red sweater with hood and pockets=smile

 a venezia thin red sweater for $4--oh, yeah!  with pockets and a hood, even better!  afraid it is my new favorite!  rockport leather shoes in the same shade are just so worth it when you are on your feet all day!  gray lane bryant pants and some floral accents top it all off!  the silver rose pin in the middle is from Grandma--yeah for vintage jewelry!  love my chicos earrings--match so many things!  

the thing i am most grateful for today is that we have paid off a credit card that has been "haunting" us for years!  i am proud of us (my spouse and I)  to have committed to change our consumer behavior over time.  we did not declare bankruptcy, we are establishing a positive credit history and learning to make do with the stuff we have.

have you experienced something like this before?  if feels fabulous freeing!

outfit 52--keyhole belt, gold shimmery sweater

this belt is leather with a stamp a stamp on the back that says "ring of fire--downtown los angeles"  when i google that phrase i get nowhere that would give me a clue to its origins....but i love the belt's uniqueness and that i got it for $3 at D.I.! 

these earrings were clearanced for $1 at Wal-Mart....not a place i try to shop all that often, but i really liked these and they ended up clinching this outfit of gold and gray for me.  not a color combination that i would normally put together, either! 

the sweater is shimmery metallic gold and  was $1 at Savers!  whoo hoo!  it has no tags in itso i can't even tell you who made this either. 

what i can tell you is 1) that DO go see the movie african cats:  oh, the photography is AMAZING!  i must hold me a baby lion before i die (even if it kills me--which might be an acceptable option:)

2) time and the atonement heal: last year at this time my husband's dad was diagnosed with terminal esophogeal cancer...it was the shortest/longest 11 weeks of our lives...although we both believe strongly in life after death it has been an extremely difficult year.  i am looking forward to June, just to have had the healing experience of TIME...

3) on a lighter note: do go get some chocolate peanut butter molten lava cake from chili's....it makes time worth it...maybe you go on date and see a movie and dessert afterwards? 

4)  this blog has been fun for me to have something to look forward to everyday and to find some really fun other fashion bloggers!

 

outfit 23--pastel purple wool coat

okay this is another awesome thrift store find: this wool jacket was a half-price tag sale at savers

so it was $3.50.  it is a liz claiborne lana and rabbit hair wool.  i love it! 

the scarf is a thrift store find, $1 , it is polyester blend, i usually prefer and only buy cotton.  

i made an exception because it is super soft and i love the colors. 

the day was warmish and very gray,

with a touch of wind

my sinus's say i need sleep today!

the t-shirt is old navy thrifted $5--nothing special price, but a 3/4 sleeve white scoop neck is always needed

accented with a crocheted flower from my friend

all together:  with cute gray flats from sam's club with purple polka dots and bows $10

a southern utah desert flower in the legume family,

in the purple color scheme

to remind me of yummy summer days ahead!

outfit 5--rit dye on mauve lace

love the dansko shoes, these are my reddish mary janes, love them

this lace overlay was $1 at the Monday color tag sale at Savers. However, it was mauve...not a good color....mauve is never a good color....so i took a dry packet of scarlet rit dye and dyed it!  it turned out AWESOME!  the ribbon, after seeing the pictures and wearing it once, might have to be replaced with a button or snap...it is still awfully mauve:(

the shirt underneath i bought oh so many years ago that i can't even remember how much they cost.  they are a downeast basic wonder tee.  spandex, comfortable and wonderful as a layering technique!  the pants are a lane bryant classic that i can't rave enough about and now i have worn gray two days in a row...

these are self-portraits while talking to my cousin--you do what you have to do because trav was at work!

i think i like to include a "what the heck face am i making here" shot to keep it real and humorous:)