Monday Lovelies!

Good morning! I had a great weekend of crafting and hanging around the house with my little man. Unfortunately I left my camera at work (typical!) so I'll have to get some pictures tonight of my DIY's. Meanwhile, allow me to distract you with some lovely things from around the web.

I am loving the printed jean trend. I can't decide which pair I like better!



This lovely pair from River Island

 Or this pair with the black backdrop......



From ASOS.

I am also really loving Sculpey right now. Basically it's just clay that you form into any kind of shape or figure you want (I've been making tons of beads for necklaces) then you bake the clay in the oven so it stays in that form permanently.

It comes in about a gazillion colors, and you can always mix colors together to get the perfect shade. I mixed a grass green with white to get a minty green color!





I'm officially ready to get back into reading. I used to read all the time and the past few years I've just been reading strictly for school and not for pleasure. Here's my newest book that I scanned a few years back, but now I'm reading it cover to cover and it's phenomenal:

I wish my husband would read it with me but he's more of a movie guy. If they made this book into a movie I bet he'd be all over it though.




Love coffee? Behold, my new favorite morning (and afternoon!) obsession: The Blonde Roast.

It's just the perfect blend. Seriously. I drink my coffee with milk or half and half only. No sugar. But the Blonde is smooth enough that I can drink it straight black. Awesome!



Lastly, I'm very excited and ready for my new adventure to begin! I am still currently at Major Brands, I gave them much more than the standard two week notice so I could properly train my replacement. Meanwhile I've been planning the store's Grand Opening Celebration through Pinterest and other blogs. Check out my Grand Opening Board to see everything that's running through my head.

Hope your Monday is Lovely, xoxo.

Little Black Dress

I just picked up This little black dress to wear to a fancy function we are going to Saturday night. I obviously have major first world problems because I cannot decide which shoes to wear. Sigh. So I'll let you decide for me!

Option 1: Black Dress w/Leopard Kitten Heels

Black Dress w/ Leopard Flats by lifetoldbyles featuring kate spade jewelry

Option 2: Black Dress w/Natural Wedges

Black Dress + Natural Shoes by lifetoldbyles featuring slip on wedges

OR Option 3: Buy New Shoes!! Any of these will do!

Black Dress + New Shoe Options by lifetoldbyles featuring platform shoes

So whatcha think??

What's Inside My Purse!

I always think these kinds of posts are interesting....I like seeing what other ladies feel is important enough to carry around with them every day! Here's what's inside my purse and makeup bag!

The Purse: A Dooney bag I got for Christmas from everyone in my family. I asked for Macy's gift cards and combined they all were enough to get this bag!

Left to Right: My pink and purple Fossil wallet, a beaded makeup bag I've had since high school, my planner, my sunglasses (cheapies from Target!), Say Yes to Carrots hand lotion, a voice recorder for class lectures and interviews, my keys with a Dooney key fob, Say Yes to Cucumbers face cleansing cloths (these babies are lifesavers!!), and finally, a handful of army men. You never know when war is going to break out at the dinner table!

Not pictured: My camera, for obvious reasons!

The Makeup Bag:

Sonia Kashuk for Target Mineral Powder, Concealer, and Blush in one: Can you get any more convenient that that? This baby is perfect for me because on most days I don't wear any sort of powder on my face. I do use the concealer for my dark under eye circles though!

Burts Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Hibiscus and Rose shades: I have always been a chapstick girl, so when I found these affordable balms in lovely grown up shades, I was smitten. The perfect amount of moisture and color!

Ear Plugs: I have no idea why those are in there. Ha!

Extra Pony O's and bobby pins

Tweezers for my hairy face problem!

Sephora Atomic Volume Mascara in Black

Visine for Contacts

Stila Convertible Eye Color in Stone: A dual shadow and liner in one stick!

That's about it! I do have some backup makeup at home, but what you see here is basically what I use every day.

If you have any more questions about the products featured here, let me know!

Steak Dinner and a Product Review.

Southeast Missouri is not the fashion capitol of the world. Obviously when I visit a down-home diner such as Terry's Country Cafe in Old Appleton, I can't show up wearing my faux fur vest and leopard stilettos. Well, in theory I guess I could, but I wouldn't be comfortable. And sometimes you just want to fit in!

 Terry's Country Cafe in Old Appleton, MO features a steak dinner once a month for $8.95. That's a bacon wrapped steak and two sides for under $10. Yes! Last night was steak night so we all loaded up in the car and headed over there. Terry's Country Cafe is as "country" as you can get. I love the atmosphere there! I wanted to wear my new jeans (more on that in a minute) and a comfy top so I could stuff my face and no one would notice my "food baby."



Tunic: Yard Sale. Black Skinny Jeans: Target, recent purchase with a coupon! Wedges: Old Navy.

 This outfit was still "me" without being too flashy for an old country cafe. I love this baby pink tunic top, it looks cute belted as well.

Let's talk a little bit about these black jeans. I love black jeans for the mere fact that I can get away with wearing them to work and still be business casual (Think these jeans with a lady like blouse and a black blazer). I have owned a few pairs of black jeans but this new pair is seriously THE BEST fitting jean ever; and they're from TARGET! They have the perfect amount of stretch (only 1% spandex, any more than that would stretch out too much) and they are a mid-rise style which is much more lady like than hip huggers. I'm wearing them again today actually, and they still fit just as awesome as last night. Bonus: These jeans are on sale (right this very moment!) for $22. Go to Target.com and print off a COUPON for an addition $3.00 off any women's apparel item and that brings the final price to $19! Score!

Black jeans can be super slimming, but not if they're all stretched out and baggy by mid-day. Look for a pair with less than 1% spandex and with a mid to high rise in the waist for a more flattering silhouette.

Don't mind me if you see me wearing these jeans tomorrow too :) Have a good weekend, friends!



My sweet little Sooie pup.



Monday Lovelies.

Happy Monday! Here are a few things that have been on my mind lately

1. Red pants! How cute is this simple look on Miranda Kerr? I've been debating on red jeans recently and this pic has me convinced I need a pair.



Photo from here.

 2. John's 3rd birthday is less than two weeks away. I've been gathering a few ideas from pintrest for his party, including this adorable caterpillar cupcake :)

My friend and I are making the cupcakes ourselves. I'm still tossing back and forth the caterpillar idea, but I might end up just doing a rainbow of colored icing. The theme for his party is "Art" and the kiddos will be painting little canvases to take home as a souvenir---I'm so excited!


3. I'm in looove with smoking loafers. I'm on the prowl, for real.

Exhibit A: Lulus.



Exhibit B: Classic Black. Steve Madden



Exhibit C: Sparkly. JCP.



4. Being comfy while I'm sick :(

Sweater: Not sure, super old. Tank: NY&Co. Jeans: Target. Sparkly Sperry's: Journey's.

Sunday I left the house for 10 minutes to run by my Mommy's for more meds. The cold that hit everyone in my family but me at Christmas finally made it's way into my sinuses. I'm feeling better today thanks to Daquil and the four oranges I ate this morning for breakfast. Yay vitamin C and plenty of rest!

5. When I'm sick, I always paint my nails since I have nothing else to do besides lay in bed and feel lousy.

This is my new favorite, Essie's Sole Mate.



Target, $7.



I've got a busy week planned! What are you up to? Happy MLK day!

Christian Siriano is my home boy.

If I had cable TV, I'd definitely watch me some Project Runway. Unfortunately, we do not pay for television, we have an antenna that receives approximately 15 channels. That's 9 local news channels, 3 Jesus channels, one country music video station, one alternative rock music station (Cool TV all the way!) and one Retro TV station. So the only time I can watch Project Runway is when I'm visiting friends, so invite me over! Please?

 I'm sure you can imagine when Payless Shoes launched their "Christian Siriano for Payless" line, I totally went into Justin Bieber fan mode and pushed a few teenage girls out of the way to snatch up these babies.

Alright alright! Before ya'll get in an uproar over the addition of yet another pair of leopard print shoes added to my collection; hear me out. I recently gave a pair away that were a tad too small on me and thus hurt my toesies, so there was a ballet-flat opening that needed to be filled. Not that I need to explain myself to you, I do what I want. So there. (I'm sticking out my tongue, in case you were wondering)



Blouse: JCP. Lace Skirt: JCP. Tights: Target. Shoes: Christian Siriano for Payless.

 I wore this Saturday to the Ladies Dessert Banquet at church. Of course my favorite dessert wasn't technically a dessert--it was bacon bread. Mmm bacon is delish on everything.

In case you missed my announcement yesterday, the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways will begin in just TWO short work days from now. Get excited!!

An OOB Sale and Meet My Guest Bloggers!

*My little vacation is approaching! I can't wait to spend some quality alone time with Daniel. I don't think I'll do much shopping on our trip, (because we're going to be staying in some pretty remote places! I'm excited!) so I've been doing a little browsing (and admittedly buying) before I leave.

A store that I have just recently started to shop at is now going Out Of Business! (or OOB as we say in the wine industry) The Talbots located here in Cape is closing! They are a higher-end women's clothing boutique and I usually can't afford things in there, but I do own a pair of skinny leg cordoroys that I just happened to score there on a sale. I talked with the store manager (she's gutted that their closing, naturally) and she says as of now they're going to be open until mid January. Since they just announced they're closing, right now EVERYTHING in the store, including new merchandise, is marked 25% off. The manager said that in the coming weeks and closer to Christmas items will be up to 90% off!! I browsed a bit yesterday and found my skinny legged cords on sale, making them around $40 right now, a real steal!

Look at all the beautiful colors! I have the rust color there on the left, but I'm kind of wanting that dark green color in the middle--cute for Christmas pictures don't you think?? These cords don't fit like granny pants either, they're a mid-rise style with a slim leg. I love my pair!

Talbots also has some genuine leather ballet flats on sale....look at these cuties!

These are marked down to $40 as well. So if you're looking for some deals, might want to check Talbots before everything's gone!

I also want to announce who will be guest blogging for me while I'm on vacation! These five friends who have agreed to blog for me are all wonderful people that I just know you're going to love. They all come from different backgrounds and most of them don't even know each other, so it will be neat to see how it all comes together!

Here's what you can expect while I'm gone:

Monday: Emmy, friend from RCP and fellow blogger

Tuesday: Aaron,(Yes, a dude! Can't wait to read this!) neighor and good buddy

Wednesday: Kate,college roomy and long-time close friend

Thursday: Emily W.,SEMO Bloggers Co-Founder, close friend

Friday: Robyn, fairly new friend from church


I can't wait to hear from all of them! Hopefully they will be posting updates to my Facebook wall, but rememeber you can always access my site by going to http://www.lifetoldbyleslie.blogspot.com/ instead of just through links on Facebook.

Tomorrow I'll show you a sneak peak inside my suitcase and hopefully a little goodbye video from John!

For the love of retail....

I used to turn my nose at the thought of my local JC Penney store. Snobby, I know.

"Ugh, it's all the way on the other end of the mall!"

"Ugh, all the clothes are so drab!"

Then, when I stopped whining and actually paid attention to the quality and prices of the clothes, I had a change of heart. Not only is JCP an American founded company, but they opened their first store over 100 years ago and Cape Girardeau actually had a JCP store downtown on Main Street. The building is listed in the National Register for Historic Places.

The JC Penney we all know today is located inside West Park Mall. Some of my favorite brands include ANA, MNG by MANGO, St. John's Bay, and Worthington. I recently scored this pair of ANA jeans on the clearance rack for $4. The top is also ANA and it was $18.

I'm loving chunky knit sweaters for fall. Not just for grandma, a chunky sweater looks modern with cropped trousers and flats. I love these by St. John's Bay because they are perfect worn alone, no layering necessary (I'm not a layering fan, by the way! Too much trouble!) I'd like one in a size small for a more fitted look, and in a medium to be more relaxed and wear with skinny jeans. Look at all the colors they have to choose from! Right now, all the V-Neck Cable Sweaters are $20.00.

All of the brands I've mentioned are marketed for young adult to middle aged women. JCP is making an effort to appeal to style-conscious women by their new partnership with People Style Watch magazine. The editors handpick styles straight from fashion runways and season appropriate trends that JCP has to offer.  I love all the tie-front blouses out for fall, but I'll check my favorite vintage stores first before I buy new from JCP. This top looks straight out of the 70's, wouldn't you agree?

What do you think of JC Penney? Do you think their clothes are affordable and trendy, or would you prefer to shop somewhere else?

Product Reviews: Lips and Nails.

I have a love/hate relationship with painted nails and lipstick.

Most days, I love nail polish. Bright colors, pastels, dark maroons, bring 'em on. When my nails are painted....no one can tell how much dirt from gardening I have caked under there. Ha.



OPI's " Lincoln Park After Dark" is my old stand by. Photo from here.



But then I have those days where they're chipped and I'm too busy to touch them up. Or I'm feeling hippie-chic and organic and nail polish just doesn't seem to fit in with my style. Do you ever feel like that?

Lipstick is a tad different. I absolutely ADORE lipstick.....on other people. On me; not so much. I would love to pull off a look like this, but I'm a little reserved.




Taylor Swift sporting a Coral Lipstick. I like to think that Taylor and I have the same hair color so I sometimes try to match things to her...funny huh. Photo from here.


So while I still struggle with nail polish and lipstick, here are my fav's right now.




Essie's "Clambake" is a vibrant color I plan to wear right into fall. Photo from here.

 Finally, my new lipstick. Half chapstick, half lip color; this is THE mother of all wonderful smelling, soft feeling, natural looking shades. I even wore it to bed last night hehe.



Estee Lauder Pure Color Lipcolor in "Sensuous Nude." Photo from here.


Here's a close-up of the actual shade:

The only downside of this lipstick is the cost. $30 for lipstick?? Never thought I'd be willing to shuck out that kinda cash. When I bought it I also got a free makeover so I felt like I needed to buy something.....anyway I'm glad I did because it's amazing and you should go grab you a sample from Macy's. ASAP.

What are some of your favorite nail polishes and lipsticks right now?

Fashion Friday: Warby Parker.

Let me just start off by saying that I'm so excited about today's post that I can barely contain myself! I might just have to let out a little dance move here in a second........I just did a back flip. For real.

Ok, I'm kidding. But seriously I'm ecstatic over what I'm about to share with you!

Could it be possible to have a pair of designer prescription glasses, shipped to my door, with free returns, all for UNDER $100? Also, if that's not already revolutionary enough, for every pair of glasses bought, this company GIVES a pair to a person in need? Are you freaking kidding me?

Before I get too far ahead of myself here, let me start off by saying that I'm a contact lens girl through and through. I do have glasses, but I NEVER wear them out of the house. Mostly because I've had the same pair of glasses since 9th grade and the prescription isn't up to date, but also because they are slightly bent out of shape from sleeping in them, stepping on them, sitting on them, etc. Basically my glasses are just plain messed up. I think after 11 years of use, I'm due for a new pair.

So, like any experienced bargain shopper, I started researching. My eye doctor is seriously THE best eye doctor in town (if you want to know his name, email me and I'll tell ya) but he's known for being just that...the best doctor. His glasses prices on the other hand are not exactly competitive. So I branched out. I found a place here in Cape that had a few pairs of glasses for around $70 that I liked (sorta), but to put my prescription in them (I'm blind, folks. For real.) it would cost an additional $50. That's putting me at $120 for a pair of glasses that aren't really that cute and that I'm only going to be wearing at night when I watch movies in bed. That's not ok with me, people!!

So, I happened to stumble upon Warby Parker when doing my research and checked into it a bit further.

I know what you're thinking....buying glasses online? Without trying them on? No dice.

But wait! Could it be true? Warby Parker has a Virtual Try-On feature....that freakin' rocks. It takes two seconds to upload a picture of yourself and then you're on your way to finding that perfect pair. I tried on literally every single pair of glasses they had to offer....in pretty much every color. Here's my choice:



"The Huxley" in Hazelwood.


And yes, I do think that it's just adorable that the color of the frames is called "Hazelwood." That's what I like to call fate, my friends.


Did you know that "15% of the world's population is unable to effectively learn or work because they can't see clearly?"** Warby Parker is here to remedy this serious issue. Seriously, go to their website and check out their mission statement. For every pair of $95 frames you buy (remember, that includes prescription, shipping, and returns.) Warby Parker gives a pair away. Also, check out their adorable founders. One of them also is a huge Hall and Oates fan....which just goes to show how truly legit these guys are.

Did I mention they sell monocles? How rad. Someone needs to tell Daniel to get one ASAP.

I can't wait until my frames get it! I'll share when they do.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

** Statement from Warby Parker website.

Rants and Raves.

As most of you know, we recently returned from Florida for our family vacation and had a someone unique experience. Between tow trucks and fungi-engrossed hotel rooms, we did manage to have a lovely vacation, in fact one of the best vacation's I've ever had! My husband's family who lives down there are some of the most loving and genuine people you will ever come across. They truly have a heart for the Lord!

One of my favorite pastimes is writing online reviews. I finished writing my reviews on the places we visited in Florida (some good, some bad) and wanted to share them with you guys! If you ever drive to Daytona from Cape, here's some places to check out, and AVOID.


First off, FOOD PLACES:

1. Brooklyn Bro's Pizza in Lake City, FL. Great if you like greasy pizza, which I don't. John surprisingly ate almost an entire piece so at least someone liked it. I give it 3 Stars, mostly for the atmosphere (Neat wall art!) and friendly service.

John and his Pizza Face smile.

2. Mickey Fin's in Orange City, FL.

Daniel and I went out for a late night appetizer while his Grandparent's watched JD our last evening in FL. We wanted to go somewhere local, and this was the ONLY PLACE we could find in the entire town that had outdoor seating. There were police officers guarding the place and we unfortunately sat next to a group of ladies with Sailor mouths. We didn't order anything and ended up going to Applebees instead. Only 2 Stars for this place, it was pretty sketch if you ask me.

3. Wintzell's Oyster House in Mobile, Alabama.

We were CRAVING seafood on our way home and stopped at this charming little place in Mobile. Wintzell's, where you can get oyster's Fried, Stewed, or Nude was AMAZING! Cute character and charm (the walls were covered with virtuous saying and slogans) and fast, friendly service (our waitress brought us drinks to-go without us having to ask). I of course ordered "Nude" oyster's and Daniel had the fried seafood platter. John loved the complimentary garlic bread and he even tried gator tail for the first time! They have other locations all around the gulf coast so I suggest if you're heading that way to check them out! 5 out of 5 Stars for sure!!

Next, SERVICES:

1. Jimmies Tow Service near Tallahassee, FL.
Stranded on the side of the interstate, my husband called every Tow truck service he could find in the Tallahassee, FL area. Each place he called either was too busy to come, or didn't answer the phone at all. One man gave us the number for Jimmie's Tow Service, and they answered and said they would be there to help ASAP. The gentleman who towed my car was very polite and friendly. I overheard him on the phone giving other employees instructions to help an elderly couple who were having car trouble first before a younger woman because of the heat. He even brought up the Bible with us and seemed to be Saved. I was very impressed with this company, so if you ever need a tow in Tallahassee you know who to call! 5 out of 5 stars!

2. Beachside Resort Hotel in Gulf Shores, AL.
Horrible. Disgusting. Dirty. Moldy. Did I say Dirty? Dirty. Nasty. Rude. Loud. Worst-hotel-I've-ever-stayed-at. Overpriced. Inconsiderate. Slave drivers.

Poor Hubby. He tried to find a nice, affordable hotel by the beach for us to stay in our last night of vacation. As soon as we pulled in he said, "I think we're at the wrong place." Well, turns out it WAS in fact our hotel and can you say "False Advertisement?" Go to the website. Trust me when I say the oil-stained carpets and cigarette butts all over the counter tops did not in any way scream "luxury and comfort" as the website describes. And the poor immigrants working there could barely understand English let alone tell me where the ice machine was. Please Please Please never ever ever stay at this hotel, ok? Big Fat 0 out of 5 Stars.

3. Proctor Subaru in Tallahassee, FL.
So as you know, we had car trouble in Florida and had to end up being towed to a car dealership. We had an amazing experience at Proctor Subaru! The staff was friendly and understanding, and for my husband to actually LIKE a car salesman is rare. We even talked about going back to FL someday and visiting the staff there. Loved them!




You know, now that I'm finished writing this I'm trying to decide if any of this information is at all relative to you. It's kinda not.......unless you're planning on taking a road-trip to Daytona sometime soon. Ha. Oh well I'm posting it anyway because I worked hard linking everything......sigh. I'll try to be more aware of your interests with tomorrow's Fashion Friday post!

Truth or Trash

Have any of you had trouble discerning exactly what truth is and what trash is in today’s world? In today’s world there are many worldly views and opinions making it hard to figure out if what you are hearing is the Truth or not.

However! There is any easy way to discover what the difference between truth and trash is:

 TRUTH is what God says. You can find this Truth in the Bible!

TRASH is anything that He does NOT say. Trash includes facts and opinions. Opinions are things people believe to be true. For example: Justin Bieber is a good singer. That's your opinion.

The fact of the matter is that in today’s world most of what we say and hear is Trash. 

People are always willing to tell you what you AREN’T:

-You don’t look good enough (through movies, magazines, what others say about us- “Wow did you see ‘so&so’ today? She is getting really fat!”) (Trash),

-You are a failure (“Did you hear ______ lost his job?”) (Trash),

-You are stupid (“______ got an F on their test!” or “Their major is foolish”) (Trash), etc!

But, there is good news! Most of what you are hearing is Trash, not the Truth at all!

Romans 3:4 says:

“Let God be true, and every man a liar.”

We must constantly be reading the Word of God to fully realize how much Trash is rooted deep within us! Once we begin to notice the Trash we have been told, we can then begin replacing it with Truth!

For example, if someone is constantly telling you that “You are not special!…” that is Trash! You may feel like you are not special because someone keeps telling you that, but that is just a feeling! The Truth is that you are special and God set you apart before you were born! (Jeremiah 1:5)

I pray that each of you begins to realize the Trash that is being said to you and around you AND/OR that you realize the Trash that you are saying about or too others, and then you will begin to replace that trash with Truth!

For those of you with iphone’s, ipad’s, or ipod touches! Check out this amazing free app! http://is.gd/xrjYgo  It’s a game called Truth or Trash. It will help you discover what is Truth and what is Trash! It is a great app for all ages! It just became available Friday. Keep looking for more updates and please provide feedback about the game! 

Have a wonderful day and check back tomorrow for another blog post!

Love, Kathleen :)