Three Reasons Why I Love: Motto's Pleated Knit Jacket

1. You can unzip the hood AND the bottom half to wear a cropped sleeker look (like the one below on Rachel Zoe). Or wear it as is, for days you want more coverage (tummy coverage for me).

2. It comes in four colors: black, grey, violet and teal. Here's a back shot of the teal color.

3. The price is right: $54.92. Here's the link at QVC!

ZZZ...

Pretty much what I'm feeling these last couple of weeks.

I am up to my ears in revisions on my works-in-progress as well as life's little matters that keep getting in the way (like my paying jobs) :)

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

p.s. I want to give a shout-out to my local blog friends, Lisa and Laura whose book was picked up for publication! WOO-HOO so happy for you ladies!

Here's the blurb From Publisher's Marketplace:
Lisa Roecker and Laura Roecker's A Kate Lowry Mystery: THE HAUNTING OF PEMBERLY BROWN, a quick-witted mystery starring a private-school sleuth with attitude and pearls, who receives an email from her dead best friend, sold to Daniel Ehrenhaft at Sourcebooks, for publication in Spring 2011, by Catherine Drayton at Inkwell Management (NA).

Book Ends

I have tons of books and I am running out of shelf space.

But I can't seem to help myself--I can't get rid of anything!

Look at these great book ends:

Drink wine AND read a book too (from Wal-Mart)!

Love these (from hazelnutneworleans.com)! I just happen to have a chocolate Labrador Retriever.

These are great too (from Barnes&Noble). My sister's initials are AZ so she's bound to love these!

Five Blazer/Jacket Trends This Season

#1: Boyfriend:

boyfriend blazers by real style real people featuring Old Navy

Items in this set:
Topshop.com jacket, 40 GBP
Old Navy jacket, $40
Newlook.co.uk jacket, 30 GBP

#2: Military:

military blazers by real style real people featuring Forever21

Items in this set:
Delias.com jacket, $48
Dorothy Perkins jacket, 40 GBP
Forever21 jacket, $25

#3 Motorcycle:

motorcycle style by real style real people featuring American Eagle Outfitters

Items in this set:
Charlotte Russe jacket, $79
American Eagle Outfitters jacket, $60
Forever21 jacket, $16

#4 Fitted, with interesting details

fitted blazers by real style real people on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
Motto (R) French Terry 3/4...
Motto (R) Brushed Cotton...
Motto Long Sleeve Button Cuff...

#5 Tuxedo:

tuxedo jakcet by real style real people featuring Miss Selfridge

Items in this set:
Spiegel.com clothing, $89
Miss Selfridge jacket, 45 GBP
Charlotte Russe jacket, $33

Carmel Apple Dip

What to do with all of those apples from the apple farm?



Make carmel dip, of course.




Mine only requires 4 ingredients (five if you count the apples for dipping).




All you need is: 1 stick of butter, I cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of white corn syrup, and 1 can of sweetened condensed milk.

Melt the butter over a low heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and condensed milk. Bring it to a low boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 3 more minutes, then cool it at room temperature.

Serve it warm with apple wedges. TO DIE FOR!!!

Reheat it the next day in the microwave (if you even have leftovers).

Denim Toppers, 90's Style

I still cannot get on board with the denim shirts and vests I'm seeing this season.

Reminds me too much of the 90's grunge/burnout period of my life....

Denim Tops by real style real people featuring American Eagle Outfitters

What about you?

Military Jackets

The Balmain inspired military jackets are not really my thing.

They remind me too much of Janet's Jackson's Control years (Or Michael--he always wore this style), or the Beatles Sgt. Pepper's years.

If you soften the look, like on Olivia Palermo, below:

Then I LOVE IT!!

Here's another style from Ann Taylor Loft:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

STUFF YOURSELF SILLY ON CANDY AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Would You Rather...

Play a little game with me, will you?

It's called, WOULD YOU RATHER...



So here goes... four questions for you to answer...



Would You Rather:





Invest in a good handbag, or killer pair of jeans?



See a great movie, or a great concert?





Be bitten by Vampire Edward, or Vampire Stephan ("both" or "neither", are not options)?





Vacation in a crowded metropolis or on a quiet beach?

Elizabeth Hasslebeck for QVC, Fall 2009

As I've said in the past, I like Elizabeth's style on The View- and that is all I can manage to tune in for (the rest drives me crazy).



She recently added to her limited Dialogue collection at QVC.



Here's what I have my eye on (below), all for around $60 and under.



My only complaint? Expand the color selection.

What do you think?

Check this out: http://thebudgetfashionista.com/archive/designer-denim-drops-in-price/ from The Budget Fashionista, who featured my post!

Pumpkin Carving

So we carved our pumpkin's this weekend, for Halloween!

But none were as creative as these:

I just marvel at the imagination!


photo credit: snazzyjazzy, thefuntimesguide, deesinbox

Stop All The Clocks

There was a death in my family today.


I haven't been close to him for many years now, if ever...


But there's something about the finality of death that shakes you... to the core...


I began thinking about one of my favorite poems.


And when I read it over, I thought-- there is somebody out there, present or past, that feels this very way about him.

And there is somebody (several somebody's, in fact) at this very moment in time...

who I can say, with absolute certainty, I feel this way about.

SO.... HERE'S TO YOU AND THE PERSON WHO FEELS (or felt) THIS WAY FOR YOU...



Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one:
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods:
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

by W.H. Auden