Which dress would you pick for 2010 New Year's Celebration?

Preparing Your Closet for the Winter Season

You know you need to clean things out when you find 2 of the exact same shirts.  This happens a lot when things are tightly squeezed together.  I try to purge every few months.  My creative side is so much happier after my closet is cleaned. 

I was able to find 4 pairs of shoes I could donate.  My husband would disagree with me about this but I don't have THAT many pairs of shoes/boots.  I really don't.  I am super hard on my shoes and really wear them out by the end of the year.  I only have one new pair of boots this year which are EMU and I love them.  The real key is to be able to shop for shoes that will withstand a few seasons and are comfortable.    Ladies, don't buy shoes you can't stand to be in more than a few minutes.  It is SO NOT WORTH IT.  Just because they're expensive doesn't mean they will be comfy too.  If you buy on line, read the comments.  I've done this many times and it helps tremendously.

It took me about 3 hours to clean tonight.  I have about 3 loads of my laundry to clean and put away.  Did you know you can find some strange things in your closet?  Tonight I found my daughters two teeth she lost recently.  What do I do with them?  I guess they can stay in my jewelry box for now. 

Focus on the current season when purging.  If you can clean some old sweaters or boots out, it will free up some space for new Winter clothes.  Most of my Summer is put away in a couple of drawers.  Plus, this Summer was short in the Northwest, I didn't buy too many things.

Try to hang all your clothes in your closet.  If you fold or put in a drawer they will be forgotten.  The only things I don't hang are my workout clothes and lingerie.  Even your jewelry will be worn more if the pieces are visible.

On a more personal note, I have a few things that will never leave my closet.  A bright striped robe hangs on my closet door greeting me every day.  A reminder of my dad who died in March.  Sometimes it brings me to tears but other times it just sits.  I also have a few flannel shirts of his hanging proudly with my other clothes .  I try not to think of them every time I'm in there but at times it's nice to remember him wearing them.  Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving and in a few weeks will be Christmas, I will soon be thinking of him in his red plaid flannel shirts he loved.   

DIY Style for the Holidays

Martha Stewart craft material all available at Michaels

I had a great Sunday with my two beautiful girls.  We did our usual trips to Costco, Fred Meyers and a quick trip to Michaels.  I've been in the mood to create something and what better way than with sparkles and yummy smelling pinecones.  I also bought two blank canvases that are currently hanging on my wall in the living room.  Hannah had to let me know it was weird to have two pictures empty.  My paintbrush and metallic paints are waiting for me to take charge.  We shall see. 

Races keep me motivated to run.

It took me exactly one week to get my bum moving again after the Girlfriends Half Marathon.  I was pleased with my finish of 2hr7min. and beat my time from last year.  I had the usual high afterwards and then the usual low a week later.  I've been running for about 17 months now and completed 6 races.  It's come to my attention this lack of motivation is becoming a normal thing for me after each race.  I'm hoping it's a normal occurrence for others too.  My next race isn't until next year but wonder if having one planned every month would be a good idea.  Maybe a good motivator to keep on running.  Or, is having all these races giving me anxiety?  Not sure.   Thank goodness Wendy and I ran today.  A perfect sunny day to pass an hour away.   It was a tough run and knew when I started I was going to struggle.  It's funny, I can judge how the run is going to be by the first mile.  I think because Wendy runs faster than me, I was struggling from the start with my lack of oxygen.  By the end I was using one syllable words.  Two cups of coffee shouldn't of been my only pre-run breakfast.  However, I finished and felt so much better.  So, for me it might just take a couple of weeks to get back to normal running.  Although, I may put a small race on the calendar for December.

The Foldover Clutch - My NEW Accessory

Belts - From the Runway to Every Day.

The Fall 2010 runways were full of glorious belts.  It was dreamy to see belts wrapped around fur vests, cashmere sweaters and fabulous red dresses. 

The hard part is taking those beautiful looks and applying them in the everyday game of life.  Fur is not always an option, cashmere can be expensive and a red dress is not always practical. 

If you're scared of belts, start with basic pieces underneath.  Stick with neutral tones and buy belts in black, brown, gold and silver.  A basic black dress in your closet can easily be accessorized with a black leather belt.  Wear the belt at the smallest part of your natural waist.  It's very slimming.  I would stick with a 3 inch belt or smaller.  Don't invest in an expensive belt until you get used to wearing them.  I guarantee you can find fun belts for $20.

My top 3 ways to wear belts:

1.  Over/under cardigans or blanket sweaters.  If you're petite, the blanket sweater can be over powering, so add a belt to bring the waist in.  I love, love a cardigan sweater with an embellished medium size belt and a riding boot.   Having the belt under the sweater like it's shown, gives just a little sneak peek at the belt.  Another love of mine.

2.  Over a blazer is just a nice change up.  Sometimes a blazer can be a bit boxy, a  belt can give you more of a waist.  Make sure you choose a belt that's not too wide.  The shorter the length of blazer the skinnier the belt should be.

  3.  A simple dress can be taken up a notch with the right belt.  I like a black dress with a black belt or a brown dress with a brown belt.  Sound easy?  IT IS!!

Loving these colors for FALL STYLING: Charcoal, Gunmetal and Chocolate Brown