Monday, April 30, 2012

making the band

Happy Monday friends.

Well, I have a bit of a strange post for you. As some of you may have seen, I accepted an interim part-time worship leading position at my church and there are lots of things I've been focusing on as of late.

That, coupled with my blogger's block over the last few days has merited this sort of post. I should warn you that this post might not really matter to you nor will it really tickle your reading palette unless you're into music.

So, bam!

Part of my responsibilities are to pick songs that mesh well with the band I'm working with. This has been the same at every church I've worked.

This got me to thinking...if I could HAND PICK a band to sing with, who would I pick? Wow. Hmmmm.... Well, here are my picks. (Click on each name to see a video of a performance.)

Electric Guitarist 1: Eric Clapton
Old "Slowhand" makes my cut for his bluesy style.

Electric Guitarist 2: Slash
He's so mysterious...yet, he's AMAZING.

Bassist: Victor Wooten
Hands-down. One of the most amazing bassists of our time. You should listen to 2:38 and on. DANG!

Drummer: Keith Moon
Okay, so he's not technically alive, but this is in my dreams, right? Keith is the drummer for one of my all-time fave bands, The Who. He was probably a certified LUNATIC, but boy could he drum.

Acoustic Guitarist: Nancy Wilson
This girl ROCKS it out.

Honorable Mention
Can I be honest? Narrowing this list down was WAY harder and took WAY longer than I originally thought. Some of my honorable mentions were...
Orianthi, Jeff Beck, Pete Townsend, Tal Wilkenfeld, Jimmy Page, John Entwhistle, Eddie Van Halen, BB King, SRV, Lindsey Buckingham, John Mayer and the list could really just go on.

I was just about to wrap this post up and then I thought to myself, "Self, if you had this dream band, what song would you perform with them?"

Self answered. She said this one.

File:Slash live in Rome by Paride.jpg
Say Hi to Slash, k? Source.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

confessional friday

It's Friday.

Holla!

I'm linking up with the lovely Mrs. Leslie over at A Blonde Ambition for today's Confessional Friday post.

1. I came to the realization this week that I don't know how to actually cook rice. Yeah, I'm sure I could buy the easy-to-cook kind, but, yeah. [Hangs head in shame.]

2. I had REAL ice cream after eating frozen yogurt for the last little while. Heh. BIG difference. Oh, and some homemade hot fudge. It was seriously The Schizz.

3. I'm taking my little furchild to the groomer tomorrow. I'm probably more nervous than he is.

4. I want to quote from Bridesmaids all the time. The problem is, most of the quotes are inappropriate. Sigh.

5. I finished workout 2 of week 1 of C25k and I'm alive. Hallelujah.

6. I've also been wanting to quote New Girl this week but don't think anyone would quite appreciate it. "Girls with clean hair. Models eating sliders. Bernadette Peters on a high beam. Freshly baked bread." Anyone?

7. NERD ALERT. I'm a history nut nerd. I'll own that. But I usually only like certain parts/eras of history. I've never really enjoyed studying or reading about the American Civil War (aka The War of Northern Aggression) and I'm not sure why. However, I'm reading this great alternate-reality book about what would've happened had England joined in on the Confederate side of the war. It's pretty interesting and has caused me to be interested in the Civil War. It also helps that I live in a city that was pretty influential during the Civil War and work on a historic site that just happens to be where the largest amphibious battle of the war occurred. See? It's all one big ol' circle. </nerd alert>

Well, blog friends, that's about it. I hope everyone has a wonderfully safe weekend. And make sure you use your [sun] protection.


happiness and inspiration

Pinned Image


I was inspired by many things in the past week.

First of all, I worked at a 5k race at work and, well, I was inspired to walk crawl skip run a 5k.

Gulp.

Well, at least I'm gonna try to run the whole thing. I started the Couch to 5k program and survived the first workout without collapsing.

So, in other words, a strong start! ;)

Another thing that inspired me was a post on happiness by my girl Leslie at A Blonde Ambition. You can read the original post here.

She started using the hashtag #HappinessIs on Twitter and listed the things that are making her happy currently. I was so inspired by her happiness list, that I decided to do my own.

1. Late night (read: 8:45 pm) runs to Walgreens for cookies with Hewitt. #HappinessIs
2. New Girl. Enough said. #HappinessIs
3. Consuming said cookies while watching New Girl. #HappinessIs
4. Accepting an interim worship leader position at my church while they search for a new worship pastor. #HappinessIs
5. Statement necklaces. #HappinessIs
6. A faithful God. #HappinessIs
7. Hibachi chicken. Seriously, I can't stop thinking about it. #HappinessIs
8. Sunburn that has, for once in my life, faded to TAN. #HappinessIs
9. Growing my shoe collection by one more pair. #HappinessIs
10. My furchild Hewitt, who wards off loneliness like nobody's business. #HappinessIs

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

ootd: make a statement

As I hinted about yesterday, today's Outfit Of The Day post is all about how to wear a statement necklace.

You see, after swooning over the now infamous JCrew Bubble necklace, I decided to take the plunge and buy one. But, I got it off Ebay because, yeah, no thanks on the $150 price tag.

Anywho, when it arrived, I was practically drooling over the endless outfit possibilities with my newest accessory. Here are a few different outfits that I came up with using my necklace.


This first one is a work look. You wouldn't think coral/orange and green would work together but they DO! I seriously love this cute combo.

Shirt: Old Navy
Pants: NY & Company
Shoes: Target (ancient)
Necklace: JCrew via Ebay


This is a bit more of a dressy look, appropriate for cocktails or fancier dinners. Of course, a POC (Pop Of Color) almost always works with black.

Dress: Daisy Fuentes via Kohls
Shoes: Rue 21
Necklace: JCrew via Ebay


This is one of my favorite looks. I rocked the one on the left all day on Saturday because it was so comfy and cute. A colored statement necklace can really be a great POC for any outfit, but don't let it stop there. The necklace is cool with the gray cardi, but in my opinion, the aqua cardi outfit looks even better.

So, if you're a bit of a color phobe, the look on right might be up your alley. The look on the left could be for the more adventurous souls.

Both Cardigans: Target
Tank: Rue 21
Skirt: Target
Necklace: JCrew via Ebay
Shoes: Unlisted via Amazon

Linking up with Lindsey over at the Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

introducing: button swap!

I'm pleased to announce that I will now be accepting blog button ad swaps on a first-come-first-serve basis.

You get to have your blog button featured on my blog and in return, my button gets put on your blog.

Tit for tat, as they say. I call it The Great Button Swap. ;)

If you're interested, shoot me an email at aprilanne147 [at] hotmail [dot] com. For more info, click on the "ad swap" page in my header menu.

 Depending on the number of participants, I'll rotate ads occasionally and/or switch out ads monthly. In an effort to maximize your exposure, I'll only feature 5 blogs at a time.

top 5 tuesday: make a statement

I don't normally like to be a person who "makes a statement". I try to be the peacemaker who gets along with everyone, blends in with everyone and doesn't stand out.

However, this isn't the case when it comes to statement jewelry. I wore a great statement necklace today and had a ton of compliments on it. I love how they can pull an outfit together and add that extra oomph that an otherwise boring outfit needs. I'll go into more detail about this particular statement necklace tomorrow in my outfit post.

In the meantime, for today's Top 5 Tuesday post, I'm listing 5 of my current favorite statement necklaces.

1. Mullholland Drive necklace from Kate Spade.

2. Bubble Necklace from JCrew.
Bubble necklace


Pearl Statement Necklace - Mermaid Farts - Creamy White and Brass Recycled Faux Pearl Bib - Eco Friendly

4. Caramelo Necklace from Anthropologie



5. Silver Filigree Metal Necklace from Etsy

Statement Necklace, Silver Filigree Metal Necklace, Bright Silver Lace Necklace, Metal Bib Style Necklace

Gray Blossom Bib Necklace Ladies, do you like to rock a statement necklace?
Gray Blossom Bib Necklace

Monday, April 23, 2012

monday space: a colorful bedroom

Happy Monday, friends!

Y'all know how much I LURVE me some color, right? Well, these bedrooms are right up my alley. Colorful, bright, friendly and classy looking. They contain pops of color and lots of patterns and textures. Swoon.

Pillow headboard
Quaint and Feminine 
Bright green wall, white headboard
Seaside Resort
Bedroom area

bedroom
And, after looking at these photos, apparently I also have a penchant for quilts or textured bedspreads. Heh. What can I say?
What are your thoughts on a colorful bedroom? What colors are YOUR bedroom?
 



Sunday, April 22, 2012

rainy day essentials

Happy Sunday, my friends!

Well, it's raining in my neck of the woods. Actually, today is, literally, a 90% chance of rain ALL DAY LONG.

Oh, and did I mention that I'm working outside this morning? Yeah, I'm working a 5k race today. It's a "green" race in honor of Earth Day and, of course, it's pouring.

Needless to say, I dress accordingly. There are just some rainy day essentials that every girl needs, you know? You need a good waterproof jacket, waterproof shoes and of course, an umbrella. Here are some of my faves...

rainy day essentials 

1. Umbrella. I mean, yeah, you could have a black or blue umbrella, but if the day is already gray, why not brighten it up a bit? These bubble-shaped umbrellas are SO cute.

2. Waterproof jacket. Or rain jacket. Or rain coat. Or slickers. Or rubbers. Or even "mac" if you're in the UK. A waterproof jacket is essential for keeping you and your clothes dry.

3. Waterproof shoes. Personally, I'm a fan of cute and patterned rainboots, but any sort of waterproof shoe is excellent for keeping your feet dry in the puddles. I love rainboots (or wellies) because you can tuck the bottom of your pants in them and you don't get the dreaded "wet cuffs". You know what I'm talking about.

I imagine you've got multiples of each of the above if you live in a rainy climate, but for those of you who live where there is "average" rainfall, do you have rain gear? Or do you just brave it with an umbrella?

Friday, April 20, 2012

instafessional friday

Happy Friday!!

Whoo, this week has been a DOOZY, has it not? I'm ready for the weekend for sure. But before we kick it off, let's start with a Friday dance party.

I initiated this last week on my blog and subsequently when I got in to work on Friday as well. My coworkers appreciated it. Maybe you will too?

So, click here and let the Friday dance party begin. I'll wait while you groove, then come back for Instafessional Friday, k?

For today's post, I'm linking up with Leslie @ A Blonde Ambition and Jeannett @ Life Rearranged.

1) I had to make a trip to the local art museum for something for work this week and I saw this totally awesome sculptural display outside.


That's not the confession part. The confession was that the residual burning and destruction from the wildfires 2 days before was way, WAY more interesting to look at.

2) I ate this delicious cupcake on Wednesday. I learned a new way of eating cupcakes from my boss and, well, I will never eat a cupcake the regular way again.


Oh, did you want to know the way to eat it? Okay.
Step 1: Remove paper.
Step 2: Tear off bottom part of cupcake.
Step 3: Place cupcake bottom (torn side down) on top of the icing.
Step 4: Press down.
Step 5: Eat it like a sammich.

#Mindblown.

3) I went to the beach on Sunday afternoon...

...and subsequently got my inaugural sunburn of the season. And it was a doozy, folks. Here is a photographic timeline that chronicles my sunburn over the last 5 days.


L-R: Day 1, Day 3, Day 5. Heh.


That's all I've got for y'all today. Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!




Thursday, April 19, 2012

hello gentlemen!

I caught a lot of flack when I included this photo in a blog post a few weeks ago.

Pinned Image


The question I got from most people was, "Do men really dress like that?"

Well, I don't understand why men WOULDN'T want to dress like that? It's cute! It's hot! It's fancy! Perhaps the very reason lies in the fact that I called this outfit "cute" and "fancy". Sigh.

Okay, well, if there aren't any men willing to pair green, pink and blue like this, then might I suggest a few other options?

Beauxin Bowties

Seersucker and Magnolias

Oh So Prep

Prepitude

Bowties are my favorite. I'm convinced that if more men wore bowties, the world would be a better place. Nautical accents like belts and colorful boat shoes are also high on my menswear love list. Lots of guys I know are colorphobic, so the idea of wearing a madras plaid or seersucker print bowtie scares the mess out of them.

Well, duh, pair your colorful accent with neutrals, like so...

bowties!


Are there any men who would dress like this? Or are all these photos I've been finding staged? I'd love your opinions on this preppy style of menswear. (Boys too, PLEASE!)



Wednesday, April 18, 2012

OOTD: old faves & an old nightgown

Happy Wednesday friends!

Wednesdays on ALOTAT mean linking up with Lindsey over at the Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday. I've got two outfits for y'all today.

The first is an outfit I replicated from a cute inspiration look I spotted on Curvy Girl Chic. I loved the pairing of a cute and girly dress with a denim top over it.


Recognize this dress? It's a nightgown that I bought to wear as a dress, but was a bit too short for me. So, what did I do? I added the lace-y trim to the bottom and voila! A brand new dress! I added a chambray top worn open and wedges to try and replicate the inspiration look.

Oh and another thing, I didn't photoshop my tan on this time! It's tan from a bottle, but I think it looks good. (or maybe it just does from far away!!)

Top: Harve Benard via Marshalls
Nightgown: Old Navy
Shoes: Urban Originals

My second outfit is one of my favorites. It combines some of my favorite colors, navy blue and kelly green.


Cardigan: Target (OLD!)
Tank: Rue 21
Skirt: Handmade by me
Shoes: Target (thrifted)
Belt: Target
Necklace: Gifted from my mother

Linking up with the Pleated Poppy and Watch What I'm Wearing.

Also linking up with Frills for Thrills' CopyCats!

FrillsforThrills CopyCats

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

what's in my bag?

It's been awhile since I did a "What's In My Bag" post. Actually, this post just happened by chance. I noticed yesterday how heavy my purse had gotten and I dumped it out to see what needed to be purged. Below are the contents of my purse AFTER the purge.

I know, I know. It's a lot of stuff. But I can't help it...I just need to be prepared for anything. Such a maternal instinct from someone who is not very, urm, maternal.

Anywho, on with the bag!


Here are the contents...explained.



1. My "eyes" makeup bag (Vera Bradley)
2. My "lips" makeup bag (Clinique)
3. Hairbrush
4. Medicine and first-aid bag (Bag from Benefit)
5. Wallet (Apt. 9 via Kohls)
6. iPhone
7. Business card of the sweet old man who helped me out at the car place
8. Change purse
9. Checkbook
10. Pens
11. Checkbook. Whoops, I just realized I numbered that twice!
12. Lipgloss "ball"
13. Earbuds
14. Notepad
15. Gum
16. Sunnies (Wal-Mart. I need cheap sunnies because I break them. Or lose them.)
17. 2 sets of keys (work & home/car)
18. Bedazzled compact mirror
19. My croakies
20. E.L.F. face blotting papers
21. (Spray) hand sanitizer
22. Secret Wonderland lotion from B&BW
23. Pepto Bismol. Yup.
24. Hand sanitizing gel


So, there you go! There is what I carry in my purse on an everyday basis. It's just enough to cover anything I'd need while out. Because you never know when you'll have an emergency oily face or need a spare hand sanitizer. ;)

Come back tomorrow for a link-up with What I Wore Wednesday!!

Monday, April 16, 2012

outfit replication & inspiration

I've blogged before about copying outfits I spied on retail websites, other blogs or inspiration sites like Pinterest and Tumblr.

I don't mind being inspired by someone else's original inspiration. There ain't no shame in that game.

I thought I might share with y'all a few of my favorite (and yet to be replicated) outfits and their sources. Hopefully, you'll get just as inspired to search through your closet as I did in mine!


From Pinterest. Hot pink maxi skirt with a turquoise statement necklace? Yes, please.


From CurvyGirlChic. You just might see my version of this outfit on Wednesday. Maybe...


From the Gap. I just need to find some yellow heels.



From Kate Spade. I LURVE the statement necklace with a cardigan and floral dress.


Didn't I just say something about cardigans and statement necklaces? Oh yeah. From Pinterest.


From Girl With Curves. I just love this teal cardi with skinny jeans and pumps. SO cute and put together.


Though I don't have the EXACT elements to replicate this look, I definitely have the colors and could work with that combo. It's like Barney-chic! From Prepfection.

Where do you get your outfit inspiration from?

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