A Stress FREE Day

Thanks to Crowdtap I am a member of the Old Navy Style Council. 

Join Now

Sounds awesome, right?! 

Well, it totally is.  Not only do I get to give my opinions on other products & companies but I get to give my opinion on all things Old Navy.  I don't know about you but I LOVE Old Navy!  

I'm guessing you do too. 

As a member of the Old Navy Style Council you get opportunities to be involved in sample parties or events.

I was lucky enough to be chosen to be part of their JEANS Event, where I was mailed a coupon for ONE FREE PAIR OF OLD NAVY JEANS. 

SCORE! 

and a second coupon for a friend for ONE FREE PAIR OF OLD NAVY JEANS. 

DOUBLE SCORE!!

I, of course, grabbed my BFF for a girls day to celebrate.  For each other's birthday's we always take the other to see a movie of their choice.  As July was Karie's b-day she chose Crazy, Stupid, Love.  We went to an early showing & I had a FREE movie ticket (Christmas gift) so it only cost me $7.50 (K's ticket & souvenir cup refill).  Crazy, Stupid, Love. was a great movie...if you haven't seen it GO.  Seriously, GO NOW and SEE IT!!

Then I had a coupon for a FREE pair of hiphuggers from Victoria Secret.  Seriously, cheapest shopping day EVER!

We then went to Wendy's for lunch.  After waiting for a ridiculously long time in an extremely slow line there may have been an incident between Karie and the drink lid dispenser.  One where about a 100 plastic drink lids launched themselves at her chest only to sprIng everywhere around us in a loud clatter (and a lot of hysterical giggling from us). 

Needless to say, there was a lot of staring (from everyone in the restaurant) and yelling (from the poor harassed Wendy's lady behind the order counter).  We apologized profusely & chatted with the lady about stressful days & such.  I think even though we made a huge mess for her to clean up (one she wouldn't let us help clean up) we gave her a bit of a fun break & someone to vent to. 

Then we finally got down to business and went to Old Navy.  Anyone who's ever been in an Old Navy knows there's THE WALL.  The long, high wall of JEANS.  Truthfully, I usually am a bit intimidated by THE WALL and avoid it to only shop for jeans in the smaller racks & displays around it.  I know, what was I thinking?!  Since FREE jeans were the pay off we immediately tackled THE WALL, grabbing every color & style we could find in our sizes.

We went on the weekend which must have been the end of the summer break for most schools because Old Navy was PACKED!  Moms and children were EVERYWHERE.  If FREE jeans hadn't been the deal I would have turned right around and came back another time, after the PTSD wore off.

So we grabbed our (first) pile of jeans and waded into the fitting room area.  We unfortunately couldn't get rooms next to each other but we were close enough.  We didn't have the freedom to take photos of each other like we had planned but we did manage to show each other the options & discuss our likes and dislikes of each pair. 

Oddly enough, even though I am 5'4 and Karie is 5'6 and we are totally build differently we had the same opinions on the jeans.  There may have been a slight difference in the reasoning why but we liked & disliked the same pairs of jeans.

The Sweetheart Boot-cut jeans were just okay.  Neither one of us totally loved the cut, nor did we totally hate it.

 The (Skinny) Mini-flairs would have been awesome but they were a bit too small around the waist area.  They fit both of us perfectly in the leg area but was a bit too snug everywhere above that.  They were the only fit of jeans that were too small in the size we wore and going up a size didn't work because it made them far too big. 

We both loved the Trouser Jeans.  The only problem was they were a little too big.  Especially for me in the rump area.  

The Slim-flairs were just right!  Perfect fit!  For both of us, which I consider a miracle.  Nothing ever fits us the same.  Never!  Ever!

I just have to make sure to wear tall wedges since they are a bit long on me. (Short was too short, regular is too long,

and tall was WAY too long on me)

Karie & I in our FREE Old Navy Slim-Flair Jeans

In case you couldn't tell I LOVE Old Navy, I'm wearing...

Tank: Old Navy (similar old)

Jeans: Old Navy Slim-Flair Jeans (FREE)

Necklace: Old Navy ($4.99 clearance)

Ring: Old Navy (old)

So THANKS Crowdtap & Old Navy for making our BFF day a stress FREE day!

iLove

Okay, I have a confession....

I'm dating my iPhone.  No, seriously.  I spend more time with my iPhone that I did with my last boyfriend.  My iPhone has a way better sleeping schedule, one tailored to mine.  Plus, I have to say my iPhone has way better musical taste, it never forces me to listen to Audioslave and favors Jack's Mannequin.  That's aways a plus in my book!  It's a good thing the two never overlapped, my preference is clear.  iPhone all the way!  YES!  The love is that serious.

The only bad thing about dating my iPhone is the fact that it doesn't have a job & won't pay for my steak dinner.  Nor does it kill bugs or do oil changes.  RUDE!  But I guess you can't have everything.  Though I'd pretty much kill for a steak right now.  Yeah, and maybe a trip to the Olive Garden for some YUMMY soup & salad (all you can eat style!).  So I'm obviously hungry & craving some things, sorry about that.

So my cat has a girlfriend, I'm dating my iPhone and I don't even have a real life human man to strike up a mild flirtation with.  I'm sure the the first two parts of my statement have a little to do with the last part but come on.  What's a girl gotta do around here to get a date?? 

I know I'm not hanging out in bars or clubs but that never got me dates in the past.  I don't go to bars or clubs for that reason. I go to hang with my friends and have fun with my friends, not gain the attention of some sleazy club Casanova. 

Heh.  Maybe my last paragraph explains it all.  I'm a snob.  A closed off, unapproachable snob.  I automatically judge every guy who approaches me as some sleazoid or creep.  Someones got to find that cute, right?  I must say that most of the guys are sleazoid's and creepy ones to boot, but that leaves that small percentage that is not.  That small percentage that I never give a chance because I've been so overfed on sleazoid that I can't see anything else. 

Have I met my Mr. Darcy and chased him off or discarded him somewhere along the way?   I've had my fair share of Daniel Cleaver's, so much so, that I'm not sure I could pick a Mr. Darcy out of the lot.  The time for my storybook romance has come and gone but that doesn't mean I don't want my own version of Mr. Darcy to share my time & interests with.  Finding that version, my version of Mr. Darcy is the reason for all of today's ramblings. 

How do I find the Kerri version of Mr. Darcy?  How do I even put myself out there to find him?  Thoughts, suggestions or introductions would be greatly appreciated at this point.

Momma Deb (BFF's mom) is afraid that all my cat talk & cat photo postings on Facebook is going to cement my reputation as THE CRAZY CAT LADY.  God love her for it! but the truth is that I have been and always will be THE CRAZY CAT LADY.  It just is what it is and I've had that rep since the moment I got Parker (at 16).  That means for 17 years people have been teasing me about being THE CRAZY CAT LADY.  Besides, there's no one on my FB flist that doesn't already regard me as THE CRAZY CAT LADY or who is dateable.  So, sorry folks but all of you who are my FB friends you are stuck with the awesomeness that is all of my cat posts. 

Sommer & Karie are convinced that I need to start on-line dating.  I think they need to shut their pie holes until they themselves have on-line dated.  How can they cheerleader something they've never done??  It's easy to say "Oh, that's something I'd totally do" until they are actually in the position to be able to on-line date.   I'd like to hear their willingness & readiness for on-line dating then!

 I've heard all the success stories...mostly the ones about that friend of a friend or the sister of a guy who knows a guy.  I've, also, heard all the horror stories.  Experienced a lot of them second hand through actual friends.  Yes, there are on-line dating successes but that percentage is minimal.  Minut even.  I am not convinced that is the route for me. 

I think I'm  way too shy to work that avenue successfully.  Besides I'm a snob, remember.  I see most guys profiles on dating sites and automatically think they're trolling for their next victim or sexual conquest.  The thought that they could be just like me with the same reasoning's is inconceivable.

I tried speed dating once.  Once was enough.  The adventure was an epic FAIL.  Besides, the amount of time given to chat with someone is just enough time to highlight my most awkward moments.  It takes me a while to get all that awkwardness out of the way.  You know, so more awkwardness can show itself but in a more cute & adorable way.

So what am I missing?  I'm not a coffee drinker, at least not in the true sense, so a meet cute in a coffee shop is sort of out of the question.  I tried picking up a guy (kid, turns out he was barely legal) in a book store (okay, it was more like a comic book geek who worked in a comic book store), another EPIC FAIL.  I've pretty much dated all the "dateable" people my my friends families (and mine). 

So where else could I possible go to meet someone?  Again,
thoughts, suggestions or introductions would be greatly appreciated at this point. 

Thank you and have a nice weekend!

Friday Funnies #5

After hanging out with my family this week I had to post this...

Yes, folks this is what we sit around watching while together

& laughing about it until there are tears. 

The best part about it all is my brother-in-law (Erv) would totally do this if he could.   

And maybe he can...with enough Crown Royal and all his

hunting buddies but I'm not privy to their crazy antics

on late night hunting trips.

Though there was this one time I saw a video, that I have been sworn to never share (such a shame!), that would for sure be a YouTube phenom.  If he ever decides to cash in his 15 minutes of fame you can be sure I'll be there (or here, whatever) to break it to you first.

Love Struck

It seems Remington has a girlfriend...

They grow up so fast, doesn't they?!

I recorded this with the intention of capturing him "talking" to her.  When she's out there he climbs to the window and sits there all morning (or as long as she's out there).  He makes these chirping, rooing, chatter noises at her...so stinkin' cute!  You can hear him at the very start but that's all I got, stupid video takes a moment to actually start recording.  Remi, also, always stops when I go over to the window.  So frustrating!!  LOL. 

It took me a few days to realize he was actually in the window with the purpose of seeing HER.  I thought he'd just lost his mind or something.  Maybe pining away with grandeur of playing out in the grassy area in front of the window.  He's far more well behaved on the days he sits in the window staring at her.  I almost wish I could invite her in for a play date, maybe then he'd be a good boy and not torture Parker & Cyrus so much. 

Unfortunately, I have no idea who she is or who her parents are.  I do believe she's a stray but she never lets me get close enough for a good enough look to see if she's all mangy like the other strays or if she's just an elusive house cat.  Since she's outside I'm guessing she's feral.  We have a large group of feral strays in our complex, non of which will let me get remotely friendly with them. 

I find it funny that Remi sits and calls to her.  Parker has always attacked the windows when she's seen another cat outside and growls & hisses at them the whole time.  Cyrus just stairs, never making a move either way.  If they get too close to the window he freaks out and runs away to hide or he freaks & runs away when Parker attacks the window (or it'll eventually be him she attacks).  There's been a few times I was afraid she was going to break the arcadia door she hit it so hard. 

Remington has always been a friendly cat though.  He walked right up to both Parker & Cyrus when we first brought him home like they'd known each other forever.  They didn't appreciate it but I thought it was cute.  I wonder what he would do if he actually encountered another cat face to face now that he is older. 

Um...can I just say that my indoor cat has found a love interest and yet I can't even find someone to have a mild flirtation with.  It's a sad state of affairs my friends.  A sad state.

What I Wore Wednesday: Week 7 (The Thursday Edition)

Joining at The Pleated Poppy

I have not been super busy this week, nor have I had a day off, so I have no excuse as to why or how I totally forgot to post my WIWW yesterday.  So I'm doing it today, a day late, so really it should be What I Wore Wednesday Thursday.

(Last) Thursday's outfit:

Dress: Target (old)

Cardigan: Target

Belt: Kohls (old)

Necklace: Cookie Lee

Bracelets: Cookie Lee

Ring: Target or Old Navy

Shoes: Rocket Dog

Dress: Target (old)

Belt: Kohls (old)

Necklace: Cookie Lee

Bracelets: Cookie Lee

Ring: Target or Old Navy

Shoes: Rocket Dog

Belt: Kohls (old, off a pair of shorts)

Ring: Target or Old Navy I can't remember which one

Bracelets: Cookie Lee (old)

I've never worn this belt before.  I'm glad I was finally able to figure out what to wear it with.

It's so 70's macrame.

Necklace: Cookie Lee (old)

Ring: Target or Old Navy I can't remember which one

Bracelets: Cookie Lee

Wedges: Rocket Dog

Wednesday's outfit:

Dress: Mossimo via Target ($12.49)

Yes, I have the same dress in a light chambray color.  I love it that much!

Tank: Target (old)

Necklace: {Add} An Initial With Birthstone with pearl birthstone  from Noah's Ark Creations

added to my tiny riveted initials necklace from The Noisy Cricket

Bracelet: cloth headband from Ulta

Shoes: Charlotte Russe

Cloth headbands make great wrist wraps!

via Ulta

Necklace:

{Add} An Initial With Birthstone with pearl birthstone from Noah's Ark Creations
Added to my tiny riveted initials necklace from The Noisy Cricket

I seriously need to quit doing outfit posts and just do jewelry posts.  My jewelry photography KILLS my outfit photography.  Anyone want to do a little photography swap?  I'll take photos of your jewelry if you take photos of my outfits?? 

Thursday Latelies #8

Happy Thursday Latelies! 

This week is brought to you by a very hasty video so sorry for the weird total FACE angle. 

EDITS/NOTES:

*By forgot to finish I mean... I figured out what I wanted to share, got my stuff ready & then realized Criminal Minds was starting & stopped to watch two hours of it.  Or at least 1 & 1/2 hours of it, I fell asleep for the last half of the 2nd show.  Total bummer, btw.  When I woke up I was too tired to wake up enough to finish what I needed to do (video & laundry).

*Pandora Radio, eMusic 

FREE Songs purchased on eMusic:

 Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People

Find A Way - Safetysuit 

Get Over It - Ok Go

Dear Jack Ep - Jack's Mannequin

Played in Space (Disc 2) - Something Corporate 

LOL.  "Played By the Moon" sooo close but sooo not.

When the Dawn Breaks EP - Live Oak Revue

(Got County Line, Abelene & We Don't belong but didn't have enough $ for the rest)

*CrowdTap
(Join now & be AWESOME!)

 FREE Old Navy jeans:
Slim Flair Jeans

*FREE Noah's Ark Creations jewelry:

Wide Personalized Aluminum Cuff Bracelet

"I act as one, but I'm not alone"  ~ Electable (Give It Up) Lyrics - Jimmy Eat World
It also has a heart on one side & the Christian Fish on the other.

{Add} An Initial With Birthstone with pearl birthstone from Noah's Ark Creations
Added to my tiny riveted initials necklace from The Noisy Cricket



Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! #16

I feel like I've been pretty lucky lately, but in honesty I've entered so many giveaways that my winning percentage is still pretty low.  Not that I'm complaining...because I'm not.  I am so thankful for every FREE item I win. 

My favorite win this last week came from Joseph Allen Designs.  JAD is one of the top shops on my favorite hand stamped jewelery list.  I was lucky enough to receive a $25 credit to shop their hand stamped jewelry.   They have a weekly $25 shop credit giveaway, all you have to do is comment on one or more blog posts & you are entered to win.  Easy peasy! 

I'm gunning for either the...

Little Bird

or the...

Little Book Of Tags

It all just depends on what my spending allowance is when I am off my self imposed spending "spree" ban.  I'm thinking I'd like the Little Book Of Tags because I can add the tag I got from Noah's Ark Creations (where I got the {Add} An Initial With Birthstone charm with a K and the garnet crystal and added a January pearl birthstone to it.  Plus, I like that you can add more tags if you want.  I just can't decide what words I want on the tags & how many tags I'll get.  See... it's good I have to sit for a while on this one.  It gives me time to think about it all.

Then thanks to WAH (Work At Home) Resources & Directory I won this cute little pendant from their 1000 Fan Celebration...

I think it's kismet because the photo shown is the photo that was shown on the blog.  It is the exact letter that I picked!

Info:
www.facebook.com/charmnglitz
www.charmingstylist.com
Jewel Kade Handcrafted "Small Brooke" Charm (in the initial
of their choice) and a 24" Ball Chain.
Jewel Kade jewelry is designed by founder, Janet Kinkade and
is handcrafted in Alpine, Utah.

Then I was one of three who won Mommy's Moments Vedette Shapewear Giveaway, and get to pick an item of my choice.

Vedette Shapewear

Fill in the Blank #11

{photo by Caroline of Coeur de La Photography}
Joining at The Little Things We Do

1. My go to outfit for a dress-up occasion like a wedding is I don’t have a go to outfit.  If I have an occasion I am going to I go out and buy a new outfit. 

2. This week has been a short one.  I only worked 4 days (I had Tuesday off).  It’s the second week I’ve had a 4 day week.  Wishing I could have 4 day weeks all the time.

3. When it's dinnertime and I'm feeling lazy I'll usually eat Roman noodles (only the spicy kind in the green packages that I can only find at Fry’s.

4. My favorite pair of shoes are my prettyprettypretty Mark Fisher’s.  Super cute.  Super hot.  And super comfy.  They look like this…  

5. A random item that I own that is completely unnecessary, but that I could never part with is …you know, I have no idea how to answer this.

6. My favorite person is my BFF, Karie.

7.  If I were going to write my own blank it would say I don’t know now to answer this one either.  Which is why I do Fill in the Blank Fridays.  Lame, I know.

Friday Funnies #4

Warning: Very bad language accompanies this video. 

Or as Dooce said the language in that one OH MY GAH, MAH!

This video is...

 so bad.

so funny.

so true.

Thursday Latelies #7

Happy Thursday Latelies!

Joining at Bex...A Style Diary

EDIT/NOTES:

*Sorry for the shaky camera work.  Considering it was my first time holding my new iPhone & recording myself I don't think I did all that bad.

*Redbox movies this week: Morning Glory, Source Code

& 127 Hours.

*Criminal Minds

Via: funatoz.com

Matthew Gray Gubler as Spencer Reid

via igossip

Sharmar Moore as Derek Morgan

via Fanpop

  *Smith & Hawken Garden Blossom Candle blend (per label):

Black current, blue hydrangea, & apple blossom

intertwined with a sparkle of

camellia flowers & violet leaves

with a dash of sandalwood.

*Neighbors: Single mother (just finished up cancer treatment)

& her two sons (aprox 7-10 yrs old). 

They live above & across from me.

The youngest yells, slams doors & beats things against the

stairway railings outside.  In turn, the mom yells back.  I think they're all having a hard time adjusting to moving here,

the mom being sick & life in general.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! #15

Sunday I won two {TWO!!} giveaways.  Let me tell you it was a nice way to end the weekend. 

The first was the Mama Days: Handmade with Heart Giveaway with Noah's Ark Creations.

And the winner of the Noah's Ark Creations giveaway is...

I won $25 shop credit to Noah's Ark Creations, which is an Etsy shop that does handstamped jewelry.  SCORE!  I have requested her Wide Personalized Aluminum Cuff Bracelet.  I'm hoping she can put my favorite Jimmy Eat World lyrics on it "I act as one, but I'm not alone" {from Electable (Give It Up)} on it. 

Wide Personalized Aluminum Cuff Bracelet

I, also, asked for the {Add} An Initial With Birthstone charm with a K and the garnet crystal with an added January pearl birthstone 
added to it. 

{Add} An Initial With Birthstone

I'm just waiting to hear back from her on my order.  I'm pretty excited about it all though!

I, also, won one of Pretty Little Lion's {BIG} 2-8 Birthday Bash Giveaways.  It was for $25 shop credit to Pretty Little Lion Designs.  Um...double SCORE!  I sort of felt bad because this is the second time I've won a giveaway to her shop.  I do promise to someday acutally buy something from her shop though.  You know, because 6 hair pretties from her just isn't enough!

The Pretty Little Lion Shop Credit is going to...

I chose the Navy Blue Zinnia Bloom Hair Clip.

Navy Blue Zinnia Bloom Hair Clip

Navy!  I know you're totally shocked!   

What I Wore Wednesday: Week 6

Joining at The Pleated Poppy

I was off  a day again this week but managed to remember it was Wednesday and came prepared.  Mostly.  I have Friday's outfit and today's outfit.  I didn't even bother with what I wore yesterday while hanging out all day waiting for my apartment maintenance to come again.  I wore cut off jeans & a tank and looked like I got dressed in the dark.  No hair prep or make up after the shower.  You know, gotta look my best for the maintenance guys. 

So on with today's show...

Friday

The dress...

Tank: Target

Dress: Target

Shoes: Target (so cute right?!)

Necklaces: silver - tiny riveted initials  The Noisy Cricket

, gold bird & birdcage - Target

Bracelet: headband from Ulta

Ring: Charlette Rouse

The accessories...

Hair pretty: Zinnia Bloom Pretty Little Lion Designs

 Headband bracelet:  Ulta $1.99

Cloth headband used as a bracelet...pretty ingenious, right?!

I thought so, at least.  I can't get the dang things to stay on my head but couldn't

take them back so figured I needed to find another way to use them.

I have two sets (this one came with a red satin &

a red stripped one that came with a navy blue satin one)

The accessories...

Gold flowers: Target (set of 3 $4.98 Clarence)

Diamond studs: Gift

Ring: Charlette Rouse $2.99

Wednesday

The dress...

Navy tank: Old Navy $3.99

White cami: Target

Skirt: Old Navy its a few years old

Silver & gold bracelets: Target

Pointer ring: Target $7.99

The accessories...

Natural rose pendant necklace, 'Sweet Scarlet'

Novica  Giveaway win

(old pic from here, I didn't get a close up for today)

Ring: Target $7.99

Silver necklace: Target years old

Flower necklace: Natural rose pendant necklace, 'Sweet Scarlet' Novica  Giveaway win

I seriously need to figure out how to make my outfit photo's turn out as well as my accessory/jewelry photo's do. 

*Sigh*

Well Traveled: Novica Spotlight

So I got my necklace from Novica Friday and I. LOVE. IT!!  It is so beautiful!  

Natural rose pendant necklace, 'Sweet Scarlet'

This beautiful necklace is one world traveler.  It was shipped to me from Chiangmai, TH (Thailand).  Here's all the stops it's made...

1. Chiangmai, TH (Thailand)

2. Samutprakarn, TH (Thailand)

3. Bayan Lepas, MY (Malaysia)

4. Narita-Shi, JP (Japan)

5. Anchorage, AK

6. Indianapolis, IN

7. Phoenix, AZ

8. Tempe, AZ

9. Mesa, AZ

10. Back to Tempe, AZ (TWICE since I am never home when FedEX makes deliveries.)

All I have to say is at least it's not heavy because can you imagine the shipping if it was??  When I picked out my prize (from the giveaway I won to Novica) I had no idea it was actually FROM Thailand (I'm not always a details reader, sue me).   Well done, National Geographic & Novica!

Can you believe this necklace is made out of a real mini rose??  Crazy, right?!

"Immortalized in jewelry, a miniature rose centers this necklace from Danai. The perfect red blossom pendant graces a slender chain bathed in 24k gold."



The artist Danai makes most of his jewelry from real flowers & then casts them in different material (lacquer, resin, gold, silver, etc).  It's all way over my head but the results are beautiful!



Natural orchid gold plated brooch necklace, 'Orchid Fantasy'





Gold plated natural orchid earrings, 'Timeless Dancer'



Natural leaf silver plated choker, 'Fern Love'