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Wardrobe Basics: Make a List {Part 1}

posted in Wardrobe Basics, women's fashion by Sara on

Step 1: Clean Out 
Step 2: Make a List {Part 1}{Part 2}
Step 3: Shop
Step 4: Mix and Match
Step 5: Accessorize

Now that you have purged your closet of all that extra baggage, you’re ready for a fresh start. Don’t freak out if you only have a few items left in your wardrobe. This doesn’t mean you’re going to have to spend a fortune filling it back up. Remember, we’re going for quality and versatility, not quantity. Your wardrobe won’t do you, or your self-esteem for that matter, any good if it is full of clothes you dislike and will rarely ever wear for whatever the reason may be. But, before we can talk about making a list and then going shopping you need to know your style and be confident about what it is you are looking for.

A lot of you probably already have a good idea about what you do or don’t like when it comes to different styles. If so, shopping is going to be a lot easier for you. Unfortunately this was not something that came easy to me right away. Before reworking my wardrobe I was stuck between the clothes I had owned since high school and a few pieces of an attempted “grown up” look. It was a random wardrobe with no clear style direction. I’d often see outfits I loved but was unsure about how to translate those looks into my own style in a way that would flatter my body. However, with some experimenting and a little bit of research I have since been able to develop a style that I feel confident in. If you’re like me and having trouble determining what your style is, here are a few pointers:

1.  Learn from your past experiences.
We’ve all tried on clothes in the dressing room before that we winced at the sight of. What might have looked great on the hanger just didn’t do for your body what you were hoping for. Please note, and drill into your memory, that this is not a problem with your body but with the article of clothing. If a particular style doesn’t work for your body, make note of it and move on. Finding your own style can sometimes be a little bit of trial and error, but from these experiences you can learn what styles, shapes, and colors most flatter your body and should be the ones that you incorporate into your wardrobe.

2.  Use Pinterest as your personal style tool.
Pinterest is a great tool in getting a sense of what your style is. If you’ve created a fashion/style board on Pinterest, scrolling through your pins can show you a lot about your style. As an example, below is a picture from my style board on Pinterest. From this little clip you can get a pretty good idea about what I like in terms of fashion. It is quite apparent that I am in love with stripes and layering. It is also clear that I tend to like more neutral and muted colors. Keep in mind that the goals is not to replicate the outfits that you pin, but use them as inspiration to develop your own style that is fitting to you.

3.  Be realistic. Be you.
When you think about your style and the look you want to achieve through your wardrobe make sure it is a style that is both functional and reflective of the person behind the clothes. As a mother of an active one year-old it is not realistic or functional for me to wear heals on a day-to-day basis. I also prefer a skirt or a pair of pants over a dress, which is why I own very few dresses. If you live in a hot climate, heavy layering may not be a realistic option for you. These are all things you should keep in mind.

Once you’ve determined your style, you can then begin to make a list of the pieces you need in order to fill the gaps in your wardrobe. Tomorrow I will be posting Part 2 of this step and discussing the essential pieces that should be in every woman’s wardrobe. If you missed Step 1 of Wardrobe Basics click {HERE}.

See you tomorrow!

Linked to:
http://www.adventuresofadiymom.com/2013/09/terrific-tuesday-79.html
http://www.muchadoaboutsomethin.blogspot.com/search/label/tell%20us%20tuesday
http://www.livelaughrowe.com/readers-choice-awards-live-laugh-linky-77/

Strawberry & Cream Cake

posted in family, food, tutorial by Sara on

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend! Our holiday weekend was cut short this year due to my husband’s school schedule. Yesterday was his first day as a doctorate student, and quite honestly, with him gone at school I completely forgot the rest of the country was taking the day off. Having forgot that it was a holiday, I still felt like it was a day that needed to be celebrated. My husband has worked hard to get where he is and I am so proud of him for it. So while Collin was off at school, I spent the better half of my day baking him a surprise.

I’ve had this recipe on my list for a while now and knew now was the perfect occasion to try it out. While it is a fairly simple recipe, you can be sure that will not disappoint. It is easy to make and has now become one of our new favorite deserts. I originally got this recipe {HERE} where it gives great detailed instructions, but I made a few adjustments to get a more moist and flavorful cake.

STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE RECIPE

CAKE:

1 box Duncan Hines white cake mix (or any other white cake mix that does not have adding pudding in the mix)
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups water
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoon oil
4 egg whites

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13″ baking pan.
2.  Mix together cake mix, flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Pour in water, sour cream, oil and egg whites, and beat until all ingredients are well blended.
3.  Pour batter into the prepared 9×13″ pan and bake in preheated oven for 23-28 minutes.
4.  Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting. I let my cake cool for 15 minutes and then stuck it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to cool completely.

FROSTING

1-8oz package cream cheese at room temperature
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

5.  Mix cream cheese and heavy whipping cream with an electric mixer until smooth and well blended, then add in powdered sugar and vanilla.
6.  Smooth frosting over cake and place back in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

STRAWBERRY GLAZE

4 cups strawberries, sliced
1 package Strawberry Danish Desert mix

7.  Wash and slice strawberries
8.  Prepare Danish Desert mix according to the “pie glaze” instructions on the box, then add in the strawberries.
9.  Pour over the frosted cake and allow to cool in the refrigerator for a least 1 more hour before serving.
10.  Eat and enjoy!

Also, here are some pictures of my handsome husband all dressed up for his first day of school! 

Inspiration Monday: When at First You Don’t Succeed…Try Again

posted in diy, family, inspiration Monday, sewing, women's fashion by Sara on
Hi everyone! I hope you’re all having a great Labor Day Monday! It is an exciting day for us as it is my husband’s first day of his PsyD program and the start to the next four years of our lives. The last two weeks of us being here has finally lead up to this moment; however, we have allowed ourselves some fun before the real work began.
Over the weekend me and my little family rode the tracks into Portland and spent the day sight-seeing and roaming around. We first hit up Powell’s City of Books, a giant book store that fills a whole city block with over a million books. I could have spent all day in there alone, but after a couple hours we decided to move along. By this time it was lunch, so we walked over to the food chart vendors and got something to eat. I told my husband to surprise me with something while I fed Addie her lunch, so I don’t know exactly what is was that I ate but it was delicious! After lunch we continued to walk to streets of Portland and experience all it had to offer in the short span of a day. Portland is a beautiful, lively city and I can’t wait to go back. 
The rest of my weekend was spent sewing. While sewing is usually a pleasurable hobby for me, this was certainly not one of those times. I love experimenting with new fabrics and am always on the look out for inspiration when it come to designing new pieces. Recently I happened upon these two shirts on Pinterest and ever since I’ve been anxious to incorporate leather sleeves into one of my designs. With some bird silhouette fabric I’ve been waiting to use, I decided to give it a try. 
With none of the local fabric stores having the right weight of faux leather I was looking for, I ended up settling on some that was slightly heavier weight…problem #1. Problem #2 surfaced when I began sewing on my new serger. Since I started sewing more seriously I’ve been using my mother’s serger, and while it may be old it is a simple and quality piece of equipment. But with the move, I decided it was time to get my own machine. Trying to learn this new piece of equipment has been an absolute nightmare, not to mention it completely mauled my sewing project. Realizing that this project just wouldn’t work with the materials I had, I decided to take a new approach. 
After studying up some more on my serger and with a bit more practice, I was a able to piece together a simple tee with the left over bird silhouette fabric. With the scrap of faux leather, I attached a peter pan collar to give the shirt some flair. What started out has a disastrous project, although well inspired, turned out to be a fabulous save! 

Bare with me as I am also still trying to learn my new camera…or I should say my husband is. I coaxed him into coming to the park with me so he could take pictures. What can I say, he loves me 🙂

Linked to:
http://dcinstyle.com/guest-wedding-link/
http://watchoutforthewoestmans.blogspot.com/2013/09/watch-what-im-wearing.html
http://stylelixir.com/2013/08/fridays-fab-favorites-join-the-link-up-giveaway.html
http://www.thetraintocrazy.com/2013/09/make-it-wear-it-thursday.html
http://www.mixmatchfashion.com/2013/09/summer-style-linkup.html

DIY Silver Lamp

posted in crafts, diy, home, tutorial by Sara on

Now that we have a place of our own, I’ve been on a DIY decorating craze! Being in an unfamiliar territory, I’ve been anxious to create an environment that we can feel at home in. But, being a poor college student (yet again) I’m determined to do it on a budget as well.

While living at my parent’s house, I regularly read the HGTV and DIY magazines that my mom received in the mail each month. They were full of beautiful decorating ideas and budget-friendly tips. One trend that I noticed in several of the magazines was the use of silver accents in the home. When done right, I think metallic accents can look so modern and chic and can be a great way to add interest to any room.

Before the move, Collin and I pick up some old lamps at an estate sell for $5 a piece. I originally purchased them for mainly aesthetic purposes, but they have turned out to be very functional as our living room in our new apartment does not have any central overhead lighting.  While they have proved to be quite functional, there was no doubt that they needed a little face lift. Excited to experiment with silver accents, I decided to spray paint the lamps silver for a dramatic look.

I started by thoroughly wiping down and cleaning each lamp to prep them for being painted. After they were clean I made sure to covered the electrical parts of the lamps. Using some metalic silver spray paint I had leftover from another project, I gave each lamp base a couple coats of paint. To finish off the project, each got a new lamp shade purchased from IKEA for $10 a piece bringing the grand total to just $30! While I do love the outcome, I think I will transition to darker lamp shades in the future to contrast my white walls…unless I get brave enough to actually paint.

For more great ideas on how to incorporate silver accents into your home, check out some of the links below! I’d love to hear your ideas and opinions! I especially love the silver picture frames!

Wardrobe Basics: Clean Out

posted in Wardrobe Basics, women's fashion by Sara on

Have you ever found yourself rummaging through your closet full of clothes just to come to the sad conclusion that you have nothing to wear? I’ll be the first to admit that I have been guilty of this on more than one occasion. I especially found myself in this situation after having my baby. With my wardrobe being cheap and ill-fitting before I was pregnant, it only got worse after. My closet was full of clothes and yet there was nothing that made me feel great or even good. In fact if you asked my husband about it he’d tell you my closet was full of clothes I never wore…which is partially true. It was a wardrobe full of random pieces, none of which went together very well. I’m not saying you have to buy expensive clothes to have a great wardrobe, but I have learned that quality, fit and versatility are key when in come to getting the most bang for your buck.

After having my baby, I began to have a new lease on life. Having a daughter of my own made me rethink the way I viewed myself as a women, my body, and my confidence. I want my daughter to grow up a strong confident woman who knows her worth and her beauty regardless of what the world will tell her. To raise such a women, I knew I’d have to be one myself. While many people would argue that dress has, or should have, nothing to do with one’s confidence or self-esteem, I would argue otherwise. Being well groomed and wearing clothes that both fit and are modest shows that you respect yourself and your body. I’d also argue that it displays and even inhibits a level of outward and inner confidence in who you are and what you stand for.

While I am not by any means a fashion expert, I hope you’ll be able to take away some of the tips and lessons  I’ve learned through my own wardrobe building experience. So, over the next month I will be posting a 5 step series that will help you build a wardrobe you feel confident in and one where you’ll always have “something” to wear. Today lets talk about Step 1.

Step 1: Clean Out
Step 2: Make a List {Part 1, Part 2}
Step 3: Shop
Step 4: Mix and Match
Step 5: Accessorize

If you’re like me, the first step will be one of the hardest. You’d think I’d be more than happy and willing to throw away all those ill-fitted clothes, but there is always that little thought in my head saying, “once I lose a couple more pounds it will fit” or “I might wear it someday”. Trust me, you’ll never lose those couple of pounds and that someday will never come especially if you don’t have a good basic foundation to start with. It is crazy that we settle for wearing clothes that don’t fit, whether too small or too big, just because we don’t yet have the body we want.  Why not look and feel great in the body you have right now?

A good rule of thumb is that if you haven’t worn an article of clothing for over six months get rid of it. If it is worn or tattered with holes and stains, throw it away. In general, if something in your wardrobe don’t make you feel confident, comfortable, and beautiful every time you put it on then it too should go. Like I mentioned earlier, I often have a hard time purging my wardrobe so I tend to go through the clean out phase every couple of months. Sometimes when I repeat this step a month or two later I am able to come to the realization that I will never where a particular piece of clothing that I have been debating over.

Once you’ve gone through cleaning out your wardrobe, take a deep breath and don’t look back. You’re now on your way to a more workable, versatile, and polished wardrobe! Next week we move to Step 2 where I’ll discuss how to fill the gaps in your wardrobe.

Linked to:
http://www.simplyclarke.com/2013/08/wildcard-wednesday-23.html
http://www.adventuresofadiymom.com/2013/08/terrific-tuesday-78.html
http://www.muchadoaboutsomethin.blogspot.com/2013/08/tell-us-tuesday-4.html
http://www.livelaughrowe.com/fabulous-furniture-makeovers-live-laugh-linky-76/
http://www.reasonstoskipthehousework.com/the-weekly-creative-thursday-link-party-4/
http://www.serenitynowblog.com/2013/08/weekend-bloggy-reading-link-up_30.html

A New Beginning

posted in family, lifestyle, marriage, motherhood by Sara on

After hauling our little family and all of our belongings 1050 miles and then spending the next week cleaning, unpacking, and recovering from a nasty cold, I can finally say that we are beginning to settle into our new home. While I must admit that traveling 17 hours in a car with a 1 year old seemed daunting, Addie was a trooper through it all. As long as we kept the snacks flowing her way she was, for the most part, a happy camper. With that being said, since the move she seems to have developed a low tolerance for long car rides– can you blame her?

Having lived in Nevada and Utah up until now, Oregon is a complete change in scenery for me. It is so serene here with forests, vineyards, and fields as far as the eye can see. Not only is the area breath taking, but the people here are so welcoming and friendly. It definitely makes being far from home a little easier. Being in the heart of Oregon, there seems like an endless array of places to see and things to do. I can’t wait to see what this chapter in our lives will bring. While I am excited about life and for the opportunity to experience a new place and new surroundings, I’d be putting on a show if I didn’t admit that I am a little homesick and scared as well. It was not easy leaving my home, my family, and most everything I’ve ever known. Before beginning our journey, I stayed strong as I hugged my mom and family good-bye (we have been living with my parent’s for the past 6 months to save money for graduate school) but once I got in the car I cried like a baby.

That first night in our new apartment I laid close to my husband who cuddled our precious sleeping daughter in his arms. I normally don’t enjoy sleeping in the same bed as my baby but I was glad to have her close as I did not fully trust this new place or the people, not to mention the comfort I received from holding the two of the people I love most in life close. The next morning we began work on making this place our home. With each unpacked box I began to feel more comfortable and more at home. I even have room for all my sewing, fabrics, and crafting! Besides cleaning and unpacking, we did allow ourselves some time to roam around and explore a bit. We’ve only been in Oregon for less than 2 weeks and I can already feel myself falling in love with it.

Collin starts his Psy.D program next week and I couldn’t be any more proud and excited for him. Addie has been more smiley and playful then I have ever seen her, although she has learned the word “No” which seems to be her response to just about everything as of late. And due to the wonders of today’s technology we were able to video chat with both of our families and see their glorious faces even though they are hundreds of miles away from us. As for me I am grateful to be so blessed.

Guest Post: 5 Ways to Read Blogs and Still Come Away Feeling Confident

posted in lifestyle by Sara on

Here’s a hello from the road on our way to Oregon! Updates on our journey to come.

Today I’m excited to have my sister Hanna who blogs over at The Caldwell Couple share with us five ways to read blogs and still come away feeling confident. This is something I’m sure we’ve all found ourselves struggling with at one time or another in any social media we take part in. So read on and enjoy this great post!

I was talking to a close friend the other day and she mentioned how she read this article about why a woman stopped reading “mom” blogs. One reason I agreed with was that she thought reading all those blogs took time away from her family and left her constantly thinking about someone else’s family. Yes, too much of something can become a bad thing! However, one of her main reasons for ceasing to read blogs was because she felt she came away feeling less confident about herself and her role as a mother,wife, decorator, etc. I believe blogs are a great way for women to get inspiration and ideas on just about anything as well as have that social connection and support we don’t always get when we’re home with the kids all day and/or out working.
The point I’m trying to get at ladies and something that we all need reminding of from time to time is that we all have our strengths and weakness and there will always be someone out there who is skinnier, craftier, more productive or richer than us, but that doesn’t mean that we should feel any less about ourselves! So for my sake and who ever else’s out there here are 5 ways to still interact with other women and mothers, especially in the blog word and still come away feeling confident about ourselves and our situations!
1. Embrace other’s successes and strengths and learn from them. It’s so easy to look at someone else’s situation in life (especially those “picture” perfect blogs) and not get a little jealous or wish something like that could happen to us. What I’ve learned when I see something like that one a blog and feel myself starting to have “wishful” thinking, I just say “That’s great for them!” and then see how I can learn from that person’s success or strength to improve myself and situation if it’s that important to me.
2. It’s not all as it seems. Awhile back I did a post about struggling with always see blogs where everything looks perfect and not being able to relate to that. (You can read that post HERE if you missed it). When reading blogs we need to remember that there is a whole other side to that “picture perfect” post with things most people choose to leave out.  Ex. The fact that they just got dressed into something cute for a fashion post even though they’ve been wearing sweats all day, all the bumps that came up during a projects, or what they’re house really looks like on a daily basics rather than in that picture they took of their newly decorated room after spending the last hour cleaning it. Confession…I have totally done this last one. Remember THIS post of Mia’s bed reveal and that clean room? Well, this is what her room normally looks like and even worst most days when she decides to take all the clothes out of her drawers. But who wants to see pictures of that mess!
                        
3. Remember the damaging effects of comparing ourselves to others can affect the ones we love. When I start comparing myself to others I get whiny and grumpy and end up complaining a lot more. My bad mood always seems to reflect on my family and let’s me honest…I’m sure Eric doesn’t appreciate coming home from work to that, in fact I know he doesn’t. Instead why don’t we greet them with “Guess what I learned today or what inspired me from this blog today!?…Let’s try it!
4. Be you and stop trying to be something you’re not. For example…I always seem to be attracted to blogs where these women are super high energy and manage to get SO much done in a day and barely seem to sit down and take a breather. So I decide that I need to try and be more productive and I start packing my day with ton’s of different things I need and want to do. In the end I get burnt out and grumpy because truth is it’s just not me! I’m not a really high energy person and I love sitting down and doing absolutely nothing sometimes! It rejuvenates me and I end up getting more done that way believe it or not. I’ve definitely gotten some great ideas to help me be more productive or do things more efficiently, but I still try to remember the main things that work for me.

5. Know your strengths and be forgiving of your weaknesses. I’ll be honest just writing this post it was hard to sit here and think of my strengths and not all my weaknesses. Anything I would come up with for a strength of mine I would then start thinking about all the times I wasn’t so good in that strength or how someone was better at that strength than me. However, if we already know our strengths as we read blogs we can then use what we read to gain inspiration on how to improve our strengths. On the flip side, knowing the areas we would like work on we can also us blogs to help us improve our weaknesses to and also even find support from another blogger who maybe wrote about a similar weakness.
If these steps haven’t inspired you at all then let the following quote do so! I couldn’t have put it better myself!

I would love to hear any other advice or tips you’ve used to feel confident and stop comparing yourself to others! Happy blog reading!