Tag!

Happy Friday my dears!

Check out the new links to my Pinterest and the Sundresses and Smiles Facebook page on my sidebar!

I'm proud to say that this week I've filled out a few applications to substitute teach at local private schools and have also worked on some of the tasks in my Task Jar--success!  On top of all that, I've enjoyed some lovely time with friends and family during the week!

For today's post I thought I'd participate in the recent "Tagging" that has been going on here in the blogworld.  It's been a while since I've posted some random tidbits about myself and participated in these and after being tagged by 4 other bloggers, I figured I should participate.  I'll share the rules, but admit I'm going to tweak them a little bit for myself!

Rules

1. You must post the rules
2. Post 11 fun facts about yourself (being that I have 44 questions to answer, I'm going to skip this rule)
3. Answer the 11 questions the blogger tagged you in and create 11 new questions for the people you tag (I'm feeling a little uncreative, and because I have a fabulous list of questions created by these other bloggers, I'm going to say that those of you tagged can choose 11 questions from the list of 44 questions I've answered)
4. Tag 11 people and link them to your post

So here goes, prepare for a VERY LONG post and to hopefully learn a lot of new things about moi!

Bless Your Heart's Questions:

1. What is your favorite nail polish color?

Hmmm, this is a tough one--I used to always stick to shades of pink and red, but over the summer began to be a little more adventurous (see this post).  Now my list includes pinks, red, purples, and grays.  Lately I've been loving Essie's Bahama Mama.

2. Best book you've ever read?

As I've mentioned before on this blog, it is very hard for me to pick favorites--I tend to like a lot of things for a lot of different reasons.  One of my all-time favorites that is a must have read for any and all women is Firefly Lane  by Kristin Hannah.  It's a beautiful story about the power of women's friendship--to read my review of it, click here!

3. If you could stop time for 1 hour, what would you do?

Hmmm, this is tough--I'd probably say read.  Reading is one of my absolute favorite things to do and can be such a relaxing escape.

4. Silver or gold?

I used to be a silver girl and still love it, but now I tend to go for gold more often than not, especially with a lot of my fun jewelry!

5. Your favorite thing in your closet?

Again--favorites are tough!  One of my favorites that is a go-to in the spring and summer is a silk Banana Republic tunic I've had for 3 or 4 years now.  It is just so me  in every way and is something I find myself wearing over and over again!

The tunic on a very fun girls night, Summer 2008!

6. What's your favorite song?

These favorites are getting me!  I'm a tried and true country girl, so that's what I listen to most of the time.  My favorite song lately has been "Baggage Claim" by Miranda Lambert.

7. Last concert you went to?

Trey Anastasio in Charlottesville with Bryce.  If you've never heard of him, don't feel bad--I hadn't either!  He used to be in Phish and Bryce is a huge Phish fan; the music definitely was different than what I normally listen to, but it proved to be a very fun night complete with lots of Glow Sticks and dancing!

8. Do you have a case on your phone? If so, what does it look like?

I have not jumped on the smart phone bandwagon and therefore don't have a phone case.  I'm hoping that my next phone will be an iPhone though and I will most definitely have a super cute case for it!

9. Favorite make-up item?

Eyeliner--I rarely leave the house without it and it definitely is what makes my look.  I love Estee Lauder's "Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil" and have been using it for years.

10. Is there a show you stop everything to watch?

Grey's Anatomy--however if there's something fun going on at 9 pm on a Thursday, I'll watch it On Demand later, hehe!

Original Cast

11. If you could insert yourself into any movie, which would it be?

Steel Magnolias--it's an absolute favorite of mine and I would love to be part of such a tight-knit community of Southern women.

And now onto Kelly's questions from Classy in Carolina:

1. What is your favorite accessory to shop for?  Jewelry, shoes, purses, or other?

Most definitely jewelry!  I used to rarely shop for jewelry, but in the last year or so, I've gotten really into statement pieces, especially bangle bracelets and big, bold necklaces!

2. What is one city (other than the one that you currently live in) where you would love to live?

Charleston, SC--I've never been but know I would absolutely love it.  It combines my love of beautiful homes, the ocean, shopping, and the South!  To see a guest post of the Top Ten things to do in Charleston click here!

3. What is your all-time favorite book?

I mentioned Firefly Lane in the last set of answers, so now I'll share a few of my other favorites: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, Love You Forever by Robert Munsch, American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld, Charlotte's Web by E.B. White and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

4. If you could have an unlimited supply of ONE brand of clothes (as in EVERY item that you wanted from that brand magically appeared in your closet), which brand would you choose?

I'd have to say Tibi--I absolutely love Tibi clothes, but they tend to be out of my price range, so I'd definitely love some magic spell to add some gorgeous Tibi duds to my closet!

This little number would be perfect for the Fundraising Ball Bryce and I have coming up!

Aquarius Beading Sleeveless Dress: $990

5. Most days, do you dress for comfort or style?

I'd say both--I tend to be pretty comfortable in most of my clothes, even the more stylish ones.  

6. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

Hmmm...probably pasta.  Macaroni and cheese and buttered noodles are among my favorite foods!  For a Mac-N-Cheese recipe I shared, click here!

Delicious Southern Living Baked Mac-N-Cheese

7. What is your favorite season, and why?

Fall--I absolutely love fall:  the cool, crisp air; beautiful leaves; Halloween; riding boots; and my birthday all make it my favorite season!

Pumpkin Patching with Bryce this Fall

8. What is your least favorite chore?

DUSTING, hands down!  I hate it--you have to move everything in order to dust and then rearrange it and within days it seems as if the dust is already back!

9. What is your favorite color to wear?

Pink--when you open my closet, pink stands out the most!  While going through clothes recently, I noticed that I have 5 different pink cardigans and sometimes I even actively have to try and not buy pink if something I want is offered in multiple colors.  

10. Do you like to try new things often, or prefer to stick with what you know and love?

I'd say I'm a mix of both.  Day to day I tend to stick with things I know and love, but I often also crave new things and like to have random bursts of spontaneity!

11.  What is one of your happiest memories?

This is really tough--I'd say some of my happiest memories are going out on the Chesapeake Bay with my family as a little girl.  Nearly every weekend in the summers we'd head to the Bay and take the boat out, fish for sand shark, explore the lighthouses in the area, and swim.  To this day, boating is my favorite thing to do, and I think that is largely due to these fond memories.

Still reading?  You're halfway there!!

Now for Simple Girl, Simple Pleasures Amanda's questions:

1. What is your middle name or initial?

Bennett--I'm named after my mother's godmother!

2. Where do you want to be in your life when you're 60?

Hmmm..this is tough.  I most definitely want to be married and settled here in Richmond.  Hopefully, by then I'll have 3 grown children--maybe some of them will be married and I might even be a grandma!

3. If you could only have one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Gelati Celesti Cookie Dough Ice Cream--BEST Ice Cream ever (it's a mix between gelato and traditional ice cream).

Picture of Cutie B at Gelati Celesti 3 summers ago!

4. What do you love most about blogging?

The friendships you make, for sure!  I never would have expected to make such close relationships with other bloggers when I started this venture, but I certainly am glad I have.  I always know that in the blog world, I have a great group of people that will make me laugh, share new and interesting things with me, and also support me.

5. Flats or heels?

Flats for sure!  I'm only 5'3 but I can't stand the pain of heels and probably only wear them 3 or 4 times a year!  

6. Are you superstitious?

Not really...I will "knock on wood" occasionally, but am not afraid to open an umbrella inside, ha!

7. Would you rather work at an office or at home?

Office for sure--I know at home, I would have a hard time staying on task and I also want to associate home with relaxation and family, not work.

8.  What's your lucky number?

I don't really have one--if I had to pick I guess I'd say 28, since November 28th is my birthday.

9. Do you tweet?  If not, why?

No--I know it seems funny, considering I have a blog, but I try not to be "too connected."  Facebook, email, and blogging are enough for me! 

10. Do you remember your dreams at night?

Yes and lately I have been having the most vivid, strange dreams!

11. Are you a momma's girl or daddy's girl?

Definitely Daddy's Girl--ever since I was little my dad has called me "his shadow" and we share a really special bond.  I'm also very close with my mom too, though, and consider her one of my best friends.

DRUMROLL PLEASE....you've made it to the last list of questions!  Don't you feel like you know so much more about me? Hehe!

And now for Hannah's questions from The Pink and Green Prep:

1. Who is your celebrity crush?

Matthew McConaughey for sure.  I think I first fell in love with him when seeing The Wedding Planner in sixth grade!

THOSE EYES! THAT SMILE!

2. What is your favorite piece of jewelry that you own?

This is a tough one.  I have lots of pieces of jewelry that are special to me for different reasons.  I'd say among of the most special though are my two charm bracelets (see post here).

my two charm bracelets!

3. What are your pet peeves?

I have lots, but the biggest is probably general rudeness--things like people pulling into a parking spaces that you've patiently been waiting for with your blinker on, snide remarks, and people that feel the need to always compete or one-up others.

4. What is your favorite article of clothing?

I mentioned my tunic in the first round of questions, but other go-to's include:  skinny jeans with boots, cardigans, and flowy, feminine blouses.

5. What was the last movie you watched?

Wednesday night I had a girls' night with some friends--we watched The Help and drank wine!  I loved the book and have now seen the movie 4 or 5 times and love it more and more each time!

6. Who is your favorite book character?

If you've read this far, you know I have trouble with favorites--one that springs to mind, though is Charlotte from Charlotte's Web...even though I HATE spiders!

7. What is your favorite holiday?

Tie between Halloween and Christmas

Favorite Halloween Costume--Pink Power Ranger!

8. What is your biggest fear?

I'm not really sure.  I do often worry about whether or not I'll be able to have kids.  My mom miscarried a few times before having me and I fear facing a similar fate.

9. Where is your favorite place to shop?

Probably Nordstrom--their customer service is superb and I love that I can find cute clothes, shoes, lingerie, jewelry, handbags, and make-up all in one place!  

10. What is your favorite city?

Richmond, Virginia!  I have lived here my whole life and love everything about it (except maybe the humidity in the summer)!

11. What are your Top 5 favorite TV shows?

Grey's Anatomy, The Bachelor(ette), Criminal Minds, Friends, and Full House

I've probably seen every episode!

Wowee!!  That was a lot of questions!  

Now I tag:

A Sweet, Simple Southern Life

A. Liz Adventures

Classic Annie

Fried Green Pickles

Life in the Sweet Virginia Breeze

Life of Emily

Lulu and Daisy

Simply Southern, Sweet, Classy, and Sassy

Southern Curls and Pearls

Spark

Summer Wind

Because I'm lazy I'm not coming up with my own questions--y'all can pick your 11 favorites from the 44 I answered!  If I didn't tag you and you want to participate, feel free!  Let me know when you've posted your answers and I'd love to come read them!

What do y'all think?  Were you surprised by any of my answers? Do we have anything in common?

Oh and don't forget to check out the new Pinterest and Facebook links at the top of my sidebar!

Have a great weekend!

Task Jar

Happy Monday readers!

As I've been reflecting on the blog and considering future posts, I realized it has been quite a while since I've updated y'all on my life.  Sure I post my day-to-day activities, but I haven't filled you in on some of the 'big' things that have been going on.

As you know I finished my student teaching in December and have now completed my Bachelors of Science in Psychology and my Masters of Teaching in Elementary Education.  Rather than trying to find a full-time teaching job immediately I decided that I would give myself a little time to relax and also get to know the schools in the area through substitute teaching.  Additionally, as I mentioned in this post, I was accepted into Teach for America in Memphis.  It was a big decision for me and I ultimately declined the offer.  I think TFA does really great things, however, I was hearing a lot of mixed messages from people I know currently in the program and because I am so happy with things the way they are now, I decided staying at home and pursuing a job here was the right path for me.

My plan was to give myself a break through the holidays and start subbing in the New Year...well I'm waiting for paperwork to process so that I can attend training, etc and have not yet started subbing as much as I would like.  I've had A LOT of down time, and am honestly getting a little stir crazy and ready to get back to work.

I've been trying to think of what projects or things I could do to fill my time constructively while I'm in this limbo phase and a big one has been to get organized.  I tend to be a neat freak (maybe even a tad OCD) but since moving home and being so busy with student teaching, Bryce, and friends, my room has taken the back burner.  It is a mess!  It also could use some serious TLC--not only do I have things crammed in it from my childhood but also things I accumulated during four years of college.  I really want to tackle my room face on, but when there's so much to do, the task can be a bit daunting and it's hard to know where to start...so now I bring you the idea of a TASK JAR!  I actually got the idea from Bryce's stepmom (they're planning on implementing one to make changes in their house).  The concept is simple--you fill a jar with "tasks" that you want to get done.  Her idea was that you pull a task out of the jar on Sunday.  You then have Monday-Friday to get any and all materials necessary for the task and make a plan.  Then during the weekend, Friday-Sunday you get the task done.  Most of the things in my room do not require a lot of time and planning ahead, so I'm stealing her idea but tweaking it for me.  When I have some down time to get in my room I'll simply pull out a task and plunge into it.

I cut up pink and green notecards to write down my tasks and placed them in a cute bowl I painted a few years ago:

My Task Jar

The tasks inside include:

• Books (I have tons of books in my closet that I just need to clean out)
• Shoes (I need to go through decide which shoes to keep, which to repair, and which to get rid of)
• Teaching Books (the teacher at my school was nice enough to donate a ton of her old teaching books to me, I now need to go through them and decide which I'd like to keep)
• Jewelry (you guessed it--what do I want to keep and get rid of?)
• Desk (the drawer in my desk is basically a junk drawer--time to clean out!)
• Under-the-Bed Storage (I have tee shirts, etc stored in drawers under the bed and let's face it, how many sorority tees do I really need now?)
• Games (I store a ton of board games, etc in my closet and need to clean out)
• Beauty Things (I can't tell you how many creams, etc I have that I just will never use)
• Headbands and Hair Accessories (ditto the last bullet)

And last, but finally not least:

• BLOG SALE!  I have some really great clothes (some even with tags still on them) that I am planning to get rid of, so I'm in the process of trying to organize it all into a blog sale!

What do y'all think?  Would you ever create a task jar?  I also love the idea of it being expanded to other things, maybe weekend activities you want to do with your family (bowling, movie night, cook dinner together, etc), for example.

What do you think?  How do you get started when you have a lot to accomplish?

Have a great day!

Shops at 5807

Happy Friday chickadees!  Any fun weekend plans?  I have some plans with friends and family, but overall it should be a low-key, relaxing weekend!

Wowee, can you believe I'm posting TWICE in one week?  Funny to think I used to post 5 days a week up until the last few months!

Today I'm going to share a recent trip to one of my FAVORITE Richmond shops.  One of my best friends, CEG, is spending a few months in Richmond before leaving to teach in Korea for a year and she asked if we could spend a day going around to a lot of the cute Richmond shops that I like.  We spent the day Monday perusing a few of my favorites and our first stop was The Shops at 5807.

Located at 5807 Patterson Avenue, the shop has a charming, eclectic storefront:

I just love the flowers adorning the brick!

The large space brings together more than 20 individually owned boutiques under one roof.  You walk in and are surrounded by many different little shops all with their own unique personality.  This mix of merchandise and style makes it the best place to find gifts.

When you first enter the store you are greeted by Van der Wolks, one of my personal favorites inside.  They sell unique home accessories and other small trinkets.

They always carry these Roberta Roller Rabbit kurtas in a variety of prints and sizes!

Candles, Ice Boxes, Picture Frames, and More!

Y'all know about my love affair with bamboo and I bought my bamboo wine rack from this very spot (see post here)!

Another favorite that has been in the shop since it first opened is Wee Whimsey Three that features darling gifts and accessories for babies and kids.

Just looking at this picture filled with bright colors brings a smile to my face!

I adore this precious frog backpack!

Such cute displays!

One of the boutiques (not sure which one) in the store carries the most fabulous silver dishes and accessories!

I'll take one of...EVERYTHING, please and thanks!

I also loved all these funny and inspiring signs in another section of the store!

CEG and I got a huge kick out of these shotgun shell dip mixes!  Inside is a mix of spices with directions to mix and create delicious dips for crackers and chips in the Man-o-Man section!  Bryce would LOVE these!

As we made our way around the store, the last section we checked out was another of my favorites:  Gather.

 

I could achieve some serious R&R in these snuggly pajamas!

You know you're in good company when you see the True Prep book!

I always lust after these gorgeous and fragrant soaps when I'm in the shop!

Our last stop in the store was a quick swing on this Sleep-N-Swing!  You can order these custom swings and I definitely want one in my future dream home, hehe!

Wouldn't you want one of these?

I hope you enjoyed this peek into 5807!  Pictures and my overview couldn't even do the shop justice--it is simply fabulous!  If you are ever in Richmond, this is a sure spot to stop!

Have a great weekend!

eShakti Product Review

Happy Hump Day readers!!

I sure hope your week's are off to a good start.  Mine has been good so far, with the exception of my allergies acting up due to this wacky Virginia weather that can't seem to make up its mind.

Today I wanted to share a new clothing website with you.  A few weeks ago, I was contacted by eShakti, an online women's clothing store that allows for customization without high cost.  They have been recently featured in Glamour magazine for their wallet-friendly customization (see article here).

When perusing their site I found that you could find cute dresses, tops, skirts, and sweaters all available in standard sizes as well as custom sizes.  The ladies at eShakti were nice enough to offer me any piece I wanted from their website in exchange for a product review on the blog.

When offered this, I was quite excited about customizing a garment just for me and had fun searching for just the right thing.   Since I was getting the piece free of charge, I figured I could go out of the box a bit and order something a little different than I would usually buy.  Thus, I chose the Gossamer Grass Cardi.  Cardigans are a staple in my wardrobe, but I liked the funky print of this one and it reminded me of something you'd see in Anthropologie for a much higher price.

I chose the custom fit and the website provided specific instructions for making all the necessary measurements.  They also offered custom style changes, such as sleeve type, neckline, and length, however I chose to not make any changes to the style.

My cardigan arrived within a week and I have worn it a few times since it's arrival.  The color is definitely gorgeous.

I paired it with a black leotard and skinny jeans with a gold belt and silver and gold metallic ballet flats.

Standing View

My only complaint about the cardigan would be that it is much bigger/looser than I was expecting.  Not only did it fit me, but also my much taller and less-petite cousin as well as my mom.  This could however be due to the fact that I made an error in measuring or that it's just the style of the sweater.

baggy sleeves

All in all, my experience with eShakti was a good one, and because of their great prices I would be likely to give the customization another shot and order from them in the future.  Here are two pieces I have my eye on:

Cotton Poplin Wrap Dress

 Field of Poppies Blouse

Have you ever bought anything custom fit?  What do you think of eShakti?

Have a great Wednesday!

Ringing in the New Year!

Happy Tuesday readers!

How were your New Years?

Mine was so much fun--two of Bryce's hunting buddies that he's grown up with have an annual New Year's party at their family's home on the James River in Charles City, Virginia.

We arrived Saturday afternoon and started our day with some shooting on the dock!

Ear Protection is always key!

absolutely gorgeous!

Bryce ready for action!

I'm a horrible shot, but I think it is so fun!

I love these I captured from a floating dock below--the lighting makes a really cool silhouette, don'tcha think?

I love this picture!

After shooting lots of rounds, the group headed up to the house to begin preparations for dinner! 

The sunset was gorgeous and so, of course, I snapped some more pictures as we all got ready and munched on appetizers.

It was a feast--we had venison and duck that all the guys had hunted as well as bacon-wrapped dates, smoked salmon, wild rice, mashed potatoes, and kale salad.  The table was also set gorgeously!

Once the meal was ready, the rule for seating was that everyone had to sit boy-girl, boy-girl and could not sit next to their significant other (the group was mostly couples).  I really liked this rule, because it allowed for me to get to know some of the different people in the group.  Bryce snapped some pics from his end of the table!

aerial view of the table

After dinner we enjoyed a plethora of desserts and some Catch Phrase!  A s'more station was also set-up by the fire!

We danced in the New Year and had a group-wide countdown!

Shortly after the stroke of midnight, we snapped this picture!

I originally was going to wear a sequined cocktail dress, but because I wasn't sure how formal the occasion was, I went with this dress that could be dressed up or down and was happy with my choice!

We ended the night with some fireworks and sparklers!

It was a fabulous New Year's, but I'm also realizing my nights of partying into the early morning hours are coming to an end--I think Bryce and I went to bed sometime around 1 am!

How was New Year's?  What did you do to celebrate?