Welcome to Polyvore! by anne-marie k featuring long sleeve cardigan

1. Robe – a comfort item for me – now I can wear my cute little silky thing to bed but walk around the house in comfort and modesty.

2. You would think that since my husband is a carpenter, I would be able to find a hammer or screwdriver when I need one – wrong! I even made myself a tool drawer – nice & organized which attracts everyone to it . Since he can’t find his, he goes to mine and leaves it a mess! So I have wanted one of those little tool kits to stash out of sight. I found one and it is in a pink case with pink handled tools!

3. The book “Captivating” – love this book – I had ordered one from Amazon but found a perfectly new one – hard cover for $1!

4. The book “Home Making” from J.R. Miller – perfect condition – hardcover.

5. A DVD about raising daughters, and some books about raising kids using biblical principles.

6. Various homeschooling resources.

7. An entire financial seminar (audio, books, & workbooks) by Larry Burkette.

8. The perfect white linen shirt – button up – no collar – to show off a turq. necklace – gotta look chic !

9. Various classical music CDs and a celtic Christmas one.

Funny part is, as I was paying I noticed the women were wearing a shirt that I had designed for a local Christian school. We got to talking and I we know a lot of the same people. They assumed I home schooled based purely on the items I picked out. Turns out I have considered doing just that for the upcoming year for my daughter and needed a little encouragement. Nice to know they had confidence in me.This came at a perfect time.

Later at my meeting – which I still made in plenty of time – we were wrapping things up and I was talking to a woman I didn’t know very well. Out of the blue she asked me if I homeschooled ???? Turns out she does, and she gave me the inside scoop on how to begin the process in this area! Now if I can persuade my daughter …. she’s coming around. (As if she has a choice – ha)

Anyway – I found it an odd sort of day – but very inspiring = I feel I am on the right track!

Love that kind of thing!

This Thanksgiving I resolve to really appreciate and take time with everyone sitting at the table.

Sometimes we get caught up in the drama of life and the idiosyncrasies of each personality, that we fail to appreciate each person as an individual. We can always find something positive about each other! Or we can chose to look at the negative!

If you ever look at the back of a beautiful embroidery you will know what I mean. It’s full of knots & loose threads – (kind of like family) – but the other side makes up something beautiful. Think of it as the “tapestry of life”! Remember, everyone brings something to the table! (punny I know) So, look around the table and be grateful!

Next year, some faces might not be around and some new ones may be added.

If you are hosting the dinner be thankful that your guests chose you to be with this Holiday of Thanks.

A really good idea is to start a guest book.

I found this one at the dollar store, and when we have a holiday meal or even a cookout for church or friends, we pass the guest book around. It’s fun to look back and read the entries, and reminisce of great gatherings and good friends.

Make this part of your Thanksgiving tradition.

It’s a keepsake for generations to come!

embellished shirt

My tray looks like her shirt!

Had a lot of fun today! I love a good deal. I am putting together a hostess gift basket for my sister since we are having Thanksgiving at her house in Virginia. I found her the cutest top!! It’s her size, color, and cut! It was just calling her name. I’m also going to add a bottle of wine (bottled locally here in Myrtle Beach), some candles, assorted tea bags, epson salts (for bath) and whatever else seems right. That way when everyone leaves she can pamper herself – she will probably need it!

I also found my mom a very unusual gift – she likes chickens – so it’s a rooster & hen salt n pepper shakers – but they have black dots on them!

I found these 2 wine glass candle holders with silver grape leaf designs on the stem and a square “griddle” frying pan.

My “find” was a great pair of Ann Taylor Loft black lined, flat front pants (with tags) – they have a cuffed wider leg, but they are actually long enough for me when wearing heels! I always have a problem with pant length and fit, but these seem just right! Funny part is, the style/cut of pants  indicated on the label is my name ! I don’t usually go for cuffs but these are long enough and I have long legs.

I also found an “ensemble” to wear for upcoming Christmas season events. I love the color black (that’s all I used to have in my closet), but I have finally accepted the fact that my “color” is brown & ivory instead of black & white. So I cheat and wear black on the bottom, and black on top as long as there is some color next my face to soften the black and not wash me out. I’m trying to wear more color.

I found this skirt and top in a dark eggplant (I put together) The top is sheer with some sparkle and the skirt is sheer black fabric over a pink lining to look dark purple (bttm. right of photo). I plan on wearing a black cami under the top! I also found a brighter color cardigan that “goes” with the skirt, for a more casual look. This cardigan is a good color for me. The  sheer “jeweled” top will also go with my new black pants.

LOVE mixing and matching pieces. LOVE NOT paying full price. LOVE knowing I got all this and a few other items for way less than the price tag on the pants!  I know how much it costs to make a garment (job I had before) and the markup is incredible. I also know that quality & fit are very important – I tried on a lot of duds – all in my size – that were either too small or too large! Usually name brands are better made – especially pants. There were a lot of “junk” clothes there too. I would love to be a personal shopper and build wardrobes for clients!

….. I did see some bread machines but didn’t have time to really look – I’ve been looking for one so maybe next time they will still be there!

Posted in Thrifty finds ]]> http://idesign4u.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/thrifty-fun/feed/ 2 annemarie3 DSCF0574 DSCF0572 DSCF0579 DSCF0573 DSCF0569 http://idesign4u.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/see/ http://idesign4u.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/see/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:01:36 +0000 annemarie http://idesign4u.wordpress.com/?p=162 Continue reading →]]> Monday Menu:

Breakfast: coffee, Special K cinnamon & pecan cereal w/bananas.

Lunch: Went out with Mom for Brunch – Omelette (cheese, ham, green peppers, onion, mushrooms) Coffee, home-style potatoes, cinnamon raison toast.

afternoon coffee break – coffee & bite or two of Mom’s new cake recipe.

Dinner: spaghetti (“almost” homemade sauce – I love using real garlic, onions, green pepper & herbs! Not only does it smell wonderful but it’s full of antioxidants!) , garlic bread small glass of wine. Saving salad for tomorrow since we had sooo much over the weekend & I am really full from the day! A pear later on that evening.

I do drink water or lemonade during the day! I try and drink a large glass of water before I go to bed.

Money spent – $41.07 Grocery Store – 2-  5 lb bag pears and 2 -  10 lb bag of potatoes (they were BOGOFree) so I know what we will be eating! Also needed some black beans & Dark red Kidney beans for chili later this week, lettuce, spinach, sugar, some various pasta noodles, butter, lemons. Basically some fill in items and took advantage of sale items.

Observation of the day:

Does anyone think there is a direct correlation between clutter and weight/finances/health?????

Seems like people I know who have NO clutter are very slim, healthy and have made wise choices with money. I do know a few exceptions, but they may have some emotional baggage (clutter) hidden on the “inside”.

Also the people with no clutter seem to be selective about what they bring in their home and put in their bodies as an overall rule. No cushion of “stuff ” surrounds them or “fillerfood” eaten just to fill them.

Just a thought – Wondering if it just applies to people I know or if it has some truth to it?

My "key" scarf - little wrinkled from being tied to my purse strap.

Sometimes a scarf will just not go with what you are wearing! Perhaps the neckline can stand on its own, or you are wearing a really interesting necklace. Too many accessories can be tacky and it looks like you are trying too hard! Keep it to one focal point.

A great alternative is tying your scarf to your purse!

Little blurry but you get the picture.

It gives an unexpected jolt of color & style to an outfit. This works better on solid purses – I’ll upload different examples later.

This works well in the summer months when it’s just too hot to have something around your neck. It’s also good in the really cold months when you have a scarf for warmth around your neck, but still want the sophistication of a silk printed scarf. It will automatically dress up jeans and cardigan (love cardigans!) or jeans and a big white “boyfriend” shirt!  Just grab your purse and Viola – instant style to go! (and it looks like you haven’t even tried!)

1. Get this blogging thing down – post pictures of my daily wardrobe  (I am still trying to whittle down to just a few pieces I love), get into a routine so I don’t miss days, list my daily menu – more for me to see, and find “kindred spirits” in the blogging world with whom to share ideas, thoughts and encouragement.
2. Learn about wine - I enjoy a glass of wine with dinner but I do get overwhelmed at the choices and price points. So with some good advice I have started a wine notebook so I can remember the wines I try, the taste and the cost. I will try and take a class at the winery here in town and start reading up or renting DVD’s. I don’t know if I will ever think paying over $100 for a bottle is worth it!
3. Kayak more often! I love getting out in nature! I do need a new pair of boots so I can launch in the winter without getting my feet wet – my feet freeze anyway! I do have a tradition of Kayaking on New Years Day – so far they have all been really nice days! I do want to make it more of a habit and bring my camera and marine magnet – I know where 2 rather large knives are that were lost from my kayak when I had visitors with me and they dropped them – I will find them one day. They are not worth a lot, but I say it’s like the ring in LOTR – they will find me one day! It’s more of a quest.
4. Start running – maybe – I like to walk and I used to like to run – not sure about this one because my taste has changed. I used to like tae-bo and kickboxing, but now prefer yoga. We’ll see.
5. Do a family tree. I would like to design a visual montage page for each person along with facts about them -  it would look like a vintage coffee table book when printed, but I would give a disc copy as a gift to each family member. We have most of the facts that go pretty far back – just compiling it is all that’s left.
6. Design my own line – just for fun. Project Runway has rekindled my first love in the design world. I will design on paper what I would like to wear! Just for fun – I can never find what I am looking for – even in shoes – And it will be for me! I have been designing for so long for other people that I really need to do this for me!
7. Find something fulfilling to do part time – I like to be around interesting, people – usually not from around here, that share the same standards and lifestyle I want to lead. My kids are in high school – one is driving – so I seem to have more time while they are at school during the day. I don’t want full time, but I’m still working on defining what exactly I want. Maybe even volunteering???

That’s it so far!

The final straw came when the owners idea for expanding his business was to take on even more work without hiring any help! He was already running 2 different companies through one set of employees and now was taking on a third! I knew as long as I was there he would never hire anyone. Not because I was “all that” , but I am a high achiever and I can accomplish a lot of work  – multi task to the max) and he didn’t want to pay anyone that was qualified! If you know about creative jobs, they can take a toll as much as physical jobs because your mind never turns off. I would be designing for one type of client, while doing film work for another and thinking what my next design would be for someone else all under very tight deadlines! I had one shot at making each design look good and sell and be ready to print all the while talking to clients , helping with the phone and press approvals! Then while at home, or trying to sleep, I would be thinking of how I would pull it off again tomorrow. Crazy – but it didn’t happen overnight. That’s reason he couldn’t hire anyone to “jump right in”!

Also, for me, there was a sort of security and identity wrapped up in 18 years. When asked what I did for a living, my kids, friends & family were quite impressed because I worked with some pretty famous brands! The response has been “funny” when I’m asked about my job and I tell them I quit! (that’s a whole different post)

I’ve discovered a simple test on how to judge a situation you may be facing……..Ask yourself this:

Are you assisting in the situation or enabling it to continue?

I assisted at my job by stepping up and taking on more responsibility while he added a second line in order to see if it would “take off”. (a temporary thing)

I enabled it to continue after many months of broken promises of hiring help, and paying a promised bonus once the line was successful. (Now it became permanent situation- the owner never intended to hire help)

So I took myself out of the equation – I really had gone as far as I could and I wasn’t being challenged anymore – only worked! He also needed to grow as a company and he needed more than one of me! (Side note – 2 weeks after I quit he closed his business)

The temptation of going back is not before me ( he closed) which is good because things have gotten tough over the past year, and I may have been tempted to cave and go back.

The most liberating Day (or my Independence Day) was the Monday morning after I quit on Friday. I dropped my kids off at 2 different schools and was rushing up the highway (as was my usual practice) when it hit me – “I can go anywhere I want to today or do anything I want” I know that sounds trivial to most people but for me – I felt like I was out of prison – or bondage! Freedom! Now what to do with it.

It has almost been a year!!! How time flies and I have not gotten bored, but I do have some things to “lay to rest”. A tying up of loose ends and a final de-cluttering of a life I no longer lead.  I hope to have that complete over the next week so I can go after some goals I want to do – with a clear head finally!

I will continue to ask myself…..assist? or enable? What is my role in that situation – if I am enabling a problem to continue, I will be of more assistance by not being so “helpful” – sort of like tough love. Not always easy but best.

Assist or enable – what are you doing?