{flow}

Penning it down.  Or, in my case, tapping it out.  It's worth it to me.  On more than one occasion when my mind meets screen, I am flummoxed at just where the hell the comma should go and I am quite certain an incomplete sentence or four made it to the published field for all to read.  But, it's worth it.  Worth the time, worth the image capturing, worth the thoughts-turned-words and certainly worth the musical chairs of comma placement for what satisfyingly looks right. My place in this cyberspace means something to me.  It means something to my family too.   I began writing this blog to connect with others.  And, here I am almost 5 years later, connecting.  With myself.  With my boys. With my husband. With my family.  With people who mean so very much to me.  So, yes.  Worth validates my procession in the collection of life I give to this online scrapbook so to speak.

Should you read this space often, aaahhnotsomuch or just every now & again with a scroll, it is my hope that you come away with life seen through eyes that are real.  Simply put, my best is but my honesty to my work as God's child, mama, teacher, designer, wife, friend and of course, frugal fashion seeker.

For those new to this scene, here's your official invitation for a re-cap on 2012 thus far, 

January

February

March 

April

May

June

July

August

September

I think it's time we start, don't you?

Ensemble Statistics

dress:

• Cold Water Creek
• $2.99 Goodwill
• black
• I am not a fan of black.  With a Crayola box full of colors, why would anyone want to chose black to wear?  I get the whole sophisticated vibe it's got and I get that it's professional, but black ain't my bag. 
•  I loved the artsy long flow of this dress coupled with the mock turtle neck and sleeveless action. I nabbed it only for these reasons alone.  
• I'm not gonna lie.  I want to spin in circles real fast when I wear this dress.  I would have never made it in Laura Ingall's time. 
• One dizzy prairie girl, I would be.

shoes

• Ahem. Frugally, I digress.  I do not pay full price for things.  I wait on sales.  I scour Goodwill with my keen fashion eyes.  
• These booties did a number on me.  
• My sister-in-law, Melissa, clued me into this website.  One glance at these girls and I was toast.  To my defense, I waited on a substantial sale plus a coupon before purchasing,
• Out the gate, I paid $30 for them with free shipping.
• Worth.every.penny in my land of fashion happy.
• They are yellow suede.
• They are booties.
• They have freakin' fringe.
• I am wearing these suckers with just about anything you can think of.  Sundresses in the spring, skinny jeans, capri pants.  Just you wait and see.

scarf:

• $5.00
• Big Lots
• a flat silvery shade
• flimsy
• I wore this same scarf here when I began this rhythm nation.

belt:

• $.25 
• Goodwill 1/2 off weekend
• This belt is AWESOME.
• It is yellow.  {the exact match to my new happy booties too!}
• It has silver studding for that great texture vibe.
• It's just the right width too.  Not too bulky big, but not too pencil thin.
• I wore it here for May's wrap-up. 

earrings:

• Waterfall fake plastic crystals.
• They are teardrop shaped.
• $1.00 at super great cheapo fashion boutique called Leslie's from my old stomping grounds.
• Wearing these earrings makes me want to swish my hair around a lot.  
• They don't make noise as they are plastic, but boy, do they make you wanna be some kinda of earring model or something.  
• Who knew $1.00 purchase could do that to you?
• It's a wonder I stayed upright this day with that dress on and these earrings.  

Bracelets:

Aqua cuff:

• It's here that I make a statement of advice.  I know nothing of fashion other than what my Fashion Plates taught me when I was a little girl.  So feel free to contradict just about anything you see in these posts.  BUT, I am clueing into something substantial about a lady.   My mom wore a 14 kt. cable car tiny charm around her neck on the daintiest chain for all of my life.  My third grade teacher, Mrs. Shahan, wore large solitaire pearls in her ears every day.  My favorite baby sitter growing up wore a turquoise ring all the time.  
• I think a lady needs a signature piece that defines her.  One that is worn just any old way and at any old time.  
• It's her.
• This cuff might just be my piece.
• It was $7.00 at a local boutique called The Steamer Trunk.  
• It is a mish-mash of multi-colored swirls atop a vibrant aqua.  
• When I saw it on the counter, I immediately connected with it.
• Every time I wear it, I receive a compliment and am asked where I got it.
• She is magical on my arm.

Rhinestone bracelets:

• $5.00
• Dillard's Department Store pre-Thanksgiving sale.
• HUGE rock like rhinestones with a magnetic clasp.
• Get compliments on these all the time.
• The rhinestones have a gray vibe to them which promotes an old world vintage look.
• I wear these bad daddys A LOT!

Hair:

• DURTAY
• WAY past due on highlights.
• I know we have already established that I do not brush my hair, but I will say it again. 
•  I do not brush my hair.
• Just outta bed.  
• Tousled with fingers. 
•  Braided the front as my bangs were dancing with my eyelashes and that's just not cool, mmmkay?

Lips:

• If you're gonna say it, say it with your lips.  
• Ruby Woo by Mac Cosmetics.
• This red choice was unpronounced.
• It just hit me to wear red on them lips.
• So, I did.

Total Outfit Investment:  $52.25 

{damn, them booties really put a hurtin' on my total.  hApPy as a lark OVER THEM STILL!}

October 2012

My personal word of growth for October was {flow}.

My mission:

• feel it; do it
• make plans
• try, try again
• let go
• find a way
• set it high
• create in real time

My status:

*  *  *  *

4 out of 5 stars

My memories:

feel it; do it--Sometimes I get caught up in the I can'ts of life.  I want to, but I can't. I should, but I can't.  If only, but I can't.  This month.  I stopped the I can'ts.  I just simply said I can.  I found ways to make things that mean something to my heart happen.  I have had it on my heart to help a sweet friend from college who is living with Stage IV Breast Cancer.  Karson and her husband, Jason, have been through so much living with this monster. By using my Sunshine for the Soul candle line and with the amazing out pour of love and support, my hands made for them.  With just a 4 day window of time, all proceeds from every pumpkin spice candle purchased went directly to Karson and Jason.  I was amazed at the amount of love that was shared.  My hands were but the vessel that moved this love into motion.  I can't tuned into I cared.  

make plans--Friends are a staple in life.  To have a handful of great ones is something I am so thankful for.  This month I was able to see 5 of my most favorites for a substantial amount of time.  I cannot say thank you enough for the premium grade of gasoline they provide in filling up my tank.  I can only hope I do the same for them in return.  I laughed, I cried, I held newborn babies, I drank wine and listened too.  The extra time it takes to schedule out these visits is so worthy to the soul.

try, try again-- Man, can days go awry.  And, how is it that you can even watch it happen before your very eyes all the while doing your best to yield it from happening and yet, kaplooey.  These are days I count as loss.  The time teaching my boys, the days my fingers can no longer support stitches, the cranky that comes from lack of sleep or sore soul searching.  This month I worked to use these days as catapults for the next day's good.  My mind shift was all that changed.  No tanking and tantrum throwing.  I am not gonna lie.  Mind shifting is HUH-ard.  But, I worked on it.  It made an impact on our month together.  God's blessings of new mercies each morning are no joke.  He is so awesome.

let go--So, in the dinner world, our October was predominantly processed.  And, I am officially counting that as a good why?  Because I let go of "I can do it all."  I cooked when I could and when I couldn't corn dogs were served with tater tots right along side carrots and apples time and again.  McDonald's chicken nuggets worked their wonders as well.  You can't be Betty Crocker, Vera Wang and Marva Collins all wrapped in one ALL THE TIME.  

find a way--I have longed to spin my business in a platform for purchasing.  This October I hosted my first Harvest Celebration Gift Debut.  It set in motion sales that far exceeded my entrepreneurial expectations.  It.was.work.  It.still.is.  Being the sole employee of k.Mac, I am the advertiser, photographer, designer and seamstress too.  Stretching myself in this venue has taught me a lot about timing and the beauty of giving it a go.

set it high--I worked this month with the boys on their best.  I set a tone of no tolerance for anything less than that.  There were more than one paper crinkled only to start over.  Erasers were used in maximum capacity too.  But, they got it.  They got that their best is expected and celebrated.  I am quite certain 20 new gray hairs became residents on my scalp for this push of excellence this month, but well worth the lesson I am sure.  

create in real time--The one thing I adore about homeschooling is that there are no hoops to have to jump or time to be wasted.  I love getting our hands into creating with real world flair.  My boys are authors.  Eli finished his 4th book this month as a writer.  His other 3 were published in his kindergarten and 1st grade years.  Casey is now author to his 1st book.  The time spent working through the creative writing process was extensive.  They can also add illustrator to their tag line of accomplishments.  I could be any prouder of these two.  At 5 and 7 years old, they know rising action, climax, falling action and resolve.  They can find it in stories they read and create it in stories they write.    They are fluent in simile use in their writing and can spot other figurative language such as metaphors and personification too when they read and even when they watch TV!  Learning in a real sense continues to wow me time and again.  

Penning it down.  

Tapping it out.

Worth.

This dizzy prairie girl with the dirty hair and yellow suede fringe booties is happy with her October.

{flow}

.mac :)