I Stole a Dress From Another Blogger!

Wanna hear something exciting?!  In the midst of a conference call... ahem... I mean... after the conference call, while I was surfing through my google reader, I fell upon Erin's post at Living in Yellow.  Ladies - this girl is so funny and so pretty.  If you aren't blog friends with her yet, or you aren't occasionally stalking her through some form of social media - you are nuts.

Anyway - yesterday she posted a photo of her wearing this super cute dress!  

Not only did she tell us where we can find this cute dress... she posted a coupon code for her readers to go buy the same dress at a discount!  Let me tell you... I am not normally one to "copy" another person's outfits, identically.  But because of the slim chance that Erin and I will actually cross paths - I'm thinkin' it's okay.  (Plus - if we did cross paths, and it just happened to be the same day that we both woke up and decided to wear this dress, I am pretty sure it would be an incredible, non-embarrassing moment.)

So - what's a girl to do?  I searched for the dress at Kohls.com!  Duh!  Not only did Erin give her readers a coupon code but she showed us a dress that was TOTALLY ON SALE!  

$36.00 plus shipping?  Nope.  Not for this girl!  

This super cute steal dress was on sale for $17.99.  

Did the fun stop there?  Nope.  

Add the 10% off code you can get from her site, and the free shipping code I googled!  

I am just slashing this cost down like a crazy person!  Did it stop there?  Nope!  

This girl found a gift card in her old wallet!  It had $15.37 left on it!  

In the end - I got this dress for a whopping $1.63!!

Thank you so much for sharing this dress, the coupon and your loveliness with me Erin!  You rock!

Now let's just hope it fits and looks as cute on me as it does on her! 

Pinteresting 'Quotes and Funny Things'

It's Wednesday!  It's Wednesday!  It's the day where it's okay to talk about Pinterest to people who understand the addictive nature of this beast!  I am linking up with The Vintage Apple to bring you some of my faves from the week!

How about we go with a theme this week though... How does the theme of "quotes and funny things" sound to you?  (Yes, I could've given the theme a better name but life is stressing me out to much to be creative and witty right now!)

Anyway - here we go! 

This one reminded me of college when I would use AIM to talk to my mom... I still laugh about when I had to explain to her that "brb" meant 'be right back' not 'bathroom break' - she must've thought something was wrong with me with all those bathroom breaks I was taking! 

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How true is the following?  

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You know how much I love Zooey and her bangs!  And now I totally agree with her logic!  

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I miss vacation...

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My heart belongs to adventures and vacations...  so happy I finally found someone to drag along with me :) 

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And last but not least... can you tell I am still in white-sandy-beaches-vacation mode?

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If you're new to the pinteresting Wednesday link-up... you should definitely head to The Vintage Apple and today's post to surf around other pinterest addicts like myself!  Happy Wednesday!

White Sand, Clear Water - Adventuresome Tuesday

Well hello new fancy blogger format!!  Was I gone so long that blogger decided to mix things up on me?!  Crazy!  Before we get into the meat of today's post!  Are there any bloggers out there who are interested in swapping buttons for the month of May?  Email me! :)

I hate to be short with you all today - but I am slammed with work and life.  Lame right?  I know.  I would give all the money I have to be on a permanent vacation! Where there is no stress or responsibilities!  Or maybe I should look for a job where I could simply get paid to lay on a beach, swim in the ocean, drink fun drinks, never do chores, and play on pinterest all day long... if only... sigh...

So today!  Here's your "Adventuresome Tuesday" - Clearwater, Florida!  I don't know a lot about it other than the white sandy beaches and clear-ish waters!  We were staying in Orlando and it only took us 2 hours to get our butts to Clearwater and on the beach!  We wandered a bit, but mostly just enjoyed the water!  I hope you enjoy some of my pics from last week! xoxo

Beach Bum

Beach Bunny - Do you like my new shades?! 

No, that's not a buoy - that's my pale boyfriend!

It was a bit cloudy but still great! 

On the pier

Hot pink skirt, palm trees, sunshine, clear waters, and white sand!  Love love love! 

Have you ever been here?  I loved it.  After Clearwater we headed to St. Pete's Beach.  That was quite lovely as well.  :)  Oh man - I really think we should've done the beach for 3 days and disney for one!  See you tomorrow friends!

Boho Jewels. And the Fabulous Lesley.

It's Thursday.  That means it is my last day in Florida... Sigh.  It's good and bad.  Even though sleeping in a room that does not have a litter box in it has spoiled me, this girl cannot wait to get home to her furbabies!  

I hope you have all thoroughly enjoyed the week of guest posts!  I know I sure have!  (Along with the Florida sunshine!)  I love all these ladies.  BUT - I have a secret fave for you today!  I absolutely adore - wait - ADORE Lesley.  We started out simply commenting on each others' blogs, which lead becoming facebook friends, to long lengthy emails.  Pretty sure we will start texting one day and then meet in Capri, Italy for the first time and then we will become inseparable.  Done and done.     

Anyway - not only is she super pretty, but she is super stylish. She has a great sense of fashion.  She posts inspirational images and quotes.  Oh and she's got some insanely good makeup and beauty tips that, no joke, I think about almost every morning when I apply my bronzer.   Without further adieu - meet Lesley.

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Hey all!

I am Lesley and I blog over at My Lively Mind where I write about a crazy bunch of everything.  

Basically my blog features my navigation though this beautiful life and includes ideas for having fun, being healthy, loads of recipes, skincare, beauty, and hair, as well as things I create, my hubby & dogs.  I try to lead a happy life, so why not share it with you.

I would love for you to stop by and say hello!

Also, I am so happy that Susan asked me to guest post for her while she's enjoying the Sunshine State!

Lucky.

Oh, by the way, she is also the one who made my header - isn't it great?! 

I love it.

Another thing I love is jewelry. 

 I have seen some fabulous looking stuff out there but my checking account won't allow me to get it all.  That's ok, but I have decided that for a while {I don't know, maybe a year or two}, all the jewelry I purchase is going to come from individuals.  I love the idea of supporting people who create and craft their own pieces.  I'm tired of the little guy being run in the ground by all these super companies, so I try to avoid them at all costs.  Same with my jewelry now.

I'm trying to become a more self-reliant individual, and although it's been in baby steps, it's going to be worth it.

So without further adieu, here are some of my favorite finds, as of late.

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And wait a minute, whose shoppe does this come from you might ask?

go check it out!

 So these are just a few pieces that I have been drooling over on etsy.  May have to pick them up soon and add them to my non-existent summer wardrobe....for now (:

Thanks again, Susan!  I had fun. 

http://mylivelymind.blogspot.com

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Told you she's pretty cool.  She even gave ME a shout out on my own blog.  Talk about marketing!  I will pay you later for that one ;)  Go see her.  And tell her which of her jewelry finds you like the best.  I am a big fan of that awesome ring!  Love love loveee the teal colors!  

As you read this I am probably flying or sitting in an airport making my journey home.  OR - sitting in Hotlanta on a dinner date with a long lost best friend.... the one I rapped for at her wedding.  Yep.  That one.  Chat with you all when I am back in Virginia! xoxo 

Great Minds Vacation in Florida

A couple weeks ago I did my first guest post!  I was pretty intimidated because being a tiny blogger (you know, blog size... not my height.  5'7'' -  I think I'm pretty average right?!)  Anyway - I semi volunteered to be a guest blogger for the beautiful Janna through a comment on her blog.  Next thing I knew I was typing up a little diddy about myself and emailing it on to her.  Who knew she would be making up the favor for me now!  Craziest part?  We both went to vacay in The Sunshine State!  Great minds...  

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Hello my dears!

I'm Janna and I keep it real over at Perception Is Everything.

Miss Susan was a guest for me while I was in Florida, and now I'm getting to post for her while SHE is in Florida!  Please forgive us for bragging....

In honor of her trip I will share a few photos from my trip :)

You just gotta love beaches and fried food....

They go hand in hand for me!

If you'd like to see more, come visit me!

You will also find a lot about my puppy dog, my GI Joe husband, recipes, and life in general. Some people think I'm slightly funny and somewhat entertaining, so maybe you will too ;)

Thanks for having me over Susan!

I know that you are having a BLAST right now.

Live it up girl!

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Thanks so much Janna!  You rock!  I so totally appreciate you doing this for me!  Next time let's plan to vacation at the same time and maybe have a drink on the beach together... good idea?  Oh yeah - all you awesome readers are invited too!  

If you don't know Janna and her blog yet, you really should.  She is such a positive person!  Her blog is in my "must read daily" section of my google reader... so you know she must be seriously amazing.  

Adventuresome Guest Post: Krakow

Within the last month I "met" Gesci from English as a Second Language.  Ever since we have been emailing back and forth talking about our travels, pets, and the adorable sheep that live across the street from her.  (Yes, you need to click that link and see those cute sheepies!) 

And because she is so awesome - she decided to step it up and guest blog for me and my "Adventuresome Tuesday!"   To be quite frank - I had never even heard of Krakow... so that makes this post even more terrific.  Pack your bags, spin your desk chair in a circle, and keep your hands, arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times!  Because you are heading to Krakow with Gesci rightttt NOW!   Sorry - too many rides a Disney... :) 

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Hey, y'all!  I'm Gesci (pronounced Jessie),

and I'm here to hang out with you for Adventuresome Tuesday while Susan is deep in the wilds of Florida.

Susan and I are recent blog-buddies, but I think we've bonded between 

our household similarities- she's got 2 cats and Chloe, I've got 2 dogs and Mia;

our love for our Jeeps,

being East Coast Southerners (she's from VA, I'm from GA...)

yeah, so I'm reaching a bit here...

Ahem.  Back to Adventuresome Tuesday.

When Susan mentioned me doing a blog post on travel, I froze a little-
not because I don't have any stories, but because I've had so many opportunities recently!

My family (husband Paul, the furkids, and I) moved to England 2.5 years ago, 

and we've been taking every opportunity to travel Great Britain and Europe since. 

I'll focus on our Krakow trip, since it's not as common a destination as Venice, Athens, London, Ireland...

and we absolutely loved it.

Paul's sister, Caitlin, was studying abroad in England for the semester, and we offered to take her on a trip with us.  I began the search for an affordable destination that still offered a lot to do.

Krakow kept popping up- 

so I booked some Ryanair flights, a holiday apartment, and began looking into what the city offered.

Our number one priority was to see Auschwitz and Birkenau- the opportunity to see such powerful sites first-hand was not something we were willing to pass over.  I read several travel reviews and decided to book a private one day tour for the three of us, which ended up being a great decision.  We had our own guide, were able to go at our own pace (meaning I could take all the pictures I wanted without having to catch up to a group!), and we got to see a few buildings not included on the large group tours.  

This visit and experience will be with me the rest of my life, and spending an entire day there allowed me to absorb as much as I could about this tragic and world-altering part of modern history.

Both Poland and the city of Krakow itself do a tremendous job of holding onto their heritage and honoring their history- the museums we visited throughout the city showed detailed aspects of Krakow's past, both good and bad, allowing visitors to understand and learn from the many different periods in Polish history.  

While we did concentrate a good bit of our time on history, specifically the Holocaust, we made sure to take in Krakow's more fun and lively sites, as well!

Wawel Hill holds the Royal Palace, Wawel Cathedral, and other stately buildings- as well as housing the fearsome Wawel Dragon in a cave underneath!  

The Main Square of Krakow is home to the Cloth Hall and St. Mary's Basilica- and where one of Krakow's many legends is relived each day as a bugler's tune of alarm is abruptly ended mid-note.  This is in honor of the 13th century bugler shot in the throat as he alerted the city to a Mongol invasion.

Just outside of Krakow is Wieliczka Salt Mine.  The tour goes through several levels of the mine, all complete with salt sculptures made by miners as they worked. Yet another legend (the city's full of them!) is shown here, in the creation of the salt mine by St. Kinga.

Like most Eastern European cities, Krakow also offers a wide variety of architecture- Renaissance, Baroque, Gothic- you name it, you'll find it.

The food in Krakow is also incredible- I think we rated each meal as "delicious!"

Overall, this trip was perfect.  A great mix of things to do, great food, a safe and easy-to-navigate city- and, getting back to that all-important "affordable" part?  For three people, four nights, the total cost (we're talking EVERYTHING) was under $1200!

My blog, English as a Second Language, follows our adventures and life in England, so if you like travel, pets, and photography, head on over and say hi!!

Street performer, Krakow Main Square

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Mmmmk.  You awesome folks know the drill.  Click here.  Show Gesci some 2 cats & Chloe lovin' as you travel around the world with her!  Thanks girl so much for writing for me today!  I owe ya! xoxo 

Mad Crazy Thrifting Skillz

I am so happy to let the lovely Jenn from Passenger Seat Perspectives guest post for me today.  Right from the get go this girl and I decided that we must be blogging BFFs because not only are we both Virginia Bloggers, we both love things that sparkle.  Pretty simple right?  Anyway - she is a master at thrifting AND finding cute outfits (I on the other hand can thrift but I always look like I am heading to an 80s theme party... hm...)  So please please please read her tips, do some shopping, and head on over to her blog and show her some love!

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Hey guys! I'm Jenn from Passenger Seat Perspectives, and I'm super excited to be guest posting today! First I'll have to ask you to bear with me - I've got some pretty big shoes to fill trying to post on behalf of Susan - she's a fantastic blogger and is pretty much hilarious, as I'm sure you all are aware. She has become one of my blogging BFFs, so I do know how awesome she is and will try to make this post great for you, her loyal followers : )

Today I wanted to share with you some thrifting tips. I live in a smaller city, and let's just say Beverly Hills we are not. (We're not quite Beverly Hillbillies either, but it depends on who you ask.) I've always lived in bigger cities where fashion was a big deal, but now living here, I've had to adapt and try to find ways of keeping up with the trends, without having those unbelievably awesome stores like H&M or Forever 21 nearby. Also, I'm a newlywed and we just don't have it in the budget for expensive styles.

So thus, I have become a major Goodwill fan. Unfortunately, some of you think Goodwill and see scary pictures of Bill Cosby sweaters and puffy-sleeved prom dresses but you'd be surprised at what you can find. I often find better brands at my local Goodwill than I do at my local mall.

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Here are some of my tips for getting some awesome deals at the thrift store:

1. Have an idea of what you're looking for. Recently I've been seeing lots of trends I love, and even though thrift stores are generally masses of clothes in no particular order (except sometimes color), if you go in knowing what you're looking for, it'll stand out to you a little better. For example, I was so thrilled to find this gingham shirt! I was definitely looking for one, and it took a couple tries to find it, but find it I did!

(Both the chambray top and the pink pants are thrifted!)\

2. Be prepared to spend some time there. Don't think you'll be making a successful 15 minute trip to the thrift store. (Unless you're extremely lucky!) Take your time, be patient, go through the clothes on the rack one by one. Sometimes great things are just hiding between two hideous items.

3. Get crafty! Sometimes you can find a top with a great pattern or look, but it's a little too big or fits weird. You can still do something with it! I took this striped shirt and made it into a cardigan, and it took me about 15 minutes. I really loved the shirt, but hated how it looked on me. Now it's something I actually wear.

4. Try it on. You won't know how it really fits until you do. Some sizes, especially vintage ones, look fine on the hanger and then fit funny, or look a little weird on the hanger and turn out unexpectedly perfect! Don't give up on it because it's not your normal size number, either.

5. Lastly, go with friends. They make the time you spend there more fun, and they'll give you good feedback on what works and what doesn't. My friends also sometimes catch things I miss, or I'll take one aisle, they'll take another, and we'll find stuff for each other as well as ourselves. 

There you go! If you're a normal thrifter, I hope these tips help. If you're intimidated by the idea, I hope you're a little less frightened now : ) Now get out there and do some serious damage at your local thrift store!

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So what do ya think?  Did you learn something?  I can't wait to get home and put her tips to use!  Maybe I can now find more than clothes for Chloe at the thrift store now!  :)  

Head on over to Passenger Seat Perspectives and see what else Jenn has going on!  Oh!  And check out her etsy shop!  She sells some sweet photographs too!  

Happy Sunny-day!

Happy SUNNY-day friends!  I am going to make a handful of you hate me in about 5 seconds...  I just rolled into my hotel after spending 4.5 hours on a lakeside beach.  (The hotel's version of white sandy beaches here in landlocked Orlando.)

How about a photo-dump to catch you up on a few of my Florida adventures?  {Believe it or not, I did not bring my Nikon SLR with me on this trip.  My dad generously offered his point and shoot for me (because I have lost the charger for mine... whoops!)  Since I do not want to link his camera up with my company laptop - for now I will just show you pics taken with my iPhone.}

Here are a few sneak peeks at things we have done...

We ate Mickey Mouse Ice Cream.  At least twice... :) 

We drove to Florida's Gulf Coast for a day trip.  First we spent a few hours in Clearwater.  It was awesome!

Yep.  I enjoyed a Pina Colada while at the beach!  When on vacation right?! (This picture freaks me out because it looks like a picture of my sister - not me!)

From Clearwater, we decided to drive south for about 45 minutes.  We got to the end of the island and found ourselves at St. Pete's Beach.  I wish we had just started there.  There were many less people!

On Thursday night we went to dinner in a small town called Celebration, Florida.  (Brilliant marketing right?! I mean who wouldn't want to visit/live in a town called "Celebration?!"   It's always a party I suppose!)  While at dinner the waitress mentioned the Exotic Car Show that would be taking place on Saturday.  You know what that meant right?  My car lovin' boyfriend said it trumped the Magic Kingdom.  We compromised and went to the show in the morning and Magic Kingdom for the afternoon.

While he was excited about fancy shmansy cars like this... 

I was incredibly thrilled to get a picture with the REAL LIFE Mutt Cutts Van from my favorite movie Dumb and Dumber!  "They're driving an 84... Sheepdog."  OMG I was so giddy over this!

Then we conquered The Magic Kingdom, the rainy clouds, and the millions and trillions of strollers.  Need a good form of birth control?  Spend some time in "Fantasyland" in front of "It's a Small World" and just take it all in.  Crazy.  

We checked into our new hotel, Hyatt Regency.  This is where my company will be having all of our meetings.  I was not really thrilled about this...  Check out the view from our balcony that won't open!  They should warn people before they pay $200 a night and can't completely enjoy their room... lame.

Michael left this morning.  And I just got a phone call saying that he is back home in Virginia, safe and sound. As much as I missed him today, I found ways to enjoy my time alone before the meetings start in a bit.  I plopped myself on the lakeside beach, only to find this sign.  A sign like this just doesn't help make a beach very relaxing.  

Not sure if it was the alligator sign or what - but I spent the entire afternoon by myself here!  Since there weren't many people, I kept one eye on my book and the other on the lake.  Apparently, alligators terrify me. I just need a little bit of peanut butter to keep 'em away, right Jess?

Need a good drink and a good read?  I highly recommend this (extremely overpriced) Pina Colada with extra booze floating on top.  And the book Little Princes.  I am half way through it and I love it.  It's about a young guy, working in Nepal to help children stuck in the midst of child trafficking.  Makes me wanna pack my bags and go do something incredible with my life.

Cheers y'all!  It's time for me to get showered up and put my business game face on!  Tonight the meetings start - and run through Thursday.  Get excited for a few guest posts this week.  I am almost as excited to share them with you as I was to touch the Mutt Cutt's Van!  xoxo