TOMS

If you haven't heard of TOMS, have you been living under a rock the past five years?  I've enjoyed watching this brand grow and have the utmost respect for its vision.  TOMS gives a child in need a pair of shoes when you buy a pair.  It is that simple.  I don't think I'm alone when I say that you always wonder whether or not this actually happens.  Trust me, TOMS is the real deal.  When I was in Haiti in July, we saw so many kids sporting TOMS.  How cool is that?  Not everyone can afford a pair of shoes, so it was refreshing to watch how one company chose to make a difference and provide this very basic need.  


As TOMS grows, so does its line.  At its inception, TOMS only had one basic style in a handful of colors.  Now, you can get just about any color and TONS of cool styles.  Check out all the fun ways you can wear TOMS in the pictures above.  I don't have any yet, but a red pair is on my F/W '11 wish list.  When I first saw people wearing TOMS around Atlanta, I was not too keen on the style.  Now, I love it.  They are great for running errands, walking the dog, sightseeing, and more.


Do you own a pair of TOMS?  How do you like to wear them?  For more information on TOMS and to view the entire collection, go to http://www.toms.com/.  The next time you think about buying someone a gift, consider getting that person a pair of TOMS.  They will get a neat pair of shoes, and a child in need will get their very own pair of shoes to protect their feet and keep them warm.  It doesn't get much better than that.  
(all photos are from www.toms.com)

Help out a furry friend today!

Tired of a linen closet that is stuffed to the brim with linens you don't use?  Go green by sorting through your older towels, sheets, and dish towels to clean up the clutter.  Almost all animal shelters and/or vets will gladly accept your (clean) unwanted linens.  They use them for bedding for animals, as rags to clean up messes, and to dry wet animals.  Make your "trash" another person or animals treasure today.  For more ideas on ways to reuse unwanted linens, go to http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/creative-reuse/top-ten-ways-to-recycle-your-old-towels-and-sheets-075474.

Have a fabulous weekend!

I am off to the North Georgia mountains this weekend for some R & R, whitewater rafting, zip lining, and fun with friends.  Enjoy these stunning images of the lovely Kate Middleton.  Have a fabulous weekend!

Tres, tres chic!

I love everything about this photo: his hair, their clothes, the bike, the river, his hair, the fruit, oh, and his hair.  Loves!

Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my!

Some days you just need a little pick-me-up, right?  If I could add an eleventh item to this list, it would be baby animals.  I could look at pictures of baby animals ALL day.  Have a great day!

Happy Birthday to my sweet Mother!

Today is my beautiful mother's birthday!  If you don't know her, you are missing out.  My mom is the kindest, most patient, and sweetest person I know.  She really is.  She is always the first to help when someone needs it and is a true servant of the Lord.  I would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for her.  Happy Birthday Mommy!  I love you and hope you have a great day.

diptyque, c'est fantastique!

We all know that we should go green and strive to reduce, reuse, and then recycle, right?  Emily Schuman did just that when she reused her beautiful diptyque candle holder to store her makeup brushes.  What a fabulous idea!  You can check out all of Emily's style tips, ideas, and looks here.  Have a unique example of when you reused something?  Send me your photos and ideas.  Happy reusing!

Do redheads really have more fun?

I don't know about you, but I am obsessed with Drew Barrymore's recently dyed red hair.  I think it looks absolutely stunning on her.  I've always been a HUGE Drew fan, and now I love her even more.  Since less than 2% of the world's population has (natural) red hair, I love when I see another beautiful redhead.  While I realize that Drew is not a natural redhead, she looks amazing with her fiery locks.  Of course, I have to pose the question: do redheads really have more fun?  Why yes, yes we do!

10 Happy Things

Inspired by some of my friend's 10 Happy Things lists, here is mine: (in no particular order)

1. Jesus-He rocks!
2. yoga-helps to keep me calm during life's many storms
3. my family-they are the best
4. Georgia (my dog)-pretty convinced that she is my soul mate
5. pizza-favorite food ever, WAY excited for all-you-can-eat pizza in heaven
6. my friends-best ever
7. wine-I could drink it all day, every day, good thing I don't!
8. travel-keeps my mind fresh and me on my toes
9. reading-once a bookworm, always a bookworm
10. dancing-passion for life


What are the 10 things that make YOU happy?  Do tell.

Thoughts: Friend or foe?

I was thinking about some things yesterday, and I had to stop myself.  See, I tend to get WAY too carried away in my own thoughts.  I have a lot of time (more than I need) on my hands these days to just sit and think, and sometimes I let my thoughts and feelings get the best of me.  Okay, most of the time I do so.


It's like the more time I have to think about my life and the situations in it, the more twisted and crazy my reality becomes in my own mind.  Not in a scary or demented sense, I'm just not sure that all this time to think is really doing me any good.  It's almost like I need a mental babysitter because I shouldn't be left alone with my own thoughts for too long.  Am I the only one who feels this way?  Or, do others also let their thoughts run wild and get carried away with crazy notions all day long?  


The mind is an extremely powerful place-MUCH more powerful than any machine.  It's where our creativity lies...where our hopes, dreams, and fantasies manifest themselves into potentially tangible items.  The mind is also where anger, jealousy, rage, envy, greed, and pride lie waiting to devour us.  The smallest negative thought can eat away at you until you wake up one day and believe that it's the truth.  


Be careful friends.  If you think it, it will come.  If you can imagine it, it can be a possibility.  So, think big, think happy, and think smart.

Don't let your money go down the drain

Today's go green tip is an interesting one.  Not sure if you have a leak in your toilet?  Remove the lid to the tank and put in several drops of food coloring (something dark like red, blue, or green).  Wait 20-30 minutes.  If the water in the toilet bowl remains clear, you don't have a leak.  This is a great way to stop letting your water and money go down the drain.

(Yes, this toilet is covered in Swarovski crystals &

 can be yours for just $75,000)

Have a fashionable weekend!

Have a fabulous weekend!

(images by the ever so talented Karl Lagerfeld) 

See you in September

I don't know about you, but I am O-V-E-R summer this year.  I feel like we've had summer since April, and I'm ready for some cooler weather.  I want to wear jeans, boots, and scarves, drink spiced cider, and not sweat when I walk my dog.  The dog days of summer linger on as I yearn for fall.  

Feeling trapped?

Whenever I start feeling landlocked and/or trapped, I try to picture myself in an exotic location with nothing but some open water and a small island or two.  This image slays me...the dress, the water, the plane.  To die for!

Got sunscreen?

This isn't exactly a go green tip, but I think it's incredibly important.  We all know it's a pain to apply sunscreen before spending time in the sun.  Trust me, it drives me crazy, but I wear it every day.  The next time you feel tempted not to wear sunscreen, remember this photo.

Pictured above are two identical twins, age 61.  The woman on the left wore sunscreen throughout her life.  Her sister did not.  Just some food for thought when you think about baking at the pool/beach all day or (it pains me to even have to say it) go to the tanning bed.

Don't do it!

As the weather seems to get warmer by the minute, my naturally thick, very curly hair feels like a wig on my head at times.  I think about cutting my hair short at least 10 times/day it seems.  I have to keep in mind that my hair won't look like this if I cut it short.

 There is a MUCH greater chance that I would end up looking like this.

What's a girl with long, thick, and very curly hair to do in this sweltering heat?  Don't get me wrong, I am incredibly thankful to have hair (because some people don't for various reasons) that is naturally thick.  It just gets crazy hot in the summer months.  I also have trouble getting the right haircut. Whenever I start to feel like pulling a Britney, I have to remember that I will regret it when the weather cools off.  So at this rate, in 3-4 more months.

Eat, Pray, Love?

 I hope that you've enjoyed reading about my adventures in Italy and Haiti this summer.  As August begins, I find myself reflecting on my summer.

I've had the opportunity to eat...

And I've had the opportunity to pray...

I'm still waiting for the love portion of the "Eat, Pray, Love" equation to happen. 

Where is my Javier Bardem?  I've been waiting all summer to meet my tall, dark, and handsome prince.  Ok, I'll be honest: I've been waiting 30+ years to meet my very own tall drink of water!  


While I didn't enjoy every part of Eat, Pray, Love, I think we all were swept away in the decadent and sometimes painful journey Elizabeth Gilbert allowed us to share with her in her 2006 novel and 2010 film starring the lovely Julia Roberts and aforementioned Bardem.  


I'd like to think that I am on my own exciting and amazing journey.  Lately, it seems to have more than its' fair share of pit stops, dead ends, and disasters. But it is my journey, and I know that everything will work out the way it should in the end.  Will I meet my own Bardem?  Who knows?  I surely hope so, but we don't have any guarantee of romantic love in this life.  For now, I'm going to try my best to focus on the love I share with my family and friends.  You never know...maybe my very own soul mate is on his personal journey searching for me along the way.

Do you need a cold shower?

Trying to cut back on your power and water bills this summer?  Consider going green by lowering the temperature on your water heater* to 120.  Doing so will help decrease your power bill since the water heater will be using less power to heat the water.  You will also most likely save on your water bill because you will be less likely to stay in a cooler shower.  Shorter, cooler showers=more money saved.  AND, you won't have to turn your AC down when you're getting ready because you won't be warm from your shower.  Think about it people...


According to www.energysavers.gov, "Reducing your water temperature to 120ºF also slows mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes. This helps your water heater last longer and operate at its maximum efficiency."


For more information, go to http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm/mytopic=13090.  *Always make sure to consult the manual for your water heater before attempting to lower the temperature on it.