11.30.2011

Outfit: Slouch and Shine

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I wore this outfit on Saturday. It is super-comfortable, but I believe the slouchy, shiny trousers keep the outfit from looking too bland or everyday. I bought them for a steal at Old Navy and I think they are amazing. Even if they wrinkle within 5 seconds of wearing them. I topped it off with two standby closet faves…a silly-soft top from the Gap and a wraparound sweater from Forever21.

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I decided to break out the hair pin I bought at the Art Star Craft Bazaar last week from Giant Dwarf Design. Not going to lie, I geeked out a little when I saw she had a table. I’d been admiring her pieces on Etsy for a while, and I first saw her work on Elsie from A Beautiful Mess. I also bought little heart pins as well. Nothing like sparkles to pick up an outfit. Not too mention my nails.

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To say I’m obsessed with the Muppets Collection of OPI nail polishes would be an understatement. I have Excuse Moi and
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and I don’t plan on stopping there. If I could get every glitter polish from the line, I would. I am continually entranced by my sparkly nails and the way they gleam in the light. Not so good for an easily distracted mind like mine.

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Sweater – Forever21/Top – Gap/Pants – Old Navy/Hair Pin – Giant Dwarf/Shoes - Target

Nails and Ales

I was going through my Instagram photos recently (you can follow me @mikeylynn !) and noticed a trend…
As you may know, I am in love with painting my nails with different polishes and trying new techniques and styles. What you may not know is that I also really enjoy a good beer now and again (and again). My father is somewhat of a connoisseur, so I’ve been attempting to branch out and try some really tasty (or not-so-tasty) and unique beers and microbrews.
So, while scrolling through the photos, I noticed a lot of pictures in which I’m holding different beers, showcasing both the bottle and whatever my nails are rocking at the time. It made me laugh, but it just might make for a new regular feature here on the blog!

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Notes on the beer:
Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale was good, but I could probably only handle one. Strong flavor!
Sam Adams’ Cranberry Lambic is a new discovery for me, and it’s an instant favorite. Would’ve been perfect on Thanksgiving!
Sam Adams’ Oktoberfest is a classic fall brewski. A must have.
Troegs Mad Elf Ale is delicious…but dangerously so. At 11% ABV, I was giggling 1/4 of the bottle in. Proceed with caution.
Dogfish Head makes some great beers. I don’t enjoy a lot of hops (IPAs are usually a no-go) but this one was easy to handle.

To be continued…

11.29.2011

Outfit: Make Over Your Monday

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I had the Monday-est Monday ever today. As in, I was exhausted when I woke up because I had bad dreams all night. As in, I woke up later than I wanted to. As in, I was almost an hour late to work because I locked my keys in the car and eventually needed Brad to go out of his way to drop me off and have my sister bring me the spare keys. As in, nothing really went my way.

Brad and his housemate Lou have been planning to go to Doc’s Oyster House for their Buck a Shuck deal for about a week now. I’m allergic to shellfish, but I went along for the ride (and had some pretty tasty nachos and a beer to ease my woes) anyway. Since we were going out, I was desperate to deck myself out a little and pick up my spirits. Basically, completely make over my Monday from an exhausting and frustrating day to a fun, easygoing, happy day!

I’ve been hankering to try this little shirt-skirt tactic ever since my sister did it months ago. I finally purchased a large-enough shirt from the Salvation Army with a fun and colorful print that could really go with any color top. After looking up the perfect approach, this shirt was also  (like my Monday) made over into a skirt! I love how effortless this is, and how you can completely change one item of clothing into another within seconds. Might I just add that it was incredibly comfortable, as well?

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Tee – Old Navy/Shirt_Skirt – Salvation Army/Locket – Flea Market/Booties – Payless

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If any of you have large, over-sized shirts (steal one from your dad/brother/boyfriend/husband too!), I highly suggest you try this!

11.28.2011

Currently Obsessed…

I love to share a list of my current favorite things with my readers…usually, I feel like I’m sharing my knowledge of some pretty amazing things that maybe you guys don’t know about and will like as well! So, here it goes…things I really love right now.

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Stash Pumpkin Spice Tea. It’s decaf and a perfect, comforting way to end any evening.
Comedic Memoirs (Could that be the genre?). Mindy Kaling, Mike Birbiglia, David Sedaris (the king of these), etc…
Distractingly sparkly nails (see these), even if the polish is a massive pain to remove.
Planning and purchasing Christmas presents. The best part of Christmas is giving!
Parks and Recreation (but that is always).
Jason Segel (but that’s also always).
This SNL sketch. Kristen Wiig is pure genius and this never fails to make me laugh.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. If you haven’t watched this or this, you are doing yourself a great disservice.

11.25.2011

Holiday Hangover

It’s Friday! Most people I know have the day off and are celebrating a long weekend with family and friends and nothing but free time. Not only do I work all day today, but I also have to work tomorrow, too. Bummer. (I’ll deal with it, though, because I have 3 day weekends ahead for both Christmas and New Year’s!) Thanksgiving was really nice. Growing up, it was always a big ordeal, with everyone getting together and hopping between my mom’s family and my dad’s. These last couple years have been super low-key, and we’ve been doing dinner at home, just the 4 of us. I always enjoy seeing the whole gang, but it’s so nice to have a quiet dinner with my mom, dad, and sister.
We usually aren’t in the same place at the same time.

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Another fun part of eating at home is that my sister and I made our own dishes. Maria made sweet glazed carrots and I made a mashed potato casserole. Everything was so tasty! It was worth all the waiting for the bird!

Also, Brad came over and we saw The Muppets! I had been waiting forever to see this. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
(I totally cried. But I’ve cried at the last few movies I’ve watched…I’ve cried at the last few everythings I’ve watched…)

11.24.2011

This One Simple Thing…

 

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I don’t know about you, but I definitely see a heart in this sky. This was taken last year.

There are so many things to be thankful for in life, and it’s customary to really take the time to recognize these things when Thanksgiving rolls around. I did some thinking, and realized there is one thing I am truly thankful for, but it pretty much covers every base. And that, my friends, is LOVE. Lately, I am so aware of the importance of this one simple and often uncontrollable thing.

To be clear, I’m not just referring to the romantic, sweep you off your feet type of love, but every single aspect of love.
The supportive and unconditional love of my family.
The acceptance of who I am I receive from my friends (which is requited, by the way).
The companionship and comfort of a beloved pet.
And, of course, the butterflies and heart swells I get from my amazing boyfriend.

It has come to my attention that watching or reading about or experiencing love in anyway has been enough to move me to the happiest tears. What is life without love? And, luckily, I have it in all forms of my life. I am truly blessed and, therefore, truly thankful for the amazing people in my life who give me love and whom I can give love back.

There are plenty of other things I am thankful for…but this one thing has trumped them all.

11.23.2011

OPI Obsession

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Until recently, it had been years since I painted my finger nails. I’d occasionally paint my toenails in the summer, but that was it. This year, I fell in love with the Sally Hansen nail polish strips, and it expanded my horizons. It’s become my favorite weekly wind-down activity to paint my nails. I especially like to try different designs and color combos. But, it’s also become a bit of an obsession/addiction…and a slightly costly one at that. I love Sally Hansen and Wet N’ Wild nail polishes…they are cheap and come in an amazing amount of colors. HOWEVER…I am sort of in love with OPI polishes. Sure, there are more expensive polishes on the market, but 8.50 a pop can run up a rather large bill.

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It also doesn’t help that OPI does special collections. I have been freaking out trying to find the Muppets Collection polishes, specifically Rainbow Connection. I was lucky enough to find one of two bottles left at Ulta.

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I may have shrieked with glee when I left the store.

Colors I’m currently wearing: Jade is the New Black + Rainbow Connection

11.22.2011

The Essentials

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I know I did an “In the Bag” purse-edition post once before. And maybe this is kind of similar to that, but I wanted to get a bit more in depth. I decided to focus on what I believe are essential items that every gal should carry with her at all times (though I totally understand the use of a clutch or even just a pocket when going out for the night). I’ve learned the hard way what I need/don’t need to have in my purse, and I think I’ve finally figured out the perfect mix of things I need to keep close to feel normal/fix issues quickly/stay prepared!

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Let’s start with the most important things. I don’t know about you, but a day without lip balm is sort of the worst. If I can’t de-chap my lips at any given moment, I am a super grump. So I make sure to have one on me at all times (and a refill when it’s getting low, before it runs out). I also like to keep a lipstick in my bag. This Rimmel brand is a bright red, so it doesn’t get worn a lot, but it’s nice to know I could kick it up a notch if I so desired. At the top of this little group, I have a pill case. I usually try and keep it filled (though it can only handle so much) with some kind of pain reliever. Any pills you need or use frequently, this is a discreet and neat way to keep them close at hand so you never have to worry! I also am a big proponent of eye drops. I use Refresh Natural Tears, which come in little disposable, one-time-use dispensers and can be used with/without contacts. They are amazing. Topping off the group is a great hand combo. I’m not the biggest hand sanitizer freak around, but I am always so thankful when I have it and have made a point to keep it in stock. The Nivea Crème can be replaced with whatever hand lotion you like. However, this stuff is amazing. The tiny tin costs .99 cents and a little goes a long way. It’s sort of a miracle worker. I hate when I’m out and my hands go from freezing cold to crackling, or a public restroom has a super-drying soap. It goes hand-in-hand with my lip balm theory. If any part of me is dry or uncomfortable, I will have a terrible day.

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Notebooks and pens are a recent addition to my bag, but I’d be lost without them. There’s always a moment when someone (me, usually) needs a pen. I keep two different lightweight notebooks in my bag as well. The Hello Kitty one is just for fun, a place to write down blog ideas, wish lists, party brainstorms. The bigger one beneath that is a journal of sorts, a place to keep track of my moods and write out my issues.

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I find it really important these days to have reading material on me at all times. When work is slow, when I’m in a waiting room, whatever. It’s just a good thing to have. I am at the tail end of Mindy Kaling’s book (it’s adorable and funny, of course) so I’m showing it off here. Music is also super important. Most days of the week I am driving around 40-60 minutes total (whether to and from work or Brad’s), and I’d go crazy if it weren’t for my fully loaded Zune. The headphones are always with me, though they came with my iPhone. I use them pretty much everyday, so I can talk and text and tweet or whatever all at the same time. They have a built in microphone, so they are the best. Obvious but oft-forgot items are sunglasses (even in the winter…especially then, the sun glaring off the snow is soooo bright), chewing gum, and some throat lozenges. I get a tickly throat after singing loudly (alone in my car, all the time) or talking a lot and this helps soothe the discomfort.

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Last but not least, the tech portion. I showcased my phone here, but basically I think everyone should have a camera on them at all times. It doesn’t have to be your phone (it’d probably be even better if it wasn’t), but you never know when memories will unfold. Yes, my phone is helpful in so many important ways, but I love that it takes great photos and video and I can capture sweet things at any given time. And finally, a flash drive. I’m so glad I started to keep mine with me. It’s easy to share music or photos with anyone because of this.

So there you have it! Michal Lynn’s suggestions for the essential purse/bag necessities.

11.21.2011

Bits and Bobs of a Weekend

I’m coming out of this weekend just a wee bit exhausted, but that’s usually the sign of a great time. Friday night was Breaking Dawn with my friend Dana (loved the movie, cried a few times, don’t want to wait a year for the next one). Saturday morning, I headed to Philadelphia with my sister to get brunch and meet up with my friend Nicole to check out the Art Star Craft Bazaar. We went from Philly to home (2 hr drive) where we could visit with my uncle, aunt, and 5 year old cousin, who were in from Pittsburgh. And Brad moved into his friend’s house this past week, so I spent my first night there. Needless to say, it was a great weekend. Sad to see it end. But it’s Thanksgiving week! I only get Thursday off, but Thanksgiving is a great holiday, and I can’t wait for Christmas season to kick in full force afterwards!
I’ve already done a bit of shopping for presents, but I can’t wait to do more. Gift giving is one of my favorite things.

For now, here are some little photos from the past few days!

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Here’s to a great Holiday week, guys! Let’s have a good one.

11.18.2011

This Past Week…

Can I just say, with all the force in my vocal cords and the passion in my heart, that TODAY IS FRIDAY?!?! I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that it has been an especially long week. And the worst part about it for me? I had off on Monday! It’s only been a 4 day week for me, and it was still a drag. Bah. But here we are, the weekend straight ahead! And a good one it shall be. I’m kicking it off by finally seeing BREAKING DAWN PART 1 (I say that like it’s been out for a while, but I’ve been in new Twilight Saga movie withdrawal for over a year)!!!! I am a total nerd about these books/movies and I’m so stoked to finally see Bella and Edward get married and…do married people things. WOOOO! Saturday will be pretty great, too. Maria and I are headed to Philly for half the day to check out a craft fair and then the “love of my life” Jason Segel will be hosting SNL! With musical guest FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE! Do you guys understand how important and amazing and made for me this episode is? My main crush and one of my absolute favorite musicians in one place at the same time. DYING. But anyway……

Here are some photos from the past few days.

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Have an awesome weekend, everyone!

11.17.2011

A Weeknight Date

Monday night, to wrap up my long weekend, Brad and I went to Pearl for half-priced martinis and some sushi. I got a coupon on ReferLocal, which is a great site for local restaurants/salons/whatever with awesome half-priced deals. This was only my 4th time eating sushi and I still don’t know how I feel about it. I’ll tell ya this, though…the martinis were fabulous.

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I especially love the names of the martinis. As you can see, it’s not just a drink menu, it’s the Tao of Abundant Martinis.
Serendipity, Zen, Dharma, Karma…the list goes on. And each one we had/shared was absolutely delicious.