...& the Rest...

Pretty Little Bare Feet's Birthday party was yesterday, & that means that the last few days - when I intended to blog about the rest of my Globes-inspired shopping - were

long,

busy,

& ended late.

I don't know how I'll ever catch back up on sleep, but I've certainly done it before!

So to wrap it all up, I wanted to share some of my finds that centered around the trends of pale pastels, metallics, headbands, & Old Hollywood...

Pale Pastels

Knitted Pastel Slouchy Jumper in Pale Pink at Topshop

Metallic Stripe Tee in Light Fern Heather at Talbots

Butterfly Meadow Cup&Saucer Set in Butterfly Blue by Lenox

Metallics

Byrdie Bow Dress in Metallic Silver by Contrarian at Singer22

Metallic Jacquard Mini Skirt in Roasted Hazel at Ann Taylor

Metallic Gem Bauble Bracelet in Metallic Silver at Gymboree

(For your little fashionista!)

Headbands

Rhinestone Headband in Natural at Juicy Couture

Lilly Pulitzer Bright Floral Print Fabric Headband by Looking 4 Lilly

(I have one of these & love it!)

Felt Flower Headband in Dark Pink at Hanna Andersson

(Another find for the littlest trendsetter.)

Old Hollywood

Hollywood Flair Top at ModCloth

Elaina Cigarette Pant in Black by Lilly Pulitzer

Toddler's & Little Girl's Ruffled One-Piece Swimsuit by Juicy Couture at Saks Fifth Avenue

(Let the hunt for the perfect bathing suit for Pretty Little Bare Feet begin! & this year we'll have to find some fantastic coordinating trunks for My Little Man!)

Jewel Tones - Not Just for Bling!

I've previously mentioned that before I became a Lilly Pulitzer addict, it was very rare that I ventured out of my

black,

gray,

& navy

comfort zone. & to this day, my favorite non-Lilly store for my own wardrobe is White House/Black Market.

But since discovering my beloved Lilly (& having children!), I have become more adventurous with color - most of the time.

(On my nails, at the very least!)

There wasn't a whole heck of a lot of color on the red carpet this past weekend, & I'm hoping that will change over the course of this awards season.

Because these striking jewel-toned colors...

...were fantastic looks!

For those of us that don't grace red carpets, how can we add jewel tones to our lives?

Icy Embellished Dress in Sapphire by Free People

Ruby Teardrop Earrings by Ippolita at Neiman Marcus

Fish Figurine in Sapphire by Lalique at Bloomingdale's

(This would add such a chic, fun pop of color to an office done in neutrals!)

Ricci Shift in Turquoise Jungle Glam Toile by Lilly Pulitzer

Large Emerald Stone Pave Ring by ABS by Allen Schwartz at Bloomingdale's

Tissue Weight Wool&Cashmere Wrap in Red Posh by Nordstrom

& of course we can easily infuse some of this rich color into our kids' wardrobes!:

Boys Hand-Smocked Blue Marlin Bubble by Shrimp&Grits Kids

Cobbler Lined Plaid Clogs in Garnet/Espresso by Crocs Kids at Zappos

(Oh, I know Crocs aren't cool or whatever...& believe me, I can't put them on my own feet - but children & nursery school teachers looove them!)

Kids Rory Ruffles Cardigan in Lagoon Green by Lilly Pulitzer

(You won't believe the sale price on that!)

the Golden Globes: Top Trends

(I *LOVE* this dapper little dog! =))

Like many of you, I love "Red Carpet Season." I kind of felt like I was alone in watching the People's Choice Awards (at least on Twitter), but I know many of us were watching the Globes last night! It's one of my favorites because...I love that the fashion bar is raised - but the actual dialogue on stage, & the interaction between the attendees, is less formal than at awards shows later in the season.

(Also, I love Ricky Gervais!)

So here are a few of my personal favorite looks from the Globes parties & red carpet, & the trends they'll be inspiring me to look into this week:

1. Sofia Vergara

jewel tones

My Prince & I *looove* Modern Family, & I think Sofia Vergara is hilarious - & beautiful! She looked the part of classic bombshell at the Golden Globes in her dazzling blue Vera Wang fishtail gown with its swirls of pleats. & she accessorized with more than five million dollars of diamond jewelry from the Harry Winston collection! Elegant, glamorous, & just incredible!

2. Shailene Woodley

pale pastels

So I have to admit that I am only familiar with Shailene Woodley from the clips of the Secret Life of the American Teenager that Joel McHale plays (& rightfully ridicules) on E!'s the Soup. But I have been impressed with her absolutely stunning red carpet looks, & she comes across as much more adorable in real life. This beautiful (& age-appropriate!) dress by Marchesa is classic&effortless - but it has this lovely color to it that looks like lilac in some photos, pale blue in others - & yet I thought it was silver when I was watching the telecast! The look is bright, cool, & yet still dramatic.

&...her chic, daring after-party dress was so sleek that I am willing to overlook, just this once, that whole dressed-down shoe debacle...

3. Nicole Richie

metallics

We just don't see enough of Nicole Richie's amazing style anymore! I was excited to see how beautiful&chic she looked in this open-backed metallic silver Julien Macdonald dress, which she described as "a little bit heavy." ;) I also love that she carried her own signature House of Harlow bag, & I thought her hair was great! What do y'all think about her upcoming fashion reality show...will you watch? I am undecided...

4. Charlize Theron

headbands

I am generally not a big fan of Charlize Theron. I like her as an actress, & there are plenty of great movies that I've enjoyed watching her in, but...there have been at least a couple interviews I've seen where she's come across as really arrogant & a bit condescending. However, last night she was maybe the most excited&happy I've ever seen her in a red carpet setting. & I loved her 1930s-feeling look! The blush-colored chiffon gown she wore by Christian Dior Couture was amazing, with an almost dainty effect in spite of the oversized bow detail on the waist. & how gorgeous was her dramatic vintage Cartier headband?! There really wasn't a lot of big excitement! on the red carpet last night, since a lot of stars seemed to be playing it kind of safe, so I liked this inspired fashion risk.

5. Kim Kardashian

Old Hollywood

This is another personality that I'm honestly not a fan of, but supposedly she had a sense of humor about the jokes Ricky Gervais made about her, & she brought a pretty classic look to the after-parties. So while I wish somebody I had more admiration for had been showcasing this fresh take on dramatic glamour, I will give some credit to Kim. She ventured away from her usual play-it-safe red carpet standards to wear this head-turning black lace cap-sleeve dress by Bruce Oldfield, & I think it's very "Old Hollywood siren!" & what really pulls the look all together is the way her hair is pulled up with the 1950s loose curls & the deep side part. Oh, & the big diamond&ruby bling adds a special touch, too! ;)

...& although there weren't a lot of glaring fashion disasters this year, my least favorite looks were:

Jessica Biel

(all that lace + dowdy long neck&sleeves + the floral applique + the high slit = overwhelming)

Mary J. Blige

(that odd feathered, furry skirt at the base of the sparkles was just unappealing)

Zooey Deschanel

(I actually liked the dress - I thought it was a very good look *for Zooey!*...but that hair was just atrocious - the side curls seriously look like sideburns, & it bothers me that there is no visible part...it's so retro that it looks costumey)

Lea Michele

(this went beyond just revealing - into tacky territory - with its barely there detailing & sheer panels...plus it was just unflattering & gave her an unbalanced frame)

Katharine McPhee

(the color washed her out & really faded her into the background, & the poor fit & uneven cut didn't help matters!)

So how excited are you about the kick-off of Awards Season 2012?! & has watching the awards shows so far inspired you to add anything to your "must-watch" list? I am really interested in seeing

the Descendants,

the Help

(I love love loved the book & have been apprehensive about seeing the film adaptation),

& maaaybeee Hugo.

Maybe.

Anybody seen it?

So stay tuned this week as I blog about some of my favorite shopping finds that were inspired by my favorite Golden Globes trends! =)

Pinterested, But Not Committed

So, I've gotten a bit of blog tidying underway, though there's still a lot to do.

Same for Twitter.

Same for my email accounts.

Same for my (personal) Facebook account.

But this Pinterest business.

I want to love Pinterest. Really, I do. It's a great concept.

But I think one of the main reasons that I just haven't committed to using it is because it is a giant pain in the tail.

Maybe I'm less technically-savvy than I thought...

(I do have Polyvore issues, too)

...but I find the entire Pinterest process annoying because it seems like it's full of glitches that should have been fixed.

(Maybe it's not Mac-friendly? It's for sure not iPhone-friendly!)

I hate the add a bookmark thing, though I understand its usefulness & can deal with it.

What drives me batty are things like...

My profile says I have one pin. No, I do not. I cleared out all my pins to start this baby over from scratch. When I click on the one pin, you do not have a pin to show me. So why does it say one pin?

My profile says I have x number of followers. So, why, when I click on this, to see my followers, do no followers come up? Those that I follow come up when I click "following," so why doesn't the other one work?

I also find it ridiculous that you say it's proper Pinterest etiquette to give credit to the original pin's source when the whole point of Pinterest seems to be the convenience of "re-pinning" in a way that already does give credit back to the original source (unlike, say, Tumblr). Am I wrong?

Also, as I mentioned earlier, Pinterest is pretty much pointless on my iPhone. The mobile website is incredibly wonky, & the app is even worse. I always post my actual blog posts from my MacBook, & I do most of my email from my MacBook, at night after my children are in bed. But actually reading blogs, or doing anything on Facebook or Twitter...those are things I do from my iPhone (using wonderfully convenient apps & mobile sites) at random short intervals throughout the day, during moments when one of my children doesn't need my attention. That would also be the preferable time for something as leisurely as Pinterest.

But I'm giving it another go, albeit frustratingly (obviously).

If I start changing my mind about it, I'll let you know & share my Pinterest.

& if not, well...life's short. I need to get back in the habit of reading more books anyway. ;)

Present

The other day Joy from All Things Refined! asked us what our word was going to be for 2012. I've decided that the best way to sum up my personal hope for 2012 is with the word "present."

Over the years I've become less & less "Type A."

(Though I'm sure My Prince would probably argue that I still have plenty enough of those qualities to still qualify for the Type A label!)

In 2012 I hope to continue becoming more relaxed about things.

I want to be able to stop & smell the roses.

It's not always easy for me to stop the constant train of thought in my head...which usually includes worries about the things I haven't done but meant to do, as well as stress about whatever is coming up next on my schedule. I make zillions of to-do lists, & I get frustrated with myself every time I see one that didn't get completed.

But in 2011 I dropped the ball in a lot of areas. & I left a lot of to-do lists untouched.

& you know what?

The most important things still got done,

we still showed up at the most important events,

& our family made many important memories together.

So my DVDs didn't get re-organized. So I didn't read as many books last year as I usually do.

(& almost no magazines.)

So I still haven't decorated every room in the house.

My Prince has always been a "better late than never" kind of guy. & I have to say I'm usually pretty annoyed by his tendency toward perpetual lateness. ;)

But I think there is a middle ground to be found between

so tightly wound that one never has any fun, due to a preoccupation with perfection...

...& so laid-back that you're irritating the ones you love because you aren't always prioritizing the same things.

Certainly, I don't think I'll ever be one of those "free spirits" who can truly relax about everything & just let things fall where they may. But I've decided that sometimes if I'm not excited about doing something on the list, it may just be because there is something more important I should be doing - something that isn't on any list.

So I hope to be present - mentally&physically - for all of the important moments that happen in 2012. & I hope that living in the present will help build a foundation of appreciation&patience for the future.

So, what is your word for 2012?

Happy New Year!

I honestly don't know what to say. That's exactly when you shouldn't update your blog, isn't it? ;)

Obviously, this has been the longest hiatus I have taken from the blog since I began it back in the late summer of 2009. In between blog posts on the subjects I usually address here, I posted several updates in 2011 of a more personal nature, which is exactly the kind of thing I shy away from. However, because of that unofficial "rule" that I have about not posting the personal stuff, this blog ended up being pretty sparse on posts in 2011. That's because 2011 was a pretty emotional year for me & my family.

Most of you know that our newborn son got really sick in September. Those of you that know me well know exactly how sick, & know about the battles&setbacks we've faced in the last few months. Many of those hurdles have been related to our son's health.

That being said, please know that my absence from the blog does not mean that I have been depressed, or even that life hasn't been going on.

(Though perhaps going on a bit less organized. My Type A rep has taken a hit!)

There have been so many wonderful memories made in between these low points we've hit!

Our faith has been tested, but I believe I have come through the last year with my faith possibly stronger than it ever has been before. I have certainly experienced a very real connection with God during some of these highs&lows I've faced.

I can certainly understand why so many marriages suffer when a family adds the special management of a child's health to all of the other everyday stresses we all face. I am so, so blessed to say that throughout every single bump in the road we've faced, My Prince & I have strengthened our bond & acknowledged how very grateful we are to have one another

in good times & in bad,

for richer or poorer,

in sickness & in health,

'til death do us part.

Also, a couple of cliches proved true for me in 2011:

You find out who your friends are.

(& sometimes you find you've taken some for granted...& sometimes you find you've perhaps been putting a bit too much effort into others. It's another one of those "growing up" things, I think, that it becomes easier to let go of the ties that aren't strong enough to hold through the hard times.)

Also...

...when it rains, it pours.

But personally, I found that the harder it rained, the more easily I adapted to finding ways to make the cold & the wet seem sunny&warm!

In fact, a lot of people have asked me, "How on earth do you stay so positive?" Well, I just do. You can't change these kinds of things, & there is certainly more power in positive thinking than in wallowing in self-pity. & even when My Little Man was very sick, I also had to be a good mama to a beautiful little girl who adores her baby brother, & I would never want to allow my own worries to affect her.

My Little Man is doing well today.

He will always see specialists,

& he will always have some things that need to be monitored,

& God knows I will always be worried to death about him.

But he is a chubby, smiley little cherub; & he is developmentally perfect on all of the cognitive&physical charts. Were it not for the miracles of advanced modern medicine, nobody would even know anything had ever been wrong!

(Although I am not comfortable disclosing any more details, since this is still very much a public blog, & My Little Man has an incredibly rare condition; please feel free to email me if you want to know more. I certainly consider many of you friends & am not intentionally shrouding myself in mystery from those of you!)

Please forgive me...

...if I have not replied to your email at all;

...or if I have taken weeks to respond to your Twitter request.

Please forgive me...

...if I haven't kept up with your blog, which I probably love & miss reading!

...or if you generously offered me some fantastic gift or blog giveaway, & I never even got around to replying to you.

Truthfully, there have been many times in the last few months when I have begun composing in my head some kind of "signing off" or "taking a break" blog post. But each time something prevented me from doing it, even when I felt like I was too emotionally detached from this blog to continue to try to put any kind of heart into it.

Now, after making one of those silly New Year's resolutions to blog more, I've been trying to figure out how to go about it.

Do I just jump right back in, pretending as though nothing personal ever happened to the author of this blog?

Do I delete this blog & start over someplace else?

Do I just go to the email account associated with this blog & "mark all unread?"

Well, I just couldn't bear to do any of those, & so I've spent the last couple days scrolling through emails&messages...& my heart has just been bursting at the outpouring of love from my beautiful blogfriends. THANK YOU.

(I've also been humbled to have some of the most awesome bloggers, & folks from some of the most awesome companies, share words of encouragement&praise! Thank you!)

& so with all of that love, I am beginning 2012 with a big smile & a heartfelt appreciation for all that this "impersonal" blog has personally done for me.

I have no idea where this year will take this blog...

(or me!)

...but I am overjoyed to have you along for the ride.