2011 Recap

Originally, I wasn't going to do a 2011 outfit recap. But then I started thinking about all my favorite outfits since I started this blog in April, and how much I really do like some of them. So I figure, why not. It was really hard picking just two outfits for some of the months. Others, it was hard to find more than one that I liked. But here you have it: My top 18 outfits of 2011!


April 22 // April 19


May 17 // May 10


June 2 // June 14


July 19 // July 21


August 3 // August 10


September 12 // September 28


October 17 // October 18


November 9 // November 14


December 13 // December 5

Well, there you are. It's kind of goofy, but I actually feel a little bit of pride at this list. It's almost like proof that hey, I can dress well sometimes. Go figure! (Also, it's kind of weird to see how tan I was in April/May, and how short my hair was! Haha)

Did you do a roundup of favorite outfits from this year? Link up in the comments below!

(One final sidenote: I have a stupidly huge amount of work to do on my freelance project over the next week. So if I'm scarce, that's why. But don't worry, I'll be around! But probably not until after the weekend. Happy new year, loves!)

December sponsor highlight

Hello, everyone! I'm so pleased to introduce you all to my very first paid sponsor! Joanne of Fabulously Average was who I teamed up with for that blogger swap a while back, and she's an absolute sweetheart. And did I mention that she has a killer sense of style? Well of course she does. I kinda want everything in her closet. For today's sponsor highlight, I thought I'd do a little Q&A sesh. Read it then go check out her blog!



Tell us a little about yourself.
Hi, I’m Joanne the voice and creator of the personal style blog Fabulously Average! I’m an East Coast girl now residing in desert state of Arizona. I’m married to a steak eating, videogame playing, green eyed man that I usually refer to as ‘K’ on the blog. We recently just purchased our first home and have a four legged ginger puppy named Chandler (as in Bing).
Oh, and I’m obsessed with French fries.

How did you choose your blog name?
When I first started blogging [in May of 2011] my husband wondered what the name meant. He asked, “Are you calling yourself average? Or are you calling yourself fabulous?” I looked at him and said both. My blog name is a shout out to all the chicas out there that have average lives but live them fabulously. We all have that fabulously average friend, you know who she is. It’s the girl in the Starbucks line that exudes confidence and style, although her entire outfit was purchased at the Goodwill, or the woman in your office that sports a lace skirt with a flannel shirt and pulls it off effortlessly. She might not have the funds to buy the good stuff but she finds a way to work with what she’s got. That’s fabulously average!

Favorite thing about the blogosphere?
My favorite thing about the blogosphere might have to be the sense of community. You become great ‘virtual’ friends with people although there’s a possibility that you may never meet. I have met some amazing women because of blogging and have befriended some local Arizona bloggers; friends I might have not met otherwise.

Least favorite?
My least favorite thing would definitely have to be blog envy. Yes ladies and gentlemen ladies, this is a real thing. There are days when I’m jealous that another blogger has the perfect bag, more followers, or is an excellent writer. I sit there doubting myself and my blog. I wonder if I’m connecting with anyone and if I’m good enough. But then I have to snap myself out of it.



What are your favorite stores to shop at?
I’m a huge thrift shopper! Someone’s trash is another person’s treasure, right? Unless I’m looking for something specific, thrifting is my favorite. Great finds and you can’t beat the price. But if I have to list actual stores/shops they would have to be TJ Maxx, Asos, LILYF, Target and Forever21.

Any advice to new bloggers out there?
It’s a bloggie blog world out there and there will always be someone better. Just be the best you and you’re bound to connect to someone. As long as you feel passionate about what you write about and post, nothing else should matter.

Thanks for sharing, Joanne! Want to get in on VM sponsorships and monthly features? Check out my Sponsors tab at the top of the page or, if you're lazy like me, just click here. Spots for January are already being taken up!

Catching up

Well, I'm definitely starting to pay the toll for taking an entire weekend (and Monday, and part of Tuesday) to do fun things. I'm so behind on my freelance stuff, it would be laughable if I didn't really need the money. Good thing I get Monday off next week. Something tells me I'll have to be ultra-productive. Especially because my friend Emily is coming to town tonight! Very excited to see her, but it also means I won't be getting much work done. Ah, well. Tis the season ;)

I was going to post all four of my holiday outfits (worn to six different gatherings), but I haven't had the time to even edit photos yet! Not to mention I still have to reshoot a few of the outfits first. Somehow, getting home from a one- or two-hour drive at 10 or 11 pm, after running around all dang day, isn't really conducive to good outfit shots. Go figure.






sweater: thrifted
scarf as belt: The Limited
jeggings: Burlington Coat Factory
boots: Target
glasses: Eye Buy Direct
I have a love-hate relationship with this sweater. It's pretty soft, and comfy, and easy to style. But it attracts Spazzy's white hair like the dang cat is going bald. I practically have to carry a lint roller with me when I'm wearing the sweater. And as you may or may not know, I'm generally kinda lazy sometimes, so that doesn't always happen.

Oh, and do you like my new glasses? I bought them a while back when Eye Buy Direct was having their annual buy one, get one half off sale. They were SUPER affordable (I paid $40 for two pairs), but shipping took forever. When I called and asked how much longer it would take to ship them, they refunded my shipping cost and got them in the mail practically the next day. Not bad, when you think about it. Highly recommend :)

(I wasn't paid or perked for content in this post. I just wanted to share my honest opinion about EBD!)

Phew!

Well. The holidays are just about over for Matt and I. We have one more family gathering this evening, but it's here in Columbus so we won't be adding to the 450 miles we've already driven this weekend. It was absolutely exhausting, but I love both of our families and we were happy to be able to see everyone. And can I just say that Matt has to be one of my favorite car-travel-partners ever? He doesn't mind if I sleep or read, or sometimes we just sit in comfortable silence. But sometimes we have these amazing, long conversations about anything and everything. I love that.

Okay, okay. Done gushing. I'm sure you're all just dying to see an outfit, since I didn't post any at all last week. I'm terrible, I know. Send me to style blogger jail, where we dress in sweatpants and t-shirts and sneakers and aren't allowed accessories privileges.






cardi, tights, boots: Target
dress: H&M
socks: probably Target too, but I'm not sure
I'm still trying to figure out how to maximize my camera for indoor shots. I've started playing with white balances and ISO settings, but as far as I know, I can't control the f-stop on my point-and-shoot. Which is a bummer, because I'm pretty sure that's a key way to make indoor shots better. Looks like I'll need to cozy up to my manual, which is PDF-only (no physical book) and therefore pretty annoying. Though I did get a Kindle for Christmas (thanks, Mom and Dad!) so I can put the PDF on that to read a little more conveniently. Awesome.

Speaking of presents, this was actually a pretty rad year. My mom was spot-on with the Kindle and a great pair of gray boots (don't worry, you'll see them soon!), and my dad made me a beautiful cutting board. It is absolutely gorgeous. In our sibling exchange, my sister got me Where the Sidewalk Ends and The Giving Tree. She's so thoughtful. All my family and friends were very thoughtful this year, in fact. I don't really want to be one of those people who lists every single item, though. Suffice to say that I'm very blessed to have such wonderful people in my life :)

(But I have to ask. Did you guys get anything really rad this year? Do tell!)

Fiscal Fridays: Christmas edition

First off, i would like to officially admit that I am off the Financial Diet wagon this month. It seemed rather inevitable...after all, December has a comparatively high number of holiday obligations. And with all that Christmas shopping, one can hardly help but eat out more, or picking up an item or two for oneself. (Though I'm pleased to say that I kept the personal shopping to an absolute minimum. I just dined out a lot more, and went to a number of BYOB-style parties, so that's where all my money went.)

Anyway, I'm giving myself a pass for the month. I have months of successful Financial Dieting under my belt. I see this month as a kind of "reward." And since the money I've been spending is money I actually have (i.e., I haven't been using my credit card! at all!), I feel much less guilty about bending the rules. But this isn't a post about overspending in December. It's a post about getting your budget ready for next Christmas.


(Illustration by yours truly)

If you're anything like me, you start saving for your Christmas fund in roughly October or November. And I'm willing to bet that it puts a heck of a strain on your budget. So this year, I'll be doing the Dave Ramsay approach: an "envelope" fund. I'll be saving X amount (haven't decided yet...probably around $25) a month, starting in January. And I'm keeping it in a regular envelope, with a tracker on the front (like a checkbook register) to help me visualize what's in there. The best part? If I see something in June that would make a perfect gift for, say, my mom, I can go ahead and buy it then. Without stretching my budget that month, or charging it, or hoping that it's still available in November. Bam!

Here's the tracker I made. You can use the memo line to keep track of the envelope's balance, or to make notes when you use some of the money inside (say, "$30 spent on ___ for ___"). Here's an example of the version I'll be using. You can copy it, tape/glue it to the front of an envelope, and get saving! Just make sure you hide the envelope where a burglar can't steal it, or where you won't "accidentally" dip into the money for non-Christmassy things! (Oh, and if you want the full-size or editable version of this image, email me and I'll send it to you. Blogger doesn't host files for download, and I couldn't find a site I liked well enough to link to, so I couldn't make this a downloadable file for you guys. Sorry!)



Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone! I'm off this weekend for a whirlwind of relatives. Thank God some of them live here in Columbus...I quite enjoy sleeping in my own bed :)

More Christmas music!

Okay, so maybe I'm milking the holiday for all it's worth. Or maybe I just don't have any outfit photos ready. Or maybe it's both. EIther way, I thought I'd continue yesterday's holiday music theme with an actual playlist of the songs mentioned! (Thanks, Jeff, for giving me the embed code.)



And I'm not saying the list is incomplete, but my good bloggy friend Loren had a suggestion to add:



And while we're add it, I'm throwing this one into the mix:



What are your favorite modern Christmas tunes? Link to the YouTube video in the comments!

Guest post: Top ten modern holiday songs

Oh man, the holidays are kicking my butt around here! There simply aren't enough hours in the day. Fortunately, my good friend Jeff has some holiday cheer to share with you all. Enjoy :)

Source: landeeseelandeedo.com via Brandy on Pinterest

I start my annual holiday music sweep of local radio stations at about 5PM on Thanksgiving Day. I’ve become a connoisseur of carols, and a savant of the sacred and secular chants. I’ve heard “Christmas Shoes” 146 times and if that doesn’t qualify me for an Honorary Doctorate of Christmas Music, I’m not sure what will. It gives me great holiday joy (and apparently, equivalent college credit) to bring you my Top Ten Modern Holiday songs of 2011!

10. Weezer – Christmas Song: Weezer has had a long career and my love for them started with the release of Weezer(Green). The best part about that album, you ask? Well, it’s the hidden Christmas track found as a B-Side on the Japanese release, of course! Ok, that’s not the best part of the album, but it gives it a little extra re-playability. Basically, this song is what “O Holy Night” and “Rainbow Connection” would sound like with a little bit post-grunge flavor added. Enjoy!

9. The Decemberists – January Hymn: Moving away from the 90s and into this year, I present you with a track off The Decemberists’ newest album, The King Is Dead. Now, this one isn’t exactly what I would call a Christmas tune, but it captures the winter season in such a bittersweet sense. It’s a beautiful acoustic track that will make you want to get warm by the fire with a nice fair trade cup of coffee.

8. Feist – Please Be Patient: Stephen Colbert is a lucky man to have Feist so enamored with him. It came as no surprise that she opted to be on A Colbert Christmas and was fantastic on it. This is a funny one (no shocker there) that will have you both enjoying the “Angels We Have Heard On High” backing track and Feist’s modified, customer service-based lyrics. Best to listen to it while you’re in line at JCPenney’s buying that extra batch of Snuggies… you know, just in case…

7. Local Natives – We Come Back: Before you start to leave an annoyed comment about how hard it was to find this song, don’t worry, I know. Regional B-Side doesn’t begin to describe how hard it was to find this song after I first heard it. The song itself is catchy (find a Local Natives song that isn’t) and honestly, the only thing that really distinguishes it as a Christmas song is the bells. Fine, you caught me. I was just trying to get Local Natives on the list. Don’t look at me like that; you know you liked it anyway.

6. Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal: This song will forever bring me back to winter regardless of the time of year. That’s the kind of power I demand of seasonal songs. Again, we’re full-on secular with this one, but no one can deny how expertly crafted those harmonies are. You can find this on the Fleet Foxes self-titled from 2008. Maybe after the holiday season, take a listen to the rest of the album. It might just get you through those mid-winter blues.

Intermission: It’s that time to get up, stretch, maybe do a Sudoku, or possibly start with the pre-verdict comment. Go ahead. I’m not watching…..
….you missed that 8 in the bottom left. Also, you already have a 4 in that row. …what?

5. She & Him – Christmas Day: We have to have a She & Him song this year! Matt and Zooey are a great combination of Indie royalty. They just put out a new Christmas album this year and it just goes to show that indie doesn’t have to be sad to be good. (It certainly helps, though, right?) Christmas Day is one of the lesser knowns on the album, but it’s not the typical cliché cover which is what I’m trying to avoid at all costs…

4. Sufjan Stevens – Come Thou Fount: How did this typical cliché get in here? Because it’s amazing, that’s how. I know I said I would try to avoid these, but this is such a wonderful rendition that I couldn’t help it. If you’re familiar with Sufjan, all you need to know is Sufjan + Banjo = the key to living a happy life. This is leaning heavy into the sacred category of holiday songs, but again, the sheer amazingness of this song earns it a religious overtones pass. This time…

3. The Raveonettes – Christmas Song: What’s up with everyone trying to redefine “Christmas Song?”
Step 1: Use your signature sound.
Step 2: Add jingle bells
Step 3: Call it “Christmas Song”
Step 4: ????
Step 5: Prophet. (See what I did there?)
The problem for me has always been I love The Raveonettes ‘ signature sound and adding jingle bells just makes me want to start cutting down pine trees to bring to underprivileged, abused, orphaned puppies…with antlers. Do you appreciate that kind of scenery? Good, you’ve proven that you’re part of this demographic. Stay with me for this next one.

2. Matteo Scumaci – Branch In The Spokes: Fair warning, this is a sad holiday song, but what would the classics be without “I’ll Be Home For Christmas?” Besides that, this is a fantastic song on its own. Matteo has a great voice and the arrangement sounds eerily like Ozzy’s “Mama I’m Coming Home” which I’m alright with. Best to listen to as you’re drifting off to sleep after your fourth spiced eggnog. I call them Nogquils.

1. Pomplamoose – Always In The Season: This is a song that came out in 2009 from the YouTube band made up of Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn. It’s been a staple on every holiday playlist I’ve made since then. The old time, Miracle-on-34th-Street-esque feel and sound really propels this to the top. How do you make great holiday music? You ask these guys.

Bam! What a list. Now go download legally purchase yourself some hot holiday tracks!