Michael Kors is Pretty in Pink, Tan and White, just in time for Valentine's Day...and SPRING!

Can you believe it's already Valentine's Day?
Me either!!!
Today, I thought I'd share my favorite picks for a truly
SWEET Treat........for yourself or for your Valentine to give you,
straight from Michael Kors.
(HINT: just send him this blog post and direct him to the
nearest MK lifestyle store;)

Michael Kors Pretty in Pink

I suppose I should say that my daughter works for
 Michael Kors in Naples, Fl.
In fact, she just got a promotion!!!!
Happy, Happy, HAPPY!
She even had a few other offers at the time but when
she got the offer from MK, that sealed it.
She loves working there and she loves the product. (Me too:)

Actually, I liked MK well before she started working there.

She just helps feed my habit;)

Funny thing is, I'm not a "designer" person.

I will shop at MK and then stop at a thrift shop on the way home.

Walmart carries my favorite leggings.

I really like the sundresses at the beach store.

And I'm a regular at Target.
See.....I spread the love and help out a variety of stores!

But I do LOVE Michael Kors.

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, (YIKES..........need cards!)

I thought I'd share my favorite goodies from the new line.

According to Taylorina, they are flying out of the store so act fast.

And if you're near Naples Waterside Shops, 

pop in and see Taylor.

Check out this GORGEOUS line of "Pink".
Complimented by the camel color, it's so fresh!

Are you a fan of Rose Gold?

It's my absolute favorite.

Well before I knew about MK, just sayin:)

In fact, back in the day, I had a ROSE GOLD fingernail on my pinky.

For real.

No kidding.

(although maybe I wish I were;)

And nobody does it better.....see for yourself..........

I just feel that unless you have the skin that is made for silver,

rose gold is such a warm, attractive metal.

Maybe now I should mention two of the things I love about the MK line.

1.  Michael uses a lot of Rose Gold, which I love. (as we already know, right:)

2.  He believes in mixing metal.  Layer it on.  

You don't have to have ALL silver or all gold or rose gold. 

 Thank you!  (This is especially great for us indecisive types:)

Fun fact...........Michael Kors calls his camel color "luggage". 

 It's a best seller, goes with everything and is his own personal favorite color.

And if you don't have anything in that shade, get it:)

And with spring coming, mix it with WHITE!

I also included my first ever, favorite grown up perfume.........

Michael Kors Signature.

It has scents of gardenia, vanilla and more but he had me at gardenia.

Seriously, I wore my daughters perfumes...sweet, surfer girl perfumes:)

Now we all love this.

It's pretty and light enough for life in Florida.......or wherever.

Well, see anything you like?

I know you did;)

Like I said, find a store or shop online at Michael Kors.

If not, I have one more tip!

Someone sent us Shari's Berries for Christmas.

I'd seen and heard the ads but thought.........ewww!

They''ll be rotten before they get to Florida.

Was I WRONG!

We fought over these berries and devoured them in record time.

And these are some seriously big berries!

I just sent some to my Mom for hearts day and her reaction was the same as mine.

Oh My Heck these are good!!! :)

They ship quick so if you need em, there's still time.

Although shipping may be $$$ at this point.)

But keep Shari's Berries in mind!

See ya!

Suzanne

Style 101.......25 Top Tips!

So here I go again, passing on style tips that
I could use myself!  Oh well...let's figure this out together:)

TOPS

~Wear scoop or v-neck tops to frame the face and "open you up"; few of us look our best in crew neck.  

~Wear blouses with camisoles, and leave the first 2 to 3 buttons open to reveal a small triangle of skin.  Popping your collar a tiny bit (keyword: tiny) frames your face and elongates your neck

~If you want to wear a turtleneck and can pull it off, go for it.  But avoid mock turtlenecks…..they tend to shorten your neck

~If you are very petite, stay away from large cowl necks or too many ruffles that overwhelm you

~Length of tops is important.  Not too short (you need enough to "scrunch" around your hips, reinforcing a smaller waistline); not too long (you don't need to frame the bum)

~Avoid baby doll tops unless you are in fact a baby doll or you are pregnant

~Avoid pockets on your tops…….specifically pockets that are very small or very large

PANTS & SKIRTS

~To balance the hips, choose a boot cut pant, narrow through the hip and thigh, slightly flared from the knee down.  This cut reinforces an hourglass shape.  (However, if you want to downplay too much hourglass, do the opposite)

~Skinny pants create an inverted triangle.  Wear only if the area you want to emphasize is your best area.

* * * *Pants that are cuffed pull the eye down and shorten the legs. Pleated pants add bulk around your stomach

~Cargo pants add bulk to the worst possible spots - your hips and thighs.  Avoid these like the plague.   (Hey….I’d give anything to wear a cute pair but no supermodels here so we avoid them:)

~Capris shorten the legs and widen the ankles. Choose a length more akin to a peddle pusher that hits right at the ankle (think Audrey Hepburn)  

~Skirts look best at or just above the knee.  Choose a pencil if you are comfortable with your waistline.  A-line and gored skirts are great for pear and apple shapes

~Wear long skirts (as in below the calf) with boots and make sure they're cut on the bias so they don't look frumpy

SHOES

~Supposedly, shoes with pointy toes, cut-away arches and those cut low at the toe are the most.  flattering because they extend the long vertical line of your legs (I disagree…they look like wearable boats!)  

~Avoid chunky heels, t-straps and ankle straps as they visually cut off the leg. (Only if this is a concern)

~Throw away all your man clogs.  

~Choose well-made shoes in good materials - you are taking care of your feet, ankles, knees, hips and back if you do

~No matter the color of dress/skirt you are wearing, nude pumps are the most flattering and elongating.  Watch Miss America sometime.  

COLOR & PATTERN

~Pair black with other neutrals (as opposed to primary colors) - white, camel, grey, brown, etc. for a more sophisticated look.  Pair with bright primaries if you have the coloring.

~Pair primary colors (pink, blue, green, yellow, etc.) with white or off-white for a fresher look

~As for khaki pants and shorts - this is the color of school uniforms and camp counselors, and restaurant hosts.  If the shoe fits……. hehehe

~Pattern is tricky.  Look at the best dressed women - they most often dress in solids and add interest with their accessories.  I know trends sometimes show patterns but proceed with caution.  They are tricky…….

~Choose statement jewelry instead of a bunch of teensy pieces. 

* * * *Most of all, wear what you love in the color you love, regardless of the "latest" trends.  Trust your instincts.  You need to be comfortable, happy and functional.  These are just SUGGESTIONS...not law:)
XOXO
Suzanne

OOPS...Five on Friday, I mean Saturday. All about FRINGE!!!

So this is my Five on Friday......on Saturday,  Blog Post:)

(Missed a day there:)

Every time I do a "fashion" post, I think

"what the heck am I doing writing a fashion post?"

Lil 'ol Me........flipflops and bluejeans me!

Well, I know what I like so that's gonna have to be 

good enough:)

So, let's talk about FRINGE.

Have you noticed it is EVERYWHERE?????

We love it......not so much because it is popular now but

because it goes with our favorite style and decor look these days.......

Rustic Chic.

So, I want to give you a few ideas for rocking the fringe this year.

Now don't be saying "I'm too old for that".

Not listening!

You can add a tiny bit...just maybe not full on fringe.

See?

Prada agrees.  So there:)

Moving on, let's start with how you WEAR it.

1.  Fringe Scarves

Now, anyone can wear a fringed scarf, don't you think?

2.  Fringe Sweaters/Ponchos/Wraps

Aren't these some adorable looks?  

Plus, they're very forgiving if you want to hide a

muffin top, hips or whatever............

3.  Fringe Bags!

This is where you can find fringe in any store.

My daughter works at Michael Kors and he has some adorable fringe.

So maybe you don't want a heavily fringed bag.  

Try just a little fringe tassle if you like.  It works!

4. Fringe Shoes & Boots!

(Boots too.....there are TONS of fringed boots out there this year.

Cowboy boots, dress boots, snow boots, low boots, high boots.......

a little fringe or MEGA fringe:)

Last but not Least.....

5. LIVE with it!

Fringed pillows, rugs, throws, lamps and ottomans,

to name a few.

(the ottoman, and pillows are from our beloved

Junk Gypsies's line at Pottery Barn Teen and.........

they will find their way here, no doubt;)

So there you have it.

5 ways to add a bit of fringe this Fall.

Go ahead, you can do it!

So happy to be joining Five on Friday!

Visit the other lovely blogs to see what 5 things they shared with us.

XOXOXO

Suzanne

a little bit of lace, a little bit of denim. . . .

hey, hey, hey. . . .i'm back!

what???

you didn't know i was gone? 

no worries. . . .

half the time i don't even know what's going on:)

it's a busy time of year, you know?

but i have been thinking, and saving up stuff to share with y'all.

so if i'm more scattered/random than usual,

please understand, okay?

gosh, where to start. . .

i'm the furthest thing possible from a fashion expert.

i just know what i like.

and what i am really liking these days,

(actually, for awhile now)

is lace.

especially lace mixed with denim or other fabrics.

you know that opposites attract, right?

take a look at this picture. . . .

pointe shoes and cowboy boots.

total opposites!

yet because they are so drastically different,

showing them together enables them both to shine.

just like mixing a sweet, innocent, delicate ivory lace dress with boots. . . .

classic opposites.

and awesome, if you ask me!

that's how i feel about denim and lace

i love this look!

and it's so easy to do by adding a bit of lace or a lacy doilie to a 

pair of shorts, a shirt or even a bag!

there are many ways to create these looks,

but the simplest would be to use a washable fabric glue to attach.

and you don't have to stop at lace.

gather jewels or buttons, 

cut off the backs with clippers to enable them to lay flat.

using fabric glue, attach them to your denim,

like this cute shirt. . . .

the jackets are really amazing, too.

it looks as if the collar was cut out and lace applied.  

the lace peeking out of the sleeve and at the bottom of the top left jacket is

super cute!

look at these backpacks. . . .

~adorable~

but maybe the piece i am the most crazy about is the denim and lace cuff. . .

LOVE. it!

lace clothing and/or accessories are all by themselves are another favorite.

see anything here you like?

i love it all, but especially the lace skirt, shorts, sundress, caftan and phone cover.

and everything else, too!:)

lastly,

i leave you with this. . . .

Jeremiah 29: 11-14. . . .

my very favorite.

be blessed, my friends!

xoxoxo

Suzanne

2013 Spring Fashion Trends I WON"T Be Wearing. . . . .

well, it's official.

i'm pretty much gonna be the girl around town in jeans

(surprise, surprise) or home in my jammies.

because fashions are pretty hopeless these days.

not that i'm a slave to fashion. . . . .

but since it does influence what is in the stores,

i do read about it a teeny bit and try to adapt for me. . . .a real person.

like the blog post i did about Mint Green.

I mean, emerald is the bigger color, but to me, 

emerald is fall and winter, not spring.

so i chose to focus on mint, which is also popular for a pastel green.

this is the "official"(?) color chart for spring.

they "say" you can veer off it to create your custom tone.

well, thank you for that.

geez. . . .

and not included is black and white, which is supposedly VERY big.

(note. . . .I have nothing against black and white.  My "NOT" to wear
list is after the black and white photo.)

but let's get to the real juicy part of this blog post,

what i will NOT be wearing this spring. . . . .

1.  Exaggerated Volume.

i'm serious...that's what they call this trend.

well, NO THANK YOU!

I don't need to exaggerate anything these days.

uggghhhhh. . . .

OH MY HECK!!!!!

let's see Heidi Klum wear this!:)

even Tim Gunn couldn't "make it work"!

2.  Gaudy, all-over Stripes!

Yikes. . . .prisoner fashion is not for me.

now, maybe a subtle stripe in a nautical tee or something.

still not me but not awful. . . .and kinda cute for some.

but this?  you think I'm kidding, don't you?

well, i saw stuff like this at the stores this week.

regular stores for regular people like me,

not high end stores.

so be warned. . . . .the stripes are out there;)

3.  Funky Sunglasses

nope. 

not me.

not anyone over age 5, i would think.

or not for anyone whose name isn't Taylor Swift.

(even then, it doesn't make them right!:)

4.. Cutout Fashion

ya, right!

but the sad thing is, i saw lots of cute blouses like this.

please, now i have to find a cami to go under it and. . . . .

too much work.

and those dresses. . . . . . whatever.

5.  Leather for Spring. . . . 

IF i was ever a leather person,

it was in coats.

period.

oh wait, i think in my college years i had a VERY appropriate

leather skirt.

that i wore to CHURCH. . . .

with a nice sweater.

in the WINTER!

which pretty much beats anything they wear these days.

and to think i caused such a scandal. . .

(hahaha. . . .)

6.  Pretty Much anything that strikes me as ugly. . . 

be it a print, a color, a cut. . . . .

or low pointy shoes that make my size 9ish feet look like

a size 14.

just sayin. . . . .

okay, that does it.

since the heat down here does kinda get to me,

can i hibernate for a while?

in jammies???

because i have to be honest. . . .

this is MUCH more my style!:)

happy friday!

xoxoxo

Suzanne

Feeling Minty Fresh. . . . . .

hello beautiful people. . . . .

 i usually do a post about upcoming fashion "trends" for spring.

which is really funny if you saw me sitting here in faded, ripped jeans.

(oh well. . . . .know better, do better. . . .except for me and fashion:)

seriously, i only write about ones i think are pretty and wearable for average 

ladies like myself.  and you, my readers.

so i'm only focusing on one this year, since some of them scare me. . . .

like the fact that "stripes" are big this spring.

not going near that one,

not this year.

the fashion "trend" i've been reading about is a color. . . . .

pastel MINT green.

so fresh and pretty.

i've heard women say they would never wear pastels,

too babyish, girly (like there's something wrong with that?:)

but hopefully, after looking at some of these photos,

you'll see something you could add to your look for spring.

it doesn't have to be clothes.

a pop of mint in accessories is beautiful too!

HEY. . . . .if the Queen can rock mint green,

we can too:)

let's start slowly, with just a few pretty accessories. . . .

"La Vie est Belle". . . .the Life is Beautiful!

i know you can find something to like here. . . .

and nobody is saying that you have to dress head to toe in mint green,

or any color for that matter.

be FRESH. . . . .

be PRETTY. . . . . .

be AWESOME. . . . . .

be FUN. . . . . . . . .

 be CLASSY. . . . . .

 (by all means, mix it with metallics)

beYOUtiful!

xoxoxo

Suzanne

happy to join Friday Fancies with fashion today!

Warm, Cozy and Yummy. . . . . .

brrrrrrrrrrr. . . . . .

it's been just a bit chilly outside, hasn't it?

even down here in south florida,

although nothing like up north.

and frankly, i like this chilly weather.

we don't get much of it you know, so we have to take advantage!

like, pull on a sweater, wear some cute boots, make some hearty

comfort food.

stuff like that.

but i know what a cold winter is like,

really, i do!

so i've put together a few things to warm you up a bit.

i hope:)

to start with, i hope you're all bundled up in a cozy blanket

maybe reading a book by a

roaring fire!

maybe you're on the computer,

doing a little online shopping or looking at all the fashion sites.

gosh, i'd move north just to wear these cute clothes!
or maybe not:)
but i still love the clothes!

don't you just LOVE this button purse and the cute booties?

i do:)

it's a good time to cuddle someone. . . . .

or something you love:)

go ahead, say it. . . . . .awwwwwww!

now, we can't forget something warm to drink.

hot cocoa is always a good choice.

especially hot cocoa with marshmallows.

especially hot cocoa with chocolate chip marshmallow eyes:)

my favorite warm drink happens to be a drink at starbucks.

but my girls figured out how to make it without buying some pricey flavored syrup
and whatever else they use.

the drink i'm talking about is a 

warm caramel apple drink.

and it is soooooo good!

it's super easy.

simply heat up a mug or pan of apple juice.

stir in caramel topping you would use for ice cream, to taste.

garnish with a bit of whipped cream and caramel on top.

y.u.m.m.y!

ok, i don't know if i've mentioned this or not,

but we are trying to eat a bit healthier around here.
trying.

so when i saw this recipe for stuffed peppers without rice on table for two blog,

i knew we had to try it.

last night, jordan made a batch.

and let me tell you,

these are SOOOO good!

light comfort food.
quick and easy.

not bad, huh?

you have got to try these!

Easy Stuffed Peppers

1/2 pound ground beef or turkey

1/2 large sweet onion, diced

1 cup frozen corn

1 Tbs or so taco seasoning

3 large bell peppers, seeded and halved

1 cup shredded cheese (i used two kinds...cheddar jack and pepper jack)

olive oil

~on a large baking sheet, place your pepper halves on them and drizzle olive oil all over them.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the peppers are bubbling up a bit and translucent around the edges.
~While peppers are baking, saute onions in a tsp or so of olive oil until soft.
Add in the ground beef or turkey and cook till browned.
Mix in the taco seasoning.  Stir, then add in the corn.
~Cook for 5 min. more then remove from the heat.
~Place the (cooled) pepper halves in a casserole dish, then spoon the filling into the peppers.
Trust me, it's okay if you stuff them a bit much:)
~Sprinkle cheese on top of the filling, then place it under the broiler till cheese is melted and bubbly.
~Serve immediately.
***Makes 6 pepper halves. . . . .but these are soooooo good and light tasting,
you should plan on doubling the recipe.
I would give ANYTHING to have leftovers for lunch today:)

well, are you getting warm yet?
need more help???
here is one more....
Crockpot Chicken Teriyaki

 1lb chicken, 1c chicken broth, 1/2c terriyaki or soy sauce,

 1/3c brown sugar, 3minced garlic cloves... 

Optional... a can of drained pineapple, peppers

There was no cooking "time",

but if you use a crockpot, it's either on low for 6-8hrs. or high for 3-4 hrs.

(hope i got that right:)

if you like, serve over brown rice and add sesame seeds.

well, i've rambled long enough, right?

let me leave you with a thought for your day. . . . .

happy friday!!!

Suzanne