The Joys of Shopping Local

Hey my friends!

This past weekend my church hosted an artist market for local craftsmen to come and sell their wares. It was so fun and the hubs and I went a little wild. (Ooops) We just love the fact that we were supporting people in our own community while getting gorgeous and unique artwork. Like this necklace! I bought it premade because it fits my personality so well (I love being married), but Stamped and Finch are able to customize the bar to say whatever you want! I'm pretty sure I sent at least 5 people there after my purchase, I highly recommend them.

I also got this clutch which I plan to wear at my company's holiday party this weekend. It's adorable but it also has such a great story behind it. The organization Peace of Thread employs refugee women to make beautiful one of a kind bags and helps them to start a new life. Each one even includes a card about the woman who made it and a bit of her story. I cannot express how much I love this. Doing good always feels good and when you throw in fashion, I can't get enough! And they're based literally in my backyard! Are there any organizations that inspire you? I would love to hear about it, especially during this time of year!

I would talk about my outfit but I feel like I've said enough. Just one last thing: This Old Navy dress is so cheap and comfortable! You need one. Link below!

Thanks for reading!

*This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. Thanks my friends! 

Casual Friday

Hey my friends!

The end of the week is here! Hooray! I hope you have some fun things planned (maybe some time by a pool with a good book?) We'll be celebrating my hubby's birthday with some yummy food and great friends. Happy Friday, y'all. (Happy Birthday, Harry)

Dress/Top: Marshalls

Sandals: Old Navy

Ashiana London Teardrop Pendent Necklace in Aqua via Rocksbox

Wanderlust + Co Hammered Metal Spiral Gold Ring via Rocksbox

Gorjana Paso Ring via Rocksbox

Thanks for reading!

Here, There, Everywhere

Hey my friends!

I don't know if you know this about me or not but I love to travel. Seriously. On my way home from a getaway, I'm planning the next one. Thankfully, I have lots of fun trips planned for the summer so the wanderlust is somewhat satiated. 

I think I'm going to love traveling in this fringe-y cardigan. It's that perfect mix between not too hot and not too cold that keeps one comfortable on a frigid plane or a windy day. I'm sure I could also make it work over a swimsuit!

Have a happy Tuesday and do something that makes you smile.

Hat: Target

Cardigan: Burlington Coat Factory

Sandals: Old Navy

Perry Street Brianna Bracelet via Rocksbox (it's mine now!)

Thanks for reading!

Brown Girl Reading

Hey my friends!

I hope you all are having a great week! I know I am. Nothing particularly special about it (other than warmer temperatures, thank you Jesus), I just decided to be happier this week. I'm doing things I love and working out more. Notice how those two are not the same. 

One thing that I love and don't do enough of is reading. I have loved to read since I was a little girl and my mom took me to the library every Friday. Now that I'm older, I find other things demanding the attention that reading once owned. So while I still love it, I've found that picking up a book is something I do only every couple months. I've told myself to be better and read more than a few good books this year.

 Brown Girl Dreaming has become a favorite of mine. I picked it up in Barnes and Noble, read a couple lines, and bought it immediately. It's that good y'all. Jackie Woodson does a beautiful job of telling her life story as a young African American girl growing up in the South during the 60s. And she does it in free verse. I cried several times at how wonderful she is at capturing feelings with just a few words. Ugh, so good.

Are you reading anything good? Anything that moves you? Let me know!

Denim Jacket: Goodwill

Scarf: little shop in Oxford, England

Necklace/ Gorjana Bangle: Rocksbox

vintage Dooney & Bourke crossbody bag: gifted by my mama in law

Shoes: Old Navy

Thanks for reading!

Sunday Brunch

Hey my friends!

I hope you are having a terrific Tuesday. Today I'm bringing a pretty simple look I wore this past Sunday. It actually isn't what I had intended to wear that day but... 

You know how sometimes you'll be getting ready with plenty of time and then you look at the clock and you should have left 5 minutes ago? That happened and I seriously just threw this on. I like it though. Comfy neutrals paired with a hint of color. It turned out to be perfect for brunching and catching an afternoon movie. 

Speaking of which, have y'all seen Selma yet? I highly recommend it. I was blown away at how powerful of a performance David Oyelowo gave as Dr. King. 100% inspirational.

Top: Marshalls

Jeans: Old Navy

Booties: Poshmark

Necklace: ???

Thanks for reading!

Girlfriend Clothes Swap 2014

Hey my friends! 

Sooooo by now this is old news since I took a hiatus to move into a new place ( I always forget how stressful that is. Like "I'm ready to burn all this junk" kind of stressful) Thankfully the hubs and I have mostly settled in and I can get back into my normal groove again. 

This haul post is brought to you by the girlfriend clothes swap! Have any of you ever done this? You and a bunch of friends get together with all the clothes you no longer want (respectively) and viola! No better example of one person's trash is another person's treasure. It's a great way to freshen up a wardrobe without spending anything. Well maybe something ( I did buy a bottle of wine for the event). 

Here are my picks!

The trousers are from Paris!!

No matter your size, accessories always fit!

I'm pretty happy with everything. I'm grateful my friends have such great taste! 

Thanks for reading!

Father's Day Activities

Hey my friends!

Happy Wednesday! 

So I don't know about your father but mine hates being in pictures. He would always volunteer to take our family photos so he could avoid actually being in them. He's harder to catch in a photo than Bigfoot. I do have one photo. Just one good one of the two of us, but alas he would murder me if I put it up. So here it is haha! 

He is giving me advice in this pic. I can always depend on him to know the answer, it's one of the many things I love about him. 

So this Sunday, the hubs and I treated him to a yummy shish kabob (sp?) dinner and had fun times with my family. 

Back to what I wore for the day: Super comfy and I felt fab all day. There's even a little pattern mixing in there! Can you spot it? (Yeah I know you can't 'cause these pics are super grainy. I need good camera recommendations)

Top: HM

Denim Vest: Calvin Klein via my mommy

Striped Skirt: Old Navy

Floral Wedges: Ross

Purse: Rockit London

Thanks for reading!

Pink and Purple

Hey my friends! 

Short post today. Summer is here and my man and I are out to enjoy it. Have a fab Memorial Day weekend!  

Dress: Rugged Warehouse

Bag: Jessica Simpson via Marshalls

Sandals: old Old Navy (not a typo. It was a long time ago)