Shoe Love

When I saw the post on Wildflowers & Whimsy about a shoe love linky party I immediately bookmarked the post to be sure and join in! I have such a love affair with shoes...particularly heels. I remember watching (and loving) Dirty Dancing, and my mother had a pair of shoes that looked almost identical to the one's Baby wore in her 'final dance'. Mom's were navy, but the style, heel height, even the t-strap were so similar...that in my little-girl mind, these WERE those shoes. I walked, ran, and danced in heels from the time I can remember. I probably walked better in heels before I did out of them.

(image found here)

So let me introduce you to some of my favorite shoes in my arsenal. It was way too difficult to narrow this down, because I have more pairs of shoes than I'm willing to admit to you :) This first pair I bought of my BFF for $10...I can't remember the brand, but they came from Off Broadway Shoes, which I *love*. They're a gorgeous emerald green, with a faux-croc look and a velvet bow...I wore them for some pictures I had made for the hubby a couple years ago.

This pair reminded me of wingtips and men's suits. I purchased them when I was teaching pre-school for the annual art show the school had, and built an entire outfit around just the shoe. (I told you, I'm obsessed) The brand eludes me again, but they came from Shoe Carnival.

In this picture, the pair on the right belong to moi. They are Say What and again...bought for a rehearsal dinner for my cousin's wedding and built an outfit around them. I know, I know. The pair on the left belong to my equally-shoe-obsessed sister-in-law and are Steve Madden.

This is another pair from Off Broadway Shoes...I love that place. The brand is Michael. I was attending Shannon's graduation from MUSC, and my dress was this wild black and white print...I thought I needed a punch of color. They had them in a divine royal blue as well...*sigh*

If I have a weakness within my weakness...it's for two brands...and this is one of them. Jessica Simpson. I don't know if she truly has a hand in designing her line of shoes and bags, but whoever it is...It's like they're in my head. My parents got me these fabulous patent polka dot peep-toes for my 25th birthday. *love*

Another pair of Jessica Simpson's. I love everything from the platform to the 4 inch heel to the pointy toe...to the fact that they were less than $30 at TJMaxx. Score!

I purchased the next pair on a whim, thinking "no way I should buy these for myself, they cost too much, I don't have any reason to" etc. etc. But once I got them home on my feet and started putting them with a pair of my fave dark wash jeans...oh dear. Zero buyer's remorse. Nothing but love ;) Vera Wang from Kohl's.

And last but not least...the other brand name I have a major weakness for? Michael Kors. I spotted these one day in Belk and they spoke to me. Promise. Okay, not really, but I had to try them on...and then I proceeded to check the price (yowza)...the name (Lolita)...and call my mom and beg for them for Christmas. Hey don't judge! It's shoes, I'm not too proud to beg! :)

Do you have shoe favorites? A style favorite? How about a brand? I could do another entire post just on my casual shoes, flats, and flip flops! I wonder if there's a Shoe-aholics Anonymous. I need it!

look what I got!

Jennifer from Life, Crafts, and Whatever nominated me for this:


How awesome is that? This is my first time getting something like this and I am pretty pumped about it! Thanks Jennifer!
Here are the rules that go along with this award:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

I know I recently shared a few things about myself so lets see if I can come up with 7 new or different things to keep y'all entertained!

1. I am left handed...I'm the only lefty in my family that anyone knows of, alive or deceased. However, the only thing I do exclusively with my left hand is write. I can eat with either hand, but I cannot brush my teeth or use scissors except with my right hand. Strange, I know. It's a righty's world ;)

2. I love the beach. It doesn't much matter where it is (although given the time and money, I do have preferences) as long as it's warm, sandy, and there's an ocean. I live in a city that lays at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains and while it is pretty, I could take or leave any mountain view or trip. Give me the beach any day.

3. I love cars, especially hot rods, antiques, muscle cars...basically anything you'd see in any type of car show I'm open to. I love the sound of the exhaust, the speed, all the shiny fun...and I can change the oil in my car or a flat.

4. I hate hate hate the lake. Any lake. I will not get in that grody water. I don't mind being in a boat or a pontoon but I'm not getting in the water. Yuck.

5. I love football. I would totally play football if I could. I have a small anger-management issue ;) I want to be on the defense so I can plow into some big dudes and maybe faceplant the guy trying to make the touch down. That sounds like super fun to me.

6. I have never traveled outside the United States. I don't even own a passport. I went to the USVI for my honeymoon, but that's still US soil, so...yeah.

7. I am deathly afraid of bugs. I say bugs to encompass spiders, anything that hops or flies, snails, etc. So stuff that may not technically be a 'bug'...but you get the idea. You put Freddy Krueger on one side of a room, fill the other with bugs...I'll take my chances with Freddy.

Now without further adieu here are my nominations for this lovely award:

1. Aubrey Plays

2. Peas and Crayons

3. Bugaboo Mini Mr. & Me

4. Craft Couture

5. Life Buy the Beach

6. Mama J and Her Little Fashionistas

7. Tragic Sensation

8. The T-Shirt Diaries

9. Mrs. Beach Bride

10. From The Kitchen of: Mrs. Bettie Rocker

11. art of amy

12. Happy House Happy Home

13. A Diamond in the Stuff

14. Krafty Kat

15. Family Fashion and Facts

two awesome chicken recipes!

Let me start by saying, steak is *usually* one of my favorite things in the whole world. Vegans, vegetarians, look away now. I love a good steak and I want it medium-rare. I have been this way since I was a little girl. But back in the fall when I found out I was pregnant for the first time, I quickly discovered that the baby had other plans. There would be no steak, no burgers...cows every where were probably rejoicing. (which kinda makes me cringe because I really love moo-moos--alive, I mean)

I spent weeks not only sick, but quickly learning that things I'd loved my whole life were the most disgusting thing ever while pregnant. Bacon. Orange juice. GRITS. I am a Southern girl and I *have* to have my grits. REAL ones. Not that cream of wheat junk you weirdos eat with sugar or whatever *grin*....I kid.

Eventually baby conceded to allow some chicken in my diet, and it's pretty much been the only meat I can regularly handle...after he's born I'll probably be asking the hospital if they serve steak. But I digress (again). I absolutely love finding recipes here in blogland because it means someone has already tried it, and if needed, offered suggestions on how to make it better...it's far less risky (in my opinion) that just picking something from a cookbook.

So without further adieu I am going to ask you to pretty please go try this two awesome recipes I discovered...they will be a hit!

I first stumbled across this White Chicken Chili recipe at Kimberly's Yummy Monday. She has an awesome blog Bugaboo Mini Mr & Me, and if you've never visited...you should! Anyway, not only is this recipe super easy, but I am super picky and I *loved* it. I don't like beans *at all* and still I chowed down on this stuff. The leftovers are yummy too! I cut it down for my purposes (just me and the hubs), and when I re-heat the leftovers I added a splash of chicken broth so that it doesn't get too thick. I also think they're better re-heated on the stove than in the microwave (if you can), and by all means...ADD THE CHEESE. Yum. And I had garlic bread with it (I have an obsession with the stuff, maybe it's just me)...The hubs deemed it the "best thing you've ever made". So thanks, Kimberly, for making me the rockstar cook!

The other recipe I tried for the first time last night. It's a super easy chicken and rice casserole that I found on Jamie's blog Happy House Happy Home. It was easy and flavorful, and the leftovers heated up perfectly in the microwave...it didn't dry them out at all! I hate when that happens. I didn't have 3 pieces of chicken, only 2, so I threw in a can of green peas with it to add some green (Mom would be proud). Go see Jamie and check out her blog AND this recipe, I found it especially comforting last night since it was cold and super rainy here! The hubs loves "cheese-y, casserole-y anything" (his words) and this was another definite hit...he said "wow, baby, you've really been hitting the jackpot with these recipes." Why thank you, dear (and Jamie, 'cause it's your recipe).

Be sure to let me know if you try either of these, I'd love to know what you think!

calling all upcycled & recycled projects!!!

Happy Wednesday y'all! Today I am asking for a favor from all of you who follow me...or heck, if you're visiting me, welcome, and please read on!

My friend Robin over at

The T-Shirt Diaries hosts a fabulous linky party called Upcycled Awesome! It's the first linky party I ever participated in, and Robin is super sweet...Many of you know that linky tools are no longer going to be free, and Robin has decided to plunge in and continue hosting her party!

This week Robin would like to make Upcycled Awesome #31 her biggest party yet! She is hoping to reach *100* link ups before the linky closes! Last check she's at 55...Could you pretty please head over and link up your fabulous re-vamped creations??? I know you have at least one! The guidelines for posting are right

here.

I promise you'll enjoy it and want to keep coming back (I do!)...leave me a comment if you're linking up so I can be sure and check out your awesomeness!!! And thanks for helping out my blog friend!

Meet Me...at Swap Followings!

So I stumbled upon Swap Followings last week and it's been a really fun thing! I discovered new blogs to read and enjoy and in the process...some new peeps found me! That's the purpose of this divine little invention! :)

If you'd like to learn more, and join in on the fun, head on over here *now* and check it out:

Please be sure to read the entire post if you're new, and understand there are a couple of friendly guidelines to follow!
If you're new to my blog, then welcome! I'm so glad to have you! If you'd like to learn more about me personally, you can take a peek at two of my posts here or here. I love comments, questions, emails...so please chat away! I promise to reply, although it may take me a day or two :)
And when you're finished browsing here, perhaps you'd like to check out some of the lovelies I began following last week, such as:






Enjoy!

Giving Old Windows New Life

This is a pet project I've been toying with and working with for over a year now. I've been hesitant to share it here in blogland for a number of reasons...but one of them is because I fully intended to put these in my Etsy shop and just...haven't.

I know there have been many awesome projects pertaining to windows floating around...this particular idea was all my own although I've seen similar variations and they're beautiful!

Forgive my lack of 'before' pictures on this one...I just wasn't thinking about it at the time! This particular window's purpose was to be a jewelry holder for my sister-in-law. I picked a pretty purple paint from Lowe's (I used a Valspar sample size) and added black and white knobs. Here it is after it was finished...

I added a few things from my own collection just to get an idea of how it would look, and to be sure everything held properly.

And here it is in all it's glory, hanging up at my sister-in-law's apartment! As you can see, she's had no trouble filling it up...she's a bit of an accessories fiend! :)

Shannon (my sis-in-law) loved it so much she wanted one to give as a gift to a friend...so this one ended up finding a new home as well (picture is from a show I did this fall)...Originally a 6 pane window, finished in chocolate brown with turquoise and brown knobs.

I have many more projects in store for my collection of old windows...including one for my kitchen renovation...assuming I can get that finished before baby boy arrives! *fingers crossed*

6 things about me for VWB's slumber party! :)

It's time for Miss Nichelle's bloggy slumber party! If you haven't joined in, what are you waiting for? Link up, lovies!

I thought this week I would depart from crafts and tell y'all 6 little things about me...just for fun :) Read on, enjoy, and don't forget to join the fun at VWB!

(1) I've had the same real-life BFF for about...24 years now. She's sarcastic, slightly-ADD, type A, and a lefty like me.

She's also known for her oddball sense of humor, and giving me cards with her 'artwork' inside, like this:

(2) Charleston, SC, about a 3.5 hour drive from where I've lived my whole life, is one of my favorite places in the world. This is the Cooper River Bridge and I like to drive over it just for fun...'cause it's pretty :)

(3) I have a love for Edgar Allan Poe and his works. If you're ever in Charleston, head over to Sullivan's Island and visit Poe's Tavern...the entire menu (and restaurant) is based around images of him and his works. I adore it.

(4) I love owls.

(5) I taught K3 for a full year, which included a full session of summer camp with about a dozen 3's. Several Disney princesses met an unfortunate demise at the hands (actually, feet) of my boys...my girls cried.

(6) Exactly one year ago, I was lucky enough to accompany my hubby on a business trip to Hawaii...for two weeks. It was the most beautiful place I've ever seen, the friendliest I've ever visited, and I would LOVE to go back.