Stores that carry "FIRE" season clothing

[Joby]

Hi everyone and thanks for the wishes and prayers! It has been very hectic here for me as I have been running to the hospital to check on my Mom who had a very serious bout with her heart, but is now on the mend. 2 1/2 days in ICU and a week in hospital~ then having to run out of town and check on my 89 year old dad who has the flu and has now developed what I'm suspecting is a bladder infection... All while working 8 hrs and feeding my own family. Whew:eek:

Just took my 86 year old mother home from hospital tonight and fed dad so am finally home and wanted to check in with you all. I will try to read the posts to catch up with everyone tomorrrow pm as I have a class to attend tomorrow am. I'm beat and worn out! Wanta talk about racoon eyes!!!:D

 

Linda, I hope your Mom is still on the mend. You're a good daughter to take care of your parents :)

[Joby]

Hopefully this will work correctly. Thanks, Anita, for your teaching spirit once again. I have tried to create a collage of blue for everyone's viewing pleasure. A-1 is the collage picture, B-1 is my purpleberry control, and C-1 is a blue tank that I found after the collage picture was taken. A2-4, B2-4 and C2-4 correspond to the collage picture. Are these pictures good enough quality-wise? Fire away, Ladies. Just ignore the craizy hair I'm having and give me your best shot. --Debbie

 

Hi Debbie,

 

Finally chiming in with my comments.

 

A2-- is a keeper. You look great in it.

B1--purpleberry--a fan favorite ;)

 

The rest (using my latest technique of hiding the tops and just looking at the face), I can't tell a lot of difference in any of them. When I look at the tops and what I "think" topwise should be a FIRE color, it doesn't seem to make that much difference. I have absolutely no idea why that is though! One of the tops looks like it should be EARTH (C2) but your face doesn't look much different in it versus, say, C1, which looks like it should be closer to a FIRE blue.

 

I keep wondering if your hair color looks so much different than the "typical" FIRE person in my mind (reddish/blondish hair) and that makes me look at you in a different way????

 

The above is absolutely no help but, just my comments :eek:

[Joby]

Pam,

 

It looks like you're about to leave on your trip. Bon voyage and I'll be hoping for a pictodiary on your return :D

 

Safe travels, my friend!

[Joby]

Barbara,

 

Safe travels to you also on your upcoming trip. As I mentioned to Pam, we all love pictodiaries, please consider one :D A small trip report would be good for my soul too, as I love to live vicariously through all of you who get to travel!!!! Have fun.

[Joby]

I ordered a couple of things from Athleta. One is a HOPEFUL march to our FIRE purple (fingers crossed) but, I'm also not holding my breath as that seems to be a really hard color for me to see online (or even IRL for that matter). I'll take a couple of pictures when they get here and see what the consensus is.

[aoknkentucky]

Hi Debbie,

 

Finally chiming in with my comments.

 

A2-- is a keeper. You look great in it.

B1--purpleberry--a fan favorite ;)

 

The rest (using my latest technique of hiding the tops and just looking at the face), I can't tell a lot of difference in any of them. When I look at the tops and what I "think" topwise should be a FIRE color, it doesn't seem to make that much difference. I have absolutely no idea why that is though! One of the tops looks like it should be EARTH (C2) but your face doesn't look much different in it versus, say, C1, which looks like it should be closer to a FIRE blue.

 

I keep wondering if your hair color looks so much different than the "typical" FIRE person in my mind (reddish/blondish hair) and that makes me look at you in a different way????

 

The above is absolutely no help but, just my comments :eek:

Absolutely no help? Hardly. Kim, each and every comment gives me a little more clarity. I may not be able to explain why, but I'll try.

 

In deciphering my blues, I had a better than average idea which tops were keepers and which should go away. In fact, some never made it to the color collage I posted. I made several blue collages of tops that went straight to the donation pile because the color was off enough in the photo that I knew they didn't work. I am learning. Slowly, but I'm learning.

 

I know....I own too.....too.....way too many clothes. I'm trying to remedy that situation with everyone's help here. I was wearing one size during the time I was diagnosed as FIRE by CJW. I gained weight quickly after that time; bought the next size up in tops but kept the old size of what I thought were the right colors; and for the past several months have been on a journey to lose what I gained plus some. I have tops that are huge, some that are loose and baggy, and some that actually fit. The number of teal/aqua tops that I have waiting for me to go through is embarrassing.

 

So, anyway, back on topic. Anita's comments are helpful because Teacher Anita articulates so very well the whys. I sooooo do not have that ability and really appreciate that she does and is willing to share it with us here. I barely can see if I think they are right or wrong and I'm looking at them in person AND by photo. It's like there is a disconnect between my eyes, my brain and my mouth. When Anita says it, I can then say, oh yeah, that's exactly right. So, she usually is spot on with what I'm thinking in the back of my mind might be the case, if I had a thought in my head to articulate. What I just wrote doesn't make any sense whatsoever, but it is truly the way I feel.

 

Your comments usually closely mirror what I am thinking until Anita makes me take a closer look with her comments. In this case, you said exactly what I thought about my own pictures. I'm pretty sure that I agreed with your comments about my greens also. Your comments about my greens is what caused me to keep trying to get the best pictures I could, because I really believed that my greens weren't as bad as others thought they were from the pictures I had taken so badly. I can't say why I like something better and lots of times I can't see the nuances that everyone else sees, especially on my own photos. I think my skin looks equally blotchy, red, and just plain no make-up yuck in everything but the A-2 blue. I don't see ICE or AIR in the photos, but I don't see gray that others see either. I may see cool or cool/muted by looking at the tops IRL, but I then question if it is truly ICE or AIR, or just appears that way compared to the very best FIRE I own. KWIM? I think the picture taking spot made the photos look "off" again.

 

Let's keep going, ok? I haven't been able to work on my aqual/teal tops yet, and suddenly can't remember-- have you already posted yours? We are expecting rain for the next day or two, so I might have time to weed through mine for fit and try to do my prelim color collage work, but it may be a few days before I can tap in to my best color taking spot and post them here. I remember Anita talking about posting her oranges next. Did we decide to do coral/peach/salmon/light orange next after teal/aqua?

 

Since Friday is Anita's day for in-depth computer time and everyone but me seems to be able to access the world wide web over the weekend, will anyone be ready to show and tell something by then? --Debbie

[Anita Latte]

Debbie...we will keep going! I'm just having a bit of a struggle adjusting to my family's new schedule, not only because of my own teaching schedule but also because of changes to DS's tennis schedule. So it has felt a little crazy around here lately. But I am still all in for continuing the color parties. I haven't lost my motivation, just some time. :o

 

Let me encourage you.

 

Cleaning out the closet will take a long while, especially if you are in the process of losing weight. And it can be something of a frightening thing to clear out so many clothes. It sounds ridiculous, but it's a truth. Even though the statistics show that most people only wear 20% of the clothing that they own on a regular basis, there is comfort in owning the other 80%. And many of us have been exposed to Depression Era people that can find a use for everything. I know that I have suffered serious GUILT as I look at perfectly good clothing, clothing I spent good money on, and now because of a seemingly petty reason (it's not my COLOR)...I want to get rid of it.

 

My advice in clearing out your closet is this...If you are serious about your health and not allowing yourself to regain the weight...then get rid of EVERYTHING that is too big. ALL OF IT. Unless there is something that is SO fabulous that it is honestly worth tailoring, don't even blink. Don't feel guilty. Don't second guess, just gather and donate. Lose the huge and lose the big and baggy. Keep the ones that fit.

 

That's pass one.

 

The next pass can happen with less effort.

 

You need to examine whether or not you really LIKE these clothes that fit. Do you like the fit? I had clothing that I liked the color, the fabric, the idea of what it was, but just hated the fit. I pick a shirt to wear, but would immediately take it off again. When that happens, those clothes need to go away. I finally caved and got rid of two sweater vests because they were just too short. I like tops with hems at hip bone level and no shorter.

 

There are other exercises like this. You take ALL your hangers and hang them on the rail from the BACK side. As you wear your clothing, you now hang them back up normally. At the end of your determined time (could be one month, could be the current season), you take the clothing that you could have, should have, might have been wearing (i.e. long sleeves in cold weather), but DIDN'T wear...and get rid of it. You don't miss what you don't wear. (This is for non-special occasion clothing, of course.)

 

This type of thing is pass two.

 

IF, for some reason, you have clothing that you want to keep, but didn't wear, you have to ask yourself WHY didn't you wear it? Is it that you don't have anything that goes with it? This reason is less likely when you stick with your color palette, BUT it could result if you lack the proper style of bottom or top to coordinate. Or shoes. Maybe you discover that you just don't have the right shoes.

 

During the prior processes, unless you absolutely HAVE to, you should be avoiding all clothing purchases.

 

NOW though...if you have identified HOLES in your wardrobe planning, you can shop very SPECIFICALLY for what you need/want.

 

Meanwhile...you need to stay on top of the weed out process with continued weight loss. Continue to get rid of too big clothing.

 

And if you find yourself with gaps because of THAT...weight loss...make the smartest choice you can to replenish your wardrobe. Take note of what you wear...whether you prefer pants, skirts, dresses...what type of top/blouse you reach for first...and try to focus on re-making those purchases in a color that makes sense with your emerging wardrobe. When you finish the laundry, what is the first thing you regularly end up wearing. WHY? Seek to figure that out.

 

If you have so many clothes, like I did, you may find yourself thinking that you don't have a "style." I would read these magazines and books and think to myself that I had Clearance Rack Style. Cheap. Easy. Comfortable. Not the style that I wanted.

 

As you pair down your wardrobe, you can use the clothing that you have to discover what you like to wear. And discover WHY. Understand that there are many reasons why we pick one thing over another:

 

1. It's clean. You may love something that requires dry cleaning, and thus, you rarely wear it because you don't deal with dry cleaning. Make a note: Don't even try on something that requires dry cleaning, work on getting those out of your wardrobe and don't purchase any more for regular wear. Find a similar item that is washable.

 

2. It's wrinkle-free. You may love something that requires ironing, but you rarely make time to iron, so you rarely wear it. Make a note: Don't even try on something that requires ironing, work on getting those out of your wardrobe and don't purchase any more for regular wear. Find a similar item that doesn't require ironing.

 

3. It's comfortable. You love the feel of the fabric. You love the drape of the fabric. It's flattering. It masks figure flaws. It highlights figure pros. It's your favorite color. There are many reasons WHY something is comfortable. Figure out what is comfortable about the article you consider comfortable and make note to try to repeat that purchase reason.

 

4. It's a part of an outfit that you have figured out and feel good wearing. If you WISH you could wear something else more often, but the only reason you don't is because you don't know what to wear it with, then spend a little time shopping your own closet and figure out some outfits.

 

You get the idea.

 

This refinement is what is going to be another pass through your wardrobe.

 

When you have fewer options, it's easier to make CHOICES and not just dress from habit. When you start consistently making choices about what you wear, you can analyze why you make those choices. Moving beyond the cost of a garment into a more difficult reason to define why you own it and wear it is what will help you make smarter clothing purchases as you go through the process of defining and redefining your wardrobe.

 

Wow. I guess I had a lot to say about that! LOL. :o

 

But this is the process that I have been in now for SO LONG. It isn't easy. Like losing weight, you just have to keep after it and realize that change will not happen over night.

 

You can do it Debbie!

[Joby]

Debbie...we will keep going! I'm just having a bit of a struggle adjusting to my family's new schedule, not only because of my own teaching schedule but also because of changes to DS's tennis schedule. So it has felt a little crazy around here lately. But I am still all in for continuing the color parties. I haven't lost my motivation, just some time.

 

Good to hear, Anita. I'm still in too.

 

Here are the 2 colors I ordered from Athleta. I think the green is very good to excellent.

 

The purple, on the other hand, I think may be too blue. It doesn't have the same undertone look to me that my FIRE rain coat does or the FIRE berry shirt from Penny's.

 

Thoughts?

 

A1--rain coat/JC Penny's shirt/new dress from Athleta (Jazzy Jam)

 

A2--new Jazzy Jam jacket/new Garden Green jacket (both from Athleta)

 

B1--new dress Jazzy Jam/Penny's shirt/rain coat

 

B2--Garden Green jacket from Athleta

 

[Anita Latte]

Kim...IDK...I think that purple could be okay. It kind of looks like it has the undertone of the periwinkle swatch? Whatever that color is next to that more red/violet color. I look at the swatches and then the jackets and I think the jackets look like those two swatches. Gonna have to try it on and see! Take a picture!

 

The green looks like a perfect match.

[Joby]

Kim...IDK...I think that purple could be okay. It kind of looks like it has the undertone of the periwinkle swatch? Whatever that color is next to that more red/violet color. I look at the swatches and then the jackets and I think the jackets look like those two swatches. Gonna have to try it on and see! Take a picture!

 

The green looks like a perfect match.

 

Thanks for the thoughts.

 

You know, I've never "gotten" the periwinkle color on the FIRE cards. I don't think I've ever seen it in a store, it seems like an odd swatch on the cards and I want to find something in it just for the challenge of finding it if nothing else :eek:

 

I'll take a picture in the dress and the jacket this weekend and throw it out and see what the comments are.

[snuggles]

Hi all! I'm finally back!!!! (I hope) Am trying to catch up on all the posts.

[snuggles]

Hopefully this will work correctly. Thanks, Anita, for your teaching spirit once again. I have tried to create a collage of blue for everyone's viewing pleasure. A-1 is the collage picture, B-1 is my purpleberry control, and C-1 is a blue tank that I found after the collage picture was taken. A2-4, B2-4 and C2-4 correspond to the collage picture. Are these pictures good enough quality-wise? Fire away, Ladies. Just ignore the craizy hair I'm having and give me your best shot. --Debbie

I know this is late, but I wanted to put my two cents in. Using Kim's viewing technique first my fav is A2 with B3 and B4 the rest are ok but not as good as those three to me.

IF I anaylise each photo with the control B2, I still love you in A2, B3 and B4. A3 , C2 and C3 appear ( to my eye) to gray you out somewhat. The rest are ok, but not as good as A2, B3 and 4. Make sense?

[snuggles]

Good to hear, Anita. I'm still in too.

 

Here are the 2 colors I ordered from Athleta. I think the green is very good to excellent.

 

The purple, on the other hand, I think may be too blue. It doesn't have the same undertone look to me that my FIRE rain coat does or the FIRE berry shirt from Penny's.

 

Thoughts?

 

A1--rain coat/JC Penny's shirt/new dress from Athleta (Jazzy Jam)

 

A2--new Jazzy Jam jacket/new Garden Green jacket (both from Athleta)

 

B1--new dress Jazzy Jam/Penny's shirt/rain coat

 

B2--Garden Green jacket from Athleta

 

Kim- love the green, looks perfect to me! Not sure about the purple though- It does look more blue, but will wait to see you in it.

I'm with you on the periwinkle color~ wish I could find something in the stores to compare it with.

Did you post your aquas and I missed it?

Edited October 31, 2011 by snuggles

[aoknkentucky]

I know this is late, but I wanted to put my two cents in. Using Kim's viewing technique first my fav is A2 with B3 and B4 the rest are ok but not as good as those three to me.

IF I anaylise each photo with the control B2, I still love you in A2, B3 and B4. A3 , C2 and C3 appear ( to my eye) to gray you out somewhat. The rest are ok, but not as good as A2, B3 and 4. Make sense?

 

Thanks, Linda. Your two cents correspond nicely with others here. I hope your mom and your dad are both on the mend and doing better now. Glad to have you back on board.

--Debbie

[snuggles]

I think I've read everyone's posts that I missed.

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers.

It has been a very stressfull time for me. I don't want to admit that I don't have many more years left with my parents here on earth and that's hard. They are both doing well enough for now. Still independent. They live in the country with the nearest neighbor about 1/2 mile from them. I live in town 10 minutes away. I know it's not far, but it is 16 hours when seconds count. I worry about Mom. She has a huge farm house to take care of plus my father and nephew. Stress is her middle name as my father has become difficult to deal with. He is very hard of hearing and has some demencia and his whole personalty has changed from a gentle loving person to someone who argues over the smallest thing. I arranged for someone to come clean for her, which has eased my mind a little, but she still has cooking to do. My father is helpless (or so he thinks) in the kitchen. The entire time Mom was in hospital he never fixed a meal for himself. She wasn't there to do it for him. Never mind the fact I sent him food to heat up or there were things in the freezer he only had to take out and put in the oven or microwave. No wonder he ended up sick! I kept asking if he ate, got posititive replys, but never saw the evidence in the sink or dishwasher when I checked on him. So, I began taking things out to make sure he ate. If Mom goes first, he won't be far behind her. They have been married 66 years and he has depended on her to be there for him all this time. So now that they are both back home, on there meds, and doing ok for now- I have been dismissed as nurse/caretaker. LOL

However, my DS decided to get sick last week with pneumonia! What a time I've had!

Mom insisted (and I needed) to get away from it all, so I went to a Red Hat Weekend on Friday and got home yesterday and had a wonderful time! I'm a little more relaxed now and ready to jump into everything again. Even wore some of my correct purple and red!

Barbara ~ I know you're on your cruise, but if you check in Girl you are rockin in that hair!!

Anita~ Soo loved reading your closet cleaning advice. You are such an insightful young lady!

[aoknkentucky]

Debbie...we will keep going! I'm just having a bit of a struggle adjusting to my family's new schedule, not only because of my own teaching schedule but also because of changes to DS's tennis schedule. So it has felt a little crazy around here lately. But I am still all in for continuing the color parties. I haven't lost my motivation, just some time. :o

 

Let me encourage you.

 

Cleaning out the closet will take a long while, especially if you are in the process of losing weight. And it can be something of a frightening thing to clear out so many clothes. It sounds ridiculous, but it's a truth. Even though the statistics show that most people only wear 20% of the clothing that they own on a regular basis, there is comfort in owning the other 80%. And many of us have been exposed to Depression Era people that can find a use for everything. I know that I have suffered serious GUILT as I look at perfectly good clothing, clothing I spent good money on, and now because of a seemingly petty reason (it's not my COLOR)...I want to get rid of it.

I never considered the comfort factor in owning the other 80%, but since you've mentioned it, I believe that it does play a part in my vast collection of cloth. Serious guilt?--I can relate. I keep telling myself that the chance for spending that money has already passed, but it seems so wasteful AND petty to get rid of perfectly good clothing unless it doesn't fit and I can't alter it or remake it in some way. Getting rid of something only because it is a bad color choice seems to be making a bad choice worse somehow. I understand it is necessary for me to move forward, but I sometimes hedge and put one or two in my "play clothes" as Kim calls them. After all, I need a second casual wardrobe at the camper. However, I must be careful to keep o.n.l.y my second favorites, not my third, fourth and fifth favorites, KWIM? :)

 

My advice in clearing out your closet is this...If you are serious about your health and not allowing yourself to regain the weight...then get rid of EVERYTHING that is too big. ALL OF IT. Unless there is something that is SO fabulous that it is honestly worth tailoring, don't even blink. Don't feel guilty. Don't second guess, just gather and donate. Lose the huge and lose the big and baggy. Keep the ones that fit.

 

That's pass one.

This one seems to be the easiest for me. I can gladly donate those baggy things to the church clothes closet outreach.

 

The next pass can happen with less effort.

 

You need to examine whether or not you really LIKE these clothes that fit. Do you like the fit? I had clothing that I liked the color, the fabric, the idea of what it was, but just hated the fit. I pick a shirt to wear, but would immediately take it off again. When that happens, those clothes need to go away. I finally caved and got rid of two sweater vests because they were just too short. I like tops with hems at hip bone level and no shorter.

I also like tops with hems at hip bone level and no shorter, but my tops also need to be no longer than hip bone level. So, the problem the past season or two has been that the cotton tops I bought never shrunk as expected. Go figure! I'm learning that I am better at not purchasing what doesn't meet my expectations than I am at discarding what I already own. Again, I bargain with myself that I can "make it work". But, I'm getting better. Thanks for the reminder though.

 

There are other exercises like this. You take ALL your hangers and hang them on the rail from the BACK side. As you wear your clothing, you now hang them back up normally. At the end of your determined time (could be one month, could be the current season), you take the clothing that you could have, should have, might have been wearing (i.e. long sleeves in cold weather), but DIDN'T wear...and get rid of it. You don't miss what you don't wear. (This is for non-special occasion clothing, of course.)

 

This type of thing is pass two.

 

The hanger trick is something I have done in the past and I find that I may only wear any given item one or two times, but I DO wear it at some point during a season. If I take an item off the rail and try it on, it must past inspection at that point, or it goes immediately into the donation pile. I usually have no hangers in original position when it's time to change from one season to the other.

 

IF, for some reason, you have clothing that you want to keep, but didn't wear, you have to ask yourself WHY didn't you wear it? Is it that you don't have anything that goes with it? This reason is less likely when you stick with your color palette, BUT it could result if you lack the proper style of bottom or top to coordinate. Or shoes. Maybe you discover that you just don't have the right shoes.

I have been famous in the past for having casual tops that match dressy bottoms or the other way around. Yes, I was prone to trouble coordinating shoes too. Now that I no longer purchase black shoes, I find that a couple of brown casual shoes, 2-3 brown heels of various heights and a pair of brown boots (or two) will see me through most various pant lengths and styles. I still have a few brightly colored heels for dress-up fun. I am a firm believer that a girl needs to keep a few fun pairs of shoes.

 

During the prior processes, unless you absolutely HAVE to, you should be avoiding all clothing purchases.

SAY WHAAAATTTTT!?! Gasp.......gasp.....I.....can't.......catch......my.......breath..... Yeah, I know......I understand.......I really do, I promise.

 

NOW though...if you have identified HOLES in your wardrobe planning, you can shop very SPECIFICALLY for what you need/want.

Oh yeah, I only shop when I NEED something. My problem is that I manufacture NEED very quickly.

 

And if you find yourself with gaps because of THAT...weight loss...make the smartest choice you can to replenish your wardrobe. Take note of what you wear...whether you prefer pants, skirts, dresses...what type of top/blouse you reach for first...and try to focus on re-making those purchases in a color that makes sense with your emerging wardrobe. When you finish the laundry, what is the first thing you regularly end up wearing. WHY? Seek to figure that out.

I did this a while back and discovered that I really, really like skirts. I gravitate toward them. I love the way I feel when I wear them. I have several in my closet. I don't wear skirts. Yeah, I know what I just said. It's true. I don't wear skirts even though I feel fantastic when I do wear them. I realized that I don't wear them because I don't always feel like my legs look tanned enough. I have resolved that issue in my brain and wear skirts much more often now. It's been amazing to realize these new things about myself.

 

f you have so many clothes, like I did, you may find yourself thinking that you don't have a "style." I would read these magazines and books and think to myself that I had Clearance Rack Style. Cheap. Easy. Comfortable. Not the style that I wanted.

OH YEAH!!! That's me.

 

As you pair down your wardrobe, you can use the clothing that you have to discover what you like to wear. And discover WHY. Understand that there are many reasons why we pick one thing over another:

 

1. It's clean. You may love something that requires dry cleaning, and thus, you rarely wear it because you don't deal with dry cleaning. Make a note: Don't even try on something that requires dry cleaning, work on getting those out of your wardrobe and don't purchase any more for regular wear. Find a similar item that is washable.

 

2. It's wrinkle-free. You may love something that requires ironing, but you rarely make time to iron, so you rarely wear it. Make a note: Don't even try on something that requires ironing, work on getting those out of your wardrobe and don't purchase any more for regular wear. Find a similar item that doesn't require ironing.

 

3. It's comfortable. You love the feel of the fabric. You love the drape of the fabric. It's flattering. It masks figure flaws. It highlights figure pros. It's your favorite color. There are many reasons WHY something is comfortable. Figure out what is comfortable about the article you consider comfortable and make note to try to repeat that purchase reason.

 

4. It's a part of an outfit that you have figured out and feel good wearing. If you WISH you could wear something else more often, but the only reason you don't is because you don't know what to wear it with, then spend a little time shopping your own closet and figure out some outfits.

 

You get the idea.

 

This refinement is what is going to be another pass through your wardrobe.

I'm working on it.

 

When you have fewer options, it's easier to make CHOICES and not just dress from habit. When you start consistently making choices about what you wear, you can analyze why you make those choices. Moving beyond the cost of a garment into a more difficult reason to define why you own it and wear it is what will help you make smarter clothing purchases as you go through the process of defining and redefining your wardrobe

 

Wow. I guess I had a lot to say about that! LOL. :o

 

But this is the process that I have been in now for SO LONG. It isn't easy. Like losing weight, you just have to keep after it and realize that change will not happen over night.

 

You can do it Debbie!

Thanks for all the hint and tips, Anita. They made me work through it in my mind again. Always a good thing since things get muddled in my brain sometimes. I will persevere, Anita. It just seems like it never ends though, KWIM? Every time I try on something from my closet, I'm thinking....this doesn't fit any more......this top is too long and makes me look like I have leg stumps...the reasons to discard just never seem to end.

 

I think I have been a little frightened to let go of some of my clothes because of what you said in the beginning of your post...I need that 80% for security. What if I let go of all these "not perfect" clothes and something happens to my "perfect" clothes....holes, stains, whatever. What if I'm not able to find the perfect replacement in an acceptable color? Then I TRULY have wasted good money, because I discarded a perfectly good non-perfect item and then was forced to replace it with a non-perfect item. I KNOW. I KNOW. My brain is way too weird!!!!!

 

This may not make sense to most people, but it helps me to just keep repeating what you said to me in an earlier post...With purpleberry and other favorites that look fabulous, why would I want to keep something that doesn't make me feel this way all the time? (And I've added) Just Pitch it!

 

The good news is that I have discovered a few "go to" styles of tops and bottoms that I know without a doubt look good on me. I am evolving. Slowly, it is true. . but the progress is there.

 

Guess I had a lot to say about that too!!!;)

[Anita Latte]

Serious guilt?--I can relate. I keep telling myself that the chance for spending that money has already passed, but it seems so wasteful AND petty to get rid of perfectly good clothing unless it doesn't fit and I can't alter it or remake it in some way. Getting rid of something only because it is a bad color choice seems to be making a bad choice worse somehow.

 

Here's the thing...First, that item of clothing takes up valuable space in your closet. Perhaps it even keeps you from owning something else that you WOULD wear. It confuses the issue of what to wear in the morning, because you see it, and every time you see it, you have to mentally discard it...AND because you see it, you have to experience the guilt of owning something you don't wear.

 

And REALLY, this isn't wasteful? To keep something that doesn't get used?

 

OR would it be CHARITABLE to give it away to the opportunity for someone else to use it? And when this item ends up in someone else's closet that hopefully loves it and wears it...was it wasteful for you to pass it along?

 

I understand it is necessary for me to move forward, but I sometimes hedge and put one or two in my "play clothes" as Kim calls them. After all, I need a second casual wardrobe at the camper. However, I must be careful to keep o.n.l.y my second favorites, not my third, fourth and fifth favorites, KWIM? :)

 

I do know what you mean and this is a trap. There is a mindset here that requires extreme caution in your thinking. Because it's like this...how often are you at the camper? What percentage of your life is this? I understand all about the idea that this is a more camping, outdoor, get down and dirty type of place to be...BUT...as a former backpacker and lover of camping type of person...I also know that in these situations, many times, specialty clothing is needed. It's advantageous to have those technical fabrics and convert from pants to shorts with a zipper type of clothing. Or specialty fleece for the cold. Or rain gear. Clothing that is easy care, easy wash, easy dry. I could go on.

 

When you consider your camper wardrobe, consider all the consequences. If you spend as much time at the camper as it appears you do, then this is a significant percentage of your week...and it's a shame to have the clothing that you wear be guilt-ridden cast offs in this time of your life that is supposed to be focused on fun, recreation, relaxation, and getting away from it all.

 

This one seems to be the easiest for me. I can gladly donate those baggy things to the church clothes closet outreach.

 

YAY!!!

 

I am a firm believer that a girl needs to keep a few fun pairs of shoes.

 

I completely agree. Did you see my shoe photo?

 

SAY WHAAAATTTTT!?! Gasp.......gasp.....I.....can't.......catch......my.......breath..... Yeah, I know......I understand.......I really do, I promise.

 

Oh yeah, I only shop when I NEED something. My problem is that I manufacture NEED very quickly.

 

I am not totally up to date on the Vivienne blog, BUT...I recall that she is doing a no-buy experiment for a year? Or some other long length of time? And I read, either at that blog, or somewhere else, about their experience in a retail clothing job. The comparison was between ladies that would be clearance rack scavengers, never looking put together, and generally making more purchases and spending more money on clothing than the one customer that came in once in October and once in April and purchased several clothing items, spending a chunk of money all at once, but not shopping otherwise AND looking put together all the time.

 

I did this a while back and discovered that I really, really like skirts. I gravitate toward them. I love the way I feel when I wear them. I have several in my closet. I don't wear skirts. Yeah, I know what I just said. It's true. I don't wear skirts even though I feel fantastic when I do wear them. I realized that I don't wear them because I don't always feel like my legs look tanned enough. I have resolved that issue in my brain and wear skirts much more often now. It's been amazing to realize these new things about myself.

 

This is the kind of thing that the book Style Statement will help you explore.

 

Thanks for all the hint and tips, Anita. They made me work through it in my mind again. Always a good thing since things get muddled in my brain sometimes. I will persevere, Anita. It just seems like it never ends though, KWIM? Every time I try on something from my closet, I'm thinking....this doesn't fit any more......this top is too long and makes me look like I have leg stumps...the reasons to discard just never seem to end.

 

I am happy to help. I think that we live in strange times. We live in amazing abundance, in just about all aspects of life. Things are very easy to come by. And can be found cheap. And thus, we don't really have to think about things as much as we might otherwise have to.

 

I sew. I made a costume for DS for Halloween. We haven't celebrated Halloween in forever. DS is in 5th grade now, and the last time we tried trick-or-treating, he was in first grade? His last comment about Halloween was that it was a lot of walking for candy that you don't really like anyway. LOL. We have done alternative Halloween celebrations and those have actually been worse. So for the past 3 years, we have holed up in our as dark as possible home and pretended the day didnt' really exist.

 

This year though...DS wanted to be an elf of The Lord of the Rings Variety. So I made him a cloak and a jerkin based on Legolas. He looked AMAZING. I did a good job considering time and no real pattern for what I was making. But I didn't consider it to be wasted time because we will be going to the Renaissance Festival this year with Mom and Dad when they come to visit. AND DS wants a LOTR Online-themed birthday party (January).

 

We dress up for the Renaissance Festival. LOVE it. Back in 1996, we splurged and bought DH a kilt (he has Scots blood). Being the sewer that I am, I made myself a wench costume with the skirts and lace-up corset bodice. All in the sewing mood, I pulled out my own Renaissance costume to realize that it was WAY too big...I could overlap the bodice by 4-5 inches too big. The style wouldn't make for good alterations, so I have decided to gift myself with a new costume.

 

Considering that DH dresses in a kilt, I have been researching what an Irish or a Highlander Scots woman would wear. It's very interesting to research historical clothing. To consider the availability of fabrics. What they could be made FROM and HOW they could be made. What the quality could be and wear you could get quality. Generally, in order to get good fabric, you needed to be in a large city, like London. You would have to send away for it somehow. And likely, you wouldn't do this often. Maybe once a year?

 

I don't need to go into the styles, but think about the idea of how difficult it would be to cloth yourself in by-gone days. Think about how, if you really could only get new clothing once a year...how much would you think about it? How much would you spend to get something that would last you until you purchase again? The decision about new clothes had WEIGHT because it had long reaching consequences.

 

We escape this here. Consequences that is, because we don't have to live with the consequences of our clothing decisions for longer than we want to. So we don't actually treat the decision about clothing with much respect, because it doesn't have WEIGHT. UNTIL...we decide that the decision SHOULD have had more weight than we gave it in the first place...and thus, we introduce GUILT into the mix.

 

But this is ridiculous guilt...because we aren't truly upset about the idea of the clothing and what is happening with this clothing...we are upset about the money. We stand in the store and consider the purchase of a $4.97 (Target clearance!)...$9.97...$14.97...*gasp* $19.97 item of clothing. In isolation, the purchase is no big deal. You could eat OUT for more than the cost of that item of clothing. But when you discover that it wasn't a good purchase...and you lump it together with all the other equally "no big deal" purchases...you realize that you spent a good couple hundred dollars at the clearance racks. And NOW...money adds WEIGHT AFTER THE FACT...and because it was a relatively thoughtless purchase...there's guilt.

 

If I'm writing true for you, it's because this is MY STORY.

 

Because here's the flip side of the coin...

 

You are probably a person that doesn't want to CARE that much about your clothes. I mean, come on...in the grand scheme of life...how important is it REALLY, what I wear? You may not want to be that person that is all caught up in their appearance. You have probably known girls in the past that are TOO caught up in it and decided that you were never going to be like that and so you may have gone the opposite road...trying not to care...trying not to spend money on something so SILLY as clothing. WHO CARES?

 

Well. You do. In your heart you care, but you don't want to care too much...and you haven't found that right path where you care enough but don't make it TOO important. Can you relate here?

 

It comes down to this...you care, but keep it in perspective...and so for the benefit of the long run...you have to spend a lot of time in the short run dealing with all of this. But once you deal with it, you will have a more solid foundation on which you make decisions and choices. You will understand that it is better to spend $39.95, or even *gasp*, $59.95, to get that just right top, blouse, sweater, cardigan, vest, etc etc that makes you feel great, that you are bummed is now dirty and you can't wear again until you do laundry. You wear it so many times. If you can average wearing it once a week from October through February, because you love it that much (do you own a top you basically wear once a week?), you will have spent $2.73 for each wearing of a $60 shirt. If it lasts for more than one year...and you repeat the next year...$1.37 per wear. This is cheaper than the $9.97 that you wore once or never.

 

I think I have been a little frightened to let go of some of my clothes because of what you said in the beginning of your post...I need that 80% for security. What if I let go of all these "not perfect" clothes and something happens to my "perfect" clothes....holes, stains, whatever. What if I'm not able to find the perfect replacement in an acceptable color? Then I TRULY have wasted good money, because I discarded a perfectly good non-perfect item and then was forced to replace it with a non-perfect item. I KNOW. I KNOW. My brain is way too weird!!!!!

 

No...your brain thinks as mine has...honestly...excluding anything WHITE...how many clothes have you stopped wearing because they got a hole or a stain? For me, stains just JUMP on white clothing...luckily, white isn't my color...so I don't have to worry about this anymore...but otherwise...I still wear the stained clothing...maybe not where you are trying to look nicer, but generally, I'll still wear non-perfect clothing that I love. And TRULY...would you EVER have so few clothing that you couldn't get by until you could find another thing that worked with all the choices in the world?

 

This may not make sense to most people, but it helps me to just keep repeating what you said to me in an earlier post...With purpleberry and other favorites that look fabulous, why would I want to keep something that doesn't make me feel this way all the time? (And I've added) Just Pitch it!

 

The good news is that I have discovered a few "go to" styles of tops and bottoms that I know without a doubt look good on me. I am evolving. Slowly, it is true. . but the progress is there.

 

Guess I had a lot to say about that too!!!;)

 

This is where my brain is right now...so I continue to have a lot to say about this. I'm the type of person that like milestones...I use them to motivate myself to get certain things done. Here's a somewhat sad but true story. Last New Year's Eve I did LAUNDRY. Yes. Laundry. We purchased The Lord of the Rings trilogy on Blu-Ray and did a marathon viewing of it all night long (way past midnight)...and I did laundry while we did this...I was determined to have it ALL done. ALL the towels. ALL the sheets. ALL the blankets. EVERYTHING was going to start off fresh and clean for the new year.

 

And I'm in that preparation mode right now. I'm getting geared up for this new year. I have several goals related to myself, my home, my stuff (including clothes), how I spend my time...etc etc. So I'm all about this right now. I could talk about this all day, but I will stop myself now.

 

I hope all these words are encouraging. We're in this together! If I can get my act together and the weather cooperates, I'll get my orange pictures done this week. It rained all last Friday.

[Joby]

Anita,

 

You always have the most thought provoking posts. So much deeper than I think :D You bring up ideas/thoughts that I don't usually consciously think about but, after you talk about them I think, hey, that makes sense, I need to give that some thought. I'm a HUGE talker but, don't post long posts because I'm not the world's speediest typer and I really kind of dread typing my thoughts fully.

 

I completely agree. Did you see my shoe photo?

 

BTW, I LOVED your shoe photo. My shoes don't compare in range of color. I'm too frugal to buy a pair that I can only wear once in a great while and I have a very hard to fit foot--narrow and a high arch. How 'bout I live vicariously through your shoes????

 

Still have not gotten around to doing a picture in the new Athleta purple color. I've been running in slow mo lately it seems. I've been hot on planning a new trip for us and after months of planning and research, we've put down a deposit on a 16 day trip to AFRICA in February 2013! A life long dream and we just decided not to put it off until after retirement, etc. Who knows if we will reach that, or be healthy enough, or have the opportunity, or, well, we just decided to do it now while we can! We are beyond excited and a little bit nervous!!!!!

 

I'm going shopping for new glasses and want to get something a little fun for a second pair. I've never had a second pair of glasses before and think I'm going to branch out a bit. I'll post some pictures and see what the thoughts are.

 

Well, that's it for now. Looking forward to the new round of color party pictures from everyone.

Edited November 2, 2011 by Joby

[snuggles]

Kim ~ Congrats on the trip!!! It sounds like so much fun and you are wise to take it now and not wait! We held off on some things and wish now we had done them, even though money would have really been tight, BUT we would have enjoyed the trips so much more because now I have trouble walking with my arthritic knees!:(

 

TWO or THREE pairs of glasses sound like a lot of fun to me! I keep thinking about it, but since I only wear mine when my contacts are out (right before I go to bed and when I get up) I haven't gone the 2nd pair route. One of the ladies who worked at my opthalmtist office years ago had a pair for every outfit she wore. (Kinda like Garcia on Criminal Minds.) I loved seeing her and wanted several pairs also, but income being what it was never did.

I completely agree. Did you see my shoe photo?

 

Hey, where was this? I missed it?:confused:

Will work on aquas today when I go home for lunch, as sun is finally out and it's warming up! Thank goodness all the snow is gone, didn't stick around to long. ~ Oh how I wish I was in the Caribbean right now with a fru fru! :D

Edited November 2, 2011 by snuggles

[aoknkentucky]

Here's the thing...First, that item of clothing takes up valuable space in your closet. Perhaps it even keeps you from owning something else that you WOULD wear. It confuses the issue of what to wear in the morning, because you see it, and every time you see it, you have to mentally discard it...AND because you see it, you have to experience the guilt of owning something you don't wear. And REALLY, this isn't wasteful? To keep something that doesn't get used? OR would it be CHARITABLE to give it away to the opportunity for someone else to use it? And when this item ends up in someone else's closet that hopefully loves it and wears it...was it wasteful for you to pass it along?

This is good thinking, Anita. I can get on board with this idea. Thanks!

 

What percentage of your life is this? I understand all about the idea that this is a more camping, outdoor, get down and dirty type of place to be...BUT...as a former backpacker and lover of camping type of person...I also know that in these situations, many times, specialty clothing is needed. When you consider your camper wardrobe, consider all the consequences. If you spend as much time at the camper as it appears you do, then this is a significant percentage of your week...and it's a shame to have the clothing that you wear be guilt-ridden cast offs in this time of your life that is supposed to be focused on fun, recreation, relaxation, and getting away from it all.

Our camping generally doesn't require specialized clothing, just casual items. However, our camping season is March 1-November 30. We don't ordinarily stay the entire month of November because we need to be home planning Thanksgiving, but our camping season does covers 30 degree weather as well as 100+ degree weather and water activities. Because we sometimes camp through the weekend and return in time to clock in at work on Monday mornings, I need to also keep a few work outfits on hand at the camper. I won't NEED to buy casual clothing for quite a while unless I shrink out of it over the winter, so I understand your thinking on this one and I do agree with it. Like I said, no third or fourth choices, only second best choices.

I am not totally up to date on the Vivienne blog, BUT...I recall that she is doing a no-buy experiment for a year? Or some other long length of time? And I read, either at that blog, or somewhere else, about their experience in a retail clothing job. The comparison was between ladies that would be clearance rack scavengers, never looking put together, and generally making more purchases and spending more money on clothing than the one customer that came in once in October and once in April and purchased several clothing items, spending a chunk of money all at once, but not shopping otherwise AND looking put together all the time.

I agree with this thinking also! I have been soooo guilty of being a clearance rack scavenger and these last few months have made me aware that I have been guilty of spending more money on my "bargains" that don't coordinate than I would if I had only bought a few choice pieces.

 

This is the kind of thing that the book Style Statement will help you explore.

This is on my Next to Purchase List.

 

I am happy to help. I think that we live in strange times. We live in amazing abundance, in just about all aspects of life. Things are very easy to come by. And can be found cheap. And thus, we don't really have to think about things as much as we might otherwise have to.

I have been considering these things in more depth that I EVER have in the past.

I sew.

Me too, but not much for the past few years.

....we have holed up in our as dark as possible home and pretended the day didnt' really exist.

We also keep the porchlight off and pretend.

 

...we will be going to the Renaissance Festival this year with Mom and Dad when they come to visit. AND DS wants a LOTR Online-themed birthday party (January).

Love, Love, Love Renaissance, and have attended several Madrigal dinners during the Christmas season over the years.

 

All in the sewing mood, I pulled out my own Renaissance costume to realize that it was WAY too big...I could overlap the bodice by 4-5 inches too big. The style wouldn't make for good alterations, so I have decided to gift myself with a new costume.

Way to go, Anita!!!

 

...we don't have to live with the consequences of our clothing decisions for longer than we want to. So we don't actually treat the decision about clothing with much respect, because it doesn't have WEIGHT. UNTIL...we decide that the decision SHOULD have had more weight than we gave it in the first place...and thus, we introduce GUILT into the mix.

But this is ridiculous guilt...because we aren't truly upset about the idea of the clothing and what is happening with this clothing...we are upset about the money. We stand in the store and consider the purchase of a $4.97 (Target clearance!)...$9.97...$14.97...*gasp* $19.97 item of clothing. In isolation, the purchase is no big deal. You could eat OUT for more than the cost of that item of clothing. But when you discover that it wasn't a good purchase...and you lump it together with all the other equally "no big deal" purchases...you realize that you spent a good couple hundred dollars at the clearance racks. And NOW...money adds WEIGHT AFTER THE FACT...and because it was a relatively thoughtless purchase...there's guilt.

 

If I'm writing true for you, it's because this is MY STORY.

Yep! My story too!

 

Because here's the flip side of the coin...You are probably a person that doesn't want to CARE that much about your clothes. I mean, come on...in the grand scheme of life...how important is it REALLY, what I wear? You may not want to be that person that is all caught up in their appearance. You have probably known girls in the past that are TOO caught up in it and decided that you were never going to be like that and so you may have gone the opposite road...trying not to care...trying not to spend money on something so SILLY as clothing. WHO CARES?

 

Well. You do. In your heart you care, but you don't want to care too much...and you haven't found that right path where you care enough but don't make it TOO important. Can you relate here?

 

It comes down to this...you care, but keep it in perspective...and so for the benefit of the long run...you have to spend a lot of time in the short run dealing with all of this. But once you deal with it, you will have a more solid foundation on which you make decisions and choices. You will understand that it is better to spend $39.95, or even *gasp*, $59.95, to get that just right top, blouse, sweater, cardigan, vest, etc etc that makes you feel great, that you are bummed is now dirty and you can't wear again until you do laundry. You wear it so many times. If you can average wearing it once a week from October through February, because you love it that much (do you own a top you basically wear once a week?), you will have spent $2.73 for each wearing of a $60 shirt. If it lasts for more than one year...and you repeat the next year...$1.37 per wear. This is cheaper than the $9.97 that you wore once or never.

I'm beginning to see the light! ;)

 

No...your brain thinks as mine has...honestly...excluding anything WHITE...how many clothes have you stopped wearing because they got a hole or a stain? For me, stains just JUMP on white clothing...luckily, white isn't my color...so I don't have to worry about this anymore...but otherwise...I still wear the stained clothing...maybe not where you are trying to look nicer, but generally, I'll still wear non-perfect clothing that I love. And TRULY...would you EVER have so few clothing that you couldn't get by until you could find another thing that worked with all the choices in the world?

I hadn't thought about it like this, but you are right. I keep telling DH that he really doesn't NEED 5-7 pair of shorts/pants or t-shirts of the same color to work in because he does laundry much more frequently than once a week. I see this for his purposes, but hadn't used the same logic for myself. DUH!!!

 

This is where my brain is right now...And I'm in that preparation mode right now. I'm getting geared up for this new year. I have several goals related to myself, my home, my stuff (including clothes), how I spend my time...etc etc.

I have set a few goals for myself also. My time frame is never January 1st because we are usually still putting away Christmas decorations or visiting kinfolk that we weren't able to visit during Christmas. I have a March 1 deadline because that is when the camper goes back to the campground each year. I have the winter months to take care of household chores that go by the wayside during the other 9-10 months. Tis the year to pare down the wardrobe and the storage room upstairs. We have lived in the same place for 26 years. I have more items on my to-do list than will ever get done, but I will not stress over this. I will make this a time of introspect and discovery. A big goal for myself is that I will not feel guilt about money OR time spent. I will slow down and enjoy each minute if possible. Tension and strife waste my time and my health and I will not let them be a part of my life. All roads forward will converge on this path if at all possible.

 

I hope all these words are encouraging. We're in this together! If I can get my act together and the weather cooperates, I'll get my orange pictures done this week. It rained all last Friday.

Encouraging? Yes, ma'am! I'll try to work getting my aqua/teal pictures taken also. I've pared it down considerably, but you don't EVEN want to know how many remain that need a more critical eye. I may need to do a lighter series and a darker series. Pitiful. Just pitiful.

[aoknkentucky]

I've been hot on planning a new trip for us and after months of planning and research, we've put down a deposit on a 16 day trip to AFRICA in February 2013! A life long dream and we just decided not to put it off until after retirement, etc. Who knows if we will reach that, or be healthy enough, or have the opportunity, or, well, we just decided to do it now while we can! We are beyond excited and a little bit nervous!!!!!

 

AFRICA!?! Africa, you say? WOW! I'd be beyond excited too. What a great trip, Kim.

 

But.....will you be able to wear your warm, bright, clear colors? I see you wearing several shades of our FIRE browns, yes? Oh the fun you will have planning wardrobe and things to do. I always begin my vacation the moment the accomodation reservations have been made and with over a year to plan--if you like to plan like I do--you have over a year to enjoy this dream vacation before it actually gets here. YEA!!! Congratulations!

Edited November 2, 2011 by aoknkentucky

[Joby]

(Kinda like Garcia on Criminal Minds.)

 

Oh, my, Lord, Garcia is my glasses goddess!!!! That's also my favorite show (it's on tonight I might mention). I LOVE all of her glasses and outlandish clothes. I couldn't even begin to have that much nerve/confidence to wear glasses like she wears. I just ogle them from afar :D I do want a bit of a change and something a little different for me. I do have to wear them all the time as I can't get contacts:( I tried some plastic frames on and they all seem too dark. They were all in the tortoise color family but, I think a blonde tortoise might be better. I would love to find some in aqua/turquoise! I took some pictures but, not sure if I have the guts to post. It looks like I'm all frames and no face :eek:

 

Thanks for the good thoughts on our trip. Beyond excited is putting it mildly :D I've spent a large amount of time the last few months researching. It's a chunk of change to put down (for us) but, felt like now was the time to do it--there are no guarantees in life as we all know.

 

I'll have no choice as to wearing my FIRE colors--it's about all I have other than play clothes. We're doing only carry ons for luggage, so minimalist will be the word. We do have some zip off, quick dry pants and shirts that we used 2 years ago in Costa Rica and those will go with us for sure. I

ll keep my eyes peeled for safari clothes in FIRE colors :eek:

 

On with the color parties!

[snuggles]

Oh, my, Lord, Garcia is my glasses goddess!!!! That's also my favorite show (it's on tonight I might mention). I LOVE all of her glasses and outlandish clothes. I couldn't even begin to have that much nerve/confidence to wear glasses like she wears. I just ogle them from afar \

My fav show also!!! I loved one particular pair of turq frames she had on, wish I could find them here. I say GO FOR IT! You only live once! We glasses gals sure need some confidence don't we?:D

tried some plastic frames on and they all seem too dark. They were all in the tortoise color family but, I think a blonde tortoise might be better. I would love to find some in aqua/turquoise! I took some pictures but, not sure if I have the guts to post. It looks like I'm all frames and no face

Please post them anyway. We can critique for you, you never know what may happen..... Ya just might like what we have to say.... KWIM

[snuggles]

Oh, my, Lord, Garcia is my glasses goddess!!!! That's also my favorite show (it's on tonight I might mention). I LOVE all of her glasses and outlandish clothes. I couldn't even begin to have that much nerve/confidence to wear glasses like she wears. I just ogle them from afar \

My fav show also!!! I loved one particular pair of turq frames she had on, wish I could find them here. I say GO FOR IT! You only live once! :D

tried some plastic frames on and they all seem too dark. They were all in the tortoise color family but, I think a blonde tortoise might be better. I would love to find some in aqua/turquoise! I took some pictures but, not sure if I have the guts to post. It looks like I'm all frames and no face

Please post them anyway. We can critique, you never know what may happen..... Ya just might like what we have to say.... :cool:

[Joby]

I have some new glasses (frames) to get some comments on. I'll post them tomorrow.

 

I have been so busy the last 3 weeks. I had to work full time because my boss was on vacation and holy crap was it crazy!!! Glad I only have to do that once in a while!!!!

 

I've missed being on here. What have you all been up to? Hope everyone is OK. where is everyone at in our color parties?

 

Anita, Pam will be there soon, won't she? I'll bet you're so excited!