Someone Like You (cover)

Just realized while reading the comments I didn't show you how the dress (worn as a shirt) fell in the front. In every picture I posted yesterday I was pulling the fabric away. See yesterday's post for details!









I really suck at in-action walking pictures. This is why they are out takes! 

Here it is! Video for you. I wish I had saved it for tomorrow so I could have called this Music Monday... but I already leaked that I was going to post today and I'm really excited. The music posts have been slow coming, but they are really what made me most excited to start the blog.

PLEASE WATCH! CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM WELCOME!
Please let me know if there is a particular song you'd like to hear!
I love a good challenge.







Thank you for watching! I have a nice line up of posts for the next few days as I'm planning to do nothing else except...

GOAL: read, reply and do some commenting; spend good quality time with the family before work starts on Tuesday.

I'm off to enjoy the day; you should too! Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday!

xo,
Courtney

in the 1/3 stretch

I'm a third of the way done my 30 days of outfit posts with the same thirty items. It is starting to make me hate some of my clothes. Others, I love.










Outfit details:
F21 dress, F21 jewelry, Garage white jeggings, Spring shoes.


I went to the house I grew up in today. It was the biggest disappointment I've had in a while. The entire place is overgrown and ratty. Here used to be my playhouse.





This used to be the concrete block my Dad put down, where he let us mash our hands into it, and the end result was beautiful. My dad's, my brother's and my hand were all next to each other on the bottom of the patio. It's either worn by time or they removed it. The people living there refused to let us take it when we moved. We even offered to replace it for them for nothing. We wanted it because my Dad passed away ten+ years ago. Now I can't even get a picture of it.


I have a surprise for you guys. Music post tomorrow. I'm excited. Singing Someone Like You--it won the poll :)

See you then!
xo,
Courtney

chunky metal

On with my 30 for 30 folks. This was the outfit of the day. A little metal edge to my floral dress (worn as a skirt) and a comfy basic scoop back tank. Embarrassingly enough, everything worn here is from Forever 21... sans bandeau (Urban Planet). I clearly need to shop somewhere else. Or at least, pick a variety of things next time I choose 30 items. I am really excited for Fall's remix. I can't wait to do the challenge with other bloggers. Though I know I have some really great followers now to my journey, I think it will be encouraging doing it at the same time with other bloggers. Motivating. Challenging. I loved wearing this maxi dress as a skirt, something I would never normally think of doing before blog reading and becoming totally inspired to try new things. Oh, and the countdown to my shopping trip is on... less than two months... I am ready to jump over the moon I am that excited.

Today if you were following me on Twitter you would have read that I spent the day with Jeff's family, seeing Mel off. It's her last day on the rock and tomorrow she will be heading back to school. We won't see her any more until April. That's a hell of a long time to be away from family. I come from a big warm loving family and I find it hard to imagine being away from them. I feel so blessed and lucky. I really loved spending time with Jeff's family, and having them cook for us (always a bonus)... We had fresh lobster. And spanish rice. And sushi. All delicious. Afterwards, I spent a lovely evening drinking wine and eating nachos with my dear friend Hilary who is home from Ottawa. Lots of calories today ;) More of me to love. I am not going to erase saying that, but I don't count calories and I never will and I am totally okay with treating myself once in a while, especially while living a healthy lifestyle. It's okay with me to enjoy the simple joys of life... like a huge plate of nachos. They are my weakness!




Once again, thank you everyone for the comments! It's so late tonight that I can't possibly start responding to comments, but that is on the to do list tomorrow, along with taking some more pictures. I'm really excited for Monday. I have a shoot (with the amazingly talented couple Alyssa and Alan)! *excited* I'm really nervous. (I'm starting to become attached to my tripod.)

xo,
Courtney

fringe

Taking the girlie to the dentist today! Can't believe she's that big already. It may be a nightmare. I'll let you know how it goes!











Outfit details:
Shoes - Spring
Clutch - Garage sale
Everything else - Forever 21


I am undecided as to whether I like this skirt. It's pretty short. I wish it was just above the knee... because I love the color. I'm gravitating towards more modest or bohemian style skirts lately. I think this outfit is cute but I normally don't like wearing things that I have to constantly worry about: there's nothing worse than being in public constantly hauling down your skirt. The devil of online shopping is you don't really know how it's going to look on you until you get it. But it's in the challenge because I wasn't wearing it. I have some more ideas yet, but if they don't work, it'll be in the giveaway pile.

Gotta run!
Have a great Friday everyone!
I really appreciate all your comments the past few days: I'll write back to every one. Thank you so much.

Courtney

slipping into fall

Today I braved it and set the tripod up outside with my Nikon. I was able to fiddle with it since the baby was gone for a few hours on a week day (this also means we are able to do something this weekend with her, which makes me really excited). I wasn't alone: there were people gawking across the street for a while, and I got caught by my sister in law-ish (it's complicated!) who played a cameo in today's post!

It was so nice out but when Baby came home we didn't get to go outside. I'm usually so good with taking her out when it's nice. I feel guilty. I cooked a big supper and it takes me about an hour and a half to get supper on the table so we didn't really have time. You know, speaking of all this, I'm going to take her out for a half hour before she goes to bed! I'm sure you understand!

Here's the 30x30 outfit I wore today; it was super windy! So strong it was blowing my necklace around! Ps. I was thinking of Kileen's color brigade when I got dressed today ;)

Outfit details:
Jean Jacket - Urban Plant
Chiffon Dress - Forever 21
Belt - Charlotte Russe
Shoes - Spring
Edgy Cable Chain bracelet, necklace - Forever 21

Happy Tuesday everyone!
Courtney

walk the talk

Guys, I have a confession to make. When I was getting dressed, I knew I had to wear this dress today because it was warm and I need to cross it off my 30x30... except I got on this red kick and forgot to wear my nude shoes. This means... it's technically not a 30x30 outfit, but I'm going to include it anyway and bend the "rules" a bit. I'm just glad I'm halfway there. I might even be done before Kendi starts her next challenge.












Outfit details:
(wrinkly) Walk the Talk red dress - LuLu*s (I spent all day in it to learn it wrinkles easily and I'm petrified to iron this; it gives no instructions on the tag?)
Leather belt - Garage sale
Shoes, chunky gold chain bracelet, red bangle - Forever 21
Elephant locket necklace - Smart Set
Earrings - Charlotte Russe
Hair - still rocking yesterday's do


Today was spent with family. There's nothing more I cherish than days spent with the ones I love. I spent time with my mother and father, went out to lunch with Jeff's mother and sister, and Jeff's dad brought me down supper. Spoiled, aren't I? I watched my daughter run around her Poppy's garden, following the fence with her hands, curious and independent (two wonderful words), swing on swings and enjoy huge belly laughs that make my heart melt. There's no greater love in the world than the love you have for your own. It's really different than anything you've ever felt prior to having children. Before her, I was completely content sitting by the ocean, coffee in hand, enjoying the solitude, lost in my thoughts. I'm a different person now; my idea of home and feeling complete is the feeling I have when I'm lying next to her. She curls up in a sweet little ball, draped over my waist, snoring like an ogre, smelling like lavender, and I doze off myself just because of how at home I feel. I love my man too. He ties everything together, makes me feel strong. I am my family. I have some friends who would kill me for saying that because of how dependent it sounds... but love really does that to you. I haven't lost myself. If anything, I have to say I'm more myself than I've ever been.

hope everyone had a happy relaxing Sunday,
Courtney

back to the basics

Maegan and I went thrifting today and found some pretty sweet finds. I'll show you in a post tomorrow (pretty excited about it actually) and you will proud. We had an awesome time. Pizza for lunch; the man with the awesome Bulgarian accent gave us free dipping sauce. Can't say no to that. Found a garage sale on the way home... Can't say no to that either.  I got the best stuff (thank you Maegan, IOU). You'll have to wait on those. Can't give too much away. I found some DIY projects.

Oh, and a sewing machine for 20$. I have no idea how to sew. I learned in 9th grade but that has been forgotten. Online tutorials? Anyone want to share their knowledge? I'm pretty crafty so I'm thinking it should be fun to learn.

This 30x30 is HARD! How does Kendi do it? How has she done it so many times! I'm not even doing it for 30 consecutive days... Every time I go to the 30 items, I look around me and find something else in my closet that I love and want to wear. That tells me... the challenge is great. Just hard.

Outfit detials:
Shirt - Smart Set
Shorts - Queen's Wardrobe
Shoes - Spring
Bracelet, Feather Earring - Forever 21

Photo cred - Maegan (thank you)

Just to show you that I do have a daughter and that I'm not pretending to be a Mom in my spare time :) I simply don't feel comfortable sharing her pictures and hope you understand.

Results: This is how my hair turned out after yesterday's french ponytail do. I straightened my bangs a little, but you don't have to do that. Your hair shouldn't be frizzy if you add Moroccan Oil or Small Talk to your ends before you attempt it (I tried to smooth it with hairspray this morning; these pictures were taken after our long day of thrifting so it held up okay). I forgot the products yesterday (rushing, tired) but doing this to achieve a wave is a great alternative to a braid if you don't know how to do them. I also find sometimes braids get smaller and frizzy on the bottom, so if you want something even and more natural-kinky, here ya go! Also, I'm no hair stylist; I know how to achieve looks in the laziest way possible. Best thing ever: Shower, throw in a few ponytails, sleep, wake up, la la la, hair is done.

What do you do with your hair when you're just having a lazy day?

Until tomorrow,
Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!
xo,
Courtney

Neutrals and pink flowers

I'm not sure if today is any better than yesterday. Truth be told, it was a different sleep, that's for sure. But think positive! Baby and I already played in the park, went for a walk and had lunch and it's not even 12 o clock yet! I think it's going to be a good day. Now it's nap time. That means Mommy has to go!










Outfit details:
Forever 21 dress & necklace
Threadscene long cardigan

I can be...

Preview of tomorrow's post: Day 14

A smart shopper.
Mindful of money.
Appreciative of what I have.
Thankful.
Environmentally conscious.
A good providing mother.
An investor.
A person who does not shop.

I can be stylish. Just you watch.



So today started out amazing, and is turning out to be horrible. I got some bad news today. A person who I love dearly had their house broken into last night and a lot of things stolen that were worth a lot of money. Did I mention that this person doesn't really have the money to go out and replace the things that were stolen? Why does this happen? I hate to ask the stupidest questions today, but I'm so angered by what happened. How can people steal from the nicest people and wake up and look in the mirror the next day? I am speechless; I am mad; I don't know what to do. I just get so frustrated. This person was just saying to me how I waste my money on clothes that I don't wear.  She said I have too much, I don't need anything else and that I have a shopping problem. No one wants to fight over money, and I don't want it to get to that point, ever. I agree wholeheartedly, and that's why it's stopping right now. Plus, when I stop and think, it's just ridiculous! I decided that cutting out shopping altogether is unlikely, but I can do it until we go to Florida. After Florida there will be a limit that should be for if I ever need anything, not an excuse to spend. 

Another thing that I'm ashamed of is that I said I was going to stop shopping when I started my 30x30, but I haven't been doing all that well. Until now. I need some support, so I've been reading through Kendi's blog, because she's the only blogger I know with an open shopping addiction who has risen above it. I read last night that she recommends you start a want list and a need list. It starts with closet inventory; a purge of your closet in which you take note of all the things you own. I think doing this alone will make me realize some important things. 

On another note, my little girl deserves more than what I've become. I'm being wasteful. I don't need anymore clothes. They are purely just cravings, almost like some sort of drug addiction. All I can think about right now is "because i'm addicted...", great title for a blog, and so true... Well, I can say no. And little girls follow their Mommy's footsteps. I don't want to raise my baby to be wasteful. I want her to be thankful for the things we already have. That starts with me.

I'm going to put out there that I haven't ever put my baby in danger or state of neglect because of my shopping. She is always very well taken care of, and she is very spoiled. This post exists purely because I'm not being smart with the money that we work for and this is changing right now. I'm sure if everyone did a little inventory on what they spend, everyone has something that they could do to change their financial situation. For example, the person who spelled out my problem smokes a pack of cigarettes every two days. Add that up, and that's a nice chunk of change that she could have in her own pocket. We are who we are because we wake up in the morning and decide to be that person. I'm just taking the first step to change that.

This is a short excerpt from Batshite's post, "The Seven Habits Of Highly Batshite People", that I find very positive and inspiring:

3. Buy second-hand. Whenever possible, shop at flea markets, yard sales and thrift stores. This encourages the recycling and reusing of materials and discourages needlessly extracting new ones.
6. Resist fashion. Don’t get rid of an appliance just because it looks like it’s from the eighties! If it works, keep it and use it till it no longer does. Likewise, wear clothes because you feel comfortable in them. Don’t throw them out just because they aren’t currently trendy.

I agree with number 3 wholeheartedly, but number 6 is not going to work for a fashion blog. We can take something from it though. We can give away the clothes we no longer use, to loved ones or thrift shops. We can look for alternative ways to have the latest fashion trends, like buying second hand or inventing DIY projects. We can work with what we have to be fashionable. I believe that it's possible to be stylish without blowing your whole paycheck: I saw brightly colored pants on the Fall/Winter runway and lo and behold, I found a pair of purple skinny jeans in the thrift store yesterday for 1$. I also see that cozy knits are coming in. I got a beautiful green cozy sweater for 1$. I got a teal pencil skirt for 5.99$ that would've cost at least 40$ to buy new. Great finds, if you ask me.

Goal: No shopping until Florida. Make want/need list. Closet inventory. Be thankful for what you have.


Wish me luck,
I'd love to read some comments on how you deal with some of these issues,
xo,
Courtney

hello sun!

Thank God the sun came out today. I was just about to start penny scraping to take the next flight to somewhere sunny. Today was great. I was reading Jentine's post "This week I thrifted..." from my edit (a blog you should check out if you haven't already) and I came down with a bad case of skirt envy. What a cute idea to thrift something every week and post about it. So oft I went to the thrift store and who knew but it was Red Tag sale day which meant everything in the store with a red tag was a dollar. Holy! I came out with a few things and I never spent over 20$. Win! Some of the things I picked up are what some people may classify as "weird" but like I said a few posts back, who cares. Who are "some people" anyway, and why do I care what they think. We all need to be a little bolder. Anyway, I hope you'll be happy to know that I haven't given up on my 30 for 30; here's another.

Outfit details: Lace back tank top - Garage, Skirt & Belt - Forever 21, Shoes - Spring, Necklace - Dollarama

xo,
Courtney

blogger inspiration

via Kendi Everyday

If you haven't already, read Kendi's post about breaking the rules when it comes to fashion. It is so inspiring! I agree with every word, and this we should all tear a page out of her book. Click here and read it please; maybe you'll be inspired too! If you like that and you want to read more; see here why Kendi remixes and why I find her to be such an inspiration.

Myself and the baby have come down with the flu and she was running a fever all night. Not great for my blogging life. I'm hoping to fight it off fast. Maybe if I keep saying that it will just happen. Wishful thinking!!

xo,

Courtney

neutrals + lace

I have a lot to say, but it will have to wait until tomorrow. My to-do list is so long and it's Wednesday which means I have a lot of prep work to do for my class. (Edit: It's Tuesday! Hooray! I've lost so much sleep I can't remember which day of the week it is! Now I can curl up and watch Criminal Minds...) My little munchkin keeps waking up out of her sleep; another sleepless night?

Here's the outfit I wore last night out to supper. These beautiful jeggings are now upstairs in the laundry room covered in Shout because when I took them off, lo and behold, there was a long black marks on the back of my pants. No one told me! Praying it comes out...

Outfit details:
Jeggings - Garage
Bandeau - American Apparel
Lace Shirt - Forever 21
Pearls, Bangles - Forever 21
Gold necklace - Smart Set
Shoes - Spring
Purse - Forever 21
Jean Jacket - Urban Planet
Earrings - Charlotte Russe

I want pink pants. Is that too much to ask?

xo,
Courtney