Friday Find

Happy Friday, everyone!

I'm facing this weekend with hesitated excitement--while I'm thankful for a few days of rest, we are hearing that more snow and ice is most likely on the way...blah!  C'mon spring!

So I'm excited to share an adorable Friday find with you, because we're all going to need a pick-me-up this weekend!  

Now I'm totally biased when it comes to this item because my husband Luke is a pilot and I love all-things airplane.  But how cute is this ring?!

 

Ahhhh!  So cute!

It's from Lauren Conrad's jewelry collection at Kohl's.  It is dainty, sweet, feminine, and trendy!  I'm obsessed!  I think it's on Kohl's website right now for only $9...which makes it even better!

So what have you been finding lately?

*I am not associated with Kohls or Lauren Conrad.

 

Candace Cameron Bure-Inspired Outfit and Review of Moms' Day Out!

Hi, friends!

I think this is one of my favorite posts I've written, because as I think you'll see, the last few days for me have just flowed together so well!  I'm combining a book review with an outfit and a movie premiere--let me explain:

I recently reviewed Candace Cameron Bure's book Balancing It All--an honest and inspiring book of how women can balance our crazy lives as a wives, moms, employees, girlfriends, you name it.  It was a quick and encouraging read for me and I definitely recommend it!

So the book got me thinking--what are some go-to items that we can throw on when we need to feel like we have it together (even when we don't have it together)?  Kind of like some can't-fail-when-you-wear-these items.  Because when we're thrust in the middle of work, family schedules, and all things crazy, we don't often have the energy to pick out a cute outfit.

This exact scenario happened to me last night.  My friend Cherie (who has such an amazing story and you TOTALLY need to check her out!) invited me to a premiere screening of the movie Moms' Night Out (coming out on Mother's Day weekend, but more on that later!).  After working a full day, picking up my boys, feeding both boys, making dinner for my hubby, and curling my hair, I was exhausted.  And I was mentally exhausted--and I just needed to feel cute and put-together and not look like I had just put my two-year-old in time out for disobedience.  So I grabbed three items that I knew would give me that "oh I have it all together" even when I didn't feel it.  And, as cheesy as it sounds since I just reviewed Candace's book, I felt balanced.

So here's what I wore:

And I LOVED it!

I felt bright and "with it."  I had the confidence I needed to put my rushed evening out of my mind and just relax. So what were my three items that I grabbed?

 

• Blouse  A bright and even patterned blouse is the item to wear.  You can dress it up or down and it gives you such a polished look.  Forget T-shirts and find a blouse.
• Blazer  This, like a necklace, is a great way to dress up an outfit.  I purposely chose a blazer that complemented the blouse but wasn't too "matchy."  I love wearing bright blazers rather than simply black or brown--colors give off a sense of confidence.
• Heels  Heels definitely make me feel like I'm put together.  A cute pair of flats can also do this if you'd rather not wear heels, but definitely avoid tennis shoes or worn-down shoes.  Pun not intended, but heels "heighten" the outfit and just take it to a level of being dressed up.  I chose a pair of nude heels because nude makes your legs look longer and I didn't want to overkill the outfit with color.

So those are my 3 recommended items to wear when you need a go-to look.  Don't waste time thinking about what to wear--have these at the ready!

Now, on to the movie.

I am so excited that I got to attend the premiere of Moms' Night Out--because it fit so well with Candace's book and how I was feeling last night!  It focuses on Allyson, a wife and mother of three young children who is trying her best to be a Mommy Blogger.  She is completely overwhelmed and unhappy with her life and feels like she just needs a break--which makes her also feel completely guilty. When her husband encourages her to go out for an evening with some friends, she reluctantly relinquishes her control of the kids and the house...only to find herself in the middle of the craziest night of her life.

I was really surprised at how many times I laughed in the movie--it was a funny yet heartfelt escape and I highly recommend seeing it!  There were some encouraging and genuine moments (my favorite line being "I'm a mess.  But I'm His beautiful mess.") and it was a great way to hang with my friend Cherie (seriously, go check her out!).

It comes out on Mother's Day weekend--go see it!

I'll be back soon with another book review--see you then!

Blouse--Von Maur
Blazer--Francesca's Collections
Heels--Madden Girl

*I am not associated with any of the companies/products mentioned. 

REVIEW--Balancing It All

Any Full House fans out there?  C'mon, you can admit that you were glued to your TV on Friday nights for TGIF!  I definitely was, and Full House was one of my favorites.

I've kept up with Candace Cameron Bure since she's returned to acting in the last few years (she took a break to raise her three children) and just enjoy her all around--she's adorable, stylish, an unapologetic Christian, and just real.  I love following her on Twitter and reading her blog posts.  In fact, my friend Ariel and I traveled a year-ish ago to see Candace speak at an event and I got to meet Candace and have this cool T-shirt signed:

It's a great addition to my office!

So I was really excited when I saw that Candace had written her second book, Balancing It All: My Story of Juggling Priorities and Purpose.  It's basically Candace writing down the answers to the question she is constantly asked: how do you balance everything--being a mom, wife, actress, Christian...?  I read the book in two days, which is super fast for me.  So let's jump into the review, shall we?

 

Cute cover, don'tcha think?

The Gist:

Candace Cameron Bure is often asked how she balances being a mom, wife, and actress who loves to shop, work out, and share her love of Jesus.  How can she be strong in everything with limited time during the day?  In this book, she answers that question by targeting specific parts of her life that she's had to learn to balance.  She honestly discusses her marriage, parenting, and womanhood and how she keeps it all from overwhelming her.

What I Loved:

•  Candace doesn't play it safe in this book.  She's willing to talk about her faith, the ups and downs of parenting, and the lessons she's learned through her marriage.  In fact, she even sparked a little "controversy" on her recent book tour when discussing her passive role as a wife--and she didn't back down from discussing it!  I appreciated her candor in this book, because it's just so easy for Christians to lay low in Hollywood (and in life in general).  
• I remember that some readers criticized Bure's first book for having quite a few fan letters expressing their love of Candace and Full House (when it seemed a little over the top).  Bure keeps this book focused on the overall topic and really downplays her fame.  So I really appreciated the focus of this book.

What I Didn't Love:

• Because I'm a Candace Cameron Bure fan, I know a lot about her.  Like I said, I've seen her speak in public and I'm an avid Twitter follower.  So there were some parts of the book that I already knew about her--I'm very aware how she met her husband, when she first started taking her faith seriously, that she spent her first years of marriage as a stay-at-home wife and mom.  And while I understand that she had to include some of these details, I felt like I'd heard them a lot before now.  It made me really appreciate the stories that I didn't know about her, though!
• I'll admit it--I don't know if this topic required an entire book.  I felt like I had the gist of what Bure was trying to say by the middle of the book.  I thought some parts, like discussing picking your child's school, were very spread out just to make more pages in the book.  As a reader, I think I only needed a few sentences to know what she meant.

A fun read for me since I'm a Bure fan and a fairly quick read, too!  I give it three stars!

Tomorrow I'll be sharing an outfit from my own wardrobe--an outfit for how to look like you've got it all together even when you don't feel like it!  I'll share some of my favorite accessories to use when you need to look balanced!  See you then!

The Killing Woods-Inspired Look

Happy Friday, readers and fashionistas!  

Yesterday I reviewed the book The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher, a mystery involving a girl whose PTSD-suffering father is accused of murdering her classmate.  Creepy, right?

Well, in the book, Ashlee (the victim) often played a game called "The Game" with her boyfriend Damon and his friends.  The Game basically involved hiding in the woods while looking for the others; then you fight with them until you get their dog collar off their neck.  The person with the most dog collars at the end of the night wins.  Totally not a game I would want to play as a girl, but to each his own, right?

Since Ashlee is the only girl that played the game, she chose a pink, girly dog collar.  So today's outfit is based off her...it's an outfit that I could see a girl wearing while running through the woods at night, with an added splash of color.  And here it is:

Athletic but girly, right?

Let's break it down:

• The shorts are the splash of color that I wanted.  Even though Ashlee would probably only want to wear dark colors in the woods (to prevent the other guys from finding her), she did choose a pink dog collar so I chose pink for the shorts.  She seemed spunky enough, too, that I could see her wearing these shorts just to prove that she could be tough competition in any outfit.  I love the tuxedo stripe along the edges of the shorts!
• The rest of the outfit was kept dark but girly--a simple black V-neck t-shirt.  Shirts like these are so comfortable.
• Cute black running shoes.  Gotta be comfortable to run in the woods, right?
• Ashlee and the guys had watches or cell phones to keep track of their time in The Game, and this one is chic and black.
• I thought I'd be clever and throw in a dog tag necklace...close enough to a dog collar, right?  It's tough jewelry with a feminine touch.  I just couldn't resist.

So what do you think?  Could you see Ashlee running through the woods in this outfit?  

Check back soon for more great posts on YA books!  Have a great weekend!

Shorts--Merona from Target
T-shirt--House of Fraser
Shoes--Nike Free 5.0
Watch--Debenhams.com
Necklace--Forever 21

*I am not associated with any of the companies or products mentioned.

REVIEW--The Killing Woods

Good morning, readers and fashionistas!

This month, I picked up Lucy Christopher's newest book, The Killing Woods.  It was just published in January, so I was excited to get my hands on it early (I think I was the first from my library, actually, to check it out!).  I think the gloomy weather here in Indiana has had me in a murder mystery mood, so this was a good choice...let's get started!

• Standalone novel
• Mystery

The Gist:
Emily's father recently returned from serving in the army.  But he's not the same.  While serving overseas, he accidentally shot and killed a civilian whom he thought was an opposing soldier.  Devastated and traumatized, he now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and often lives in flashbacks.  When he returns home one night carrying Ashlee, a classmate of Emily's who is now dead, everyone assumes that he killed her during a flashback.  He now sits in jail and says very little, which makes Emily even more determined to prove his innocence.  But Damon, Ashlee's boyfriend, wants to prove his guilt more than ever and soon finds himself crossing paths with Emily.

What I Liked:

• The double point of view.  The chapters alternate between Emily and Damon, so readers get to see both sides of the "case."  I found myself preferring Damon's side of the story since he is trying to uncover memories he's lost about the night Ashlee died.
• The premise of the book.  A dad with PTSD, a murder mystery--it had me very intrigued.

What I Didn't Love:

• This book had very little action.  It was so much thought--Emily thinking about her dad's innocence, Damon thinking about his lost memories...but VERY little action.  I wanted clue-hunting, high anxiety scenes, light-bulb moments.  Nope.  A lot of thinking.
• Emily introduces some of her school friends (well, not really friends anymore now that they think her dad is a murderer) in the first chapter or so, but then they disappear and never appear again.  I wanted more drama between them (that would have provided more action!).
• The whole premise of The Game (a game that Damon and his friends play) was just bizarre to me, and the fact that Emily's dad could have witnessed it so intimately seemed far-fetched.
• Emily's mom was just another weak adult character in a YA book.
• I guessed the ending ahead of time (not every detail, but most).

My favorite quote: "I want to hate her...but if I hate Mum too, I'm running out of people to love."
 
This book actually took me a few weeks to get through, so I'm afraid I have to give it a low rating...eek!...1 star.

I'll be back with an outfit based on Ashlee and The Game...stay tuned to see it!

Friday Find--A Nerdy Workout Shirt

Hi, friends!

So two months ago, I joined a Crossfit gym.  I was scared OUT OF MY MIND because (1) even though I've worked out in the past, it's never been super-intense, (2) I didn't know any of the Crossfit lingo, and (3) I didn't really want anyone in my face yelling at me. 

To say Crossfit has changed my life is cheesy and cliche, but it is a-mazing.  I have really found a community, a family of sorts, that supports and encourages me to get stronger and fitter.  And I have already improved big-time, especially in my pull-ups, weight-lifting (which I had really never done before!), and overall endurance.

I've been checking out workout clothes, because I'll be honest, I just don't have much.  And when I came across this tank from Skreened, I knew it was perfect for me:

How cute is that?!

The Sorting Hat from Pottermore.com put me in Hufflepuff, and I couldn't be prouder of that after seeing this shirt!!!  Now if I can convince my husband to let me get it...

What have you been finding lately?

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone-Inspired Outfit

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone is an odd book to review during Valentine's Week, but for some reason I am often drawn to murder mysteries.  But by designing a cute outfit today, maybe I'll make up for that???

Today's outfit is based off of Amelia.  When she was found dead on the side of the road, she was wearing a sundress.  That, added to the summer setting, was the outfit's inspiration.  And here it is:

Let's break it down:

• A sundress was an obvious choice.  I love the colors in this dress--orangey/red with a blue backing.  Very summery and light.
• The orange sandals complement the dress and reinforce that this is an outfit for warm weather.
• A deep brown belt adds some shape to the dress and keeps this from being a "warm color" overload.
• The arrow earrings felt perfect for the setting--warm summer nights--and kept the outfit pretty casual (after all, Amelia Anne is walking on a road shortly before her death).
• A simple gold bracelet rounds out the outfit with an extra, girly accessory.

To me, this outfit shows a girly yet not-over-the-top side...what do you think?

Tomorrow I'll have my Friday Find--this time it's fashion-related!  See you then!

REVIEW--Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone

Happy Wednesday, readers and fashionistas!  Today I'm revieweing Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield.  My students often joke with me because I read so many murder mysteries--well, here's another one!  I think I just like a good challenge of guessing a murderer (although I'm usually wrong!).  So let's get started!

•  Standalone novel
• Mystery

The Gist:
Becca just graduated from high school as salutatorian.  She's always thought that she is ready to get out of her hometown and never look back...that is, until a girl (Amelia Anne) is discovered dead on the side of the road.  Even though Becca knows nothing about Amelia Anne, she is completely shaken up by her murder and just isn't sure of anything anymore.  But she may have reason to be shaken up, because there may be people from her life who are more involved than she realizes.

What I Loved:

• This book had a double point of view.  Becca often tells the story, but every so often Amelia Anne is the highlight.  I really liked this, especially reading about Amelia Anne since I knew she would end up dead.
• There are similarities between Becca and Amelia Anne that kept the story interesting, like them both feeling trapped in their lives.
• Richly written, just beautiful prose. 
• The cover--so creepy and yet so beautiful!

 What I Didn't Love:

• Becca really hung out with a rough crowd...and I found this hard to believe for a salutatorian (hey, I know that's stereotypical, but I work in a school and I still believe it).
• I really didn't know much about Becca except that she was obsessed with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, James.  I was just over her.
• Some intense, climactic scenes were a little muddled, and I was a little confused at some of the worst times.  I hate having to re-read because I didn't fully understand something, but I had to a few times.
• I wanted to see more action--the police, their investigation, etc.  I felt so trapped inside Becca's depressed mind.
• A lot of sex in this book...a little too much!

My favorite quote: "When you made plans, the saboteurs came out to play."

Well, as you can see, I struggled with this one and had a lot of issues with it.  So it's just two stars for me...

I'm designing an outfit based off of Amelia Anne tomorrow, though!  Come back and check it out!

Level Up-Inspired Outfit

I'm a nerd--I proudly admit it (along with admitting that I'm a complete nerdfighter!) so today's look was really fun to design.  Based off the book Level Up (which I reviewed yesterday), it combines the casualness and sometimes dorkiness of being a video gamer.  And here it is:

Doesn't this look so comfortable?  And yet it's got that fashion edge, too!

So here's the breakdown:

• The Gameboy t-shirt (which is SO CUTE!) takes the level of seriousness in this outfit down a few notches.  It's fun and fancy free!
• I added a lighter-colored cardigan because I think all outfits should have layers.
• Comfortable boot-cut jeans--a common wardrobe item and great for those who just aren't comfortable with skinny jeans.
• Pink converse shoes.  Converse shoes are both nerdy and cool, and the pink refers back to the colors in the t-shirt.

Such a simple, comfortable outfit that I think gamers would be proud to wear!  What do you think?

T-shirt--David and Goliath
Cardigan--Target (less than $25)
Jeans--Old Navy
Shoes--Converse
 
*I am not associated with any companies or products mentioned.

Tomorrow I'm back with another review--see you then!

REVIEW--Level Up

Happy Monday!  Ahh, it's Valentines Week and I have some fun projects planned for my family!!  Most of them are surprises, but I will share them with you, too!  Stay tuned this week to see what we're making to stay in the lovey dovey spirit!

Today's review is on the graphic novel Level Up by Gene Luen Yang.  I'm not a big graphic novel fan, but this book is on an Indiana reading list for high school students and has gotten a lot of attention, so I knew I needed to try it.  So let's jump in!

 

• Standalone 
• Graphic novel

The Gist:

Dennis is a big-time gamer.  He is really good at all kinds of video games, but his dad wants him to do "more" with his life, like be a doctor.  After his father dies, Dennis' life goes dramatically downhill, and he eventually drops out of college and spends all his time on his video games.  But when it appears that his father has sent him some "angels" to get him back on track, Dennis realizes it is time to figure out his destiny in life.

What I Loved:

• The cover!  Brings back memories of playing Tetris on my old GameBoy.
• How Dennis' relationship with his father wraps up.  Despite his father being dead, there was some resolution in that story.
• What Dennis' "destiny" ends up being...it's a little cheesy but fun, and I found myself thinking about it the next day.

What I Didn't Love:

• This book had some gross parts (probably made grosser by the fact that's in all images), especially a certain med school scene.  Bleh.
• The angels were a little cheesy, although that seems to happen for me in graphic novels.  Just a bit bizarre for my taste, though. 

My favorite quote:  "So basically, you get to play Super Mario all you want, any time you want, for FREE?  That is the single most amazing thing I've ever heard."

An ok read for me, but a little bizarre since graphic novels aren't my thing.  I'm giving it three heels. :)

Tomorrow I'll be back with a "gamer" outfit...that should be a fun challenge!  See you then!

Friday Find--Nerdy Posters

So I'm always looking for ways to spruce up my library.  Growing up, it seems that every library I ever visited had Garfield or Peanuts posters in them (don't get me wrong, I love Garfield and Charlie Brown!) so I know that it's important to make a library space more vibrant and teen-friendly.  So I was SO excited to find Risa Rodil's art site!  In it she designs graphics and posters for the "nerdy" pop culture trends, like The Hunger Games, Divergent, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Sherlock, etc.  Check this out:

A retro-looking Divergent poster...so simple yet so cool!

How about The Hunger Games alphabet?  I love the Haymitch for letter H!

A sophisticated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows poster

A Periodic Table for The Hunger Games...I love this idea!

I think these would look so cool in a teen library space.  What do you think?

So what have you been finding?

How to Lead a Life of Crime-Inspired Outfit

A few days ago (before we got MORE snow in Indiana!) I reviewed How to Lead a Life of Crime by Kirsten Miller, a dangerous thriller about an academy for criminal teens.  I couldn't resist designing an outfit for Gwendolyn, the head student of the school who was pretty ruthless.  She takes Flick to a cocktail party for the academy alumni and wears a bold, dangerous black dress.  I just had to design for her!  And here's what I designed:

Wow, check out the neckline of that dress!  So bold and in-your-face!

*Now this outfit is totally "no-limits" when it refers to money, because everyone in the Mandel Academy had all kinds of wealth at their fingertips.  So in other words, this was a fun one to design!

Let's break it down:

• This dress is perfect.  A low neckline, cinched in waist, and slim skirt--to me, it all screams power and confidence.  And that is definitely Gwendolyn.
• Tall black pumps, an obvious choice.  One of the most notable pieces of fashion when it relates to power.
• Some chandelier diamond earrings--if you're wealthy, you wear diamonds, right?  And these are so elegant and perfect for a cocktail party!
• Red nail polish--red, classic.
• And a diamond bracelet to add just a little more bling.  Because when you got it, you flaunt it!

So what do you think?  Could you see a dangerous, threatening student in an outfit like this?  

Tomorrow is my Friday Find--what will it be?  See you then!

Dress--Victoria Beckham (over $2700!)
Heels--Jimmy Choo (almost $600)
Earrings--Dannijo Mariella
Nail polish--Essie, "Really Red"
Bracelet--David Yurman (Saks Fifth Avenue) ($2400!)

*I am not associated with any companies or products mentioned (although with this outfit, I sure wouldn't mind it!).

REVIEW--How to Lead a Life of Crime

Good afternoon, friends!  Unfortunately all that anyone can talk about in Indiana is that we're supposed to get MORE SNOW today....sigh.  I don't know how much more of winter snow I can handle!  Maybe a book review will cheer me up!

Today's review is on How to Lead a Life of Crime by Kirsten Miller.  It's dangerous, intense, surprising, and a great read!  So let's jump in!

• Standalone novel
• Thriller

The Gist:
Teenager Flick (at least that's the name he goes by) was raised in a very wealthy family.  He could probably have anything he wants based on his family's financial situation.  But Flick's dad is incredibly abusive, and Flick only gets away from his abuse when he goes to a military school.  But Flick leaves school and starts living on the streets as a thief when his dad gets away with killing his younger brother, Jude.  Flick is a good thief, in fact a pretty professional pick-pocket, so he isn't interested when Lucius Mandel invites him to attend the Mandel Academy.  This academy is for teen criminals and works to make those criminals even better at what they do.  But when Flick hears that Mandel has the evidence to put his father in prison for the rest of his life, he agrees to attend the academy through graduation.  But there is MUCH MORE to this academy than Flick first suspected, and when the love of his life becomes a student, too, Flick knows he must risk his race to the top to save both himself and the ones he loves.

What I Loved:

• Such a cool premise--a school for criminals to make them better criminals!  You can take a class on assassination techniques or human trafficking...it's wrong but pretty funny, too.
• The villains in this book weren't just one step ahead of Flick--they seemed to be five steps ahead of him.  Kept the book very mysterious.
• This is a standalone book when I was certain it would be part of a series.  I appreciate having a book wrap everything up. 
• There is so much that can be explored in this book, especially the characters' obsession with revenge or success (or both!).  

What I Didn't Love:

• A pretty gory, disturbing, gross book at times.  Took things beyond the boundary that I expected.
• Flick's communication with "Peter Pan" Jude was just a little bizarre at times.
• The ending wasn't completely satisfactory for me.  After all Flick went through, I found myself thinking "that was it?"
• The extra reading material at the end (like the files of characters and the class descriptions) told me things I already knew.  They just weren't necessary.  

I'd say a 3-heel read for me.  A good read with a few problems for me.  What did you think of the book?

I'll be back tomorrow (hopefully not buried in the snow!) with an outfit based off this book.  See you then!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight-Inspired Outfit

Good morning, readers and fashionistas!  Today's post is a fashion one, based off my review last week of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith.  It's such a cute, clean romance of an American girl and a British guy who fall in love on an airplane.  

In the book, American Hadley has to attend her father's wedding in England and spends much of the book running around in a lavender bridesmaid dress.  So I thought I'd create a chic-looking bridesmaid outfit using that same color palette.  And here's what I designed:

I really like this for a wedding look.  Let's dive in!

• I love this dress because it can totally be re-used as an Easter dress, summer work party, baby shower, etc.  It's simple yet super chic, and the thin belt just tops it off!
• When you think lavender in a wedding, you immediately think silver.  And even though I incorporated silver into the look, I wanted there to be an extra pop of color.  Pops of color really show that someone is more fashion-forward-thinking, and Hadley's new stepmom Charlotte is definitely on the front end of clothes.  So I paired the dress with these gorgeous deep purple heels.  It really accents the lavender and adds in a kick of fun.  I love these shoes!  Although Hadley probably wouldn't enjoy running around London in these (although she'd look gorgeous doing it!).
• The bouquet matches the shoes and again, adds in that color pop.
• For jewelry I kept it simple and silver, which is pretty predictable for a wedding.  Stud earrings and a charm bracelet.

 So what do you think?  Could you see a look like this in a wedding?  

I'll be back tomorrow with a new review on a Horror and Suspense book...see you then!

Untold Bow back tulip dress--House of Fraser
RSVP Cailyn shoes--Zappos
Purple Daisy bouquet--Etsy
Juicy Couture bracelet--Juicy Couture (less than $50!)
Vince Camuto stud earrings--Nordstrom (less than $30!)

*I am not associated with any companies or products mentioned.