Party Time

Over the weekend I hosted a Christmas Open House and I wanted to shared some photos with you. I am a bit of a Scrooge, and I really, really hate decorating for Christmas, but since I knew a ton of people would be coming to my house, I wanted it to look super special. The Open House was a chance for family and friends (and family of friends and friends of family) to visit and eat and look at the Premier Designs jewelry I sell. Most teachers have second incomes, and I started selling jewelry back in the spring. It combines my loves for talking and for fashion, so I have a lot of fun! 

Snowlady wearing my red cardigan and "Layered On" Necklace
Centerpiece and metal Christmas tree holding bracelets

I went with a color scheme of warm golds, bronzes, chocolates, and reds to match my Christmas tree theme. We wanted a cozy, country Christmas feel, so we decorated with burlap and greenery as well. Overall I was very pleased with the final effect. I displayed some of my favorite jewelry combinations on neck boards dressed up in infant girls' outfits(see below). This was a huge hit, and I think worked well to show women what clothes look like with the jewelry. And my mom loved thrifting for adorable little girl outfits, so that was an added bonus!

Baby clothes display, Christmas tree with earrings, business card displays

I got a little crafty too, gluing candy canes together to create little stands to hold up my deals and specials. This was an easy and cute way to display information, and would also work well for table place cards if you are really fancy with the sit-down holiday meals.

On the mantel I used stocking holders to display scarves and necklaces- this was totally my mom's idea and I thought it was adorable! Sean will be excited to see the stockings back in their appropriate spots, but I'm thinking I might just do a jewelry-themed Christmas next year!

In the kitchen I had a variety of goodies, including old favorites like crackers and cheese and fruits and veggies, but I also made some pumpkin pie bars, Santa fruit kebobs, and creamy Crock-Pot hot cocoa. It was a great day. I had a ton of friends and family come by, and it was great visiting with everyone. I might even be willing to do some party-hosting in the future since this was so  much fun!

The whole spread, my awesome cupcake stand, and my Christmas Tree veggie platter

Ouchie! And My Maroon Jeans, AGAIN

In addition to being lazy, I am sometimes known to be a little bit off a neurotic hypochondriac. This tendency goes back as far as I can remember, like elementary school. My mother recalls a playground incident when I fell on my back and insisted that I had broken it. The pediatrician humored me and did an in-office X-Ray to prove to me that indeed I had NOT broken my back; although in hindsight, the fact that I could walk around his office should have been enough proof.

Headaches were never just headaches; they were certain death via tumors or aneurysms. When Sean was born, I was a basket case. Curtis and my mother had to hide my dog-eared copy of What to Expect the First Year, and I’m certain his pediatrician had me flagged in the system as being the “crazy mom.” In the past few years though, it seems that every time I go to the doctor, I come out with a new diagnosis or issue. Earlier this year was my sinus andseptum surgeries, and since the day after Thanksgiving, I’ve been plagued with terrible headaches and jaw pain. Originally I shrugged it off and assumed that my jaw was telling me to lay-off the beef jerky habit (so good, yet so hard to chew), but the pain seemed to get worse instead of better. 

I made an appointment with my local dentist, and after looking at my X-Ray, she asked me, “Have you ever been in a car accident?” The answer is no, yet curiously enough, my ENT asked me the same thing after he saw the CAT scan of my nose and sinuses. Apparently my face is just a huge mess, and according to the dentist, it looks like I was smashed in the face and everything shifted to the left. She seemed surprised that I haven’t had issues before now and sent me off with a few home remedy suggestions (hot and cold packs and Tylenol) and a referral to a local oral surgeon. On a positive note, she said I had beautiful teeth and no cavities! Yay!

After assuring Curtis that I don’t go to the doctor and dentist and tell them to find things wrong with me, I called to make an appointment for a consultation with the surgeon. His first available appointment? Mid-March. That’s cool….. So here I am awake at three in the morning, on a day when I was actually going to sleep late, trying to hold a heating pad to my face while I type up some blog posts to take my mind off the pain. It feels like I have been punched in the face or something. Granted, having never actually been punched in the face, I’m not sure how accurate that description is, but I think you get my drift.

So that’s why I look so serious in today’s photographs. I feel like the left side of my face has just gone 10 rounds with Rocky or Mike Tyson or Oscar De La Hoya, or whoever the heck is popular now, AND I haven’t eaten any beef jerky in a week, so I’m hungry and grumpy. You know how it is!

Top- Old Navy (similar here, here)
Pants- Old Navy (here)
Boots- Old Navy (old, but similar here)
Jewelry- Premier Designs (visit my webpage here)

P.S. These pants, which I am still obsessed with are on sale for $18 right now! What are you waiting on!

Trying Something New

Way back in September, Alison from Wardrobe Oxygen posted about styling metallic skirts, and I kid you not, I immediately pulled mine out of my "To Sell" pile of discarded clothes. I actually bought this skirt last year at New York and Co. and never wore it. Everything I paired with it looked frumpy to me. I struggled with shoes- what color, what height- and tops-tucked, untucked. Ugh! But I knew with Alison's expertise, I could work something out. I definitely think I will be wearing this skirt more this season.

Skirt- Old (similar here, here )
Sweater- Old Navy (here)
Heels- Forever 21 (here)
Jewelry- Premier Designs

Sometimes I think we are afraid to wear certain things because they are out of our "comfort zone", you know? I didn't wear shorts or a dress to school from 9th grade until the spring of my senior year. For whatever reason, I just didn't want people to see my legs. I felt like that would draw too much attention to me. Is that crazy? I felt similarly about this faux leather skirt- too over-the-top, too young, trying too hard, all that. But now that I've worn it once, I look forward to experimenting with other looks.