Happy St. Patty's Day!

Spring is finally here! It was 60F here yesterday, and it felt fantastic. I went for a run around Lake Harriet after work - haven't done that since last fall. I despise the treadmill so am happy that it's warm enough to do outdoor runs again!

I'm not a huge St. Patty's Day fan - I've never really celebrated the holiday. One year, I was in Chicago on St. Patty's Day, which was fun. I went during spring break of my senior year in college. The river that runs through Chicago was died green and everywhere we looked, there were drunk people. It was quite the experience!

In honor of St. Patty's Day, I am posting some green items that I am quite smitten with...

This dress from Ann Taylor Loft would be perfect for a spring wedding... or it would be a great rehearsal dinner dress for Abby since that is her wedding color!

This is actually my Easter dress, which I got on sale at Banana Republic. Yes, I am 28 and I still buy myself an "Easter Dress." I have such fond memories of the Easter outfits my mom picked out for us girls. Actually, it wasn't so much the dresses as the hats... Maybe some day I will scan some photos in so you can see some awkward photos of my younger years. Oy, it's painful to look at them. Mom - I know you were just following the fashion trends of the time, but ouch. I actually don't know what was worse - the hideous, plasticy hats or the terrible page boy cut that I had for like 10 years as a child... I can't completely blame my mom for all those years of fashion faux pas, though. When I was home for my grandpa's funeral, I was sorting through pictures, trying to find some for the poster boards we displayed in the church basement - I came across this hideous picture of myself. I can't remember what I was wearing for a top, but for bottoms I was wearing these hideous striped shorts (which I had rolled up) with dark, plum colored tights and then some whacky shoes. I was so mortified to see this picture & asked my mom what the heck I was wearing... She said, 'oh, you had very interesting tastes back then, Lisa'. Oy. Thank God my sense of style has developed over the years... I was seriously a walking 'What Not To Wear' advertisement back then!

Last, but not least, is this bag. Ok - it's a little more fall/winter, but I figured I should post something besides dresses on here. This bag is hand-made by this Etsy Seller - she is actually in Italy. It's kind of fun to read her product descriptions - since English isn't her first language, the translation is a bit muddled at times. But so cute.

Have a safe and wonderful St Patty's Day, everyone! I am treating myself to a facial tonight, so my evening will be sans green beer. Which I am totally ok with since I really, really don't like beer (and can't have it anyways since it has gluten in it)

Slainte!

I need this...

Ok, so I probably don't need this little clutch, but I certainly really, really want it. When I was in college, I lived with my best friend Heidi for one semester and we often had these 'want v. need' conversations. Our conversations would go like this:

Heidi: I really need ______ (insert something fun & fabulous).

Me: Really? Do you need it? Or just really want it?

Heidi: Um, I need it.

Me: Well, you need things like water, food, and a place to lay your head. But you probably don't need _______.

So if I employ that interpretation of want v. need, I really don't need this clutch. It's so springy, though, and would be the perfect accessory for a springy Easter outfit.

Image found via this blog, and could be purchased here... if it wasn't already sold out!!

The Color Purple

While I have read Alice Walker's book, "The Color Purple," that's not what this blog post is about. After my honest, but 'downer debbie' post last week, I figured I better write about one of the many things that is making me very happy these days. And that is the color purple. Purple has never been a favorite color of mine... which is surprising given the fact that my bathroom is painted lilac with dark purple towels to accent the color. I can't remember what drove me to go with that color scheme. (mom do you remember?) I have no idea. My favorite color for the last 10 years has been pink... so just one color family over from purple, so I guess it makes sense that I am gravitating towards purple these days.

If you've been out and about lately, you probably have seen a lot of purple. It's sort of the 'it' color of the season... But I would like to say, I have bought my purple scarf, sweater, and hand bag because I loved them, not because 'purple is the new black'. I'm far too practical to be swayed by such statements.

So here are a few things that have caught my eye lately... none of which I own. Apparently all the purple stuff I've bought in the last couple months is so fashionable, you can't find it on the Internet anymore! Ha... or they've been discontinued because I'm the only one who has bought them!

And, had I not bought a purple scarf already, I'd probably knit something up in this color...

I might do a re-read of "The Color Purple" since I was probably 14 when I read it... so you may see that popping up here in the future... if I ever get through the stack of books collecting dust on my book shelf. What can I say, my bookshelf runneth over...

Happy Monday everyone!