Fashion and Fun after Fifty
Hello friends, how many of you were affected by the first major “snow storm of the season”? I don’t care how many people complained about it turning out to be a dud, I am truly glad that it didn’t turn out to be as bad as predicted.
However, it did get me to think about making another DIY “snow survival kit“ for the car. This year’s kit is going to be stored in a Sacko Insulated Lunch Bag from Amazon.
The Sacko Insulated Lunch Bag with an adjustable shoulder strap is a great size, perfect for soccer moms who carry snacks to the game or for an extra large lunch for the road crew who are out salting the roads in anticipation of the next big snow storm.
It also features an elastic rope on the side to hold beverages, magazines or newspapers and a side handle for an easy grip and go.
The Sacko Insulated Lunch Bag is 12.25″h x 10.25″w x 8.75″d and I have mine filled with non perishables food items as well as bottles of water to keep in the back seat in case of an emergency this winter. It will also make for a great beach tote this summer.
You should order one today from Amazon for a quick ship, that way you’ll have it before the next “major snow storm of the season”. Remember last year’s #PolarVortex hit around this same time in February!!!
Stay safe and warm until the next storm!
ROI or just spinning your wheels – Blogger’s Problems
We’ve all been there, while driving in the car an idea suddenly pops into your head…a great post idea. So you steer with one hand while making notes with the other trying to avoid running a red light or a head on collision.
You get home and write what you think is a fantastic post, included some great pictures, linked back to reputable sites, even added some personal antidotes, then finally after what seems like 8 hours, you press the Publish button….then what?
Crickets….complete silence…no comments…no likes…no nothing?
What’s your ROI – in other words, what is the return on investment? The investment of time, which could have meant that you worked all day, rushed home to fix dinner, did a few household chores, handled your wifely duties, showered and then sat at the kitchen table until 3:00 am writing, rewriting, editing, uploading, proofreading all for nothing…hello…is anyone out there?
As a blogger those are the worse days, but also as a blogger they are the motivators that keeps us going, making us want to get better, sharper, more relevant and trust me, that is not a bad thing especially if blogging is your passion.
So what are some ways in which we can get a better ROI, here are just a few things that have worked for me:
Create a Bitly link for each blog post’s url
Queue your posts in Bufferapp
Submit your link with positive comments to the Facebook and Twitter pages of the companies that you have included in your post
Syndicate to all your SM networks especially Goggle+ – who doesn’t want that “Google Juice”? – Change up the intro to the post so it appears as a new post and not spam, avoiding the words ‘read my new blog post’
Last but not least have fun and join a party, linkup, but be a courteous guest and stick around to read and leave pertinent comments on others’ posts.
These are just a few ideas to get you started, please feel free to share what has worked for you – Sharing is Caring!
The Emergency Outfit: The First Aid Kit of Office Attire
Molly Nox
Sometimes life can throw curveballs. Sometimes you stay up too late and sleep through the alarm, and that’s on you. Other times, budget can get in the way of cleaning things on time. If you’re a single parent, you may have completely forgotten to do a load of laundry so you would have something to wear—and you don’t realize until 7 a.m. the following morning it’s just too late to make up for this oversight. And then there are natural disasters, lost clothes at the cleaners, freak accidents with pets deciding your clothes are a bed or a bathroom, and on the list goes. Regardless of what the issue is, it is always smart to have an emergency outfit (or two) on hand.
Just like you keep Band-Aids, a fire extinguisher, or aloe vera sunburn gel around, an emergency work ensemble can put out a fire that could have otherwise had you calling in sick. So what should you do? Well to begin, you obviously don’t want to pack away your favorite gear, but conversely, you don’t want to throw a heap of “this will kind of get the job done” into a grocery bag and toss it into the trunk of your car. Your list of goodies doesn’t have to be top of the line, but it needs to be good enough that no one at work asks any questions.
Your essentials should include a nice button-down shirt or blouse, a decent pair of slacks (perhaps your favorite work pants from the days of yore that you have just taken out of rotation because you have purchased new ones?), and on the off chance that you endured a flood or something that would otherwise disable you from reach your bureau, a pair of work socks is a good call.
Here’s the an important note: Once you have picked out your emergency outfit, you don’t just want to toss it into your gym bag next to your workout clothes or into a Trader Joe’s bag you happen to have hanging out in the back of your car. In order to keep your emergency wardrobe stash intact, you will want to use a garment bag. You can get a garment bag on the cheap from Wal-Mart and most other mass retailers. It doesn’t have to be a leather bag or anything special—it just needs to be able to store clothing on hangers, fold in the middle, and be storable wherever you deem is the most appropriate for your potential workplace wardrobe emergency situation.
The bottom line is, you will want to be able to reach into that garment back if the occasion arises and dress from head to toe with as little stress as possible. If that also means you have to throw a pair of simple flats into the bottom of the bag, all the better. In this way, you can ensure that if you happened to be wearing stilettos the night before, you won’t have to awkwardly saunter into the office wearing them the next day with an outfit they are completely mismatched with.
Do you have an emergency work ensemble in the event of a housing emergency, a late night out, or any other random reason? If not, put one together—better safe than sorry when it comes to your career!
Hello friends and welcome to the 2015 “Wear Red for Women” OOTD LinkUp.
Robin and I have been excited all week in anticipation of this day, not only because it brings awareness to women and heart disease, but also because it is our first linkup!
We started the week with Good for the Soul Soulfood recipes and ways in which to eat healthier, lowering sodium and cutting back on red meat. The alarming statistics explains why it is so very important to be heart healthy, so today we’re celebrating each other by wearing red and taking the pledge to keep ours healthy all year long.
Please show your support by linking up with us and show off your fabulosity in a cute little RED DRESS, skirt, pants or even a pair of shorts and sandals!
Please note that all entries will also be posted to my Go Red for Women Pinterest board.
This little red dress was purchased at Ross and the Jessica Simpson peep-toe pumps were from Charmingly Linda’s Consignment Shop in West Chester, PA.
New Year ~ New You
Loading InLinkz ...Hello friends, as you are reading this post, I am heading to the West Coast…yes, I am flying out of Philly this morning enroute to Los Angeles, California! Am I excited…YES I AM! Why am I going…oh I am super excited to tell you but am going to make you wait, however, I will give you a two word hint BRAND AMBASSADOR!
I’ll be there until Saturday so make sure you follow my Instagram page, you never know, you might just see me on a Red Carpet!
However, before I left I wanted to take time to thank and acknowledge two beautiful bloggers who each nominated me for awards.
The Versatile Blogger Award from at C-ray @Sunlight Beauty
The Liebster Award from Melinda at There Is A Season
Each award comes with their own set of rules, however, I have combined them both and am providing 8 random facts about myself:
Thank you ladies for the nominations, and don’t forget to follow my Instagram page for some fun and exciting pictures. I can’t wait to see my bestie again, as it has been too long since last we were together! Oh, and don’t forget to come back tomorrow to link up your RED OOTD for National Wear Red for Women Day.
Hello friends and Happy Hump Day Wednesday.
I have gotten away from the OOTD posts because of the weather, hubby is my photographer and he and cold just don’t mix! However, today, the weather is warmer and the sun is brighter so I took advantage of it to get a few shots of my outfit of the day #workwear.
This is a short work week for me so on Sunday I didn’t prepare my outfits for the entire week as I normally do. This outfit was pulled together last minute before heading to bed and the mixing of polka dots and animal print seems to work, what do you think?
Taking full advantage of not only the bright sunshine but also the lack of snow, I chose to wear a pair of my favorite pumps from DSW, along with a pair of light color hose. The pencil skirt and polka dot top are both thrifted from Goodwill and the cardigan …. can’t remember where purchased #seniormoment
Monday was much colder so I wore my OTK Suede boots and if you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen these, which are my all time favorite suede boots.
I do hope you all are enjoying your day and I can’t wait to see your “Go Red for Women” OOTD on Friday, don’t forget to stop by and link up with Robin @robincharmagne and I.
New Year ~ New You!
Heart Healthy Begins with an A B C ~ Smoothie!
GO RED FOR WOMEN®
2015 FACT SHEET
*Women are strong. We are smart. We solve problems. Women can do anything men can do. And, there are some things we’re even better at – dying of heart disease and stroke. Like breaking barriers? Go Red! And help break the one against heart disease.
It’s not just a man’s disease. Each year, 1 in 3 women die of heart disease and stroke. But we can change that because 80 percent of cardiac events can be prevented with education and lifestyle changes.
When it comes to beating heart disease and stroke, change can be the cure. Make a change at GoRedForWomen.org.
Go Red For Women is about much more than wearing red on National Wear Red Day. It’s about making a change.”
Staying heart healthy can begin with eating these 3 things everyday.
AVOCADOS
BANANAS
CARROTS
Avocados – fats account for around three quarters of the calorie count of an avocado. Most of it is monounsaturated fat, in the form of oleic acid. Monounsaturated fat is considered to be a “good fat” which reduces levels of bad cholesterol in your blood and lowers your risk of stroke and heart disease.
Bananas are a great source of vitamin B6. According to the American Heart Association, B vitamins help break down homocysteine—an amino acid that at high levels is related to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Carrots are a very good source of both antioxidant alpha and beta carotene, which are converted in the body to retinol (vitamin A), good for skin, lungs, immune system and heart health.
Salads and smoothies are great ways in which to include heart healthy ingredients into your daily diet. If you don’t like “green” smoothies why not try an ABC Smoothie using ALMOND MILK, BANANAS AND CARROTS.
What is your favorite way to make a smoothie?
I’m getting so excited, and can’t wait to see you at Friday’s link party with me and the lovely Robin @robincharmagne as you show us your “Wear Red for Women” OOTD (outfit of the day).
Girl’s Night In & Side Gigs
Every month at our “Girl’s Night In” event we like to share stories, food and fun. Most of us have side gigs so we also like to share new products and today I want to share one of them with you.
Jamberry Nails – Cynthia Davis is a distributor for Jamberry Nail Wraps and during our last Girls’s Night In, she installed a set on our hostess, Carol. It was fun watching the process and they turned out really nice.
Click on the catalog for more information and enjoy this short video.
Do you have a side gig that you would like to share?
I can still remember 25 years ago when my husband first touched my hand, I felt tingly all over. Fast forward to today and his touch still makes me feel special but now K-Y® YOURS+MINE makes us both feel tingly all over.
Looking back to our early years of marriage, Valentine’s Day was a time to get dressed up and hit the town, now we prefer to stay in snuggled up in front of the fireplace watching a movie. Trust me, the romance is not dead, just a little more laid back which is fine by me. A K-Y® YOURS+MINE K-Y® DATE NIGHT with flowers, chocolate or just a dinner and a movie is what we both need to reconnect and stimulate our minds and bodies.
Whether or not you and hubby or your significant other will be spending Valentine’s Day out and about or simply staying home, why not stop by your local Walmart to pick up a K-Y® YOURS+MINE K-Y® DATE NIGHT kit.
Oh, and make sure you get the Limited Edition of the K-Y® DATE NIGHT because it’s contains a $50 value promo which includes 1 free meal for 2 from PEACHDISH.com delivered right to your door for an intimate night of cooking together; a $5 VUDU movie credit for you to stream at home and the pleasure of K-Y® YOURS+MINE Couples Lubricants, what more could you ask for, that’s what I call a 2 fer!
So just in case the weather doesn’t cooperate on the 14th of February and you get snowed in, having a K-Y® YOURS+MINE K-Y® DATE NIGHT can make it a romantic date night in!
Have you made plans for Valentine’s Day?
Hello friends and welcome to Good for the Soul Soulfood Sunday, a kickoff to the celebration of National Wear Red Day on Friday, February 6th.
Did you know that 1 in 3 women die of heart disease and stroke each year? This is an unacceptable statistic that should concern us all because it’s preventable with the proper diet and exercise. This week, fellow blogger Robin @ RobinCharmagne and I have teamed up to bring awareness to heart disease and women beginning today with a heart healthy recipe.
My heart healthy Soulfood Recipe is a Slow Cooked Lite Creamy Asparagus Soup using low sodium chicken broth and coconut milk.
Ingredients:
2 lbs of fresh Asparagus, washed and cut (trim and discard ends)
1 can Coconut Milk
5 cups reduced sodium Chicken Broth
1 Medium white onion diced
Fresh Ground Pepper
Wash Asparagus thoroughly, trim ends and discard, cut remaining stalks in half
Pour 5 cups of reduced sodium chicken broth and coconut milk into Crock Pot
Add asparagus, onion and fresh ground pepper and stir
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours
Soup on a cold winter day is good for the soul and lowering your sodium intake is good for the heart. Lowering your sodium intake helps to prevent increased risks for stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer and kidney disease.
Will you commit to eating healthier for a healthier heart?
On Friday we are hosting a link party and hope that you’ll come back and link up your “Wear Red for Women” OOTD.
New Year ~ New You
