Super Bowl Dreams.

I mentioned this to a few select folks, but not the blogosphere---before football season started, I had a dream that the San Francisco 49ers went to the Super Bowl.

Don't ask me where this dream originated from because I couldn't tell you. I don't even like football and I stopped naming my Ken dolls Joe Montana like three years ago. Now they're all named Ryan Gosling.

The 49ers apparently had a pretty good season, and almost actually even made it to the Super Bowl! Who's even in the Super Bowl now? I've already forgotten. See how uninterested I am? The real reason I'm telling you this has to do in part with my outfit,  but also for the fact that I'm going to share with you my favorite appetizer recipe that is sure to blow the socks off party goers watching the Big Game. Which won't be me, I assure you.



Cabernet Blazer: Thrifted, Teen Challenge Thrift Store. Sequin Tee: Talbots. Black Jeans: Target. Leopard Flats: Payless.



If I were to attend a Super Bowl Party, this is what I'd wear. The 49ers would be proud of my gold and cabernet!

And since I'm not going to a Super Bowl party, but my husband is, this is the appetizer I'll send with him.

Smoked Salmon Toast

2 packages of ready to eat Smoked Salmon
1 tub of whipped cream cheese
1 loaf of sliced pumpernickel bread
dill weed seasoning

Cut the Smoked Salmon into little pieces (a bit smaller than the bread slices)
Spread cream cheese onto the bread slices
top with the salmon pieces
top with a few dashes of dill

Enjoy! Easy Peasy and looks so fabulous everyone will think you're a culinary genius.

Anyone else want to watch Crazy, Stupid Love instead of the Super Bowl? Come on over to my house.

Wanna know more?

Check out Annie Laurie Antiques Blog for a little question and answer session featuring yours truly! I welcomed the outfit break today because I'm honestly soaking wet from this morning's storm--yuck! Anyways check out the interview, which features my favorite thrifted accessory and home decorating item! Thank you Annie Laurie's Antiques and BOLD Marketing for the opportunity!

Wool Coat: Macy's, circa 2010. Cords: Kohls. Booties: Macy's. Yellow Clutch: Thrifted.

11 Days until Christmas and a lot of bling, baby.{closed}

Hello friends! First off, I guess we should announce the winner from yesterday's Bloom giveaway....

CONGRATS TO STEPHANIE WILLIAMS!! please email me (or call me, you've got my digits) and I can either deliver your gift to you or mail it, your choice. Yay Steph!!!!!


I also want to add a little not about the giveaways, just so we're clear on something.....

I want the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway to be about supporting local businesses in my area. By giving away fun and unique gifts from shops I love, my goal is just to show you some of the amazing things these stores carry and to show you exactly where I like to shop.

If you like and "follow" my blog, then that's great! Just remember that the real reason I'm doing this giveaway is for you guys :) awwww! (Que Barry Manilow or some other sappy love music)

Does this sound ok to ya'll? Have any questions just email me.

Now, onward and upward to today's lovely gift!

Today's gift comes from a magical place, Annie Laurie's Antiques.



Laurie Everett, owner of Annie Laurie's Antiques sitting outside her shop.

 This is not your grandmother's antique store, (although, my Nana loves Annie Lauries because she's super hip!) Annie Laurie's Antiques is full of unique, one of a kind vintage treasures that shoppers of all ages can love and appreciate. Every time I step into the store I'm greeted with a smile, a warm cup of coffee and sincere happiness. I know this might sound sappy (I'm in a sappy mood people, bare with me!) but when I shop, I want to feel that warm fuzzy feeling that I've found something amazing. I kid you not, every time I leave this store I bring home something special that I treasure. From vintage Dooney and Bourke purses to quirky wall art, Annie Laurie's Antiques has something for everyone. I know not all of you can make it to Cape G and visit Laurie, but just know she is one of the most honest and caring business professionals I have ever met. Laurie and her entire staff sincerely care about me, not how much I buy or if I buy anything at all. That, my friends, is why Annie Laurie's Antiques is my favorite place to shop. Of all time. Mark that on the record books, please.

Today's giveaway is this gorgeous set of three quirky, fun necklaces and an intricately beaded vintage clutch.

Mr. Mummy Head is solid, my friends. He's heavy so easy on the head bangin' while you're wearing him.

My favorite piece is probably the little square locket. Perfectly simple, great for little pictures! I love the floral statement necklace paired with it.



Jacket: Macy's, last year. Sparkly Tee: Talbots. Black Jeggings: JCP. Booties: Old Navy.

 This is my actual outfit for today. I'm wearing all three of the necklaces before I give to you hehe! John is having his Christmas party at school, so I thought I should bust out the sparkly top. Bamsies!


I tried this outfit with a belt first, but just wasn't feeling it. I had to show you the picture though, because my little pup poked her head through the fence :) such a sweetie!

To win today's necklace's and clutch, head on over to Annie Laurie's Facebook Page and "Like" them if you haven't already. Write on their wall and tell them Life Told By Leslie sent you! I'll announce the winner tomorrow! Good luck ladies, happy Thursday! xoxo

A Fashion Show.

Some of you might not know this about me, but I work part time at Major Brands, a wholesale liquor, craft beer, and fine wine distributor. The fun part of my job involves planning events at local venues and restaurants around the area, and sometimes pouring wine at tastings. Major Brands was a Red Carpet Sponsor for the Safe House for Women Vintage NOW Fashion Show held last night! We donated the wine for the event and I had a blast pouring wine and checking out all the vintage outfits. This is what I chose to wear! I'll admit I was a bit nervous at first to wear such a fancy dress, but I felt comfortable once I got to the event because almost everyone was dressed to the nines.

The best part about the dress was the back....so unexpected. I scored this dress from Annie Laurie's Antiques for around $30.

I especially love being involved with events like this because the proceeds all went to a good cause. Who doesn't love a little guilt free partying? :)




My partner in crime Natalie, setting up the Major Brands wine table.



The models backstage before the show.



Deb Maevers, owner of Pastimes Antiques and producer of the show.



Me and WESLEY!!! This was towards the end of the night haha!



This was the first time I'd ever been to The Venue--it was amazing. I loved how elegant and classy everything felt!

I know I said I would post pictures of office appropriate outfits on Wednesdays...well, I'm not sure this dress is appropriate for the office, but this was a work-related event for me, so that counts. Right? ;) Well anyway I'll see what I can do about  posting a work outfit tomorrow!

I'm going to be doing a little vintage shopping this afternoon. I'm so inspired by all the designs I saw last night I just can't help myself! Hope you all are having a great Wednesday.

xoxo,
Les

Handmade Spotlight: LilyWhite Designs

Good Monday morning to you! I wanted to share with you my love for a handmade designer, LilyWhite.

I met sweet Abbie through a mutual friend one day over dinner and she gave me her business card. I knew I liked her instantly because of her

 a.) sweet, outgoing personality
b.) love of all things Jesus
c.) her amazingly beautiful hairstyle.

I don't know why it took me so long to call and order a dress from her, but I'm so happy that I finally picked up the phone, err email. Ordering was simple, I sent my measurements/sizes, an idea of what I wanted....and BAM she produced a one of a kind, Jesus garment just for me. It fits perfectly, and is way more beautiful than I could have imagined.



Front View.



Back View. Beautiful witnessing tool.



The dress is made using vintage fabrics so is delicate, but should wash well by hand. Abbie also included with the price of the dress a removable belt and handmade brooch.

Check out LilyWhite's website here for ordering info and prices.

Read Abbie's blog to learn more about her heart for Jesus and how she spends her days.

and see LilyWhite Designs on facebook to see samples of their work and customer reviews.

Have you ran across any Jesus loving designers lately? Please share! We need to be supporting our brothers and sisters in Christ!

I Heart History: The Huhn-Harrison Home

In case you didn't know, I have this "thing" for historic buildings and war-time stories. I'm a tad obsessed with learning the stories behind a historic structure, and the people that lived there before. Recently my husband and I toured two historic buildings in our area, the Esquire Theatre, and the Huhn-Harrison House. We learned of the Huhn-Harrison House from some friends of ours who might be interested in purchasing it. I hope they do!

The Huhn-Harrison Home is located right across from the River Campus in Cape and is currently on the market for $105,000. The actual construction of the River Campus was made possible by B.W. Harrison and Hazel Huhn-Harrison who lived in the home and donated money to the University for the sale of the property that the River Campus now lies on. When B.W. Harrison passed away in 2004, he left his home to the University and it has sat vacant ever since. I've heard that some Cape Girardeau residents are outraged that the home is not being put to use or taken care of since its owners gave everything they had to the University after they passed. Check the comments out in this article.

The Huhn-Harrison home was built in 1905 by Rudolph Huhn, a business man and local bar owner. The home was for many years called "The house Rudy built for his bride." Mr. and Mrs. Huhn had one child, Hazel, who lived in the house with her husband B. W. Harrison after her parents passed away. So, the home has only been lived in by the same family since it's construction, 106 years ago.

When we entered the house, I immediately felt deja-vu. If you're unfamiliar with this term, then I'm sorry because it's a tad hard to explain haha. I just felt like I'd been in the house before, or that I'd had a dream once about being there. Anyway, deja-vu is a very strange feeling and it gave me massive goosebumps. The home has it's original hardwood floors and architectural designs. The upstairs is completely unfinished and a HUGE space with potential for either a master suite or a couple extra bedrooms.

I fell in love with the wallpaper, the huge wrap-around front porch, and all the doors in the home. The 12 foot ceilings are a rare find in an older home as well. They say that the ceilings were built tall to have natural ventilation, which is why the home doesn't have air conditioning. Open all the windows and doors up in this place and the breeze flows perfectly!

After leaving the house, I couldn't stop thinking about the family that lived here and the life they lived. It made me feel like I belonged with them. Is that strange? I felt this odd connection to a family that I had never even met.

I hope that someone will buy this home and live there. I hope they will keep the house mostly the same as it is now, wallpaper and all. I hope they raise a family there, and laugh and cry together there. Just like the Huhn's and Harrison's did.

Who knows, maybe the Huhn-Harrison home will be our next business adventure?

Fashion Friday: Taking a Risk

Hey Everyone! I'm excited about today's post for a couple of different reasons.

1. It's Fashion Friday, and that = FUN!

2. Today's post reveals a little something about me that most people might not know.

The reason I do Fashion Friday is because I secretly love taking risks. There. I said it. Now, you know.

And while I don't always take risks in my day to day life, (example: I never try anything new at Starbucks, I'm a Soy Latte kinda girl!) I do like taking risks when it comes to fashion because, frankly, I don't care what people think. Now I do care about PEOPLE in general, but I don't care whether or not they think I look like a crazy person or a fashion icon.

Here are two outfits that I LOVE, but some people might think they're a little strange. One thing that I absolutely love is taking a vintage piece and making it my own, and that's what I did with this dress here.

Dress from Annie Laurie's Antiques

The dress is straight out of the 80's, but I love that it looks bit more modern with the wide belt and the tall platform shoes. I also removed the shoulder pads myself, and tied the bow loosely and off to the side a bit.

I've noticed that sometimes women (especially around here in Southeast MO) can be a bit hesitant to wear vintage pieces. They may feel that it's not "stylish" or that they might get a few too many stares. You may be getting stares, but it won't be because you look bad, trust me! Wearing vintage is not only good for the environment, it's also a way that you can truly wear something unique.

If you're not comfortable with wearing vintage clothes just yet, start small and try a handbag or scarf. Accessories are great ways to re-purpose and incorporate vintage into your life.

This bag is also from Annie Laurie's Antiques. It's a vintage Dooney and Bourke over-the-shoulder bag. OTSB's are seen everywhere recently, and they're perfect for date night when you don't want to carry your huge "mommy purse" :)


This next outfit is also a re-purposed find. The dress I bought new from Target last summer, but I made it unique and tied a denim shirt over the top to make it a completely different look! If I get too hot today I can just untie the shirt and wear the dress the old way. I re-purposed by taking an old dress and changing the look to something completely unique.

You might think this look is a bit strange, but I love it. One of my co-workers said "Howdy Cowgirl" when he saw me in this, but I didn't mind :) I think this look is unique and I'm loving it!

Think about your own wardrobe. Do you have old dresses that need an update? Do you have a vintage piece that you've been hesitant to wear before? It's time to bust out of your shell and try something new!

Have a great weekend, everyone! xo

Vintage Finds and Skinny Wraps.

Last night was SO much fun! I had an impromptu "Skinny Wrap" party with just a few close friends. It was impromptu because my friend Lauren, who sells the wraps, was just going to come wrap me but I invited a couple girls over to make it more fun. Turns out since I invited people over it was considered a "party" so I got a FREE wrap! Woo hoo! We had a great time but unfortunately I didn't lose any inches around my waist from the Skinny Wrap. I hear other girls had great success with it which is awesome! Guess my tummy fat just likes to stay where it is, and not "detox" out of me via saran wrap. Ha.

I also scored some sweet new kitchen accessories from Annie Laurie's Antiques. The table cloth and the new salt and pepper shakers are adorable and if you've been to my house recently you know I desperately needed some new salt and pepper shakers! Check out the Annie Laurie's blog for inspiration on decorating with vintage pieces.

 Notice the delicious hummus and snow pea appetizer.....yummy. I'm kicking myself today for not packing this in my bag as a snack.

Hahahahhaaaa. Hilarious. My plastic wrapped belly. Flattering, huh?

I'm glad my friends and I are so comfortable and in love with each other that we can act silly and not be embarrassed to pose in our boxers and saran wrap.

When's the last time you did something silly and fun? Let your hair down, ladies. Let it down.




Vintage Finds!

Went on a little treasure hunt over my lunch break last week and came home with these goodies! If you've never been into Annie Laurie's Antiques you are missing out!!

Just an ordinary little wooden folding chair, but I knew it would fit perfectly on my front porch. I added a coat of light blue spray paint for a fresh Spring update!

Just the right amount of color for the porch, don't you think?


I also scored these adorable embroidered napkins, which already have a wonderful new home with a friend of mine. Didn't get a pic before I gave them to her, but trust me they were lovely.

My most favorite find is this vintage 100% silk floral top - only $6.50! Tag says that the designer is "Carole Little" which is my aunts full name and Carol is my middle name. It's kismet.

Gotta wear a sweater with it right now! Can you believe this cold weather we've been having?? Spring....come back!

New Life to Old Stuff....

We just bought an old house for rental income and are in the process of remodeling. One major improvement to the house was the addition of all new windows. The house was built in the 1940's and the windows we removed were original to the house.

The cords you see coming out of the side of the windows were used as pulley's to open and close. I think these windows are really neat, and I'm thinking of doing some little projects with them. I only want a couple of them, and am willing to sell the rest if anyone is interested. I'll take $5.00 per window. I've seen windows similar to these sell online for close to $30.00!

Here are some ideas I've found for re-purposing old windows. I just did a Google Search of "Antique windows as art" and these photos popped up.

This person just added some fabric to one side of the window. Very cute!

Very creative idea! Window Coffee Table!

Once the glass is removed, the panes become a display case. This is kind of what I'm thinking of doing with my windows.

If you have any other suggestions on ways to use the windows, please share!

What to buy me for Valentine's Day or My Anniversary....

Like most women, I have a "Want" list.

Do I NEED the things on this list? No.

Will I obtain all of the items on this list? Most likely No.

Do I spend a portion of my day thinking about these items and or looking at them online? Yes. (Ashamedly so.)

Here's my current obsessions list. Feel free to mention one or all of these items to my hubby, because this month is Valentine's Day and our Anniversary (Feb 21st)

1. These Suede Booties

Aren't they adorable? I would wear them now with skinny jeans and sweaters, and in the Spring with skirts or rolled khakis. My favorite part is the rubber sole; so comfy! Tell Daniel I need a 7 1/2 :)

2. This Perfect Spring Top:

Would go with everything in my closet and is such a cute color! :) Size small please and thank you!

3. A Sewing Machine

It's a basic model, just to get me started. I would eventually like to make tote bags, clothes for JD etc. It's pretty reasonably priced for under $70.00....I don't know much about sewing machines but I hear that Brother brand is pretty good.

4. Another Swimsuit

I already have this same adorable swimsuit, but it fits so perfectly I'd like it in another color. If I had it in white I could switch up the top and bottom with the navy suit I already have. I'm a small top and a medium bottom please dear :)

5. A Gift Card to my Favorite Place :)

Annie Laurie's Antiques! I could spend an entire day just daydreaming about shopping here! Lately I've been in a rush every time I'm in, so it would be a great gift for me to have a free afternoon to shop.

Well, that's about all for my "wants" list. (this week anyway! ha!) What's on your current obsessions list? Post the items you're wanting for Valentine's Day and I'll try to nudge your significant other in the right direction for you! :)