Do Your Best To Live In The Present

Do Your Best To Live In The Present!

Gosh, it has been quite a long time since I have posted in this blog!  Let's just say I have been consumed with work and life and no time to sit down and write.  But, I saw a picture the other and it just spoke to me and gave me some inspiration.  

This picture really spoke to me!

I don't know if many people know, but I do suffer from very bad anxiety and in some sense depression.  I have been dealing with this since I was young (all started in 7th grade).  It is a daily battle with my emotions and on most days I come out winning...but, other days I hit extreme lows that makes it hard to get through the day.  

Recently, I have had those low low days and it has been a struggle to fight.  I wish I could tell you what causes these emotions- trust me I really wish I knew too!! When I go through these hard times I find that I take it out on the people I love the most- my husband, my family and my friends.  Believe me I wish I could make these feeling just go away!! I know I need to find someone to talk to and I need to get my emotions in check because I know this is going to hurt me in the future.  I am so beyond happy with my life.  I have a great husband, wonderful pets, a great family a a really nice job.  Why can't I just be normal?  Why can't my emotions just be normal?  Why do I have to wake up each morning, look in the mirror and hype myself on conquering my emotions everyday?

Unfortunately, that question can't be answered....I have tried numerous times to answer those questions and to just be NORMAL! I can't....

I am only writing to get my feelings out, but I want to shout out to anyone else who goes through this daily struggle.  I want you to know you are not alone.  You are one of millions of people who go through everyday as a fight to beat out those horrible emotions.  

Me, I hide this problem to the world.  I guess I should have been an actress because I make sure no one knows the struggle I go through...even my family don't know the full extent of what I go through everyday.  That I have learned is a bad thing.  Tell people you are struggling.  Ask for help, ask for support!  The more help and support you have behind you the better you will get at beating out those bad/sad emotions.  

I am still having those low low days...and still trying to be normal! I really need to sit back and look at this picture and focus on living in the present! Not the past, not the future...the PRESENT and just living at peace.  

I do not want anyone to think this message is a cry for help! It is not. It is a way for me to get my feelings out and my thoughts down on paper.  I encourage those who suffer from anxiety and depression to keep a journal- I am actually going to go buy one today at Target.  Writing down your thoughts is the best way to set them free!!!

I am sorry for the long message.  I just needed to get my feelings out and I will continue to grow and better myself and learn how to handle my emotions even more! I wish you all the best of luck with your struggles and know you are not alone. 

From Traditional To Trendy- Making A Comeback!

Embroidery is making a comeback!

It makes me happy to know that embroidery is coming back into style.  It is no longer known as grandma clothes or a craft project for Hippies! It is now all over fashion blogs and more and more celebrities are stepping out with embroidered clothing. 

Whether you are braving the South Carolina heat or walking down the streets of Baltimore this dress is a closet must. I bought this lavender beauty from JessaKae and I have to say it is growing to one of my fashion favs! 

The fabric is very light and airy which makes it perfect for literally any occasion in any state from Maryland to South Carolina. 

How I decided to style this embroidered dress:

For styling this look I kept it very simple since I wanted the dress to be the focal point. I paired it with open back bootie shoes and simple pearl hoop earrings. Added the bright green nail polish for a fun pop of color :) 

The shoes are from Target- Go figure! Which I paid around $35

The earrings are from a boutique in Saint Lucia, but I found similar earrings at World Market for around $15

The nails are the dipping powder from a nail salon which was around $35

So this whole outfit including the dress cost around $150 including the bright green nails!! That is a great price for a very unique, put together look that will stand out in a crowd. 

In my opinion less is more when styling an outfit with an embroidered piece. You want that piece to stand out since it is very unique.  

Add a little attitude to the dress and you are good to go! Don't forget to be confident and own the look. Confidence is by far the best way to stand out! 

All That Glitters is Gold(en)

The saying "all that glitters is not gold" does not apply to my life because ALL THAT GLITTERS IN GOLDEN HERE!!

Saying I am obsessed with my dogs is an understatement. I truly think about my dogs morning, afternoon and night. My life revolves around them. Which can be very stressful and tiring because 4 big dogs is a huge undertaking, but they really do make me happy! 

So with that being said, when my friend sent me these shoes from RackRoom Shoes I just had to buy them. Especially since they were on sale, which made the decision even easier. 

At first I thought these shoes were going to be tough to pair with an outfit, but really it was easy to throw this look together. I think this jean sack dress goes nicely with these shoes, and plus it was 10000 degrees outside the sack dress was the right choice! 

The dress is from Target, but I have seen a lot of sack dresses in stores lately. They really are coming back into style (thank god)!!

Thoughts about sack dresses:

A lot of you might think that nothing repels the precious male gaze with the unstoppable force of a sack dress, but people who say this are your enemies! Any time you wear a dress that’s inspired by a burlap sack, you can expect an immediate downpour of negative comments. So many people still cling to the misconception that it makes you look like a bag of potatoes, but this is a sack of lies! 

Carrying around a bale of spuds and going out on the town can have the same outfit, as long as that outfit gives you confidence and life.

In my honest opinion the woman under the dress is what gives the dress it's life and it's style. Me, I decided to pair this potato sack dress with vibrant/eye catching shoes. That way the dress does fall by the waste-side, but the outfit as a whole still works and has life to it. 

Ok, sorry I had to rant for a minute about the haters hating sack dresses! I am done ranting and I hope my words of wisdom give you that confidence to wear whatever type of dress you want! Wear it loud and proud...and radiate the life it brings to you. 

Another reason I love my Goldens so much is their confidence shines for the whole world to see. They don't care what others think- they just live their lives with happiness and self-reliance. 

Take my word for it...

Go ahead...shine like a Golden!

Happiness Comes In Salty Water

The Ocean is everything I want to be. Beautiful, Wild and Free.

I am back. I am back to being my happy self and out of the slump I found myself in for a few weeks.  What better way to celebrate...getting down to the water for this photo shoot! 

Living in Bluffton has taught me to love the water even more. Growing up I had our shore house on the Chesapeake Bay, but we only traveled there once a month. Here in Bluffton this town is shaped by the water! Most of the people in Bluffton spend countless days on the river each year, and I LOVE THAT! 

For this post I decided to go very innocent with my look. This baby doll dress has turned into one of my favorite dresses to wear. I have worn it at least 4 times already to events and I have only owned this dress for about 2 months now. It is perfect for any occasion, and great for the summer time since it is very light and breezy. 

I have found a new online Boutique that I have fallen in love with. It is called Monday Dress Boutique  and it has clothes that are not only adorable, but affordable! Affordable is so important especially when you have a shopping problem like me! 

The one thing about this online boutique is the clothes do sell out pretty quickly. So if you do see something you like GET IT- DON'T WAIT! Because there is a good chance you will miss the opportunity. 

The best part of this dress are the flower details! It is even prettier in person to see all of the details. Who doesn't love a great floral design?! Also, this dress is a conversation piece! Everyone will stop and admire this dress and they will for sure ask this dress is from. 

I did pair this dress with small heeled wedges, but I have also worn this dress with higher fancier heels and that worked too. Whats really nice about this dress is you can dress it up or dress it down with flats for a day walking around Downtown Bluffton.  

** I do want to note that even though this dress is a baby doll dress any figure can wear this dress and look fabulous! I do know a lot of women who would turn this dress down because they think it would make them look wider. I disagree. I think the right baby doll dress with the right fit and right length would look great on any body type. ** 

This is my carefree, this is my freedom, this is my happiness! 

Getting Unstuck

(My Mavy was a great model for me for this blog post!)

This is a very different post from the others, but why not share my feelings with my blogging community.  This post was inspired by a Public Radio episode sent to me by my big sister.  Usually my sister sends me "self help" books and podcasts, but this particular podcast really made me sit back and think. 

Lately, I have been feeling stuck. Stuck in a life with no career potential. I have spent thousands of dollars on education and my student loan bills are overwhelming, and what do I have to show for it? Two fancy diplomas on the wall and no real path to follow. The question I find myself saying a lot is, "what do you want to do, what is your dream job?" When in all reality my dream job would be swimming with great white sharks off the coast of Australia- yes, you read that correctly. Well, that dream job is unobtainable at this point in my life, since I did not go to school for science and I cannot pay my bills on the idea I am going to be a person who swims with sharks in the wild. 

So, what's next? Give up and admit failure? Right now I am sitting at home with my 4 golden retrievers (that's right, I have 4 now) thinking I am a failure.  Luckily, my goldens are great at making me smile and they are currently giving me extra attention.  They hate to see their mommy sad or disappointed in herself. Sometimes I wish I could make a career out of owning 4 big goof balls! Write a book or have a tv show! If someone is reading this and you like that idea, call me! 

But, while I am waiting on a book deal, tv show, or a chance to swim with sharks I need to figure out my path to success. I need to figure out how to become unstuck. I know it will not be easy, and it will take time, energy and dedication! I need to find myself again and be confident in the path I chose for myself. I have to create a logical plan for myself, it is fun to dream, but dreaming does not pay the bills. I have to focus on the traits that I have the the will power I need to be successful. I know I can do it. I am sure I am not the first person or the last to feel stuck and lost in this life of picking a profession. 

I am confident that many of us feel stuck. It is up to us to work through the tough times and come out on top. Most importantly, it is mandatory to have confidence and faith in yourself. I lost that confidence and I lost that faith in my ability to achieve my goals. now I need to work very hard to gain that back and hit the ground running as a professional. 

My mom and dad always taught me to never give up on yourself. Be strong, be independent and never let anyone pull you down. I need to remember those life lessons they taught me and I need to once again focus on myself and finding a career path that I can be happy and successful in. It is one thing to just write about it, but putting words into actions mean the most. Today is a new day and I WILL find myself once again. 

As Yoda once said, "Do or do not, there is no try".

No Shoes and No Worries

Sometimes when life gives you too many things to worry about the best thing to do is put on a pretty dress, no shoes and forget all of your problems.  This is a new dress and let me say it has turned into one of my favorites! This dress can be purchased from JESSAKAE and in my opinion it is very affordable and can be perfect for any occasion. This online boutique is new to me and I am loving everything I see! I want to buy everything!  If you have not checked out this boutique...go take a look now, you will not be disappointed. Another great thing about this boutique is it does has fast shipping. I used the standard shipping for this dress and I got it within the week! FABULOUS!!

It is a maxi dress, but very lightweight so you can wear it not only in the spring, but also the summer. Also, the floral print makes this dress very warm and eye catching. I plan on wearing this particular dress to a baby shower next week, but you could also wear this dress to church, a bridal shower, or even to work. The one thing about this dress that needs to be mentioned is the top is somewhat sheer, so a tan tank top or tan bra is needed for this dress. I did not find it overly sheer, but to remain modest you will need something skin colored underneath.

I'm actually a barefoot kind of girl. Don't get me wrong...I do love a great pair of shoes, but I am truly happy when I can just be barefoot, feeling the dirt under my feet!

Who cares if you have to wash your feet off before going into your house! Being barefoot is being closer to nature and I think is way more comfortable then any pair of shoes.

My main rule for clothing is dress comfortable, cute and unique. Life is too shore to blend in! If that means ditching the shoes...DITCH the shoes!

Good-bye Spring, Hello Summer

Well, it is official....it's summer! Time to pack away the long sleeve outfits, sweaters, jeans and boots and bring out the tank tops, bathing suits and flip flops!  Before the heat completely consumes us here in Bluffton I wanted to bring out this outfit one last time.  This outfit goes well in fall or spring and let me tell you...it was so easy to throw together!

 

Who doesn't love a cute flowy dress, boots and a hat? I mean come on...this outfit is not only comfy, but it is put together with little to no effort. Yet it looks like it took a long time thinking up this outfit. In fact, it took me 5 minutes to out this outfit together and head out the door...don't you just love that! Also, a bonus with this outfit is my dogs hair blends in perfectly! 

This light pink tie-dyed dress is a great go to item, especially if I plan to eat a big lunch or dinner.  It is flowy yet in my opinion is very flattering. This is the type of dress a woman of any size can wear and still look fabulous! The hat also makes a great accessory, especially since that morning I was having an extra crazy hair day.

So far in this blog I have talked a lot about fashion and my dogs, but not about my town. My town is perfect, it truly is pictureest! This quaint little town is surrounded by locals who live and breathe the small town air-many who hope the growth of residents will cease (especially residents from Ohio..no offense!) This special place is right next to the Oyster Factory and boat ramp, which I will see a lot this summer since being on the boat is one of my happy places. This picture perfect spot is a great place to sit and read, watch the boats on the river or have a nice family picnic. If you haven't been to this spot yet in Bluffton you have to go check it out!

 

 

Good-bye spring, it was nice to see you for a few weeks!  Now, bring on the summer heat!