Happy Margarita Day!!

Not that I ever need an excuse to have a margarita - but it's nice to know that today is National Margarita Day!! MAS TEQUILA!!! I shall celebrate by listening to Jimmy Buffett & Sammy Hagar - and later I will use my Margaritaville Frozen Concoction machine to make some yummy frozen margaritas!! Every Monday should be Margarita Monday!!

  HAPPY MARGARITA DAY!!!

Great deal at Ann Taylor Loft!

I love Loft's layering tees! They are super soft & comfy - and they're body-skimming rather than body-hugging. Right now they're on sale, 2 for $30 - regular price $29.50 each! Love the Spring Coral, Papaya, & Midnight Navy!

 

layering tee in Spring Coral

I love how the little details like the twisted silk trim makes the shirt so feminine and a little dressier. I've found that the sizing runs pretty true on these shirts, but they are a little looser fit, so if you like your tees snug, you may want to go down a size.

They also have the V-neck tees on sale 2 for $25, basic scoopneck tees 2 for $25,  tanks 2 for $20, and the voile trim long-sleeve scoopneck for $12.

Let me know if you decide to buy something! I'd love to hear what you got!

Hobbies...

Collecting Italian pottery is one of my hobbies. I especially love miniature pitchers, but I also buy larger pitchers and vases. My favorite style is sgraffito - there's just something about the texture that appeals to me. If you're not familiar with sgraffito, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as "a technique of ornamentation in which a surface layer of paint, plaster, slip, etc., is incised to reveal a ground of contrasting color".

The taller vase in the center was purchased on Etsy; the other pieces were purchased on eBay. I don't think I've ever paid more than $20 for any pottery - and that includes shipping. So the prices are quite reasonable if you're willing to wait until the right piece comes along.

 some of my Italian sgraffito pottery

 

you can see the details a little better in this photo

 

more detail here

 

and also here

Another favorite piece that I purchased off eBay is this unusual vase. It isn't etched quite as deeply as the other pieces, but the colors are gorgeous. I keep this one on my living room mantel.

 

  

There is just something about these pieces that make me smile - and that's what a hobby/collection should do! My husband laughs at me - I'm not sure if it's because I'm buying things that someone else wants out of their house or if it's because I get so excited when I find a new piece. To me, Etsy & eBay are like worldwide yard sales. What's odd is that I abhor yard/garage sales! It's not snobbery that makes me feel that way - it's childhood trauma from my mother being the Yard Sale Queen. I think she still holds the title. We joke that if you need anything, ask Mom before you buy it - chances are she has one packed in her "to sell" stuff or she just bought one at a yard sale yesterday. The woman could seriously open a general store. So Etsy & eBay are my dirty little secrets - and I can shop there because I can shop "anonymously".

What do you collect that makes you smile?

What to buy, what to buy...

I have in my possession a $50 giftcard for Sephora. Yay, me! Problem is, I'm having trouble deciding what to buy! Usually, I have a wishlist a mile long, but for some reason, I just don't know what I want this time.

After much searching (I'm typing this about 3 hours after starting this post, LOL), I think I've decided on a lipstick. (Surprise!) I wanted to get another Christian Dior Delicious Truth Sheer Lipstick, but apparently they've been discontinued - as is often the case when I find a product I really like! Why is that? Argh.

 

Korres Mango Butter lipstick - Natural Pink

I like Korres Mango Butter Lipstick with SPF 10 - I have it in Natural Pink. I love how it's creamy, glossy, & very moisturizing. I think I'll try the Korres Guava Lipstick in Natural Pink. It's supposed to be a bit more matte, but still moisturizing - and the color appears to be a little lighter than the Natural Pink in the Mango Butter Lipstick.

 

Korres Guava lipstick - Natural Pink

I wish that the Korres Limited Edition Mango Lip Collection wasn't so orange. It's a great deal - 3 full-size lipsticks for $21 - they're normally $18 each! But after reading the reviews on makeupalley.com, I know there is no way I can pull off these colors.

   

Korres Mango Butter Trio - Russet, Coral, Orange Red

My husband had recently tried a sample of LaCoste Essential cologne - and I really liked it a lot. So I'm going to get a bottle of that for him. After all, it's kind of for me, too, right? Nothing like a good-smelling man.  :-)

LaCoste Essential cologne for men

If you like a nice, clean scent for your man, I recommend this one. My other favorites are Acqua Di Gio, Polo Black, Ralph Lauren Romance, and those types of scents. The LaCoste fragrance is still one of the free samples being offered at Sephora right now. I like to use my free samples to get cologne samples for him - it's gives him a nice variety, and he gets to try lots of different scents for free. (And it gives me a good excuse to order from Sephora, right?)

From Paris With Love

Just got back from seeing From Paris with Love with my husband and son. Loved it!! Jam-packed with action (and lots of violence & blood, so don't bring the kiddies), and lots of smart-ass humor - my favorite! I love John Travolta - whether he's singing & dancing or playing a crazy bad guy or just being a wise ass.

I will say that the movie was somewhat predictable - I figured it out in the first 10 minutes (much to my husband's dismay - no one wants to sit beside me at the theater!). And I did occasionally wonder if I was watching John Travolta as Charlie Wax or Bruce Willis as John McClain. But I didn't expect the movie to be deep & thought-provoking, so I wasn't disappointed. I can definitely see them doing a sequel.

So for a fun, action-packed movie, I'd say it's a winner!

If you haven't seen the trailer yet, you can watch it here.