Features

Today I'm excited to share a couple of places I've been honored to be featured recently!  I am not one to toot my own horn, so that's not what I'm doing here, but I wanted to share because I'm proud of both of these things.
First up, I wasn't going to choose a word for 2015.  I wrote a post here about how I was instead going to go with more of a "mantra" instead.  But then fellow MN Blogger Aimee from Why I Left My Job emailed a bunch of bloggers asking what our "word" was for 2015 and if we'd be willing to photograph ourselves with it and send to her to include in a blog post.  I started really thinking about it and actually, while I'm still totally going with my "let it go" mantra, that's only a small part of what I'm working on for 2015.  I decided I do have a word.  My word is "embrace".  Embrace new adventures, embrace where my life is, where my life is going.  Embrace change.  Embrace everything.  In other words, I'm facing life head on and trying to live more without fear.  

Aimee's post went live yesterday and I was so inspired by her word (magical) and her thoughts and reflections and also the words and thoughts from many other awesome women about what they want to work on in 2015.  I was almost a little humbled to be included among so many amazing writers.  I found some new blogs I haven't read before and I look forward to getting to know all these ladies and learning more about them.  Please head over to Aimee's blog and read the post - I hope you will find yourself as inspired as I was!

Then I am excited to finally share some awesome pictures from TC Style Magazine that I was featured in!  Jasmine, the sweet girl who is behind this new style magazine in the Twin Cities, invited me to write a feature about vintage items.  We did a super fun photo shoot back in October with two of my own pieces and one that she brought from Primp Boutique that was vintage inspired.  I am so thrilled to be a part of this issue along with one of my fellow Thrift Style Thursday gals Zhenya of Being Zhenya.  You can view the entire magazine online over here.  My feature starts on page 16! Thank you again for including me Jasmine, I had a ton of fun!

These things just made my week, I am constantly amazed by this awesome online community, the connections I've made and continue to make and the fun opportunities that come my way sometimes!

Thrift Style Thursday - New Year Style Resolutions

Woo hoo, Thrift Style Thursday is back!  So very excited to be back at sharing weekly thrifted outfits and finds with my fellow Thrift Style Thursday gals.  We took December to regroup and refocus and I love what we're bringing your way this year.  Each week a different one of us is going to host - and the host also is the one who chooses the theme for that week too.  This week Zhenya of Being Zhenya is our host and she chose the theme of "New Year" - new style, old style, what are our style resolutions?

For me, I think I'm not making resolutions or even really a new style so to speak as much as I'm continuing to define the style identity I finally discovered late last year.  I kind of realized my style is "Working Mom Casual Chic."  I don't get super dressed up anymore, but I want to still look cute and trendy.  I need my wardrobe to be as functional as it is stylish - appropriate not just for work but for chasing around a one year old.  I don't want to have to think super hard about my style choices either.

I'm doing pretty well with this so far.  I've started pulling more and more items out of my closet that just seem to no longer fit with who I am.  I'm getting back into really working on re-mixing my closet too, trying to come up with new combinations.  I'm back to having more fun getting dressed and I rarely have a day that I feel uncomfortable in what I wear.

Sweater - Mossimo (Target), Pants - No Boundaries (thrifted)

Scarf - Christmas gift, Boots - Target

I'm happy to say I've really worked on variety too and I feel like I finally have a lot of color when I open my closet.  This isn't to say neutrals are bad, but I was starting to feel like I had a lot of the same color for awhile there - especially gray.  This is something I plan to continue in 2015.  Color just makes me happy.

Dress - Old Navy (thrifted), Sweater - Herbergers
Tights - Old Navy, Boots - Target, 
Scarf - Handmade (gift from sister-in-law)
Purse - Vintage Coach (thrifted)

So that's where I'm at.  Not much new in terms of style this year, just continuing to work on what I already learned about myself!  It's always going to be a work in progress.  I'd love to do an only thrifted wardrobe for a year too - I tell you I went to the mall a couple of weeks ago to get some shoes for Oliver and after that I feel like I wouldn't be missing much if I did stop shopping new - but I still can't help my weakness for Target and Old Navy.  All the other stores I could kiss goodbye right now, but not those two, dang it!  

What are your style resolutions?  Be sure to check out the other Thrift Style Thursday gals blogs to see what they plan for 2015!  The images below in this sweet new graphic made by Brittany from Lipstick and Yarn are clickable!

Currently in January

It's time for my favorite link-up of the month - Currently with Jenna from Dearest Love and Anne of In Residence.  Each month they pick a few prompts for bloggers to share what they're currently up to - so here is where I currently am!
-- Currently I am --
Planning - Very little right now!  I wish I could say I was planning a warm weather getaway or something of that nature, but sadly, not this year.  After the hectic month of celebrating birthdays and holidays and dealing with sickness in December, it's kind of nice to not be really planning anything! That said, I guess I am looking at some fun activities for Nate and I and Ollie to do the rest of the winter, so if anything, I'm planning for those.  Next up I think will be another trip to our Science Museum for Oliver and possibly an outdoor winter beer festival for Nate and I (Beer Dabbler for you locals - anyone ever been?)
Hoping - That we all stay relatively healthy for the rest of the winter, that the weather warms up just a hair so we can maybe take Oliver sledding, and beyond that for happiness and peace for all my friends and family in 2015.  Cheesy?  Maybe, but I'm that kind of gal.
Baking - Haven't been doing much of that since before Christmas and didn't get to do as much as I wanted thanks to our illnesses.  I did get a batch of ginger snaps made though which made me happy. This is the time of year I tend to like to bake cupcakes, it ends up being a fun project for a Sunday afternoon in the winter, so I might have to do that this weekend.  I have been wanting to make Butterfinger cupcakes, so maybe I'll make these:

Link to recipe on my Pinterest

Wearing - Warm clothes!  It's pretty much below zero outside, so warm layers are pretty much just necessary today.  I'm also almost a walking ad for Old Navy.  

Flannel and vest - Old Navy, Pants - Simply Vera (Kohls)

Shoes - from cousin 

Resolving - I talked last week about my mantra for the year of letting things go.  I'm really not making resolutions other than that, though I have decided this is the year I also try to live more without fear and to say yes more - funny in a way because I have a hard time saying no - but I guess I mean in that I'm going to say yes to new experiences and yes to taking chances.  And I want to try super hard to live in the moment.  
So there you go!  What are you currently doing?  Make sure to check out Anne and Jenna's blogs as well or to link up your own post!

My new mantra

My word for 2014 was "simplify."  And I think I accomplished that in many ways - and I could have done better at times, but I think I did pretty well overall.
For 2015, I am not making goals or resolutions.  That's not really my thing.  I'm also not really choosing a word so much as I'm choosing a phrase.  I know we're all sooooo sick of the Frozen craze, but I can't help it - my mantra is going to be "Let It Go."  And now you all have that song stuck in your heads and I'm so very sorry.
I realize that song is about Elsa discovering her power and choosing to let it out - but there are various lyrics in that song that I feel sort of apply to my life at the moment.  
"Let it go, let it go, can't hold it in anymore.  Let it go, let it go,  turn away and slam the door."  
I've alluded to something on the blog a few times this year about a relationship I've been struggling with this year.  I wouldn't say that this person is all to blame for what took place between us, I take some responsibility too - but in the end,  I've been hurt, I've been sad for what we've lost and it's really been difficult to get over it.  Just when I think I'm there something happens and I'm back where I was.  And I'm tired of it.  I just want to let it go and move on.  
"I don't care, what they're going to say, let the storm rage on, the cold never bothered me anyway" (metaphorically anyway - real cold sure does, lol)
And that brings me back to what I said on my birthday - the biggest gift I gave myself this year was self acceptance.  And that means I need to stop worrying about what others think of me.  I am happy with myself, I am happy with where I am and that should be all that matters.  I have a husband and a son who love me. I have supportive family and friends and that is where I need to focus my energy.  I don't need to waste time on people who just want to bring me down.  
"And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast, I'm never going back, the past is in the past."
I realize it sounds like this one issue I dealt with was all consuming this year.  It wasn't.  You saw in my year in review yesterday that I had a great year overall.  I want to just look back on the good moments and put the yucky ones behind me.  The past is in the past. We're moving on.
"Let it go, let it go, and I'll rise with the break of dawn.  Let it go, let it go.  That perfect girl is gone.  Here I stand, in the light of day.  Let the storm rage on.  The cold never bothered me anyway."
I'm rising above it.  I'm letting it go.  I also know I'm not perfect.  I am also a woman - thank you hormones - there may still be moments that I might get drug back down, but I'm going to try to repeat my mantra - let it go.  Let the storm rage on.  I won't let the cold bother me this time.
I wish you all a wonderful and peace filled New Year and I wish everyone only good things in 2015! I know I am excited for things to come! I have said it a lot these last couple of weeks, but thank you again for coming here, sharing in my world, reading my crazy rambles and thoughts.  I appreciate every single one of you!