Four Favorites // Henri Bendel

April 03, 2013
bags






Happy Wednesday lovelies!!!  It is suppose to be sunny the rest of the week and in the 60's and that truly brings a smile to my face.  I am ready for spring!  I need some sunshine, warm temps, and to start see flowers emerge from their long winter nap!!  I must have been sleep deprived for the past few days because I came home from dinner last night at around 7 and promptly proceeded to fall asleep watching Johnny Depp on TV.  Who falls asleep with that hunk of goodness on the screeen?? I am feeling rested today and ready to slide into the second half of the week.  

If you know me, then you know a good handbag will always catch my eye!  I am bag shopping again.... (no surprise) and Henri Bendel has caught my eye!  I am L O V I N G the cream and black satchel!!   The colors are so bright and vibrant on these clutches too, and the grip it satchel colors just say fun!

Are you bag crushing these days?  What has caught your eye that I need to see? Share it with me!

It is link up day so don't forget to see what the other girls are crushing this week to!


 


                                            



 
 
 

A Tribute to My Grandma

April 02, 2013
Celebration
Hello friends!  Welcome to April.  I was missing again yesterday, but not without cause.  I buried my Grandmother yesterday.  You may remember this post I wrote last year honoring her birthday, the day before mine by the way, and not be totally shocked by her passing.  You see, she was 97 years old, a full life with a huge loving family.  She raised 6 kids, was grandmother to 18, great grandmother of 19, and great great grandmother to 8. My grandmother was the matriarch of our family, and now the torch will be passed on most likely to my mother. 

We drove to Tulsa Saturday morning for what would have traditionally been for Easter weekend.  Instead, this year family trickled in all day Saturday from around the world, as far away as Austria, to pay respects to Grandma.  It was a great gathering of so many relatives.  We had 50 at Easter dinner on Sunday at my brothers house.  The weather was beautiful, with tempeatures in the 70's and a sunny sky!  

It was a bit cathartic to wander around my grandma's house.  The only home I ever knew my grandparents to have.  It was full of memories for all of us, and as the many levels of generations gathered on Sunday morning after church, you could here laughter and stories being shared and told of their favorite times at grandma's house!  The house was alive once again with grandkids!  I grew up visiting this home, the orchard lined with peach and apple trees, the swing that hung from the majestic tree in the orchard, and the fun of pretending in the garage apartment!  I learned how to make applesauce in her kitchen from the apples we picked in the orchard, and almost every Sunday growing up had Sunday lunch of her famous fried chicken.   Every holiday, my grandparents house was the gathering spot.  There were easter egg hunts in the side yard, and pictures, pictures, and more pictures.  My dad would always say we look like a bunch of tourist with so many cameras! 

I am glad there are so many pictures now.  My grandmothers shelves are lined with albums.  Stories of our lives!  Memories frozen in time for us all to relive and share with the generations who didn't know them then!  I am lucky!!  Lucky to have lived in the same city with my grandparents, to have them be so active in my life, and my children's lives, and to have genuinely felt the love and nurturing from a woman with a heart of gold.  My niece gave a beautiful eulogy yesterday, speaking of the generosity and size of my grandmas heart, her love of her garden, and her skills in the kitchen.  I learned some of these skills, in the garden, sewing machine, and kitchen from her.  I am thankful for that.

Someone turned to me after the funeral and said that those words of affirmation could have as well of been written about my own mother.  She learned from the best, the oldest daughter of my grandparents, and big sister to 4 siblings,  They were right!  I have huge, I mean jumbo size, shoes to fit in to measure up to be the Mimi to my grandchildren that my grandma, and mother have been to my family!  What beautiful examples were set before me, yes I feel blessed today!  Very blessed!

I am hoping to be back tomorrow with something pretty to share with you, but today, my images are all memories on my heart!



Rustic Cuff // Gold Geometric

March 29, 2013
arm party
What a fabulous giveaway this week!  I traveled home a few weeks ago, and had the pleasure of sitting down one afternoon for a visit with Jill of Rustic Cuff!  Remember this post where I first introduced you to her? 


It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, and we sat in her gorgeous office, the smell of leather all around me, and the beauty of an entire wall lined with cuffs to learn a little more about the line, and the fabulous woman behind the designs!  She gave me a tour of her new office and manufacturing rooms and I couldn't help but touch so many hides and skins loving the textures of them all!  She shared how she moved off her guest bedroom floor, and into  this beautiful office by sharing a cuff for a friend named Stella! 



Jill is the kind of person that would do anything for you.  A devoted mother to two beautiful daughters, she incorporates their ideas and opinions into her cuffs.  I love that she is teaching her girls at an early age the art of entrepreneurship.  I can assure you that if I still lived in Tulsa, she and I would run around together!  She is spunky, thoughtful, and driven.  She has designs that regularly make an appearance on the arms of Kathy Lee Gifford, Hoda, and Miranda Lambert, just to name a few! Well, and mine too! 

Jill so kindly gave me two, yes two, gold geometric cuffs to share with my followers, and I am offering them both to you guys!  eeeeekkk, are you excited? 


So use the rafflecopter form below and enter, and remember to follow the instructions so all your entries count! 

< a Rafflecopter giveaway

Travel Essentials//Stephanie Johnson

March 28, 2013
arm party
It is no surprise I love jewelry.  What girl doesn't right? So when I travel its important to have the right accessories along for the right outfits.  Stephanie Johnson sent me this beautiful traveler bag to style, and style I did! Beauty on the outside, and full up on the inside! 


There is so much goodness going on in this pic, I hope you can keep up!  The Ropes Maine    *Oia Jules triple pave * Flora Gold Wire Bfrend *  Linz Gutz sideways cross * Alexandra Beth Blue Agate necklace * Fine and Funky Snow Leopard cuff *Swell Caroline  Mulit Chain gold bracelet *Glitter and Pearls Skulls *Multiple Tiffany's,  and my private collection.  


So maybe I over pack a little....... Naahhhhh! Accessories are only the enemy when your flying and you go thru security.  I get some strange looks when my bag goes thru the xray machine.  And more often than not, the bag gets opened! I love the two zipper compartments in the middle of the bag that snap out for easy access.  One of the side pockets has a detachable mirror, and the other side has a clear pouch that detaches as well!  





It all fit, nice and snug!  And another great thing about traveling with this bag, is it slips perfectly into those safes they have in your hotel rooms too!  Stephanie Johnson has a wide variety of colors and styles, and I can't wait to continue adding to my collection of travel accessory bags! 

 Do you have any Stephanie Johnson bags?  Leave me a comment and tell me how you use yours! 

 Stephanie Johnson sent me this bag to style, but all views and opinions, are mine, and you better believe if I didn't like something I would let you know! 

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