :) The key for Emeralds is to wear something that is flared, fitted or has a empire waist with lots of detail (ruching, ruffles, etc) to fake a curvy figure. Straight or shift dresses really won't do much for your figure if you're an Emerald. You can wear empire waisted dresses without looking like you're with child. And I pretty much hate you for it.

Okay, not really, but I am slightly jealous that you can wear that lime green floral dress. It would look like absolute poo on me. So, I'll live vicariously through y'all. HA!

If you're unsure of which category you fall into, you can measure your waist, bust and hips and then use the guide on Eloquii to see where you fall. Note: this is a plus sized clothing website that is part of the Limited brand, so the Style My Shape tool works for any sized gal. It will tell you which you'd fall under based on the difference of your measurements. For example, a Teardrop's hips are at least 10 inches larger than her waist. An Hourglass' waist is less than 10 inches smaller than her hips and bust. You get the idea. Now, the only problem is for those of us that fall into 2 categories. Ugh. Oh well.

OOTD: copycats

2012-02-22T06:51:00.024-05:00

For today's OOTD post, I'm sharing 2 outfits that were inspired by other outfit photos I pinned on Pinterest. I really enjoyed replicating these outfits and might just start using photo inspiration in the future!

The first outfit is a copy of a photo I pinned of a maxi skirt outfit. So cute. Looking back on this now, I'd probably change up the necklace for something else. I'm not digging this long strand. I'd probably choose something as little more chunky and shorter. Heh.

Top: No name from Marshalls

Tank: Rue 21

Skirt: Old Navy

Necklace: Um...found?

The second outfit replicates a Kate Spade look that I have always adored. I swapped a chunky teal necklace for the orange floral necklace in the photo...mostly because I didn't have anything floral...or orange. Oh well, I made do.

Cardigan: Gap

Striped Tee: Old Navy

Necklace: Handmade from the Charleston Market

I don't have white pants. Well, I do, but it's February and y'all know you don't wear true white until after Easter. ;) Anywho, that's all I've got for today. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Linking up with Lindsey @ The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday!

freebie iPhone wallpapers

2012-02-21T06:41:00.002-05:00

I so enjoyed making the Valentine's themed iPhone wallpapers last month that I decided to do a few more this time around...except make them more appropriate for everyday. I like how they turned out. :) Click to open or right-click to Save As.

Enjoy!

updates on life and blog

2012-02-20T06:40:00.002-05:00

Hello friends. Happy Monday!

Blog Updates: I hope you enjoyed last week's fashion posts. I definitely enjoyed writing them. Over the last month or so I tried keeping to a blog schedule (specified posts on certain days) and I realized that I just don't love it. I like being a little more random with my posts. I like be able to post about what's on my mind or what I'm enjoying at the moment. So, I won't be sticking to a regular blog post topic schedule anymore. Oh, I'll still be blogging throughout the week, but it won't exactly be set posts. I hope that's okay with y'all. I feel it's just more true to ME. Because I'm random and all. HA!

Also, I'm going to focus more on growing my blog readership. So, you might be seeing a few more link-up party posts because those seem to be the best way to grow my readership. I've tried sponsoring other blogs in the past, but I've seen far more results from weekly link ups.

Life Updates: About a week ago I was offered a job...seemingly out of the blue. Now, I already have a job and wasn't looking around for something else and this just kind of came out of the blue. This job is, well, basically it's a dream job. It's something I've always imagined myself doing and to be given the opportunity to do so makes me feel like I need to pinch myself.

The problem: The position, for the time being, is part-time. Unfortunately, I don't have a wealthy benefactor who supports me financially enough to where I can work part-time only. (another word for this wealthy benefactor is a husband...;) So, I was faced with quite a choice. Dream job that's only part-time or full-time job that may or may not evolve into a "career".

I spoke with my current job and told them the dilemma (more or less). They graciously agreed to allow me to work part-time for them while I work part-time at the dream job. Praise the Lord. No kidding. So, now I'll be working 2 part-time jobs M-F 8-5 instead of just 1 full-time job.

Yes, I realize that there are a lot of hurdles I'm going to have to face. I'm going to be working a lot more for less pay and I'll have to pay for my own benefits, but honestly, I really, REALLY feel like this is what I'm supposed to be doing. I feel like all the doors that have opened (and shut) for me since I've moved to Wilmington are intentional and purposeful and all part of God's master plan. I know He has plans to prosper me and that His will is sovereign.

I start my new job next Monday. I'm so excited to see how this next chapter in my life will unfold and I'm confident that God will continue to bless me along the way.

And the dream job? It's working as an Assistant Public Relations Coordinator for this place on THIS BEACH!! Literally, on the point of the beach and at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. I'll see the ocean everyday at work and I'll be around animals. I'm so excited!

Well, that's all the "news" I have for now. Have a wonderful Monday!

fashion week: color theories

2012-02-17T07:05:00.000-05:00

Today's Fashion Week post focuses specifically on an issue that seems to plague many women: how to wear color well. Notice I said "well" and not "correctly" because, as much as I or any other fashion blogger might try to infer, there are no fashion rules. Fashion is a statement about you, your taste, your mood, etc and it is what you make it...or don't make it. Someone can commit a fashion "don't" but it really is only a "don't" because the person mentioning it doesn't agree with their choice.

So, with that, I want to talk about how to wear and incorporate color into your wardrobe...and do it well. Color, for many people, is a love-hate detail in fashion. Maybe you love when it comes together in an outfit and it works, but you hate figuring out how to put it together. For others, color is like a second skin and it's easy to incorporate it into their fashion sense. And yet for others, they are somewhere in between.

I want to offer a few color guidelines that I go by personally that may help anyone who is color-phobic or color-challenged.

1) Utilize the color wheel. I know this seems simple. But clothing, that is colored, can be thought of as parts of the color wheel and color combinations can be chosen using this method.

Via StumbleUpon (click to view larger)

Think of the "look" you are going for when in an outfit before pairing colors. In general, you can get away with combinations of any primary color and it's immediate 2 tertiary colors. For example, you can use blue and purple or blue and aqua/teal easily because they are close together on the color wheel. Primary colors are also very nice when paired with their immediate secondary colors. For example, you could try yellow with green. Both of these combinations are fairly easy and intuitive. Now, you can pretty much try ANY color combination but there are some that should be approached with caution for a color novice. More than 2 primary colors in an outfit can be very bold, and if this isn't the look you are going for, you might want to proceed with caution. Also, combinations of direct opposites on the color wheel can be difficult to pull off sometimes. For example, red and green; blue and orange; or yellow and purple. Notice that the former two are often school colors. Why? Because they are a striking combination. One exception to this rule is when you are using various saturations of colors...or the shade of it.

2) Saturation/Shade is key. Why do all colors of pastels virtually work together? (Think all of the colors in Easter M&Ms) Because they are all lighter shades of colors. Now, imagine that the pastel M&Ms were altered to be the original color. (Pink was red, lilac was purple, mint was green, etc) It's a lot harder to look at and even conceive wearing in the natural state. Saturation is the process of adding black or white to a color to make it darker or lighter. So, blue with black added to it makes dark blue, or navy blue. Green with white added to it makes light green or a mint green. Saturation also has to do with the amount of "gray" in a color. The more vibrant a color, the more saturated it is. A muted red, for example, has black and white added to it to make it less vivid and more subtle. So, colors that vary in shades/saturations are also easy to put together. Remember when I said directly opposite colors are hard to pull off? Let's use red and green for example. Now, if that red was dialed back with some white and became pink then it would be a lot easier to wear with green. Pink and green is a great color combination. Or, how about orange and purple? Not direct opposites but fairly far away on the color wheel. Now, imagine darkening the purple and lightening the orange up a bit so you'd have more of a plum and melon combination. Perfect!! By playing with the shade or saturation of the color, you give yourself even more options in color combinations.

3) Balance with neutrals. An all netural outfit is often boring. (Unless you're going for that look intentionally, or playing a symphony...) A neutral based outfit with a pop (or two) of color is stylish. Now, I'm not saying that a black pencil skirt and white oxford shirt isn't stylish, because those are two of fashion's bread-and-butter items, but they are a bit boring and yawn-worthy. In general, neutral wardrobe colors are considered black, brown, tan, white, gray and navy. Think about the colors that mens shoes and dress pants come in and that can help you figure out what neutrals are! HA! I'm a BIG fan of using neutrals as an outfit base and punching things up with color in the accessories, shoes or cardigans. Heck, even our Presidents incorporate this idea. They usually always wear a neutral colored suit and a white shirt and then will have a brightly colored tie. If THEY can get it, then you can!! A camel colored dress is very pretty on its own. Punched up with some bright red, coral accessories and you have a show-stopping outfit! In the same way, neutrals can also help to tone down otherwise bright color combinations. Let's say you're wearing a red blazer over a white and yellow blouse with red shoes. Wearing yellow pants would be a bit much here, so you might choose black or navy pants to wear it with.

fashion week: celeb style icon

2012-02-16T07:10:00.002-05:00

Welcome back to Fashion Week on ALOTAT! I'm so glad you've joined me! Today's post is all about honoring the fashion style of a celebrity actress that I would seriously love to be best friends with. Not only is she funny, gorgeous and adorkable but she also has great fashion sense.

I'm talking about Zooey Deschanel, of course! You can catch her on Fox's New Girl on Tuesday nights and she's also in one of my fave movies, Elf and is a singer in the band She + Him. What's not to love about her?!?!

Zooey's style is a little bit vintage, colorful, girly and classic. She's a fan of cardigans and flats. (go figure why I love her so much) Here are some of her different looks. (Click to view larger.)

What do you think about Zooey's style? Dig it? Loathe it? If you like this type of post, let me know and I might make it a fairly regular feature. Have a wonderful Thursday!

fashion week: splurge vs. steal

2012-02-15T07:12:00.002-05:00

Thanks for stopping by again for another installment in Fashion Week on ALOTAT. Today we're going to look at how you can replicate designer looks for a lot less.

I call these posts "Splurge vs. Steal". One of the outfits below costs around $137 and the other is a whopping $1092! Can you guess which one is the Splurge and which one is the Steal?

If you guessed that the outfit on the right is the Steal, you guessed correctly!! Items from Macy's, H&M and Wet Seal replicate the $1000 outfit with ease.

Okay, now I have another one for you. Guess which is which?!?!

The outfit on the left is the Steal here at around $122. The Splurge outfit costs QUITE a bit more at $1,731. With many big name designers doing lines for more affordable clothing retailers (like Jason Wu for Target, Missoni for Target and many more at Macy's) you can replicate designer looks for, literally, around a thousand or so LESS!

So if you see something in a magazine, don't worry about not being able to afford that "look". With a little searching, you can surely create your own version of it and still stay within your budget!

PS: I do not condone or promote stealing. I'm just using the word in its metaphorical sense. "It's a STEAL to get a look like this so inexpensively." Just so that's out there, you know, in case the crazies try to really steal this stuff. The end.

fashion week: how to dress for a holiday

2012-02-14T06:58:00.002-05:00

Well, since most of the major holidays tend to have a color scheme, people assume that wearing those colors is how to dress for that holiday. Well, that is BASICALLY true. But, wearing green jeans with a red sweater isn't the most stylish way to celebrate Christmas. (and don't even get me started on Christmas sweaters...) It is possible to wear holiday-appropriate colors and still look chic.

It's appropriate for today because, well, it's Valentine's Day. A holiday celebrated in red and pink. Now, many people would simply don every piece of red AND pink clothing in order to seem festive, but might I suggest an outfit that would seem festive without...urm...erring on the tacky side?

And I'm biased towards cold-weather holidays either...you can achieve a tasteful, yet festive look for Independence Day and Easter as well.

For the Fourth, the key is a statement piece...the red and white striped tee. Everything else is basically a neutral. For Easter, you almost always imagine pastels, right? Well, you can wear pastels without looking like a bowl of M&Ms. The key is sticking to no more than 3 pastel colors in one outfit. In this one, I've paired aqua and pale yellow and then deepened the aqua shade to teal for the shoes. The white tank balances out the colors. Now, if the tank were, say pastel pink or if the shoes were light blue, you might look a little too much like a decorated Easter egg. Side note: Dang, I want that Easter outfit for my closet!!

It's super-easy to incorporate the holiday spirit into your outfit without overdoing it. Think balance, neutrals and color combinations. For more on color combinations, tune in Friday for a special post about combining color together in your wardrobe.

Thanks for joining me today and Happy Valentine's Day, y'all! I'm celebrating by baking some brownies, eating a cheeseburger and watching The Notebook for the first time. Sometimes, you just can't beat being single on this holiday. HA!

fashion week: how to...

2012-02-13T07:35:00.004-05:00

Hey everyone!! Today is the first day of Fashion Week on A Little of This and That and this week of fashion posts and advice starts with a good ol' "How To".

A friend of mine posed a question for me on Facebook, "How do you wear navy pants?" Basically, she's treating navy like it is a color and not a neutral. But navy is a neutral. It can be worn with other neutrals just fine but it can also be worn with COLOR...which is my favorite. HA. Here are some examples:

Navy pants can be paired with a neutral tank and a colorful cardigan. Of course, I love the idea of a funky shoe as well, but even if you don't, you can try a neutral shoe like in the outfit on the right. Navy is really cute with yellow (any shade from buttercup to mustard) and green (hunter to lime). Almost any shade of yellow and green works with navy blue. Why? What colors are the closest to blue on the color wheel? Yellow and green.

Navy can really go with almost any color. I love it with a beautiful blushy coral blouse or with turquoise/aqua. Don't feel like you need to stay in the blues and greens for a color that "goes" with navy blue...it can also work with red.

You don't have to save this color combo for the 4th of July because it doesn't ALWAYS come across as patriotic, you know? Pair your red with a neutral cardi or bag/shoes and you can safely avoid compelling people to recite the Pledge of Allegiance when they see you. Word of caution. I carefully chose a pale camel colored blazer and a light tan bag for these outfits because if you had chosen a white blazer/bag you might run the risk of looking like a Ralph Lauren Independence Day ad.

Hopefully, I've given you some ideas for how you can wear navy pants. Do you have any other fashion questions you'd like me to blog about? Shoot me an email and we'll talk about it. aprilanne147 [at] hotmail [dot] com.

Tune in tomorrow for another FASHION WEEK post on ALOTAT!

instafessional Friday

2012-02-10T07:14:00.000-05:00

Hey y'all!!! I'm back with another edition of my hybrid Instafessional Friday post. What exactly IS Instafessional Friday? Well, it's a link-up to InstaFriday (where you share cell phone photos taken via the Instagram app) on Jeannett's blog and Confessional Friday (where you share your confessions for the week) on Leslie's blog.

So without further adieu...

Confession #1: I made this delicioso bruschetta for dinner last night. Basically, I was trying to clean out the fridge and clean it out, I did! Not surprisingly though, I STILL didn't dispose of the expired milk carton from a month ago. Sigh.

Confession #2: I'm trying to start a Twitter trend. Sue me. Or, instead of suing, join with me? Post a pic of the shoes you're wearing on the days of the month that end in a 7. So, the next time will be February 17th. Join me! Use #shoesonsevens to link it! Also, Confession #2.5: I may or may not have taken this while driving...but don't worry, it's my left foot and I drive an automatic. Whew!

Confession #3: This is my creative spot in my room. It's where I would go to write, read, play guitar, journal, etc. Sadly, it's only been used a handful (literally, less than 5) of times since I moved here in October. Oh, and I think this is Mags' first blog appearance. Mags is my guitar. She's the color of mahogany...hence...well, you get it.

Well, now that you know probably more than you really want to know about my life, I'll leave you with this nugget of wisdom from the wondeful Jack Handy, “I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people.” Amen, brother.

Happy Friday everyone!

inspiration workshop: organization

2012-02-09T07:13:00.002-05:00

For today's post, I'm linking up with the Inspiration Workshop over on Gussy Sews. The prompt this week is ORGANIZATION, and one that is near and dear to my li'l heart.

I have a slight obsession with organizing things. Or, more specifically, organizing things by color. It may not make the most sense, but boy it sure is pretty to look at!

L-R: My bookcase, scarves and necklaces, all organized by color. Have I gotten to the point of being sick? Nah, consider it an obsession with aesthetics. My favorite way to organize is first by color, then by type and size. My closet is the only exception, it's organized by type first and then color. All my cardigans, in ROY G BIV order. HAHA. It is visual harmony.

I know you're expecting a photo of my closet. Well, my closet is teeny tiny and just way too crammed to even really merit good photos. You'll just have to trust me. :)

But, I do look forward to the day that I have a wonderfully large closet. Maybe, something like these...

I might need a bit of a larger shoe rack though. Wanna join in on these Inspiration Workshops? Visit Gussy Sews to learn more.

wednesday wardrobe: fashion staples

2012-02-08T06:31:00.003-05:00

Today's Wednesday Wardrobe is an Outfit Of The Day post x2 about MY fashion staples. Everyone has staples in their wardrobe. Whether they swear by jeans, boyfriend tees, stilettos or even blazers...everyone has something that they "go to" when it comes to fashion.

For me? Cardigans and ballet flats. I can't help it. I'm way obsessed with these two wardrobe staples and probably wear one or both of these 6 out of 7 days of the week. Today's outfits incorporate both of them.

For the record, this outfit also incorporates 2 more things that I'm into currently: pajama jeans and scarves...but neither of these are quite up to being called "staples".

Cardigan: Mossimo for Target

Tank: Rue 21

Jeans: PajamaJeans

Flats: Old Navy

Scarf: Gift

Here's another example of an outfit that includes my fashion staples.

Leopard Cardigan: Mossimo for Target

Tank: Old Navy

Jeans: PajamaJeans

Flats: Old Navy

Now, how about you? Do you have fashion staples?

top 5 tuesday: did you know?

2012-02-07T07:15:00.002-05:00

Okay, so today's post isn't ACTUALLY a Top 5 post but I am listing 5 things. What are those 5 things? Well, I'm glad you asked.

Recently, I joined the Bloglovin' train and I love it! Do you know what Bloglovin' is? It's like Google Reader or another site where you can read all of the blogs you follow without having to open separate windows for each page. There they are everyday in one convenient place. It's pretty cool. If you're on Bloglovin', you can follow A Little of This and That on there! Just search for this blog's name "A Little of This and That".

Also, I created A Little of This and That Facebook page. Did you know that? No? Well, you can "like" A Little of This and That (henceforth, ALOTAT) on Facebook. I'm going to try and do some different things on Facebook than on the blog, so you should really check it out. You can click on the Facebook button on my sidebar and it will take you straight to my page. Oh, and you can read my blog entries on THERE too!

To round out the list, I'm also on Twitter, Pinterest and I have email. :) The links to the first two are also listed on my sidebar, so look me up. And as for email, you can always email me with questions, comments or ideas! My email is aprilanne147 [at] hotmail [dot] com. It's also listed on the Contact Me page located right underneath my header.

So there you go! There are at least 5 ways to get in touch with me and keep up on all the ALOTAT action. 1) Bloglovin' 2) Facebook 3) Twitter 4) Pinterest 5) Email. Now, y'all have no excuse! HA!

Happy Tuesday!

monday space

2012-02-06T06:44:00.000-05:00

Today's space is a bit girly and a bit pink. But I think this is a pink that a guy could live with. Any gentlemen readers may care to disagree...?

Anywho, this space comes from Decor Chick's Pink and Gray Master Bedroom makeover. I'm simply over the moon about this beautifully textured and fluffy bedding...and I even love this pretty shade of blushy pink. It looks so pretty and elegant with white and gray.

Ah. I bet this duvet, unlike mine, doesn't show wrinkles at all!

instaFriday

2012-02-03T07:29:00.002-05:00

Whoohoo! It's Friday! Y'all know what Friday means on A Little of This and That... InstaFriday!! I'm linking up with Jeannett over at Life Rearranged for today's post.

I took this pretty little shot while I was on my way home to Charlotte last Friday evening. I spent the weekend there with my friends and family.

Part of the weekend's festivities included a trip to the groomer for Mr. Hewitt. He decided to pout for the rest of the day on Saturday and sulked outside on the porch.

Saturday night, I went to some friends' NEW house for a night of Scrabble, Fiesta Chicken, Dr. Pepper and Fruit Ninja on the Kinect.

One thing you should know about my dad is that he has super powers. He has the power to detect when one of us in the house turns the heat up even one degree (from 63 to 64!!) and thus pitch a hissy fit. So, my weekend at home was spent either in my pink snuggie or by the fireplace for warmth.

My little buddy is all tuckered out after his weekend trip to Charlotte and back.

Took this one while on my way home from work on day. (I was at a stoplight!!) This was my $7 leopard print cardi from Target. It was destiny for me to have it. It was the only one left, in my size in a random spot. There were no others even remotely like it anywhere in the store. Divine providence, I'd say.

Well, that's all I have for today's InstaFriday. I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend!!

wildcard thursday: iphone wallpapers

2012-02-02T06:47:00.000-05:00

I was in a design-y mood yesterday. I decided to make some pretty Valentine's themed wallpapers for your phone. I made them for an iPhone, but they'll work if downloaded on other phones as well. :)

I do realize it's only February 2nd, but why not prolong the red and pink and hearts for as long as possible...it's not EVERY month you can girlify your phone and not be chastized for it. HA!

Here are some pretty free wallpapers for y'all. Right click to save it and use it as your wallpaper or lock screen. They sure do look purty!

wednesday wardrobe: trend vs. (bad) fad

2012-02-01T06:53:00.004-05:00

Today's Wednesday Wardrobe post highlights a legitimate trend and a bad fad. The fad was brought to my attention by a coworker (who happens to be male!!) and I decided to issue a public service announcement regarding the bad fad via my own personal blogosphere. But who wants to read a blog post that's just about something negative? Not me. So, I'm also going to spotlight a super-cute (and WAY better for your feet) trend for the spring/summer.

First, the PSA on this bad fad. Yes, friends, I'm speaking of the one-feather-earring "trend". I hesitate to even call this a trend because it's never really been popular in my eyes. The one earring concept has been around since the 80s (at least) when it was silver cross earrings and studs. Add the popular feather earring trend and you get this weird one-feather-earring concept that is really, quite Pocahontas-like. Not sure what I'm talking about? Take a look...

Yeesh. Well, thankfully, this look seems to be dying out. Hopefully. This has been a public service announcement to all of you fashionable fiends. Avoid this "trend" like the plague. I mean, of course that's assuming you DON'T want to look like Squanto's sister.

And now, ladies and gents, on to the trend. Merciful heavens, this trend is FINALLY making it's way around. The trend is chunky heels on pumps. Yes, ladies, our feet, legs and back will rejoice!! No longer are we subject to teeny, weenie stiletto heels because this trend is back with a vengeance this spring. Chunky square heels, heavy platform heels and wide, wooden stacked heels are totally in, y'all. Look for these pretties in a variety of colors and fabrics. Target has some very cute pseudo-suede and canvas pumps right now. (The leopard ones below are from Target.) Don't feel guilty about replacing a few of your stilettos with some of their chunkier cousins...your feet will thank you.

So, to sum it up. Embrace this chunky heeled trend and resist the urge to wear a feather in your ear. RE-SIST.

top 5 tuesday: maxi skirts

2012-01-31T06:12:00.000-05:00

It seems as if the maxi skirt is going to be really big again this spring/summer. I even got myself a cute one from Old Navy recently. Maxi skirts are very versatile and can be worn with a blousy shirt, a fitted jacket an much more. Here are 5 maxi skirt looks to get your creative juices flowing for your spring wardrobe.

High-waisted maxi skirt with a fitted, tucked in tee and a skinny belt. (Pinterest)

Maxi skirt with a tucked in tee and a denim jacket. A statement necklace and messy bun totally make this look rock. (Pinterest)

A belted maxi skirt over a tank. Casual, yet chic. (Pinterest)

Buttoned-cardigan tucked into a maxi. Very cute. (Chictopia)

Leopard cardigan tucked into a maxi. Very cute.

What do you think of this look?

monday space: beautiful bedrooms

2012-01-30T09:38:00.000-05:00

I've been yearning for a bedroom makeover as of late. This pretty photos have really inspired me to step things up a notch in my own bedroom.

Source

I need to incorporate some of these elements, pronto. Now, to find a chandelier!!

a friday favor

2012-01-27T12:06:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday, lovely readers! It's a windy, rainy, dreary day here in Wilmington, but it's still a GREAT day because it's Friday, right? Right.

In lieu of my normal InstaFriday or Confessional Friday posts (neither of which was I really "feeling" this week) I'm asking a favor from all of you.

The organization HeartsApart.org, which was founded by my company's president and involves many of my coworkers was was selected as one of 20 finalists nationwide for the White House's Joining Forces Community Challenge. HeartsApart.org helps keep military families connected by providing our soon-to-be deployed servicemen and women with professional photos of their spouses and children. The photographs are printed on waterproof and durable bi-folded cards, which fit securely in their uniform pocket.

My favor is to ask all of you if you would go and vote for this organization by going here. You can login via Facebook and not have to register. By voting, you'll bring HeartsApart.org closer to receiving even more exposure on the Champions of Change website as well as bring about more knowledge of this amazing organization.

Thank you for your help. You can learn more about HeartsApart.org by visiting their site here.

Have a great weekend y'all!

wildcard thursday: pinterest recipes

2012-01-26T06:51:00.002-05:00

Y'all there are a lot of good lookin' food recipes going around on Pinterest lately. Even though I'm on a diet, some of these are just too good to not try. Here are a few yummies I've pinned lately...

Ham and Cheese Sliders

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via April on Pinterest

Mini Pizza Bites

Source: lickthebowlgood.blogspot.com via April on Pinterest

Bacon Stuffed Avocado with Garlic Lime Soy Sauce Glaze

Source: howsweeteats.com via April on Pinterest

Grilled Corn with Bacon Butter and Cotija Cheese

Source: howsweeteats.com via April on Pinterest

Healthy Ice Cream with Bananas, Cocoa and Peanut Butter

Source: userealbutter.com via April on Pinterest

If you try any of these, let me know. Personally, I can see the last one as part of my weekend plans. :)

wednesday wardrobe: designer spotlight!

2012-01-25T07:41:00.000-05:00

For today's Wednesday Wardrobe post, I decided to spotlight one of my favorite clothing designers. Mind you, I could not afford anything she designs unless it was from an outlet, but I still absolutely adore her design style.

Kate Spade's clothing and accessories line is full of bright colors, clean lines and hints of retro or vintage. Her dresses reminisce of the classic fits from the 40s and 50s with modern prints and styles of today. Oh, and y'all know how much I love a good cardigan, right? Well, hers are SO cute. Take a look for yourself...

Thanks for joining me for today's designer spotlight on Kate Spade. All photos are from here.

Have a happy Wednesday!!

top 5 tuesday: lessons learned

2012-01-24T06:49:00.002-05:00

Today's Top 5 Tuesday post is somewhat personal. Just be forewarned...

Have you ever looked back on your life to see different lessons that you've learned and how you learned them? Be they important life lessons that you learn from your parents, or embarassing I-told-you-so lessons that you had to learn the hard way, they all have a part in shaping us into who we are. Today, I thought I might muse on 5 lessons that I've learned in my many 27 moons...

1. Procrastination never pays off. I learned this lesson the hard way. Mostly when my parents required that I wash, dry and put away all of my laundry before I was able to go do stuff with friends or *cough* school field trips. I remember one time of waiting to do my laundry until the last minute and I ran out of time. No school field trip for me. But this particular time also learned me my second life lesson...

2. Never take the easy way out. It never pays off. Because I hadn't learned the don't procrastinate lesson yet, I was scrambling to get my laundry done before I could go somewhere. I decided there would be no harm in taking my still damp clothes out of the dryer, folding them and putting them away. See? Laundry done. Except, it was summertime. And later that night my room started to reek of mildew. Needless to say I was soon caught. The easy way out SO did not pay off. Nor did it smell good.

3. Trust your gut. Ah, this is a hard one to learn as I'm still learning it. That knawing feeling in the back of your mind about the relationship that you're in? Pay attention. That sense of urgency you have to call someone or avoid someone? Those strong feelings of uneasiness around a particular person or about going somewhere? Take heed. You should always trust your gut. I'm learning to trust mine more because it's not ever failed me. Well, except whenever I eat too much Taco Bell...but I digress.

4. Season friends vs. Reason friends. I've learned that there are two main types of friends: season friends and reason friends. The season friends are in your life for a period of time and then life happens or moves happen and you drift away. They had a season in your life and you were able to learn and grow in that friendship until you could learn no more. Then there are reason friends. These are the friends that are perpetually in your life for a reason. Hopefully, good reasons, but nevertheless, they have one. Perhaps they are the reason you go to church or the reason you met your spouse. Perhaps, they are in your life as your voice of reason. Neither type is wrong or bad and both are necessary throughout the course of life.

5. Sometimes God speaks through songs. Though this seems like a no brainer for me, being a singer, sometimes it takes God practically beating a song into my head for me to get it. Lately, I can't even get through the worship time at church without becoming emotional and overwhelmed at the message that God is telling me through song. My personal worship times are often even stronger than my personal prayer times. I like to think of them as musical prayers anyway. Lately, God has really been ministering to me through these two songs, if you're interested at all. First. Second.

What are some life lessons that you've learned?

monday space

2012-01-23T12:28:00.000-05:00

Hi friends!!

I did a guest post over on Kelly's blog for today's Monday Space segment. Head over and check it out!!

Happy Monday!

7 pretty things on a Sunday

2012-01-22T13:12:00.001-05:00

Today, I'm participating in the 7 Pretty Things on A Sunday link up party and blog hop. This is the easiest and quickest way to get major dose of inspiration. There are so many pretty blogs to discover by doing this. Today, I'll share with you 7 pretty things I'm loving right now...

1- Different ways to wear cardigans. LOVE! 2- Pink, striped, long cardigan. Fave. 3- I'm digging this shade of white blonde on Emma Stone. Perhaps I'll be going lighter on my next salon trip. 4- I may not be able to pull this look off, but maxi skirts are totally my crush right now.

1-DIY lighted headboard. I need this. 2-DIY scrap wood headboard. What a great idea...oh and love the mustard and gray combo. 3- I'm on the lookout for a pearl statement necklace like this.

All photos from Pinterest. Follow me on Pinterest.

Happy Sunday everyone!

instaFriday!

2012-01-20T06:46:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday, everyone!! It's my first Friday being 27. Hooray!! I've got LOADS of pics to share today for my InstaFriday link-up with Jeannett over at Life Rearranged.

So, without further adieu...

This is a fancy new ombre-esque nail treatment that I tried this week. DIY tutorial coming next week!!

My shoes that I wore on Tuesday. I used to do a Shoes on Sevens post here on the ol' blog, but now, I'm sticking to a Twitter/Instagram hashtag. Wanna join? Snap a pic of the shoes you're wearing on any day that ends in a 7 and post to Twitter with the hashtag #shoesonsevens. Can't wait to see your shoes on January 27th!

Over the weekend, I ventured out to the beach to sit and read for awhile. It was just way too cold...so I lasted about 15 minutes. :)

For my b-day, 2 of my friends went with me to this super-awesome fondue place downtown on the river. It was seriously...so good.

Clockwise from top left: The cheese course (with dippers), the chocolate course (with dippers), my birthday cheesecake and the chocolate course (with what's left of the dippers).

Well, that's all I've got for today's InstaFriday post. Join in next week! Have a wonderful weekend!

it's my birthday and I'll blog if I want to

2012-01-18T06:46:00.001-05:00

Well, blog friends, today is my birthday. Yep. The big 2-7. I'm celebrating it tonight with a few of my friends at this sweet little fondue place on the river called The Little Dipper AND my birthday just happens to fall on a Wednesday, which is Ladies Night. Boom Chicka Wow Wow!

When I look back over my 27 years of life I'll admit that my life has taken so many turns and gone in so many directions I never could have fathomed and I can honestly say that I regret none of it. Not one single bit. Even the bad parts have taught me something about myself or how I interact with others. Most of all, I can see the story of God's grace and how His hand has guided me and protected me in everything over the last 27 years.

So, you might skim over the next part, or not even read it at all. That's okay. I write these things more for cathartic reasons than anything else. If you care, keep reading, if not, have a wonderful, HAPPY Wednesday.

In honor of my 27th birthday, here are 27 facts/statements about moi. If you'd rather the abbreviated version, you can check out my newly-updated About Me page.

1. I'm learning to eat and appreciate fruits and vegetables.
2. I already have my future childrens' names picked out, even though I'm not sure if I'll have kids.
3. I once was on a billboard when I was in high school.
4. I can't wait to live somewhere that I can paint the walls. Renting is fine for now, but not being able to paint is the pits.
5. I haven't been to a Target since Thanksgiving. I know. This coming from the girl who used to go multiple times per week.
6. I consider myself a pretty savvy online shopper. I just bought a dress, a skirt and 2 tops from Old Navy for a total cost (to me) of .27.
7. I'm allergic to almost everything living.
8. Surprisingly, I'm not allergic to any foods.
9. I don't eat seafood or vegetab....scratch the last one. The first part is still true.
10. I enjoy vaccuuming. Also, I'm not sure how to REALLY spell "vaccuuming".
11. I can't wait for spring. Why? Because I can wear pastels. My fave.
12. I went to beach last Saturday just to sit and read. I stayed for about 15 minutes. Why? Oh, because it was 40 degrees outside.
13. I just recently got rid of cable and got a Roku. It's a device that works via wireless internet and plays on your tv. Because of Hulu and Netflix I am watching SO many shows that I would never have watched before.
14. (Referencing #13) For example, Downton Abbey, Hart of Dixie, Once Upon a Time and Switched at Birth.
15. I have a girl crush on Carrie Underwood. Not so much her music...but her. She's blonde, southern and not afraid of big hair. :)
16. To this day, I'm afraid of thunderstorms because one of my first memories of one was Hurricane Hugo. If there is one at night, I will wake up in a cold sweat. Never fail.
17. My favorite pair of shoes are my gold, glittery platform pumps. The heel is a mere 4".
18. I love statement necklaces.
19. I've fallen for this amazing-albeit-limited-edition scent from Victoria's Secret Drenched in Pink collection. The scent is Fresh and Fierce. It's pretty amazing, but I'm spacing out how much I use it so I don't run out too quickly.
20. I got a curling wand for Christmas and I love using it! I've only burned myself on it once.
21. I don't like monkeys. They creep me out.
22. I only sleep on satin pillowcases if I can help it.
23. I have around 60 cousins. (1st and 2nd)
24. I have recently given myself an ombre nail color treatment and I LOVE it. (there may or may not be a tutorial coming soon...)
25. I have not really been a huge fan of pies.
26. I need to add more monogrammed things into my life.
27. I have had a blessed 27 years of life and I look forward to a lot more!

top 5 tuesday: beauty finds

2012-01-17T06:24:00.001-05:00

Lately, I've kind of been obsessed with pretty makeup. For today's Top 5 Tuesday post, I'm sharing some of my favorite beauty finds. This is the stuff that once I found, I've kept in my makeup bag ever since.

1. Beauty Rush Wet/Dry Shadow by Victoria's Secret in Gold Rush. (color on the bottom) It's perfect dry during the day and wet at night.

2. Great Lash "Lots Of Lashes" Mascara. I love this little tiny cone brush. It's perfect for the little lashes on the corners.

3. Almay Intense I-Color Eyeliner in Brown Topaz. This is perfect for daytime to provide just enough enhancement for my baby blues.

4. Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue fragrance. I get so many compliments on this scent. I can wear it every day and not get tired of it. And that's a big deal for me!

5. Mary Kay Creme Lipstick in Pink Shimmer. Though it looks kind of purple in this picture, it's a really beautiful and flattering shimmery rose color with a bluish tint to it. (which makes your teeth look whiter!!)

Well, y'all, these are my Top 5 fave beauty finds as of late. Do you have any beauty products that you swear by?

monday space

2012-01-16T06:46:00.002-05:00

Who wouldn't want a pink couch in their room? Okay, okay, I realize not everyone does...heck, I would never consider a pink couch in my house...well, before I saw these photos, of course.
When I saw this room and how the pink couch is accented with black, white, smoky blue and chrome, it really makes me consider it.

Seriously. See for yourself...

Found here.

What do you think? I lurve it!

confessional friday

2012-01-13T06:42:00.004-05:00

It's time for Confessional Friday, y'all! I'm linking up with Leslie over at A Blonde Ambition for today's post.

Confession #1: I've recently started attempting to incorporate more fruits and vegetables...okay, specifically vegetables, into my diet. That's not much of a confession...the confession part is that I'm going to start trying them on Saturday, when I'm home. I just don't know how my body is going to react to all of that...healthy-ness. It might make me crazy, and well, better to be crazy at home than at work, I say.

Confession #2: I can't watch violent movies. I don't know what it is, but they just make me so anxious and sad at the same time. I definitely don't need that. Is it wrong to only want to watch funny, romantic or mystery movies? That's so girly...

Confession #3: I haven't picked up my guitar in about a month. I know. :(

Confession #4: I got a few giftcards for Christmas and I haven't spent them yet. This is the longest I've ever gone between getting the giftcards and spending them.

Confession #5: Along those same lines, I have about 6 other gift cards that have balances of less than $10 that I just haven't used. I NEED to!

Confession #6: My magazine habit has gotten so bad that my coworkers are now bringing them to me.

Confession #7: My roommate and I got Hulu Plus and I'm now watching tv shows that I totally would've NEVER watched before. Some of them I even scoffed at thinking the idea of the show was stupid. Boy, was I ever wrong. Once Upon a Time is AMAZING!

Well, I think that's all the confessing I've got for today. Have a wonderful weekend!!

wildcard thursday: fruits and veggie woes

2012-01-12T06:19:00.004-05:00

We all know it's the time of the year when everyone is gung-ho about their New Year's Resolutions. I started mine 2 days after Christmas. I like to think that I "prempted" my resolution. Ha!

Anywho, part of the resolution was getting back on track with eating right and exercising. Blabbity bloo...not fun to talk about. But something that has been more of a life-long issue is the fact that I do not like vegetables.

No lie.

I've just never been a fan of veggies unless they are smothered in some form of full-fat, dairy topping like cheese, sour cream or the likes. Add to that, the fact that I grew up in the South...which means we eat everything cooked or fried within an inch of its life. I'll eat beans if they are cooked and flavored with, oh, I don't know...some pig product. (I know!!) I just can't help it. Oh, I'll eat potatoes and corn, but neither of them really have a whole lot of nutritional value. Not as much of the leafy green veggies, though. Yuck.

Now, fruit is another story. I actually like some fruits. Unfortunately, the fruits I like are not the best ones for you. I like bananas (bad). Apples (not as bad). Strawberries (okay). Pineapple and citrus fruits (okay). I DON'T like the fruits that are REALLY good for you...like blueberries and cantaloupe and watermelon.

The bottom line is that I can limit my calories and Pilates myself until the cows come home, but if I don't start rounding out my diet, then I just won't see the results I want. The FDA recommends 5 servings of fruits and veggies per day. Well, that's a tall order for this veggie-hatin' lady.

So, I'm asking you...what are some ways I can incorporate more fruits and veggies into my diet? Or, give me some suggestions for new fruits or veggies to try. I'm a raw food beginner, so I'll take whatever advice you can give!

I thought about fruit/vegetable drinks like those Naked Juice smoothies. I'm game to try those, however, I am NOT down with the V-8. That is absolutely gross.

Alright now, veggucate me. :)

wednesday wardrobe: curvy lady jean tips

2012-01-11T06:17:00.002-05:00

Well, I know my guy readers are just going to LOVE this post.

Anywho, I, like every other woman in America, have problems finding jeans that fit well and look good. Over the years I have collected some tips for finding jeans that fit and flatter. Today, I will share them with y'all. I'm focusing specifically today on jeans that flatter the curvy lay-days. ;)

Tip #1: Leave the distressed jeans for the teens. Holes, rips, acid spots and extreme fading are not chic or flattering. I especially despise the jeans that have huge faded areas ON THE FRONT OF THE THIGHS. Like I WANT to draw attention there. Heh.

Tip #2: Stick to a mid or high rise. (Rise is defined by the measurement between the crotch of the jeans and the top of the waistband.) Any rise that is less than 8 inches will give you, the....muffin top. Ugh.

Tip#3: Avoid major whiskering. Whiskers on the jeans are the lighter "crease" marks that are near the hip/thigh portion of the jean. It's hard to find jeans that DON'T have these nowadays, so chances are, your jeans will have them. The best thing to do is to try and get a pair that have whiskering that isn't so noticeable...or placed all over.

Tip#4: Light washes aren't THAT great. Think about it...lighter colors emphasize and make things look larger. Dark colors make things look smaller. Let that mentality apply to your jeans. Stick to medium stonewash or darker rinses.

Tip#5: Jean style preferences can vary. I, myself, have some bootcut jeans, some trouser jeans, some flares and a pair of wide leg jeans. However, the most universally flattering styles of jeans are bootcut and trouser jeans. Trouser jeans fit like, well like trousers. They have a fit that hangs straight down from the hips with a bit of a flare at the end. Bootcut jeans are also straight fit with a slight flare at the bottom to balance out wider hips. They fit a little slimmer than trouser jeans and the "flare" at the bottom isn't quite as pronounced.

Well, those are my jeans tips for today's Wednesday Wardrobe post. Happy Wednesday!

top 5 shoes-day

2012-01-10T06:55:00.003-05:00

I love shoes.

There, I said it. It's out. And now, I must first pat myself on the back while I say that I haven't purchased a pair of shoes in almost 6 months. But, with that, I still have quite a few pairs of them. Somewhere in the higher end of double digit numbers and a few dozen pair away from triple digit numbers. (I think to put the number would be...well...a bit like looking at the nutrition info on the pizza box of the frozen pizza you just ate in its entirety. That specific knowledge is just not needed at the moment.)

Anywho, I came across today's blog post topic when one of my relatives sent me a link to a blog about shoes...or more specifically, shoe closets. Take a minute and look at that link. You know you want to. Then sigh. Ahhhh. If only dust bunnies were Benjamins. If I had the means to afford a closet like this, you'd better believe I'd convert a room somewhere in my house into a dream closet...for my shoes. But alas, the real world beckons me back from my dream-like trance...and strangely enough, she sounds a lot like my upstairs neighbor belting out "Comfortably Numb" while playing Rock Band. Eh.

Today's Top 5 Tuesday post is very aptly, the first 5 pairs of shoes I would buy if money were no object. You know how when people when the lotto they go out and buy cars and houses and motorcycles...well, I'd put my wealth into this fancy footwear...

Jimmy Choo Anthracite Glitter Leather Zinc Sandals

Guess "Nanci" Pump

Vince Camuto "Missie" Pump

Jimmy Choo "Luna" Peep Toe Platform Pump

Sergio Rossi "Mermaid" Caged Sandal

Alright, so now that you've indulged me by reading my shoe lusts, I'm giving y'all something in return. Here you go....

BAHAHAHAHAHA. No disrespect to Jenelle and her mom...I truly hope they are getting back on the right track with each other. But I saw this on Pinterest and busted out laughing.

Have a lovely Tuesday filled with thoughts of shoes and KEIFFAH!

monday space: greige

2012-01-09T06:54:00.001-05:00

One of the newest colors in...well...all things is Greige. It's a hybrid of gray and beige. You see it everywhere from shoes to nail polish and now, it's making its way into home decorating.

Today's Monday Space post shows some beautiful ways to decorate your space with Greige.

Greige is gorg when balanced with dark wood and white.

Shades of Greige with chrome, black and white accents are very chic.

Greige and gold are also very posh looking.

I LOVE this room with the mercury glass lamp and rattan shade against a Greige wall. Beautiful!

Photos found here, here and here.

What do you think of Greige?

instafriday

2012-01-06T07:42:00.001-05:00

Hi lovely readers!!

I am happy to announce that today is FRIDAY! And on A Little of This and That, Friday means INSTAFRIDAY! InstaFriday is where you post cell phone photos that you've taken throughout the week. I use instagram for iPhone, but you can use whatever you'd like. Want to join in? Go here for the details. Linking up here...

I've been kind of quiet on Instagram this week, so I only have a couple of pics to share. But, here they are anyway! (Commentary follows below...)

Photo 1 is Helen. She was adopted by my roommate over the holidays and fits in our little animal hierarchy just fine. She and Hewitt seem to like each other and he enjoys laying beside her cage. (And, no, he is not STALKING her like prey...at least...I don't think he is.)

Photo 2 is the pretty nail color that I did for NYE. Metallic goldish with goldish glitter. So pretty!

Photo 3 is my precious Hewitt. I came in my room one afternoon and saw him laying like this...with his head in my tennis shoes. Weirdo.

Photo 4 is the beautiful sunrise outside of my window almost every morning. Sunrises are a beautiful thing when you live on the east coast. Breathtaking!

Well, y'all that's all I have for this week. Have a wonderful weekend!

OH, and if you wanna follow me on instagram, I'd love it! aprilanne147

wildcard thursday: photography

2012-01-05T06:31:00.008-05:00

Lately, I've totally become reacquainted with my love of being behind the camera. I had some friends come in town a few weeks ago and I got a chance to take some photos of them. I really enjoyed taking their photos as well as a few scenic/landscape-y shots.

I think part of my fascination with being a photographer is the fact that I can usually control the shot and what's inside the frame of the lens. However, more often than not the "stellar" shots that I take turn out to be...not so stellar and the mistake or quick shots I take, turn out to be my favorites. Hello. That will teach, won't it? What I try to control doesn't seem so cool after all and the stuff I can't control or that happens by mistake turns out better than the other. Dang. Preach it.

So, now that I've expounded upon the Tao of April's Photography, here are a few of my favorite shots that I took over the weekend.

wednesday wardrobe: OOTD!

2012-01-04T07:35:00.002-05:00

I have a very special surprise for today's Wednesday Wardrobe post. It's an OUTFIT post!! Hooray!

I'm getting a few of these out of my system...otherwise I'll probably only post one a week. Too see all of my outfits, you can go to the "Outfits" page in the top navigation bar of this blog.
Remember when I was naming my outfit posts? Well, I still will do that...mostly because it's just fun. HAHA. This one was EASY to name. I call it The Jolly Leprechaun.

I really look like a leprechaun here. Eh, it's okay. I like it. Oh, and no, I don't have white socks on. I thought I'd just answer that question here before it gets asked elsewhere. I'm just white...

Top: Old Navy

Jeans: Levi

Belt: Rue 21

Flats: Target

top 5 tuesday: books

2012-01-03T06:46:00.000-05:00

I am quite the voracious reader. Hmmm...I feel like I've written that sentence before. Anywho, I haven't really been reading a lot of books lately since I moved and part of that was due to the fact that I don't have a library card yet in Wilmington. GASP! That's on my to-do list...eventually. But what I DO have are Amazon and Barnes and Noble gift cards. For today's Top 5 Tuesday, here are the 5 books I'll be reading this month.

1. How to Be Good by Nick Hornby
2. New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance by Elna Baker
3. The Last Child by John Hart
4. 31 Dates in 31 Days by Tamara Duricka Johnson
5. Scarlet Nights by Jude Deveraux

OOTD: shades of brown

2012-01-02T08:49:00.001-05:00

Well, I'm interrupting today's Monday Space post to bring you...[drum roll, please]...an OUTFIT POST!

It has been SO long since I've done outfit posts...and most of that was because I didn't have a tripod. Well, thanks to the parents (and Christmas), I am now the proud owner of a new camera tripod. So, let the outfits commence!

Today's outfit was my interpretation of a look that the lovely Tanesha pulls off quite often: skinny jeans with a blazer and heels. I'll be honest in saying I wasn't sure if I could pull this look off, but I actually liked how it turned out. Well, you can see for yourself...

Blazer: Limited
Top: Old Navy
Jeans: Levi
Pumps: Nine West
Necklace: Unknown

Thanks for letting me interrupt Monday Space for this. I MIGHT have another outfit post for Wednesday Wardrobe, so you should probably come back and see then. ;)

Have a wonderful Monday!

instafessional friday

2011-12-30T06:42:00.001-05:00

I can't believe it's Friday again. It seems to have gone by so quickly because of the holiday and short work week, but you'll never see me complainin' about a Friday! No siree!

But that means that it's time for another edition of Instafessional Friday (my weird name for a combination of both InstaFriday and Confessional Friday posts).

So without further adieu...

This past weekend was Christmas...my most favorite holiday of all. I celebrated it in style, y'all!

Confession #1: I started a diet/exercise plan this week. (Tuesday) I may or may not have gone a little crazy over the Christmas weekend as my "last hurrah" before the diet started. This alleged "last hurrah" may or may not have included my cousin Tammy's delicious sugar cookies and my cousin Teena's swiss meringue buttercream chocolate cake.

Confession #2: I have a serious ~~complex~~ ~~phobia~~ issue with taking photos that include humans. I have no problem taking pictures of animals, or nature, but not so much of people. I resolved to change that a bit over the week and took a few photos of me, my sisters, and my little 2nd cousin Noah.

Confession #3: When people complain about the horrible Christmas presents that they got from their in-laws, coworkers or great aunt Gertrude, I secretly snicker and grin on the inside because my family knows me so well. Rarely do I get a gift that I'm like, "Well, that will be in the re-gift closet soon." Here are two things my sister got for me for Christmas. Glitter nail polish and gray ballet flats. Swoon.

Confession #4: I have more pictures of my dog on my phone than anything else. Also, I may or may not have had a conversation with him on the long car trip home after Christmas about what Santa brought him. (hangs head in shame)

Well, that's all the confessions that I have for this week. Have a wonderful weekend y'all!

Linking up with Leslie and Jeannett here.

things that make you go EEWWWW

2011-12-29T06:44:00.023-05:00

Today's Wildcard Thursday post came to me yesterday when I did something that made me say "Eewwww" out loud. Of course, my twisted mind caused me to immediately put that into a song parody and thus today's post title. "Things That Make You Go Eewww". Do y'all remember that song "Things That Make You Go Hmmm" from back in the day? It was 1991, as a matter of fact, and the artist was C&C Music Factory. (Side note: Up until yesterday I referred to them as CC Music Factory, unintentionally leaving out the "&". It wasn't until a coworker pointed out the AND that I realized I'd been pronouncing it wrong the whole time.) But I digress...

Do you ever have moments when something happens to you, someone says something to you or a thought crosses your mind that grosses you out and just makes you say "ewww"?

Here are some of the things that make ME go "eewww":

1. Sitting on a public toilet seat that is still warm. IDK, it's just gross. I'd rather hover than sit in that situation.

2. When my parents ask us kids to "leave the house for awhile" when we're all staying in the same house for summer vacation.

3. When babies hold an animal cracker or cookie in their hand and "suck" on it for awhile and it's all slobbery and gross. Seriously. Gag reflex activated.

4. Drooling babies - in general. (No offense intended for my mama readers out in the blogosphere...as a matter of fact, I applaud you for being able to handle them...because I don't think I could.)

5. I don't like feet. They just gross me out. For the most part, people's feet are disgusting. I don't mind puppy feet though and they are even kind of cute. :)

6. Bodily fluids gross me out too. I avoid sharing drinks with people at ALL costs...even my family and the thought of accidentally touching something that someone sneezed on...vom.

7. Touching cold, raw hot dogs makes me say "eewww". I LOVE hot dogs, but the cold dog right out of the package that's still covered in hot dog "juice" is absolutely revolting. That's why God invented kitchen tongs. Hallelujah.
8. Frogs. One of my greatest fears is accidentally stepping on one while barefooted. Frogs pretty much make me go "eewww"...and make me go "ahhhhh" as well!

What are some things that make you go "eewwww"?

wednesday wardrobe: in the navy

2011-12-28T07:09:00.002-05:00

I've blogged before about how much I love the color Navy. It's the perfect neutral, in my mind.

Well, it seems to also be the IT color this season. Designers all over the fashion spectrum are getting into the Navy trend with looks from Phillip Lim, Fendi, Marc Jacobs and Kate Spade making huge editorial spreads in major magazines.

Navy is the perfect staple for your winter and winter-to-spring wardrobe. It's staple-worthy like black, but a bit more daring and striking.

What do you think about Navy? Is it a trend worthy to be tried or better left to the fashionistas?

top 5 tuesday: new year's resolutions

2011-12-27T06:38:00.000-05:00

I've never really been one for New Year's Resolutions, but this year is a bit different from me. In 2011 I left my job of almost 5 years (and church home of almost 16 years) to start a new one in a completely different industry, moved from a city that I'd pretty much grown up in to a new one 4 hours away and fell in love and then subsequently had my heart broken. So for 2012, I really feel the need to set some goals that I can try to achieve this year.

Here are my 5 New Year's Resolutions for today's Top 5 Tuesday post.

1. Take up a new hobby.
2. Find a church home in Wilmington.
3. Lose 30 pounds.
4. Start taking on photography clients/booking photo sessions.
5. Go to the dentist and overcome my fear.

So, those are my New Year's Resolutions. Do you have any? Feel free to comment with YOUR resolutions.

monday space: winter warmth

2011-12-26T08:18:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday and Happy Day After Christmas! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I'm still reveling in the joy of Christmas this morning with a fantabulous breakfast being cooked by mi Padre. Then, there will probably be some friend-seeing today too since I'm in Charlotte.

Anywho, I found these beautiful winterized spaces here and here. I want to share a few of the pictures with you today.

I love the colorful scarves-turned-bolster pillow and the wooden skis propped up against the wall. Bright and cheery yellow walls prevent the inevitable wintertime blues and the basket of cozy blankets sits right next to the couch to easily ward off a chill.

Wool winter scarves make a great table runner in the dining room and make dining room chairs a bit more cozy looking when draped over the back of them.

The colors of sparkling snow make for a cool look but not feel to this room. Ice blues, silvers and iridescent tones combine together for a frosty finish. Found here.

Well, that's it for today's Monday Space post! Enjoy your day!

rejoice! rejoice!

2011-12-25T06:26:00.002-05:00

Emmanuel has come. Hallelujah!

Merry Christmas.

instafessional friday

2011-12-23T06:27:00.004-05:00

I had so much comment love from last week's Confessional Friday post that I've decided to combine my two favorite Friday posts; Confessional Friday and InstaFriday.

So, dear readers, because of my love of compound, non-sensical words, I give you...
INSTAFESSIONAL FRIDAY!

Confession #1 - I bought the cutest box of Christmas cards, signed them, sealed them and addressed them last week. They have yet to actually be stamped and sent and at this point, they won't. So, it least it looks like I've got a MAJOR head start on next year's cards!

Confession #2 - I painted my nails twice this week. Both times it was a colored polish with glittery ring fingers. Yeah, it's trendy...so BOOM!

Confession #3 - I went into work EXTRA early this week so I'd be able to leave early on Thursday to start my Christmas vacation early.

Confession #4 - I attempted to make Pretzel Hugs twice this week and both times had tragic consequences. The first time, I couldn't find Hershey's HUGS, so I used Hershey's KISSES and, well, yeah, I definitely burned those suckers. The second time, I guess they didn't melt enough because even though they looked pretty, they didn't stick to the pretzels and the result was essentially a build-your-own Pretzel Hug sandwich. Ugh. And, I've made these successfully before!

Confession #5 - I like when I take non-serious, funny face photos of myself way better than serious photos. Here are two that my friend Cara and I took this past week.

Confession #6 - I may or may not be obsessed with coordinating my gift wrap to my tree and coordinating my gift wrap with my other gift wrap. They are all in the same color family and theme. You won't see me mixing wrapping paper up in my crib!

And finally, another picture. I don't really have a confession to go along with it, but I wanted to share it with you. I took this at a place in Wilmington called the Cotton Exchange. It's a cool group of old granary and mill buildings in the historic district downtown that have been turned into a bunch of cool shops and restaurants. I think their decor in this outdoor courtyard looked downright Dickens, don't you?

Well, that's it for today's Instafessional Friday! Join me next week for another installment!!

Merry Christmas!

wildcard thursday: single around the holidays

2011-12-22T06:58:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across this post on Tuesday from this awesome blog I follow and loved it so much that I begged the author to allow me to repost it here on the ol' bloggity blog. She graciously obliged. I've not edited or changed anything so these are her words, referencing her past...but boy can I glean some good advice from the lovely Leslie and all that she's been through. She's pretty funny too.

So, for all my single friends (AND for those of you who AREN'T single but maybe have single friends), enjoy!

I preface this post with the following:

Single does not translate to Desperate, Depressed or Unhappy, and by no means does this post imply that. In fact, a lot of girls LIKE being single, including myself during that time. Like, seriously loved it. I learned so much about myself; who I was, what I stood for, etc. I learned how to be independent. I bought a car. I took trips with my girlfriends. Summary: I highly recommend spending a few years enjoying yo'self sans boy.

And if you are single during the holidays, I highly recommend kissing a complete random guy on New Year's Eve, just Because. You. Can.

Not that I ever did that...ever...but it looks fun...from what I've seen on movies and whatnot...because I would definitely not kiss random strangers....

But, for those of you out there who are at the point where you just wish you had a great guy to spend Christmas with, (boyfriend, or otherwise), I know how ya feel. During college and for years after, being single during the holidays was fun! Back then, there were no stupid questions from friends about when I would settle down or when I'd cash in my bikini for a baby bump.

I mean, who asks a 20 year old, "So why haven't you settled down yet?"

But then years passed.

Then it became less cool to be alone during Christmas.

When I was 22, I began dating someone. Three years passed, we were still together. For reasons I'll never care to know, he refused to solidify any kind of commitment with a ring or even a promise of a future together, (and BOY was that a blessing in disguise.) Holiday functions were torture. Not because I wasn't someone's wife, (there's plenty of time for that), but because he flatly refused to go to my family's home for Christmas or (Lord forbid) spend Christmas Eve away from his parent's house, like most grown people do. It became increasingly embarrassing to go to parties and face questions about when he would propose, or even better, WHY he hadn't proposed yet.

Now, let me interject here and say, in the South, if you're not married by the time you've graduated college, there must be something wrong with you. It's getting better, but still, it sucked having to deal with the questions.

This point in my life was agonizing. And embarrassing. And I knew it was time to cut the dead weight.

We parted ways in 2009 and I honestly felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from my shoulders. But then Christmas rolled around...another holiday season spent alone. Attending parties alone. Blah, blee, bloo.

Single can be SO fun....if you have friends who are also single. I (at this point, anyway), did not. Not one single friend. Lemme' tell ya, it ain't fun to be third wheel at every party and get together.

Last year was the first time really EVER that I'd spent my Christmas with a real, legit boyfriend who wanted to spend Christmas at MY house. (This boyfriend, coincidentally, became my fiance one week later.)

And it was amazing.

But this time of year still makes me hurt a little for the single girls out there who DO long for a sweet guy to kiss under the mistletoe. Trust me when I say, I have sooooo been there. It sucks to spend an entire car ride trying to come up with witty comebacks for when your Great Aunt asks, "Why don't you get married?" "Why don't you have a boyfriend?" "You know, if you want children before your eggs dry up, you need to find a man!", as one older woman asked me one time. For real.

Just know that what you're feeling is legitimate. There's nothing selfish or silly about wanting a male companion with which to spend Christmas Eve. Also, know that your Mr. Right, that amazing man that will one day go to all of your crazy family functions with you and kiss you under mistletoe, is on his way. It may be this year, it may be in a few years. Be patient. God has perfect timing.

I pray daily for the single ladies who are at that point in life where they want to settle down. It's easy to get bummed out, especially during times like the holidays, but please keep your heads up. Just remember that I met Stephen in the most random, unexpected way; likely the way it will happen for you, too : ) It was when I was happy and content with myself. God knew that if I loved myself, I could then love someone else wholly and unconditionally. You'll get there. You'll have your first Christmas as a girlfriend and a fiance and a newlywed.

But if you are solo this Christmas and need some good comebacks when peeps ask why you aren't dating or married, I've personally used all of the following below:

Pestering Friend/Family Member: "So why are you still single (insert name)?"

You: "Jesus was single. I'm just following in his footsteps."

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Pestering Family Member: "I can't figure out why you're not married yet!"

You: "Me neither! But I know why I'm not divorced yet!"

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Pestering Family Member: "Don't you want a spouse?"

You: "Yeah, someday. But I'm really still holding out for that Miss America Title."

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Now this one is a tad snarky, but just in case you need it...

Pestering Family Member: "Why haven't you settled down yet?"

You: "I'm waiting until I get to be your age."

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

That's all the witty comebacks I've got, girls! Seriously though, just know that y'all are in my thoughts right now. Keep your pretty, perfectly structured chins up. God is working on someone amazing for you, just wait and see.

Don't y'all LOVE her?!!? And, she's cute-as-a-button. You can check out her blog here. Thanks for tuning in!

wednesday wardrobe: sweater coats

2011-12-21T06:21:00.002-05:00

Today, I'm spotlighting a wardrobe necessity that every lady should have for the winter months: a sweater coat. Some call it the belted cardigan. Some call it a sweater jacket. I call them versatile and comfy.

The sweater coat is a great winter staple for any shape or size. It looks great layered over a tank with jeans and boots or added over a LBD with tall boots or flats. This is my wardrobe item of choice for the Christmas day family visits. It's warm and comfortable but not shapeless and unflattering.

A word of caution on the sweater coats, please make sure to get one that is either belted or more structured. (think sweater blazer or something that hangs straight down with not a lot of extra fabric in the front...that adds weight)

PS: Both of my sweater coats came from Old Navy and I LOVE them.

top 5 tuesday: christmas movies

2011-12-20T06:42:00.003-05:00

I've done a few Christmas themed Top 5 Tuesday posts in the past with a Top 5 Favorite Christmas Songs post here and a Top 5 Best Christmas Gifts here.

Today, Top 5 Tuesday is all about some of the best Christmas movies I've seen. I'm a huge fan of Christmas movies because I really think they help to get people into the Christmas spirit. All of these have good messages about love, family, friendships, etc.

1. The Grinch (1966 version). It's so good. I tear up everytime the Grinch's heart grows three sizes.

2. Elf. This is probably the most quoted Christmas movie ever. I seriously love Will Ferrell so much in this movie. "SANTA! I KNOW HIM!"

3. White Christmas. This old movie features one of my most favorite singers ever, Bing Crosby. I love the tale of old Hollywood plus the clothes, music and dance routines are legendary.

4. Charlie Brown Christmas. After just seeing this movie for the FIRST TIME on Thursday, I really, really liked it. Charles Schultz definitely knew a thing or two about Christmastime commercialism and the part when Linus reads the Christmas story is SO good.

5. Home Alone. I remember watching this movie when it first came out and it's such a perfect story about family relationships during Christmastime.

Honorable Mention: Okay, I couldn't figure out which I liked better between this one and Home Alone...but Christmas Vacation is seriously hilarious AND another family movie. I love the family dinner scenes. HA!

Did I list your favorite? If not, which Christmas movies do YOU love?

PS: In an effort to maintain some continuity with the ol' bloggity blog, I'm going to be doing a posting schedule. So, as much as possible, I'm going to try and post according to this schedule:

Monday Space (home decor/design/interior design photos)
Top 5 Tuesday (this is already a main staple on ALOTAT)
Wednesday Wardrobe (posts about fashion and clothing)
Wildcard Thursday (to allow for my random personality, a blanket post...you know, like a wildcard)
Friday - either Confessional Friday or InstaFriday (or maybe both!)
Saturday/Sunday (I usually don't post unless it's a holiday or special feature)

I'm looking forward to a bit of continuity from now on. Please continue to tune in to A Little of This and That and leave me comment love. Y'all know those comments make my day!

monday space

2011-12-19T06:25:00.000-05:00

Here's a look at a beautifully decorated Christmas space. This is from the 2011 Christmas House Tour sponsored by The Inspired Room. Sometimes a simple color palette can pull everything together and make your decor look elegant and chic. I really love how white becomes the main color in this room instead of an accent color.

Enjoy this gorgeous Christmas home and Merry Christmas!

confessional friday

2011-12-16T09:24:00.001-05:00

I'm linking up with Leslie over at the Blonde Ambition blog for a new segment called Confessional Friday.

Confession #1 I have mostly survived this past week on some sort of pasta. Pasta with marinara, white wine pasta, mac n cheese, etc. Weird.

Confession #2 I secretly covet other people's Christmas decorations.

Confession #3 I judge people by how clean their houses are yet I will let my car get SO messy.

Confession #4 I often pre-clean my car before I go get it washed or the oil changed. Heh.

Confession #5 Sometimes, I put the radio station on a really, really ridiculous station right before I take my car to get worked on. That way when the mechanic starts the car up, they'll at least get a few seconds of Feliz Navidad or something similar.

Confession #6 I've learned this week that being alone and being lonely are two different things.

Confession #7 I talk to my dog (as I've mentioned before) but I also talk to other people in what I perceive to be his voice. I've also signed greeting cards for him and written notes from him as well.

Confession #8 I sleep on a satin pillowcase every night and feel kind of grungy when I don't.

Confession #9 I don't like the movie Happy Feet because of how it portrays seals. I love seals.

Confession #10 I like watching "boy shows" like Swamp People, Goldrush, Pawn Stars and American Pickers. I can't help it!

instaFriday

2011-12-16T06:20:00.001-05:00

It's FRIDAY y'all! I'm so excited for so many reasons.

1. Christmas is in a week!!!!

2. Some of my besties are coming all the way down to Wilmington (from Charlotte) to see ME this weekend!!

3. I'm done with my Christmas shopping!

4. It's time for another edition to InstaFriday!!

Linking up with Jeannett here again this week.

He's a curious boy.

The new Coca Cola Freestyle machine at the Firehouse by my house. It has over 120 combinations of drinks AND Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper...from the fountain. Oh snap! You can make all sorts of combinations or just drink 1. It's freestyle!!

I did a light blue nail this week with my ring finger nail in purple/blue glitter. Yeah, so I did something trendy. So what?! I LIKE it. ;)

Over the weekend I did a photoshoot down at Fort Fisher Beach. It was a gorgeous (albeit chilly) afternoon.

My company had their Christmas party and this was the ceiling in the room. I thought it was so pretty!!

I made one of these for my sister, brother-in-law and dad for Christmas. It's a Mason Jar Wineglass.

Well, that's it for today's InstaFriday! Tune in later this morning for a blog post link up with Leslie's Confessional Friday!!

christmas lists and quiz

2011-12-15T06:54:00.003-05:00

So, it is time, y'all. Time for me to post my Christmas LIST. [cue music da duh DAAAAAAHHHHH!]

I have a few things on my list this year that I've been eyeing for quite awhile.

1. Tripod. I need one of these way bad. Why? Well, as you can see, I haven't really been posting outfit shots that much... and my lack of tripod is why. So, hopefully, if Santa brings me one, I'll start back posting outfit shots.
2. The Office Season 6. I have seasons 1-5 and I need to continue the trend, HA!
3. Marcel Iron/Curling Wand. Whatever you call it. I need one of these babies like, way bad.
4. Reese's Trees. Something about Reese's being in the shape of a tree makes them BETTER.
5. Ballet Flats. Y'all know I have an obsession with ballet flats. So, why not feed the obsession with more?

I stole this snazzy little quiz from Bekah over at The Matters of Merrymaking. Here are my answers to the quiz. If you decide to post your own version, leave me a link in the comment section and I'll check out your answers!!

Christmas Quiz

If you post your own Q+A's be sure to let me know so I can check out your holiday answers.

1. Eggnog or hot chocolate? I don't think I'd like eggnog. Mostly because it's called Eggnog. Gross. Sometimes, I just call it 'Nog. :) So, definitely hot chocolate, extra chocolatey with mini-marshmallows.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? Well, in my household, we opened gifts from each other on Christmas Eve. These were wrapped. Then we got unwrapped gifts from Santa on Christmas morn. Since Santa doesn't come once you start paying taxes, my sis and I mostly fill each others' stockings and leave those out on Christmas morning. Sometimes my parents will leave out a gift that they didn't wrap up. There is always candy involved on Christmas morning.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Um, we ALWAYS had colored lights everywhere growing up. Now I have a mixture of white and colored...but never just plain white.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Not really. It was never a big deal in my family.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? My mom makes some killer potato hash casserole stuff. I also love the little hors d'oeuvres that my family has on Christmas Eve. Sausage balls, bagel bites, chips and dip, fudge, pigs in a blanket, fruit/cheese tray, veggie tray, homemade candy, etc. It's a traditional Christmas Eve feast!

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? All of my childhood Christmas memories are so good. I've always loved Christmas Eve the best. Good food, gifts, candlelight and Christmas lights, putting out the snacks for Santa (and carrots for the reindeer) and then waking up at the crack of dawn to see if Santa had come and eaten the snacks. My sister and I are generally fairly jovial with each other during this time. Even when we were younger and wanted to kill each other. T'was the Christmas spirit, after all.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What truth about Santa? You mean that he doesn't really have a Naughty List?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? All of them. :) Except for what Santa brought on Christmas morning.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? My tree at MY house is very girly with purple tulle and pink, purple, lime green and electric blue ornaments. My parents' tree (and thus, the tree that I had growing up) is a mixture of antique, family heirloom ornaments, bronze and copper balls, colored lights and pretty icicles. It's beautifully coordinated to their living room's “colors”. I love it!

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? Love it.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes. I used to be quite good at it. But it's been awhile...

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? A Pink Pony Surprise. It was the Tickle Me Elmo and Furby of the early 90s. I also remember getting one of those animal backpack purses. Mine was a dalmatian dog.

14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? 3 things: celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ (and thus the transformation of the world as we know it), honoring traditions and being with friends and family.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? D. All of the above. No, but my fam makes these delicious Reese's Cookie things that are amazing. My cousin Tammy makes amazing traditional Christmas cookies in different shapes with homemade icing. GAH. I'm drooling. Oh, and we make these delicious things with Ritz Cracker Peanut Butter sandwiches dipped in melted white chocolate. Seriously, it will make you want to slap your mama, it's so good. Can you tell I have somewhat of a sweet tooth?

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Church on Christmas Eve and then food afterward.

17. What tops your tree? Always a star. Sometimes a bow. Never an angel.

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? I absolutely love finding the perfect gift for someone and when I do, I relish the act of giving it to them. I usually never go for your standard gift but enjoy thinking long and hard for exactly the right one!

19. Candy canes: yuck or yum? I mean, are they dipped in chocolate?

20. Favorite Christmas movie? White Christmas, Elf, The Holiday. In that order.

21. Saddest Christmas song? Hands down, it's “Stille Nacht” by Mannheim Steamroller. I guess it's not as sad as it is reflective. It's beautiful and haunting and quiet all at once. The song is so beautiful that it makes me want to weep. Does that make sense?

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? This is very hard. Religious song, I'd say “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”. It's haunting and melodic and tells the story of the Savior that has come to ransom us from captivity. I also love Carol of the Bells and Silent Night. Secular song, I'd say would be White Christmas. (the Bing Crosby version ONLY)

the most holy sport: a girl's observations

2011-12-14T07:12:00.011-05:00

Everyone knows that football is the most holy sport. It is the sport nearest and dearest to our Lord's heart. Growing up in the South, I was whelped on the pigskin pacifier. Sunday afternoons are so iconic with football that I feel lost when it's NOT on.

With all that though, I'm still a girl. I observe football in a different way than my male counterparts. In today's post, I'll share a few of my football observations with you. Feel free to chime in if you agree/disagree or want to add your own observation.

1. Football players are getting cuter.
I'm just saying. From Mark Sanchez to Wes Welker, there are lots of cu-ute men who put on the uniform. Have you ever looked at photos of some of the players from back in the day? Wow. They look a bit, um, scary. Now-a-days, there are LOTS of handsome players. Of course, if you know anything about me then you know how hard it is for me to NOT include the name of the most amazing, exceeding attractive and all-around good guy Drew Brees. Oh wait, I just did... ;)

L-R Mark Sanchez and Wes Welker

2. Football uniforms are getting uglier.
I love when teams put on their throwback uniforms because often, they are prettier than their normal uniforms. Examples of this are the throwback orange Bucs uniforms and the throwback Oilers uniforms. Now we have to look at the old ugly Titans uniforms. Ugh. Even though pretty much everyone in the world (read: men) hate the throwback Eagles uniform that's light blue and yellow...I LOVE IT!

L-R Throwback Packers, Bears and Eagles uniforms.

3. Football players are getting wimpier.
Yeah, yeah, I realize that players are big and hard now, but back in the day they didn't have nearly as many pads and protective measures as modern players do. Modern players are constantly getting hurt and hurting other players. Perhaps because they play long past their prime. Perhaps they play too often. Maybe they are just not as healthy overall as players were in the 60s. Who knows. It's just something I've observed.

4. College football is getting tainted.
From alleged compensations to sex-scandals, college football is losing much of its youthful innocence. No longer is college football just some boys who want to play ball and have fun, every one is out to one-up each other and make it to the pros. What ever happened to guys who just love the game? Is it all about the money and fame? I mean, you expect some of that in the NFL, but not in college too!

So, those are some of my football observations. Do you have any you'd like to add?

recipe: white wine pasta with chicken

2011-12-13T07:12:00.001-05:00

I'm sure that most of y'all are aware of the fact that I have the food palate of a 3 year old. I don't really eat a lot of veggies, seafood or asian food...or other gross stuff.

But, I do love me some Italian and Mexican food. I found a recipe for Penne Al Vodka awhile ago on The Internets and tweaked it a bit (um, or a lot). The result is a yummy and tasty recipe that (because I use some pre-made items) takes 15 minutes to make! What's not to love about that?!?!

April's White Wine Pasta with Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of pasta sauce

1 small carton of heavy whipping cream (is this a pint??)

1 box of penne rigate pasta (I use about half of the box)

1 can of sweet peas

3/4 cup of white wine (please don't use wine that you wouldn't drink...)

1-2 tablespoons of flour

Garlic powder and parsley flakes for seasoning

1 container of pre-cooked grilled chicken strips (these are in the lunchmeat section at the grocery store)

Directions:

Open up your bottle of wine and test it by taking a sip.

In a large saucepan, pour half of your whipping cream and the wine.

Heat slowly starting on medium.

Add your garlic powder to taste.

Mix with a silicon-coated wisk, spatula or spoon.

Stir continuously and heat until bubbly.

Alcohol will start to burn off and it will smell VERY strongly of wine. Don't worry.

Take another sip of wine. You know...testing it.

When sauce is bubbly, add more whipping cream (almost the rest of the container) and stir.

Add 1 cup of pasta sauce and stir well.

Add flour to sauce and mix well to thicken sauce.

Reduce heat to low and let simmer while you start cooking the pasta.

Cook the penne like normal in a separate pot according to directions.

While the pasta cooks, open and drain your can of peas and add to the sauce.

Mix well.

Add the chicken and stir to combine. (I break the chicken up into smaller bite-sized pieces.)

Increase heat if needed to warm sauce and chicken.

Pour yourself a glass of wine. (after all, it HAS been properly tested, right?)

Drain pasta and add to pan with sauce and chicken.

Carefully fold pasta in and coat with sauce.

Serve with fresh parmesan cheese, if you like.

Take my word, y'all, this is DELICIOUS and it looks way more complicated than it actually is!

Source

twelve on twelve: unique gift ideas

2011-12-12T06:42:00.001-05:00

Today is twelve-twelve-eleven. Not quite as cool as eleven-eleven-eleven, but still, coolness.

Anywho, so for today, I'm giving you a list of twelve really good gift ideas that I've been gathering via The Internets.

Twelve [Really, Super Awesome and Totally Unique] Gift Ideas:

1. Pashmina Scarves. I don't know any woman who wouldn't want one!

2. Munch Stache Cookie Cutters. Seriously. Who doesn't want moustache-shaped cookies.

3. Emergency Underpants Dispenser. Because EVERYONE needs an emergency stash.

4. Earonic iPhone Cover. You could pretend that you're not even talking on the phone.

5. Man Skills. Here's a guide to learning how to "be a man".

6. Dog Lips Toy. Because how funny would it be to see Fido (or Hewitt) walking around with these in his mouth.

7. Not Your Mom's Dinner Party Conversation Starters. Heh. It will keep you entertained for sure!

8. Recycled Glass Tree Globes. Beautiful to hang year-round AND eco-friendly.

9. Recycled Wine Bottle Servers. This would make a great "green" hostess gift!

10. Bacon Tie. The perfect gift for dad or your Jewish friends (hi Mordy!). The bacon tie.

11. Ice Cream Sandwich Pillow. Hey, it will bring a little whimsy to the bedroom. And satisfy that midnight sweet tooth. ;)

12. Flower Power USB Fan. Got a coworker who complains that it's always too warm in the office? This is perfect for them!

Well, I hope this gets you started. Happy gift-giving and Merry Christmas!

instafriday

2011-12-09T06:54:00.000-05:00

It's FRIDAY, y'all! Whoo hoo! I've got some FUN stuff planned this weekend, starting with a li'l shopping, my company holiday party and concluding with a photoshoot! (details to come later)

Here are my instagram photos from this week. Linking up with Jeannett from Life Rearranged for this week's InstaFriday!

This is pretty much how I spend my evenings...burning my Amaretto Nog candle and gazing at the Christmas tree lights. Sigh....so relaxing.

Some of the contents of the prize pack for my giveaway winner this week.

April has been a busy lady!! I pumped this puppies out on Monday evening. No big deal. :)

Ah, the artistic "solution" to my extreme lack of storage. Wall hooks and colorful scarves. There are at least two scarves per hook. Whoops!

Me and the H. He was annoyed with me trying to get a photo of him while he was napping. But then he turned around and licked my nose. He's a sweet boy.

Have a wonderful weekend y'all!! Merry Christmas!

inspiration workshop: holiday decor

2011-12-08T07:13:00.003-05:00

I'm linking up today over at Gussy Sews for this week's Inspiration Workshop. The prompt is HOLIDAY DECOR.

[creepily licks lips, flexes interlocked fingers and stretches head side to side]

I've been waiting on this prompt for a lllooonnnnggg time. I absolutely love decorating my house for Christmas and seeing how other people decorate for Christmas as well. (despite how voyeuristic that sounds)

One day when I'm rich, I'll have a room (bedroom, study, front room, etc) in my house where I can put a PINK CHRISTMAS TREE.

Yep. As tacky as you might think it is, I really, REALLY want to have a pink Christmas tree someday. I've been on a bit of a Christmas tree jag lately, but I've still been pouring over Pinterest and Tumblr for some beeyouteeful pink trees.

Below, my friends, are some of my faves...and further inspiration for my one-day Holiday Decor!

Oh man, don't y'all LOVE the last picture? Okay, so maybe it's not technically a PINK tree, but it's got a lot of pink in it...and so does the room. Ahhh. Someday, I will have this Barbie tree! Okay, so maybe you don't love it...maybe it makes you retch. Either way, that's my dream HOLIDAY DECOR. What's yours?

beauty trend: sparkly eyeshadow

2011-12-07T06:40:00.002-05:00

A beauty trend that I have such a crush on right now is glittery/sparkly eyeshadow. I love how they've been dolling up a lot of the girls on The Sing Off with this and I think it's just the perfect sparkly touch for a holiday party or event.

Here are a few pretty examples of glittery eyeshadow. You can make it as glam or as subtle as you want by mixing up the color palette and how course or fine the glitter is.

Or, for an even more subtle look, you could try a sparkly liner.

Photos via Pinterest

So, do you think you'd try this look?

get the connection?

2011-12-06T19:07:00.000-05:00

This was sent to me by one of my bestest friends. I love this video and watch it every year.

May you get the connection...

oh Christmas tree (winner!)

2011-12-06T06:49:00.001-05:00

Well, y'all the vote is in! :) There were so many beautiful Christmas trees but I could only pick one.

The winner is...

SHARON!!!

The reason I chose Sharon's tree is, simply, because it is unorthodox and non-traditional. Gosh I love that this tree is an unusual color and so SHINY!. I had a silver tree and a blue tree once and LOVED them. I've always wanted a non-green tree and when I saw this one, I knew it was the winner!!

Here is Sharon's tree...

Now, I really couldn't pick 5 out of the remaining trees, so I'm posting them all! Enjoy these beauties!

Clockwise from top left: Sharon B's pretty tree, Jenny V's colored masterpiece, Jenny F's white wonder (that sounds like a superhero name) and Jill S's magnificent tannenbaum.

Clockwise from top left: Kate B's gorgeous (REAL!!) tree, Jim H's family tree, Lori D's silver and gold beauty and Linda C's beautiful red and lime green tree!

Thank y'all so much for sending in your pics! Have a wonderful Tuesday!

christmas printables

2011-12-05T06:59:00.001-05:00

Hi y'all! Happy Monday!

To get you in the holiday spirit, here are a few little free pretties to adorn your computer wallpaper or to print out for your desk or fridge.

Merry Christmas!

Don't forget to enter my Oh Christmas Tree contest. Today is the last day!! I need all the Christmas tree photos in my 6pm EST. I will pick a winner tomorrow!! The winner will get a super-awesome prize pack that may or may not include a cool Christmas cupcake kit, some fancy-schmancy christmas dishtowels, a sweet tin of candy, some Christmas treat boxes and cool Christmas themed sandwich bags. You know, for all your cooking, baking and leftover taking. ;) You can still enter by emailing me your Christmas tree photo by 6pm tonight! The original post is here.

instafriday

2011-12-02T06:30:00.001-05:00

It's Frrriiiddddaaaayyyy! You know what that means, right? Time for InstaFriday! Bam!

I'm linking up with Jeannette from Life Rearranged for today's InstaFriday post!

L-R: A beautiful sunset I encountered on Wednesday night, my Hewitt resting, the week's weather forecast. It was finally getting cool!! Time for scarves!

L-R: My snowman candle lanterns (they all are lanterns for tealights), my one-day workplace visitor who was sadly told to go home after day 1 and the view of my living room from the kitchen bar.

Well, folks, that's it for me for this week. Have fantabulous weekend!

I am [blank] because

2011-12-01T06:54:00.067-05:00

Hi there! I am a firm believer in keeping in touch with reality on my blog. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE blogging about happy stuff and fashion and style...but I also love to blog about REALITY. You know, how life really looks at the moment. I stumbled across this post on Beth's blog Dot in the City and it was originally posted here. It's a simple statement of how you're feeling at the moment and why you think that way.

So without further adieu...

I am weird because...
I have an unnatural fear of frogs.
I do "voices".
I talk FOR my dog.
I don't really eat vegetables that much.
I often end stories I'm telling by saying "the end".
I have to force myself from buying magazines.
I have unnaturally warm thighs. All the time. No joke.
I don't like wearing brown or orange.

I am a good friend because...
I don't bother my friends by calling them/texting them too much.
I'm a good listener.
I offer good advice. (at least, I think it's good advice)
It's easy to pick up where we left off when you see me.
I genuinely do care how people are doing.

I am a bad friend because...
I don't call people/catch up quite enough.
I often am too judgemental.
Sometimes I can't say NO.
I ignore phone calls sometimes that I know will be long.

I am sad because...
The B and I are no more.

I am happy because...
I really like my new job.
I'm learning to love walking again.
I have a brand new iPhone!!
I have a reallly good book that I'm reading (True Believer by Nicholas Sparks).
I am healthy.
Hewitt is healthy.
I have an awesome roommate.

I am excited for...
Christmastime!!
Cooking and baking for coworkers for Christmas!
Wrapping gifts.
WILMA convention this weekend.
Making new work friends.
Having more craft time.
Having more freedom to explore Wilmington and do the things I want to do.
My company Christmas party. (DJ, buffet, open bar and lots of doorprizes!)
Finding an outfit for said party.
Sleeping in clean sheets tonight.

What about y'all? Why are you [blank] because?

PS: Don't forget to enter my Oh Christmas Tree contest for a chance to win some amazingly cool prizes!