Some man candy.

{via}

This most exquisite piece of manliness is Anson Mount.

I have no idea what he is in besides the AMC show Hell On Wheels.

Conveniently, the post office was kind enough to bestow season one of aforementioned show upon me today.  (Um, I bought it on Ebay and they totally delivered it today.)

If you're a fan of westerns, the post civil war era, gorgeous often shirtless men, drama, political scheming, the railroad, and horses...you should probably watch this show.  

& you're welcome.

<3

Send Something Good...the big reveal!

Last month, I decided to participate in the Send Something Good swap.

Let me tell you, it has been so much fun :)

I absolutely love making things for people, and giving gifts, so it was especially awesome to do something like this for someone I've never even met. 

My bloggy counterpart was Natasha from {itmightbwonderful}

She is such a lovely person, inside and outside.  I've come to absolutely adore reading every single one of her posts, because no matter what she always has something awesome going on. And I have a special fondness for her outfit posts, because she puts together the BEST outfits.  Seriously, she's gorgeous.

And she even alters her own clothes, to make them more "her".

How fabulous is that?

This is what I put together for her:

 I made a cute little zippy pouch (complete with ruffle!) & bright stationery set, with envelope seals and confetti from {isavirtue}.  Her favorite color is mustard, and even though this is a slightly brighter yellow, I thought she'd love it for summer.  And since hot pink and black are her runner up faves, I couldn't not include pink (seriously, my favorite color!) I found this cute mini photo album and immediately thought of her (she's got a thing for birdies too!), so I had to buy it!  I also found a really cute journal with a lovely quote.  I added a couple of my favorite (and easiest!) recipes. And of course I always have something to say, so I wrote her a kind of long letter too (hopefully it wasn't super boring!)  I wrapped it all up pretty-like, and sent it off!

 I received my package while I was sick & thought I had mono!!  So the day I found this in my mail box was just the greatest day ever.  Seriously.

The wonderful lady who got me was Elyse from {Home Sweet Holmes}  

And let me just tell you how amazing she is.  She is so much fun to blog stalk, and she's seriously just awesome.  I could probably say awesome about thirty more times, but you get the point. Right? Right.

Thank you so much Elyse!  Your beautiful package seriously cheered up my whole sick week (and gave me enough delicious tea to soothe my hurty throat!), and I absolutely LOVE everything.

I was especially excited about my new journal (isn't it funny that I was just thinking about buying a new one and beginning to write my thoughts on paper again?), which I have filled up a quarter of the way so far.  And my beautiful fabric NY picture frame!! I totally love it, and I've got the blue on on display right now.  It's gorgeous. 

I absolutely loved getting to be a part of this project.  It's such a fantastic way to reach out to others across blog land and make a connection.  And a lovely reminder of how similar so many of us are, despite so many seemingly large differences.

<3

Remember when...

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it"
-George Santayana

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
-George Orwell

Today is Memorial Day.

For many, today is a day for picnics and barbeques, going to the beach with friends.

A holiday from work.

{via}

How easily we forget those who've made sacrifices to grant us these moments of joy.

Those who've given their lives, that we may enjoy ours.

Those that fight, on a daily basis, for the freedoms we take for granted.

My grandfathers both served our country.

One during World War II, the other during the Korean War.

{via}

My friends serve our country today.

Thank you.   

 

Long Weekend Love

Alright, so technically my weekend isn't over until tomorrow night.

But, it's already been filled with such awesomeness that I have to share some stuff.

...

So Friday, there was this awesome show at our Center for the Arts.

Show = Concert.

Concert = all of my friends bands.

Yeah, my friends are musicians. And they're ridiculously talented.

Bejealous.

Anywayssss....the center for the arts is now located in what used to be a church. Which I find pretty badass. 

You can't tell, but that is a stained glass window.

 And we got to see my friends play.

Yeah, it's a blurry picture, but I'm working with an old cell phone that doesn't get instagram so deal with it.

And I like to watch my fiance walk.  Because from the back you can see his elbow tats.

Part of a rattlesnake on one side, and a chaos star on the other. Goodness I love this man.

The show was amazeballs. Seriously.  My friends are ridiculously talented.

And there's even this band that my fiance's friends with, who are actually signed to a record label and just finished touring Europe. Forreal.

Go check them out. I'll wait.

{Dangerfield}

{EnlightenMe}

{Pentimento}

Hi. Welcome back.

Did your face get rocked off?  Yeah, I thought so.

Saturday was a pretty quiet day.  I was able to get the baskets I needed to finish up the prize baskets for my sister and cousin's baby showers, and I finished up all the favors as well.  Yay accomplishment!

Then we got to go to my uncle's Man Cave for a cookout.  (Man Cave = Gazebo that has a grill, oven, stove top, dishwasher, fire pit, sink, and beer on tap.)

He's pretty much the best griller I know, so I'm always a fan of his cookouts. And a huge fan of spending time with my family, who I'm lucky enough to get to work with on a daily basis...but it's much better seeing them someplace that work doesn't matter.  <3

campfire & glowsticks. ahh, summer.

...

Last stuff:

Hello new followers!  I love seeing your pretty faces poppin' in :)

My Memorial Day sale is still going on in my Etsy shop until Tuesday!  Get 35% off with coupon code MDAY35.  Go here:  {LolitaRose}  and get pretty things like this:

Memorial Day Sale

Because I can ;-)

And because the summer season is upon us!  Time for beach, bonfires, and friends.

Time for new, bright, fun accessories, to accent those tans!

Now til Tuesday, use code MDAY35, for 35% off your purchase from my Etsy shop, {LolitaRose}

(why 35? I don't know, it seemed like a good number)

You can get these pretties:

And you know you want them.

<3

{LolitaRose}

fridays letters

I just found this lovely link-up for Friday's Letters.

And I totally love the idea.

{images via}

Dear fiancé: Thank you for finding your way home to me last night. I have no idea how you made it safely, but thank you nonetheless. Dear long weekend: Why does everyone else have plans to go camping except me?  Why didn’t I think of it sooner?  Dear WalMart: I adore that you’re open 24 hours a day, for my convenience, yet loathe that you never have what I’m looking for during any of those 24 hours.  Dear cocktails: Get in my belly! Dear Pentimento & Dangerfield: I can't wait for the show tonight <3 Dear Buffalo: I hope we get to hangout tomorrow. I miss you. Dear military wives: I don't know how you do it. Dear work: Stop being boring today. I may fall asleep.  Dear farmers: Thanks for making my whole road smell like poop.  Dear summertime: It’s been too long, my love.

Another Seven Questions

 Linking up with {GentriLee} again for Seven Questions :)

Me, in front of the dirtiest mirror ever I think...I was getting ready for a show.  Did I mention I do burlesque. Yupp. I do that.

1. What's your favorite style for home decor? (eclectic, modern, shabby chic, etc.)

Probably eclectic. My house is full of randomness. I love it.

2. What is the best trip you have EVER been on?

I posted this picture yesterday but it bears repeating.  I LOVED going to New Jersey with my fiance (boyfriend at the time) and two of our good friends (who were sort of dating at the time and are no longer together - they're both with other awesome ppl now).  We stayed in the crappiest Red Roof hotel, we got horribly sunburnt due to lack of sunscreen, and we got to see Journey performing "Don't Stop Believin'".  Epic.

3. If you could have an exotic pet, what would it be and why?

An owl. Because, well, haven't you watched Harry Potter?

OR an octopus because they're my FAVORITE animal, but it would require the biggest aquarium ever.

4. Do you snore? (you can be honest, we're all friends here.)

When I'm really congested.

5. Your car breaks down on the side of the road, what do you do?

Call whichever male relative of mine is sure to be around.

I'd say my fiance, but he's hopeless with cars, and would probably already be with me anyway.

6. What's one item that has been on your wishlist lately?

{snarkyceramics}

Yes, that is a coffee mug with Burt Reynolds on it.

Yes, it's him au naturale.

Yes, I have a thing for hairy mustached men.

7. It's almost Summer (or winter if you live in the Southern Hemisphere), what are you looking forward to most?

Hmm. There is a LOT going on this summer that I'm super excited about!

First, my cousin's and sister's baby showers in early June.  Then my fiance and I have our engagement photo session on June 23rd!  Some other stuff is happening in July, but I can't remember anything except that the Fourth of July is my momma's birthday.  And my birthday is at the end of August.  And with my sister being due to have her baby in early September (a day after I was due to be born!) she could have my nephew ON MY BIRTHDAY!! Sounds good to me :)

My laptop hates me.

It's true.

For some reason, it gives me about 10 to 15 minutes of usage before freezing.  And then it won't even unfreeze, so I have to hard reboot it.  And then it just does the same darn thing again.

Which means...no new pictures.

Of anything.  Including shop stuff!! ARGGGGGH.

Until I figure out how to fix it.

(Which means taking it to work and begging the nice IT guys to figure it out for me.)

But anyways.  Some stuff:

This is a few years old.  My fiance and I and two friends at a festival concert in New Jersey. Actually, the only "vacation" I've ever been on that wasn't with family.  It was incredible.

1: Remember my post about goals?  And how one of the goals was eating one full thing of yogurt?  DONE.  In fact, I've manned myself up enough to eat ONE cup of yogurt every morning.  At least on work mornings.  I've decided it's not so much the flavor as the texture.  I just eat it super fast.

2: That Live Healthy Challenge!  So, I kind of bummed out during week one...I kept the food journal til Thursday, lost it, and now haven't written anything down because I can't remember where I put it.  This week's goal is all about walking.  Apparently, you're supposed to walk at least a mile per day, to keep your weight consistent and to help increase bone density and heart health.  And they gave us a pedometer to keep track of how far we walk in a day.  So far today, I've already taken 3960 steps, which  means I've walked 1.749 miles today.  And that's just by doing my regular job! Wowza.

This is me at my job.  I'm hiding from the camera, kind of. :)

3:  Today my head hurts a bit.  Because it has decided to do away with warm sunny weather (okay, sweltering heat that I'm sort of excited to get rid of for a day), and give us coulds and intermittent rain showers.  I wish my head wasn't so in tune with barometric pressure changes!!

4:  Last night we had "cookout" food for dinner.  Which meant we discovered that neither I nor my fiance can figure out a charcoal grill, but still had delicious hot dogs from a frying pan.  And I made pasta salad and barbeque baked beans, so today's lunch is divine.  Plus I get to go home and have some leftover bread dip. 

5:  Tonight I get to put together the shower favors for my cousin's baby shower!!  I'm super excited...I love planning parties apparently, because I've orchestrated a lot of her shower, and practically all of my sister's shower too. 

Um, apparently I had a lot to talk about.
But now...back to work.

<3


 

5 Lovely Things

Some things I've been thankful for this week.
Because even when life is hard, there are always reasons to be thankful.
Um, and I'm ridiculously easily entertained, so it doesn't take much to make me smile.

yes, that mustache tattoo is real <3

1: My fiance bringing me fake excedrin for my migraine last night.  When I was about to guillotine myself just to stop the pain.  (Sidenote: I'm never taking V3 again. Pretty sure it's been messing with my health rather than improving it.  No bueno.)

2: Sunshine.  It's incredible how a sunny day can immediately improve one's mood. 

3: Finding awesome nail polish colors for 93 cents at WalMart last night.  Seriously, why do I bother spending $8 on OPI when it ends up lasting as long as the "cheap" stuff.  Silly, silly me.

{SakuraBathandBody}

{DimeStoreBuddy}

4: Realizing how on the ball I am with the whole planning and execution of my sister & cousin's baby showers.  Seriously.  I have all of the favor stuff (custom lip balms from Sakura Bath & Body - best stuff EVER!) & prizes (for games) on order, and have the menus all planned out, and the decor down to the fancy paper straws (because seriously, how damn cute are those?!)  No wonder I've come to a standstill planning my wedding.  I'm having too much fun with the baby showers!!

5: My new journal.  I haven't kept a journal for the past couple of years, though I used to always write everything down (from song lyrics I liked to what I wore that day).  It's funny that I had just decided it was time to start a new one, when a new friend gifted me with one.  Thank you. :)

...

What are you thankful for this week?

Real women have curves.

False.

Real women come in different shapes and sizes.

Not all women were built to be a size 14 or more, just as not all women were built to be a size 0.

Skinny isn't bad.

Chubby isn't bad.

{AsYouWishPrinting}

Real women are healthy.

It's not about your jean size.

It's about how you feel when you wake up in the morning.

It's about learning to love yourself for who you are, not who you think others want you to be.

It's about learning to have confidence in yourself.

{via}

Real women are confident.

Size 20, size 2 - if you're insecure, it shows through.

A woman can be ugly at a size two, and beautiful at a size 20.

It's about attitude.

You can wear all the makeup and expensive clothes in the world, it doesn't cover up ugliness inside.

Be kind.  Inner beauty always shows through.

{mirilovelove}

...

Sometimes, I'm not too sure where my sudden passion comes from.
One day, I'm walking around all complacent and content with everything.
The next, I realize it's time to stand up and say something.

I'm not a size two.  Or a size 6, or even a 12.
I'm a size 14. (Except in my special pants.)
I'm often too large to fit in XL shirts in my favorite stores.
I'm too small to fit into plus sized clothing.
I'm stuck in the world of in-between.

But.
I am Beautiful.
I can say this with with conviction, because I know it to be true.
It's not because of my makeup, or expensive clothes (let's face it, I'm a label whore).
It's not because I've been blessed with a really great complexion, and my hair stylist is amazing.

It's because I have confidence in myself.
It's because I do my best every day to banish negativity from my life.
It's because I try every day to do something nice for someone else.
It's because I truly love myself, and who I am.
Getting there was a long and hard road, and I wouldn't change it for anything.
Every single step along the way, good and bad, have made me into who I am today.

My fiance's constant reassurances that I'm perfect don't hurt either ;-)

I know I'm not *actually* perfect.
I have many flaws.
I'm not always the nicest, most positive person in the world.

But I try to be.
I know that my voice alone can't change the world.

But if one simple thing that I post on the internet, helps one person who might be struggling with their self image, and their self esteem, then I have done my job as a human being to help someone else.
Making a difference can be as small as a smile.

Seven Questions.

Time for seven questions again!

My favorite Link-Up, with {GentriLee}

I look so happy because I didn't know he was making this face. Classy.

1. Are you a thrift shopper?

Yes, for certain items.  I just read an article a few weeks ago about the Duggars (ya know, the nineteen kids and counting family??) and apparently they were totally out of debt before they even had a TV show, and have never required government assistance.  The article had a list of ways the Duggars were able to stay financially stable/independent, and the biggest one was to never buy anything new - from clothes to cars.  Sign me up!!

2. You just had a very bad dream, what do you do?

Well, if my fiance is around, I make him snuggle with me til the bad thoughts go away.  Or else I turn on the TV and watch something funny, until I can fall back asleep.

3. What is your favorite flavor of Ice Cream?

Snickers.  Is that a flavor?  Well, whatever, the snickers ice cream bars are my absolute favorite.  For the moment at least.

4. What do you do with your money? (spend it, save it, invest it, bury it, etc)

Spend.  Since I'm getting married (in less than a year!) I've been working really hard to cut back my spending and focus more on trying to save, but missing work last week kind of killed any tiny bit of savings I had.  Boo.

5. What was the last quote or statement you heard that really hit you?

6. What do you do when you're driving alone? (ex: dance, sing, listen to talk radio, etc)

Sing along loudly with the radio and interpretive dance...though I also do that with my fiance in the car LOL

7. Did you watch the premier of Bachelorette? If so, who was your favorite bachelor?
I have never watched an episode of the Bachelor OR the Bachelorette.  "Reality" television just isn't my cup of tea.  

Live Healthy Challenge.

So, I don't know if you know this about me or not...

but when it comes to making and keeping goals, I'm pretty horrible.

Like, last weekend when I wrote out some goals for the week? Yeah, I failed on all of them.

Though I was sick all week. So it was kind of hard to keep up on the "goal" thing when I was working on the "not dying" thing. Yaknow?

Well, at my work, they've started this new health initiative that includes this new "Live Healthy Challenge".

In the past they've done this Biggest Loser thing, which I wasn't around for, and it had a good response so they decided to start this.  Only this one isn't a weight loss challenge, it's more of a series of weekly goals to help teach/retrain you to live a more healthy and active lifestyle.

This week's "challenge" is to start keeping track of what you eat and how much exercise you get, by keeping a food diary and fitness journal.  I've kept food journals before when trying to pinpoint migraine triggers, but making sure to also keep track of how much activity I'm doing is new.

Today, the first day of the challenge, I've managed to write down everything I've eaten (and I didn't really do any exercise so I don't have to write that down lol), so I think this'll be a pretty easy way to start the healthy challenge.  And I started taking this new V3 vitamin thing that's supposed to help improve your energy & mood & decrease your appetite.  So we'll see if it does anything. 

{witandwhistle}
 The Jotter notebook I'm using to keep track of my food and fitness.

The bag I would buy for my workout gear, if I had any money at all. {giftshopbrooklyn}

 

I bought a pair of these yoga pants like three years ago, and I STILL wear them constantly.  These are just superb, and I soooo want another pair!  {herbandevi}

So tell me, what are your secrets for staying healthy and fit?

What are your favorite activities?

Mama.

This is my mom.

Well technically, it's me and my mom, but still. 

Ahem.
This is my momma.

My mom has taught me kindness.

She has taught me patience.

She has taught me the importance of family.

She has taught me the difference between right and wrong.

She is there when I'm happy.

She is there when I'm sad.

She is simply there for me, no questions asked, whenever I may need her.

She is there to listen when I need to talk.

...

This is my grandma.

But I call her Geegaw.  (because I found out it means jewel, and that's what she is to me)

Or sometimes grand mere, because it's French and sounds fancy.

My Geegaw has taught me forgiveness.

She has taught me to love, above all.

She taught me to make chocolate chip cookies.

She taught me to sew. To crochet. And to embroider.

She teaches me what it means to work hard for something.  Especially when it's marriage, or family.

I am insanely lucky to have these women in my life.  They have both taught me to love myself, and that true beauty comes from within.  (Neither wears makeup, except for the most special occasion).  They've both taught me how to spot a good shopping deal ;-)  They make me want to make them proud of me.

This is my (soon to be) stepdaughter.

She already has an amazing mom.  

I am lucky to share many good qualities with her mom - craftiness, love of sci-fi, great hair.  

But, I am even luckier to have my stepdaughter in my life.

She inspires me to be better in every way, to be someone she can look up to.

She inspires me to be loving, patient, and kind.

She inspires me to let the past stay in the past, and help to mend bridges burned long ago between her mother and my fiance.  

& she (so kindly) informed me that the advertisements that come on before movies are in fact called "trailers", and not previews.  Thanks, kid.

....

Here is to all of the mothers, step mothers, mother in laws, pet moms, etc etc.

Have the happiest of Mother's Days.

Much love to you all.

Hellooooo '90's

So when I was a kid, we listened to music we probably shouldn't have been listening to.

As such, I will always have an obscene fondness for horrible early nineties techno/club music.

Ya know, like that "what is love" song that spawned Night at the Roxbury.

Today, my fiance went on a random afternoon drive with me.

And we were lucky enough to hear this old gem.

You're Welcome.

Wedding Thoughts

As of today, there is exactly one year until I marry my fiance.

He doesn't actually wear glasses.  I have no idea where those came from. BUT I adore this picture.

I kind of paused on my whole wedding planning thing after we nailed down the photographer and venue/caterer...but now that it seems like it's just around the corner, I'm trying to re-submerge myself in wedding ideas.  Only, there are too many awesome ideas out there.

Legit. WAY too many.

I did make a new Treasury on Etsy yesterday, featuring some things I am actually planning on using in or for my wedding.  I am particularly fond of this one.  And all of these sellers are amazingly talented.

{A Little Bit Rock and Roll}

Summer Lovin'

...Had me a blast.

Summer Lovin'

Happened so fast!

Well, I am still sick.  Better than Monday, not as fit and fresh as I want to be.

As in, I do about ten minutes of activity and I am tired again.

Also, still congested, though that is slowly going away too.

On my other couch. Wrapped up attractively in my fiance's hoodie, wearing a sparkly headband from {knotieties} to make myself feel better.

 

But, in between napping and blowing my nose (hah, major attractive thought there), I have managed to get some photos I've been sitting on edited all nice and pretty for my Etsy shop!  I'm finally starting to halt on the whole buying supplies thing, which means I haven't been buying a whole lot of beads lately for a change.  I've actually started using up the loads of pretty beads I've been collecting since I was 19.  Which has led to some designs I would have never dreamed up.  And as always, the simpler, the better.

Here's a peek at more summer designs:
 

 

I love these pieces, as they all contain my favorite summer time element - wooden filigree!  I adore the earthy feeling that wooden elements give to jewelry.  These are all definitely going to be  fixtures in my summer accessory wardrobe :)

Sept.

(That's French for Seven)

As in, seven questions :)

Linking up with Gentri again this week!

yeah. i got nothin'.

1. You just invented the next big thing! What is it called and what does it do?

Ooooh!!  That food generator thing like they have on Star Trek.  I'd call it the Fooderator.

2. Are you a lover or a fighter?

Lover probably.  Although apparently I yell a lot...

3. It's almost mothers day- if you could tell your mom anything, what would it be?

Thank you.  Although that doesn't even begin to cover all my bases where she's concerned.  She's by and far the most incredible person I know (well, besides my baby sister).

4. Do you like your hair curly, wavy, or straight?

My hair is naturally curly/wavy (depending on how long it is), so I usually wear it that way.  It's currently at the perfect length to never have a bad hair day. Score.

5. If it was your last day to live, what would you do?

I guess mostly, I'd really want to be surrounded by the people I love.

6. What color are your eyes? Do you like the color?

Brownish hazel.  Sometimes they're a golden brown, sometimes they're really green looking.  I love my eyes.

7. Fish, beef, poultry, wild game, or tofu?

Poultry and wild game.  I don't eat beef as a rule, and fish are friends not food.

I love chicken and turkey, and venison too!