Unseasonably Warm

It has been, as the title of this post states, unseasonably warm. I am NOT complaining.  I'll take balmy temps instead of a snowstorm any day. Of course, if this weather continues, it means the majority of the winter sweaters I've bought this year (um, I went a little nuts with sweaters) will go largely unused. This is a sacrifice I am willing to make. I doubt we'll make it through the winter without a few sub-zero days and snowstorms but a girl can dream, right?

Sweater - Target
Dress - Forever 21
Belt - Forever 21
Socks - Uniqlo
Boots - Wanted

Ten Day Challenge: 8 Fears

I forgot to post this on Friday. My bad. Here is my list of Eight Fears! Hope you all had a completely un-fear-filled weekend!

 1. Puking - This is honestly my number one fear. I don't like it. I avoid it at all costs. People may say "How can you avoid puking? What if you get sick?" I just don't. It's all in your minds, people. If you tell yourself you're not gonna throw up, you won't throw up.

2. Killers - Like, duh.

3. Being mauled by farm animals - I got chased by a rogue sheep when I was seven. It was traumatizing.

4. June bugs - I don't know how common these are in other places, but I grew up spending summers on Cape Cod and at night these giant beetles that we called June bugs would come out. They would cling to the screens on the windows and I'd take great enjoyment in flicking them off. They make loud buzzing noises and my grandmother got one caught in her hair when she was a child and that's always been my fear. *shudder*

5. My house burning down - Again, like, duh. When I was little I used to make evacuation plans. My bedroom was on the first floor and I had a giant bin filled with stuffed animals. Fill bin with all stuffed animals and valuables. Drop bin out window. Jump into bin. It was obviously every man for himself, because my plan involved the rest of my family finding their own way out. Sorry, family.

6. Myself or a loved one getting a terrible disease - This would just be the worst. I think we can all agree.

7. Going to space - I would never get on a spaceship. Astronauts puke all the time in space. Plus, what a long and boring flight. The only way I would even go to space would be my choice was "stay on Earth and die, or go to space." Even then I'd only go if we were traveling to an uber-cool space station like Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century

8. Zombie apocalypse - I just started watching The Walking Dead, can you tell? Don't worry guys, I have a survival plan. In involves moving into a Wal-Mart.

Photo 1 via we heart it
Photo 2 via Screen Rant

Christmas 2011: Playlist & Wishlist

Thanksgiving is over, which means, in my world, Christmas is here. I freaking love Christmas. Mom decorates our house to capacity. There is no surface that goes undecorated. There's so many things to eat - gotta make Christmas cookies, and have hot cocoa every day, and Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark...yum. But the best part of Christmas is the music...and the gifts. So behold! My Christmas 2011 Playlist and Wishlist. Give it a listen while you shop and wrap!

Christmas 2011 by sparkleisacolor featuring a leopard pajamas

J Crew tailored shirt, $98
Vintage tunic, $15
P J Salvage leopard pajamas, $54
Hunter black socks, $40
ALDO wedge boots, $150
Leopard print pumps, $100
Marc by Marc Jacobs cross body handbag, $138
MICHAEL Michael Kors genuine leather wallet, $98
J Crew j crew jewelry, $30
Earrings, $34
L'Occitane Milk Shea Soap None 8.8 oz, $10
essie nail polish - midnight cami, $8
Tall Glitter Canister by Jonathan Adler - Seltzer Studios - online..., $125
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens, $104
Triple Cluster Ring - Rings - FUNCTION: Shop All, $105

taking care of business

Hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving and relaxing long weekend! My Thanksgiving was lovely and this weekend I did too much shopping for my own good (though some of it was for Christmas!) and spent time with friends.

By next weekend I should be all finished Christmas shopping! Booyah! I like getting it all done early so I can spend the rest of the month enjoying the holiday season rather than scrambling around for last minute gifts. How do you holiday shop? Do you get it done early, or are you the last minute type?

Shirt: J.Crew
Pants: Gap
Belt: Marc by Marc Jacobs
Shoes: Urban Outfitters
Bag: Coach
Jewelry: all gifted, except
Necklace: Target

Ten Day Challenge: Nine Loves

1. My iPhone. Call me superficial, call me a nerd, call me a tech addict - I don't care. I rely on my beloved iPhone for to-do lists, appointments, photography, networking, distractions, communication, calculations...I couldn't live without it.

2. My puppy. She's not a puppy anymore, but she'll always be my little baby Mia. Look at that face!

3. My friends and family. Duh. Who doesn't love their friends and family? Though mine are pretty spectacular. plus, they seem to like me which is both amazing and awesome.

4. Coffee. I can't live without my coffee. I only need one, in the morning, but if I don't have it all hell breaks loose.

5. Yoga. I may not be going as often as I should be, but I love it. It's the only workout I actually enjoy, and I leave the gym feeling like a million bucks instead of a pile of poo.

6. Sleeping. Oh my gosh, I just love to sleep. There is nothing better than going to bed exhausted and sleeping until you can't sleep no more.

 via we heart it

7. My closet. Though I guess, specifically, the clothes in my closet. I just love getting up every morning and putting together an outfit.

8. Food. I love food. I won't deny it. I love trying a new restaurant, I love having dinner at my grandparent's on Fridays, I love eating pizza from my favorite pizza place. Now I'm hungry.



9. Vacations. Who doesn't?

Thanksgiving: "Friendsgiving"

Friendsgiving by sparkleisacolor featuring dolce vita boots

As we all get older, "Friendsgiving" becomes a thing. We get our own apartments, we learn to use the stove, and begin buying food for ourselves. Thus it is only a natural progression that we want to host elaborate dinners for our friends. So "Friendsgiving" was born. Friendsgiving is always better than regular Thanksgiving for several reasons - the turkey is usually fried (seriously, you haven't lived until you've had fried turkey), there is always more alcohol involved. and there is zero family drama. 

Comfort is key on Friendsgiving. No one is going to judge you for going in for seconds (or thirds...or fourths). They'll all be too drunk to notice. A loose-fitting dress and comfy booties are perfect for pre-dinner dancing and post-dinner food babies. A nice, heavy necklace will add just the right amount of glam, while simultaneously pulling your head closer to your plate - ideal for those serious eaters. The arrowhead ring is a cheeky nod to the Native Americans and is cuter than a turkey hat made of paper, like the one you made in second grade.

Thanksgiving: Formal

Thanksgiving - Formal by sparkleisacolor featuring a gold pearl ring

Our second Thanksgiving look is for a more formal affair. Maybe your family just gets really dressed up for holidays (mine doesn't, but it wouldn't kill them...), maybe you go out to a fancy restaurant for dinner, maybe your life is just way more fabulous than most people's...doesn't matter.

I think it's also important to remember that "dressed up" and "formal" doesn't have to mean a dress or skirt. These pants are chic, daring, and will make your legs look a mile long. Paired with a flowy top and tasteful jewelry in seasonally appropriate hues, you'll be a bigger hit than the turkey. One caveat: this may not be the most forgiving of outfits. That's perfect if you're trying to monitor yourself this season - wearing form-fitting clothing will deter you from second helpings!

Ten Day Challenge: Ten Secrets

So normally I don't participate in any of these kinds of challenges, because I am lazy and prone to dropping the ball on these things. I'm sure no one remembers the 30 Day Photo Challenge I started, because I only got to day two.

HOWEVER, I am giving this one a try, because my dear friend Helen is doing it and I enjoy reading her entries.Plus it's only ten days, maybe I can handle that. Though I think I will only do these once a week and make it a ten WEEK challenge just to keep things lively over here. And also to be a bit of a rebel, not gonna lie. This is how it goes:

Day 1 = 10 secrets

Day 2 = 9 loves

Day 3 = 8 fears

Day 4 = 7 wants

Day 5 = 6 places

Day 6 = 5 foods

Day 7 = 4 books

Day 8 = 3 films

Day 9 = 2 songs

Day 10 = 1 picture

So today is Day One, so here are my Ten "Secrets." (Like I'm really going to share my deepest darkest secrets with the internet.) Also: TEXT HEAVY POST.

1. I sing with my brother a lot. No, we can't actually sing. We don't even really like each other. This isn't some kind of family band hipster thing where I have a maraca and he plays guitar and we harmonize. Typically we are just belting out "Bohemian Rhapsody" randomly. We also like to just talk in the tune of "Bohemia Rhapsody" - "Mama! Oohhhh! You forgot to feed the dog, she will starve to death before tomorrow, feed her noowwww, feed her nowwww!" We also do a mean rendition of "Baby It's Cold Outside" during the holiday season/year round.

2. I still sleep with a blankie. I'm not even embarrassed about this. It's a raggedy excuse for a blanket, since I've had it since I was a baby, but I can't sleep without it. It's been on every vacation and sleepover I've ever been on. Once, when I was, like, two, the whole family was walking a boardwalk through a marsh on Cape Cod and my blanket fell into the marsh. My dad had to climb down and get it out of the muck.

3.My favorite snack ever is Wendy's french fries dipped in a chocolate frosty. Sooo good! But I never have it anymore because it's probably responsible for all the weight I gained in my early 20s.

4. I already have the name of my first child picked out (it's going to be a girl, obviously) and everyone in my family knows this and calls her by name already. As in - "Oh my god, Baby Julia will look so cute in this dress!" "You're definitely not allowed to babysit Baby Julia, ever."

5. I am a member of a VERY expensive gym, and I don't go nearly enough to justify the cost. I have bouts when I am really good about going, but I've fallen off the wagon recently. I really need to get back into the habit, because when I do go, I feel so much better - mentally and physically.

6. I have a shopping problem. It's kind of major. Not major to the point where I am up to my eyeballs in debt or anything, more like "I keep buying things even though I have TONS of clothes and TONS of shoes and it's not necessary for me to buy things." I really need to reel it in, as I'd like to pad my savings more and actually WEAR all the clothes I already have, but it's like an addiction. At least it's not a nasty coke habit, right?

7. I love planning vacations. I sit around all the time planning dream vacations online. I have multiple trips to Disney world planned out. I have a rough draft of my future honeymoon. I drool over the locales features on Jetsetter daily. If only I had the income to support my desire to travel. While it can be a hassle planning vacations that you actually TAKE, especially with multiple people involved, I wouldn't trust anyone else to do it. I've entertained the thought of becoming a travel agent. Do those still exist?

8. Speaking of jobs - I think my dream is to be an author. I'd at least like to write a book some day. That is definitely one of my life goals - to finish a book and send it to publishers. I won't hedge any bets on whether or not it gets published, though.

9. If the author thing doesn't work out, I definitely want to work in a more creative field. I'd love to work for some kind of small company that is just really awesome. Can someone make that happen please? I am a fast learner and a hard worker, though my boss told me yesterday I am a little too "zen." So if you're looking for someone who won't FREAK OUT about every little thing, I'm your girl.

10. I have a survival plan for the zombie apocalypse. But in the event I get bitten, I fully expect each and every one of you to be willing to shoot me in the head. I cannot go through life as a zombie. Not cute.

thanksgiving: classic casual

Thanksgiving - Classic Casual by sparkleisacolor featuring short skirts

With the holidays rapidly approaching (still can't believe next week is Thanksgiving) I thought I would do a few posts for what to wear to all the holiday get-togethers we inevitably go to. I know I like to have a few outfit choices on hand just in case something comes up spur of the moment. 

This first look is almost exactly what I am wearing to my family Thanksgiving this year. Not too dressed up, not too casual, but nice enough for a holiday dinner with the family. The skirt has a nice high waist so there's actually plenty of room for your Thanksgiving food baby under there, but you won't look like you're wearing a muumuu you borrowed from Great Aunt Gertrude. 

The shoes are a nice comfy wedge that is easy to walk and stand in, but not easy enough that you get roped into playing any kind of outdoor sport with the males in your family.The pale colored sweater might be a risk (cranberry sauce! Red wine! Gravy boat mayhem!) but I think we're all pretty good at avoiding spills, right?

What are you wearing to your family dinner this year?

housekeeping

I've been slacking in the blogging department lately, I apologize. Life just got rather hectic. I've been working overtime at work and have a few side projects that have been taking up most of my free time. I hope to have things back under control for next week, but until then, how about a few little random thoughts & things?

• I admire that KFC is completely unapologetic about how outrageously unhealthy their food is. "We're KFC. Are we adding a 'healthy options' menu? No. We've created a bowl of mashed potatoes and fried chicken topped with bacon bits. You're welcome."

• Are you guys watching 2 Broke Girls? Because it is hilarious, and you should be. 

• My fabulous friend Helen has a blog, and she is hilariously sharing her dating pratfalls. You guys should check it out. It will make your love life look so sane and tame.

• Have you seen the trailer for Hunger Games yet?! I'm unabashedly excited for this. Here you go. You're welcome.

• Thanksgiving is next week. THANKSGIVING IS NEXT WEEK. How did this happen? Where did November go? Truth: not a big fan of turkey. Unless it's fried. But the mashed potatoes and stuffing? That's why I show up. I invented carbo-loading.

*Edit: added link to Fabulous Helen's blog (YOU'RE WELCOME) ;)

grape pants

This is what happens when clothes fit you in the morning and then over the course of the day they stretch out and get kind of sad and saggy. Kind of like how I myself feel at the end of a long day. My clothes and I, we are one. This outfit was supremely comfortable though. And my pants are purple, which is never a bad thing as far as I'm concerned.

Sweater: H&M
Corduroys: Urban Ourfitters
Shoes: J.Crew outlet
Necklace: Forever 21

red

Sometimes, when I don't know what to wear, I pull a bunch of stuff out of my closet that's the same color and I put it on. It's quick and easy and brainless and those are all things I value. Someone should tell the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz that  he really shouldn't bother. Not to mention he already seems to be more intelligent than 75% of the people I come across in my daily life. Oy.

Cardigan: Target
Shirt: J.Crew
Jeans: Gap
Flats: Jeffrey Campbell

a little rusty

Orange is pretty much my least favorite color. I don't gravitate towards orange things, I don't like orange flavored foods, I just have a non-relationship with orange. Then this skirt happened. Okay, it's definitely more of a rust color, but I think we can agree that rust is in the orange family. I love this skirt. I think it is so fall-ish and it makes me want pumpkin pie. This skirt has officially converted me to an orange lover.

Also, you've probably all noticed that I hoard outfit pictures. I have a tendency to take a bunch of pictures the same weeks that I am super busy and don't have time to post them. It is way too cold for bare legs now. It snowed here on Saturday!

Shirt: J.Crew outlet
Sunnies: Mom didn't want them anymore, no brand
Skirt: H&M
Boots: Oh Deer!