29 April 2013

The Good, the Bad, the Fringe & Stripes

blue maritime

Seems appropriate to have another one of these posts (here was the initial) since isn't life all about taking the good with the bad?

The good: As mentioned here, we cleaned the house really well earlier last week for impending house guests.
The bad: Impending house guests ended up cancelling on us a day after they were supposed to have arrived, so we busted our butts for nothing.
The good: No visitors to mess up our clean house!

The good: We decided to continue the house improvement kick this weekend and installed some curtain rods and finally bought some curtains (we've just been using blinds).
The bad: We have high ceilings and thus tall windows (not a bad thing technically), so we need super-duper long curtains. Which are not easy to find. We ended up buying some standard-length curtains thinking "how bad could they look?" and ended up with culottes for our windows. So we've got step ladders, tools, rods and such all over the place while we wait for our web-ordered replacements to show up.

blue maritime  blue maritime

The good: Still running on the treadmill everyday.
The bad: No perceptible difference on my body. I'm not expecting miracles, but I'm unconvinced I am really burning 250+ calories from the workouts as the machine says.

The good: Had the best cupcake of my life last week - yellow cake with key lime custard filling and buttercream frosting. Nom!
The bad: It was from a food truck, the name of which I have of course promptly forgotten so I will likely never find this magical confection again.

The good: My pup is the sweetest most obedient little dog in the world.
The bad: Except when we go to the dog park and suddenly she forgets her name and any learned commands, and will only come back to me when she's realized she is way to small to play with that great dane and needs a bench to hide under.

What are some of the goods and bads of your life lately?

blue maritime

blue maritime

Top: J.Crew Liberty perfect in june's meadow (worn here - same in peasant, sim, steal)
Dress: J.Crew maritime (this year's version, sim, sim, deal)
Necklace: J.Crew fan fringe (worn here - sim, simpler)
Bracelet: J.Crew golden stripe (worn here - sim, sim, stud, equestrian)
Shoes: Toms canvas wedge (worn here - this year's version, sim, platform, pricey)

71 comments:

  1. I love the little bits of floral peeking out from under the stripes. I have house guests coming at the end of the week, so I'll be doing a mad dash of cleaning.
    Tara
    Penniless Socialite

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  2. The good: finals are almost here. The bad: I haven't had time to shower in about 2 days. That is probably TMI but it's the truth.

    I love the top under the dress!

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  3. The good: My hair is finally growing back The bad: Styling it now is so awkward. HaHa Lisa, I love that shirt dress. Looks great! Well at least you have a clean home :) Have you tried the treadmill on an incline or various modes. You look great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had a long bob last spring and I had forgotten how much more work shorter hair takes!

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  4. I love that dress! It's great!!! That's great that you've been on the treadmill every day! I'm sure you will see a noticeable difference soon!

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  5. I love that dress! It looks so good layered over your button up!
    Meredith
    createthatoutfit.com

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  6. The good...I think Spring finally may have arrived.

    The bad...it's time for Summer, so this year I guess we just skip the whole Spring thing (which is my favourite season).

    I've started doing more hills on the TM. Have you tried that?

    bisous
    Suzanne

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  7. SO sorry your guests didn't get to come! But yay for a nice, clean house still! =) SO in my life here's the deets...good: leaving fr a girls trip this weekend! Bad: Have a million things to do before said trip! haha...what's new, right?! Have a great day! Love that necklace on you!
    Jenni
    www.foundinmycloset.blogspot.com

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  8. Live the stripes and floral, so pretty with this necklace too!
    Ginny

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  9. The good: Heat wave in SF!
    The bad: I have to work.
    Quickly followed by the good: I have a job.

    The good: Mexico next week!
    The bad: With 50 20something aged coworkers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe it's because I work at a company with a lot of older people than me, but I always find it weird to think of my co-workers as "real people." Like if I see them really cas'd out versus in their normal business garb, I get mentally kind of freaked out. Maybe it's just me ...

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  10. The good: I have a new blackberry! The old one broke, but this one's much better!
    The bad: I think my laptop may be breaking down, too - and after the new blackberry, a new laptop is NOT in the cards.

    You look great btw - love how those little touches like the shirt collar and sleeves + the necklace spruce up your nautical dress!

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  11. Oooh, I have that dress and bracelet. I don't know if I will break down and get the fan fringe, though. I really like it, I just can't muster the will to even spend $50 on a knockoff. I know, sad.

    I feel you with the exercising. I started watching what I ate and walking between 30-60 minutes a day last week. (I just can't run for a long time. I've never been able to endurance run even when I was in school. Sprinting, sure, but that stupid mile for the President's fitness test sucked every year.) This morning I had only lost a pound and it made me sad. But still! It's one pound less, and I do feel a bit trimmer this week. Going to try harder this week and see what happens!

    You look great, though! That treadmill is working!


    Taylor

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    Replies
    1. P.S. About two minutes after typing this, I went looking for fan fringes on etsy and ALMOOOOOST bought one. Still thinking...

      Taylor

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    2. I had eyeballed this necklace to death on Ebay but the prices they were going for were ridic. I finally just bit on it with the last addtl % off deal - so I've got a lot of wearing to do to make this necklace worth it!

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  12. Haha, Oliver is the opposite at the dog park...he won't listen well at home but at the dog park he turns into the perfect dog.

    The good: I'm getting a new car. The bad: Having to pay for it!

    -Sharon
    The Tiny Heart
    $50 Target Giveaway!

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    Replies
    1. Yay for your new ride! Boo for having monthly payments.

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  13. LOL - the good: spring is here and summer is quickly approaching
    the bad: I turned on my heat for the second time in April

    Hope your curtains arrive quickly!
    FashionEdible Blog

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  14. Oh, I love the liberty under the maritime. So fresh and lovely.

    Those darn machines are always inaccurate. Feh, I say. I just ignore it and simply treadmill, or climb, or elliptical (lol) for the heck of it.

    You look good, though, so no worries.

    Hahaha on culottes for your windows. I get that since a lot of pants look that way on me. ;)

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    Replies
    1. Dang and it--

      Good: Love all the traveling we have done lately.

      Bad: Really difficult to get back on schedule after traveling, especially if you are a mom of a one-year old.

      Good: My sewing is coming right along.

      Bad: If by coming right along is doing one step every day since little children in life make cutting patterns and fabrics and then sewing up projects very difficult.

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    3. You're doing way more sewing than I am, for sure!

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  15. The good: my sister came in from Boston this weekend and we had tons of fun shopping and hanging out.

    The bad: I overspent my monthly shopping budget and was too tired to do a decent post for today's blog entry.

    Adorbs as usual, Lisa! I look to you to break me out of traditional ruts and go eclectic with my outfits. :p

    www.myclosetcatalogue.com

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  16. "Culotte for curtains" Best line ever.

    Good: Find a pair of black maternity pants that I forgot I owned.

    Bad:That makes 2 pairs of appropriate work pants that I can wear...both black. Lame. Maxi skirts for life?!

    I am in love with your fan fringe necklace. Will probably have to stalk that now...

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  17. I think you look great! No need to change your body. I obsolutely adore these liberty button ups.
    Method Clothe

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  18. Great pattern mixing here:

    The good: Planning my hat and dress to attend the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs this Friday!

    The bad: It's supposed to rain for the races! Noooooooo!

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  19. Love the way you reworked this look! So chic with the pattern mixing and not over the top, but super fun and spring-y :)

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  20. Love all of the layering here with the button-down and necklace with the dress!

    The good: I'm going on vacation very soon. This has been very much overdue!! Nothing else matters to me at this point because I will be sipping magaritas on the beach. :)

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    Replies
    1. Lucky girl! I need a vacay ...

      (I miss you on blogdom, girl!)

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  21. Good - I just ate an entire bag of Hot Fries.
    Bad - I just ate an entire bag of Hot Fries.

    :)

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    Replies
    1. The Bad: I know what Hot Fries are and I am totally drooling a bit at the thought of them.

      Delete
  22. Super cute layering here! My dogs lose their minds at the dog park haha

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    Replies
    1. Well at least I'm not the only one at the dog park chasing after their pup, haha.

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  23. I'm loving your bling. A clean house is a happy house despite not having guests. If you're running everyday, at least you're doing something active everyday even without a noticeable difference. Do you have a photo of your pup?

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    Replies
    1. My pup's a photo bomber so she sneaks in shots all the time, but here is a post I did way back when dedicated to her.

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  24. Love your look!! And I definitely think all the good outweighs the bad, haha... for me:

    The Good: I recently moved in with my cousins
    The Bad: Left behind my bff L(
    The Good: Now I live right next door to my Grandma and a mile from my parents

    http://www.closet-fashionista.com/

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  25. What a gorgeous necklace!! My dog is normally good too...until she's playing with another dog or digging and forgets what it means when I say come. haha oh well.

    xo,
    Angela
    headtotoechicblog.com

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    Replies
    1. Digging is the worst - because I find it really cute when my pup digs, but then pretty much every other person hates a digging dog. And not that she listens to me when she's out in public anyways!

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  26. This is so cute! Love the dress and love how you styled it with the blouse underneath! So adorable!

    xo, Kenya

    www.kenyaldesigns.com

    Kenya L Fashion Blog

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  27. Haha - culottes curtains maybe you can bring them in style? :)

    Good luck on the treadmill!

    My bad & good: Good I am starting to follow a Paleo lifestyle and dropped 2 pounds the 1st week. The bad, I am eating a Paleo lifestyle and miss my diet coke and ice cream bar.

    Alice
    www.happinessatmidlife.com

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    Replies
    1. Ooh, you've got way more self control than I do. I don't know where all my will power from college went - I looooove eating and the thought of cutting back on my faves hurts! ;o)

      Delete
  28. Super cute outfit! Aw, that is kind of disappointing but in a good way, you continue to make improvements with your house. Well, I feel like I have bad times more than good. I get to spend my time more with my family and myself. Bad times, when plans are getting cancelled for so many reasons. Have a great week!

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  29. Haha..there's always a good and bad to anything!! the key is taking the bad with a grain of salt (not easy to do)
    That stinks that your planned house guests didn't end up coming and about your window culottes lol but you still had the time to do some decorating, a clean house, a healthy habit, had a yummy cupcake, and the sweetest pup!!

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  30. I love this maritime dress on you! I could not pull off thicker stripes as it makes me look like a walking zebra. muhaha. Also, instead of running on the treadmil everyday; perhaps you should start doing different types of cardio workout that does not require a lot of equipment!

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    Replies
    1. That is true. I usually end up sticking to one type of exercise because it becomes a routine. At least I am still breaking a sweat when it comes to running though!

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  31. My dog acts the same when we go to the park. He forgets all the commands I taught him. LOL! He's a mini pinscher. :)

    <3
    KT

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    1. My pup is the world's largest rat terrier. Only because she looks exactly like a rat terrier, but she's literally twice the size of one - we don't know what her other half is, but one of her parents were definitely big!

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  32. Lovely dress and as usual perfectly styled. Your story sounds so familiar. And about the curtains... Have you tried adding a rim at the bottom? We did that with our curtains. See my colourful livingroom

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    Replies
    1. We had cream curtains with fuchsia vertical lines and we added a solid rim of fuchsia at the bottom. Looks as if it was meant to be and added to the glamour. Our ceiling is 3meter30 high which is not standard either.

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    2. I am not at all crafty so I am hoping the new curtains will get here soon and they will work out. But that is a great idea to add some length!

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    3. Hahaha... you didn't think I would do that myself, did you? The shop did it for me.

      Delete
  33. This is one of my favorite outfits you've put together! Love the patterns, and that necklace is so perfect :)

    Annie
    The Other Side of Gray

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  34. super cute I love this striped look

    My Blog here www.islandchic77.com

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  35. THE GOOD: my cashew apple tree has tons of fruit !
    The BAD: I have too much fruit.

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    Replies
    1. That's hilarious! I planted a few cherry tomato plants one year and we ended up with waaaaaaay too many cherry tomatoes. I ended up bringing cases of them to work hoping to give them away.

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  36. The good: You are GORGEOUS!
    The bad: I didn't notice a huge difference with my body from running until I was able to run over 3 miles.
    The good: Once I was running 3-6 miles I noticed a HUGE difference in my body. (Don't judge me now, I just had a baby and I'm trying to get back into running distance so that I can notice some good in my body, ha!)
    The bad: I don't have anymore "bad" but I do have another good! I'm SO happy I found your blog!

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    Replies
    1. 3-6 miles? I've got a loooong way to go then, I'm still nowhere near that distance and I still alternate between jobbing, sprinting and walking. I gotta get more consistent!

      Delete
  37. Oh your guest are terrible! I know how much work goes into cleaning up and making a room/place guest ready. Having said that - at least you're done with the spring cleaning.
    I had a good laugh about your curtains! I had the same issue with my house.
    Love the cute striped blue dress.

    The good: Glorious weather this week in Vancouver
    The bad: Nothing really! I have a good life!

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  38. you look great.. talking about cleaning up house, i need a major clean up at the apartment too. btw, i love your statement necklace!

    xo, Carla
    misscarlaviolet.blogspot.com

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  39. sorry to hear your guests canceled last minute, but your right no one to mess up your clean house now :) I love how you styled the dress Lisa and the blue looks stunning on you!!

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  40. I love this layering, this looks is insanely cute!
    yay for getting the house clean and taking care of those 'to-dos' that always seem to stay on the list for an eternity.
    Chic on the Cheap

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  41. I adore this gorgeous striped dress! So fresh and chic for spring :)

    Trendy Teal

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  42. I love the mix of patterns, prints, colors, and then how you accessorized this outfit Lisa. I'm inspired :).

    www.schmid.cc

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  43. Sorry I'm a little late with this comment..I'm just catching up but I wanted to comment on the running thing. I can't remember, how long have you been running consistently? I know when I first started a couple years ago, it took at least 3 months before I started seeing any kind of results (I wrote about it here: http://jenplusjohn.blogspot.com/2011/08/six-months-ago-today.html - I should probably do another post on it, it's been a while!). Of course everyone's body is different but the changes I've seen over the years are suuuuper subtle because I don't kill myself working out every day. But I also see the extra "baggage" if I take a few days off.

    My main thing is how my clothes are fitting. I have certain pieces (jeans, work pants, certain dresses) that I can use to sort of judge how I'm doing. If they're feeling tight I know I need to push it a little more (or stop taking days off), if they're loose I know I'm doing well. I almost never weigh myself so for me it's all about the fit of my clothes.

    Also, try interval training. It's hard to sprint on the treadmill so what I would do is run at a 5.0-6.0 for 1.5 minutes then increase to 6.5-8.0 for 30 seconds and do this for 20 minutes (which was all the time I was able to spare at the gym). The speeds would depend on how I was feeling that day but I always wanted to make sure I could finish the whole 20 minutes without walking. It took a few times to get all the speeds right & know what I was capable of during the workout. This also helped with the boredom of being on the treadmill. I had to watch when to increase the speed so it helped pass the time.

    Good luck! And don't give up!!

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  44. This dress rocks the house...and that necklace...OMG!

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  45. Need puppy photos!

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