Happy Monday everyone!

I hope you had an awesome weekend. Ours was super hot (hey Tenn. summer), busy, fun, hot (I said that already didn’t I) and just enough down time too. So with that being said, it can sometimes be hard to get motivated to start the week and get my workouts in, after taking a break over the weekend. But what I have found that helps me is having fitness gear that makes me feel great as well as motivated to get moving.

I have recently found some fun tops and leggings on Amazon of all places. I am usually a Target, Athleta or Zella girl but I have been happy with some of these Amazon lately and wanted to share with you.

 This is what I found and they come in all kind of colors. So rack up!  They are also true to size. I will say if you are petite, they may be too long. I am 5’7 and they were just right. I also love the fact that they have a hidden pocket for my phone on walks or just running errands.

Here is another option if you don’t like high rise and want more of an ankle style than a full legging. I bought this bright blue color and it’s been so fun to wear this summer. This style would be perfect on petite frame too.

Now for the tops…This top may seem very simple but I like how unexpected it is in the back. If you don’t like white, they also have other colors to choose from and I love that is is under twenty dollars.

 

I also ordered this style , which has a cool back as well.  I love how it is a little longer so I can cover my bum if I want or tie it at the waist. It is true to size so size up if you want more room. This top comes in other colors like this pretty navy. I love navy in the summer.

 

 

 Finally, I have been loving this yoga mat strap. We have been bringing our own mats to barre and then I also do yoga at my neighbor’s home so this strap has been so great for that. It comes in different color combos. I chose the gray of course, but if you like more color, there is plenty to choose from. The strap is super comfy and so durable. I highly recommend if you are into yoga or belong to a gym requiring you bring your own mat.

 

 

Oh and p.s. these socks are fantastic too. They don’t slip and my girls even love them. Perfect for tennis shoes and slip ons.

Have a great Monday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HI FRIENDS! HAPPY FRIDAY! WHEW! WE MADE IT TO THE WEEKEND!

In the spirit of this hot as all get out summer, I wanted to share my favorite and  must have accessory. The sunhat! Yes, I know, not as exciting as the effortless dress or the perfect top, but it is a definite must have to beat the heat and save your skin.

You may think, I am not really a hat person. Well, maybe reconsider. It will easily elevate your personal style. When you are not having a great hair day, or just not feeling it with your clothes anymore, it’s the perfect option from going drab to fab.

So how do you know what hat is best for you? Well, you always want to make sure the hat is proportion to your body type, complementing your best assets.  You also want to pick the right one for your face shape.

I love this resource and couldn’t have said it better myself.

Once you figure out what you think is your best look, check out my picks from various boutiques to… of course Target.

I love this Panama hat style. Here is another style too.  It’s simple yet effortless. You can wear it around town or on your next vacation. You have probably seen me wear this style a lot on my Instagram page whether it’s in my backyard or on a quick weekend trip nearby. I usually never leave home without a hat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of my hats are a few years old but I am trying to link things that are similar like one of my favorite boutiques in my hometown, like The Fuss has some great options.

Then, there’s the fedora style. I mean this is just a classic and so fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, the oversize hat. It may be too dramatic or over the top for some, but I love it! It seems very old Hollywood and you know what, why the heck not? Be dramatic! Step out of your box. It’s 2020! We are not doing anything expected these days anyway. Here is another style  and here too if  you don’t love the stripe.

So I hope you love this Friday Favorite edition.

I would love to hear from you and even see pictures of you wearing your hats. Tag me or message me. I can’t wait to see you in your favorite new summer accessory.

Have a great weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi again, friends!

Bringing you another Mother’s Day gift guide from more of my go to small businesses.

So sit back and relax in your favorite pjs and add to cart or send a little “hint hint ” in the subject line to your husband or kid.

Since we are all more homebodies these days, why not add a little something to give your home that extra pizazz. Something that will brighten your mood or make you smile every time you walk into a room as we can all use that right now.

Lindsay, of Lindsay Letters and Co. says “Art matters – what you surround yourself with every day matters. As someone who struggles with anxiety, I know the positive impact art can have first-hand, and I can say with confidence that what you put on the four walls you stare at most can be a real game-changer.” Amen to that!

I have followed Lindsay on Instagram for some time as I have been a huge fan of her style of art work. I have also admired her amazing strength and unwavering faith from afar. Especially now as she and her family are walking through a hard time but in this difficult season, they have shown so many people, including myself, what it means to trust, to hold tight, and believe because “you will never regret having faith.”  You can follow Lindsay and her family here.

Now back to Lindsay’s art. I purchased a few of her pieces at Christmas as a gift for me and my family. Prints that spoke to me and really reflected us. Here are some of the pieces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While they may not be your style, she has many more beautiful prints, lettered art and even calendars you can choose from. I also love that when you receive the artwork, they give you all the tools that you need to hang it. So treat yourself to some happy this Mother’s Day!

On that same note of making your home happy and something that you can all enjoy, check out Rooted and Grounded. Just like Lindsay Letters and Co., Rooted and Grounded also creates inspirational home decor that truly reminds you of your roots and of your truth. I purchased a sign for my guest room and my girls’ playroom and it really just makes the rooms complete. If you are not really a sign kind of person, they also have beautiful pillows and even some fun tees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another place I have loved ordering from is The Navy Knot. I gave these personalized indoor outdoor rugs to some of my family members this Christmas and they seemed to really like them. I have also purchased beach towels and drawstring bags for my friends’ kids. It really is a great shop to stop by for just about any kind of personalized gift. Think graduation, baby or wedding gifts in the coming months.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, after all that online shopping, I think we all deserve a little sweet treat, don’t you? I love Christie Cookies! I love to give them and I love to indulge in them. They are absolutely delicious! Like just come out of the oven good! They also have brownies too. You can even create a combo of cookies and brownies in a beautiful tin and add coffee or milk too. Any person that receives these yummy goodies, will be so delighted you thought of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So that’s it! I hope you have enjoyed hearing about these businesses. I also hope you will follow them on social media and perhaps even support them by buying a little something from their shops.

Have a great weekend!

I know Mother’s Day can bring bittersweet feelings for some. I know it can’t be easy if you have lost your mom or even grandmother. Moms, Grandmothers and Aunts definitely hold a special place in my heart!  They deserve to be honored, especially on this day.

My hope and prayer is that you Mamas out there feel celebrated and loved by your family. I know it hasn’t been easy with this quarantine life but hopefully we will all look back on this and see how strong we were, and maybe even discovered something new about our kids or spouse and appreciated it.

So as you are quarantined, you can still do online shopping to support some of these small businesses. Here is a this list of what I love to give Moms on their special day or maybe treat myself here and there.

1. Personalized Stationery:  I know you may think, wow, really, stationery, just what I wanted. Well, these three brands, SoHospitality Co., AThing Created and Hourglass Design Co. are my favorite and my go to for all things paper.  They offer unique designs and excellent quality paper. Both a must for writing thank you or your to-do lists. Just click on the photos and it will take you directly to the website. 

 

For the classic lady in your life…

 

 

 

 

 

For the sassy fashionista…

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the simple and effortless lady…

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Pampering Skincare products: Every mama deserves to feel spoiled on Mother’s Day and best way to do that is with Hummingbird Farms unique collection of bath and body products. I absolutely love their lavender spray and oils (my girls too), their luxurious hand lotion, super hydrating, their sea salt scrub (hello mani at home) and all the soaps. They smell like you have just stepped out of a spa.

 

 

 

3. Stylish Accessories:  We can always add a little style to our day even when we are sitting at home in just a t-shirt and joggers. So treat yourself or a mom friend to some fun earrings by All Things New   or a necklace from Dear Muska. Each one of these ladies are small business owners with a big heart and deeply rooted in their faith. So I hope you will check them out. These are also great stops for birthdays and graduation gifts.

 

 

 

4. Fun tees to go with your accessories:  Hey we are not going anywhere for a while so why not let your mama or mama friend enjoy a soft tee that makes a statement by Milk and Honey Tees. Their tees are so soft and so stylish that you can easily pair with a skirt, distressed shorts, boyfriend jeans or joggers styled with jean jacket. These are some of my favs…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. An inspiring and laugh out loud book:  While we are in self-isolation, why not read a book that will inspire you, encourage you and laugh out loud with you. With On the Bright Side (which we all need these days) by Melanie Shankle and Jen Hatmaker’s Fierce, Free and Full of Fire  it will set you free and set you on fire. You will feel as if you just got back from the best girls’ night conversation with your best friend or a girlfriend getaway that left you feeling positive and ready to tackle the world!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Hey Hey PJ Day! Pj day is my girls’ favorite day! They love to lounge in their pjs all day but who doesn’t it! I hope you can do that on your special day with some of these pjs from Habit, a local boutique in Nashville and they also have a location in Franklin. Habit has some of the yummiest pjs that you will not want to get out of.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, if you are still reading this, I wish you the best day ever!

Happy Mother’s Day to you and yours! Make sure you take some time for you.  You deserve it!

 

Tis the season of checking your list and checking it twice…or three or four times in my case at least! I am at the point where I am emailing myself reminders because I end up losing the list that I started or just wake up in the middle of the night in a panic that I forgot someone or perhaps just with this brilliant gift idea for that special someone.

When I shop, I like to shop smart, efficiently and thoughtfully too. So with it being Cyber Monday, I always like to take advantage of a good deal and what better way to start than with my favorite store, Target! So regardless that this is not my usual Target Tuesday, we shall pretend it is Tuesday on this Monday morning and proceed to adding to our “Red cart” for all those special people on your list.

I have tried to include some ideas for almost everyone on your list including your fur babies.

So grab yourself your favorite beverage, get comfortable and let’s get going on a quick little shopping spree.

First up, for the little lady that seems to have everything or is absolutely impossible to buy for. You know you have one in your family or in your friend group. It’s okay. I have got you covered. I either own these, have used these and have gifted these so trust me, you can’t go wrong.

Here we go!

Simple, classic, gold hoop earrings here  and here.  These two are a must have in your accessory arsenal and are a guarantee of no return. They look good on everyone, long hair or short hair. I have short hair. They are also light weight which is always a must when I am shopping for earrings. So grabbed these for a friend, a mom or sassy teacher, put in a cute jewelry bag or organizer or you could even tie to a gift card to buy more. I promise this gift recipient will be so happy when she opens these and will find herself wearing them almost every day. I know I do.

Everyone loves a good smelling seasonal candle. I have this Holiday Spruce one burning now. It smells so warm and cozy. You will just want to curl up in a blanket and watch your favorite Christmas movie while this is burning. So for that hard to buy for friend, teacher, the neighbor or for even for a hostess gift, grab these to have on hand. They are just the right size! Add a festive ribbon and a thoughtful card of course and you are ready to go!

Need another great gift for those hard to buy for? I love these Opal House light weight throws. They are so pretty and just the right amount of weight to use all year round.  I would even get this for that tweener in your life or for the first time away college student. You could even go to your local monogram place to get it personalized to make it even more special for them.

Need some more ideas for those teenagers or college kids in your life? Grab some of these lounge wear options like this cozy cardigans here or these fun leopard print joggers. It’s great for when they are home for the holidays. They are not only cozy, but they look good instead of a cruddy tee and short shorts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Need some kid friendly ideas? My girls love to get slippers like these or these fun socks.

They also enjoy anything they can lounge on to watch movies or play Uno like this bed rest pillow.  Now I am sensing a theme with this post. Yes, we love to be home and cozy

Speaking of being home, I am tickled to see that the old school Lite Brite is coming back. All the little pieces might be a pain, but maybe if you keep in a contained place, it won’t be so bad.  I can’t wait to see what my girls create with this fun old school activity and it will be great on those cold snowy days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On those not so snowy days, we have enjoyed this cornhole game over and over again. It’s lasted us for at least four years now. It’s fun to bring out for cookouts or even birthday parties. It’s also easy to store as it folds up and is lightweight enough to take to tailgates if you want. So a fun gift for any active family.

 

 

 

 

Now for some fun stocking stuffers and our little fur friends gifts ideas…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope some of these ideas gave you some inspiration to find just the right gift for that someone that is left on your list or to get you started. I will continue to post more ideas, not just from Target but some from local businesses and companies that give back with each purchase you make.

Thanks so much for stopping by and lots of luck with your shopping list!

 

When building a wardrobe you want a basic foundation. Once you have good basics, you can layer, you can mix and match, hence multiplying your wardrobe.

As you know, I love a good basic white tee, whether that is short sleeve or long sleeve, it is a must have for your wardrobe.

When wearing a white tee, make sure that you have a ivory or taupe color cami like this one or this one. Never a lace cami because it’s just not cute and it looks like you are wearing lingerie. No one wants to see that.  When you have found the right cami you will see that your tee fits better and lays better, giving you a nice clean look.

Another great every day basic is a simple black dress like this one or this one. 

You can do so much with a black dress. You can layer it with a jacket, a cardigan or wear it by itself with some fun jewelry or even belt it. As you see, the style options are endless.

Other “basic” wardrobe multipliers are the denim and olive green utility jacket. I also love a leather jacket but let’s be real people, we will not be getting that at Target. No offense!  We can only go so far on cutting costs.

So right now, we have the v neck white tee  (long and short) that we can wear with jeans, chinos, a pencil skirt or maxi. We can wear it by itself, with jewelry, a cardigan or jacket of your choice. See just that “basic” item gave you so many looks and it’s under $20!!

We also have the simple black dress that you can belt, put a sweater over it, a leather jacket, or style with your favorite statement accessories like a leopard print pump or clutch. If you don’t want to go dressy, style it with your favorite sneakers and/or denim jacket.

See how you can have the best time styling and making the most of your wardrobe by building upon the basics. So what are you waiting for! Go to Target and grab you simple every day looks and you will be rocking out to the beat of your own style drum before you know it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I talk about the importance of dressing well and presenting yourself in a manner of how you want people to see you. As the saying goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”  So take pride in how you dress.

You don’t have to have a large budget to dress well either and if you think you do, you are wrong. Check out a few of my workwear essentials to get you started.

A classic black trouser is a must have. This style is flattering on every body type. You may think this is not my style.  It’s too classic or too tailored. Not true. You can easily put your own style spin on it whether that’s a fun top or your accessories, you make it work for you. But at the end of the day, everyone needs a good classic pair of black trousers like these.

Another classic, is this pencil skirt in a neutral color. Again, you can add a fun patterned blouse or some funky shoes to make it your own. I love that you can dress this style of skirt up or down. I often wear a white tee (I know shocker) throw a bomber or denim jacket on and tennis shoes to make it more casual. It’s kind of my pre shopping for clients uniform.

 

Here are some of my favorite type of workwear blouses to have in a wardrobe. I like a classic white, a feminine top, a more tailored one and then a casual one like this denim one. Once you have the basic bottoms like a pair of black trousers and a pencil skirt, you can make some many more outfit combinations with these tops.

Another great workwear essential item is a versatile dress like this one or this one.

Depending on your work environment, you can add boots, flats or pumps. Put a blazer or leather jacket over it (again depending on office style) and you are ready to conquer your day.

 

To finish off your look, you need a good structured handbag and pumps or simple flats. I love a more structured handbag for work not only because it’s more functional but it also looks better. When you are wearing a baggy type handbag, it can make you look heavier and less polished.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, once you have these workwear staples, add more items like these sassy pants with tailored top, some fun shoes with a simple dress, and this floral dress to balance out your rather tailored look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So there you have it! You don’t have to spend tons and tons of money to put your best style foot forward whether that’s in the work place or working from home. You are worth investing in yourself and I promise you, people will see that pride that you have taken in yourself.

Have a great week!

Well, it feels like a sauna here in Nashville, Tennessee, which makes me long for sweater weather. I am so ready to pull out my fun jackets, sweaters and boots instead of wearing sundresses and sandals to beat the heat. It’s getting really hard to hide my lack of pedicure and tan.

So let’s just pretend it’s nice and cool outside for a minute and take a look at my Target must haves for this week.

Those that know me well, know that my favorite season is Fall. I love the cool, crisp weather, the holidays that come along with such a beautiful season and all the warm and vibrant colors. One of those colors I really can’t get enough of is orange! Yes, orange or shall we say the orange family.

I love the different shades of orange like this rust, pumpkin spice or kind of paprika color in these cardigans. I wanted to get this cardigan on my shopping trip yesterday, but Target didn’t have my size. Not to worry I will find it in my size and show you how I style it soon.

This shade and length of cardigan can be worn in so many different ways. You can wear all black, whether it’s a dress or top and pants, add this cardigan, belt it and throw on your favorite leopard print accessory. I also love this shade of orange with denim, a fun graphic or stripe tee.

Other accessories that look great with this shade sweater is turquoise or tortoise shell like these.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do not match the bracelet and earrings. One or the other here. You never want to match your necklace with your earrings. When you are already wearing a statement like necklace, wear a more subtle earring like hoops or studs to not take away from that perfect piece. 

If you are a follower on my IG you may have seen the leopard print cardigan I snagged yesterday along with this amazing belt. I love to see how many ways I can style a statement piece like this cardigan. Unfortunately, this Who What Wear cardigan is not online YET, and I am not about to link those that are kind of similar to it. I didn’t like them and will never steer you in a direction that doesn’t seem to be of good quality or just not very stylish looking.

So check out your local Target’s Who What Wear section and I will keep checking online and keep you posted if this sassy cardigan magically appears.

The belt is here and my hat is from last year but here is a similar one in another fall color I love. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some other things I saw on my Target visit, tried on and thoroughly examined is this tunic sweater. It comes in the rust color that I mentioned is my must have for Fall, but I also love the blue and gray. I tried on the small which I normally wear, but it was huge. It is already supposed to be oversize but it was really big. So that being said, order a size down.

I also tried on this color block cardigan as it reminded me of the Madewell cardigan all the style influencers were modeling during the Nordy Anniversary sale. It’s actually really soft and if it’s your style, I would grab it for the price and quality.

If I owned it, I would style it with a white tee or denim on denim with brown booties. I would even throw it on over a t-shirt dress with converse for another fun casual day look.

Two other sweaters I have my eye on but not sure I will pull the trigger yet are these…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Isaac Mizrahi sweater is not available yet but will be soon so keep checking if it’s your thing.

And the reason I have my eye on some different and more patterned sweaters is that I already have my neutral color, classic style sweaters so these would add a little spice to my wardrobe for Fall and Winter.

Remember balance style is key when making the most of your wardrobe. So invest in what you wear the most and then not so much on the trendier items.

So I hope you get to pull out your sweaters and jackets soon wherever you are and have fun styling your wardrobe with some of these Target picks. Have a great week!